1 Prologue

Ancient China

It was the thick black smoke coming from the direction of his village that told him that something was wrong.

Jinhou dropped the sack he was carrying and ran.

This is my fault! This is all my fault! I'm so foolish! Jinhou thought.

As the only son of an elderly couple, he wanted to be with people of the same age. His trip to the city two months ago gave him a taste of what living in the main city was like. It was noisy, and the mixture of smells irritated his other half, but the human side was in awe.

By the time the evening meal was over, he found himself in a tavern and was drinking with people he met earlier that day. He couldn't remember much of the conversation they had, however, something inside him said differently.

The sun was already casting its light on the horizon when he stopped at the entrance of the village. What he saw made his knees weak.

Bodies. Dead bodies were everywhere. Some of the houses were still burning, while others were almost gone. The stench of burned flesh made him vomit.

Father? Mother? He called on their telepathic link, silence. Jinhou walked as if he was dragging a metal ball on both of his feet. All he could hear was the cracking of wood as the fire continued to burn.

A sob broke out of his lips when he saw Mai, her seven-year-old body was almost unrecognizable until he saw the bracelet he gave her. The small stone was unscathed. He knelt beside her, his hands were shaking as he cradled her lifeless body.

"I'm sorry, Mai," he said, voice wobbly. He gently closed her open mouth and eyes. Tears had begun to fall from his eyes. He looked around and more tears fell.

The sunlight bathed the village, and he could see the destruction the hunters had done.

Yes, hunters. They were after one thing. The heart of a golden dragon.

And he bought them here.

He stood up while cradling Mai's body. The more he walked the more he cried.

There was the old aunt who liked giving him sweets every time he walked to her house. Her body was barely outside her house before the flames consumed her.

On his left, was the house of a young couple. He was outside their house, an arrow had been struck into his heart like it was stabbed into his chest to make sure he stayed dead. His wife was nowhere to be seen.

His heart was breaking, as he continued to tell himself, 'My fault, my fault.'

Horses were killed, bodies of pets were on the side.

The smell of burning flesh was getting stronger…and so was his home.

"No, this is just a dream. I am just dreaming, please, be a dream..."

But there was no answer.

When he reached the center of the village, all of his strength left his body, as he sank to the ground. All he could do was say no over and over again, while he rocked Mai's body. In front of him was a pyre…a pyre of bodies tied together. And in the center, were his parents, their chests were ripped open to get the organ that they want.

The heart.

The beast inside of him burst free. A young golden dragon who was ruled by emotions expelled blue fire into the sky, then a roar of anguish followed. The animal in the forest gathered around him, they knew what they were, and now, he was the only one left.

Jinhou could only curl around the bodies of the people he loved. It was his fault, their deaths were on his hands. If only he was not a proud man, if only he had been careful. If only…

Another loud cry resounded throughout the land. A cry of pain, and a promise of vengeance. As the sun continued to climb the horizon, the village where the only pair of golden dragons lived was no more.