"Hah, we couldn't find him…"
The large group of warriors that had ran out of the village were welcomed back, as the wooden gates slowly opened to let them enter, and swiftly closed right after.
Their leader, a Swamp Lizardman, with an intimidating crocodile-like head sighed, looking at the villagers approaching him, his huge and scarred body would usually be intimidating for many, but the people of the village, mostly lizardmen, saw him as a true leader.
"The chief's back!"
"Chief! Did you catch the evil sacred beast?!"
"Is he… not here?"
The chief sighed, scratching his head with a look of disappointment.
"Sorry everyone, we couldn't find him, he ran away very far, or somehow healed his wings and flew away… Dammit."
The people sighed, many felt disappointed, but nobody really told it to the chief. Nonetheless, he could feel the disappointment and fear his people was feeling.
Just a month ago, this strange creature had fallen right outside their village, in front of their gates. At first everyone was scared, but his daughter, a benevolent healer, decided to rescue the creature.
After that, as the creature revealed their name to be Emerald, he used his strange abilities to help their crops grow faster, and to enchant equipment with stronger magical effects and runes.
The people quickly grew to love the small dragon, calling him a Sacred Beast…
However, things changed just three days ago, when the Sacred Beast started to act strange, telling them that he could sense an Evil Presence coming from the Ancient Ruins, a place the entire unified tribe venerated.
The reason? It was simpler than one could imagine. It was because that strange Ruin, which was too collapsed for anybody to enter and explore, emanated a powerful aura, generating a natural barrier that protected the people from monsters.
Monsters would simply ignore the area entirely, walking away without harming anybody, allowing not only one tribe, but many to live in harmony and peace, away from the dangers of nature to an extent.
It was a great offense, and many started to doubt the beast's powers immediately… However, the thing that broke all trust was what happened last night.
When half their provisions were emptied, and people started coughing and feeling sick, their scales growing purple colored, some even beginning to bleed from all orifices.
And the culprit, Emerald, was found unconscious near the devoured food. People was quick to point fingers at him.
Not even the chief was really sure if he had truly done everything, but he couldn't go against the mob, if his people were sure, he had to believe them and please them, so they wouldn't riot.
"Father!"
A young half Swamp Lizardman and half-Lowland Lizardman girl, with a strong yet delicate complexion ran towards the chief, her father.
Her smaller size and adorable appearance made her one of the village's top beauties, but that wasn't all, her healing powers were top notch, and as she had made contracts with a few Nature and Earth Spirits, she was the village's first Druid.
"Amehia…" The chief said. "We couldn't find him."
"Why?! Why are you chasing that poor thing?!" Amehia, however, was furious. "Do you truly think that he did all of that?! He was only helping us this entire time! The Spirits also feel unease! It wasn't just him saying a lie! Emerald is not a liar!"
"That's enough." The chief said grumpily. "I've told you several times to stop spouting nonsense, he was found near the devoured food, and everyone knows his wings carried a curse that didn't allowed them to regenerate! He must have… spread that curse around! Right?" He asked his people, everyone agreeing.
"That's right, he was a cursed beast!"
"We did good in chasing it away!"
"His magic was feeble in comparison to the protection of the Ancient Ruins!"
"H-How can you say that…" Amehia glanced at her father with her sharp green eyes, filled with disappointment. "I thought… I thought you were different."
"Amehia, wait…!" The chief tried to stop his daughter, but she ran away from him, tears flowing from her eyes.
"Ugh…" The man sighed, gritting his teeth, and gripping his fists. "If only it were as easy as just trusting him, Amehia… If he really said the truth, then where should we go? Those ruins are the only safe area here. Why doesn't she understand this?"
"Calm down, chief, she'll eventually understand."
"Yeah, she's still a kid. She grew attached to the beast, but she'll have to understand and accept the truth eventually."
Some of his companions patted the chief's huge shoulders, yet he only gave them an angered look before walking away.
"I don't need your pity…"
As he slowly walked back home through the enormous village the Alliance between Tribes had built over the last one hundred years, he noticed many people being carried back to their houses from the nurseries, their bodies covered on purple spots, some even bleeding through their ears and noses, others completely unconscious.
Magic didn't work, nor even the strongest of potions crafted from mine herbs of the jungle, this strange disease that had just appeared a day ago had spread quickly, and it held a similar nature to curses.
"We have to find a cure quickly, or everyone will die…" He said to himself. "Could slaying that beast help us make a cure out of his flesh and blood? Or Amehia… No, she said the Spirits are powerless…"
He arrived home, finding two doctors, people that had mastered their magic on healing and the production of medicines, tending his wife, a Lowland Lizardman woman, who had been afflicted with the disease as well.
"H-Honey… You're back…" She muttered, gasping for air.
"Hang in there, you have to rest for now." He said, holding his wife's hand. "We'll find a cure, no matter what… Save your energy."
"The Sacred Beast…" Her wife muttered. "Please… don't… hate him… Emerald is nothing but… an innocent child…"
"But he…!" The chief muttered, suddenly losing his composure. "He…"
He didn't even knew what to say anymore, glancing at the two doctors.
"You may leave now…"
"Y-Yes…"
The two quickly walked away, having only accomplished little to help his wife, the chief felt filled with frustration.
As he sat down near his wife, waiting for a miracle, something darker started creeping out of the Ancient Ruins as the night quickly came…
