Silverwood

A deal is a deal.

My hands are tied to a pole. Plum and Vidya are all tied up with rope. Some creepy-looking creatures are ready to have us on their meal. Those creatures have crocodile-like skin, though the color is a bit different. These creatures are too clean, a mix of berries color skin. Face like a rat, tail like a lizard, ears are like a bat, has two horns on the forehead with the light bulb on it. I mean, it glows. Oh, the whole creature glows like a holiday light string is wrapped around them. They are preparing the fire. Obviously to eat us. How did I end up like this?

I doze off. 

While riding the horse I felt dizzy and I doze off. Uncontrollably, the horse went the wrong way. When I woke up, these little three-foot monsters were everywhere. The horse threw me down and ran away. Untrustworthy. But plum stays with me tried to scare them too. But now we are here. 

"Plum!.... Plum!" I am trying to wake him up. He is our only hope. If he transforms into a big animal then we can get out of this situation. 

"Shuss...Plum!"

No use. While those creatures are busy, I should think of a way to escape. Struggling hard to untangle the rope. 

"You ugly creature....I am not your meal. Put me down." A familiar voice came.

Those are bringing another hostage. It's an elf. They tie his hand and legs with rope. 

"Ohhh!"

"Woh!" 

They threw him near me. He is indeed that thief elf.

"Hey, my debtor!"

What the hell he just call me?

"What?"

"Your two crystals are pending."

"Is this time suitable to discuss that?"

"Yah!"

"If we die here, what can you do with that crystals."

"Point. But we won't die." He is untying himself with so ease.

"Maybe you'll, but not me."

Scoundrel. How can a person be so selfish? 

"I am here for my crystals. Give me I'll leave."

Such a shameless fellow. 

"I can't give you."

"Why you don't have it here?"

He is not at all having the slightest thought of saving me.

"If I die, you can't get your crystals. You better save me."

"Fine, but it will cost."

"Then better I die."

"You'll die for just two crystals."

"I was dying either way. But you are here for just two crystals right. Stalker!"

"Miss, I am not a stalker. We just happened to cross the path. And I remembered one thing that I learned is that 'a deal is a deal'. Once you had a deal, you must fulfill it. Even if it cost you your life. We had a deal, and you are supposed to give me the value my charm worth for."

"A deal is valid for the person alive. If I die, your deal will go in vain. So save me and take your crystals."

What are you thinking, man? Untie me. Those creatures are distracted if they see you standing free, don't know what can happen. You'll run away but what about me.

"Fine!"

Finally, he is untying me. Hurry up!

I am free. I rush to untie Vidya.

"What are you doing?" He whispers.

After I untied Vidya, I started untying Plum. The flapping sound of Vidya's wings attracted the attention of those monsters. 

"Run!" He is screaming.

But I am all into saving Plum.

The monsters are getting closer. Vidya flew up. Elf has a chance to run. I can be caught again. 

"Woshhh!" 

Elf splashed sand over them. They are really cleanness freak. This freaks them out.

"Come on" He shouted.

He grabs Plum in one hand. Grabbed my wrist with the other, and dragged me along with him. 

"Plum get up buddy," I shout.

"Meow!"

He is awake. Finally. 

"He can't do anything." The elf says.

"Why?"

"The rope. It forbids the magic."

"So now what?"

"Let's get dirty."

"What?"

He smashed me into the mud pool. And jumped over with Plum. He is splashing mud over them. I joined him.

"Go to the other side. They will never dive in."

He saved me. Although for money, he did by risking his life. He is something useful to me.

"Now you are safe. Give me my crystals."

I dig into my purse with dirty hands. Took out two pink crystals out.

"Earlier it was of a different color."

Impressive. He has a sharp memory. I can use that.

"If you want more, let's have a deal." I say with confidence. 

I never had that confidence needed for the corporate world. I think I am getting it. Vidya was right. I should listen to the one whose name is also Knowledge. 

"What deal?"

"I won't ask why you need crystals. You won't ask why I am going to those places. I'll give you crystals and in return, you safely take me to where I'll tell you to."

"And where you want to go?"

"First a place to clean up."

***

At the waterfall, after cleaning myself, I discovered one thing. My puzzle showed me a clear image. 

"Vidya!" I call her.

"Can you identify this place?" I asked while showing her the puzzle.

"It is a cave in the Yeti's mountain." 

Yeti mountain?

"The place that elf got the charm?"

"Yes."

I walked out after cleaning. 

"Hey, you."

"This handsome guy has a name."

"Oh really. Then what is it?"

"Arun."

"Arun means sun. Nice. I am Devi."

"Hm, nice to meet you Dev."

What? Huh!

"Eeee! Devi."

"Yes, mam. Where you want to go?"

"Yeti's mountain."

"There?"

"Yes."

Hm.. His face turning pale. 

He is stammering too. 

"What happened Mr? Arun, the sun. Let's go."

"Yeah."

We walked on our way there. It was close, felt like we came here effortlessly. But after looking at the mountain I felt like I'll faint.

"This place shares an old story with me. Better I stay here." He says.

Yes, you might be the most wanted over there. Better I go alone.

"If you wanna stay, it's good. If not, then take it."

I gave him the third one. I don't owe him anything. He is free to go. 

It's very hard to climb up. It's getting chilly with every step I make. I am freezing. Even Vidya can not fly in this freezing atmosphere. 

Plum why did you turn into a polar bear. Can't you turn into a dragon and breathe fire?

Rubbing my palm together. Taking steps further. I reached the cave's entrance.

When we get inside, it is warm.

"Huff!" What a relief.

It is warm because there is a torch burning on the cave's wall. I hold it and used it to light other torches hanging on the wall. 

We walked deeper and deeper inside. There I found a stone wall.

"Blocked. No way in." I frown. 

"No, it is a door." Vidya says.

"It is?"

I examine it.

"How to open it?"

The door is another puzzle. On it, there is a question. With some letters like S, G, T, R, A, A, K, V, E.

"Where will you go after you finished all your goals?"

What can be its answer? 

Where will you go? 

"Vidya, help."

"I am trying. There is a hint. It is something related to the piece you have."

"Taj?"

After finishing your goal?... Taj?... What can it be?

"If a person finishes his goals then... he'll... Oh, come on, no one can finish his all goals in his lifetime." I yelled.

"Yes, only a dead person is goal-less." Vidya says.

"Yes.... correct.... When you finished all your goals.. you die. So... Heaven?"

"Does it imply to everyone?"

"People say so."

"But I think the answer is more reasonable."

Yup, Vidya is right. Reasonable. It must be. Red fort is called heaven on earth, not taj. Taj is the way to...... 

"Holly molly..."

"What happened?" Vidya asks.

"Taj Mahal is a grave. Grave of Sultan's beloved wife. When you finish a goal, you die. After death, some go inside of the grave. As per Taj is related."

So I unscrambled the word. I placed the letters as it spells grave. 

The land starts to tremors. Specks of dust fall down and the door opens.

"Oh Oh" After coughing and clearing my vision I moved forward.

"Be careful Plum."

We stepped forward. Plum moved fast.

"Hey!"

A spike of ice fall.

"Bhaw"

What a relief. He is fine.

The path has booby traps. I have to figure out something. 

Looking around I found some pebbles. 

"It can work."

"Plum get back." I call out.

"Bhuf!"

Now he is safe with me. I can try the trick.

Throwing pebbles like we used to play in my childhood. Where the pebbles land the ice falls. That step is clear. So we hop on that step. 

With the limited pebbles and a long way, we managed to reach the other side. 

There is light coming from a region. I am following that light. With a small tunnel, I reached the source of light. 

"Wow! What is it?" I ask.

"It is the part of the summoner stick." She replied.

I am amazed by its beauty. It is a shiny gold rod with a beautiful engraving on it. It has a hollow place, just in the charm's shape, I am having. It will be a perfect fit. I moved forward to hold it.

"Stop! The piece is spellbound. Put the charm near the glowing portion."

I did as Vidya told me to. It worked. The charm got pulled in like a magnet pulling it. It got merged with the piece. The glowing light stops. The piece which was floating in the air dropped down. I hold it. Took out the cube and moved the piece around it.

"What does it say?" Vidya asks.

"Key, point, with a tilt." I really have no idea what I said right now. 

"Key is something that is tilt?" 

She is trying to figure it out but. This is crazy. 

"Look at the point." She points.

The navigation point is pointing somewhere inside the cave. We followed the lead. We found a place where a miniature of some of the world's wonders is there. I want to pick them all. But can I.

I look at her she looks at me. 

"From these, there is one and only key. Pick the right one."

She scares me all the time.

A deep breath. And now I am ready. 

"Okay... So what we have. Chichen Itza, can be the key. Or... What is this?"

I touched one miniature monument, and Vidya screamed.

"Watch out!"

Startled a bit. Everything is fine. She is just overprotective. There is The Statue of Unity, a lady with a torch. Oh sorry, it is The Statue of Liberty.....Tower.. It looks like the Leaning tower of Italy. Isn't it supposed to be leaning? This tower is tilted.

Very precisely I picked the Leaning tower from that box. 

"Yeh, look nothing happened." I am full of joy. Proud of my smart action. One goal achieved. 

Perfecto.

Time to move that around the cube. Done. Another image appeared. It is like a metal door with a keyhole. And we have the key.

Another face also has an image of a particular mermaid. 

"A mermaid? We have to find this mermaid." I am shocked. This is not much of a clue. In this vast land, where can I find a particular person. 

"I know where we can find them." She said.

"Okay, let's get out of here first."

"Ahh" I gasp.

The place is all quivering. 

"What's going on?" I scream.

"Let's get out of here."She screams.

Looking around I find Plum messed with the box.

"Oh, Plum!"

I hold him tight and run faster towards the exit. The stone falling from the roof is terrible. Plus the dust makes the situation more horrible. 

"No!" 

Vidya got hit by a stone. Still, she manages to fly out. I ran out. 

I am panting with a breath of relief. But that didn't last long. The ground is crumbling underneath my feet. 

A huge sack of snow is rolling down to us.

In one arm I am holding Plum and on another Vidya. Running as faster as I can. The snow is way too close to us. It is about to hit us. 

"Nooooo!!!!!"