A Treasure Quest
The room was crammed to the brim with gold caps, diamond-adorned goblets, imposing crowns and silver-studded chests. The sight left the whole group speechless.
Antes was the first to step forward and let out a laugh.
"Shit look at this. Check it out!"
The spell seemed broken and the group staggered into the huge room. The coins jingled under their feet as they began to take in the extent of the treasure.
"I can't believe the fucking merchant's map was real," Enra muttered as she leaned down and picked up a golden goblet.
"It looks like he had a reason to defend her until his death."
Serell giggled. She sounded like a child who had found her parents' secret store of sweets. The other three joined in with a laugh. As he did so, Kal noticed that her fifth member was still crouching on the other side of the stone wall. Her eyes kept moving back and forth across the room.
"Come on Anwra," rumbled the warrior, "Now stop hiding. This is your credit too."
The young woman visibly winced at his words. Slowly she straightened up and put one foot through the opening.
"Well ... I just read the map."
Her voice was low. It almost drowned in the joyful mood. Serella grabbed her arm and pulled her close.
"Oh nonsense. I mean, we forced you more than asked to come with us, but what should you have done after your previous employer bit into the grass. We already discussed that. We had an agreement and we are sticking to it."
Anwra knitted her eyebrows for a moment. She studied the faces of the others and her posture remained tense.
"That means ... I can really choose what I want?"
"We promised."
Serell gave her a pat on the back, and Anwra stumbled forward. She struggled with her balance for a moment before looking around. She walked slowly along the treasures while watchful eyes followed her. Enra and Antes exchanged a look, with Enra placing her hand on her throwing dagger in confirmation. Of course they would keep their promise, but that didn't mean they would let the scholar run out of the room with the most valuable. It was completely silent when Anwra leaned down and picked something up. There was amazement on the adventurer's faces as she straightened up, holding a clear white crystal in both hands. Its surface was rough. Dirt and dust had accumulated there over the years.
"You want that?" Asked Serella.
"It looks interesting. I may be able to research where it came from."
One could hear how Kal tried to suppress his laughter and only a warning look from Enra really silenced him. Anwra looked around questioningly, but Serella smiled at her.
"We are curious what you will find out. But now we should think about what to take with us first."
Without waiting any further, the adventurers began to rummage through the treasures. Every time they looked around another corner, they couldn't believe what was there. And that they were the ones who found it. Before long, everyone had at least their backpacks full while they sported jewelry and crowns. Enra was just dragging her bag to the door when she paused, confused. Was she on the right wall? She looked around searching, but no matter where she looked, nowhere could she see the passage through which they had come in.
"Guys," she called, alarmed, "Where's the exit?"
The others stopped. There was no passage to be found.
"It must be here!"
Serella stepped to the wall, where she was sure the door must have been. But not even a crack was to be seen in the stone.
"Damn Anwra, did you miss anything? I swear if you ..."
But Kal stopped. He spun on his own axis before making an irritated sound.
"Where's the bookworm?"
The others began to look around too, but they too could not see the scholars anywhere. At the same time, rock began to trickle from the ceiling. A sound like thousands of little feet filled the room. And then it suddenly became pitch black.
Screams could be heard through the stone wall. But they quickly dried up. Anwra put her hand on the stone where a bluish rune shimmered. She listened reverently. The crystal was stowed away and the guard would take care of each of them. She couldn't help but see a small smile cross her lips. When it had been quiet for a few minutes, she straightened up and shouldered her backpack. For a moment she had worried that she would have to take care of the group herself. But their greed had blinded them enough that they hadn't thought about stopping her. What could such a crystal be worth?
Anwra turned away.
"More than you idiots can imagine."
She took a deep breath as her hand wrapped an amulet on her neck. It was the portrait of a white owl perched on an hourglass.
"Hear your servant Bèl and lend me your strength."
Her hand went up. A white glow began to spread from it in slow waves. In one fluid movement she painted an oval shape in the air. The inside immediately began to flicker. As if through a fog one saw houses and streets, just like people who went about their bustle. Anwra looked back briefly before stepping through the portal. Just a few seconds after stepping through, it collapsed, leaving a bare rock cave.