Zym, Zola, and Ethel soared through the twilight sky, the wind whipping at their wings.
The entrance to Oephidia was concealed within a gargantuan chasm, a colossal hole that yawned open like the mouth of the underworld. This massive aperture served as the threshold to a labyrinthine subterranean tunnel, which plunged deep into the ground, ultimately revealing the subterranean realm and leading to the kingdom of Oephidia. Its maw guarded by colossal statues of humanoid serpentine warriors, their cold stone eyes seeming to follow the trio's descent into the tunnel.
As they emerged from the tunnel, they found themselves in the midst of a breathtaking subterranean realm, bathed in the warm, golden light of a radiant sun that hung suspended in the dark sky. Before them lay the resplendent crystal city of Oephidia, its towers glinting like a tapestry of jewels, as if the very essence of the sun had been woven into its fabric. The silence was broken only by the rhythmic beat of their wings, a soothing melody that harmonized with the gentle hum of this mystical world.
Zym, Zola, and Ethel soared through the resplendent city, bathed in the warm, golden radiance of Aethon, the subterranean realm's sun. This magnificent crystal city cast a kaleidoscope of colors across its glittering spires and sweeping arches, as if the very essence of the sun had been distilled within its facets.
"Where are we going?" Ethel finally asked, his voice barely audible over the wind.
Zym nodded, his expression grim. "The theft occurred within the temple vault. Speaking with the Naga guards stationed there might shed some light on the circumstances surrounding the Eye's disappearance. Besides we already had an audience with the queen."
Zola, her brow furrowed in concentration, added, "We should also seek an audience with Veridian. He seems to be a voice of reason amongst the Naga court."
Ethel scoffed. "An old serpent with a forked tongue, more likely. He'll twist the truth to suit the Naga agenda but I have no expectations from a naga."
Zym shot him a warning glance. "Ethel, diplomacy is key here. We need the Nagas' cooperation if we are to uncover the truth."
Ethel grumbled but fell silent, his crimson feathers ruffled in annoyance. As they neared the city, the air grew thick with the damp scent of amethyst and quartz.
Landing on a platform slick with crystals, they were met by a contingent of Naga guards, their scales ranging from emerald, blue, to a menacing crimson. Their humanoid serpentine forms tensed at the sight of the Garuda warrior, their forked tongues flickering in suspicion and their spears firm in their hand.
Zym stepped forward, his voice resonating with a calming power. "He's with us. We seek an audience with the temple high priestess and Veridian, the elder advisor."
The lead Naga guard, with his chestnut-brown hair, deep-brown skin, and tail adorned with iridescent deep blue scales, fixed them with a piercing gaze before bowing his head in a graceful nod. "Very well Guardians," he rasped, his voice a dry whisper. "Follow me."
They were led through a labyrinth of dimly lit corridors, the air thick with the scent of incense and the slithering of nagas. Finally, they reached a massive chamber, its vaulted ceiling adorned with murals depicting scenes of Naga history. In the center of the chamber stood a humanoid serpentine figure draped in shimmering silver robe, her honey-toned skin glowed with a warm, sun-kissed radiance and her head adorned with a scaly tiara. Unlike the other nagas, she had white hair and a tail with white scales. This was Alyx, the high priestess, her presence radiating an air of otherworldly serenity.
Beside her stood Veridian, his face etched with concern. He bowed slightly as Zym and Zola approached, but his gaze lingered warily on Ethel.
"Greetings, guardians," Alyx said, her voice a melodic whisper. "We were not expecting you so soon."
Zym bowed his head in respect. "High Priestess, we offer our condolences on the theft of the Eye of Naga. We are here to assist in its retrieval. Upon our last visit, we spoke to Queen Melinoe."
Alyx's expression remained serene, but a flicker of something akin to anger sparked in her amber eyes. "With a Garuda? We Nagas are capable of handling our own affairs."
Veridian stepped forward, placing a calming hand on Alyx's arm. "Perhaps, High Priestess, the guardians' offer merits consideration. Their neutrality in this investigation may prove… beneficial."
Alyx considered him for a moment, then sighed. "Very well. But know this, guardians: Queen Melinoe will not hesitate to go to war with the garudas if they are found guilty."
Zym nodded solemnly. "We understand the gravity of the situation, High Priestess. We will do everything in our power to uncover the truth."
Turning to Veridian, Zym continued, "Veridian, perhaps you could share with us the details surrounding the discovery of the missing Eye?"
Veridian sighed, his expression calm. "The guards reported nothing amiss during their routine patrols. The vault seemed undisturbed, no signs of forced entry. It's as if the Eye simply… vanished. All that we recovered was a crimson feather."
Ethel snorted. "Convenient, wouldn't you say? Perhaps the Naga guards themselves are more involved than they're letting on."
A low hiss rippled through the chamber as the Naga guards' tails coiled defensively. Alyx glared at Ethel, her voice laced with icy calm. "Garuda warrior, your accusations are unfounded. We take the security of our sacred relics very seriously."
Zola intervened, her voice soothing. "Perhaps we can examine the vault ourselves? A fresh perspective might reveal something the Naga guards may have missed."
Alyx hesitated for a moment, then nodded curtly. "Very well. Veridian, escort them."
Veridian bowed and led them out of the chamber, his forked tongue darting in and out in thought. As they walked, Ethel leaned closer to Zym, his voice barely a whisper. "Do you truly believe the guards didn't see anything other than a feather? Seems like a pretty big oversight for something so sacred."
Zym shook his head. "It's possible. But the magic protecting the vault is powerful. A forced entry would have left traces, magical or otherwise. The lack of strong evidence suggests something more…unorthodox."
They reached the vault, a massive oaken door bound with intricate silver bands. Veridian placed a gnarled hand on the door, muttering an incantation in a language that sounded like the hissing of snakes. The bands glowed faintly, then the door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit chamber lined with shelves of ancient artifacts.
In the center of the chamber stood a pedestal, now bare. The air crackled with a faint magical residue, the only remaining trace of the Eye of Naga. Zola knelt beside the pedestal, her blue light bathing the smooth stone in an ethereal glow. Her fingers traced the surface, searching for any hidden indentations or irregularities.
"There are no scuff marks," she murmured, tracing her finger along the smooth stone. "No signs of a struggle. It's almost as if the Eye simply… teleported out."
Ethel scoffed. "Teleportation? Don't be ridiculous. This proves that there was no garuda involvement. We, Garudas can't teleport. Someone had to have taken it."
Veridian turned to Zym and Zola and cleared his throat. "Guardians like you have experience with teleportation magic so I believe you both could shed some light on the situation."
Zola pondered this for a moment. While teleportation magic could have been used, it would have been extremely complex or rather impossible for a garuda to have stolen the eye. Teleportation requires a deep understanding of the object being transported. It seems unlikely for a garuda to possess such abilities and besides, a thief who possesses such abilities must be a powerful being or possess a relic capable of making teleportation possible."
"And that's the only way they may have the ability to teleport... It's certainly the possibilities," Zym admitted cautiously, "but it's very unlikely for the garudas to have stolen the eye unless they used a relic that could help them teleport in and out of the chamber. But the magic used to protect the Eye would have resisted any such attempt making it quite difficult or nearly impossible to steal the Eye. Unless... the thief wasn't a garuda."
He gestured towards Zola. "Perhaps a more mundane explanation exists. Zola, can you detect any traces of magic besides the residual energy from the Eye?"
Zola concentrated, her eyes glowing and her brow furrowed in concentration. After a long moment, she shook her head.
"Nothing. No traces of invisibility spells, no teleportational signatures. It's as if the thief simply… walked in and out undetected."
Disappointment settled over the group. The lack of evidence was frustrating. They had come hoping to find clues, but the vault offered nothing but a frustrating mystery.
Veridian, sensing their dejection, spoke up. "There is one more possibility. The Naga archives contain ancient texts that speak of a Naga ritual, a forbidden ceremony that allows one to become invisible for a short period. There are reasons to believe that perhaps a Naga stole the eye."
Ethel's eyes narrowed. "A forbidden ritual? Sounds like someone was willing to break the rules to steal the Eye."
Veridian nodded grimly. "Perhaps. But I'm not sure who, and for what purpose, so that remains a mystery."
Zym straightened his shoulders, a glint of determination in his eyes. "We may not have all the answers yet, but this ritual gives us a new clue. Veridian, if you could guide us to the Naga archives, we might find more information about this ceremony."
Veridian bowed. "Of course, follow me."
As they left the vault, the mystery of the missing Eye of Naga deepened. The lack of evidence pointed towards something more than a simple theft. Someone, it seemed, was capable of extraordinary magic, or perhaps willing to risk everything to perform a forbidden ritual. Zym, Zola, Ethel and Veridian found themselves on a desperate quest for answers, a race against time to prevent a war fueled by a stolen relic and an unknown enemy.