Tom leaned back in his chair.
"For most people, that's a one-time use anyway. The Chamber is designed so that a single key gets a single trip. Whether you're a faction sending a person, or an individual entering solo, the key burns its keystone properties on entry and never gets to be used as a key again. But the natural treasure itself usually retains its value, depending on what it was originally.
In your case, the value is enormous. A highest-grade natural treasure that controls an entire floating island. Even without the key function, this book is one of the more valuable artifacts in the kingdom."
Moon nodded slowly.
He had six months. The book gave him access to a realm that the strongest factions in the kingdom would kill to enter.
Whatever was inside the Chamber, it was worth enough that the cycle of access was a guarded secret among Ascenders, and people who knew about it spent five years preparing for the next opening.
