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A beautiful breeze of the snowfalls in the night of dragonspine were the fall of the snowflakes.The cold grew even more fierce as the night has passed. A certain Frostarm Lawachurl, was wandering around to look for any victims on its way to surround them. Many People Never showed themselves at dragonspine again Due to a certain rumor spread across the citizens of mondstath. It was so widespread that even the people of Liyue had heard a tale or two about it. Rumour stated that Dragonspine is considered to be the most dangerous place on the outskirts of mondstath. A certain Female Traveler, Recently received a commission from the adventures guild two days ago, to look out for the danger surrounding the places of dragonspine.
It's been two Days, Ever since she risked on going for this commision, Things have started to escalate, But for the worst. Lumine thought that she could Handle everything, All of this. This place, Dragonspine, The aura, was dangerous to a lot of citizens in Mondstath or Liyue. The cold has eventually gotten the best of her. She did not bring her Blanket throughout her journey, She had bruises all over her body, A deep wound on her Arm that has been severely injured by a Lawachurl on her way.
Right now, She is hiding under the tree, Resting herself up, Covering herself up with her arms barely a blanket on her to cover herself to warm herself. The cold grew even more worse by the time three hours of night had passed. Her body started shivering and this has been happening to her for the past two days ever since she accepted that commission from Katheryne. Right now, All she could ever think about is to find the Aura and what is causing this place to become even more havoc. What will she even do now? For the past Two days, She has been tasked with only one commission, and yet, She could not complete it. She felt she was not strong enough, She felt like she was not capable enough to resist this cold weather and She felt like she was…. Weak.
A sudden yet Loud noise came across the otherside. The sound of the footsteps felt like there was danger coming towards lumine. The footsteps were the sounds of a frostarm lawacharl from afar, But she could not hear those footsteps as she was resting herself up from the cold at this point. Even the wounds on her arm irritated her so much that she could not be able to move forward towards her next step. The frostarm lawachurl caught her with a glimpse of her appearance, Who was under the tree, Laying her arms crossed, Her head was leaned up on her knees. Which makes it easy for a creature to launch an attack on its victims. The attack launched towards lumine, She was almost about to be killed. Suddenly a spear landed a hit towards the lawachurls Head. It roared with an immense scream of pain in its tone. A certain adeptus with a peculiar mask jumped in towards its head to reach his Spear to grip it tightly and to let the spear out of its head.
He torned out those features of his head, Horns were also torned, It was so brutal that the blood started dripping like a rain fall. The lawachurl dropped its body to collapse on the snow with blood draining like a lifeless creature who felt like it was decomposed for almost decades.
The yaksha starts to fade away his mask with his own fingers from the features of his face. To its surprise, It was an Adeptus, Xiao, Who guarded liyue for Centuries, Who was so distant and unfriendly towards other citizens to keep them safe due to his karmic debth. He always hated interacting with immortals, But on the other side there was a gentle side to him.
He looked at the otherside to run past towards Lumine to see if she was in a stable condition, To his concern, She was unconscious. He glanced at her wounded arm that was deeply cut. He traced her soft lips with his fingertips, looking at her full of concern. He felt something change, as soon as his fingers made contact. Her breathing became calmer, The frown went away into an almost peaceful expression. Could it be that... Even in her unconscious mind, she sensed his presence…? He gave a sigh of relief to himself.
Xiao carried her body up in his arms, Her head was on his chest, He felt her body trembling from the cold, But when her body is close to him, She started feeling some warmth from him, Even if its a cold night with a dangerous aura lurking around, He was always warm.
Right now, Xiao was wandering aimlessly to look for a shelter, with him, carrying lumine in his arms. He tilts his head to see her condition. She had a smile on her face. He was stepping forward in the snow to find shelter. It was nowhere to be found on this cold and Dark night.
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Finally He reached the outskirts of the wangshu inn. He got inside the room. He placed her Gently on the bedroom. Xiao’s expression Changed, with the look of his concerned face, He could not demonstrate, What would have happened to her after all.
Few moments have passed by, Lumine’s eyes wide open, The vision was blurry but she recognized the Adeptus bandage up her wounds. His gaze quickly moved towards her brunette eyes. Xiao felt relieved to see her still alive with him, But his heart still aches to this day. Lumine was shocked, To see an Adeptus who never even once considered caring about the aid of humans.
“I see that you’re awake….” He made his response as calm as possible, Sounding like his usual adepti ways, But to his heart, He was worried, concerned and upset.
“What are you doing here? Xiao.” Lumine gave out her response as she struggled to get up from the mattress, Luckily He was there to grab her and slowly get her up. Then he leaned back.
“I could ask you the same thing.” He got up from his stool after he finished treating up her wounds. He crossed his arms and Gazed towards her “Why were you at the treacherous side of the dragonspine?”
Lumine felt her body froze from that question he asked
“There was a Commission katheryn tasked me to” She gave out her response in a cold way“ This commission was something related to the similar events which led to so many people getting killed in dragonspine”
“And what exactly were you doing there?”
“I needed to check what was up with the aura which led to so many people end up getting terminated” Lumine took a deep breath. “Then…. turns out was it was the creature that was behind all of the cause that happened to be very vicious, He was too strong”
Unable to keep with the ache in his chest. Xiao leans towards her and lifts her chin up as both of their eyes have made contact.
“Why didn't you call my name?” His response was rather upset
“I didn't want to burden you because of me” She tilts her head down and is unable to look at Xiao the same way. “Besides, I can overcome with the danger’s”
“How long were you in there?”
Lumine froze to the point she wouldn't be able to respond, Her hands trembled to the point that she wanted to leave.
“Two days” She gave out in a straightforward respond
Xiao eyes wide opened to the point of hearing out her response to his question. Then Xiao sighed to himself and then grabbed Lumine's cheeks to the point where their eyes made contact once again.
“Lumine.” His voice turned Soft
Lumine’s cheeks flushed after hearing out her real name by an Adeptus himself.
“It’s just how I always tell you, Do not hesitate to call out my name if you are in the depths of danger and I'll be here like I promised.” He then blew the wind from his mouth which breezed and his breath was warm. “And yet you were being so reckless on yourself…..”
“But” He then immediately pulled her close into his embrace. It was tight and warm, Lumine felt like she was in her warm blanket, As she shivered in his embrace. He pats the back of her hair.
“ I am relieved to see you back alive…..” His voice was gentle yet almost hurt to the point where he saw her almost teared up in wounds and was tasked to protect her.
“Sorry….” Her voice was almost a whisper to the point where she was in his embrace. Both of them stayed like this for a while or so.
Xiao then pulled back himself from the embrace and then brushed the stroke of hair aside from her eyes. “Rest, I’ll get something for you to eat.”
“But what about the-” Her voice was cut short by his gloved hand covering her mouth gently.
“I will handle it, Now rest.”
Lumine’s body was tired; she laid down on her mattress as her thoughts were circulating her mind. The thought of Xiao, Calling out her real name and sort of affection he did for her, Something an Adeptus like himself wouldn't do so.
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Few minutes had passed by, As Xiao already came back with the meal in his hand, But to his Surprise, Lumine was already fast asleep. Of course he cannot disturb her as she was already so tired for the past two days.
He sat right towards her in bed and then he swiftly ran through her soft blonde hair. His fingers were playing around the strokes of her hair. He needed to do his duty but he cannot leave her just yet. As The Yaksha smiled to himself.