Opening my eyes again in casted darkness... (January Catch-all)

[esurientabyss]

🌊Who: He Xuan, and anyone else.
🌊What: Things happening; they're self-explanatory.
🌊When: January.
🌊Where: Varies.
🌊Warnings: Kidnapping, mentions of suicide & forced induction into harems; involvement of violence/murder. Anything else that may occur will be added or adequately warned for in the thread. TGCF spoilers, but since this already deals with memories, that's a requirement, really.



i. gravitation

[ No matter where He Xuan finds himself, whereas it's on the beach or somewhere else, there seems to be some kind of nonsense afoot. Some...feline nonsense at that.

They're all congregating rudely around him and he is essentially helpless to their attacks (cuddles and piling around his feet.)

He practically glares at anyone who catches him in the midst of this. ]

What?

ii. displacement

[ Ghost kings do not get sick, not really. But it doesn't mean that coughing or sneezing is an impossibility for him.

It just so happens he had grabbed something spicy from a restaurant and for some reason found himself sneezing due to some kind of pepper and now he's in the middle of a lake. Soon enough, he's grumbling, extricating himself from the water. What a waste of food. ]

iii. uncharted waters

[ In addition to those, anyone is free to encounter someone who seems to, for all intents and purposes appear to look like He Xuan, and is essence definitely still him. Yet, his appearance clearly differs in subtle ways. His skin isn't so pale, and his ears are not so sharp and he appears a little lost. Feel free to run into him like this, though he will be scrutinizing most people, and there appears to be a sword at his hip, which his hand is hovering on the hilt of. ]

iv. wildcard

[ Self-explanatory...! Open to things that are also not necessarily the above. ]

If you would like to plot with me, I can be reached on plurk @ leyfi, discord @ seraphkingdhaos#8538 and my plotting comment will be here.

Comments

[archivists]

[ The annoyance in her voice doesn't bother him too much, however the fact that the assilant turns his attention to her most certainly does. Not to mention these skeletal hands which are the reason why he doesn't notice the strange sword at first. ]

Hey! Leave her alone!

[ He's no stationary target, but maybe closing the distance between himself and the attacker will make himself more enticing, even if charging forward bare-handed sounds like a very stupid idea, that's exactly what he's going to do. ]

[esurientabyss]

[ Most would say that he is out of his mind, but the fact that the other male is rushing in blindly seems to provide the attacker the opportunity to change the trajectory of his swing, even as he's shouting, "This monstrous demon doesn't need your assistance!"

Not that it's likely to deter Noé from attempting to do exactly that. But this time when the shovel connects, it bursts into something like...these beautiful butterflies, which fly harmlessly off and then proceed to land on certain sections of the walls, eerily lighting up the hallways.

Finally, the woman crouches down, and rips the skeleton hands from her ankles. Blood from the effort leaks onto the ground, but she seems just fine. ]

You're fortunate that none of this is real...for whatever happens next, you don't have to struggle.

[ The man who had the shovel steps back, saying coldly, "I am the Earth Master, a god from the Heavenly Court. Creatures like you two won't live long when it's been figured out what you've done. Mark my words...both of you have done something that can't be forgiven."

The figure in front of him, this 'Earth Master' turns into something black, and then something else splits off from him, making it two figures. The black liquid from the ceiling begins to drip some more, turning into more a steady spill. Voices start to pour in from around them, mostly unfamiliar.

A sobbing child's voice speaks, "I'm scared..."

Then, a woman's voice of steel, "Why would I give up, when my brother and my family are still alive?"

Next, a chipper man's voice, "Don't worry. Ming-xiong is someone who doesn't know how to lie."

Finally, He Xuan's voice, "What good is your apology?"

The two figures step towards Noé and the female beside him. They reach out, but the woman doesn't move. ]

[archivists]

[ With each passing minute he has more and more questions, yet the answers never come. Fully expecting a hit, he opens his eyes wide to witness the myriad of butterflies. For a little while, the woman's voice sounds really distant and it seems that he doesn't even understand what she's saying. When it finally sinks in, Noé shakes his head lightly. ]

None of this is real?

[ The butterflies, the smell of the blood, the blood itself, the assilant. It all felt real... no, it still does, actually. With his sharpened senses, Noé's gaze turns to the man who called himself the Earth Master. When another figure takes shape next to him, Noé's skin crawls. His eyes seek for the woman, expecting some kind of an explanation. None of that happens, however, and soon his ears are filled with unfamiliar voices.

At first, he doesn't even recognize He Xuan's, but the realization comes after a while. ]

H-He Xuan?! Are you here?!

[ Since he doesn't know what the figures are intending to do, Noé takes a step forward and stands in front of the woman, covering her. ]

[esurientabyss]

None of it is.

[ Yet, the woman doesn't seem troubled. When Noé looks back, he can merely see her golden eyes with a cold expression staring right back at him.

Despite the chaos of all this unfurling before them, little by little, there isn't much more to be gleaned from her expression; answers not forthcoming. As for the question that he asked?

There's only one answer. ]

I am right here beside you.

[ It goes like this. In this recurring nightmare, she introduces herself as Ming Yi to the person she meets up with, even if it is something that should be known to the person who 'meets' up with her. After all, in Noé's place would usually be Shi Qingxuan. She knows how it ends all the same...the figures, reach out. Two pairs of hands reaching to place their hands towards his arms, the other simply reaching for one hand on one of his shoulders. If Noé does not move from his position, he'll feel a blistering, white hot pain.

The air in the room begins to become hot and stifling, as if someone has lit a fire, and the butterflies disappear into thin particles around them, which drop onto the wet floor. The dark liquid is suddenly let aflame, and the fire crawls closer to them, soon to engulf the two in a painful grasp. ]

You're a foolish man to the end. People like you, who work hard to protect a stranger, when it isn't even necessary, will one day just die useless deaths.

Why do you bother, when one day you might just lose it all, because you couldn't resist trying to help someone you shouldn't have?

[archivists]

[ The pain doesn't make him back down when the hands rest on his shoulders, however he drops to his knees as a result, panting hard. As far as he's concerned, it might be difficult to breathe because of the blistering pain. When the words reach his ears, he needs to focus to understand every single one of them and join them in sentences. ]

It... it won't be useless... [ His voice is strained, but he's trying his best to give a proper answer anyway. ] If... someone is saved...

[esurientabyss]

All you people...talking about saving others and whatnot, when you can't even save yourselves.

[ He Xuan says wearily, while the other is in pain. Though even she isn't immune from it as the scalding heat finally reaches her robes, beginning to burn her too. But she doesn't flinch from the pain, no matter how horrid.

But here she can't call on her powers to put out the flame. Or heal him.

No matter how hard she might try to pull on the figures arms, it's useless. A parody of how He Xuan has been unable to save anyone, as always. ]

...You really shouldn't have been brought here.

[ Spoken quietly, before they're ensnared mercilessly in the flames, and Noé will find himself awake finally, in his own bed. At last, he is free from the nightmare, and free to do as he chooses. ]

[archivists]

[ It's early in the morning and he's woken up all sweaty after that nightmare. After making sure that he's somewhat presentable, Noé leaves his farmhouse and heads to He Xuan's place, knocking at the front door. It looks like he never gives up on his search for answers. ]

He Xuan, are you home? I dreamed of you!!

[ That is something you should tell a person first thing in the morning. ]

[esurientabyss]

[ ... Thankfully, He Xuan knows what he's talking about, so when he opens the door he doesn't seem weirded out. Though he has a feeling that Noé is the exact kind of person who has caused more than his fair share of misunderstandings. ]

You did.

[ He will step to the side to allow him in. ]

It was that nightmare, wasn't it? With the flames.

[archivists]

It was.

[ His voice is much softer when it becomes clear that He Xuan knows exactly what happened in the dream. Not to mention that he's surprised that the man is letting him in for some reason. It is very much appreciated that he does, though. ]

I want to know more.

[esurientabyss]

[ Just don't point it out that he is...otherwise He Xuan may just kick him out. ]

Oh?

[ He heads into the living-room. Noé is free to sit wherever he pleases. This might be the on the list of the few times he's received guests in his shared home, not that he has ever made for a pleasant host. ]

About the man that attacked? The voices?

[archivists]

The voices.

[ In all fairness, he wants to know everything, but for once in his life Noé finds a way to prioritize. He's definitely going to ask more questions along the way, though. ]

[esurientabyss]

[ One thing at a time, right? ]

...Those were people in my life.

And myself. One of them being that irritating person as well.

That person thought he knew me. But in the end, he didn't. He never even knew my real name, until it was too late.

[ He Xuan only wishes he did more where Shi Qingxuan was concerned. But even as he picks apart his own plans, his designs even now, he doesn't think he could've changed anything. Except ensuring that the spiritual power remained. If he had... ]

Every time I have that nightmare, that person is beside me. Not you.