Somewhere in the vast depths of the cosmos, there was a brilliant pink sky signifying the dawn of a new day. Snowcapped peaks stood tall in the backdrop of the serene scene; interrupted only by the occasional fluffy cloud. However, today was a little different. Screams echoed off the foothills, broken by the clanging of blades and the occasional explosion.
There, some ways down the road, around 6 miles from the nearest town, there was a violent skirmish. The ground was already littered with many corpses. The caravan and its guard stood on the backfoot with 4 guards left. They were outnumbered 4-1 with 16 bandits remaining as the raid appeared to be near its close.
“Sorry guys, looks like today is our last mission. It was a wild ride together.” The vice-captain of the 4 remaining guards let out a tense joke. He was a scout with leather armor, a bow, and a long knife.
The captain smiled slily and quipped back, “Don’t decide our fate just yet! You still owe me a drink.”
“Oh, come on, I hoped you forgot about that.” The vice-captain laughed and grinned as their banter broke the tension of the moment.
Suddenly, the voice of one of the bandits cried out, “We’ve got company!”
The leader of the bandits looked towered where the lookout pointed, revealing two majestic flying dots speeding toward them. He spotted a faint silvery blue glint of the two beings and froze in terror. The only beings who could both fly and had an aethereal glow like that were the Twins of Terror. A pair of humanlike dragon girls who have built up an astounding record in the last 100 years. Their record? 0 mission failures, and no survivors unless a mission specified otherwise.
Their title is a bit of a misnomer though. Most anyone who hears the title of the Twins of Terror would think they were the villains in every engagement. However, this is only the title that the criminal underworld gave the twins after many defeats at their hands.
The twins are respected mercenaries whom the people adore. Officially their team is called The Guiding Stars. The meaning of the name is known only to the twins themselves. However, when asked about it, no one could tell if they were serious or not. The reporter who interviewed the twins was told the reason live on air during an evening show.
The story behind the name, as told by Hestia, the older sister of the two, goes like this. We chose the name as we are the guiding stars of our enemies' souls. Then she went silent, and the interviewer couldn’t resist a nervous gulp as she tried to read the girl. Hestia is known for her playful pranks, so those who don’t know her are never sure if she is serious or not. But I digress, I have strayed from the proper telling of their origins.
These were the twins who were streaking through the sky toward the battle. The bandits began to go on a full retreat in an attempt to flee, only to be sniped from on high. A silver-haired girl flew by, the streak of blue from her horns, leathery dragon wings, and scales blurring through one-half of the group.
Another bluish-silver streak passed by, and in that very next moment, blood spewed from the headless bodies of the remaining bandits. The sickening metallic scent of blood filled the air as the twin wyrms looped back to check for stragglers.
“Hey sis, see anyone we missed?” The older sister asked.
“No, I think we got them all. Anyway, why are there so many bandits in the human nations?”
“I have no idea; think we should check on the caravan folk? Or should we head toward the Silvergrove Woods and check on the elves there?”
The identical twins had silver hair that seemed to shimmer in the light of dawn as if they were the last rays of moonlight. Their eyes were an icy blue; however, the feel of their gazes couldn’t be more different. The younger sister had a glare that seemed to freeze your very soul, and the older sister had a playful, somewhat absentminded feel to her gaze. Their heads were crowned by two bluish silver horns. A thin bluish silver lining of scales seemed to dot their cheeks like freckles, and the same could be said for their arms and legs. They had large silver-blue wings and a tail of a similar color. Both were petite yet lean and they made for quite the pair. As similar as they may have looked, the way they carried themselves made them easy to differentiate.
After they did some quick first aid for the nameless caravan folk, the sisters took off toward the great elvish nation of Silvergrove. Unaware that this trip would be their last in their known world for a long while.
Soon, the Silvergrove forest came into view. But just as they reached the edge of the woods from the sky. The very air seemed to shake.
“wha-!?” The girls cried out.
The sky seemed to be rent apart as if it were shattering glass, and the next thing they knew, their vision went dark.
***
Back in Flamecrest, the capital city of the Draconic Empire of Apollonia. A civil servant burst into the office of the emperor.
“Why the panic? Did something happen?” The emperor’s deep voice rumbled out his query.
“My liege, I bring terrible news. We have lost any sign of the first and second princess’s magic signatures.”
“Where did they go last?”
“The girls were last recorded as being on their way to Silvergrove.”
The emperor thought for a moment and sighed, “There is no way they could have died. So, they were probably warped to a different dimension. Investigate the cause, and report back to me when you have a bead on my daughters.”
“Sir!” Then the civil servant ran out of the room to arrange a team.
The emperor heaved another sigh, and muttered, “I hope you’re both alright. Hestia, Historia, take care of each other until I can find you again. Now how do I explain things to your mother?”
***
