As he raised the crystal stone near the archway, the vines rapidly sprang to life. He pulled back to display a little hollow region that was exactly the shape of the stone he was holding. Before putting the crystal in the hole, Milo took a long breath, which made the woods silent. The area was filled with soft blue and gold colors that danced over the trees. Then, out of nowhere, the archway burst into a swirl of bright light that looked like a small galaxy. Milo's jaw fell open in awe as he got closer to the spinning lights that seemed like little stars in his eyes. The stone started to shake slightly, and the humming sound came again, this time louder, like a scream of welcome.

Milo walked under the glowing archway without even thinking about it, and everything changed in an instant. The beautiful golden field was replaced by a strange landscape with floating lights, sparkling waterfalls, and huge flowers that glowed like fireflies. Milo gasped and slowly turned around as he realized he had reached a hidden part of the forest that no one from Willowbrook had ever seen before. Everything felt like it was happening in one of his grandfather's stories. With caution, he advanced, brushing against the brilliant petals of a tall flower whose aroma reminded him of balmy summer evenings with a touch of enchantment.

He saw a man next to a tree trunk that was bent and shone like silver in the distance. As he went closer, the figure turned to display a little creature that was only a bit higher than Milo's knee. It had bright green light wings that flapped behind its back like a dragonfly's delicate wings, and its eyes were sparkling amber. Its hair was bright green and leafy. Milo wasn't sure if he should talk or run away, but the little creature bowed and smiled sweetly. "You finally made it," it said in a voice as soft and sweet as a chime of bells. Milo blinked. He saw a fairy or other magical creature in front of him, as real as the grass and trees around him.