The sun was cold, and the wind was sharp. Elara climbed the big mountain. It was made of black stone. She was tired, but she had a secret. In her bag was a gold disk. It was warm.
The Secret Door
For a long time, people talked about a hidden tower. They said it held the "First Words." These words could fix the world. Elara was not a fighter. She was a map-maker. She wanted to find the way home for her people.
At the top of the mountain, three stone giants sat in her way. They spoke in her mind.
Giant 1: "Give me what you have, but cannot see."
Answer: "My breath."
Giant 2: "Give me what belongs to you, but others use more."
Answer: "My name."
Giant 3: "Give me what breaks when you speak."
Answer: "Silence."
The giants moved. A heavy stone door opened.
The Golden Room
Inside the tower, it was warm. There was gold light everywhere. Elara walked down long stairs. They looked like they were floating in the air.
In the middle of the room, she saw a map. It was not on paper. It was made of light. It showed a green world with many trees and blue water. It was the world before the big ice came.
The Hard Choice
Elara had to make a choice:
Keep the gold disk: The tower stays safe, but she cannot take the map.
Leave the gold disk: The tower will fall, but she can take the map to help her village.
"A map is for walking," Elara said. "It is no good if it stays hidden."
She put the disk on a stone table. The tower began to shake. She looked at the map one last time to remember every line. Then, she ran fast.
The Way Home
Elara got out just before the door closed forever. She was back in the snow. She had no gold and no bag. But she had a pen and paper.
She began to draw the map from her memory. The ice was cold, but Elara felt warm. She knew the way to the green land.