"You took it," you yell. "You stole the Emerald Crown." The cave gnome flinches. His friendly caution vanishes, replaced by fear. He steps back and pulls a small lever hidden in the stone planter, and a soft ringing sound echoes through the tunnel. Before you can ask what he has done, a fine sparkly powder pours down from the cave ceiling like glowing snow. It smells faintly of stone and roses. You cough, and the world seems to twist. The green crystals blur. The tunnel disappears. You slowly blink. You are standing back in Iredale, just outside the mountain path where the cave entrance should be. Your heart races. You turn in circles, searching for the shimmer, the ivy, the opening in the stone. Nothing. There is no trace of the cave. You search for hours. You check the map again and again. You return the next morning. Then the next day. The caves are gone. As time passes, the bad luck settles in for good. Wheels break at the worst moments. Crops grow unevenly. Paths lead almost—but not quite—where they should. Iredale still stands, but something important has slipped away forever. You realize the truth too late. The cave gnomes were never your enemies. But your accusation closed the door before understanding could open it. The End.