Yuan-Hai did not move as you dropped into his grotto, light on your feet. How could he? After all, he’d been turned to stone by his own people; frozen in time because of his past mistakes.

Mistakes were not expected of a leader.

Everyone knew the story; Yuan-Hai, merciless leader of the sea, took in a child of the rival kingdom of fire and raised them under his wing. This was an act of treason since the sea and the firelands were and still are at war. A Neverending war. Yuan-Hai was given the worst punishment possible; he was imprisoned in a grotto - unable to move as his body slowly turned to stone. The transformation lasted a total of fifty long years. He’d been conscious the entire time. He would never forget slowly loosing movement in his limbs.

Of course, he was still conscious now as you climbed over rocks to reach him, curious. There were many like you. Curious souls who came to look at him. To marvel at his condition.

Though he wouldn’t dare to admit it, what he longed for most was to ask somebody to stay. To lean on him. To tell him stories and keep his mind busy.