The crimson banners of Xianzhou flapped violently in the summer wind, and the ceremonial square thrummed with the sound of drums and murmurs. Hundreds of families lined the edges of the grand plaza, their children kneeling obediently before the High Priest. Every fifteen-year-old awaited the sacred ritual, their fates tied to the Spirit Animals that would emerge to mark them.
One by one, the ritual progressed.
Cranes shimmered into the air. Foxes crouched gracefully, their tails flicking. Wolves leapt across the courtyard in silver flames. The people cheered as each chosen child's spirit merged into their very being, binding their destinies forever.
Except for me.
I stood at the far end of the line, my palms sweaty, heart hammering in my chest. My name was Liang Shen, and at eighteen, I had avoided this humiliation for three years. Today, though, there was no avoiding it.
"Liang Shen," the High Priest's voice thundered. "Step forward."
I obeyed, every eye in the square burning into me. My mother, Lady Mei, stood in the crowd, her fingers twisted in her sleeves. I tried to smile for her, but the smile faltered.
The incense burned thickly in the air, smoke curling around the priest's staff as he chanted in the ancient tongue. "Let the Heavens reveal your Spirit Companion!"
The crowd fell silent. The wind swirled. Flames from the torches danced and leapt as if drawn toward me.
And still… nothing.
The High Priest frowned. He repeated the ritual twice more, his hands glowing with holy energy. Nothing. Empty air, still as death.
Whispers rippled through the crowd.
"He has none…"
"Impossible…"
"A child without a Spirit?"
I swallowed hard, my knees trembling. I knew the verdict before it was spoken: in Xianzhou, a child without a Spirit Animal was a curse. The empire had laws against us. No Spirit meant no life in the kingdom.
I lowered my head, but my mother's soft voice called out, barely audible over the murmurs.
"My son…"
The High Priest's voice rang clear. "By the laws of the Empire, he shall be marked for exile. Without a Spirit Animal, he is unfit to remain among the living of Xianzhou."
The sun sank low. Shadows stretched across the ceremonial square, like dark fingers reaching for me. I bit back a scream as soldiers approached, their hands bound with ceremonial chains. My mother fell to her knees, wailing.
The soldiers gripped my arms, dragging me through the palace gates. The streets of Xianzhou, which I had walked every day since childhood, now felt alien and hostile. Every window held curious eyes. Every alley whispered rumors.
"Mother!" I cried, struggling against the chains, but the guards tightened their grip.
Lady Mei followed as best she could, pleading for mercy. "Liang Shen is not cursed! You must not…!"
The lead soldier spat on the ground. "The law is clear, Lady Mei. He walks willingly if he wants to live."
I bit back tears. I had survived three failed rituals, hidden my lack of a Spirit from classmates, from friends, from even the merchants in the market square. Today, everything was exposed.
The palace courtyard was empty, but for the rows of statues that represented past emperors. Each one bore the symbol of the Lion, the sacred Spirit of the emperor, unseen for centuries. My heart pounded as I stepped into the center.
Chains rattled. My body shivered under the ceremonial robes they forced upon me. The priest approached, chanting words of binding and banishment. The punishment was to be public flogging before the city, then expulsion from the Empire.
I swallowed. I had spent my life preparing for this moment secretly. But I had never imagined it would come with such finality.
And then… a sound. A low, reverberating growl.
I froze. The High Priest's chanting faltered. The soldiers shifted nervously. Something moved behind the statues.
The growl deepened, echoing across the courtyard. Flames leapt higher from the torches. The air vibrated as if the heavens themselves had exhaled.
Suddenly, a figure emerged. Golden eyes glowed in the twilight. A massive mane shimmered with sunlight. A lion, impossibly large, impossibly powerful, stepped into the open.
Gasps erupted. Soldiers fell to their knees. The crowd outside pressed against the palace walls, shouting and pointing.
"The Lion…" someone whispered.
"The Emperor's Spirit!" another said.
I stood, frozen. My chains rattled as the lion approached, its eyes locking with mine. Then, a shock of heat surged through my chest. A mark burned into my skin, the Lion's sigil. The same symbol as the statues, the same symbol of kingship.
"Impossible," the High Priest whispered, voice trembling.
The lion roared, and the sound shook the courtyard. Windows rattled. Even the guards stumbled back, shielding their ears. My body lifted slightly as the chains fell away, as if the Lion itself had broken them.
The priest dropped to his knees. "The prophecy…" he murmured.
I looked at my mother, who was sobbing tears of disbelief and joy. My heart pounded. I… I had a Spirit. The Lion of Kings.
By nightfall, the palace gates were closed, and the city was buzzing. Word of the Lion spread like wildfire. Every official, every noble, every soldier and merchant knew: the lost Lion had returned, and it had chosen a boy, a cursed boy, as its master.
The Emperor, an aging man with gray streaks through his hair, convened a secret council. Zhao Rui, his eldest son and heir, glared across the table. His fists clenched as he saw reports of Liang Shen's awakening.
"This is an insult," Zhao Rui hissed. "A spiritless boy claiming the Lion? This cannot be allowed!"
The Emperor's advisors whispered. Some feared rebellion, others feared that the prophecy might be true. The Lion of Kings had not appeared in centuries. To see it choose Liang Shen was unthinkable.
Meanwhile, in the palace corridors, I trained with General Han Wu, a stoic warrior who had served the throne for decades. "Control it," he said. "The Lion is your power, but also your target. Many will try to take it from you."
I nodded. The Lion paced beside me, its massive paws silent on the marble floor. Its golden eyes never left mine. A bond had formed, unspoken yet absolute.
I had power now, but with it came enemies, intrigue, and destiny.
Morning came with a parade of rumors. Zhao Rui had ordered loyalists to spread fear, claiming Liang Shen was an imposter, a demon-possessed boy. Yet, across the city, whispers of the Lion's roar could be heard.
I walked through the palace courtyard, the Lion at my side, and soldiers bowed instinctively. Every step I took was measured. Every movement observed.
The Emperor finally summoned me. His eyes were sharp, calculating. "Liang Shen," he said, voice low and cold. "You have awakened the Lion… yet you are still a boy without a kingdom. Tell me, what is your loyalty?"
I met his gaze, unflinching. "To Xianzhou, my Emperor. Not to any prince, not to any noble. I serve only the empire."
A long silence. The High Priest, kneeling behind him, murmured a blessing. Zhao Rui's eyes burned with fury.
That night, as the city slept, I stood on the palace balcony. The Lion's roar echoed across the empire. Somewhere in the shadows, enemies plotted. But I had survived exile, humiliation, and a destiny denied by law. Now, I had power, and the Lion was mine.
The war for Xianzhou had only just begun.