Adventure of Butch 1

Butch plants his shoulder against the forced gap and shoves. Stone grinds. The vault walls bow inward around him, shedding dust and glowing splinters.

The Horned Beast barrels toward the opening first, one arm outstretched for the light. The Hooded Figure stumbles close behind, eyes fixed on the reliquary in Butch's hand.

The reliquary thumps in Butch's grip, its pulse thinning to a pale beat. A crack races overhead, and a slab of ceiling drops hard into the gold behind them.

The Horned Beast reaches the breach and braces one side with both hands. The Hooded Figure hovers at his back, poised between escape and the treasure beyond, waiting on Butch's next move.

Butch plants both feet and heaves the stone apart, holding the jagged gap wide as dust rains over his shoulders. The breach stops narrowing, and cold air knifes through the vault.

The Horned Beast surges into the opening, half turning to jam his weight against the swaying stone. The Hooded Figure slips in behind him, snatching at the edge of the gap instead of the reliquary.

A fresh crack tears down the ceiling, but Butch holds. The black light lashes once across the reliquary's sigil, then gutters to a thin spark as the others clear the breach.

One last shove from Butch opens the passage enough for the vault to spit them out. Behind him, the chamber folds inward with a grinding roar, cutting the gold and shadow away.