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Dan Heng

Case Study of the Trailblazer: Stelle

Summary: Dan Heng wouldn't call himself a researcher. However, when it comes to things that interest him, he tends to study them like he is one. This time, it was the newest member of the Astral Crew — Stelle. But what started off as as a simple secret case study on her somehow complicates over time. As curiosity and an odd stir of his heart tempts, Dan Heng finds himself drawn closer to her and learning more about himself than her.

if you have not played the 1.2 Trailerblazer mission, turn around.

This chapter is a modification to the canon when Dan Heng was in contact with Stelle. This is semi-canon; I'd changed things and rearranged the script a little. I enjoyed writing this so far; it was fun. I hope you found this fun to read too! (I'm so sorry, i do not do beta-reading so if some weirdness is picked up, pls pardon me.)

03 when the Moon chases the Sun

Stellarons have always been mysterious entities throughout the vastness of the universe.

Often she finds herself wondering about the one she hosts in her body, especially when it comes to the strange heat of emotions.

The curious spurs of weird reactions whenever things have something to do with Dan Heng — set her chest ablaze, her heart thumping faster, the funny feeling in her stomach or how her mood just lifts at the sight of him…

A soft ‘pop’ notification sound urged Stelle to pull out her phone.

[Dan Heng] Something happened just now. I just arrived on the Xianzhou. Are you alright?

….or his text messages.

There it was again. There was that odd stutter in her chest.

But this time, she wasn’t sure it was due to her surprise that that man who was clearly not comfortable coming down to Xianzhou with them was actually in Xianzhou now or it was just the Stellaron again.

…maybe she should just check with Mr Yang about her Stellaron when they are safely back on the Express again.

Bringing her attention back to his text message again, a ridge of concern appeared between her brows.

…did something happen to the Express?

Her fingers flew across the screen.

[Stelle] What are you doing on the Xianzhou? Is the Express okay? What happened?

In less than a second, a bubbling line of dots was accompanied by Dan Heng is typing…under his status. She didn’t even realise she was holding her breath until a reply popped into the chat.

[Dan Heng] I’ll pretend you replied “I’m okay.”

At that, her lips quirked. It was so Dan Heng.

Then another text from him followed.

[Dan Heng] It’s a long story. I’m at CloudFord with a Cloud Knight. I’ll join you when I come out.

Then another.

[Dan Heng] By the way, the Express is fine. I came here by myself. I’ll tell you about it later.

The tension on her face melted, softened by relief.

[Stelle] I’m very interested. Tell me the details.

Stelle looked up from her phone with a silent sigh, somehow feeling…lighter and happier.

She thinks she understands now.

The times in Belobog had bonded them well and close enough for her to feel like home around March and him.

It had been a long, perilous adventure back on the frozen planet so she has gotten very used to going on a Trailblazer mission with both March and Dan Heng, albeit being her first with them.

It all makes sense. Of course, it’s no wonder she was ecstatic to know that he’s joining them in Xianzhou too!

Taut shoulders loosened as Dan Heng glanced up from his phone.

After he came to learn that that man could be in Xianzhou as well, he felt as if he had been holding onto this breath ever since he left the Express in a hurry.

Blade. Many people he accidentally got involved in the past lost their lives or were severely injured. That moment he knew Blade was in Xianzhou too, his blood ran cold and the dreadful chill down his spine.

He wasn’t fearing for himself, but them. As worried about March and Mr Yang, thoughts of the ashen-haired girl somehow flashed across his mind more often than they should.

Dan Heng had imagined the worst when he stumbled across shattered Cloud Knights’ armours upon getting off the Express. A clear telltale that a struggle has occurred.

He couldn’t shake off the feeling that something bad was definitely happening on the Luofu.

His phone has been in and out of his pocket nearly every five minutes, with him loitering around the chatrooms — hoping for a response.

The frustration holding his shoulders stiff grew even worse when there was no response from Mr Yang and March as well. He was aware of their combat abilities, especially the older man's but the quiet chats bugged him.

Even the group chat they shared was quiet then.

Jade blue eyes lingered on the little green dot by Stelle’s icon as another sigh left him quietly — feeling the anxiety in him softened enough to let him breathe more easily.

Noticing how much better he felt now, he was reminded of his secret case study on Stelle he had to put on hold due to this sudden visit to the Xianzhou Luofu — wondering about her possible innate ability to bring comfort to those around her.

But the curious thought was broken into by the curt vibration in his hand when another reply from her popped onto his screen.

[Stelle] I’m very interested. Tell me the details.

Dan Heng read the last text bubble with a quiet warmth in his eyes.

[Dan Heng] I’ll see you later.

There was a hint of a smile on his lips that one will have to lean in close enough to see, as his fingers hovered over the chat box for a second.

Stay safe, he finally added before sending it out, feeling the anticipation to unite with them in his chest arise.

Now knowing that the situation on the other end was fine, Dan Heng brought his attention back to the two strangers he met and fought alongside.

The glint of determination renewed in his eyes, unclouded this time as Dan Heng reached around his waist. Finally able to slip the device in his hand back into his pocket with a peace of mind.

Even though it has been years since he left Xianzhou Luofu, he still knew the place like it was the back of his hands.

Was it the doing of a Stellaron? was his first question when the famous, reliable navigation feature guiding the path of the starskiff under them suddenly slowed down and steered east instead of west.

…or was it…that man?

Dan Heng found himself worrying again. A nagging feeling urged him to reach out to his friends again prompted him to pull out his phone and so he did.

The blank screen lit up as Dan Heng opened the chat once again.

[Dan Heng] Stelle, did something happen?

But a Message failed to send came popping on his screen right after.

Dan Heng blinked at the notification, feeling uneasiness settle in the pit of his stomach. Jade blue eyes narrowed, the notification coiled a tense ball of frustration in his chest.

He tried again.

[Dan Heng] Are you alright?

—Message failed to send—

And again.

[Dan Heng] Stelle?

—Message failed to send—

His face blanked.

Something was definitely wrong.

The perturbing fear that Blade would find them first before he could, closed around his heart like an icy hand.

Dan Heng raised his head, jaw clenched as he watched the starskiff drift closer to a port. —of the wrong place, his growing impatience supplied unhelpfully as his hand curled tighter around his phone.

As much as he wanted to steer them back to the right course, it was too risky to do so or even point out that they were heading in the wrong direction.

He was afterall a wanted criminal here, posing as an Outworlder who has never been here and got lost, separated from his friends.

Worry pinched a furrow between Dan Heng’s brows as his eyes wandered up to the sky in a certain direction.

…That dream. No, that nightmare. He was not one to believe in dreams or nightmare in his case, but reality was starting to resemble that terrible dream.

His gaze filtered down to his phone for a wistful second.

The starskiff was getting close to the port, Dan Heng observed. Maybe he could try again.

“Oh?” Snapped out of his thoughts by the curious voice, Dan Heng found the Sushang girl peering at his screen from the seat beside him, “Is that your girlfriend?”

Dan Heng peered down at his phone and blinked.

Oh, she meant Stelle.

His stomach did a little flip.

But more irritated about her prying, the strange sensation her question invoked was ignored.

Dan Heng turned to stare at Sushang flatly.

“What?” The girl looked taken aback. “You’ve got something to say, oh Silent and Deadly one?” Sushang raised a brow at him.

Dan Heng raised a brow back at her. “I didn’t know it’s the duty of a Cloud Knight to be nosy.” She was starting to remind him a little of March.

“What? No, I was not!”

Putting up a hand as if she was about to take a pledge, Sushang tried to keep a stern face. “I swear on my role as a Cloud Knight that I just happened to look over and saw that name by accident!“

The pout she fought to keep off her demeanour still made it to her face in the end. “Cloud Knights don’t do disgraceful things like poking their nose into people’s businesses unless necessary!”

Dan Heng took one look at her and let out a snort. “Sure.” Was all he said — but clear enough to Sushang that he was not convinced.

Sushang’s mouth opened again.

“Miss Sushang, don’t you find the traffic here has been awfully quiet? What exactly has transpired here?”

Dan Heng turned his eyes to the blond long-haired man and his mysterious coffin sitting across them. Luocha, a travelling merchant, was what he introduced himself as.

“Not a single starskiff had passed us.” Despite the suspicious bleakness he had pointed out, the man had the calmest face for a simple merchant. “In all my trade visits, I’ve never seen Luofu in such a state.”

Indeed.

As the man had pointed out, Dan Heng glanced about to see nothing but the clouds and the approaching port in the distance. In the times he had been thinking about his friends, worrying about Blade getting to them, this detail has fallen past his observation.

Apparently, it did too for Sushang.

Sheepishness appeared on her face. “I, uh…I can’t comment on that. I was just ordered to rescue the civilians. Actually, I have no idea either.”

Sushang swung her eyes to the port and grew serious. “Anyway, trust me I’ll get you two to the Central. We’re reaching soon.”

Arriving at destination. Prepare to dock. The three fell into silence as a mechanical voice from the starskiff announced. Please exercise caution and do not leave your belongings behind.

The starskiff jerked slightly as it parked itself by the platform.

Sushang was the first one to stand, a foot planted on the steps, ready to disembark.

Filtered through the thin curtain covering the window, warmth of another morning in the Central Starskiff Haven spilled into the room.

Long, slender fingers lazily combed through ashen hair as citrine eyes full with thoughts stayed fixed on the ceiling above. Memories of yesterday just wouldn’t stop playing in her head.

The revival of Ambrosial Arbor. Kafka and that other Stellaron Hunter Blade who made her shudder for some reason, along with the revelation that the chain of events was all prophesised. The Mara-struck.

So much has happened.

And Dan Heng…somewhere on the ship the last they texted but uncontactable ever since the whole Ambrosial Arbor debacle disrupted the network.

It was noticeably odd not to have Dan Heng around. But she found out it was only her who felt it.

Mr Yang was a bit concerned but voiced his confidence in Dan Heng’s ability to keep himself safe.

Similarly, March waved her concerns away, agreeing with Mr Yang that Dan Heng would be fine, before ranting about the times Dan Heng ran off on his own to study something while they were in foreign places.

A long exhale sifted heavily through her lips.

The sheets rustled under her shifting weight as Stelle slowly turned, wanting to lie on her side. Only to pause, wincing as the aches as a result of the battles yesterday ripple across her body.

They weren’t as bad as the ones she received in Belobog but still...

Ignoring them the best she could, her cheek sank into the soft pillow under her head as eyes drifted down to her phone lying on the bed with her at arm’s length away.

Drowsiness was beginning to seep into her consciousness.

With all that happened and that was about to happen as per Kafka, taking a nap in between would probably be the last thing the generals would think about.

…Except for maybe General Jingyuan.

A snort of laughter, Stelle’s lips curled in amusement immediately at a ridiculous image in her head.

—of that supposedly handsome, ladies' man of a General snoring like a chainsaw on his desk, with a piece of his white mane-like hair stuck to the drool on the corner of his lips.

Another snort of laughter. The drowsy fog in her head was clearly making her a little delirious.

However, the silly imagination in her head was cut short when her phone suddenly lit up, sending a curt vibration across the bed.

Lazily plopping herself closer to her phone, she squinted groggily at the new text message that was nearly blinding her from the screen like the sun.

Stelle furrowed her brows in her confusion as her clouded brain tried to make out the sender’s name.

…Dan…

The furrow on her face deepened.

…Dan Heng?

Shocked into sitting up, the drowsiness lulling her to sleep instantly evaporated like a water puddle on a hot day as she eagerly picked up her phone, tucking her legs in to cross them.

Stelle rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn’t reading the sender’s name wrong.

It was indeed Dan Heng!

Right on time as if March could hear the notification as well, the bathroom door opened.

Even with her back facing the bathroom, the gush of moist air carrying the sweetness of March’s strawberry shampoo blasted right into the room and filled her nose.

The song the pink-haired girl has been spending the past thirty minutes singing under the running shower has finally quietened down into a hummed tune.

“Hey, isn’t Dan Heng taking a little too long to respond?” Faintly from somewhere behind, March’s question fell past her ears.

A breath Stelle didn’t know she was holding exhaled from her mouth as she now sat fully awake, feeling utterly relieved as her eyes scanned the new text from Dan Heng.

[Dan Heng] Our starskiff went off course. How’s the situation on your end? Are you okay?

Fingers moving up to tuck her ashen hair behind her ear, a reply was rapidly keyed into the chat bar as soon as her hand returned to her phone.

[Stelle] Your phone has signal again? Are you alright? Are you safe?

Almost as soon as her reply was sent out, March appeared beside her, peering over her shoulder at her screen.

“Hey, is that Dan Heng? Not fair, he hasn’t responded to me.”

Stelle turned to March to see her pouting.

As if Dan Heng heard her, March’s phone pinged loudly from the other side of the room.

Glancing across the room, Stelle laughed. ”I think that’s him.”

Stelle watched the pout on March’s face falter. “Oh, it’d better be!”

Her eyes followed March as the girl stride across the room to check her phone the second time. But only to be brought back to her phone when it vibrated again in her hand.

[Dan Heng] Yes, it seems like the network is back to normal.

Another text bubble popped onto her screen right after.

[Dan Heng] Would it hurt you to just reply ‘Yes, I’m okay?’ I’ll take it that you are all safe since March just spammed my inbox with five stickers.

Letting out a snort of laughter, Stelle knew exactly which sticker he was referring to.

Her citrine eyes bright with amusement lifted briefly to the other side of the room where March stood with her phone.

Stelle cracked a smile.

[Stelle] Five angry Pom-pom stickers?

Popped right after her text, Dan Heng humoured.

[Dan Heng] Yes, the one stomping its feet. You know, her usual.

She snickered.

[Dan Heng] Anyway, how is it going on your end?

The playful glint in her eyes faded as his question reminded her of the grave danger and complications the Luofu was in.

[Stelle] We caught Kafka, but it was too easy. It was kinda odd. We’ll be meeting the leader of the Divination Commission later to find out more.

Following right behind her response, his reply came fast.

[Dan Heng] What about Kafka’s companion? Did you see Blade?

As quickly as he asked, her response popped into the chatroom.

[Stelle] Yes, he was there. But he ran away. Dunno where he is.

Expecting a response as instant as his previous, Stelle stared curiously at the chat which stayed oddly quiet for a few lingering seconds.

Maybe he is replying March now on their own chat, she thought as her eyes were about to leave her phone to find out.

But a curt vibration stopped her before she could. Her eyes fell back to the screen.

[Dan Heng] Be careful. He is very dangerous.

Blinking at his message, Stelle recalled the bloodthirsty aura she sensed from that said man, remembering how the hairs on her arms stood.

Suddenly worried for Dan Heng, her fingers flew across the keyboard. [Stelle] Where are you? You should be more concerned for yourself, not me or the rest. We are safe in the Central.

Stelle nibbled on her lower lips nervously and watched a new text bubble appear on her screen. So engrossed in their conversation, Stelle did not realise that March had settled down beside her to read their chat.

[Dan Heng] I’m in a safe zone, don’t worry.

There was a brief pause before another appeared.

[Dan Heng] I’ll shake off the Cloud Knights and catch up to you. Talk to you later. I’m moving out now.

Sensing the finality in his latest message, Stelle hesitantly lowered her phone back into her lap and raised her head.

Only for her to be instantly met with March who was gleefully grinning from ear to ear at her for some weird reason.

“March!” Stelle flinched, nearly falling off the bed.

“Eheheh~” A teasing glint shone bright in March’s eyes. “Is Dan Heng usually that talkative with you?”

Stelle stared back in confusion. “Mostly only when we text.”

Indeed, she has always thought Dan Heng was more chatty on text than in person. Or at least that was what she had picked up about him. Was she mistaken all this while?

Confusion intensified when the teasing grin on March’s face widened. However, that emotion was not the only thing which intensified.

Stelle swallowed thickly. Her heart was suddenly beating faster in her chest too, and she didn’t know what to make of it.

“Uh.…but isn’t he more talkative on text with you, Mr Yang and Himeko as well? Even with Pom-pom too?”

March snickered with a playful smirk. “Nope~”

Stelle blinked once, twice at the giggling pink-haired girl who began typing something on her phone. Curious, she shifted forward in an attempt to peek at March’s screen when her own phone vibrated.

Her eyes widened, surprised to see that it was Dan Heng again.

[Dan Heng] March’s being weird. She just sent me three smirking Pom-Pom stickers for no reason.

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