The warning in the rain
At five o'clock in the morning, a sudden fog blanketed Mount Igzar. With it came a heavy downpour, as if the sky itself mourned the lost souls. A man ran through the haze, terror in his eyes, fleeing from something unknown. But his steps grew slower and slower... until, in one eerie moment, he vanished—swallowed by the mountain. All that remained was a single word carved into the rocky ground:
"Treasure."
Three Years Later
In the village of Midasah, during another misty morning, Sophie was getting ready to head to Mount Igzar.
“Sophie, where are you going?” called Emily, watching her friend with worry in her eyes.
Sophie turned calmly, her green eyes meeting Emily’s.
“I’m going to gather herbs from Mount Igzar.”
“Did you forget your father’s warning? Don’t go there alone! Why won’t you ever listen?”
Sophie gave a cautious smile and replied softly,
“Grandma’s been having headaches. I need calendula to ease her pain. I’ll be back soon, don’t worry.”
She walked away, ignoring Emily’s anxious calls.
“Wait, Sophie! Hold on!”
But Sophie was already on her way, her steps leading toward the mountain.
As she reached Mount Igzar under the heavy morning mist, she wandered through the wild foliage, searching for the calendula. Suddenly, something at the cliff’s edge caught her eye.
“Is that... a snow flower? I can’t believe it… I’m finally seeing it with my own eyes!”
With her heart pounding, she stepped carefully toward the pure white bloom. But just as she reached out to pick it, her foot slipped—and she tumbled down the slope!
Meanwhile, in Midasah, Emily was rushing to Uncle Steve’s house. She pounded on the door, her face pale and panicked.
“Uncle Steve! So—So—Sophie’s in danger!” she gasped between breaths.
“Calm down, Emily. What happened?” he asked, alarmed.
“She went to the mountain alone… to gather herbs!”
“What? That reckless girl!” Steve exclaimed, grabbing his coat.
“Don’t worry—I’ll bring her back.”
Sophie had managed to cling to a rock near the slope. Her breath was shallow, her legs trembling, but she climbed back up slowly, her fingers scraping against the stone. At last, she reached the path and carefully picked the snow flower, a faint smile of pride on her lips.
“I got it…”
Elsewhere, Uncle Steve was weaving through trees and stones, calling out her name. But then Sophie spotted his figure from afar.
He was walking slowly, his eyes vacant, as if following something unseen.
“Dad?! Dad!”
She shouted, running toward him—but he didn’t respond.
He didn’t even glance at her.
He just kept walking, his pace steady—entranced, as if under a spell.
Sophie followed, stumbling over rocks and roots, breathless.
Suddenly…
A strange fog rolled in—thicker and colder than usual.
Then came the rain, sudden and harsh, as if the sky was issuing a warning.
Sophie kept calling, gasping, searching...
But Steve vanished into the mist.
And once again, only a single word was left on the muddy mountain stone:
“Treasure.”
She didn’t know then…
That this day would mark the beginning of a mystery that would change her life forever.
