As the morning sun climbed higher, it cast elongated shadows over the jagged cliffs and parched brush.

Dust floated lazily in the wind, as dozens of barrels aimed across each other,Arthur's Aegis-7, Ravik's Crimson Jackals, and Caelum's disciplined entourage.

Every man stood poised, fingers tense against their triggers.

One wrong move could ignite a storm of gunfire, staining the ancient stone pillars of the tomb with blood.

Arthur's visor glimmered faintly, his expression unreadable.

His silence weighed heavier than any weapon.

Caelum's eyes blazed with a mix of pride and fury; his posture was rigid, jaw clenched tight.

And then there was Ravik,ever-smiling,who seemed to relish this moment like a child in a playground.

His crimson scarf fluttered in the wind, his face alive with mischief.

Then Ravik raised a hand as his grin widened mischievously.

"Gentlemen," he drawled lightly, almost mockingly. "Why don't we all… work together?"

Arthur arched an eyebrow slightly but remained silent; his stillness cut deeper than words ever could.

Caelum blinked in surprise before sneering.

"You think you're worthy to collaborate with me?" Disdain dripped from his voice.

Ethan scoffed loudly at that notion.

"Bold words from a scavenger! What's next? Asking us to hold hands and sing songs?"

Ravik chuckled nonchalantly, unfazed by their sarcasm. With a casual flick of his wrist, he gestured toward the tomb's imposing pillars.

"No need for sentimentality." He pointed directly at two massive stone pillars flanking the entrance.

"Look closely! Two grooves,like sockets! It looks like a lock… and locks mean keys."

Every head turned sharply at his words.

Arthur's gaze sharpened as he studied the weathered stone closely.

The grooves were faint but unmistakably carved into each pillar,rectangular depressions too precise to be mere coincidence.

His eyes widened slightly,a rare crack in his stoic demeanor.

Beside him, Caelum stiffened; surprise flickered across his face for just an instant.

Murmurs rippled through the archaeologists behind them.

Ravik noticed Caelum reaction and grinned wider than ever before.

He clapped once,the sound echoing mockingly through the valley.

"Well! Judging by those expressions on your faces, I'm right! Which means…"

His gaze darted between Arthur and Caelum, smug and sharp as ever. "You two already have what we need."

Caelum's teeth clenched, fury blazing in his eyes. He glared at Ravik, the air around him taut with restrained anger.

But Ravik didn't even flinch. His voice was light and mocking, like a jester teasing a king.

"You didn't wander here by luck, did you? You both knew this was the tomb of Emperor Vaerion VII. And you came quietly,no armies, no noise. Why? Because you wanted to avoid attention. Smart move! The Storm Emperor's resting place would attract half the world's vultures if word got out."

Caelum's patience snapped like a brittle twig underfoot. "So what if we know? You really think that means I'll ever work with you?"

His tone dripped with venom and aristocratic pride.

Ravik smirked, slipping his hand casually into his coat.

With theatrical flair, he pulled out a small cylindrical flare,crimson red and twirled it between his fingers like a magician showcasing his best trick.

"Well, that depends." He raised the flare slightly for emphasis.

"See this? I've left a few men on the outskirts. If this flare goes up, the news spreads faster than wildfire! By tomorrow morning, this valley will be crawling with treasure hunters, mercenaries, syndicates… maybe even national armies! The tomb will belong to them,not us."

His words landed like hammer blows.

Arthur's men tensed; Caelum's jaw tightened.

Ravik's grin never faltered as he pointed lazily at Arthur. "You've got the best gear, better tech than either of us! If a fight breaks out here, you'll bleed the least."

His finger shifted to Caelum next. "And you? You've got more men,discipline and firepower galore! In a brawl, you'd be second to suffer less."

Finally, he gestured to himself with dramatic flair while still twirling the flare like it was an extension of himself.

"And me? Heh...! If I lose… well, I don't really lose at all because once I fire this baby into the sky, you both lose everything! None of us walks away from Vaerion's tomb."

He spread his arms wide as if welcoming them into an embrace,a grin shining like a blade in sunlight. "So… what do you say? Shall we cooperate?"

The silence that followed was suffocating.

Arthur's visor concealed his eyes but inside him thoughts ran sharp and cold: "Ravik is nothing short of a snake,cunning enough to ensnare us without firing a single shot.

He's right, though; if we engage in battle here, the tomb will be lost to us forever. His men would spread word faster than the dust settles.

Caelum's pride won't let him yield easily. He'll resist, but deep down, even he knows Ravik holds all the cards.

We either cooperate or hand this tomb over to the world. It sickens me, but survival and our mission must come first.

Emperor Vaerion's secrets will remain buried if we turn this place into a battlefield. For now, I'll play along and nod my head in agreement.

But mark my words: Ravik Thorne won't leave this valley alive...I swear it".

---

Caelum's eyes were blazing with fury as he glared at Ravik.

"That bastard has the audacity to put me in this position! Me, Caelum Evewood! Does he really think he can corner me like some rat?

Yet he isn't entirely wrong. If he signals his men, all my years of research and my father's resources will go up in smoke.

The tomb will be stripped bare by scavengers before I ever get close to it and that's simply unacceptable.

I'll agree,for now but once his usefulness runs out, Ravik will meet his end. And that cold man? I'll deal with him too,eventually. No one takes what belongs to me; the tomb of Vaerion VII is mine alone.

---

The air thickened with tension as men exchanged nervous glances, rifles still locked and loaded.

Ravik stood calm and collected, smiling as he twirled a flare between his fingers like a predator playing with its prey.

Finally breaking the silence, Arthur spoke up with a low yet steady voice that carried authority.

"I have no problem working together." He glanced at Caelum deliberately before continuing, "If you agree, we open the tomb, all of us."

His words hung heavily in the air,the second time Arthur had spoken since this standoff began.

Ravik's smile widened as he turned toward Caelum, amusement dancing in his eyes.

"Well then, young master? What's your decision?"

Caelum's gaze flickered between them; pride screamed against cooperation while reason held him back like chains.

Slowly but surely, he nodded stiffly.

"Fine," he said sharply. "But know this: you will respect your place here, Ravik."

His tone was commanding as he added ominously, "If you breathe a word about this tomb… you won't leave here alive."

Ravik chuckled softly,a mocking bow of submission.

"As you wish."

Caelum snorted and reached into his coat pocket to produce a small metallic square etched with faint lines glowing softly in the sunlight.

Arthur's eyes sparked with recognition for just an instant before he too reached into his armor and pulled out an identical object.

The archaeologists gasped in awe.

Caelum shot a glance at Arthur, his pride urging him to hide his astonishment.

With a dismissive scoff, he turned away, trying to maintain an air of indifference.

Together, they approached the twin stone pillars that stood like ancient sentinels. The grooves beckoned them closer.

Without exchanging a word, they each pressed their square objects into the waiting sockets.

It was a perfect fit! With a synchronized twist of their hands, both locks clicked into place.

For just a heartbeat,nothing. Silence enveloped them.

Then, without warning, the valley shook beneath their feet.

A deep rumble reverberated through the cliffs as cracks spiderwebbed across the stone face.

Debris rained down like confetti from a forgotten celebration, crashing against the valley floor below. The pillars vibrated ominously as dust cascaded from above.

An ancient roar echoed,a groan of stone as the entrance began to split wide open.

With a thunderous boom, the massive stone doors slid apart with surprising grace. A rush of cold, humid air burst forth, carrying with it the scent of earth long sealed away.

Dust billowed across the valley like an ethereal fog, choking the air and casting everything into shadow.

Men coughed and shielded their eyes from the swirling haze.

The ground trembled beneath their boots as anticipation hung thick in the air.

And then… silence fell once more.

As the dust settled like a curtain drawn back on an epic stage reveal, there it was,the gaping maw of the tomb.

Black and vast, it swallowed every ray of sunlight that dared approach.

The entrance loomed before them like the throat of some colossal beast,waiting hungrily to devour all who dared venture inside.

Ravik's eyes sparkled with excitement as he stepped forward, his grin unwavering.

"Well then! Why don't we go in… together?"

Arthur and Caelum exchanged quick glances,no words needed; they both nodded once in agreement.

Side by side, these three leaders advanced into destiny's embrace.

Behind them followed their men,armed and alert,with each step echoing across the surroundings.

With every stride they took closer to that dark threshold…

And then,they crossed it!

The tomb swallowed them whole.

Darkness enveloped them instantly.

Outside in the valley,silence returned once again,broken only by distant echoes of falling debris.

The massive entrance was wide open like a mouth of a giant beast.

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