A/N: I just want to put out that this is the first time i'm writing a story without a proper guide, and a spiritual world at that so I'm pretty much nervous of how it will turn out. I did try to make it as visual as possible but I hope you guys enjoy the first chapter!

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It was a peaceful day at Sheer, a land that had rice fields and water surrounding it.

The crickets were chirping and under the dim lights of his bedroom, Mark Lee was in his bedroom, thumbing through one of his few books. He never really studied and all he did was help his father with the business—selling steamed buns, or míanbao’s as they called it. His father enjoyed serving the people of Sheer and Mark simply followed cue.

His daily routine was the same, the twenty-year-old would push his cart of míanbao’s past the huts to the market at sun rise and make sure all his steamed buns were hot and ready to eat. His father would be with him and there, they would yell out “Buy some steamed buns! Buy some steamed buns!”.

And when the sun would set, they would find themselves walking back to their tiny little hut in the center of Sheer, Mark satisfied with the life they were living because he was never one to be ambitious.

A knock on the door sounded and Mark looked up to see Bruce Lee, his father’s blue eyes and blonde hair strikingly bright under the dim lamp.

“I’m heading to bed, son. What you doing?” Bruce Lee asked, his eyes looking over to the book that Mark was holding. Sometimes, he wished he could give Mark more but Mark was humble at best and never asked for anything.

“Reading,” Mark replied, his eyes shining as he looked at his father. He admired his father’s work ethic, Bruce Lee entering the room and sitting down on the bed. “How the world started and how shapeshifters came to be.”

“You keep reading the same book,” Bruce Lee observed, Mark nodding and scooting over for his father.

“Shapeshifters are so cool, Dad!” Mark replied, Bruce chuckling at his son’s enthusiasm when Mark gave him the book, leaning his cheek against his dad’s shoulder. “Sometimes I wish I was one.”

Bruce Lee remained quiet at Mark’s words, the male turning to the first page to begin the story from the beginning, Mark yawning softly as Bruce’s soothing voice began to narrate how the world began.

“In the start of time, the gods created dragons from the four elements,” Bruce began, Mark staring at the faded picture of the dragons. “Water first, then fire, the two opposite elements traveling around the world when finally volcanos were made and the land dragon began to create solid ground. And finally, the wind dragon created wind.”

“Cool….” Mark mumbled, his eyes strained on the faded ink, Bruce Lee turning the page. “Go to the next part,” he urged.

“As the dragons began to roam, the gods began to create animals to serve each dragon. Bears, tigers, rabbits, and galore for the land dragon. Whales, dolphins, and different kinds of fishes for the water dragon. Birds and those with wings were gifted to the wind dragon and camels, hyena’s of the desert and many more for the fire dragons.” Bruce Lee continued, Mark’s eyes growing heavy. “And alas, the animals began to inhabit the lands. Prey and predators made the food chain.”

“And animals of each nation began to fight.” Mark butted in, Bruce Lee jumping at his son’s voice. Mark’s eyes were wide open now. He loved this part! “And that is why the gods wanted to find a middle ground, putting in humans.”

“Humans that could shapeshift,” Bruce Lee said, smiling at his son’s excitement. “You see, humans were both predator and prey. A human can kill a lion, but a lion can also kill a human. The food chain was a mess, predators preying on the weak so the gods decided to balance it out.”

“So, humans were born and they were all given a spirit animal,” Mark said, smiling. “Dragons too! They could phase into human form and they were appointed as royals, the kings of each Nation. As time passed, only selective people could phase into animals and that is what we all call shapeshifters and oh, they are so cool, Dad! I wish I was a shapeshifter—”

Bruce Lee chuckled at his son’s rambling.

“And now in the modern times, all the nations together is called the SM Nation— the Descendants of the dragons are the royals and that’s what King Taeyong is. The ruler of the Land Nation with the knightsmen and… and…” Mark fidgeted with the necklace around his neck, the black rock given to him when he was thirteen by a stranger.

“Alright, that’s it. Time for bed, Mark. We need to sell some míanbao’s in the morning and we have a long day ahead of us because we want to see if the people like the red bean buns, don’t we?” Bruce Lee asked and Mark sighed.

“But Dad! The story isn’t finished yet,” Mark said, his bottom lip pouting out. He gripped his necklace when Bruce Lee froze, his eyebrows furrowing when he heard yelling from outside of the huts. “What’s wrong?”

“Shhh….” Bruce Lee lifted his finger up to his lips. “I hear something.”

And right as Bruce Lee said, there were sounds of screaming, people running for their lives.

“Bandits! Bandits taking over Sheer!” they yelled, Bruce Lee reaching out to put off the light in the hut when they could feel the heat from the arson. “RUN!”

“Mark—” Bruce said, the door of their hut flying to the side as a man walked in, a scar across his face.

Bandits were widely known to take over small towns, stealing from them and taking people as slaves. Bruce Lee just never knew that it would happen to Sheer, the father stepping in front of Mark when the head bandit smiled—his teeth black and rotten.

“Stay back,” Bruce growled and Mark clamored out of the bed, standing behind his father.

“Or what?” The bandit asked. “Ah, a young boy. He would make a good addition to our group of slaves—”

“Over my dead body,” Bruce snapped when the bandit circled them, a hand dragging a match across a cardboard box to emit a flame before he dropping it onto the floor. “No!”

“Oops,” He drawled. “Grab whatever that is valuable and the kid.”

The order was enough to make the men reach for Mark, the male closing his eyes when he heard a loud growl from his father, Mark instinctively reaching for the necklace around his neck to grip the rock.

“Break the rock when you’re in trouble and you’ll be fine.” The stranger said to him when Mark first got it by the stream bordering Sheer.

Keeping his eyes closed, Mark found himself falling onto the ground, grabbing his necklace and slamming it against the ground when there was a gust of wind and he felt his body shake.

“MARK!” He could hear his father yell, Mark losing consciousness as he felt a rush of energy go through his body. “MARK!”

“How in the world—”

“It’s a dragon!”

But Mark was plunged into darkness, unknown of what he had become.

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A man made his way down the walls, his footsteps echoing bouncing off the palace stone walls.

Johnny Suh had just gotten the news, the male heading straight to the throne room to see Taeyong sitting there, the black under his eyes prominent. Kun, the Royal Physician stood beside him, the male mixing up some herbal medicine for the king when Johnny stopped in front of Taeyong and leaned forward to drop down onto his knees when Taeyong beat him to it.

“At ease,” Taeyong said, weakly. “I keep telling you that you don’t have to bow, Johnny.”

“Old habits die hard,” Johnny replied, his hands by his sides.

“Nonsense,” Taeyong, the king of the Land Nation replied kindly. “What is wrong, Sir Johnny? Did something happen?”

“Bandits,” Johnny reported. “Jungwoo had flown over to stake out the land that was attacked. The houses are burned down, the people are terrified.”

“Bandits?” Taeyong asked, shaking his head. “Which town is this? Does it fall in our territory?”

“Sheer. The town surrounded by the stream,” Johnny replied. “I’m going to bring Lucas and Jaehyun with me to the people.”

“Of course. Provide them refuge, Johnny.” Taeyong spoke, coughing and a flash of concern clouded over Johnny’s eyes. “Off you go now. The people need your aid. Don’t look at me like that, Johnny. I’ll be fine while you three are away.”

The Knightsmen, consisting of Johnny, Lucas, and Jaehyun were incredibly protective of Taeyong. Johnny and Lucas being shapeshifters and Jaehyun being a nobleman but skilled with incredible sword work—all three of them stood by Taeyong as his first line of defense.  

“Sire.” Johnny’s voice was clipped and as much as he tried to hide it, he was worried about his king.

Taeyong watched as Johnny his heel and left the throne room, Kun coming up to him and placing the bowl of herbal medicine in front of him. Taeyong’s silverish hair shone under the light and Taeyong ran a hand through his strands.

“How are you feeling, your highness?” Kun asked, Taeyong giving him a weak thumbs up when the doors opened and a wolf and a person walked in. Oh, the people of the Marble Palace loved their king—the Land Nation being the center hub. The sad fact that Taeyong was turning 25 in a few months was enough to worry them.

Both of them stopped in front of him and Taeyong tried not to look like he was dying.

“I’m fine and why are you two here?” he asked. Yuta, the Royal Advisor stepping towards him to glance at the herbal medicine.

“Here to keep you company, my king,” A wolf said from the side, the animal plopping down by his feet.

“Jeno, you should be guarding the gates,” Taeyong said to him. But the wolf too was loyal and he refused to move. “Did the Royal Knightsmen, perhaps, tell you to be here?”

“No, your highness. I come at my own accord,” Jeno said, the big black wolf his paw in between words as Yuta stood rooted at his spot beside Taeyong. “Oh—Park Jisung.”

There was a skitter across the floor and Taeyong chuckled, seeing the small mouse run towards him. Jisung jumped towards the throne, Taeyong leaning down with his palm wide open. Jisung climbed onto his palm and Taeyong laid Jisung on his lap, Jisung nuzzling his mousy face against the king’s stomach.

“Your highness!” the mouse squeaked. “I come to keep you company. I saw the Knightsmen leaving the Marble Palace.”

“Oh, did you?” Taeyong asked, smiling, a hand going to pet the mouse on its little head. “And what did you do today?”

“He spent the day in the kitchens with Nana. The bunny cooked porridge for you today.” Doyoung’s voice floated by, the male walking in as a human. “I’m going to handle the registry of the refugees from Sheer, Taeyong. Just letting you know.”

Doyoung, his secretary, knew of his responsibilities. The paperwork, the registry of people to negotiations and the system within the Marble palace was all his doing. Being the one who had been with Taeyong since the beginning, he hardly called Taeyong by his title.

Taeyong was about to say something when there was a bang from the gates and Taeyong looked up in surprise, people could be heard screaming in fear. Jeno stood up, his ears pointed up, the wolf alert at the possible danger when the door of the throne room opened and a big huge black snake slithered in.

And that was enough for the wolf to snarl, his fangs showing when Yuta stepped forward

Yuta, The Royal Advisor, began to phase, his body also turning into a snake of similar size. But his body was pale white and he hissed at the black snake that stood before them.

Jeno barked, his instincts kicking in as the royal guard dog, refusing to move from where he was at when the black snake spoke.

“Oh, the hostility,” the snake said, stretching its body out and curling it abruptly before turning to a human. Oh Sehun stood there, dusting the black outfit that shapeshifters use, off. “Hello there, cousin.”

He greeted Nakamoto Yuta, the white snake’s eyes narrowing at him.

“We’re not related,” Yuta hissed, Taeyong raising a hand to tell Yuta to stand down