DRAGON PUNKS NFT CHAPTER 04: The Tearlock Realm of Crystallia

Xylith Tearlock looking out over the lavender grass fields of Crystallia

The sensation of falling ended abruptly as Eon and Nova tumbled onto solid ground. Eon's protective instincts kicked in; he twisted mid-fall to cushion Nova's landing with his own body. They landed with a thud on what felt like grass, cool and damp beneath Eon's body.

"You okay?" he asked, helping Nova to her feet.

"I think so," she replied, brushing herself off and looking around with wide eyes. "Where are we?"

The radiant form of Elra Sol stood beside them, her golden scales illuminating the strange landscape around them. "This is Crystallia, home of the Crystal Tearlock Dragons" she said, her voice resonating with a calm and powerful tone. Golden Butterflies fluttered around her majestic presence adding even more elegance to her glowing beauty. For a moment, Eon felt hypnotized by her gaze. "This is one of the few stable realms remaining." She said.

They stood in a vast meadow under an impossibly large sky. It stretched above them in swirls of purple, blue, and light emerald green, three moons of different sizes were visible despite the apparent daylight. The grass beneath their feet wasn't the familiar green of Paradise Valley, but a soft lavender that swayed in a gentle breeze.

In the distance, crystalline structures rose from the landscape, catching the light and fracturing it into rainbows that danced across the horizon. The air smelled of something sweet but entirely unfamiliar—like cinnamon mixed with vanilla and honey, plus something else they couldn't name.

"It's beautiful," Nova breathed, reaching down to touch the lavender grass. It chimed softly at her touch, producing delicate musical notes. "Oh!" she exclaimed, delighted.

Elra Sol's expression darkened. "Beauty endures, even as worlds fall around us. What happened to your home—to Paradise Valley—was no accident."

"What do you mean?" Eon asked, his amber scales reflecting the strange light. "What exactly happened to our world?"

"The Etherfall," Elra Sol said gravely. "A severing of consciousness from reality. It tears apart the fabric that binds worlds together, disconnecting minds from their anchors."

"The Etherfall?" Nova repeated, the name sending a chill through her despite the pleasant temperature. "That's what caused the tremors? The disappearances?"

Elra Sol nodded solemnly. "It begins with small fractures—objects flickering in and out of existence, tremors increase as reality tries to re-stabilize. Then come the major ruptures, as consciousness and matter separate entirely at sub-atomic level."

"But why?" Eon pressed. "Why is this happening?"

Before Elra Sol could answer, her form began to shimmer, becoming translucent. "I must go," she said urgently. "The pathways between worlds grows unstable. Find the Council of Harmonies—they will explain more." Her voice faded as her form dissolved into particles of golden light. The fluttering gold butterflies around her scattered outward "I will return when I can. Be cautious young brave ones. Not all who wander between worlds do so with good intent."

"Wait! We have so many questions!" Nova called, reaching toward the dissipating light. "You can't just leave us here!"

But Elra Sol was gone, leaving the Drake's alone in the strange landscape of the unfamiliar crystal realm.

The Resonance Spires of Crystallia

"Well, that was rude," Eon muttered, stretching and flexing his wings to ensure they were undamaged from the journey.

A sound like wind chimes drew their attention. Across the grassy plains, a cluster of tall, slender beings emerged from the grass in the horizon. They were dragons but clearly not the same as Eon and Nova. Their scales shimmered with an iridescent quality or emerald and sapphire, and their limbs were unnaturally long and graceful. They moved as if floating just above the ground.

"Locals," Eon said quietly, instinctively moving closer to his sister. "Stay behind me. Just in case."

"Don't be ridiculous," Nova countered, stepping forward. "If they wanted to hurt us we would already sense it. We're the strangers here. We should be respectful." Nova always trusted her intuition and instincts. Eon was skeptical and observed cautiously.

The beings approached, communicating among themselves in melodic tones that sounded more like music than language. One of them, taller than the rest with an emerald crown-like structure of crystalline growths on its head, stepped forward.

"Greetings Travelers," it said, the words resonating in the air rather than being spoken aloud. "The Light-Walker brings you to us in very dark times."

Eon and Nova exchanged a curious glance. "I am Xylith Tearlock, Elder of the Crystal Harmonies. You are welcome in Crystallia, do not fear us." Xylith's voice was deep and powerful.

Cautiously, Eon shook the offered hand as firmly as he could. It felt cool and smooth, like polished stone. "I'm Eon Drake. This is my sister, Nova."

"We saw Elra Sol disappear," Nova said. "She mentioned something called the Etherfall before she left. What is happening? Are we stuck here? Why are you like no Dragon's I have ever seen? What did she mean by..."

The beings exchanged looks that seemed heavy with meaning.

"Come," Xylith interjected. "We shall speak of these matters at the Resonance Spires. It is not safe to linger out in the open."

The Tearlock Dragons formed a loose circle around them and began to guide them toward the distant crystalline structures. An entire city was before them made of shimmering crystals. As they walked, more of the strange lavender grass chimed beneath their feet, creating a constantly shifting melody.

"What did Elra Sol mean about others wandering between worlds without good intent?" Eon asked as they walked.

The crystalline dragons seemed to dim slightly, their iridescent scales losing some of their luster.

"She speaks of Rotwingz," Xylith said, voice dropping to a somber tone. "Once they were like you— beautiful dragons from your world, caught in the Etherfall when it consumed your world."

Nova gasped. "There are other survivors from our world?"

"Not survivors," another dragon said, its voice like a soft breaking glass. "Corrupted ones. Changed."

"The Etherfall severed their consciousness from all possible realities," Xylith explained. "Trapped in fractured space-time, they experienced every thought as an instant manifestation, every fear made real. Their minds became twisted and broken, disconnected from their own spark of consciousness. Now they exist only to cause chaos and harm others."

"They were tortured," a smaller crystal dragon with small ruby red horns added. "Tortured by their own thoughts until anger and hatred consumed them."

Eon felt a chill run through his spine. "And now?"

"Now they move between worlds as the Etherfall spreads," Xylith said. "Drawn to stable realities, they seek to corrupt and destroy what they can no longer have. Their amber scales have turned black, green, and purple, their flesh rots from within, yet it still carries them through the void. Their eyes burn with madness."

As they approached the Resonance Spires, Eon and Nova fell silent, processing the horrifying information. What had appeared to be simple crystal formations from a distance revealed themselves to be complex building like structures of impossible geometry. They seemed to be growing directly from the ground, with no visible construction seams. The surfaces rippled occasionally, like water disturbed by a breeze, yet they were as solid and strong as diamonds.

"These are alive," Nova whispered, reaching out to touch the nearest spire. It hummed pleasantly under her hand, changing color slightly where her hand made contact.

"All things in Crystallia are connected," Xylith explained. "The spires, the singing grass, the harmonies in the air—they are extensions of our world's consciousness."

They were led through an opening that appeared in one of the larger spires, stepping into a space that defied Eon's understanding of architecture. The interior was larger than the exterior suggested possible, with soaring crystal ceilings that reflected the light in dazzling patterns. Other crystal like dragons moved about inside, all with the same iridescent skin and graceful movements.

But there were others as well—beings clearly not of Crystallia. A blue-furred creature with six arms and compound eyes. A pair of beings that seemed to be made entirely of flowing water or gelatin, contained somehow within their own surface tension. A small, reptile like creature with feathers instead of scales.

"Other refugees," Xylith explained, following Eon's gaze. "Their worlds too have fallen to the Etherfall. Elra Sol has brought them here."

"How many worlds have been affected?" Nova asked quietly.

"Seven that we know of," Xylith replied. "Though there may be countless others beyond our awareness. The multiverse is vast beyond comprehension."

They were led to a circular chamber deep within the spire, where a group of crystalline beings sat in a formation that reminded Eon of a council chamber. At the center was a pulsing crystal that shifted colors as they approached.

"The Council of Harmonies," Xylith announced, gesturing for Eon and Nova to step forward. "These dragons come from the former world of Paradise Valley, brought here by the Light-Walker Elra Sol herself."

One of the council members, with an elaborate sapphire crown of crystal formations, spoke in a voice like a symphony of bells. "We have been expecting you. The Light-Walker informed us of your coming."

"Before she disappeared," Eon said, unable to keep the edge from his voice. "She left us with more questions than answers."

"The Light-Walker's ways are mysterious," another council member said. "She moves between worlds, gathering those who can help."

"Help with what?" Nova asked.

"Stopping the Etherfall," Xylith said simply. "... and the Rotwingz who spread its corruption."

The central crystal pulsed, projecting images into the air like holograms above it. Eon and Nova watched in horror as they saw vicious black-scaled dragons with decaying flesh tearing through what appeared to be an idyllic forest world. The rotting dragon's eyes glowed with red light, and whatever they touched would decay and transform into a black sludge like substance.

"These were once your kind," the council leader said. "Now they are what we call Rotwingz, heralds of the Etherfall. Their motives are unclear beyond spreading chaos and destruction. They appear without warning, cause untold damage, and vanish again into the void between worlds."

"We must assemble a force to stand against them," Xylith added. "Beings from various worlds, each with unique abilities. But we need dragons like you who understand the nature of the Rotwingz—who can help us counter their attacks."

Eon exchanged a look with his sister. "You want us to fight these... these corrupted dragons? We're not warriors. I'm just—I was just a regular dragon punk kid back home."

"The one who saved a mother and child from certain death?," Xylith reminded him. "And you," he turned to Nova, "with your passion for culture and scientific mind and understanding of your world's physics. Together, you possess unique qualities we need to fight back and save the realms."

"We barely understand what's happening," Nova protested. "How could we possibly help?"

The central crystal pulsed again, showing a new image—Paradise Valley, their home, vibrant and alive. Then the image shattered, replaced by a swirling sphere of black goo.

"Your world is gone," the council leader said, not unkindly. "But others can still be saved. The Etherfall spreads, but it can be contained, perhaps even reversed. Will you help us? Will you stand against the Rotwingz and the corruption they bring?"

Nova looked at Eon, her eyes filled with determination despite her fear. "We have to try," she said. "For everyone we lost."

Eon thought of Miyazaki's Sushi Shop, of the mother and child he'd saved, of the Steelclaw brothers who had chased him across the city—all gone now, existing only in his and Nova's memories. He thought of his comfortable life, disrupted by chaos not of his making.

Then he thought of other worlds facing the same fate, other families, other lives about to be extinguished.

"We'll help," he said finally. "But we need to know everything you know about the Etherfall and these Rotwingz."

The council members seemed to confer silently among themselves, their crystalline forms vibrating subtly.

"Agreed," the leader finally said. "Tomorrow, your training begins. Tonight, you must eat pizza and rest to restore your strength."

They were led to a smaller crystal formation within the larger structure. "It will adapt to your needs as it learns your patterns," Xylith explained before leaving them alone.

Sure enough, the dwelling began reshaping itself subtly around them—creating surfaces at comfortable heights for the dragons, adjusting the light to a spectrum more familiar to their eyes.

Nova sank onto a formation that had reshaped itself into something like a couch. "Eon," she said quietly, "what have we gotten ourselves into?" Eon looked out through a crystal facet that served as a window, watching the three moons of this strange world rise higher in the swirling sky. "I don't know. But we don't have much choice, do we? Our world is gone. We're all that's left."

"Do you think any of our friends could have become... those things? Those... Rotwingz?"

Eon tried not to think about it—tried not to imagine Miyazaki or the Steelclaw brothers transformed into those corrupted, hate-filled creatures they'd seen in the council's projection. "I hope not." was all he could say.

The crystal dwelling dimmed slightly, as if sensing their need for rest. Outside, the musical tones of the crystalline world continued their eternal symphony.

"Get some sleep," Eon told his sister. "Sounds like tomorrow is going to be a busy day."

As Nova drifted off to sleep on the surprisingly comfortable crystal formation, Eon remained awake, watching the alien sky through the window. Somewhere out there, Elra Sol was moving between worlds on her mysterious mission. Somewhere out there, the Rotwingz were spreading chaos and destruction.

And somewhere out there, the Etherfall continued to spread, severing consciousness from reality, devouring worlds one by one leaving nothing behind but chaotic forms of black goo.

Eon Drake—once just an ordinary dragon with a talent for getting into trouble—now found himself responsible not just for his sister's safety, but potentially for the fate of countless worlds. He closed his eyes, letting the gentle harmonies of Crystallia wash over him. Whatever challenges tomorrow would bring, he would face them. For Nova. For the memory of his home in Paradise Valley. For all the worlds that might still be saved.

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Dragon Punks NFT - CHAPTER 04: The Tearlock Realm of Crystallia