In the valley of Lewish, nestled between towering mountains and shaded by ancient willow trees, there lived a peaceful town. The streets curved like a dragon's tail, and the scent of jasmine and spices floated through the air. Lanterns in vibrant reds and golds swayed gently in the wind, lighting up the streets even in the daytime. It was a place of happiness, where people lived their lives with joy, playing games in the market, singing songs at the town square, and sharing meals with loved ones. But there was one thing that haunted their peaceful lives—the dragons.
For as long as the people of Lewish could remember, dragons were the stuff of nightmares. They were once mighty creatures, towering over the land, feared by all who knew them. The dragons were not gentle beasts—they were fierce, cold-blooded enemies. And for many years, the people had lived in fear of their return.
The dragons were enemies, always fighting one another, their powers growing out of control. A long time ago, they had made a terrible mistake: they challenged the gods, believing they could control the world and bend the heavens to their will. But the gods did not forgive their arrogance. In their rage, the gods imprisoned the dragons, chaining them in places so deep and dark that they could never escape.
Yet, even though the dragons were imprisoned, their power was still felt. Their cold fire and hatred simmered deep within the mountains, just out of sight but never truly gone. And there was one dragon, in particular, whose story was different from the others.
The dragon's son, Ao Bing, was born the same day as the Emperor's daughter, Lily. Ao Bing was hidden away from the world, his birth kept a secret, because if anyone found out about him, the gods would come for him. Ao Bing's very existence was forbidden. He was born into a bloodline of fire and fury, yet he was different from his kind. His scales shimmered in a soft blue, and he had the power of water—the ability to summon storms and calm the waves. His powers were gentle, unlike the fiery dragons who could burn forests with a single breath.
Ao Bing was a kind child. He had a generous heart and loved nature, always helping the creatures of the forest and the rivers. But his powers, his very being, were a secret. If the gods knew, he would be imprisoned or, worse, killed. He lived in the shadows, never allowed to show his true self to the world.
The other child born on that fateful day was Lily, the daughter of the Emperor. Lily had grown up in a life of luxury and duty, always surrounded by servants and guards. She was beautiful and kind, loved by all who knew her. But despite the kindness in her heart, Lily was different from most children. She had a power inside of her that no one understood—not even her. It was a mystery, hidden deep within her, and no one knew what it meant. Sometimes, strange things would happen around her, like when the air would grow warm without reason, or when the winds would change direction as she passed.
Though Lily was unaware of the dragons and their power, she did know that there was something special about her. But she didn't want to live the life of an emperor's daughter. She longed for freedom, for the chance to run through the fields without guards following her, to play by the river without being watched. She wanted to be just like any other child, to discover the world for herself. She dreamed of running away to the quiet beaches near the edge of the town, where no one would know her name.
Ao Bing, too, wanted freedom. He wanted to explore the world outside the mountains, to meet the people who lived in the town of Lewish, to show them the gentle power he held within. But he knew that it wasn't safe. He had to stay hidden.
On the day Lily turned three, she wandered away from the palace. The breeze tugged at her hair as she slipped out the grand palace doors and down the long path toward the beach. Her heart beat faster with excitement. This was her chance to feel free, even if just for a moment. She reached the edge of the ocean, where the sand was cool and soft beneath her feet. The waves lapped against the shore, and for the first time in a long while, she felt at peace. She could hear the sea, feel the wind on her skin, and for that brief moment, she was not the Emperor's daughter. She was just a little girl, free from the weight of royal life.
As she sat by the water, she didn't know that across the sea, far beyond her sight, Ao Bing was on his way to the same beach. His heart, like hers, longed for a moment of freedom. Ao Bing, too, felt the pull of the ocean—his connection to water so strong that he could almost hear it calling to him.
As the sun began to set, painting the sky in shades of gold and orange, Lily's eyes wandered toward the horizon. And in that moment, she saw it—a figure, gliding through the air with the grace of a bird. A flash of blue shimmered in the distance, and the waves seemed to part before it. It was Ao Bing, flying toward her.
Though they had never met, something deep inside Lily knew that this was the moment her life would change forever. The dragon's son and the emperor's daughter were about to cross paths. Neither of them understood the full significance of this meeting, but fate had brought them together. And in that moment, both children would realize that they were not so different after all.
Ao Bing, the kind-hearted dragon boy, and Lily, the mysterious emperor's daughter, were both children who longed for freedom. Little did they know, their destinies were tied together in a way that would change the fate of the world forever.
And so, the story of the dragon's secret began.