Bough Keeper

Vexation and anxiety are the enemy of rational thought. Your journey has only just begun, has it not? // Selective Dainsleif RP Blog 🌠

[verkunder]

TWILIGHT SWORD

GENSHIN IMPACT

RULES & PORTRAYAL | ABOUT | Please don't use small text!

Indie Selective Dainsleif, written by the loving Vergil

[verkunder]

Prioritzing former mutuals from Gnostic Hymns, feel free to follow, but do know that I am less likely to be responsive with strangers than with those that I am familiar with. [Castmates > non-Castmates]

All developments during his duration in Gnostic Hymn are being considered canon.

Any previous threads will be continued as long as muns are willing.

Replies: Extremely slow. I'm an active college student with a busy schedule and heavy class load, and affliated muses to focus on. I'll get to replies and new threads/interactions as I can, but do be aware it will be slow going.

Doubles: DNI. Nothing personal, just a little awkward.

Shipping: Not currently being shipped with anyone. My preferences are: Halfdan (if there's anyone out there) > Aether (Preferably Traveler) > Surtalogi > Lumine (prefer this as an ex-situationship, preferably Abyss Princess) > anyone else

Read Dossier, Portrayal, and Rules pages for more details

[verkunder]

𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐬 & 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐬.

what  does  your muse  smell  like ?    ⸻  Rust and blood. There's nothing left of his previous scent from days long past, as if that part of his identity was completely erased and forgotten about. All that remains is the battle weary and strung out man that exists now.

what  do  your  muse’s  hands  feel  like ?    ⸻  Cold, because of the gauntlets that he's always wearing. But his actual hands are cold as well, covered in callouses and scars from the past that will never fade because his body is forever unchanging.

what  does  your  muse  usually  eat  in  a  day ?    ⸻  Not much, he doesn't necessarily NEED to eat on account of... you know, not being able to die, but he may nibble on some fruit or something here and there if he feels like it.

does  your  muse  have  any  bad  habits  or  nervous  tics ? ⸻ Stares at him. I think his everything is a bad habit not going to lie.

what  does  your  muse  usually  look  like / wear ?    ⸻ Dark colors, always wearing the same outfit as if it's a part of his body - which by now, let's be honest, it might actually be.

is  your  muse  affectionate? how  much ? how so ? ⸻ Not really these days. Back in the days of Khaenri'ah, he was much more affectionate. The type of guy who would happily slap his friends on the back and give them tight hugs. But in the present he's too distant from anyone and disconnected from who he used to be to do that anymore. He's hardly even verbally affectionate, as if he wants to create the distance between him and others.

what  position  does  your  muse  sleep  in  ? ⸻ He's usually too on edge to sleep, but when he does sleep, it's in the easiest position to be alert and ready if he needs to be. A restless sleeper as well, light and awake at the slightest noise.

could  you  hear  your muse  in  the  hallway  from  another  room  ? ⸻ No. He moves quietly and could easily sneak up on you.

tagged by: @naturesmessages

tagging: eep i'm shy... anyone who sees this and wants to do it i guess

[vierfacheweisheiten]

Moving Forward

I've said my sappy piece both in the server and slightly on the slideshow, but for everyone else, I love you all and your muses and I want to continue writing. My plans going forward are to continue on with all the replies I owe across all three of my blogs (Anaxagoras, Dainleifs, and Kinich), and whether or not they are responded to is the other mun's decisions. I'm certainly happy to continue any threads until they reach their conclusions, and I will be here if anyone wants to pick up new ones. In short, business as per usual. Perhaps the other two may be put to rest eventually, when I am satisfied that I have done my part with them, but Anaxagoras is too dearly important to me to let this be the end.

It may take me a while because of school but I will be replying to everything I owe no matter what. Eventually.

For now, the offer of my boys will remain with blogs formerly affiliated with GH, but as time goes on, and if anyone decides to reach out, perhaps I will consider it. And to my dear friends of the Hymns, you know where to find me.

In the next life, may the truths of the universe rest again in my hands. That is all I have to say. May our next meeting be among the stars!

[verkunder]

Two Bros and a Body Bag

Commission | Dude died. Damn, that sucks :(

[verkunder]

A BODY HAS BEEN FOUND UNALIVED IN THE SNOW PLAINS! It's not breaking news, considering how brutal the harsh environment can be, but what is sending the press into a rage is the fact that the body belongs to the one and only Mr. Kough, the Chamber of Commerce secretary accused of misappropriating funds. He seems to have taken a fatal fall from the cliffside to the hard snowy ground. The case is cold (hah!) at first, but there are certain details surrounding his supposed 'death' that don't quite add up. Was it really as simple as making an oopsie? Recall that, before his demise, he was not exactly a beloved figure among the Belobog public. Come on, writer. Use that brain of yours and think—what else is at play here?

It feels too similar to the past, when Dainsleif was once an honorable knight with bright light and hope in his eyes. To the job that he had once done. And that still lingers in some ways even now, through instincts and the way he approached problems like this - though some part of him wishes that he didn’t have those instincts anymore, that they could have faded away in time with all of his happy memories of his homeland.

The once proud knight kneels to the ground, observing the spot where Mister Kough’s body had laid before it was taken away, the impact it had left in the snow now covered with a fresh coating, a gentle dusting across the empty plains. He glances towards the cliffs above, certainly high enough to cause a death were someone to jump or stumble off of them. The dead man always could have been pushed, and given his reputation, Dainsleif can’t help but to think that may be the most likely option in this scenario.

If Dainsleif were to weigh the options between him slipping or being pushed, he would almost certainly believe that this was a murder rather than an accident.

Should he meddle though? Try and solve this as if this was back in the days of Khaenri’ah when both others and himself had confidence in the Twilight Sword? 

He doesn’t know. And sometimes Dainsleif thinks that he hasn’t known anything for a very long time.

@huuuugestmoney

[verkunder]

Insert a Joke About the Moon Here

Commission | Columbina Fireworks, Surely Nothing Can Go Wrong

[verkunder]

OH NO! Some of Naganohara Fireworks’, well, fireworks have gone missing! And these aren’t the cute, sparkly kind to boot! They’re more of the experimental, “so-loud-it’s-probably-illegal” kind! The colorful, Tenryou-Commission-is-frowning-right-now kind!! The could probably turn a training dummy into confetti kind!!! It would be SO so bad if the wrong person set them off! Like… imagine the noise! The chaos! The strongly-worded letters from the Kujou Clan! Hey, you seem super reliable (or maybe a little bit irresponsible?) Come find them and bring them back! Quickly! Or slowly. Oh! But DO NOT, and for Archon’s sake, DO NOT, test them “just to see.” Or maybe… Haha! Just kidding! Unless?

Dainsleif didn’t understand the appeal of fireworks. Sure, they looked nice for a moment in theory, but in practice they were loud and could easily cause a disruption if not set off with proper warning. The fireworks that he’s looking for seem like they would fall more in the ‘in practice’ category, and he cannot blame any law enforcement for wanting to reign this in before chaos erupts - quite literally - into Inazuma’s skies.

And so Dainsleif wanders through unfamiliar streets - he didn’t often find himself this far off from the mainland - tired eyes scanning the people walking by. So far no one suspicious has caught his eyes, but that could change in a single second. He has to stay alert. He always has to stay alert.

When was the last time he had truly been able to relax and not be alert at all times? He didn’t remember anymore.

Dainsleif stops, a familiar face catching upon his vision. He had quickly left Nod Krai not too long after Rer- the Racher of Solnair’s defeat, not getting the chance to bid farewell to Columbina before he went. He wonders… did she ever manage to figure out where she belongs in this world?

“Miss Columbina,” He calls out quietly, not wanting to make a scene or draw too much attention from the citizens of the Seven to himself, “Inazuma is quite far from Nod Krai. What are you doing here? Surely you didn’t come this far just for fireworks; correct?”

@moonlitdamselette

[verkunder]

Young Man This Shit Has to Stop

Commission | Mister Prince your behavior is out of control

[verkunder]

This is an odd request. The Cat’s Tail’s number one employee, the poster-kitty, the ultimate meow meow, Prince, has developed this, um… attitude problem. And yes, yes, he has always been the eccentric rascal but you see, this massive change of his came after a visit from this famed “TCG Emperor” from Sumeru, and has since refused to perform his primary duty: being petted! Now he spends his days perched atop the highest shelf, staring down at customers with what can only be described as imperious feline disdain. Why, if a subtitle could appear right now, his would probably read (”Do not look at me, pesky lowlife!”) Archons, please, EVERYONE misses petting Prince! Yes, Prince! From The Cat’s Tail Prince, not that Prince! Anyway, maybe playing TCG around him could help? Or maybe you could catch him a rare fish to give as a treat? He enjoys both a lot!

Dainsleif feels oddly uncomfortable being so out in the open in Mondstadt, let alone on his knees with a soggy fish in his hands trying to get The Cat’s Tail’s precious baby - who was a cat - to come out from under a cabinet. It seemed ridiculous, and it almost certainly looked ridiculous, but Dainsleif had already gotten himself into this situation and it was a little bit too late to back out now after he had made a promise. Even if he was terribly embarrassed.

Now, if someone were to ask him why he was doing this, he wouldn’t have a clear answer to give them. He’s not even sure why he wound up in Mondstadt in the first place. Perhaps it was the distance from Nod Krai, perhaps he simply needed a break and the City of Freedom was the only place that could offer him a proper one without anyone asking questions. Perhaps even he doesn’t know the reason why he’s here.

Either way, he’s here now, and the mission he has chosen to distract himself is to wrangle an ornery cat who doesn’t want to do the job he was meant to be doing. Of course, there was only two options to do that: play Genius Invokation TCG, which Dainsleif didn’t know how to play at all; or get on his hands and knees and chase the little kitty around with the tempting offer of fish, which would only hurt his knees and back with enough time of doing that.

But if the fish didn’t work… Dainsleif lets out a long sigh, “What am I supposed to do with you now, Prince? I don’t suppose you would listen to me if I asked you to stop this behavior at once; would you?”

Ah, now he just sounded like this cat’s father… a strict father at that. Dainsleif really didn’t know what to do.

@purerationality

[verkunder]

A Dream Yet to Be Dream (Plotting)

I’m blowing him up once more. Let’s make him suffer chat. [In an effort to keep my thread count under control, I am allowing Dain a max of 2 threads gained this month.] (TAKEN: 1/2)

Fireworks: DO NOT TEST THEM. DO NOT TEST THEM. Imagine Dainsleif running at you at full speed to get you to stop from testing them. That's all. // Columbina

Missing Kitty Cat: Honestly I imagine Dain as more of a dog person, but he's probably met Prince before since he hangs around Mondstadt more than he would like to admit and would like to help with this attitude situation. Imagine him just staring at the cat fully serious and going "young man this has to stop" // Dr. MEI

Mr. Kough's Body: Oh no, a mystery is afoot. Make Dainsleif do his job again and definitely not be stressed out at all. No he's fine, don't look at him like that, he's totally fine he promises. Requires Sea of Quanta Muse // N/A

Addtional Plots: If you want to plot anything off-board all you have to do is contact me and we can work something out! Bother that beast!!!

Contact for Plotting: While you can use Dain’s Tumblr IMs, I would prefer if you simply just dm’d me on Discord at lightorflight, or @’d me in the plotting channel if you’re in the server! Easier for me to keep track of, and I’m more likely to see it in a timely manner.

[fall3nstar-deactivated20260507]

Memories of Inteyvat

Elation Commission with Princess Lumine and Boughkeeper Dainsleif

[fall3nstar-deactivated20260507]

The last place the Princess wanted to be was the Chasm. It stood as nothing more than a reminder of her failure. A reminder Aether would never join her. A reminder she couldn’t help her old friends.

She hated the Chasm.

So why was she here, helping find those who would surely look upon her in fear of her blade? Even as the chill embraced her exposed skin, she wasn’t sure. Maybe a part of her wanted to show the fallen she truly could save others. Because everything was for the ones she couldn’t save, wasn’t it?

Her sigh froze in the air. She could do this. She had to. The Princess had already failed so many. Failed her brother, failed her people. Failed █████████. She couldn’t fail another. She wouldn’t.

The very blade that had taken so much blood poked a dead miner, abyssal corruption slowly seeping into his flesh. “Dead. At least for 2 hours. Maybe 3 but I doubt it.” Her words were spoken to no one in particular except herself. For all she had was herself. And that is how it would always have to be. Much like her fallen friends, she too was cursed.

Snap!

The Ruler turned sharply. No abyssal creatures would dare sneak up upon their Princess. No. That noise was manmade. “Come out or I shall seek you myself. I don’t wish to harm but I will if I must.” The person hesitated for a moment before coming into the dim light the nearby lantern provided.

Her grip faltered, her sword threatened to clatter onto stone. She almost allowed it. All she wanted was to embrace the man before her. It had been too long since their last meeting. She yearned to call out his name yet she knew it would not be met with the fondness she felt. Staring him down like a scared Rimehorn Deer, all she could hear was his words back on the icy planet.

"And do call me Dainsleif. You lost the right to say that name a long time ago."

Even now, she couldn’t fault him. Yet, she still could not deny how she felt joy at the sight of an old friend. “Dainsleif.” She all but whispered. “You’re here. In the Chasm.” A small voice whispered how she sounded much unlike the Princess of the Abyss but she didn’t care. The Princess of the Abyss didn’t need friends. So if dropping that title gained her even just a few seconds of human interaction, then the Abyss was her enemy. Just as it was his.

@verkunder

[verkunder]

Dainsleif hates the Chasm. The Abyss spirals its tendrils all throughout it, and part of him will always ache remembering who remained down here. Remembering his men and their ever vigilant attempts to follow his final orders to them. Being here… reminds him of a still far too fresh wound. It stings to think of Halfdan, of the sacrifice he had seemed so happy to be able to make. Dainsleif doubts that the wound will ever heal itself over easily.

He still felt a terrible amount of unresolved feelings towards Halfdan, he still-

Her voice stings in his ears as he comes to a stop from his random wandering about the Chasm, cutting off his string of thought. For a moment, he thinks he may be hallucinating, that the Chasm is simply getting to him. But she calls him Dainsleif, as he had asked her to in their last undue encounter. Surely it couldn’t be anyone else but her.

“I wish I wasn’t,” He bites back, crossing his arms tightly across his chest, “But I have already gotten myself into this mess, so I might as well follow through.”

He glances at her, keeping her at a distance as he stares. The body next to her is that of a miner, not of the bandits who had snuck down here and found out the hard way why this place was forbidden land.

Quickly clearing his throat and averting his gaze, he quietly asks, “Why are you here? You must hate this place almost as much as I do.”

[verkunder]

Rawr

AU | Watch your step, and keep your limbs in the car

[verkunder]

Dainsleif was tired. Certainly too tired to deal with the stress of potentially losing his job if he didn’t shape up and start solving cases again. And to think that he had once been the star detective of the force, a young and bright eyed man with a future ahead of him. Looking at him now, eyebags set deeply from endless nights with little to no sleep and unkept hair, no one ever would have guessed that.

He needed something, it didn’t matter what. He just needed one more big break to end things off with a bang and then he could retire, find something better to do than stare sadly into a cup of coffee every morning while floundering the one thing he had once been good at.

An ad in the paper had led him to an insurance company looking for volunteers to investigate for them, which led him to their office, which led him into his “one last job”.

And, so, here he was now. On a remote island supposedly housing a dinosaur theme park still in production. Of all the people here, he probably had the least reason to be there. Scientists there to see how this place actually worked, proper insurance agents to make sure everything was up to code, and… Dainsleif. A pathetic old detective looking for a last hurrah before he hung up this job for good.

He stares out at the jungle ahead from the helipad with tired eyes, grumbling to himself, “God… what in the world am I doing here?”

@silentintuition

[verkunder]

Pieces of a Shattered Dream

Commission | We all need something to believe in

[verkunder]

Hark! The solstice is upon Nod-Krai, and with it, travellers who come in search of the fabled Elysium of Adventurers! Today, the city is abuzz with a new rumour. It is said that the Legendary Treasure Hoarder Reed Miller has left clues to his treasure somewhere near the canyon, and whoever finds it shall have full right to claim it theirs! So far, only a single, cryptic part of his supposed riddle has been recovered, but it’s enough to set every aspiring treasure hunters’ heart ablaze: “Seek the Black Raven, and the rest shall be revealed!”

Has it all been meaningless to this point? Dainsleif stares sadly into the drink before him, the amber liquid seeming to grow dimmer in color by the moment. He feels like he has been doing nothing but languishing since Re- the Racher of Solnair’s defeat, mulling over the past day in and day out. He can’t seem to find the answers he’s looking for in his scattered and foggy memories no matter how hard he tries.

And he tries, over and over again. And over and over again he arrives at the same conclusion:

He doesn’t know what to think anymore.

He can’t keep going in this circle endlessly, he needs to do something else to get his mind off of all of that business. Dainsleif sighs, glancing up and tuning back into the buzz of the Flagship. Whispers flit about of riddles and treasure. Dainsleif doesn’t care about treasure, but solving riddles in the process certainly sounds like enough to keep his mind quiet. At least for a little while.

Nothing Passage seems to be the first location from what he can discern from the rumors. Might as well head over there to get a lay of the land with his own two eyes. Who knows, maybe he’ll even find someone to talk to along the way.

@hopetune

[verkunder]

A Dream Yet to Be Dream (Plotting)

I'm blowing him up once more. Let's make him suffer chat.

Seek the Black Raven: Putting him back in the torture chamber (Nod Krai) to make him hunt down riddles. This is not fun for him and he's having a terrible time actually. // Robin

Bandits in the Chasm: Not this place again. He fucking hates the Chasm, but he has honor and he can't just abandon innocents down there, even if they were trying to rob the place blind. Perhaps we can even have him and his thread partner run into some of his men down there, if you can brave the angst. // Lumine

Luxury Goods Scam: He doesn't know shit about luxury goods, but his moral compass supposedly still works. How about we figure out who really is in the right? Requires Sea of Quanta Muse // N/A

Addtional Plots: If you want to plot anything off-board all you have to do is contact me and we can work something out! Bother that beast!!!

Contact for Plotting: While you can use Dain’s Tumblr IMs, I would prefer if you simply just dm’d me on Discord at lightorflight, or @’d me in the plotting channel if you’re in the server! Easier for me to keep track of, and I’m more likely to see it in a timely manner.

[verkunder]

[STARS] - With a cold, dark metal sheet for a sky, folks from the Underworld used to use mechanical lenses and other discarded parts to copy the stars they could no longer see. For the festival, visitors get to witness that old tradition. Grab a friend, take a seat, and enjoy some warm drink as you gaze up at the man-made constellations above.

“Is this your first time checking out the sky projector?”

Whenever Hook sees new faces in the Underworld, she gets a huge, smug grin on her face. But only inside her head! She wouldn’t want to turn them away by sticking too close to the head honcho role, not when the Moles are basically con-noa-surs in everything that goes on around these parts.

And lookie here, a grown-up who doesn’t seem to know much about these parts! TIme to bust out the Hook ensi… ensaiclow… peediyah? … Whatever that word’s supposed to be.

“On the surface, the stars up there are actually super duper big. But the reason they’re super duper small to us is because they’re really, really, REALLY far away! And from what I’ve heard, they’re way too hot to touch! So don’t touch any stars if you get close!” Hook turns a knob on the lens, the pictures of stars changing like they were using one of those real stargazing tools. “Oh, but you can touch these. These stars aren’t real. Hook would know because she’s from the Underworld!”

The stars hanging in the sky in this world surely aren't the same stars of Teyvat, not the same stars that he had long ago gazed at with his once beloved brother. But out of instinct, he still hides from them, unable to bear their light after the scars his very own brother had inflicted on his heart so many years in the past. Dainsleif hates that some part of him misses the days where he had been able to lay casually by Ved's side as his older brother pointed out constellations to him. (Often Dainsleif hates that he still misses his brother, after all that he had done to him. That after everything had passed, he still loved him simply because he was his brother.) But even as he tries to hide this time, he can't escape in the underground of this world. Not with the projector they have set up.

He startles slightly as a small kid pops up next to him, rambling about the projector and its false stars. Her small face is so innocent, and he can't remember a time when his own eyes had been so full of hope anymore.

"They're just lights; aren't they? Even if they give off heat, they won't burn as much as touching an actual star," If he were to touch one of these fake stars, any burn would mean nothing to his immortal body. He shakes off such a depressing thought, kneeling next to this kid and gently patting her head with his left hand.

"You're quite smart. Thank you for telling me about them. I'll make sure not to touch any stars and get hurt."

[verkunder]

[REPAIR]

When Entropy had asked the organizers to give her a task that she could handle with her holographic body, she hadn’t expected this. “You’re an AI? Why don’t you go do a scan or something and figure out how to fix the heaters?” Before Entropy could tell them that wasn’t a thing she could do, they had already rushed off.

And so, she sat in front of a broken heater, fidgeting with her hair. She was truly stumped. It looked fine. It just wasn’t on. Was there a switch somewhere? She wouldn’t be able to press it anyway.

Letting out a sigh, she got up and started to walk circles around it, keeping an eye out for people. She might be able to do something if she had access to touch.

After a couple of minutes of that, Entropy finally spotted a tall person with a dark cape coming in her direction. “Excuse me!” She stopped her pacing, almost falling over with dizziness. Her braid wrapped around her body before falling back into place. “Would you please help me examine this heater for just a moment?” She pointed a thumb at the heater, before realizing that was silly and tacking on a forehead flick to the endless tally.

Dainsleif stares at the device the girl points to. It seemed broken, that was about all he was able to tell though. Technology had never been his strong suit. Even though he had known the purpose of much of Khaenri'ah's technology, if asked how to fix it or build it in the first place, he would have only been able to shrug.

As for anything else, technology not from his homeland, he didn't even know where to begin.

"I can try. I'm not familiar with this planet's technology though, so I make no promises on if I'll actually be of any help," He walks over to it, prodding it gently with his foot. He stares at it for a moment, before winding his leg back and striking it with a powerful kick. When in doubt, it couldn't hurt to try hitting it.

To his surprise, it whirs back to life as Dainsleif stands there befuddled. He wasn't expecting that to work, or at least not to work as well as it did.

"Not quite sure what I did, but it seems to be working now. Guess... you're welcome?"

[verkunder]

And The Truth of the Matter Is I Never Let You Go

Traumabonding Once More w/ Yelan | Your beauty never ever scared me

[muscle-blues]

vague luna II spoilers

The cacophony (or symphony, depending on who you were, and how you viewed it) of voices within the Flagship had slowly drowned out from Yelan’s mind, as the thoughts induced by work-related stress began to flood it instead.

Her presence in Nod-Krai was purely for business and business alone, nary was there time for her to find enjoyment in the niceties without there being some extra layer of work threaded into it. Her dealings with the Curatorium were at the forefront of her mind. Just days ago, she had sat face-to-face with the Northern Intelligence Network’s leader in a conversation, one of many. And like all previous conversations between Yelan and Nefer, she once again had to ensure that the Sumeran that Yelan was far too aware of her schemes. ‘No matter how long those claws of yours are, you're never getting them stuck into Liyue.' The subtle threat, veiled as ‘advice’ still rang clearly in her head, even now. 

Then there was the matter of uncovering Fatui bases. She was careful, this time, in her gathering of information. Subtle, at that, lest she were to repeat mistakes made the last time she found herself anywhere close to Snezhnaya’s walls. Though the Traveler still seemed all too aware of Yelan’s dealings in secret. That was fine, Aether probably was the among the short list of people she didn’t mind catching that out of her, and if she truly didn’t wish for him to be aware, Yelan would ensure he was silenced, or sworn to silence. 

And right now has been another moment spent with the mindset of work, employment, rather than any sort of relaxation. Though nothing but a drink from the Flagship’s bar sat before her, Yelan’s thoughts were rushing with further actions and further plans to ensure everything was as smooth as could be. She needed to protect Liyue from outside influence, while keeping the Ministry aware and prepared from any sort of unwanted entry from the Fatui. How else would she expect to keep her promise to Ningguang. How else would she ‘leave everything to the extraordinary Yelan’? 

The only thing that snapped her out of her thoughtful trance was the call of her name, from a familiar voice at that. She turned to face a taller, masked man. “Oh, Dainsleif.” She forces a smile, though it seemed as natural as could be. She wanted to tell him off, say that this was a bad time rather than indulge in whatever conversation she promised him in the forests of Empyrea…

But she couldn’t ignore the look on his face. There was a shakiness to his smile that felt indicative of something more buried deep within. It shouldn’t be a long conversation. I’ll get back to work as soon as we’re done. Yelan scoots over, patting the now open seat next to her. It was a bit familiar, but she thought that she was past the barrier of awkward pleasantries with this Khaenri’ahn. “Come, sit. You wouldn’t be the first friend I’ve run into in Nod-Krai.” A laugh escapes her lips as she says that, “first the Traveler and his little companion- though I guess I knew that ahead of time- and now you. What’s on your mind? You look like you could use a drink at the very least.”

[verkunder]

“... There is… a lot on my mind to say the least,” Dainsleif ignores her gesture to sit next to her, sliding into the seat across from her. He wonders how he looks to the outside eye. Is it as tired and strung out as he feels? His eyes have been empty for a long time, but he can’t help but to think they must look even more empty now, “I certainly could use a drink though. Or two.”

Having a piece of his past just jammed straight into his face suddenly without any warning was jarring. Even more so when that piece was a man he had once considered to be one of his closest friends. The Racher of Solnari… Ved… Surtalogi… it would be so much easier if he could just put his feelings about them aside and eliminate them for the Sinners they were. But the memories of what they once were clung to his mind, unable to slide off as easily as water off a duck’s back.

“It’s just…” He folds his hands on the table, staring down at them with an oddly despondent look crossing his face. The curse permeating his right hand only reminds him more of the pain plaguing his mind currently, “Some things have come up that reminded me of my past once more, and I cannot help but to reflect on all those that I have loved and lost.”

[verkunder]

[HUDDLE]

Lumine always knew millions of worlds awaited beyond Teyvat's sky. Even without her memories, part of her still knew. Home goes deeper beyond how one remembers it, it's a feeling. Perhaps that's why she found herself near an old... companion, seeking what little warmth he held.

"You've changed." She spoke, her words lingering in the cold air. "Although, I'd be more shocked if you didn't."

Somewhere, deep within her, had missed being around a fire with Dainsleif, had missed him. She would never admit it lest her soldiers discover such weakness. She couldn't afford such a thing, not when she was so close to completion.

"It's cold here. Reminds you of Snezhaya, doesn't it, Dain?" Lumine finally turned to look at him. For a moment, she was glad Death had prevented his aging. She needed a familiar face right now.

Her familiar voice should be anything but comforting, after all that he has been through recently. And yet... he can't help but to revel in the nostalgia of it, just for a moment. If Vedrfolnir had been the one calling out to him; would he also hesistate like this?

It seemed like his past wanted to do nothing but haunt him lately. Re- the Racher of Solnari, and all that he had learned about that man he once called a friend. How being face to face with a Sinner reminded him of the man he looked up and adored - a strong word for their adult years, but he still had loved his brother fiercely - as his older brother. How his betrayal still stung the most, even more than the pain of losing the woman before him now whom he had once loved so deeply.

"It's been hundreds of years, Lumine," He hisses, her name cold on his tongue, a name he hadn't dared to even think he might allow himself to say ever again, "You're right, it would be more shocking if I didn't change. And it's for the best. I was at my worst then, you should know that better than anyone."

Her eyes staring into his painfully remind him of all the time they spent travelling together, how close they had been so many times around a fire almost like this one. So much time has passed, but for a moment, it almost feels like they are back in Snezhaya, Dainsleif idly poking at a fire to keep them warm through the night, Lumine quiet with those empty eyes of hers by his side.

"Still, things were easier then," He wouldn't feel so much anguish and torment in his heart simply by looking at her. The former knight turns his gaze to the ground, not wishing to see those familiar amber eyes on him for a moment longer, "It's not so simple now. Though the reminder lingers, this place is different and we are different people. No matter how much we are reminded of that past, the clock is never turning back. You've had your chances, Lumine. Those simpler days are behind both of us now."

His nickname from her mouth, the one that everyone had called him then, makes the festering wound sting only that much more.

"And do call me Dainsleif. You lost the right to say that name a long time ago."

[verkunder]

[LATE] - There's nothing more atmospheric than a late night with drinks. A special event aimed towards older individuals keeps the museum open until after hours, with mulled wine and other adult beverages available for purchase. Sip on spirits and quietly enjoy Belobogian history! And for the kids out there—why don't you play in the fountain outside?

"Would you like a drink too, Dain?"

Smiling, Aether approached the man holding in his hands two warm cups of wine. With the toned down lighting, the moon's light casting a gentle glow on the displays, and smaller amount of people visiting, the liveliness of the museum at daytime has transformed into something a bit more cozy. Intimate, even. Aether felt comfortable enough to take a seat next to the swordsman, leaning in slightly.

"No matter how many worlds I see, it's always so interesting to see their unique histories as it's never quite the same. Doesn't that sound fascinating?" He began to speak after a short moment of silence. Though brief, his words held a genuine sense of excitement, with the joy of experiencing something new. "Maybe we could check out the exhibits together?" Aether hoped that, with the museum being less crowded compared to during the day, Dainsleif would maybe feel a little more comfortable with it.

He turns away slightly, a light warmth to his cheeks masked by slightest flush of the mulled wine. "If… if you're interested."

Dainsleif carefully takes the cup Aether offers him, the warmth permeating even through his gauntlets. Is it just the warmth of the wine within or does the warmth of the Traveler's hand remain on the outside of the cup, seeping into his body the same way Aether's warmth seeped into his heart?

The former knight hadn't strayed far from the museum, caught up in the idea of all of this history perserved for future generations to look back on and learn from. A luxury that Khaenri'ah would never have. He had only his own crumbling memories to rely on, memories that were unreliable at best nowadays.

"Alright," He says quietly with a nod, smiling almost fondly at the fluster shown clearly around Aether's face, "I'll try to relay what I have already learned hanging around here. This world has a truly unique history, let us learn it further... together."

[verkunder]

Dainsleif Event Tracker

The Twilight Sword finds himself surrounded by history in the Museum, stuck in reminiscence on his own past and the history that no longer is. He likely won't wander far, but he is open to a good few chats, so long as he isn't put under too much stress.

Snow Plains: Aether Museum: Fight Club: Lumine Robot Settlement: Administrative District: Dreamseeker, Hook