On Sapphire Wings and Jade Scales

Chapter 32.1: Temple of Lightning

The wind and soft raindrops softened the stinging in the twins' legs once they hit the end of the stairs. The twins plopped on the reddish soil, eagerly gulping down water from their bottles. They felt their heads pulsing, not used to the thinner air yet. Their stomachs groaned. Didn't they have dinner just a few minutes ago? Their climb felt like it zipped by as fast as the lightning around them.

Tomas looked down at his watch, its time blurred by the water covering the glass. He ran his finger across, wiping off some of the drops. "What?" he gasped. "This isn't right."

But the watch didn't lie. Its arms pointed to just past 8 pm.

Eila gazed up. The clouds above made it nearly impossible to tell whether the sun or the moon hid behind them. The wind did feel colder than before, so much that Eila saw her breath come out as little clouds.

After a snack break, the group approached two small clay towers joined by a red wooden arch. Both towers had torn, faded flags atop them, and the structure itself looked pale and worn by the weather. The group cautiously passed under the arch and into what was once the housing area for the monks. It had a central plaza much like Mount Reilu's temple, though instead of walls the mountain peak itself served as its protective barrier. Rocky peaks with dark green bushes, trees, and grass patches surrounded the plaza in a sort of circle, with the humble, purple-roofed houses all facing the plaza's center.

The group walked toward the center, casting gazes at the battered homes around them. Occasionally Ari jerked her head toward any creaking tree or door, her pupils as small as needles.

At the center, they spotted a large statue of a jade dragon, no doubt supposed to be Xybelios. On top of the statue base was half of the dragon's serpentine body, while the other half lay motionless on the ground. One of its golden horns had broken off, while the other horn looked brittle, as if it'd shatter completely with a little touch. And yet, its yellow eyes still shone fiercely as the twins passed by.

The group approached a stone bridge just past a large house that once belonged to the oracle. The man in green briefly glanced at the house and bowed his head. His lips quivered at the sight of tattered monk robes hanging off a window, his stoic expression faltering just a little. A reminder of his failure as a guardian, and even more heart-wrenching, to his trusted friend.

As they crossed the bridge, sheltered from the rain with its stony roof, the man observed the twins and the little dragon that had accompanied him for so long. They all seemed so little in his eyes, yet they continued onward with heads held high. A stark difference to the frail and scared children he'd found on Mount Reilu.

A year ago, he swore to atone for his mistake alone, for it was his overconfidence that allowed the Netherworld Oracle to cause so much harm. Yet here he was, surrounded by humans, dragons, and a cat.

A smile formed on his lips.

♦♦♦♦♦

Eila's jaw dropped as she looked up at the temple before her. Lightning struck all around it, causing the towering building to glow in beautiful colors, as if painted with an aurora. Clouds cloaked the temple, its top stretching infinitely into the sky. Eila snapped photos from all angles, her mouth still hanging open.

"Incredible," she whispered before shaking her head. "But I've got a shard to find!"

She followed Tomas and the man into the temple's entrance. Giant wooden doors painted in faded silver creaked open as the man in green pushed them. Stale wind poured out between the doors and hit the group with its smell. Eila could only describe the scent as "musty", a bit like the abandoned houses by the beach. The air felt warmer than outside, but it was far from welcoming.