Aspen nodded. "Don't worry, we won't need to go up to the peak, I
don't think anyone has been in at least a century," Aspen started
to walk off the path. "We'll go around then, don't worry, we'll be
there in no time."
Zephyr nodded a lil "I´m Zephyr. this grumpy here is my brother
Neptune." he softly bonked his brothers head, which earned him a
glare from the older one. "We were just about to accompany Akane to
the Camp the Vision Holders find Shelter in.. would you like to
join us.? More power means an easier way to get to our goal. Maybe
even faster as well" The younger one of the two males smiled
"Yes. I am very much a someone." Lacrimae grumbles. She slowly
stands up, brushing the dust and snow off her clothing. "And you
are?" she asks cautiously. She narrows her eyes. "Not Fatui." she
decides, eyeing their clothes. "My name is Lacrimae." she adds.
Xin Sui nods. "This... I can do." she addresses Jelkyine. (Btw,
sorry for misspell I'll fix it later) "There is a tent a few paces
down, with a blue flag. There you will find someone to help you."
she says. She turns back to ZhongYun. "As for you, I'd like to
discuss something."
Visibly relaxing as their shoulders slumped, ZhongYun let out a
sigh of relief, sending a faint smile towards Jekylline who was
fading in and out but still finding the strength to stand up,
wobbling for a moment. "my lady are you alright do you need any
help?" ZhongYun asked quickly, getting up to support her before
their hands were batted away, the glare they were given promising
that they would have a talk later.
"worry about yourself first, idiot." Jekylline huffed in
response before staggering out, ZhongYun's concerned gaze following
her out. With a tense purse of their lips, they turned back to Xin
Sui and sat back down inclining their head, silently asking for the
other to elaborate on her earlier statement.
May I see your vision? Xin Sui asks quietly, speaking in
native Fontaine. She pauses before continuing. I can sense that
it is cracked. Don't worry, it won't cause discrimination. she
says with a small laugh. She smiles again. ZhongYun can sense that
she isn't saying this in common for his privacy.
"My... vision? What do you want with it?" They asked,
unhooking their vision anyways. It had always been a dull trinket,
the inlay battered from years of battle-worn use. It had belonged
to someone else before it came into their possession and ZhongYun
had always felt that it never really belonged to them, traces of
its previous owner written in the scratched metal and inlaid gem.
The vision itself was dull and unassuming, the geo symbol barely
visible through the murky gray crystal. It was lacklustre compared
to the brightly glimmering electro vision that Xin Sui possessed,
yet another mockery of how little power ZhongYun possessed now
"Hmm.." Asuka thought about it for some time "Sure i'll come i
guess "
she shruged as she walked towards Zephyr and Neptune
"May i ask one thing tho" she stopped walking
"I sometimes forget some important things when im stressed so could
you please explain what are visions and why are we being chased by
the..Fatui?" Asked Asuka as she continued to walk closer
Xin Sui remained silent. How was it cracked? she asks,
observing the dull crystal. She brushed her finger across the top.
Her eyes close for a moment.
Akane unclipped her mask from her hood. She stared at the shining
pyro vision embedded in the masks forehead. Pain streaks through
her arm and she winces.
"Simply put the Fatui want to kill us because we posess the
visions." Neptune looked over to Akane, as if silently asking if it
was correct, shortly a look of worry can be seen on his face as he
noticed her wincing. "are you alright.?" he continued looking at
her.
"Visions were granted to worthy travellers by the Archons... They
basically allow us to use the elements freely." Zephyr explained
Asuka was processing through her head what Neptune and Zephyr
said
She completely zoned out for a few minutes
"So were all supposed to team up and defeat the fatui.. wow" Said
Asuka
She was still processing all the information that she didn't even
notice Akane
Fidgeting in their spot, ZhongYun had to refrain from nervously
tapping their foot. The silence was stifling and it only served to
fray their already shot nerves. Was she judging them? Sure they had
a geo vision, the greatest honour any Liyue citizen could have, but
it had been revoked as well as if Rex Lapis from beyond the grave
had deemed them unworthy of his blessing. That in itself was a
point of mockery, more salt thrown into the wound that was having a
cracked vision. Though if anything ZhongYun supposed that they did
deserve to lose their vision so they wouldn't take it too
personally if Xin Sui decided that they were a rotten Sunsetta
better left to rot. After all, that wasn't too far off from the
truth
"Less talking more hurrying." Akane mutters. She clips her mask
back onto her hood and coughs loudly. "Can we move? Like...now?"
she asks casually, although it is obvious how uncomfortable she is
in the open like this. "We can discuss this later." she adds.
Xin Sui shakes her head for a moment. "You should clean it off."
she suggests quietly, fingering her own vision. "It'll look better
and probably work better for you as well if you do." she says.
There was a blink before they smiled sadly, surprise melting into a
sad kind of acceptance. "It's not like it'll work for me ever
again. I broke a contract and this is the punishment. It's a just
and fair exchange at that so I have no complaints." They shrugged,
the teachings of the Archons of Contracts and Justice ingrained
deep within them. "It doesn't really matter if I clean it or not
anyways."
Xin Sui leaned back for a moment. "A broken contract?" she asks,
sounding curious. "And it does matter. Whatever contract you have
broken, you are dishonoring it even more by allowing it to be in
such a state." she shakes her head.
"What will Rex Lapis do? Smite me again beyond the grave?" They
asked humourlessly, expression twisting into a complicated emotion
that even they couldn't quite place. A twist of sadness with a
touch of hysterical desperation perhaps. "Or will Her Honour see it
fit to judge me? It doesn't matter when I'm dishonouring it, even
in this very moment." Despite their words though, ZhongYun did
gingerly reach across and plucked their vision back, beginning to
clean in on the helm of their shirt
"Explain to me the broken contract, if you will." Xin Sui says,
sounding intrigued yet reserved. She had a look in her eye that
said "I want to know." She seemed to know a thing or two about
broken contracts. The way she was holding her shoulders suggested
she was remembering something.
Pursing their lips, ZhongYun glanced around as if weighing their
options. On one hand, it was risky and they were divulging
something so integral to a stranger, but ZhongYun wondered if the
woman before them could help in any way. Perhaps she could but was
it a gamble that they were willing to play? It wouldn't hurt to say
somethings but ZhongYun would still keep their cards close to their
chest. "I broke a lifelong contract by failing to come through on
my end of the deal. I was supposed to protect someone and to never
let them out of my sight. You can see right now how well I'm
holding up that contract." They shrugged, humourless slime on their
face