Chapter 1 ๐ท
The Beginning of Decline ~
โ 3rd person POV โ
________________________________________
The year was 1659 A.D.
The grand hall of the Korean palace stood tall, its high ceilings painted with stories of gods and victories, its long pillars carved with dragons that once symbolized power and protection.
King Kim Geon sat on his throne, unmoving.
Age had settled into his bones, but his presence still carried authority. Before him stood the members of his royal parliament, heads bowed, scrolls in their hands.
One of them stepped forward.
โYour Majesty, the southern provinces are suffering from severe drought. Crops have failed. The people are struggling to find food.โ
The Kingโs brows pulled together.
โDrought? That is not possible.โ
The minister hesitated, then lowered his head further. โThat is what the reports say, Your Majesty.โ
King Geonโs fingers tightened slightly on the armrest of his throne.
โEvery year, the heavens bless us with rain, Our rivers are full. Our lands are fertile. Then where is this drought coming from?โ
No one answered.
Another minister stepped forward, his voice more tense.
โThere is more, Your Majesty. Cases of theft have increased in the eastern regions. Hunger is spreading among the lower classes. Corruption within local officials has also been reported.โ
A pause.
โAndโฆ there are whispers of unrest near the borders. Some fear it may lead to war.โ
The words settled in the hall like a shadow. For a moment, no one spoke.
The King leaned back slowly, his gaze drifting away from them.
Drought. Hunger. Corruption. Theft. War.
Each word echoed in his mind, louder than the last.
โHowโฆโ he murmured, almost to himself. โHow is all of this happening at once?โ
The hall remained silent.
Because no one had the answer.
His eyes lifted again, sharper now, scanning the men before him. โThese are not small problems, These are signs.โ
The ministers exchanged uneasy glances.
โSigns of what, Your Majesty?โ one of them asked quietly.
The King did not reply immediately.
Instead, he looked aheadโpast the pillars, past the hall, as if he could already see what was coming.
A kingdom once strongโฆ beginning to crack.
A future that did not look like victoryโฆ but ruin.
โIf this continues,โ he said at last, his voice lower now, โthen we are not facing misfortune. We are facing decline.โ
"The court is dismissed"
The ministers bowed and stepped back, their whispers fading as they left the grand hall. But the King did not stay. He rose from his throne, his robes shifting heavily around him, and walked out with hurried stepsโfaster than a man of his age should.
The guards followed at a distance, King Geon was not heading to his chambers.
He was going somewhere far more important.
Somewhere older than the palace itself.
The path to the royal sageโs residence was quiet. Few were allowed there. Fewer still understood what that place truly held.
He was not just a monk.
He was the Royal Sageโthe kingdomโs spiritual guide, keeper of ancient knowledge, a man who had served kings long before Kim Geon was born.
It was said he had guided his great-grandfatherโฆ and his father before him.
Some whispered he had lived longer than any man should.
The King entered the chamber without announcement.
Golden lamps burned softly, their light reflecting against the walls covered in scriptures and symbols no ordinary man could read.
At the center of the room, on a raised bed draped in gold-threaded cloth, lay the Royal Sage.
Old.
Fragile.
His body seemed almost weightless beneath the layers of silk. His eyes were closed, his breathing slow and shallow. Around him, his disciples (students) moved gently, adjusting his coverings, offering him water, tending to him with deep care and silence.
Then, as if sensing his presence, the Sageโs eyes opened.
With slow effort, the old man pushed himself up, his disciples rushing to support himโbut he lifted a weak hand, stopping them.
His gaze fixed on the King.
โI was waiting for you,โ the Sage said.
The King stepped forward at once and bowed deeply, lowering himself with respect.
โMaster,โ he began, but the words felt heavy in his throat. โThe kingdomโโ
โI know.โ
The Sageโs reply was quiet, but it cut through everything.
The King lifted his head, his eyes searching.
โThen tell me,โ he said, stepping closer, urgency breaking through his calm.
โWhat is happening? Why are these problems rising all at once? Drought, hunger, corruptionโthis is not natural.โ
The Sage looked at him for a long moment.
Then, slowly, he spoke.
โThe balance is breaking.โ
The Kingโs chest tightened. โBalanceโฆ?โ
โThe order that protected this land for generations, is weakening. And when balance breaksโฆ kingdoms fall.โ
The words struck harder than any sword.
The Kingโs expression changed.
โNo,โ he said immediately, shaking his head. โNo, that cannot happen. Not my kingdom. Not my people.โ
But the Sage did not look away.
โIt has already begun.โ
For the first time, something broke through the Kingโs composure.
His eyes widened. The future he had feared in the courtโฆ now stood before him, spoken aloud.
The King stepped forward and then, without hesitation, lowered himself to his knees.
โMaster, Tell me there is a way to stop this.โ
His hands pressed against the floor as he bowed his head.
โI cannot let my people suffer like this. I will do anything. Anything you ask.โ
The Sage watched himโthis old king, once unshaken, now kneeling like a man begging the heavens.
And for a momentโฆ there was something almost sorrowful in his eyes.
King Geon waited, his breath uneven, his eyes fixed on the Royal Sage as if the next words would decide the fate of everything he had ever known.
The Sage exhaled slowly.
โThisโฆโ he began, his voice quieter now, heavier with something unfamiliar, โis beyond my power.โ
The King froze.
โI have guided kings,โ the Sage continued, โseen wars, famine, betrayalโฆ I have read the movements of heaven and earth for longer than most men can understand.โ His gaze lowered slightly. โBut thisโฆ I have not seen before.โ
For the first time, fear did not sit at the edge of the Kingโs mindโit settled fully inside him.
If this manโฆ this keeper of ancient knowledgeโฆ did not understand itโ
Then what were they facing?
โThere must be something,โ King said, his voice breaking through its usual calm. โThere has to be a way. Tell me there is a way to save my kingdom.โ
His hands trembled slightly as they pressed against the floor.
โI cannot watch it fall. I cannot watch my people suffer while I stand helpless.โ
The Sage watched him for a long moment.Then, slowly he reached out.
With surprising strength, he held the King by his arm and lifted him to his feet.
โStand, A king does not beg for his people. He fights for them.โ
The King steadied himself, though his eyes still carried that desperate hope.
The Sage turned his gaze toward the dim light of the chamber, as if searching through memories older than the palace itself.
โThere may beโฆ one path,โ he said.
The Kingโs breath caught.
โFar from this land, beyond the seas, beyond the mountainsโฆ in the sacred ranges of Indiaโฆ there resides a monk.โ
A pause.
โA man known as Rishi Devendra.โ
The name settled in the air with quiet weight.
โHe is not bound by ordinary knowledge,โ the Sage said. โIt is said he understands the will of the gods themselves. Where others see problemsโฆ he sees their origin.โ
The King stepped closer, hope rising like light in his chest.
โThen I will go,โ he said immediately. โI will leave at once. I will find him, and I will bring back the answer.โ
There was no hesitation.
No doubt.
Only decision.
He bowed deeply to the Sage, gratitude and urgency mixing in his gesture. Then he turned, ready to leaveโready to cross lands, oceans, anything that stood between him and his kingdomโs survival.
But before he could take another stepโA hand caught his wrist. The King stopped.
The Sageโs grip was firm.
โWhen you return, everything will change.โ
The King frowned slightly. โWhat do you mean?โ
The Sageโs gaze drifted, as if he was no longer looking at the Kingโbut at the future itself.
โI can sense it,โ he murmured. โThis landโฆ this kingdomโฆโ
A pause.
โโฆwill receive something it has never possessed before.โ
The Kingโs breath slowed.
โSomething powerful,โ the Sage continued. โSomething touched by the divine.โ
The faint flame of the lamps flickered.
โAnd when it comesโฆ this land will not remain the same.โ
His voice lowered further.
โKorea will riseโฆ not just as a kingdomโฆbut as something closer to heaven.โ
The King stood still, the Sageโs words echoing in his mind long after they were spoken.
Something divine.
Something the kingdom had never possessed.
โYou speak of somethingโฆ divine,โ the King said slowly. โSomething powerful enough to change the fate of an entire kingdom.โ
He paused.
โWhat is it?โ
โIs it a rare metal? Gold hidden in sacred lands? Or perhaps diamonds? Jewels blessed by temples?โ
โNo.โ
The single word carried quiet certainty.
โWhat I seeโฆ is beyond wealth,โ the Sage said. โIt is not gold. Not diamonds. Not anything your treasury can measure.โ
The Kingโs expression tightened.
โThen what is it?โ he pressed.
The Sageโs eyes grew distant again.
โAs far as my power can sense, it is something precious. More precious than anything this land has ever known.โ
A pause.
โSomething that will change your kingdomโs fateโฆ and solve the suffering of your people.โ
The King listened carefully, every word settling deep.
โAnd yetโฆโ the Sage added, his voice lowering slightly, โthis precious pearl is not easy to obtain.โ
The Kingโs lips pressed together.
Pearl.
So that was it.
His shoulders straightened just slightly.
โA pearl, then, How difficult can it be to find what exists?โ
There was a quiet confidence in his toneโthe confidence of a king who had spent his life conquering problems with action.
The Sage smiled.
A smile that carried knowledge he did not speak of.
As if he had already seen the path aheadโฆ and everything that would follow.
But he said nothing of it.
Instead, his gaze shifted back to the King.
โYou will not go alone,โ he said.
The King frowned slightly. โOf course not. I will take my men, my guardsโโ
โNo. You will take your sons.โ
The King blinked.
โMyโฆ sons? Which one? Namjoon? Jin? Or Yoongi?โ
โAll seven of them.โ
For a moment, the King simply looked at him.
Seven princes.
All of them.
The thought was unexpectedโbut the King did not question it further.
If this journey was as important as the Sage believedโฆ then perhaps it required more than he understood.
Slowly, he nodded.
โAs you wish.โ
The King stepped back, then bowed deeplyโonce again lowering himself before the one man he believed could see beyond time itself.
He turned, his robes moving with quiet authority, and walked toward the exit of the chamber.
The moment the King stepped out of the Sageโs chamber, his pace changed.
There was no hesitation left in him now. No space for doubt.
โPrepare my ship,โ he ordered the guards waiting outside, โWe leave tonight.โ
The guards straightened. โYes, Your Majesty.โ
โAnd send word to the harbor,โ he continued. โI want everything ready before sunset. No delays.โ
โYes, Your Majesty.โ
The orders spread quickly through the palace like wind before a storm.
Servants rushed. Messengers ran. The quiet rhythm of the palace shifted into something urgent, something restless.
The King returned to his chambers. Inside his private chamber, the King paused for a moment.
Then he turned to the attendant standing near the door.
โSummon the princes,All seven of them.โ he said.
The attendant bowed immediately. โAt once, Your Majesty.โ
It did not take long.
One by one, they entered.
Seven figures, each carrying a different presence, yet bound by the same bloodโฆ the same name.
They stood before him in a line, respectfulโbut their eyes held questions.
The King looked at them.
โThere is a problem in our kingdom.โ
He told them everything.
The drought. The hunger. The corruption spreading like a shadow across the land. The fear of war.
Thenโฆ the Sage.
โThe Royal Sage has seen what lies ahead,โ the King said. โIf this continuesโฆ our kingdom will fall.โ
A faint shift passed through the room.
Concern. Tension. Something sharper.
Namjoonโs brows furrowed slightly. โFallโฆ? How certain is this?โ
โThe Sage does not speak without reason,โ the King replied.
Then Yoongi spoke, quieter, but firm. โSo what is the solution?โ
The Kingโs gaze hardened with purpose.
โWe travel to India.โ
All seven of them looked at him now.
โIndia?โ Jungkook repeated, surprised. โThat far?โ
โThere is a monk,โ the King continued. โA man who holds knowledge beyond ours. The Sage believes he may have the answer.โ
He paused.
โAnd we are searching for something,โ he added.
Their attention sharpened.
โA precious pearl,โ the King said. โOne that is not easy to obtainโฆ but one that can change the fate of our kingdom.โ
Hoseok glanced at the others, concern clear in his eyes. โA journey like thisโฆ it wonโt be simple.โ
โIt isnโt meant to be,โ Jin said quietly, his expression composed but thoughtful.
Jimin tilted his head slightly. โAnd we leaveโฆ when?โ
โTonight.โ
Jungkook straightened at once. โTonight?โ
โYes.โ
Taehyung, who had been silent till now, finally spoke.
โIf this concerns the kingdomโฆโ his gaze lifted, calm but sharp, โthen it concerns all of us.โ
The King looked at them and nodded.
โPrepare yourselves,โ he said. โWe leave before the night deepens.โ
The princes bowed in unison, their movements precise, disciplinedโtrained from years of royal life.
โWe will prepare, Your Majesty,โ Namjoon said.
The others followed without question, turning one by one and leaving the chamber. Their footsteps faded into the long corridors, their presence slowly disappearing, until the room was left in silence once again.
The door closed.
And for the first time since the court had begunโKing Kim Geon exhaled.
His shoulders lowered slightly, the weight he carried not goneโฆ but eased, just enough.
He walked toward the window, the evening sky now deepening into shades of gold and blue, the palace glowing under the quiet fall of night.
For a moment, he allowed himself to simply stand there.
Not as a king.
But as a father.
A faint softness touched his expression.
โI am fortunate,โ he murmured under his breath.
Not one.
Seven sonsโeach different, each carrying strength in their own way. Not perfectโฆ no kingdom ever was. But capable. Intelligent. Loyal.
He had not built his kingdom alone.
And now, he would not save it alone either.
His thoughts drifted, as they often did, to the past.
To the women who had given him those sons.
Two queens.
Two very different worlds within the same palace.
The firstโQueen Haejin.
Calm. Wise. Graceful in a way that never needed to be spoken. She had been his strength in quieter times, a woman who understood patience, who carried dignity like second nature.
From her were born four sonsโ
Namjoon, Jin, Hoseok, and Yoongi.
Each one reflecting a part of her.
Namjoonโs intelligence. Jinโs composure. Hoseokโs warmth. Yoongiโs quiet depth.
They were steady. Grounded. Thoughtful.
The kind of princes a kingdom could rely on.
โ
The secondโQueen Minseo.
Brighter. Fiercer. Chaotic, woman who carried fire in her spirit, who never feared speaking her mind, even in a palace built on rules and silence.
From her came three sonsโ
Jungkook, Taehyung, and Jimin.
And among themโฆ two were born together.
Twins.
Taehyung and Jimin.
Different in appearance, different in natureโbut bound by something deeper, something unspoken.
Where Taehyung was calm and unreadable, Jimin was sharp and expressive.
Where one watchedโฆ the other reacted.
And Jungkookโ
Youngest of all.
Restless. Strong. Still finding where he stood among brothers who had already shaped themselves.
โ
Seven princes.
Born of different mothers.
Raised under the same crown.
