The Minister’s Journey

The next day, Minister Tom received a secret message. The message carried a sense of urgency. Without wasting a moment, he rushed to the palace library in the Kingdom of Brightvale.

Inside the library, dust hung in the air like a silent curtain. The wooden shelves stretched high above his head, filled with ancient books. Tom searched for hours, his hands moving quickly, flipping through page after page. He opened old drawers, unrolled scrolls, and checked behind hidden panels. Time passed slowly, and his eyes grew tired.

Then, at last, inside a very old magic book, he found something important—a map.

Tom's hands trembled as he carefully opened the map. His heart beat faster. The map showed the way to a powerful and rare object—**the Crystal of Harmony**. It was said to hold great magical power and could protect ordinary people from the dangers of magic. The crystal was known to keep balance between the magical world and the real one.

But the map had a special message written across the bottom in faded letters.

It said:

*"Place this magic book in a silent place where no one comes. Only then will the path be revealed."*

Tom knew what he had to do. He closed the book gently and took it to a quiet, empty room deep within the palace—one no one ever visited. The air in the room was still. He placed the book carefully on a stone table in the center.

Suddenly, a bright light burst out from the book. The whole room filled with warm golden light. Then, right before his eyes, a secret door appeared on the wall.

Just then, a small butterfly with shimmering wings flew into the room. Her name was **Tiara**, and she had been sent by **Prince Arin** and **Luna**, the Minister's daughter. Tiara was not an ordinary butterfly—she was magical. She carried with her a glowing ring, a special gift from the Prince.

Since Minister Tom was not a magician, the Prince had given the ring to Tiara for protection. The ring held powerful magic. It was meant to help Tom if he faced danger on his journey.

The book glowed once again. It sensed Tom's kind and pure heart, and the door slowly opened, welcoming him. With Tiara fluttering ahead to guide him, Tom stepped into the light and entered the magical path.

But what Tom didn't know was that he was not alone.

**Grub**, a greedy and selfish man, had been secretly watching. He wanted the Crystal of Harmony for himself. When the magical door appeared, Grub crept close and tried to follow.

As he stepped near the door, a blinding light shot out from the book and pushed him away. But the book began to shake. Tom paused for a moment. He could feel it. Something was wrong. Someone had touched the book.

And suddenly, in a burst of light, the book pulled **Grub** inside too.

Tom found himself in a new world, one unlike any he had ever seen. He stood in the middle of a quiet magical forest. The trees were tall and glowed faintly. The air was calm but full of mystery. This place was called the **Chamber of Whispers**.

Somewhere in this hidden forest was the Crystal of Harmony.

Tom looked around and listened. But there was no sign of Grub. The forest was too big, and everything was too quiet. Grub had disappeared into the shadows.

Tom knew he didn't have much time. Tiara flew gently ahead, guiding him through the glowing trees and over sparkling streams. They passed glowing stones and strange flowers that seemed to hum with soft magic.

After walking for what felt like hours, they finally reached a wide clearing. In the center, surrounded by a ring of light, stood the **Crystal of Harmony**.

It was beautiful—large, glowing, and peaceful. Its light pulsed slowly, like a beating heart. As Tom stepped forward, he felt its power—calm, strong, and full of hope.

But just then, **Grub** appeared from behind the trees. His eyes were wild with greed. Without a word, he attacked.

He wanted the crystal. He wanted the power. He didn't care about balance or peace—he only wanted it for himself.

Tom tried to defend himself, but Grub was strong and filled with anger. Tom had no magic and no weapons. He stumbled and fell, trying to protect the crystal.

Then, Tiara flew down swiftly. She dropped the ring into Tom's hand.

The ring glowed with a sudden burst of light. Magic filled the air around Tom. The ring had awakened. It was the last bit of magic the Prince had given, made just for this moment.

A bright beam of light shot out from the ring, blasting toward Grub. Grub screamed as the light blinded him and knocked him to the ground. He lay still, the fight gone from him.

Tom, bruised and breathing hard, stood up slowly. He walked toward the Crystal of Harmony. Holding the Prince's magical seal in his hand, he placed it near the glowing barrier that protected the crystal.

The barrier melted away, like mist under morning sun.

The **Crystal of Harmony** floated gently in the air, glowing brighter than before. It hummed softly, filled with peace and power.

Tom stared at it, eyes wide with wonder.

"This... will save us all," he whispered with hope.

Far away, in the magical world of **Lumora Magica**, **Prince Arin** and **Luna** stood together near the edge of the magical lake. The water reflected the sky above, but their faces were filled with worry.

"If Grub opens the magical path by force," Prince Arin said, his voice tense, "it could destroy everything. The balance between both worlds would be broken."

Luna nodded slowly. Her eyes were filled with concern.

"It could bring chaos… or something even worse," she said quietly.

There was a long silence.

Then Luna added, "But we have one hope."

Arin looked at her.

"Minister Tom," she said softly. "He's the only one who can stop this."

Arin looked up toward the sky, where clouds slowly moved across the blue.

"He must succeed," Arin whispered. "He's our only chance."