Shuang Yan Chronicles : 01

The Journey

The journey began in thick, aching silence, broken only by the sounds of Yue's steady steps through the forest. Yue bent down, lifting Du Si Bo onto her back with a quiet, practiced motion. "Keep your other eyes closed," she instructed, her voice soft but firm. Du Si Bo obediently shut them, his already unsteady balance leaning into her as she adjusted her cloak to conceal her wings, transforming herself into the image of a plain Draconian. Only the faintest glimmer in her eyes betrayed her true identity, something hidden and vast, even from herself.

The forest stretched before them in winding paths, the seemingly random clearings forming strange patterns, almost like ancient roadways. They had crossed multiple guard posts by now, Du Si Bo deftly shielding Yue from conversation with the Guangshaos, his voice a quiet murmur of half-truths. "Discarded by the Druids after my accident," he said, "this kind Draconian is carrying me to the temple, seeking a miracle."

As they moved past the checkpoint, Du Si Bo's weight grew heavier. Yue felt his arms tighten around her shoulders, his heartbeat pounding erratically against her back. But she moved faster, determined. I made a promise, she reminded herself, the words echoing Seth's long-ago wisdom: "You are your only enemy. Do not let self-doubt stand in the way of your greatness." Yet the uncertainty lingered, tangled within her. She was the last of something or the first of something new—and she still wasn't sure which fate was hers to claim.

"What troubles you, alien girl?" Du Si Bo's voice cut into her thoughts.

"How many more checkpoints until we reach the edge of the forest?" she asked, her voice carefully casual.

"Oh, hundreds, perhaps." Du Si Bo gave a wry smile. "The Green Dragons like to keep us all in check."

"The…Green Dragons? Aren't you green, too?" Yue's brow furrowed. "I mean, everything here is green—the trees, the leaves. Even the light feels green."

Du Si Bo chuckled. "You perceive the world in hues, like a child learning colors for the first time. But only a child would dare question so boldly."

"So, what exactly are these 'Green Dragons'?"

"Our rulers," Du Si Bo replied, his voice falling to a whisper. "They keep a close eye on all of us. Happiness is mandatory; anyone who wavers…well, they vanish. The unlucky never return."

"What…what do you mean?" Sai Yue's stomach twisted.

"Some say they're taken to other realms as food, others say their spirits fuel the palace fires," Du Si Bo muttered. "None of these endings are kind."

"Why doesn't anyone fight back?" Yue demanded.

Du Si Bo shook his head. "They are as mighty as the mountains themselves. The Draconians appease them with shrines and idol worship, and the Guangshaos know their lives depend on compliance. They're a weak breed, vulnerable to persuasion. Only a few of us carry the strength to hope."

"But even now, there's a legend," Yue pressed, her voice almost hopeful. "Of something greater that might end their rule."

"The legend of the Moon stone," Du Si Bo said with a dismissive wave. "Nothing but an old tale. They say in the dawn of creation, all dragons lived in harmony, until a stranger from the stars divided them. The kingdoms were born from chaos, and the Moon stone, a jeweled egg, appeared from the heavens as a promise of hope. It vanished centuries ago when a monster from the shadows stole it."

He paused, glancing back at her. "The Draconians of the North Hills still worship an empty temple, hoping Ova—the goddess the Moon stone was meant to bring—will one day return. Fools, all of them."