Nik got up bright and early to search for the Jacaranda tree, the sun was hot and windy. He made sure he had what was needed, a pair of binoculars, a small garden shovel, the Exotic Soil book, snacks, a bottle of water, cell phone and a flashlight.

He slapped on his hat. "Ready to go.” A few hours passed and still no tree.

"Remember the information", Nik whispered, thinking back to one keyword, reserved. All the trees he looked over so far were public, he waited for the light to turn green before crossing the street. After, he decides to take a shortcut over a fence ignoring the BEWARE sign as he walked along the small grassy hill, he spotted a tree we no leaves.

Nik was disappointed. "All this way for nothing.” He started to walk away when he noticed something under his foot and picked it up, it was a purple leaf. That’s when he started looking around, a little too fast, tripping over the tree trunk and rolling off the hill. As Nik dusted himself off, he noticed a small cave in the middle of the hill, dumping all the stuff out his Napsack he grabbed the flashlight and walked inside the dark cave.

"It's getting harder to see", then he thought back to what his dad said, "curiosity killed the cat". Nik started to turn back when something under him gave way, landing in a tunnel full of dust and spider webs.

He coughed and looked up.  "I didn't drop that far down. He got up and retrieved the flashlight, when he shined the light, something shined back.

A pile of Gold coins, Jewels, and Diamonds. "Amazing".  Nik felt something creep up behind him and swung the dagger.

"Nik, it's me!" said a familiar voice.

"Devon?"  

"In the flesh".

"I'm here too", said another voice.

"Jet?" 

"Yeah"

Nik relaxed. ¨What are you guys doing here?¨ 

¨We could ask you the same thing", said Jet.

¨Well...guess you can call it treasure hunting", Nik shrugged.

Devon put his hands behind his head. "What are we waiting for?" 

¨Let me just get my pack", as soon as Nik bend down, he felt a sudden pain in his side and dropped to one knee.

¨Jet, what are you doing?¨ he yelled. When Nik turned his head, he didn't see his friend...he saw a man. He tried to see Devon, but it was too dark that's when he felt something in the pit of his stomach.

 "Theses aren't my friends, their shifters". He took the light from his hand and shined it on him.

¨Hey boy" the man smiled. "The assassin isn't with you?

The other shapeshifter held Nik. ¨Doesn't matter, he'll tell us where Dark Swan is".

Nik tried to break free, but the shifter was too strong.  "I don't know who that is!".

The shifter was irritated. ¨We don't like playing games¨, he kicked Nik slamming him against the cave wall, clutching the dagger.  He quickly took the dagger from him, slicing his hand open. The blood was crimson as it dripped down his palm.

The other shapeshifter crouched down. "Your lucky, we need you alive".

Nik held out his hand, and something strange happened. The dagger began to glow flying back into his palm as he got up, the pain was gone. ¨Wow". 

"It's your own funeral", said the man as he shifted into a tiger. The second man shifted into a wolf.

Nik inhaled and exhaled feeling more confident than ever before, he gripped the dagger as they lunged at him. He swung the blade to the ground, causing a bright light of flying rocks. When he opened his eyes, he saw the two shifters on the ground as he went over to check their pulse.  "I didn't kill them, their just unconscious".

Nik stood up and smiled. "Guess, I'm the new wielder".  He gathered the treasure filling his Napsack to the top, climbing out the cave into the cloudy sky as he walked the wide path home.