#but uhhh i actually went over the whole Desire For A Younger Body thing a bit ago | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

burlesque-articulation · 3 years

Text

Alright, I pulled out my corkboard and red string again, this time in hopes of dissecting the MAG timeline to see if there is anything there to support my fan theory of:

~Could Jurgen Leitner be Martin’s Dad~

And so far, signs point to a solid "it could be possible”. So in lieu of this, I will be presenting all my evidence with exceptional bias so it better illustrates my desired outcome. Okay? Okay! Let’s get into it.

Let’s begin with 1985, when Jurgen Leitner supposedly begins renting an office in Pall Mall, central London. Presumably this is just where he sets up an office, and not the actual location of the Library, which isn’t something we get-- anyways, getting sidetracked, uhhh.

Right, we know, vaguely, that Martin was born in 1987, two years after Leitner would have set up shop in Central London; and interestingly enough, in that same year of Martin’s birth, Leitner attempted to hire some people to dig a big ol’ hole in the floor of his office to lead into the tunnels built beneath the building. And this could just be wishful thinking, but I believe it is implied that these tunnels connect to the other tunnels of Millbank Prison. Interconnected, and with many exits leading to various parts of the city. Basically, a needlessly intricate means of escape (I guess balconies and back doors just didn’t exist yet, you know) should shit get real. Anyways, the point I’m trying to make, is that it would make sense for Leitner to suddenly be very interested in having direct access to these tunnels from his main office after receiving news that he’s a father, or whatever. Or maybe it’s just because he’s always been a loser that loves vibing in tunnels.

[Obligatory readmore, because this shit gets long, and even more ramble-y. Also I’m not sorry, because y’all are more than welcome to continue scrolling past this mess]

Alright, now fast-forward to 1994, the destruction of the Library. At this point in time, Martin would have been 7. Now hold up! According to the Magnus Archives Wiki, Martin’s father abandoned the family when he was 8 or 9; so isn’t that a whole in the theory right there? No. It’s not. Because the only thing that is implied about Leitner around 1994, is that he went into hiding after the destruction of the Library. At no point is it implied that he even left the country (or even London, but like, I refuse to believe he’s that stupid; even if that alternative is hilarious). To set up my point, I’m going to shift the focus onto Martin now, and what his life might have been like when he was younger.

So, by present events (present actually referring to like, pre-season 4, actually), Martin’s mother is in a care home in Devon. Could be because care homes are cheaper there, or something, I have no idea. Honestly people in my family don’t live long enough to ever even consider this option, so I don’t know how assisted living works at all lmao. But let’s say, for simplicities sake, that Martin actually just grew up around Devon; and I’m throwing a dart at a map and declaring Plymouth as the city he grew up in. Anyways, why does this matter? Because I do in fact believe that Leitner is stupid enough to think that changing which county he lives in counts as being in hiding. And he gets maybe one (1) good summer with his family before the weight of his sins bare down on him, and he realizes that staying in one place really isn’t an option. So maybe he tries travelling around a bit; but inevitably he always ends up coming back to Plymouth. It takes him a year, maybe two, to finally realize that this won’t work forever. His habits are too predictable, and what’s this? The mother of his child is getting sick; and her condition only seems to worsen over time (you know, like how it usually works when someone is taken ill.); and Leitner gets it into his head that he could be the cause of it; so what is the safest course of action, but to completely abandon his family? Surely things will turn out for the better for them all if he were to just... disappear. To cut ties entirely, so as to make sure no one ever comes after them in an attempt to get to him.

And that worked out fucking great, didn’t it.

Bunch of unimportant stuff happens, and eventually Martin ends up dropping out of school, presumably only a year early from graduation (weird but fine); and it’s safe to assume he eventually ends up traveling to London in hopes of better job opportunities. Plus, if he’s gonna be lying on his CV, probably better to head out of county to some place where no one knows him from anywhere to begin with, right? That makes sense, and none of you can say otherwise.

And where does he find himself sliding into a new job position? Oh, that’s right; at the Magnus Institute. In the Library. I’m just saying. I am just saying, that’s a little interesting. I mean, he lied about having a degree in parapsychology on his CV; so if Bouchard really wanted to play along like he thought the CV was entirely legit, it actually would’ve made more sense to put him in Research, or even in Artefact Storage with a degree like that. But nope, Bouchard put him in the Library. Though, I guess we don’t know exactly what all might’ve been on Martin’s faked CV. But I swear to god, if we get bonus content that’s just Martin’s faked CV and it even hints at him working at a “family library/bookshop” I will spontaneously combust.

Regardless, in 2009, supposedly (according to the wiki), Martin began working at the Institute. Personally, I always thought he started working there in 2010, but that doesn’t matter. I actually like 2009 better, because then a year later, Leitner apparently begins working with Gertrude Robinson. Which I find interesting. I mean, really there’s no reason for them not to work together, I just find the timing of it interesting. Of course, Leitner (in MAG80) alludes to the fact that Gertrude was likely only working with him because there was a lack of anyone else around. But that really only explains Gertrude’s interest in Leitner. What attracted Leitner to the Magnus Institute in the first place, I wonder? Aside from the fact that it’s essentially the Library of Alexandria of research on the Entities.

But Leitner had managed to stay out of public eye for about 16 years, why would he chose right around then to start playing peekaboo with the Beholding? Rhetorical question, of course. Y’all should already know exactly where I’m going with this line of questioning. Martin. Martin is what lead Leitner to the Institute, and to Gertrude. Dude just wanted to check up on his son, and now he’s just as trapped as everyone who works for the damn Institute because of all these weird rituals and shit. Plus maybe there was another reason why Leitner went through so much effort to help Gertrude, even putting himself on the line for it; and I think we can all agree that Leitner is a pretty selfish dude who’s only real character trait is being like a fucking cockroach. Straight up, the only way to kill a cockroach is to beat those suckers until they pop like a fucking pimple-- sorry, I’m actually getting ahead of myself, I don’t want to talk about that yet, um.

Leitner’s biggest character trait, and on some level, character flaw, is his Self-Preservation instinct. When the going gets tough, his own health and safety comes first. But maybe he gets a bit sentimental in his old age, and maybe he struck a deal with Gertrude; if he helps her stop the Unknowing, (or actually I think it would’ve been the Dark’s ritual first), she will bring his son down to the tunnels so Leitner can see how he’s grown, and maybe even talk to him. I just think that would be interesting character motivation; because at the end of the day, it’s still a pretty selfish motivation. But at this point, Gertrude’s only other option for help is a teenaged Shadow the Hedgehog wannabe; so she’d likely agree to just about anything for the extra pair of hands. And given what later happens in regards to the Dark’s ritual, which then results in Gertrude’s death; Leitner gets scared back into his hole in the ground.

But hey, I guess things actually kind of worked out for ol’ Jurgen. Because like a year later, his son* (*allegedly, according to apparently no one but me) starts living in the Archives. It’s like he’s living in his son’s basement, he can just pop up for tea and say hi whenever. Maybe complain about all the bugs that keep crawling around. Or not, because Jürgen Leitner is a coward. But I 100% would not put it past him to shuffle his old bones up into the Archives to stand creepily at the edge of wherever Martin was sleeping and angst quietly at the sight of his son. It’s creepy, funny, and sad. Basically a peak TMA scenario right there.

Then Leitner gets brutally piped by Bouchard. Actually, can I say it like that? “Piped” isn’t some kind of... new-age slang for something, is it? God, I hope not. Anyways; Leitner isn’t just beat upside the head with a length of pipe, but literally pulped by Bouchard (or at the very least implied so), in a way that makes identifying the guy difficult enough that he remains a John Doe straight up until Elias confesses to the murder. Now, obviously there are plenty of reasons for this; given that both Daisy and Basira are familiar with the name Leitner, so presumably other sectioned officers would be as well; so there was at least a slim chance that whatever officer got sent to the Institute upon the discovery of the body might just recognize Leitner immediately. But, and sorry to sidetrack here, but there was just one thing that really stood out to me about Martin. One thing that always stuck with me, that for some reason was the main thing that made me thing Leitner could’ve been his dad.

Martin looks like his father, whoever that may or may not be. It is explicitly canon, that Martin looks like whoever his dad is. So wouldn’t it be better safe than sorry for Bouchard to beat Leitner to a pulp wherein no one could easily discern any major features of him once he was found. After all, it would make things rather messy and a bit too complicated if everyone who saw the body was like, “wow! That looks just like you, Martin.” So really, it’s for the best that not only did Bouchard kill Leitner, but he thoroughly did so.

And so, I will end this already way to long of a ramble with the one thing that solidified me on this theory, and Spoilers for Season 5 of MAG, but... In MAG181 Salesa says, “Now you mention it, you actually remind me of Jurgen a bit. In his younger days of course.” to Martin. Of course, Martin did just shoot out a snappy one-liner about books, but... it’s the clarification of Jurgen “in his younger days”, that gets me. Mikaele could just have easily said something about Martin just “sounding” like Leitner. But the way this reads, and how it’s spoken, even, it seems more like someone that might’ve been looking at Martin for awhile, squinting at him as if he’s seen that face somewhere before, and then right when Martin mentions books, it finally clicks. After all, it would’ve been almost 20 years, or possibly more, since Salesa would have left Leitner’s employ.

So yeah, I admit this theory has a much weaker backbone then my Banks/Folger post, but... I just think it’s neat. And it’s another one of those things that actually doesn’t have any affect on the major plot whatsoever. I dunno, maybe it was meant to be some sort of subplot early on that got ditched or something? Point is, that’s all for now, and with any luck, I will never post another crack theory again, and the TMA tag can be safe from my ramblings once more.

#burl posts #the magnus archives #tma spoilers #tma fan theory #martin blackwood #jurgen leitner #no editing; we post rough drafts like idiots #also i didn't actually write this with nearly as much bias as I intended too #i'm too facts-based; and the moment i try saying something that isn't absolutely factual #i'm too quick to add a ''this is only alleged we have no canon proof''#did the same thing with my last redstring theory #i actually think i might start calling my tma theories ''pink-string nonsense'' because it's less #red string means; IT HAS TO BE TRUE IT DEFINITELY MAKES SENSE #whereas pink string is more; IT COULD BE TRUE BUT REALLY I THINK IT WOULD JUST BE NICE/COOL

33 notes · View notes

lovemesomesurveys · 5 years

Text

5000 questions survey series--part forty

LOTR The Two Towers

3801. Who is your favorite Lord of the Rings charater and why?

I’ve never seen LOTR or had the desire to see it. This isn’t a whole survey about it is it...

3802. In the Lord of the Rings...how do the characters go on when the forces against them are so powerful?

How can they go on when so many awful things have happened?

3803. What is it that makes middle earth worth saving?

3804. Is Frodo making a personal sacrifice by taking the ring to be destroyed?

3805. What would you do in Frodo's place?

3806. When you saw the two towers did you really want the Ents (Treebeard etc.)to get involved in the war?

3807. Why didn't Merry and Pippin just allow the Ents to take them home to the shire?

What could two tiny hobbits do in a great war?

3808. Why did the elves go to Helm's Deep?

They had a dusty old alliance but they could have escaped and made a new and better life, without risking their lives.

3809. Who is the most heroic LOTR character and what makes them a hero?

3810. What characters in LOTR put their own interests before the interests of all?

What characters put the interests of all above their own interests?

3811. Aragorn left the elvish girl he loved. How could he leave someone he loved? Isn't love the highest thing that there is? What could he possibly have valued higher than love that he left her for? Do you agree with him?

3812. What LOTR character displays the most humanity?

3813. What did you notice that was different between the Two Towers book and movie?

3814. Why is Frodo so kind to Gollum?

3815. You are in Helm's Deep on the eve of battle. Do you put on a suit of armor and fight, or crawl into the caves and hope to be protected?

3816. What have you risked your life for?

What would you?

3817. With the constant threat of violence, war, nukes, terror, chemicle weapons, etc. aren't we all in a similar position to those in the Lord of the Rings?

3818. How can we go on when the evil in this world is so powerful? No one and nothing is more powerful than God and He will always prevail.

How can we go on when so many awful things have happened? A lot of bad has happened, but a lot of good has, too.

3819. What is it that makes our Earth worth saving? Because there is good that exists. We’re only here but a short time. We need to do what we can while we’re here.

3820. Who's responsibility is it to save our world? Ours.

3821. Who was more technilogically advance in LOTR, the 'good guys' or the 'bad guys'?

3821. What was Tolkien saying by causeing the Ents (trees) to come together with the river (by breaking the dam) and over throw Sauromon?

3822. Should Wormtoung have been killed? Should Gollum? Why or why not?

3823. In the battlee for Middle Earth, which LOTR character would you most like to be like and why?

3824. Which character do you think you actually WOULD be the most like?

3825. What is the over all ___ that you took away with you from this movie?

**End LOTR**

3826. Why do most people associate being spiritual or connected to the world as being a hippy? *shrug*

3827. Why is passion and honest emotion equated with hallmark cards/ I didn’t know it was.

3828. What words set off alarms in your brain (for me it's anarchy, pagan, etc)? Uh, a lot do.

3829. Are you dancin in the dark? I’m not dancing at all.

3830. Name 2 things you have never done in public:

1. Went out naked.

2. Used the restroom.

3831. If you had to choose out of what you just named, which one WOULD you do in public? Neither!

3832. Challenge yourself. Do whatever it is in public. Absolutely not.

Why not?

What are you so terrified of?

3832. Is hell REALLY other people? Hell is a place.

3833. Or would it be more hellish to live totally without other people? I wouldn’t want to be alone and without my family. I don’t do well in crowds, and I’m not very social or outgoing, but I wouldn’t want to be completely alone.

3834. Leggos or linkin logs? I’ve played with both cause my younger brother was a Lincoln Logs kid, but I was definitely a Legos kid.

3835. What books have you read more than once? I’ve actually never read a book more than once. I don’t know why.

3836. Do you get different things out of reading a book a second time a year or more after reading it the first time? Is it because you are a different person after time passes?

3837. The person who goes to ____ is not the same person who comes back. Fill in the blank with anything you think fits.

3838. Quick! Empty your brain here! I don’t really have anything in particular to say.

3839. What's the best movie soundtrack? There’s many, but I do really enjoy the Sweeney Todd soundtrack.

3840. Tissues with or without aloe? I’ve never used any with aloe, but that sounds nice.

3841. Are you on any medication? Yes.

3842. Does any part of your own body disgust you? All of it...

If yes, isn't that odd? What could have caused that feeling of disgust with your own body? I’m just a very self-conscious person with a lot of insecurities and imperfections.

3843. Want some popcorn? Nah.

3844. What if Atlas shrugged? What.

3845. Who has led the most interesting life?/ A lot of people have.

3846. What movies are comming out next year that you are looking forward to? I’m not sure about next year yet, but there’s a ton I want to see this year.

3847. If someone is half man and half dog is he his own best friend? Sure.

3848. Paper or plastic? Reusable bags.

3849. Why did things make sense in childhood, but they don't now? We didn’t really understand and we were naive. The good ol’ days.

3850. Is it crazy time? Yes.

3851. If there is a lotto with 50 numbers, and a player picks 6 numbers without repeating any, what are their chances of getting all 6 winning numbers? I don’t know, man.

3852. If there were no laws and no rules name 3 things you would do that you don't/wouldn't/can't do now? I don’t know. I feel like the things I want to do but don’t do aren’t because they’re illegal.

3853. It's a costume party. What will your costume be if the theme is:

the 70's? The typical hippie look.

80's? Side pony tail, neon colors.

under the sea? Ariel.

3854. Have you ever wanted to release the lobsters from those tanks in restraunts and put them back in the sea? No.

3855. How funky is your chicken? Sigh.

How loose is your goose? ...

3856. What's your favorite animal out of these: emu, otter, duck billed platypus, moose, skunk? Otter.

3857. priest, rabbi, or other religios leader, a judge, or a sea captain to perform your wedding? Priest.

3858. Do you think that it's okay for people to write their own wedding vows? Yes?

3859. Rank these as places to be married. 1 = best.

Your House or Yard

The Beach: IF I ever got married, this is where I’d want it to be.

A Park

Disneyland

A Forest

A Catering Hall

Las Vegas

A church or temple

A Courthouse

On a Boat

On a Space Station

3860. The Earth is doomed. A giant asteroid is headed our way. It will decimate the planet in 3.2 days. You and your family own a space pod and you have room for 7 people from the list below. Everyone else dies. Who do you pick? Orlando Bloom, Justin Timberlake, Joan Jett, John Denver, Baby Eve (the first human clone), Jennifer Lopez, Johnny Depp, George W Bush, David Bowie, Charleton Heston, Ralph Nader, Moby, Jeff Bridges, Kelly Osbourne, Frank Zappa, Bill Clinton, Britney Spears, Osama Bin Laden, The Pope, Eminem, Madonna

3861. Rank the following dead people in order of who you would like to spend the day with. 1 = you'd like to hang out with them the most.

Joan of Arc

Groucho Marx

John Lennon

Joey Ramone

Anton Levay

Tupac

Jack Kerouac

Aaliyah

John F Kennedy

Lucielle Ball: I’d love to be able to hang out with her. I love Lucy!

Jim Morrison

3862. If you could grant immortality to one person you know (can't be yourself) who would you give it to? My brother.

3863. If you could grant immortality to one person who you do not know personally but know of (writer, politician, etc) who would you give it to? I don’t know.

3864. Name a person you love: My family.

Name a person you admire: My mom.

Name a friend: My mom.

Name a relative: My mom. haha.

If you had to condemn one of them to death to save the lives of the others who would it be and why? No.

3865. Would you rather be one of Santa's elves or a dentist? One of Santa’s elves, definitely. How fun. I’d totally be like Buddy.

3866. When you first meet people what do you talk to them about? If I’m just meeting them then it’s awkward small talk.

3867. You have been invited to a party with any sports team in the world. Which one? I don’t care about sports.

3868. Finish the sentances.

In a world where:

He was:

She was:

Together, they were:

Why do so many movie trailers start off by saying 'In a world..'? Because it takes place in a world. Ha.

3869. Make up a superhero with really unhelpful powers: Destructo. He’s very destructive, which includes the destruction of good things.

3870. A couple of days ago this guy won 14 million dollars and tried to donate 1 million to the salvation army. The salvation army turned the money down saying they didn't want dirty gambling money. Did they do the right thing? I’ve heard a lot of bad things about the Salvation Army, so that’s kinda funny they’d act like they were all innocent.

3871. If you had a spare million for charity work who would you donate it to? Something for children.

3872. What's the craziest most shocking moment of rock and roll history that you can think of? Uhhh.

3873. Why is it that if a man kills another man in battle it's called heroic, but if he kills a man in the heat of passion, it's called murder?

3874. What kind of punishment do you feel the following crimes deserve:

premeditated murder?

date rape?

drug sales?

drug use?

burglery?

3875. If you could kiss anyone in the world on midnight at new year's eve, who would be the lucky one? Alexander Skarsgard. Not so lucky for him, but. haha.

3876. You have just taken two sexy people prisoner because they found your hide out and you think they are spies. What do youd do: kill them, hump them or have crumpets and tea? Wtf.

3877. What is your new year's resolution? I don’t make those anymore.

3878. Should the U.S. focus more on the threat from N. Korea or Iraq?

3879. Would you ever have plastic surgery? If it was for reconstructive purposes.

3880. How can George Bush be considered a Christian when he a war-monger and the ten comandments say do not kill?

3881. What is the most inetesting premise for a reality tv show that you can think of? I don’t know. I watch a lot of reality TV, though.

3882. Who is the Hollywood Star next to die of a drug overdose? Yikes, I don’t know. :/

3883. Do you find yourself caring a lot about online people, even if you haven't met or spoken to them off of the computer? Yeah.

3884. When you hear the song puff the magic dragon what do you think? Marijuana.

3885. Let's give you a tarot reading. Go on, ask any question: No thanks.

first card: the reversed high preistess.

you may be expecting things to come too easily. You should be careful not to give up if they dont go your way. You're feeling a desire to escape, to withdraw into yourself. Shrug off your current lack of focus and work diligently to acheive the goals you want.

second card: the reversed hanged man.

You shouldnt be close-minded with your situation. There are many alternatives and possible solutions to your problems. Try something new.

The last card: Justice.

what goes around comes around. Seek advice on the matters at hand from elders. Do healthy things, spiritually and physically.

3886. What does 'boo' mean dn how did it become a slang word of affection? It comes from the French word, “beau.” Huh, interesting.

3887. How often do you stretch? I stretch out my arms and fingers a lot.

3888. Have you ever wished that you didn't have to be yourself? Oh yes.

3889. Would you rather wear shoes full of earthworms or a hat full of spiders? jlaskdjkljdklsjflks

3890. What are some things that for most people go unsaid? How we really feel about our loved ones. We don’t tell them enough, maybe not at all.

3891. I said, 'Play me the best song in the world.' You put on: 3892. What happened last year that you would like to forget? Blah I don’t know. These past few years have been really hard.

3893. What are you not able to do alone? I wouldn’t survive long on my own.

3894. Do you feel more connected to earth air fire or water and why? Water I suppose since I love the beach. I’m a big scardy cat to get in the water, it’s a terrifying thought, but I love being near it and watch/listen to the waves crash in, smell that ocean air, and feel that ocean breeze. 3895. Which two words belong together and why: life, seawater, chocolate, blood, hair piece Life and blood. You need blood to live.

3896. If con is the opposite of pro, what's the opposite of progress? Uhh.

3897. Have you ever wanted to meet the inspectors with the numbers for names(i.e. inspected by 36)? Nah.

3898. Who is the most thought-provoking person you know, &why? Hmm. I don’t know.

3899. If you could change 1 thing you did in the last 24 hours, what would it be & why? I would have taken a longer nap.

3900. What is the most bizarre thing you've ever done? Who knows.

#phew I really struggle with this survey series for some reason #and the first part of it had to do with something I know nothing about so I skipped a bunch #I'm trying to just finish this series once and for all but it's a lot man #personal #text #survey #surveys #5000 question survey

2 notes · View notes

theoneyouneed · 3 years

Text

God when I die I’ll finally feel the relief of muscle finally unflexed the release of the pressure built into life.

Wwx haunts Jin ling. Did I already write that? Based off of children beware the demon of Yiling. Did I already write that? And wwx is a ghostly boy and also a cat for some reason just let it happen and uhhh yanli is alive because I said so and her husband can be there too? Idk I don’t care either way like it’s be nice if he was there but ughhhhhh the angst versus the comfort.

Days after the siege of nightless city, people were starting to talk. In medical tents as they rested their sore and broken bodies, in taverns as they nursed another wine in remenace of the horrors they faced, and in the grand halls of the great sects, the same words were exchanged, the same question they all stumbled into that begged to be answered: ‘where did Wei Wuxians body go?’

The terrible night went like this: the four great sects, accompanied by the five lesser major sects, concentrated upon the entrance pavilion landing just outside the sun palace in nightless city. They listened as the Jin clan leader announced the death of the final Wen survivors, those straggling cock roaches, and denounced their protector, the Yiling patriarch. Wei wuxian declared his presence on the roof when they defamed him and praised him in the same breath, when they choked on their hypocrisy.

He stood here at the edge of the earth, with the entire world against him. Yes, he truly had nothing left to lose, is what he told himself as he pulled out his final weapon, the only thing powerful enough to keep him alive in the darkness, the stygian tiger amulet. He felt his blood rushing through his veins, he heard the screams and the cries of the restless spirits as they rose to his call, he felt the cold vestiges of resentful smoke curling around his finger tips. Yes he truly had nothing left to lose, he thought, as he turned the amulet, this tool of evil refinement and control, inward, towards himself. If he had a core, it’s pure natured energy would have fought off the yin energy of the amulet. It would have tired out both the amulet and his core, weakening both. He would have likely gone into Qi deviation, sapped for strength and overwhelmed by the darkness of the moment. Instead his body which housed no goodness, and no pure golden core, had no resistance to give when the amulet forced itself in. Hell it practically opened the doors and made tea for it so the evil spirit would feel welcome. Maybe this is what he’s been preparing for this whole time, he mused in a moment of insanity. With his past use of dark energy and how much resentment and yin he carries in his body, it’s all lead up to this.

For a moment, there’s nothing but the ringing in his ears. He’s not even sure if he’s breathing. In the silence. In the stunned realization that it actually worked. His last crazy idea. He merged himself with the very instrument of mass destruction they all craved nearly as much as they desired the creators execution. Now no one can get it.

Out of the corner of his eye he sees white. No no it’s too late.

It goes like this, with more resentment and shadows ripping through his body then blood, he wrestled control of the storm he was trapped in the eye of. Spectators saw the great Yiling patriarch split into a grin and crack open with cackling delight and mounting horror. The shadows swirled around him, building with speed and intensity. The resentment from the entire backfield was sapped out of the ground, out of the soldiers, out of the air, and pulled into Wei wuxian. A figure in white, the second jade of Gusu Lan, rushed unbidden into the waves of darkness.

“Wei Ying!” The cry was only heard between the two people standing near the edge of the cliff, the air was heavy and thick with the resentful energy. This close to the edge Lan Wangji could hear the spirits of the damned and vengeful crying and screaming. He gripped his friends shoulders to make him look in his eyes.

“Lan Zhan.” Wei Wuxian swayed, far more than he intended to, from the force of the motion. But his grin never left his face. But Lan Wangji wasn’t deterred by this, as he was also crying, and fresh blood dribbled down his chin from when he had spit up blood seconds ago.

“Let me go.” He whispered, any louder and he would have broken. Any louder and the amulet would have cracked and he would have shattered. He could feel his heart beating in his stomach, each beat was a surprise, he could taste his end on his tongue. At least he got to see the one person he still hadn’t doomed yet, just once more before he died. Lan Zhan looked beautiful, even with dirt on his white robes and his brow furrowed like that.

“No Wei Ying, your sister is-“ the peerless Hanguang Jun didn’t get to finish as he was shoved aside with all the strength Wei wuxian and the amulet could muster. Between one second and the next all the pressure in the pavilion seemed to increase and then, rather anticlimatically, pop. The place where the Yiling patriarch once stood was evidence only by the slight char marks that remained on the ground.

It ended like this: the amulet shattered when Wei wuxian overpowered it with a flood of the very spirits and resentful energy that it commanded. The amulet shattered, the pieces scattering across the pavilion, into the wind and lava and across the land. Wei Wuxian, who wanted to die, overlooked the little detail that he wouldn’t be allowed such simple desires. After all, he bound his own soul to the amulet, and in its pieces he lives on.

Seven years later.

Jin ling Rulan had a good life. He had the run of the palace, and everybody loved him. And if anyone was mean to him, his mom was always there to soothe over his tears.

Being one of the only kids in the grand world of the Jin palace filled with grownups. One of his favorite pastimes was going on stealth missions around the grown ups, to see how long he can go before they detect him. Sometimes he takes his younger cousin Jin Rusong with him, but Rusong always gives them away by making too much noise. Plus Jin Rusong is only four so it’s understandable that he can’t go on the important big kid missions that only Jin Ling is qualified enough to partake.

Grown ups always talk about this place called Yiling and a guy who’s from there. Jin ling tends to get distracted when they all talk about far away things though. It’s not his fault that politics are all so boring!

He found something really weird on this stealth mission. He didn’t intend to end up in his grandfathers private chambers, but he was trailing after his half uncle and he somehow ended up here. And the chest sitting under the bed -where Jin ling was currently hiding- looked really suspicious and inviting. And he was just going to take a peek anyway! He couldn’t move from his hiding spot right now, both his grand father and his half uncle were talking about boring grown up stuff at the tea set right next to the bed, and he had to wait until they were looking away or until his half uncle got up to leave to continue stalking him. So he was just going to poke around while he was waiting!

When he opened the chest, he was surprised to find that there was only one thing inside of it, and instead of gold or jade or a treasure map, the thing inside the hidden chest under the richest sect leaders bed was... a rock.

Jin ling wheedled the rock out and rolled it in his palm in disbelief. It must be obsidian or something just as cool because it was pure black and had jagged edges all around it. It was pretty small too. Jin ling could hold it in his palm and completely cover it in his fist. He flipped it around to his other hand a repeated the process of rubbing his fingers across the edges and trapping it in his fist. Well if his grandfather had this hidden away, then it must be a special rock somehow. He’ll ask his mom about it later.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw the shaped of his grand father and his half uncle get up, as if they were bowing to each other to leave. Jin ling pokes his head cautiously over the edge of the blankets and watched his grandfather wander into his en suite study and his half uncle make his way towards the door. He slipped the rock in his pocket and snuck after his half uncle, and then he forgot about it.

0 notes