Kingdom Keepers and the Blade of Fear

One

Philby was nervous. He was always a bit nervous when he hung out with Willa, but he was especially nervous today. He opened a box on his desk. In the box was a small 2in. by 2in. pull string bag. He picked it up. Inside was an object the weight of about a quarter. He slipped the bag into his back pocket. Philby took a deep breath. I'm ready, he thought to himself, though he wasn't sure he believed it. He walked out of the house. He got in his car and drove over to Willa's.

Willa was waiting. She and Philby were getting some ice cream, nothing special. And it was not, despite what her brothers said, a date. It was just 2 friends going out for ice cream. They did it all the time. Nothing extraordinary. But Philby had to get to her house first. Willa was getting anxious. So when the door bell finally rang, she practically kept at the door. "You're late," she informed Philby. "Oh dear. I greatly apollogize for being- oh my, a whole 1 minute and 43 seconds late. I shall try much harder to be on time in the future," he responded with a sarcastic smile. Willa rolled her eyes but was unable to stop the grin that was spreading onto her face. "Come on," she told him, pushing past him to Philby's car. Behind her Philby smiled. He followed her out to the car.

They arrived at the ice cream place. Philby ordered a two scoop Death by Chocolate and Willa got a two scoop Marshmallow Oreo. They talked as they ate. They were both starting school in the fall, Philby at DSI and Willa at Kashmill University in Oklahoma (a school I made up, by the way). They were just about finished eating. "Hey Willa, can I ask you something?" Philby asked. "Sure," she replied. Philby opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted when Willa's phone rang. It was Finn. Willa looked at him apollogetically. "Can it wait one minute?" she asked. "Sure," Philby said. Then he regretted it. He should have just asked his question. He sighed. Too late now. Willa answered. "Hey Willa. Sorry to bother you but something's going on at Disney. We are going to meet at Wayne's apartment. Can you make it?" Finn asked over the phone. Willa sighted. "Sure," she responded. "Oh, and can you get Philby too? My call wasn't coming through to his phone," Finn told her. "Yeah, ok," Willa relented. Willa looked at Philby, who was waiting to see what happened patiently. "Finn wants us to meet at Wayne's apartment," she told him. He started to get up, understanding that they were leaving. Willa put her hand on top of Philby's. "Your question, will it be ok for it to wait?" Willa asked gingerly. He looked at her. "Yeah, it's not that important," he said. They left for the apartment, hands still intertwined.

The witch had been digging. This was the 476th hole she had dug. She was looking for something. Suddenly, the witch's hands closed on something sharp. She pulled it out and gasped. She had found it. It was something only seen before in legends, the mythical Blade of Fear. It was in the shape of a dagger. She slipped it in her sheath. She was now prepared. The blade had an odd power. Being stabbed with it did not injure you, instead, it made your worst fears come true, short of death or the creation of actual life. It could create a scene that appears to be a death, or it could create a computer like being. However, it should be good enough to tear her enemies apart emotionally. And then she would take over the world, which would satisfy her thirst for power. The witch smiled. Tia Dalma would win this time; she was sure of it.