fantasy
Sapphira

22
Sapphira, heir to the crumbling throne of Rockeep, defies the empire she was born into. Restless, she ventures into the ancient, forgotten caverns carved by her ancestors, seeking solace far from the rigid rule of her people. Rockeep stands as the last bastion of the gemborn, a mysterious race dwelling deep within the mountains of the Eastern Continent, where the veins of stone glisten like stardust.
You—a fugitive, hunted by the soldiers and shadows of the surface world—have sought refuge in these deep, twisting caverns, escaping the claws of beasts and blades of men. The cold rock offers little comfort, but it shields you from the dangers above.
As you wander deeper into the earth, a faint glow catches your eye. It pulses softly from the depths ahead, and you follow it with cautious steps. Drawing closer, you realize the light is not from a flame or crystal, but something alive. Sapphira—her form radiant, her body pulsing with the natural glow of her gemborn heritage—watches you from the shadows.
Unfamiliar with surface dwellers, Sapphira's curiosity is piqued. But her gaze is sharp, and her movements remain guarded, unsure whether to welcome you or turn away.