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Though she has written about meetings and partings innumerable times, finding no other measure to judge by, she can only rely on Chun to make a decision.

She only has to tell the truth.

That the pain of losing a loved one does not heal so easily, even after decades, after centuries.

That death is liberation and life is pain. Which way the scale tips is obvious.

That it was best for Wang to let him go, that Jie should remain and feel the pain that lingers. Wang reaps the death that he sowed while Jie remains. It is how things should be.

That Jie would cautiously advance the cause of eliminating Sui, without crossing the line as Wang did, incurring the wrath of the True Lung when the Sui Regulator received an anonymous tip.

But—

Eliminate the great evil, before dealing with the culprit.'

There is no one in the Sky Mirror Pavilion or the Imperial Historical Cabinet who can stop her. It's becoming a real problem.'

She should be held responsible if the history of Yan falls into chaos!'

Imperial Historical Cabinet abolished. Takes control of the written language of Yan. No one may oppose her.'

Reviews the livelihood of every household in the land. Anyone who has committed fraudulent acts has their name erased and is exiled to the borders. Thousands die.'

Chaotic, murky memories grip the Candleholder's heart.

It is not right. She seems to remember that none of the speakers had faces.

Something is not right. It is false, fabricated, designed to drive a rift between Candleholder and proxy, turn them against each other.

But... is it not a fact that Jie's power is growing?

She will become more powerful, more terrible, than the Sui beast itself. She cannot help it. I must help her. I must do my duty to Great Yan—

Two entwined wills surge in her chest. One belongs to her, the other to those faceless people, but also...

...To a Yan that does not want to give a proxy complete control over history.

She cannot help but suspect that her recruitment by the Sui Regulator was not luck, but planned.

She was assigned to watch the most difficult proxy to control, because of her long lifespan.

She would understand the monster that Jie would become, because of her interest in history.

She would lose her hard-earned home if she betrayed Great Yan, because she has nowhere to go.

Is that why?

She feels the crushing weight of her burden. A rumbling sound fills her mind, and she cannot think.

She must do her duty to Yan, do her duty as Candleholder. By chance, she has seen Jie at her most fragile. She must let the great evil take the culprit's place.

It would be best for the proxies, even. Yan would lose a reason to wage war on them—

My mother...

When she passed... I felt...

I felt... very little.

<color=#d41f1f>The pain tore you apart.</color>

I felt as though the death of my mother left a hole in my heart, made me find something new to fill it.

<color=#d41f1f>It was as though your heart was ripped out from your chest, leaving behind a bloody hole, and you know that nothing would ever fill it, that things would never be the same again.</color>

I cried when I buried her, but... that was it. I stopped crying very soon.

<color=#d41f1f>You had cried your tears dry by the time the last dirt was laid over your mother's face, but still you could not stop crying. You had no idea what to do.</color>

Our... our journey is a long one. We'll find new things and meet new people; that will soothe the temporary pain.

<color=#d41f1f>Your life is too long, and the lasting things too few. When you lose them, they leave behind voids that can never be filled, wounds that never heal.</color>

I hardly even think of my mother anymore, because I have... you... I have... other friends.

<color=#d41f1f>Your loved ones appear in your dreams. They come to you when you are alone.</color>

<color=#d41f1f>The pain grips your heart when you hear songs like the melodies that she once hummed. There is nowhere to run.</color>

When I'm with you... I'm...

...I'm happy.

She barely managed to utter those last few words, so great was her urge to throw up. She could hardly breathe.

She dares not look into the proxy's eyes.

She fears that the one before her would be blinded by her words and truly believe that loss is something that can be soothed by time.

She fears that the one before her would see through her lies, see her vile intention and despise her.

...She fears herself, for saying those words.

I see...

I see. Thank you.

You're a good Candleholder.

The murk in the Candleholder's chest suddenly clears. There is only an empty hole there now.

Wind blows through the hole and speaks in her voice.

Jie, I...

It was a cruel question. But I asked because my heart was in turmoil.

On second thought, I would likely have made the same decision, whether I asked the question or not. I regretted it as soon as I asked.

You're smart. You would have realized that I was forcing my Candleholder to choose my death or Wang's.

I shouldn't have made you do this.

You didn't say anything about yourself. You chose to communicate Great Yan's will to me, that's all.

Death is an adventure that is unique for everyone. There is no previous experience to draw from. We must each walk our own path.

The local annals that needed to be edited are on my desk. Take them to the Sui Regulator, when you have time.

...Jie!

Chun fights back her tears. Even crying would be a lie, here and now.

But the hole in her chest continues to sob, a sound that only she can hear. Finally, she forces a few sorrowful, powerless words from her chest.

I... I'll be going.

You...

...Take care.

What's going on, Jie? The Imperial Guard is coming to the Sky Mirror Pavilion, and I almost got shut inside my own home by my Candleholder—

...Did something happen to Wang?

You can hear it, can't you?

Its... heartbeat.

He went into the Tomb of Sui?!

When?

Two hours ago.

We can talk about the rule-breaking later. The court clearly wants to exclude us, and time is short. What's your plan?

I'm going to help Wang.

I'll go with you.

No.

Why?

He and I will take care of this.

Are you sure?

I'm sure.

He and I have been making plans to eliminate Sui. There is no time to explain the plan right now.

Your presence will not help; it will only increase the risk.

Besides, there's something that I must ask you to do.

Take care of this writing knife.

Your powers should be able to preserve it.

What are you planning? How bad have things gotten?

It will not awaken, not yet. I can promise you this. And so can Wang.

But you...

...Someone will come back.

Either you or him?

I'm coming with you.

No, Jun.

I truly mean no offense. I need to entrust this writing knife to the keeping of someone who is absolutely just and impartial.

If someone with ill intent gets their hands on it... it will do far more damage than the death of a single proxy.

I thought about destroying it. In the end, I felt that it was worth preserving.

The wrongs of the past should be righted, though I do not know at what price... perhaps the writing knife will be of help to you, or to Yan.

Until the day comes when no one can use it anymore.

Don't be like this, Jun.

Maybe I'll come back with Wang.