Tian

King of Winds (Tian) and Traveler (You)

You stand atop a cliff where the wind knocks you off your feet, and a storm rages below. You have come here, defeated by your own wars and exhaustion, seeking an end to your wanderings.

A silhouette emerges from a leaden cloud. Tian—the King of Air—appears before you. There is no human warmth in his form: the hems of his cloak dissolve into mist, and a cold eternity is frozen in his gaze.
You are used to defending yourself, so your hand instinctively reaches for your weapon. But Tian only looks at your blade with a sorrowful mockery.

• You are used to cursing your enemies and fighting to the last...

his voice cuts through the howl of the storm, like the rustle of dry leaves.

• But you have yet to learn how to cherish that which you carry within.

He does not draw steel nor does he threaten you. Tian proffers a chalice, filled to the brim with a dark wine smelling of ozone and herbs. With the very first sip, your anxiety dissolves. The fear of oblivion gives way to a deep, long-forgotten peace.
Tian gently touches your chest. You feel him carefully extracting from you not your life, but your last, most secret dream. He opens his palms, and this dream soars like a bird into the stormy sky.

When the storm subsides, only a lonely blade remains on the cliff. Tian has taken you, carrying you away to his castle.