Eirwen craned his neck up to look at the volcano’s peak as it was impressively revealed before them. The mountain’s apex wasn’t a point, but an open lip since at one point it’d probably been gushing lava through its top. There were visible winding paths that led up the mountain and dark mouths of several caves were visible.

Tiger lowered the horn and smirked cockily. “The way has been revealed.”

Looking pleased and thankful, Petra pecked Tiger on the cheek. “I knew I could count on you, Tiger.”

Tiger grinned at her, flashing his startling white teeth, and puffed up his muscular chest. “This way.” Tiger continued to lead the way, choosing one of the paths that led up the mountain.

The questing party carefully traveled up the mountain on a winding, narrow path until they reached a cave. They entered and continued forward until they had to stop when the outside light no longer illuminated the way in front of them.

“Tink,” ordered Petra.

Suddenly, Tinker’s usual, inner golden light started to become brighter until the entire cave was aglow.

Michelle giggled excitedly at the sight, and clapped her hands together. “Ooo, pretty!” The squirrel on her shoulder chittered loudly, equally excited.

“What makes you glow like that?” Joan asked quizzically as she casually sidled nearer to the fairy.

“Magic,” Tinker informed her plainly. “I am a creature of magic.”

“Magic,” Eirwen repeated. “Well, it certainly is handy, lightning bug.”

A muscle beneath Tinker’s eye ticked in irritation and he flew over to Eirwen before biting him right on the nose. “I’m not a bug, pathetic human!”

“Ow!” Eirwen grabbed his nose and moaned in pain.

With Tinker and Tiger now leading the way, the group continued their journey deeper into the cave until they reached a large circular chamber that had three different tunnels to choose from. Tiger strode forward and breathed deeply. “This way.” Tiger nodded in the direction of one of the tunnels.

“How do you know that?” Eirwen asked.

“It smells worse,” Tiger admitted with a nonchalant shrug. “The dragon must be this way.”

“Well, that’s reassuring,” Eirwen muttered darkly to himself.

As the group continued their way down the winding tunnel Tiger had chosen, Petra casually moved to Eirwen’s side and hugged his arm to her chest. “Oh Eirwen, I’m so scared. I’m afraid of the dark.”

Eirwen raised an eyebrow at Petra, but noticed that her hand was indeed trembling so he wrapped his arm around her shoulders in an obliging fashion. “Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”

Tiger glanced over his shoulder and let out a loud snort. “She’s playing you. Petra can glow in the dark too if she wants. Don’t forget, she is also a creature of magic.”

Eirwen looked down at Petra and gave her a questioning look as her skin began to glow with a golden light from within. “Busted,” Petra said as her lips curled into an impish smile.

Eirwen shook his head at her, and his expression was exasperated yet fond. He flicked her forehead playfully using his thumb and index finger. “Silly.” But even though Eirwen knew Petra had just been pulling his leg he didn’t remove his arm from around her shoulders. Eirwen and Petra giggled as if sharing an inside joke while Tiger and Tinker glared at Eirwen fiercely.

Eirwen’s eyes widened as he came to a sudden and horrifying realization. Bloody hell, I’m caught in a Love Square! I’m going to wind up getting scalped. Or turned into a toad by fairy magic. Great, just great. My life is cursed. Eirwen swallowed a lump of nervousness down his throat.

But the feeling of Petra’s breasts pressing up against his arm was pleasant. Worth it. Eirwen decided to himself.

Finally, they exited the tunnel, and entered an enormous cavern. They were in the very heart of the volcano that was now dormant, and when they looked up the sky could be seen through the volcano’s mouth. In front of them was a flat expanse of black, hardened magma.

There was a hot breeze blowing in their direction, but then Eirwen realized it wasn’t a breeze at all, but the breath of a sleeping dragon. The Never-dragon was curled up and fast asleep in the very center of the chamber, and its body was curled protectively around what appeared to be a large volcanic rock. In the very center of the rock the hilt and part of a sword’s blade was protruding.

“Bloody hell,” Eirwen breathed. “A dragon.” The Never-dragon was eighty-feet-long and had rainbow-colored scales: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. As the dragon breathed a slight fog exited its nostrils. “And that sword must be Excalibur.”

“Brilliant,” Joan exclaimed, pushing her round glasses up her nose so she could see the dragon more clearly. “I wonder what it eats to get that big.”

“Probably ‘people’,” Eirwen muttered grimly to himself.

Michelle hugged her squirrel tightly to her chest, and her blue eyes were wide with fear. “Is the dragon mean?” she questioned in a tremulous voice.

Eirwen turned and put his hands on Michelle’s shoulders. “Hopefully, we won’t have to find out. I want you girls to stay here. It’s much too dangerous for you both to get any closer to that dragon. There’s no telling when it might decide to wake up.”

Michelle nodded. “Okay.”

Eirwen turned to address Joan, “Look after Michelle for me, Joan.”

“You can count on me, Brother,” Joan said with a salute.

“I’ll stay with the girls and keep an eye on them,” Tinker offered casually as he flew over to hover above Joan’s shoulder.

A flash of surprise crossed Eirwen’s face and he offered the fairy a crooked smile. “Thanks, Tink.” Eirwen noticed that everyone was giving him expectant looks. “Well, I guess, I’ll just, uh, yeah…” Eirwen turned his attention back to the dragon and the sword in the stone, and gulped.

Eirwen approached the dragon tentatively with Petra, Tiger and the Lost Girls following a few paces behind him. He had to step over the dragon’s tail to continue his approach to the sword in the stone and nearly had a heart attack when the tail brushed against his leg. I’m so going to die. How the hell did I get myself into this crazy situation? He inwardly bemoaned.

Once Eirwen was standing directly in front of the sword in the stone he took a deep breath to steel his nerves before reaching out and wrapping both hands around the ornate hilt.

As soon as his palms wrapped around the steel hilt it was like Eirwen was suddenly plunged into water and sinking fast. Was this a dream? A vision? A hallucination? Was this really happening? Eirwen wondered dizzily. Was all of this happening inside of his head, or had he really been teleported into the middle of a lake somewhere on the island?

As he sank beneath the water’s surface bubbles rose upward all around him. Then a bright, golden light appeared in front of him, temporarily blinding him with its intensity. Eirwen blinked his eyes rapidly and when the glow began to dim he saw a medieval knight dressed in silver armor. The knight was incredibly handsome with long, silvery hair, gray-blue eyes and a dimple in his chin. In his hands was Excalibur.

It’s the Lord of the Lake. Eirwen thought to himself dazedly, and awed.

The knight nodded his head regally in acknowledgment, as if he could hear Eirwen’s thoughts.

Indeed. An amused smile played on the knight’s full lips. And you are Eirwen Darling.

Whoa. Eirwen’s eyes widened. Did you just speak to me inside my head? And how do you know my name?

I’m speaking to you…inside your head. The knight pointed out dryly.

Oh, yeah, right. Eirwen nodded to himself. That makes sense.

Eirwen Darling, why do you wish to be King of Neverland? The Lord of the Lake questioned with a serious expression on his handsome face.

Eirwen swiftly put his hands up before him in a gesture of denial. Whoa. I don’t want to be King of Neverland. I just…want to borrow the sword Excalibur so that I can help Petra defeat some evil mage named Tezcatlipoca and get the Neverland Clock back in order to save Neverland.

The Lord of the Lake was looking pleasantly surprised by Eirwen’s admittance. You wish to simply borrow the sword?

Eirwen nodded. Yeah, after I help defeat Tezcatlipoca I can bring Excalibur back here.

You don’t wish to use the sword for your own personal gain?

Nope. Not really.

And why should I let you borrow the sword? The Lord of the Lake narrowed his gray-blue eyes at Eirwen in a scrutinizing manner. What makes you think you are worthy to wield Excalibur?

Eirwen shrugged helplessly. I don’t really know if I am worthy enough to wield Excalibur, but…I’m the only guy around that appears to be stepping up to the plate. Look, you can see inside of my head, right? Eirwen tapped at his temple with his index finger. So, you know I’m a fencing champion. I can fight. I have the needed…skill set for this quest or whatever. I don’t know if I can defeat this Tezcatlipoca dude or not, but…I’m willing to try. I’ll do my best.

Why? The Lord of the Lake tilted his head at Eirwen in a quizzical pose. Why would you be willing to risk your life for Neverland…and for people you barely know?

My time…has already run out. Sorrowful, haunting shadows swirled in Eirwen’s amber eyes. And Petra says that Tezcatlipoca is imprisoned by Neverland, and that if Neverland is destroyed then the evil mage will be free to go to Earth and conquer it. My sisters live on Earth, and I must protect their future as best I can. Eirwen shrugged lackadaisically. Besides, Petra and the Lost Girls did ask nicely…so yeah. Why the hell not? Why not go out in a blaze of glory?

Your intentions appear to be honorable. The knight stroked his chin in a considering manner. But, I wonder how sincere you are truly being. If you defeat Tezcatlipoca and retrieve the Neverland Clock - Time will cease in Neverland again. You could remain here and live. And not only just live here, but rule here as Neverland’s King. You would have untold wealth and power.

The only thing I care about is my sisters and their well-being. Eirwen insisted with a passionate look on his face. Only those ‘out of time’ are allowed to remain in Neverland, and once the Neverland Clock is stopped again my sisters will have to return home to London. And I will return with them because even if it’s just a month, or a week, or a minute - I want to spend every single remaining second that I have left with my sisters.

You must really love them. The Lord of the Lake said, his mind-voice tinged slightly with wonder at the sheer depths of Eirwen’s feelings for his little family.

I do. And I made my parents a promise at their graves that I would protect my sisters, and I intend to keep that promise until my last dying breath. I can’t abandon them for my own selfish reasons. Eirwen clenched his hands into fists at his sides. I won’t abandon them. Then Eirwen’s expression softened and a lopsided smile formed on his face. All brothers love their baby sisters.

The Lord of the Lake smiled sadly at Eirwen, and nodded in agreement. Eirwen Darling…you have the humble heart and honorable spirit of a guardian, and I find you worthy of wielding Excalibur. The knight held the sword out horizontally before him in order for Eirwen to take it from him.

“Thanks,” Eirwen said as he reached out to take the sword, but then he hesitated. “Uh, this is still just a loan, right?”

The knight smiled enigmatically as he set the sword upon the open palms of Eirwen’s outstretched hands. A bright, blinding, golden light filled the lake, and the next second Eirwen was back inside of the dormant volcano.

A loud scraping sound filled the air as Eirwen pulled Excalibur from the stone. He stumbled backwards a couple of steps, caught off guard by the sudden weight of the broadsword in his hands. Bewildered by everything that had just happened, Eirwen gawked at the sword for a moment. Bloody hell. I did it. I actually did it! “Hey, guys, take a look at this!” Eirwen spun around to face his friends, and his eyebrows rose at the sight before him - his traveling companions were all kneeling before him with their heads bowed. Petra, Tiger, the Lost Girls…

“Whoa,” Eirwen breathed in awe.

Petra looked up and smiled devilishly. “My King.”

“Yeah, um…” Eirwen scratched the back of his neck bashfully. “Will you all just hurry up and rise…arise? You’re all making me feel like a real douche bag here.”

Petra tittered amusedly. Everyone stood and smiled at Eirwen cheerily.

“All hail…King Eirwen!” Petra started the chant.

“All hail, King Eirwen!” everyone chanted in response.

Eirwen frowned at the display. “Yeah…awkward.”

Petra walked over to Eirwen, and draped her arms around his neck. There was a wicked twinkle in her green eyes. “I knew you could do it. I believe in you, my love.” Petra leaned forward and captured Eirwen’s lips with hers in a tender kiss.

Ah, what the hell. Eirwen thought before deciding to kiss her back. He figured that if anyone deserved a kiss from the lovely Petra Pan it was the would-be King of Neverland. Even if the sword had only been loaned to him. He closed his eyes and gave in to the kiss. He did feel pretty damned good in that moment. He was on a high from actually managing to succeed in pulling the sword from the stone.

“Eirwen! Look out!” Tiger shouted a warning.

Huh? Eirwen opened his eyes just in time to see Captain Jasmine Hook swing down from a rope towards him. She was dressed in a fancy, Victorian-style, emerald green coat decorated with solid-gold buttons and golden embroidery. A pair of tight black leather pants sinfully hugged her curves in all the right places. A wide-brimmed black hat with a large green plume sitting on her head, and a pair of knee boots with dramatic cuffs completed her pirate look.

Eirwen was so stunned by the pirate captain’s sudden and unexpected appearance that she was able to easily grab Excalibur out of his hand as she deftly swung by on the rope.

Eirwen gawked as Captain Hook swung past him and landed several yards away, Excalibur now in her possession.

“I have it! Excalibur!” Captain Hook raised the sword high over her head in triumph. “Aha! Finders keepers, losers weepers!” Hook grinned sharply at Eirwen and Petra.

“Bloody hell,” Eirwen groaned in despair. “Captain Hook.”

“Sister?” Petra blurted out in a horrified tone.