Chasma: Xie Lian

[aono]

Comments

[yueshen]

[ xie lian wouldn't say this if he was at 800 years older.

...however. ]

...I would.

[ and there's weight behind that statement - like, perhaps xie lian is a god. ]

[aono]

...ah?

[Rin would have thought Xie Lian was just being supportive, but something about the way he says it feels more...meaningful, maybe? And it makes Rin stop and really look at Xie Lian.]

You're a...really?

[yueshen]

[ somewhere, in the back of his mind, xie lian hears feng xin and mu qing, scolding him for talking to a child, ages and ages ago.

somewhere, he feels like a liar for saying it, because things are so complicated right now - but... it's not a lie, thanks to his highness jun wu. it's just temporary, it's just - ]

... I am. [ and it feels good to say it. ] I'm listening.

[aono]

[Well. He didn't expect to be talking to a god today. Or ever. And really, Xie Lian could be lying to him to mess with him. If Rin has learned anything in the last year, it's that 'gods' and 'demons' are often the same thing. And when the only noticeable difference between the two is intent, it's hard to know how to handle a self-proclaimed god.

If Rin still had his powers, maybe he would have a better answer. Powerful beings tended to react differently when they sensed his power.]

...

[Rin glances away, unsure of what to say. He's not ready to pray directly to Xie Lian yet, but...hmm...]

Your cousin is one too?

[Might as well ask that, just to get a feel for what's going on in Xie Lian's world.]

[yueshen]

[ qi rong as a god is the single funniest thought in the world

xie lian and san lang share a brief look, though, it's not like they're laughing at the suggestion, and after a moment, he shakes his head. ]

...no. My cousin is a Ghost King, as he proclaimed. A spirit.

[aono]

Oh.

[A short pause.]

So how come you're a god and he's a Ghost King?

[yueshen]

Well... to start, he is, I suppose, from the future. According to his profile, he is eight hundred years old - and I most certainly am not.

[ it be like that. ]

...but, godhood is not guaranteed by relation. I am the only one in my family who is one; ascending to godhood is something that must be earned through diligent practice or through acts of martial valor that are enough to receive the favor of the Heavens - or both. It was always my intent to cultivate to godhood, while Qi Rong... did not choose that same path.

[aono]

So...he chose the path of a Ghost King, yeah? That's why he turned out the way he did?

[How sad. Rin feels guilty now because he had been totally taken by Qi Rong's lies and thought that Qi Rong was just misunderstood and had no control over his situation.]

I never knew gods could just choose to be that way if they worked hard enough for it though. It always sounded like they existed for forever and would keep existing for forever.

[yueshen]

...The last that I knew of him before this place, he had not chosen much of a path at all. But... you do not simply become as strong of a ghost as he is unless you choose to become that way. So, yes, I would say so. The path of such a creature... is one that I know little about, only that is marked with actions similar to the actions he took today. One of death, destruction, and caused misery.

[ yeah. yeah! xie lian folds his hands together quietly in his lap. but you got bamboozled you sweet boy. ]

...That is how it works in my world, at least, godhood. And - they do exist, forever, if they are able to hold onto their believers. The Heavenly Emperor must be close to two thousand years old, in Qi Rong's time.

[aono]

[He sure did get bamboozled!]

I know not everyone is good, but...

[...]

Most demons in my world aren't actually that bad. Some are assholes, yeah, but most just want to live. And sometimes, demons aren't bad but they can't live alongside humans. Maybe they can only eat humans, or maybe they're too much of a troublemaker to live near humans. That's not really their fault. Sure, they won't be able to live alongside humans, but it still doesn't make them bad.

I guess I thought it was like that for Qi Rong too.

[yueshen]

... mm.

[ quiet, for a moment, as he considers his own response. ]

I agree with you. [ that first. rin's compassion touches xie lian's heart, and the compassion he shows for qi rong is... undeserved, but - it's even more than xie lian can manage. ] It isn't. I have always thought spirits and ghosts and the like in our world ought to have some place they can call their home - a city, perhaps, where they might be able to live freely no matter how they choose to do so, so long as they aren't harming humans. They are not necessarily malevolent - and the ones that are the worst often choose to be that way.

I think there are parts of Qi Rong that are not bad, somewhere, but... he is the one who has made these choices. Consistently, throughout our lives, even when we were young - to seek attention, he always tried to bring harm. To avoid getting in trouble, he would always find someone innocent to blame, just like he did today. His first thoughts have always been of violence or cruelty, even when he thinks he is trying to help - and whenever we tried to help him, or put him in the correct path, it turned out much like it did when you tried to help him, today.

[ so watching rin do that was hard, because xie lian saw himself, for a moment, holding onto the bruised, beaten body of a child while qi rong wailed that the child was a monster and deserved it, desperately trying to understand what the hell was going on in his head. ]

...I have never wanted to say that he is a lost cause. I don't think he was. But whatever he has done over these eight centuries - his resentful spirit has only devolved.

[aono]

[A city for ghosts, where they could live their own lives...that does sound nice. Maybe a demon city is the answer to the problems in Rin's world? It's an idea he'll have to shelve until later, when he's not stuck in this city with these particular problems.

For now, he shifts a bit in place as he thinks about what to say. A rarity from him, really.]

Well...maybe he can get the help he needs now. Or at least he can rest and nobody will have to worry about it anymore.

[They don't know how brutal the executions are yet, but Rin can't imagine that Qi Rong will be left alive. Not after what he did.]

Week 1, post-trial

[aono]

[TIME TO FIGHT

okay no, not really. He's going looking for Xie Lian for another reason. Where's the best trash god?]

[yueshen]

[ xie lian is in the solar! he's settled in a chair, legs crossed, eyes closed, san lang in qilin form at his feet. hearing footsteps, he cracks open an eye - it seems like he was meditating. ]

Rin. [ he greets, calm and composed. ] What are you up to?

[aono]

Trying to find something to do before I go crazy. Did I interrupt you?

[Meditating...Rin was always told to do that, but he's too impatient.]

[yueshen]

[ he shakes his head. ]

No, I was just thinking. I suppose you wouldn't want to come meditate? [ that's a little teasing. rin reminds xie lian of feng xin, sometimes. ]

[aono]

[he is taking that as a legit question, so.]

I mean, I can try? I can't promise I'll be any good at it though. I've never been able to sit still for long.

[yueshen]

[ rin... cute ]

Then, this will be very difficult. [ he laughs. ] I understand that feeling too, though. Do you have any ideas as to what to do, then?

[aono]

Well, I kinda wanted to fight you- not serious or anything! Just, er, for practice? You look strong.

But now doesn't seem like the time for that.

[yueshen]

[ oh

he perks up. ]

Sparring, you mean? With weapons, or martial skills...?

[aono]

Either-or. Martial skills might be a bit safer, there's no practice swords here.

[yueshen]

[ he's like

practically sparkling. ]

I would love that!

[aono]

[Oh no what a cute sparkle.]

Let's do hand-to-hand just to be safe, yeah? A few bruises is better than some stab marks.

[He. Has the stance of a street brawler who wasn't formally trained but instead learned everything he knows from getting into fights all the time.]

[yueshen]

[ xie lian looks just absolutely delighted. he beams, getting up from his seat and clasping his hands together. ]

Of course! Let me drop off Fang Xin at my room - and then lets head to the courtyard, yes? So there's space!

[aono]

Sure, alright.

[Rin will be keeping his sword with him though. Because he's totally about to murde XL RIP to god

no not really, he's just smiling as he goes along. A fight seems like a good way to blow off some steam at the very least.]