The Reward

"So, where is the treasure you guys are seeking?" Vincent asked. "It's under the town hall. But since this building is under new management, I believe that you already found it?" Rourke answered.

Vincent shook his head. "I think during the reconstruction of the town hall, we haven't uncovered anything like what you're describing. But now that you mention it, I'm intrigued. What exactly are we talking about?"

Rourke hesitated for a moment, weighing his words carefully. He knew that revealing too much could backfire, but at this point, they had little to lose. "It's not just any treasure. It's a cache of rare artifacts, things that date back to the early days of this region—ancient weapons, gold, and other valuables that were hidden away by the original settlers before they fled from the Flame Dragon."

Vincent's eyes narrowed slightly, a spark of interest flickering in his gaze. "And how do you know this? Was this part of your mission?"

Rourke nodded. "It was. The Iron Claw had intel on this cache for years, but we never had the opportunity to retrieve it. We want that treasure but we won't take lives for it."

"This is why we decided to take it when the Flame Dragon caused the city to be abandoned," Rourke finished.

Vincent leaned forward, his interest clearly piqued. "And you're telling me this treasure is hidden underground, beneath the town hall? How deep?"

Rourke glanced at Sykes before replying, "It's buried about twenty feet down, in a chamber that was sealed off by the original settlers. They wanted to ensure that only those who knew about it could ever access it. The entrance is hidden, but we have the details on how to find it."

Vincent's expression hardened with skepticism. "And you expect me to believe that no one has stumbled upon this treasure during the reconstruction? That this chamber has remained undisturbed all this time?"

Rourke held his gaze, unwavering. "The entrance is well-hidden, Vincent. It was designed to look like part of the natural foundation. Unless you knew exactly where to dig and what to look for, you'd miss it entirely."

"Okay…let's find it now," Vincent decided.

"Wait now?" Rourke exclaimed. "It's not a simple task. The mechanism to reveal the entrance is delicate, and if you're not careful, you could destroy it. We need to proceed cautiously."

Vincent eyed Rourke with a mix of suspicion and impatience. "Are you trying to stall? Because if you are, you're making a big mistake."

Rourke quickly shook his head. "No, I'm not stalling. But you have to understand, this isn't just a matter of digging around until we find something. The original settlers were thorough in their efforts to conceal the cache. If we rush in without taking the necessary precautions, we could trigger traps or collapse the chamber entirely."

Vincent's eyes narrowed, but he could see the logic in Rourke's words. "Alright," he conceded, "but we're doing this my way. You'll show us exactly what needs to be done, and my men will handle the rest."

Rourke nodded, relieved that Vincent was at least willing to listen. "Agreed. But I'll need Sykes to help me. He's the only one who knows the exact location of the mechanism."

Vincent considered this for a moment before nodding to his men. "Fine. You two will lead the way."

Vincent signaled to his men and they promptly entered and removed the cuffs from Rourke and Sykes. The two mercenaries rubbed their wrists, trying to restore circulation, but they knew better than to make any sudden moves.

"Let's get moving," Vincent ordered. He wasn't in the mood for games, and the mercenaries knew it.

Rourke and Sykes led the way and they got to a room with nothing in it. "This is the room where the cache is?" Vincent asked, looking around. "This is just an empty room for us though we will renovate it to serve us our inventory for our needs," Vincent continued.

Sykes stepped forward, carefully eyeing the floor. "It may look like an empty room," he began, his tone cautious, "but the entrance to the chamber is right here."

He pointed to a specific spot on the ground where the stone slabs were slightly misaligned, barely noticeable unless you knew exactly what to look for.

Vincent narrowed his eyes, stepping closer to where Sykes was pointing. "You're telling me the entrance is beneath this floor?"

"Yes," Sykes replied, kneeling down to run his hand over the surface of the stone. "This section was intentionally left slightly uneven to mark the spot. The mechanism to open it is hidden beneath, but it's delicate. We'll need to lift these stones carefully."

Vincent motioned to his men, who stepped forward with tools, ready to assist. "Alright, but if this is some sort of trick, you won't live to regret it."

Rourke and Sykes exchanged a tense glance before Rourke nodded, signaling Sykes to proceed.

With the help of Vincent's men, Sykes began to carefully pry up the stone slabs, revealing a narrow crevice beneath. The soldiers worked slowly, guided by Sykes until the mechanism was exposed—a rusty lever hidden deep within the crevice.

"This is it," Sykes said. "We pull this lever, and the entrance should open."

Vincent watched closely, his gaze flicking between Sykes and the mechanism.

"Do it," he ordered.

Sykes took a deep breath, reaching down to grasp the lever. With a slow, deliberate motion, he pulled it. For a moment, nothing happened, and then the ground beneath them began to tremble slightly. The sound of grinding stone filled the room as a section of the floor began to shift, sliding open to reveal a dark, narrow staircase leading down into the depths below. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"There," Sykes said, standing back up and wiping the sweat from his brow. "That's the entrance."

Vincent peered into the darkness, a flicker of satisfaction crossing his face. "Well done," he said, his tone betraying a hint of approval. "Let's see what's down there."

He turned to his men. "Prepare to descend. I want this place secured, and I want to know exactly what we're dealing with."

Rourke and Sykes watched as Vincent's men began their descent into the hidden chamber.

Vincent looked back at Rourke and Sykes, his expression unreadable. "You two go down with them. I want you there when we uncover whatever is hidden in that chamber."

With no other choice, Rourke and Sykes followed Vincent's men down the narrow staircase, the cold, musty air growing thicker as they descended deeper into the earth. The sound of their footsteps echoed off the stone walls, the anticipation building with each step they took.

Finally, they reached the bottom, stepping into a vast underground chamber. The air was damp and heavy, the walls lined with ancient carvings that seemed to tell a story long forgotten. In the center of the chamber sat a massive stone sarcophagus, surrounded by piles of ancient artifacts, weapons, and chests filled with gold and jewels, all covered in a thick layer of dust.

"This…this is it," Rourke whispered.