Magical Tree
(cc flickr photo by Amaury Henderick)

Genesis directed the small torch that she had created up to where the glint was visible. It was a small golden key! Genesis started to climb. She reached the branch where the key was and unbound it from the branch. Jumping from branch to branch, she started to climb down. Quickly she realized the branches stopped ten feet from the ground. The other branches had vanished. How was she going to get down?

Genesis thought quickly. Then she had an idea. She started to pull leaves off the branches by the handful and throwing them to the ground. When she had thrown down enough to make a pile, she positioned herself and jumped, landing in the pile of leaves. She hurriedly ran to the gate, stuck the key in the lock, and turned it. The Golden Gate opened with squeaks and creaks. She rushed through.

Genesis sprinted to the next obstacle – a giant hedge. One look at it told her that she could not climb it. Genesis hunted along the length of the hedge for a spot to climb through. When she found one, she stuck her hand through but pulled it out quickly. The hedge was full of thorns. Genesis peeked in. She was about to pull her head out when she spotted a small rusty box. Carefully, she put her hand in and grabbed the box. Slowly Genesis opened the box. Inside was a single roll of parchment. She unrolled the parchment.

This is what it said:
“The next obstacle targets
Your weakness: So beware!
But first you must follow
The path marked with care.”

So there was a marked path to follow. But where was it? Genesis looked to her left and right. As she looked to her right, a white arrow appeared pointing into the foliage.

[Concludes in Part 3]