Philosophical

Chapter 33

 Xiao sighed, mindlessly walking across the plains of Guili. One hand swung by his side, the other carefully holding a delicate scroll of paper. It was a beautiful thing, that single piece of paper. To the adeptus, it held wisdom and comfort, yet pain and sorrow simultaneously.

The male held his head to the full moon, watching the stars that twinkled against the black of the sky. It was just like that night where he had watched Feiya fight the sudden swarm of mobs.

Using the moonlight, he slowly undid the scroll, revealing the neat handwriting under. Feiya's handwriting.

Even with the large amount of effort Xiao had put in trying to refrain from damaging the delicate paper, crinkles were visible from constantly opening it and curled edges casted dark shadows against the pale beige.

Like any other day, Xiao read the graceful characters.

I have found that I, along with many others, are broken. We have been abandoned, lost. We have suffered from being alone in the world, with nobody to rely on. And secretly inside, we yearn for somebody who will always catch us when we fall. Who will always be there for us. Who will never leave us behind. Who is different from the ones we have lost.

My mother told a story of a cat and an adeptus. To her, it was a silly tale of a silly cat, yet I, one who has gone through suffering, found it different:

The fair adeptus and the cat. Both were lonely souls. To the common human, the two were somewhat content, content with their life. Yet the two suffered from the feeling of being an outcast. When the adeptus met this cat, who was all alone in the woods on a cold night in the winter, giving up from finding milk. He could see the despair in that cat's eyes. He could see the one thing that linked them together: being lonesome. And knowing the pain of being so, he helped this cat.

The one reading this is not the adeptus. The one reading this is the lost, cold, cat, desperately searching for something. Different from all the humans in the village. Assumed to be living the best of life, when suffering is the thing that can be seen throughout their history. As the story goes, a lonely cat needs a savior. Somebody to relate to. Somebody who will depend on you, whilst being somebody you can depend on. Broken people help each other. Somebody you will not feel empty of when they pass away, but grateful and proud that you helped their souls.

This idea, it is not using others for our own good. It is finding the person we need in our lives, finding that empty piece that completes one's heart, the adeptus that can save you. It is finding your people.

- Feiya Chen

Xiao redid the scroll and carefully tucked it into a cylinder shaped container in his belt. He had it there specifically to contain Feiya's philosophy. Perhaps her thinking was unpolished, unprofessional, though it was relatable and helpful, a definite keepsake. According to her, perhaps he was not the powerful, regal adeptus. He was a cat, a creature that nobody could understand. A creature that everybody assumed was happy, when all that was but a lie.

He looked up at the moon once again, this time not with sorrowful emotions, but with determination, hope.

Tonight, Lumine was returning to visit him. She was weary after seeing her brother leave her behind yet again for the Abyss Order, was what her letter wrote. She needed somebody to lean on. Xiao happened to be the one she chose.

They would meet at the spot where Xiao saw Feiya fight, in the middle of the street. Just beyond the south bridge.

Perhaps she was the empty piece that will complete his heart.

Ahahahaha it is done :D

I feel as though my mind is far too childish to conjure up a good "philosophy", so you can live with that for now.

On another note, there's gonna be an A/N after this where I say the same thanks in 5 different ways without realizing (until now), and to those who celebrate it, happy late Dragon Boat Festival! (May or may not have forgotten, hehe)