Wings of the Forgotten Realm

**Chapter 2: The Forgotten Pendant**

Elysia returned home that evening with her heart pounding and her mind racing. The dark woods behind her village seemed to close in on her as she walked, their branches twisting like gnarled fingers, but it wasn't the forest that haunted her. It was the voice—the words that had been spoken to her, lingering in the depths of her thoughts like a riddle she couldn't solve.

When she arrived at her aunt's cottage, the comforting sight of the warm fire in the hearth didn't ease her anxiety. Aunt Mira sat by the fire, her hands gently weaving a basket, her expression as calm as ever. But there was something in the way she glanced up at Elysia when she entered, something almost knowing.

"You've been gone for hours," Mira remarked quietly, her eyes narrowing as she studied Elysia's face. "What happened in the forest?"

Elysia hesitated. She hadn't told her aunt much about her strange experiences in the woods, and she wasn't sure she could explain it all now. Her aunt had always been cautious, speaking little of their past. Elysia had long wondered why her aunt kept such secrets, but tonight, it felt different. The forest had awakened something in her—something beyond the ordinary.

"I... heard a song," Elysia said finally, her voice trembling slightly. "It led me to a stone in the clearing. There was a voice, Aunt Mira. It said—"

Mira's face paled. She set the basket down and rose to her feet. "You heard it?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Elysia nodded, confused by her aunt's reaction. "What is it? What does it mean?"

Aunt Mira's gaze shifted to the mantle above the fireplace, where a small, familiar object rested. The same crescent moon pendant that had been around Elysia's neck since she was a baby. It gleamed faintly in the firelight, as if alive with a hidden power.

Mira crossed the room slowly and took the pendant from its place, holding it out to Elysia. "This... belongs to you," she said quietly, her hands trembling as she passed it to her niece. "And it has always been a reminder. Of who you are. Of what you are meant to become."

Elysia took the pendant with a shaking hand, her heart beating faster. "What do you mean? You've never told me anything about this… about why it was left with me."

Mira sighed, her shoulders slumping as though the weight of a long-buried truth was finally catching up to her. "I didn't want you to know. I thought if I kept you safe, kept you hidden, you might never have to face the destiny that was thrust upon you. But now… now I see that you can't run from it anymore."

Elysia's confusion deepened, but before she could ask further, Mira continued, her voice soft yet firm. "That song you heard in the forest? It was meant for you. It's a call from the Forgotten Realm, the place where magic still thrives, hidden from the world for centuries. You are the last living heir to Vaeloria's throne, the land of dragons and winged creatures."

Elysia recoiled as if struck. "Vaeloria? But that's just a legend! The kingdom fell centuries ago!"

Mira nodded solemnly. "Yes, the kingdom fell to darkness. But the bloodline of the royals was not fully wiped out. You are the last descendant. The pendant you wear is the symbol of the royal family. It was given to you when you were born, in the hope that one day, you would awaken to your true heritage."

Elysia's mind raced. She felt the weight of the pendant in her palm, its cool surface now burning against her skin, as if it was alive with energy. She looked up at her aunt, the pieces of the puzzle beginning to fall into place. "So the voice, the song, it's all connected to Vaeloria?"

"Yes," Mira said, her voice tight with emotion. "And you are the key to unlocking its power. The Forgotten Realm has been sealed off for years, but now the time has come for it to rise again. There are those who seek to control it, to bring back the chaos that once destroyed the kingdom. You must be careful, Elysia. There are enemies who would stop at nothing to keep the realms from being restored."

Elysia felt a cold shiver run down her spine as the weight of her aunt's words settled over her. "But how do I even begin to understand all of this? I've never been trained in magic. I don't know anything about Vaeloria."

"You will learn," Mira said firmly. "But you must begin your journey soon. The longer you wait, the more danger you will be in. The Forgotten Realm is calling for you, Elysia. And you can't ignore its summons."

With that, Mira reached into the drawer of an old wooden chest and pulled out a worn map. "This will guide you. It's a map to the hidden gates of Vaeloria, the place where you must go to awaken the powers within you. But you cannot go alone. You will need allies. There is one who can help you. A creature from the old days—a phoenix. It is bound to you, just as you are bound to the realm."

Elysia stared at the map, her heart pounding in her chest. She could hardly comprehend what she was hearing, but deep down, she knew it was the truth. There was no turning back.

The song, the voice, the pendant—it was all leading her toward something far greater than she could have ever imagined. And though fear gripped her, there was also a fire stirring within her—a hunger for the unknown.

She had no choice but to follow where it led.

With a final glance at the map, Elysia knew her journey was about to begin. The forgotten realm was waiting for her.