A Hero's Journey
Chapter VII — The City of Red Stone
Condor Trail, Pinnacles National Park
The landscape had changed dramatically.
The forests of the west had given way to dry hills, scattered trees, and towering formations of reddish stone. The afternoon sun beat down upon the narrow trail as the father and son continued their journey.
“Father, are we getting closer to the sun?”
His father smiled.
“No. Why?”
“Because I think it's trying to cook us.”
His father laughed.
“Then we'd better find some shade.”
As they rounded a large boulder, the boy stopped in surprise.
Before them stretched a beautiful meadow filled with thousands of yellow wildflowers. Enormous rock formations rose beyond the flowers, their rugged surfaces glowing beneath the afternoon sunlight.
The boy hurried ahead.
“I thought this was supposed to be a desert!”
“Even dry places have their seasons,” his father replied.
Near the edge of the meadow, they noticed another boy climbing a steep outcrop of rock.
He was about the same age as the son, wearing a lightweight red tunic and carrying a small leather bag.
The local boy moved confidently between the narrow ledges, testing each foothold before shifting his weight.
Suddenly, a loose stone broke beneath his foot.
He caught himself against the rock.
“Careful!” the traveling boy called. “There's a better foothold to your left!”
The local boy glanced down, spotted the narrow ledge, and quickly regained his balance.
He climbed down and approached them.
“Good eyes,” he said.
“You're a good climber,” the son replied.
“I've been climbing these rocks my whole life.”
The boy looked toward the distant mountains.
“Do you live around here?”
“In Condor. It's just beyond the ridge.”
“Condor?”
“Our town. You're in the Kingdom of Pinnacles.”
The father stepped forward.
“We've traveled from Diablo. We were hoping to find a settlement before nightfall.”
“Then you're going the right way,” the local boy replied. “I can show you a shorter path.”
He started toward a narrow opening between two rock formations.
The son examined the route.
“There's another way around that boulder.”
The local boy looked back, surprised.
“There is. But most travelers don't notice it.”
The son shrugged.
“I like finding paths.”
The local boy grinned.
“So do I.”
They continued together through the meadow.
The local boy noticed his new companion wiping sweat from his forehead.
“Not used to the heat, are you?”
“Not even a little.”
The local boy smiled and reached into his bag, pulling out a thin red scarf.
“Here. Try this.”
The son examined the delicate fabric.
“Won't that make me hotter?”
“Quite the opposite. It's woven to let the breeze through while keeping the sun off your skin. Everyone around here wears something like it.”
The son wrapped the scarf loosely around his neck.
To his surprise, the fabric felt wonderfully cool.
“That's better!”
“Keep it,” the local boy said. “You'll need it more than I do.”
“Thanks.”
The two boys smiled and continued along the trail.
As they walked, the local boy described his home.
The people of Condor had lived among the mountains for generations, building their homes into the stone and learning to survive the fierce heat. They were skilled builders, miners, and craftspeople, known throughout the kingdom for the remarkable crystals found deep beneath the mountains.
“Some of them can store sunlight,” he explained. “We use them to light our homes after dark.”
The father looked interested.
“Quite an extraordinary resource.”
“It is,” the boy agreed. “But the miners aren't going into the lower caves anymore.”
“Why not?” the son asked.
The local boy's expression grew serious.
“Something happened when they opened a new chamber. They found enormous crystals, bigger than anything they'd ever seen.”
“And?”
“Afterward, strange noises started coming from deep underground. Some miners said they heard wings. Others saw an enormous shadow moving through the tunnels.”
“An animal?” the father asked.
“Maybe. But the old stories speak of a creature that sleeps beneath the mountains. They say it awakens when the deepest stones are disturbed.”
The son looked toward the jagged cliffs.
“Has anyone seen it?”
“Not clearly. But the miners are frightened, and some haven't returned. The elders have forbidden anyone from entering the lower caves.”
For a moment, the three walked in silence.
Then the local boy pointed toward a narrow passage climbing between the rocks.
“Come on. There's something I want to show you.”
They followed him up the winding trail.
At the top of the ridge, the boy stepped aside.
“Welcome to Condor.”
The father and son stopped in amazement.
Before them rose an extraordinary settlement built among enormous towers of red stone. Homes were carved into the cliffs, connected by winding stairways and wooden bridges. Red banners fluttered above colorful marketplaces, while warm lanterns glowed beneath the approaching evening sky.
The setting sun bathed the entire town in brilliant shades of orange and crimson.
The son stared in wonder.
“People actually live up there?”
The local boy smiled proudly.
“Of course. That's home.”
His father looked across the magnificent settlement.
“Well,” he said, “I believe we've found somewhere worth exploring.”
The son glanced toward his new companion.
And for the first time since leaving Diablo, he wondered what it might be like to explore somewhere with another boy who seemed to enjoy adventure as much as he did.
Together, the three began their descent toward the Town of Condor.