As Lunaria and I spoke, I couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something she wasn't telling me. Something important.
"Lunaria, is there something you're not telling me?" I asked, my eyes narrowing slightly.
Lunaria's expression faltered for a moment, before she regained her composure. "What do you mean, Riven?" she asked, her voice innocent.
I leaned forward, my eyes locked onto hers. "I mean, you didn't come here just to express your concern about the forbidden magic, did you?"
Lunaria's eyes dropped, her voice barely above a whisper. "No, Riven. I didn't."
I felt a surge of curiosity, my mind racing with possibilities. What could Lunaria be hiding?
"Lunaria, what is it?" I asked, my voice gentle but insistent.
Lunaria took a deep breath, her eyes locked onto mine. "Riven, I've discovered something about the crystal. Something that could change everything."
My heart skipped a beat, my mind racing with excitement. What could Lunaria have discovered?
"What is it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Lunaria's eyes sparkled with a mixture of fear and excitement. "The crystal, Riven... it's not just a simple artifact. It's a key. A key to unlocking the secrets of the ancient magic."
I felt like I had been punched in the gut, my mind reeling with the implications. A key to unlocking the secrets of the ancient magic?
What did that even mean?
My mind was racing with questions, but before I could ask any of them, Lunaria continued.
"The ancient magic, Riven, it's not just a myth. It's real, and it's powerful. The crystal is the key to unlocking it, but it's not the only thing we need."
I leaned forward, my eyes locked onto hers. "What else do we need?"
Lunaria hesitated, her eyes darting around the room as if she feared being overheard.
"We need the ancient texts," she said finally. "The ones that hold the secrets of the ancient magic."
I felt a surge of excitement. The ancient texts? I had heard stories about them, but I never thought they actually existed.
"Where are they?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Lunaria's eyes locked onto mine. "I'm not entirely sure," she said. "But I have a map that might lead us to them."
I felt a sense of determination wash over me. We had to find those texts. We had to unlock the secrets of the ancient magic.
"Let's see the map," I said, my voice firm.
Lunaria nodded, pulling out a yellowed parchment from her cloak. She spread it out on the table, revealing a intricate map of the mountain.
I studied the map, my eyes scanning the symbols and markings. And then, I saw it. A small X marked in the corner of the map.
"What's this?" I asked, my finger tracing the X.
Lunaria's eyes sparkled with excitement. "That, Riven, is where we'll find the ancient texts."
I felt a surge of excitement as I gazed at the map, my mind racing with the possibilities. We were one step closer to unlocking the secrets of the ancient magic.
"Let's gather our gear and head out," I said, my voice firm and determined.
Lunaria nodded, a smile spreading across her face. "I'm ready when you are."
Thane and Zarek, who had been quietly observing our conversation, stepped forward.
"We're coming with you," Thane said, his eyes locked onto mine.
I nodded, a sense of gratitude washing over
me. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
*************************************************
Together, the four of us set out on our quest, following the winding paths and ancient symbols etched into the mountain. The air grew thick with anticipation as we journeyed deeper into the unknown.
As we walked, Lunaria told me more about the ancient texts. "They're said to hold the secrets of the ancient magic," she said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "With them, we can unlock the true potential of the crystal."
I listened intently, my mind racing with the possibilities. We were on the cusp of something incredible.
But as the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the mountain, I couldn't shake off the feeling that we were being watched. The air seemed to vibrate with an otherworldly energy, and I sensed that we were getting close to something.
Suddenly, Zarek stopped in his tracks, his ears perked up. "Do you hear that?" he whispered.
I listened, my senses on high alert. And then, I heard it too. A low rumbling noise, like thunder in the distance.
But it wasn't thunder.