viii

                                    

                                          
• y/n's pov •
                          
"Why did I ask that..?" I kicked a rock, the city finally coming into view as the rock rolled into Springvale before me. 
                          
The trees beside me rustled in the whistling wind, as the boars I passed sped away as if I were about to shoot them down or something. 
                          
The sky was darkening – cloudy; it was almost evening but still a little light. A greyish blue. 
                          
"I'm surprised he didn't say no though..." I muttered to myself, sighing. Though he did seem hesitant, he didn't question it at all. 
                          
It'd been a while since Diluc and Lumine left. Noelle went back to Mondstadt to tend to her seemingly-never-ending list of maid duties, and in that time there was a whole dragon around Starsnatch Cliff that just disappeared again after that. 
                          
Of course, it was Stormterror, but I decided not to head back to city because... well...
                          
As a knight, I did not want to be the one to have to deal with the commotion. 
                          
Of course, I knew it was Lumine. At this point nothing about her surprised me anymore, even if we'd only been on the same team for a day. 
                          
She offered for me to come with – of course I was going to refuse – but Diluc decided to do that for me. Saying I shouldn't know something, or something: I don't know. I couldn't care less.
                          
I was more focussed on the fact that he was going to give me fucking claymore lessons. Gods. Why did I ask that.
                          
A stray wind plucked out a lock of hair from behind my ear. I frowned unconsciously, tucking it back in. 
                          
I shivered as the air around me went cold. 
                          
A boar had bumped into my leg. I bent down, patting its soft head gently, before it ran off again. 
                          
The wind didn't feel nice anymore. I wanted to go home. 
                          
My hand rested in the grass. It was slightly damp, yet scratching against my fingers nonetheless. I didn't know why, but my heart was thumping. 
                          
Not like that. I didn't like this wind at all. 
                          
"Something wrong~?"
                          
My eyes widened. I shot back up again. 
                          
My bow appeared in my hands. I clutched it until my knuckles paled. 
                          
"Who's there?" I span around, my pupils dilating in the darkness as I searched. I didn't dare move.
                          
The trees rustled once again. I stepped back. 
                          
"No need to be scared, sweetheart... My, havent you grown since the last time... any of us had seen you... Such potential wasted."
                          
"Who is it?" I spat, reaching for an arrow as my eyes fixed onto the tree the voice was emerging from. "What are you- Stop talking nonsense. I don't understand."
                          
"Don't tell me you haven't told any of your friends in Mondstadt?" 
                          
The voice laughed a sickening cackle. A lump caught in my throat. 
                          
"I don't know what you're talking about. Come out."
                          
"Put the weapon away, darling." The voice was slightly motherly, but in a horrible, condescending way, as if it could poison me with words. "There's no need for that. You want to get stronger, no?"
                          
The wind stroked against my cheek. It stung. A red liquid dripped from the corner of my eye. 
                          
My feet stumbled backwards a little.