The Secret of the Ancient Castle

The Carpathian Mountains are not only high peaks and green forests but also a place full of secrets and mysteries. Deep in the mountains stood an ancient castle, which local residents whispered had been built by the Vikings many centuries ago. Lena, Petya, and their friends – Mascha and Artyom – set off once again on a new archaeological expedition to solve another mystery.

"Do you know what I think?" Lena said, carefully studying an old map laid out before them. "This castle definitely hides some secrets. Look, there are strange markings on the map, they seem to indicate something important."

"Wow! You mean there could be a hidden treasure in this castle?" Petya asked, squinting, as he had always enjoyed such mysterious adventures.

"Maybe," Lena replied. "But we need to carefully examine every detail. Everything we find could be a clue to the mystery. Let's go, we need to explore the ruins."

The children walked along a narrow path leading to the castle, which already looked majestic and mysterious from a distance. There was no one around, only the old castle walls and vineyards covering the entire area.

When they reached the castle, they were greeted with an impressive view. The castle looked ancient, as if it had been there for a thousand years. Moss-covered stone walls and high towers with worn-out flags. It seemed as though this place held many secrets, hidden from curious eyes.

"Well, shall we begin?" Artyom asked, barely hiding his excitement. "Where should we search for clues?"

Lena, the eldest archaeologist, immediately began examining the central courtyard of the castle. Mascha and Artyom walked around the walls while Petya and Lena discussed where to go next.

"Look, there's something here!" Mascha shouted, pointing at a stone slab at the base of one of the towers.

Petya and Lena hurried to her, and indeed, there were strange marks engraved on the stone. Lena began to study them carefully.

"These are ancient runes! The Vikings used these symbols in their writings," she said. "Look, these aren’t just drawings, they are actual words! We have found traces of an ancient culture."

The kids were thrilled. They knew that this discovery could bring them closer to solving an important mystery. Lena carefully ran her hand over the stone, trying to decipher the symbols.

"Look!" she exclaimed, "It says that the Viking treasure is hidden inside the castle, and only those who can decipher the runes will be able to find it!"

"What should we do next?" Mascha asked. "We only have these symbols. How will we know where to search for the treasure?"

"We need to look for clues inside the castle," Lena replied. "There might be more symbols or hidden hints somewhere inside. We must continue searching."

The children resumed exploring the castle. They examined every crack in the stone, every tile on the floor, but found nothing. Then, suddenly, Petya noticed something strange.

"Lena, look what I found!" he exclaimed, pointing to a stone slab that was slightly raised.

Lena and the others rushed over to him, and to their surprise, they discovered that the slab covered a small passage leading downward.

"Let’s go," Lena said. "This must be the place mentioned in the inscriptions. The treasure must be down there!"

The children carefully descended a staircase into a dark underground corridor that led to a hidden room. It was dark and dusty, but they immediately noticed an ancient chest covered in dust and cobwebs.

"Here it is," said Artyom with a trembling voice. "The treasure!"

Lena approached the chest and opened it. Inside, there were ancient coins, jewelry, and amazing artifacts that had been crafted with incredible precision.

"We found the real Viking treasure!" they all exclaimed in unison. "This is incredible!"

But Lena, as always, was calm and focused.

"We’ve made an important discovery," she said, "but we still need to study these finds. These are not just treasures, they are important historical artifacts. We must report this to the scientists and preserve this heritage for future generations."

The children felt that they had not only found a treasure but had become part of a great history. They knew that their archaeological journey had only just begun, and many exciting discoveries awaited them!