I rushed down stairwells and through hallways, reminding myself, “Run like a shadow, Anasaya.” As I ran past the main entrance, I heard screams and thudding on the doors. Were our enemies inside the fort?

Arriving at the huge library in the castle, I swiftly walked across the room to the fireplace, and, reaching for the center stone, pressed it.

Suddenly a secret passageway appeared. Crawling through the passageway, the doors closed behind me.

I eventually came to a small wooden door and knocked. The door opened and standing up, my eyes met a cloaked and hooded man who, motioning to me, walked over to a table. He pulled a red silk bag out of the drawer and placed it in a box. Inside the silk bag was an azure blue case that held my people’s, the Sorians, history, our memories and our battle plans. If these treasures were ever destroyed, we would be forgotten!

Shutting and locking the box, he handed it to me. He then led me to the opposite wall and, bending down, pulled a hidden latch.

The wall opened, and I quickly walked through.

Behind me were the walls of the fort. Fire blazed from many roofs, and I knew our enemies were inside.

Hurry! I thought. You’ve got to keep going. I ran across a small field to the edge of a cliff and I slowly began the descent down the side. I then swung forward and, letting go, dropped onto a cave floor. Toward the back of the cave I pulled forward a small chest, and, taking the box, placed it inside and shut the lid.

I withdrew from the folds of my cloak a small key for locking the chest. Then I dragged it over to the entrance of the cave and from under a pile of rocks took a long chain. Looping it through the handles of the chest, I then slowly lowered it into the waves below. Finally with all my might I tossed the key far out into the sea.