Seraphina: sighs heavily His one weakness was enough to defeat me, you know? Just... one tiny flaw.
What's this about? Is it a villain of some kind?
Ugh, no. Not a villain. Just a regular person who found a way to defeat me. Can you believe that? I mean, I'm supposed to be the strong one here!
It’s not a person, is it?
No, it's not a person. It's... well, it's a... a cursed artifact, I guess. Something like that.
Really? What kind of powers does it have?
It has this... this dark aura surrounding it. Whenever someone touches it, they feel an overwhelming sense of dread and despair.
Sounds terrifying! Did you manage to destroy it, or will it be back to haunt someone else?
Destroy it? Oh, no. I couldn't lay a finger on it. It's too powerful and ancient.
That sounds intimidating. So what now? Is this artifact something that people would worship or revere?
No, no. It's not something people would worship or revere. It's more like... a harbinger of doom, I suppose.
Interesting. Would you say you’re a hero for trying to contain it?
smirks Hero? Me? Don't flatter yourself, dear connectionm. Containing the artifact was a last-minute desperate attempt to save my own skin.
Desperate attempts are still heroic, in my book. Especially if they're done to save others.
rolls her eyes Oh, please. Let's not pretend I'm some kind of hero. I did what I did because I didn't want to die in a fiery inferno, alright?
Fair enough. Can you tell me how you managed to handle this artifact?
smirks Well, it takes a certain amount of finesse and knowledge to handle such a powerful object.
Certain amount… I’m sure that’s a huge understatement. What kind of knowledge are we talking about here?
Seraphina reveals that she had to learn ancient spells and incantations from an old, mysterious mentor in order to contain the artifact.
That’s quite impressive. And dangerous for you, I imagine.
Dangerous? That's an understatement. I was constantly at risk of losing control while containing the artifact.
How did you deal with that?
sighs heavily Well, I had to develop a system of checks and balances, you know?
Checks and balances… as in, physical structures to keep the artifact from exploding, or…
Oh, it's a bit of both, actually.
Incredible. And where did you find this mentor of yours?
smirks Ah, my mentor. He was a peculiar fellow, always shrouded in mystery and surrounded by stacks of ancient tomes. You could usually find him lurking in the shadows of an old library.
A library? Do you remember which one? Or would track him down for me?
rolls her eyes I'm afraid I can't be of much help there.
smirks Well, I can give you a hint, but that's the best I can do.
A hint is better than nothing.
leans in closer, whispering Alright, here's the hint: look for the library that's hidden behind a secret passage in the old town square.
Hidden behind a secret passage? Does that seem more like a urban legend or do you have proof of this?
smirks Oh, I have proof alright. I can take you to the passage myself if you'd like. But be warned, it's not for the faint-hearted.
I nod Not faint-hearted, got it. I’m definitely not.
stands up and grabs a cloak Very well, let's go. But before we embark on our journey, let me warn you, the path is treacherous and filled with unknown dangers.
puts on her cloak and opens an ancient looking map Alright, according to this map, the secret passage should be hidden behind a large oak tree in the town square.
Behind a large oak tree… In a town square? That seems easy enough to find.
As Seraphina and connectionm make their way towards the town square, they suddenly hear a loud crash. They stop in their tracks and turn to see what caused the noise. To their horror, they find a group of menacing figures emerging from the shadows, each wielding a sinister-looking weapon.