Chapter 4: The Desert of Echoes

Image

The island was covered entirely by the Desert of Echoes, where every sound repeated endlessly across the golden dunes. Maya and Scout trudged through the scorching sand, following the map's markers toward a distant oasis.

The desert played tricks on her mind, showing mirages of water and shade that vanished as she approached. But Maya remembered her grandmother's words: 'Trust your heart, not your eyes.' She closed her eyes and let her instinct guide her.

At last, she reached the real oasis, where a stone sphinx sat guarding the final clue. The sphinx asked her a riddle: 'What grows stronger the more you share it?' Maya smiled and answered, 'Friendship.' The sphinx bowed, and a hidden door opened in the sand.