Lyra's laugh died on her lips, swallowed by the whispering forest. Her first instinct was to run.
Her second instinct was to trip over absolutely nothing.
She managed to hold back both instincts, which she counted as a small personal victory. Instead, she stood frozen in the moonlit clearing, staring at the stranger who had just told her, almost casually, that she might have changed the fate of an entire world.
The swordsman tilted his head, studying her expression with open curiosity.
"You're quieter than most sky-fallers," he said. "Usually they scream. Or cry. Or ask if they're dead."
Lyra cleared her throat. "I'm… pacing myself."
He let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "So… are you going to faint, attack me, or ask where you are?"
Lyra tilted her head. "Can I do all three? Just not in that order?"
This time, a grin spread across his face, crooked, mischievous, and dangerous.
"I like you already," he said. "Name's Kael Rowan."
He gave a short bow that looked half-practiced, half-mocking.
"Lyra Fenwick," she replied automatically, then winced. "Wait..should I be giving my full name to armed strangers in unknown forests?"
Kael tapped his chin. "Depends. Are you secretly royalty? Because that complicates things."
"No."
"Assassin?"
"I faint when I see too much blood."
"Ah. Wizard, then."
She gestured helplessly to the glowing map hovering behind her, its symbols shifting like living things. "Accidental one."
Kael followed her gaze. His expression shifted, not dramatically, but enough for Lyra to notice. The humor dimmed, and caution slipped in.
"That," he said slowly, "is not an ordinary artifact."
"I gathered," Lyra muttered.
"That map hasn't been seen in centuries," Kael added, his tone serious.
Lyra's stomach dropped. "That's… bad, isn't it."
Kael shrugged. "Bad for someone. Great for history books."
Before she could ask him to clarify, the ground beneath them trembled.
Not violently, just enough to send fireflies scattering and make the trees whisper uneasily.
Kael's hand went to his sword in one smooth motion.
"Behind me," he said.
Lyra did not argue. She moved, clutching her satchel, as a low growl echoed from the open space between the silver-barked trees.
From the shadows emerged a creature that looked like a wolf as if wolves had been designed by someone who hated them. Its body shimmered like smoke trapped under skin, eyes glowing an eerie blue.
Lyra swallowed. "That's… not friendly."
"Shadowbeast," Kael said, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "Drawn to unstable magic."
She glanced at the map hovering behind her. "So… my fault."
"Most likely."
The Shadowbeast surged forward, a swirl of shadow and smoke, it's eyes locked on Kael.
Kael reacted instantly, steel flashing as he met the attack head-on. His sword sang through the air, slicing where the Shadowbeast's form had been, but the creature reformed as quickly as he struck.
"Lyra!" Kael shouted. "Can you use magic?"
Lyra froze, heart racing. "Use it… how?"
The Shadowbeast struck again, swiping with claws that left streaks of shadow in the moonlight. Kael rolled across the grass, narrowly avoiding the attack.
"Can you make it explode? Blast it? Do something!" he yelled.
"Yes!" she shouted back.
Kael barked, "Then do it now!"
Lyra stared at the map. It pulsed in response, warmth flooding her hands. Symbols rearranged themselves, glowing brighter.
"I don't… I don't know how!" she admitted.
"Then stop thinking!" Kael barked. "Let the magic flow!"
That was not helpful.
Lyra squeezed her eyes shut and thought of the Academy—of diagrams and rules and careful spellwork. None of it applied. This magic felt different. Wilder. Like it wanted her to stop thinking.
So she did.
She imagined the beast dissolving into harmless smoke.
The map flared.
A wave of golden light burst outward, slamming into the Shadowbeast. It let out a startled yelp before scattering into glowing wisps that vanished into the air.
The forest fell silent, only the faint glow of the map lighting the shadows.
Lyra opened one eye. Then the other.
"…Did I do that?" she whispered.
Kael looked at the empty space where the creature had stood, then at her.
"Well," he said slowly, sheathing his sword, "you definitely used magic. That counts."
Exhaustion hit her all at once, and she sank to her knees.
Kael caught her before she hit the ground, steadying her with surprising gentleness.
"Easy," he said. "Using world-breaking magic takes energy."
She laughed weakly. "You're enjoying this far too much."
"Somebody's gotta enjoy it," he said with a smirk.
Once she regained her balance, Kael stepped back, giving her space. His tone softened.
"You shouldn't be here," he said. "The Uncharted Wilds aren't safe, especially now."
"Because of the map?" Lyra asked.
"Yes." His eyes held hers. "And because people will come looking for it."
Lyra hugged her satchel tighter. "People like… villains?"
Kael winced. "People like kings."
That sounded worse.
They began walking along a narrow path winding through the trees. The forest glowed faintly around them, as if it were listening.
"Where are we going?" Lyra asked.
"Somewhere with walls," Kael replied. "And food. And fewer things that try to eat newcomers."
"Do you do this often?" she asked.
"Escort accidental world-changers?" He smirked. "First time."
They reached the edge of the forest just as dawn began to bleed into the sky. Beyond it lay a valley dotted with stone buildings and banners snapping in the wind.
"What is that place?" Lyra asked.
Kael stopped beside her. "That is Aerendell, a city that pretends destiny does not exist."
Lyra smiled faintly. "Sounds like my kind of place."
He glanced at her, surprised. Then amused.
"Careful," he said. "People who talk like that usually end up challenging fate."
She looked down at the map, now quiet and unreadable.
"Yeah," Lyra said softly. "That seems to be a theme."
Together, they stepped toward the city, unaware that far beyond the valley, something ancient had awakened, and the map had finally found its bearer.
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