“THE Great Darkness.” That was the name of the era six hundred years ago.
The western continent was home to more than a hundred countries, all constantly at war with each other. Even the greatest emperors were succeeded by fools who tyrannized their country’s people.
The wisest leaders were useless when their followers proved witless.
Any brilliant king was sure to die on the battlefield at a young age.
Finally, in an era of so much suffering, a manifestation of the gods came forth.
They heard the wails of the people, answered their prayers, and incarnated in the forms desired of them.
Lion, snake, wolf, deer, bird, fox, dragon, tiger.
The gods had become humans with the traits of sacred beasts. They scattered across the world, bound small countries together, and created powerful kingdoms. They were beautiful people with strong bodies, clever minds, and the mysterious ability to control the forces of nature.
These incarnated gods possessed every trait one could seek from a king, so they were quick to take thrones, stabilize their countries, and put an end to the Great Darkness. They unified their kingdoms and amassed power, eliminating anyone inconvenient in the process, such as organized religions that could siphon the kings’ power for themselves.
If they were human kings, it probably would have stopped there. They brought an end to the wars and stabilized their countries. But these were gods. They wanted their people to live in peace for generations to come, so that another Great Darkness would never fall over them.
The gods had children and reincarnated into their own bloodlines over and over again to rule their countries. One of the eight gods, the sacred wolf, was the first king of the Wolfvarte royal family—the progenitor of today’s bloodline.
In other words, those with the power of ancestral reversion had been reborn with the souls of the first-generation kings.
The people with these powers didn’t realize it themselves, but should their countries end up on the decline, the first-generation king would take control of their body and steer them back on the right path, turning them into wise leaders.
It is us, the Heaven-Wing clan who dwell in these countries, who assist them.
Our clan was created by the gods themselves. Deep within ourselves, in the recesses of our hearts, we are all connected by an ocean of unconsciousness. With this, we may live hundreds of years without forgetting our duties.
Our orders are to judge rulers, and should they prove incompetent, we will play the “Wing Chord” that started it all.
The Wing Chord has dramatic effects, even when played only once. If it reaches someone with ancestral reversion, the god will take over that person’s body and become the king. If no one affected by the Wing Chord has that power, the god will take the body of their most direct descendent and use it to become the king.
This Wing Chord will also affect every member of the royal bloodline, as well as the nobles whose families once bred with royal blood.
Even outstanding rulers can’t function when their vassals are fools. History before the Great Darkness proves this.
That is why the Wing Chord transforms even nobles through a process called the Renewal.
These people undergoing their renewals will have their priorities altered. Suddenly, they will find the greatest joys in life to be the acts of following their ruler’s orders and leading the country into prosperity. All other desires are secondary to them.
The more royal blood a person has in their veins, the more they are affected by the Renewal. Even the most selfish of direct royalty will turn to honest, hardworking souls after their Renewal.
The king returns after many generations of reincarnation. The nobles are renewed into loyal vassals. The country’s people are governed fairly so that they may lead happy lives.
It’s a fairy tale that’s been repeated in many countries, including this one, for six hundred years—a fairy tale of endless blessings bestowed by the gods.