Clue
In the heart of the dense jungle, a group of students arrived, their eyes scanning the unfamiliar terrain. The thick canopy above cast eerie shadows, and the air was filled with the sounds of unseen creatures. As they ventured further, their attention was drawn to several large, mysterious boxes scattered across the jungle floor.
"There are four of them," someone murmured, their voice barely above a whisper.
Yet, despite the number of boxes, the clue they had received pointed to only one. Lex furrowed his brow, deep in thought. "How do we figure out which one is real?" he mused aloud.
Dev, impatient and restless, had little interest in solving riddles. His curiosity burned hotter than his caution. Ignoring the others' hesitant glances, he stepped forward and pried open one of the boxes.
A chilling wind howled through the trees. Without warning, a dark, shadowy spirit emerged, swirling like a storm. Before Dev could react, the entity lunged at him, dragging him into the very box he had dared to open.
The students stood frozen, horror-struck, as the lid slammed shut.
Everyone was on edge. Lex turned to the rest of us, his voice low but firm. "We have to be careful," he warned. "If we open the wrong box again…"
The memory of the last mistake still hung heavy in the air. The tension was thick enough to cut. We moved with caution, each motion deliberate, each breath held. And then it happened again.
I looked around at the others — eyes wide, hearts pounding. We had crossed another line.
— The Other Student
The other students had experienced the same thing, but Nori was the only one who unlocked the correct path. That was when he realized—he had a clue. It was a hairclip.
She carried an aura of power, but beneath it lay a past shrouded in darkness.
The air was thick with tension as Matt's group gathered around the ancient wooden box. With cautious hands, they pried it open, only to be met with an eerie silence. A chilling gust of wind swept through, and before anyone could react, a dark spirit lunged from the depths of the box, dragging one of their own into the void. Panic surged through the group, but they rallied together, managing to sever the entity's grasp just in time. Their friend was safe—this time.
A realization settled over them. If they chose the wrong box again, it might mean certain doom.
Deep in the jungle, surrounded by towering trees and the unknown, Lex stood before the remaining boxes, his mind racing. Something about one of them called to him. He turned to the others and, with a steady breath, pointed. "This one," he said, his voice firm. With trembling fingers, he lifted the lid. Inside, an ancient dagger gleamed under the dim light, its blade razor-sharp despite the wear of millennia.
Lex examined the relic closely. "This… this looks like it belongs to royalty," he murmured, his fingers tracing the royal stone embedded in its hilt.
Their first task had been completed. But the mystery was far from over.
At sunset, they reached a secluded temple where the sky turned a deep shade of crimson. Lumen, filled with hope, opened another box—only to find it empty. Sky followed suit, lifting the lid of another. Nothing. The jungle seemed to close in around them, whispering in the wind. Then, Alex stepped forward, his instincts guiding him. He chose a box, opened it—and was gone in an instant. The spirit had returned, snatching him into the abyss before the others could react. A heavy silence fell over the group.
Matt clenched his fists. He had to keep moving. Searching through the temple ruins, he discovered an old diary, its pages worn and delicate. Sky found half a nail and an assortment of ancient church texts. William, searching on the opposite side, uncovered a timeworn baby toy and aged paintings, their stories locked away in cracked pigment.
Six hours had passed.
Then, a sudden vibration. A message flashed across their devices: Task complete.
Lex inhaled sharply. The first part of their mission was done. But now, the real challenge lay ahead—unraveling the truth, one clue at a time.
And time was already running out.