#also really sorry I tried to draw artificer too but I just could not get the pose right after 4 straight hours of sketching

[dawnleaf37]

@pansear-doodles

[tangledbea]

Varian and the Seven Kingdoms Consolidation of Info

Requested by anon

This is going to be a consolidation of all the official Vat7K stuff I have on my blog, including copy/pasting of posts Kay Ritter and Anna Lencioni have posted, and to a lesser extent, things I’ve posted with insider knowledge I had before Kay ever released their notes. Alexa Bosy was also involved in the project.*

*Please note that all these asks were sent when Kay was still going by Kait and was still using she/her pronouns. I have edited to reflect their preferred name and pronouns when referencing them, but did not edit the content of the original asks.

The Cast

Via Kay: Here is some higher-res art of that initial, old line-up. These are some of the character page descriptions we gave when we presented “Varian and the Seven Kingdoms!” I had to shut of my asks because I’m just getting slammed every day, so I’m sorry if I don’t get back to any of you!! I appreciate all the enthusiasm, though! ; - ; Please enjoy and keep creating!!! (Also enjoy some Anna sketches- she designed Varian’s cousins and they’re dang cute!)

The Design

Via Kay: Some character design/ costume concept art for a fan project me and Anna dreamed up. It was a little spinoff comic about Varian continuing his adventures in alchemy through the seven kingdoms in order to learn the seven alchemical laws and attain forbidden knowledges. New characters we wanted to play with were Varian’s mom, who design-wise was a in flux, since we only had one reference image to go off of…but we really wanted to match her aesthetic to Varian/ that of a field researcher. We always imagined her as being a lot like Varian! Tried to develop some motifs between the other characters (L-R: Hugo, Donella, and Donella’s muscle-man) to make them look like the evil pack they were. Hugo was a sneaky artificer who conned the wealthy and worked for Donella: Varian’s mother’s former research partner. We also had Yong and Princess Nuru- who were some new friends that Varian would meet on his journey! And of course, Prometheus, a farm donkey Quirin gifted to Varian before he left Corona. (Not quite a Maximus…but, hey!) 

Sample Pages

Rough layout by Anna Line cleanup by Alexa Ink/color by Kay

Beat Boards

Via Kay: Here are some old beat boards Anna and I did when we were making this fan-baby!

The first few explored Varian meeting Yong and making his first friend, completing the first trial of the seven kingdoms. In the nighttime one- Anna had a cool idea that Princess Nuru’s dress was an active star chart and that she could act as the group navigator, using it to guide them. The last few were just some group interactions and Varian coming face to face with his mother.The super short story is: we imagined each of the seven kingdoms would teach one of the seven alchemical stages of transformation and reveal a totem. With all seven totems acquired, Varian would be able to use them to reunite with his long-lost mother (we’d called her Ulla) who was trapped somewhere unreachable by her former partner, Donella, long ago. Donella was after the totems as well to prevent Ulla’s release and sent Hugo to collect them as a double-agent within the group. Hugo would later betray Donella in service of helping Varian reach Ulla. We viewed Hugo and Varian’s relationship evolving from a sort of Pinocchio/ Lampwick situation (literally what that drawing is from) to that of an equal one. In a way, their bond repaired the partnership that frayed between Ulla and Donella.

Notes

Anon Ask: Kait! Appreciate the infodump (I'm the currently-Tumblr-less user w the bombardment of Q's earlier) & I'm stoked that you've given us your blessing to use the concept!:P Got more random Q’s, if you’re up for it! Was the comic outfit Varian’s final, or the other designs would’ve been used too (same w Ulla’s 2 designs)? 7 trials ideas, & 7 kingdoms’ names? How much time after TTS would this be? & finally, was Varian planning on actually RIDING that donkey, or would he pull a caravan(?)thing?xD -GC

Kay’s Answer: The outfits were still in flux- the comic was a representation of our first draft and the other designs came later (including Hugo’s upgrade, Donella, etc.) The red dress Ulla was a flashback type of look whereas the teal one is more like…how Varian would have found her. You know I actually found some screenshots of the ol’ docs we wrote using the 7 alchemical stages to mirror the seven kingdoms. We tried to find an alchemical story component, a magical story component, and a figurative/character story component for each! We never actually named the kingdoms and we also crafted a lot of them before they existed canonically in the show (I think there’s an episode of RTA where Raps competes against princesses from the seven kingdoms and they’re mentioned there)…so just know it’s not accurate to that at all, haha.

But here! These are very note-to-self format…so…apologies lol...

Via Anna: I don’t wanna clutter my main tumblr page but here was the rough outline Kait and I wrote for our fan comic “Varian and the Seven Kingdoms!” Just a reminder that this is totally unofficial, just fan stuff. Would have been fun, wish we could have done it even just recreationally!! Hope you all can use this however you want and continue to enjoy it 🖤

Questions and Answers

Anon Ask: Hello Kait! I would like to know more about Hugo’s past. Your friend mentioned that Hugo is an orphan. Where did Hugo grow up? So, where will he go after betraying Donella?  Does he have a permanent place of residence? 

Kay’s Answer: I’m trying to recall what Anna said, but he definitely grew up an orphan. From what I can remember, the kingdom he grew up in had a very highly divided class system and Hugo was determined to find a way not to live on scraps. And not just that, but to like…get back at, take advantage of as many rich idiots as possible. He’s Robin Hood robbing the rich to feed himself. Someone here called him a champagne-taste kind of guy and that’s exactly right.

He’s manipulative, so he’s probably well ahead of developing technologies and other things for the rich people who invest in him. He’d probably just withhold the best stuff for himself and do what he needed to stay in his patrons’ good graces. And he’d steal whatever they didn’t give him and never get caught.  (I think Anna designed like a motorized bike or something for him once…he’s literally the cool guy with a car. He’d totally keep something like that all for himself.)

Donella and her gang offered protection more than anything…so he offers most of his work to her first. Including his sneakier services. That’s how he ends up being the one to go after Varian. It’s probably also how (in our wildest dreams) we imagined him possibly having pulled a job (and likely conned) Eugene back in his Rider days. Pulled a Rider on a Rider as a sneaky kid.

All of this is also why he’d switch alliances on Donella when it felt right to do so. Hugo has a wild compass but he follows it in service of himself pretty much always. Becoming close to Varian kinda changes that streak in him. He’d probably hang out with Varian whenever everything blew over, maybe settle back down in Corona. Meet this princess everyone keeps talking about. Wait…Rider lives in a CASTLE NOW?!

~*~*~

Anon Ask: Kait! Varian and the seven kingdoms is giving me so much life during quarantine bless your heart for all this :’) I have a question, what kind of life did our sweet boy Yong live? Was he an orphan too? Or did Varian promise his parents/guardian he’d take care of him? After they finish their adventure does Varian take Yong under his wing so he stops blowing stuff up and causing fires? 

Kay’s Answer: I love Yong, I think everyone loves Yong, I think Yong’s parents and family (which I always imagined as being very big) all love Yong. But I think they are all very tired and very grateful that he has made a friend who is willing to take him on as a mentee. I imagine he’s gone through a few. (Very Young Hercules lol.)

~*~*~

Anon Ask: This is a question on the 7 kingdoms au thing. When Ulla was researching in the Dark Kingdom, was this before or after it was abandoned? It was likely before it was abandoned but I'm just not sure. Also, this is probably more of a question for Kritterart, but since she made that post about getting too many asks I decided to ask that question to you. 😅 

My Answer: Yeah, I have absolutely no idea how to answer that. Seeing as how the Dark Kingdom was on the seven kingdoms list in the comic, I have to guess that they hadn’t yet developed in the series that the kingdom had been abandoned, but that’s just my guess. 

Kay’s Reply: (We were thinking it was before…and also where she met Quirin, fell in love with him! Just before they moved to Corona- the place where the final trial/totem were. She paused her research to have a family, that bummed Donella out, Quirin let her go after Varian was born, and she never came back.)

~*~*~

Anon Ask:  If VAT7K ever became canon, would Varian and Hugo been an actual couple? Making Varian bi? 

My Answer: Yes.

Well.

Okay, I don’t know for a fact that they’d have been a couple or endgame, however, I was talking to Kait about it a long time ago and she told me that Vat7K would confirm that Varian is bi (and she was referring to Hugo).

An Important note from Kay

I’m getting way more 7K questions than I have time or any real authority to answer considering there is no ACTUAL CONTENT to reference lol, but I just wanna let you guys know how much I appreciate them all! I’m sorry if I don’t answer your question. I also just don’t want my art tumblr to turn into a huge Q&A, haha.We’ve been loving all the fanart and support and curiosity. It’s amazing! That said- 7K and its dealings, characters are NOT CANON. So if it’s not for you, that’s so totally okay. You’re super valid. We made it for you guys, but it’s yours to take what you like from it and change what you don’t when you use it (or don’t) to tell your own story! We just wanted to help Varian’s story continue, like many of you! So whatever you love or don’t love, don’t be afraid to create based on it!!! We love it all. You guys are the best! Please have fun!!!!

[peach-the-owl]

Exu crew and an artificer kid? The crew enters the kids home town and they don't seem that happy about it but doesn't say anything, everyone goes different ways to shop/explore/etc and while everyone goes their own ways the kids old bullies pull them into an alleyway and just bully them breaking anything kid made/name calling/pulling hair just being unbelievable mean. The bullies all freeze, then kid looks over their shoulders and sees the whole group behind them looking intimidating, the bullies run away while the other ask what's going on and try to comfort their child.

Wow this was longer then I expected SORRY!! I hope you have a wonderful day ❤️

There’s no need to be sorry for an idea 😁 I hope this turned out good

(Second piece to deal with a bullying theme, dang)

Fine Craftsmanship

ExU Crew & Child!Artificer!Reader

The trip to Byroden was a longer one then you first thought, having to make a few pit stops to rest and restock on food, but it did have its perks, giving you time to work on some projects while on the road. They weren’t anything huge, you wanted to surprise everyone in the group with a personally crafted item, everything was fine at first until you recognized the town you were currently approaching.

"Are you alright (y/n)? You seem a bit jumpy." Dorian comments, having noticed your fidgeting hands. You take a quick second to calm yourself before replying.

"I’m fine, this is actually my hometown. I haven’t seen it in awhile, you know." He gives you a small nod and gets himself a better look out the window.

"If you’re from here that means you know where all the good stops are right?" Dariax asks excitedly.

"I’m still a kid, I wouldn’t know what’s 'good' in your opinion." You stare blankly, it was a bit strange sometimes to be one of the smartest people in the group.

"Right, right. No drinking for you." Dariax says, as if he already knew all this. You playfully roll your eyes at him and smile a little, maybe this wouldn’t so bad after all, so long as you stayed close to everyone. You enter the town and find a good place to park the Glitter-Shitter (I can’t even write the word with a straight face) before making your way into the marketplace and instantly Opal is off browsing the different shops and stalls of the market, dragging Fearne along with her and Fy'ra Rai trailing behind them, telling everyone to meetup in an hour. Dorian heads over to the tavern hoping to sweet talk the folk there for some food for the road, Dariax tagging along most likely to grab some drinks and test his luck with some gambling. Orym had disappeared from your sight entirely, heading off to do his own thing if you had to take a guess. You sigh unsure of where to go, now just hoping things go by quickly and without trouble as you sit by the wagon pull out some tools and continue to tinker away at a small gift you were making for Fearne for a while, placing your mind into a false sense of security.

"Well, well, well. Look who decided to come home." You hear a chillingly familiar voice spite at you and look over at the three people you were hoping not to see. There was Marty, Hamna, and their self proclaimed leader Fion (I just made up some names here, idk), they used to terrorize you relentlessly until you’d finally had enough and snuck on that cart to Emon, which lead to the adventure you were on now, a story come full circle in the worst way to you. You get up quickly hoping to dash over to where Opal and Fearne where looking at some sparkling necklaces for protection, you don’t move quick enough as you’re yanked back by your hair by either Marty or Hamna as Fion covers your mouth to avoid you shouting for help. Once pulled into a nearby alleyway, away from public view, Marty and Hamna each restrain one of your arms. You thrash and struggle to try and free yourself, managing to loosen their grip slightly only to get socked in the jaw by Fion giving the other two the chance to readjust their grip into a more secure position, trapping you.

"Let go! Leave me alone!" You shout as you continue to squirm to try and free yourself.

"Awww, and what are you going to do if we don’t?" Marty teases. You wanted to cast something to no avail with their tight grip preventing you of freeing yourself and grabbing your tools.

"Look at them," Hamna laughs, "they’re too weak to even break free." You glare at them. Fion walks over to you and starts rummaging around your bag, mindlessly throwing around the various items you’ve worked on for a long time to make.

"What’s this supposed to be?" They ask, holding up a hair clip you had intended to give to Opal.

"That’s for my friend! Put it back!" You shout a little too loud for their liking and the two holding your arms use their free hands to cover your mouth, muffling your words or cry’s for help. The one holding the hair clip looks it over in their hand before looking you in the eyes and snapping the item in half.

"Oops, sorry. My hand slipped." Their voice dripped with sarcasm. They continue to rummage through your bag, or look through the small pile of items they threw out of it, pulling out items you wanted to give to everyone as gifts. Every time they’d inspect one item, they'd just as quickly break it, smashing it on the ground or snapping it in their hands. You struggled and tugged against the two still holding you back and muffling out your voice, but it was no use, you were restrained, unable to call for help and left to helplessly watch as they destroyed your hard work. As if things couldn’t get worse, they pull out your tools, the literal lifeblood for your magic, look you straight in your eyes and while struggling a bit manage to break them too.

"Awww, they’re crying like a baby." Hamna laughs.

"That’s because they are a baby." Marty continues.

"If you really want to cry like a baby, we’ll give a reason to cry." Fion eggs on, getting the other two to harshly shove you to the ground. You curl into a ball preparing for the worst, you wait a moment and when nothing happens you peek up to see the three of them frozen in place with fear in their eyes. You adjust yourself to have a look over your shoulder and see everyone standing with intimidating looks on their faces.

Dorian stared daggers at the bullies, while also subtly fiddling with his handaxe. Opal twirled her knives in her hands, magic sparking at her fingertips, and if you looked closely enough you could see a faint glow emit from her necklace. Fearne stood tall, her snake staff coming to life and hissing at the three, Mister well perched on her shoulder screeches, purposely showing the fiery interior of his mouth. Orym takes a step in front of you, acting as a shield for you while placing his hand on the hilt of his sword, you knew well enough he wouldn’t actually draw his sword on the other kids, but they didn’t know that. Dariax on the other hand looked very ready to strike at the three, holding a tight grip on his spear.

"Are you hurt bad?" Orym asks quietly, looking over to you. You shake your head giving an equally quiet "no".

"I’m not a fan of people hurting my little friend here." You hear Dariax say, now fulling pointing his spear at the others, the three each take step back. You finch at the feeling of being suddenly lifted off the ground, finding yourself in Dorian's arms, he gives you a concerned but reassuring smile.

"Let’s get out of here!" Fion commands and the three turn to leave but are stopped when Fy'ra Rai blocks their exit, her eyes burning into them with fury.

"You’re unjust actions should not be left unpunished. You dare to put down this child as if they are weak, when it is you three that are the weaklings. Knowing you would never stand a chance alone you group together and single out the ones you see as vulnerable. It is sad and pathetic, now leave while we still show you mercy." Her voice held such a powerful tone to it, it almost felt like the ground itself shook at her words. Fion, Marty and Hamna scramble over each other before running off, one of them crying for their mommy.

"Who where those children? Do you know?" Dorian asks. You let out a long sigh and explain to everyone a bit about your life when you still lived in the town.

"What’s all this stuff here?" Opal speaks up, staring at the broken pile of items.

"I wanted to surprise you all with some gifts I made, but now their all broken." You sigh sadly.

"You made theses for us?"

"I tried to, I know they aren’t that good but you’ve all been so nice and carding to me, I wanted to retune the favour."

"That’s really sweet of you." Fearne smiles, giving you a pat on the head, you smile a little at this.

"Why don’t you just fix them? I’ve seen ya do stuff like that before." Dariax butts in.

"I would, but they broke my tools too." You pout.

"Well that’s easy, we'll just buy you some new tools." Dorian states, shuffling you in his grip a bit to have a better hold on you. You look up at him with big hopeful eyes.

"Really? I don’t want to bother you."

"It’s no bother at all, your our little genius, the last thing we’d want are some small town jerks preventing you from ever thinking that." He proudly proclaims, getting affirmation from the others. Fy'ra Rai walks over and gently lifts your chin up to look at her.

"Listen to me little one, you are much stronger then you'd ever believe, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise." You give her a small nod, not entirely sure what she means but finding her words encouraging nonetheless.

"You know what? I do remember seeing these really awesome looking tools, while searching for a cloths shop. Here I’ll show you." Opal brightens up a bit, grabbing and dragging Dorian and by extension you off into the market again.

"Opal!" Dorian calls in surprise, holding tighter to you so you wouldn’t fall. You just giggle at the two, looking over your shoulder to see the others hurrying to catch up.

[princedrewwrites]

hey!! i meant to ask, but i kept forgetting: could you please do an analysis/author commentary of the scene from 'one day we'll get nostalgic for disaster' where evan and connor are sat in the back of connor's car and they chat + listen to hum hallelujah? i really love how that passage is written. thanks!

Ah, sorry this took a while anon! This is more an author’s commentary than an analysis, so I hope this is satisfying and good enough for you! This ended up quite long, so I stuck it under a read more.

So, I guess, to begin with, I just want to say this is one of the earlier scenes I thought of. In fact, the idea for the ‘nostalgic for disaster’ overall came to me while I was listening to Hum Hallelujah on repeat, and I was thinking both about how pre-hiatus Fall Out Boy suited Connor as character (as in, a lot of the songs and their general vibe) how there were, to my knowledge, no fics that featured Connor running away from home, so it felt almost integral to include. There’s also the fact a lot of the lyrics mirror Evan in the canon plot (‘I just want to be a part of this’, for instance), and Hum Hallelujah is about, or at least alludes to, Pete Wentz’s suicide attempt.

Narratively, this is where Evan begins to feel more comfortable around Connor, and when they start to open to each other more, because there’s still that air of artifice beforehand - Connor tells Evan that they’re only hanging out so they can pretend to be friends, not that he’s trying to talk Evan out, and Evan’s still too anxious to let his guard down. However, truth does start the spill out, as Evan does tell the truth about Jared, and Connor does play his favourite song for Evan.

Here’s the thing about asking for someone’s favourite song - it’s a weirdly impersonal personal question. Favourite songs and just music in general, for a lot of people, is quite an important part of their identity. Not everyone, but a lot of people do hold it in high regard. But favourite songs are asked as icebreakers, and people tend to go for common songs. Some people don’t even have favourite songs, like Evan.

I tried to make this the first intimate moment of the fic. Arguably, because it’s just Evan and Connor, the entire fic is intimate, but this is the first place I tried to convey that more explicitly. Which is why it becomes just Evan’s thoughts. It’s the first time in the fic he’s not anxious at all, because he’s just allowed to exist with Connor.

I just also want to draw attention to the toast between them; it’s a genuine moment between them, but it’s almost a return to the artifice. Connor’s echoing the song, but he does so in his own, even alluding to the idea he probably won’t make it until morning, which you wouldn’t exactly want the guy you’re trying to talk out of suicide to know.

But the thing about this scene is that it’s a movie moment. I even say as such in the text - ‘it felt just like a movie’. It’s the type of scene you’d see in any teen quasi-indie coming-of-age romance film. That’s not a bad thing - it’s what I wanted, because I love films. In films, though, you never linger on the moment. You never see when it ends. Not unless it’s experimental. It’s why the ending to The Graduate is so effective - the moment ends, but the shot doesn’t. Reality takes place. And reality is awkward, and you never know what to do. Evan doesn’t know what to do. Connor doesn’t know what to do.

I hope this was good enough for you anon! If not, just send another message and I’ll try to do it better. This was surprisingly hard to do, but also quite a fun challenge. Thank you for sending in your ask!

[yi-dashi]

The Smoke Burned Black Over Bahrl

— two.

“You were wearing them upside down, you know.”

For a moment, the words washed over Yi as he tried to make himself comfortable. Though the smooth outcrop was wide enough for two to sit, it didn’t make the wind any less intimidating up so high.

“Huh..?”

“The Seven Lenses of Insight. A simple mistake. I was thinking of mounting them in a helmet, even if that’s a quaint solution.”

“Oh. Ah…” He pulled the bulky piece of machinery over his head, his amethyst eyes taking in its peculiarities before he set it upon his lap, “It doesn’t seem to work less, whether you wear it one way or the other.”

“And what do you see with them, Young Master?”

For whatever reason the curt question stuck into him, steeling his face against the view of the world below. A world so vast and distant that it plucked against the strings of his imagination. The joy of the unknown was there, though so too was the terror of things he would never know, now they were engulfed in flame. Out there lay the guilt of being able to fight, and the anguish of people who could not.

“Vulnerability.” Yi offered, though his uncertain tone betrayed his forced cordiality.

“Interesting,” Doran took his thick, braided beard in his hand, “I would have thought you’d say, ‘Well honestly, Master Doran, out there I see my distain for authority, and I’ve about broken all the teapots that Wuju has to offer at this point.’ Something like that.”

“Master.” The then student bit the inside of his cheek, quashing any outbursts before they had a chance to fly, “… It’s more than that. You know it’s more than that.”

“Do I? Are you claiming to know the function of my mind?”

“That… You—”

“— Though, I suppose I can’t know the function of your mind either, and that’s certainly been a puzzle.” Yi took a half breath to quip something back, but his Elder merely raised his voice over anything he tried to say, “What I really want to know, then, is what you’ll see once you’re down there, and you look up this way. Will you see a future up here, or will the smoke blind you to anything but the present?”

Yi’s brow unwound. Agitation became confusion. He’d never heard any of his Masters misspeak, or at the very least say something without clear intent behind every word. But the implication of being down in the faraway lands one day, or any day,

“… What do you mean, ‘When I’m down there?’ ”

“I’ve known you for every moment of your life, Yi. In fact, I’ve known your mother for every moment of her life, and her father, and even his mother. I’ve known a Yi for as long as I’ve been here, and I know the spirit behind the name.” Against all the seriousness of his façade, and the statuesque property of his stance, the Master broke character for just a moment. He looked at Yi out the corner of his eye, his lips pursing for a moment, “A Yi never makes a good Wuju student, because a Yi is somehow honour bound to their sense of adventure. That’s why the Yi family are our bladesmiths, and the entertainers of our Lowlander guests. That’s why they aren’t Wuju students.”

“But I am.” Yi blurted out, to which Doran equally exclaimed,

“I know, yet I’m sure your spirit has already decided what you want. You’ve already made up your mind, yet the Wuju student is here in my loft. The Wuju Student breaks in. He skirts the rules, and is generally miserable. You’re trying your hardest to fulfill your spirit while maintaining Wuju law. You can’t do both, Young Master. You’ve made an utter fool of yourself over these last weeks.”

The agitation crept back. Yi almost jumped off his stool, ready to shout back with a red-hot temper, but caught himself with clenched fists. If anything, it was the way the lenses clunked against their casings that alerted him to his ire. Somehow, the rhythmic adjusting brought him back down, and he could take his breaths in step with them. That wasn’t to say he didn’t feel attacked, but he at least took time to break down the feeling. His Master seemed to return to his previous state by the time he opened his mouth again. Unfeeling and distant; who was he to talk about one’s duty and one’s spirit?

“Why are you talking like I’m not forbidden from stepping a foot off this mountain? It’s not as if I have a choice to do what’s right. None of this matters.”

“You’re right.” Doran replied with a slight shrug, “This mountain is surely guarded at all hours by the hundreds of Wuju Masters we certainly have.”

“What?”

“The Masters we hide away, of course. Those ones that will physically draw a sword against you to enforce our decree.”

“Why are you…” Yi shook his head, “… What?”

“There’s this one delusion you hold, that’s stopping you from thinking clearly about all the options laid before you. Consider it a moment, then tell me when you understand. I’d rather see you thinking critically – making the right choice from a reasoned standpoint – than hiding behind arguably fake ultimatums. It can be damned what any of us Master say. What we say, and reality, are different, aren’t they?”

And Yi took his time as the gale whipped up from the swell below. The iron boxes out to sea inched closer, and the fires still burned, and people still suffered some unimaginable crisis. He took in the continuing disaster so far away, and he searched for some hidden command or lesson. Yet, the longer he thought, the more it seemed so simple.

“No one is to stop me,” He muttered to himself, “if I venture down the mountain? No one is to actually chain me, or fight me, if I try?”

“Congratulations, Young Master. You have remembered the very function of this School. Words above all other solutions, and action as less than a last resort. Anyone who stands against you is just as bad as you are.” Yi didn’t see the Master’s hand lash out, but he felt the sting when the Craftsman’s grasp wrapped around his wrist. The pain stole his gaze, and his eyes widened as they locked with the Old Master’s, “So stop using words as an excuse to act out. I’m tired of you shouting from templetops, and self-harming through tribunal punishment. You’re a Wuju Bladesman, at least right now, with a Wuju sense of mind. You know you have a choice to stay, or to go. Your choices are yours, but don’t pretend like this, or any of your stunts, are accomplishing anything. Indecision aids no cause but one that disrupts you, me, and all other disciples.”

Yi dared not try to break the grip, in part for fear of falling to his death, but also because of the sensation that he deserved it. Pinpricks shot up and down his fingers, but that was little against the unknowable expression of his mentor. Something akin to frustration, but with a note of sadness below the surface. He supposed he must have been looking into a mirror. Frustrated sadness was a good way to describe how he’d felt up until this moment. The feeling was slowly lifting however, replaced instead with what felt like… begrudging empowerment? Who could even know how to feel, in times like this?

“So, I’ll ask you again.” Doran continued, his calloused hand slipping away from Yi’s wrist, “Slowly, this time: When, or if, you go down there, will you see a future anywhere? Surely right now you can see your future down there, but what about once that future is your present? What then? Would you rather be assured in a future here, or uncertain in a future down below?”

“… I’d rather do what I think is right.” This time, Yi let the first thought out his mouth that came to mind, regardless of if he felt it ill considered. If he couldn’t explain away what he felt because he’d been ordered not to feel it, then he could only offer his heart, “Whether there’s a future in it is not a factor for me. I look down there, and I see a problem. I will look up here, and Wuju will continue on without me, as it has always done. The time to plan the rest of my life is after hard work is done, whether Wuju is a part of it or not. Who else is going to do it?”

“That’s stupid,” The Artificer sighed, “but it’s something Yi Hui would say, isn’t it? This School is too amoral and timeless for you. You’re just like your mother, eh?”

“The present is the only time we can take action. I cannot change the past, and the future is the sum of too many working parts to perfectly predict. You should understand that better than anyone.”

“I’ll not argue analogy with you at length, because I’m getting cold and we’ll be here all day. All I can say is that a machine with unknowable parts is not a machine, but an abomination. Reality has knowable parts, and can be known in all ways. Even if they are the function of mind, which I’ve yet to find all the working parts in. Just because you’re not aware of the parts, doesn’t mean they can’t be known eventually.”

“Absolute awareness in all things…”

“Including awareness of the things you can do wrong in this life, so that you won’t do them.” The desperation of the last comment had Yi cocking an eyebrow. Yet Doran was still and considered in his presentation, and rose from his stool with the same collected poise, “Doing something, while knowing there will be a negative gain for you, is idiotic. Gallantry, by nature, is one sided, because once you surrender to it there’s never an end. That’s not even beginning to consider the sanctity of what you know, and what should be done with it.”

“Master Doran.” He too stood tall, as his wind-spun hair flew about his face, “I’m so sorry, but I cannot agree with that. I understand what you are saying, but I can’t bring myself to agree.”

“Then I’ve said my piece. You know that the choice is binary. No more of this mucking about. Make your choice and live with it…”

“Yes, Master.” With a sombre dip of his back, Yi offered the last bow he could imagine giving to any of his teachers. As he bent down, he held the lenses in both hands towards their craftsman. Instead of feeling the weight lift, he heard the pad of Doran’s feet against the stone,

“Keep them, and go. I made them for you, anyway. You’ll find the helmet for them somewhere amongst the mess you’ve made. I also suggest you don’t be seen in the catacombs, if you’ve taken anything I’ve said to heart.”

Stunned, Yi merely hunched there for a moment. Eventually, he stared at the goggles as they looked back at him, ticking still. He thought it might have been a test, so it seemed right to set them down and go. But he stared, and so did they. They’d been party to the discussion, and seemed to know what he truly felt. Truly a Doran’s craft, so he put them around his neck once more. Giving one last glance to the smoke, burning black in the sky, he turned on his heels and walked back into the mountain.

Get a helmet, commission his parents for armour, and live for the present.