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Presea and Braden made it to the edge of the dark murky swamp. There was no light at all. They glanced back at the city. The sky above it glowed red. "I hope that everything is ok soon," commented Presea. "We'll go back someday," Braden assured her. "I'm almost certain." "I hope so. Let's go. We need to get through this swamp." They glanced warily at it. What could await them in those murky waters? They could hear frogs croaking and crickets singing. Presea took Braden's hand. "Let's just stick together. Let's go slowly." "I definitely agree. I'm right behind you." Presea stepped gingerly into the swamp. The ground was very soft, but still solid. "We're still on solid ground." "That's good." Presea and Braden felt around the swamp like blind mice. They arrived at the water's edge. "I can't feel any solid land around. I think our only way is through the water." Braden's voice came nervously. "Are you sure there's no other way." "Not that I can feel. Let's just be careful ok?" "Right." They stepped into the water. It was instantly knee deep. "This is pretty nasty," commented Presea. "Let's just keep going. The sooner we go through it…the sooner we'll be out of it." A splash was heard. "What was that?" Presea gulped. "I have no idea." Suddenly thunder rumbled overhead. "Great… a storm," said Braden. "Oh no…" said Presea. "What?" "The swamp fills up pretty quickly when it storms. We should try to get out of the water as soon as possible." They began to slosh through the water and muck a bit quicker. They were making good time when Presea suddenly went down. A cry of pain escaped her lips. "What is it?" asked Braden worriedly. "I don't know. I think something bit me… maybe a snake. It's just above my boot." Braden quickly pulled her up. "Can you stand?" "Yes. Let's just keep going." They went on. Braden heard a splash. "Presea what was that?" No answer. "Presea? PRESEA? Shit…" he muttered. He felt around blindly for her. He found her arm and pulled her up. "Presea!" he said. She sputtered. "Braden? What happened?" "You went under…" "Poison…" "What?" "I think whatever bit me had poison. I can't stand. I'm dizzy. My head hurts too." She began to fall, but Braden supported her. He dragged her on. "You can make it Presea. We've come to far for you to fall." "I need to sit. I can't walk!" "Yes you can! You can do it Presea!" They trudged on. "What is that light ahead?" she muttered. "What are you talking about?" "There…ahead." Braden looked where he thought she had seen the light. It was true. He could faintly make it out… but it was there. "I'll shout for help," he told Presea. She muttered something he couldn't understand in reply. "Hey! Hey! Light! Light over there! We need help!" shouted Braden. Rain began to fall. "Please help us! My friend had been bitten! We need help!" The light started coming toward them. "Yes! Hurry!" Finally the source of the light came into view. It was a small boat. Inside the boat sat a man, a woman, and a dog. "G'day mate! What are you doing out here in the swamp?" "Our city was attacked. We escaped, but we need help." The woman in the boat whispered to the man. "The attack on Questria… is that where you're from?" "Yes! My name is Braden and my friend Presea was bitten by something! She needs help." "You're Prince Braden?" "That's right. This is Master Smith Presea." The man jumped from the boat. "Say no more." He and Braden lifted Presea into the boat, and they both jumped in. Braden shook the man's hand gratefully. "Thank you. If you hadn't come along I don't know what would have happened." "My name is Stephen and this is my wife Terria and my dog Sui. What I'm worried about is your friend here." Terria quickly removed Presea's leg from her boot. "Stephen, her whole leg is swollen." Stephen looked at the bite. There were two distinct fang marks. "It was a snake. Probably a water moccasin. Luckily Terria has a great antidote for this type of wound." Stephen rinsed the bite with clean water while Terria dug around in her bag and pulled out a mixture. "Here's the antidote. Put it on the bite Stephen. I'll get a bandage." Braden watched dumbfounded as Stephen put the mixture on Presea's bite and Terria bandaged it. Presea's eyelids fluttered a bit. "Braden…" He grasped her hand. "I'm here Presea. Everything's ok now. We've got help. You'll be fine." Presea sighed deeply. "I'm glad…" Then her eyes closed. "Presea?" Braden asked uncertainly. Terria touched his shoulder. "She's ok. She's sleeping. You two must have been through a horrible ordeal." "Yeah. It's funny how Presea was totally calm throughout the whole thing. She helped me through this swamp until she got bitten. We're really lucky that you two were out here. Which brings me to another question…why are you out here anyway?" Stephen smiled proudly. "We're out saving crocodiles and reptiles…even like the snake that bit Presea. It probably struck because you two wandered too close in its territory. Of course you wouldn't have known because it is very dark out here." "You save those creatures? Why?" "Well contrary to popular belief, they are actually peaceful animals. They don't kill humans for sport. So if somebody is having a problem with one of these reptiles, we come out and remove it safely for them. We're out here tonight because we were observing crocodile behavior at night." "Oh I see. Presea mentioned that she actually liked snakes. I wonder if she had ever gotten bitten." Stephen looked over at Presea. Her head was in Terria's lap, and Terria had covered her with a blanket. "You'd have to ask her. Terria and I would love to hear any knowledge you have. I can't believe that we fished a prince and the Master Smith out of the swamp! This is amazing!" "We give you our thanks for rescuing us. If there's anything that we can do, then…" "No it's nothing. We're just happy to help." Terria looked at the sleeping girl and then back at Braden. "Where are you headed?" "We're trying to find the Underground Society. Presea's friend Rogue told us that they would help us." "Well then…welcome to a branch of the Underground Society." "You both are part of it?" "Yes. And Stephen and I would be happy to house you and Presea for as long as you need." Braden looked in the direction of Questria. "The kingdom has been captured by an unknown force. Presea and I were going to figure out who raided us. Then we were going to take the kingdom back." "Sounds interesting." "Presea's a wonder with weapons. She says that there is a weapon for every person. But she's a definite exception. Presea excels with any weapon." Terria smiled. "You admire her a lot don't you?" "I respect her. She taught me not to be afraid of who I am. She unknowingly taught me many things." Terria brushed Presea's hair back. "I can't wait to meet her. I'm sure she'll offer us much knowledge." Braden nodded. Stephen looked up at the sky. "The storm is getting too strong. We'll have to get back for tonight."
They reached Stephen and Terria's house in no time. Stephen tied the boat to a small dock. Braden gaped at the house. It was quite large. "I though that the Underground Society would be…underground." "Nah that would make it too suspicious don’t you think?" "Now that you mention it, you're right." Sui jumped out and trotted into the house. Terria supported Presea, brought her inside, and laid her down on the floor. Stephen and Braden followed. Braden involuntarily shivered. Terria took charge. "Stephen, go see if you can find something dry for Braden to wear. I'll look for something for Presea." Stephen motioned for Braden to follow him. They left the room, leaving Terria with Presea. Presea's eyelids fluttered and opened slowly. "Where am I? Riley? Rogue? Braden?" She blinked a few times. Terria sat beside her. "Don't get up too quickly. You've been through quite a lot." "Who are you? Where am I? Where's Braden?" "My name is Terria. You're here at my house, part of the Underground Society. Braden is just fine. My husband Stephen has taken him to find some dry clothes." Presea sat up. She noticed the bandage on her leg and the boot by her side. She slowly pulled off her other boot. "Snake bite… I had a feeling." "How did you figure it out?" "I've always had an instinct for stuff like this. Ever since I was a child. I spent many years on the streets before I came to the palace. It was there where I picked up strong instinct for things. Rogue and I traveled around the whole city. He took me to the swamp once, and I saw many of the snakes. So I had a feeling that I got a snakebite. Oh I'm sorry. I haven't even introduced myself. My name is Presea." Terria looked impressed. "You sound like you're full of interesting stories Presea. Let me find you some dry clothes to change into, and then you can tell me everything." Terria disappeared for a moment and returned with a dry set of breeches and a tunic. Presea stood shakily, but gained her balance. "Wow I'm impressed. Now I know that I'm not the only one who wears breeches." Terria laughed. "There's a place for you to wash up and change in the other room." Presea took the dry clothes gratefully and went to change. When she returned she felt clean, dry, and relatively happy. Terria hung up her wet things, and Presea pulled out her dagger. "I almost forgot about this thing." "Do you usually carry a weapon?" "Sometimes. What I miss is the rapier that I received from a duelist on the streets many years ago. It was absolutely beautiful." "Braden told me that you were good with weapons." "Braden…I wonder what he's doing. Could we go see what he's doing?" "Of course." Terria led Presea to where Stephen and Braden were. Braden was in dry clothes and fast asleep on a couch. "The boy just changed and fell asleep," said Stephen. Presea smiled. "It's good that he sleeps. He needs his rest. It's been a long night for us." "Then you should sleep too." Presea turned to Stephen. "No. I can't sleep now. I have to gather my thoughts and get ready to take the kingdom back." Stephen touched her shoulder gently. "You two have been under a lot of pressure for the last couple hours. It's really important that you rest it out." "But I…" "Please Presea," Terria jumped in. "I'll show you a place where you can sleep. You'll feel much better once you rest." "Well all right. Just don't let me sleep too long." Terria led Presea to a guest room. Presea thanked her and got into bed. She was asleep in minutes.
The hours passed and night quickly turned to day. Sunlight streaming through the window woke Braden up. He stretched and walked from the room. He found Terria and Stephen sitting at a small table. They were looking over large manuscripts. They put their things down when they saw Braden. "Good morning, mate," said Stephen. Braden yawned. "Good morning to both of you." "Did you sleep well?" asked Terria. "Like a baby," Braden smiled. "Hey where's Presea?" "Probably still asleep." "Has she gotten sick or anything from the bite?" "No," Stephen said. "Terria put the medicine on it before it could take any serious effect." "Thank goodness. Where is she?" "Down the hall," Terria pointed. "Thanks." Braden walked down the hall and into the room where Presea slept. He knelt down beside her bed and looked at her. She was sleeping peacefully, her breath steady. Braden tilted his head to the side. He couldn't help thinking that Presea looked like one of those princesses from fables that they had read in literature. He smiled and gently brushed a lock of fallen hair away from Presea's face. He would let her rest. She deserved it. Braden got up and walked out of the room and back to where Stephen and Terria were. They offered him a seat, a cup of tea, and some fruit. He took them gratefully. Stephen noticed a look of worry on Braden's face. "Is something bothering you?" "In a way. I'm just thinking… Presea is the only one in Cephiro right now who can create weapons from escudo." "The legendary ore?" "That's right. I feel as if I must protect her. If anything were to happen to Cephiro, the Pillar would summon the magic knights. In order for the magic knights to succeed in their mission, they'd need weapons made of escudo. If Presea were to die in a time that she was needed, then nobody would be able to make weapons for the magic knights… and Cephiro would crumble." "That won't happen," came the sleepy voice of Presea. The three looked at the doorway at Presea. It was obvious that she had just woken up. "Good morning Presea," said Stephen. "Good morning Stephen, Terria, Braden. Have I missed anything?" "No. Terria and I were just reading and Braden was eating." Sui came up to Presea and she scratched her behind the ears. Presea looked at Braden. "You don't have to protect me. I'm perfectly capable of defending myself." "I know. But I worry." "I'll be fine. But thank you for your concern." Braden lowered his head and pretended to study his tea. Presea looked around the room for a moment. "So… any idea how to take the kingdom back yet?" "Presea," said Terria. "Yes?" "Stephen and I were talking about your situation. We'd like you to know that we'd be more than willing to help you out." "That's very kind of you. But we can't risk your lives for this." "And you can't risk yours either." Presea looked down at Sui. Braden spoke up. "They're right. We should use any help that we can." "Well…all right." Stephen and Terria smiled at each other. "What do we have to do first?" inquired Stephen. Presea thought for a moment. "Do you know how to use weapons?" "Well I think that Terria and myself are fairly good at it. We work with daggers most of the time." "Say no more. I've got an idea. I need to find some silver or something to make the weapons." "Well… the other members of the Underground Society might have some metals lying around. Most of them are quite good at fighting," said Terria thoughtfully. "No wait," said Stephen. "We have some silver stored away in the attic. It was for emergencies. I'd say that this is a pretty big emergency. I'll go get it." Stephen jumped up and went out of the room. Terria motioned for Presea to sit and get something to eat. Braden sipped his tea. "What do you intend to make for them Presea?" "Well they said that they're good with daggers. I think that the weapon chosen for both of them is… the sais." "Sais… good choice. They're fighting daggers." "Yup." Terria looked a little concerned. "Are you sure you're up to it? Is your bite ok enough for you to be up and about?" "Oh yeah. I'm feeling fine. And I promise that these will be the ultimate sais. I have a feeling that they are your chosen weapon." "How do you know." "Every weapon is made specifically for somebody. I will make these specifically for you and Stephen." "Oh. Can we watch?" "Of course." Stephen returned with his arms full of silver. "This enough?" "Yes." Stephen set the silver down, and Presea got up and sat beside it. "Now watch. This is how I will make your weapons." She closed her eyes and concentrated. Beams of light reached from her mind to the silver. It began to take the shape of two sets of sais. She worked the silver to perfection in her mind. As a final detail, she added green around the hilt of Stephen's sais and blue around the hilt of Terria's sais. Then Presea put a blessing of luck and courage into the sais. They were finished. She opened her eyes. The two pairs of sais from her mind lay in front of her. She was breathing heavily, but was happy. The sais had been forged successfully. Presea picked up the sais and turned toward Stephen and Terria. She handed each of them their sais. They were speechless. Presea sat on the floor, almost panting. "Are you ok?" asked Braden. "Yes. I just put out a lot of my soul for these." "You didn't have to," began Stephen. "No. I wanted to." "You're too kind," said Terria. Presea grinned. "You know how to fight with daggers. Right?" Stephen flipped one. "We sure do. Thought we hardly use weapons, Terria and I decided to learn how to just in case. You know, for self defense." "I understand." "There is a meeting of the Underground Society in about an hour," said Terria. "We'll bring you two and introduce you to the leader, Dylan. Then we'll go from there. Is that ok with you?" "Fine with me," said Braden as he stood up and pushed his chair in. "It's all right by me too," said Presea. Terria smiled. "All right then. We have one hour."
The hour passed quickly, and soon Braden and Presea were walking with Stephen and Terria to the meeting. They entered the meeting hall through a cave. They were instantly surrounded by people. Terria and Stephen led them through the crowd. Braden nudged Presea in the ribs. "What do you suppose this Dylan man will be like?" "I assume pretty powerful if he's the leader." "Wait here," said Stephen. "I'll see if I can get Dylan." As they waited, Presea looked around. There were paintings on the wall of what seemed to be heroes. There was also a case full of weapons. Presea sighed. She wanted to have a look at the weapons, but she knew that she had to stay put. Stephen returned with a man. He was very tall and had brown hair and brown eyes. As the men neared, Presea heard Stephen say, "Dylan these are the two I was telling you about." Dylan stopped in front of Presea and Braden. They both bowed their heads as a sign of respect. "You two are Braden and Presea?" "Yes sir," said Presea. "I am Dylan, leader of the Underground Society. I am a mage, taught by the best in Cephiro, Master Mage Clef. It is to my understanding that I am now speaking to one of the princes of Questria and the Master Smith of Cephiro. Am I correct?" "You are," answered Presea. "Good. I know what is happening right now in Questria." Braden nodded. "Presea and I humbly ask for your assistance in helping us recapture the kingdom from whatever has taken it." "That is all well and good, my boy. But you can't just walk on into the Underground Society. To be part of us, you must prove your strength and the size of your will. You must take a test in order to prove yourselves and become part of the Society." "We have to do WHAT?" shouted Braden. "I thought that you'd help us if we asked you." "Yes. We'll help you as soon as you have proven yourselves." "But Dylan," interrupted Stephen, "Terria and I never had to take the test to prove ourselves." "That is because you proved yourselves even before you became part of the society. Dealing with reptiles like you two do takes an immense amount of courage." "Well then what do we have to do?" asked Presea. "I'll show you." Dylan snapped his fingers and the small group was suddenly transported to a cliff. "Whoa," muttered Braden. Dylan led Braden and Presea to the edge of the cliff so that they could see the large deep gorge. Presea backed away and turned around. "What is it?" asked Terria. "Heights. I'm afraid of heights. I mean when I was on the streets I didn't mind going on top of buildings, but this is just crazy." "The test," announced Dylan. He snapped his fingers and a scepter appeared. "See this scepter?" Presea and Braden nodded. Dylan waved his hand and it disappeared. "It is now at the bottom of the gorge. Your mission is to go and retrieve it within five hours." "That's insane," Braden said under his breath. Dylan waved his hand once again. Two packs of supplies as well as climbing equipment appeared. "There stands the test. You may choose to accept or decline as you wish." Presea swallowed. She hated the thought of going down that gorge, but… "I accept!" she shouted, and picked up her equipment. Braden gaped at her. "Presea…if anything happens to you then Cephiro won't have a Master Smith. If we fall on troubled times then none of us will live." "Well if we don't accept this challenge then Questria falls. I am willing to take my chances. Are you coming or not?" Braden sighed and picked up his equipment. "I'm coming." "Then let the test begin," said Dylan. The two walked to the edge of the cliff. Presea's stomach almost turned to a block of ice. "Are you all right?" asked Braden. "Yeah I'm fine." "Well…ok. I'll lower myself first." "Good idea." Braden secured a harness around himself. He threw down the rope and made sure that it was secure. The he stepped over the edge and began his descent. Presea watched until she could hardly see him. Then she heard him shout, "Presea I'm on firm ground! It's your turn!" Presea secured her harness. She held the rope and stepped over the edge. Taking a deep breath, she began her descent. In her mind she told herself to keep a clear calm head. Climbing was all mental, and she couldn't afford to lose her concentration. It actually seemed pretty easy. "Keep coming!" shouted Braden. "You're almost there!" Presea felt encouraged, and she kept going. Finally she felt solid ground under one boot. Braden caught her harness. "I've got you." He helped her out of the harness. Presea sat down and looked back up toward the sky. "I can't believe that I just came down from there. It's so high. It was kind of scary too." "Well believe it because you came down just fine." Presea glanced at their surroundings. "Where do you think that scepter is?" "I don't know, but it's gotta be around here somewhere." Presea stood and stretched her legs. "Let's start looking so that we can get out of here." They began to search the gorge. The beauty of the gorge enchanted Presea. She never imagined that it could be so beautiful. "Presea! Over here!" shouted Braden. Presea turned and saw him standing by a bunch of rocks. "You found it already?" "I think so." Presea hurried to where Braden was standing. He pointed to a space between the rocks. "It's in there." Presea looked. Sure enough she saw the scepter. "I'll reach in and get it out," said Braden. He reached in and grabbed the scepter. Suddenly he pulled his arm back sharply. "What's wrong?" asked Presea. Braden slowly turned his arm. Blood was dripping from a fresh… "Bite," said Presea. "Snake bite." Braden jumped away. "No way. I hate snakes. They freak me out." "Let me see the bite." Braden held out his arm. "It wasn't a venomous snake thankfully. I'll just clean it and bandage it. You'll be fine." Braden breathed a sigh of relief as Presea cleaned and bandaged the bite. Then Presea turned back toward the rocks. She watched carefully for the right moment…and pulled out the snake. It was clearly unhappy, but it didn't strike. Presea gently set it down away from them. It slithered away as if nothing had happened. She turned back to Braden who had gotten the scepter. "How do you touch those things?" asked Braden. "They don't bother me," replied Presea. "Well they sure bother me." "It's ok to be afraid you know. Everyone has fears." "You don't seem to fear anything though." "Don't be too sure," muttered Presea as she turned back toward the rope. "Let's get going." Braden and Presea picked up their packs and secured their harnesses. They began the long journey up.
Climbing up was a lot harder then going down. They had to look for strong foot holes while making sure that the scepter was secure. The climb was also a lot more tiring. They stopped to rest on a small ledge. Presea looked up warily. "Wow. We still have a long way to go." Braden looked for foot holes, and Presea took a drink of water. "Hey Presea." "Yeah?" "There's no secure foot holes going up. We'll have to go around." Presea's stomach dropped. "Around?" "Here." Braden indicated the rocks that he meant to climb. "What we have to do is this: I'll climb around first. Then you swing the rope around and come over." "It sounds risky…" "It's the only was as far as I can see. We can't spend too much time talking about it because we're running out of time." "Then let's do it." Braden undid his harness from the rope and began to cross the steep rocks. "You're doing good…" said Presea, though she could barely watch. Braden concentrated hard. He was a bit scared, but he had to make it for Presea's sake. Finally he felt the solid ledge. He called back to Presea, "I'm all right! Throw me the rope!" The rope came around, and he tied it down. "You got it?" "Yeah. You can come around now." Presea stepped carefully into the foot holes. She kept a good pace, but it was when she was in the middle that Presea made a big mistake. She had looked down. Presea instantly froze. Her heart began pounding, and her palms were getting sweaty. "Presea?" "I…I'm fine. I'm coming." She took a deep breath and continued. "You're almost there!" shouted Braden. Presea neared the ledge and reached up…but suddenly she lost her footing. She felt herself slipping. Then she felt pressure on her arm. Presea looked up to see Braden holding her arm. "Braden!" "Don't panic. Stay calm." "Get me out of here!" Braden's grip loosened, and he gripped her arm even tighter. "Shit. I can't hold on! Give me your other arm." Presea clung to the rope. "I can't. I'm too weak. I'm weak… I can't do it!" "You have to!" Braden held Presea's arm with all his strength. He had to get her out. The life of Cephiro's Master Smith dangled in front of his eyes. He wouldn't let her die. "Presea! Your arm!" Presea reached out and grabbed his arm. The rope swayed back to the side of the cliff. Presea hung in thin air, and Braden pulled. "Braden! This isn't working! It's all useless!" "No it's not! You aren't a weak person. You're always the strong one. Be strong Presea!" "I'm trying!" Braden pulled with all his might, and suddenly Presea was up on the ledge. She lay there motionless for a moment. Then she shakily sat up. Braden knelt beside her. "Are you ok?" Presea threw her arms around him. "I have never been so scared in my life. I…" Tears overtook her words as she clung to Braden. He put his arms around her. She was shaking terribly. He could actually feel her heart pounding. She buried her face in his chest. He held her more tightly. They stayed that way for a few minutes. Then Braden asked, "Are you going to be all right?" "I think so." She pulled away from him. Her cheeks were wet with tears. Braden looked at his shirt. There was a large wet spot on it. Presea cracked a small smile. "I'm sorry about that." "Oh it's ok. Why didn't you tell me?" "About what?" "Your fear of heights." "How did you…" "Presea, it was obvious." Presea turned away. "I didn't want to be weak. I didn't want my fear to be a burden." "You could never be a burden. You're the bravest person I know. I've learned a great deal from you Presea." "Well thank you. It seems like everything bad is happening to me. First that poisonous snake in the swamp. Now this… I think I'm having bad luck." Presea sighed. Braden looked up at the rocks. "We should keep going. Are you up to it?" "Definitely." Braden got ready to climb again. He was about to begin, when Presea said, "Hey Braden?" "Yes?" "Thank you for saving my life."
Stephen and Terria had been waiting anxiously for Braden and Presea to finish their test. They shouted with joy as Braden came up and over the edge, followed by Presea. The two were dirt streaked and sweaty, but they had passed the test. Stephen noticed the new bandage on Braden's arm. "What happened to you?" "Snake bit." Presea rolled her eyes. "I swear that snakes have a homing device on us." They laughed. "Presea, you're bleeding," said Terria. Presea looked down. Her legs were full of scratches from her near fall. She had been so scared at the time that she hadn't even noticed them. "Oh wow. I'll have to take care of these sometime. They're not bad though." Just then Dylan appeared in front of them. "You're back. Have you retrieved the scepter?" Braden pulled the scepter out. "Here you are, sir." Dylan took the scepter and motioned for Braden and Presea to kneel. They did, and Dylan spoke. "You have successfully retrieved the sacred scepter of the Underground Society. Your courage and the strength of your will has proven to be great." He touched each of them with the scepter. "Presea, Braden, I now induct you into the Underground Society. You may rise." They both rose slowly. Presea's eyes were bright. "Thank you sir!" "You may call me Dylan." Presea nodded, and then turned to Braden. "We did it!" He put an arm around her shoulder, and they both looked over the gorge. "Yes, we did."
That night a banquet was held in honor of Presea and Braden's induction. It was a great feast, and everyone was stuffed when it was over. Dylan motioned for Presea and Braden to come to him. "Presea, I know that you're the Master Smith. Would it be possible for you to help train everyone? All of us here at the Underground Society know how to use weapons. We just need to sharpen our skills if we're going to take back Questria." "That would be fine with me," said Presea. Dylan smiled. "Good. Now Braden. I've been watching you. I seem to think that you have a magic quality in you. Tomorrow I will take you to the school of Master Mage Clef, the greatest mage in Cephiro. I think it will be of great value to you." "That sounds great! What about Presea?" "Presea will be staying here and you will most likely train there. But Presea can come with us tomorrow if she wants to." Braden looked at Presea. "What do you think?" "I'll come with you. I just want to see what the school of the greatest mage in Cephiro is like." "Thanks Presea." "No problem." Presea left Braden to talk with Dylan. She wandered around the banquet hall. This would be the first time for her and Braden to be apart since the siege of Questria. But she was certain that it would go well. It had to.
Morning came quickly, and now it was time for Braden to go. He thanked Stephen and Terria for their hospitality and whispered to them to watch over Presea. He and Presea met up with Dylan at the main hall for the Underground Society. "Ready to go?" "I am," said Braden. Dylan waved his hand, and they were teleported to the school. As they walked down the corridors, Dylan talked. "I was a student of Master Mage Clef himself. Not everyone is given that opportunity. Only the most skilled get to work with him. I remember all of the times that I walked down these great hallways. Now my daughter is a student here. She's actually a student of Master Mage Clef. One of the best in her class actually." "That's wonderful," said Braden. "I hope to at least learn a little bit. Your daughter must have studied here for years." "She has. Since she was sixteen actually." "How old is your daughter now?" asked Presea. "She's twenty." "Wow she must be really good then! I hope we can meet her." They continued walking until they came to a door. "Wait here," instructed Dylan. Braden and Presea waited for a long time. They were both silent, and in awe of the great school. Finally Dylan came out. "Braden, you're all set. Tomorrow you will start in the basic class. If they see that you have a distinct talent, then they'll move you up." "I'm honored to be here." "Come now, you two. I'm taking you to meet my daughter now. She should be practicing, but I'm sure that she can take out a few minutes to talk to us." He smiled proudly. Presea grinned. Dylan was sure proud of his daughter. And Presea's wondered what it would be like to have parents that were proud of her. She was sure that if her parents knew of her position…that is, if they were alive, that they would be more than proud. Presea was lost in thought when Dylan stopped them in front of a door. "This is it." He knocked. Soon the door opened, revealing a young woman. She wore a mage's robe and had black hair and blue eyes. The light seemed to tint her hair a purple color. "Father!" "Alycione!" "What are you doing here?" "I just introduced a new student to the school." He indicated Braden. "This is Braden, prince of Questria, and new student here." Then he gestured to Presea. "And this is Presea, Master Smith of Cephiro. She's here to see what it's like. Both of you, this is my daughter, Alycione." Presea smiled. "It's nice to meet you, Alycione." "Likewise." "So what have you been doing lately?" asked Dylan. "I'm trying to learn beast summon spells. My beast is a wolf. I can't seem to summon it properly though. Come in and I'll show you." They all walked into the room. It was a practice room with nothing in it but Alycione's books and staff. She picked up the staff. "Watch closely. Beast summon!" she cried. Light flashed. When it died down there was a little midget wolf sitting in front of them. Alycione blushed. "This is kind of embarrassing. I'm new to this type of spell. Creature recall!" The wolf disappeared. Alycione sighed. "I can't get it right. The big test for calling beasts is in two weeks… if I don't pass then I can't move to the next level…" Presea touched Alycione's shoulder. "I'm sure you'll be able to do it. From what your father says, it seems as if you're one of the best with magic." Alycione leaned on her staff. "You're so young… and full of dreams. I can tell that you try to see the good in everything." "I do?" "It seems that way at least. I guess I'll keep trying. One day I hope to be a great sorceress so that I may protect the Pillar." "Wow," said Braden. "That's quite a goal!" Dylan hugged his daughter. "I'm so proud of you Alycione. What matters is that you're trying. You will achieve your goal." "Thank you father. Thank you all. Hey Braden, I might have someone for you to hang out with while you're here. Her name is Eva, and she'll be in the basic class too." "That would be great! It'll be nice to know someone that's as new to this as I am. I mean, I'd like to hang out with you sometime. You must know so much about magic, but I know that you're very busy." Alycione laughed. "Thank you for your respect. Come on I'll take you to meet Eva." She turned to Presea. "Do you want to come?" Presea thought for a moment. She felt as if she was becoming a sidekick. "Oh…yes I'll come." "Let's go then!"
While Braden chatted with Dylan and Alycione, Presea was silent. They walked down the winding corridors to the great hall where many mages were studying. Alycione really has everything good going for her, thought Presea. She's so lucky to be blessed with her talent. I almost envy her. Presea shook the evil thoughts from her head. She would not succumb to jealously. Especially to Alycione. After all, Alycione wasn't trying to show off her magic. It was a wonderful gift given to an incredibly talented person. "Eva!" called Alycione. A girl about Presea's age with reddish hair and blue eyes turned and faced them. "Hello Alycione. You have visitors?" "Yes. This is my father Dylan. These are my friends Presea and Braden. Braden is joining the school. He's going to be in basic class with you." "Really?" Eva's eyes sparkled. "Wow," Braden said under his breath. Presea looked at him and then pretended to be fascinated with the floor. Braden and Eva hit it off immediately. They were talking and laughing like old friends. Presea wasn't used to taking a back seat when it involved her friends. She crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. Hours passed. Then Dylan was shaking her. "Presea!" "Dylan… what is it?" "You fell asleep standing." Presea stretched. "Oh…really. I'm sorry." She looked across the room and saw Braden still talking to Eva. Alycione was sitting, reading some sort of manuscript. Presea sighed. This had gone far enough. "Dylan," she said, loud enough for Braden to hear. "I'm getting a bit out of sorts. Could you please beam me back to the meeting hall?" "But I thought you wanted to see what this place was about…" Presea almost glared at Eva. "Believe me, I have." Alycione came up to them. "Are you all right Presea?" "I am. I'm just getting tired. Your father is going to beam me home now. It was nice meeting you Alycione. Good luck with your studies." "Maybe you'll come visit again Presea?" "Maybe." Braden and Eva came up to them. "Presea what's going on?" asked Braden. "It seems that you've settled in just fine. I'm leaving." "Presea?" "I'm leaving now." She looked at Dylan. He sighed and snapped his fingers. Presea was gone. "What's wrong Braden?" asked Eva. Braden looked at the empty space before him. "Presea… she didn't even say good-bye."
Presea found herself in the meeting hall. Terria was there. "Terria… what are you doing here?" "I was waiting for you and Dylan to return." "Where's Stephen?" "Oh he got a message from one of the people living in the swamp. Snake most likely. I'm glad that you're back. Where's Dylan?" "He's visiting with his daughter." "Alycione… talented young lady." "She really is!" "So how did Braden settle in?" Presea sighed. "You look a bit sad Presea. Did something happen?" "No. He's fine." Terria decided not to ask about it anymore. Instead she motioned to the door. "Come on. Let's get back to the house. I bet you haven't eaten since breakfast." Presea's eyes brightened, and she realized that she was very hungry. "I second that thought! Last one there is a rotten egg!" Presea took off running. Terria laughed and followed her.
Meanwhile back at the school, Braden sat in his new quarters. He was very happy that he had been accepted by the school and the people there so quickly. But what bothered him was Presea. She had acted awfully strange that afternoon. It was as if she was almost jealous. "That couldn't be," Braden said out loud. "Presea," he muttered. "You've always been the perfect one. The flawless one. The calm collected most talented girl that I have ever known. And yet I saw you unhappy. I thought that you'd be happy for me." A tear slipped down his cheek. "WHY AREN'T YOU HAPPY FOR ME?" he shouted. He punched the pillow on his bed as his shout echoed. "Why…why…why…"
After a good lunch Presea told Terria that she was going to rest up. Terria told Presea that she had just received word that Stephen needed her and that she'd be out for a while. Presea smiled and jokingly told her to have fun. After Terria left Presea sat outside on the dock. Sui sat down beside her. Presea patted Sui. "I just don't know," she said. Sui cocked her head to one side as if she were really listening. Presea laughed. "I want to be happy for Braden. I am happy for Braden. It's just that Eva… I get bad vibes from her." Sui rolled on her back. "Hey! Don't look at me like that. I am not jealous. I'm just concerned." Sui whined. Presea rubbed her belly. "Oh all right. Maybe I was a little jealous today. But I still get those vibes. Bad ones. I can't believe that I'm pouring my heart out to a dog." Sui licked her hand. Presea smiled. "But hey, you're a great listener." Presea looked out. "You know what Sui? Out there… over the horizon… is Questria. I don't know what Braden is going to do, but I'm sticking to the mission. I will get the kingdom back. I will not fail."
The training of the Underground Society began the next day. Presea walked into the room where the training would be held. There was a variety of weapons there as well as at least one hundred people. Presea gulped. She prayed that everything would go well. She stepped up on a small platform. "Good morning, Underground Society!" she shouted. The people became quiet, and turned to hear what she had to say. "My name is Presea. I became a member of this society a few days ago. Dylan has told me that you all wanted help with your combat skills. He told me that you all were willing to fight to help take back the kingdom of Questria. Am I correct when I say this?" The crowd cheered. "All right then. Let's get to it. We'll start with the sword. I need a volunteer." The people eagerly raised their hands. Presea picked one of the taller men. "Hi what's your name?" "I'm Jacques. But everyone calls me Jacq." "All right then. Everyone, Jacq and I will demonstrate sword fighting. As you can see, Jacq has a sword already. I'm sure that most of you have weapons, and we'll get to each of them in time. For right now, we'll concentrate on the sword." She motioned for Jacq to draw his sword, which he did. She then took out her own sword. "Now, I'm sure you all know this, but weapons should be a last resort. If you're in a fight, don't immediately go for the weapon unless provoked…" Presea and Jacq began to demonstrate the art of sword fighting. Presea shouted to the people as she fought. "As you can see, you must make sure that you close all the gaps. If you don't, then your opponent will get a clear shot at you. Like this." Presea jabbed her sword at Jacq and nearly got him. He jumped back, but laughed. "I guess that's a demonstration of what you're not supposed to do." They got back to the fight. Finally the lesson was over. "That's it for today. You all are absolutely great! Tomorrow we'll be discussing rapiers and daggers! See you then." The crowd broke up. Stephen rushed up to Presea. "That was an excellent demonstration! You really have a knack for this stuff." "It's a gift I guess." "We still have some daylight left. How would you like to come with Terria and I? We just got a message about a crocodile in somebody's yard, and we're going to get it out." Presea put down the sword. "Of course I'll come! This'll be great!"
Presea was soon in a boat with Terria and Stephen. They were traveling through the swamp to get to where the crocodile was. "There it is!" whispered Stephen with excitement in his voice. "What a beauty!" Presea gaped at the size of the reptile. "He's huge!" "That one's not at his full size yet," said Terria. "You mean they get bigger?" She nodded. Meanwhile Stephen was getting a rope ready. "Ok Presea watch closely. I'm going to get this rope around the crocodile, and then hand it to Terria. Then I'm going to restrain it and hold it's jaws down. Then you come and give me the blindfold and then sit on its back legs." "You sit on these things?" "Hey it's our job!" Presea grinned. "All right then. Let's do it!" Stephen tossed the rope around the crocodile's top jaw. "He knows that he's been roped. Here Terria." He handed her the rope and jumped behind the crocodile. Presea watched as Stephen timed himself and without warning pressed the jaw down. "Hurry Presea! Now." Presea leapt out of the boat and gave Stephen the blindfold. He put it on the crocodile's eyes, and she sat down and held the back legs. The crocodile stopped struggling. "Good job. Now we have to get him out of here so that we can release him where it's safe. On the count of three we pick him up. One… two… three." They picked up the crocodile, and Presea almost fell over under its weight. "Are you steady back there?" "Yeah I've got him." Together Presea and Stephen brought the crocodile to the boat. Terria rowed while they restrained it. And Presea forgot about Braden and Eva for the time being. She concentrated on helping the awesome reptile. They finally got to a release site. Stephen and Presea lifted the crocodile out of the boat and on to the land. "Ok Presea when I say go, you get back into the boat." "All right I'm ready." They steadied the crocodile. "Go!" Presea jumped off the crocodile and jumped into the boat. Stephen then released the crocodile's jaws. It looked around for a moment, and slid into the water. Stephen got back in the boat, and the three gave each other high-fives. It was getting dark, and as they went back to the house their shouts were heard through the swamp. "Woooo-eeee!"
When Presea returned to her room she found a surprise. There was a large amount of escudo lying on her bed. Presea was shocked. How could so much escudo wind up there? Had someone brought it? Or had it appeared on it's own? Presea put it on the floor and went to get ready for bed. Once in bed she thought again of Braden. Something didn't seem right. Eva didn't seem right. There was something about her that made Presea shiver. She had a bad feeling… but she couldn't point it at anything directly. Presea sighed and shut her eyes. She would think about it more the next day.
Moonlight shone through Presea's window as she slept. The light reflected the escudo right into Presea's eyes. She woke up and saw the fantastic glow. As if she was in a trance, she got out of bed and knelt down beside the escudo. She saw it take shape into a sword… and then fade back into the raw material that it was. Presea ran her hand over it. The sword was taking shape. Light flashed in her mind. Then all of a sudden she was beside it. The tip of the sword sliced into both of her palms. Presea gasped as blood began to flow out of the fresh wounds. Then the sword expelled light. The light touched the blood and withdrew back into the sword. It was as if the sword was absorbing the blood. Small red stones formed around the hilt. The hilt molded into an intricate design. Presea felt like she was being pulled into the sword. The light wrapped around her, taking her in completely. Then the light vanished and Presea saw black.
Meanwhile in another part of the house, Stephen and Terria were recording facts about the crocodile they had saved that day. They heard a loud bang. "What was that?" whispered Terria. "Beats me. Let's check it out." The two picked up their sais and walked down the hall. "Presea!" shouted Stephen. "She might be asleep. We should check to make sure." They neared Presea's room. "Presea?" They looked in and gasped. Presea was lying unconscious on the floor next to… "A glowing sword?" said Stephen. "What happened to her?" said Terria as she knelt down next to Presea. Stephen looked around the room. Nothing seemed to be wrong. "She fainted," commented Terria. "But I think she'll be ok once she comes around. Wait a minute…" Terria lifted Presea's hands. There were two clear slice marks on them, and a bit of blood dripped from each. "We should bandage those and get her back to bed," said Stephen. "She probably just needs rest. When she awakens maybe she can tell us what happened."
Blackness tuned to white light as Presea opened her eyes. She looked around. Stephen was lying on the floor and Terria was curled up in a chair. Both were sound asleep. "Oh no…" Presea whispered. "My demonstration." She swung her feet out of bed, stood up… and fell to the ground with a thud. Stephen opened his eyes and sat up quickly. He looked to see Presea on the ground, rubbing a sore knee. "Presea you're awake." "What happened?" "We found you on the floor knocked out last night." "Why…" Presea glanced next to her. The sword shined brightly. She picked it up carefully. "I made this?" "That's what we assumed," said Stephen as he went over to Terria. He shook her gently and she woke up. "What? Oh hi Stephen. Presea! You're ok!" "Yes I think I am…" Presea studied the sword. It seemed to form a bond with her immediately. "I think I figured it out," she muttered. "What?" "The sword. This is my true weapon. Everyone has a specific weapon. A weapon that only they can use properly. This one is mine." She tilted the sword to the light, and it made a glorious reflection. "And look at this. These red stones… are made of my blood." "What?" asked Stephen and Terria simultaneously. "The sword cut into me while I was creating it. It absorbed my blood and these stones appeared. This sword…is a reflection of me…my soul. It's made by my blood." A small smile spread across her face. "I think… that with this weapon I can be a hero. It's my destined weapon. It's sure to lead me to victory." Presea stood up carefully and turned toward Stephen and Terria. "Don't you see? I think this is a sign… telling me that the time to take Questria back will be at hand soon."
After convincing Stephen and Terria that she was well enough to keep giving her combat demonstrations, Presea was ready for action. That day she went through teaching everyone about rapiers, daggers, and fighting staffs. She'd also begun to teach how to rescue people from different dangerous situations (all the while keeping her rock climbing incident in mind). There was a special part of class where Stephen and Terria demonstrated how to help a person who has been bitten by a snake or any other animal. All in all the day went well, and Presea felt certain that the people would be ready for the battle. She was packing up her daggers when someone tapped her shoulder. She turned to see a girl, about her age with dark brown hair and brown eyes. "Presea?" "Yes?" "My name is Kerry. I just wanted to thank you for your great demonstrations." "It's really nothing." "But you've taught us all a great deal in only a short time. You must have a gift of some sort." "I just try… I make the effort I guess. Hey how old are you anyway?" "I'm eighteen." "You're only a year older then me! Have you found the weapon that is right for you yet?" Kerry smiled. "Actually I have." She swiftly pulled out a rapier. "Your chosen weapon is a rapier? You're very lucky. I love rapiers. I wish I had mine, but it's back at the palace." "Questria… I lived there once." "Really?" "Yes. Hey why don't we go sit in the meeting room and talk." "All right." Presea and Kerry walked to the meeting room. Presea studied the weapons on the wall, and Kerry talked. "When I was really young… nine years old actually… Questria was attacked." "I remember that. It's when I lost my family." "My family got captured, and we heard that they were going to kill us. Somehow I escaped and came here. I've grown up in the Underground Society." A thought crossed Presea's mind. "Um… did you ever happen to know Benedict and Gwyneth Aldrain. Two young teenagers would have been with them." "Aldrain… that name sounds too familiar. The blacksmith Aldrain?" "Yes." "He and the people with him were killed." "No…" Presea's voice saddened. "What's wrong?" "They were my family. My mother and father. The teenagers with them were my brother Rusty and my sister Sierra. I got separated from them. I always looked for them. And… they're dead." Tears formed in Presea's eyes, and she wiped them away. Kerry sighed. "That attack was one of the worst in Questria's history. Along with the latest attack." Presea leaned against the wall. "I wonder what ever became of Trent, Gavin, Lily, and Caitlin. They are my other brothers and sisters. They could still be alive. We have to take Questria back. We can't let it fall again. The people must be suffering. I have to contact Braden." "Braden? Prince Braden you mean?" "Yeah he came here with me. Now he's at Master Mage Clef's magic school." "Wow he's learning magic. That's amazing." "I know." Kerry sliced the air with her rapier. "I'll help you get Questria back." Presea's eyes brightened. "Thank you. Thank you so much."
Kerry and Presea talked for a long time in the meeting room. They talked about various topics such as: Questria, weapons, the Underground Society, etc. It was getting late. After saying good night to Kerry, Presea went to Stephen and Terria's house. She found Stephen snoring lightly on a couch and Terria sitting in a chair reading. "Hey Terria," said Presea. "Hello Presea. Where were you?" "Talking to Kerry. Do you know her?" "Oh yeah. She's a nice girl." "Yeah I know." Presea sat on the floor. She felt tears coming on again. Terria noticed, and put her book down. "What's bothering you Presea?" "Oh nothing." "Something is wrong. I can tell." "Well… yes. I found out that my mother, father, my brother Rusty, and my sister Sierra all died in the attack on Questria nine years ago." "Oh no… I'm so sorry Presea." "I never gave up hope on them. It just seems that everything ends up this way. Sierra… she was like a best friend to me. My parents were just the kindest people in the world. Rusty was like a bodyguard, always looking out for me. I can't believe that they're gone." "Death is a difficult thing to deal with. You know that I'm always going to be here for you if you need advice or anything." "Thank you Terria. It's really funny, but I feel as if you and Stephen are like my adopted parents. We all just get along so well. I'm happy that it's this way." Presea stood and gave Terria a big hug. The she turned to go to her room. "Presea," said Terria. Presea turned. "Yeah?" "I'm happy that it's this way too."
Two months had passed since Braden had gone off to mage's school. He had found that his element was lightning. Meanwhile Presea had been training the Underground Society. She had grown into a stealthy, even swifter warrior then before. Braden hung out with Eva a lot. Sometimes Alycione would stop by for a visit. Presea spent a lot of time with Stephen, Terria, Jacq, and Kerry. Occasionally she would chat with Dylan. Now after two months apart, the two would be reunited at the annual Underground Society party…
It was the night of the party. Presea was happy that this was a casual party because she didn't have any dress clothes. The party would also give her a great chance to show off her sword. She slipped it into a sheath, which hung by her side. Presea was also a bit nervous about seeing Braden. It had been two months, and they hadn't had any contact with each other. Stephen popped his head into her room. "Are you ready to go?" "Yes!" Presea joined Stephen and Terria, and they made their way to the Great Hall. Once there, Presea met up with Kerry. "So," said Kerry with a big grin on her face. "Are you excited to see Braden?" "I am… a little. I mean I'm happy that I'll see him. Actually I really want to see what he's been doing with magic." "That's cool. Hey do you want to spar?" "Now?" "Yeah. This party is for everything. Dancing, eating, sparring. It'll be fun." "But… a rapier and a sword?" "It won't do any damage. Believe me." "Well all right. Draw." The both drew their weapons. "Begin," said Kerry. Their weapons clanged as they danced around the room. People laughed in admiration. Presea was about to win. She held her sword to Kerry's throat. They were about to call the end of the match when something distracted Presea. Standing across the room… was Braden. And Eva was with him. Presea felt the air drain from her body. Then suddenly her sword was out of her hands and Kerry's rapier was at her throat. Presea's sword clattered across the room and stopped at Braden's feet. "I guess this match is over," said Kerry. Presea had a glazed look in her eyes. "Presea? Hello Presea!" Kerry dropped her rapier, and shook Presea. Suddenly Presea snapped back. "Huh?" "Whew. You scared me." "Oh no. I lost the match…" They both laughed. Presea sighed. "Where's my sword?" "I believe this belongs to you," came the smooth voice of Braden. Presea turned to find him behind her. Her cheeks flushed as she took the sword back. Pure distraction had led to her losing the match. She had let the opponent get a chance at her. Presea sheathed her sword. "Hello Braden." "Presea… it's been a long time." "Not that long. Only two months." "Um I think I'll excuse myself for now," said Kerry. She winked and walked off to talk to Jacq. Presea tried to smile. "So… how has your magic training been?" "Pretty fun. My element is lightning." "That's too cool!" said Presea, sounding like her old self again. "I can do a few things. I've moved up three classes since I started." "I'm really happy for you." "Well enough about me. What about you? What have you been doing lately?" "Training a lot. I think the Underground Society is almost ready to retake Questria. Sometimes I go out into the swamp with Stephen and Terria. I've learned a lot." "That sounds fun," said Braden with a hint of sadness in his voice. "What's wrong Braden?" "Well I've missed you a lot. And Stephen and Terria too. This magic is great and I really like it a lot. I just miss hanging out with you. I mean, I haven't had any contact with you for two months." "I know. It's a bit strange." "Well it's just that I have to study a lot. And then Eva…" "Eva?" Presea's stomach dropped. Eva appeared beside Braden. "So Braden have I missed anything?" Presea gritted her teeth. "How nice to see you Eva. No you haven't missed a thing." Eva smirked. "Thanks for the warm welcome Presea." "No problem. Well Braden, I have a few things to do, so you guys hang here and I'll be back sometime." "Presea wait…" said Braden. "No it's really ok." Presea turned swiftly and went to find Kerry and Jacq.
After not being able to find her friends, Presea sat in one of the chairs, a bit upset. It was all because of Eva. She was going out with Braden. Presea kept feeling bad vibes from her, but she knew that Braden would probably dismiss that theory. But as Presea watched both of them, she began to see red. A red aura seemed to surround Eva. Something was wrong. Suddenly Eva and Braden were about to kiss. Light flashed through Presea's mind as she leapt out of the chair. She dashed across the floor and tackled Eva. "Presea!" shouted Braden. "What do you think you're doing?" Presea pinned Eva on the ground and took out her sword. "I know what you are now, Eva. You can't have Braden." "Ha. So you've figured it out? I knew you were smart… and dangerous too!" shouted Eva. She blasted Presea away. Presea flew back and sprawled on the floor. Braden helped her up. "What's the meaning of all of this?" he whispered. "I knew I felt bad vibes," muttered Presea. Eva laughed evilly. "Now, prepare to die, Prince Braden and Master Smith Presea!" She formed a big fireball in her hands and threw it. "Watch it!" shouted Presea, and pushed Braden to the floor. The fireball barely missed them. "Everyone out!" yelled Presea. The party was over. The people ran out. Presea turned back to Eva. "There's no way that you're getting away with this!" "Ha! Try to stop me!" Eva began to form another fireball. Presea took out her sword. The fireball came toward her. She slashed at it, and it split and dissolved. "Oh so I see that you can chop my fireballs. How nice. But you won't stop this one! Lava attack!" A huge wave of lava appeared and crashed toward Presea and Braden. Presea thought. She had one chance… and only one chance to end this. She blindly threw her sword into the lava. Then she heard Eva cry out. The lava wave disappeared, revealing Eva who had Presea's sword sticking out of her. "You little bitch!" she shouted. Presea ran over to Eva. "Who sent you?" "I won't tell!" "You better or this'll be more painful. Now. Who sent you?" "Zagro… from Questria. He told me to eliminate both of you…" Eva's eyes rolled back. She was dead. Presea took out her sword. Instantly the blood on the sword was gone. Then Eva's body dissolved into dust. Presea resheathed her sword. Braden came up next to her. "I'm impressed." "Thank you." "I can't believe I was so stupid." Presea didn't comment on that. Instead she changed the topic. "Eva was sent by someone called Zagro. Zagro must have been the one who took over Questria." "Zagro… I've heard that name. He's a sorcerer… a really strong one." "But what would he want with Questria?" "That I can't tell you. But if we go up against Zagro… it'll be a tough battle." "Well we're ready." "Are you?" "What do you mean?" "Presea we've spoken about this before. You’re the only one who can make weapons of escudo." "I know that. But I promised that I'd help you." "I know… but I just don't want to see you get hurt. I don't want anything to happen to you." "Thank you. But as I said, I promised you that I'd help get Questria back. And that's exactly what I'm going to do. Come on it's getting late. Let's get to Stephen and Terria's." Braden sighed. "All right."
A few hours later Braden sat on the dock of Stephen and Terria's house. He looked to the direction of Questria. Something awfully suspicious was in the air. He heard footsteps behind him, and turned to see Presea. "Are you all right?" she asked him. "Yes. Why do you ask?" "Because of Eva and all of that stuff. I just want to make sure that you're ok with everything." "She was evil. I didn't see it." "I'm sorry." "No Presea. You did the right thing, You saved my life." "Well I guess we'll wait a few more weeks until we go to Questria. I think that we should do some more training. But then when we go, I'll attack full force. I'll recapture the kingdom." Braden sighed. "I know that I can't stop you from your decision Presea…" "I know that you don't want me to get hurt, but I promised. I need to keep my promise. Not only to you, but to Rogue…Riley…my family." "I understand." Presea yawned. "Well I'm going to bed. See you tomorrow Braden. I'm glad you're back." "All right. Good night Presea." Braden watched Presea go inside, and then looked up into the sky. The moon shone brightly and the stars glittered. Braden knew what he had to do. He rose slowly, and went inside. He scrawled a short note and left it on the table. Then he left the house. "You saved my life Presea," he said. "Now it's my turn to save yours."
"Presea! Wake up!" Presea awoke to Stephen shaking her. "What? What's going on?" "There's something very important that you must see." Presea got out of bed and Stephen led her to the dining room where Terria was standing with the note. "Read this," Terria handed the note to Presea. Presea cleared her throat and began to read. "Everyone. I've decided that I should take matters into my own hands. I don't want anybody to sacrifice their life for my kingdom. This is my responsibility. Please understand, and don't worry about me. Braden." Presea was silent for a moment. "Oh no…" she let the note drop to the floor. "He's gone to Questria! He's going to try to take it back alone! He's insane! Come on there's a change of plans. I need everyone ready to go as soon as possible. We can't let him do this alone!"
Meanwhile, Braden neared the castle. His home… He found the secret passage and entered the castle. Something felt wrong. He drew his sword cautiously. There was an extremely evil aura in the air. "Well well well… what do we have here?" said a voice. Braden turned swiftly to see a man standing behind him. He was a tall dark man, dressed in black with black hair and black eyes. "You're Zagro…aren't you?" "My aren't you the smart one, Prince Braden?" "How did you…" "I know everything." Zagro waved a hand in the air and instantly the palace guards appeared. "Take him," commanded Zagro. "No!" shouted Braden, but the guards surrounded him. The guards were once loyal to him. Now they seemed as if they were in a trance as they tried to capture him. Braden tried talking to the head of the guards, Hugh. "Hugh! Come on! Snap out of it! It's me, Braden!" Hugh wouldn't listen, and suddenly Braden felt something strong smack down on his head. He dropped to the ground. Warm blood began to trickle from where he had been hit. The last thing Braden saw were the guards standing over him… and Zagro smiling evilly.
Presea called a meeting of the Underground Society. Everyone was confused and tired, as it was early in the morning. Presea yelled over the din. "Everyone please listen to me! This is very serious!" Everyone stopped talking and listened. "Braden has gone to take Questria back on his own!" There were gasps as the people whispered among themselves. "So I am not delaying our attack any further. We have to go today… in less than an hour. I know that you all are ready for this! You're all good with weapons and skillful in battle! I promise that I'll lead you to victory!" Everyone cheered. "But," shouted Presea. "We'll have to split up into groups. We've practiced this before. I will lead the first group. Dylan will lead the second. Stephen and Terria will lead the third. You all know where you're supposed to be. Now go get ready! I'll see you in an hour!" The crowd dispersed. Kerry and Jacq mingled through the crowd and up to Presea. "Wow… this is gonna be big," said Jacq. "Are you sure that you're ready to do this?" asked Kerry. Presea tied a grappling hook around her waist and secured her sword. "As ready as I'll ever be."

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Part Three: Awakening

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