Trails of magic

Chapter 25: The Promise

The dragon's eyes narrowed as it regarded the stranger. For a moment, I thought it was going to attack us, but then its face relaxed into a nod.

"You are correct," it said. "The answer to the riddle is indeed a promise. Well done, stranger."

The stranger bowed his head in acknowledgement. "Thank you, noble dragon," he said. "We are grateful for your challenge."

The dragon nodded, its eyes gleaming with a fierce inner light. "I am glad you were able to answer correctly," it said. "Now, as promised, I will grant you passage to the artifact."

It stepped aside, revealing a hidden doorway behind it. The doorway was guarded by a pair of stone statues, their eyes glowing with an otherworldly energy.

"This is the entrance to the artifact chamber," the dragon said. "But be warned, the artifact is well-guarded. You will need all your wits and cunning to retrieve it."

The stranger nodded, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "We are ready," he said.

The dragon nodded, its eyes seeming to bore into our very souls. "Then go," it said. "But remember, the artifact is not to be trifled with. It holds great power, and great danger."

We nodded, our hearts pounding with excitement and fear. We knew that we were taking a great risk, but we also knew that we had to try.

We stepped forward, passing between the stone statues and into the artifact chamber. The room was small, with walls lined with ancient carvings. At the far end of the room, on a pedestal of black stone, lay the artifact.

It was a small, crystal orb, glowing with an inner light. It seemed to pulse with energy, and I could feel its power calling to me.

But as we approached the pedestal, we were confronted by a figure in a hooded cloak. It was impossible to see their face, but their eyes gleamed with a malevolent light.

"Welcome, strangers," they said in a voice that sent shivers down my spine. "I have been waiting for you. My name is Malakai, and I am the guardian of this artifact."

The stranger stepped forward, his eyes locked on Malakai. "We mean you no harm," he said. "We have come to retrieve the artifact."

Malakai laughed, the sound sending shivers down my spine. "You think you can just take it?" he said. "I don't think so. The artifact is mine, and I will not give it up without a fight."

The stranger's eyes narrowed. "We are not looking for a fight," he said. "But we will not be deterred. We must have the artifact."

Malakai sneered, his eyes gleaming with malevolence. "Then let us end this," he said, drawing a sword from beneath his cloak.

The stranger drew his own sword, and the two of them clashed in a flurry of steel and sparks. I watched in awe as they fought, their movements lightning-fast and deadly.

But as the fight wore on, I began to feel a strange sensation. It was as if the artifact was calling to me, drawing me closer.

I felt myself moving towards the pedestal, my hand reaching out to take the artifact. And as I did, I felt a surge of power flow through me.

I was no longer just a villager, I was a guardian of the ancient power. And with the artifact in my hand, I knew that I had the power to defeat Malakai and claim the artifact.

But as I turned to face Malakai, I saw that the stranger was in trouble. Malakai's sword was raised high, ready to strike the final blow.

I knew that I had to act fast. With the artifact's power coursing through me, I raised my hand and unleashed a blast of energy.

The blast struck Malakai with incredible force, sending him flying across the room. The stranger took advantage of the distraction to strike the final blow, defeating Malakai once and for all.

As the dust settled, the stranger turned to me, a look of gratitude on his face. "Thank you," he said. "I owe you one."

I smiled, feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment. "You don't owe me anything," I said. "We're in this together."

The stranger nodded, his eyes gleaming with respect. "I'm glad we're on the same side," he said.

Together, we approached the pedestal and retrieved the artifact. It glowed with an inner light, pulsing with energy.

We had done it. We had retrieved the first artifact.

But as we turned to leave, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched. I looked around, but saw nothing.

The stranger seemed to sense my unease. "What's wrong?" he asked