#but with like halfdan and then his serpent knight form

[jueenthusiast]

Begging for someone with any skill in video editing/animating to do an amv using the last part of just a man (starting at when does a comet become a meteor?) from that one tik tok musical about the odyssey with the khaenriah gang

[reginrokkr]

𝐂𝐋𝐈. Coming up next is the last part of the trilogy of posts of Requiem of the Echoing Depths, a very emotional quest in too many levels to describe. To check the previous parts, you can go here: ✦ ✧

✦ After their brief encounters, there is no doubt that Halfdan, within what little self-awareness he must've left (and even with that little Dain would say it's a miracle), recognized Dain and wanted to help with his investigation to have a clearer understanding of what's been boiling down in the Nameless City by showing him a bigger hilichurl campo. However, since yesterday when I paused at this point of the quest it occurred to me that there could be another option —which isn't inconciliable with the former and can coexist with it perfectly fine— and it is the fact that he wanted to seize this opportunity he had of seeing his captain once again after so much time to show him the result of his work.

Thinking about what will come to pass later when Halfdan chastizes himself for failing to follow Dain's words and the latter telling him that he's proud of what he and the other men did, I think it carries another layer of meaning that even if some hilichurls have already passed and Halfdan wanted to honor their death by bringing something to them that is reminiscent of home (a bouquet of Inteyvats), he did everything he could and in seeing this alongside understanding that the Black Serpent Knights were protecting the hilichurls all this time, Dain was prompted to give recognition for his hard work so he could pass away in peace.

✧ ◜Trying to remove it [the curse] by force will achieve nothing but inflict further suffering. So you are clear in your mind. You have to tell yourself: They are no longer human. If you cling to false hope and allow yourself to become too emotionally invested, the only way is down... You will end up just like them, mired in hypocrisy. Save your strength for something worth saving.◞

For some reason, similarly as when he talked about the curse and said that no one understands it like he does, this once again feels like out of experience. Firstly as if he had to convince himself that neither the hilichurls or those who are part of the Abyss Order are no longer humans and that this could be easily a reason to lose sight of what's important, which for one is that the Abyss Order seeks to destroy all the nations under the Seven and the people with it. This alongside another matter I'll touch later is a clear expression of hypocrisy in bringing ruin to other innocent ones like many of Khaenri'ah were. And secondly, about Lumine as the one who went down this path out of her sense of guilt for being unable to do anything when the destruction at the hands of the gods happened (I won't expand more on this as it'll have its moment in Caribert).

Lastly, while his last line may sound harsh and as if implying that for example the hilichurls aren't worth saving, I don't think he says it out of malice. But because 500 years after, they have already established their lives, got used to this new way of living in their own tribes down to choosing how they want to meet their end. It's not that they aren't worth saving as much as choosing for them when most likely they have already chosen. And this can apply to the Black Serpent Knights too, who still choose to protect the hilichurls as is, no matter the form they take— they're still the people they once protected in Khaenri'ah (looking at it in retrospective, it reminds me a bit of Nahida's second story quest and the lack of importance the shape one takes has). This will be touched again a bit later.

✦ One of the things I adore about Dain and that it's seen so rarely is that he doesn't mind following his own path without Aether and that actually, he could do all these things he does on his own. As painful as it might be, because as he states in Shenhe's miscellany, he doesn't relish the solitary life he has and even he knows the heartache of the Adepti which includes the poison of solitude.

✧ [...] ◜The Abyss' actions here directly dishonor he final wishes of Halfdan and my other compatriots. I cannot allow this to proceed.◞

This here is one of the reasons of weight why I always differentiate between the deeds of those who are obsessed (Abyss Order-aligned even before the Cataclysm) and those who highly likely wouldn't want to take part in any of this, before and now. In what concerns this part of the story specifically, and the second reason why the Abyss Order has fallen into hypocrisy is for deciding on other's behalf in a similar fashion as the Heavenly Principles do with everyone that is under them (so far sans the sovereigns, as Neuvi claims that he's unaffected) through the fate system.

✦ ◜Am I too late...? Must they also be in agony as they meet their end?◞

I can't describe how heartbreaking it must've been to Dain to think that he's late to save his people... again, after being unable to do anything for anyone back when the destruction of Khaenri'ah happened. As for the second line as per in CN (thank you to the lovely @jueying for telling me about this), it has so much strength that he says that they're in agony because he can feel it— in that moment, he was in agony too. As he kept saying one time after another before this scene, cleansing the curse by force would only bring more suffering and this is where the Abyss Order fails x2: not only in deciding for the hilichurls and Black Serpent Knights, but for making them suffer (and who knows if they made plans to stay away from that place so that they wouldn't be affected by this if its influence is only in that area as I think it is, which would make it worse as it would seem like they're using those who are around as experiments to see if later they can use it on themselves or not).

✧ Lastly but not any less important, Halfdan's sacrifice to protect the hilichurls, his other compatriots Black Serpent Knights who he's been working hand in hand to protect them, Dain and his act of kindness to honor their deaths. It's touching to see that Dain's recognition and vocalized pride on him and the rest of the Black Serpent Knights made Halfdan happy, maybe a tad embarrassed too as Dain is still his superior.

And his question, if Khaenri'ah didn't fall since Dain is still there. I think that this has a double interpretation: in a literal sense or a more metaphysical one, alluding that since Dain is still there, the spirit of Khaenri'ah didn't fall into complete oblivion nor fell completely. Personally, I like the thought that Khaenri'ah lives through Dain as Halfdan would imply if this is exactly what he meant, which once again clashes with the Abyss Order's ways even though a significant part of them must be of Khaenri'ah, too. Whatever values Khaenri'ah had that have nothing to do with these obsessions, Irmin and Gold's deeds are carried by Dain.

There is also the notion that Dain lied to him if what Halfdan meant is the former interpretation to make him feel better, which might be questionably less or more noble of him to do and I'm keeping that in mind. However the case, I think that even if Halfdan meant the first interpretation, souls are said to still have sentience even in the "afterlife" as implied in Tsurumi Island. And that they have the capacity to visit people in their dreams. So whatever the interpretation of Halfdan's question may be, one way or another there are chances that he knew what was happening before his sacrifice or after, as it seems that his soul was released from the darkness of his physical body, corroded by the curse and the Abyss separately yet intimately connected with one another.

✦ Bonus: ◜More than one kind of strange power exists here. Souls are no strange sight under such circumstances. Still, if you intend to venture deeper in and continue your investigation, you ought to be careful.◞

Dain, mr. Sir. Just how is your sentience in order to feel the Abyss and the sapphire nail despite how much deeper underground and farther than the Nameless City's location was? And this comes from the perspective that he was never in the Chasm before.

✧ Bonus #2: ◜"Vacation"? Huh, the very notion. This word has no business being in my vocabulary.◞

[strdstd-m]

🍇 : how would my muse describe their childhood? how much has it impacted the person they are now, or will become as an adult? around what age did they or will they start to mature, and why? do they wish to go back to their days as a child, or have they embraced adulthood? 🍌 : is my muse inclined to help others, or will they only do it when it benefits them, if at all? what makes them this way? has it ever gotten them into trouble, or inconvenienced them? 🥝 : does my muse have any ‘ unusual ’ habits, interests, and / or talents? do they hide it, or are they proud of it? (for Dain!)

Fruity Headcanon Prompts ★ @kanawolf ★ Accepting

🍇 : how would my muse describe their childhood? how much has it impacted the person they are now, or will become as an adult? around what age did they or will they start to mature, and why? do they wish to go back to their days as a child, or have they embraced adulthood?

{OOH- Headcanon time! I like to hc Dain as King Irmin's son, and after the loss of his mother due to a coup attempt after the royal heads went out for an “expedition” by schemers to get them alone, his father realized just how fragile his own life was and thusly set Dain on the fast-track to becoming the next king, essentially forcing him to grow up too fast. As well as giving him the Royal Guard captain position in order to keep a better eye on him. Leaving Dain wishing he could've rightfully earned that position by working his way up the ranks by proving himself to the others instead of being straight "gifted" the position.

So, understandably, Dain’s feelings about his father are complicated. He did learn a lot during his time as royal guard captain, yet still craved a far simpler life upon seeing the strain his father was going through. His time as Royal Guard captain was far more enlightening than any of his time as a royal was, opening him up to friendships, maturity, and overall ability to stand up to his father.

As far as Dain's views on his childhood go, he basically doesn't remember it at all due to the curse obscuring his memory. But if he could remember it, I can see him wanting to go back to when his mother was still alive bc that was when things were far more stable. Yet, he still likely wouldn't want to go back, bc knowing what the events followed and experiencing that pain again would not be something he'd want to go through again.

I love this hc bc it adds a whole new set of layers to Dain's guilt regarding the fall of Khaenri'ah, bc he didn't just fail his knights, he FAILED his people, father, as well as his own knights.}

🍌 : is my muse inclined to help others, or will they only do it when it benefits them, if at all? what makes them this way? has it ever gotten them into trouble, or inconvenienced them?

{Ooh... Now this is an interesting one- Dain's been a strictly solitary person ever since the fall of Khaenri'ah, yet, he still has this buried desire to help. He's witnessed the brightest & darkest points of Teyvat in his 500 years, suffered through the fall of his nation, and currently is suffering through the pain of the curse AND Abyssal affliction. Yes, he's been toughened, worked hard to create distance between anyone and himself to prevent connections (bc he's already lost so much), & he's grown so pessimistic. Bc why bother caring when he's gonna either lose someone or outlive them, or they'll even lose him?

Yet after the Chasm, it's revealed that he's still retained the qualities of being a true captain after centuries of losing that role and no longer thinking himself as deserving/worthy of it. Despite him being in absolute agony, he put Halfdan's, the Black Serpent Knights', and the hilichurls' suffering above his own. Near-desperate to cease their pain, bc it might as well be his final deed to them.

I like to think, after that, he's more inclined to openly help, instead of hiding himself away to avoid forming any connection. But likely only those he deems worthy of receiving his assistance, and ofc, no help given to gods, the Fatui, and/or ANY of the Abyss Order.

So, he does want to help, but he's selective about those he helps, even if he's more open to it, post-Chasm.}

🥝 : does my muse have any ‘ unusual ’ habits, interests, and / or talents? do they hide it, or are they proud of it?

{Back in Khaenri'ah, Dain took up poetry as a a royal-required thing, but wound up enjoying it as a way to vent out his frustrations with royal life. That skill was lost after the fall & due to the curse, but he regained it after the Chasm and got back to using it as a way to help get his newly-resurfaced traumas out.}

[reginrokkr]

✧ @alhaqiqah​ sent wishful prayers: 02. the high priestess— how does your muse make decisions? do they trust their instinct or would they rather trust their heart / their logic?

In all fairness, Dain’s decision-making record has been punctuated with hardship by starting as far back into time as prior to Khaenri’ah’s fall. As the peak leader of the human military faction, there is no doubt that he must’ve been exposed to uncomfortable situations of making hard decisions and we have knowledge of one: his final orders to Halfdan, despite being royal guards, was to protect all the people of Khaenri’ah regardless of their social status.

We see this trend of making hard decisions later on in some moment when he comes to terms with the fact that those who form the Abyss Order are better antagonized than leave them do whatever it is their planning instead of making a much easier decision for himself, which would be to join them and continue this false will of Khaenri’ah. As a result of this decision, he’s exposed to plenty of unfortunate situations that stir unpleasantries like this conceived failure that follows him of being unable to protect Khaenri’ah, or of betrayal to his homeland.

A much more recent decision is when Halfdan asked him if Khaenri’ah didn’t fall in view that he (Dain) is still there and he nodded. Putting aside Halfdan’s perception on everything that was boiling down at the moment with the Abyss Order, objectively speaking one could say that Dain lied to him to make him feel better and pass away peacefully. Regardless of my thoughts on the matter, whether that is the case or Halfdan’s question was more metaphoric if we go with the assumption that he was able to understand the situation, we don’t know and I don’t know if this will be revisited in some way for further clarification in a more explicit manner or it’s a closed chapter.

So in view of these three instances, I’d say that Dain trusts more his logic when it comes to decision-making rather than his heart. Does this mean that he doesn’t rely on his heart in other aspects? Not in the slightest, probably not even in his decision-making. Among the many things that I could perceive from Dain, one of them happens to be that despite what his exterior may suggest, he’s a really kindhearted man that feels more than what he lets on. This was shown specially during Requiem of the Echoing Depths within his moments of overthinking and worries for the Black Serpent Knights and Halfdan.