Eryndor's eyes narrowed as he tried to understand what Aria meant. "What do you mean by 'the price'?" he asked, his voice firm.

  Aria's eyes seemed to cloud over, and she looked away. "The ancient magic comes with a terrible cost, Eryndor," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Each time you use it, you will lose a piece of yourself. A piece of your soul."

  Eryndor felt a chill run down his spine as he processed Aria's words. He had never heard of a magic that came with such a terrible cost.

  "But why would anyone use such a magic?" Eryndor asked, his voice filled with confusion.

  Aria's eyes seemed to flash with a fierce inner light. "Because the ancient magic holds the key to unlocking the secrets of the universe," she said, her voice filled with passion. "It holds the power to change the course of history."

  Eryndor felt his mind reeling as he tried to comprehend the enormity of what Aria was telling him. He knew that he had to make a choice. A choice that would determine the course of his life forever.

  As he stood there, weighing his options, Eryndor couldn't help but think about his past. About the life he had left behind in the village. He thought about his parents, and his friends. He thought about the simple, carefree life he had once known.

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  But he also thought about the strange, unexplainable things that had been happening to him. The vivid dreams, the strange sensations, the feeling of being pulled towards something greater.

  Eryndor knew that he couldn't ignore these feelings. He knew that he had to explore them, to understand them. And if that meant using the ancient magic, then so be it.

  "I'll do it," Eryndor said finally, his voice firm. "I'll use the ancient magic."

  Aria's eyes seemed to gleam with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. "Are you sure, Eryndor?" she asked. "Once you start down this path, there's no turning back."

  Eryndor nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. "I'm sure," he said. "Let's do it."

  Aria nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "Very well," she said. "Let us begin."

  And with that, Aria led Eryndor to a large, circular platform in the center of the room. The platform was adorned with intricate symbols and markings, and it seemed to pulse with a strange, otherworldly energy.

  "This is the Circle of Power," Aria explained, her voice filled with reverence. "Here, we will unlock the secrets of the ancient magic."

  Eryndor felt a shiver run down his spine as he stepped onto the platform. He knew that he was taking a great risk, but he also knew that he had to do this.

  He was ready to unlock the secrets of the ancient magic.