I am the Holy Poisoner, the Empress advised me to calm down

The mysterious woman nodded. "Yes, according to my investigation, you are the last person who has the hope of activating this power. We must find a way to activate it as soon as possible."

At that moment, hurried footsteps were heard outside the cave entrance. Everyone was immediately alert, and several soldiers drew their weapons, ready to deal with the possible threat. Gavin ran in, sweating profusely, panting and saying, "Hurry, the enemy's pursuers are coming! There are a lot of them!"

Aiden immediately ordered, "All villagers, quickly move deeper into the cave. Gavin, come with me to hold off the enemy. We must buy time for everyone to evacuate."

The villagers rose and quickly ran deeper into the cave. Thrall led a few warriors to cover their retreat, ensuring everyone's safe evacuation. Meanwhile, Aiden and Gavin emerged from the cave, ready to confront the enemy.

The sky gradually grew darker, and in the distance a group of men in black quickly approached, led by a tall man shrouded in a black cloak. He was the dark apostle who had appeared before.

Gavin gripped the sledgehammer tightly and roared, "No matter how many of you there are, you won't get through easily today!" Aiden stood calmly beside him, the sword in his hand emitting a silver-white light.

The Dark Apostle sneered, "You ignorant boy, do you think you two can stop us? Prepare to die!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the enemy's offensive erupted. Gavin charged into the enemy group, wielding his hammer, his enemies scattered with each blow. Aiden darted across the battlefield like a gust of wind, his longsword leaving a trail of blood wherever it passed.

As the two fought hard, something unusual happened inside the cave. Leah noticed something was wrong and quickly asked the villagers, "Is everyone okay? Is there anything wrong?"

A little girl trembled and said, "There...there's a strange thing glowing!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a faint golden light flickering beneath an inconspicuous rock deep in the cave. Thrall cautiously approached and observed carefully: "This... could this be the legendary mysterious treasure?"

The mysterious woman rushed over upon hearing the news. Seeing the light, she exclaimed in surprise, "This is the key to unlocking the ancient power!" She turned to Aiden and shouted, "Aiden, come and help us. This is our chance!"

While fighting with the Dark Apostle, Aiden responded, "I understand! Try to buy some time, I'll be there soon!" However, the situation was critical at the moment, and the enemy's strength was far beyond imagination. Even with Gavin's help, it was very difficult.

Just as the battle was at its most intense, a deafening roar suddenly rang out from the distance. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked up into the sky—several gigantic dragons were swooping down towards the battlefield.

On the back of one of the dragons stood a beautiful woman in silver armor, holding a staff gleaming with blue light. "That's...that's Lila, the Lightbringer!" a passerby exclaimed.

Lila waved her staff, and countless rays of light fell on the ground, forming a solid protective circle that firmly protected the villagers. Then, several well-trained elven warriors jumped off the dragon's back and joined the battle, helping Aiden and the others suppress the situation.

Aiden seized the opportunity to break free and ran deeper into the cave. He reached a faint glow, took a deep breath, and then, without hesitation, touched the light. At that moment, the whole world seemed to quiet down...

The light suddenly grew stronger, and Aiden's entire body was enveloped in golden light. When the light faded again, he opened his eyes and found that he had changed: his eyes had become clearer, and a warm and powerful energy flowed through his body.

"Success!" the mysterious woman said excitedly, "You have obtained this ancient power!"

By this time, the situation outside was becoming clearer, with most of the enemies being repelled or captured. Seeing the arrival of reinforcements, the Dark Apostle knew he couldn't continue the fight and could only retreat in frustration, leaving behind a single thought: "Next time, I won't be so lucky."

Aiden's appearance as he emerged from the cave completely transformed shocked everyone present. "This is what a true hero looks like," someone in the crowd whispered, and a chorus of applause echoed around him.

Just as everyone was celebrating, the sound of hurried footsteps suddenly echoed in the distance. This time, it wasn't the enemy's voices, but rather familiar faces: the warriors who had scattered along the way searching for clues returned, led by the old village chief and his son. "Captain, we've uncovered some important information deep in the forest about the Shadow Lord's true intentions."

Aiden's expression brightened, and he immediately went forward: "Tell me the details quickly, this is crucial to our plan."

As they were discussing their next move, the mysterious woman looked up at the distant starry sky thoughtfully, muttering, "The real test has probably just begun..."

At the end of the conversation, the air was thick with the promise of a new chapter, leaving the subsequent plot with endless suspense. Amidst everyone's astonishment, Aiden emerged from the cave, his demeanor seemingly transformed. His eyes shone with a deep, resolute light that seemed to shake the very air.

"This is..." A young villager widened his eyes and exclaimed, "This is what a true hero should look like!"

Another older woman nodded in agreement. "He not only possesses courage, but more importantly, he possesses the power of protection. This is a great comfort to us."

Aiden looked around and nodded slightly: "This is not the end, but a new beginning. We now have more power to fight against the Lord of Shadow, but I still need your help and support."

A brave young man responded loudly, "Don't worry, Captain! Although we ordinary villagers cannot go to the battlefield to kill the enemy, we will do our best to support you." Other villagers echoed and said that they would stand on Aiden's side and support him to the end no matter what.

Just then, several warriors, freshly returned from the forest, caught everyone's attention. After hearing the important information they brought, everyone gathered around, eager to learn more. "Excuse me, what information are you talking about? Could you please tell me more about it?" a curious little girl asked the old village chief's son.

"We discovered several deeply hidden dungeon entrances that may contain secret documents about the Lord of Shadows," the young warrior explained earnestly. "We also encountered several captured villagers who were being held captive there. Most importantly, we also found some written records about that mysterious ancient power."