(I finished all my essays on time and most of my work has been completed sooner than anticipated, so here's a little something)

Caelus and March sat with Yun, doing their best to comfort the crying boy while the healers they'd called for checked in on M/n up in her room.

It'd taken a while to calm him enough to get an explanation for what happened, but at least the words coming out of his mouth were comprehensible now.

"She's been like this for days... sometimes she's just distant and quiet, other times she'll have these panicked fits..." Yun whimpered as he rubbed at his eyes, "She's in a lot of pain, and I've gotten medicine for her, but nothing seems to be working!"

"Don't worry, Yun, I'm sure the medicine will work soon. It may just take a while." March tried.

"I... I've told myself the same thing, but every time I look at her, I see y/n." the boy whispered, his breath hitching before he turned his panicked gaze to the two trailblazers, "M-Mom isn't gonna end up like my big sister, right? She'll be okay, right?!"

Caelus and March exchanged an uncertain glance.

'Don't you dare say it. It's already bad enough that you sent a picture of y/n's corpse to the Belobog chat.'

'It was to prove the authenticity of my statement.'

'Then I'll send a picture of your corpse to Kafka when you mysteriously drop dead in a couple days.'

Caelus visibly paled, "A couple days-?"

"Don't worry, Yun. Miss M/n will definitely pull through." March hummed with a determined expression as she grasped the boy's hands, "She still has you, so she'll find the strength to get better!"

Yun sniffled a bit, "Y-Yeah... you're right. Thank you, Miss March." he exhaled shakily, exhaustion in his gaze.

"You know, you ought to get some rest as well. March and I will look after your Mother, so don't worry!" Caelus told the Foxian boy, "We'll even help out with the restaurant!"

The boy inhaled, then exhaled shakily. "Thank you..."

"Ahem." the sound drew the trio's attention to the healer who stood by the staircase, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but may I speak with you?"

"Y-Yes! Of course!" Yun stammered, hopping up from his seat and pulling out a seat for the healer. She did not sit, merely staring at the seat for a moment before offering the boy a small smile.

"You can go see her now. She's in stable condition right now, and I think she'd like to see you. Besides, my partner had some questions to ask you." the healer pointed out to which the young boy nodded hastily.

"Right! I'll be going, then!"

He hurried up the stairs without another word and healer sighed quietly, looking at the two trailblazers.

"So... is she going to be okay?" March asked meekly.

"I believe... a spiritfarer should be called. Miss M/n is at risk of becoming stricken with mara, and the progression has been... devastatingly quick. There isn't much we can do." the healer murmured, interrupted by the screech of Caelus's chair sliding across the floor as he stood up abruptly.

"What?! You're joking!" Caelus snapped.

"I wish I was. She's been receiving treatment for days, right from the day she began showing symptoms, but they've had no effect due to how fast the mara has progressed. Cases like this are common in individuals who witness a loved one's death in a manner as brutal as Miss Y/n's — the result is always a visit from a spiritfarer or the individual inevitably becoming stricken with mara." the healer continued, hands gripping her clothing. Pain was evident in her gaze as she shut her eyes and bowed her head, "I'm terribly sorry."

Caelus and March exchanged a look, the same thought going through their minds. 'What about y/n?'

Jing Yuan had asked them to keep quiet about y/n being alive, at least until the situation with her becoming mara struck in public could be fully addressed.

Y/n also wanted them to avoid telling her mother and brother, as she knew that she'd have to dedicate a lot of time to making it up to them. Time that she just didn't have with the busy work days at the Seat of Divine Foresight.

But... surely she could make time for them.

"If you'd like, I can call for a spiritfarer now..."

"No!" March blurted, her cheeks burning with embarrassment upon receiving surprised looks from both her gray haired companion and the healer, "Ahem... n-no, thank you. We'd like to talk to Yum about it first, eheh..."

"That's understandable." the healer nodded, "But... don't take too long. She'll only suffer more if she's allowed to fully transform."

After the healers took their leave, the two trailblazers headed up to the room where m/n was resting. Upon peeking inside, they found the woman quietly humming to Yun and caressing his head while he laid curled up beside her, seemingly asleep.

The two trailblazers exchanged a solemn look.

They needed to tell y/n, she needed to know.

But Jing Yuan had very subtly banned them from coming to the Seat of Divine Foresight regarding matters that would interrupt y/n's work *March was really starting to understand why the woman seemed to irritated with the General these days*.

Although... Dan Heng wasn't banned.

A bunch of spammed texts were sent from the duo to Dan Heng, all of which he failed to notice due to his phone behind on silent and him being a bit preoccupied.

Y/n and Dan Heng wouldn't even look at one another as they stood with Jingliu, having sent Yanqing off as the errand boy to order some steamed buns.

The silence was tense as y/n regarded her hand in silence, Dan Heng spaced out while looking at nothing, and Jingliu stood between the two quietly.

"Hm." was what broke the silence, prompting the former trailblazer and Dan Heng to look at the blindfolded woman, "Didn't I tell the two of you to save the cold shoulders for later?"

"I have no interest in talking to a beached fish that doesn't answer his phone." y/n retorted in a sharp tone, earning a scowl from Dan Heng.

"And I have no interest in talking to a reckless brat who can't go five seconds without losing an arm." he shot back to which y/n let out a gasp.

"What proof do you have?!"

"Caelus told me what happened with that Disciples of Sanctus Medicus incident! What were you thinking? You know what? Don't even bother answering, we all know that zero thoughts go through your brain!"

"Not true!"

"Keep lying to yourself."

Jingliu stood there silently as y/n and Dan Heng went back and forth, heaving a small sigh as their arguing increased in volume.

She wanted the cold silence back.

'Still, seems like not even molting rebirth and memory loss could keep these two from butting heads.' the woman noted right as y/n literally headbutted Dan Heng, 'This brings back fond memories...'

Fond memories that also happened to be loud.

Very... very loud.

"DON'T TOUCH ME! YOU STINK!"

"You ill-mannered brat, did you get hit on your head during your last expedition?! Didn't I tell you not to do reckless things like that!"

"It was necessary!"

"It was foolish!"

"Takes a fool to know foolish behavior!"

Protégé, huh? Y/n really liked to mouth off to Dan Feng, Jingliu knew that much from her friend's frequent complaints regarding the audacious youth he'd begrudgingly agreed to mentor.

The fact that she adopted his style of spearmanship which she integrated into her hand to hand combat proved that she had enough respect and flexibility to take his teaching seriously, but she treated him more like a friend than someone she was supposed to show the upmost respect.

Not that she was disrespectful all the time, the young one could be mild-mannered, teachable, and the ideal protégé when she wanted to. Now was one of the moments when she didn't want to, it seemed.

Jingliu quietly watched as the angry y/n yanked at her mentor's horn while the vidyadhara pulled on her ears, the two of them still bickering. It was actually quite amusing, seeing the aloof High Elder stoop as low as engaging in silly banter with y/n.

Though the words leaving y/n's mouth were vulgar, and Dan Feng looked about ready to burst a blood vessel, Jingliu knew that the two cared for one another.

It was clear in the way y/n merely crossed her arms and silently allowed Dan Feng to check her slightly scuffed up face and the few injuries visible on her.

Even so... Dan Feng could stand to be a bit more strict with the young one. She was a bit too comfortable with throwing around insults.

Despite how angry they seemed to be at one another, Jingliu could tell that the anger stemmed from something far from malice. Dan Heng had been practically worried to death all the time thanks to y/n in the past, it was likely that it was still the case now.

...were they still going?
Yep. Still going.

Thankfully, Yanqing came in clutch and returned with the steamed buns which y/n happily accepted. Jingliu took one as well, quietly thanking him while Dan Heng merely stared at the one he ended up with.

They all continued on their way to the Artisanship Commission, finding their way there rather quickly.

Of course, the area was not without abominations.

"Since the resurrection of the Arbor, the land has been crawling with abominations." Jingliu murmured before sniffing, why tf was she sniffing, "Even the Creation Furnace is hanging on by a thread."

"The crisis was sudden — all the craftsmen and their apprentices fled, while only a single master craftsman stayed behind to hold the line until reinforcements arrived." Yanqing said as y/n wandered ahead a little, looking around for a clear path, "That's how the Creation Furnace was saved."

"Hm. Interesting. Stubborn beyond valuing one's own life... reminds me of an extremely arrogant acquaintance I once knew." Jingliu commented, a wry tone to her words, "If he were to see the chaos of the Artisanship Commisison today, he would laugh at the Xianzhou's incompetence."

Yanqing instantly got defensive.

"What's that supposed to mean, huh?" the boy demanded, "What's wrong with saving your own life and waiting for the Cloud Knights to arrive?"

"Oh? Where exactly were the Cloud Knights when danger was at the door? From what I heard, it was a group of outworlders that came to the rescue."

Y/n frowned, "Hey. I lost an arm and an eye, and Caelus nearly got shanked by that ugly deer's antlers. Don't downgrade us to outworlders."

"Excuse me?" Dan Heng asked in an incredulous tone and y/n broke out into a cold sweat, looking away nervously.

"Ahem! I'll go on ahead! I'm going to start abiding by the healers' orders, so... Yanqing! Protect me!" y/n blurted before sprinting on ahead.

"Wait, what?! Miss Y/n-!" Yanqing began to protest, looking back and forth between Jingliu and Dan Heng as well as y/n, "Oh, come on...!"

"Oh my... young man, why don't we continue our contest from before?" Jingliu suggested as the abominations up ahead took notice of y/n running at them like a maniac, "Show me whether or not the sword techniques you are so proud of have improved."

Yanqing wanted to protest, but let out a groan and ran after y/n with a, "Don't run into danger, the General will be even more stressed if you get hurt!"

As soon as y/n and Yanqing were out of earshot, y/n drawing more attention from the abominations while the Lieutenant hurried to cut them down before they could reach her, Dan Heng gave Jingliu a wary look.

"Why did you send him away?"

"Send him away? He simply left to protect y/n, that's all." Jingliu shook her head, "It is of no importance, but... it's been quite some time since the two of us have had a decent contest."

Dan Heng frowned as the woman drew her sword, "I don't intend to fight." a statement which made the air grow chilly as Jingliu tilted her head ever so slightly.

"I'm not asking you to point your spear at me." she replied in an ominous tone before it lightened up a bit, "Could it be that the abominations aren't motivating enough for you?"

Jingliu did not wait for his response, striding on ahead. Each abomination which spotted her barely had time to actually have the aggro coding kick in before she cut them down.

Dan Heng was hesitant but still followed along, defeating abominations which headed his way before they could become too much of a problem.

"Even after your rebirth, your movements and techniques haven't changed one bit." Jingliu mused as she cut down one abomination after another, almost effortlessly and without wasting a single movement.

"When I move, it's like..."

"Like you never forgot."

It was a little while before they reached some steps and spotted Yanqing up above, staring down at them.

"Moving a bit slow there," he remarked, "What's taking you so long this time?" a crash from up ahead as well as a colorful stream of curses from y/n alerted him and he visibly began to panic, "What the— are you trying to die?! Wait up, you'll get hurt!"

Dan Heng tensed, 'That was y/n, is she in trouble?' he began to pick up the pace only for Jingliu's sword in his path to stop him. He gave the woman a sharp look, one which she returned with a ghost of a smile.

"No need to get anxious, Imbibitor Lunae. We have all the time in the world," she hummed as she turned to continue on, "Besides, that young man will ensure nothing happen to y/n, so there's no need to be hasty."

Dan Heng didn't reply as they continued on ahead, finding their path blocked by multiple Disciples of Sanctus Medicus. They should've been rounded up and thrown in the Shackling Prison by now, right?

Ah, whatever.

Dan Heng and Jingliu wasted no time, attacking the cultists and making rather quick work of them. However, amidst the combat, Dan Heng could feel Jingliu watching him.

"This spear still recognizes you as it's master." Jingliu continued amidst the clashing of weapons between herself and the abominations, "Imbibitor Lunae. Do you know who crafted it for you?"

"It's been with me for as long as I can remember, ever since my exile, I... don't remember when I began to wield it." Dan Heng admitted.

Jingliu did not speak again until the brief fight was over, standing in front of the steps which would lead to Yanqing and y/n who were further ahead than before.

When she did open her mouth, her tone lacked the quiet and gentle sound that it usually held when she spoke to y/n. It was... actually quite unnerving, like storm clouds looming on the horizon.

"You can consigned to tell yourself that you're merely Dan Feng's reincarnation, that you have nothing to do with his sins... and you can continue to insist that you remember nothing."

"But you cannot run from combat, Dan Heng. Your spearmanship is identical to Imbibitor Lunae's."

Why did it feel like she was scolding him?

"Combat is like smelting — purging the impurities with burning flames and exposing a person's true nature." Jingliu continued as she crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side, "The person who made Cloud-Piercer once said those words. Do you remember? Out of all of us, you were the closest to him. It was strange... someone so arrogant getting along with someone so proud."

Dan Heng frowned, his gaze growing distant as the blurry and distant memories floated about like bubbles in water. So close yet always out of reach.

He closed his eyes, and he saw a face.
Blurred and difficult to make out.

But the voice...

"This spear is sharp enough to pierce dragon scales. Be careful, High Elder, lest you hurt yourself with it."

"Yingxing..." Dan Heng murmured.

Jingliu let her arms fall back to her sides, "Mm... you still remember his name. As a child, he swore to take revenge on the abominations. That was what drove him to travel across the stars to the Xianzhou to receive training." she shook her head.

"When I first met him, he wasn't even as tall as my sword, yet he boasted about mastering all the crafts of the Artisanship Commission by the time he was a hundred years old..." laughter slipped from the seemingly icy woman, "The little brat was no less arrogant than the high elder. At first, I wasn't too fond of his defiant nature, yet when we met once more... he was able to craft weapons that astonished the master craftsmen. He even snatched the title of Furnace Master."

Somehow, even with that blindfold, Jingliu seemed to be analyzing Dan Heng's expression, and her lips quirked up into a slight smile.

"Despite how much they bickered, whether it be over you or differing opinions, that student of yours would spend hours watching him work. He would never admit it aloud, but he was just as fond of that one as you were."

Dan Heng couldn't not know who Jingliu was referring to. Her words brought back small bits and pieces, excited e/c eyes glimmering as she showed off the newest addition to her weapon collection, or those same eyes reflecting the light of the furnace.

Even a memory of y/n snoozing away amidst unfinished aurumatons, a face blurred and unrecognizable placing a blanket over her as he complained about her choice of a spot to nap, though  his tone didn't match his words of exasperation.

Jingliu was quiet for a long moment, before she spoke once more with the nostalgia in her voice fading, "Unfortunately, the Alliance would never allow a short-life species to run the Artisanship Commission. He was only able to prove his worth alongside us outcasts in the end."

And with that, they continued up another flight of steps were they met Yanqing and y/n at the creation furnace. Upon their arrival, Yanqing turned to face them with a, "You didn't go easy so I'd get here first, did you?"

"Of course not. Your technique must've improved greatly in such a short amount of time that I was simply unable to keep up with you." Jingliu replied, something that Yanqing didn't find very believable but didn't comment on.

"Hmm... so, are we here to commemorate your short-life species friend?" Yanqing inquired.

"...eavesdropping is a bad habit."

Y/n pursed her lips and looked away, "You were taking a while, so we stayed nearby to see what was up."

The blindfolded woman sighed, "As usual, never far from your master's side." y/n gave her a quizzical look, "Ah, my apologies, your friend. Putting that aside, I never said that he was no longer in this world."

"Even cryo capsules couldn't extend the life expectancy of a short life species for long. If he is alive now, he must be ancient!" Yanqing pointed out.

"Like Jing Yuan." y/n chimed in.

"Aren't you and the General the same age?"

"Hey! He's a year older! He's even more old!"

Y/n and Yanqing's back and forth commentary went through one of Dan Heng's ears and out the other as his breath hitched, a look of surprise on his face.

"Yingxing... he's still alive?"

"Of course he's still alive. But he might be better off dead." Jingliu replied in a cold tone, "Some people are born with unparalleled foresight, and exceptional intelligence, but make the most ill-advised choices at destiny's crossroads."

Ohhh boy...

Jingliu turned to face the Creation Furnace, and walked towards the flower that still remained despite the deer that emerged form in being long dead.

"As smart as he was, he made the foolish attempt to use the flesh of the Abundance Emanator to aid Imbibitor Lunae is