Welcome to Ardenia

After several days of a challenging and humorous journey, Lucas, Finn, and Evelyn finally arrived at the gates of the city of Ardenia. The city was much larger than the villages they had passed through before, with tall stone walls surrounding it and guard towers watching over it. The city's bustle could be felt even from outside the gate; people were coming and going, merchants were shouting their wares, and the sound of bells could be heard from afar."Alright, we're finally here," said Lucas, breathing a sigh of relief. "Now, let's focus on finding information about the missing villagers and the dark forces lurking around."Finn, who was always ready for a little fun, rubbed his hands together excitedly. "And don't forget, we can look for good food and maybe a little entertainment. You know, to unwind after this long journey."Evelyn glanced at Finn sharply. "Focus, Finn. We have a more important task. But... a little good food might not hurt."They stepped through the city gate, greeted by the bustle of Ardenia's city market. The market was full of colorful stalls selling all sorts of goods, from food and clothing to weapons and magical items. Finn, as usual, was immediately drawn to a stall with brightly colored, strange-looking food.Lucas, who didn't want to be distracted from their goal, immediately asked one of the gate guards for information about the missing villagers. "Have there been any reports of missing people or strange problems around the city lately?" he asked.The guard, an elderly man with a gray beard, nodded. "There have indeed been several reports of missing people. Some of them were merchants who were supposed to arrive from nearby villages. If you're looking for more information, I suggest you go to City Hall. The mayor might know more.""Thank you," replied Lucas. He turned to Finn and Evelyn. "Alright, we know where to go."At Ardenia City Hall, the atmosphere was calmer and more organized. The three of them approached the reception desk, which was manned by a young woman with large glasses and a tired expression. "Can I help you?" she asked, peeking up from the documents on her desk."We want to speak to the mayor about the missing people," Evelyn said firmly. "We have information from Veiron village."The woman looked at them suspiciously, but after seeing the adventurer's emblem on their clothes, she nodded. "Please wait a moment. I'll call him."A few minutes later, a middle-aged man with gray hair and an official robe appeared. "Welcome to Ardenia. I'm Eldric, the mayor of this city. I hear you have information about the missing people?"Lucas explained the situation, about the missing villagers and the dark forces they encountered in the forest. Eldric listened carefully, his face becoming more serious as they told their story."This is worse than I thought," said Eldric after hearing it all. "There are rumors of a mysterious group of people seen outside the city for the past few nights. They say something about dark rituals. I'm afraid there might be a cult operating around here."Finn raised an eyebrow. "A cult? Of course, there's always a cult causing trouble."Evelyn nodded. "We have to investigate this further. Where can we find clues about their activities?"Eldric thought for a moment. "There's an old warehouse at the end of town that's been abandoned for a long time. Some witnesses saw strange lights coming from inside there at night. Maybe that's a good place to start."Lucas, Finn, and Evelyn exchanged glances. "Sounds like that's our next destination," said Lucas.That night, they headed towards the old warehouse at the end of town. The streets were getting quieter, and the night air felt cold and tense. Finn, who was usually full of jokes, looked more serious. "Okay, we have to be careful. If this is really the cult's hideout, we don't know what we'll face."As they approached, they saw that the old warehouse looked damaged and almost falling apart. However, there was a faint light visible through the cracks in the wooden door. Lucas gestured to move slowly and cautiously.They opened the door softly and slipped inside. Inside, there was a group of people in black robes surrounding a strange purple circle of light on the floor. They were chanting incantations in low, monotonous voices. Lucas looked around, trying to find a way to approach them without being detected.Evelyn glanced at Lucas and whispered, "We have to stop them before this ritual is finished. Do you think we can attack them now?"Lucas nodded. "Finn, you get behind them. Evelyn, get your spells ready. We'll attack on the count of three."They got ready, but just before they could start, Finn, who had just stepped back to take his position, slipped again on a wooden barrel. He fell hard, making a loud noise that made everyone inside the warehouse turn towards them."Seriously, Finn?" Lucas whispered in despair.The cult members saw them and began to attack. "Oh come on, this has got to be bad luck," Finn said, jumping to his feet and drawing his knife. "Let's go, guys! It's party time!"Lucas, Evelyn, and Finn launched a quick attack, trying to defeat the cult members before they could complete their dark ritual.