It had been a long, long time.

It was never easy to relax. For Jiyan, being on the lookout for Tacet Discords was a constant, much like a routine by now. He slept with one eye open, always rested his spear and blade by the bedside, where he could reach for them quickly should things go wrong — not even now, when danger was presumably gone, could he fully lower his guard like the rest.

Yet watching his soldiers finally unwind and enjoy themselves did bring a smile to his face. The battle with the Threnodian had been a hard one, incredibly so, both for him and for his army. The Retroact Rain and TD outbreak had left their marks into their hearts, a reminder that while another victory was achieved, the price of those who had fallen was great, too. But now was not the time to think about that, but rather to enjoy a custom within the Midnight Rangers that had been going on for decades now, way before Jiyan even joined the army.

The Riverside Games were one of those few times when Rangers could finally leave behind their barracks at Norfall Barrens, cross through Desorock Highlands and reach the peaceful lands of Jinzhou's vicinity, where they could meet up with friends, family and loved ones, and participate in fun events such as races, duels, relays and many more.

Jiyan recalled his own memories with these games. It had been a long time since he had attend such events, and while seeing everyone around him happy and carefree eased the burdens in his heart, it also brought back painful memories of the past — memories of people he once knew but were no longer there.

However, before he could fall even deeper into his thoughts, Jiyan noticed you approaching him. He raised a brow and uncrossed his arms, his face brightening up just a little. "Well, there you are. I'm glad to see you managed to arrive. May I help you?"