[ He remembered what he could but he had been so young and it was so long ago. The book scrolling endlessly in the one library told some of the tale as well, but he barely remembered the language from before they first came to the surface. He had been just learning to read, but he and Ye Zun had often slipped out of studying to play with weapons or listen to tales. He only remembered as much as he does because of the alliance and his role in the war. ]

I barely remember my parents; we were eight when the meteors hit and in the chaos they tried to help others get out. And then there was just Ye Zun and I on the surface of an alien world.

[ It doesn't make it any less painful, but it makes the pain distant, like a phantom that sometimes would come to mind and he spent hours trying to remember. His mother's laughter as she straightened his grip on one of her forged weapons. His father's voice as he started a long-winded story about running into a dragon in the woods. His brother was far more immediate even if a lot of those memories were of his madness and pain. ]

They said there are ways for a shinki to know, but that can be dangerous. So if knowing more about me will help you, I can tell you about my life.

[ Zhao Yunlan sounded as if his anger was leaving him, and Shen Wei smiled slightly, relaxing more that the anger was burning itself out. He had to remember to be careful how he talked about certain things, but he could at least talk about the war and Kunlun. ]

You know, very few people ever ask me about myself.