O. O. B. E.


Due to the intense feelings overwhelming him, he doesn't manage to eat a single thing, nor to get up for anything constructive.
Continuosly drifting off from the few hours of consciousness, he ends up falling into a brief coma, without even realising it.

He opens his eyes and finds himself in what would appear a really vast and luxurious garden, with a massive lake, trees, bridges and lanterns every here and there, often on the ground by weirdly shaped rocks.
Foxes everywhere, running as if in a national park entirely dedicated to them.
WonPil is absolutely certain to be having a dream, maybe a pleasant one, for a change. For the first time in so long, he doesn't feel cold, but at perfect ease. Maybe because of the awareness to be dreaming, he isn't scared nor worried, even of the possibility to see someone appear. He instantly thinks that at least two of his children would simply love that place. Maybe even WuXin.

He sits on a rock next to the entrance of a bridge, enjoying the gentle touch of sun on his skin. No wonder it's a dream, it has been snowing even in the desert, where would there be any sun in Nortrig right now?
A fox kit with golden fur suddenly climbs on his leg, reaching his lap, where it stretches it's front paws against his chest.
WonPil caresses it and the fox doesn't show any fear. «Do you live here? You should go to umma, I don't think she'd like you to have gone so far from here.»
He stands up, carrying the foxy with him, intending to find where its family is. He walks through the bridge and starts to circle the lake, wondering if the golden foxes are on the opposite side.

Reached the farthest end from where he found the kit, he notices a circular patio, close to the limit of an emerald wood. Not the usual spooky and unappealing one, he thinks it would probably be a wonderful place with a picnic with family, on a sunny Sunday.
Taking a second glance at the patio, he realises that it's not empty. There is someone inside of it, who is looking in his direction.
WonPil gathers some courage and decides to approach. Maybe that's the owner of the garden, or just another character of this delusion his mind is making up.

Close enough, he can't help but notice that the size of the man standing in the patio is much bigger than any auriold or human he has ever met. Wonderful. Did his mind decide to put an end to the peace right away, by creating some flesh-eating giant.
WonPil stops walking and bows to the man, less hesitantly than he would, if he wasn't sure that nothing is real. «Annyeong.» Since it's his dream, he has only been speaking Korean all along.
The other is wearing a strange robe, clearly eastern in style, but not in the Empire fashion. It's white, with exquisite red, green, black, blue and gold details and accessories. In WonPil's tastes, the man looks beautiful and noble. His nine, golden tails are decorated with rings of silver and emeralds, just like the hairpin locking part of his golden hair in a small ponytail behind his head.
Two locks of hair running down to the belt height frame the pale face. There is also a mask, very similar to that of WonPil's cloth, to the side of his head.
For a moment he wonders if that person is, somewhat, the representation of what he wishes he was himself. Big, dignified, confident and handsome.

«This place… it's so lovely. Do you live here?»
«No. But I come here whenever I have the chance», replies the other, in a kind and soothing tone.
WonPil can't remember anyone ever talking to him like that. «Oh… too bad. I think that I would like to live here. I could build a cabin by the lake, over there.» He glances at the water surface, reflecting the sky and the sun.
«In it not a bit too far, for you? To live here, one has to leave everything behind.»
«Mollayo how far it is, but at least I wouldn't be lonely here. These cheerful fellows would come to keep me company.» He lifts the golden fox kit to show him.
The other takes the furball from his hands and places if on the ground; the foxy happily hops towards the woods.
«Being here, away from anyone, would be worth it? This place can relax your soul, but can it be a home to you?»
«I don't have a real home. Just an ugly, haunted building in the worst place in the world. You should know it. At least it's warm and beautiful here.»
«You can stay. But that will mean you will not see the people in your heart for a long time. Are you sure it is what you want?»
WonPil sighs. «Almost everyone hates me, even the people I love. I can't help but know that my children, even those who remember me, would live much better without ms. Hao should have let me die. They would have gotten over it, after a bit, and live happily with only one parent. Now, they are just info constant stress because of me and the fact nobody will accept me.»
«The House of Fox is not a free gateway.»
WonPil tilts his head. «What does it mean?»
«You know.»
He has a suspect of what the other could mean, but would prefer a clear answer, regardless it's just his mind playing tricks. «Can you remind me of it better?»
«Sometimes, it takes a new damage to fix previous damage.»
He snorts. «I don't see how this should make it more clear to me…»
«You will see, when ready to accept it.»
«Depends on how I wake up.»
«Do you want to wake up?»
WonPil looks up at the other, then down, remaining silent.
«There is sun.»
«Mollayo…»

_You will wake up, home_ a disembodied, soft whisper echoes across the entire place. Everything vanishes from his sight, in a beam of blinding, golden and green light.

«GoldFire…»

WonPil simply disappears from his cell in the House of Wolf, leaving no track. The cell is still locked, no sign or clue of how or what could have happened. He is just inexplicably gone.
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1 | Apr 2nd 2022 12:38
Yokai
Yokai "We just get back what we give in death."
He continues to be confused by her statements, not knowing she is a Zimox.
"Isn't it obvious? If he is willing to stay, he will say it. If you are keeping him against his will, you won't let me meet him.
How can I reveal everything to two people I can't even trust? It is not wise to even spread the word, or he'll be even more in danger.
Nice try but I am not fine with it. If he is willing to stay, he doesn't understand he is putting himself in danger and even all of you.
No, you are not. Wilingly and in rude ways, you wouldn't be able to keep him away even from me. I'm just being kind."
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Bxxxh
Bxxxh «Are you sure that he would like to meet you?» She looks up at him intensely, as if staring straight into his consciousness.

Oliver. «We have no reason to seek any revenge, especially towards him. We need no information from you, we are perfectly able to perform our own investigations, if we feels the need to.»

«We aren't so defenceless and neither is WonPil, except from the people he holds dear. He'd allow them to destroy him entirely.» If he knows what she means.
«Though, if it can reassure you, we can arrange a meeting.»
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Yokai
Yokai "Not me, probably, but I am still here for his sake." He is sure he wouldn't want to meet him.
He crosses his arms, low on patience as usual. "Look, keep him. I'll have something to explain Yung WuXin and the kids when I return.
It is better if he stays with you then? Might be." He looks up, raising a brow. "Let's have this meeting if he likes. You should ask him first if he has intention to do it or not, I lost already enough time." He is already angry, just to change.
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Bxxxh
Bxxxh She tilts her head, but doesn't make comments.

Oliver. «Explain him then. Your kids won't need to hear more than that their father is with us, to be reassured. They know us.»

«Lord Qiu, I think you should return to your children. Please, give them these gifts, hopefully they will feel comforted in this hard moment. You will have plenty of occasions to meet him, in more welcoming circumstances. When you'll be in a proper mindset. Farewell.» She bows and motions Oliver to hand him the basket, before turning on their steps.
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Yokai
Yokai "Yes, I'll have no choice on that. They might be reassured, it was not what was worrying me.
You are absolutely right. I'll return to them." He gives Oliver a glance and takes the basket, heading back to Shiinden right away and warning WuXin of what happened. To let WonPil be, he has to tell him he was not the one to be possessed, but the information remains strictly between them two only.
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