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Learning to People

Summary:

Stelle receives an invitation to visit Fyxestroll Garden to hunt for ghosts, but what they find is far worse, especially with the connections it shares with her friend's death two weeks prior. There, she'll meet the Ten-Lord's Commission's Judges, including one who Stelle cannot help but be magnetically drawn towards, a kindred spirit that she feels a bond with in ways no one told her existed.

Each has their own burdens to bear,
Stelle must learn all the things people assume she knows already, not taking into account the manner of her creation, or how badly she is coping with her own trauma.
Huohuo is forced to bear a fate she never asked for, with not a speck of light in her future that she can find, while shouldering people's misconceptions about her that wear her down by the day.

One is seen as an abomination, and the other as cursed, both will learn together what being alive actually means, one day at a time.

Notes:

My contribution for Pride month, the first story for my current favorite pairing on Ao3. With so much depth to characters in this game, I feel like people really missed out by assuming everything about some characters at a glance, with things in the Xianzhou never being what they seem. The 1.5 questline through Fyxestroll Gardens had me hooked, and was way too fun, I still don't want to leave the Luofu...
The first 2 chapters are more of a prelude until I take it off the rails for the most part, my goal is writing what goes on between missions, rather than rehashing them.

Chapter 1

Notes:

Coming back to this after I've finished writing this story, I hope you all enjoy the ride, I didn't expect a niche pairing to blow up a little. I may as well clear up any misconceptions right off the bat, Huohuo is canonically an adult, and is treated as such during this story.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Side A: Stelle 

 

As breathtaking as the Luofu architecture was, and as lively as its streets were, there was only so many times Stelle could wander those endless roads in one day. “Why did they leave and not say anything to me?” She thought as she remembered just finding a note from March 7th and Dan Heng that morning. The lack of an invite didn’t hurt at all…

 

She tried not to dwell on it, and just focused on taking in all the sights she could while the sun went down over that artificial planetary ship. Seeing it from outside, on the Express, was nothing compared to seeing the love and culture that went into the inside. During the Ambrosial Arbor incident there wasn’t a large amount of time to admire all the lovely things about it, especially not after- “No Stelle, don’t think about that…” She mumbled to herself, a hand running through her hair tiredly.

 

If she kept walking she wouldn’t be able to let her thoughts wander to that day, or so she liked to tell herself. She distracted herself by buying a few snacks to eat while she watched the day end over the Jade Gate. Seeing all the star skiffs coming and going at all hours was strangely relaxing.

 

As she pulled out her phone to bug a few others, it rumbled in her hand. “Hmm? Is this spam?” She nearly went to delete it, if only for the clickbait within, but something kept her from hitting that button.

 

 

She had heard about what ghosts are, but she had never seen them herself. As the streets slowly emptied, and the sky darkened, she could see how people could think of places as ‘haunted’. Things could be downright eerie at night in some corners of the Luofu.

 

Pulling up that message again she typed in her response.

 

 

Stelle sighed and shook her head. “What am I doing with my life? Am I this bored?” She knew the answer to that question. It had been at least two weeks since they had resolved the Ambrosial Arbor incident, and they didn’t appear to be moving on anytime soon.

 

Thankfully, she was already near Aurum Alley. She could smell the street food on offer, tempting her and her wallet. “I’ll grab dinner to go…” Her feet led her towards her destination.

 

Besides the crowds that were there at all hours, it was one of her favorite locations she had found on the Luofu. It was a quick detour before she was continuing on her way, her eyes scanning the street for the redhead in the picture. She finally spotted her near the Star Skiffs, staring out at the foggy expanse past the docks.

 

A flicker of mischief in her urged her on, sneaking up behind the woman. “Boo.” She leaned back to avoid the panicked flailing hands. She felt supremely smug as this girl, Guinaifen according to her message, glared at her. “Just setting the mood.” Stelle simply said, biting into one of the pieces of meat on a skewer, one of two she carried.

 

She could tell from the way the girl’s eyes darted towards it that she could get a little more information. “Tell me which friends in particular you got my number from, and more details, and I’ll let you have this.” She said, eating as Guinaifen hardly thought about it, pulling out her phone.

 

“It was my bestie Sushang, she got it from a guy named Dan Heng a little while ago, said you might be able to provide some muscle if need be?” Gui’s hands reached for that skewer hungrily, and Stelle decided to be nice and let her have it.

 

“I’ll have to remember to ‘thank’ Dan Heng for that somehow. I’m strong enough to hit things, and to be honest I’m bored right now. So what is it you need me to do?” Stelle asked, finishing off her dinner and tossing the stick into the trash. Part of her was tempted to throw it into the void below but… that felt uncivilized on such a clean ship. She was glad she had pressed the Merchant’s guild to finally install some trash cans in the first place; the fact she could barely find any anywhere when she arrived was still saddening to her.

 

“Right right, check this out!” Guinaifen said after gluttonously downing half of her skewer. She held up her phone and shoved it in Stelle’s face. “Totally spooky!”

 

 

 

Stelle watched that video with growing interest, if for the appreciation of that pretty area she had every intention of exploring on her own as well. “Fyxestroll Gardens… Doesn’t ring any bells, but it's a big ship.” She assumed the other girl was the ‘bestie’ she mentioned. “I mean, sure there were some strange lights, but video editing is a thing. Within this month I’ve seen a giant tree grow, horrible abominations, and even one of my close friends part a big sea. I mean, I’ll come along for some fun, but spooky is a high bar for me. That long title in your post could use some work also, just saying.” Stelle said as she paused a few times.

 

Guinaifen looked at her curiously, as if she was trying to figure out if Stelle was lying while also having a perfect poker face. “A fair point…”

 

“Who are those other ladies that came?” Stelle said as she looked at that very unique Foxian. “Who has paw print eyes? Kind of adorable.” She handed the phone back and folded her arms.

 

“That is the strange thing! It wasn’t the Cloud Knights, or the Realm-Keeping Commission that came to deal with this, they were Judges from the Ten-Lords Commission!” Guinaifen said excitedly, getting uncomfortably close.

 

“Personal space. Who are the Ten-Lords Commission?” Stelle asked, gently pushing the girl a few inches back.

 

“How long have you been here? They’re only the most mysterious and creepy group on the Luofu! Not much is known about them, they appear and disappear like ghosts themselves, but if they went there then something big is going on. They do not go places without good reason. You believe it's still clickbait?” Guinaifen asked smugly.

 

“I guess not… I doubt you hired actors for this, they looked pretty official, and I’m sure you aren’t dumb enough to impersonate officials here. I’ve only been here a bit over three weeks, and I’ve seen first hand how seriously they take things, I’m not looking to get on their bad side.” Sure, she knew she had a bit of wiggle room there to get away with a few minor things, but it wasn’t like she tried to look for trouble.

 

“I’m a streamer, not a criminal, I wouldn’t survive in jail… But… I need that content. It was soon after that video that we got kicked out by those Judges, but they seemed to be up to something when I left, I think they’re catching those ghosts! I have to go back, and I want you to join me in exploring it. Got free time?” It was almost amusing to Stelle, how excitable this girl was.

 

“Just how much Could I get away with? I mean… It isn’t like I was warned away from there, only she was. Some harmless peeking should be fine.” She thought as she looked around. “So how are we getting there?” Was her answer.

 

“Oh I already called for a ride, it should be here- Wow that was perfect timing.” Guinaifen said as a Star Skiff pulled up at that dock, ringing a bell at them.

 

“Looking for a ‘Little Gui’?” They heard a guy shout from the Skiff.

 

“And there is our ride, let's get going before it gets too late.”






Stelle relaxed on the Skiff, taking in the sights and the cool evening air. “Here we are, Fyxestroll Gardens.” Stelle hopped off the Skiff and onto the small dock, admiring the scenery as Guinaifen paid the ferry fee. It was honestly beautiful, these floating islands that were covered in dense green scenery. It was, admittedly, creepy there though with the dark skies. It was as if there was a blanket high above, smothering all below in an eerie green glow.

 

“Creepy right?” Guinaifen said as that Ferry took off again, stopping next to Stelle.

 

“Really? Maybe a little, but it's also really pretty. If it turns out to be nothing, I might have a new spot to wander around in.” There was not enough nature on the Luofu from what she had seen, so this was a good change. The smell of plants, and the wet mist in the air, was a bit intoxicating to her senses. “So is it just a garden?”

 

“No, it is more of a Foxian memorial place.” Off to her side, Stelle saw Guinaifen pull up her phone again. “Ahem… Fyxestroll Garden was originally a garden delve constructed by a Foxian craft master. It was a place for their kin to rest, write poems, and feast... et cetera et cetera. It's said the elite pilots of the Foxians were almost wiped out in the Denizens of Abundance Wars thirty years ago. People went to the Foxian Tomb in Fyxestroll Garden to grieve for those departed... Because of this, Fyxestroll Garden rarely saw visitors and was bereft of joy. Over time, Fyxestroll Garden became full of flickering ghostly flames, and weeping lamentations echoed through the air. The rumor that the garden was haunted spread like wildfire among Xianzhou Luofu residents.” Gui sounded far too smug for Stelle to take.

 

“There is no way you wrote that.” She walked down that path as Gui whined behind her.

 

“Is it that easy to tell? I had that storyteller Mr Xiyan write it… figured it would work as a good introduction for the video.”

 

“I’ve seen your post, That doesn’t sound like you at all.” Stelle held up her phone. “That and you were reading from your phone.” It was Stelle’s turn to be smug.

 

As they continued down the path, hitting a large plaza, Stelle had to stop and see all the eerie beauty. “I kind of wish I could have come here before it was creepy, it's still pretty.”

 

“I suppose it is. Keep your eyes peeled for those ghosts, and the Ten-Lords Commission members… I really don’t want to get in trouble or deported somewhere…” Guinaifen grumbled.

 

Stelle was at least observant enough to start leading them down paths that weren’t being watched by uniformed guards that were armed to the teeth. They were certainly not the uniforms she was familiar with, so she knew Gui wasn’t exactly lying. “Then why would you come back and risk that?”

 

“For content of course. I’m not out to be another boring adult! I’m going to follow my dreams even if it kills me!”

 

Stelle rolled her eyes and shushed the excitable streamer. “If you yell you’ll get us caught. Also, don’t rush off to an early death, you never know what the world will throw at you.” She said, keeping an eye on their surroundings. She clicked her tongue as she saw paths guarded in every direction.  “This better be worth it…” She grumbled, not even paying attention to the creepiness of the place anymore.

 

Behind her, Guinaifen steadily shook more and more as genuine fear seemed to fill her. After a good 10 minutes of walking through those gardens, they were left without paths forward besides into those guards. Unfortunately their split second of hesitation was enough for them to be spotted. Before they knew it a small whistle was blown, and multiple of those guards converged on their location.

 

“Halt!”

 

“H-Hey what’s up guys? Hear me out here…” Guinaifen started, but was cut off by the angry voice of that guard.

 

“You’re under arrest! State your name and Business! ” The guard was aggressive in sending multiple Auramatons at them that didn’t look friendly in the least.

 

Stelle pulled out her bat almost on reflex in seeing one of those robots coming her way. Her mind stung with the memories of fighting the corrupted versions of them, the Abundance even infecting them. She tried to parry the blades of the ones that came at her. At least that is what she saw as they charged at her. She was nearly on auto pilot as she began to crush one robot after the other, making sloppy mistakes as Guinaifen barely dodged her own attackers, forcing Stelle to devote effort to protecting her as well “I guess I was called as the muscle, what else is new…” She thought as she locked weapons with an even larger Auramaton that looked distinctly female.

 

“Suspicious individuals in redistricted areas are to be detained first, and interrogated later, no exceptions. Release your weapon.” The semi-intelligent voice didn’t help Stelle see it as anything different than the ones she was familiar with. She almost didn’t even notice the tingling shock that came from those blades each time they clashed, but it had begun to make her feel numb.

 

“Since when are you in charge of Fyxestroll Gardens?!” Guinaifen protested weakly, all but staying behind Stelle for her protection.

 

The waves of guards and Auramatons wore her down over the span of two minutes, enough for a slip up to happen. Her vision kept flickering, the blades being swung at her occasionally appearing more like blunt weapons that crackled with electricity. That flickering in her head was enough for one ‘blade’ to be swung towards her head.

 

“Stand down. These two are not your enemies.” It was a calm and near emotionless voice, but it was authoritative in a way that reminded Stelle of a few others. It was enough to get that Auramaton to stop swinging its weapon at her a foot away from it.

 

Stelle let her bat fade away to wherever it went when she was done with it, taking deep breaths as her vision stabilized. “So they weren’t blades? Dumb brain…” She didn’t need any help to feel crazy those days.

 

Guinaifen leaned up to Stelle and whispered. “Look at her! She isn’t even looking at us, and she is as pale as a ghost!” Her ‘whisper’ was loud enough to appear to amuse the white haired woman in front of them. Along the white haired woman, was one with darker hair and a stiff expression. Standing behind that woman was the Foxian girl that Stelle had seen in the video.

 

“As a member of the Ten-Lords commission, you may as well consider us as among the dead. I am a Judge, Alias: Hanya. I am responsible for the four duties of Detention, Incarceration, Interrogation, and Punishment. As such, I know a few things about you two.” Hanya said, turning towards Guinaifen with a blank expression on her face. “Guinaifen, an Outworlder, unemployed. The day before yesterday, you and a member of the Cloud Knights entered Fyxestroll Gardens.”

 

Stelle almost laughed at seeing how offended Gui looked at that comment. “Unemployed?! I’m self-employed! I’m a street performer, as well as a Streamer! It's a legit operation!” Her complaints were entirely ignored, letting her fold her arms in an amusing pout.

 

Hanya next turned to Stelle, her expression still betraying nothing. “As for this one: Stelle, a Nameless of the Astral Express, you were deeply involved in solving the Ambrosial Arbor incident two weeks ago. You are an honored guest of the Seat of Divine Foresight, and a known friend of the Xianzhou Alliance.” It was a far more positive review than Guinaifen, but Stelle relaxed a bit as at least her good deeds were acknowledged.

 

“Nice to meet you.” Stelle said, straightening herself up a bit as she felt the last bit of adrenaline fade from her. “What was that? Why did I see…” It was a bit worrying, but she shoved that issue aside to deal with later.

 

The dark haired woman stepped up next. “I am Xueyi, also in the position of Judge.” Xueyi looked behind her and Hanya, at that Foxian.

 

“H-Hello, I am Huohuo, I am also a Judge in training, of the Ten-Lords Commission. So you are the Nameless I heard of?” Huohuo looked interested in continuing, but stopped, clearing her throat while stepping back.

 

Xueyi stared down at the tiny judge. “Huohuo, you’ve long since earned the position of a full Judge, have more confidence.” It was a gentle scolding, but it made Huohuo look down regardless.

 

Stelle cracked a smile at Huohuo, getting a closer look at the unique eyes she saw in the video. “Pretty.” She thought and put a hand on her hip with confidence. “You may also know me by another name… have you ever heard of the Galactic Baseballer?” Stelle asked smugly, getting at least a tiny giggle from Huohuo. Her gaze turned to the flaming tail behind her.

 

Hanya looked like she wanted to reply to that, but refrained. Her cold gaze turned back to Guinaifen. “You and the Cloud-Knight Sushang were evacuated from Fyxestroll gardens and told it was too dangerous to return. Why have you come back here?”

 

“W-well… I was honestly looking for some content… for my c-channel? People are always looking for spooky things, and I know I saw ghosts the other night, I couldn’t not try and get some video of them.” Guinaifen winced at the glare from Xueyi.

 

“You were already told that there are no ghosts on the Xianzhou, it is a ridiculous superstition that only breeds panic. As a resident on the Luofu, you have a responsibility to not disrupt the public order.” Xueyi harshly reprimanded her, Gui wincing with each sentence.

 

“But I saw them! They were balls of creepy fire that even talked! Most of it was ghostly nonsense about death, but I heard it!” Guinaifen said defensively, folding her arms as her stubbornness only increased.

 

“Miss Guinaifen, It is difficult to explain, but what you saw were not ghosts. Please do not spread rumors and legends from your home world that may cause panic.” Huohuo stepped forward to try her hand at dissuading Guinaifen.

 

“If they weren’t ghosts, then what the heck are they? They sure looked ghostly to me. They would almost certainly be considered ghosts to my viewers.” Stelle steadily got more nervous as she watched Guinaifen potentially dig her own grave.

 

“As we said, they are not ghosts, they are roaming energy parasites that have long since been contained by the Ten-Lords Commission. They are called Heliobi, and they are extremely dangerous.” Huohuo even started to sound frustrated as she was forced to go in circles with Gui, the other two more monitoring her.

 

“I c-can’t believe that!” She grumbled, looking like she came to an epiphany. “I see, I see… So Heliobi is another word for Ghosts on the Luofu!” Even Stelle was getting annoyed at how hard headed Guinaifen was being. She pledged to prank Dan Heng the next chance she got for, indirectly, giving her number to a crazy lady. She had to admit Gui was at least entertaining.

 

Even Huohuo, the most amicable of the judges Stelle met there, appeared to be getting frustrated. “Maybe… I should just let Mr Tail out…” Huohuo looked behind her, poking at the flaming green tail attached to her. It also had some sort of talisman on it now that Stelle got a better look.

 

“Mr… Tail?” Gui was just as confused as Stelle herself as they exchanged looks.

 

“I heard ya! I heard ya! What am I her pet?” That tail separated from Huohuo, that flame taking the form of a fox-like floating orb of about the same size. “Like the brat said, I’m a Heliobus! We’re not ghosts, so scram!” He shouted, his voice rough and even more frustrated than Xueyi sounded.

 

Guinaifen stood stock still as she stared at Mr Tail, her lips flapping for a few moments before she cowered behind Stelle. “It-It-Its A GHOOOOOST!” Stelle felt the second hand embarrassment, pinching the bridge of her nose.

 

“…She came all the way here to find ghosts, and then screams when she thinks she found one…” Even Hanya shared in that feeling of exasperation from the sound of it, the closest to a sigh Stelle had heard so far.

 

Guinaifen steadily regained her nerve as she stepped forward. “H-Hello Mr Tail? C-could I maybe ask a few questions? A little interview?”

 

Mr Tail growled at her for a moment. “I’m not here to talk nonsense with you! I said, Scram, you idiotic girl!”

 

Stelle couldn’t resist the tiny smile that crossed her face. “What a rude ghost…” Even she felt like stirring the pot once in a while, the chance was there.

 

“I already told you I’m not a ghost! There are no ghosts! If I have to repeat myself again then I’ll eat every one of you brats!” Stelle regretted nothing, even as Mr Tail snapped at them.

 

“It-its okay! He says that all the time! Mr Tail is a vegetarian!” Huohuo added, trying to bring the tempers back down. Stelle at least appreciated it, snickering as she tried to imagine this strange Not-ghost eating anything green at all, well, anything that wasn’t his apparent Host.

 

“I still have some questions, more of them now even, like if these… Heliobi are so dangerous, what is a judge doing carrying one around on her backside?” It was a final straw for Xueyi at least as she folded her arms.

 

“We’re done here. Judge Huohuo, please escort them out and see that they make it onto a transport back. Ridiculous…” Xueyi calmed just a bit as Hanya put a hand on her shoulder.

 

“Y-yes Ma’am! Let's get going you two, it really is too dangerous for you here, even for you Miss Stelle.” Huohuo told them, trying to shepard them back the way they came.

 

“Even me? I mean… I did help fight a Lord Ravager herself two weeks ago, I’m no slouch in a fight.” Stelle felt just the tiny bit offended, but she could tell Huohuo wasn’t trying to demean her.

 

“The one in the reports? Phantylia? She a-also is a Heliobi. Heliobi are immoral non-physical beings who possess their victims entirely, infiltrating their nervous system, making them see whatever they want... do what ever they want. They eventually drain them to death, feeding on the emotions of their host. When they’re done, not even a body is left usually as it combusts, like dried firewood. There isn’t much that can be done to resist being possessed, even you could be!” Huohuo urged them towards the exit, with Mr Tail returning to being well… her tail.

 

Those words stuck in Stelle, her mind flashing her bits of that day as she closed her eyes. It explained way too much about what happened with Dan Shu after that fight, as well as…

 

Stelle covered her mouth as she swore she could still hear that snap echo in her ears, the same one that had haunted her dreams since. She pushed the nausea down and gulped down a few breaths. “T-Tingyun…” She mumbled, trying to collect herself. It was a rare burst of emotions from the stoic Trailblazer. “Guinaifen, we need to go, Huohuo is right. I-I’ve seen it happen. Your channel isn’t worth your life.” She said with such urgency that the others stared at her for a few moments.

 

“I’m glad you understand the seriousness of the matter, further explanations can wait until you both are safely away from here. Please, for your own safety, do not come back here unless otherwise informed.” Hanya said, calming Xueyi with a patient look.

 

Guinaifen looked unsure of it all, but finally backed down once even Stelle became that serious, or even ill looking. Huohuo also looked at her in worry before moving ahead of them. “Let's go, I know a quick route back to the dock.”

 

Stelle followed behind the Judge as her mind couldn’t help but think about past events, the pain of those memories feeling fresh that day as she found the answers she was looking for. “Tingyun… we won’t ever find her… I’m sorry…”

 

It was a bitter pill to swallow.

 

Guinaifen held them up a bit, walking slowly, all but dragging her heels. “Could maybe Mr Tail come back out so I can ask him some questions on the way? Is he coming along too?”

 

Huohuo sighed and didn’t bother looking back. “Miss Guinaifen, I am on official duty right now. I’ll leave you two my number when we reach the docks, and I can answer any questions you have that do not violate my own oaths of secrecy. He Is trapped in my tail so…” It was a fair compromise.

 

“…For now, one of these days I’ll make you break this seal!” Mr Tail growled out from behind her.

 

Huohuo sighed and shook her head, looking genuinely annoyed with the Heliobus. “Do you think I Like spending time with you?” It was the most sassy they had heard her so far. Being honest, Stelle liked it, it fit.

 

Stelle saw Guinaifen regain that mischievous look on her face, stepping back to whisper at Stelle. “I just need a picture of Mr Tail, I already have a title ready for my post. Demonic fire and despair at Fyxestroll Gardens~ Innocent Foxian child possessed! The views are going to roll right in!”

 

She sighed and looked back at Gui as she walked. “If you keep pissing them off you’ll end up with a few centuries in jail… fair warning, I will sell you out for a plea bargain if need be.” Stelle was quiet for a moment. “I wouldn’t be so sure about her being a child, being a judge doesn’t sound like a position that is quick to get to at all, let's show some respect. If I’ve learned anything these past two weeks… it's that no one is as they seem. I got some good advice from someone; assume everyone you meet here is decades older than you.” Stelle noticed the folded ears of Huohuo at least flick, probably hearing their words.

 

As they continued down an unfamiliar path, the air steadily grew chilly, and more ominous. Stelle looked closer at Huohuo as she noticed her starting to shake. “Are you alright, Your Honor?” Stelle asked, sounding a bit stiff.

 

“P-please, you can just call me Huohuo, Judge Hanya and Judge Xueyi are far more worthy of being referred to like that, and have been at it a lot longer. Urggh… it's so quiet, it feels creepier somehow…” Hearing it, Stelle felt It was a rather… familiar flavor of self-deprecation.

 

Stelle thought she saw something out of the corner of her eye, but tried to not let her own paranoia increase. Stelle smirked as she tried to not let the immediate question of just how long Huohuo had been a judge come out of her mouth. It wasn’t really the time for her to fulfill her curiosity.

 

“Eh?! Ah! G-GHOOOST!” Guinaifen suddenly started screaming behind them, and her running footsteps went off to the side down another path. It was loud enough to startle Huohuo, who screamed right back.

 

“Where?! Miss Guinaifen?! You need to come back here!” Huohuo shouted as she started to go in the direction where they heard Guinaifen flee to. Before Huohuo got more than a few steps she turned to Stelle. “Miss Stelle, you need to go back to the docks and call for a transport, I’ll bring Miss Guinaifen back!”

 

In just a few moments, Stelle found herself alone there, just hearing the silence start to fill in the gaps left behind by the other two. “No no no… not again… Dammit!” She shouted as she couldn’t help but imagine either of those two women dead on the ground like… She shook her head to dispel the thought before sprinting down that path.

 

To her confusion, it led to what seemed to be a dead end, other than an eerie mirror. She started into it, looking behind it even. It appeared almost like a normal mirror, but the moment she turned away, out of the corner of the eye she saw her reflection stop matching her movements. In a single moment, something reached out and nearly pulled her arm out of her socket as she flew through that mirror.






Her head felt fuzzy as she looked around. While the landscape looked similar… She didn’t remember hallways or all the doors. “No no no…” It felt almost like those Foxian illusion shows she had heard of, but far more all encompassing. She laid there for a moment as she tried to suppress the welling emotions inside herself.

 

“Good fucking job Stelle… you are left out of sight for ten fucking seconds and you cause even More trouble…” She complained aloud, following that endless hallway. Every so often she would see little paper dolls, or talismans. “Huohuo? Guinaifen?”

 

It was hard to tell just how long she had been walking, but the bleak and seemingly endless series of turns and doors quickly began to wear down her nerves. The first embers of frustration appeared, making her try and think of ways to bash down these doors. “Haa… am I only able to hit stuff? Think you dumbass…” She mumbled at herself, freezing as she heard a disembodied giggle. “Who’s there?” It didn’t sound like either Guinaifen or Huohuo’s voice.

 

“Well, this is a treat~ Don’t you smell delectable?” A light sniffling sound echoed as well. “Wait… I know this scent… the stories have been passed around, whispered through the wind. You are quite the powerful mortal, one of the ones who drove off Phantylia herself! Oh my, this has to be a treat… How do you taste?” That voice steadily got more excited as Stelle looked around.

 

Before she knew it there were more of those Auramatons around her, flooding in front a few doors. It was almost automatic, how she began to swing her bat, crushing them left and right. They weren’t the strongest, and thankfully there were not many of them. What they were though was distracting.

 

“Just a single bite~ Let me taste you! Let me savor you!” It yelled nearly in her ear. Stelle turned just in time to feel a foreign substance enter her body, flowing through it in moments, setting her nerves on fire. “Oh you Are an interesting one! I’m unsure if you even Are a mortal… Just what is this at your core? A sun? I-It burns~”

 

“Of course…” Her mind couldn’t help but flash her images of the last time she saw someone get possessed. “Better me than those two.”

 

“What is this relief? Not worried for yourself? What makes you so… detached? It's almost as if you don’t care what happens to your body… Did I strike a nerve?” The voice asked from within Stelle’s head now.

 

“What in the hell do you even want? Who are you?” Stelle hissed, holding her head as she swore she saw tiny flames around her. “Get out of my body you damn Heliobus!” It felt invasive, a violation on the deepest level.

 

“Ah ah ah~ Just wait a moment and hear me out. I am Cirrus, a Heliobus as you guessed. As for what I want, it is quite simple. I want Out of this place… Yes I feel your question, I didn’t make this maze, I’m just as trapped in it as you are. I propose a deal~ You help me, and I help you, then we both can leave this maz- Ow ow ow~ Someone is feisty! You can’t get rid of me that easily, I’m here whether you like it or not, and you already know that there isn’t a single thing you can do about it…” It felt like an inner heat inside of Stelle as that bit of bubbling rage in her gut sought an escape.

 

“…Fine, don’t have much of a choice. Lets just find Guinaifen, find Huohuo, and then get the hell out of this creepy maze.” Stelle sighed and looked up at that illusionary sky, fighting off her own emotions that Cirrus was currently feasting on.


“I wonder, could a Stellaron destroy a Heliobus?” It wouldn’t be her worst idea.

 

Notes:

Another aspect I feel that doesn't get enough attention in the world is the mysterious Ten-Lords Commission, and how in a way they've kept Hanya and Xueyi as basically slaves for around 2000 years. Star Rail Lore gets Grimdark sometimes I swear... At first I thought the dispute between The Hunt and The Abundance was more of a religious war we just happened to find ourselves on one end of, until I read about a planet that got given that 'gift' and turned into a world eater.