Trails of magic

Chapter 21: The Plan

I sat in stunned silence, trying to process the stranger's words. The Dark Lord, a creature of darkness born from the ashes of a civilization that had been consumed by its own evil.

The little girl looked up at me, her eyes wide with fear. "What do we do now?" she asked.

I took a deep breath, trying to think clearly. We had to stop the Shadowborn and the Dark Lord, but how?

The stranger smiled, as if he could read my thoughts. "I have a plan," he said. "But it's going to require great courage and determination."

I nodded, my heart pounding with excitement. I was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

"Tell me," I said, my voice firm.

The stranger leaned in, his eyes glinting with excitement. "We need to gather three ancient artifacts," he said. "Artifacts that hold the key to defeating the Dark Lord."

I felt a surge of excitement. Three ancient artifacts? This was a quest unlike any other.

"What are the artifacts?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

The stranger smiled. "That's the best part," he said. "The artifacts are hidden in three ancient temples, each one guarded by a powerful magical creature."

I felt a shiver run down my spine. Magical creatures? Ancient temples?

But I was not afraid. I was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

"I'm ready," I said, my voice firm.

The stranger nodded, a smile spreading across his face. "Then let us begin," he said.