Swish! Swish!

Close to a hundred Shadow Bats were buzzing frantically through the Heavenly Imperial Treasury while searching high and low for the elusive ‘Void Eye’.

Claws scraped against gleaming surfaces, wings buffeted shelves, tails knocked over priceless artefacts. There was no finesse to this treasure hunt.

Some inspected items with a predatory curiosity, turning delicate sculptures upside down and attempting to pry open sealed chests. Those less cautious received a painful jolt from those protective arrays.

One particularly unlucky Shadow Bat went face-first into a reinforced glass case, creating a loud CRACK that resonated through that expanse of treasures. Its pained groan and the sight of a dented forehead served as a lesson to those other, less eager members of their legion: ‘Some treasures are best admired from a distance.’

“Has anyone found it yet?” Raphael hissed impatiently. Each passing heartbeat was an agonizing reminder of how little time they had. There was a lot riding on their success, that much he understood.

If he failed…

Those thoughts didn’t need to be completed because those possibilities were far too grim for those new scales he was sporting.

Deciding those bats couldn’t be trusted entirely with a job this important, Raphael closed his eyes. “Perhaps I could pinpoint that Eye using echolocation.”

He concentrated. His focus expanded outwards, moving beyond those glittering distractions. And through those echoes and subtle vibrations that washed over his transformed form, a blueprint came into being, showcasing the true beauty and grandeur of Lu Kimlung’s meticulous way of organizing those trinkets that could shatter realms if fallen into those wrong hands.

There were cylindrical shelves taller than himself reaching the very ceiling of those golden halls. Every single object, big and small was now an energy signature he could perceive with frightening clarity. He saw swords, daggers, staffs. He felt jewels, bones, crystals pulsating. Even those chests filled with scrolls and coins were no longer hidden from his sight.

And yet…

“Not one that resembles an eye, this doesn't make sense!” He opened his eyes, even more frustrated. “Failed, failed, failed!"

Suddenly…

"MASTER! I've found it!"

His savior?

One of the bats fluttered down from those shelves above that housed some of the most exquisite looking scepters and wands Raphael has ever seen. The sight was marvelous.

His attention was drawn to that eager bat treasure-carrying beast. He watched with hopeful anxiety as it bowed then cautiously placed a wooden chest inlaid with silver.

‘That box looks old.” Raphael cautiously slithering forward. “Let’s have a look then."

Just as it opened, an intoxicating gold scent hit them. It was the same scent that had washed upon them earlier, only less potent. He felt his very scales wanting to dance, but what truly captivated his sight was an object resting on bed of velvet cloth. It looked like a jewel, perfectly crafted from purest gold, round, smooth, and within its center was a tiny black ruby.

“Such magnificence…"

The drooling bat was eagerly peering into that open treasure chest with amazement. "Could that be it, Master?"

“Hmm? I don’t think so?” Said Raphael.

There was no change. The Rou Lin Nest was inactive. The feather weren’t resonating with this trinket, whatever it was.

"Tsk! Damn it. Wrong one."

His heart sank as he realized they’d wasted precious time and were nowhere closer to completing their mission.

Before he could scold his helpful subordinate, he heard Lu Jade calling to him from the vault door.

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"Big Brother Raphael! Did you find it? We've been here for far too long. What if Killaman isssss sssuspicious and he alerts the Emperor?”

His companion’s fears had merit, but Raphael was also reaching his breaking point. “Shut it, Little Lu, I'm doing my best."

Then after another 15 heartbeats, more bad news came as Bat General Kong landed before his “Master” and bowed respectfully. “We’ve searched every shelf, every nook. That damn eye is nowhere to be found. What do you suggest, my liege?"

"This…" The frustration of seeing this mountain of treasures and not a single eye. "It seems my luck isn’t as good as that damned Emperor Qi Hawk." He cursed, feeling the enormity of their predicament settling over him. “Just where could that serpent emperor have hidden it?"

Just then, Lu Jade hollered, "Big Brother! I think ssssomeone is coming! I ssmell perfumess."

“PERFUME? Really? Are you sure?” Raphael was about to lash out but controlled that outburst. They were on a tight rope walk and one wrong step would send them all falling straight into the Emperor’s vengeful stomach.

"Quiet! Let’s see."

He activated echolocation once more and saw a blurry form slithering towards those heavy vault doors. "Oh, crap!"

He turned to his trusted commander with a frantic gesture. “Kong, HIDE those bodies before they reach the entrance. Quickly! Time is against us!”

“As you command, Master!”

With a swiftness born of shadow and lightning, Bat General Kong extended his wings. And like a hungry beast devouring its prey, they engulfed both Lu Kimlung’s headless form and the unconscious guard. In a blink, they were absorbed into Kong's very essence. A splatter of blood was also present on a few crates, so he absorbed those also.

Then with a flick of his golden spear, Bat General Kong turned towards those lingering souls, two radiant orbs of Solar Consciousness – a pale blue and vibrant orange – that floated aimlessly near the broken scales and the discarded monocle.

“Time for dessert!”

His mini yet fearsome dragon coiled around his arm, thrashed excitedly before bursting forth to devour those souls.

Meanwhile, Raphael was absorbing the rest of his shadow army back into the darkness of his scales.

‘Those Shadow Bats are useful indeed,’ Raphael marveled at their efficiency. He then hissed to Lu Jade. “There's still a mess here. Those broken shards and scattered items.”

They couldn’t clean up any further, for that entity was already upon them. Whistling sounds rang out. Those heartbeats of Raphael and his brother were now as loud as thunder!

Raphael whispered, “That noise, she’s already here.” He quickly looked around. Their options were limited.

“Hurry! Behind those pillarss! We'll wait for the newcomer to passss and slip out."

They squeezed themselves behind a massive ivory pillar inlaid with golden carvings. it was unnerving but better than death by snake fangs.

And a short while later, Lu Kimlung's assistant, Lu Lu, arrived at the treasury. She cheerfully slithered through the grand vault’s entrance while whistling a soft tune. Her scales were of light-purple. It looked serene. This new arrival wasn't like her master at all.

She was the epitome of relaxed elegance. She had on a white silk kimono that had delicate, floral design. Her thin waist length slithered left and right in an hypnotic manner that reminded Raphael of Tajmani before he realized, how stupid and terrifying those thoughts really were. Especially now.

He hoped this snake had terrible vision.

"Senior Kimlung?" She called out, then glanced around the treasury with confusion painted upon her snout. It would appear as though the manager wasn't present, even though they were meant to organize this place, together, what fun, what dedication.

"How peculiar? He was supposed to be here. We are tasked with cataloging those rare items Lu Ruby brought back.”

She paused before noticing the chaotic pile of trinkets lying haphazardly at the entrance.

"Huh… Well, that’s certainly strange…”

Her gaze shifted. She noticed shattered remnants of glass cases at the far end where those overly eager Shadow Bats had "helped" earlier, and those open shelve at the side where those protection arrays were still zapping randomly with frustration.

“Oh… It’s seems… senior Kimlung started reorganizing without my assistance?"

She then dismissed those doubts instantly before continuing those cheerful whistlings as she moved deeper, then a small glint from the polished floor had her bending low.

“Hmm, isn’t this the Kunpeng Scepter stored on floor 9?"

She stood there, pensively pondering for a minute, wondering if perhaps her master’s ‘obsession with organization’ had finally reached its zenith, before finally shaking away those intruding thoughts.

After all, weren’t those rumors about his mental capacity the source of laughter throughout the Heavenly Imperial Palace and Hebikuni in general?

She found this hypocrisy from those gossiping serpents to be hypocritical because those who laughed loudest also depended on this treasure boy’s meticulous methods for safeguarding their treasures.

“Never mind, never mind. He must be in the reliquary.” She concluded.

Lu Lu slithered gracefully towards the center of the treasury. She surveyed the floor for several seconds before settling on a specific area where her tail touched. She then began to hum softly.

"She's…" Lu Jade’s sentence went unheard.

"Serpentine heart, scales of jade. Open the way. Reveal the glade. Treasury’s depths shall not betrayed."

BOOM!

A circular section on the floor split apart as she whispered those incantations before them. The words had barely been spoken, and already their hearts pounded. A stairway, shrouded in those gentle, but potent glows materialized.

“Hmm?” Lu Jade noticed that Raphael’s jaws were almost hitting the ground.

"That… Was that always there?" Raphael was baffled! "But my echolocation picked up nothing. How?!” He asked.

"Magic!"

“Oh, I see. Magic. Everything that couldn’t be rationally explained could always be attributed to magic.”

Their conversations were interrupted when those stairs glowed more vibrantly, almost blinding.

"It's closing. Hurry, Big Brother! We can't miss this opportunity!" Lu Jade hissed urgently while rushing into the unknown.

“Coming!”

They slithered into those descending stairs just before the opening closed up with a CLICK and a hazy, golden shimmer, then it was gone.