The Golden Key

The First Encounter

As I walked into the unknown forest, I noticed it was calm and quiet. The only sound I could hear was the chirping of birds. The trees were gargantuan, and their leaves held a deep, dark green pigment. The snow gleamed white on the ground even as the sun faded out of view. The only animals I could see in the forest were the vibrant red birds perching on the tree branches.

Walking further into the forest, I noticed a bright, shiny object in the snow. It was a little way out, but I decided to make the walk to it. I made my way to the object and began to crouch over it. As I bent to pick it up, the still forest suddenly came alive with a gust of wind and a tumult of animal sounds. Chills ran down my spine with a sudden uneasiness. I picked up the object. As soon as my hand touched it, the forest went silent again. I brought it out of the snow and discovered it was a key. The key was a bright and heavy gold. Throughout the key, diamonds and rubies were encrusted. The key was full of intricate cutouts. I wondered what it could be for.

I decided to continue walking through the forest, hoping I'd find more treasures. As I was listening to the crunching of my boots in the snow, I heard another noise. It was a rustling in the trees to my right. I glanced to the right and stopped dead in my tracks. I saw my breath escape from me in the cold air. What stood before me was a huge black bear with piercing black eyes and a snarl to kill. I stood frozen not knowing what to do. The bear opened his mouth, and I thought he would roar or snarl at me. Instead, the bear said, in a deep throaty voice, "Drop the key."

Shock took over and I bolted. I could hear the bear chasing after me, his enormous paws hitting the ground with such force I could feel the Earth shaking. I decided that I would zigzag to confuse the bear. As I turned to run towards the left, I was tripped up by a fallen tree branch. The key was still tight in my grip. I didn't have time to stand before the talking black bear lunged for me. I started to accept my fate, saying my last goodbyes in my head, when I felt a strange sensation in my hand. In an instant, the golden key vibrated and shifted into a giant sword. The bear was right over me, about to go for my throat. Without thinking, I plunged the sword straight into the bear.

The life faded from the bears eyes, and its last breath visibly escaped from its muzzle. With the sword still in its lifeless and incredibly heavy body, I pushed the bear off of me. I stood for a moment, in complete shock. I looked toward the sword, which had the same designs and jewels throughout as the key. I decided I should retrieve it, and the instant I pulled the sword from the bear's body, it shifted back into the key.