Chapter Text
Once upon a time, there were scattered dreams that drifted upon the wind. This cloud of dreams roamed the land that would be known as Liyue in the future, blessing any who passed its way with the sweetest and purest of dreams or, should the passerby be unlucky, bring the most horrendous of nightmares. There was no reason for why it gave nightmares or dreams. It was invisible to the world and could never be touched. It was not bound by good or bad, not knowing what that meant, nor happiness or sorrow, having experienced neither. It had no reason to be. No purpose to fulfill. It existed just to exist.
As it drifted from wind to wind, it saw people settling down on the land. It was not just one or two but multitudes that each chose a spot for themselves, building their little homes for them and those they cared for. There were also those who chose to live in solitude without anyone to care for. Slowly the land became full of mortal life, wild animals and plants no longer being the living beings within the borders of the mountain riddled region. They planted roots every place they could but seemed to avoid certain areas.
Just like all the creatures of the land, these deities created their own abodes. They settled on the highest peaks and in the lowest caves. Nigh impossible to reach for the average mortal but nothing difficult for the creatures blessed by Celestia, the rulers in the sky.
There were whispers of spirits and gods who ventured about those places and how they were not to be disturbed. They were revered and worshiped for they were deities that descended from the sky. To cross into their homes was nothing short of sacrilege. The dreams, curiosity emerging for the first time, drifted down among the plants to listen to the people talk about those mysterious beings. Adepti, they said, mighty and illuminated beings stronger and faster than even those blessed with elemental powers. Adepti , the dreams slowly rolled the word through its consciousness, that sounded familiar . It felt right. That was it, wasn't it? That was what it was. It was why it felt so drawn to the land where Geo seemed to flourish.
Because of the prime adeptus, as the mortals had called him, all the adepti are gathered in this land. He along with the other adepti mustn't be disturbed or else. They were almighty illuminated beasts that only answered to their leader. Meeting them could be a blessing or curse.
The dreams, as eager as it was to hear more, felt the pulling of the wind, the currents too strong to fight against and gave in, allowing itself to be pulled to whatever destination it had in mind. It was taken to a place with deserted patches of qingxin. The flowers seemed to glow underneath the moon, a shimmering sea of white that captivated the dreams like never before. The dreams had thought that only in sleep could someone see such a sight. It was glad to be mistaken. It was the kind of sight it felt others should see. A sight to be shared, to be imprinted in someone's memory. A yearning for something began to form.
Why was it alone, it wondered. There was no one else like itself. No dreams that seemed to be even the slightest bit sentient or even capable of thought. Only itself drifting in solitude for centuries. No one companion by its side for no one could ever know it was there. What a lonely existence.
The dreams returned every so often to the valley that contained the soft, white flowers. Glaze lilies were often the flowers most people would favor. They were that beautiful shade of blue and required so much kindness to grow. What shy little things. Only the sweetest of songs could coax them to blossom in the presence of another. But to the wandering dreams, it was the qingxin that captivated them. Hard to get to but full of endless possibilities. A flower that was not sought out for its beauty but for its ability to heal.
With every visit that yearning returned, an empty void that could never be filled. It was amplified by the sounds nearby. The sounds of laughter and joy erupting from adults and children alike. A seed of jealousy was sown into its soul. That was the something it had begun to so desperately crave and could never seem to grasp.
As the dreams drifted it found itself trying to fill that void with music and dance. It couldn't necessarily join in with its current form in the way those with a physical form did but it learned to memorize the moves and the notes and did its best to follow along with the wind. Nothing brought as much joy as those moments. It was another thing the dreams had begun to store deep inside its heart. Something precious that was just for itself and no one else. It would have been nice to share it , the dreams mused to itself, it would be nice to have someone to dance with.
The dreams wanted to change. Change its life just a bit. Change and see if its yearning could be eased. So down it went, into the patch of qingxin. Slowly, it began to take form. Creating and shaping the new form, it kept its preference for the wind in mind. Its shape soon became that of a great bird, wings as large as the trees around them, shimmering green with bits of gold here and there. The tail was a vivid green changing into a deep purple. The beak was a lovely pink tipped with black. It was a magnificent bird truly befitting of one the adepti. The type of bird people would stare at in awe of its beauty. It, or rather, they were happy with their new look. It allowed them to interact with the world in a way they never had before. It would not be until centuries later when they would decide to take on a more human form. For now, this would do. This was enough for the bird, happy to not be bound to the earth the way a mortal was, free to fly to the sky and soar through the entire land faster than they ever have before. No longer did the wind dictate the direction they would take. All it would be now was an aid, should the bird ever lose control over their wings.
They wandered around with this form seeking a companion, but no one would get near. An adeptus , everyone whispered, It's best to stay away . The bird wondered what was so great about being an adeptus. How could it be great when they spent the nights warmed only by their own feathers and not another? They were fast and could outpace anyone or anything, lived long and would outlast every mortal thing. But how could that be a good thing when no one could keep up and no one would stay?
They were considered to be something sacred, getting close would be sacrilege. The bird couldn't help but wonder what its fellow adepti were like if they had such an image. They were nothing like the mortals they encountered or the adepti described by the hushed whispers. Perhaps it would be best to stay away. Their only tether to this land was the prime adeptus and his strength.
No, that wasn't quite right.
There was the sea of qingxin that always drew them in with its beauty. The sweet yet bitter scent and the softness of the petals soothed their soul. It was their nesting ground. Their home. Maybe they didn't claim it the way the mortals did, by covering the beautiful land with cut wood and stone, but it was still theirs in a way nothing else was.
Should the bird encounter any danger and be hurt, they would always return to lick their wounds. Should they need a place to stay and rest, it would be the place that would shelter them. Should they seek a moment of solitude, they would return to that place and dance and sing. No life other than the plants would approach them. The stream not too far from their place was their only company, full of fish, frogs and loaches. They still darted away if they saw one of the feathers from the bird, but it was better than nothing. Especially now that the mortals were no longer audible to them, having moved away from fear of upsetting the mighty adepti that lived close by. Centuries were spent like that, rarely hearing the distant voices of the village that continued to grow and prosper near their vicinity.
It was frustrating in a way nothing had ever been when the land had been barren or when they were ignorant of the people who roamed the land. It was frustrating and they had no clue on how to deal with it. Frustration was not something they had ever experienced in their form of dreams. To be carried by the wind meant to be untethered from the world around them. It meant absolute solitude.
The bird wished to get closer. To mean something to someone, anyone. To end the meaningless existence and replace it with a bountiful life. To share the songs and dances it had learned from observing the little mortals. Share the joy they received from the smallest of things. They feared they would never get their wish. They feared the life of solitude now that they knew something could exist beyond it, something precious.
Then, one day the laughter came once more. The bird was tending to their wounds from a scuffle with a serpent. They were fighting for the same piece of land and though the bird was a gentle being they would not allow for anyone to steal that place from them. They had used anything at their disposal. Their wings sent out powerful gusts of wind able to slice the snake's scales, their beak and claws raked against the exposed flesh. It was their home. No one would ever be allowed to take it. Not while they could fight.
As the bird was preening and humming, they heard footsteps approach them. Childish giggles full of mischief and hushed whispers of caution. It was music all on its own. The bird fluffed up their feathers and changed once more. Taking a significantly smaller form, something they had learned to sneak into a few places where it seemed that they were not allowed in, they flew in for a closer look.
They hid themselves on the branches of the closest bushy tree, hidden by the leaves. They winced at the sound of their talons scraping against the wood. These people certainly couldn’t hear it, but it didn't hurt to be cautious.
“Where do you think it is?” squealed one of the children. This child seemed to be the leader of their little group. They were the one who led the way and was easily the most confident.
Another child muttered, more cautious than their friends, “We shouldn’t be here. You know what they say-”
“Uh, that its feathers give good luck to anyone who has one? C’mon we’re not going to go near it. We’re just gonna see if it dropped a few. I mean, imagine being blessed with an adeptus’s feathers. We’re going to be the talk of the village for years!”
“But is it really being blessed by an adeptus if that adeptus has no knowledge of it? This one wonders how on earth did mere mortals get the idea that one’s plumage brings any source of luck.” the bird had said, humored by the very idea of a lucky feather. There might be many types of adept powers but as far as they were luck is not one of them. Luck was a very tricky thing and very unreliable.
The look of shock on the children’s faces were clear as day. The blood seemed to drain out of their faces as they turned around shrieking and running towards their home.
The bird frowned before shifting back into their larger form and cutting the children off, "Why do you run away? Did you not wish to gather a feather or two?" Losing a few feathers was nothing bad. At most, they’ll have a better night’s sleep for a week before its power disintegrates the feather completely.
The children stopped, shaking until the more cautious one of them stepped forward, "we meant no disrespect O' Lord Adeptus. We were merely-"
"Heh….haha….hahaha haha! Most amusing indeed. Lord Adeptus? Now, who exactly are you referring to? Surely it can't be this one right here. One has no such title or name."
"B-but you're an adeptus?"
"Adeptus this one may be little one, but one is not someone who is known. Quite frankly, one doesn’t even think the other adepti themselves know of this one's quaint existence. One is alone in this world with only a little claim of land to keep this lonely bird company."
Another child, smaller than the rest, sounded confused, "That's…kinda sad. Do you have no friends?”
"Perhaps it is a saddening thing, but this one has long grown used to it. Friends require people to be close and this one is not close to any being. One will give a word of caution. Do not under any circumstances enter one’s land. One can be quite the territorial one. But if it is one’s own feathers you seek there is no reason to deny such a simple wish." With a few flaps of the bird's large wings feathers rained down over the children. "This one doubts that the ones feathers contain any sort of magical property let alone something such as luck but one will choose not question mortal beliefs. Remember children: stay away from one’s land. One can't guarantee that one will be so kind should you intrude in one’s sacred home."
The group of children each grabbed a feather and held them close, yelling out, "We promise to stay away!"
The bird hummed, "Don't stay away. No, one does not require that. Do not trespass but do not fear being near. One has seen the land around themself change. You mortals used to roam around here freely and this one did not mind this. If you wish to play, go right ahead. But when you see the first few patches of qingxin, do not go any further."
"We can play here?" The excitement in the child's voice was echoed by their friends.
"One does not see why not." The bird paused before continuing to chirp, "Well, one cannot say it will be safe, but should you play while one is around, one will do their best to keep you safe."
The cautious child, curious and worried, asked, "Why wouldn't it be safe? It's just the forest, right?"
"Yes and no, little one. Every place is unsafe no matter what. Danger can lurk in every shadow invisible to the normal eye. But the danger one speaks of is of those miscreants who wish to take one’s own home from oneself and claim it as their own." The bird ruffled their feathers in agitation, annoyed by the mere thought of it. "However, those are battles of the ones who live long lives. If one had the audacity to encourage mere mortals to be here, one should be ready to face any consequence that may result from it. And between you and oneself, perhaps one had grown rather tired of being alone."
The children glanced at each other before their little leader stated, "Then you, Lord Adeptus, shall be our friend. That way you won't be lonely anymore! We'll come back tomorrow, okay?"
The bird simply laughed, "The idea is very nice but from what one has gathered, friends do not refer to friends using a title as haughty as Lord Adeptus. Perhaps a different way of referring to this one is in order?"
"Uh, what else could we call you though? Uh, let's decide later. We have to go back now before they get mad at us."
"Then one shall see you later little ones."
A simple conversation. That's all it was. One where the bird ended up gaining new responsibilities. They didn’t mind in the slightest. Protecting the little children that came near became as natural as breathing.
The children had taken to calling them Mister Bird or Lord Adeptus. Their name was something they did not and would not ever know. A true name is a sacred thing to them. A true name in the hands of someone else is something that feels wrong. There is power in names. It was a truth that was engraved deep into them. The bird refuses to give anyone that power.
The children and their antics have carved out a space within their heart. The void and yearning appeased by their company settled down into oblivion. Frustration at the lack of companions disappeared into nothing.The children were more than happy to sing with the bird and join in a dance or two. In return the bird became a confidant in who they could share their concerns with. But here was one issue: the parents.
"Oh Lord Adeptus, please forgive us for our transgressions. We do not mean to intrude upon your lands nor do we wish to demean you in any way. We beg for your forgiveness. We have gathered our most valuable-"
"Enough!" Perhaps the bird shouldn't have yelled so loudly. No, they definitely shouldn't have. The parents began to tremble from fear and some rushed to bring their children into their arms looking ready to run.
"This one does not require any gifts. One has permitted the young ones to be here with only one condition and that was to stay away from my nest. You have no reason to apologize. Your children know this."
One of the mothers raised her head, a defiant look in her eye, "How can we trust you?" Before she was shushed by her fellow villagers.
"Hmph, this one does not and will not ever make it a habit to harm mere mortals. Why, the only thing these children bring is company in one's life of solitude. One could say that it is I who owes your children something rather than the other way around."
“You’re…lonely?”
The bird nodded, "Yes, lonely is a good word for it. For years did one travel the land all alone with no one by side. To hear the sound of the people is a balm to one’s own aching soul." At the stunned looks of the mortals the bird twittered, "One does not hold themselves like the proud deities most mortals see adepti as. Quite frankly this one has never met another nor does one have a desire to, considering the…tales one has been told of them."
"B-but I thought all adepti were under Lord Morax's rule?"
The bird cocked their head to the side, puzzled, "Who is Lord Morax?"
There were gasps of astonishment from everyone, even the children. The bird felt heat rush through their entire bodies. Who was this Morax for these mortals to expect them to know of the lord? They were embarrassed by their own lack of knowledge but rather curious to know more.
"Tell this ignorant bird, is this ‘Lord Morax’ someone one should be knowledgeable about?"
One of the other mortals stammered out a response, "Well it's just the Lord Morax is the prime adeptus. We assumed that all adepti were under his command. I…I suppose that isn't the case?"
The bird hummed, intrigued by the idea, "One has heard of the prime adeptus before. Yes, indeed he is supposedly someone important to all adepti. But as for this one, he is but a fleeting name among all the others. One has no desire to serve another nor has one ever laid eyes upon this lord to feel any reverence to him. Only to roam the land in search of songs and dances does one leave their land. Matters outside of that have never been of any importance to this one."
"I see. Most fascinating. I will have to note that down." A tall man took out a journal and quickly left towards the village.
A scholar , the bird thought. Those were the flighty ones that always seemed to never slow down when it came to their thoughts. Not that the bird could claim to be any better, but they were certain their own thoughts were much less complicated.
“Yes, well, this one sees no need to concern themselves with the matters of other adepti. One only wishes to rest here. Your children desire to play here as well. One does not and has never minded their presence nor will this one mind your own presences. This land is open to everyone to roam through. One’s only request was to leave the little land this one has claimed alone. So long as that is understood there is no reason to fear this one.”
“Yes, of course, Lord Adeptus!” The bird frowned at that formality. The children referred to them more often as Mister Bird, a much less formal and more personal form of referring to the bird.
The bird sighed, “This one would certainly prefer to be referred to in the way the children have. Mister Bird is far more accurate to this one’s own perception of oneself than the title of lord will ever be.”
“Yeah! Mister Bird is our friend!” one of the children yelled. It was the more cautious one of them back then, Meng, seemingly having grown more confidence as time went on. The bird could only chirp out a few laughs before they were reprimanded for being disrespectful. Yes, this would be a work in progress for them.
The village slowly warmed up to the idea of having a great adeptus so near to them and began settling closer to the bird’s resting place. The bird did not mind in the slightest, rather they felt rather pleased at the thought of it. They never went against their only demand and slowly exchanged the title of ‘Lord Adeptus’ for ‘Mister Bird’ just like their children had.
One night the adults had invited the bird to join them for a festivity, the celebration of one of the hunting groups coming back with large amounts of food. It would be the first time the bird stepped into the village itself than simply stare at it from a distance. The bird had been ready to decline, their nerves shaking at the thought of being surrounded by everyone at once, before the smallest child, Zhou Heng chimed in, “Does that mean we’ll get to see what Mister Bird looks like as a human? That’s so cool! I’m going to tell everyone! See ya at the party Mister Bird!”
“Wait, child! Ah, there's no use, is there…”
The adults had simply laughed at the bird’s dismay but as the bird thought it over the more appealing it sounded. How long did they yearn for this? For people to welcome them into their group, to have someone greet them with glee. Crafting together a mortal form was no issue for them, rather they had simply never seen a point in it before. It is true that it would have made singing and dancing much easier but a mortal form would most likely have robbed them of their ability to fly. That was something the bird did not necessarily want to give up. There was a freedom of being up in the air, wind rushing through their feathers, and the pressure against their body that had been so exhilarating. There was not a soul that could have hoped to keep up with the bird when they had taken to the sky.
It took a few hours of concentration, but they were able to gather enough of their adeptal powers to craft their new form. They took the appearance of a young and short man, but took care to keep their wings and tail intact. A bit of a pain to do, and it certainly wasn’t the most comfortable sensation at first, but they’d manage. Their, or rather his, mortal customs were very confusing, hair seemed to cascade down his back in long strands. His feathers seemed to form into a soft green hanfu to cover himself with. Their eyes stayed the same amber color, a relief to have something stay the same. As the bird took a look at his reflection in the stream his hair seemed to fall slightly below their knees. It was a rather strange sight for him. They were so used to their animal form that he felt a bit off-centered with such a drastic change. Nevertheless, it was worth it when he appeared in front of them with the new look.
They had sung praises about his looks all throughout the night, flustering him beyond belief. It was embarrassing to be perceived as pretty, but also somewhat gratifying in its own way. The bird decided to test out the new form for a few more days simply to see if it was a form they would ever return too. But that was for later, for now the bird lost himself in the simple pleasure of dancing around with the other villagers and properly carrying the children instead of picking them up with their beak when they were misbehaving and their parents had asked him to.
It was a memory the bird cherished very dearly.
The bird hadn’t a clue as to how he would care for this mortal form of his. His wings took time and patience to fully preen and his hair would often get in the way. Eventually, the bird caved and asked one of the young ladies from the village. Their hair was always well kept and put into different hairstyles. The bird cared not for learning the more complex methods of caring for one’s hair but wished to tame it enough that it would not be a bother.
“Oh, not a chance, Mister Bird. If we teach you how to do your hair, we will teach you every single way we know how! That’s the fun of it..”
“This one does not require such extensive lessons. One only wishes to put it out of one’s way or perhaps even cut it all off.” This led to horrified gasps.
“No! You can’t! I tried for years to grow out my hair to its current length. How I wish I had hair like yours! Trust us, Mister Bird, your hair is something that should be valued! Please let us teach you!” And how could the bird refuse such a request from them when they had looked at him with pleading eyes.
For weeks onward, the bird had to learn all the different ways one could style his hair. Begrudgingly, the bird would admit the young ladies were right. It was rather calming to the bird to weave his hands through his hair while he thought over what style he wished to wear that particular day. He had a special preference for a braided crown with the rest of the hair let loose even if it was a bit of a pain to deal with throughout the day. It was just pretty to look at and it was satisfying to see how perfect he could make it.
Some days he allowed for the younger children to mess with his hair and add little flowers as decorations. Those were the days he wished the flowers wouldn't wilt so easily. It was a precious time that the bird had never known before. It was also easier to sing. The vocal cords of a human were more flexible when compared to that of a bird. It brought a never ending excitement as he tested the limits of the new form.
Emotions were never a useful thing for the dreams that never settled. There was no reason for it to concern itself with emotions when it would never have a use for it. But the bird couldn’t think that way anymore. Emotions were something that he now valued, if only a bit more.
One particular night the bird wished that it had remained in that apathetic state. They would've continued to wish it so had the village not been there for him.
The bird knew that his little land of qingxin was a rather odd occurrence. Qingxin grew only in the highest altitudes and mountain tops. The little valley their home was located in was protected by those conditions because of the mountains surrounding them. It made more sense for them to grow up those mountains than down below. The bird did his best to care for the qingxin using his vision to blow harsh gusts of wind to the qingxin to replicate those conditions and watered them whenever there wasn’t any rain to satiate the qingxin’s thirst. Each flower was tended to and nurtured from the moment the seeds hit the ground until they grew into the beautiful white flowers.
The petals were collected and taken to the village where he would have tea with the elders using the petals to brew the tea. A tedious process perhaps, but it was worth it to share those moments of happiness.
Quite frankly, the flowers were very versatile. They could be used for candles, soaps, candy, decor, and more. He was happy that all the time spent fostering the flowers was well worth the effort.
His presence was something the people were getting used to having in their day to day life. The bird was never good with numbers, but it was around two years since they had begun to cooperate and befriend each other.
The children who had at first approached for his feathers were now in their teens ready to begin their journey of becoming adults. The elders were prepping for the inevitable day where time takes them all. And he sat stagnant and unchanging, tending to his flowers.
It was a comfort. The bird knew he was a creature of habit. He knew that consistency was crucial and spontaneity was not that. To break a routine would leave the bird fretting over the smallest of things. The passage of time did not affect the bird the way it affected their friends in the village. It was a saddening truth.
Though the village was relatively safe from intruders, a few always managed to slip through the cracks. A group of bandits rallied together to try and ransack their home. The bird was protective over its companions and would not allow for that to occur. He took his majestical bird form once more to intimidate those intruders and flapped his wings to send small storms to scatter them about.
The bandits carried with them small weapons they had infused with elemental power and they swirled together with his wind. As the bandits attacked, they threw their bombs at him only to have it strike them right back, leaving them with only the option to run. They ran straight into his land.
Anger clouded the bird's mind. The sheer audacity to cross into their home that they hadn't even invited their mortals in. The nerve they had to continue throwing their bombs at him.
A pyro bomb shot forward at him and he blew it away. As the bomb landed on the ground it erupted next to an electro one. The two burst forward and began to eat away at the flowers and trees. The bandits used the distraction to escape leaving the bird with a burning home.
The bird wailed and screeched, flapping their wings to try and put out the fire, but it only made the spread worse. The fire lapped at his feathers and he was forced to transform into his mortal form less all his feathers burn. He pulled his wings and tails back into his body to prevent any burns on his mortal form as well. He was filled with overwhelming fear. This was a land he had worked so hard to cultivate and all of it was being turned to ash right in front of his eyes. It was his little piece of paradise, a miracle that may never return.
The villagers, worried by the sounds of the bird, rushed over to see the burning plants and a distraught bird trying to throw the dirt to smother the flames. The screeching grew louder and louder as the flames grew stronger detonating some of the other bombs laying about. At the rate it was going the bird would've burned along with the garden had he not been pulled out from the roaring flames.
He let himself be pulled away, devastated, but knowing that nothing could be done now. The smell of burning qingxin wafted through the air. Such a bittersweet scent.
The few hydro vision holders in their village went to work immediately. They summoned wave after wave of hydro while the anemo users amplified it. The others went to lead the bird away from the scene. Had the bird been in a better state he would've been allowed to help, but there was no guarantee his control over anemo was steady. Not when it felt like there was a storm ready to burst lying beneath his skin. Not when his head swirled with rage and devastation. Not when his hands ached to sink themselves into those bandits, the cowards, for trespassing into his home and the village, destroying it, and running away from their actions.
No, it was for the better if he was taken back to lie down in one of the mortals' beds.
He was shaking, he realized. He was numb. His hands felt dirty. There was dirt beneath his fingernails. His robes and hair were singed. His eyes burned. He couldn't tell if the tears were from the proximity to the flames or from…sadness? He still smelled the burning ash. His throat burned from breathing in the smoke and yelling at the top of his lungs. It was all too much.
He looked nothing like the beautiful adeptus he tried to be.
He lay there unmoving for days. One of the villagers took to cleaning him from the soot and ash that had embraced him. The people of the village came by at times, but he could barely think, much less come up with a response. His heart ached so much and he didn’t know why. The quiet rational part of his brain knew he could replant and rebuild. There was no need for tears and there was no need for grief. It would all grow back. So why did he lie in pain from it? Why did it hurt so much?
It was foreign kind of pain. One he knew nothing of. When it was nothing more than a bundle of dreams, he knew no grief and no mourning. There was nothing to mourn. The feeling was unwelcomed. He tried hard to suppress it, to drown it out with joy from previous memories, but it only tainted them instead.
One of the children approached him on a rainy day. Meng, who had long since blossomed into a courageous and bold little lady, who had taken him by the hand and led him into the land where his home used to be.
“Don’t worry Mister Bird,” she had said, confidence wavering at his apathetic state, “We’re all doing the best we can to clean it up. And once it’s all done we’ll replant once more! We can make it even better than it was before. So it’s all gonna be okay. Right?”
“Don’t bother the Lord Adeptus! Obviously things aren't going to be okay! His home burned down!” yelled the once brave, now firm and respectful, Bo Wen. “Doesn’t matter if we rebuild. The land still burned so it’s bound to be upsetting no matter what!”
She grumbled, “Why are you such a downer? I’m trying to make him feel better!”
“By ignoring his pain?”
“I'm not ignoring anything!”
The bird simply stared at them as they bickered. Their concern was unnecessary , it thought, They would get over it at some point.
Distantly he heard the distant sound of footsteps approaching, the person sighing at the antics of the children.
“You two! Cut that out this instant! Have either of you considered you’re both correct? Oh, what am I saying? Of course you haven't. Come on, get back to your parents instead of bothering our Lord Bird here anymore.”
Ah, it was one of the older children from the village. The one the children had all called ‘Big Sis’ simply for her personality and caring nature. Her word carried much influence indeed as the children ran off as she reprimanded them.
Yun Chen turned to him and bowed, “I am so sorry about them, Lord Bird! Their age is really showing right now, huh. I bet they don’t even really know what they’re saying.”
“There is no need for apologies. They were just trying to make this bird feel better.”
“And are you feeling better? Not that it's bad if you aren’t! I-I just can’t help but worry. It’s a very sad thing that happened. You must be hurting greatly and-”
“Why?”
“Huh? Why what?” She looked at him, confusion etched all over her face, overriding her earlier look of concern.
“Why does it hurt? She was right…One can always replant again.” He looked over at the blackened forest, it was deathly quiet. Not even the wind seemed to be blowing anymore. It was all ashy and gray, not a single animal to be seen except for the two of them. “There is no reason to be feeling this way. This is all so confusing. It hurts but it shouldn't! This one has long been tending to this garden for centuries without any grief when a flower wilted or suffocated in blankets of snow. And now it was covered by ash. This one does not understand the difference.”
A look of understanding dawned on Yun Chen’s face, “Lord Bird have you…never felt grief before?” At the shake of his head she muttered under her breath, “Oh, that explains a few things.”
“This one has never had to grapple with such emotions as they did not exist for oneself the way they do now. The notion of being incapacitated but such a thing is rather peculiar in a way most things aren’t.” The bird sighed, burdened by the heavy emotion toiling around in his heart, “It would be a blessing if these emotions simply just went away.”
“No!” as if surprised by her own loud voice, she stammered, “Well, yes, but no! Part of the whole being human thing is emotion!”
“But one is not human and has never pretended to be.” The bird pointed out gently. “One’s original form was of dreams scattered about by the wind. This mortal form is just that: a form. This one has no need of rest and no need of nourishment. One only requires access to the air to be well.”
Sighing, she nodded, “Yes that is true. I…I am not the best with words I admit. What I mean is that emotions are necessary, I suppose? They are things that everyone has. It does nobody any good to try and pretend they don’t and it makes a bigger mess in the end. You feel grief because you lost something important to you. Even if you rebuild the land you had it won't be the same as before. My father always told me to honor those feelings but never let them over take me. That to remain in that state does no one any good. It’s a struggle but you have the village. You’re one of us, have been for a while, and should you ever need help we will do our best. Just as you’ve been doing for us.”
“You know, this one wonders who is truly the adeptus here. Adepti are meant to be wise and yet one remains as ignorant as ever.”
She giggled before pulling him into a hug, “I think wisdom is gained through experience and not our species. Besides with us ,you are no adeptus but rather our friend. Well to the children, maybe something more.”
“More?”
“More. They are rather fond of you. More than they are of me. I’m certain you could ask them to do anything and they’ll do their best to try and get your approval. Though you are pretty hard not to like. Like a parent, I guess?”
“I see.”
“Well, if you ever need anything we’re here. And we’re definitely helping you rebuild. That's a daunting task for anyone, adeptus or not.” She smiled and ran off towards the houses, leaving the bird alone with his thoughts.
The bird felt something warm forming in his heart. A deep fondness for the village and its people. Vividly, he could imagine the centuries he wanted to spend in this village. He was a friend and more. They cared about him. He cared for them. A sad smile slowly graced his face once more. These people would not last as long as he could, but he certainly doesn't mind the idea of protecting their descendants. He would rebuild closer this time. The sound of the village would be music to his ears.