The Secret of the Dragon Forest

The sun was shining warmly on the small village of Eichenfurt when Lina Baumgartner pushed her bike to the edge of the forest. The Dragon Forest lay silent, but something inside it seemed to whisper. "You don't belong here," she said softly and smiled. Gene Oh, that's why she was here.

She had heard about the stories. Old people told us that kites once flew through the trees. Others claimed that people had disappeared there. But no one knew anything exactly. And everyone said: "Don't go in there, Lina." Of course, she was here anyway.

With a pounding heart, she pushed her way through the first undergrowth. Birds chirped, and twigs cracked under their feet. After a few minutes, she saw it: a round sign on a stone, in the middle of the forest floor. It was carved into the rock—a circle with a dragon biting its own tail.

Lina knelt down. "What are you?" she murmured. She ran her finger over the lines. Then there was a rustling behind her. She jumped up quickly. Between the trees stood Mr. Gruber, the forester. He looked at her with a serious face.

"What are you doing here, Lina?" His voice was calm but stern.

"I just wanted to have a quick look..."

"This forest is dangerous. Especially for children. You'd better go now."

Lina swallowed. "What is that mark on the stone?"

Mr. Gruber came closer, looked at her for a long time – then he said: "Forget that you saw it." And turned around.

But Lina couldn't forget. Something in her said: This was just the beginning.

In the evening, Lina sat in her room and stared at a blank sheet of paper. She tried to draw the sign from the forest. The dragon biting its own tail – it felt important. Why did Mr. Gruber want her to forget?

"Grandpa would have told me that," she whispered.

Her grandfather had died two years ago. He had told many stories – of old times, of secret places. And of the Dragon Forest. His eyes had always sparkled, as if he had experienced something himself.

Lina stood up. She went up the creaking stairs to the attic. Her parents always told her not to snoop around there. But today it didn't matter.

It smelled of dust and old memories. Boxes were stacked on top of each other, old furniture was covered with cloths. In one of the back corners stood a large chest. "Baumgartner" was carved into the lid.

With a pounding heart, Lina opened the chest. Books, photos, an old flashlight – and then, at the bottom, an envelope. It said: For Lina, when she is ready.

Her fingers trembled as she opened it. Inside was a folded sheet of paper – a hand-drawn map. On the back was written in grandpa's handwriting: Follow the sign. But don't trust anyone.

Lina stared at the map. The Dragon Forest was drawn, with a secret path and a red X. And where she had found the sign, there was a dot with the word, "Beginning."

Suddenly, she heard footsteps on the stairs. The chest squeaked when it was closed. She quickly hid the card under her shirt.

"Lina? What are you doing up there?" It was her mother.

"Uh... just look at old things," she exclaimed.

But her head was racing. Tomorrow she would follow the path. Whatever she would find, it was bigger than she had thought.

The morning sun burned hot on Lina's shoulders as she set off with her backpack. The card lay securely in a plastic wrap – ready to be used. Their goal was clear: to follow the secret path that grandpa had drawn.

She had waited until her parents went to work. No one was allowed to know where she was going. Not today.

Arriving at the edge of the forest, she took a deep breath and stepped over the green border. The sounds of the world fell silent. Only the forest spoke—softly, mysteriously, like an ancient breath.

She followed the path she had seen on the map. He was barely recognizable—only trampled grass and the occasional old ribbon on a tree. Everything felt strange, yet familiar. Perhaps grandpa had often taken this path.

Suddenly it cracked. A branch broke – very close by. Lina spun around, her heart racing. There was no one there. Or?

She walked on, a little faster now. After ten minutes, she stopped. In front of her stood a small, moss-covered wooden hut. It was not marked on any map. No X, no clue – just an abandoned hut in the middle of nowhere.

She was about to step closer when the door slowly opened.

Mr. Gruber stepped out.

His gaze struck her like a bolt of lightning. "I thought so," he said calmly. "Your grandpa prepared you well."

Lina took a step back. "They... You knew him?"

Gruber nodded. "Better than you think."

Then he stepped aside. "You want the truth? Then come in. But you won't like them."

Lina hesitated. But something in his eyes was different – not anger, but... Mourning?

She crossed the threshold – and the shadows of the past began to move.

Inside it smelled of old wood and herbs. The hut was small, with only a table, two chairs and a shelf full of yellowed books. Mr. Gruber sat down quietly, as if he had been waiting for her.

"Your grandfather was not an easy man, Lina. He knew more about the Dragon Forest than anyone else. He has not only researched it... Likewise, he protected him."

Lina stopped, her gaze fixed on him. "Protected from what?"

Gruber took a crumpled parchment out of his jacket pocket. It was the same map as Lina's – only full of markings. "From those who want to know too much. From what sleeps down there."

He pointed to a symbol deep in the heart of the Wales. "Here is the entrance to the cave. The dragon is real. And he lives – but not in the way you think."

Lina swallowed. "What is he, then?"

"Something old. Something we don't understand." He got up, went to the shelf and took out a small box. Inside was a golden medallion – in the shape of the dragon sign.

"Your grandpa left it to you. It's the key."

Lina took it carefully. It felt warm, almost alive.

"And why are you telling me all this?"

Gruber sighed. "Because I'm old. And because you would have found it anyway. But don't go alone. You're going to need help."

Two hours later, Lina was back on the path with her best friend Jonas. She'd told him everything—and even though he'd said she'd been crazy, he'd come along anyway.

The map took them deeper into the forest than ever before. The path became narrower, the air cooler. Finally, they stood in front of a moss-covered rock face.

The dragon sign was carved – just like on the medallion.

"Ready?" asked Lina.

Jonas nodded. "More ready than ever."

She placed the medallion in the recess – and the stone began to glow.

With a quiet rumble, the wall opened – and the entrance to the cave gave a view of darkness... and an ancient secret.

The cave smelled of damp stone and something Lina couldn't name – old, strange, almost like metal and ashes. Her flashlight cut thin rays of light into the darkness, but it barely reached the next bend. Jonas walked close behind her, silently.

The passage led deep into the mountain. Again and again they saw strange drawings on the walls – dragons, flames, people with masks. It felt like another world.

"This... that's older than anything we know," Jonas whispered.

Then, suddenly, the tunnel opened up to form a huge cave. In the middle stood a stone altar. Above it – floating in the air – a flickering, golden-red light. It looked like fire... but it didn't burn.

Lina approached cautiously. The medallion on her neck began to glow. The ball of light moved slowly towards her. Her eyes widened. In it she saw images – memories? No... more than that. She saw her grandfather, young, fighting with others. She saw Gruber, much younger, defending the forest. And then she saw it – the dragon. Not an animal of flesh and blood, but a being of energy and knowledge. Not a monster – but a Guardian

Suddenly, a voice in her head spoke: You are carrying the key. Do you want to see what was – and what can come?

Lina nodded.

The light enveloped her. Images raced through her mind – cities of the future, burning forests, people who balance. The dragon was a guardian, created to protect the knowledge of the old world. And now... he needed a new Guardian.

Lina fell to her knees. Her thoughts whirled. Then everything became quiet.

When she opened her eyes, the light was gone—but the locket glowed in a new color. Jonas helped her up.

"What happened?" he asked.

Lina looked at him calmly. "I know now why my grandpa left me that."

She turned to the cave. "And I know what I have to do."

Because the adventure was not over. It had only just begun.