I wandered on fantasy world

Night had settled over the forest, the moon casting pale beams through the dense canopy. Talyra and Kael made camp near a small creek, its bubbling flow the only sound to break the heavy silence. Kael sat on a fallen log, turning his dagger over in his hands, while Talyra knelt a few feet away, the Starfire Pendant resting in her open palm.

The artifact's glow was faint now, pulsing like a fading heartbeat. Talyra traced her fingers over its intricate carvings, her brow furrowed in thought. The pendant hummed softly, the vibrations faint but steady, like it was calling to her.

"It feels… alive," Kael said, breaking the silence. He leaned forward, eyeing the pendant warily.

Talyra nodded, her voice quiet. "Magic like this is ancient, older than any kingdom or creature we know. It carries pieces of those who've wielded it, memories of what it's done."

"Memories?" Kael asked, shivering. "What kind of memories?"

Talyra didn't answer immediately. Instead, she pressed her thumb against the pendant's gemstone. A sharp jolt of magic shot through her, making her breath hitch. The pendant's glow brightened suddenly, casting flickering shadows on the trees.

Kael jumped to his feet. "What's happening?"

Talyra ignored him, her focus locked on the artifact. The carvings on the pendant shifted, rearranging themselves as though alive. Symbols of fire and stars twisted into new patterns, and the gemstone's light expanded outward.

In an instant, a map appeared before them, etched in shimmering gold light.

Kael's mouth fell open. "Is that…?"

Talyra's eyes darted over the glowing image. The map depicted a vast ocean, its dark waters swirling unnaturally. At its center lay a cluster of islands shrouded in mist, their shapes indistinct but menacing. Around them, jagged runes marked the borders of the map, glowing faintly like warnings.

"The Lost Isles," Talyra murmured, her voice barely audible.

Kael frowned. "The Lost Isles? I've heard sailors' tales about them. They say no one who goes there ever comes back."

"And now we know why," Talyra said, studying the runes. "These markings… they're warnings, protection spells to keep the unworthy away. Whoever hid this map didn't want it found easily."

Kael hesitated, his fear plain on his face. "Why would the pendant lead us there? What's so important about the Lost Isles?"

Talyra's gaze didn't waver from the map. "The Isles are where magic began, where the Starfire itself was first forged. If there's any hope of understanding this artifact, it lies there."

---

Kael sat down heavily, running a hand through his hair. "So, let me get this straight. To figure out how to stop the shadows and use that thing properly, we have to go to a cursed place that no one's ever survived?"

Talyra gave him a wry look. "You could always stay here."

Kael glared at her. "Not funny."

Her expression softened slightly. "I won't lie to you, Kael. This journey won't be easy. The Isles are surrounded by more than just dangerous waters. The magic there is old and wild. It won't take kindly to intruders."

"So, how do we even get there?" Kael asked. "Do you know anyone crazy enough to sail us into the middle of that?"

Talyra's lips pressed into a thin line. "I might."

Kael raised an eyebrow. "Might?"

She didn't answer, instead waving her hand to dispel the map. The glowing image vanished, leaving only the faint pulse of the Starfire Pendant in her hand. Talyra tucked it back into her satchel, her movements careful.

"We leave at dawn," she said. "The sooner we reach the coast, the better."

---

The following morning, the forest felt heavier, as if aware of their plans. Kael walked in silence, his eyes darting nervously to every rustle and shadow. Talyra moved with purpose, her staff in one hand and her satchel clutched tightly in the other.

"Who's this person you think can help us?" Kael asked after a while, breaking the silence.

"A captain," Talyra replied curtly.

Kael's curiosity flared. "A captain? Like a pirate?"

"More or less," Talyra said, her tone giving nothing away.

Kael frowned. "And you trust them?"

"No," she said simply.

Kael opened his mouth to argue, but Talyra cut him off. "Trust isn't the issue, Kael. Desperation is. Whoever controls the waters around the Lost Isles won't let just anyone through. We need someone who knows the currents, the wards, and the dangers that lurk beneath the waves. Trust is a luxury we don't have."

Kael sighed, his unease growing. "You really think the answers are out there? On those Isles?"

Talyra stopped abruptly, turning to face him. Her gray eyes were steady, but there was a flicker of something deeper—hope, or perhaps fear.

"I don't know," she admitted. "But the pendant brought us this far. It's leading us to the Isles for a reason. If we don't follow, we'll never know the truth about what's happening—or how to stop it."

Kael held her gaze for a moment, then nodded.

---

By midday, the forest began to thin, the trees giving way to rolling hills. In the distance, Kael spotted the faint shimmer of water—the coast.

Talyra quickened her pace, her sharp eyes scanning the horizon. Kael struggled to keep up, his legs aching from the constant walking.

"Do you think the shadows will follow us?" he asked, panting.

"They always do," Talyra said grimly. "But the coast is different. The waters hold their own kind of magic. It might slow them down, if we're lucky."

"And if we're not?"

Talyra didn't answer, but the look she gave him said enough.

---

As they crested the final hill, the sight of the ocean stretched before them, vast and unending. Kael felt a knot tighten in his chest. Somewhere out there lay the Lost Isles, shrouded in mist and mystery.

Talyra stood beside him, her expression unreadable as she gazed at the waves.

"This is where things get dangerous," she said quietly. "If you want to turn back, now's the time."

Kael squared his shoulders, gripping the hilt of his dagger. "I'm not going anywhere."

Talyra gave a small nod, a hint of approval in her eyes. "Good. Then let's find ourselves a ship."

The wind carried the faint scent of salt and storm, a promise of challenges yet to come.

And as the pair descended toward the bustling harbor, neither noticed the shadow watching from the treeline, its form twisting unnaturally as it melted into the earth.

The hunt was far from over.