Passage through the Golden Portal

There was an old, forgotten park in the city centre that had long since ceased to attract children from the neighbourhood. However, Lena, Christopher and Basia loved to explore places where others were afraid to look. One cloudy afternoon, they decided to go through an overgrown gate where, according to legend, unusual things were supposed to be found. As they squeezed through the tangle of branches, a small gazebo appeared to their eyes, in the middle of which stood an old, moss-covered sundial. - Look! - cried Basia. - The hand is shining gold! They all moved closer and Christopher noticed that there was something like an engraved line under the dial. Lena touched it with her finger and suddenly the clock started to tremble. They heard a quiet hum and noticed that the air around the clock began to shimmer, like hot air over asphalt on a hot day. Suddenly, a light flashed in front of them and a circular golden portal appeared out of nowhere. Inside, images swirled: mountains covered in blue snow, forests with silver-leafed trees, multicoloured lakes and bizarre creatures gliding between the clouds. - What is this? - whispered Krzyś, taking his eyes off the portal. - Maybe it's the entrance to another world? Basia already had her doubts, but Lena was always the most daring. - We have to see what's on the other side! - she said with a gleam in her eye. For a moment they all held hands, looking at the swirling portal. Finally they took the first step - just then they felt a strong gust of wind and a strange weight on their shoulders. Everything around them blurred and the sounds of the park became quiet. In front of them stretched a land like they had never seen before, and right next to them, on a giant stone, sat... And then they heard a voice: - I have been waiting for you. Are you ready for the test?...