Arrival at Sambo Village

Anya's decision to continue her journey to Mount Sambo led her down an unexpected path. After a puzzling conversation with Kaelan, who seemed to know more about the mountain than she had imagined, Anya chose to follow the ancient map she had found. Despite the constant warnings and doubts, the strong urge to uncover the mystery of Mount Sambo grew inside her.

That day, Anya arrived at Sambo Village, a small village situated at the foot of the mountain. From the very beginning, she sensed something strange about this place. It was as if the village was trapped in a time warp, locked in a tense stillness. The narrow, dusty streets, with houses made of worn-out wood, gave off an eerie sense of quiet that was anything but normal.

The villagers, mostly older people, did not greet her warmly. They exchanged wary glances, as if something bad was about to happen. Every time Anya walked further, they whispered among themselves, avoiding eye contact.

Anya tried to ignore the discomfort, hiding her unease behind a smile. She attempted to gather more information about the mountain, but most villagers gave vague answers or simply walked away. Only one person was willing to speak to her at length: an old woman living at the edge of the village.

The woman, with wrinkled skin and eyes full of wisdom, looked at Anya with a heavy gaze. "Mount Sambo," she said, "is not a place for outsiders. There is something much older there, something beyond human understanding. The power that resides within it surpasses everything we know."

Anya listened carefully, trying to process every word. "What happens if someone tries to enter it?" Anya asked, filled with curiosity.

The woman shook her head. "They vanish. No one has ever returned after trying to breach its borders." Her voice grew deeper, more foreboding. "Only those chosen can see what truly lies beyond that mountain. And those who are chosen, are often never the same again."

Anya's heart raced. She had heard the legends, but hearing them directly from someone who seemed to know so much about the mountain made them feel far more real. "What do you mean by 'prison' and 'key'?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

The old woman gazed at her with sharp eyes, as if assessing whether Anya was truly ready to hear the truth. "Mount Sambo holds an ancient power. Something that is guarded by unseen forces. The artifact you seek, mentioned in those manuscripts, is the key to unlocking something very dangerous. If it falls into the wrong hands, it could destroy everything we know."

Anya fell silent. Her fear began to creep in, but she knew she was already entangled in a mystery far bigger than herself. "What happens if I find it?" she asked in a soft voice.

"If you find it, you must be prepared for the consequences," the woman replied, her tone now gentler. "Mount Sambo does not just guard the artifact. It guards the balance of the world. Once the artifact is revealed, this world and another world may become connected. And that… that could destroy both."

The woman's words echoed in Anya's mind, but she couldn't turn back now. She felt that her search had already gone too far to stop. Mount Sambo held the answers she had been seeking for so long, and despite the mounting threats, her heart remained resolute.

The next morning, after staying overnight in a villager's home, Anya decided to visit the Village Chief, hoping to gain more insight. The Village Chief, a middle-aged man with a thick beard and a face full of wrinkles, greeted her with a far more serious tone than the other villagers.

"You want to know more about Mount Sambo?" the Chief asked in a flat voice, but there was a clear concern in his eyes. "It's not a place for you, miss. There's a reason the people here avoid that mountain."

Anya stared at him intently. "I just want to know what really happens there. What makes it so dangerous?"

The Chief sighed deeply, as if carefully considering his words. "That mountain is not just a mountain. It's a prison. And a key. Some believe that within it lies something much bigger than we can comprehend. Something that could change the world."

Anya paused. She had heard such legends before, but hearing them directly from someone who seemed to know so much about the mountain made them feel far more significant. "What happens if I try to uncover it?" she asked, her voice filled with trepidation.

The Chief looked at her with piercing eyes, as though weighing whether Anya was truly ready to hear the truth. "If you find it, you'll have to face whatever comes with it," he said softly. "Mount Sambo doesn't just guard the artifact. It holds the balance of two worlds. Once that balance is disturbed, nothing will ever be the same again."

Anya stood there, a deep sense of unease settling in her chest, but she knew she couldn't turn back now. She had come too far, and the call of the mountain was too strong. It was as if Mount Sambo itself was waiting for her, beckoning her to uncover its secrets.

Later that day, as she walked along the path leading to Mount Sambo, Anya felt a heavier weight in the air. The ground beneath her feet seemed more solid, and the atmosphere grew thicker, as if the mountain itself was watching her, waiting to see whether she would proceed or turn back.

Suddenly, something unexpected happened. The sky above her darkened, and a distant rumble echoed through the air. Anya turned toward the mountain, and in an instant, she saw something terrifying—a massive shadow moving swiftly between the trees, as if chasing her every step.

Kaelan appeared suddenly, standing before her with an urgent look. "You can't continue," he said in a pressured tone. "The forces at play here are not to be faced with mere courage. There's more to this mountain than you realize. You're not ready."

Before Anya could respond, the massive shadow drew closer with incredible speed. Its glowing red eyes locked onto Anya, and in a split second, she felt the entire world around her begin to crumble.

Was this the end of her journey? Or was there something even more dangerous lurking within Mount Sambo, greater than she could ever have imagined?

The wait for answers grew ever closer, but no one knew just how deep the darkness hidden within the mountain really went.