and we’ll face them again,” Vera added confidently, putting the map in her pocket. “Let’s head to the lake.”
With that, they left the castle and ventured into the forest again, following the map’s directions. The road to the lake was long and winding, and the further they went, the more the surrounding nature changed. The trees grew taller and darker, their canopies blocking out most of the light, leaving the children in semi-darkness.
The sense of unease grew with each step, but they didn’t stop. Ahead, beyond the thick undergrowth, they heard the quiet splash of water, filtering through the trees. Lena was the first to notice the gleam of water between the trunks and pointed it out.
“We’re close,” she whispered, indicating the path. “But be careful. This place feels… strange.”
As they approached the lake’s shore, they were greeted by the sight of a calm, almost mirror-like surface. The lake was surrounded by high stone cliffs, which seemed to protect it from the outside world. The water was so clear that they could see the bottom, covered in small pebbles and a thin layer of green algae.
But what caught their attention the most was a small island in the middle of the lake. On it stood an ancient, half-ruined tower, the only one of its kind. At the top of the tower, just like on the hill, something was shimmering, drawing their attention.
“There it is,” Vera said, pointing to the tower. “We need to get there.”
“But how? We can’t swim to the island,” Andrei noted, looking at the water, which seemed deep and unwelcoming.
“Maybe there’s another way,” Kostya suggested, scanning the surroundings. His gaze settled on an old wooden bridge connecting the shore to the island. But the bridge looked fragile and decrepit, as if it couldn’t support the weight of even a small animal, let alone people.
“We have to try,” Lena decided, heading toward the bridge. “But let’s go one at a time, or it might collapse.”
Vera went first, carefully stepping on the rotting boards. Each step elicited a creak, but the bridge held her weight. She reached the middle, then continued forward until she arrived on the island. The others followed her example, and soon all four were standing at the base of the tower.
The tower was old, its stone walls covered in moss and cracks, but inside, it was strangely quiet and calm. The staircase leading to the top looked so rickety that each step could be their last.
“We’ll have to climb up,” Vera said, carefully examining the stairs. “But be careful, it could collapse at any moment.”
They began their ascent, stepping as lightly as possible, trying not to look down. The stairs creaked under their weight, but despite this, they slowly made their way up. When they finally reached the top, they found a small room dimly lit by light filtering through narrow windows.
In the center of the room, on a pedestal, rested the second artifact – a small cube made of transparent material, inside of which light shimmered as if it were trapped forever. Around the cube were carved symbols that reminded the children of those they had seen in the book.
“This is it,” Lena whispered, cautiously approaching the artifact. “But how do we take it?”
“We need to be careful,” Andrei suggested. “We don’t know what traps might be here.”
Vera reached out to the cube, and as soon as her fingers touched it, the room began to shake. A rumbling noise came from outside, and the children realized that the tower was beginning to collapse.
“We need to get out of here!” Kostya shouted, grabbing Vera’s hand and pulling her toward the stairs.
They dashed down, trying to escape the crumbling tower as quickly as possible. The stairs beneath them were collapsing, and the children barely managed to reach the exit before the last piece of stone crashed to the ground with a thunderous noise.
On the bridge, they paused, looking back. The tower, which had stood for centuries, was now buried under piles of rubble. But in Vera’s hands, the second artifact glowed softly, emitting a warm light.
“We did it,” she said, breathing heavily but with relief in her voice.
“But we need to keep moving,” Andrei added, glancing at the lake, which now seemed even more ominous. “This world isn’t going to let us go so easily.”
They quickly crossed the bridge and returned to the shore, where the forest once again surrounded them. Now, with two artifacts in hand, they felt closer to unraveling the great mystery. But each new step was becoming more difficult, and they understood that even more dangerous trials awaited them ahead.
With this thought, they continued their journey, full of determination and courage, knowing that each new artifact brought them closer to returning home, but also increased the dangers they would face.
Chapter 9: The Underground Labyrinth
After returning to the castle with two artifacts, the children felt that their journey was becoming increasingly dangerous and complex. Each new step led them to even more challenging trials, and the tension grew with every moment. But they knew they had to keep going despite all the difficulties.
This time, the map pointed to a new location – deep beneath the castle. It was marked as the “Underground Labyrinth,” and the mere thought of this place was unsettling. Labyrinths had already proven to be serious challenges, but now they had to descend into its darkest depths.
“It seems our next artifact is hidden in this labyrinth,” Andrei said, studying the map carefully. “But how do we get there?”
“There must be an entrance somewhere,” Vera mused, scanning the old castle walls. “Maybe in one of the dungeons or hidden rooms.”
They began searching the castle, trying to find a hidden passage leading to the underground. The castle itself seemed to push them toward the search, as if it was awakening its secrets under their presence. Soon, in one of the dark corners of the castle, behind a large tapestry, Lena noticed an old stone door hidden from plain sight.
“Here!” she exclaimed, carefully moving the tapestry aside. Behind it, they found a massive door covered in dust and cobwebs. The door was carved with ancient symbols they had seen before – signs that hinted at the upcoming trials.
“This is the entrance,” Kostya confirmed, reading the runes on the door. “It looks like it leads straight to the labyrinth.”
They gathered at the door, feeling a slight unease before the upcoming challenge. Vera gently pushed the door, and with a loud creak, it began to open, revealing a narrow stone corridor leading downward.
“Stay alert,” Andrei warned as they started the descent. The corridor was dark and damp, and the walls seemed to close in around them, creating a feeling of claustrophobia.
The descent seemed endless. Soon, they found themselves deep within the castle, where the air was cold and stale, and the darkness grew even thicker. There were no torches, only the faint glow from the crystals they carried, allowing them to see at least something.
“This must be the entrance to the labyrinth,” Kostya said as they entered a small room with several doors. Each door was covered in runes that looked more complex and confusing than those they had seen before.
“We need to choose the right door,” Vera pondered, looking around. “But how do we know which one leads to the artifact?”
They approached the first door, then the second, but nothing indicated which one was the right choice. Suddenly, Lena noticed a strange mark on the floor – a circle with an arrow pointing toward one of the doors.
“Look! Maybe this is a clue,” she exclaimed, pointing to the mark.
“Let’s try it,” Andrei suggested, and without hesitation, he opened the door the arrow pointed to.
Beyond