"Heart Of The Azure Dragon"- Taekook/Vkook-Book 1 Of "The Sacred Beasts"

Prologue

No one's pov-

The moon hung high in the sky, its pale glow casting long, ominous shadows over the sleeping city. Beneath the calm façade of the night, danger lurked in the corners, waiting to strike. Unseen by the people tucked away in their homes, something far more sinister crept through the alleys-a demon, its eyes burning red with hunger.

A lone figure moved silently through the streets, cloaked in darkness. The air around him crackled with an icy chill, and his steps were swift yet soundless, like a shadow among shadows. The Azure Dragon, the unseen protector of the East, was on the hunt.

From his perch on the rooftop, Jeongguk's golden eyes narrowed as he spotted the demon below. It was stalking a lone pedestrian-a man who had taken a wrong turn on his way home, oblivious to the danger that skulked in the darkness. The demon lunged, its razor-sharp claws extended, ready to strike.

But it never reached its prey.

With a flash of speed and power, the Azure Dragon descended, landing between the demon and the terrified human in one fluid motion. His hand shot forward, catching the demon by the throat, stopping it mid-attack. The human stumbled back, eyes wide in horror at the creature before him, unable to comprehend what he was seeing.

The demon struggled, hissing and thrashing in the dragon's iron grip, but Jeongguk's strength was unyielding. His face remained cold, a picture of stoic determination as he tightened his hold, frost spreading from his fingers across the demon's flesh. Its skin crackled, freezing under his touch. With one swift motion, he drove his other hand into the demon's chest, his fingers glowing with a soft blue light. A faint gasp escaped the demon's lips before it crumbled to dust, its body disintegrating into nothingness.

Silence fell over the alley, save for the soft, trembling breaths of the man who had just been saved. The human, still in shock, stared at the spot where the demon had once been, his mind struggling to process what had happened. His gaze then shifted to the figure before him-tall, intimidating, with an aura of raw power that made the air around him feel colder.

Jeongguk turned slowly, his golden eyes fixing on the human. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then, with a sigh, the Azure Dragon took a step forward, his expression softening just slightly as he looked at the frightened man. He couldn't let him remember this.

"It's better if you forget," Jeongguk murmured, his voice low but firm.

With a simple motion, he raised his hand, and a faint, shimmering blue light emanated from his palm. The man's eyes glazed over, his expression going slack as the light engulfed him. The memories of the demon, of the terror he had just experienced, were gently erased, replaced by nothing but a dream-like haze. The Azure Dragon watched as the man blinked a few times, confusion replacing fear in his eyes.

"You were just lost," Jeongguk whispered, guiding the man's thoughts as he planted new memories. "You'll find your way home now."

The man nodded numbly, turning and walking away without another word, his footsteps echoing down the empty street. Jeongguk stood there for a moment, watching until the man disappeared from sight.

Once the human was safe, the Azure Dragon exhaled, his shoulders relaxing slightly. His job was done for now. Yet, there was no sense of relief. He had dedicated his life to this-protecting a world that didn't even know he existed, fighting monsters in the shadows while the city slept in peace.

But he had to keep going. No matter how cold or distant he seemed, beneath that icy exterior was a heart that cared too much. A heart that longed for something more, but couldn't allow itself to be distracted by emotions.