Celeste and Mordra set off.

At daybreak, the women cleaned up camp and hiked the final few miles to the entrance of the cave. They got there when the sun was just beginning to rise high in the sky. The golden rays caught in Celeste's delicate blonde hair, making the princess look as if she had a head full of fire. What a magnificent queen she would make, Kallie thought.

The five of them stopped at the entrance and set up a makeshift camp. If all went well, they would not linger for the night, but they would set up enough to settle a little. Finally, Mordra made an announcement to the group.

"Alright, from here on, the princess and myself must go alone."

Kallie froze. This was never part of the plan.

"Absolutely not! I will not leave m'lady unattended," she argued.

But Princess Celeste held up her hand in defiance. She spoke with a voice as soft as silk, but there was iron in the way she spoke.

"Mordra and I spoke last night. This is for the best."

"We know not the dangers we may face. Best not to put all of us at risk. My magical abilities give me a certain amount of leeway in these situations," Mordra added.

"And what of m'lady? She's neither a witch or a fighter," Kallie demanded.

"But I am nobility," Celeste said with a tiny smile. "I must do this Kallie. If I'm to be queen one day, I must be willing to put my life on the line for the kingdom."

Amber scoffed, "like there's any kingdom left. It's all been scorched by those damn orcs. I gotta give it to you, Celeste, you're brave. Brave or stupid."

Princess Celeste said nothing in response but instead gave her cousin a pained smile. Amber had never taken the duties of nobility seriously like Celeste had. Kallie was ever amazed at her lady's patience towards her cousin. Celeste was a gentle, soft-spoken girl. She always had been. Kallie knew Amber's taunts took their toll, but she hoped it wasn't too severe.

"This is the first step towards rebuilding Windrass," Celeste said softly. "First, we take the sword. Next we find a champion to wield it. From there, it's up to fate."

"Princess, may I please have a word?" Kallie asked.

Before Celeste could deny her, Kallie took her lady by the wrist and pulled her off to the side for a private conversation. She had to get through to Celeste. Mordra was not to be trusted.

"Princess, you can't possibly be serious about this. You remember the rumors about Mordra from back before the kingdom fell. Rumors of black magic and evil rituals. You have no idea what she may try to pull."

Princess Celeste smiled.

"If it weren't for Mordra, we wouldn't even know this sword existed. Sure, she is rough around the edges, but she has helped us this far. Besides, when the kingdom fell, she could have gone anywhere. Instead, she stood by her princess. That counts for something."

"But princess!"

Celeste shushed Kallie.

"Easy. This should be a very simple retrieval. Besides, I have my own tricks up my sleeve if she tries anything funny," Princess Celeste winked.

Kallie felt her trepidation melt away, replaced by pride in her darling princess.

"Fine. Do what you must, but know that I will be in that cave the second something seems wrong."

Princess Celeste smiled and pulled Kallie in for a tight hug.

"How did I end up so lucky?"

"It is I who is the lucky one!" Kallie insisted.

"Nonsense," Celeste answered, beaming. "Now lets get back to the others."

With that, Celeste walked off towards her destiny.

The cave was dank and dark, yet illuminated in a queer way by blue mushrooms that dotted the walls and ceiling. Apparently, the antechamber with the sword was quite a ways back. It had felt to Celeste as if they had been walking for hours, though she knew it had only been a handful of minutes.

"It's a shame," Mordra said. "The sword only works for men. At least, that's what I've deciphered. All of the literature on it describes the wielders as men. It even describes the way the sword alters and enhances a man's seed so that he can birth an entire lineage of monsters in battle. Oh what men get to have that is kept from us women."

"I don't mind," Princess Celeste said. "I've never touched even touched a sword. I find fighting to be repulsive. It's a necessary evil, but it's still evil. I want my rule to be one of peace."

"How high minded of you. You truly are a noble of great virtue, my lady. Still, it's a pity we couldn't enhance our sorry little band instead. We'd make quite a fighting team."

"Perhaps," Celeste said, walking a little faster.

Kallie's words had gotten to the princess, for she did remember the rumors swirling around Mordra like a black flame. From what Princess Celeste heard from some of the high level nobles and knights, those rumors were more truth than fiction. Mordra had helped them thus far, but she was not the pinnacle of reliability.

Finally, the pair reached the antechamber. Princess Celeste squinted and made out a pedestal at the very center of the room. Something was sticking out of it and that something looked like a sword.

"There it is Princess. The virile blade. You stay here and I will retrieve it."

Princess Celeste nodded and watched Mordra creep into the antechamber. Something felt wrong. This place, it's aura, it was far too dark.

Unknown to most who surrounded Princess was the fact that Celeste had been taught a fair amount about magic. Her mother the queen had once been a member of an ancient and powerful sect of magic users and much of that wisdom had been passed on. Celeste could sense the evil nature of this place. The focal point of this wicked aura was the pedestal at the very center of the antechamber.

With sudden disappointment, Celeste realized that the sword would be useless to her kingdom. Dark magic was not the answer to Windrass's problems. Celeste prepared to warn Mordra, but caught herself. Mordra was an advanced sorcerer. She would be able to sense the dark aura.

She knew this was evil magic, Celeste thought suddenly. She knew and she lead us into a trap.

Celeste was hurt, but not surprised. So the rumors regarding Mordra were true. What a disappointment. Celeste like to see the best in everyone, but sometimes people disappointed her. Quietly, Celeste prepared a defensive spell her mother had taught her.

Mordra retrieved the sword from the pedestal, pulling it out without the slightest hint of a flourish. She eyed the sword carefully and then brought it back over to Celeste.

"A fancy thing, isn't it?"

The sword seemed to be wrought of black iron, it's blade long and dark and sharp as a razor. It's hilt was ornate, yet ominous, jeweled with dark amethysts and sapphires, a skull carved into the butt. The sword had a deeply intimidating and evil aura. Now that it was closer, Celeste could fully sense the darkness lurking in this weapon. When this was all said and done, she needed to get her friends as far away from this cursed thing as possible.

"There's one final thing that must be done," Mordra said.

"Oh? What is it."

Celeste held her breath and readied herself for what was about to come.

"The sword alone is useless. It must be awakened if it is to be used at all."

"How do you wake it up?"

Mordra smiled in the dim light, "a blood sacrifice."

She really thinks I'm stupid, Celeste thought. Well I'll be ready for her.

"It's nothing personal, darling. It's just that this little artifact will fetch me an astounding fortune -- especially with the blood of a princess powering it."

At this, Mordra lunged at Princess Celeste, the sword in hand. The princess simultaneously shot backwards, putting her hands up to cast her defensive spell. In that moment, the tip of the blade grazed Celeste's open palm, shedding a good deal of blood and sending a blast of pain through the poor woman's body.

Celeste's spell went off like a grenade, sending a shrieking Mordra careening into the opposite wall. The sword clattered to the ground and the gravely injured sorceress stumbled to her feet and began to flee.

"You bitch! Of course you knew magic, you bloody fucking bitch!"

Princess Celeste stumbled to her knees and tried to get her bearings in the low light of the chamber. Her hand was bleeding badly. She had to do something to stop the blood flow or else risk dying right here in the cave. She grasped around wildly, trying to find something, anything to wrap her wound.

Suddenly, her hand grasped something cold and hard, filled with evil magic: the sword. Princess Celeste wanted to recoil, but found she couldn't. Her hand was stuck to the handle as a surge of dark magic overtook her.

Dread filled poor Celeste as she realized that the sword had awakened...