Tom took a deep breath and composed himself, feeling the attractive energy emanating from the stone. As he carefully placed the stone in his pocket, he began to formulate a plan in his mind. It would not be right to examine this stone here, in the middle of this dark cave.
It would be unwise to try to unlock the secret of the stone without fully understanding its power. So he decided to take the stone and examine it in a safe place, in a more careful and controlled environment.
As he turned and walked towards the entrance of the cave, he felt the energy of the stone still enveloping his body. Vague glimpses of the stone's origin flashed through him, but they were blurred and incomprehensible.
Tom pushed these feelings aside and continued to walk along the cold stone floor of the cave. He realized that this stone held a secret of its own, but he needed time and preparation to unravel it.
After carefully placing the stone in his pocket, Tom turned his eyes to Helbo in the cold and silent atmosphere of the cave. The old man lay slumped on the stone floor of the cave, looking pale.
Tom had entered Helbo's mind and learned his secrets and who he was. It was clear that his long life had given him a wealth of knowledge and ancient wisdom, but the old wizard no longer seemed a threat to Tom. Tom knew that Helbo could not survive alone in the forest.
He pondered Helbo's situation for a moment. Tom was only interested in unlocking the secret of the ancient stone, but he would need all the information he could get to fully understand it.
The knowledge hidden in Helbo's mind, filled with years of experience, could help him understand the stone. He felt that tapping into Helbo's knowledge would give him a strategic advantage before pursuing the stone and its mystery.
Tom gently took Helbo by the shoulder and guided him to help him. The old man opened his eyes for a moment and looked at Tom with a puzzled expression, not understanding why this young wizard was helping him.
Without speaking, with a calm expression on his face, Tom supported Helbo and helped him to his feet. He decided to take him with him, thinking it would be unnecessary and cruel to leave him alone in the forest.
A grateful smile appeared on Helbo's face as they stepped out of the cold air of the cave and into the cool forest outside. Tom noticed the old man's gratitude, but averted his eyes with an emotionless expression. Helbo's gratitude was worthless to him; the important thing was to profit from the old man's knowledge and experience in solving the mystery of the stone.
"You're okay, aren't you?" Tom asked with a cool, distant voice.
Helbo nodded slightly. "Yes," he said, his voice weak but determined. "I was wondering how a young man would go after such a stone. Now it will be... interesting to be on the same path as you."
Tom smiled when he heard these words, but did not react. He felt that there was some kind of challenge behind what Helbo was saying, but the old man was far from threatening at the moment. Once he had taken him home and let him rest, he could better assess their relationship.
Deep in the forest, they moved slowly towards the house, hiding the secret of the stone. Tom could still feel the energy of the stone in his pocket, this strange, indefinable feeling of closeness, a kind of calling the stone offered him. But he was determined not to take any steps with the stone until he had unlocked its secret, restored his staff, and tapped into Helbo's ancient knowledge.
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As Tom and Helbo moved through the silence of the forest, the presence of the stone echoed in Tom's mind like a constant vibration. Even though it was in his pocket, the stone radiated a warm and powerful energy, as if in direct contact, promising him both safety and an unknown power.
But Tom knew it would be a big mistake to unleash that power too quickly. He was not yet sure he could fully control it, and his cracked wand was not at full strength.
As they neared the end of the forest, it was only a matter of minutes before they reached home. The small but functional structure of the house was like a refuge and workspace for Tom. It was a place where he could safely examine the stone and slowly unravel Helbo's knowledge. He decided that he had to complete all the preparations to unlock the secret of the stone.
When they arrived at the house, Tom prepared a short resting place for Helbo. "You can rest here," he said in a calm voice, pointing to a small sofa in the corner of the house. Helbo's eyes shifted to Tom as he slowly sat down on the sofa.
He felt Helbo's gaze, but he was more interested in the lure of the stone and the mystery it held. He was sure that Helbo was safe and inactive for the moment.
He took the stone from his pocket, placed it on the table and examined it carefully. The pale white light emanating from the cracks created flickering reflections on the walls of the room.
The cracks on the stone's surface made him feel as if the energy inside was reaching its limits, creating tension as if it could explode at any moment. The fact that the stone was so powerful suggested that it was not just an object of magic. It held some deeper secret, perhaps some kind of consciousness.
But he knew he needed more information before he could understand what this stone was, or why it attracted him so much.
Tom took a deep breath and gathered his thoughts. It would be foolish to try to use the stone or unleash its power right away. He needed to repair his staff and prepare himself. He instinctively felt that the power the stone promised him held far greater secrets that had yet to be revealed, but he needed time and patience.
He began to formulate a plan in his head:
He knew how dangerous it could be to interfere with the stone's power with his cracked staff. Repairing his staff and, if possible, finding a stronger core would give him an advantage in controlling the stone's energy.
Despite his age, Helbo had a vast knowledge of ancient magic and objects. Although Tom did not ask Helbo directly about the stone, he thought he might get some clues about old spells or ancient rituals. Utilizing Helbo could help him in the process of unlocking the stone's secrets.
U He decided to study the stone every day, carefully and in a controlled manner. He would try to understand the energy emitted by the stone in a safe environment, exploring it step by step, carefully evaluating each new piece of information. The promise of this stone was great and complex; instead of being impatient, he had to unlock its secrets slowly and deliberately.
With these plans clear in his mind, Tom turned his gaze to Helbo for a moment. The old wizard was resting with his eyes closed, breathing deeply. The lines on Helbo's face bore the marks of years of accumulated knowledge and hard times. Tom knew that the old man was not a danger to him, but he hoped that his past experiences could help him solve the stone.
He looked at the stone on the table one last time and took a deep breath, feeling that the secret inside the stone would be revealed in due course. He would be patient to unravel the secrets of the stone, but he knew that he would have to pay attention to every detail in the process. A deep silence fell over the room as Tom gazed at the pale light emitted by the stone, preparing to solve the mystery in the days to come.
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