On Sapphire Wings and Jade Scales

Chapter 10: An Extraordinary Tale

The man started his tale with a description of his homeland and its guardian, beginning with The Ilenes, a mountain range spread across the Isle of Trusa. It is a large island located far southeast of Eosia, home to a temple dedicated to one of the planet's most important guardians: Xybelios, the mighty jade dragon that protects the skies, and has been flying around the planet's atmosphere for millennia.

He is among the largest as well, boasting claws and fangs the size of an adult, and a long, serpentine body that curled around a peak on the Ilenes upon which an altar to conduct rituals sat. He bore an intimidating appearance, with large golden horns, ever-glowing golden eyes, and long stinging tendrils that extended from his face and horns like whiskers. In contrast with his terrifying face, he possessed a long, thick mane that shone like an aurora as he flew; a breathtaking sight for Trusa's inhabitants at night.

Strength-wise, it was said that Xybelios could shoot powerful lightning magic from his horns, fire a tremendously destructive beam of light from his mouth, and that his tendrils could send a lethal shock to any unfortunate soul that touched them.

The temple itself is isolated from the rest of Trusa's settlements but was home to a large congregation. The clerics would walk among marble stairs from their homes to the temple, though the altar was at the peak furthest from the settlements. The man in green was a frequent visitor to their congregation, yet also part of Trusa's nobility, and was regarded as a representative who worked alongside the oracle in the island's political matters. However, he would keep to himself most of the time, and the oracle was the only person with whom he regularly interacted with.

Being close to the oracle meant he was the only outsider to the congregation who knew of its most treasured possession; a prism shaped like an orb, which glowed magnificently during the daytime. It is a gem as old as Xybelios himself, which holds his source of magic and strength.

Many mysteries surround its origin and nature, with many speculating it is either a natural source of magic for the guardian, or an anomalous external organ. It was known for certain that without it, Xybelios would be unable to fly nor manipulate the weather, as many other guardians can.

On one terrible night, merely a day before the twins' fateful meeting with the man in the forest, a fierce thunderstorm struck the island. An army of cloaked creatures with paper-thin bodies, burnt skin, and skeletal claw-like limbs arose from the shadows of the Ilenes. They silently trespassed upon the cleric's home on the mountain cliffs, their presence made known when a blood-curling scream was heard from the temple.

The oracle, a middle-aged man of vast knowledge, had been knocked to the floor at the mercy of the clawed creatures. He yelled at the top of his lungs, asking for help.

By then, however, most of the monks and clerics were dead in their sleep with their throats cut open.

In his final moments, the oracle could only shout in despair, "Xybelios, mighty lord of the skies, save us!"

Before uttering any other word, he was stabbed in the heart by the merciless monsters. He clutched at his chest, looking up at his murderers with fear as they abandoned the premises. A few seconds later, the oracle's lifeless body remained on the floor.

But Xybelios was nowhere to be found, having mysteriously vanished during his temple's time of need.

As for the man in green, he had been invited to dine alongside the oracle that night, but upon arrival was met with a cleric shambling towards him with blood pouring from her torso. She abruptly knelt to the ground, panting and wheezing.

As her strength waned, she mustered the will to say, "The chamber...get the jewel, please! Our Lord Xybelios lays weak, surely, or else he would have driven these rakes away..."