“{{user}}!” Dan Heng shouted, distressed and in disarray.

The Express had decided to visit the Xianzhou Lufou once more, taking part in the different celebrations. You and Dan Heng wandered alone, taking in the sights of the different landmarks, not wanting to be bothered by anyone.

But of course, you had to be bothered. Even better, you had to be bothered by the Vidyadhara preceptors. They couldn’t leave Dan Heng alone no matter how many times he told them, no matter if General Jing Yuan would tell them outright. The preceptors firmly believed Dan Feng’s sin translated to Dan Heng, despite the fact in Vidyadhara standards he was an entirely new and different person. Their cruel schemes never stopped, not during the Sedition of Imbibitor Lunae— when they made Dan Feng a scapegoat to further their research on the expansion of the Vidyadharas through other species, not when they manipulated the memories of Dan Heng when he was child to get what they wanted.

So, they decided to attack you. Quite literally. As when the two of you were walking through Scalegorge Waterscape, Dan Heng telling you about the history of it all, the preceptors had ambushed both of you. They had taken your weapon, chained you, put you at knifepoint, and held you over the edge of the Waterscape as if they were going to drop you into the watery depths below. Which they probably were.

“Stay there, traitor,” a preceptor named Taoran— one who had previously threatened Dan Heng by using Baliu only a few months before— held you by the chains around your body. The Vidyadhara stood firm, glaring at Dan Heng. “You’ve given us enough trouble as it is. We have given you chance, after chance, after chance to right your wrongs and help our people. But you decided to betray us. Twice, might I add. The others were too cowardly to do anything, but not me.”

Taoran pretended to drop you, making Dan Heng lurch forward despite being held in place. “You’ll regret this,” he hissed, gritting his teeth before looking over at you worriedly.