Angel Island drifted among the clouds and higher, its shadow passing over the surface below. Undisturbed for centuries, the remains of a race long gone, and a far more ancient race forgotten about. The only thing left were ruins of a once great civilisation, overtaken by flora from the crawling vines to the prickly thorn bushes. Birds chirped, tongue clicking against the roof of their mouth before scattering into the air, water trickling in the creeks before it reached rushing rivers and emptied down the waterfalls.
Old technology responded with just one wave of the hand or push of the button, dust drifting into the air as relics moved, shifted and settled into new places that had remained untouched. Sword in one hand and map in the other, they pressed on forward, knuckles grazing over the hieroglyphics that depicted hedgehogs and owls, damaged from time. The individual paused, taking in the great mural that had cracked and splintered with age but still in remarkable condition, before pressing on.
“It should be just up ahead.”
If their map was accurate, and that was a pretty big if, it would be leading them to the find of the millennia. Wind blew in their fur and quills, eyes flicking up to eye the next obstacle. Silver sighed and slipped his sword into its scabbard, lifting himself into the air and landing back down on the other side of the bridge that connected to the Master Emerald shrine. There was always rumours of some big prize, some discovery that would make the archaeologist who discovered it rich in stature and money. But they weren’t interested in that. An archaeologist searched for answers, and with the recent re-discovery of Starfall Islands, there was one untouched potentially Ancient island left to be retraced.
It was said that the Master Emerald came from space thousands of years ago, entering the atmosphere like a meteorite and landing deep in the earth. People had fought over it before, entranced by greed and hungry for power, and misused it for their own deeds. The energy it beheld was rumoured to be enough to power a city or burn civilisations to ash, though that was just in the history books.
He was willing to take the risk.
Silver, again, lifted himself up onto a large steppe, boots connecting with the marble of the altar. It gleamed at him, inviting and warm, protected by a barrier of some description that caused its dim light to shine less. They dropped their backpack, shifting it off from their shoulders and beaming before looking around. A barrier like that meant that there would be either a trap or trouble, so he needed to be careful. Lifting a hand, he let a light blue shimmer around it, the same light passing along the floor and allowing him to hear something click and whir, before he jumped back as a block of spikes slammed down into the ruins in front of him, letting out a yip of surprise. It took Silver a moment to blink and recollect himself, scratching his quills and moving to the control panel that he saw nearby. Delicately, he brushed the vines and dust away, fingers grazing over the glyphs embedded in stone.
“Curse upon those who disturb the Master Emerald,” he murmured, then laughed, the sound echoing slightly. “Curse? Yeah right. That’s old news.”
He knew the legends of course. That there was a guardian who had been here for hundreds of years and had kept everyone off island until it was forgotten about, but for today it seemed like the guardian wasn’t around anymore. If that was even true. Silver wasn’t as gullible as some people thought he was. Spooky stories and old wives tales were just that. Ah, there. Another button like the ones he had seen through his journey here. It glowed and he turned away from the panel to watch the barrier lower, shielding his face when the Master Emerald’s shine practically blasted its way out now that it was freed.
But there was something else.
Silver lowered his hand before a fist came down on him, knocking him back a few good paces and over the broken bridge. He lifted himself, looking at the entity with wide eyes and wiping his wrist under his nose when he felt blood. They glowed like a flame before it died down, purple eyes looking at him with disgust and a growl in its voice.
“What are you doing on my island? And who are you?”
