Inner Depths

Crynn POV

Henderson pulled out big black book and held it on his hand for all to see, "This here is what I'll say as arguably the oldest book to have ever been discovered in the world!" Henderson splendidly presents his gains. I know how much ancient books cost and I realize for a fact that the black book could fetch tens of millions in auction.

"And the significance?" O'Connell raised an eyebrow seemingly interested in what Henderson said and is trying to learn more. "The Gutenberg bible, aged around 500 years old sold 2,2 million in auction, the St Cuthbert Gospel, aged around 1300 years old sold 9 million and the oldest form of a book to have been discovered is over 2600 years old!"

Henderson excitedly pointed out and made everything clear that books are more powerful than gold just like the pen against the gun or is it the sword, can't remember. "Do you know the uproar it would be if it was discovered an Ancient Egyptian book dated around 3000 years old! This one book is more priceless than everyone's lives in this room combined!"

O'Connell looked very impressed, nodding multiple times throughout Henderson's narration. "Henderson, you really going to be rich after this, congratulations," O'Connell sighed melancholicly as he went over and shook Henderson's hand and patted him in his back. "Thank you mate, but that's not the end of my bragging!"

"Do you in any form recognize how precious pottery is! Potteries are folds more expensive than books are! The most expensive piece of pottery to date costs more than 20 million euros and its age is only around 900 years old! And these vases! They're more than 3000 years old and are still beyond finely preserved!"

O'Connell looked back at his spear and then at Henderson's vases and book. he grumbled something about someone being too proud and lucky. "But don't worry O'Connell, there are still lots of treasures hidden around here, you should also be loaded by the time we're done," Henderson raise his thumb and gave O'Connell words of encouragement.

O'Connell than just watched as Henderson and his team carried the vases and book back up to their campsite. "Better get moving, we have treasures to find!" O'Connell raised his spirits and his spear in front of us! "I'm alive! I'm alive!" Suddenly something interrupted us and Jonathan, just awoke, realized that he didn't die and began praising and kissing the sand ground, gross.

"So which path are we going, there's no way we're going back that way as the floor's gone," I asked while waking past O'Connell to search for a path in which I encountered a big decapitated statue standing on top of a pedestal with a hole and some dead people lying in front. They seem to have melted or at least evaporated, Henderson sure weren't joking about the acid.

"There, an entrance and finally not a tunnel!" O'Connell looked at the statue and the corpses for a moment before directing us to a doorway. We approached it and inserted our heads, there's nothing inside that we could see. I flashed some light inside to find some kind of chamber. "What's that switch," O'Connell lighted an area with a switch embedded into the ground.

"One way to find out," I reached the lever and pulled it forcefully. And done, a lot of geary sounds start noising up and in a matter of seconds, a few walls opened from the ceiling, letting a lot of sand fall through and at the same time, letting light from the outdoors into the indoors. "Great job Avter, thought you'd die then," O'Connell joked a little while looking around.

"Haha," sarcastic laughs aside, this chamber is weird, there is a bridge on the right side and a half standing pillar on the right side and beneath the bridge, is nothing at all. "Evelyn could you share some ideas," Jonathan inspected the whole room before asking Evelyn a most innocent question. "I'm actually tired of this, don't assume that just because I'm an egyptologist that I know everything about Egypt."

She continued ranting till she leaned onto a wall segment with her arms crossed and without warning, she fell into the wall as it rotates around. "Evelyn!" O'Connell panicked and pushed the wall, leading him also fall through. "Wait for me sister!" Jonathan then also jumped right through rotating wall. Why did work with a bunch of idiots.

"I pushed the wall slowly and shined through the newly formed gap as I flashed up then down as I see the tree laying down the room aching. "Are you guys okay?" Everyone looked up with a groan as they replied, "We're okay." I then lowered myself down as I hand from the floor and dropped myself down with relative ease.

"This is why you don't run head first into a rotating wall without knowing what's beyond it," I helped each of them up as the kept stretching their backs voicing complaints towards the wall, truly disgraceful. "I guess we should be continuing on to the tunnel over there," I went near the tunnel and started walking through about 5 feet before I wen back.

I can hear them whining about 'why another tunnel' and 'I'm tired of these stupid tunnels'. My expression turned dark as I individually pulled each of them to enter the tunnel with me, this is you guys' faults in the first place and I got the repercussions, unacceptable! Thankfully, the tunnel is a short trek and with no traps at all as we made our way into the smallest room yet.

About 5 meters in length and 4 meters in width and 2 entrances, it's not big and there's nothing special except the attractive wall with numerous beautiful sapphire scarabs sticked onto it. "This could fetch a price!" Jonathan exclaimed and went to grab one but I ain't taking the chances. I pulled Jonathan back as he staggered backwards.

"Hey what's your problem," Jonathan angrily said out loud. I chose not to say anything as I pulled out my lighter and lighted it below the scarab. A second later, cracking was seen on the shell as it fell apart and a scarab appeared from inside the scarab, what a surprise!