[ the rats squeal and scream, making horrible sounds as you rush through the ashen streets and rubble of a city long forgotten. there are some that attack, launching themselves at you, but the only issue is their numbers. they subsist off of corpses, roiling in their own resentful energy. they are not strong.
you kick up more dust and ash as you go. rin will know that some of these mounds of ash were once people, but, if they're paying attention, so will xie lian and kaeya.
but you all have weapons, and ferocious daemons, and they won't chase you up the mountain. so there are no screaming rats that follow you for long, and any that are injured are immediately descended upon by those that are in fairer sorts. a distraction, for your retreat.
not that where you're going is much better.
this area won't be familiar to rin, but the concept and the terrain at least are. the screaming and howling, the roars, the sounds of fighting, the smell of rot and bloodshed - the higher you go, the closer you get to it, the more you can tell that chaos broke out some time ago and has simply continued. days, weeks, who knows who long it's been? ahnkeen was weeks ago, but time never does quite pass the same, in these places, does it?
the kiln calls, an almost tangible touch like a hand cradling the backs of your skulls. those regrets that are tattooed on your skin, those sins, are whispers in your ears.
[ running, running, running. it's just up into the air - xie lian swings his blade with an expert slash as a rat leaps at him and sends it flying in severed pieces past him, as san lang grabs one and sinks his teeth into its body, tossing it away.
fleet footed and heart pounding in his ears, xie lian will run and run and run. past the ash mountains, past the whispering, screaming voices crying for him to save them, over and over.
they're not real. they're already gone. xian le is gone, and this place was, too. as they reach the kiln and get to a distance safe from the corpse eating rats, feet pounding into volcanic ash and more mountainous ground, xie lian finally takes the moment to turn his head and look around, checking their surroundings for fierce creatures or anything particularly wrathful. right now, it's just bloodshed and chaos, the marked lair of ghosts.
any pathways for us to take? is it just rampant destruction?
to the others, looking back to ensure their safety - and with a little smile that everyone's together and seems to be okay: ]
[He hates that pull. He remembers it so clearly, and he hates it. But how can he fight something so strong? It's only fortunate that the kiln is calling them to the spot they need to go to anyway.
Rin tries not to look at the ash as they run by. Seeing those people last time was horrifying enough.]
Right, to the top. We didn't quite make it last time.
[The words on Rin's arm itch. He tries his best to ignore that too.
But as they run, he's looking for the blurry ghost friend. Are they around this time? Or have they moved on and won't be assisting in try 2?]
[ because there is no other option but to climb. kaeya looks ahead, but his periphery catches these mounds of ash, the shapes of people gradually forming upon closer examination, and it just seeks to send a tremor down his spine, the words are a firebrand on his skin and he draws his sword, refuses to let the sensation spread between his shoulder blades.
he unfortunately doesn't have any other encouraging words, he's examining the remains of whatever chaos might have broken out here. what's been left behind? does the ground simply look disturbed or is there more? gouges or footsteps, claw marks, anything really. ]
[ well, before you go anywhere... there's a surprise for you.
a silver butterfly comes fluttering through to meet you. it lands on xie lian's hair bun, while you're taking stock of your options. don't panic - even if there's a power to it, hua cheng's voice is immediate: ]
Thank Monika for them. You'll be able to keep in touch with one another, even across worlds. [ a beat. and, this message, after, feels less generic. like it's meant for you, rather than everyone. ] ... stay safe.
[ and that's all.
carnage is everywhere, with rampant destruction left in the wake of battle. there's a winding path upwards that they can continue to follow, a jagged rockface that they could climb instead, or a cavern of some sort that's higher up directly ahead of them.
all directions will lead to danger. the sounds of violence and fear come from all across the mountainside, now, with the kiln's frenzy in full swing. ]
[ ah... xie lian twists to try and hear where the voice is coming from before he catches the twinkle of silver from the butterfly and says - ]
Oh... it's cute...
[ because it is?? wow. it's a nice little distraction from, you know. carnage! ] How thoughtful. [ and then, quietly, as he shakes some of the last cries from the dreadful world behind them; ] ...thank you.
[ for now, carefully, he moves his hands so the butterfly can perch wherever it likes, and then looks between the three areas. they're going to have to figure something out, and quickly. ]
[BUTTERFLY... Rin's stressed look relaxes for a moment when he hears Hua Cheng's voice. Right, they'll stay safe. Even if they can't exactly call for help, maybe hearing the others will help them power through.
He leaves the butterfly to Xie Lian, and then he looks at their two paths.]
I...don't know? We didn't make it this far before. Is the kiln underground?
[Rin's usefulness as a guide has been surpassed. RIP.]
I would lean towards the path, if only because it'd be easier to become pinned down in the cavern. And I'd rather not risk something coming downwards at us if we tried to climb... at least not yet.
[ he looks at the silver butterfly, his gaze softening just briefly to admire the way it alights comfortably on xie lian's hair. to be tethered to the others this way, it's good. better than most times when they're all separated, isolated from one another.
he'll head up the path if they're all in agreement, time to go, through the scenic carnage of mt. tonglu with its resident hungry rats that screech in the most unsettling voices. kaeya is just going to shake this by moving forward. ]
[ little butterfly leggies briefly touch xie lian's fingers as they draw back, a the barest of sensations, before it moves around and seems to settle in with the hairpin there. monika's voice carries through with her explanation, and then it's quiet, for a while, just the two of them. they'll be able to check in at any time.
and now, here they are. the carnage is minimal, with them having rushed up from the city ruins, the cries of the rats beginning to fade as they get closer to the sound of fighting, it's not so bad. this area has been left behind, as if it were a starting point rather than a finish line.
the path does have some bodies across it. stains of dark liquid - red blood, like one would expect, in some cases, but brackish and unpleasant in others. a human head, save for the fact it's a cyclops, rolled to a stop on it. there's a four-legged beast with eyes on its shoulders and no, true head that was killed mid-meal of a bipedal creature of some kind. more and more odd monsters, almost human-passing ghouls.
periodically, there's the flicker of blue ghost fire. but it's never their ghostly friend. just balls of ghosts left behind.
if you do continue up the path, you'll find the landscape littered like this. but you'll also be getting closer to the sounds of the fight, and the whispers of the mountain will continue.
some of the voices sound like people you know.
they'll do nothing to help you brace for the fight to come. ]
[ ah. well. this is even more familiar - the monsters and ghosts are of his realm. carefully, delicately, xie lian steps over the cyclops head, a beacon of white as he steps carefully in dry spots and avoids the bizarre ghouls. ]
...Be careful of the ghost fires. [ xie lian's gaze flicks over one as they pass by - his brows knit together just briefly, but he instructs the others as one is supposed to and tries to tune out the voices, focusing instead on the familiarity of the people behind him. every voice sounds familiar, here, in a language that he recognizes, in the crying, miserable sounds of his home language. but hua cheng's was a guiding light of reality, and he holds onto the strength of that for now as they make their way up the path. ]
What was your 'ghost guy' like, Rin? [ the conversation comes easily in his steady voice even as they move, quiet and attentive. focus. focus. ] I am not sure, entirely. Hua Cheng only described the Kiln to me as a place to be trapped - I would not be surprised if it was underground.
... This place truly fits in, with the realms we've been to - what a suiting place for a ghost king to be born. [ as another taotie corpse drops not far from them, xie lian shifts his grip on his sword hand and stabs the tip of fang xin into a monster and tosses it across the path to clear their way a little further. ]
[Rin stops and flinches as Xie Lian dispatches with that monster. He's still not used to this kind of fighting, it's always difficult for him.
A familiar voice whispers at the back of his mind, saying that 'he' can handle this. Rin ignores that voice.]
-they were kinda blurry, like a shadow almost? Like, I knew they were there but I couldn't see any details. If I heard their voice again I would know it's them though.
[That probably won't be too helpful though.
Kurikara remains on Rin's back for now. Why did he bring a broken sword? Who knows. Rin's logic isn't always the best. He didn't bring any other weapon either, maybe he plans on punching ghosts?]
Kaeya's probably right though, we don't want to get ambushed.
kaeya watches a moment, the flinch detected, and he simply flanks him, making sure he's covered on all sides. if rin fights, he can slip between the two of them and their daemons easily, but he'll be taken care of just as well. he won't offer his knife just yet because who is to say rin doesn't have something up his sleeve. he can take it when he needds it.
meanwhile, kaeya has no issue as he plants his sword straight into something that has splayed itself in its death, and he lands his heel on its horrifyingly flat head, makes sure it truly is dead before casting it to the side. there's a soft whisper that curls around his ear, and for a moment he closes his eye, makes a face of mild discomfort, and keeps moving. polaris behind him lets out a soft, rolling growl, his hackles raised.
regardless, we're not taking chances here. each body is moved with a check to make certain they're not just playing dead (granted, who's to say the things her can't simply return to haunt them? regardless, they'll have to stand being stabbed yet again so there.) ]
Perhaps the Kiln is a place from which to drop down into. One must make the journey upwards before descending, so to speak, into Hell below.
[ words are meant to be whispered, here. something greater than the tease that brushes against their ears, featherlight against the consciousness, but nothing more - the resolve is too great, this time, even for a young man shaken by this bloodshed who has already been drawn in by the kiln once before. and, besides, kaeya is smart to check if the dead are truly dead.
xie lian knows these creatures. the unendingly ravenous taotie is not alone from the four inauspicious beasts, but the glutton is the most common to be seen. ogres, skeletons shattered apart with remnants of ghost fire trying to cling to the demon they once inhabited, husks of corpses that moved through sheer resentment alone.
two of you might know the jiangshi - xie lian won't think much of it, considering the talisman is torn and the corpse is run through and pinned to the ground, but perhaps kaeya will find some passing discomfort, considering the tales of liyue's own.
but as you speak, as you move onward on the path, a few bodies rise from where they'd been lying in wait. they only do so after you've passed by, as if roused by the voices - but, sometimes, it's easier to survive a bloodbath by playing dead.
they're seven, in total. a couple of the ogres, a boar-headed man, some ghosts. a mix that have come to an agreement that won't ever leave this mountain.
because they lunge, they jump, they throw themselves up the path to attack.
[ like kaeya, xie lian also moved to protect rin - he trusts rin's abilities but he felt his discomfort, and this is his home turf. even if it's resentful and ominous, even if it's horrifying, he's there to help. a guiding light. a beacon, someone to rely on.
the minute he hears the sound of dirt moving, of bones creaking and cracking, san lang snaps to attention and snarls. the qilin fits in among the beasts and monsters, a creature from this realm and in this realm, and xie lian does not hesitate - he wields fang xin immediately, turning his wrist with the blade. ]
Watch out! [ and then pretty much immediately lunges at the largest of the creatures. whichever one looks the most functional and powerful, whichever is the biggest threat - he strikes forward like a white phantom, nearly a blur of powerful motion as he ducks a resentful energy led strike and slashes at the creature's chest to take it out, and then whirls on his heel to immediately take on another. ]
[Though he's reluctant to admit it, Rin is actually comforted by having Kaeya and Xie Lian flank him and give him some buffer from the carnage. He tries his best to put on a strong face and power through any obstacle, but he's still just a teenager who's spent nearly all of his life living in a world where the biggest threat was bullies he could easily beat up. The protection gives him a few moments to gather himself and steel his mind. He can do this. They can get through this.
Then the dead rise and at first Rin seems apprehensive, but then Xie Lian moves and Rin is sure Kaeya will be soon too. He can't just stand there, there's too many of them for Xie Lian and Kaeya to handle alone. So he grits his teeth, and-]
Fuck off!
[He runs for the nearest creature not already being fought and punches it in the face. And the creature goes flying off its feet and back across the battlefield, only stopping when it crashes into something else shambling about.
Rin looks surprised by this and stares at the monster for a few moments before looking down at his own fist.]
and then back at rin's fist again before he grins. ]
Well don't stop there!
[ he gives his sword a quick toss and catch (he's a show off). this bitch is already off, like that's permission enough, sprinting like an arctic jet stream. his vision is a blur of blue, though not activated just yet, it's as though he feels complete by some part--he has purpose, he has passion, and alongside him, xie lian and rin are giving it their all. he twists, a ribbon of blue and parries before give a series of quick, sharp slashes to another monster. there's a dance to his step, one xie lian is familiar with and one rin will become well-acquainted with by the end of this.
he's like ice, the chilled sensation of it hovering off of his skin even with the whispers, the scent of rot and blood, our last hope, as he stabs forward to the hilt and lifts a heel to shove the monster off of his blade and onto the ground.
he will be someone's hope this time.
he will live up to that expectation and more, not just for them. for himself. ]
[ fang xin almost sings, in the land of ghosts and despair. xie lian's strike is true, as always, and the ogre that he targets - for it is the most robust, and the most intact, of the group - goes to meet him. it does not know of your determination, and has no fear of these three, puny humans and their pets.
it doesn't know how wrong it is. there is not strength in numbers, when the numbers have no coordination. when there is no spark to share.
a roar of pain, and brackish blood, but it's there and done. a ghostly and gruesome man is next, and barely has time for reaction when xie lian spins to face him.
the boar-headed man is the one sent flying, so hard that rin nearly knocks his mismatched head right off. in a one-two procession, he and the ghast that was picking its way through the bodies are taken out. one of the ghosts watches this happen, startled, but that doesn't give them any time to get away from rin's reach.
especially not as kaeya mirrors xie lian for speed, for determination, for hope. first, his blade arcs through the air, then it's one, two, three - the first of the ghosts falls in ribbons, despite every attempt to strike back. too fast, too fast.
the ghost he runs through is startled, with barely any time to react, itself, between the blade and the ground, before that's all there is for them. a second death is fast approaching.
the remaining ogre lunges at the three of them, and the other ghosts rush to try and overwhelm. but you're a unit, you're together, you're ready this time, and the path awaits. there is strength in numbers, there is strength in your resolve, there is strength in you still.
[ if given the choice, xie lian will always bolster the people around him. after failing to do so, and failing to save people (as those cruel voices whispered in his ear when they ascended the mountain) he has not given up, nor will he ever stop. if the people here - rin, kaeya, hua cheng - see him as someone to be believed in, as a god worth worshipping instead of one of misery and despair, then by hell or high water xie lian will be that god.
as he takes the gruesome ghost out, ducking underneath its arm and slicing it almost clean in half with fang xin's ice cold blade, he whips around just in time to see rin's absolutely stellar punch. as a martial god and as a giant nerd, xie lian gasps a - ] Oh! Beautiful!
[ - midway through his strike, as if it is not a big deal. what a nerd.
he doesn't get to be distracted for long, though. his left hand comes up as the ogre comes by, off of his sword to block a strike it makes with his wrist, and he shoves the blade into its chest and upwards, using a feat of his own fairly ridiculous strength to lift the thing briefly off the ground and yeet it off the side of the mountain. see you! ]
[Rin looks ready to punch that big ogre too, bolstered on by both his previous success and the words of encouragement from Xie Lian and Kaeya. It's easy to lift his spirits and get Rin to step up and fight, just tell him he's doing a good job. Emotional support!
But before he can punch the ogre Xie Lian is yeeting it and welp. He's got that one, Rin is looking around quickly to see if there's anything else that has escaped Kaeya and Xie Lian's swords. He's a speed demon too (lol) so he can go and pick off the stragglers as need be.]
kaeya watches the thing literally flail off the side of the mountain path and then laughs. as rin darts in to start punching their opponents, kaeya joins him, making sure nothing flanks or gets behind rin. together, they'll make up for xie lian yeeting the big boy. he radiates a winter's chill from the glow of his vision, alive inside of him, a gift from a love cast aside, from abandonment, renewed here in this mountain like old steel wrought new.
it's fine, though - as the beast goes soaring through the air with strange grace before hitting the ground and tumbling into the beyond, there are other things to be slaying. rin punches more than his fair share of ghosts and ghouls, sending them flying, colliding with one another and the rockface and just. being punched out of existence, in the case of a far weaker one.
the blue flames that begin to build with every punch help, although it's more for aesthetics. for now, anyways.
kaeya brings his own blue to the fray, and, with each slice of the blade where rin's fists do not reach, where the dark chill of fang xin does not cut through, he dispatches them with a swift determination.
you stand in the middle of the fray when the last ghost disperses into a shudder of blue ghost fire, before that, too, shatters.
and then it's just the distant noise of other fights.
[ this is where the video game would make an obnoxious "checkpoint cleared!" noise
as xie lian alights back on his feet, he keeps his sword to his side, san lang's hooves clattering against the rock face. glancing back to see rin's blue flames, he beams at him, and then nods at kaeya in turn, effusive with his praise as always. ] Excellent work, both of you - truly, how lucky, to be fighting with you both by my side.
[ because they deserve it!!! wao. white now stained with a little blood and brackish grossness, xie lian says a quick, quiet prayer for the ghosts, and then turns his gaze upwards, lifting his free hand to wipe across the back of his mouth. honestly, xie lian lives for this - and though it would be nice to have the capability to use spells and talismans, on the weaker fare, there's no need. he reaches back to ensure that the butterfly is still on his bun, and then nods. ]
[Rin gives a thumbs-up to Xie Lian. They did it! And he's ready to take on more, because it's easy to not listen to the whispers when you're actually winning fights.]
Yeah! Let's go!
[Boy go nyoom. Keep up, adults. He doesn't have his full demon speed back but he is still a lanky teenager who can run.
His spirits are high now too, clearly nothing can go wrong, right?]
[ rin runs and kaeya chuckles a bit, glancing at xie lian and passing by him with a firm clap to the shoulder before darting after rin. polaris digs his claws in and launches himself at the path as well, the both of them streaked in gore and detritus, mountain dust, but it doesn't feel like anything, not after a fight like that, not after the adrenaline truly begins to pump in his veins.
there's a sense of familiarity in the vigor, in the sight of such fire behind each punch at rin's knuckles, and it places kaeya in a place of peace, of focus. they can do this--(and even if they cannot, they must.)
to the top we go! surely nothing will go wrong :) ]
[ surely not! surely everything will be just fine. there's even enough time to talk to the others, via the wraith butterfly in your possession. it holds on stubbornly to xie lian's bun, fearless in all of the mess.
a few creatures, impish and reaching, try to intercept you on your way up. they're scavengers. you can be rid of them quickly.
you pass by a brawl between monsters, a few paces to your right. they don't pay you any mind - they're tearing something apart, piece by piece, limbs and chunks of flesh being rended from whatever it is. if it cries out, you can't hear it, considering the chatter and yelling from the rest of the group. it's probably already dead.
there's a white mask in the center of the path ahead. you can probably ignore it. ]
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you kick up more dust and ash as you go. rin will know that some of these mounds of ash were once people, but, if they're paying attention, so will xie lian and kaeya.
but you all have weapons, and ferocious daemons, and they won't chase you up the mountain. so there are no screaming rats that follow you for long, and any that are injured are immediately descended upon by those that are in fairer sorts. a distraction, for your retreat.
not that where you're going is much better.
this area won't be familiar to rin, but the concept and the terrain at least are. the screaming and howling, the roars, the sounds of fighting, the smell of rot and bloodshed - the higher you go, the closer you get to it, the more you can tell that chaos broke out some time ago and has simply continued. days, weeks, who knows who long it's been? ahnkeen was weeks ago, but time never does quite pass the same, in these places, does it?
the kiln calls, an almost tangible touch like a hand cradling the backs of your skulls. those regrets that are tattooed on your skin, those sins, are whispers in your ears.
you're going to fail, just like you always have.
what's the plan, gentlemen? ]
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fleet footed and heart pounding in his ears, xie lian will run and run and run. past the ash mountains, past the whispering, screaming voices crying for him to save them, over and over.
they're not real. they're already gone. xian le is gone, and this place was, too. as they reach the kiln and get to a distance safe from the corpse eating rats, feet pounding into volcanic ash and more mountainous ground, xie lian finally takes the moment to turn his head and look around, checking their surroundings for fierce creatures or anything particularly wrathful. right now, it's just bloodshed and chaos, the marked lair of ghosts.
any pathways for us to take? is it just rampant destruction?
to the others, looking back to ensure their safety - and with a little smile that everyone's together and seems to be okay: ]
He said we need to get to the top.
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Rin tries not to look at the ash as they run by. Seeing those people last time was horrifying enough.]
Right, to the top. We didn't quite make it last time.
[The words on Rin's arm itch. He tries his best to ignore that too.
But as they run, he's looking for the blurry ghost friend. Are they around this time? Or have they moved on and won't be assisting in try 2?]
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[ because there is no other option but to climb. kaeya looks ahead, but his periphery catches these mounds of ash, the shapes of people gradually forming upon closer examination, and it just seeks to send a tremor down his spine, the words are a firebrand on his skin and he draws his sword, refuses to let the sensation spread between his shoulder blades.
he unfortunately doesn't have any other encouraging words, he's examining the remains of whatever chaos might have broken out here. what's been left behind? does the ground simply look disturbed or is there more? gouges or footsteps, claw marks, anything really. ]
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a silver butterfly comes fluttering through to meet you. it lands on xie lian's hair bun, while you're taking stock of your options. don't panic - even if there's a power to it, hua cheng's voice is immediate: ]
Thank Monika for them. You'll be able to keep in touch with one another, even across worlds. [ a beat. and, this message, after, feels less generic. like it's meant for you, rather than everyone. ] ... stay safe.
[ and that's all.
carnage is everywhere, with rampant destruction left in the wake of battle. there's a winding path upwards that they can continue to follow, a jagged rockface that they could climb instead, or a cavern of some sort that's higher up directly ahead of them.
all directions will lead to danger. the sounds of violence and fear come from all across the mountainside, now, with the kiln's frenzy in full swing. ]
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Oh... it's cute...
[ because it is?? wow. it's a nice little distraction from, you know. carnage! ] How thoughtful. [ and then, quietly, as he shakes some of the last cries from the dreadful world behind them; ] ...thank you.
[ for now, carefully, he moves his hands so the butterfly can perch wherever it likes, and then looks between the three areas. they're going to have to figure something out, and quickly. ]
The path, for now?
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He leaves the butterfly to Xie Lian, and then he looks at their two paths.]
I...don't know? We didn't make it this far before. Is the kiln underground?
[Rin's usefulness as a guide has been surpassed. RIP.]
And I haven't seen the ghost guy yet...
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[ he looks at the silver butterfly, his gaze softening just briefly to admire the way it alights comfortably on xie lian's hair. to be tethered to the others this way, it's good. better than most times when they're all separated, isolated from one another.
he'll head up the path if they're all in agreement, time to go, through the scenic carnage of mt. tonglu with its resident hungry rats that screech in the most unsettling voices. kaeya is just going to shake this by moving forward. ]
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and now, here they are. the carnage is minimal, with them having rushed up from the city ruins, the cries of the rats beginning to fade as they get closer to the sound of fighting, it's not so bad. this area has been left behind, as if it were a starting point rather than a finish line.
the path does have some bodies across it. stains of dark liquid - red blood, like one would expect, in some cases, but brackish and unpleasant in others. a human head, save for the fact it's a cyclops, rolled to a stop on it. there's a four-legged beast with eyes on its shoulders and no, true head that was killed mid-meal of a bipedal creature of some kind. more and more odd monsters, almost human-passing ghouls.
periodically, there's the flicker of blue ghost fire. but it's never their ghostly friend. just balls of ghosts left behind.
if you do continue up the path, you'll find the landscape littered like this. but you'll also be getting closer to the sounds of the fight, and the whispers of the mountain will continue.
some of the voices sound like people you know.
they'll do nothing to help you brace for the fight to come. ]
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...Be careful of the ghost fires. [ xie lian's gaze flicks over one as they pass by - his brows knit together just briefly, but he instructs the others as one is supposed to and tries to tune out the voices, focusing instead on the familiarity of the people behind him. every voice sounds familiar, here, in a language that he recognizes, in the crying, miserable sounds of his home language. but hua cheng's was a guiding light of reality, and he holds onto the strength of that for now as they make their way up the path. ]
What was your 'ghost guy' like, Rin? [ the conversation comes easily in his steady voice even as they move, quiet and attentive. focus. focus. ] I am not sure, entirely. Hua Cheng only described the Kiln to me as a place to be trapped - I would not be surprised if it was underground.
... This place truly fits in, with the realms we've been to - what a suiting place for a ghost king to be born. [ as another taotie corpse drops not far from them, xie lian shifts his grip on his sword hand and stabs the tip of fang xin into a monster and tosses it across the path to clear their way a little further. ]
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[Rin stops and flinches as Xie Lian dispatches with that monster. He's still not used to this kind of fighting, it's always difficult for him.
A familiar voice whispers at the back of his mind, saying that 'he' can handle this. Rin ignores that voice.]
-they were kinda blurry, like a shadow almost? Like, I knew they were there but I couldn't see any details. If I heard their voice again I would know it's them though.
[That probably won't be too helpful though.
Kurikara remains on Rin's back for now. Why did he bring a broken sword? Who knows. Rin's logic isn't always the best. He didn't bring any other weapon either, maybe he plans on punching ghosts?]
Kaeya's probably right though, we don't want to get ambushed.
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kaeya watches a moment, the flinch detected, and he simply flanks him, making sure he's covered on all sides. if rin fights, he can slip between the two of them and their daemons easily, but he'll be taken care of just as well. he won't offer his knife just yet because who is to say rin doesn't have something up his sleeve. he can take it when he needds it.
meanwhile, kaeya has no issue as he plants his sword straight into something that has splayed itself in its death, and he lands his heel on its horrifyingly flat head, makes sure it truly is dead before casting it to the side. there's a soft whisper that curls around his ear, and for a moment he closes his eye, makes a face of mild discomfort, and keeps moving. polaris behind him lets out a soft, rolling growl, his hackles raised.
regardless, we're not taking chances here. each body is moved with a check to make certain they're not just playing dead (granted, who's to say the things her can't simply return to haunt them? regardless, they'll have to stand being stabbed yet again so there.) ]
Perhaps the Kiln is a place from which to drop down into. One must make the journey upwards before descending, so to speak, into Hell below.
[ but he's just kind of guessing? ]
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xie lian knows these creatures. the unendingly ravenous taotie is not alone from the four inauspicious beasts, but the glutton is the most common to be seen. ogres, skeletons shattered apart with remnants of ghost fire trying to cling to the demon they once inhabited, husks of corpses that moved through sheer resentment alone.
two of you might know the jiangshi - xie lian won't think much of it, considering the talisman is torn and the corpse is run through and pinned to the ground, but perhaps kaeya will find some passing discomfort, considering the tales of liyue's own.
but as you speak, as you move onward on the path, a few bodies rise from where they'd been lying in wait. they only do so after you've passed by, as if roused by the voices - but, sometimes, it's easier to survive a bloodbath by playing dead.
they're seven, in total. a couple of the ogres, a boar-headed man, some ghosts. a mix that have come to an agreement that won't ever leave this mountain.
because they lunge, they jump, they throw themselves up the path to attack.
and you rolled just too damn well. ]
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the minute he hears the sound of dirt moving, of bones creaking and cracking, san lang snaps to attention and snarls. the qilin fits in among the beasts and monsters, a creature from this realm and in this realm, and xie lian does not hesitate - he wields fang xin immediately, turning his wrist with the blade. ]
Watch out! [ and then pretty much immediately lunges at the largest of the creatures. whichever one looks the most functional and powerful, whichever is the biggest threat - he strikes forward like a white phantom, nearly a blur of powerful motion as he ducks a resentful energy led strike and slashes at the creature's chest to take it out, and then whirls on his heel to immediately take on another. ]
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Then the dead rise and at first Rin seems apprehensive, but then Xie Lian moves and Rin is sure Kaeya will be soon too. He can't just stand there, there's too many of them for Xie Lian and Kaeya to handle alone. So he grits his teeth, and-]
Fuck off!
[He runs for the nearest creature not already being fought and punches it in the face. And the creature goes flying off its feet and back across the battlefield, only stopping when it crashes into something else shambling about.
Rin looks surprised by this and stares at the monster for a few moments before looking down at his own fist.]
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and then at the monster.
and then back at rin's fist again before he grins. ]
Well don't stop there!
[ he gives his sword a quick toss and catch (he's a show off). this bitch is already off, like that's permission enough, sprinting like an arctic jet stream. his vision is a blur of blue, though not activated just yet, it's as though he feels complete by some part--he has purpose, he has passion, and alongside him, xie lian and rin are giving it their all. he twists, a ribbon of blue and parries before give a series of quick, sharp slashes to another monster. there's a dance to his step, one xie lian is familiar with and one rin will become well-acquainted with by the end of this.
he's like ice, the chilled sensation of it hovering off of his skin even with the whispers, the scent of rot and blood, our last hope, as he stabs forward to the hilt and lifts a heel to shove the monster off of his blade and onto the ground.
he will be someone's hope this time.
he will live up to that expectation and more, not just for them. for himself. ]
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it doesn't know how wrong it is. there is not strength in numbers, when the numbers have no coordination. when there is no spark to share.
a roar of pain, and brackish blood, but it's there and done. a ghostly and gruesome man is next, and barely has time for reaction when xie lian spins to face him.
the boar-headed man is the one sent flying, so hard that rin nearly knocks his mismatched head right off. in a one-two procession, he and the ghast that was picking its way through the bodies are taken out. one of the ghosts watches this happen, startled, but that doesn't give them any time to get away from rin's reach.
especially not as kaeya mirrors xie lian for speed, for determination, for hope. first, his blade arcs through the air, then it's one, two, three - the first of the ghosts falls in ribbons, despite every attempt to strike back. too fast, too fast.
the ghost he runs through is startled, with barely any time to react, itself, between the blade and the ground, before that's all there is for them. a second death is fast approaching.
the remaining ogre lunges at the three of them, and the other ghosts rush to try and overwhelm. but you're a unit, you're together, you're ready this time, and the path awaits. there is strength in numbers, there is strength in your resolve, there is strength in you still.
make quick work of them. ]
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as he takes the gruesome ghost out, ducking underneath its arm and slicing it almost clean in half with fang xin's ice cold blade, he whips around just in time to see rin's absolutely stellar punch. as a martial god and as a giant nerd, xie lian gasps a - ] Oh! Beautiful!
[ - midway through his strike, as if it is not a big deal. what a nerd.
he doesn't get to be distracted for long, though. his left hand comes up as the ogre comes by, off of his sword to block a strike it makes with his wrist, and he shoves the blade into its chest and upwards, using a feat of his own fairly ridiculous strength to lift the thing briefly off the ground and yeet it off the side of the mountain. see you! ]
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But before he can punch the ogre Xie Lian is yeeting it and welp. He's got that one, Rin is looking around quickly to see if there's anything else that has escaped Kaeya and Xie Lian's swords. He's a speed demon too (lol) so he can go and pick off the stragglers as need be.]
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kaeya watches the thing literally flail off the side of the mountain path and then laughs. as rin darts in to start punching their opponents, kaeya joins him, making sure nothing flanks or gets behind rin. together, they'll make up for xie lian yeeting the big boy. he radiates a winter's chill from the glow of his vision, alive inside of him, a gift from a love cast aside, from abandonment, renewed here in this mountain like old steel wrought new.
it's a gift of hope now. ]
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i did say make quick work of them, i guess.
it's fine, though - as the beast goes soaring through the air with strange grace before hitting the ground and tumbling into the beyond, there are other things to be slaying. rin punches more than his fair share of ghosts and ghouls, sending them flying, colliding with one another and the rockface and just. being punched out of existence, in the case of a far weaker one.
the blue flames that begin to build with every punch help, although it's more for aesthetics. for now, anyways.
kaeya brings his own blue to the fray, and, with each slice of the blade where rin's fists do not reach, where the dark chill of fang xin does not cut through, he dispatches them with a swift determination.
you stand in the middle of the fray when the last ghost disperses into a shudder of blue ghost fire, before that, too, shatters.
and then it's just the distant noise of other fights.
the path is yours. ]
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as xie lian alights back on his feet, he keeps his sword to his side, san lang's hooves clattering against the rock face. glancing back to see rin's blue flames, he beams at him, and then nods at kaeya in turn, effusive with his praise as always. ] Excellent work, both of you - truly, how lucky, to be fighting with you both by my side.
[ because they deserve it!!! wao. white now stained with a little blood and brackish grossness, xie lian says a quick, quiet prayer for the ghosts, and then turns his gaze upwards, lifting his free hand to wipe across the back of his mouth. honestly, xie lian lives for this - and though it would be nice to have the capability to use spells and talismans, on the weaker fare, there's no need. he reaches back to ensure that the butterfly is still on his bun, and then nods. ]
Shall we?
[ up we go!!! ]
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Yeah! Let's go!
[Boy go nyoom. Keep up, adults. He doesn't have his full demon speed back but he is still a lanky teenager who can run.
His spirits are high now too, clearly nothing can go wrong, right?]
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there's a sense of familiarity in the vigor, in the sight of such fire behind each punch at rin's knuckles, and it places kaeya in a place of peace, of focus. they can do this--(and even if they cannot, they must.)
to the top we go! surely nothing will go wrong :) ]
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a few creatures, impish and reaching, try to intercept you on your way up. they're scavengers. you can be rid of them quickly.
you pass by a brawl between monsters, a few paces to your right. they don't pay you any mind - they're tearing something apart, piece by piece, limbs and chunks of flesh being rended from whatever it is. if it cries out, you can't hear it, considering the chatter and yelling from the rest of the group. it's probably already dead.
there's a white mask in the center of the path ahead. you can probably ignore it. ]
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cw: EYE STUFF
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cw: more eye stuff
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