Our three adventurers, ever wandering the roads of Chibu, once again found themselves facing a classic dilemma: the path they had faithfully followed now split into two equally foreboding routes.
“Well, where do we go now?” grumbled Touk, the ever-grumpy Vykor.
“If you hadn’t thrown the map into the ravine because, I quote, ‘it displeased you,’ we’d actually know!” retorted Fémir, the bard, with his usual mocking tone.
Touk rolled her eyes. “Doesn’t matter. A storm’s coming, and we need to find shelter. Fast!”
Dumir, always the optimistic dwarf, nodded sagely. “When lost and unsure of your way, always trust your nose!” he declared proudly, showing off the few teeth he had left. His faithful, Remington, sitting on his shoulder, smiled in agreement.
Fémir raised an eyebrow. “Oh, right. The last time we followed your nose, we ended up in that creepy village with the crows and the horror movie atmosphere…” he recalled, a little uneasy.
Dumir puffed out his chest. “But we were right! And we even ended up with some excellent pumpkin soup!”
Fémir smiled wryly. “I’ll admit, that soup was quite good.”
Touk, ever practical, looked at the horizon where snowflakes were beginning to fall. “Alright, it’s settled. We follow the dwarf. After all, that necklace of his is supposed to bring him luck, right?”
Dumir led the way, strutting proudly like a rooster, sniffing the air like a hunting dog. After a few minutes of trekking through the woods, they came across a clearing where an old man, wrapped in a red cloak, was tending to a fire.

“Is everything alright, good sir?” asked Fémir, putting on his best innocent smile.
The old man, who wore a red cap sprinkled with snowflakes that clung to it enthusiastically, looked at them with a mix of relief and confusion.
“Oh, what a fine company you are! Yes, well... no... actually, I’m not sure. Could you help me?”
Touk crossed her arms with a sigh. “Here we go again…”
Fémir, already imagining a warm inn for the night, smiled. “Of course, good sir. But in exchange, could you show us where we can find shelter?”
The old man nodded vigorously. “Yes, of course! I live not far from here. But first, I need your help to collect a few items…” he said, handing Fémir a piece of paper, who furrowed his brow.
“Riddles?” he asked, puzzled.
The old man nodded with a mischievous grin.
“Indeed! I wrote down these riddles to remember what I need, but with age, I can no longer recall what they mean. I only know that it’s urgent, and it must be done today! Help me solve these riddles, and I’ll lead you to safety.”
The snow was falling heavier now, blanketing the clearing in white. Time was running out. Fémir cleared his throat and read the first riddle aloud:
First Riddle “I was born under the sun, I heal, I nourish, I am soft, But once I grow old, I become stiff and still. What am I?” Touk narrowed her eyes.
“Hmm… Sounds like some kind of magic herb to me.”
Fémir moved on to the next one:
Second Riddle: “Slowly, I whisper, I sing, I smoke, I march with the army and sit by the hearth, On festive days, I empty quickly. What am I?”
Dumir nodded knowingly. “That’s an elfish riddle. I’m sure of it.”
Finally, Fémir read the third:
Third Riddle: “If I wait too long, I turn sour without mercy, But well preserved, I remain a treat none can refuse. I am white as snow, but far warmer at my start. What am I?”
Fémir sighed. “Well, we’re not getting out of this one easily…”
“We better hurry,” grumbled Touk, tapping her foot. “Every minute that passes adds another layer of snow.”
The three adventurers exchanged glances and set to work, for they knew that without solving these riddles, they’d soon be frozen solid like statues...
The three adventurers exchanged puzzled glances.
"Maybe the context can give us some clues!" suggested Fémir, sounding inspired, ready to solve the riddle.
"Well, we're in a forest in the middle of nowhere!" Dumir declared proudly, thinking he'd made a giant leap toward the solution, puffing out his dwarven chest.
"There's a fire too," Touk added perceptively, staring at the flickering flames as if deciphering an ancient code.
Fémir frowned, muttering, "Mmmmhhh... A fire is used to keep warm..."
"But also to cook, hehe!" Dumir chimed in, his eyes gleaming with hunger.
Suddenly, Fémir slapped his hand with a revelation. "Of course!" he exclaimed. He quickly reread the three riddles under his breath, while Touk and Dumir watched in astonishment, as if they had just seen a wizard conjure a sheep out of thin air. "It's a list of ingredients!" Fémir concluded with near-mystical certainty.
"Good call, bard!" Touk agreed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "If so, I think the last one is milk!"
"And the first one is honey!" Dumir added enthusiastically, always ready to support any idea that involved something sweet.
But the second ingredient left the three adventurers more perplexed. Snow fell thicker, blanketing their shoulders. Suddenly, Fémir raised his arms in triumph. "Aaaaah, but the ingredients, they go in a…"
"Stomach?" suggested Dumir, convinced he'd nailed it.
"Yes! A stomach!" Touk nodded seriously, supporting the idea.
"No! First, it goes into a cauldron!" Fémir corrected, exasperated by his companions.
At the sound of their answers, the old man suddenly lit up, as if he had just rediscovered a memory lost in the fog of his age. "Oh, but yesss!!!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands in excitement. "It's my twinkleberry milk recipe!"
The three adventurers exchanged confused looks, not quite understanding what they had just accomplished. But before they could ask more questions, the old man stood up with his cane and joyfully declared, "Follow me, you three! I’ll make it for you! You'll be amazed, haha!"
"Sounds delicious, I’m coming!" Dumir eagerly followed, with Remington chirping joyfully on his shoulder, sharing his master's excitement.
Touk shrugged with a small smile. "I must admit, I'm intrigued too..."
"It’s strange... Our adventures always seem to end with a warm drink," Fémir observed, looking pensive.
And so, our three companions enjoyed a delightful warm drink by the fire while the snowstorm raged outside. But who exactly was this old man? Well, dear friends, that’s a question for another adventure!
Happy Sparklefrosts to all!
You can learn more about the lore behind Schnee Klaus and Sparklefrost's Day here!
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