#etherealguard

[astrxlfinale]

is lighter the type to comment on all the edits people made of him

Y'see.

He actually goes by a very simple metric. If it's well done, organized, shows some solid highlights even he didn't imagine in the heat of the action?

Lighter proceeds to leave 🕶️ in the comments as a official seal of approval.

Now if you were to give him pictures that do more harm than good? (And it's not something genuine like someone just excited to snap a shot), he'll proceed to list off the issues as if he's some legit editor in the business.

Case and point?

He may be a little bit vain. Just a little bit.

[yingren]

"Why does your face look like that"

❝ it's the skincare routine of someone that didn't commit a terrible sin that got them locked up for half of their life. next question. ❞

[altarfates]

bites dan feng's hand

dragon to dragon communication ??? he's going to bite him back twice as hard.

[shrineofprophecy]

@etherealguard wants to play a game

"I've hidden 10,000 tiny, glow-in-the-dark rubber ducks in the Express. Can you find them all? Oh, and naturally, you have to find them in the dark. Once the electricity gets fixed, your time is up and you'll be in for a grand surprise!"

[lunaetis]

@ahogedetective KAYYYY !! THANK YOU SM AAAAAAAH !! my birthday was a lil uneventful bc work bUT ALL THE BIRTHDAY WISHES HAD MADE IT AWESOME !! CRIES THANK YOU FOR STAYING AROUND WITH MY CHAOTIC MUSES & SHENANIGANS !! hjklhjlhjkl i need to poke your muse with mine more one of these days !! THANK YOU SM FOR THE WISH !! I HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY ON YOUR END AS WELL !!

@celesticlnstcrs HJKLHKHJKL it's more than okay !! waaah thank you for taking the time to drop me a birthday message ! ( also may i say how jingnyan as your dash icon makes me smile sm IT'S SO CUTE ! ) we haven't talked or written together in a while ( i should poke you more for that hjklhkl ) bUT I HOPE YOU KNOW SEEING YOU ON MY DASH MAKES ME SO HAPPY !! LOTS OF LOVE & HUGS FROM THE PUPPER !!

@etherealguard it was yesterday actually !! but LUNAAAA !! THANK YOU SM FOR THE MESSAGE !! cries you're right about that but hERE'S TO US CHANGING THAT SOON !! I'D TOTALLY LOVE TO INTERACT & TALK MORE WITH YOU !! & THE SAME SENTIMENT TBH !! i love seeing you on my dash or whenever i see you popping up in my notif from likes here & there ! ( pls let me throw my headache — i mean my muses at dan heng even tho he probably deserves peace & quiet HJKLJHKL ) BUT THANK YOU AGAIN I HOPE YOU'RE HAVING A GREAT DAY ON YOUR END TOO !! SENDING YOU ALL MY LOVE & SNACKS !!!

[soliloquics]

@etherealguard ─── x.

it   was   always   good   to   come   across   friendly   faces,   particularly   ones   that   had   assisted   him   so   much   in   recent   times.   the   astral   express   would   always   hold   his   favour   for   their   deeds,   although   he   could   not   help   but   be   particularly   partial   towards   their   archivist.   as   he   spotted   the   man   aboard   the   luofu,   he   approached   with   a   serene   smile,   head   gently   inclined.   ❛    dan   heng,   what   a   pleasant   surprise,   ❜   he   greeted.   ❛    have   your   companions   run   off   on   their   own   adventures   ?   ❜

[yingren]

He's approaching him from behind. Ren's trained ears probably hear him. Is he gonna strike a conversation? No. He will instead strike the back of Ren's head with his palm and continue walking

nevermind it is apparently not insane and crazy at all to chase vidyadharas across the cosmos ( if they are an old friend that owes you gas money or something equivalent to that ! and this totally is. totally. ) ren is putting his space nikes on. he's GOING for it.

[astrxlfinale]

🤨 what is happening over there with Lingsha

"%@%*@$()^ I-- ERM.." Try as he might. Words were refusing to word in this moment of time.

His throat clogged up, rationale and sense found themselves melting down. Lingsha's time with Caelus had led him into the proverbial corner. Right now was an instance where he was simply paying for the sins imparted. It lead the Trailblazer's mouth to briefly hang as he tried to desperately hobble together some brand of thoughts.

Yet as he attempts this, what snaps like lightning within his head is none other then Lingsha's... Lingshas. Settled protectively in that ornate garb as one piercing question drilled back into his head. All of a sudden, it felt as if Caelus was on a one way warpath of getting too curious about some details about the new Cauldron master.

"SHEEEEEEEE--! Was just allowing me to be more privy about some Alchemical brews! A vitality potion is what I was looking for, and in that time, she was simply giving me her ample guidance through fountain of knowledge! I was just shocked at my own lack of knowing here."

DEEEEEEP BREATH!

"Didn't I ever tell ya I liked good potions!?"

@etherealguard

[evervita]

Watching the Ambrosial Arbor bloom back to life was a nightmare that Magnolia could only watch come to pass. After the hardships she and her friends had gone through in the past to rid the Luofu of that monstrous thing, it was looking more alive than ever. It was a heartbreaking sight to even comprehend. She cursed her frailty, for if she was someone equipped to fight, she would have tried to upend those roots personally.

Thankfully, the passengers of the Astral Express was here just in time to help quell the crisis, the Arbor being sealed once more and the threat of the Denizens of Abundance going back into the shadows. Magnolia was given special permission to tend to the injuries following the battle with the Lord Ravager, despite her close connection with the Abundance. She has remained firm throughout her many, many years that she would never side with the Abundance despite the affection THEY have given her.

Perhaps the most jarring thing was the appearance of Dan Heng, who the woman instantly recognized as Dan Feng's incarnation. Magnolia knew they were different people, but it was hard to ignore the aura of a friend long gone.

"Excuse me, are you injured?" Magnolia approached the Vidyadhara, trying to ignore the complex feelings in her heart. She never wanted to be back here, by the draconic roots of the Ambrosial Arbor, but her work took precedence. "My name is Magnolia. Are you feeling any fatigue, brain fog, sudden aggressiveness?"

@etherealguard

[zorkaya-moved]

"How do you do it?" He murmurs, leaning over the railing and staring off into the horizon. "You seem to always keep your head held high.. how do.. how do you move on?"

@etherealguard

Discipline, Aponia's words are still strong on her existence after millenia. Fifty thousand years. Origin's blessing. A smile of an Aeon who just wants the world and all what is beautiful to continue existing. A promise given to 14 people and the inability to protect just 2 people.

The maiden of winter sighs, eyes closing for a moment. The memory of several people echo, too vividly as they cannot be erased even if she wants them to be. From horrors to beauties, they are ever-existing and ever-persistent in her mind. Dan Heng would remember something and he would not remember something else, it's how the mortal mind should work: forgetting is a part of life. But not in case of existence like hers where mental chains created by those who killed Gods would be placed upon her, once-destroyer and once-traitor of humanity.

"Unlike you, I have more chains around my neck than you do to keep me looking forward," she explains, joining him in leaning over the railing and looking forward. Zarina doesn't smile or smirk or say anything that brings out any sense of comfort. "I forget, but I am forced to remember several memories because of a [discipline] placed upon me, to force me to fight, to move on, to continue."

It's morbid. She cannot offer him comfort or salvation on this journey. Origin will keep her alive until there is no way back, until (Nanook) Destruction will find Origin and strike her, spilling blood of the purest maiden and spirit in the galaxy. Does Dan Heng really want to know how she keeps it together? Zarina doesn't think it's worth it, she thinks it won't be his way and his path. Everyone has different reasons to move forward and continue existing.

"My way won't work for you, Dan Heng," she glances at him then, a soft yet sad smile crossing her features. "You don't have fifty thousand years, and I'll never wish them upon you."

[wingsoar]

@etherealguard s.c

"With   all   the   chaos   surrounding   the   Charmony   Festival,   I   never   had   the   chance   to   formally   introduce   myself   to   you,   I   sincerely   apologize   for   that."   Her   words   are   as   gentle   as   the   flap   of   a   dove's   wing.   Dainty   hand   resting   against   her   chest.

"You're   ...   Dan   Heng,   right?   Your   companion's   speak   very   highly   of   you"

[poswiecenia]

@etherealguard - ❝ you’re one of the best chapters in the book of my life. ❞ // @ march \ unprompted ask.

( 🎉 ) HE JUST HAS to use book metaphors --- its silly but she thinks it rather cute of him to use such explanations for things that he enjoys doing in his spare time. with a smile the pink - haired archer practically flopped into his lap with a giggle , gently headbutting his forehead with hers.

❝ AND YOU'RE ONE .. of .. one of the best scrapbooks that i've ever made in my life so far ! ❞ she did her best , even if it wasn't the best metaphor .. she panicked.

[grislyintentions]

How hard is it for you to approach new people you want to interact with?

Meme || Accepting

[Truth be told, I had a really awful time during my first few months here. I wasn't aware of what was brewing behind the scenes - bc I was a newcomer and in a vulnerable spot irl, so I ended up thinking that people just aren't fond of multimuse blogs or me in general. So I stopped following others first or trying to dm first. Even now, I still have issues getting past that mental hurdle of doing so.

But if I were certain that there are people who do want to write/interact with me, then I absolutely have no problem approaching. Be it via dms or sending starter memes etc. ^^ I'm in a happier spot now and I am very grateful for being able to make friends with wonderful people here, including you!]

[shrineofprophecy]

"Miss Lingsha please provide me a task to do for the afternoon so I can get away from people."

"Are these people not the friends that you travel with?" Lingsha chuckled. "But you're right. Sometimes it's good to give your mind a break."

"If you insist on working, there are a few ingredients I require for making incense. I'd appreciate it if you could buy them on the market for me. Oh, and be sure not to run into Jiaoqiu. I have no doubt that he'll try to make this situation worse."

[yingren]

[  FORTY-FOUR  ] :  “ i don’t know what about this scares you so much. ” // perchance an attempt at bonding

feelings are complicated. 

if there’s a good answer to that question, ren certainly doesn’t have it. fear, something he shouldn’t know so intimately, has a way of creeping into his life despite his efforts to ignore it. it’s not a feeling he experiences often, at least not as frequently as he manages to instill it in others. not that he’s ever sought to be feared, it was never about that. but simply being ren seems to come with enough reasons to make him a fearsome presence. presence? thing. creature. abomination. the ways people describe him are as endless as they are unkind, rarely casting him in a positive light. after all, when you spend centuries perfecting the same skills, walking the same blood-soaked path, and carrying out the same relentless revenge, fear is bound to follow in your shadow. he knows this, even if it doesn’t always sit well. the absurd bounty on his head didn’t materialize without reason, after all.

ren’s hand tangles in his own disheveled hair, fingers tugging at strands that refuse to fall with even a semblance of grace onto his shoulders. he looks like hell, feels even worse. dan heng’s presence isn’t helping, though ren can’t quite tell anymore if it makes things better or worse. lately, it’s been easier to heap blame on dan heng no matter the circumstance. ren knows this habit is flimsy at best, and it’s only a matter of time before even that worn-out coping mechanism fails him entirely. 

he can’t recall the last time they shared a civil conversation. one where sharp words weren’t tossed like daggers, where the threat of drawn weapons didn’t hang between them like an unspoken agreement. maybe such a moment never existed at all. or perhaps, it did, and his mind, traitorous as ever, has locked the memory away, keeping it hidden as though ren has no right to claim it. it wouldn’t be the first time his thoughts have turned against him like that.

“ finality is a brutal thing. ” brutal, cruel, agonizing - call it whatever you want. those are the words ren associates with dan feng, a memory burned into his mind with unrelenting clarity. brutal. a king among his kind, both ruler and martyr. the image clings to him like an unwanted shadow, a ghost from the past that refuses to be exorcised. ren knows he’ll never truly escape it, not while there’s still a price to be paid, a price not just for sins committed, but for the forbidden bonds of friendship and familiarity that should never have existed in the first place. closing his eyes, he takes a slow, deliberate breath, air filling his lungs until it’s trapped, held hostage in his rib cage alongside the heart he’s tried countless times to rip from his chest. that stubborn heart, the same one that once harbored care for dan heng’s predecessor, that once dared to call him a friend.

“ fear is a human emotion, it’s natural. ” and ren is human. no, he was human, so part of him should still be allowed to feel human emotions. he wrinkles his nose, a faint crease forming along its bridge, brows drawing together in clear distaste. dan heng would probably disagree, and ren wouldn’t blame him for it. after all, neither of them are human - neither of them are whole. but that fractured state is their own creation, the result of an unraveling carefully, or perhaps carelessly, done by their own hands.

“ hm, by all means, if you have figured out a way to dispel fear, i am more than happy to listen. ”

[astrxlfinale]

❝ a less trusting person might think this all sounds very suspicious. ❞

"But how long does it take for a less trusting person to be a big fan of paranoia?" Caelus couldn't help but challenge, his lips twisted into that same measure of uncertainty. The temptation to let questions be drawn upon questions grew thicker by the second. While he's certainly aware that glancing behind veils is a pivotal skill, as it stands, it feels like the situation at hand set before him rings a scale of higher importance.

In the end, he allows a dramatized exhale to puff from his nostrils. The thickets of danger were no new territory for the Nameless, in fact, the idea of approaching the scenario with a touch of Astral Express flare sounds too important to his intuition. It prompts hints of a smile to grow. "Let's look at it this way, if there's enough masterminds and a half workin' up their plans here, why would they need the Express Crew of all people to join in on that?"

"It's the specialties of the Nameless they'd like to take the stage. So, why don't we do what do best and tack a crowbar to the situation, tugging a few openings while we're at it?" He adds in, giving Dan Heng a companionable nudge of the elbow. The Xianzhou had a chapter that required another brand of rhythm to the equation, something he was all to happy to supply.

"Which! Means I'm gonna need you at the top of your game too, can I depend on that, Dan Heng?"

@etherealguard