The Jade Dragon Moves in the Shadows

Sebastian sat in the shadows of an old, weathered outpost at the edge of Komodo Island. The air smelled of salt and rain, with distant thunder rumbling, promising chaos. He was alone, his eyes scanning over maps and ancient writings scattered across the table. The island’s silence weighed heavily on him, broken only by the occasional gust of wind that made the bamboo walls creak.

His hand moved absently across a yellowed parchment, scribbling notes when the lantern’s flame flickered—another reminder of the unstable state of the world around him. He paused, fingers hovering over the ink as if caught in thought. His mind was heavy with the implications of the Nine Dragons’ fall and the strange emptiness that had followed. But deep down, he knew this calm was only temporary.

A quiet knock at the door pulled him from his reverie.