A white-blue elderly dragon finally returns to the now relocated Dragon Temple after a long journey, it'd been a long week of checking up on and recalibrating the machines. The mechanisms had tracked the movement and developments of the many floating islands, as he and Volteer had taken it upon themselves to study the phenomenon of the past years, recently the trackers have been sending out strange signals. Walking into a room with a large table and placing the tools he was carrying on it he hears a door slide open behind him, and in a jeering voice calls out "the machines work fine, the islands have simply stopped significant movements, just as I predicted."
"Yes, but the fascinating thing about that is that we calculated that we had yet another decade before they halted completely. Our readings have found that nearly all non-linear movement has completely seized, as if whatever had powered the changes had been removed from the equation. Despite our previous theory it would appear there has not been any inclination of the land masses convergence or falling to the land below, showing that both powers must be intrinsically separate" Volteer rambles on without even greeting his fellow Guardian.
"It's only been a week, without a power source it's possible they can stay afloat, but we can't know that for certain. We simply need more data before we can say" Cyril says pessimistically. Continuing "this entire situation is completely unprecedented, even you seem at a loss for words to explain it" he jabs jokingly at the erratic Guardian.
"Oh now!? Maybe your bloodline might divine some information, if they would let us back into the Library" Volteer jabs back in annoyance.
Cyril opens his mouth to retort before claws scrape against stone behind them. "That enough both of you" Terrador commands arriving through the door, with Ignitus gone Terrador had largely taken over his responsibilities as the leader of the Guardians as neither of his elders had done so. Turning back to them and peering out a nearby window at nothing in particular, "anything of use about these changes?" he asks all business.
"Unfortunately no, it does seem that the islands will not be drifting shifting much further for now, and for the time being we have no idea why. You wouldn't happen to of gotten much help from the council have you?" Cyril explains sadly.
"Absolutely none, apparently the possibility of the destruction of the world doesn't seem to make them willing to allow us into the Library to search the tomes. Hahaha, worried about our safety, apparently their worried about us being unable to defend ourselves in our age… active crime scene my tail end" Terrador sarcastically laughs out. Several weeks ago something had broken in to the library, although they stole nothing they'd clearly searched the tomes for something, as such the area is locked down until either the Council finds something or gives up to the futility of the search.
Clearly his throat loudly and changing the subject suddenly, "Speaking of age, not to say the world ending twice in the same half-century isn't our main concern we must also consider our future, I know that I may be the eldest, but we've all grown quite old recently. I'd begun thinking of this predicament as I returned from our station in Avalar, my bones ache when I move, my scales grey, such so that I wasn't certain I would be capable of returning to the temple" Cyril states as he had indeed grown weary and grey. While Volteer was still eccentric and excitable even he was beginning to how his age, although Terrador, being much younger than his fellow Guardians, still had many years to go despite all the time that had passed.
"Indeed, but our time is not yet come, once we make certain that the world will in fact not end soon we might consider our retirement. Not to even mention who would replace us, for only a few dragons with exceptional abilities have been discovered in this age. For now however we should retire for the night, with these confirmations we might be able to convince the council of our need." Terrador offers, Cyril visibly pleased at the idea of sleep, nods in agreement.
The Guardians retire to their respective quarters to consider these developments, before he lies down to sleep though a thought suddenly shoots through Cyril's mind, "On the same day of the year as the Shattering is when our machines picked up the strange signals. Somehow, somewhere, something has changed the world once more" he thinks, before he falls into his restless slumber.