The Echo of the Hidden Vale

The dense forest whispered secrets to those who dared listen. Kara adjusted her leather satchel and glanced at her brother, Finn. His bow was slung across his back, a quiver of arrows jangling softly with each step. The sun dipped low, casting long shadows that danced like spirits.

“Do you even know where we’re going?” Finn asked, breaking the silence.

Kara smirked, holding up a frayed parchment. “This map’s older than Grandma’s stew pot, but it says the Vale of Echoes is just beyond the ridge.”

“And you believe the tales? A hidden treasure guarded by—what? Voices?”

“The voices of the vale are warnings,” Kara said, her tone mock-serious. “To scare off treasure hunters.”

Finn rolled his eyes but didn’t argue. The siblings had grown up on legends of the Vale of Echoes, a secluded hollow said to hold riches beyond imagination. It was their first true adventure together since leaving their village, and neither wanted to admit how nervous they were.

As they climbed the ridge, the air grew colder, and an eerie stillness settled around them. Kara stopped at the crest, her breath catching. Below them, a valley blanketed in mist shimmered faintly, as though lit from within.

“There it is,” she whispered.

Finn muttered, “I don’t like this.”

“Come on,” she urged, starting down the slope. “We didn’t hike for two days to chicken out now.”

The vale seemed alive. The rustling of leaves carried fragmented whispers, unintelligible but insistent. Kara felt a shiver run down her spine. They reached a clearing, where a stone arch jutted from the ground like a broken rib. Symbols carved into the rock glowed faintly.

Finn touched the arch hesitantly. “What does it say?”

Kara squinted at the markings. “Something about… proving your worth.”

Suddenly, the whispers grew louder, swirling around them like a tempest.

“Turn back,” a voice hissed.

“Leave,” another growled.

Finn tightened his grip on his bow. “Kara…”

“Relax,” she said, though her voice wavered. She stepped forward, her footfall echoing unnaturally loud. A pulse of light shot from the arch, forming into a figure made of swirling mist. Its hollow eyes glared at them.

“Who seeks the treasures of the vale?” the figure demanded.

“I do,” Kara said firmly, though her heart pounded. “We’re here to prove ourselves.”

The figure tilted its head. “A trial, then.”

Before they could respond, the ground shifted. Stone walls erupted around them, forming a labyrinth. Kara and Finn exchanged a panicked look.

“Stay close!” Kara called, darting down one passage. Finn followed, his bow ready.

The whispers returned, mocking and misleading them at every turn. When they reached a dead end, Finn cursed. “This isn’t a trial—it’s a death trap!”

“No,” Kara said, examining the wall. She spotted an inscription and pressed her hand against it. The wall dissolved, revealing a chamber filled with golden artifacts.

“We did it!” Finn breathed, stepping inside.

But the mist figure reappeared. “You have proven your courage, but riches demand sacrifice.”

The siblings froze as the chamber rumbled. Kara grabbed Finn’s arm. “Run!”

They escaped just as the chamber collapsed, leaving the treasure buried forever. Gasping for air, Kara looked at her brother.

“Worth it?” Finn asked, laughing despite himself.

Kara grinned. “Absolutely.”