By the time the boys could see the tiny smudge on the vast landscape they called home, the town of Weldinire, the sun had touched the horizon.

"I thought we weren't going to make it back before dark, with the late start we had and everything." Eric stated, as he came to the crest of a hill.

"That's because you insisted we run the whole way!" Sam cried, running up next to Eric, panting as he did.

"How are you going to get in shape unless you run?". Eric asked. Sam just stood there panting. "Well we better get going then, we still have to cross the half the desert to get home."

Weldinire was a strange place. Though it was in the middle of the desert, it was in a large, grassy area that was created by the first settlers so they could still grow trees and such while also being able to look for miles around over the flat, sandy desert. The boys had lived here all there lives.

The boys continued walking for time in the dry air of the land when Sam suddenly yells, "Stop! You hear that?"

"........... Hear what?" Eric replied.

"I hear water from below us".

"Really? Well I wouldn't mind a quick rinse to refresh me right now".

"That sounds good to me." So with there hands, they started to dig through the sand. They dug until Eric suddenly stopped, his eyes wide open. "What is it?", Sam asked somewhat confused.

" We are digging right above a ravine." The two boys immediately froze as to avoid causing a cave in by weakening the fragile sand that held them over the edge.

"What do we do?!". Sam exclaimed.

"Ok. We are going to have to slow-" Eric was interrupted as the sand gave way. The boys screamed as they plummeted to floor below, with only one thought going through there minds, dead. Even though it was was a short fall, it was enough for the pair to realize the stupidity in there mistake and how they forgot the most important rule when digging, never dig straight down. The boys landed in a small pool of water that drove the breath out of them the instant they struck the icy water. They scrambled out of the water the moment they came to there senses, and lay there gasping for breath for a time until Sam finally cries out, "Thank the stars for that water!".

"If you haven't noticed, it is the same water that got us into this!" Eric exclaimed, pointing to where the water came out of the wall, just below where they fell in. "The water must have washed most of the sand away over time".

The brothers looked around at there surroundings for mobs and hopefully a way to get out. They had fallen into a ravine that was not as deep as normal ones, and looked like it had been mined to make the ground more walkable. They even noticed an old stair way that led back up to the surface. "Well, looks like we have a way to get out" Eric observed.

"Yeah but who built it?" Sam asked, bewildered.

"I don't know, but we should leave right now."

"Hang on a second, what's that over their?" Eric looked over to where Sam had indicated, and saw a large opening that had been mined out of the wall.

"Just some hole in the wall, now let's go."

"But don't you want to investigate?"

"No." Eric replied flatly as he started up the stairs.

"But I see something glowing!" Sam yelled excitedly. "It might be worth something." Eric could see Sam pulling out a torch as he neared the entrance of the cave. "It's called The Hiding Place." Sam said as he observed the writing on the floor, just before the entrance.

"I don't care what it's called, we need to leave now! Sam. Sam!" but Sam ignored him and went in. "He's going to kill himself." Eric said under his breath, as ran in after his brother. Upon entering, Eric notice that there was a faint light that illuminated the whole room, but could not figure out where it can from. The room itself was empty except for an alter that Sam was standing right in front of. "Sam when I get my hands on you I'm going to......" Eric's words where drowned out when he caught up to Sam and saw that, on the alter, was a clear red block that contained a fire.

"What is it?" Sam asked bewildered.

"I have no idea." Eric said, equally astonished. They both stood staining at it for awhile when Eric finally said, "Let's take it with us."

"Now your thinking." Sam answered, pleased.

"We could probably mine it with a pickax." Eric guessed.

"Hope so."

Eric pulled out his pickax and readied himself. After a little hesitation, he swung his pick. The moment the pick struck the block, they able to pick it up.

"Well that was easy." Sam said, excited.

"Alright, let's go." The pair picked up the stone and put it away, then climbed the stairs to leave. The sun was almost below the horizon when the exited.

"This thing is going to make us rich!" Sam yelled as he jumped in the air. On the way back, Eric could not help but feel that stone was there for a reason. After getting home, there mother said "Hello boys, how was your day?" "Good.". They would have told her about the stone but desided not to tell her. Not yet. After giving her the pork-chops, they went to bed, the events of the day wore them out. Eric had a hard time sleeping that night. He felt as though an evil presence was watching him, making him want to hide in a far away place no one could find.

Needs diamonds to continue