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

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

🌊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.

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[ The town is a quaint one, though without a doubt looking like a peaceful sort. It's late summer and the temperature is kind. More importantly, it's just about night-time when a young man runs out of his home, and the appearance of him can't be denied to be someone who appears (and is) familiar. That ebony-colored long hair and those golden eyes can't be mistaken, yet the expression on his face may as well be alien to Ellis who is witnessing it.

Why? Because he's smiling. He seems to also be dressed up rather well, heading off to. An older woman emerges from the house the young He Xuan has emerged from and shouts, "Don't rush, at this rate you'll be too early!"

But clearly he doesn't listen, heading along to a house somewhere up the road.

If that's not enough, someone seems to have spotted Ellis and tells him he needs to hurry if he wants to reach the engagement ceremony in time. Will he go and follow He Xuan? ]

Edited 2023-01-02 01:48 (UTC)

[ The sun sets low as the afternoon light falls upon the island, making the horizon spill beautifully across the sands, alighting the various plants and structures among it. There is a figure standing in the midst of this, wandering aimlessly, and that is, for all intents and purposes still 'He Xuan'. Except, this 'him' centuries because he has become a empty and hungry, resentful ghost king.

That's right, this is the one who is more or less the one with the title 'He Sheng', and known as such. His appearance isn't exactly the best, looking rather dirty and like his clothing has seen a few battles with no tailor. Though another difference is that he has a slightly livelier skin complexion as opposed to the pale one he usually sports, and his ears are shaped like a normal human's.

He stumbles upon someone's farm land (Sylvando's), Yet, he has a weapon on him as well, for however long that lasts. One which he intends to brandish as he spots Sylvando. ]

...Who are you? Where am I?

[ The scene of this nightmare is this:

A sky that is pitch-black dark, cloudy and heavy with rain that does not fall, though it threatens to. A sound that rolls low like unforgiving thunder, but doesn't strike. But somehow despite these facts, the setting seems almost peacefully still.

This is a village, though its appearance also appears slightly distorted. The buildings seem to curve impossibly upwards, reaching towards the sky, and candles one by one light upon every step one takes.

But beyond that, nothing else seems to stir.

...Though, wait. There is the sound of something up ahead. It seems to be coming from the direction of two houses down. Is M-21 curious enough to see what the source of that is? ]

[ Ellis doesn't dream.

It's why he's surprised to find himself somewhere after he remembers having gone to sleep for the night. He looks up and he can see what everyone is saying without looking at them, as if he can hear. It's a surreal feeling that he'll have to get used to, but he looks at the person who looks so much like He Xuan. It's at that moment when he realizes that perhaps one of the reasons why he chose to continue interacting with He Xuan was that he had gold eyes. It's a rather small fact in the grand scheme of things, but gold eyes mean so much to Ellis that he can't help but be drawn to them.

He wonders if He Xuan, or the person who resembles him, will be getting engaged soon. The thought will be converted to action as he goes to follow the man. ]

[With summer having arrived, Sylvando has formed a habit of relaxing on the outside patio of his farmhouse after a long day's work. He's in the middle of a sip of wine when something across the field catches his attention. Is that...?]

He Xuan, darling...?

[He certainly wasn't expecting the man to show up on his farm of all places. Was the ghost king actually seeking him out for something?

He sets the glass down and begins to rise to his feet, but freezes for a moment as the more obvious oddities about the situation begin to reveal themselves.]

Who am-? [Oh, that sure is a weapon. Sylvando holds his hands up to show he means no harm. Goodness, this is getting stranger by the moment.] I'm Sylvando, silly! And this is my farm! Don't tell me you've forgotten already?

[He didn't...right? With He Xuan closer, the physical differences are apparent. He looks...younger, almost. Not as weighed down by negativity as he usually is.]

[ Nightmares are familiar enough to M-21. But his nightmares smell like antiseptic and metal and glass, the lingering scent of blood that never wholly washes away. Artificial lights painfully bright and the constant hum of machinery.

They don't look like this strange and impossible place. Some kind of village? But the sense of wrongness prickles against his skin. The first time a candle lights M-21 startles and whirls towards it, prepared to strike. In that moment he's all the more aware of how still everything else is too. Unnatural. As if both he and this place are tense and waiting for the other to make the first move. It raises the hair on the back of M-21's neck, and he tries to skirt the lights as he approaches the mysterious sound, braced for a fight. ]

[ It's easy to follow He Xuan even if the male has a lead, given that where he goes isn't too far in retrospect. The house he enters is easily a normal-sized one, and its appearance seems to suggest relatively modest means of the ones who occupy it.

Still, there are a number of people present, even if it isn't a large gathering. If Ellis keeps a close eye, he might see that one of those gathered doesn't intermingle with those present, staring hatefully at the way He Xuan and a woman with bright, lively eyes stand close together, hands clasped with one another's. A hush even falls over the group, and in the blink of an eye, it seems the ceremony is over. There is light laughter, up until the man from earlier steps forward—

The scene twists right in front of Ellis' eyes. People in black storm through, and take He Xuan's fiance. But not only here. They do the same to another woman who seems to bear some kind of familial resemblance to the would-be ghost king. He Xuan is the one to try to get them back, but all it takes are a couple of those unknown assailants to get in his way, and beat him until he can't move. The other attendees suddenly go stiff as a board, faces unnaturally blank as the struggling women are carried off.

Once again the surroundings twist before anyone can move to the fallen young man, and until Ellis finds himself some distance from the front steps of a large estate. There are two guards standing in front of the gate. They are laughing and talking about something...does he come closer to listen? ]

[ He Xuan startles evidently at the uttering of his name, looking surprised at the sight of a man who he seems to not recognize calling forth his name with a familiarity he doesn't understand.

So here he is, popping off questions one after another. ]

'Darling'? ...Sylvando?

[ The sword isn't being swung or anything like that, but his gaze is wary albeit still confused, and even with a touch of weariness. Though, he lowers his weapon. ]

...I don't remember this place. Or meeting anyone like you either, or how someone like you knows my name. But, you're dressed strangely—you're not with those responsible for my imprisonment, are you? Explain what it is I've supposedly forgotten. Is it you taking me here?

Edited 2023-01-02 06:22 (UTC)

[Sylvando's eyes widen ever so slightly with each question.]

Oh, honey...

[Something strange is happening here and he doesn't know what, but he can hardly leave He Xuan hanging like this. The poor man looks like he's been through the wringer, and he's so confused...

Sylvando takes a breath to center himself, then softens his tone when he speaks up again.]

Believe me when I say this is just as much of a surprise to me, but I promise you that I will tell you everything that I can. Before I do, though...

[He takes a step forward and holds out his hand.]

Why don't you lower your blade and come rest on my patio? I can make you some tea.

[Then they can get to the bottom of this together.]

[ The mysterious sound happen to be people, talking amongst themselves. There is a small crowd of them, wearing masks of various types. Though it doesn't seem to be simple talk, what with them laughing and giggling, but one by one they turn to face M-21, falling silent.

He'll find himself surrounded by them for a short time, claws reaching out to him only for these strange creatures to suddenly part before they can reach him, slipping into the shadows of the houses nearby, leaving only the path in front of him. Along said path seems to be a trail of blood leading to a figure standing at the front of a gated house; there also seem to be motionless figures around whoever this is...

...And this person is holding something. It seems there is no other choice but to get closer. ]

Edited 2023-01-02 19:15 (UTC)

[ He Xuan is also trying to grip with why someone so unfamiliar to him speaks the way that Sylvando does. He's trying to wrap his head around so many things at once that it's certainly starting to hurt.

But, the promise to tell everything gets him to sheathe his sword, even if he has stared at the hand for a little bit. He probably shouldn't, he reasons, so many people have tricked him by now, pretending to do their solemn duty or be as they should, when they've only in the end decided to take advantage. Or were far too jealous to do anything but ruin his chances at...anything, really.

Still, against everything, he wants to believe in someone. So he also stiffly nods, and then begins to reach for the hand. ]

...After you make me tea, you will tell me ev—

[ His stomach makes a rude interruption, the sound of it rumbling not-so-subtly interrupting this young man's words, and making an obvious flush appear on his face for perhaps the first time here. Particularly since ghost kings undisguised do not blush (and he is actually not...a ghost king as of now, thanks to being set back some years courtesy of the goddess.)

Immediately, He Xuan brings his hands clasped together and bows perfectly—out of manners and to hide his embarrassment—to Sylvando while standing up. ]

My apologies. Can this poor one also trouble you for something to eat as well?

Edited 2023-01-02 20:04 (UTC)

[ M-21's claws are out before the first masked person can touch him, prepared to lash out in a warning swipe... but the creatures fall away from him again before he can move. Not, he thinks, in response to any threat he presented. It only makes it more eerie still.

He'd kept a surprisingly good hold on his temper so far in this place. But the lack of control, the creepy atmosphere oppressive around him —this grates on him. He's no longer taking a subtle approach as he stalks forward along the only path left to him, a scowl darkening his face at the sight of blood. He's not putting his claws away this time. ]

Hey! Who's there? Where is this?

[ Wow!! What the fuck!! Ellis knows this is pretty messed up, but he still watches with a blank expression in his eyes. People are truly unfair, even if Ellis has no idea what's going on. He sees the two guards talking, and the thought of eavesdropping has never occurred to him, until he realizes that he can do it right now. So this is what it's like to eavesdrop on a conversation. Wow.

He gets a little closer while trying to hide from their sight. ]

[This is all so surreal. The man in front of Sylvando may look very similar to He Xuan, but he's like a completely different person at the same time. He can barely believe his eyes at how vulnerable this display is. It's...

Well, he can gawk to himself about it later.]

Of course you can, darling. I have some stew on the stove that's not quite done yet, but I can get you some biscuits to hold you over in the meantime. Come on, there's no need to be so formal...

[He puts a gentle hand on He Xuan's shoulder ans guides him over to the patio. The furniture isn't anything fancy, but it's comfortable enough. Once he gets He Xuan settled, he heads inside for a brief moment to get refreshments. Before long, a tray of tea, sugar, and biscuits are placed in front of him as Sylvando returns to his own seat.]

All right! Before I begin...can you tell me what you remember last before winding up in my fields?

[ It's a dark night, and Trahearne will find himself standing in what appears to be a beach. Though what ray of light above that seems to reach it is strangely dulled.

And the water?

It's a foreboding pitch black. Clearly something entirely unnatural and potentially ultimately foreign to what Trahearne has seen on islands. But maybe what's the most disconcerting thing about it all is the feeling of being watched. In fact, there may be something standing out of the corner of his eye, towards the inner part of the island's thick, dark forest... ]

[ The surroundings are dark, but dimly lit by torches that line the walls. The fire burns bright, and yet that's not enough to provide much comfort. Though Noé will not find himself standing on flat ground. Rather, he appears to be at the start of a stone staircase.

Behind him is a door, should he care to turn to face it, but it is locked and cannot be opened. So, it seems the only way is forward, down the steps into the darkness.

But, he may want to watch his step. There is a strange dark liquid, though with the scent of something vaguely metallic, it might be not all that difficult to know what it is. ]

[ Poor M-21, being messed around by a ghost king's nightmarish phantoms! Surely things will get easier and become less difficult to deal with.

Who should he spot other than a...black figure up close. That's right, it appears to be some kind of ghastly, formless thing, surrounded by what appear to be a pile of dead bodies littered here or there. For M-21's sake, it'd be best he doesn't examine their wretched states. In addition, in what appears to be in the figure's 'hand' is the head of someone whose face is frozen perpetually in fear.

With M-21's appearance here, the figure seems to still and then toss aside the head. When the figure speaks, it's clear, however distorted by something else, that it is very much He Xuan. ]

A trespasser.

[ It also becomes clear that whatever he is in the middle of doing, it is unfinished. There's someone trying to scramble away, only for He Xuan to move unnaturally fast, grabbing one of the man's arms, easily holding him in place. ]

If you want to watch, feel free. It'll end soon enough.

[ Around this time, those creatures from before show up again, emerging from the shadows once more. But they're silent as death, watching and waiting for something. What will M-21 do? Watch? Or something else entirely? ]

[ People are cruel, aren't they?

But Ellis is definitely in a prime position to eavesdrop. Whatever the guards are saying, it seems to be definitely...strange. The way they talk isn't the normal way people would.

One of them asks the other, "Did you hear? Our Young Master has acquired two more women this time. What an insatiable beast!"

The other asks, "Did you hear? That poor scholar's woman made so many useless escape attempts. That kind of stubbornness...who would care for that?"

As they laugh, their features distort, eyes turning crimson, fingers into claws, their faces into ghastly appearances only associated with unsightly demons, and the gate that they're guarding opens suddenly for no discernable, logical reason. They seem to pay Ellis no heed, not noticing him, still laughing, until one of them suddenly asks, "Strange. What's that smell?"

What does Ellis do now? Does he wait around and see what happens next with those foreboding words? The gate seems to have opened, though Ellis can also notice that there seems to be something off with the wall's foundation on the right side. That looks like a potential entrance point as well. ]

[ He Xuan is going to have a field day when he recalls at least those three days of not being his usual, cold self. But that is a problem for future him.

'Present' him is only relieved to hear that Sylvando has something available, muttering a thanks instead. And he lets Sylvando guide him without much grumbling or complaint; regardless, he isn't exactly going to complain about the furniture not being fancy either. He had grown up on the poorer side of life, after all.

Once he's in a chair, he will feel himself relax a little bit, though unfortunately he is still too tense to do so completely. But, he reaches out for the tea and a biscuit, nibbling on that as the other man asks his question. ]

...Recently, I had just escaped my imprisonment by a prominent household who had already caused enough trouble. And I had been working on becoming a proper merchant, though it appears in the midst of that, I found myself here.

[ Not that his time as a merchant was going well, as evidenced by his current appearance. ]

Can you explain how you know me?

[ Even Trahearne's own night time glow feels muted.

He isn't sure how he got here, or why he's here in the first place. In his confusion he whips his head around, trying to get his bearings. The last thing he remembers is falling asleep--has he sleepwalked to the beach?

There's a pricking on the back of his neck, and he turns towards the deep, dark woods. He squints, but what shapes he thinks he sees quickly melts back into the night. ]

Hello?

[ There is no response back.

But Trahearne can definitely catch what appears to be those shapes that startle and then suddenly run straight into the dark forest.

Of course, another aspect of it all may be noticeable upon their sudden departure:

That with as large as a forest as it is, it's painfully quiet. Not even the peep of an insect can be heard.

So, his options before him are clear. Either head into the forest...or around it. Waiting is an option too, but nothing will happen if he does decide to stand there. What will be his decision? ]

[ For someone who always looks for escape routes, he is already bailing and looking for the foundation difference in the walls so that he can leave. He doubts he can fully ditch them if they can smell something off, but... Ellis doesn't think he smells?! That was hella rude. ]

[ M-21 has never made a good decision in his life. Of course his gaze drifts over those piles of mangled bodies, though his expression barely changes. They're hardly the first dead he's seen. They're not even, by any stretch, the first dead he's seen in this kind of state.

In some ways it's He Xuan's voice that's more jarring than the carnage in front of him. It shouldn't be enough to get him to let his guard down in these circumstances, but against all logic he lets his transformation slip and his claws vanish again... for the moment. They could reappear just as easily. ]

He Xuan. What are you doing? Aren't these humans?

[ "Human" doesn't mean "innocent" in his mind. Not in the least. But it does mean people who can't do anything against something like them. So he steps forward to try to grab He Xuan by the arm he's using to hold the man he captured, as if M-21's supernatural strength were anywhere near on par with a ghost king. It's enough if he can get his attention long enough to answer. ]

[ The nightmare creatures think you do, Ellis.

It's easy to find the difference in the walls regardless, a hole simply blocked by rocks in a hasty, obviously patch-work job of some sort.

If he goes right on through he'll spot himself in a small garden nearby a lake. Though, a figure is up ahead; one who slips by doors that are easy to slide open. Footsteps are echoing before him, so looks like his only option is to go forward and follow? ]

[ Under normal circumstances, He Xuan can parse logic. But this isn't about any sort of logic.

This is a "nightmare" where he is reliving a twisted version of the events exacting his retribution on people who have been responsible for his suffering. Even if the Reverend brought them into his life, their actions are their own. And here he is, instead of getting any true satisfaction and joy, re-enacting the same miserable event towards the end of what was his mortal life. ]

They're scum!

[ M-21 steps forward, and he finds himself bound not by He Xuan, but by two creatures from the audience who have moved to hold him back by grabbing his arms. He Xuan doesn't even move, though his appearance becomes more than a smoky phantasm, etching into the appearance he usually has, and in his free hand appears a blade. ]

These people are the ones who have wronged me for so long. I am only giving them their rightful ends and I will continue to do this as long as I please. Stay still and watch.

[ The blood already on the ground seems to continue to inexplicably grow, drenching both of their feet and even their ankles. ]

Edited 2023-01-03 12:59 (UTC)

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

for Ellis (potential cws: kidnapping, suicide mention, and mentions of unwilling concubines)

for Sylvando

for M-21

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for Trahearne

for Noé Archiviste

cw: decapitation

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