Chapter Text
She hated it…
She hated everything her family stood for...
It was only her tenth attempt at today's dance, another one of their intensive tutoring sessions and yet she made an outburst. She only saw how her tutor looked at her with disdain, like she was worse than the foulest smelling trash in all of the land. She only felt her stomach drop, the pit forming in swirls in her gut as she realized what she had done. The echoing silence rang in her ears as everyone in the ballroom looked at her not in awe, but in shame.
Then, came the hot tears.
7 year old Eula Lawrence knew the consequences, but it was too much for a child, for her, to bear. Fear consumed her, dreading what was about to come.
She couldn't handle another round of beating and lecturing. Not again.
Before she even knew it, before she could even realize it, she ran. She didn't care where her feet took her or where she was going, she only wanted to escape the suffocating expectations her family had placed on her.
Even for just a brief moment...
Everything became all but a blur. She silently begged her tears to stop, but they didn't. They roared in spite of her wishes and it would seem the river on her face wouldn't dare stop soon. The unsightly tears sullied her noble cheeks and she was desperately trying to wipe them off.
She kept walking and wiping, all the while staining her dress with her tears, until she felt the ground she tread upon sift under her weight.
Somehow, someway, Eula had reached the shore of Cider Lake. She took a step back, baffled that she managed to even maneuver the streets of Mondstadt in the dead of night. She felt her breathing slow and though it was still ragged, she aimed to regain her composure.
Breathe in, breathe out…
Breathe in, breathe out…
Breathe in, breathe out...
No matter her attempts, however, the pit in her stomach refused to leave her alone. The worry was gnawing at the back of her head and when she thought it was over, her tears came back at full force. Her legs finally gave in, forcing her to sit on the sands beneath her. Bringing her knees together, she cradled them as best she could.
What would her family have her do? What sort of punishment would they have in mind should she dare set foot back in the mansion of emptiness she calls her home? Would she even live to see the next day?
Whatever it was that awaited her back home, one thing was for certain: Eula was drowning. Her family was akin to the rolling waves forcing her under the tides, not giving her the relief of tasting the air. The world felt like it was falling apart for her.
Right then and there, she felt pathetic.
She hated it.
She hated everything her family stood for.
"Um… hello?" a voice called out to her and for once in all her life, she couldn't recognize it.
Eula awoke for a start.
Her body clock served her well, the darkness of the night still hanging above Mondstadt. If she squinted, she could see the first rays of dawn begging to be let loose.
She aimed to beat the sunrise, however. Today was another day of work.
As she rose from her bed, the image of the dream was still fresh on the forefront of her mind. Memories of her time in the Lawrence household were all but forgotten. Good riddance, she thinks. She would eventually brush off these memories and focus on her present, a present she herself forged for herself and no one else, but not this one.
No, this wasn't just a memory she could discard like the rest of them. Years have passed as she filled her time with exacting her unique vengeance upon the nation, and only now did that one memory resurface from the depths of her heart.
Why now? She doesn’t dream on a regular basis…
At the corner of her sight, her Cryo Vision on top of the nightstand let off an eerie glow. Perhaps it was a sign? Eula wasn’t sure what it was. The past was past her; she was not the God of Time, thus she couldn’t do anything even if she tried. The familiar pit in her stomach lurched itself over to greet her as she stood.
Wearily, Eula shook her head. This wasn’t the time to be restless. She just woke up, for Celestia’s sake. She had a duty to attend to, and she had a company to lead.
After all, it wouldn’t do to soil the name she earned for herself after so long.
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
“Captain! Good morning!” greeted Deimos with a file in his hands. As expected of her second-in-command, he was ready to bombard his captain with paperwork as soon as she arrived on site. However, Eula was eager to get into the thick of things…
“Good morning, Deimos. Is this the field report, I hope?” she asks him, her eyes locked in on the papers as she received them. “Yes, ma’am! We’ve done a thorough check as best as we could. The details of the area are labeled here, here, and here.”
“Excellent work. Have an inventory check with Jeoffrey afterwards. Assess our rations; we won’t be back in the city for a while.” And with a courteous bow and salute, Deimos gallantly marched back into the encampment. With a content sigh, Eula eyed the report in her hands.
Examining the contents, it was everything she predicted for the past few days. Wolvendom was acting up. Normally, Eula and her team would leave the area to its own devices. After all, it was the home to one of the Four Winds of Mondstadt and with it, a reputation of being immensely dangerous for unprepared hunters that it almost became sacred ground to tread upon.
Ever since the Traveler’s arrival, there had been numerous reports from Springvale about otherworldly monsters that look like wolves. What’s worse was that they were spotted roaming around outside of Wolvendom’s perimeters. Knowing better than to blame Aether for the strange coincidence, the cause for the upset remained unclear. However, one thing was for certain: the safety for the hunters of Springvale was threatened and if it became worse, the whole of Mondstadt as well.
Time was often Eula’s enemy when dealing with unknown threats, and this time was no different.
The report stated that the new threat looked exactly like what the eyewitness accounts had described: alien looking wolves that have the ability to float with bites that melted flesh. Of course it had to have that. Eula hadn’t forgotten the shock she felt when one of her men was immediately sent to the Cathedral just two days ago. The sheer threat was unlike anything she had faced thus far and judging by the look on her team’s faces, morale was low. These “Rifthounds”, the Traveler aptly named them, were not natural. If anything, this was beyond her.
Still, she had to try. These monsters will pay for what they did to Gerard.
They have to...
As Eula checked the perimeters of the encampment, Deimos came at her with another status report. “There are plenty of rations left, Captain. It will last for approximately five to six days, at least. As for medical supplies, we are limited to first aid only.”
“That’s no good…” Eula muttered. In light of the inventory check, she was given limited options. “Send Illya and Marcus back to the city and have them bring in more medical supplies. As for the rest of us, prepare for sortie. I’ll issue commands then.”
Eula watched as Deimos hurriedly assembled her team in no more than a span of two minutes. Sorties for the Reconnaissance Company were few and far between. They were not the Cavalry and as such, the regimented deployment was deemed unnecessary for the most part. At least, in Eula’s eyes. However, given their current situation, it was a necessity. She knows everyone is aware of the danger; she could see it in their eyes. Her team was as experienced as they could get— undoubtedly the best at scouting and information gathering on the field, as well as being competent in combat— and seeing them with anxious gazes makes even her gulp from the thickness of the air.
“Listen carefully, everyone. Dispatching these Rifthounds will be top priority for the next few days. The plan is to establish the original perimeter of Wolvendom by pushing these monsters inwards. I shall be evenly distributing our manpower in teams of two in order for us to have a fighting chance. As of the moment, our numbers are few yet it is all we have to work with
Deimos with Sasha, Jeoffrey with Heinz. David, you're with me. Everyone will start at the North of Springvale and close into Wolvendom from there. If you spot any Rifthounds, eliminate them at once but exercise caution first and foremost. We do not have the luxury to gain another setback, understood?"
"Yes, Captain!"
"Excellent. Now, on my signal we embark! For Gerard, I will have my vengeance!"
The odds were questionable. As it stood, Eula's forces were spread thin. Too thin for her comfort. She couldn't leave Dadaupa Gorge, Starsnatch Cliff, and Stormbearer Mountains unattended and bring all of her company to Wolvendom, so she's left with only a handful of members. Still, she had no choice but to trust them and her judgement. Springvale was entrusting their safety to them and she wasn't planning to disappoint now.
With a blow of her bone whistle, her men set off.
The travel from the destination was short; she had made the right call to set up an encampment just West of Springvale. It didn't take long for her and David to spot a few stragglers. In a hushed voice, David said, "Captain, I see them."
"Number?"
"Only three…"
"Then draw your steel, this shall be quick. Cover me, or else vengeance will be swift…" With quick and efficient commands, both of them rushed toward the Rifthounds. David unsheathed his bow and jumped to the nearest incline, gaining whatever vantage point he could. With a flicker of golden sparks, Eula brandished her claymore as the music in her head began to play the same melodies.
The world was her stage, and her blade was her dance…
The three Rifthounds were alarmed, yet were one second away from taking an edge to the face. One clean strike from Eula, and all three flew back. Immediately, each whelp regained their balance before baring their fangs to the Spindrift Knight. Enraged, they disappeared in a puff of black smoke. A moment passed, and the music was silenced by a voice. "Behind!"
At the call of David's yell, Eula spun. An arrow was loose. A snap of her wrists, she felt her blade tear through the flesh of the wolves with ease. A yelp from the wolves, comes another arrow. Closing her eyes, she delivered one more strike. She pushed through, cutting ever deeper. A third arrow hit its mark and downed one whelp.
A finishing touch was in order…
The air turned cold, the Rifthounds barely had the time to warp away as Eula's frostborne blade tore through their ranks. In only 34 seconds, three were eliminated.
"Efficient, hm? You will pay for that…" David hadn't said a word in response, only flourishing one more arrow before having it rest on its shelf and nodding. In the blink of an eye, her claymore was consumed in golden sparks and disappearing and both of them began heading East.
"Another group, Captain…"
"Stragglers over here!"
"Rifthounds, ten o'clock!"
"Threat eliminated!"
"Area secured!"
"Is it lunch already…?"
These were the only words David said, as did she. Idle chatter had no place in the field, especially in a place as dangerous as Wolvendom. They needed to execute the plan perfectly. She didn't want another one of her men screaming from the searing pain of these monsters' bites.
An hour had passed since their last skirmish and the sun had already risen comfortably above the horizon. They would be back at the encampment for lunch, hopefully. She and David have slowed down considerably, the chase of the Rifthound stragglers almost coming to a cease save for a few. They knew it wasn't over yet. Not by a long shot. In the distance, she could see Deimos and Sasha finishing dispatching yet another group of Rifthounds. At the sound of her whistle, all of them came in to regroup.
Today was going smoothly, it seemed…
"Deimos, status report." Eula said as they arrived on the scene. "Currently, Jeoffrey and Heinz are double backing West to check on any potential arrivals. We were planning to rendezvous at this point in ten minutes."
Deimos raised up his ten minute hourglass. The sands in the timepiece had only seven minutes remaining. Eula nodded and issued her next order. "Excellent work. We shall proceed as a unit from here."
And then, all were given a moment to catch their breaths. Eula knows her team can still stay on the field for much longer than this, even with battle riddled moments in between sprints. A worry still gnawed at her, but she refused to yield. Her team was still in top shape, there was nothing to worry about.
“Hey, Captain. Where do you reckon these things came from?” asked Sasha as she downed her canteen. Eula merely shook her head. She, too, was uncertain how these Rifthounds came to Mondstadt. It was as if they all suddenly appeared out of nowhere. “I do not know…”
“Abyss, maybe?” Eula pondered on Sasha’s speculation. Coincidentally, her company was trailing yet another group of the Abyss Order not too long ago. Perhaps it was not by chance that they had lost the trail once they thought they had them cornered at Windrise. After all, the Abyss Order was known for its unpredictable methods. Having said that, however, these monsters were as wild as the wolves of Wolvendom. As it stood for the moment, theories and speculation would get them nowhere. On the brighter side of things, they were starting to have work done.
Eula looked toward the City of Mondstadt. Having the city’s only access be the single bridge makes it incredibly hard for invaders to siege the city. From what she heard, a certain Darknight Hero had eliminated an earlier invasion of Abyss forces when the majority of the Knights were busy getting drunk in taverns. An embarrassment for the Knights, Eula contemplated. Of course, the invasion was thwarted and it would be clear that the Abyss wouldn’t be attempting a full on assault on the city any time soon. In other words, they would be changing tactics.
Eula gulped at her own thought process. Was picking off the forces of the Knights, starting with the Reconnaissance Company. worth the trouble for the Abyss…?
Deimos checked the time again. Four minutes had passed.
Then three minutes remained.
Two minutes remained.
Only a minute left.
With each passing second, Eula felt a mounting dread. There should be a call about now, or at least a signal. There was no way they could have—
"AAAAARRRGGGHHHHHHH!!!!" A bone chilling scream ripped through the silence of the Mondstadt plains. Eula didn't need to tell her team to move. They already did, and judging by the looks of their faces they feared the same thing she did. The pounding of the earth on her soles was the only thing she focused on as she weaved through the dark woods of Wolvendom. Her blood was pumping and the world began to turn blurry.
The scream definitely belonged to Heinz.
If Eula quieted her thoughts, she could almost hear Sasha whispering comfort to herself in her own sprint. The Spindrift Knight merely grit her teeth in silence. Slowly but surely, the light between the trees became clearer and clearer until they heard a voice. It was faint, sure, but they all rushed on anyway.. They all turned right all at once and as they pushed through the thickest brush before them, they found a clearing.
Eula felt as if her blood ran cold.
A smattering of red on the grass and soil akin to spilled paint. Corpses of Rifthounds splayed in the clearing, and on the ground laid the limping body of Jeoffrey. Eula hadn't even realized her body had moved on its own until she cradled her bloodied subordinate in her arms. "Jeoffrey! I demand to know what happened here! Speak!"
The man's eyes lit up as his gaze fell on his captain. No more than pained cries escaped his lips as he lifted his arm. His fingers were shaking, the direction he pointed at told her all she needed to know.
As her gaze followed the direction, she heard her own heartbeats drum against her ears.
The growling Eula was once deaf to finally reach her ears. Before her team was a fully grown Rifthound, in its fangs was the unmoving figure of Heinz. Had she spared a glance back, she would've seen Sasha's mortified look. The eyes of both Deimos and David went wide as they dared to look at their fellow knight's mangled corpse. All of them could not imagine the torment he was experiencing.
Then, Eula felt the shadows stir.
The light that poured through the trees were beginning to be shadowed by silhouettes. One by one, the light was drowned out by more and more shadows. It was only now that Eula realized what was happening. Fear gripped her heart, and she feared for her company's life.
They were surrounded.
All of them were frozen where they stood, and everyone except Eula had drawn their weapons with shaking hands. This was going to be bloody, and there was nothing they could do to avoid it. They couldn't retrieve the bodies of their fallen knights, not without massive risks and casualties. For once in her career, Eula felt her blood run cold— and not in a good way for her. Her judgement had failed her, and it would soon lead to their demise.
Whatever little morale they had left, it sure was shattered now…
Only when the air around them turned cold had she felt the warmth of a foreign source. The ground began to shake, and the leaves on the trees were rustling uncontrollably. Even the Rifthounds were stunned where they were. Eula and her team took a moment to wait, her hand on her claymore. All eyes were at one point, though they were unsure where to look, and waited with bated breaths as the rumbling of Wolvendom intensified.
When they had sensed the scent of singed wood in the air, they saw a light tear through the darkness of Wolvendom. Barbatos may have heard the prayer deep in her heart when she had asked for mercy for her subordinates.
The light made way for steel, the burning form of a spear lighting their dark moment.
Like a comet in the sky.