Lyraxia, 20th of Celestia, 542 ER

  Janeth, still reeling from her confrontation with Alisha, tilted her head skyward and drew in a long, weary breath. The weight of exhaustion pressed against her limbs, but she forced herself to focus. Lowering her gaze, she squatted beside the unconscious girl, studying her features closely.

  "Hmm… it's been ages since I last saw a lizardman," she murmured, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face, revealing her sharp, contemplative eyes. “They usually travel alone… always in hiding. So what is one doing in a temple like this?” Her voice was low, puzzled. She leaned her head slightly to the side, lost in thought. “This is the Temple of GOA, after all. Still standing, despite everything that’s happened on this island…”

  Her tone darkened, her eyes narrowing.

  “…Since humans arrived,” she muttered, her voice tight with frustration. Then she caught herself—remembering she too was human. A wry smile broke across her face, and she shook her head with bitter amusement.

  “Well… I suppose survival comes first. She struck without warning. Didn't even let us talk.”

  Dusting herself off, Janeth rose to her feet and glanced around the temple once more. Her eyes caught the glint of a grand staircase carved with ancient artistry, radiant in its splendor.

  "Hmm… back to the task at hand. I need to find that book—Tazz."

  She moved with renewed purpose, dashing toward the staircase. Midway up, she hesitated, a thought brushing her mind. But she pushed it aside and climbed onward, her movements agile and sure. Reaching the top, she found herself in a long hallway lined with dozens of wooden doors.

  Turning left, she paced slowly, counting the doors as she passed them. At the twentieth, she paused—then stepped instead to the one opposite. She reached for the handle, giving it a few turns. Locked. Frowning, she pressed her ear to the surface. Silence.

  With a glance over her shoulder, she swung her satchel around to the front, hands diving into its pockets. After a moment, she retrieved a small key, unlocking a hidden compartment inside the bag. From there, she drew out a worn lockpick.

  Working quickly, yet carefully, she knelt at the door and began her task. The minutes stretched, tension thick in the air, until finally—click—the lock gave way. She pocketed the pick, not bothering to return it to its place, and eased the door open. Peering inside and satisfied by the stillness, she slipped into the room and quietly shut the door behind her.

  The room was vast—lined wall to wall with shelves crammed full of ancient tomes and scrolls. A hidden library.

  Her eyes lit up with satisfaction as she made her way toward the nearest shelf, searching with intensity. After several minutes, her fingers landed on a black-bound book. The word Tazz glimmered in red across the cover. She exhaled in triumph, holding it close to her chest.

  She was about to store it safely and make her exit—but paused. Curiosity tugged at her. With careful steps, she made her way to a nearby table and took a seat. Opening the book slowly, her eyes scanned the inside cover: a red insignia of the Ranary etched into the black leather.

  Stolen story; please report.

  Below it, small, sharp letters warned:

  “Do not read. Be advised. This information is confidential. Stated by the works of Ranary.”

  She frowned. "Yeah… as if that ever stopped anyone." And with that, she turned to the first page.

  Chapter One: Ranary

  It was a fateful day on the island of GOA. Peace blanketed the land, and its inhabitants thrived under the gentle kiss of the sun. Forests hummed with life, rivers ran clear, and the five kingdoms—Elvoga, Demonga, Orca, Dwarvoga, and Beasogat—moved in harmony.

  But then…

  A shadow crossed the sky.

  From the horizon, a formation of dragons soared across the heavens—majestic, terrible, awe-inspiring. The people of GOA watched, mouths agape, their hearts suspended in wonder and fear. Legends told of dragons, but only in hushed lullabies and stories passed from parent to child. No one alive had ever seen one—until that moment.

  Janeth stared at the words, her lips parted in shock. “Dragons…” she whispered.

  Every instinct told her she needed to leave before the temple's defenses were triggered. But she couldn't stop reading.

  Weeks later, in the mountains near the island's edge, a group of dwarves scavenged for rare minerals—unaware that something ancient was beginning to stir beneath the surface…

  She turned the page, her heart pounding—not from fear, but from revelation. This wasn’t just a story. It was a warning… and perhaps, a truth that no one was ever meant to uncover.

  Lyraxia, 20th of Celestia, 542 ER (Continuation)

  The Tome of Tazz Continues

  (Janeth, upon reaching the page where the dwarves uncovered a calamity within the mountain, turned to the next.)

  In ages long past, ere the coming of the Great Oracle of Ages (GOA), there existed a realm of wonder and secrecy, hidden from the eyes of mortal men who dwelled in their own land—Spero. (A name granted by a wise and forgotten sage.)

  This ancient realm was called Tazz—a vast and primordial continent, the cradle of forgotten magic and the seat of draconic dominion. Though seldom mentioned in early records, dragons ruled Tazz, ancient and formidable, lords of sky and stone. Their presence lingered like a myth among the younger races, who dwelt not in the continent’s heart but upon its jewel: the island of GOA.

  GOA, nestled within Tazz like a sacred gem, was home to the mystical beings—Elves, Dwarves, Demons, Lizardmen, Beastmen, and Orcs. This enchanted island, untouched by war or plague, was a sanctuary of harmony and hidden power. Though few of its inhabitants had seen a dragon, whispers of their reign and ancient laws were preserved through tales and runes. Dragons governed the continent; GOA was merely a fragment of their domain—blessed, protected, yet watched from afar.

  The island itself was divided into five great kingdoms: Elvoga, Dwavorga, Demonga, Lizardoga, and Orca. The Beastmen, ever nomadic, wandered the forests and wilds without a sovereign banner, guided instead by the cunning sorceress Angelina, whose foxlike beauty and enchantments beguiled even the strongest of wills.

  For countless generations, the island of GOA thrived in peace, shielded by nature and ancient magic. Its people lived in harmony, scarcely aware of the shifting tides beyond their shores.

  Yet, beyond the borders of GOA and the continent of Tazz, in the distant land of Spero, greed stirred, and fate turned its gaze toward the forgotten.

  Far beyond their knowledge, in a swamp-shrouded forest unlike any other, four cursed humans—Scylla, Gemini, Dylla, and Danie—hid themselves from the world. No longer mere mortals, these vampires lurked in silence, dwelling in a sunless realm where only boats could reach, cloaked in mist and memory.

  Continues... Stay Tuned