Aiden and his teammates were taken aback and turned to look at Ms. Marie, clearly surprised by this unexpected suggestion.
"You mean... you're willing to help us uncover the secret of this scroll?" Sophia asked cautiously, hardly believing that they had gained the other party's trust and assistance.
Mariel returned a meaningful look: "I can help you, but not for free. In exchange, we need to know all the information you possess."
Hank hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded in agreement, saying, "As long as the truth can be revealed to the world, this request is not unacceptable to us. So, how about you take us to a place where it is safe to decipher this ancient text?"
Mariel nodded, waved for the guards beside her to leave, and led the group through a complex network of corridors and rooms. "Follow me," she said mysteriously, "but remember my words—any act of betrayal will have unimaginable consequences."
After some twists and turns, the group finally arrived at a quiet little room filled with ancient magical symbols. Far from the outside world's noise and disturbances, the air was filled with a faint magical aura.
As the heavy, dark wooden gate slowly closed, one of the soldiers guarding the entrance couldn't help but exclaim to his companion, "Wow, I never imagined these guys could actually persuade Lord Maril! It's incredible..."
"Hmph, I doubt they'll end up well. Who knows what this so-called secret will bring them?" Another mature and prudent man sneered, expressing his disapproval.
A massive stone table stood in the center of the room, surrounded by various strange tools and countless ancient books. Sophia gently placed the precious scroll she had been clutching tightly in her hand on the center of the table and began to concentrate intently on reciting a complex and difficult incantation to break it...
Time ticked by, and the outside world seemed to grow ever more blurry and distant...
"Phew...it's almost finished now." After a long while, the girl, who was skilled in magic, let out a soft sigh, raised her head, and looked at the crowd around her to announce.
"That's amazing!" Leah was so excited she almost jumped for joy. "Are we really about to discover those secrets buried for hundreds of years?!"
James couldn't wait to rush forward and see what was inside after it was untied—
What was originally obscure and difficult to understand has now been transformed into fluent and easy-to-understand language:
To awaken the hidden source of power, three divine artifacts must be gathered to break the seal;
These represent the Heart of Light, the Eye of Shadow, and the Soul of the Earth...'
Upon reading this, everyone fell into deep thought...
"Hey! I have to say, these guys are pretty good." The veteran, who had been waiting anxiously outside for a long time, couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. "But then again, what if they don't find the legendary treasure? Wouldn't all their efforts have been for nothing, haha..."
His companion immediately chimed in, "Yeah, yeah, who knows what's going to happen next!"
Just as everyone was overjoyed by this unexpected new clue—
Ms. Marie suddenly spoke, interrupting everyone's thoughts, "Alright everyone, now that we have a general understanding of the situation, are you ready to embark on this journey full of unknowns and dangers?"
These words instantly intensified the already heavy atmosphere...
“We were fully prepared long ago!” Aiden stepped forward without hesitation to declare.
At the same time, Sofia solemnly added, "No matter how difficult the journey may be, we will do our best to complete it!"
However, at this moment, the young guard who had been silently observing the whole situation spoke up again: "Actually, I'm also willing to go with everyone, hoping to contribute my meager strength..."
Faced with this unexpected invitation, Mariel raised an eyebrow, revealing a hint of surprise, but did not immediately respond. Instead, she turned to Aiden and the others and asked one last question:
"Now you have two paths to choose from: one is to follow the plan and embark on the journey to find the artifact alone; the other is to accept this young man's help and work together. Which path will you choose?"
Upon hearing this, everyone fell into a brief moment of contemplation, unsure of the best course of action...
"What do you think we should do?" Aiden asked Lia in a low voice.
Leah pondered for a moment, her eyes flashing with determination, and looked at the young guard: "I think we should trust him. His joining us might bring us more unexpected help."
Aiden nodded, then turned to Mariel and said firmly, "We choose to go with this young guard."
Upon hearing Aiden's reply, the young guard smiled with surprise and gratitude: "Thank you for your trust. I will do my best to help everyone complete this adventure!"
Just as everyone was filled with anticipation, from a dark corner not far away, a pair of eyes were intently watching everything. A strange, cold laugh quietly broke the silence, filled with an ominous premonition:
"A bunch of arrogant fools... Let me see if you can find those three long-lost things, and then I'll crush you one by one, hahahaha..."
Sofia gently placed the scroll on the stone table and began chanting an incantation. Her clear, melodious voice echoed in the secret chamber, seemingly able to penetrate the dust of time and unveil a secret hidden for a thousand years. Everyone watched with bated breath, even their breathing becoming soft and slow.
Suddenly, the scroll emitted a strange light, and the previously obscure text gradually transformed into understandable information. "The Heart of Light, the Eye of Shadow, and the Soul of the Earth..." James repeated softly, "This means we are about to face the three great artifacts."
“The Heart of Light? I’ve heard that treasure can grant its holder unparalleled healing power,” Leah said softly.
“But it’s said that finding it is no easy feat; it’s hidden in an extremely dangerous place—a sacred land blessed by the god of light. Only those with pure hearts can approach it,” James added.
Just then, a series of hurried footsteps sounded outside the door. The two guards gripped their longswords tightly. "What's going on?" asked one of the older guards.
Another person replied, "It seems that unidentified people have broken into the castle. Something's not right!"
Upon hearing this conversation, the atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense. Aiden looked at the young guard, who said firmly, "Don't worry, I won't let them interfere with our plans."
At this moment, Lady Maril spoke again. "It seems time is running out. In that case, let's set off immediately for our first destination—to find the location of the 'Heart of Light.'" She turned to the young guard and continued, "Young man, are you ready to embark on this adventure with them?"
"Absolutely no problem!" the young man replied confidently.
Just as everyone was about to leave, Hank posed a question that caused a brief silence. "Wait, while we know what our next objective is, shouldn't we consider how to deal with any potential enemies?"
This question is obviously very important, after all, that eerie, cold laugh from earlier still lingers in my mind.
Leah nodded in agreement, saying, "That's right. We can't just focus on moving forward and ignore the potential threats behind us. If the other side knows our plans in advance, then the road ahead will be full of obstacles."
After thinking for a moment, the young guard suggested, "If you ask me, it would be best to send someone to scout out who our enemies are and what their purpose is."
“It is indeed a good idea, but I am more worried about... what if this potential enemy is very powerful?” Hank said worriedly.
“Then we must unite even more!” Aiden looked resolutely at his teammates. “As long as we trust and support each other, there is no difficulty we cannot overcome!”
Seeing this, the young guard felt a surge of excitement and said, "I will protect your safety with my life."
At this moment, Ms. Marie appeared unusually calm. "Don't forget, I still have many ways to help you remove obstacles." As she spoke, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, exuding confidence and giving the team more courage and strength.
And so, having finalized their plan of action, this energetic and fearless team embarked on their journey into the unknown...
Just as everyone was engaged in a heated discussion, a pair of cold eyes in a hidden corner of the castle began to flicker again, and a hoarse voice murmured, "Just wait and see, when the time is ripe, that will be the day of your destruction... Hehehe."
Meanwhile, at the entrance to a mysterious forest in the distance, a group of people, each with their own purpose, quietly gather, preparing to embark on the same journey in search of treasure... Who will be the first to unravel the final mystery, and what difficulties and challenges will they encounter?
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