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A tale is not just a tale, especially that of the Imbibitor Lunae’s.
In a fleet long ago, long ago, the Imbibitor Lunae - Qiong - was given the role as the guardian of the Ambrosial Arbor - a tree planted by the Aeon of Abundance Yaoshi. The generations and reincarnations of Imbibitor Lunae were tasked with protecting the Arbor from those who wants to unleash the plague upon Xianzhou. A high elder of his caliber was great warrior as well as a man of smiles throughout the sufferings that his people have endured.
A time came where he had committed a great sin by triggering the Arcanum after one of his friends died. A lot of things went downhill: the general candidate became immortal and infected with mara, the blacksmith became a general, the greatest swordsman in Xianzhou died, and its Foxian member went rogue. What about the Imbibitor Lunae, one might ask?
Qiong was imprisoned in the Shackling Prison, chained both literally and figuratively. His friends have either died or departed from the Xianzhou, except for General Yingxing - the blacksmith who decided to take the candidate's place. Qiong was sentenced to reincarnate. However, Aeons could tell what would happen to his next incarnation…
Once upon a time, a Vidyadhara with golden scales was born with the sins of his past incarnation. A hatchling with no memories, he was imprisoned in the Shackling Prison. The Arbiter General - Yingxing - has done everything to help the boy acclimate to his environment.
To punish him further, they gave him no name. The golden-scaled Vidyadhara was either called by the name of the criminal or even none at all. Every greeting has to start with “hey” with no gentleness or kindness etched in their voices.
Years of chains and torment, the golden-scaled Vidyadhara did not dare to cry. Oh, how pitiful is Qiong! Oh, how pitiful is he! A nameless Vidyadhara child who thinks he has no future in the abyss he was forced to be in! The abyss was drowning, so much so he wished to die. However, he knew that his next incarnation would suffer worse than he did.
Once in a while, General Yingxing would give him books about the world beyond the Xianzhou. He heard of the endless skies that Qiong is named after, the bluest of skies that contrasted the golden scales he is known for. The golden-scaled Vidyadhara’s only way of learning were through the books the gruff General brings. The General also trained him, telling him that he could possibly be banished from the Xianzhou once they settled a lighter sentence for who they claimed to be a sinner.
“Someday, you'll be free and you'll reach the skies.” The general promised. The golden-scaled Vidyadhara does not know if such promises were empty words or just undone actions. Yet, he hoped to find out.
When he finally grew to look like Qiong, the chains around the poor golden-scaled Vidyadhara tightened, his punishments growing worse by every year. Why, oh, why must he bear the sins of a dead man? Could sins even be inherited from one incarnation to another? Could he live without fear of being punished? The crown above his head was nothing but a curse - a reminder that a dead man’s sins were also his.
His sins. He breathed out, hands and limbs in chains and the burdens of his past life growing heavier, Why must I be the one to bear it?
“Endure a little longer, hatchling.” Yingxing promised, “The time will come you will attain freedom.”. Yet, five centuries have passed and still nothing was done to help him. Of course, he could not blame the General as the latter acts by the laws of the Xianzhou.
It's not his fault, it never was. The golden-scaled Vidyadhara told himself, He is just trying his best.
I̶t̶ ̶a̶l̶s̶o̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶f̶a̶u̶l̶t̶ ̶e̶i̶t̶h̶e̶r̶.̶
“I have done everything I could.” Yingxing informed him one day, “You'll be free, but you would have to be banished.”.
“I'm sure you did, General.” The golden Vidyadhara bowed politely, grateful for everything Yingxing has done for majority of his young life, “I am grateful, nevertheless.”. He was thankful that he is finally attaining the freedom he deserves, to have a different life and to reach the skies as he had dreamed. This moment came and there was no way he could blow it.
After all, who in Xianzhou would want to be living in the same land as a sinner?
“Reach the skies for me and never look back.” Yingxing said, “Act as if Xianzhou never existed, as if the most painful moments were nothing but a fleeting moment.”.
The golden Vidyadhara nodded.
The day finally came, and the golden Vidyadhara finally sees the sky as he was escorted by the General to the place he will depart. He could finally be free, he could depart from Xianzhou. However, he would have to leave the friend who came to care for him if no one did.
Oh, how blue the skies are! Oh, how golden the distant Sun is! It is no wonder why the moon has such a golden light. He was filled with wonder for the first time in his life despite the false smiles he displayed during his unjust imprisonment. The unnamed Vidyadhara finally could reach the skies just as he dreamed even if it looks like both an endless abyss or an unreachable haven.
“As a departing gift, you could choose a name.” Yingxing said while escorting him with a group of Cloud Knights. His golden eyes went to the general in curiousity. However, it reminded him that they never gave him a name to further dehumanize a “sinner”. The golden Vidyadhara began to look back at the books he read, compiling all his stored knowledge.
“I can finally have a name.” He whispered in disbelief, only to receive what it sounds like a lifeless chuckle from the General, “So, should it be a traditional Xianzhou name or…?”. His voice ends as if asking for suggestions.
“Anything that you want.” The general added, “And a name native to Xianzhou tongue might restrict you, but it depends on you.”.
The Vidyadhara looks at the skies, his mind floating. However, he could still hear Yingxing talking to him.
“You could even use the universal language.” Yingxing suggested, “Just like I taught you.”.
His mind first went to the Imbibitor Lunae's name Qiong, which means sky. The title Imbibitor Lunae itself means drinker of the moon. What does the moon and the sky have in common? They are in the same place. The moon looks like it is floating in the sky, but the sky itself seems endless with other moons from different planets - a limitless possibility.
However, in one of his books, it was an informative book about different gods from a distant world. A name caught his attention: Caelus - the son of the god of Upper Skies Aether. The name itself belonged to a primordial sky god. It sounds similar to how Qiong was named, but at the same time, it was of different language and origin.
“What will it be?” Yingxing repeated the question.
“Caelus.” The golden-scaled Vidyadhara - now named Caelus - answered, “My name is Caelus.”.
"Then be free, Caelus." General Yingxing said, "Be as free as you can be."
This time, no one is going to stop Caelus from reaching the skies, especially not the Xianzhou, not Qiong, or these Perceptors who just want to keep him around. He is going to be as free as the skies above. The stars and the moon almost seems to be in his reach.