You turn toward the stream and step off the stone path. The fairies scatter at first, then circle back, hovering just out of reach. Their wings shimmer like broken rainbows, and their laughter skips through the air. "You chose us," one fairy says, upside down in midair. "That means you're curious," says another. "And curiosity," a third adds, "is very valuable." They lead you deeper into the forest, where the trees bend inward as if listening. The ground sparkles with dust that glows faintly beneath your feet. After what feels like a long time, you reach a clearing. A flat stone rests at its center, covered in glowing runes that shift as you watch them. The fairies settle around it, unusually quiet. "We know where the Emerald Crown is," one fairy says. "We know who took it," says another. "And we can get you there faster than any druid," whispers a third. Your heart quickens. "But," they say together, smiling, "every shortcut has a price." They offer a bargain. They will lead you straight to the Crown—no trials, no riddles, no delays. In return, you must promise not to question what you are told and not to interfere with fairy business, no matter what you see. You remember the old tales. Fairies do not lie, but they rarely explain everything.