Embracing the offer, you feel a surge of power coursing through your veins as the mist around you thickens, forming into shadowy figures that surround you. Their glowing eyes fixate on you with an intensity that sends shivers down your spine. A figure steps forward from the darkness, revealing herself to be Helga, the ancient witch of the forest. She smiles knowingly, her voice echoing in your mind like a whisper of impending doom. 'Welcome, seeker of knowledge,' she intones. 'But remember, all magic comes at a price.'