First the wizard statue's staff began to glow, then that light spread in every direction across the floor like a wave, enveloping the mummies who began to awaken.

"Great, necromancy. Just what we needed." Dahlia said as she unsheathed her scepter.

"I don't think it's necromancy." Jonah answered. "The Chronicles say that the Mad Wizard is the one who created and perfected the bind."

"So these beings are moved by servant stones?"

To make sure of this, Dahlia cast a revealing spell, and indeed a glowing core appeared on the neck of each mummy.

"You're right. Those are definitely old servant stones."

"Good to know." Musk said unsheathing his ax "So it will be enough to destroy them to send these funny guys back to the world of the dead. Come on folks, it's time to hit hard!"

He, Sadee, and Jonah went on the attack, while Dahlia and Gaston stayed behind to provide support with darts and magic.

Being very old stones, a well-aimed blow was enough to destroy them and make the mummies harmless, but they certainly had no intention of falling without a fight and despite being armed with dull or broken weapons, they attacked with all their strength relying above all on numbers.

The same magic that made them move also allowed the sorcerers among the mummies to use elementary spells, and even if Sadee and her companions were used to dealing with magic, the numerical inferiority made everything more difficult.

Luckily for them they could count on Jonah, who once again demonstrated his extraordinary ability, first as a fencer and then, having recovered the bow of a destroyed enemy, also as an archer, piercing the servant stones one after the other with shocking precision.

Eventually, one after another, most of the mummies fell defeated, and once Musk had smashed the statue of the wizard into a split stump with one mighty axe, even the last remaining ones returned to their eternal slumber.

"You have to be really sick to think of such a thing." said the ogre in front of the macabre spectacle of the floor covered with chopped up corpses. "I'm not so sure I want to get my hands on a treasure that belonged to a guy like that anymore."

"Give me a break!" Gaston replied "With all that we are going through, going back empty handed is out of question."

The destruction of the statue had also caused the barrier to disappear, so they continued the exploration.

The five adventurers advanced along yet another corridor, the last according to the map, at the end of which they found waiting for them a sturdy stone door closed by a bronze seal and two magical padlocks.

"Here we are." Sadee said. "This is supposed to be the sarcophagus room. The wizard's treasure will surely be in here."

An inscription was also engraved on the door, which Jonah read aloud.

"As this tomb has hidden my riches from the eyes of the world, so may the veil of oblivion hide my legacy from the eyes of men."

Dahlia needed less than ten seconds to remove the magical seals, and when Musk had also shattered the physical one it was finally time to open.

A dazzling glow illuminated the faces of the five adventurers before they could even fully open the doors, and when they were inside what they saw before them cannot be described in human words.

It wasn't a treasure, it was the treasure.

The treasure that every adventurer dreams of finding in his life.

A huge room, almost as large as the previous one, literally overflowing with gold coins, ivory statues, precious stones, jewels and trinkets, magical artifacts and ornamental weapons. Even the walls were covered with gold and gem mosaics that narrated the life of the wizard, while four enormous golden statues stood at the corners of the room, like silent guardians placed to protect the treasure and the magician's sarcophagus.

However, there was no trace of the said sarcophagus, perhaps because it was buried under some of those golden hills.

"Tell me I'm not dreaming." Dahlia said

"I've never seen anything like it." Musk said

"We found it." Sadee said. "The Mad Wizard's treasure."

Gaston jumped into the nearest mound, diving into it and having coins rained down on him, screaming with joy.

"We'll need ten carts to carry everything away! I will have a palace worthy of the emperor built, I will eat meat and sweets every day and I will be served by all the most beautiful girls in the world! Goodbye to this lousy life!"

A sudden shaking of the ground interrupted that moment of joy too soon.

"What is it?" Sadee asked. "An earthquake?"

Unfortunately it was something much worse, and everyone understood it the moment they realized that the tremor was caused by the foot of one of the guardian statues moved forward.

Like the shell of an egg bursting, the golden coating that enveloped the four guardians crumbled as they inexplicably began to move.

"They're not statues!" Dahlia shrieked. "They're golems!"

"How is it possible? I thought the golem-making spell was lost ages ago!"

Gaston, still submerged in his personal pool of gold, was nearly squashed like a louse by one of the behemoths, and before they could even think of doing anything Sadee and the others found themselves surrounded.

They armed themselves, but they knew they had no chance against those beasts, and since one of them had taken up a position right in front of the exit, their fate was now sealed.

What a baleful irony; condemned to die one step away from accomplishing their greatest feat. Such was the life, and doom, of an adventurer.

"Well..." Musk said as one of the golems charged. "At least we tried."

They wouldn't go down without a fight, but that would only be a matter of honor.

Sadee was ready to sacrifice herself first in front of that stone arm ready to strike, when an imperious voice rose from the group.

"Grashin tabrak Heyvring tyrgal kanut!"

The golem stopped its punch when it was about to knock over the elf, and for a moment the pair of magic stones that served as eyes glittered with a peculiar light before he and his companions were once again, at first glance, nothing but simple statues.

"But what..."

Jonah slowly emerged from the center of the group and moved towards the statues, who looked down at him as if paying homage.

"How did you do that?"

"May Heyvring lock my heart in its coffer. There was another sentence engraved on the door, a kind of warning. Only the devoted penitent will be able to obtain Heyvring's pardon. Heyvring was the Old God of secrets, and according to mythology it was he who taught humans how to create golems. The sentence I uttered was the act of submission that every believer had to recite when entering one of his temples."

"You might as well have told us earlier." protested Gaston

"I suppose we owe you our lives." Sadee said. "If it wasn't for you, I doubt we would have made it this far. At this point I suppose that the honor of choosing first what to take of this treasure undoubtedly belongs to you."

"Speaking of this, I'm afraid I have to give you some unpleasant news."

In the meantime, Jonah had taken a few steps forward, reaching right at the feet of one of the golems.

"It's not a problem if I take all this treasure, is it?"

"What!?" yelled the archer

"You said it yourself, you would never have gotten this far without my help. So it seems only fair that I decide how to divide the treasure."

"Damn it, he's screwing us over!"

Musk wasted no time and tried to jump on the torian, but one of the golems raised his arm and the orc was forced to stop before being crushed by a punch so powerful that part of the floor was pulverized.

"But what..."

"Remember what I said about Heyvring? It was he who taught humans to create and master golems. Since I tamed them, it seems natural that they now obey me."

Dahlia, the only one to know something about golems, knew that it was enough to eliminate the tamer to make his stone servants harmless, and trying not to be seen, she began to gather strength to cast a spell.

Sensing what her partner was trying to do, Sadee tried to play for time.

"Now I understand why you accepted our request so easily. But how did you know that we were looking for this very treasure?"

"Your reputation precedes you. You are more famous than you think. When Borg told me he sold you that map, I was sure you wouldn't give up on trying to find the crypt."

"But who the hell are you?"

Then finally Jonah peeled off his mask revealing a face that almost everyone recognized immediately, even though they'd never met that person face-to-face before.

"But you're the one everyone's talking about!" said the Gaston. "That Daemon!"

"Pardon the disguise. As you will imagine, it is not easy for someone in my position to go unnoticed at this moment."

Dahlia meanwhile had finished preparing her spell and was about to cast it; unfortunately, she suddenly found a sword resting on her shoulder.

"In your place, I wouldn't do it." said a young man with blond hair and cold eyes appearing behind her without her realizing it. "And now, if you would be so kind as to drop your weapons, I would be grateful."

At that point the four adventurers could do nothing but obey.

"And who are you?" Dahlia asked the newcomer "His hound?"

"What an ugly expression. Let's say I'm a kind of personal collaborator of our new ruler."

"A ruler who backstabs his companions and robs them of the fruit of their labor." growled Sadee "He sure started off on the right foot."

"I'm afraid you misunderstood. This treasure is not meant for me."

"What!?"

"We are trying to build something great, and to give a better future to this land and its inhabitants. Unfortunately the Governor has left us with nothing but a ruined region and debts to no end, not to mention the aftermath of the war we fought to oust him. This gold will allow us to pay part of the debts and help our nation to stand on its feet. That's why I can't let you take it away."

"Fine words, but as far as I'm concerned you are nothing but a thief and a traitor."

"I agree with Dahlia." Musk snapped "Who tells us this isn't just a nice story you tell us to justify your dishonesty?"

"If that's what you think, why don't you stay here and make sure of my words?"

"What do you mean?" Sadee said, visibly puzzled

"I've been watching you closely during our little adventure. You know how to look after yourself and you are not lacking in skill. And I need people like you."

Daemon then picked up a big sack full of gems from the ground and threw it at Sadee's feet.

"Much more than I imagine you've ever gained from any of your adventures. But that's nothing compared to what you can get if you decide to help me. I know how to reward talent very well, and you have plenty of it. No more adventures, struggling every day with death for a few coins. I can offer you a homeland, a purpose, and as much gold as you've ever seen."

Someone, read Gaston, seemed to take the offer seriously, but everyone else's response, starting with Sadee, was just a disgusted expression.

"We don't need your charity. And we certainly aren't desperate enough to put ourselves in the service of someone like you. Let's go."

And so the four left.

"You waste your time trying to reason with the adventurers. They are nothing but parasites."

"But parasites can come in handy too, if you know how to use them. And I was sincere when I said that I think they are talented people."

"If you say so."

"Anyway, you took your time, Adrian."

"Don't blame me. Do you think it's easy to follow tracks at night and in such a storm? You might as well have left me some clues."

"That petty thief was smarter than you might think, he would have noticed right away."

Adrian's eye then fell on the four golems, now gathered around Daemon.

"It's a pity they're too big to get out of here. They would have come in handy."

"I've read enough about golems to know that their power is closely tied to the place they guard. Even if we could get them out of this tomb, they'd be nothing but statues out there."

"Never mind. But I agree with what that ogre said, this wizard really was a crazy maniac. And to think that in the Empire he is a sort of demigod."

"He pushed the magic research further than anyone before him, but others had to pay the price for his research."

"Strange. I thought you admired someone who pursues his goal in defiance of moral conventions and without setting limits."

"Only as long as you are willing to admit the seriousness of your actions and take responsibility for them before your own conscience and before the people. But this man was sure up to the last moment that he was right, and even in death he wanted to glorify himself."

"In other words, the line between legitimate ambition and crazed megalomania should never be crossed, right?"

Daemon smiled back, and Adrian continued, "A remarkable treasure, no doubt. Worthy of the legend. Though once we clean up my father's messes I doubt there will be much left."

"This is just a beautiful illusion. A mirror for fools." then Daemon turned to face the center of the room. "The real treasure is right here."

"Here where?"

"As this tomb has hidden my riches from the eyes of the world, so may the veil of oblivion hide my legacy from the eyes of men. Have you ever heard of translation?"

Adrian thought about it for a moment, grinning.

"Now I understand why you asked me to come here."

"The Mad Wizard would never have left his greatest treasure at the mercy of some grave robber, nor would he have allowed anyone to desecrate his body."

"And for this he managed to hide his sarcophagus in another plane of existence together with what was dearest to him. It must have been something really valuable if he was willing to let all this be stolen to keep it under wraps."

"You can bring it back, can't you?"

The young heir of the Longinus family did not consider himself a talented wizard, nor had he ever studied at a Circle. However, bringing an object back from the ethereal plane was something even the humblest of novices could do, provided they knew what to look for and where.

It was enough for him to concentrate, thus managing to perceive what the human eye could not see, and the moment he snapped his fingers a soft golden light heralded the appearance before the two young men of a humble stone sarcophagus.

One kick to the lid, and what remained of the Mad Wizard finally revealed itself to their eyes in the form of a mummy wrapped in a white tunic now almost completely worn out by the passage of time; it was wearing the jeweled tiara of the high magicians of the ancient Empire, and clutched firmly a large tome still in good condition.

There was no indication that that body too could revive, but nevertheless Daemon felt compelled to cut his head off with a blow.

"Just to be sure." and having said this, he picked up the book, without bothering too much to leave the fingers and hands of the corpse intact.

"Is that the great treasure we're talking about?" Adrian asked as Daemon swiped the dust off the cover, revealing writing etched in silver.

COMPEDIUM OF THE SERVANT

"The greatest you can imagine."