The next morning Aries and Thrain stood outside the tower, their horses,mala and shadow, saddled and ready. Lyrien approached them holding a white crystal ball. He handed it over to Aries,his eyes serious.
"Aries take this,a gift from a master to his apprentice, you earned it. This crystal ball will guide you on your journey, revealing hidden dangers and secrets. But remember it power is limited and you must use your own wisdom and courage to overcome the challenges ahead".
Aries took the crystal ball, feeling its smooth surface and sensing the energy within.
"Thank you so much Lyrien". She said tucking the ball into her pouch.
Thrain mounted Shadow,his black elegant horse and Aries mounted Mala,her beautiful most gracious white horse. They looked at Lyrien who raised his hand in farewell.
"May the road rise up to meet you,may the wind be at your back. And may the sun shine warm upon your faces".
With that Aries and Thrain spurred their horses and they set off into the unknown,the crystal ball's gentle glow guiding them towards the mystical forest and the library of the ancients.
After riding for so long, they came upon a water brook. As they followed the brook, the gentle gurgling of the water and soft rustling of the surrounding foliage created a soothing melody. The horses, paused to drink from the crystal clear water, Aries and Thrain dismounted, stretching their legs and refreshing themselves with a cool drink. As they rested, Aries noticed something peculiar. The brook seemed to be flowing from a small intricately carved stone door, partially hidden by the underbrush. The door was adorned with ancient runes, pulsing with a soft blue light.
Thrain followed her gaze and nodded thoughtfully.
"This could be a sigh of the library's Presence, let's investigate".
Aries approached the door,her heart racing with excitement. She reached out to touch the runes and as she did, the door creaked open, revealing a narrow passageway.
The air within was stale, but the walls glowed with soft light, illuminating the path ahead. Aries and Thrain exchanged a look, their eyes shining with both wonder and trepidation.
They went ahead to proceed through the passageway but Aries stopped abruptly recalling what Lyrien said. "The mystical forest can sometimes be alluring and deceitful". Lyrien's voice echoed in her head. Just then the crystal ball began to glow, Aries knew instantly that it was trying to warn them. Thrain was confused as to why they suddenly stopped.
"What is it Aries,do you sense something?"
"Yes Thrain, this could be a trap,I feel dark energies from these walls, look". She said pointing at the crystal ball."it's trying to warn us i think,let's head back at once!".
As they turned and ran out of the passageway, the stone door creaked shut behind them, and the brook's gentle flow ceased. The air grew heavier and the trees seemed to close in,their branches tangling above the passageway like skeletal fingers.
Aries shivered,her senses on high alert. " We need to move now!".
They mounted their horses, their eyes watchful and wary. They rode away from the ominous passageway, the mystical forest's silence feeling oppressive and menacing. After a tense, quiet ride,they came upon a clearing and in its center stood an ancient tree, Its branches twisted and knotted with age. Carved into the trunk was the symbol of the elements, earth,air,fire and water.
Aries dismounted, approaching the tree with reverance.
"This is the guardian tree,it will reveal the path to the library of the ancients, but only if we prove worthy".
She touched the tree gently, feeling the Pure energy emanating from it, she knew at once that they had come to the right place.
Thrain's ears were on guard and his eyes searching the surrounding area.
"Aries it's getting dark,we can't stay here for much longer, where's the entrance?" . He asked taking a stroll round the giant tree.
"Patience Thrain, patience". Aries closed her eyes, focusing on the energy emanating from the tree. She reached out with her mind, seeking for guardiance. Suddenly a soft whispery voice spoke to her.
"The entrance lies where the shadows dance and the wind whispers secrets".
Aries opened her eyes, looking around the clearing, she noticed that the setting sun cast long shadows across the ground, and a particular shadow seemed to be moving,as if dancing. She followed the shadow to a very large rock, where the wind was whispering an eerie melody.
Thrain joined her,his sword at the ready.
"What have you found Aries?". He asked looking around .
Aries pointed at the rock. "The entrance is right here. But we must be quick, the forest is growing darker by the minute".
As they drew nearer to the rock,it began to glow. The wind's whispers grew louder and the shadowy dance became more frenzied. Suddenly, the rock slid open revealing a hidden passageway into the earth.
"Let's move Thrain!". Aries exclaimed leading the way into the unknown depths. Thrain was a bit skeptical but gave in eventually.
The darkness inside that engulfed the passageway was so thick that they both felt it with their fingers.
"Aries, where are you?". Thrain asked, his voice shaking slightly. Aries grabbed his hand. "Am here,am right here with you". She muttered some words of magic and suddenly the whole place lit up, revealing different symbols and texts on the wall, written in the old tongue.
Aries and Thrain marvelled at the forgotten knowledge and the mysterious symbols, their eyes scanning the passage with wonder.
Aries reached out, tracing a symbol with her finger.
"This symbol speaks of the balance between the elements and the universe". She turned to the other side.
"And this passage speaks of the library guardian,a powerful entity known as the keeper of knowledge,we must face it to gain access to the library ". She added looking intently at Thrain, who's eyes were widen with surprise.
The air grew colder and a low hum filled the passageway. Aries and Thrain exchanged a knowing glance. The keeper of knowledge was near.
A voice echoed through the passageway. "Who dares to disturb the balance of the ancient library?".
Aries stepped forward,her voice steady. "We've come in search of knowledge and wisdom,we mean no harm to the balance ".
The voice responded. "Then prove your worthiness by undergoing the trials of the elements,if you succeed, the library shall be yours to explore ".
The voice echoed once more. "The trial of elements shall test your understanding of the ancient balance, you must solve three trials, each representing earth,air and water. The trial shall be revealed to you in sequence, success in each trial will grant you access to the next. Failure will... have consequences".
Aries and Thrain nodded, their readiness evident. They knew the trials will be challenging but they were ready to face them head on.
The voice continued. " The first trial, the earth trial is the trial of resonance, you must find the resonant frequency of the earth and align your own energies with it. The trial begins now".
As the voice finished speaking, the passageway began to shake and the ground trembled beneath their feet. They looked around taking in their surroundings. The walls were now adorned with intricate patterns of crystals and the air was filled with a low hum.