This do I swear

I know thoes eyes

The heavens shake when Xie Lian ascends for the third time. Many gods are there to witness it. The sheer power of the ascension is not dissimilar to the emperor own so of course the expectations were rather high. That is until the blinding white light and gold sparks fade and what's left is...

"A SCARAP GOD?!"

The crowd that had gathered immediately started to murmur and speculating while Xie Lian just looks around nervously thinking of a way to get back down.

His heart starts to beat faster as he gazes around. Looks like very little damage was done so at least he's not in debt. Not that San Lang would allow him to be. But still can he just leave? Even when he's just arrived.

Many of the gods turn back to what they were doing. Walking away in groups. Only a few stay at the scene watching the "scrap god", who was far to lavishly dressed, looking around nervously.

A well dressed god in black steps forward. "Your highness." He bows. Xie Lian gazes at them before it twigs who it is. 'Of course he picks me out.' He things giggling. "Welcome back. And congratulation." He says.

Xie Lian nods weakly. Clearly tired already. "Thank you, and you are? " He asks softly. The 'god' smirks. "Ming Yi, I'm the earth master elemental god. I don't really do much."

Xie Lian laughs. "I see." He thinks. "Could you perhaps tell me if Ling Wen is still the one in charge? Also if you may can you point me in the direction of the palace of xianle?"

He Xuan tilts his head. "Am I corrects to understand that you've forgotten the way to your own palace." Xie Lian flushes. "I umm... it's just been a long time." He says scratching his cheek.

The god nods shrugging. "I'll take you. But perhaps you'd do best to address those two."

Xie Lian turns in the direction Ming Yi gives, seeing two pairs of eyes on him. "Oh." He says. Then walks over and bows. "Hello, I'm Xie Lian." He greets.

The two gods look to each other before back to the prince. "Whatever." One of them says rolling his eyes and walking off.

Xie Lian furrows his brows sadly. "Oh my, are they okay? Have I offended him already? I don't even know his name..."

The other perks up. "You don't know his name?" He echoes. Xie Lian nods. "I'm afraid he hasn't introduced himself. I'm Xie Lian, it's nice to meet you. Did you need something from me? Do I owe you something?"

The other god looks down. "I- I'm Feng Xin. You owe me nothing your highness." He says bowing low. "Mu Qing is just upset is all. It has been a long time since we last saw you."

Xie Lian startles at that. "Oh my, where we already acquainted? I'm afraid my memory doesn't serve me anymore. I remember very little from my last ascensions. And faces blur into one. Only long standing faces seem to last." He laughs.

"Long standing?" Feng Xin echoes. Xie Lian nods. "Yes like... well my fiancé, his best friend. The emperor, Ling Wen. The briefest glimpse of others. A glint of their eyes. And murmured voice." Xie Lian sighs cupping his cheek. "I'm not the man I used to be. Some may call me reborn, I just say I'm not as naïve."

Feng Xin furrows his brow. "How can you stand here a whisper from me, yet somehow be so far away?"

Xie Lian perks up. "I'm afraid I believe the prince you're looking for is dead and gone. It only happens I inhabit the same body. Yet the crown prince is very much no more."

Feng Xin looks so upset Xie Lian questions his own mind. Does he know this man? His eyes do seem familiar in that hazy way. But he really can't name it.

"Anyway..." Xie Lian says softly. "I must get on. please do apologise to the other god, uhh, Mu Qing. I'm incredibly sorry I was unable to recall our past meetings. But I am no longer his highness."

Xie Lian bows before turning back to Ming Yi. "Please show me the way, earth master." He smiles.

Feng Xin stands in place for quite a while after cue Liam left and was out of sight. "Familiar... can either of us ever really be free?"

"It's torture isn't it?" A small voice calls. "Mu Qing." Feng Xin says still unable to move. "Your back."

"Is he truly gone? Does he not remember anything? Not remember us?" The god asks almost pleading.

"I'm sure he recognises us. He just can't clarify the hazy image he has in his memories." Feng Xin says. "He called himself dead, the old him is gone. I think he's right. The man we seal is long gone."

"He truly is just a story now then." Feng Xin huffs. "As long as he's still here he will never be just a story."
Mu Qing places a hand on the others shoulder. "But he's so far gone?" He questioned.

"No there are traces of him left. He's not completely gone. Not a stranger. Not yet."

"But isn't he free?" Mu Qing asks.

"None of us are free." Feng Xin replies. "But why is the earth master so buddy buddy with him? And why did he just accept that!?" Mu Qing asks anger seeping back in. "Perhaps he knows him."

"He knows us!" Mu Qing shouts. Feng Xin sighs. "I don't think he does." Then shaking off the hand. "Why does the truth seem so hard to be true?"

Both gods just stare into the distance.

"So much is broken, so much is damaged... our country, our prince, our god, our friendship..." Feng Xin mourns.

"Perhaps there really are no words left to say." Mu Qing says sadly. "Perhaps this is truly where we part.
It's what he wanted."

Feng Xin shakes his head. "It's not." Mu Qing looks over. "It's not?" He questioned. "No this whole thing, we started this!" He says. "We are the ones who wanted this! We are the ones who did this!"

Mu Qing falls silent. "I didn't want this."

"We'll we've got it now."