The pass opened into a vast plateau, the ground dotted with strange, glowing stones that shimmered in hues of blue and green. The air here felt heavy, charged with an energy Kael couldn't explain.
Lira knelt beside one of the stones, running her fingers over its smooth surface. "This isn't natural," she murmured. "Look at the way they're arranged."
Kael glanced around and noticed the pattern—each stone seemed to align with another, forming a constellation-like grid. The compass in his hand vibrated faintly, the needle shifting slightly to the left.
"It's pointing that way," Kael said, stepping toward a cluster of stones that formed the shape of a starburst.
As he approached, the largest stone in the cluster began to glow brighter. Runes etched into its surface came alive, forming lines of light that connected to the other stones. The entire grid lit up, casting the plateau in a soft glow.
"What did you do?" Lira asked, standing and gripping her bow.
"I don't know," Kael admitted, stepping back as the glowing lines shifted. The light gathered in the center of the starburst, coalescing into a floating orb.
The orb pulsed, and a voice echoed in the air, deep and resonant. "Seeker of the Heart, your path begins here. The stars will guide you if you have the wisdom to read them."
Kael and Lira exchanged a glance, their unease palpable.
"What does it mean, 'read the stars'?" Kael asked aloud, but the orb didn't respond. Instead, it floated higher, casting a beam of light onto the stones below.
The light revealed an intricate map etched into the ground, showing mountains, forests, rivers, and symbols Kael didn't recognize.
"It's a map," Lira said, stepping closer to examine it.
Kael knelt beside her, tracing the glowing lines with his fingers. The map seemed to depict the region they were in, but it extended far beyond anything Kael had ever seen or heard of.
"Look here," Lira said, pointing to a symbol near the edge of the map—a circle surrounded by jagged lines. "This has to be important."
Kael nodded. The compass's needle pointed directly at the circle, its glow intensifying.
"This is where we need to go," he said.
Before Lira could respond, the orb pulsed again, its light dimming. "The way forward will test your resolve, seeker. Follow the stars, but beware the shadows—they will follow you."
With that, the orb dissolved, leaving the plateau in darkness. The glowing stones faded, and the map vanished as if it had never been there.
"Great," Lira muttered, slinging her bow over her shoulder. "Cryptic warnings and vanishing maps. Just what we needed."
Kael stood, his grip on the compass tightening. "It's a start," he said. "We know where to go now."
Lira sighed. "Fine. But next time, I'd appreciate fewer glowing rocks and more straightforward directions."
As they left the plateau, Kael felt a renewed sense of purpose. The path ahead was uncertain, but the compass had chosen him, and he wasn't about to turn back now.
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