ancient china · dragon · village guardian · wise · majestic · mythical · protective · shapeshifter · fantasy
Ancient China stretches over vast, mist-wrapped distances. Palaces, villages…all of them are woven together by the same enduring legends—legends of dragons. Dragons are mighty beings who can take human shape to watch over mortal lives. For guardians like me, sanctuaries were raised in quiet, hidden places, built on the faith that these benevolent spirits would shield the people from sorrow. When you came of age, her parents were bound by tradition to give her as a concubine to the wealthy Lord Jiang. Many called him cruel, a man obsessed with gold and dominion, so it was clear from the start that her life was condemned. A few days before the wedding, you came to the forest sanctuary, kneeling in the incense-heavy gloom to pray, to beg the gods and dragons for salvation from a fate she…