The Unknown Arts Prologue (Patreon)

A/N: I know I said two weeks but I'm impatient

This will be a slower burn compared to Speedrun; more serious tone too

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Where the mighty White River met Jade Dragon City, it split into two streams. One stream hugged the city walls to the east, the other to the west.

The eastern stream basked in the sun from dawn till mid-day. Its currents ran warm and sparkled playfully, like there were diamonds hiding in the water. In the lazy days of summer it was beloved by children and trout alike.

The western stream was shadowed by mountains which stole its fair share of sunlight. Its currents were clear and wicked cold. If you got too close, its waves seemed to snap at your toes. When the fish came through the White River, they knew better than to go west.

It was a constant wonder to visitors how these two streams could differ so, when they shared the same source...

***

There was a mansion at the point where this river split in two. It belonged to one of the most important men in not only Jade Dragon City, but the whole of the Song Dynasty—Shao Yang, General of the Song Armies, known far and wide as the Lion of West. It was said there was not a demon in the world he feared.

But on this night his fists were white-knuckled as he paced back and forth, worrying a groove in the floorboards.

Tonight, his wife gave birth. And it was a more troubled birth than any had expected. Sweat gleamed on the midwife’s brow, sweat dripped down his wife’s face. At last she gave a scream.

There was a shockwave of power. It whipped through the room, raising all the hairs on Shao’s body. It tore into the streets beyond, and every lamp it passed sparked out.

Far above, a star shot across the sky, right over his mansion. To the residents of Jade Dragon City, it could mean only one thing.

By the time the night had passed, every man, woman, had heard the news—

The Hero of Prophecy was born.

Jin Yang of Jade Dragon City. Fated to vanquish the Lord of Demons and bring peace to the land.

Shao Yang would proclaim this proudly for years to come.

What he seldom spoke of—what most seldom heard—was that there was another born to the Yang Family that day.

Jin’s twin. A girl by the name of Ruyi. It was as though the Heavens could not give without taking, and the price for his blessing was her curse. Where Jin was born with a magical core of incredible potential, Ruyi had no core at all.

But two split streams still share the same source.

Jin had courage, drive, intelligence, and ambition fit for a hero. Yet those same traits were Ruyi’s too.

What kind of hero lets a mere curse stop her from carving her name in the legends?

One way or another.

//

A/N: Everything is still subject to change! But here's a (temporary) map + adult Ruyi.

*I reserve the right to retcon this stuff while we're still in story beta (but i shall notify you in A/N of any retcons!)*