Chapter Text
The air hummed as Lumine took in a breath, her body ached with every fibre calling out for rest, cuts and bruises dotted across her body as Childe, no, Tartaglia descended down towards her his singular ‘eye’ glowing ominously through the dust and smoke of the ruined Golden House. Fighting back her body’s protests she stood up once more her head felt light and her eyes were glossy, barely able to focus on the figure who slowly strode toward her.
“Paimon, get Xiangling, Zhongli….Get them somewhere safe…” Lumine managed to say between ragged breaths, gritting her teeth she pushed the small fairy to the side as Tartaglia suddenly lunged toward her.
The air surrounding the pair flashed with an electro charge as their weapons made contact, bursting Anemo energy around herself Lumine managed to avoid most of the damage but her arms and hands twitched as the latent electricity caused her muscles to tense.
“go.” She growled through gritted teeth before Paimon swiftly jumped into her pocket dimension, fleeing towards Liyue. Shifting her focus back towards Tartaglia, Lumines eyes widened as she quickly had to launch herself backwards, stumbling slightly trying to regain her footing as the electro-infused hydro daggers skimmed millimetres from her face, droplets of water from the splashback mixed with the blood in her wounds causing red trails to lazily make their way down her body as the two faced off against each other once more. Lumine crouched in a low stance, ready to react at a moment’s notice despite the slight tremble in her arms and legs as the muscles cried out for reprieve. Tartaglia strolled towards her idly switching his weapon between forms, twirling his daggers before sending out a wave hydro toward the girl. Lumine dived to the right dodging the first wave before rolling back toward the left, just escaping the second wave as she used the momentum to leap toward him her sword stretching out direct in front of her; mocking surprise as Tartaglia deftly sidestepped her a deep chuckle emanating from somewhere behind his mask, however that was cut short as Lumine brought her left hand up to his shoulder and placed a point-blank windblade into his right shoulder, the huge burst of Anemo power she’d been holding in her fist blew them apart with Lumine tumbling backwards the angle her release pushing her into a spin that she attempted to control to no avail as she careened into the ground rolling over several times before lying still.
Whilst Tartaglia maintained his footing, a large bloody chunk had been taken from his shoulder and he felt his delusion rise in response, a small voice in the back of his mind cried out calling for an end to this. A strange pain grew in his chest, which he pushed down with a growl.
It felt so good to close her eyes, to just lay still and release all the tension in her body, but then why was there this nagging sensation telling her to get up, she was tired, she’d worked so hard, she’d crossed the land looking for Aether never stopping to rest, She’d helped save the people of Mondstadt from Dvalin, surely she could rest now, Aether wouldn’t mind afterall they always had enough time. As consciousness faded from her mind she thought of all the people she’d met, the good times they’d shared and how she’d share them with Aether too, Jean & the knights, Master Diluc, Razor, Xiangling, Zhongli and Childe. Childe. Childe, the eleventh harbringer of the Fatui. The same Childe known across the whole of Teyvat as the terrifying Tartaglia. Tartaglia. Tartaglia. Why did that name seem so important? Oh yeah, she was fighting him. She was fighting him.
With groan her eyes fluttered open as she lay on her back sprawled out across the floor looking up at the single ‘eye’ fixed within the centre of Tartaglias mask, her eyes trailed over him before settling on the wound she’d dealt in their last bout.
‘heh…so he can be hurt’ she thought to herself, a small smile spreading across her face as she painfully rolled onto her front and pushed herself up onto her knees before using her sword as a support to push herself back to standing before the harbringer who had silently watched the minute-long ordeal, the same voice as before cried out for him to help her.
Slowly Lumine widened her stance once more, preparing herself to fight once more but the grimace on her face betrayed her as Tartaglia measured her once more his eyes settling on her closed fist, she seemed on the verge of death and yet last time she’d turned his toying back on himself, the dull aching in his shoulder pulsed once more and he choice was settled. No more playing.
Before Lumine could react her vision flashed white and she fell to her knees, gasping in surprise & pain, dropping her sword and reaching up to her left shoulder. Her mind was flooded with pain she couldn’t even form a scream, hr jaw hanging open as she desperately clawed for breath each one more ragged and difficult that the last. Glassy eyes locked with Tartaglias as he circled round her once more before standing in front of her again.
“Nice try girlie” the voice emanated from behind the mask, she’d never heard a word be uttered with such malice and poison, and it pissed her off. So what she had to hold her shoulder with her right hand she’d just fight him with her left and so she leant to pick her sword with her left hand before her blurry eyes looked down, limply hanging at her side was her arm, purple electro arced across it dancing across the bright red it was, her vision lowered and she saw her wound as her right hand came away from her shoulder. A thin point had been pushed straight through with devastating effect as it had exited. Blood poured freely from the gaping wound as she watched for a second, mesmerised at the latent electro energy that still coursed through her yet she could not feel any of it, she couldn’t feel her arm at all.
A deep laugh came from above her. She’d make him pay and with a swift motion she grasped her sword once more and swing for the harbringer. A burst of electro and then, nothing.
~~~~~
Tartaglia eyed the small body impaled on the end of his spear with intrigue, how could such a small and feeble looking creature put up such a fight, injure him in such a way; She was different and now he understood why the weaker him spent so much time with her and why he was so distraught, perhaps he shouldn’’t have killed her, maybe keeping her for future fights would’ve been better. Oh well. Cutting the thoughts loose he hoisted the spear raising Lumines limp body off the ground, sinking deeper onto the spear with small whimpers and gargles, a hand instinctively reaching out trying to stop her descend, the entire arm convulsed and tensed as she made contact. Tartaglia stood still looking up at her and marvelling her final display of resistance, his handiwork glorious as the various cuts that marked her porcelain skin still slowly seeped blood, her shoulder wound still occasionally sparking. He’d taken a piece of art and made it even more beautiful as he watched the fire that had burnt so furiously in her eyes be quenched, her breathing becoming shallower and the last of her muscles slowly relaxing as her light dimmed.
“Thank you for that brief interlude, now back to work” he said flatly as he began to rummage through her pockets. Where had she put the Gnosis, what if she didn’t have it, if she didn’t have the Gnosis and the Exuvia didn’t then that meant Rex lapis wasn’t dead; Tartaglias one track mind raced through the possibilities and the events of the past few days, yes, he was hiding. Rex Lapis was hiding and he must draw him out.
Planting his spear in the ground with the now unconscious body of the Traveller still suspended on the tip he took a few steps toward the centre of the room and began his work. Talismans flew out around him circling rapidly the sound of paper in the wind became deafening before suddenly it all went silent, the talismans glowed slightly before dropping to the ground and behind his mask Tartaglia smiled, as rumbling could be felt throughout the ground
‘Takes a god to fight one’ He thought to himself with a chuckle ‘Perhaps I should bring her with me, The Qixing might surrender once they’ve seen the artwork I’ve created’ he mused as he picked up the spear once more and began walking toward the exit.
The rain started slowly but had rapidly turned into a torrential downpour, the skies had darkened significantly, unnaturally so as the clouds choked the daylight out of the sky. Tartaglia enjoyed it, this was far better than those god-forsaken summer nights the heat was stifling and only became bearable into the late evening, but this, this was nice; not quite as cold as back home but it was likely as close as he’d get in this miserable place. As he stood basking in the rain, listening to the sounds of cries and screams that carried on the harsh winds from Liyue, almost impressed at how fast Osial had begun to reform and bring destruction once more.
The air began to vibrate pulling Tartaglia from his thoughts, his chest resonating with the hum as the sky darkened above him, the Jade Chamber was moving toward the harbour surely in some feeble attempt to defend against Osial, just as they had expected it seems Rex Lapis will do anything but defend his city, Tartaglia scoffed at how the former god of war seemed to cower from his challenges. Lowered his gaze from the Jade Chamber he set out back toward the harbour, it was time to join his troops on crushing the Qixing and adepti.
A small grunt came from the body suspended on his spear as he began to move and once more Tartaglia stopped in his tracks to turn and watch with fascination, a deathly cold hand reached out toward him resting on his chin.
“Childe-?” she said barely louder than a whisper and yet it shook him to his core. No, he was not Childe, Childe was weak, Childe felt things. He was stronger, faster and better than Childe. He is Tartaglia. 11th and strongest of the Harbringers & loyal servant of the Tsaritsa. He would not answer to that name. He will not answer to that name. Never.
“I am better!” Tartaglia roared as his delusion shattered, the mask breaking apart returning to its dormant state, the large imposing body reducing in size as he sank to the ground, the spear dissipated and Childe reached out to catch Lumine, the two of them collapsing to the ground Lumine pressed tightly against his chest as Childe looking around feverishly his eyes darting about with tears streaming down his face
“Hey, girlie, hey!” Childe desperately called out to Lumine, patting her cheek trying to elicit any form of response from the girl who now grew colder and colder in his arms, her petite form a crumpled mess as he bundled her into his arms, painfully standing with a groan
Thoughts raced through Childes mind at a million miles per hour as he recounted the events that had just occurred, what he had spectated. No, what he had done. Stumbling back toward the harbour barely registering the tears pouring down his face. He’d never lost control of his Delusion like that before even when he’d fought with the other Harbringers, fear and excitement mixed inside him as the Delusion seemingly tried to regain control as he recited their fight, Childe struggling to regain control of himself the fear and worry overtaking him.
“It’s gonna be okay girlie, we’ll, we’ll get you to a Doctor just hang on” Childe says almost as if to reassure himself of this.
‘Why do I even care? She’s the enemy right? At least she’s in the way of my plan?’ these questions kept appearing in Childes mind as he tries to shake them out, he’ll think about that later but for now he needs to get Lumine some help.
‘I can’t take her to the bank I’ll have to hope that weird doctor is in still’ Childe pushed through the crowds of people who were fleeing from the harbour occasionally one would collide with his shoulder threatening to make him collapse and drop Lumine as the pain overwhelmed him, the wound opening back up again.
“GET OUT OF THE FUCKING WAY!” He screams a burst of hydro energy pouring forth splitting the crowds in front of him as if he were Moses, the screams and cries from the citizens died down as the shock and horror of Childes actions stunned them, still running away a few quiet ‘thank yous’ or ‘what will hydro even do against that’ could be heard as Childe used his newfound pathway to forge through the panicked crowds if he had the energy he’d almost laugh at them and their naivety afterall, he’d caused this.
“Lumine?” A high pitched voice cut through the low murmurs of the crowd as Childe exited his hydro tunnel turning he was faced by Lumines small chef friend.
“Archons you look like shit, both of you what happened?” Xiangling said worry in her voice as she got closer, Childe stood still in shock trying to figure out what to do next, how did he get out of this.
“Uh, I er, we were attacked. Something big I err didn’t see it” He managed to stammer out.
“Where are you going? It’s not safe in the harbour, and you’re clearly in no state to fight whatever that is” Xiangling pointed a finger at him scowling although he could sense an air of nervousness around her as her head turned back to check the state of the harbour every now and then.
“She needs help….I’m taking her to Baizhu” Childe returned flatly pushing past the young girl, the water and rain mixed with the sweat on his brow and his vision began to blur. Shit. Childe stumbled slightly before finding himself being caught mid step, a large man with a great bushy moustache had placed himself under Childes good shoulder.
“We’ll take it from here, you look hurt” The man said as Xiangling took Lumine from his arms her face becoming even more worried as she held the dainty girl in her arms.
“Don’t worry about me….get her some help…I’ll be fine…I’ll go to the northland” Childe mumbled as he let his weight be shifted as the man propped him up, wincing slightly as his arm came around to support his left side, barely registering Xiangling telling her dad to take him whilst she got Lumine to Baizhu. It felt so good to just rest as he was nearly carried toward to the Northland bank.
‘Fuck! They can’t see me like this!’ Childe thought as he pushed himself off of Chef Maos shoulders, a noise of complaint coming from the man who quickly shut up as Childe glared at him
“Don’t tell anyone about this, I have a reputation to uphold, but…..thank you” Childe quietly added on his thanks hanging his head slightly before taking a deep breath and steeling himself, nodding at the Chef who only gave him concerned look in return before Childe strode toward the Northland bank, glancing over his shoulder as he heard a loud crash, witnessing the Jade Chamber falling from the sky, Childe marvelled at the sight before a faint smile grew on his lips. They’d done it. They’d crushed the Qixing even without him. In a moment the smile was wiped from his face as the form of Osial collapsed into the sea and then Childe’s day got even worse as a voice called out to him from within the bank. Signora.