The Golden Ones, angel like beasts that roamed the deep woods within South Korea. Their siren singing attracting humans who were used as sacrifices to their gods. Human hearts used to replace the unbeating hearts of the creatures.
Shape shifting monsters is what they were. Named the 'Golden Ones' for their tan skin, blonde silky hair, sharp eyes and tall structures. Their tears turning into small white pearls. Unbeatable beasts who become hostile with the sight of the colonizer humans who only come to steal their most valuable possession.
Their wings.
The wings of a Golden One's are as white as snow that covers the tall mountains and glow gold in the night.
If their wings are taken their hair turns black as coal and their human heart stops beating immediately. Leaving the beasts to become unable to fly and die after some time.
Many whose wings are taken go into hiding and eventually drown themselves in the river of souls. The river of souls glows in the full moon where many other Golden One's come and moron. While others who have not yet collected their human heart drink to fuel their soulless bodies.
A Golden One who is stabbed in the heart will become mortal and be condemned from returning to their home. Many wander alone singing until they are able to kill another human and collect their heart.
A Golden One can sacrifice their wings for a mortal life in which the beast becomes a being of blinding light and permanently formed with the human heart they hold inside. They will be taken to a place and no longer remember their past as a Golden One.
The war with the humans and Golden Ones continues. Ones that are killed by the humans put them on display in museums. Others kidnap them and use their tears to sell for money. Their organs are traded and blood used for youthful alternative medicine sold in the black market .
As their blood is a golden yellow color.
Golden Ones are creators of pure beauty that are pursued for that purpose only. Once one has collected their first human heart they're gifted two things. A human body and an animal body.
The higher level you are to the queen the greater the animal.
In their human form, they can easily blend into society in case of an emergency.
"You must never fall in the hands of a mortal, Taehyung." A woman brushed the young man's golden blonde hair.
"Why?" Taehyung looked around at his people.
"They aren't good. They are dangerous and will hurt you. They don't love us, they only want our wings." The woman paused, "Promise me, you will never fall for a mortal."
Taehyung turned around, he looked up at the woman.
"Mama, why would I ever do that?"
The woman smiled, "You are so beautiful. Any mortal man or woman is willing to rip your wings because of your beauty." Taehyung looked down, then back up at his mother, "I promise."
Taehyung was the guardian prince of the Golden Ones. He was here to serve his people and defend them from the humans who came to hunt them.
He remembered his first kill, stealing the heart of the human and placing it inside of him. He was crowned his animal and uses it to protect. His wings were much bigger than his people and his beauty was blinding. His voice was soft and deep which made him much more likely to capture the wandering humans in the woods. Taehyung was the offspring of two women which made him much more unique than the rest of his family.
"If the humans come I will kill them all. I will avenge my ancestors and die for them if I have too." Taehyung stood up, the wing blew his wings gently.
"I make it a promise to find the lost ones." He bowed at his mother who smiled proudly.
She stood up higher than her son. The Golden Ones height was ten feet tall with their wings expanding to almost the size of a six foot human. Taehyung's mother stood twelve feet tall. The woman was tan with golden hair that reached to her feet. She wore a white gown that was decorated with flowers from the children who sat with her. Taehyung wished to look like his mother, the embodiment of ethereal beauty.
In war, she transformed into a phoenix who flew across the sky.
There was another phoenix that once roamed with the Golden Ones. He was the original guardian prince whose wings had eyes and skin glowing white. No one ever knew what happened to the prince but many of the people still pray for his return.
Taehyung wanted to find the first prince and return him home. Taehyung looked up and smiled seeing his other mother land on the ground tucking her wings down holding a basket of fruit. She rushed to her wife placing the basket in front of her.
Taehyung could stare at his other mother forever. She was the one that gave Taehyung some of his beauty. The difference between her and everyone else is that her hair was long and black.
She was given a human heart from someone willing to die for her. It was rare for a golden one to be gifted a human heart. If you lose your heart, your hair becomes dark as well as when you lose your wings, before their final breath someone must give their heart and that Golden One will become a Savior.
Many 'Saviors' are trapped where their heart was gifted but Taehyung's mother since she is queen was able to return to their land. His mother had a scar on her face from battling humans in war.
"Here." Taehyung watched his mother cut him fruit. "It's a starfruit, your favorite." She smiled. Taehyung grabbed it placing it in his mouth.
"The sun is setting." Taehyung's other mother pointed out, "We should get everyone to go inside now." She walked down the stairs. Taehyung also stood up holding a spear.
"You soon will become king." His mother spoke.
Taehyung looked at the ground, even if all his life he's been waiting to be king he wished the first guardian to be king as he saved his mothers before he vanished. He let out a breath, "I'll do my best."
His mother smiled, "You will. You have shown everyone you are capable of it-"
A loud explosion sent the two flying.
Taehyung looked up noticing bombs being thrown. His eyes widen, "We're under attack!" He shouted as sirens began to ring out. Many Golden Ones began to fly to the direction of the attack. Taehyung helped his mother up. He was ready to fly when his mother held him back.
"You must get the children to safety! Send the women and children into other grounds and then come back!" His mother held him. Taehyung nodded, hugging his mother.
"I'll return!" He rushed away.
Taehyung's mother watched her son leave, turning her attention to the attack.
Taehyung led the children onto the other side of the woods. Many of them turned into small animals running down the tall trees. Taehyung ushered everyone out. A woman held her baby close as she turned into a wolf. "Come on!" He shouted waiting for everyone to run past him. He look up at his mothers who flew together down the other side.
He hesitated to return to them before turning into a wolf rushing down with the rest.
Everyone followed behind Taehyung who was now in front. He led them into a cave waiting for everyone to get inside. He looked around, "I'll return. Don't leave this place until my mother comes to get you all when it's safe." They all nodded watching Taehyung run back out. He quickly made his way through the woods, but paused when he came face to face with a human.
His heart jolted.
"Oh? You are much bigger, Ay?" He smirked pulling out his gun pointing it at Taehyung's heart.
Taehyung looked around and saw more men come towards him. He was being circled, he closed his eyes flying up as the men shot at him. He felt a bullet hit his side.
He groaned in pain holding his wound tightly. Tears began to escape his eyes. Small pearls rained down.
"Mama!" Taehyung shouted, he was afraid.
Taehyung was shot once more in the arm. His body dropped to the ground hitting trees on the way down. Taehyung tried to get up feeling his blood pour out. He transformed into a wolf trying to run. His eyes felt heavy as blood trailed behind him. He felt like he was going to die. He breathed heavy in the cold.
He looked back not being seeing the humans. He transformed back into his normal form, but immediately transformed back into a wolf. His heart was beating out of his chest not knowing what to do. He saw a road ahead. A human vehicle was coming this way.
He quickly transformed into a human. He closed his eyes wiping the tears away. He looked back at the wood, wanting to go back but he knew he'd die before he'd make it. He remembered back to what his mother said about not trusting humans. He didn't trust them but he couldn't go back and feel disappointed for not being able to handle a bullet. His golden blood was oozing from his body.
The vehicle was getting closer.
He took one deep breath before his eyes met the flashing light.
His body was thrown a couple feet away. He closed his eyes feeling his body give up. He no longer was afraid of his destiny.
If you cannot defend your people, then you must die.