The Hunt for The Three Talismans

The freezing rain poured mercilessly upon the city of Hereldous as all inhabitants sought shelter indoors. The governor Nathaniel, stood with his advisors standing over a map of the whole continent of nations and cities. Nathanial hung his head. “We cannot go on like this. Every year our city grows poorer. What will we do?”

Suddenly a man in a leather cloak came inside, drenched. “I have found the answer to our problem!”

“What is it, councilman Bronus?”

Bronus approached the table and withdrew something astounding.

Nathaniel’s eyes were wide and his jaw hung open. “That is the biggest blue diamond I have seen!”

“It must be worth over fifty-thousand gold coins!” said Councilman Doren.

“Where did you get it?” asked Nathaniel.

Councilman Bronus shook his head and took a deep breath. “I encountered an old traveler who gave it to me if I would forfeit the statue of Askelon, from the old religion.”

“That pagan relic? This person must be a follower of the old ways. It is sad that this traveler has not found Christ and the true God.”

“This treasure you see before you is just one of three more priceless objects hidden throughout the Emerald Forest.”

“With such riches, we could become the wealthiest society on the continent!” said Nathaniel. “Did the traveler say what they are?”

Bronus nodded. “The items are a golden horn, a jade statue and a mirror of pure platinum.”

Doren pulled at his chin. “It will take forever to find them blindly.”

Nathaniel grinned coyly. “I have an idea. Let us announce a city wide scavenger hunt so all citizens will do the searching for us.”

“But what will keep them from keeping the items themselves?” asked Bronus.

“I will tell the people that those who give us the items will be given a greater prize!”

Everyone in the room agreed. The next day Nathaniel the governor assembled the populace together in front of the grand podium in the city square.

“People of Hereldous, a wonderful thing has been revealed to me. Deep inside the Emerald Forest that answers our money issue. Behold!” Nathaniel took out the diamond and lifted it. Everyone gasped. “This is one of three great treasures laying in the forest.”

Nathaniel told the people of the objects and made an official scavenger hunt, promising both the blue diamond and the “special prize” he spoke of in the hall.

#

When the poor Smith family heard the message, they were filled with excitement.

“Come on!” said Robert, the father of the family. He, his wife Martha and his two boys Ron and Thaddeus, dressed in their meager clothes and set off.

Myriads of people were scouring every nook and cranny of the forest. There was a great commotion as the Smiths spread out to find any of the objects. Ron and Thaddeus searched together and suddenly, Ron saw something gleam in the sun at the base of a tree. He ran to it and jumped for joy. “Thaddeus! I found the mirror!”

“Shh! Stay quiet! Good work. Let’s look for the other two items.”

Ron and Thaddeus looked feverishly for a few more hours.

Tired and thirsty, Thaddeus found a stream and kneeled to drink. He marveled as he found a layer of silver pebbles under the water. He called for Ron and when he came he grinned. “Come on! Let’s put as much as we can into the satchel!”

After ten minutes of digging, something poked Ron. “Ouch! Something sharp cut me!”

The brothers noticed a sharp golden tip protruding from the silver. They cleared away the silver and found the golden horn like a bull’s horn.

“That leaves the jade statue,” said Thaddeus.

Suddenly there was a loud shout. “I have found the statue!” yelled a tall muscular behemoth of a man.

“What should we do?” asked Ron.

“I have an idea.” Ron took the mirror and the horn and stood about two dozen feet from the man and flashed the two items and yelled. “If you want the diamond and the extra prize, meet us at the Governor’s Hall as soon as you can!”

The brothers dashed off between the trees and went to the place where their parents said they would be.

“Mother! Father! Look what we found!” said Ron, showing them the items. Just as they reacted to the find, Thaddeus told them of their plan and their parents were proud.

The Smiths ran out of the forest and headed for the Governor’s Hall. But they waited for the man with the statue to arrive before they told the Governor. Thirty minutes later the man came.

“So, what’s the deal lads?”

“One of us walks away with the diamond and the other with the secret prize,” said Ron.

“I would prefer to see what this “extra” prize is first.”

“Very well,” said Robert, the father.

The three items were shown and Nathaniel and the councilman took them.

“I suppose you want the secret prize now,” said Councilman Bronus said. “Unfortunately…”

Suddenly the ground began to shake and everyone stumbled. The stone ceiling began to collapse and all inside ran out.

Standing next to a man in a brown cloak, was the statue of Askelon. “With the joining of the three talismans and the statue, your city will fall! Your greed is your downfall.”

Then the quake stopped and the man next to the statue went pale. “What is happening?”

Robert spoke in a stern voice. “We may have been greedy, but God forgives. I prayed this would stop.”

“Then all your riches will dissipate,” said the man.

The diamond, the mirror, the horn and the statue crumbled into dust. And everyone gasped.

“He is right. We got caught up in the prospect of wealth. May God truly change us,” said Nathaniel.

“Aye, we acted foolishly,” said Bronus.

Nathaniel looked up at the sky and sighed. “Let us have faith God will provide for us. Let us never again lean our own understanding.”