After successfully escaping from the hidden temple, Lucas, Finn, Evelyn, and Kael hurried back to Eldoria with the Celestial Crystal and the captured cult leader. The moving roots of the Celestial Tree had stopped chasing them, but the group remained vigilant. The road to the city was quite deserted that morning, with only a few merchants starting their journey."I hope we can reach Eldoria soon. The sooner we get away from that cursed place, the better," said Finn, glancing back occasionally to make sure no one was chasing them."We don't know how many cult spies are roaming the city. Once we arrive in Eldoria, we have to be careful," replied Kael, keeping a watchful eye on his surroundings."We can hide at the inn and find a way to activate this crystal safely," added Evelyn. "We might need help from a wizard."Lucas just nodded in agreement, thinking deeply. In his mind, he opened the System Window and checked his quest status.System Window - Quest Progress.| Quest: Unravel the Secrets of the Celestial Crystal || Status: Active || Goal: Find someone in Eldoria who can help activate this crystal. |Lucas thought about some of the wizards and merchants he had met in Eldoria before, who might be able to provide clues about this mysterious crystal. But he knew he had to be careful about choosing who to trust."I think we should start at the magic market. There are many merchants there who deal with strange items," said Lucas, hiding the fact that he already had a clue from his system."Good suggestion. We can also look for independent wizards who aren't involved with the cult," replied Kael.They arrived at the gates of Eldoria a few hours later. The city guards, who were used to seeing groups of adventurers, didn't pay much attention to them. After entering the city, they immediately headed to The Silver Chalice Inn to rest and plan their next move."Finn and I will go to the magic market and look for merchants or wizards who might know about this crystal," said Lucas as they sat in their inn room."Alright. Evelyn and I will stay here and keep an eye on the cult leader. He might try something stupid," replied Kael, looking at the bound cult leader.Evelyn nodded. "We'll also find out more about the Night of the Fall from these scrolls. Maybe there are other clues we missed."Lucas and Finn left the inn and walked towards the magic market, an area in Eldoria known as a place to buy and sell magical items and potions from all over the world. The market streets were full of merchants selling strange items, such as glowing skulls, talking flowers, and self-whispering books."Look at that, a flower that can yell at people! I've always wanted one," said Finn, pointing at a small plant that was shouting at customers, "Hey! Don't touch me if you don't intend to buy!"Lucas chuckled. "You always have a weird taste, Finn. But let's focus on our goal."They walked through the market, their eyes searching for signs of a merchant or wizard who could recognize the Celestial Crystal. They stopped in front of a tent that seemed quieter than the others. An old woman with long silver hair sat behind a table filled with colorful crystals and magical artifacts."Welcome to the tent of The Whispering Shadows. Are you looking for something specific, or are you just interested in beautiful objects?" asked the old woman with a slight smile."We're looking for information about a crystal like this," said Lucas, taking the Celestial Crystal out of his bag and showing it to her carefully.The old woman raised her eyebrows and examined the crystal closely. "Hmm, interesting. This is no ordinary crystal. You know that, don't you?" she said, looking at Lucas and Finn alternately."We suspect so. Can you tell us more about this crystal?" asked Lucas, trying not to show too much interest."This crystal comes from the roots of the Celestial Tree that lies beneath Eldoria. It is one of the most powerful objects, but also very unstable. Activating it can trigger unpredictable reactions," replied the old woman, stroking her chin. "Many have tried to harness its power, but not many have succeeded... or survived."Finn leaned on the table, interested. "So, there's a way to activate it?""Yes, but you need to use special spells and specific magical ingredients to stabilize the energy of this crystal. Without it, you'll just blow up half the city," the woman replied casually.Lucas thought for a moment. "And where can we get those ingredients?"The old woman smiled wider. "Those ingredients are rare. But I have some... for a price, of course.""Of course," Finn snorted. "It's always about the price."Lucas weighed his options in his mind. He could use his Gacha Points, or maybe there was another way to get these ingredients. In his mind, he checked the System Window again.System Window - Points and Inventory| Gacha Points: 200 | | Celestial Shield (Tier A) | | Mana Crystal (Tier A) | | Smoke Bomb (Tier C) || Barrier Stone (Tier A) || Healing Potion (Tier C) x2 || [Use Gacha Points] [Use Item]|He decided to hold off for now. "We'll be back," said Lucas to the old woman. "Thank you for your information."The old woman nodded. "Be careful, young ones. That crystal is no toy."Lucas and Finn left the tent and walked back to the inn. On their way, Lucas felt something strange in the air. "Finn, we're being watched," he whispered, looking back and briefly seeing two figures in black robes following them."Cult?" asked Finn, a little tense."Probably. We have to be ready," replied Lucas, reaching for his weapon.As they turned into a quieter alley, the robed followers started to approach them. Lucas and Finn turned around, ready to face them."So, we're doing this the hard way," said Finn with a wide grin.The battle began. The followers attacked with surprising speed, using swords and dark magic. Lucas and Finn had to use all their skills to survive, combining quick attacks and clever defenses to overcome their opponents."Come on, give me your best!" shouted Finn as he dodged an attack and threw a knife straight into the shoulder of one of the enemies.Lucas used his shield to block attacks and retaliated with powerful sword strikes, knocking one of them down. However, two more appeared from the shadows, increasing their number of opponents."This isn't going to be easy!" said Lucas as he prepared for a more intense battle.