One Year Later
The rhythmic sounds of the carriage's wheels were enough to lull one to sleep, bringing about an order to the chaos of the world. In the last year, after Jiang Zhilan had left for Qiangda's capital, he'd reinforced the country's defenses, stepping onto the battlefield personally and pushing back Gongzhuan's advancing tide with the force of a reinvigorated tiger. The two kingdoms fought so fiercely that nearly all the southwestern border towns were razed to the ground, their residents having long fled. What remained were shells of buildings, scarred by fire and war; a desolate ghost town that nature was slowly reclaiming.
Across the old border, (Gongzhuan and Qiangda now a unified country), in the place where a small camp had once lain sheltering a captured king and his guard, a city has blossomed, business stemming from the travelers that frequently passed. The carriage slowed to a stop in front of the entrance of a manor. The curtain swayed and parted, a slender jade hand preceding the man's figure. His hair was pinned up, flowing down his shoulders and chest like water. The stern expression on his face couldn't hide his beauty, a glance from those peach blossom eyes enough to steal the soul. He glanced up at the entrance plaque, his face softening into a smile.
The entrance was adorned with simple doors, but anyone could see that the craftsmanship was exquisite. The people passing by couldn't help but take another glance at the visitor; a desolate and quiet manor finally had a guest after so long. And it was a handsome young man too!
Jiang Zhilan walked in slowly, adjusting his cuffs, his gait light and his hair swaying in tandem with his every step. His aura carried a steady sense of maturity, stable and clam unlike his more energetic, youthful years. "I'm home," he murmured softly.
"And you are...?" A suspicious voice rang out from the side and Jiang Zhilan turned his head to find a young servant staring back at him, a broom clutched in his hands. Jiang Zhilan raised an eyebrow, unable to resist teasing him a little.
"Your young master." The boy's eyebrows furrowed.
"What do you mean? We don't have-" Recalling the information his Lan-ge had told him, his eyes widened almost comically. The broom fell to the flagstones with a pitiful rattle as he hurriedly bowed. "Y-young master! Forgive me, this lowly one didn't recognize you." Jiang Zhilan smiled, his eyes squinting slightly as he helped the boy up.
"No worries. Where is he?"
"...ah?"
"Liu Qingyuan ah, Where is the person?"
"You-...he...t-the person- Master is already not here anymore..." The boy's words were tangled in his mouth. "I-I-," After stuttering for half a day, the boy closed his mouth, unwilling to say more. Jiang Zhilan sighed, his gaze flitting away and the smile on his lips becoming tinged with sadness. Youth was fleeting. He patted the boy's shoulder softly.
"Forget it. I was teasing you."
"Young master!" The shout came from the main hall and another young man, albeit slightly older, quickly rushed over. "You're here." He bowed deeply.
"Mm."
"Lan-ge!" His senior grabbed his arm, shushing him with his eyes. Jiang Zhilan's lips quirked up and he rubbed the boy's head.
"I'm joking, I'm joking."
"...huh? But Lan-ge, Master he-"
"Be quiet! You don't know anything." He patted his junior reassuringly, "Ge will explain it later, okay?"
"...okay." The young servant anxiously watched the young master's back as he stepped into the main hall and disappeared from sight, the ends of hair flashing like a flirtatious wink.
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Jiang Zhilan lit the incense, breathing in the smoke for a second. He stepped forward, gently sticking them in the ash pot and bowing before the memorial tablets. "I never did get to thank you." He reached out a hand, touching the smooth wood gently. After a moment, his hand slowly dropped away.
Through the open doors of the ancestral hall, the light on his body was blocked by a shadow. Jiang Zhilan glanced down, noticing the figure behind him despite the lack of footsteps. He didn't move, acting as if he was unaware. A hand slid across his waist, pulling him into an embrace as a light, moist feeling landed on the side of his neck. Jiang Zhilan closed his eyes with a smile, letting Liu Qingyuan touch as he liked. When he couldn't take it anymore, he turned, pinching his cheeks and giving him a gentle kiss.
Liu Qingyuan looked much better now, the planes of his face not as hollow and the pale pallor of his skin back to a healthy glow. Jiang Zhilan caressed his cheek; he'd never have enough of looking at him. Liu Qingyuan glanced up at the memorial tablets, letting go of Jiang Zhilan in order to pay his own respects. As he set the incense sticks in the ash pot, he quietly murmured a prayer. "Not busy?"
Jiang Zhilan huffed out a laugh, walking over to take his hand. "When is a king never not busy?" He gazed at the memorial tablets, a hint of sorrow entering his gaze. He sighed, "It's a pity, they were all so young. They had their whole lives ahead of them." The young soldier whom he'd entrusted Liu Qingyuan to back then, along with a few others, had died in the war. Alas, casualties were inevitable, but it still hurt.
"Mm. We were too." After paying their respects, they took a stroll around the manor. Liu Qingyuan glanced over, the lines on his face softening. "When did you get back?"
"Not long ago. Where did you go this time? I specifically rushed over when I heard you had finished your assignment in the south."
"En. The vassal lords in the south are no longer resistant to your majesty's rule and a trade route has been set up." Liu Qingyuan paused, unable to resist a little teasing. "As for why I went out...you're so picky, what should I do if we didn't have everything at home?" He turned his face away.
"You-!" Jiang Zhilan knocked his shoulder. "What did you say?"
"Hm? What did I say?"
"Hmph! You're getting more and more bold! Then tonight...you have to do everything I tell you to!" Jiang Zhilan raised an eyebrow.
Liu Qingyuan coughed lightly, hiding his smile behind a fist and feeling his chest swell with happiness. "En."
Jiang Zhilan sighed, settling down. His tone took on a bit of loneliness. "When are you going to come back to the palace? I miss you everyday." Liu Qingyuan squeezed his hand.
"Soon. There's still a couple more places I need to sort out."
"Mm..."
"Do you want to rest for a bit?" Jiang Zhilan rolled his shoulder, feeling the aches in his muscles wake up. Although he'd trained on horseback since he was child, and riding in a carriage was simple compared to that, the bumps and ridges in the road had still jostled his body. Jiang Zhilan smiled, shaking his head.
"No need. I want to accompany you." Liu Qingyuan frowned.
"If you are tired, rest. I'll stay by your side."
"Ai-" Jiang Zhilan patted his arm. "I'm fine." The two of them stepped into a pavilion overlooking the back mountain. The table was decorated with delicate snacks and a steaming pot of fresh tea. Jiang Zhilan picked one up, biting into the soft exterior and nodding in approval. Liu Qingyuan stroked his hair, letting him sit and enjoy, and instead, walking to the railing. A gentle breeze fluttered through, scattering the hair at his temples. In the valley below, the peach blossom trees were beginning to bloom, covering the forest in pink. A light fragrance stirred the air, delicate and sweet. His heart was at peace.
Jiang Zhilan tilted his head, lips curving up as he stared at Liu Qingyuan's back profile. He really was too handsome. "What are you thinking about?"
"You." Jiang Zhilan's smile deepened and he got up.
"Really?" Liu Qingyuan turned his head, lowering his mouth to bite the last piece of a pastry in Jiang Zhilan's hands. He even gave his fingers a light lick. "!"
"Mm." Liu Qingyuan licked his lips, thinking for a moment. "It's sweet."
"Hmph." Jiang Zhilan's cheeks turned pink.
"I like it here," Liu Qingyuan spoke suddenly, his voice quiet. "Just you and me." Jiang Zhilan reached over, pinching his red earlobe.
"Aright, alright. Liu daren, in our next life, let's be immortals and travel the world together for millennia."
"We can't."
"Why?"
"This life with you isn't over yet, how can you think about the next one?"
"What's the difference?" His peach blossom eyes curved into crescents. "This life of mine, the next one, and the one after that; they're all yours." His gaze sharpened and he sent a playful glance to the side. "You want to escape? No way! What's yours is mine!"
Liu Qingyuan looked down at him, a hint of soft wonder rising in his eyes. When he was child, he'd never thought there would be anyone who wanted to stay by his side for a lifetime. His master came along and saved him, but he was strict and cold and confusing. Liu Qingyuan wanted his admiration. But for the man by his side, he was greedy; he wanted his love as well. He wanted his devotion.
Jiang Zhilan sighed, bumping his head on Liu Qingyuan's arm. "It's already been a year. Here's toast to many more." He raised the tea cup in his hand, giving a toast to the heavens and swallowing down that fragrant liquid.
Yes. It's been a year since his escape back to Qiangda's capital. A year since he'd found out Liu Qingyuan's illness, and a year since those events had snowballed into a war, and then, into peace.
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Seven Months Ago
Clang!
In the ostentatious palace of Gongzhuan, blood decorated the tapestries hanging on the walls, bodies scattered across its marble floors. The sounds of fighting rang out continuously, accompanied by the screams of servants attempting to flee for their lives.
Adorned in stained amour, Jiang Zhilan spun, knocking away an approaching blade with his sword. With a flip of his wrist, the guard's neck was slit and he fell to the ground twitching. The cloak hanging on the shoulders of his armour swayed with the momentum, fabric sodden with blood. Jiang Zhilan stood for a second, panting as he caught his breath. The pain of various wounds on his body surfaced, but he ignored it. As he was catching his breath, he felt the air shift behind him, quickly turning to deflect a dagger. From an unknown place, another dagger flew at him. Jiang Zhilan saw it from the corner of his eye, a step too late.
With a sonorous ring, the dagger was thrown away, embedding nearly hilt deep into the wall. With a spray of blood, the hidden assailant fell to the ground, becoming just another corpse. Jiang Zhilan glanced at the figure who'd appeared before him, his eyes widening.
"Qingyuan!"
"Mm." Liu Qingyuan gave him a shallow smile, "I've come."
"Why are you here?" Back to back, Jiang Zhilan incapacitated another guard. "You were obviously-"
"En. I came back to help you." Liu Qingyuan blocked a guard, defeating him within three moves. "These months, I've been waiting for you."
"You fool!" Even in the chaos, Jiang Zhilan had noticed his haggardness and the way he protected the left side of his chest as if it was constantly hurting. It reminded him of the despair produced from countless nights of scouring materials and consulting famous physicians, all while secretly preparing for this war. Now, he'd made it this far into Gongzhuan and he still didn't have a way to cure his beloved. The anxiety was eating away at him. He didn't want him to help, he only wanted him to be safe.
"Don't worry, I'll always accompany you." Jiang Zhilan hit his arm.
"That's not what I'm worried about! You-mph!" Liu Qingyuan smiled, pulling away from the kiss and watching with satisfaction at the bewilderment in his king's eyes.
"Alright. Let me deal with this group. Go meet up with your Left Commander and continue the plan you've drawn up."
"How did you know!" Liu Qingyuan reached out, pressing back a piece of sweat-soaked hair from his temple. Dirt and blood smudged the face before him, but after five months of parting, it was the face he wanted to see the most.
"Your majesty," He said softly, "You're going to be late."
"...alright." Even with his agreement, Jiang Zhilan hesitated to leave, his fingers grasping tightly onto Liu Qingyuan's sleeve. He had too many questions, too many concerns. But there wasn't enough time; they would have to wait. He squeezed Liu Qingyuan's hand, then turned and left.
After the king's back had faded from view, Liu Qingyuan swiveled quickly, deflecting the dagger thrown at his back. He made quick work of the stragglers, his robes fluttering as he danced through the group of them, leaving corpses behind wherever he stepped. When the last opponent had fallen, Liu Qingyuan staggered to a halt, raising a hand to press on the left side of his chest. Under his robes, the skin pulsed with heat, black and festering. The burning in his meridians increased with every extraneous movement. He raised his head, looking down the palace halls he'd once been familiar with. Turning a few corners would lead you to the throne room. Liu Qingyuan closed his eyes, his hand dropping by his side. He knew what he had to do next.
The doors to the throne room groaned heavily as they opened under Liu Qingyuan's touch. It was empty, save for a single figure standing on the dais, their back turned to the door. Liu Qingyuan could recognize that shadow anywhere.
Mo Wu turned, pausing slightly. The two of them looked at each other for a moment, the silence stretching as vast as the ocean. "Tsk," Mo Wu sneered, turning his head away in disgust. "It's you."
"Yes, it's me." Liu Qingyuan raised the sword at his side. "Today, I came to ask for another duel. This time," Liu Qingyuan paused, lips pursing in determination, "Let's fight to the death!" Without waiting for a reply, Liu Qingyuan rushed forward. Mo Wu was forced to draw his own sword to parry and the two of them engaged thirty moves in the span of a few seconds. Liu Qingyuan, perhaps due to diligence or to determination, was now able to match him head-to-head. It was hard to tell who the winner would be.
Mo Wu kicked him away, leaping down from the dais and engaging him in another set of moves without break. But Liu Qingyuan recovered quickly and met him directly, pouring everything he had into his offense. The sudden surge in power threw Mo Wu off slightly, forcing him back. Although Liu Qingyuan still acknowledged the karmic ties he had with his former master, he no longer let them stay his hand. Their relationship had already reached this point; he couldn't get out unless he tore those threads with his own hands.
Liu Qingyuan pushed forward, twisting as he dodged Mo Wu's blade. In the same movement, he thrust his own sword forward. Mo Wu sneered disdainfully at him, knocking his incoming sword aside. His own wrist twisted with a flourish, his blade spinning in a beautiful arc and narrowly skimming Liu Qingyuan's neck. With a sonorous clang, their swords met, forcing the both of them to a halt.
"Heh. You want to beat me? You're dreaming!" An ear-splitting screech as metal rubbed against metal. Liu Qingyuan gasped softly, forced to let go of his sword or risk losing a few fingers. Mo Wu advanced on him, but instead of dodging like he was capable of, Liu Qingyuan continued on his trajectory. The palm of his hand was cut, preventing the sword tip from moving further into his flesh.
Liu Qingyuan grabbed Mo Wu's wrist, blood smudging his teacher's sleeve. Caught in the sudden grip, Mo Wu hand shook, blood spraying as flesh tore. The blade followed Liu Qingyuan's sword and flew away in a raucous tumble across the marble. "Urgh!" Pain blossomed in Liu Qingyuan's chest. Still, he took that unrelenting step forward and felt warmth flood over his other hand.
"Urk! You-!" Mo Wu's eyes widened behind his half-mask, shoving Liu Qingyuan away. Liu Qingyuan caught his teacher as he tried to escape, pulling him back in with a bruising grip on the back of his neck. "Ugh!" Mo Wu felt the blade pierce him again and again, his life-giving liquid flowing out in a cascade of iron and rust. The floor beneath their feet was dyed red and slippery; a vicious coating on the bottom of their boots. Mo Wu clawed at his arm, pulling his own short dagger from his waistband and stabbing it deep into Liu Qingyuan's back. Liu Qingyuan coughed, blood immediately flowing from his mouth. Relentlessly, he drew back his hand, plunging it forward into soft, unguarded flesh, feeling the hot warmth like a live creature that flooded over his skin, up his arms and straight into his chest. Liu Qingyuan's mouth twisted, crystal droplets already falling from his eyes.
"You...you..." Mo Wu felt dizzy, the anger, disgust, and resentment rising up within him like a beast. But his fingers twitched, becoming numb. Perhaps it was blood loss, or perhaps Liu Qingyuan's blade had been coated in poison. The dagger he'd pulled out of his disciple's body fell from his fingers, falling onto a floor so blood-slicked it didn't even make a sound. Liu Qingyuan held tightly onto him, whispering between blood-stained teeth,
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," He seemed to become that boy from 17 years ago, a youth devoted to the man who'd saved his life; the man who gave him a way to survive. A boy who'd once carefully tucked away the promise of unending loyalty to the person in his arms. He had become a monster, an oathbreaker.
As Liu Qingyuan's grip loosened, Mo Wu slipped from his arms, falling weakly to the floor. Even on the edge of death, the hatred burned bright in his gaze, fingers gripping onto the hem of his robes as if he would reincarnate on the spot and claw his way back to standing to punish his disloyal disciple. Liu Qingyuan looked down at his former master's face, the stoic mask finally shattering completely. His breaths came roughly, the blade dropping from shaking fingers onto a copper scented floor. The thick liquid on his hands was like a second skin; a grime that couldn't be washed away. Perhaps it had always existed, only that he'd pretended it hadn't all this time.
When Mo Wu's hand finally fell away limply, his eyes still open in resentment, Liu Qingyuan stumbled away, falling to his knees as his body gave up on him. He retched, tears blurring his vision. Liu Qingyuan pressed a hand on his chest, coughing violently. Blood fell from his lips.
"Ngh-," The burning feeling spread upwards until Liu Qingyuan felt like someone had taken an invisible vice and cranked it tight around his temples. The veins on his neck bludged, dark shadows slowly creeping up in his peripherals. Liu Qingyuan coughed out another mouthful of blood, collapsing on his side. Agony flooded through his meridians, blurring his vision into a kaleidoscope of colours.
Through ringing ears, Liu Qingyuan heard the heavy doors to the throne room burst open, the tumultuous sounds of fighting rising to a peak for a short moment. His armour stained with gore and a hand pressed to his side, Jiang Zhilan limped his way into the room, dragging a trail of dirty footprints behind him. The floor was dressed in red, two bodies arranged artfully within. Jiang Zhilan saw that pale profile, sword eyebrows lax and black blood tingeing those thin lips.
"Liu Qingyuan." He fell by his side, throwing away his helmet. Jiang Zhilan felt his heart drop, a spine-numbing feeling of vertigo consuming him. Thin, black streaks were climbing up Liu Qingyuan's face beneath his skin. "Liu Qingyuan!" He patted his face. "Wake up, wake up!" Jiang Zhilan reached for his robes, pulling apart the collar, a deep stab wound penetrated his chest, thick red flooding out with every shallow rise and fall. Despite feeling the fluttering heartbeat beneath his palm, Jiang Zhilan couldn't stop his rising horror. The feather mark on his left pectoral was dark, the surrounding skin black and neurotic. And it only continued to spread further. Panic flooded his senses, moisture rising in his eyes.
"Your...majesty..." Jiang Zhilan felt a touch on his knee. Liu Qingyuan had opened his eyes barely a sliver. He coughed, blood flowing from his mouth down the side of his face. It was too much red.
"Liu Qingyuan, I'll definitely save you. I'll save you. I-"
"Was I...wrong?" Liu Qingyuan's grip tightened. A single tear slid down the side of his face, mixing with the blood stained on his skin.
"What?" Jiang Zhilan leaned down. Liu Qingyuan reached a hand up, touching his cheek. A smudge of blood printed onto his fair cheek like a red blossom petal.
"Zhilan," He rasped, "Was I wrong?" If 17 years of loyalty could become like this, then what did his loyalty to his king mean? One day, would he also become someone who was severed from his life? A mere stain on the hands of a person whose motives had changed once again? He was afraid. He was afraid he'd become that person. He was afraid of himself. Once a single line was crossed, it opened the door to infinite possibilities.
"Q-qingyuan," Jiang Zhilan watched with horror as the black veins spread to his eye, the white sclera staining black. Liu Qingyuan made a sound of pain, his hand unintentionally scratching a mark down the king's neck as he gasped wetly. His body arched off the floor, blood gargling from his mouth. "Qingyuan!" It hurt. It hurt so much.
Shakily, Jiang Zhilan gripped his face, leaning over and kissing his eyelids as if he could stop the spread of the poison with his touch. "I'll stay with you. It's alright, I'll stay. You can run, you can leave, you can do whatever you want; I'll always be by your side. If you need me, I'll help you. If you don't need me, I'll wait for you. It doesn't matter, I'll be here. I love you." He mumbled. Through blurred vision, Liu Qingyuan stared raptly at the king's face. Maybe this retribution wasn't so bad.
Jiang Zhilan crawled through the blood on the ground, his legs long having lost strength, and picked up a stained dagger. He rushed back to Liu Qingyuan's side, stripping his armour. In the vast and spacious room, a figure clad in nothing but white inner robes, blood and carnage pooling by his knees, was unexpectedly a pure image. Soon, that figure joined the vision of death, red blossoming like a flower in the midst of snow. Jiang Zhilan plunged the blade into his own heart.
His heart's blood collecting in his palm, Jiang Zhilan pushed his fingers into Liu Qingyuan's mouth. Drop by drop, he poured his life into his lover's body. "No..." Liu Qingyuan tried to turn his head away, fingers pushing weakly at air.
"Be good," Jiang Zhilan whispered, holding his face with his other hand. He gradually felt dizzy, his ears ringing. A flaring heat erupted on his back, golden light piercing his body like a fatal blade. The wound on his chest tingled as the phoenix mark attempted to heal him. Sweat dripped down his forehead. Jiang Zhilan held Liu Qingyuan, his eyes falling closed. He breathed deeply, lashes trembling and teeth gritted with exertion. The light flared brighter, illuminating the entire room. Liu Qingyuan trembled, hating his own powerlessness. But he could feel his own life slipping away, the persistent pain now numbed into nothingness as a bone-aching chill crept into his body. Jiang Zhilan pressed their foreheads together. "I'll save you." He brushed Liu Qingyuan sweat-soaked hair out of his face. "I'll definitely save you."
He kissed him.
It wasn't a pretty kiss, all teeth and lips and tasting of rust and salt. Liu Qingyuan's eyes slid closed, a tear sliding down his face. Jiang Zhilan felt a tug in his gut, stronger, until a tearing agony froze all the muscles in his body, splitting his body from head to toe. "Ugh-!" He bit down on accident, the skin of Liu Qingyuan's lips tearing under the assault.
"Zhilan...stop..." Liu Qingyuan gasped, his voice barely audible, "Don't..."
Gritting his teeth against the rising pain, Jiang Zhilan kissed him softly on the corner of his mouth. "I'll save you. Don't worry about anything else." His voice slurred, skin white from blood loss.
"Zhil-" A mouth sealed his own, cutting off the rest of his words. Jiang Zhilan's nails dug into his skin, his whole body trembling as something seemed to tear from his soul. The room went dark. Between their lips, a small golden orb rose from Jiang Zhilan's throat and passed into his mouth. His eyes slid open a fraction, golden light spilling onto Liu Qingyuan's face like water; his gaze was no longer deep brown, but a dark gold.
The moment Liu Qingyuan swallowed that orb, his body arched up. Muscles jumping, he pushed at Jiang Zhilan, his entire figure stretched taut like a bowstring. A blazing fire flooded his meridians, burning everything in its path. Jiang Zhilan gripped the back of his neck, preventing their lips from separating. A drop of blood leaked from his golden eyes, marring his pale face.
As the golden light faded from the room, Liu Qingyuan went limp, his body sliding to the ground and his eyes fluttering closed. Gasping, Jiang Zhilan pulled weakly at his collar, watching dazedly as the spidery black lines retreated, the neurotic flesh healed, and the poison was burnt away. The feather mark on Liu Qingyuan's chest winked softly then went out permanently. Trembling, he wiped at the blood. The skin was smooth, as if the wound had never been there.
Lifting his hands, Jiang Zhilan caressed the side of his lover's face. His other palm pressed against his own chest. Without the phoenix mark, the wound over his heart reopened, crimson flooding out in a small waterfall. Jiang Zhilan coughed, blood spilling from his lips. Leaning over slowly, he kissed Liu Qingyuan's forehead.
"I love you, my knight."
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On the terrace at the back of a manor, in a small city within the vast territory of Qiangda, Jiang Zhilan pressed a hand over his chest as if remembering that wound. He felt a warmth on his back as Liu Qingyuan hugged him, no longer as restrained as before. Jiang Zhilan smiled, leaning back. Out here, they were just Master and Young Master, no longer Captain Liu and Your Majesty. His body no longer held a trace of the heavens but perhaps, it should have always been like this. Every man equal on an earth where the greatest honor and the heaviest burden was to love another.
As the gentle breeze floated through his hair, Jiang Zhilan closed his eyes, the image of pink blossoms in the valley below enshrining this moment as his eternal spring.
END
A/NÂ Guysss it's my longest chapter at 4.5k!! But on another note, its a wrap!
I can't believe this story is coming to a close already, but looking back, it's already been three years. These characters have accompanied me through my entire highschool career; I wrote the first chapter in September of my grade 10 year and I finished in my last month of senior year (T-T) I'm definitely going to miss this, the grind, the brain storming, and the excitement when I finished my homework and had time to write another chapter. Thank you to everyone who stuck around, hung out, and enjoyed my story, even those who picked it up and dropped it later, or those who were like meh, it's okay. Seeing reads, votes, and comments made me so so happy to be creating something that other people enjoyed.
I'm definitely going to miss Liu Qingyuan and Jiang Zhilan (my babies!), I've put so much effort into crafting them and their story and I wish I could have done them justice, but for now, I've given them my best efforts.
Thank you again to everyone who opened this story, even in passing. I wish you all well and hope to see you soon!
Signing off,
~Earthshaker