Chapter 6:The Guardian’s Riddle

The forest grew denser as Indy sprinted through the underbrush, her breath coming in short, sharp bursts. The man in the dark coat was close behind, his footsteps crunching over fallen leaves and twigs. She could hear his labored breathing, the occasional curse as he stumbled over roots and rocks. But Indy didn't dare look back. She focused on the map clutched in her hand, its symbols glowing faintly in the early morning light filtering through the trees.

The trail led her to a clearing where a massive, ancient oak stood, its gnarled branches twisting toward the sky like skeletal fingers. At its base was a hollow, partially obscured by moss and vines. Indy skidded to a stop, her eyes darting between the map and the tree. The next symbol on the parchment matched the carving on the oak's trunk—a spiral with a single arrow pointing downward.

She dropped to her knees and began pulling away the vines, revealing a small, weathered stone slab embedded in the ground. It was covered in more symbols, these ones unfamiliar to her. She traced them with her fingers, her mind racing. The man's voice broke her concentration.

"You're wasting your time," he sneered, stepping into the clearing. He was taller up close, his face shadowed by the brim of his hat. "You don't even know what you're looking for."

Indy stood, her back against the tree. "And you do?" she shot back, her voice defiant. "If you're so smart, why haven't you found it yet?"

The man's lips curled into a smirk. "I don't need to find it. I just need to make sure you don't."

Before he could take another step, a low, guttural growl echoed through the clearing. Both of them froze. From the shadows of the trees emerged a large, black wolf, its golden eyes fixed on the intruders. It bared its teeth, a warning snarl rumbling in its throat.

Indy's heart pounded. She had heard stories of wolves in these woods, but they were supposed to be extinct in this part of Indiana. The man in the coat hesitated, his hand moving slowly toward his pocket. The wolf's gaze shifted to him, and it took a step forward, its hackles raised.

"Don't," Indy whispered, though she wasn't sure why she was warning him. "It's not here for us."

The man ignored her, pulling a knife from his coat. The wolf lunged, and chaos erupted. Indy seized the moment, diving behind the tree and scrambling to examine the stone slab again. The symbols were a riddle, she realized—a test of knowledge, not force.

As the sounds of the struggle filled the air, Indy focused on the symbols. One resembled a river, another a mountain. The spiral with the arrow seemed to represent a journey. She muttered to herself, piecing together the clues. "Follow the river to the mountain's heart… the spiral leads to the guardian's start…"

The growls and shouts behind her grew louder, but she blocked them out. Her fingers found a loose edge on the slab, and she pried it up, revealing a hidden compartment. Inside was a small, intricately carved wooden box. She lifted it carefully, her hands trembling.

The wolf's snarls suddenly ceased. Indy turned to see the man on the ground, clutching his arm, the knife lying uselessly in the dirt. The wolf stood over him, its gaze now fixed on Indy. She held the box tightly, unsure of what to do.

The wolf tilted its head, as if studying her. Then, to her astonishment, it stepped back, disappearing into the shadows of the forest. The man groaned, struggling to his feet, but Indy didn't wait. She sprinted out of the clearing, the box clutched to her chest.

She didn't stop until she reached her car, her heart still racing. As she drove away, she glanced at the box on the passenger seat. It was covered in more symbols, but one stood out—a spiral with an arrow, just like the one on the map.

Whatever she had found, it was only the beginning.