The Old Crew pt. 5

Tarmen let his mind wander again, thinking of all the possible reasons the ancestors would need such a gawdy place made. Especially underground, as he assumed it had been before the ceiling presumably gave way over time.
Making his way to the center of the plaza, Tarmen paid special attention to the podium as he sketched the layout and nibbled the wood of his pencil, unable to immediately figure out any purpose for it.
It stood up to his chest, perfect for a monk's sermon or something, but there was no place for a book or other material. It wore a dome on top, covered in intricate designs and what looked like copper filigree that ran down the rest of the relatively untouched cylinder supporting it.
No immediate signs of a button or secret lock, nothing that hinted at a puzzle either, for all he could see it was just a gawdy centerpiece in suspiciously phallic form. He wondered if he should get a chalk rubbing of the designs, maybe they could reveal a treasure room or a trap they had already activated?

With no clear answer, he tore himself away from the mystery pillar to make sure everyone was behaving themselves. All accounted for, with Mia taking up Lu’nep-sitting duties, much to his relief. It was part of why he wanted out, having to look after rookies all the damn time and knock them down a peg when they got too bold for their own good. He could easily solve that by staying back at base like many other crew bosses in the burgh, but then he would miss out on the thrill of searching these ruins himself. It had become more hassle than it was worth lately though. Lu’nep being an excellent example.
So many of the scamps nowadays had dreams of grandeur, wanting out of Kru’ll and looking for any opportunity to do so. Which here usually meant getting on a boss’s good side and getting the money and reputation to leave. A few had already done it and he had already heard Lu’nep bragging about plans to visit the other countries to make a proper name for himself.
Too many wayward urchins still holding the hopes of their childhood stories, where the hero rises above the squalor they were born into and becomes famous and rich.
Tarmen had been watching it for nearly a decade now and was thoroughly sick of it. Even as he himself was looking to leave the burgh, that didn’t mean he would be leaving Kru’ll. What better place to live, away from the posh trappings of civilization and the thrill of living as a part of the world.

He caught himself before the inner monologue dragged on too long and focused on reality, walking over to Traps.

“Anythin’? Gettin’ uneasy with how unguarded this place seems to be.”

His second nodded in agreement, a knot forming in his scarred brow.

“No’ a whiff so far, boss. I’m with ya, makes me think this is a bust.”

Tarmen grumbled deep in his throat, more worried they were missing something than being left empty handed. He’d heard more stories of clueless gangs being killed by one overlooked detail.

“Boss, got a thing here!”

Mataz and Mia stood in the furthest doorway on the right side like guardians to the chest they had managed to dig out of the rubble. Tarmen assumed Mataz did most of the work, but didn’t care as he joined them to inspect their find. Traps was there with him, his torch allowing him to look over the box as his position dictated and shaking his head. No clear tricks still.
Tarmen went ahead and bashed the rotting wooden lid, too invested to care for any tact. Swiping the bits away from what lay within, he took Traps torch and beheld….

“Fuckin’ monks…”

His enraged whisper tempted the others to ask, but they knew better and his reaction said it all anyway. This was a bust.
Tarmen reached in the box to gather their ‘prize’, scraping molded, wet papers onto the walls as he sought for anything worth a damn.

“God’s, this was nothing but a waste!”

Too mad to want to continue, but not disappointed enough to fuel a greater rage, Tarmen took a moment to breathe before getting to his feet.

“Alright. This job’s a bust. Mathias didn’t lie, so he’s off limits.”

This elicited groans and glares.

“We go back and make sure no one hears of this. They wouldn’t let us live it down if they knew we plundered a damn church.”

His attempt at humor didn’t ease their frustration, not that Tarmen blamed them. God’s, he blackmailed his best informant for this.
With a final sigh, running a hand through his lengthy hair for extra measure, he pushed by the others to start leaving. The others weren’t far behind, Tarmen ignoring the grumbling that followed him up the steps.
He took a last look at the hall, considering yelling at the others to make one more turnover. Strip the walls, pick up every boulder, anything to find something worth taking. Anything to make this a truly memorable send off.
He was only met with the pillar and the rubble. And a missing member of their crew.

“LU’NEP! Damnit.”

A glare flashed to Mia, who returned it with a look of annoyed disinterest, then Tarmen charged back to the pillar. His shrill whistle had a few cracks in it from forcing too much air through, but it still pierced through the heavy air.
Again, the answer was distant, but quick.

“Back corner, found a path!”

He wanted to yell, to ream that little shit for not following orders, but results were results if this panned out. Besides, it was more than they had at moment. He began looking for the boy, only finding another caved-in doorway as he barked out to him.

“Lu’nep. Where’s the path?”

He was close to smashing the hand that jutted out from a crevice along the wall, nearly hidden to someone who didn’t know it was there and appearing to be completely blocked in unless you were dumb enough to try.

“Mataz and I thought there was too much rubble, but I squeezed through anyway after she left. There is another section behind the rocks.”

Now Tarmen was impressed. The kid wanted to prove himself and by Zin he was delivering. He had to squat to initially fit into the thin opening, barely able to wriggle in. A few times his mace or his clothes snagged, but after a few minutes of effort he finally reached the other side, with Lu’nep there to help him up with a fresh torch lit.

“Before you hit me boss, you need to see the treasure first.”

The statement took Tarmen by surprise, still holding the boy's hand for a moment to let that news sink in before letting go and motioning with his head to lead. He did make sure to holler to the others, ordering them to stay on the other side of the rocks while the two of them ventured deeper.

——-

Lu’nep guided his boss with an enthusiastic speed, the two nearly at a jog as they traveled over several more rubble piles, leaving Tarmen to wonder just how big this place had been and why they were obsessed with long halls.
It only took a few minutes to reach the awaiting chamber, but with the dead silence and quite bare environment Tarmen could think a few hours had passed. Either way, once the light illuminated the hidden cache, Tarmen almost felt like hugging Lu’nep for his find.
Most of the room was unfortunately buried, but what lay undamaged was a small fortune of items.
Tarmen walked up to one, a small scepter with embedded jewels and delicate filigree, and held it reverently, looking to the boy with the torch illuminating a gleam in his eye.

“These relics will do better than some moldy scrolls. I believe the Empire especially will pay nicely for these.”

In no time the two had a bag full and were back at the cave-in. Tarmen went first, delicately moving the bag with him until he was met by the others. Once they saw the bag their eyes lit up and cheers were exchanged.
As Lu’nep began his journey through, something snagged again. Tarmen could only hear a string of curses and was prepared to throw a joke out when he heard a blood chilling sound he knew too well. The group froze as several rocks tumbled somewhere in the pile, each one staring into space as they focused on hearing for anything more.
When the initial shift settled, they heard Lu’pen push on and each prayed the fool would hurry up with it so they could ease their nerves. Tarmen looked to the top of the rubble, seeking any further sign of movement while motioning the others to start moving towards the passage out.
He remained to see the boy out, though after a few more minutes and beginning to hear a more strained effort from within the rubble he called out.

“Lu’nep, what’s the hold up?”

“The shift must have… tightened the pass…. Can’t seem to squeeze through. Might need… some help.”

He didn’t receive a response, Tarmen already mulling over whether to leave now or not. Any further damage to the rocks could lead to a collapse, one he would most likely be stuck in, though the boy had proven quite useful. The treasure and the others would already have a head start, so at least there would be a story to tell.

“Boss? Mataz?… Bastards left didn’t they?? By Zin, once I’m out I’ll-”

Tarmen couldn’t contain a laugh at Lu’nep’s declaration. He had been thinking too long it seemed.

“Haven’t left you yet, though I hear you call me a bastard again and I might!”

He began moving rocks to try and reach Lu’pen, each stone given some thought so as not to disturb them too much. He found himself making good time, having to reassure Traps after he came to check up on them. Apparently the girls were getting restless, Mia wanting to get their money and Mataz just not liking sitting in one spot this long. To remedy this, he called them back over to help, amused in their collective groans.
With the three of them they got ever closer to Lu’nep, who kept trying to force his way through with some success. In their fervor, Tarmen realized too late a growing cloud of falling dust around them.
A quick whistle had the others stop immediately, even Lu’nep ceased his struggling as they waited for his command.
Tarmen scanned the hall around them and saw the cause, watching the rocks steadily begin grinding along the crumbling walls for a moment as it sank in.

“MOVE!”

The women didn’t need another word, darting towards where Traps had already disappeared from. Tarmen began to join them, only stopping at Lu’pen’s cry from within the rocks.

“BOSS! Don’t leave, HELP ME!!”

He could see the tips of the boy's fingers scrapping the stone, a last lunge for freedom that Tarmen couldn’t help but respect. Too bad.

“BOSS?! TARMEN! GET ME OUT!”

There was a moment of consideration. Tarmen would miss out on whatever luck the boy had, but then again it seemed that same luck had chosen to abandon him. He heard another cry as the boy’s arm wrenched free of its prison, now flailing for any grasp to free its owner. That was the last glimpse of Lu’nep Tarmen saw, not wanting to risk being caught in the collapse they had started.
He had already sprinted half way up the tunnel stairs by the time he heard the inevitable rumble and the domino effect it caused. Quickly grappling up to the others, he knew they wouldn’t be entering that chamber anymore.