Chapter 3: A Glimpse of the Future

                                    

                                          
Chapter 3: A Glimpse of the Future
Vikram was taken aback by the old woman's sudden appearance. He had not expected to find anyone in the remote cottage, let alone someone who seemed to be waiting for him.
"Who are you?" he asked, his voice filled with caution.
The old woman smiled, her eyes twinkling with a mysterious light. "I am Anya, keeper of the ancient knowledge. I have been watching over your kingdom for many years."
Vikram felt a shiver run down his spine. The woman's words were filled with a sense of power and wisdom that he had never encountered before.
"Why are you here?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly.
Anya nodded. "I have come to warn you of a great danger that threatens your queen. She has been taken to a distant land, a place beyond your imagination. A place of towering structures and strange machines."
Vikram's heart pounded in his chest. The woman's words echoed the rumors he had heard about Queen Vrinda's disappearance. But the idea that she could have been taken to a land of "towering structures and strange machines" was almost too much to comprehend.
"How can I find her?" he asked, his voice filled with desperation.
Anya smiled sadly. "It will not be easy. The land she has been taken to is a place of great power and mystery. But I can give you a clue. Look for a symbol, a mark that will lead you to her."
With that, Anya handed Vikram a small, intricately carved wooden pendant. As he held it in his hand, he felt a strange warmth spreading through his body.
"This pendant will guide you," Anya said. "But be warned, the journey ahead will be perilous. You will face many challenges, and you may encounter forces beyond your understanding."
Vikram nodded, his resolve hardening. He would do whatever it took to rescue his beloved queen. As he turned to leave, Anya spoke again.
"Remember, the future is not set in stone. With courage and determination, you can change the course of destiny."
With those words, Vikram bid farewell to the old woman and set out on his perilous journey. He knew that the road ahead would be long and arduous, but he was determined to bring Vrinda home, no matter the cost.