It didnt take long before they reached the temple. Just as the Grand Master had promised. As they made their went into the temple many of the mages and druids in training could not help but stop all they were doing and stare at them.

The entire time Arthur was quiet. He could not bring himself out of the darkness of his thoughts and as such he moved through the corridors of the temple unseeing.

The red haired mage - Chaekar - noticed this. The elf was blessed with the gift to see auras and at that moment as she looked on him, she saw that his powerful aura was tainted by darkness. This worried her. She had no doubt he had a good heart and a good soul however she knew and understood his grief.

And grief had a way of changing people. She took it upon herself to help him emotionally by cheering him. She slowed her pace so she was walking alongside him.

"You're wrong, you know?" She said to him.

He looked up at her in confusion.

"I don't understand." He said to her.

"You have what it takes to be a druid. If you really wanted to be." She told him.

"What do you mean?" He asked curiously.

"Fire is the oldest of magic. And the most powerful. That's why the gods punished Prometheus when he stole it from them and gave it to men." She explained.

"He gave them an unimaginable power and you have it flowing through your veins. You have the potential to become the most powerful druid alive. Unfortunately time is not on your side. For to train in the mystique arts and to become a master would take years and you do not have years. For now it would only be practical for you to learn to master the power you already have."

"I do not understand it, this power." He replied whilst looking at his hands.

"Well that's why we are here." Chaekar said with a reassuring smile. "To help you understand it."

Arthur did not return her smile. He did not feel reassured. Rather, he focused on following them as they led him down the temple's corridors.

They finally came to a winding staircase.

"This stairwell will lead us to a labyrinth." The grand master as he came to a halt. "And beyond it lies the fountain of truth. Our destination."

He turned to face Arthur at that moment.

"I'm afraid this is the only chance you'll get to turn back." He said to him.

"And go where?" Arthur asked in despair. "Out there I'm as good as dead!"

"Well that is true." The grand master said thoughtfully. "Okay then, shall we begin the descent?"

He slowly descended the stairs with the young mage on his heel. Arthur took a deep breath before following them.

The staircase was lined with lit torches and from what Arthur could tell the torches were not lit by regular fire. He supposed it did not need to be seeing as the whole temple housed dozens if druids.

They walked for what felt like hours before they finally came to the bottom. Immediately where the staircase ended a vast labyrinth began. He despaired at the thought of walking hours more to reach its centre.

"Fear not. There will be no more tiresome walking." The grand master said as if sensing his unease.

He stretched his hands towards the labyrinth ad said a few inaudible words in his foreign tongue.

After a few seconds, Arthur watched as the vines and hedges that formed the walls of the labyrinth twisted and grew apart to reveal a single pathway.

"Now our pathway is straight forward." The grand master said.

He led them through the path and they gladly followed although when Arthur looked back over his shoulder he realised that the branches weaved back together again behind them.

"You should be safe here." The grand master told him. "Few know of the labyrinth's existence and fewer still can navigate it."

This gave Arthur a bit of reassurance. As grand master Falone had promised, they did not walk long before they reached the centre. To say the fountain was beautiful would be an understatement. It was beyond breathtaking.

"Behold the fountain of truth in all its glory." The grand master said.

"Its beautiful." Arthur replied in wonder.

"Yes, well, the truth when acknowledged is a beautiful thing." The grand master pointed out. "Now you, Arthur must go into the waterfall and learn your truth if you are to master your power. We can only wait for you here till you return."

Arthur's eyes widened in surprise. Although he did not understand the older man's words he chose to trust in him. After all the grand master had saved him and kept his word so far.

He stepped forward, he was not quite sure where he was going but he trusts in the grand master's words. We walked forward and as he inched closer to the water, he realised that his companions had somehow vanished. Even his surroundings seemed somehow -  greyish?

"I've been waiting for you, my love." Came a sweet familiar voice.

His body went rigid. No, it was not her, he thought. It could not be.

He watched as she rose from within the water. Her silver hair fanning out in the water. Her delicate skin shimmering in the dim light. Her violet eyes speaking of secrets only they knew.

Her lips curved into a dashing smile as she looked at him. She rose from the water and as her feet touched the ground her light white gown clung seductively to her body.

"What took you so long?" She asked in her melodic voice.

She reached out with her left hand to caress his cheek but he grabbed her wrist to stop her.

"Drop the act. I know you're not really Nymeria." He said firmly

This only made her smile coyly at him.

"But I could be." She enticed. "I could be anyone you want."

"I don't want a lie." He replied.

Her smile widened.

"Well, well. So it seems the rumours are true about how dragons have the keenest sight." She said bashfully. "And here I thought I was irresistible."

She gave a coy laugh before she turned and walked back to the water. She crouched down to scoop some of the water. As she did, she looked over her shoulder at him.

"You want only the truth, do you?" She asked with a mischievous grin. "Then truth shall I give you, my King."

She walked back towards him whilst her features shifted with her hands held out to show the water within the palm of her hands. Her hair had become white, her pupils golden and her eyes were glittering with a silver eye-shadow. Now she looked every bit the siren she was.

"Drink of the waters of the fountain. But pray you are strong enough to handle your truth." She said as she gave a dark laughter. "Because if you are not .... Let's just say you do not want to know what will happen if you are not."

He looked her straight in the eyes. His resolve unwavering as he drank from the palm of her hand. The whole time she smiled secretively at him. When he was done, she stepped back.

"Now what?" He asked her.

She gave him another naughty grin before she pushed him into the water. He tried to fight but the current pushed him down. Plunging him further down into the deep and the further down he went he found himself drifting off into a deep sleep.