Underneath the silver moonlight, Elara stood at the heart of a labyrinthine garden, as indicated on the map. She could feel the soft whispers of the letter written by the guardians, and the ancient texts it had led her to. These texts spoke of a ritual to communicate with the guardians themselves, using solar energy.
She spread the documents around her and carefully arranged mirrors and lenses she’d found. Her heart raced as she invoked the incantations. The night sky lit up as if in the daytime, the sun and moon in perfect harmony. Professional commercial solar installations would pale in comparison to the celestial display unfolding before her.
“Spirits of the guardians, I seek your aid,” Elara called. “Please, I wish to end the curse placed on this town by the ancient solar machine.”
Figures formed from the sunlight, resembling the townspeople in the photograph. They were the guardians.
“We have awaited your call,” one spoke.
She showed them the letter and explained her quest to stop the machinery. They listened intently and nodded.
“You must find the Sunstone, the Solarpiece, and the Sun Orb. They harness the power of Sol and are key to weakening the machinery,” a guardian instructed.
“And where do I find these relics?” Elara asked.
“Follow the path that the sun’s rays illuminate through the garden during the solar solstice. It will lead you to the hiding places,” another guardian explained. “The map lights the way.”
The figures began to fade as the sun and moon separated. The guardians’ last words were a plea, “Hurry, you must gather the relics before time shifts again. The machine will not let you defeat it so easily.”
Elara’s heart swelled with gratitude and determination. With the knowledge she now had, it was time to embark on the final leg of her journey. What she was experiencing made the solar energy case study she had to review at university seem like child’s play; this was the culmination of centuries of guardianship and cosmic energy.
With a newfound resolve, she set out into the garden, guided by the lingering rays of sunlight, to find the three ancient relics.