it didnt end. the spear that skewered haoran didnt pierce through his vitals, additionally the older brother was youg, 16, and had no formal weapon training. it narrowly missed puncturing his organs and there was no exit wound (also accounting for the fact that it was a shoddily handmade weapon from a kid). falloff is a moderately sized cliff, if one could call it that. its more like a moderately sized ledge that drops off about 20 feet. not named for its size, falloff is named so because its where it starts to get closer to the tidally locked planet's scorched side. its the point where it starts to get so unbearably hot and unreasonable to inhabit- leaning towards the uninhabitable zone by about 20 or so miles. the temperature at the start of falloff averages at 120° f. 20 miles out, the average is about 243°f. the divine servitor, overseer xute witnessed haorans unconscious body being dumped and passed by leaving a token of interest. just barely helping him before leaving him alone in the wasteland. xute had disinfected the wound and shoddily stitched it with what he had on hand. haoran wakes disorientated in the deserted land, deciding to just limpingly wander in search of an outlier group that will take him in. he finds a ragtag group of tribekin that survives as caravan traders to join for about a decade and some change. the caravan was a mix comprised of an outlier clan and SDT kin (southern demon tribe). the caravan was his only semblance of belonging before it accidentally wanders within the purview of xute. xute remembers him from that fateful incident and although xute is reticent, he is also bored. xute thought it would serve his entertainment to appoint the "ill omen" as sentinel. cue outrage from haorans birth clan and haoran himself. as sentinel, haoran was bequeathed an ambiguous title of "tunshi zejun" (meaning to devour). for the hatred the clan bears is far greater than amendment, gifting him a title so that he remembers his place, an orphan that picked bones clean from scraps. haoran is still somewhat feral, bitter, and just Does Not Care about his duties. the spire is suffering from his lack of care but xute has him under house arrest within the wards. they play iyacan version of go and bicker. idk xute is trying to bribe him into doing his job but also finds it amusing to see this wayward sentinel being so difficult, but hes also fucking annoyed lol.

narrative commentary: the conflict the 3 main characters have is theyve never been given the opportunity to live for themselves, to choose their self as a priority. theyve all conformed to some type of complacency because choosing yourself is unimaginably difficult for indivudals who struggle with it. haoran had only lived for his mother before her passing. after, it was all survival mode. you cant inherently choose yourself if youre digging in the trash for any calories you can get; you cant inherently choose yourself if you stay within the clan that abuses you because its the only way a child can survive in a resource wasteland. haoran is a representation of not being able to break the cycle, returning to what is comfortable, even if its not something you consciously like or enjoy. haoran finding a Home with the caravan was him finally being able to choose for himself. howver, the combined pressure of xute's influence (finally being wanted) and the comfort of self destruction lured him to return