Chapter 4

The three boys had their hands dipped in the small lake, creating large ripples in the water. They had surprised Amira and Alice, coming out of nowhere from the woods.

"What do you mean, 'they've got me interested'?" squealed Alice. She was still soaked from being dunked into the lake earlier and the wind was picking up. Soon she would be shivering.

"Well, I mean think about it, Alice," Amira sighed. "Four people just show up after we've been hiking for who knows how long and you just want to let this chance slip by!"

"What are you getting at?"

"Weren't you the one who wanted to find someone and ask them about this place? Didn't you want to get help?" Amira pointed at the strangers. "Well, there's your help!"

"Amira! You don't honestly expect me to-"

"Yep!" She smiled.

There goes her 'let's torture Alice' smile!

"Honestly, Amira! They have a dragon! Do you hear me! A dragon!"

"So? We can be the only people in our entire school who'll ever see a real one! We've got nothing to lose, y'know."

"'Nothing to lose! We have every-"

"Quiet! They're talking again!"

Stupid Amira! We have everything to lose!

Focusing on the strangers, they could hear the girl instructing the boys at the water's edge.

"Wait 'till the water settles," the girl said. "Then, wish for the thing you're looking for. Your wish will take shape."

"Amira, what is she talking about?"

"I don't know, but what she's saying is totally impossible!"

"Look!" the blonde yelled. "Water? Going inside a cave? In the cave-"

"Find it?" the girl asked. The boys pressed closer to the water's surface.

"Chests of gold? Three of them!" Suddenly, the blonde turned toward the brown haired one and tackled him. "Thatz!"

"Sorry, Rune!" he said in a pleading voice. "I couldn't help it!"

"So, the blonde is named Rune and the brown haired one's name is Thatz?" Alice said.

"Weird names, if you ask me!"

"Be nice, Amira! They may help us!"

"I thought you were against that idea?"

"Yeah, but I really, really want to go home."

"Did you hear what the other one's name is yet?"

"Nope."

"Rath?" the girl said. "Is that a demon?" At that moment, Rune began directing his assault on Rath, making a sword materialize out of thin air and swinging it at him.

"Amira? Did you just see what-"

"Yeah . . . So it seems that people in this place can make stuff appear out of thin air."

Alice was quiet for a moment. "Amira?"

"What is it?"

"I really want to go home now . . ."

After Rune had calmed down, the boys resumed trying to use the Mirror of Pure Beauty.

"Alice, stay down. No matter what happens." Amira's gaze stayed locked on the water. Alice could swear she was beginning to glare at it.

"Why? Do you think they'll-"

"No, not them!" Amira snapped. Alice flinched back. "I don't know why, but I'm getting a bad vibe from the water!"

"What?"

"Alice! Get down!" The water suddenly rose, towering over them in a matter of seconds. A head formed at the top, revealing glowing eyes and fangs. Amira and Alice, paralyzed in fear, couldn't turn away from the sight.

"Amira . . . What the heck is that thing!"

"Oh my-"

"Rath!" Thatz's cry tore the girls' eyes away from the demon. Rath had been sucked into the towering water, and the same was beginning to happen to Rune and Thatz. The girl was screaming by the water's edge.

"Amira! We have to do something! They need help!"

"What can we do, Alice! It's a monster! A monster! We are little bugs compared to that guy!"

"Well, I'm going to do something!"

"No, Alice!" Alice ran out of the bushes towards the monster.

I don't know what I'm going to do, but I've got to help them!

Alice could hear Amira's screams behind her, trying to call her back to the safety of the bushes. But Alice couldn't go back. She had to try to help these people.

She had to help these boys.

"Hey, Ugly!" she called. The demon turned to face her. Rath, Rune, Thatz, and the girl noticed her, their eyes wide with shock. "Let them go!"

More water rose from the lake, flying towards Alice. She jumped out of the way, barely dodging the blast. She had to do something fast.

Before the monster killed her.

"Stupid monster! Just go away!"

Suddenly, the wind flew violently towards the monster, splitting it in half. It screeched, flailing it's body around.

What the-! What just happened?

"Alice!" Amira ran out of the bushes and crouched by Alice's side. "Are you alright! What just happened!"

"I don't know . . . All I remember is screaming and suddenly the wind just-"

"Look out!" Both girls dodged another attack from the monster. It's body had regenerated back together, giving it more stability.

"Amira! We can't just keep dodging! We've gotta do something!"

"I know! But-" Just as she refocused her attention onto the monster, it was already in the middle of attacking again. There was no time to dodge. They were dead meat.

"No!" Amira stood in front of Alice, blocking her from the water.

"Amira, you can't! You'll be killed!"

"Not a chance! As if I'm going to die in this place! Get lost, you monster!"

The wind once again picked up, encircling Amira and Alice, acting as a shield. The water reflected off the gusts that surrounded them, dispersing through the air.

"Amira! How are you doing this!"

"I don't know! But at least it's working, right!"

The gusts of wind died down as the last of the water receded back into the lake. Screeching in frustration, the monster curled back, but it did not release its prisoners. They remained trapped in the currents of water that created his body.

"How do we free them, Amira?"

"I don't know-" She was interrupted by something that flew past her ear. The object imbedded itself in the monster's head, causing it to cry in pain.

"Amira! That's a sword!" The monster cried out its last cry and disappeared, the water falling back into the lake.

It was gone. Killed.

"Come out. Before you catch cold." A man appeared from behind the girl, still standing by the lake's edge. He looked more regal than the boys, but for some reason, the girls' felt he was more similar to them than he appeared.

"My Lord!" Rune cried.

"Lord Lykouleon . . ." Rath said.

"Alice? Did they just say Lord?"

"Yeah, I think they just did." Oh, great. Just what we need! Royalty!

"Now, boys, before we get too far in our reunion, I think you should thank these girls for helping you earlier," the Lord said, waving his arm towards Alice and Amira.

"Um . . . Sorry, sirs!" Alice yelled. "That won't be necessary!"

"Uh . . . Yeah . . . If you could direct us to the nearest town, we can call it even!" added Amira.

"Please," the Lord pressed. "At least let us thank you properly. How about staying at our place for a few nights? It's the least I can do for someone who saved my friends."

"As if I wanna stay anywhere near you all in this crazy world-"

"Much appreciated, sir," Alice chimed in before Amir could finish her remark. "But we just need to find our way home. That's all."

"Well, the nearest town is on our way home. If you would like, we can provide you protection until we reach there."

"Protection?" Amira mocked. "They could barely-"

"Amira! Quit being rude, will you!"

"Sorry . . ."

"Geez! Yes, sir! We would appreciate your protection along the way!"

"Then it's settled. Shall we go?"

The girls made their way to the opposite shore, neither one of them knowing that their chance meeting with these strangers would change their lives forever.