Chapter Text
His feet skidded as he ran out of the starskiff he had boarded from Central Starskiff Haven. After a lot of things happened (including Phantylia and the victory party), Dan Heng knew that relaxing in the Xianzhou Luofu while settling their next course would be wise, finding new materials to update the Archives every once in a while. His day had been going swimmingly… Until Caelus texted him with an urgent matter.
The Vidyadhara wants to meet the current Vidyadhara high elder. In other words, he wants to meet Bailu - that fiery and feisty dragon lady who they met while tending to the injured in the Exalting Sanctum. Not only was Bailu a reliable high elder (some think otherwise), she was the greatest healer in all of Xianzhou to whom all healers bow to for her expertise. However, she was just a child as much as Yanqing, often inviting Dan Heng to eat snacks in the Haven or in Aurum Alley.
He skidded to a halt upon seeing Caelus in all his majesty, transformed in his Vidyadhara form while talking to a Vidyadhara lady. The lady looked at him warily as her slitted eyes glared at him. Dan Heng twitched, almost resisting the urge to turn away. However, he had already promised Caelus to accompany him to meet Bailu. He stood his ground, only bowing.
“It seems I came at a bad time.” He apologized, bowing at the two Vidyadhara talking.
“I’m talking with Master Qi- Caelus.” The Vidyadhara lady sneered, crossing her arms, “I’m afraid eavesdropping is a crime, Mr.-”. Thankfully, before the lady could make any threats, Caelus raised his hand, silencing the rude Vidyadhara before she could say anything else.
“It’s okay, Miss Huanxi.” Caelus laughed, trying to ease the other Vidyadhara’s wary nerves, “Treat him as you would treat me…”. The golden-crowned Vidyadhara looks at Dan Heng with a blush. “He’s… He’s my lover… His name is Dan Heng…” He blushed, not even covering his face and for the other Vidyadhara - now named Huanxi - to see. He faced Huanxi with a question, “Now, what was your request?”.
Huanxi sighs, “I… I hope you don't see Lady Bailu.”.
“Why is that?” Dan Heng asked, crossing his arms, “And aren’t you technically turning away guests without her permission?”. This just got suspicious, raising the hackles just as easily. He can not help but sense that something is amiss.
“Please, hear me out.” Huanxi pleaded with an apologetic bow, “Lady Bailu is naive and innocent. Her ascension is the result of the stubbornness of her predecessor Qiong. With Master Caelus’s return, the Perceptors are unsure whether this is a bane or a boon. We can go with natural selection or find a suitable candidate to replace her.”.
“But Bailu doesn't want to be a High Elder to begin with.” Dan Heng’s statement received Caelus’s concerned stare, “She never had a choice in the matter.”. And….
THWACK!
That statement got him a tail slap to his head, courtesy of Caelus. Dan Heng winced as he held the back of his head. “OW!” He exclaimed, rubbing his sore head after that slap he received from the other man’s tail.
“He doesn’t know what he’s saying!” Caelus exclaimed, pointing at him, “Please, excuse him!”. He bows apologetically and frantically as he repeatedly apologizes to the Vidyadhara lady.
“Then, I will bid my farewell.” Huanxi bowed before facing Caelus, “Oh, and if you want to meet Lady Bailu, meet me at the ferry at the Alchemy Commission.”. After another bow, she began walking away, leaving Dan Heng with Caelus. The latter walks beside him before crossing his arms.
“I certainly didn’t expect people urging me not to see her.” A vein formed on Caelus’s head, smiling despite the anger he poses, “Something must be amiss.”. That’s exactly what Dan Heng is thinking. Why would anyone - that includes Bailu’s maid - prevent Caelus from seeing Bailu?
“Does this mean we can finally see the past behind that haunting smile of yours?” Dan Heng asked teasingly, elbowing Caelus’s arm. To the members of the Express, Caelus’s past was off limits, even to himself. March also has been implying that Caelus has some sort of secret strength and an emo-ish past that matches Dan Heng (honestly, screw you, March 7th). “Do I have to tell March about this?” He asked.
“Nah, no need.” Caelus answered with a shrug, “She’ll find out either way.”. They began walking to the pier, but the Vidyadhara stopped, crossing his arms. “Everyone now knows that my secret strength as March said it stems from my origins as Qiong’s reincarnation.”.
As far as Dan Heng knows, Qiong was Caelus’s past life and the so-called sinner of the Xianzhou Luofu who changed the very physiology of the Vidyadhara. Qiong’s so-called sins caused Caelus’s imprisonment when he hatched anew. Not only did it physiologically change the Vidyadhara, it also changed the way how high elders were chosen and reborn, which plunged everything into chaos.
Yet, despite everything, Bailu was born, so did Caelus - who looks exactly like Qiong.
The imprisonment - known to be unfair and unjust - would cause immeasurable trauma to Caelus, remembering the torture he had gone through. His burdens came with fighting the past to be free from it. When Caelus was free from his five century imprisonment, he was exiled without a name. It was hard to believe that it took five hundred fucking years for Caelus to have a name. Thank Yingxing for his efforts, at least, that’s one of the few things Dan Heng is thankful about when it comes to making Caelus feel better about himself.
“Since Qiong changed the physiological way Vidyadhara reproduce, it is possible I am a new entity separate from Qiong himself.” Caelus hummed, leaning against the rails of the pier, “My so-called sins should have been wiped clean.”. The humming of the starskiff stopped at the pier, its engine thrumming with power as it floated. “It’s ready.” He nods, “Let’s go.”.
Dan Heng nods, walking ahead to the starskiff and followed by Caelus. After all, this is for the sake of trailblazing. It’s time to face the unknown - that is Caelus’s past.