Sun sat on a stone bench, an awning overhead, shading him from the light of Rising Hour.
Rising Hour to Early Hour, Early Hour to Falling Hour, Falling Hour to Low Hour, and now, Low Hour to Rising Hour.
For over twenty-four hours, he watched the world brighten and dim.
The white of the Starlit Sky and the black of Night's Sky seemed to struggle for dominance; now, the former took hold and was gradually illuminating the sky once more.
Still lending his gaze outwards, despite the final hour of Rising Hour coming to an end, Sun was still wallowing in misery.
"..."
"..."
"..."
The revelation of Star Gazing Settlement's fall was a given; he had witnessed its destruction firsthand.
But to hear it still hurt, and to hear that even the Settlement Lord, an Immortal, had been struck down with it, it shook his very being.
"Sun."
"...?"
Turning to the voice behind him, Sun found Liming Zi grabbing his shoulder.
"How are you faring?"
"...Well... I'm faring well..."
"Is that so?" She took a seat beside Sun, "An entire night has already passed since the news."
"So it has."
"Have you eaten?"
"No, I haven't..."
"Here." Holding a few paper-wrapped balls of dull grey, Liming Zi offered them to Sun, "You should eat proper food, but this should do for now."
"Are these Satiation Pills?"
"Indeed."
"..."
Sun glared at them for a moment before taking the whole lot.
Unwrapping one and popping it into his mouth, he couldn't help but exclaim,
"How bitter."
"Truly so, aren't they?"
"Even then..." Sun unwrapped and popped the rest in his mouth. After choking all of it down, he paused before asking in an awkward tone, "How are you faring, Li Zi?"
It was truly awkward, since it should have been Liming Zi who had suffered the worst psychological blow.
"All is fine... Though it is a bit hard to believe, let alone accept... but I had accepted it long ago."
"Is that so?" There was a slight disbelief in Sun's eyes, but he quickly shook it off. "I'm a little surprised, but also not too surprised, either."
"What does that mean?"
"Nothing to worry about. I'm just glad you're doing okay, too."
There was a solemn tone in his voice, one that did not go unnoticed by his friend, but even then, the awkward silence continued once more.
Not being able to find the right words to comfort Sun, Liming Zi cleared her throat and spoke up,
"There was another reason I wanted to see you."
"What could that be?"
Liming Zi withdrew something from her robe.
It was the size of her palm and had a dark green lustre.
"This had come to me at the first hour of Rising Hour, just five hours ago. It is a Jade Slip from Immortal Union."
"Immortal Union...?"
"Yes. It was an invitation to an assembly during the following Falling Hour. Specifically, we were invited."
"An assembly... Were we the only ones who received this invitation? What could be happening so soon?"
"The only notice is that there will be a discussion about the events of Star Gazing Settlement and the following circumstances..."
"Star Gazing...?" Mouth slightly agape, a myriad thoughts flashed in Sun's mind, "They told us that our home was attacked and destroyed... What more could there be... Have they withheld something from us?"
"We can not be so sure for now. To gain surety—to sate my curiosity and worries... I'm going to join the assembly. Are you coming, too?"
"..." Sun couldn't help but think of the possible reasons for this assembly.
It was a message delivered in secrecy.
After a moment, Sun slowly nodded his head.
"Yes... I'll come, too."
"Okay. We'll keep this Jade Slip, then. We'll have to present this when we reach... the United Army Hall. That is towards the inner districts. We are to arrive before the Third Hour of Falling Hour."
"Third hour... I'll rest here a moment longer, then."
"Here? Are you sure? You have been sitting here for an entire night, Sun."
"It's fine, truly. I'll make sure to freshen up later."
Liming Zi knew that such behaviour would be detrimental to one's health, but even then, she did not know what to say.
With a sigh, she could only leave her concerns with Sun.
"Make sure you've eaten something proper, too."
"Okay, Okay." Sun waved, trying to dismiss these worried remarks. "I'll meet up with you again before we leave."
"So be it. I still want to check around with the other denizens of our Settlement, so you can find me in the hall."
Leaving those words and a gentle pat on Sun's shoulder, Liming Zi took her leave.
...
Sun returned his gaze outwards towards the sky, no longer in his stupor.
He felt a strange warmth in his chest.
Reflecting on the fall of his home... no... before that; reflecting on his earlier years, Sun couldn't help but reminisce.
'I made a promise...
'I made a promise that I will not let go of...!'
'To help others', that is what Sun had promised.
He promised his father.
'I will be strong! I will protect my home and my Settlement! I will be Star Gazing Settlement's Guard!'
It was a bold declaration, full of the vigour of youth.
However, he also made the same promise to his mother.
'I will be kind... I will be the warm hand of my people, of our home, that will refuse Night itself... I will be Star Gazing Settlement's Medical Expert!'
One not so bold, but equally full of will.
To help others, this was the foundation of Sun's Way!
'I gave up the path of a Guard because I could not fight for the one I loved most... but I could not keep those of my home alive as a Medical Expert, either.
'I want to be strong... I want to help others... I want to reclaim the lives that were taken by those damned Immortals!
'I will not aim to be a Guard once more... No, I will be a Warrior!'
Sun declared in a hushed tone,
"Mother, Father, I will not let you down!"
...