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Nighttime blankets the sky as Liyue Harbor's lanterns bounce their lights to the buildings surrounding them. I walk outside and stretch my body, being cooped up in my house has kept me busy from enjoying the lively environment.
Looking around the harbor, I take a deep breath in and exhale with a smile on my face.
"I feel like I'm forgetting something," I hummed.
I observe my surroundings and admire the falling leaves. If I forgot, it probably wasn't important. My feet take me to wander around the city.
While walking, I feel a presence looming, as if watching me. The feeling becomes more and more apparent, it starts to make my chest tighten. I look around and see no one. I then walk faster to avoid the figure possibly stalking me.
"I've been waiting. For a while now." A disembodied voice talks.
"Who's there?!" I continue to look around my environment. My gaze turns up and towards the figure standing on the roof beside me.
"What? I thought you would have been used to my sudden appearance by now." Xiao stares down towards me with his folded arms.
My eyes widened as I realized what I was suppose to remember. "Oh my god, Xiao. You gave me a heart attack!"
He scoffs and jumps off the roof to meet my gaze more clearly. "We were supposed to have our walk through Dihua Marsh," he stares at me with a pout. "Don't tell me you forgot."
"I.." My awkward smile can't form any words to respond to his imperative statement. "Yeah.. I did." I pensively look down in shame.
Xiao scoffs again, his frown slowly turns into a very subtle smile. "Well? Let's not waste time, do you want me to carry you to our meetup destination?"
I nod. He sweeps me up from my feet, carrying me in his arms. "Then let's go."
---
As we arrive in Dihua Marsh, Xiao gently lets me down from his hold. I steady myself as my feet quickly get used to standing on solid ground again.
"Where would you like to head to this time?" I look at Xiao with a smile.
"Anywhere you want," He stares back nonchalantly but with a hint of adoration if you squint hard enough.
I grin, oh this man just doesn't want to decide does he? I sigh and point over towards an area with a stream flowing across the land. "Okay, then how about there?"
Xiao only responds with a nod as he intertwines his fingers with my own. I reply back with only a happy grin.
We both started walking towards the place I pointed to, letting only comfortable silence fill the space.
Liyue's high mountains, its flat landscapes molding into rocky ones, my eyes that are appreciating the area of the land slowly pan towards Xiao. I smile again knowing I'm enjoying the scenery quietly with him.
Xiao steals a glance from me. A small smile also forms on his lips.
While walking we were walking, we both saw a group of abyss mages with black auras around their body in the distance. Xiao's body tenses up as his grip on my hand tightens.
I look at his hand then back at his eyes with a look of concern all over my face. "Xiao.."
"These are the side effects of my karmic debt," He furrows his brows. "You know I can't ignore it."
My gaze looks down to our hands again, he's clinging onto my palm as if he doesn't want to do this.. or well, to do this near me.
"If I lose myself to my sins... run away. As far as you can. I.." He looks intently at me, “I don't want to hurt you.”
I nod, letting go of his hand. Xiao summons his weapon and mask as he leaps into the air and ambushes the enemies.
The Abyss mages were caught off guard but they still managed to summon their shields before they perished against Xiao's attacks.
After a hefty amount of fighting, Xiao finally defeated all the enemies. Yet.. something loomed over him. A powerful presence that swallowed his mind and body whole. The last amount of tolerance he can muster towards denying his fate.
His karmic debt takes over him. The mask he once wore to symbolize his duty of slaughtering demons now bears a new meaning.
"Xiao!" Desperation and worry fill my face, tears start to form in my eyes.
Xiao's fingers curl on his head. He feels the pain and suffering taking over him and transforming him into a ruthless and a monster with no mercy to spare.
He starts to look at me, the grip on his spear gets tighter as he charges at me. Xiao's pupils dilate as his eyes show nothing but a hunger for bloodlust.
I tried to run away from him just as he asked, but with fear filling my body, I couldn't bring myself to do so and stayed still. Letting his spear pierce right through my chest.
A sharp pain envelopes my body, this stinging sensation lasts for what seems like forever before I feel myself falling backwards onto the ground harshly.
The change of emotion on Xiao's face shifts immediately. His mask disintegrates showing more of the hidden tears behind his mask.
He cries out my name, tears forming more and more in his eyes. "No!"
Xiao rushes towards me and holds me in his arms. I try to form words with the last breath I have. Instead, I look at him and bring my hand closer to his face.
His tears are more apparent now, he clenches his teeth trying to keep his composure knowing it's far too late.
"I'm.. I'm.." Xiao's words struggle to come out of his mouth as he chokes on his sobs. "I'm so sorry.. I didn't mean to.. I.."
He's now ugly crying and looks at me with deep remorse. "Why didn't you run! Why.. why didn't you.." He doesn't finish his sentence. He holds my body closer to his own as he cries onto my bloodstained chest.
I could only caress his cheek. Xiao's own hand steadies my own, sadness fills his eyes. A smile forms on my face as I manage to conjure one last sentence before my final breath.
"You.. you did nothing wrong," Tears start to swell up more and more on my face, "This.. this isn't your fault. I didn't move because I know that you'll continue your rampage towards others and.. towards yourself. So I wanted to end it, with me."
Xiao says nothing in response. His sobbing won't let him answer anything back. He could only hold my lifeless body as close to his own as he could.
"I'm sorry." He whispers.
But there was no reply, only the silence of the dreaded night.