The bricked up wall with the plaque did not reveal obvious weaknesses, although perhaps some strong blows might open a way in the wall.

The stone slabs upon which the two monarchs had been resting did not reveal any secret compartments.

Storm tries to join the broken wand with his prayer

The wand remained broken and inert.

Angus stayed relatively quiet through this endeavor, not having too much to say. Burial at sea seemed appropriate for a sea king and his queen.

"We could let them simply rest in peace too."

Satisfied in his mind that there doesn't appear to be a secret panel or doorway in the bricked area, Panatix leaves it relatively untouched before doing too much damage. He then stands, walks back to the corridor entrance and makes a slow scan as far as the turn on both sides of the corridor to see if there is anything they might have missed.

"Pull the lever?" Angus asks the others. "It might be our way out or a quick death."

Looking around he added, "Klei said we'd never find them or the way out...and a lever is a little too obvious for even his deranged mind to discount in exiting so it likely isn't the way out and just another trap but like I said...let's leave that one for last after we've exhausted our searches, the bricked area and the way beyond the pitfall.  If we have nothing left to loose then we can pull it..."

"Klei said we'd never find where they rested, we have. Klei is a fool without doubt."

"I'll help search that next section if someone with a torch wants to head back with me," Dak proposed.

Angus took his torch and led the way for Dak.

Wick reclaims his torch and staff and moves over towards the lever, looking for anything that looks suspicious or that might indicate what it's for.  "I could rig up a rope, try to pull the lever from the tunnel or something."

"Why? Die now, die later. What's the difference? We either get out, or we die."

"I don't know about you, but I'd much rather die later. Several years later, if possible. I'd rather be too careful than not careful enough. But yes, if we don't get out of here we are dead. So we can only keep going."

"That's what I said, thank you. Once there is nothing else, we'll pull the lever."

Storm steps forward offering to pull the lever

"Go ahead Storm, let's see what happens."

Telling his friends to stand back, Storm pulls the lever

Since Angus seemed to have had second thoughts about leading the way back, Dak took the torch from the indecisive man and went himself.

Angus follows Dak.

As Dak, followed by Angus, started the trek down the long tunnel, Storm pulled the lever.

The wall section which had appeared smooth began to develop a series of cracks, like crazing on a glazed vase.  Then, with a sudden crash, the wall dissolved into a number of smaller stones which fell outward down a ramp.

A sudden chill wind and rain, much like the weather had been when they first left the ship of their captivity, came into the room.  Where there had once been a wall, there was now a broad opening.  Beyond, there was the sea, and a darkening sky which suggested there might be only a few hours remaining before nightfall.

"I guess this is the exit! Shall we search the area for more items or move on? I thought Klei buried the king and queen with their goods? I suggest we wake him up and ask him?" Storm says, hoping to find more items to aid their survival l.

Assuming everyone else died in the grinding rock noises behind them, Dak continued his mission.  They needed to exhaust all of their options before their time ran out.  Everyone following in a line wasn't the fastest way to cover the ground they needed to.

"Angus! Keymaster! A portal has opened to the outside! This way!"

Without waiting to see what effect his call had on their two companions, Panatix walks over to the new doorway and looks through it to see what he can see. He will be very excited to see a seaworthy boat.

Outside is the sea, but no boat to be seen.

"Let's grab Klei and get out of here," Dak said to Angus upon hearing the gnome's exclamation of success.

"We'll save the old man whether he likes it or not.  Whatever his motives, we wouldn't have made it this far without him."