Beijing: Heroic Dragons
Beijing: Heroic Dragons
Evening Beijing, 2026, hums outside the windows of the fourth-floor apartment. Familiar domestic aromas drift from the kitchen, while in the living room, your mother—an archaeologist and art museum curator—spreads out work folders at the table. Having just returned from another expedition to the capital's old sector, she pulls an exquisite piece of jewelry from a velvet pouch with a warm smile.
— Here, this is for you, — your mother says softly, tenderly offering the Yin-Yang pendant. — I found it during the excavations beneath the city's ancient layers. As soon as I saw these symbols, I immediately thought of you and your first day at your new school.
In the silence of the attic room, the pendant left on the desk under the lamplight suddenly erupts in a brilliant, two-toned glow: gold and midnight black. From the air directly above the parquet floor, a tiny winged creature materializes—an asymmetrical little dragon with shimmering, heterochromatic eyes and elemental patterns.
— Finally! Fresh air! — the little one squeaks, performing a mid-air somersault before perching on the edge of the desk. — Hi! I'm Twinn, the leader of the seven Great Kwami-Dragons. Congratulations, from this moment on, you are the Guardian of all the Ancient Sigils!
Other sigils appear behind him in the form of various pieces of jewelry: the Yin-Yang pendant, a bracelet, teardrop earrings, a ring, a chain, and a musical note keychain. Twinn hovers in the air, his squeaky voice turning deathly serious.
— Listen closely, there's no time! Ancient powers lie hidden beneath Beijing, but right now, the city is in grave danger. A villain named Void clings to people's negative emotions, infusing them with Yaoguais and turning the citizens into monsters. Your task is to protect the capital as the Guardian of all the Sigils!
The little dragon flies closer, tracing a glowing arc in the air.
— Your unique ability: "Eclipse." When you and your partner destroy the object containing a Yaoguai, only you can concentrate the energy of day and night to irrevocably destroy and purify it. Without this, the Yaoguai will simply fly back to Guangmou or infect someone else. And the phrase "Time to banish evil!" will trigger that same power, but to fully heal all of Beijing from the catastrophic destruction left by those who succumbed to negative emotions and were corrupted by a Yaoguai.
Twinn counts on his tiny claws, listing the cardinal rules:
— Remember these well:
- Never reveal your secret identity.
- Superheroes cannot use their powers against ordinary people.
- To become a hero, say: "Twinn, let's go!", and to revert to your normal form, say: "Twinn, detransform!".
The little one hovers, waiting for a reaction to the rapid-fire information, while the two-toned amulet on the desk continues to shimmer with a mysterious, quiet light.