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Tanaka placed a hand on Elijah's shoulder, his eyes glinting with determination.

"Do not underestimate yourself, Elijah," Tanaka said, his voice firm. "You may have been a blacksmith, but you have already proven yourself to be a skilled warrior and a courageous ally. The gods have led you to us, and it is clear that they have chosen you for a great purpose."

Elijah closed his eyes, the weight of his destiny pressing down on him. But then, he remembered the stories the stranger had told him, of the wonders of the world beyond the mountains, of the courage and strength that lay hidden within him.

"If it is my destiny," Elijah said, his voice steady and sure, "then I will not shirk from it." He opened his eyes, his gaze meeting Tanaka's. "I will fight against the darkness. For Alaric. For the resistance. For our kingdom."

Tanaka's smile was broad and genuine, a warrior's smile. "Then we will fight together, my friend. And we will not stop until the kingdom is free of Xirax's taint and the queen is restored to her former self." With Elijah now a part of the resistance, the planning began in earnest. Tanaka and the other resistance members shared their knowledge of the queen's palace and the magic that Xirax used to corrupt her. They discussed various strategies for infiltrating the palace and freeing the queen from Xirax's grasp.

But as they planned, a chill ran down Elijah's spine. He remembered the prophecy the stranger had spoken, about the darkness spreading from the kingdom to engulf the world.

"Is there a way to banish Xirax entirely from our world?" Elijah asked, his brow furrowed. Tanaka nodded, his expression grave. "There is a way, but it is not without great risk. Xirax was banished to the underworld long ago, and the spell that kept him there can be broken only by the power of the five elemental gems. These gems were once guarded by the queen, but when Xirax corrupted her, they were hidden away in secret locations throughout the kingdom."

Elijah's eyes widened. "Then we must find the gems," he said, his voice urgent. "If Xirax is not banished from our world, our victory will only be temporary." Tanaka's face was set with determination. "Indeed, that is what we must do. But finding the gems will be no easy task. Each is guarded by a powerful guardian, and their locations are shrouded in mystery. But we must try, for the fate of the kingdom hangs in the balance."

With that, the resistance members divided themselves into groups, each tasked with finding one of the five elemental gems. Elijah was assigned to seek out the Fire Gem, which was rumored to be hidden in a volcano in the heart of the kingdom. Armed with his sword and his determination, Elijah set out on his quest for the Fire Gem, leaving the resistance's secret base behind. The journey to the volcano was long and treacherous, with bandits and wild beasts lurking around every corner. But Elijah pressed on, his mind focused on the task at hand.

At last, he reached the base of the volcano, its mouth spitting fire and ash into the air. Elijah took a deep breath, steeling himself for the challenge ahead. Then, he began to climb. With each step, the heat grew more intense, the air thick with the acrid smell of sulfur. Elijah's clothes were soaked with sweat, his muscles quivering with exertion. But he kept climbing, his eyes fixed on the peak of the volcano.

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