The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of Runes and Stones

Into the Unknown: Why does it always happen to him?

It was a lovely day in Brussels. The birds were chirping, the sun was shining, the flowers bloomed ever so bright. For once, maybe he would be able to do something mellow. Though he tried, it was hard to expect mellow when your life has been adventure after adventure by simply doing the right thing or accidentally getting yourself into trouble. Regardless, such papers made him very well-known.

"Come on, Snowy. I bet there's a fresh bone in the market today."

"Yip!" Snowy replied, his tail excitedly wagging.

The walk to the farmer's market was quaint and very quiet until he actually reached the market. There was a mundane commotion but one fairly new to any pair of ears and eyes.

"Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Norwegian ambassadors are set to arrive in Belgium! Prime Minister of Belgium has not stated why!"

Norwegian ambassadors? Here?

"You hear that Snowy? Looks like we're getting some visitors in Belgium."

Snowy rolled his eyes as if he didn't have a hutch that there was another adventure on the way. Tintin bought a paper but didn't read it yet. Right now, he had a bone to buy and a walk through the fresh market. A little meat here, a few fresh fruits and vegetables there, Snowy was even more than happy with his little bone bag. As Tintin walked through the usual flea market, he spotted a strange necklace. Around the sides were runes he could not read, however, the symbol at the center was familiar. A crocus, he thinks it's called.

He's had the same dream since weeks ago. He and Snowy are in a safe blizzard ( as odd as it was to admit that) and were fighting for whoever was at the center of the blizzard. With a sword in hand, all three managed quite well! Suddenly, the ground below their feet disappears. Tintin extends his hand out to the woman falling below him and then he wakes up. With each dream, he tries to see something new and different. Anything to figure out this dream and what it meant. A few days ago, he noticed the strange symbol on his sword and the color scheme of the woman in the blizzard once he is back to back with the woman.

"Ah, you have good taste!"

Tintin would re-frame from rolling his eyes playfully. All flea market merchants said the same in order to bring joy to their hopeful clients.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes but I strangely don't recall seeing any symbol like this in historical records."

"A family heirloom. No one knows where it came from but it is priceless."

"Priceless?" Tintin asked. "Do tell."

The merchant paused, unsure what to think of next. He was probably a newbie, trying to work out the vibe of this city.

"Very well. I see you know more than most. It was sitting in my grandmother's attic for many years. The jeweler along the south end said it's heavy but doesn't seem to be made of anything valuable. Thought the flea market would be the place to go."

"Honesty is the key to winning people over. How does 45 work?"

"Works. Take it."

After the exchange, Tintin returns home with Snowy. Once all the food was stored, he sat at his desk, admiring the necklace. The symbol, he saw it in his dream and now it became a reality. What did it all mean? He pulled out a journal from his desk, opening to the pages describing the dream and sketches of the enchanting woman in the blizzard. Not many dreams were a reality, let alone are to be perceived as a reality. So was this something for the future ahead or was this a warning?