"But you have already said you can neither walk away from him. There is no betrayal in forgiveness. There is no betrayal in trying again. What else is life, or karma? Is it not trying again and again, not to be perfect all at once but to always be better than we were before?" Runyu offers, carefully drying Xichen's tear with one sleeve. He strokes a hand down the young mortal's back, sighing out his breath.

"All paths are the right path if you walk them long enough, see things through to the end. Have hope. It will always serve you better than despair."