Kia and the Dark Mountain
Once upon a time, in a small village at the foot of a dark mountain, lived a daring girl named Kia. Unlike other girls her age, Kia was curious and robustly adventurous, obsessed with the stories about a mystical gem said to be concealed in the maze of the dark mountain.
Nobody had ventured to the mountain in years, too terrified by the folklore of a ghoulish creature that allegedly watched over the gem. Beside the serene twilight, Kia always stared at the silhouette of the dark mountain, challenging herself to conquer the fear and find the mystical gem.
One day, she decided she was ready to face the journey. She wedged sharpened rocks into her satchel alongside a rope, a shroud for the chill, a tinderbox for heat, and a squeeze of liquid courage - honey mead her father brewed. With a kisses her family goodnight, she begun her dangerous journey—Illuminated only by a pearl moon and stars twinkling as if to cheer on her boldness.
Kia breached the mountain recess when the village still unmoving in profound slumber. Although the entrance was shadowy and ominous, her brave soul never shivered.
Hours turned into days as she navigated her way through the treacherous maze, solving ancient riddles and avoiding death in unimaginable forms. Deep within the mountain, she was introduced to a side of nature that was beautifully raw; hidden lakes shimmering with bioluminescent algae, walls adorned with crystalline icicles, and fossils from an era long before humans.
On the fifth day, she found a glimmering green gem, floating inside a deteriorating granite sculpture. Despite the stories, she saw no creature guarding the invaluable jewel.
Just as she grabbed the gem, though, the mountain walls began to shake. A mournful groan echoed through the tunnels as if the mountain itself was in pain. The stone sculpture collapsed, revealing a dreadful creature with one glowing eye, sharp as a sword, skin rough as untreated timber, and breath as cold as polar winds, a creature of folklore, the Mountain Watcher.
Fear gripped Kia, but she remembered her father's words, 'Our bravest moments come when fear and courage amalgamate.' As the creature lunged with a thunderous roar, she held out the gem. In a language unknown to men, she mimicked the placating whisper she heard in her dreams. The fearsome creature paused, eye softened, then receded back into the stone.
With the gem secured, she hurriedly traced her steps back. As she emerged from the cavern, she realized the mountain wasn't dark anymore, but alive with shades of green moss and red wildflowers, birds chirping songs of rebirth.
When she returned back to the village, she was hailed as a heroine, her story passed on to future generations, inspiring them to embrace courage over fear. The gem was used to bring prosperity in the village, their crops thrived, diseases were healed, infant mortality declined, and peace prevailed.
Even today, when the villagers look towards the mountain, they no longer see a dark, fearful place but a monument glorifying the brave heart of Kia—a beacon of light in the darkness, a symbol of grit, and a silhouette of dreams.