The Blue Mountains
The Blue Mountains — an illustrated tales story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Tales.
Page 1
In the shimmering realm of Aerilon, cities drifted amongst the clouds, connected by intricate sky-bridges and powered by captured lightning. Aella, the Cloud Weaver, dreamed of the legendary Blue Mountains, said to hold the secrets of the sky. Her brother, Kael, the Sky Guard, warned her against such foolish wanderlust; their father, Regulus, the Sunstone King, demanded unwavering obedience. But Aella yearned for something more than gilded cages and manufactured sunshine.
Page 2
Aella tended to the ancient Sky Looms, weaving clouds into tapestries. "These patterns," she murmured to her silent companion, a sparrow named Zephyr, "they speak of places beyond our sky-roads." One day, while cleaning a forgotten loom, she found a hidden compartment. Inside lay a tarnished silver compass and a scrap of parchment depicting a mountain range unlike any she had seen.
Page 3
"The Blue Mountains are mere legend, Aella," Regulus declared, his voice echoing through the throne room. He paced before the Sunstone Throne, its facets casting dancing glares on the polished floor. "Those who chase legends find only disappointment." Aella clutched the compass tighter, her heart pounding. "But Father," she pleaded, "isn't the pursuit of knowledge worth the risk?
Page 4
Ignoring her father's command, Aella sought guidance from the reclusive Sky-Cartographers. "There are forgotten pathways," the eldest cartographer whispered, his eyes filled with ancient knowledge, "sky-gates sealed by the first kings." He traced a route on a faded map. "But beware," he warned, "they are guarded by the Tempest Wraiths, spirits of the storm."
Page 5
Aella navigated the abandoned sky-gates, Zephyr guiding her through treacherous currents. Suddenly, swirling vortexes of dark energy materialized – the Tempest Wraiths. They screamed, their voices like thunder. Aella remembered the cartographer's words: "They feed on fear. Show them courage."
Page 6
She focused on the compass, visualizing the path, her heart pounding. One Wraith lunged, its icy tendrils reaching for her. She cried out, not in fear, but defiance. The Wraith faltered. From her brother's stories, she recalled, "'The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way,' as Marcus Aurelius said about embracing difficulty."
Page 7
Beyond the sky-gates, the Blue Mountains shimmered, close yet impossibly distant. Kael suddenly appeared, his armor gleaming in the ethereal light. "I can't let you risk your life," he said, his voice filled with concern. "These mountains are illusions, Aella – mirages woven by ancient sky-weavers to protect us from the truth."
Page 8
"The truth?" Aella asked, stepping past him towards the shimmering mountains. "What truth are we so afraid to face?" Kael grabbed her arm. "The mountains are guarded by a Sky-Mirror," he warned. "It shows you not what is, but what could be, what you most desire, and it will trap you in a dream."
Page 9
Aella, pulling free, approached the Sky-Mirror. It reflected her deepest longing: Aerilon free from artificial light, powered by the true energy of the Blue Mountains. As she reached out, the reflection solidified. She stepped through, ready to embrace her dream, only to find herself facing a desolate wasteland.
Page 10
Kael followed, shattering the Sky-Mirror with his sword. "Desire, unchecked, blinds us to reality," he said. Aella looked at the barren landscape, then back at the shimmering Aerilon. "The beauty we sought was not in a new place, but in seeing our own with honest eyes," she realized. Together, they returned, ready to weave a truer future.
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)
Questions and answers
Read Wonder Tales on your phone
Wonder Tales is available on Android. Get Wonder Tales on Google Play.