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WELCOME TO THE SPIRALE ANNALS.

The Spirale Annals is an ongoing archive, meticulously preserving the history of the island and its inhabitants one page at a time. From records of arrival and departure to events both past and present, the ambition of The Spirale Annals is to chronicle our story as it is in the making and act as a repository of information for the public’s access. Knowledge is a commodity to be shared. History is meant to be told. The archive aims to serve this purpose for current and future generations.

POSITIONS AVAILABLE. | APPLY HERE.

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❝ I see… ❞ Zhilan doesn't argue her answer. It is clear to him that she has a duty beyond anything he could fathom. Rex Lapis would have likely expressed a similar stance toward the people of Liyue if ever Zhilan could have had a conversation with their now-deceased god. ❝ I realize now that it isn't always so simple, ❞ he admits to her after some reflection. ❝ Sometimes we endure for those who need us. ❞ I'm sure if they knew, they'd thank you for it. ❝ 'Space,' then. ❞ His gaze, too, turns to the skies above. Confined to the earth, Zhilan had always looked upon it with wonder. ❝ My world called them only the stars or the sky. We believe we'll find the truth written in them, so we study them from below.... ❞ Suddenly, weight tugs at his elbow. Zhilan glances and finds that she has stopped, stricken by a look of upset. His expression changes with hers, the brows beneath his bangs rising into them. He should have been more careful. ❝ I— ❞ The hold on her arm loosens but doesn't let go, leaving the decision to pull away with her. ❝ I'm sorry. I spoke carelessly there… ❞

❝ Defining you isn't my place… And it wasn't what I meant to do. ❞ He considers their arms linked at the elbows, both of them the same. ❝ No matter who you are, your value is equal. I just… didn't want you to think of yourself as any less than that. ❞ With his gaze still resting where they touch, he lifts them slightly as one, nodding toward them. ❝ It's why our arms are joined together at a time like this. You can pull yours back, if you like. I'll be more careful this time. ❞

Keep enduring it? From her understanding of the word, she would in fact continue to do so. It makes her shake her head slightly, a soft hum coming from her.

"Yet, I will continue to do so, if souls require it of me. It's how I have always been, and no doubt will be."

Although, when he asks about her being from the night sky, it makes her glance upwards towards the sky above them. Must be his way to speak of space, or, where he was from was not aware what lies beyond.

"Your words hold true in a sense, for I could be from what you call the night sky. Where I am from, it is called space, but I believe them to be one and the same thing for our meanings."

However, his words have her stopping dead where she was, eyes instantly snapping back to looking at his face so for a moment it's more him pulling her along instead of her following.

"My…Soul…?" Mira whispers out. While yes, she was still trying to come to terms with being 'alive' in a sense, the idea that she herself was a soul. That felt. It makes her chest feel tight thinking about it. And for the first time ever, she wants to avoid a conversation. It's hard, but she does finally whisper out, "I feel you are mistaken, I am not a soul."

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She's used to taking damage? Zhilan may be quiet, yet his eyes seem to search and analyze. He wonders about her resilience, whether that is their separation as mere man and cosmic entity. For some reason, it strikes him with a sense of loneliness. ❝ Just because you're used to something, ❞ he kindly begins, ❝ doesn't mean you have to keep enduring it. ❞

❝ As people, we look out for one another. It's how we've persisted this long. ❞ Zhilan turns to gaze ahead as his solitary steps crunch against the gravel. Floating beside him, she is like a cloud of the night sky nestled upon the ground, lighting the way forward. Guiding him despite that it is he who knows their destination. ❝ You're... from the night sky, aren't you? ❞ He thinks of Celestia, the home of the Gods, hung distantly beside Teyvat's moon. Instead of any deity, she seems like the stars themselves—yet a person all at once. ❝ But you walk here, amongst mankind. ❞ His expression turns sheepish, remembering that she is floating. ❝ Well... hover, I mean. What I mean is... While you're down here, I can't help but see you as I do other people. Your soul is no less worth protection than mine, or anyone else's. ❞

That catches Mira's attention, when he's saying he's been here for years. Mika had said she'd been here for a year before as well. It was a curious thing, to think one could be here for so long. Yet, with how different time was for her, it makes her wonder if it would pass by quickly or not for her.

When the area changes into the Cotes Ward, she briefly wonders exactly where they're going but she knows she'll find out in due time as she floats besides him.

"That's a very interesting way to speak about being here, but I can agree to it in a sense, even if I do not have the most normal experiences a soul would have prior to coming here. However, I would not concern yourself with my wellbeing too much. I am used to my form taking damage, and it does not cause me pain, so it would be better for a soul who would need it."

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If she doesn't know this much, then... She must not have been here for very long. ❝ Thank you, ❞ he tells her. ❝ For trusting me on this. ❞

The groans and wails behind the barrier grow quieter as they gain more distance. Before long, they're in the suburbs of Cotes, walking alongside private residences. It's a straight shot from here to the Annals—Zhilan takes this route often. ❝ I've been here for some years, ❞ the scholar informs her next, smiling in the face of these admittedly tense circumstances. There is worry in it, sure. However, Zhilan was nothing without his optimism. ❝ You could say I've had time to learn the ropes. ❞ He briefly lapses into silence; he is always careful about choosing words so they receive a moment of consideration.

❝ It... is a fantastical world to live in, and I've learnt a great many things while I've been a resident of it. Yet the biggest lesson I've taken with me is that we must watch out for one another. It's not always safe. ❞

Mira follows along after him without a fuss, making sure to stay in step with him as they walk.

"I will have to take you for your word on this, for I am aware my knowledge lacks in areas."

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Zhilan laughs a little, keeping the energy between them light as he leads her toward the archives. With any hope, it should be safe there. ❝ You have a healthy adventurer's spirit—to strive ahead to understand the unknown. ❞

❝ Although, what is unknown here is not always friendly. It's best that we be cautious... ❞

Eyes instantly dart to face him, blinking for a moment as she feels him hooking their arms together and spares a glance towards their arms then back at his face.

"Dangerous..? How could it be dangerous if it is unknown? But, I will if you wish."

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Staying calm is important... Don't scare her or anything. He gently taps her shoulder, then carefully hooks his elbow into hers.

❝ Hey, you should move back. It's dangerous here, we don't know what exactly is behind that barrier. Would you come with me? ❞

Yup, she's touching at the barrier as she hears things from the other side, trying to make sense of it all. Someone get her away from it.

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❝ ... You don't think it's possible to reason with them, do you? ❞

❝ N- No? ... Um. Okay. ❞ Calmly starts drawing up the shutters on the Annals. ❝ If anyone would like to take shelter, there's room here. ❞

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it's his birthday today. pretend that's a cake.

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❝ Would you like a suggestion? ❞ He notices it's been several minutes since the girl made of stars first came to stand before the glass pastry display. Zhilan finds he is also indecisive, having come to this cafe out of nostalgia rather than craving something sweet. Xerxes is not here anymore, and although he has made more peace with it over time, the familiar smells of warm, decadent cakes and sugar-sweet frosting make him feel a little closer. He may not know what to order, but he knows what Xerxes would want him to bring him should he still be at the manor. And so Zhilan lowers, his fingernail tapping the glass over a slice of strawberry shortcake while turning to smile past his shoulder.

❝ I've heard great things about their strawberry shortcake, ❞ he advises, light from the cafe's softly glowing bulbs worn in his gentle brown eyes. ❝ If you like strawberries, that is. ❞

@guidingstarmira — for here or to-go?

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Zhilan lets him speak his piece. His gaze does not harden at his words or actions, as his expression stays inquisitive. The book gets a brief, inspective glance as it snaps shut and flies back into its place on the shelf. Though he frowns, it's less toward the pithy behavior unleashed upon the archival tomes, instead lying more with the man's resentment of them. The scholar knows this island is cruel. That cruelty can warp the spirit, jading oneself. He wonders what he might have endured during his absence, whether mercy would have still soured his outlook. ❝ Neither, ❞ Zhilan answers, turning back to meet the sharp edges of his golds with open browns. ❝ History is flawed because people are flawed. There will always be bias inside a written account of the past, as no one person will have experienced it the same. ❞ His gaze lowers to the desk, considering the rest of the establishment with it. ❝ This archive exists to be questioned. It's the purpose of knowledge itself. ❞ The assertion is fond as it is true. Zhilan reflects on Sumeru's dependence on the Akasha and how it stifled critical thinking and growth. He wants no such thing for the Annals—it is an open resource to be challenged and embraced in equal parts, an effort of not just one but many. ❝ Humanity would stagnate if we stopped challenging what we believe we understand. We only move forward in search for the truth. ❞

❝ At the same time, the widespread truth will always be subjective because it's different in every set of eyes. We exist to find our own, while our potential is not with the collective but with the individuals that make it. ❞ He sweeps a bent arm, his body, and his head as one to the many shelves around them. ❝ It's why there are countless books here rather than just one to follow—to read and find our own truth, whatever it may be. ❞

「✦」 "Books..."

With a snap, Aurelius has the covers of his own shut before the volume flies back to its place on the shelves. He turns to study Zhilan in turn, gold eyes meeting the quiet gaze of the scholar with mixed emotions.

"I find that they give answers for general trends—a summary of a collective average."

"In reality, a person may live his entire life encountering antithesis to those ideals. Does he assume he is an exception, adjust his perspective, or question the principles he read on paper in the first place?"

He strides over to the front desk, where Zhilan has naturally assumed his previous post, and leans forward while resting his arms on the counter.

"If everything you've seen and felt runs counter to the printed word, then tell me who is at fault: the writers of those books, or your own unfortunate experiences?"

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When he returns to the Annals, he expects to be greeted by little more than dust and silence. His absence has left it without an owner for months, yet as he walks through the entrance, he sees nothing suggesting its abandonment. The floors are swept clean, the books sit tidily on their shelves, and, to his surprise, a visitor is already waiting for him. He greets him as if their roles have swapped, a book resting stationary in the air before him, and Zhilan recognizes him so that he pauses over the entrance mat. ❝ No, we didn't, ❞ he seconds, somewhat mourning the opportunity. They may be barely acquainted, but their brief conversations had interested him. Enough to have made an impression on him, to know that his character has since changed. A quiet, calm gait carries him to the front desk, where he rests his eyes on him, examining him like one does to understand a puzzling formula. ❝ Did you find your answer in these books while I was gone? ❞ It's not asked to be critical; Zhilan is genuinely curious. That was the very purpose this archive served, why he poured all his efforts into it as an abundant resource of knowledge in the first place.

❝ I won't change your mind, but I'd like to ask: what is it that draws you to our history if you think our potential is wasted? ❞

「✦」 "You're back."

This time it's him doing the welcoming. A book floats in front of Aurelius's chest as he stands by a shelf near the entrance of the Annals—quite by coincidence, as he'd just been browsing the volumes there beforehand.

"We never finished our conversation last time," the angel observes, and finally peers past his book at the original owner of this archive.

"But an answer's found me in the meantime."

"No matter how far human potential promises to reach, their ability to disappoint is always constant."

@archaictold ໒꒱

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The second he sees him, his legs suddenly cannot carry him any faster. They collide as they did as children, with Zhilan winding his arms around his brother like the timid boy in their village again, glossy-eyed and searching for him.

❝ You're still here, ❞ Zhilan croaks, his eyelashes dampened from how hard he tightens them shut. He did not know what waited for him here. Whether anything waited for him still, for time often washed people away like an ocean to granules of sand. There is a squeeze, and then he stands back with an arm braced on his sibling's shoulder, stubbornly scrubbing aside the wet globs at the corner of his eyes before they can spill. ❝ Sorry. Ha… Look at me, getting all torn up. You didn't leave, so it's okay. ❞ A sniff, then a smile. It looks more natural on Zhilan than tears ever could, truer to his relief. ❝ You've been—well, I hope? ❞

@stoicstoryteller — MY BRUDDER 😭

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( OOC.) lanlan's turn! we're kicking this off with a starter call, soft-capped at two! buuuut previous interactions can like beyond the cap. new interactions can too, but they'll be sorta tentative while i dust him off! he's been sneeping for a while hehe.

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❝ I- I'm not trying to do anything nefarious, I was just curious! ❞

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art comm by novclow

'tis the season again, so take this halloween commission i got last year of the squad featuring @nicawlette @archaictold @schleckermaul in their respective costumes !

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A message? This late? Now who could that be? Zhilan opens up his texts, and is greeted by something... interesting, to put it one way. TO: Eiden FROM: Zhilan

Eiden... I admire your festive spirit, but I'm at a loss for words. What does some of this even mean? Thot-o-ween???

Well, he's gotten an amused smile out of it at least.

A little late this year but everyone needs some cheering up right?

to: all (+18 )contacts from: Eiden ✨

IT’S COCKTOBER 🍆🎃 U KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS 👀👅 DICK SUCKING AWARENESS MONTH 😯🙆🏼👅 SEND THIS TO 12 OF UR CLOSET HOES 👭😈 THAT LOVE THAT DICK 🍆🍆🍆💦💦💦🎃🎃🎃🎃 IT’S COCKTOBER 🍆🎃 U KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS 👀👅 DICK SUCKING AWARENESS MONTH 😯🙆🏼👅 SEND THIS TO 12 OF UR CLOSET HOES 👭😈 THAT LOVE THAT DICK 🍆🍆🍆💦💦💦🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃THOT-O-WEEN 🎃IS UPON US !! YOU ARE QUEEN👸🏿 OF THE THOTS!!! FORWARD THIS TO 7⃣ OF THE 🍆THOTTIEST🍆 THOTS 💁🏿 THAT YOU KNOW WILL GET SOME 👉🏿👌🏿 SOON !!! IF YOU DON’T, BE PREPARED 🙍🏿 FOR 6⃣9⃣ DAYS OF BAD LUCK ⚠️

" Perfect! Now just press 'send'... "

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❝ The past few weeks have been a blur. Jeez... Maybe I really have been working too hard. ❞