The air was heavy with the scent of exotic flowers and something else... something earthy and ancient. I felt a shiver run down my spine as we made our way deeper into the island's interior.

As night began to fall, we stumbled upon a clearing, and in its center, a glowing stone monument. The runes etched into its surface pulsed with a soft, ethereal light, casting an eerie glow across the surrounding trees.

We dropped anchor in a small cove, the silence broken only by the lapping of the waves against the shore. Eira and I exchanged a nervous glance, then stepped off the boat onto the sandy beach.