The Road to Light

    Night. In the sky of the Elven forest the stars were shining like eternal lanterns. A gentle breeze swayed the leaves with a whisper, and the distant hooting of owls gave the forest a mysterious hue. Logan the herdsman was roasting meat over a large bonfire. The red flames of the fire seemed to dance a mystical dance, sometimes spreading light, sometimes deepening the shadow. Logan (in a playful tone): — Come, boys! The meat will be ready soon. Let us celebrate the day’s excitement by the fire. Moris, Lucas, and Kail sat down. 

 Lucas (laughing): — Honestly, this is a night I will never forget. I’ve never seen a man drink ten bulls’ worth of potion before! Kail burst out laughing: — Ha-ha! If Darion woke up and saw the meat we’re roasting, blood would gush from his nose with every bite. (they all laugh) Moris (smiling but with a thoughtful look): — Yes… It was interesting. But what stuck most in my memory… was balance. Logan: — Balance? What do you mean? Moris stared silently at the fire. The breeze grew stronger, shaking the flames for a moment. The fire bent and then straightened again. Moris (to himself): — If the wind is too strong, the fire dies… If it is too weak, the fire suffocates… But right now… it is in balance. The true beauty of the fire reveals itself in this state. Just like that… the crystal too must work in balance. 

   Mighty nature… I had forgotten that! Moris suddenly jumped to his feet and shouted: — I had forgotten! (everyone looked at him in surprise) Logan (frightened): — Master, what happened? Where are you rushing to? Moris (running): — Everything is fine! Don’t worry! I just had an idea! He rushed to the laboratory. The camera followed him as if chasing from behind. The sound of running and his heavy breathing made the scene vivid. In the lab, Moris entered the dark room and lit a lamp. On the table lay the same crystal faintly glowing blue. He carefully picked it up and placed it into his device. His hands trembled, but his eyes burned like fire. 

 Moris (whispering): — Good… Now let’s see… The device started working, the indicators moving rapidly. He wrote formulas on the board and worked through calculations. The camera zoomed in alternately on his hands and the symbols on the board. Moris (taking a deep breath): — Everything is just like in nature. If the wind can be regulated, then the current can also be regulated. I just need a balanced magnet. He began drawing schematics. 

  The tapping of the pen on paper harmonized beautifully with the silence of the night outside. Then he began constructing a regulating magnet. Wiping his hands, he took a deep breath. Moris (whispering): — Come on, little friend… don’t let me down. He activated the device. The magnet roared to life, drawing power from the crystal. The generator hummed. For a moment the room was filled with darkness… and then the lamp lit up! Moris stepped back, rubbed his eyes in disbelief, and then burst into genuine laughter filled with joy. Moris (joyfully): — Thank you, nature! You have revealed your secret once again! Arrival of the others The door burst open and Lucas and Kail entered. Lucas (astonished): — Master! What is this? The lamp… it lit up by itself? Kail (mouth wide open): — This… this is a true miracle! Moris laughed: — Boys, we… have built a generator of infinite power! Lucas: — Infinite, you say?.. 

  Moris: — Exactly. Now we can dig a tunnel to the mine we found earlier. To extract the metal, we won’t need so much time and strength. Kail (eyes sparkling): — Master… are you serious? Moris nodded and hugged them both. The three of them rejoiced like children in the middle of the night. At dawn, the first rays of the sun poured into the forest. Moris went to Queen Mia. Mia (smiling): — You seem in a special mood today. What happened? 

       Moris: — Thanks to you, Your Majesty. Without your advice to “rest,” I would never have completed my device. He showed her the device and lit the lamp. Mia’s eyes sparkled, she was speechless. Then she suddenly hugged Moris. Mia (with tears in her eyes): — You have given us hope… Now we have the chance to make weapons. The Elven people are one step closer to the freedom they have awaited for so many years. Moris (slightly embarrassed): — This is only the beginning… Many challenges still lie ahead. Mia (with firm voice): — We are with you, Moris. At that moment, Lucas, secretly watching from outside, whispered to himself: Lucas (to himself): — The Queen… hugged the master?.. Is there something between them? No… impossible… Lucas and Moris conversation Leaving the palace, Moris found Lucas waiting for him. 

  Lucas then said: — Master, may I ask you something… What is between you and the Queen? I… I saw her hug you. Moris laughed: — Oh, Lucas… She was the one who hugged me. She just wanted to express her gratitude. We are only partners. Our goal is the same. I am only 16, it’s too early for me to think of relationships. I have no intention of marrying an elf and tainting elf blood. Lucas (astonished): — Sixteen, you say? Impossible… I thought you were much older than me. Even though I am 24, I feel like a child next to you. Moris: — No, Lucas. Don’t belittle yourself. Fate forced me to grow up early. But that doesn’t make you any less. You too can become great. They stood in silence for a long time. 

   Only the sound of the breeze could be heard. Finally, Moris smiled: — Come on, let’s go. We have great work ahead. Lucas nodded, and the two headed out to dig the tunnel. Tunnel excavation operation Though the sun was setting, underground the work only grew in momentum. Moris entered the lab and began gathering the blueprints from the table. His eyes were weary, but in his heart there burned a special flame. Moris (to himself): “This time there is no room for haste. Everything must be done with precision. 

 Science and order are the keys to victory.” He raised his hand and used his magnetic power. The surrounding metal parts, steel frames, bolts, and thick iron plates floated in the air, merging in graceful rhythm. Pieces clashed, welded, and fused into the frame of a giant machine. The camera slowly pulled back, showing the entire laboratory: sparks bursting from one corner, the sound of metal striking metal echoing from another. Soon Moris lowered his hand and took a deep breath. Before him stood a giant drilling machine – a mechanical monster forged from steel. Moris (smiling): — Now, the time has come to test our new super-mole! He set the motor in place, connected the wires, and climbed into the machine. A moment of silence. 

 Only Moris’s fingers pressed the switch. At first a low hum was heard, then the engine’s roar grew louder as the magnet engaged. The machine vibrated. In an instant the drill’s tip spun, scattering earth and stone as the machine began to move. Moris (shouting with joy): — It works! It really works! The drill tore through the rocky ground, grinding it to dust. Moris stopped the engine and nodded in satisfaction. He stored the machine back into his magical vault and stepped outside. All the elves were gathered. Elf elder: — We have prepared the wooden supports for the tunnel, Master. What shall we do next? Moris looked at their faces and replied with confidence: Moris: — Now you will divide into two groups. One group will install wooden supports along the way. The second group will carry out the dug-up soil.

   And I… will show you a miracle that will open your eyes. At that moment Moris stretched out his hand and summoned the drilling machine from his storage magic. The underground hall lit up as if suddenly illuminated, the metal giant appeared before the elves. The elves looked on in awe, murmuring among themselves. One elf (eyes shining): — What kind of creature is this? Moris (smiling): — This is our new friend. The super-mole. It will dig the ground for us with great speed. The elves buzzed with excitement and astonishment. Moris climbed into the cabin and started the machine. The engine roared again, the drill spun. The metal teeth cut through the rock, digging and pushing the tunnel forward. Camera shots: Moris inside the cabin wiping sweat from his forehead while holding the controls. Elves installing wooden beams, earth mages using wind magic to fill bags with soil, strong elves carrying five or six sacks at once outside. 

  Magic and strength compensated for the small number of elves. The cracking of stone, the pounding of beams into place – all proceeded in rhythm. The day stretched on. Lucas (exhausted): — Master… we are tired. Carrying soil is hard work. Moris stopped the drill and came outside. He looked at their faces, weary but full of hope. Moris: — Alright, all of you rest. Gather your strength. Thanks to science, we are moving much faster. Without you this machine is meaningless. They all gathered around the fire, eating simple food. The smell of earth and sweat mixed with the air, strengthening their unity. Lucas (smiling): — Master, at this pace we’ll finish in a day! No one has ever done this before. 

 Moris (eyes burning): — Exactly, Lucas. Science finds a way out of every dead end. We will overcome many more challenges, you’ll see. The camera slowly pulled away, showing the lamps glowing in the darkness of the tunnel. The roar of the drill returned, mingling with the voices of the people, together forming a great symphony of labor underground. As evening fell, a light flickered ahead. The joyful voices of the elves echoed. Elves (together): — Have we reached?! Look, light!

  Moris stopped the drill. Wiping his hands, he smiled. Moris: — At last we have arrived. This is only the beginning. Now we no longer need to worry about weapons. The elves shouted with joy, celebrating. The tunnel was fully theirs.