As Ryan and Nìa made their way to the shore of the lake, Ryan began to understand why the early maps showed two mountains of the same height, while the more recent maps showed one being much shorter than the other. It looked as though, sometime in the history of the mountains, the top of the one had broken off from the rest of the mountain and fallen into the valley below causing a natural dam to form. They looked across the lake that now filled the valley below and tried to find evidence of the lost city but found nothing. The shores of the lake were overgrown with flora and it was difficult to see anything.

  Ryan thought it odd that the vegetation around the lake was still green and flourishing in the cold temperatures that had surrounded them on their journey. The air that was around the lake was warm. He knelt down and felt the water of the lake and found that it was much warmer than it should be. There was a thin, misty fog drifting across the edge of the water that swirled around as the breeze blew past them. They began to walk around the lake, looking for any signs of the old city that once sat in the valley.

  By evening fall, they still had not discovered anything of the ancient kingdom, but they managed to find a small cave on the side of the mountain and near the shore. They decided it was time for a rest. They went through their usual preparations in making a camp before settling down for the night. Nìa sat by the fire and watched the sky.

  The moon was less than half full. It had begun waning a few days past, but its light reflected off the lake beautifully and illuminated their camp. She watched the tiny ripples on the water caused by a light breeze as it rode across the surface of the lake. She looked out across the lake, following the reflection of the moon. She saw something in the lake. It was too dark for her to make out what it was. She stood up to try and see further across the lake. It didn’t help.

  Ryan was studying the maps by the fire that led them to this spot and he looked up when she touched his shoulder to get his attention. She pointed out across the water to the object that she saw and asked, “What is that?” Ryan stood beside her and followed her arm with his eyes so that he, too, could look in the direction that she was pointing.

  He saw the object that she was pointing at and became curious as to what it could be. “I don’t know,” he said, in answer to her question. He sat back down by the fire and returned to his maps. “We can check it out in the morning,” he said without looking up from the maps. Nìa sat down beside him and returned to watching the skies. After a few minutes, Ryan folded his maps up and stashed them away in his pack. “We should get some rest,” he said, and then went to lay down inside the cave and Nìa followed.

  The sound of wolves did not disturb their slumber this night. They had walked nearly two leagues in the span of the two days since they left the Sanctum. The exhaustion from their journey weighed heavy on them and they slept well past sunrise. Nìa was awoken to the sound of birds chirping around her. She sat up and began to stretch. She saw that Ryan had already gotten up. She looked around to find him, but he wasn’t in their cave or at the shoreline.

  She went outside of the cave and called for him. She heard him call back to her from a distance followed by the sound of chopping. After a few minutes, Ryan came to the shore where she was standing. He was dragging a small log with him. She looked around the shore and found several more logs laying by the water's edge. He pulled a knife from his belt and handed it to her, saying, “I’m glad you are awake. I found some vines over in that direction. Can you go and cut me some about this long,” he asked, stretching his hands out as far as he could reach.

  Ryan began by laying two logs on the ground a little more than a full step apart while Nìa went to gather some vines. He then began to lay the rest of the logs across the first two. When Nìa returned, he used the vines to tie them together. When he was finished, he stood beside the raft that he had just built.

  While Ryan had been busy tying the raft together, Nìa began to warm more of the soup that she had brought along. While they ate, Ryan began to excitedly explain to her what he thought the object was. He had awoken near sunrise, and he was able to catch a glimpse of what he thought could be the keep, or the tallest tower, of the ancient castle before the reflection of the sun hid it from sight again.

  After their breakfast of soup, Ryan returned to the surrounding woods and after several minutes of chopping, he returned with two makeshift oars for them to use. He and Nìa pushed and pulled the raft into the lake and after checking it for balance, the two climbed aboard and began making their way to the object in the middle.

  There was a slight current, cutting across the surface, but they managed to make their way to a stone wall that rose up from the floor of the lake. Ryan lifted Nìa so that she could climb over and she lowered a strong vine down to him so he too could climb up. Ryan made his way over the wall and found himself standing on a stone floor that was wrapped with a wall no taller than his shoulder.

  Near the side farthest from them was an opening with a set of stairs leading downward. They began to make their way down the stairs. The room below had two apertures on the sides that allowed the sunlight to fill the room. The floor of the room was filled with water, but Ryan made his way down. The water came up over his waist. He walked around the room until he found another set of stairs that led deeper into the castle.

  With one misplaced step, he fell into the stairway and went under. He swam back to the top and went back to where Nìa stood. They sat on the stairs and began discussing what they should do. They heard a large splash outside of the walls that was followed by the sound of wood snapping. They ran back up the stairs and across the top of the keep. Ryan looked over the edge and saw the fragments of their raft floating away from the wall.

  "What happened?" asked Nìa. "The raft broke apart," replied Ryan. "How?" asked Nìa. "Could have been anything. A strong wind must have blown it against the wall and smashed it apart." "What do we do now? That's too far for me to swim," said Nìa. " I don't think I could make it back with my leg, either," said Ryan.

  Nìa reached for the necklace around her neck and said, "Opna." She waited a few seconds and said, "J?kob?" She stood on top of the keep and waited for a response from her brother. "What's wrong, what's happened?" came the reply from the other side.

  "We are stranded in the middle of a lake with no way to return to the shore," replied Nìa. "Are you swimming, or are you safe?" "We are standing on an old keep in the middle of the lake," replied Nìa. "Stay there," said J?kob, "I will explain when we get there, but we will be there soon. I see the mountains." With that, J?kob ended the spell and it was quiet.

  "What did he say?" asked Ryan. With a confused look on her face she replied, "They will be here soon. He can see the mountains." "What is that supposed to mean?" asked Ryan. "He said that he would explain when they got here." "They?" asked Ryan. "He didn't say."

  *****

  J?kob and Chloé arrived at the lake within an hour of his conversation with Nìa. The top of the keep was too small for Nagendra to land on, but it was just large enough for Wi?dwyr? to land. The two dragons found a small clearing for them to land. Wi?dwyr? was unable to carry more than two people at a time, so J?kob stayed behind as he went to collect the others from the top of the keep.

  When Wi?dwyr? returned with Ryan and Nìa, J?kob's sister ran to him and gave him a hug asking, "Why did you come?" J?kob's response was warm and sincere, "Ask Chloé, she can explain it better." Chloé began to explain her vision of the keep, not fully understanding much of what she disclosed to them.

  The four of them went to the cave and talked about what the visions could mean. The dragons, who had flown the entire way, went off to hunt. They returned around midday, full from their meals and ready for a rest. Before Wi?dwyr? was settled in for a much needed nap, J?kob had him fly the four of them back to the keep. He had to make two trips.

  After he left, the four adventurers started down the stairs. Ryan showed them where the opening to the next staircase was. J?kob made his way through the water that nearly reached his neck. He gathered everyone near him and he closed his eyes and began chanting.

  "Vindr andi um-gyrea."

  "Vindr andi um-gyrea."

  "Vindr andi um-gyrea."

  J?kob raised the staff that the elders had given him to help focus his powers. It was a wooden staff that was slightly taller than him. At the end there were tendrils that branched out and wrapped around a large sapphire; holding it in place. As he spoke the words of the ancient language, the stone in his staff began to glow.

  The air around them began to swirl. Ryan could feel and hear the wind moving faster and faster. J?kob began to turn his staff in a circle and repeated the chant. Nìa watched as the water that they were standing in began to swirl with the wind. The water began to rise up as the wind pulled it around them.

  J?kob spun his staff faster and spoke the chant a third time. Chloé started to become frightened when the water closed around them. The wind continued to circle them, keeping the water away from them. The sound of the wind faded away as J?kob opened his eyes. The four of them were now standing inside a wall of water that was circling very fast around them.

  J?kob led the way as they went below the surface of the water. The floor below had many items scattered around. Broken pots, a broken bow, and other such things that cluttered the floor. They made their way down the stairs of the keep and found themselves at the end of a long hallway in the castle that had many doors.

  Everyone was in awe of J?kob's spell. It allowed them to go under the water and see things they never could have before. They watched as fish and other sea life swam through the hall beside their bubble as they worked their way through the castle. They entered each room they came to and searched for the sword of legend.

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  The group had already searched four rooms that were virtually empty except for a few broken items lying around. They entered a very large room that was filled with many items. J?kob led the others into the room and turned to face the door. He pulled a red gem from his pocket and raised it above his head and said, "Vatn flytja strjála ryeja!" three times.

  The water around them began to flow towards the door quickly. After a few moments, all of the water had completely left the room that they were standing in. J?kob moved closer to the door. There was a wall of water pressing against the air surrounding them, but not entering the room. He closed the door and said, "Dropa-lauss."

  He then lowered his staff and the gem stopped glowing. He let out a loud sigh of exhaustion. He slouched some, but otherwise was alright. His lessons with the elders had helped to increase his stores of magic and helped him to learn how to channel his magic properly and slowly disperse it instead of all at once.

  He placed the red gem on the door and it stayed in place when he let go of it. "I needed to rest," said J?kob. He explained that the gem was maintaining a spell to seal the door shut. The others began to look around the room while J?kob went to a chair to sit on. The room was nearly as large as Wi?dwyr?'s and filled with many shelves of different shapes and sizes.

  Many of the shelves were empty but Ryan found scores of books that had been destroyed by spending centuries under the water. He picked one up that had his family crest inscribed on the front of the leather binding. It only contained three of the legendary relics. He hadn't thought that his family crest must have been changed sometime after Arryn created the amulet.

  J?kob's spell had removed most of the water within it, but it dripped and sagged as he held it in his hand. He dared not to open it for fear that it would fall apart in his hands. J?kob saw the look on his face as he held the tattered book in his hand and asked him to bring it to him. There was a table near the center of the room that was misshapen from the years spent under water.

  He had Ryan place the book on the table. He pulled a green gemstone from his pocket and placed it upon the book saying, "Endr-g?ra." The stone glowed brightly and the book on the table quickly dried and then the years of age that were upon the book began to wither away as if time had never touched it. The magic began to spread to the table before J?kob could stop it. The many years of damage that had occurred on the table began to fall away as well.

  When the magic finally finished, the table had been restored to its former glory. It was a magnificent table that contained a miniature replica of the valley between the two mountains; complete with the city, castle, and river. On the side nearest the mountains was the castle in all its wonder. It stood tall above everything else. It sat next to the river that flowed from the mountains.

  Further down the replica was the city. It swelled out from around the river and crept its way through the valley until it reached a wall. Past the wall was what appeared to be the royal crypt. There were rows and rows of tombs outside of the walls. Each tomb was marked with the royal insignia. Ryan stared at the miniature with amazement.

  He ran his hand over each and every crevice of the sculpture making his way towards the tombs. He was enamored by all the details that were put into such a wonderful piece. His eyes transfixed on a single tomb in the many rows of tombs. The symbol carved into it was unlike the rest. Each tomb contained a stone door with a carving with his family crest, the shield with the three ancient relics, except one.

  A lone tomb, that was nearest the wall, had a carving that depicted only a single item. It was a sword. Ryan suspected that was the final resting place of Sannr, the sword of legend that has never felt defeat. The sword called, Justice. A sword that was said to be lost after the lands came under one rule and his family ruled them all.

  Ryan called the others from their searching to show them what he had discovered. He explained to them a brief description of what all the legends told of the sword. He told them that this has to be where it lies. With everyone convinced, they began to prepare for the long walk under the lake. It was in the lowest part of the valley, and far too deep for them to swim. Ryan wanted to be able to take the table with them, but it was too heavy for them to carry. He quickly made a sketch of the path they needed to take, but he did make sure to bring the book.

  When J?kob was rested, he formed his wind barrier and unsealed the door. The four of them went through the door and back into the hall. They went straight to the opened door on the far end of the hall. They went out into a courtyard that had been decorated with statues and gardens. The statues had things growing on them and whatever was in the gardens so many years ago had rotted away and left nothing behind.

  They hurried as fast as they could to the edge of the city. It took them nearly an hour to traverse their way to the wall. The gates in the wall were already open and they went through without any trouble. It was dark under the water. The only light was coming from J?kob's staff. As they passed through the archway that made up the gate, a shadow crossed over their heads.

  Not knowing what lurked in the depths of the lake, they ran the rest of the way to the tomb. Once outside of the tomb, the stone was much larger than they thought. It was twice as tall as Ryan, and just as wide. J?kob reached for a gem in his pocket. He held it in his hand and closed his eyes. He felt for the magic trapped inside and grabbed it. Drawing from the stone, he said, "Hefja," and the stone began to shake and then lifted above the opening.

  It was dry inside the tomb. He and the others quickly made their way into the tomb. J?kob said, "Niera." The stone began to lower back down, but before it nestled itself back to where it had come, something, just out of sight, struck it hard and it crashed down behind them. They were unsure of what had happened.

  J?kob released the magic that was surrounding them with wind currents. He dropped to his knees from the lack of energy. He sat down and pulled a jar from his pack. Everyone could see that what he was drinking was bitter by the look on his face. "Tastes awful, but I will feel better soon. I need to rest," said J?kob, in answer to the curious looks on their faces.

  He pulled a yellow stone from his pocket and handed it to Chloé. "Focus on the energy inside of it. Hold it above your head and say, "Dags-ljós." Chloé stared at the stone. "It will emit light from the sun through the stone," explained J?kob. Chloé closed her eyes and focused on the gem. She felt every flaw and impurity in it as well as a large amount of magic that was stored within it. She pulled the magic inside of herself and before she could say anything, she heard the voice of Elsie warning her not to draw in too much.

  She said the word of magic and the stone in her hand began to shine. The inside of the tomb looked as if they were standing out in an open meadow at midday. J?kob stayed behind while the others went deeper into the tomb. There were several stone sarcophagi in the tomb. Each one was carved with the likeness of the one held within.

  They looked over each of the stone coffins trying to locate the one they needed. Ryan did not want to open the wrong one in an act of respect for the dead. He studied each one carefully before moving on to the next. After he had studied them all, he noticed something carved into the wall at the back of the tomb. It was written in the common tongue.

  If Justice is what you seek,

  Justice is found in the hearts of man.

  It lies not here, but where my heart was led.

  Ryan thought for a while, staring at the words written on the wall. He began to pace between the coffins before stopping at one that had the image of a beautiful woman on the cover. Ryan pushed against the lid until it crashed to the floor. Inside of the sarcophagus lay the remains of a once great queen of the land.

  Ryan stared down into the stone casket until the light from the stone was caught reflecting off of something under the bones and fragments of cloth. He reached his hands under the remnants of what was once a very elegant dress and wrapped his fingers around something hard. He pulled it out and in his hand was a sword that had an ivory handle and many large gemstones in the hilt.

  He turned around and showed it to the girls and said, "We found it!" overflowing with much excitement. He ran to the entrance of the tomb to show J?kob. As he began to draw closer to the stone door, the handle of the sword began to vibrate and pulse in his hand. The closer he came to the opening, the harder the sword vibrated.

  He told the others about the pulses that were being emitted by the handle. "What do you think it means," asked Nìa. "I don't know. There is nothing in the legends about it," replied Ryan. Chloé tried to use her gift on it; she placed her hand on it, but nothing happened. The four of them were confused about it, but there was nothing that they could do about it.

  J?kob didn't believe that he had enough magic left to make it back to the top of the keep, so he called for Wi?dwyr? with their bond, and through him, Nagendra. He was going to create the circular wind again, but this time, they were going to float to the surface where Wi?dwyr? and Nagendra could get to them.

  After J?kob relayed his plan to the others, he readied himself to lift the door. He formed his wall of wind and then raised the stone door, but before they could walk through the opening, something grabbed hold of him and Ryan and pulled them from the tomb. It pulled them out into the water and J?kob lost his connection to the spell that was holding the door open and it crashed down, leaving Nìa and Chloé trapped inside.

  He couldn't see what had grabbed him, but it was moving very fast. A cloud of blackness came out of it when Ryan slashed at it with the sword. Whatever had grabbed them was squeezing them hard and it was becoming hard for them to hold their breath any longer.

  J?kob called for Wi?dwyr?. He was growing weak and could barely hold his head up. Suddenly they were moving towards the surface. J?kob gasped for air when his head emerged from beneath the surface of the water. He began the look around to see what had grabbed him. He couldn't see all of it, but it was a large creature that had many slimy arms and a bulbous body.

  The creature flung one of its arms skyward, sending Ryan flying through the air. J?kob watched him as he went further away. He saw Wi?dwyr? fly to his rescue and catch him before he crashed onto the shore. J?kob saw that they were still climbing higher into the air. The creature moved the arm that held him and he saw that Nagendra had the creature in her claws and was flying upwards to the clouds.

  J?kob looked for Wi?dwyr? and caught a glimpse of Ryan standing on his back with his sword raised high. As they neared the beast, Ryan leapt from the back of the dragon as Wi?dwyr? crashed into the creature, claws first. Wi?dwyr? and Nagendra began to pull in opposite directions as Ryan's sword slashed its way through the beast.

  The creature's hold on J?kob failed and he began to fall. Wi?dwyr? released the creature and swooped back down to catch him. J?kob adjusted himself in the saddle and tied himself to it. He turned to see Nagendra catch Ryan before he crashed back into the lake.

  J?kob's thoughts turned to his sisters at the bottom of the lake and without hesitation, he began to form the wind wall around himself and Wi?dwyr?, but only over their heads so they could breathe. Their bond relayed the plan to his dragon and the two of them drove into the water.

  Wi?dwyr? swam beneath the water and they arrived at the stone door. J?kob gathered the magic inside his dragon and extended the wall of wind outward, and around the door before he lifted the stone away. The girls came out and climbed on the dragon's back with him. The three of them swam to the surface together.

  Wi?dwyr? could not fly with all of them on his back, so he swam across the lake to the shore nearest the cave. When they were all safe on land, Wi?dwyr? took to the skies to dry himself. Nagendra had already left Ryan at the cave before she flew off as well. J?kob and his sisters walked up to Ryan, who was staring at the sword with his mouth opened wide. "After all these years. It's still sharp," he said, in utter amazement.

  He looked at the others who were smiling. He saw J?kob begin to sway back and forth. The strain on his well of magic was too much for him. He fell to the ground; completely exhausted, and fell asleep. Ryan and the others tried to wake him, but it was no use. They carried him into the cave and let him sleep. Ryan was eager to get back to the palace, but they still had nine days before the solstice. Nine days before the enemy attack.