#unegen

[nerds-and-shit-posts]

the cike isnt talked about enough. give them the love they deserve!!!

[surenseer]

Altan was destined for solitude.

— post created with the help of the sweet @itskvyhii (thank you)

"Raban shrugged. 'He mostly keeps to himself. He’s quiet. Trains alone and doesn’t really have friends.'"
— The Poppy War

Five years. Altan Trengsin spent five years at Sinegard Academy. And by his final year? He was a well-known loner. How does someone so brilliant—praised as a prodigy, top of every class—end up completely alone?

It’s impossible to overstate what it must’ve felt like. To be marginalized because of your skin, to carry a legacy that your classmates saw as slave blood, and then to survive in that environment by becoming something untouchable. A symbol. A trophy. The kind of brilliance people gawk at, but never befriend. Worshipped, but never truly known.

And it makes me think about Rin—how lucky she was, in a way. Because even at her loneliest, she had someone.

“Sounds like someone we know.” Kitay jabbed an elbow at Rin.
She bristled. “Shut up. I have friends.”
“You have a friend,” Kitay said. “Singular.” — The Poppy War

And that friend was Kitay. Her anchor. Her mirror. Her soulmate in every way that wasn’t romantic.
They held each other together. Until the end.

But Altan?

Who did he have?

I started thinking, surely, at least one of the Cike must’ve gone to Sinegard with him, right?
Right?

Wrong. And it hurts:

- Baji? Older. Already in the Baghra Desert prison.

- Suni? Same deal.

- Ramsa? Younger, also imprisoned for years.

- Enki? The team’s medic-slash-drug-manager. No Sinegard mention.

- Unegen? A literal fox.

- Aratsha? Nope.

- Qara and Chaghan? Spies met later on, not schoolmates.

Oh, and Jiang? The only person who might’ve understood him? Abandoned him after two years. Altan spent three more years completely alone. Fighting to keep his god at bay. Fighting to prove his worth. With no one to lean on. No one to say “you’re not crazy,” no one to share the burden with.

And then we’re surprised when he drowns in opium? Honestly… who wouldn’t?

still, here’s what kills me:

Altan was not someone who wanted to be feared or worshipped. Not really. I see it as a facade. He was someone who wanted to be loved. Appreciated. To be seen not as a weapon, but as a person. And that comes through in the quietest ways—like when Rin interrupts his training in the gardens:

But Altan just looked surprised, not irritated. ‘Stick around Jiang long enough, and you’ll learn plenty of arcane forms.’” - The Poppy War

That’s year five. Three years after Jiang left him. And he still remembers his teacher with warmth. Still holds onto those moments like they meant something. Because they did, to Altan. Jiang was the one person who ever showed real interest in him. Cared for him. Believed in him. And Altan clung to that memory like a lifeline. And the tragedy? He never got to know that Jiang regretted everything.

“I needed you—Altan needed you—and all you did was, was—”
Jiang spoke so quietly she almost couldn’t hear him. “I couldn’t save Altan.”
— The Burning God

He did care. Deeply. And the way Altan’s story ended? It broke Jiang’s heart too.

Altan was a boy made to burn, but he never stopped hoping someone might try to put the fire out.

[sweeetsh]

hello cike fandom

@mimikrow unegen’s no.1 and only (without me) fan

[btsunyeondan]

wanting to read tdr but knowing everything’s gone to shit and it’s going to get worse and i still haven’t recovered from tpw

[swevenfox]

Cleaning my dropbox folder stumbled into this and realized I never uploaded it on my tumblr. Redesigned concept wip of Unegen’s final form of mutation if he ever advances this far. 

As it can not be reversed and no ‘shapeshifting’ possible this direction sort of final sentence for his character, but it is always fun to play with designs and concepts.

Also I am so so frustrated I am really really sick and can’t do anything I wanted beside organizing folders and cry over my messed up schedule I had for this month to catch up with everything. ._.

[swevenfox]

The Raigo one looks pretty awesome. It for sure worth (those amazing pvp queues)!

- and it was part of that content I can do alone (and also enjoying) unlike relic farms or the new primal ex which would require a group, and ever since the only static I liked disbanded I have none to run with. :<

[skoptsy]

This fascinating character belongs to @swevenfox  What a pleasure Unegen was to draw! Thank you for commissioning me. :”)

[swevenfox]

Wheel of Fortunate

Several times wanted to discard the wip of this one, it changed a lot from the original plan. It suppose to have several stylized elements as my casual tarot style works but as it was ages I really did put effort in a personal painting, it changed it into a full render Arcane. 

A lot of things has happened while was painting, I would love to personally thank not just the company but also the support, patience and care for a handful people stick at my side even in downtime. Specifically Luz, Suk and Ria - these three people helped me a lot in the past 2 weeks. 

Thank you!