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Once upon a time, on the outskirts of the Roman Empire, there was a bustling, vibrant city called Sopianae. The markets were full of vendors selling their wares, the workshops were busy with hard-working hands, and the air was filled with the smell of freshly baked bread, spices and fruit. Craftsmen worked hard in the workshops, while farmers tended the fields, tending the grapes and cereals to ensure that the city's tables were always full of food and drink. The city's inhabitants could relax in the warm water baths after a long day, and on the outskirts of the city were hidden tombs where people could rest peacefully at the end of their lives. Sunlight ripened the vines, the fields turned green and the city was at peace.
But Tenebrus, the spirit of darkness, envied the sun's light and hatched an evil plan. One evening, just as the sun was about to set behind the mountains, he stole it from the sky and locked it in a heavy bronze box. So that no one would find the magical ring-key of the chest, he broke it into three pieces and hid it in the most ancient places of Sopianae.
Without sunlight, the city was in deep darkness. The vines withered, the ground dried up, and instead of light, a grey gloom fell over the city. People lit candles to dispel the darkness, but without the warmth and light of the sun, the city slowly faded. Solina, the Goddess of Light, however, stepped out and vowed to help the people of Sopianae. Solina hoped that one day she would find someone who could stand up to Tenebrus. She was looking for someone who still believed in miracles and understood the hidden messages of the world - someone who could hear the voices of the spirits. One day, his eyes fell on a girl working tirelessly in her father's workshop. This girl was Aelia, the daughter of the master potter. Day after day she moulded the clay bricks so that the townspeople would not be left without light. Though the candles lit only a small hope in the darkened houses, in her heart burned a great desire: to bring back the sun's rays and make Sopianae shine again. One night, with the stars barely twinkling in the sky, Aelia was so tired that she fell asleep in a corner of the workshop. In her sleep she was surrounded by a strange light. It was Solina, descending from the sky like a ray of light, who spoke to her:
- Aelia, your hand lights the darkness. Only you can reclaim the rays of the sun. Tenebrus broke the key to the sun's chest into three pieces and hid them - but I know where to look. If you're brave enough, you can pass through a secret door that leads to the future. You must be brave, for you will see and experience things there that you have never seen before. But fear not, the spirits I send to you will help you. If you find the three pieces of the key and bring them back, the light of the sun will shine again.
Aelia's heart was full of curiosity and fear. She knew the mission would not be easy, but she could not let her city be destroyed by darkness. When she opened her eyes, a brilliant portal of light appeared before her. He summoned all his courage and stepped through it.
Test cases for the future
As Aelia stepped out of the time capsule, a sudden glare filled her eyes. All around her, huge buildings stretched skywards, so tall that their tops almost disappeared in the clouds. In the streets, people in strange costumes hurried by. Aelia looked around in astonishment. There were strange noises in the air and strange carts on wheels were whizzing by. The ground beneath her feet was different too - hard and smooth, as if someone had polished the stones to a shine.
- Is this the future? - he whispered to himself, and for a moment he was seized by fear.
When he collapsed to the ground, a familiar feeling came over him - he felt that deep down there was Sopianae. His city. - Don't be afraid, Aelia, he reminded himself. - Solina said I must be brave. And if Tenebrus hid the pieces of the key here, I will find it! Summoning up all her courage, she leapt up from the ground and set off in search of the spirits Solina had sent her as guides.
Rehearsal 1: The Secret of Lost Wine - Tomb with a Pitcher
He climbed to the top of a hill to look out over the strange world. The smell of sweet grapes wafted in the air. Though the world was foreign to him, somehow he felt he belonged here. Only... in another time. Suddenly he heard a whispering sound:
- To get the first piece of the key, you need to know the secret of the vine.
Turning towards the sound, he saw a woman holding a basket of grapes. Her dress evoked the world of Sopianae as if she had come from her world. Her face was calm and mysterious, her eyes shining like Solina's on that magical night.
- "Long ago, here on this hillside, the Romans grew grapes to make wine," she began, "To get the first piece of the key, I must test your knowledge.
- I'm ready! - Aelia said and wiped her sweaty palms on her dress.
The woman held up three grapes and said:
- Three grapes, three questions. Answer all three correctly and you will find your way to the first piece of the key. Listen carefully!
The woman threw the first grape on the ground. It burst, and as the sap spilled out on the ground, a question was written on it. Aelia closed her eyes. An old memory came to her: her father's workshop and a cracked stone carving on the wall. A male figure was dancing on it, his arms clusters of grapes, a wreath of grape leaves on his head. Once, when he was taking lunch to the workshop, he asked who the picture was of. His father laughed and said:
- He is Bacchus! Without him there would be no wine, no laughter, no funeral feast.
Aelia opened her eyes and cried out with joy:
- Bacchus. The god of wine.
The ghost smiled and another grape fell from his hand. A golden light ran across the floor and the second question was written out. What kind of container was the wine stored in? Aelia smiled.
- Our pottery corner is full of clay jars. I can hear my father murmuring in my ear as he rolled those heavy wine-smelling amphorae.
- "You're a good girl," said the ghost as the third grape fell from her hand to the ground. Aelia followed the rolling berry with her eyes as she scribbled the last question in the dust. Where is the gate to the other world?
Aelia did not reply immediately. A deep sadness washed over her. She thought of her grandfather, who had died when she was a little girl. She remembered her mother's teaching.
- The gate lies deep in the earth, beyond the tombs, he whispered, where the river Styx flows. My grandfather's soul was carried through it to the afterlife.
As soon as he said this, the ground opened up with a huge bang. Suddenly he found himself in an old burial chamber. The air beneath the ground was cool, and the light of his candle made faded paintings appear on the walls. In Aelia's trembling hands, the flame began to dance and the shadows around her came to life. A shadows appeared on the worn wall. Her beautiful dance enchanted the little potter girl. She followed the dancer with her eyes, spinning around and around faster and faster until she was dizzy. She closed her eyes, the world spun around her. Suddenly, a soft thump sounded from the ground. Aelia opened her eyes, quickly shone her light in the direction of the sound and saw something at her feet. It was the first piece of the key! Excitedly, she bent down, picked up the bronze piece and happily clutched it in her hand.
- Well done, Aelia." said the ghost. As grapes are turned into wine, so are miracles born of courage. But your journey has only just begun. Look for the next piece where altars grow among the trees.
Aelia thanked him for his help, her heart beating fast as she waited for the glowing time portal to reappear. The light of the sun was still in the dark bronze box, but the first piece of the key was already in her purse.
Rehearsal 2: The Warlord's Oltar - Tombs
When Aelia stepped through the time gate, she found herself in a strange garden. It was surrounded by stone slabs, old gravestones and stone carvings of animals. Birds chirped among the towering trees. Then suddenly there was silence and he heard a strange whisper behind him - a whisper of the past. Suddenly he turned back and a man's figure emerged from the shadows of the trees. He wore armour and his breastplate glinted with light. He was as powerful as a Roman commander, yet his face radiated a gentle calm.
- Salve, Aelia!" he greeted. - I once defended the city of Sopianae, and I erected an altar to the gods to bless our people. If you wish to find the second piece of the key, you must test yourself. It takes imagination, not strength.
Aelia was not afraid, she was deeply calm. She knew that Solina had sent her the spirit of a warrior.
- I'm ready!
The shadows of the garden moved, and the warrior said:
- You must find my altar and read my name from it. If you do, I'll tell you where to find the second piece of the key ring. To do this, you must see the path, but it will only reveal itself to those who can see with their hearts.
Aelia wondered. How could she see with her heart? She closed her eyes and imagined a cobbled path. Just the kind they used every day to walk to the town square. As he went deeper into his imagination, everything around him became almost real. He saw the small pottery where his father was waiting for him. Tears welled up in his eyes, and when they fell to the ground, a narrow path appeared before him, and his tears opened the secret of the garden. At the end of the path stood the altar. Aelia knelt down and ran her finger over the writing, over and over, until she discovered the hidden word : - Aurelius The general's eyes welled up with tears at the sound of his name:
- You've done what I asked you to do, so I'm helping you. You will find a milestone at the edge of the garden! From there, you'll find the key exactly 6 passes east. Aelia looked around and saw a tall, rounded stone pillar at the edge of the path. She ran over and stepped forward excitedly. On the sixth step, her heel caught on a stone. He looked down and saw the second piece of the key! Aelia happily clutched it in her hand.
- Courage, perseverance and knowledge. These will always be needed. Now you have just one more test to unleash the light of the sun! - said the warlord's ghost as he slowly melted into the shadows of the foliage, leaving behind the delicious gate of light.
Rehearsal 3: The Colourful Tomb - Mausoleum
The time gate led Aelia to a quiet and special place - a mausoleum. A pale figure emerged from the dimness - a woman in a white dress with a small golden crown shining on her forehead. Her voice spoke to him softly, almost singing:
- Welcome, Aelia. I once kept the peace of those who have passed away. The grey now shadows this place. If you wish to bring back the colours, you must unlock the secret of the tomb.
Aelia bowed to the woman. - Please, show me what to do!
She pointed towards a staircase, and as soon as she appeared, she disappeared into nothingness. Aelia was very frightened but remembered Solina's words, she must not be afraid! Carefully, she made her way down the stone steps, holding her small candle in front of her, which cast a warm light into the darkness. Suddenly, music struck his ears - a strange, dreamlike melody, as if someone were strumming an invisible lute. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, a strange room opened up before his eyes. Everything seemed faded - as if the colours had simply disappeared. It reminded him of the day Tenebrus had stolen the sun and left Sopianae in twilight. At that moment, the mysterious woman he had met earlier reappeared. Her eyes shone like stars.
- 'Aelia,' he said quietly, 'here in my basket you will find green earth, purple snails, cinnabar and lime. From these the colours are born. If you can rouse the hall from its dim slumber, you will find the sign that will tell you where the last piece of the key-ring is hidden.
Aelia took the basket, sat down and started to make the magic paints. She crushed, crumbled, boiled and steeped the coloured powders until she had created wonderful shades - fiery red, leaf green, sky blue and sun yellow. From the bottom of the basket, a small brush popped out and suddenly started dancing around Aelia! To the rhythm of the music, it leapt back and forth, and where it touched the walls, a miracle happened. The faded room almost took a breath as layer after layer of colour came alive with magic. Aelia laughed, danced and sang happily, along with the brush - painting as if they were the ghosts of the rainbow. Suddenly, a glowing sign - a glowing Christogram - appeared on the tomb wall.
- This is the sign the woman was talking about! - Aelia stood up.
Its light pointed straight at a piece of stone. Aelia stepped over, moved the stone, and underneath it gleamed the tiny key. Gently she clasped the treasure in her hand. There's the last piece! She knew she was close to bringing back the light of the sun and saving the city of Sopianae.Sweating with excitement, she hurried back to the surface with the three keys where the time gate was waiting for her.
Freeing the sun:
He has stepped through the time gate for the last time, but now back to the past, to his present. He found himself in the Forum, the main square of Sopianae. The sun had not yet returned, and the market was lit only by the faint flickering of candles. In the centre of the square he saw a heavy old bronze chest - the Ark of the Sun. Aelia carefully put the key pieces together, forming them into a ring. The ring key fitted perfectly into the lock. When she turned it, the chest slowly opened, and a blinding golden light poured out. What happened next was magical. The sun's rays once again illuminated the city of Sopianae. The vines were green and the people danced with joy in the square. The little potter's girl brought back the light - and with it hope. Every year since then, candles have been lit in the town in Aelia's memory, and anyone brave enough to go through the trials of the time gate can be part of the legend.
This year, at the Festival of Rome, children will be challenged to carry on the memory of Aelia's magical adventure.