"Are we close?" Esther questioned, putting her hand in front of her face so she could see.

Kasha nodded. They were trudging along a dusty path, tall yellow grasses on either side, following Kasha. "The Celestial Lake is well hidden. I am one of the few people who know about it."

Sierra noticed the book she was holding, the one she had selected from the shelves. A Swordsman's Guide to the Sun Sword, it read. That would be helpful.

Kasha caught her staring. "You're looking for the Sun Sword, to kill the wyvern," she guessed.

She was taken by surprise. "Yes," she admitted. "Does the Lake have any ties to it?"

She nodded. "For generations, the Celestial Lake hid the Sun Sword beneath its waters. One who wanted to use the Sword would simply touch the water and the Lake would determine if the seeker was worthy enough to wield it. Then when the possessor died, the Sword would return to the Lake."

"Wow," Reed exclaimed. "So, it might still possibly be there?"

"No," Kasha replied, and his face fell. "One hundred years ago, the Sun Sword was stolen- by none other than the King of Cleston at that time."

"Who?" Tia asked.

"King Wyvern."

"Why do you trust us with this information?" Sierra asked.

"I think you will defeat it, if you try. I know we only met a half- hour ago, but I think that Cleston needs heroes," Kasha responded.

Hero. She had never thought of herself that way. She was always the weird Caldera daughter, the one that hunted instead of learned to be a proper noble. But would Mother be proud of what I've become? When I return home, will she greet me with loving arms or be disgusted?

Sierra shook off the thought. "How did King Wyvern steal the sword, then? If he slayed the possessor, then the sword would just appear back at the lake."

"That is what we don't know. Perhaps he broke the sword, so the returning enchantment would stop."

Tia spoke up. "Why did he steal it in the first place?"

"Well, how long have wyverns been around?" Kasha prompted.

"Hundreds of years," Sierra guessed.

Kasha shook her head. "I think King Wyvern... created them."

"No way!" Diana replied.

"Think: why else would King Wyvern be named after a dragon? The word means 'viper'. The King named the species after him."

"How did he create it?" Reed asked, kicking at the dust. "And why?"

"Most likely through breeding, but there might be some enchantments involved. Why, I have no idea." Kasha shrugged. "What I'm saying is through the careful readings of theory books and some of my own logic. There is a blurred line between myth and reality."

"But why did he steal it?" Tia repeated.

"Maybe to keep anyone from harming his new creations. He would pose as a threat with a powerful dragon at his side and nothing to stop it."

They walked in silence, letting her words sink in. Sierra glanced at her feet. The trail had gotten muddier, like there was water nearby. Such as a lake.

Up ahead, peeking over the grass, she could see a waterfall. Clear, fresh liquid poured over a cliff edge. The grasses parted, and the entire falls came into view. The sunlight caught the droplets, sending arcs of colors across the water. A pool collected below the falls.

"Is this the Celestial Lake?" Sierra asked. It didn't seem very lake- like.

Kasha smiled. "We have to go behind the falls."

"Behind the waterfall?" Diana cast her a look, like, is she out of her mind?

Sierra shrugged. I guess this is our best shot.

Kasha dashed around the pool, disappearing behind the falls. "Come on!" a voice echoed from inside.

She edged around the water, staring behind the falls. There didn't seem to be a tunnel of some sort under the falls. She glanced back at her friends. They gave her encouraging looks, but Sierra noticed that Diana's hand was on her hilt. Esther glared at the falls, stepping in front of her sister.

Is this crazy? Is there no Celestial Lake? She looked back at the entrance. But the wyvern... the thought pushed her on. She took a deep breath and stepped behind the waterfall.

It was nice and cool, a drastic difference from the harsh heat and dryness of the rest of the city. The tunnel was finally in view- Kasha was right, it was well hidden. From any other angle the entrance would be invisible. Dark, wet rock walls arced up on either side. A bright light shined at the entrance, and even from here Sierra could feel the heat.

Kasha's silhouette against the light beckoned her, and she stepped in the tunnel.

"Whoa," Tia said behind her.

Sierra whipped around, and realized that her friends had joined her. She grinned and they began jogging through the dark tunnel. As they went on, the light became brighter, and the heat intensified. Her boots squelched against the soft sand as she ran.

Soon the light was so bright it forced her to look down as she ran, squinting. She noticed that Kasha was increasing her pace.

A wave of heat poured over her, along with a strange feeling. It was strangely... powerful, it tingled at her fingertips. We have to be close.

Then, in one bright flash, the tunnel opened up into a wide chamber full of light. Rock walls still glowed on either side, but they were whitewashed. Diamonds looked as if they were embedded in the walls, reflecting light in all directions. But far more amazing then the structure was the lake of fire in the center of the chamber.

The lake was literally fire. It moved and flickered the same way. The intense heat almost burnt her skin as she stepped closer. Now she understood how the enchantment worked. She had thought that if someone wanted the sword, the could simply swim to the bottom. Now she knew that you really had to trust you worthiness.

But that made it even more difficult to understand how King Wyvern had stole the sword in the first place. It seemed practically impossible.

She stepped over to the fiery lake, her feet at its banks. "What do we do now?"

"The sword could still be there," Reed offered.

Kasha shook her head. "If she was to touch the fire, she would burn."

"It's our only chance," Sierra argued. "If I am worthy of the sword, perhaps the lake will show me where it is."

Kasha shook her head. "Dont-"

But she was already leaning down, hand outstretched. Is this stupid? She was beginning to have second thoughts.

But before she could draw her hand away, the fire erupted around it.