The treasury doors swung open with a resonant groan, revealing a cavernous chamber that seemed to stretch impossibly far into the depths of the manor.
Crystal illumination orbs activated automatically as they entered, bathing the space in cold, white light that made everything within gleam with otherworldly brilliance.
Rey’s breath caught despite himself.
The sheer wealth on display was staggering.
Rows upon rows of shelving units stretched into the distance, each one meticulously organized and labeled.
Artifacts of every grade and description lined the walls, suspended in individual containment fields that hummed with protective energy.
"By the Holy Gods," one of the Order members whispered, their voice echoing in the vast space.
"Stay focused. We have a job to do."
Serena’s expression remained controlled, but Rey could see the hunger in her eyes.
The treasury was divided into distinct sections, each one dedicated to different categories of wealth. Rey’s enhanced perception allowed him to take it all in at once, cataloging the treasures even as they moved deeper inside.
The first section contained Artifacts, organized by grade.
Grade 1 Artifacts—the most common tier—occupied an entire wall. These were simple enchanted items: self-sharpening blades, boots that never wore out, cloaks that repelled water.
Useful for everyday life but not particularly powerful in combat.
Grade 2 Artifacts filled several shelving units. Rey spotted healing amulets, strength-enhancing gauntlets, shields that could deflect low-level Techniques, and various utility items.
These were the tools of professional soldiers and minor nobles.
Grade 3 Artifacts were fewer in number but far more impressive. Rey’s eyes lingered on a bow that glowed with Inner Fire, a set of armor that seemed to shift and flow like liquid metal, and a sword whose blade crackled with contained lightning.
These were weapons of war, capable of turning the tide of small-scale battles.
Grade 4 Artifacts occupied a secured section behind additional barriers. Rey counted perhaps fifty items total—a relatively modest collection for a Noble House, but each one was extraordinary. A staff that could summon elemental forces, a helmet that granted the wearer enhanced perception of Ether flows, gauntlets that allowed manipulation of energy within a limited field.
And in the very center, under the most elaborate security measures, sat a dozen Grade 5 Artifacts.
Rey studied them from a distance, not daring to approach without understanding the protections in place. One appeared to be a ring, its band inscribed with symbols that hurt to look at directly. Another was a crystalline orb that pulsed with rhythmic light, as if it contained a living heart. The third was a slender dagger whose blade seemed to exist in multiple dimensions simultaneously.
"Grade 5 Artifacts are worth more than most Non-Noble Houses entire treasuries," Serena murmured, following his gaze. "Those twelve alone would fund any organization’s operations for decades."
"They’re also the most heavily protected," Rey observed. "Look at the containment fields. Multiple layers, probably linked to alarm systems and automated defenses."
Logan’s team had provided them with countermeasures—Null Art Scrolls prepared specifically for this operation.
These scrolls contained concentrated Null Art Techniques that could temporarily disrupt and neutralize other forms of Ancient MajiK, creating windows of opportunity to bypass security systems.
But using them required precision and timing.
"We’ll come back for the Grade 5s last," Rey decided. "Start with the lower grades and work our way up. No point triggering all the alarms at once."
The Order members spread out, following his direction. They worked with practiced efficiency, clearly having done this before on a smaller scale. Artifacts were carefully removed from their containment fields and placed into enchanted bags that could hold far more than their physical dimensions suggested.
Rey directed his automatons to the Grade 3 section. "Catalog everything. Identify the most tactically valuable items."
"ACKNOWLEDGED. BEGINNING ANALYSIS."
While the automatons worked, Rey moved to the second major section of the treasury—the scroll library.
Ancient MajiK Scrolls lined an entire wall, protected behind crystalline cases. These were different from the Null Art Scrolls the Sunlit Order carried. These were permanent repositories of knowledge, containing Techniques, Sequences, and theoretical frameworks that could take years to master.
Rey’s eyes widened as he read the labels.
"Spirit Art: Mid Sequence Inferno Techniques. Soul Art: Mid Sequence Enslavement Techniques. Chaos Art: Mid Sequence Inverse Techniques and Reversal Techniques..."
Most of these were useless to him due to his sole affinity in Chaos Art, but he was glad to see some Techniques he could use.
The list went on and on.
Decades, perhaps centuries of accumulated knowledge, all neatly organized and preserved.
"Take everything," Serena ordered her people. "Every scroll, every scrap of knowledge. This is what will allow us to train the next generation properly."
The third section contained raw materials—precious minerals and crystallized Ether that could be used for crafting or ritual work.
Rey spotted ingots of Starfall Iron, chunks of Abyssal Crystal, vials of distilled Moonlight, and containers of Chaos-touched metals that pulsed with dark energy.
These were the building blocks of Artifacts and enchantments, worth fortunes to the right buyers.
The fourth section was dedicated to consumables—potions, elixirs, and various mystical preparations.
Healing potions filled racks by the dozen, organized by potency. Rey saw everything from basic wound treatment to miraculous full-body restoration elixirs. There were also enhancement potions: temporary strength boosters, perception enhancers, Ether recovery draughts, and even a few rare immortality-extending concoctions that glowed with an eerie golden light.
"Don’t drink anything without testing it first," Serena warned her people. "Some of these might be keyed to Desgarron bloodline. Could be poisonous to anyone else."
They worked for what felt like hours but was probably only thirty minutes, stripping the treasury of everything they could carry.
The enchanted bags filled rapidly, and still there was more.
Rey personally selected several items: a Grade 3 perception-enhancement amulet, several high-tier Chaos Art scrolls, and as many Ether crystals as he could justify under their agreement.
Finally, they turned their attention to the Grade 5 Artifacts.
Rey, Serena, and one particularly skilled Order member positioned themselves around the central containment unit.
On Serena’s signal, they activated the Null Art Scrolls simultaneously.
Purple energy erupted from the scrolls, washing over the barriers like acid eating through paper. The containment fields flickered, wavered, then collapsed with a sound like breaking glass.
"Go!"
Rey lunged forward, snatching the ring and the orbs
Serena grabbed the dimensional dagger. Everyone else gathered what they could until it was emptied.
Then, they turned and ran as alarms finally began to wail throughout the treasury.
But by then, they were already at the exit, and the automatons were providing covering fire against any automated defenses that activated.
They emerged into the corridor, breathing hard but triumphant.
"That was almost too easy," Rey observed, frowning.
Serena’s expression mirrored his concern.
"You noticed it too."
"Noticed what?" one of the Order members asked.
Rey gestured back toward the treasury. "For one of the twenty-four Noble Households, this seems... insufficient. Yes, there’s tremendous wealth in there, but a family like the Desgarrons should have far more. Especially after centuries of accumulation."
Logan’s voice crackled through a communication Artifact Serena carried. "We’re done with the study. Heading to rendezvous point. How’s the treasury?"
"Secured," Serena replied. "But Cursed Boy raises a good point. The haul is substantial, but not what we’d expect from a House of this magnitude."
There was a pause, then Logan’s voice came back, more cautious.
"Meet us at the main entrance. There’s something we need to discuss."