Prologue - Dust of ages

Suffocating dust leaped from ancient crevices as light filled the chamber for what was likely the first time in millennia. Swirling clouds showered around detailed wall-carvings, hiding intricate scenes of ages long past from the scaled figure whose feet were now dangling through the crumbling gap in the ceiling. As the figure dropped to the ground, he looked back up to the gap. A rope was quickly trailing down, suspending a small, yet potent lantern. Between sneezing fits, the scaled form managed to untie the lantern with nimble claws. The lantern's light helped little, but the thick dust, full of energy after such a long rest, slowly began to lose its vivacity. As the etchings became clearer, the adventurer gasped, nearly dropping the light in shock. Not a single Kairn was to be seen on the ancient murals: rather, the figures were all smooth-skinned. Scaleless. Wings like birds' sprouted from backs that were too straight; no, not straight, just lacking the spines that lined the scaled one's own back. The Humari legends found in a temple this old? The finding would amaze the Mythos academia to no end, and the quality of the carvings...

The centerpiece suddenly grabbed his attention, and all thoughts of the academy vanished. A carving covered the remains of what could only be a stone altar: it was decayed more than the rest of the chamber, as if a strong wind had battered it with sand and grit. He wasted no time in running towards it, reanimating more of the choking clouds in his wake. Kneeling down to get a better look, his golden eyes glimmered in recognition. From what remained engraved on the altar, a scaled Kairn was barely recognizable. The reptile was kneeling before a winged Humar, head scarcely held above the blade extended beneath his neck. But it was the Kairn that had made the world stand still for the adventurer.

Leathery wings affixed to its back confirmed his shock. The History Academy had never seen anything like this. Rather, they had denied it for centuries. But this... this was undeniable. It must have actually happened. It had to have! He could barely stop his thick tail from quivering with excitement as he ran to the gap, calling out for his partner to come down and see.

The Auroran Myths were suddenly seeming very, very real.