Chapter 1: Letters from a Lost Navigator

The port of Kaldenport never slept. Torches illuminated the docks with their orange glow, casting elongated shadows over the anchored ships and cobbled streets. The shouts of merchants mixed with the scent of salt and fish, and the clinking of coins echoed in every tavern.

Kaelen Windmere pushed through the crowd, clutching an old parchment map tightly. His heart pounded. If this map was real, he held the key to finding the Realm of the Lost Tides.

He stopped in front of the tavern “The One-Eyed Leviathan”, where warm light and music spilled into the streets. He took a deep breath and pushed the wooden door open.

The place was packed with sailors, pirates, and traders. Kaelen made his way to the bar, where a man in a long navy coat was silently drinking. Captain Veyr Althorn.

“I hear you’re looking for a cartographer,” Kaelen said, trying to sound confident.

Veyr looked up, his gray eyes scanning him from head to toe.

“And what do you know about maps, boy?”

Kaelen unrolled the parchment across the table. The map depicted an island that shouldn’t exist. A spiral of currents surrounded it, and in its center, a symbol: the Throne of the Tides.

The captain narrowed his eyes.

“Where did you get this?”

“An old navigator in the black market. He had it among his belongings before he died.”

Veyr took a swig of his drink and smirked in disbelief.

“I’ve heard plenty of stories about that island. They all end with ships lost to oblivion.”

“Then it’s the perfect chance to prove it exists,” Kaelen replied.

The captain studied him in silence. Then, he slid a coin across the table.

“Dawn. Dock Seven. Don’t be late.”

The Call of the Sea

Dawn arrived with clear skies and a favorable wind. At the dock, a majestic ship with black sails awaited: the “Shadow Gale.”

Kaelen climbed aboard, feeling small against the ship’s grandeur. The crew worked efficiently, securing barrels and checking riggings.

“You’ve got guts for showing up, cartographer!” Veyr called from the helm.

Kaelen nodded as a woman with silver-blue hair stepped from the shadows. She carried herself with a quiet authority, and her eyes seemed to hold an entire ocean within them.

“I am Lirien Tideborn,” she said firmly. “And if you’re looking for that island, you’d better not be a burden.”

Kaelen swallowed hard. She was no ordinary sailor. There was something about her, in the way she moved… something beyond human.

The captain gave the order to set sail, and the Shadow Gale unfurled its sails. The journey had begun.

The Ocean’s Secrets

For the first week, Kaelen dedicated himself to studying the map and recording every change in the currents. But the ocean had its own rules.

“Noticing anything strange?” Lirien asked one night, staring at the stars.

“Yeah… the compass has been acting weird since we passed the last reef.”

Lirien gave a knowing, almost sorrowful smile.

“We’re entering ancient waters. The laws of the world shift here.”

Kaelen glanced at her, sensing she knew more than she let on.

Before he could press further, the captain interrupted his thoughts.

“West winds. Something’s coming.”

The sky darkened, and the waves became violent. A storm.

The crew rushed to secure the sails, but a deafening crack of thunder split the sky, and a massive wave rose before them. Something was emerging from the depths.

The Guardian of the Tides

From the raging storm, a colossal sea beast surfaced, roaring. It had the body of a leviathan and eyes that glowed like stars.

“The Guardian of the Tides!” Lirien shouted. “It’s real!”

Kaelen felt a chill run down his spine. The map mentioned a guardian, but he never believed it truly existed.

The creature lashed its massive tail against the ship, throwing several sailors into the sea. Veyr drew his saber.

“Arms, damn it! To arms!”

Kaelen struggled to stay on his feet. If they didn’t do something, the creature would sink them.

Lirien ran to the bow and raised her hands. A blue light illuminated the ship.

The sea responded. The waves swirled, and the creature paused.

Lirien was speaking to it.

The Guardian let out a deep, guttural sound. After a long, tense moment, it disappeared back into the depths.

Silence fell over the sea.

Veyr exhaled sharply, turning to Lirien with suspicion.

“You have a lot to explain.”

Lirien lowered her gaze. The secret she had kept for so long could no longer remain hidden.

Towards the Unknown

The storm had passed, but unease settled over the crew.

“How did you do that?” Kaelen asked quietly.

Lirien sighed.

“I’m not just an exile. I’m the heir to an underwater kingdom.“

Kaelen’s eyes widened.

“The Realm of the Lost Tides…?”

“It’s real. And if we find the Throne of the Tides, we might be able to save it.”

Kaelen felt a mix of excitement and dread. This was no longer just about uncovering a mystery.

Now, they were at the heart of a battle that would change the fate of the ocean.

But the danger was far from over.

From the shadows of the ship, a crewman watched their conversation. Then, he slipped away into the rigging, a malicious grin spreading across his face.

Someone aboard didn’t want them reaching the island alive.

Chapter 2: Forbidden Waters

A Whisper in the Night

The Shadow Gale drifted slowly through the mist. Ever since their encounter with the Guardian of the Tides, the crew had remained uneasy. They didn’t trust Lirien. Whispers ran between the sailors, and furtive glances followed her wherever she went.

Kaelen, however, felt growing fascination. If Lirien was telling the truth—if the Realm of the Lost Tides was real—then they were on the verge of an unprecedented discovery.

But not everyone shared his excitement.

That night, as Kaelen studied the map on the deck, he heard a strange sound. A faint creak, like leather brushing against wood. He turned, but saw nothing.

Someone was watching them.

He hurried to the cabins and knocked lightly on Lirien’s door.

“What is it?” she asked, her voice sharp and alert.

“We’re being watched,” Kaelen whispered.

Lirien narrowed her eyes and nodded.

“I’m not the only one keeping secrets on this ship.”

Betrayal in the Fog

The fog thickened as they sailed forward. Veyr was uneasy. The captain had navigated many treacherous waters, but this was different. The compass spun aimlessly, and the stars had vanished behind a dense shroud.

“I don’t like this,” he muttered, watching the horizon.

Then, a loud crash came from the hold. A dull thud, followed by a muffled scream.

Veyr and Kaelen rushed down the stairs. Inside the storage room, they found a sailor bound and gagged.

“By the gods!” Kaelen exclaimed, quickly untying him.

“It’s him… it’s him!” the man stammered, pointing toward the darkness.

Before they could react, a hooded figure darted from the shadows and bolted down the corridor.

“Catch him!” Veyr roared, drawing his saber.

They ran after him, but the figure was fast. He climbed the stairs and leapt onto the deck. The fog swallowed him whole.

Kaelen panted, his heart pounding.

“Someone is sabotaging the mission.”

Veyr glanced at the gathered crew.

“From now on, no one walks this ship alone.”

Shadows of the Past

Hours later, in the solitude of the captain’s quarters, Veyr spread an old parchment across the table.

“This isn’t just an expedition. It’s a game of power.“

Kaelen frowned.

“What do you mean?”

Veyr sighed.

“Twenty years ago, a ship attempted to find the Realm of the Lost Tides. Its captain carried an artifact… a talisman. They said it could open the island’s gates.”

Kaelen felt a chill run down his spine.

“And what happened to the ship?”

“It sank. But the talisman was never found.“

Lirien stepped into the room, her face grim.

“And I think someone on this ship is looking for it.”

The Sirens’ Song

At dawn, the sea changed.

The waters became unnervingly still. The wind ceased, and the ship seemed to drift on its own.

Then, the singing began.

A sweet, hypnotic melody slithered through every corner of the ship. The crew fell silent, their eyes unfocused.

Kaelen felt his mind fogging over. The song was calling to him.

Lirien grabbed him and shook him violently.

“Kaelen, don’t listen!”

But it was too late. One of the sailors jumped overboard.

Veyr cursed and lunged to grab another, who was already climbing the railing.

From the water, figures emerged.

Sirens.

Their faces were beautiful but inhuman, their glowing eyes filled with an eerie hunger. When their mouths opened, they revealed razor-sharp teeth.

“They’re not the sirens from fairy tales!” Lirien shouted. “They’re hunters.”

Kaelen felt a visceral terror. The sirens didn’t sing to enchant. They sang to hunt.

Battle in the Darkness

The sirens lunged at the ship, scaling its sides with monstrous agility.

Veyr drew his saber and sliced through one’s arm, sending it screeching into the sea.

Kaelen tried to fight with a harpoon, but one of the creatures grabbed him by the throat. Its glowing eyes burned with predatory hunger.

Then, Lirien raised her hands and murmured an incantation in an ancient tongue.

The water around them surged and crashed into the sirens, knocking them away from the ship.

The creatures shrieked and vanished back into the depths.

The singing stopped.

Kaelen collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath.

“What… what was that?”

Lirien met his gaze, her expression grave.

“Only those who seek the Realm of the Lost Tides ever hear the sirens’ song. It’s a warning.”

Veyr clenched his jaw.

“Then that means we’re close.”

The Forbidden Current

After the attack, the crew remained on edge. No one spoke of what had happened, but fear lingered in the air.

On the third day, Kaelen noticed something on the map.

“The water’s color is changing. According to the map, we’ve crossed into the Forbidden Current.“

Lirien looked at the ocean. The water was an impossibly deep shade of blue.

Veyr nodded.

“There’s no turning back now.”

But before they could press on, a deep rumble shook the ship.

From the depths, a colossal structure emerged from the water.

A black stone temple, covered in algae and coral, rose before them. A portal to the unknown.

Kaelen felt a shiver run down his spine.

“The map ends here.”

Veyr turned to Lirien.

“Your turn, princess.”

Lirien swallowed hard. She knew that inside that temple lay the key to finding the island.

But she also knew one more thing.

Something was waiting for them inside.

Chapter 3: The Throne of the Tide

The Threshold of the Abyss

The Shadow Gale floated motionless before the towering structure that had risen from the ocean. The Temple of the Tides, a fortress of black stone covered in algae and glowing corals, stood like a forgotten titan in the middle of the sea.

Kaelen swallowed hard. The map ended here. There were no more directions, no more warnings. Only the unknown.

“I don’t like this,” Veyr muttered, his hand resting on his sword hilt.

Lirien stepped forward. Her usually stoic face was tense.

“This temple is a test,” she said. “Only the worthy can pass.”

A shiver ran through the crew. What did ‘worthy’ mean?

“Well, we’d better be,” Veyr growled. “Because we didn’t come all this way to turn back.”

Kaelen nodded, and with his heart pounding in his throat, he was the first to jump into the water.

The Sunken Passage

The water was cold but strangely clear. As they descended, they realized they didn’t need to breathe.

Kaelen opened his eyes underwater. They weren’t swimming. They were being pulled toward the temple.

The submerged structure was even more imposing up close. Cyclopean columns held up a dark vault, and a pathway of stones covered in ancient symbols stretched before them.

Suddenly, the water pressure disappeared. They had crossed a threshold.

In an instant, they were standing in a vast underground chamber. There was no water, only a strange blue glow pulsating in the walls.

Lirien glanced around, frowning.

“We’re not alone.”

Before Kaelen could ask what she meant, the shadows on the walls began to move.

The Guardians of the Throne

Humanoid figures emerged from the darkness. They were neither fully solid nor entirely ethereal. Their bodies were made of living water, clad in coral armor, with eyes that glowed like the ocean’s depths.

One of them stepped forward.

“Only the blood of the lineage may pass,” it said, its voice resonating through the chamber.

Kaelen looked at Lirien.

She was the only one who could cross.

But before she could move, a dry laugh broke the silence.

“Oh, how touching,” a familiar voice sneered.

From the shadows, a hooded figure emerged. The traitor aboard.

When the hood fell, Kaelen felt the ground drop beneath him.

“It can’t be…” he whispered.

It was one of the sailors.

But his skin was no longer human. It rippled like flowing water, as if his body was just a shell.

“We’ve waited centuries for someone to bring the key to the throne,” the traitor said with a cruel smile. “And now, the heir is here.”

The guardians tensed.

“Watch out!” Veyr shouted.

But it was too late.

The traitor raised a hand, and the ocean roared in response.

The Ocean’s Judgment

The temple shook violently. Fierce currents erupted, dragging Kaelen and Veyr across the chamber.

Lirien stood firm.

“I won’t let you take what isn’t yours!”

The traitor smirked.

“The Throne will decide.”

The room began to change. The walls faded away, and suddenly they were surrounded by an endless ocean.

Kaelen felt his body floating in a vast blue void. They were inside the essence of the sea itself.

And at the center of it all stood the Throne of the Tide.

A structure of coral and obsidian, covered in glowing runes. It was said that whoever sat upon it could control the tides and unleash storms.

The traitor lunged toward it.

But Lirien was faster.

With a shout, she extended her hands, and the water around her came to life.

The guardians reacted instantly, surrounding the throne and forming a barrier.

The traitor roared in fury.

“You can’t stop me! This power is mine!”

Veyr appeared out of nowhere and drove his sword straight through the traitor’s chest.

But there was no blood.

The traitor exploded into water and reformed instantly.

“You think you can kill me with a sword, Captain?” he sneered. “I am part of the ocean.”

Kaelen turned toward the throne.

“Lirien… you have to sit on it.”

She hesitated.

“If I do… I don’t know what will happen.”

“But if you don’t, the sea will fall into the wrong hands.”

Lirien took a deep breath. And stepped forward.

The Throne of the Tide

The traitor screamed and launched an attack, but the guardians blocked him.

Lirien advanced. With each step, she felt heavier, as if the entire ocean was judging her.

Finally, she reached the throne.

When she sat down, the world exploded in blinding light.

The ocean spoke.

Golden spirals of water twisted and danced, and the sea’s very essence enveloped her. She became part of the water, part of the power.

Kaelen felt a pull in his chest. Something was changing.

The traitor howled in agony.

“No! That power is mine!”

But the ocean did not listen.

The guardians closed in around him, and in an instant, he was absorbed into the tides.

And then, silence.

Lirien opened her eyes. Her skin shimmered with a deep blue glow.

She rose from the throne.

The temple trembled one last time… and collapsed.

The Return to the Surface

Kaelen awoke floating in the water.

The Shadow Gale was nearby. Veyr coughed and swam toward the ship.

And Lirien…

Lirien was floating above the waves.

She wasn’t flying, but the water held her aloft. She was part of the ocean now.

Kaelen felt a mix of awe and sorrow.

“Lirien?”

She looked at him with a melancholic smile.

“The throne was never meant to be taken. It was a bond. I am now the guardian of the ocean.“

Veyr cursed under his breath.

“That means you can’t come back with us, doesn’t it?”

She shook her head.

“But I will always watch over you.”

The waves began to swirl, forming a vortex around her.

“Kaelen, lead them home,” she whispered.

And with one final glow, she vanished into the depths.

Epilogue: The Course of the Survivors

Weeks later, the Shadow Gale returned to Kaldenport.

Kaelen unrolled a parchment and began to write.

“The Realm of the Lost Tides exists. Not as a place on a map, but as a whisper in the ocean, a power that only answers to those who understand its call.”

He looked out at the sea.

And he swore that one day, he would find her again.

THE END.