♕ Faris ♕

  Even if the sky falls on you...

Once upon a time, there was a boy without a name; living in the slums and proving his worth with a blade.
He wanted to see more, he wanted to see the sky - he wanted to feel the freedom like birds do when they fly. Alas, he was but a boy from nowhere, a no one; until his blade showed the people that he can be someone...

  ...there is a hole that you can escape from.

Xiāo Méi, his current business partner, was but a child back then, just like him. Curious, although wise beyond his years, he made a decision that led him into the wrong place at the wrong time; and he got attacked. . Without a moment of hesitation, our hero, the nameless boy, has jumped in front of the attackers and fended them off with a terrifying prowess for someone of his age; and when Xiāo asked what he'd like in return - because a noble cannot let themselves be indebted - the hero said simply: purpose.

  Take one step back...

Years have passed, and the nameless boy had gotten the name as vast as his thirst for more - he was now Haneul, the sky. Alongside Xiāo, now his adoptive brother, he was taught all a noble must know; and he was to accompany him wherever he went, whether it be heaven or hell.
In all that following, they stumbled upon a servant child with wind in their hair and fear in their eyes. Nowadays, it's simply a shadowy figure in his memory with bright green eyes - but back then, he knew him. He knew him like no one else did.

  ...and you will see the vastness of the world.

The servant was of their age and eager to learn magic, although it was forbidden. And of course that they helped him - how could they resist such an adventure, after all? Those were the most carefree years of his life: besides the all the fun breaking the rules was, he also learnt more about his lineage and was reassured that his place is within the nobles - after all, he was the only survivor of a massacre that befell a house with close ties to Xiāo's, so, of course, they had to take care of him...
He did not question any of it, and enjoyed the life and opportunites that he had now; always carrying the memory of the life in slums close to his heart as a reminder to never, ever, ever again allow himself to live like that.

  Everything in the past died yesterday...

However, as time passed, the sweet taste of this life turned sour. The so-called freedom he got was a golden cage in all but name; and the moment Xiāo took a whipping for a mistake he made, he started thinking about leaving.
The thoughts started taking solid root the more mistakes their dear servant friend made - using their magic to catch the glass taht was falling, being seen as they practiced, simply... existing in a way that was not allowed. Whip scars piled upon their back, and Haneul found himself learning more about medicine and medicinal herbs just to be able to help them.
And then he overheard the elders talking about throwing them out - that made him realise how disposable people are to them, if they do not bear a certain name; and that's when the thought about running away started becoming a plan.
...but he could not just leave Xiāo and their servant friend behind now, could he? And so he started gathering all information he could about the ways three of them could leave - once the two agree too; and he started putting up a front even more so than before - while he did somewhat hide his emotions prior to this, he now kept smiling, no matter what happened. That earned him the trust of the elders, who saw him as an example to be looked up to; and he planned on using that when the time comes.

However, when the time did come, the dear friend of theirs, whose name was long forgotten by now, decided it was their duty to serve as a distraction while Haneul and Xiāo run - they will get to them, they promised. It will be okay, they reassured them into reluctant agreement; and that was the last lie they ever said.

  ...and everything in the future is born today.

Decades have passed since that day, and he changed - but the memory stayed. So he took up a new name: Faris - as a knight, he was determined to protect all that he cared about this time around. And so he fought tooth and nail alongside Xiāo to carve out a space for themselves where they knew they could be both safe and enjoy life to the fullest.