"There." Rona stopped walking and pointed out at the horizon. I could clearly make out a dark tower. The sky behind the Keep seemed to give it a red aura.

"It definitely looks like something an evil mastermind would reside in," I said. "This is definitely it?"

"I'd recognize it, even if it were in the Plains of Happiness and Sunshine and Rainbows… Yeah, it's definitely it," Rona retorted.

I looked to try and see the top of the Keep, but was unable to. The cloud cover from the Dark Lands seemed to cover it up. Actually, it appeared that the cloud cover was coming from the peak, spreading outward over the land. "Something tells me that the cloud cover is being made from the top of the Keep. At the rate at which the clouds are moving, I'd say that the cloud cover is spreading and covering Draconia!" I pointed out.

"That has to be stopped," Keia said.

"That's why we need to hurry," Rona said. "Let's get this over with."

"Yeah! Evil can't take our land from us!" Ryth shouted. Everyone turned and stared at him. "What? I'm trying to get everyone pumped for the big battle ahead!"

"Just move," Rona said and started to run. We all ran after him, trying to keep up.

Standing right in front of Necril's Keep definitely sent out an ominous feeling and produced a shiver down my spine. The main entrance itself had to have been over fifty feet high, high enough to put a sore in your neck when looking up at it. Two equally tall obsidian statues stood guard beside the overly large door. The statues appeared to be headless, but there seemed to be eyes jutting from the rounded top of their torsos. Each held a sword almost as tall as them, firmly planted into the ground.

"These weren't here before," Rona said. "They're new, compared to the rest of the Keep."

"So, he's still working on it?" I asked.

"No doubt about it… When I was here, the only major defense was Rona," Vegance said. "These statues are new." I took a step forward, and both statues' eyes began to glow. The "eyes" moved from their sockets, glowing white orbs that focused on me.

"State your business here," a demonic voice proclaimed from one of the statues.

"I, uh… I have some business with Necril," I said.

"You are not a Darkling… Access is not permitted," the other statue said.

"What if…" I turned to Rona. "Rona, you give it a try." Rona stepped forward, and the eyes focused on him.

"Rona Slove… Master Necril said one day you would return."

"Yes… Well, I'm here," Rona said.

"Do you have the Orb-Keys?"

"'Orb-Keys?'" Rona turned to look at us. We all either shook our heads or shrugged. He turned back to the statues. "What are these 'Orb-Keys?'"

"Orb-Keys to grant access into the Keep… They are hidden around Draconia to prevent them reaching the wrong hands."

"Where can they be found?" I asked.

"Search where the elements are strongest," the statues said in unison. "The Orb-Keys savor specific elements."

"What do they look like?" Rona asked. Eight colored images appeared in front of us. Each consisted of a sphere glowing with elemental energy.

"These are what you are looking for." I heard Ceae gasp behind me, but paid no attention to it. "Return when you have them… And we can grant you access." The eyes returned to their sockets, and the statues fell silent.

"'Search where the elements are strongest,'" Rona repeated. "I have a general idea, but I'm not sure…"

"Well, eight elements," Keia said. "There are several areas of strong magic in Draconia… The ocean is most likely water, the Wastelands fire… The are mountains near the CentraCity that are covered in snow year-round… We might find ice there."

"Darkness, likely to be in the Dark Lands," Vegance said. "Something tells me we should go talk to Dave."

"Oh, great," I said.

"I saw the Nature Key in the FoxWoods once," Rona said. "The alpha fox has it, but has no clue what it is."

"The Draconian Plains are always windy," Ryth pointed out. "We might have luck finding the Wind Key there."

"Lightning," I mumbled. "The CentraCity is the most technologically advanced city in all of Draconia… They may use the Lightning Key as a power source."

"What about light, though?" Keia asked. We all turned to look at Ryth.

"What?" he asked.

"I think you might be able to lead us to the Light Key," I said.

Ryth shrugged. "I'm not sure where it's at… Oh! But I can take us to see Rysta… She created me using a powerful energy source… She might have used the Light Key… Or perhaps, she knows where it's at."

"How do we get a meeting with Draconia's goddess, though?" Keia asked.

"There's a well-hidden entrance to the Heaven-Realm in the IcePeak Mountains near the CentraCity," Ryth explained. "I can take us there."

"Then it seems our best bet would be to start out in the IcePeak Mountains," Vegance said. "We can get at least two Keys from that venture."

"But we have to pass through the FoxWoods and Draconian Plains on the way there… We can pick up two more along the way," Keia said.

"We should try Dave while we're here in the Dark Lands," Rona said. "Get the Darkness Key while we're still around."

"That leaves the ocean, and the Wastelands," I said. "Which one first?"

"The ocean," Vegance said and sighed dreamily. "I've always wanted to go there… We can definitely take a load off there, and it'll be fun! And very easy…"

"Then we should save that last, and take care of real business first…" Rona suggested. "In the Wastelands, there is a great fire demon… That should be the first stop before the beach, so we can relax knowing we're almost there."

"That's a suicide mission!" Ryth shouted. "You're suggesting we go up against a powerful force of Nature to get a Key, possibly at half strength! Is violence your answer to everything?"

"Hold on people!" I shouted. Everyone became silent and turned their attention to me. "As leader of all this… I decide where we go first… And I believe that Rona's right. We can get all stressed up fighting a powerful demon, and then drop the load at the beach. It'll be easier on us… But the Light Key's whereabouts are still unknown. We'll have time and better conditions to think at the beach."

"The Wastelands first, then," Keia said and stepped up beside me. "All with us, say 'aye!'" Everyone raised a fist into the air and shouted "aye!"

"But first, our meeting with Dave," Rona said. Everyone nodded.

"He has a technological base of operations somewhere west of the Lawless Town. Maybe we can sneak in and get out with the Darkness Key in hand," Vegance said.

"We're not sure if he has it, but it's worth a try," I said.

"Then we move now," Vegance said. "Follow me." She headed in her own direction, and we followed.