The Sapphire Isle, as it was known, drifted serenely on the endless azure expanse of the Speaking Ocean. It wasn't truly an island, not in the way landmasses clung to the earth, but a colossal bloom of crystalline coral, its roots plunging miles into the sun-dappled depths. Its peaks, sharp as dragon teeth, cradled fertile valleys where ancient trees, their leaves shimmering like polished jade, reached