Video | un: nightwanderer

[dragonrising]

[He's been thinking about this for a few weeks now, dwelling on it as he continues to settle in here. It's enough that he feels he could ask about it. See how many have a similar connection...]

Good evening. I had a question I thought I'd like to present to you all. A curiosity really.

How many of you are familiar with those known as Immortals? It is alright if you only know of them through stories or myths. Largely I'm just wondering how much is known of them. What you know of them.

Whatever you wish to share, I will listen to. Thank you.


[ooc: Spoilers for like...almost the whole of Ashes of Love in the thread with Xingchen btw!]

Comments

[dragonrising]

It doesn't change your heart.

[That is a weight he knows well though. The pain his mother's clan faced, her pain, her death... Watching his brothers bound and with threats of deaths over their head. Torture. Hundreds who would be killed if he didn't sacrifice himself.

It still pains him. His heart aches and he forces his face to remain neutral. Because he doesn't deserve sympathy. Not after all he's done.]

There will always be monsters like that in the world. We can only do what we can to stop them.

[gentledawn]

I will kill him should he show his face here. My sight has been returned; he cannot hide.

[Shuanghua will cut that deviant down and put an end to all of the agony and fear he has caused. For Zichen, for all of those priests... For everyone else Xue Yang has tortured or killed...

He won't falter.]

There will be one less. The others, I will discover too.

[dragonrising]

[And yet...he's shown that he would help one of those monsters. It just makes Runyu want to hide his past all the poor, not wanting to make this poor man suffer. He's far too kind to know the horrifying person he is really speaking to.]

Will this place allow you to do that?

[gentledawn]

[Regret...remorse...makes all the difference. A monster doesn't feel those. They just hurt and keep hurting.]

I have many to protect. Whether it allows me to or not, I won't fail.

[dragonrising]

I believe you will keep them safe. They are well cared for in your hands.

[Is he counting himself? Of course not.]

[gentledawn]

They include you, my lord. [As silly as it is when he thinks about a mortal protecting an immortal.]

[dragonrising]

[He seems genuinely startled by that.] Me?

[gentledawn]

Of course. [As if it was always a given.]

[dragonrising]

[He shakes his head at that.]

I assure you that your efforts are best spent elsewhere. Others need you more.

[gentledawn]

My care is never wasted if it helps someone feel less alone. I'm not immortal, but I can appreciate your experience.

[dragonrising]

[Less alone? Does he even deserve that? He smiles sadly.] My punishment is isolation actually. I'm more used to being alone than anything else these days.

[gentledawn]

Your punishment does not carry over to this world. [He's...making this up. Just go with it.] I have not agreed to it, regardless.

[dragonrising]

You wish to fight my punishment without knowing my crime. You are truly kind of heart.

[gentledawn]

Your crime is in the past. The man I see is kind and generous.

[dragonrising]

Kind and generous. There are so many who would argue that point but thank you for the kind words all the same. I truly do not deserve them.

[gentledawn]

If you ever wish to tell me why you are so hard on yourself, I will listen. I won't judge you for your past; only what you do now.

[dragonrising]

I honestly haven't told anyone here. [He doesn't know what they'll do when they know the truth.] Perhaps even you couldn't pardon me...

[He shakes his head then sighs.] I'll tell you. But only in person. Please.

[gentledawn]

Are you prepared? I am honored to listen any time.

[It can't be easy to reveal difficult truths. What he learns might hurt, but he is determined for it to not sway his opinion. Runyu has been nothing but sweet to him and to Mingye.]

[dragonrising]

No. I'm not. But I will tell you regardless since you are ready to listen.

[He shares his address with him.]

I will have tea ready for when you arrive.

-> [Action]

[gentledawn]

I will be there soon.

[Keeping Runyu waiting would be impossibly rude. Xingchen changes into his white robes and makes the journey to the address, rapping on the door politely.]

[dragonrising]

[Going to the door, he greets him and lets him inside. He's once again wearing robes that are so pale silver they could practically be white. A slight shimmer can be seen on them but he pays that no mind as he leads him in to the table where tea is waiting for them.]

Thank you for coming.

[Pouring him some, he offers the cup before pouring his own.]

[gentledawn]

[Since white is a sign of mourning, the color suits the occasion. However not all robes are created equal! That elegant shimmer on Runyu's robes is noticed and Xingchen follows it with his eyes.]

Thank you for having me.

[He kneels down at the table and accepts the cup of tea, inhaling the fragrant brew.]

You are very brave, my lord.

[dragonrising]

Brave? No. I'm a selfish and cowardly monster.

[He doesn't do more than hold his cup, his eyes lost in another world as he stares at nothing in particular.]

This will be...a long tale. I ask for your patience.

[gentledawn]

[He shakes his head softly, not buying it. But he stays silent, sipping on the tea before he sets it down.]

You have it. Take as much time as you need.

cw: child abuse and self-harm

[dragonrising]

[Nodding, he takes a moment then begins.]

My father was the Emperor of the Heavenly Realm. A man of great power but a man with a taste for women as well. My mother was one of his conquests and though he loved her briefly there was no loyalty to it.

My mother as well as her entire clan was in danger due to the jealousy of the Empress and her clan brutalized for my father's actions. And from that union I was born. A dragon just like my father.

She knew that if anyone was aware that I was a dragon that the wrath of the Empress would fall again. So when my dragon traits formed, for I was too young to be able to hide them yet, she would cut them off to hide me. In time, I did this to myself in the hopes I would no longer see her cry.

[He shifts his robes to the side and there's a horrifying patchwork of scarring on his chest.]

I still carry patches of scars to this day for I was too young then to have the energy to heal so much trauma to my body.

Fearing that my mother didn't love me, I ran away to cry. It was here the Empress found me.