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

[pactmarshal]

[ Trahearne watches each movement with guarded curiosity.

Still, if he had to--he would say he trusts He Xuan more than...well. More than anything else that's happening in his dream. He's willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Surely, there must be a good reason as to why he acts the way he does. ]

Are you going to kill him?

[ It isn't accusatory. Nor is it a tell that he will stop He Xuan if the answer is yes. It's neutral--simply curious. The least he can do is understand why. ]

[esurientabyss]

[ It's true. He Xuan does not act nor react without reason.

Whether he always explains them well, is another story entirely. ]

I am.

[ In this dream, at least. ]

I've let him run around, serve his purpose. But now it's his time...and everyone has a part to play, whether they want to or not. Even the immortals will crumble with ease if you find their one weakness. And I suppose if you're here...

[ It isn't pleasant to watch his hand exert enough strength to crush what it's holding onto in a mere twitch, but that is what happens, and it's instant, with no desire to make it any less so. He lets the motionless body fall back onto the ground, and where they stand, the blood spilling forth, perhaps too much because in the end, most of the floor is covered in it to the point where some of it might be conceived to rise up from the stone by means unknown. ]

...Why don't you take a look at the liquid at your feet? Or don't. This will all end the same soon enough.

[pactmarshal]

[ He winces at the crunch. What this tells him is that He Xuan is more powerful than he thought. Not just in strength--that much is evident--but in dominion. Politics, soft power...or even in ways beyond Trahearne's comprehension. At once he has so much more respect for his acquaintance. He is not to be crossed.

He drops his gaze to his feet, watching in surprise as the blood rises from the floor. It is not out of shock or horror at the sheer amount, but confoundment that it is so much. Blood drips from a lifted foot. It isn't like he can put it anywhere to let it dry, so he simply places it back down in the pool.

He knows the end is coming, but he can't help but lift his head, brows furrowed slightly, and ask-- ]

Why?

[esurientabyss]

[ Incredulous and nonsensical, those are things associated with dreams. At times with no desire for regular logic, nor a want for it.

The dead body sinks into the blood, seeming to meld with it, and disappearing from sight despite the fact it is nowhere deep enough to disappear under normal circumstances.

The blood also reflects nothing like the dark water around these parts, and He Xuan merely steps closer, undeterred himself, before he's standing a few feet away from Trahearne, who has had the misfortune to share this nightmare with him. ]

Why? Why not?

[ He's not one from theatrics, but the man in the mask, in white, emerges from behind He Xuan, and speaks with a smile,

"Centuries ago, a god his morals he did forego,
Looking for respite, for his brother damned by spite,
He came upon a forbidden spell.
Glancing upon a poor man he did not dwell,
In an instant did he condemn him,
Not just for his brother, but to fate's whim.
This man who suffered, while gods prospered—
Is it not only right that he take one's place,
So that he can exact his rightful vengeance?"

The blood rises and crashes into them all, suddenly, and without warning, sprawling what Trahearne can see into black. But if that's not enough, there is a moment where the weight of such ugly, heavy liquid bearing down dissipates, and images come forth. Trahearne sees a man with long black hair, dressed in blue robes, alongside a younger male in white and green ones. The two walk towards the light, while one, meant to be He Xuan seems held back by the darkness, and when that version of himself turns to face Trahearne, the surroundings shatter, edges of black and white falling like broken pieces of glass.

For a moment, that is all that remains of this nightmare, those sharp pieces coming down until Trahearne will find himself vaulted back to the realm of those well awake.

It seems, however, he is blissfully free. If he should wish it, he can seek out He Xuan, who will be eventually found at the beach, or he can try to rest. ]

[pactmarshal]

[ Why not, indeed? With that much power and control, why not simply discard others once they've served their purpose?

Trahearne stares, unwavering as He Xuan approaches. Now that he knows, in one manner or another, that this is a dream, he finds himself less scared. The imagery alarms him, the overwhelming sensations of pain and loss tugs at familiar wounds in his own heart. It all comes so quickly, much too fast for him to process anything before he finds the words to ask--

And his eyes snap open, the familiar wood patterns of the wall by his bed, dim in the ambient light greet him. Lingering is the feeling of the weight on him, and he finds that at some point in the night, he'd pulled the covers out of their tuck and wrapped himself in them. Unusual.

He does slip into a shallow sleep afterwards, but the imagery sticks with him, even in his subconsciousness. And when he does give up on sleep as the first rays of the summer sun peek through the trees, he sends one of his flesh golems to He Xuan's abode, along with a letter: ]

He Xuan,

Last night, I had a dream with you in it. It featured things that I have never seen or could have ever possibly conceived of in my life, and I have a suspicion that it was not of my mind, but yours. And that I have been privy to things - painful things, perhaps - that may never come up in normal conversation.

I know we are not close. But know that you're in my thoughts, and if you ever need anything or would like to talk, say the word.

- Trahearne.

[esurientabyss]

[ ...Talk?

At first, He Xuan has nothing to say; nothing to respond with.

He does happen to keep the letter. In all things considered, the nightmare isn't so bad as some others. Or maybe by this time it's something that he feels is true.

But, it seems that others find their way into his various nightmares, ensnared no matter how much He Xuan had originally imagined it would be an easy matter.

Then, this makes him all the more...appreciative of the communication attempt.

Two days later, a letter arrives in turn. ]

Trahearne,

Talking about it may only serve to allow me more time to consider impetuously exacting wrath upon our captor.

I will remember what you have said. And later on, if you feel the urge, you may approach whenever you like.

- He Xuan

[ He Xuan is most certainly incapable of sounding warm in his letters, but the fact he responded and has indicated the man can speak to him...not necessarily about the subject, is his way of acknowledging it. And being appreciative, which he admittedly sucks at being.

Regardless, he leaves it at this for now. ]