Jack Marston

Two years passed, two-thirds of the village's population were wiped clean. And just when they finally had another harvest, the village was raided by bandits. Children were taken, but Pau was deemed too sick and frail and left him in the rubbles. He couldn't walk, dragging himself between houses to drink the blood of those who had been slain to survive. Eventually, a man came by the village, a man with in a clean, flowy blue robe. The traveler he had fed had returned, and Pau was taken to Tianmen Mountain, the Sect territory. He became one of the many disciples of the Hall of Benevolence, was renamed It-Kung, and would later become the hall grandmaster and sect elder.

Grandmaster It-Kung was a cultivator of the Path of Unbounded Freedom (逍遙道). In 1145, he had completed his Tao and ascended.

雷望山 Leui Muang-Shan (1005 - 1279)

Born Chen Hei-Niang 陳喜娘 (she/her) Hei-Niang lived a humble and happy childhood in a small seaside village, with loving parents and her little brother, Fuk-Go. In 1015, they were struck by a plague, and their parents passed while Fuk-Go had fallen ill as well. Catching news that a competent healer was in town, she singlehandedly carried Fuk-Go all the way to town, where they met Master Leui, who took them under his wing and renamed them Muang-Shan and It-Kung. While practicing the art of healing under her master, she also learnt the skills of swordsmanship with the sword sages of the sect. After the Jurchen invasion of China in 1127, she left the sect and began her journey as a traveling healer and vigilante. In 1279, she died shortly after the Battle of Yashan, having escorted several young children of the fallen Sung dynasty to safety. Her Tao was the Tao of All Living Beings (蒼生道)

雷聞溪 Leui Mwen-Khei (1008 - ?)

Born Chen Fuk-Go 陳福哥 (he/she/they) Younger brother of Muang-Shan. Soon after he was taken into Tianmen Sect, they discovered his talents for geogramology, and for years he stayed in Tower Mysterium Ultimum to refine his skills, and after receiving the title of master, he would stay in the Hall of Benevolence more often to spend more time with his sister and new baby siblings, 'Chyuan-Chyuan' and, later on, "Un-Un".

After Muang-Shan's death in 1279, they would choose to appear in the form of a woman most of the time, a reminder to themselves that Muang-Shan's blood was still living through them. They were later married with another member of the sect and had children, who would carry on the legacy of the Hall of Benevolence, when Mwen-Khei became Sect Leader.

Their Tao was the Tao of Non-Intervention (無爲道)

雷問川 Master Leui Mwen-Chyuan (1080 - ?)

Initially called "Little Sparrow" 小麻雀 (she/he/they) She was orphaned for as long as she could remember. The closest thing she had to a name, was "little sparrow", called by older children who were orphaned like her. At the age of 5, she was captured by child traffickers with other children, but was later saved by Master It-Kung. He had settled them down in a temple where they would be fed and safe, but Little Sparrow ran after her hero and, quite boldly, asked to be his apprentice so she could fight like him. And so, she was taken in as well, and renamed Leui Mwen-Chyuan. She was the youngest child in the hall for 15 years, until an infant of the Nine-Cycle Cavern of the apothecaries was left orphaned, and little Chyuan-Chyuan begged her master and seniors to take in this baby, eager to be someone's senior as well. Among the four pupils of the hall, she was the one who was most focused on the healing art and therefore, the only one who had truly learnt all of the grandmaster's skill. She had also learnt the skill of transformation from Mwen-Khei. Afterwards, they started taking forms of different ages and genders; just for fun, really.

Following Muang-Shan's footsteps, they set on their own journey as a lone traveler seeking Tao, which lasted for several centuries, only coming back to Tianmen Mountain occasionally to visit Mwen-Khei. Like Muang-Shan, their Tao was the Tao of All Living Beings (蒼生道)

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雷切雲 Leui Chiet-Un (1100 - 1909)

Courtesy name: Fu Chen Zi 拂塵子

Born Chau Ham-Ching 周含真 (he/him) His parents were both apothecaries of the Nine-Cycle Cavern. When he was 3 months old, the furnace was overexerted and the cavern was set ablaze. Little Ham-Ching was one of the 3 survivors, and he was taken in by Gransmaster It-Kung, just like his seniors, and was renamed Chiet-Un. Though, he was called Un-Un most of the time, being the youngest child in the hall.

He learnt the skill of apothecary reading scripts left by his parents, under the guidance of Grandmaster It-Kung. He was the closest with Mwen-Chyuan, them being the closest in age, and they shared a sibling-like bond. Close as they were, Chiet-Un never told Chyuan about his growing feelings for their senior, Muang-Shan. Perhaps out of shame, as she was like a big sister to them both, almost like a parent. And before Chiet-Un figured out what to do with these feelings, Muang-Shan had passed.

The tragedy had struck Chiet-Un terribly, as physically and mentally he was just a teenager at the time. He had grown alienated with Chyuan and Khei, finding their presence a painful reminder of what they had lost. A few years later, he had left the sect as well to live the life of a hermit, sitting in front of his furnace, brewing pills and elixirs.

His Tao was the Tao of Unfeeling (絕情道)

The sun rises.

The sun sets.

The moon came upon.

The moon left.

It is as it always was. Always had been. It was what was normal. It was right. Nothing more and nothing less.

The sun allowed life, a vibrant form of it. The rays of heat, the birth of growth, the prospect of a glimmering life. A life to live, all for the sun. All for it's glory, for it's sacrifices. For all it gave.

The moon allowed life in its calm care. A darkness casting over the fields, casting a cool sensation to fill the air. To allow rest. To allow grief, allow those creatures of the night to shine. Those who could not handle the suns pride. The moon was quiet, making as little noise as possible. Nothing more than a peep.

Yet, the moon was villianized. For it was different; it was not as colorful as its counterpart, it was not joyful. It had sorrow, it had death, it reeked of sins! Full of lies! Full of such greed, the coyote was such evidence for that (for context, a coyote was in charge of star placements but became... not as should be.)

The night was uneasy, it was not calming for most. Tears, allowance of thoughts. How dare the moon! But none the less, one could not get rid of it, as much as they longed. As much as they longed for the fields to be forever. For the crops to grow ever so big, to never go hungry! Oh what a thought!

The sun loved that idea.

The idea of no night.

Of more being given to him, more being praised in his name. More life, more more more! Oh such a wonderful thought. More to him. More for him. More to the people. To the beasts. To the plants. To the very life he allowed! HE allowed, none other! The thought could make one chuckle.

Every day when he lay beyond his field, he'd watch as the moon made its way every so slowly up the hill. His steps careful. Silent. Head bowed in something the other called shame. Shame that a entity should not show. One thst made them weak. They were not mortals. They could not show weakness.

The sun scoffed each time, turning his head hotly, unknowing of the others gaze slowly finding him. Unaware of the jealousy that course through the moons body, but dared not act upon it. Though he was made of sins, he would never commit one himself. Only be blamed for them.

One day however, the sun wished for winter to not arise. Crop would die, so many animals would die, so many mortals! All the life he brought in would shrivel, more in the night than anything. The night and winter must work together he thought so bitterly, consumed by the rage of things he couldn't control. The winter and night worked together. Get rid of one. Get rid of it all. The very ideas. Easily manipulated.

One could not get rid of a season, as much as the sun wished it and thought on it. You could not tackle the season. You could not stop the wind. You could not bite it's neck for it had none. It wasn't something you saw. Just something that became.

The moon though.

That was something physical. He saw it every day. The weakness it posed. The cowardice. The slinking. The sun couldn't stop his mind, nor did he want to, as he became that of a fox and his thoughts turned cruel. So many ways to get rid of a being. But he had to be careful of what he choose...

He had to make it seem like the moons fault. That it was his own upbringing. The sun could not take that responsibility. He would not risk his reputation if it went wrong.

He could be patient though. He waited until the next season, letting winter have a final pass. Take those lives. A fresh start to a new reign. When the time was right... he struck.

The sun had waited another day; he lay in his usual spot upon the hillside, his green eyes watching every movement of the budding flowers, the swaying grass, the whistling of bird turning to crickets. Moon was arising, his steps heavy like they were chained as he walked. His tail hung low, head bowed just as low as ever. The sun grinned, lips curling in that of a sudden snarl and punched upon moons back.

The moon gave that of a booming howl, back arching as the suns back legs kicked at it relentlessly like a cougar with its kill, thumping against the spine with the force of a thousand warriors. The land was engulfed in wuddwn darkness, the hillside just a burning orange. Dimmed to them, but to the mortals is stung their eyes and made them cry in horror. The moon was teying over take the sun, they cried, unknowing of the murder being attempted, the victim not the one they praised.

But instead the one they cursed.

The sun kept kicking, in a haze of joy at the feeling of his jaws snapping around a scruff, tugging and snarling. No blood was drawn, but the moons pained cries showed his harm; the moon did not yank away, did not try and flee as the sun suspected. He fought back instead, he dragged a paw upwards, slicing the suns side. Having never been harmed before, he let out a howl, allowing the moon to leap away.

Though the sun was hurt, the moons body ached and his legs trembled with strain.no defiance or anger in his eyes, but hurt in them. The betrayal of one he thought as a friend. He uttered no words as the sun snarled at him, ❝We need not you.❞ he words came out as a gargle through spit. ❝We need not you. Run. Escape. Or i will kill you.❞

The moon had never seen the other be so fierce. He was always so happy, so dramatic but never in a real sense. The moon stared and stared then bowed his head slowly... and began to head down the slope.

Victorious, the sun raised his head high, tail lashing behind. He had won. The darkness was no more. The grief was no more. Ph what a glorious day. He rushed to the nearest village in the form the humans could handle, excitedly telling the news. ❝My friends, Moon is no more! That darkness cannot harm you no more! I have protected us all! I have secured our future!❞

The townspeople cheered, though some hung back in fear. The moon brought comfort to those, and the sun called them crazy. This was best for them all he assured them. It would help! He would guide more, and help!

Yessss it was nice. To have the sun going and going... and going... and going... until his rays became too much. Until he burned hotter in his demands, his orders. He grew over time too, he grew and grew to mimic that inside him. That greed. That ego. He paid less attention to the mortals under his care, only caring for the food he was given, the sacrifices in his name.

Until the food came no more. His beef had slowly turned tough. Turned sour. His grapes became raisins, his tomatos were barely the size of a raccoons paw. It didn't make sense. What was happening? Where was the gratitude!?

His anger burned bright as he stormed his way to the village, preparing the sun their town on fire... when he saw it already was.

His rays had been so hot this very day, everything was already so dry, the homes were on fire. People lay within the trails, dead, turning to ash. Animals laying down with panting breaths, just skin and bones. Plants shivering into themselves, dry and falling. Crumbling. The world was crumbling.

For the first time, The sun felt a flash of panic. No no no! He was not supposed to kill, he was helping! No no! His gifts! The life he'd started! It was being torn away! No no no!

But he could not stop it. He howled for winter, begged, for it to come now, please, oh please! But the rays were to hot, and winter very well did not exist no more. Please oh please, the sun begged for hours. For weeks. For months...

Another year of ever growing loneliness settled across the land. The sun walked oh so slowly, head bowed, tail tucked between his legs in shame as he wondered mindlessly. His paws burned whatever he touched. Waves along the air...

He only looked up when he had returned to the hill he used to lay upon. Ehat he saw made him freeze.

The moon sat upon the hillz looking calm as ever, fur neat, eyes narrowed as it stared at its counterpart. Head high.

They locked eyes until the sun lowered his snout to the ground. Silent. Wanting forgiveness but he knew he had no right to that luxury.

❝....How does it fare?❞

❝not... Not well.❞

❝Why?❞

❝I burned it all.❞ hot tears found the suns eyes as he whimpered pathetically, ❝I have burned the world.❞

❝Why?❞

❝...I thought you brought depression. You brought so much sadness. You took so many lives. You... I wanted them safe.❞

❝And?❞

❝And I... wanted to be praised... to be seen more... to grow more.❞

The moon nodded slowly, watching before sighing and standing. He slowly padded his way over. The sun lowered his neck more, exposing his scruff for the other to sink his fangs into.

But instead the moon nudged him. ❝We have work to do. You and I. We cannot exist without another. We should not.❞

❝You have a long road toward growth, brother.❞