On a snowy winter night, Consort Yun gave birth to a son named Fei, one of many princes in the palace and fated to be nothing more. As the son of a consort, Fei couldn’t be anything more or anything less than an illegitimate prince. Forced into a rigid life of military trainings and etiquette lessons that he wouldn’t even be able to apply. He could neither gain merit to rise up like the legitimate princes nor could he let loose and live freely like a commoner. From birth, his fate was set in stone, to be stuck in the same rank, same place for his whole life. That was, if he was an ordinary son of a consort. However, Fei was different, his Mother realised that when he was 2 years old. He was born with magic of cold ice and soft snow. Magic was bad, a curse, and a royalty with magic was even worse. There was no way he could live unnoticed in the palace where the walls have ears and his life would surely be over as soon his abilities were found out since magic would be a threat to the emperor’s rule. Consort Yun grieved over this, Fei was her first and only son and she could not bear the thought of him leaving the world before her. So, she searched high and low for someone who could remove his powers. She looked for priests, shamans and even magic wielders but she couldn’t find anyone that could help her in that lifetime. When Fei turned 3, he had to start attending lessons and trainings with the other royal children. Although his Mother always warned and reminded him to never use his magic, a child with little self control was bound to slip up when overwhelmed with emotions. And that was exactly what happened. Admirably, Fei endured a year of suppressing his abilities before he burst. Consort Yun was known as a mad woman at that time since she was always rushing everywhere and always seemed panicked. So, Fei was subject to constant teasing as ‘the son of a lunatic’. Whenever he heard that, he felt the hard ice in his core building up until one day, the magic took over his body. He couldn’t remember anything else other than feeling a chilling, icy coldness, and once he came to, all that was left of his fellow brothers and sisters was shattered ice. He had wiped out almost an entire generation of the royal family. For the crime of birthing a cursed child and the murder of many royal children, Consort Yun was beheaded mercilessly by none other than the emperor. The same was done to Fei, or so the public always thought. However, Fei was actually hidden away by the emperor.

If he was any older, he would have shared the same fate as his mother but as a four year old, the emperor didn’t see him as a threat. Instead, he was a weapon, one he could mould and shape into his own liking. Since he had to have a blank canvas first if he were to accurately paint his own master piece, he ordered priests to seal Fei’s memories. He didn’t care what method they used, be it something to do with magic, religion or even physical shock, as long as the prince forgot his past life, especially the death of his Mother. Once the priests informed him of the successfully induced amnesia, he killed them, and anyone who was aware that Fei did not die, to ensure that his plan remained a secret. Then, the emperor started his grand plan by renaming Fei as Xue Lin. Under his new identity, Xue Lin was locked in a shrine near the palace and the only person he interacted with other than the emperor was a shrine maiden tasked to take care of him. He was told that it was for his own protection. The emperor also told the boy that he saved him from a dangerous life on the streets as he pitied and sympathised with him. Feeding Xue Lin lies to brainwash him into thinking he was a good person, the emperor successfully got his son into looking up to him as his saviour. Swearing to be loyal to him, Xue Lin promised to do anything and everything for the emperor. Of course, the emperor agreed and told the boy that if he became stronger, he could protect him in the same way he was protected.

Since then, a trustworthy general has been sent into the shrine regularly to train Xue Lin in the use of various weapons. However, his magic was still unstable and unpredictable. So, he ordered a search for magic users under a pretense of eliminating dangerous people for the citizens. Most of the people captured were common people who were mistaken as magic users so he killed them as they were of no use to him. After a long search which took many innocent lives, the emperor finally managed to capture a real magic user named Kim Yeol. He threatened the man with the lives of his family and had him help Xue Lin cultivate his magic while pretending to be the general’s close friend. At first, Yeol was hostile towards Xue Lin, internally blaming him for his misfortune. However, he soon realised that the boy was nothing but an innocent child caught in the emperor’s lies. So, he felt pity for him and started taking care of the child as his own. Although he couldn’t tell him the truth in fear of his family’s lives, he made sure to teach the boy not only about magic but about life as well. Through Yeol, Xue Lin heard stories of the enjoyable games played by children, funny plays performed and the everyday life of the people outside. He was also taught values like integrity and appreciation for life. However, Yeol could do nothing about the worst misconception Xue Lin had, which was that the emperor was a good person.

When Xue Lin turned 11, the emperor delivered ‘good’ news to him. He could finally help his saviour! He was informed about a criminal who had done bad things and tried to assassinate the emperor. The task he was assigned was to capture him. Under the watchful eyes of the general, he was allowed to leave the shrine at night to capture the criminal. This, he did excellently. As the said criminal has never fought with magic users, he was no match for him and was sent to the emperor frozen in ice but alive. Xue Lin’s first duties were done after he handed the criminal over to his father. However, he never knew that the so called criminal was just an innocent man trained in swordsmanship for protection and he was killed as soon as the emperor received him. This first task was just a test to find out of Xue Lin was ready for ‘greater things’ and unfortunately for Xue Lin, he passed with flying colours. Since then, the emperor often came to him with tasks which usually involved capturing criminals. However, year after year, the tasks grew more brutal, from catching to killing. Xue Lin was 14 when he first took a life intentionally. He told himself that it was justified, the man deserved death and the emperor would never have him kill an innocent man. But, a small voice in his heart started to doubt the emperor. With every task after that, the voice grew along with Xue Lin’s despair. Watching over Xue Lin slowly losing it was Yeol. The trainer consoled him whenever he cried after he took a life and was there for him on sleepless nights. So, when Yeol could not take it any longer and spilled the truth about the emperor’s vicious rule, Xue Lin was shocked and in denial at first but he eventually believed him. Especially so when Yeol, along with his family, was murdered. This opened Xue Lin’s eyes to the true nature of his so-called saviour and he immediately trie to leave the shrine. However, if the emperor was cruel to innocent people who had done nothing to wrong him, he was even more merciless to those disobeyed and went against him. Xue Lin left the shrine only to end up in the dungeons.

This was a blessing in disguise. Although he suffered from the torture and poor conditions, he found out the truth about his mother. One of the prisoners in a cell beside his was a shaman who had once been consulted by his mother. At first, the shaman didn't recognize him and only talked to him as he thought Xue Lin was a pitiful youngster dragged into the dungeon at such a young age. However, she realised the boy was actually the prince with magic when she saw his snow flake birth marks. So, it was through her that he learnt about his mother, her death and his own identity. It was then that Xue Lin lost all hope for the emperor and swore that he would avenge his teacher and mother. With the shaman and a few other prisoners, Xue Lin successfully broke out of the dungeon. He assisted the shaman in planning and leading the escape. Among the prisoners, some were already part of the rebellion. As he is now a wanted man with nowhere to go, he decided to join them and stand against the emperor.

Format: Name | Relation | Alive/Dead | Occupation
Description

Yun Mei Hua | Mother | Dead | Emperor’s Consort
Xue Lin’s memories of his mother are fragmented and fuzzy. The emperor has once told him that his Mother was no one to miss and that she was a cruel and cold person. However, Xue Lin has always felt that she was someone warm, kind and caring. Somewhere in his mind, he knew her as someone who would go to great lengths for his sake. He barely had any recollection of her but the tears never failed to well up in his eyes at the word ‘mother’, especially after he heard the truth behind her death.

(Name of the emperor here XD) | Father/Saviour | Alive | The Emperor
Just a few years ago, the emperor was someone that Xue Lin looked up to. He was proud to serve him and thought he would always stay by his side. However, the incident with Yeol and things he heard in the dungeon has changed his perspective 360 degrees. In his heart, a small, tiny part of him still wants to give the emperor a chance to redeem himself. But his hatred for the emperor increases day by day as he learns of more and more stories of his cruelty.

Li Zhan | Trainer | Alive | General
As one of the emperor's men, Zhan is cold and always vigilant. His interactions with Xue Lin are limited to trainings and he makes no effort to get to know the boy more than he need to. Besides, the emperor has already told him everything about Xue Lin so there's no need for small talk. Also, he is very very loyal to the emperor and doesn't ever question his commands. So, although he had seen Xue Lin grow up in front of his eyes, he showed little hesitation when the emperor ordered him to lock the boy up.

Kim Yeol | Trainer | Dead | Occupation: Unknown
As a low key magic user, Yeol lived a rather peaceful life before the emperor captured him. His magic came from years of training but he has never used it for bad deeds. Thus, when he was tasked to train Xue Lin, he loathed the idea as he knew that the boy would be used for mischief instead of justice. However, his family's life was on the line so he had no choice. Throughout the years, he thought he would only think of his family but unknowingly, he began to think of Xue Lin as family too. He soon realised the boy was innocent and being manipulated so he started to grow fond of him as he also felt sympathy for the boy. As he witness Xue Lin breaking down because of the tasks, he had a lot of dilemma but decided to stick by justice in the end. After all, Xue Lin was his student and he didn't want his lessons to be used for bad deeds.

Arisa | Caretaker | Alive | Shrine Maiden
A clueless shrine maiden who isn't aware of Xue Lin's true identity. However, she does know about the emperor manipulating him although she couldn't help but keep quiet all these years in fear of her life. As she has been with Xue Lin for almost all of his life, she thinks of him as a son but is strict with him just to make sure he doesn't upset the emperor. Thus, she is fond of Xue Lin and wants to help him but is unable to.

- Chang Gun (Rod): Embarrassingly, Xue Lin had little talent in using weapons and often hurt himself when training with sharp weapon such as swords or spears. So, the weapon he practised with and is most confident in using is the wooden rod he trained with. However, his ability with the rod is not to be underestimated as he can use his magic more freely when he’s not worried about cutting himself. [Proficiency: 9/10]
- Fangtian Ji (Spear): As it is similar in shape to the rod, Xue Lin usually carries a spear. However, he’s still not as confident in handling it as compared to the rod but at least the blades are further from him as compared to swords. [Proficiency: 7/10]

- Strength: [6/10] In hand to hand combat, Xue Lin would lose to most people. Although he has muscles, his power usually comes from his magic. So in a purely physical fight, he lacks power. However, he does have physical strength to wield his weapons so he won’t lose to untrained or beginner opponents.
- Agility: [8/10] Agility and speed is the essence of Xue Lin’s fighting technique. As a magic user who isn’t that skilled in using weapons (or rather, sharp weapons), he has to be fast to avoid death in the nick of time. Also, he has to be speedy enough to make full use of openings and catch his opponents off guard.
- Defense: [6/10] Without a physical shield, Xue Lin usually uses magic to conjure shields. This takes time so he is unguarded during that period. However, he does wear protective armour stolen from the royal armoury so he’s not too unprotected either.
- Magic: [8/10] As something he has been training most of his life with a skilled mentor, it is no surprise this is one of his forte. Also, he’s more comfortable using magic as compared to weapons since (he thinks) weapons could hurt him but his magic won’t.

1. Introduce yourself.
- “My name is Xue-” Xue Lin replies but stops to correct himself. “I mean... Fei. My name is Fei,” he continues, eyes dropping to his feet as he realised how he was so used to the name ‘Xue Lin’ when it was given by that person.

2. Why do you want to overthrow the emperor?
- Xue Lin was already thinking of him so he looked up immediately upon the mention of him. “I must!” He said before he realised he might have replied too fiercely. “I... I just want him to pay for taking innocent lives...” he trailed off. In his mind, he thought, ‘I want him to pay for deceiving me into taking innocent lives.’ His Mother and Yeol, who died by the emperor’s hands as well, also came to mind.

3. Why should we let you join us?
- “I have a weapon...” Xue Lin starts, leaning in towards you, “Or rather, I’m a weapon.” He lifted his hand and produced a small icicle. “With this, you could shatter armies,” he whispers, passing the icicle to you with a small, proud smile.