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— ★ —
Skies above, adorned by the illusion, shined as vibrantly as ever.
Behind this intricately designed veil, nothing was as “beautiful” as it was here in Teyvat.
Well, Skirk was not on the surface as often but that was besides the point – the point was that the reality inside and outside this world? They were not the same, the conditions out there were rough and she had always known that, even when she was young as she had witnessed the fall of many stars in her homeland before as well but little Skirk… she dismissed them as them not having enough energy to stand so they’d “temporarily” fade away.
Ha, they actually had gone out forever, never to be seen again and the child, blissfully happy, noticed none of it.
Now things were drastically different.
Skirk knew each and every one of the stars both near and far away from Teyvat, for she had traversed through all kinds of them…
Whether they were intact? Whether they be on the verge of collapse, whether they are just a wreckage – a remnant of their former glory that once shone brightly in their rightful spot…
Skirk now knew them all.
Now why was this so important? Especially at this moment?
Why should it ever be important to someone like her who tried to revel in power, not out of desperation but out of willingness—
Because she saw her life flash right before her eyes, again.
And in that brief flash, where she was ready to embrace the fact that she wasn’t able to reach the success that she so desired, that she so hoped to achieve just to be unshackled from this calamity upon her head that was her master—
She found comfort in the stars, for they were just like her.
They wanted to shine bright for as long as they could, carefreely, without interference.
It was a strange kind of relation, she never expected that this would be all that she would think about on the verge of death, after being torn to shreds by her master who would sharpen his own claws with his sword, ready to stand by his words and scatter her remains all around merely because she did not amuse him enough– that she was a disappointment of a disciple for not giving him the taste of death “enough.”
Ah, how she wished she could also fulfill that too but…
Power, right?
Power…
She still had power left in her, like stars usually did even as they combusted into pieces– they still had energy in them that they’d eventually have to release.
By some miracle, Skirk did not surrender immediately, even if they were deemed futile by her master– something in her reignited at that moment, not recklessly as violent as flames but as careful and preservative as the frosty mist that froze over her heart.
Emotions are weakness, her master had instilled in her a long time ago.
Emotions are not weakness, The Descender had helped her re-realize along with her emotional self that had been trying her best to become one with her.
Little would she know, this reignition, caused by none other than her emotions…
Would make her cling to life like no other, once more.
She, while barely retaining her consciousness, did something that she never guessed that she could do.
She did not resort to using abyssal power.
She did not use the power of the Seven Shifting Serpents either, no, that power was useless against her master who was the same one who had passed this down onto her.
What she did was something unreal, something that she had never seen before…
The stars aligned, gathered forth around The Foul who was suddenly restrained by the same cosmic force itself, ultimately preventing him from laying a single hand on her.
He too was as equally surprised as her. He tried to relent, tear those same stars into shreds in one slash but—
They all crashed against the “omnipotent” being, creating a violent collision which also created a force so potent that Skirk’s body was repelled far, far away from his presence.
That was when she had lost consciousness because the last of her strength was spent, well spent—
What she woke up to next was a world in a lot of agony.
A world where she tried her hardest not to cry, just like the old times.
It did not matter if she was being kept company or not, she would simply refuse to cry because it had been ingrained so much into her instincts that her body would also align with her stubborn mind.
That was what had worried the person before her, the person that she had not been expecting to see during that very vulnerable moment of hers.
It was Alice.
The same “Sustainer of Teyvat’s Borders” who had let her inside this world in the first place.
This meant that she was in Teyvat.
She had crashed back to Teyvat.
But with this amount of pain, she couldn’t process all of that properly.
Everything felt like a blur, she kept slipping between consciousness and unsconsciousness.
Each time she woke up, the pain remained but it gradually loosened its unrelenting grip on her weak, recovering body that had its limbs damaged– torn.
Well, not anymore.
At least it all…
— ★ —
At least it all was intact.
Her limbs, they regrew, like they usually would but…
Against her master? She did not expect them to recover this easily, it almost felt surreal.
“Hahaha, oh my…” Alice suddenly appeared right beside her, sitting on a chair, with a hand resting on her cheek. “You gave me quite the worry there, you know, dear? Ah… you know there’s only so much that a witch like me can do? I was about to consult–”
“...Why care about me?” Skirk cut her off, making the fiery witch pause. “You should’ve just let me die.”
“Let you die? No, no, you misunderstand your situation…” Alice trailed, crossing her legs. “You saved yourself, so even if I hadn’t interfered by fiercely strengthening Teyvat’s borders alongside my fellow mages that I also called upon… you still would’ve lived, you just wouldn’t’ve woken up in a comfortable place.”
Skirk still did not understand why she interfered for her sake nor did she bother understanding it, she was still in a bit of a trance, trying to recover her strength.
It really felt horrible to be weak.
She wanted to force herself to recover her strength faster but knowing the witch beside her; she wouldn’t let Skirk do anything of sorts because she had grown to somewhat care about her instead of just merely tolerating her presence like she did before.
“Not going to say anything to that?” Alice smiled. “Ho~ho, that must mean that you still haven't realized one key thing about this situation…”
Skirk looked at her, practically asking her what she meant by that but the witch did not speak a single word back to her, still smiling from ear to ear.
So fine by her, Skirk did not bother questioning her and tried to think of what she meant, even with a mind so disoriented that she felt like she still wasn’t in one piece.
One piece…
Wait.
It all dawned upon Skirk, slowly, one by one.
Being torn to shreds by her master after going up against him ever so boldly, or well, being forced to go up against him since Surtalogi suddenly whisked her off of Teyvat and pulled her underneath the veil.
Only her torso and head remaining, the rest of her gone, she was on the verge of losing consciousness one moment and then the next moment, she froze her own fear over and melted away the determination that made her cling to the remaining bit of her vigor, triggering her constitution to automatically fight harder to keep her alive– her body and soul to be in one piece.
An ambition so transcendent, so brave against a being so unforgivingly battle-hungry just to meet his own demise via a great battle, there the stars responded to her presence and with her admiration towards them came a mutual admiration towards her from them— ultimately allowing themselves to be bent to her will to live; they intervened, they obeyed not his authority but hers and collided into the great creature of power, dealing a great blow to him and rendering him helpless just for the right amount of time…
The weight of these scattered memories made Skirk’s head hurt but the realization numbed that pain and with her pain numbed, her realization rendered her fully frozen.
She controlled the stars?
She…
She actually had authority over the stars.
This power was more than she had hoped to achieve but it wasn’t unwelcome, she did not mind more power or burden if it meant that this kept her safe from her master and even guaranteed a chance for her to get rid of him once and for all.
“You look pleased alright.” Alice commented, despite Skirk’s expression being like a blank slate.
And that wasn’t false in the slightest, so she was spot-on with that shot in the dark or maybe not-so shot in the dark.
“...I could be dangerous to the world that you love so much to the point of protecting its borders, you not getting rid of me still does not make much sense.” Skirk remarked. “So, why?”
“Please, as if I hadn’t personally done some experiments of my own here in Teyvat…” Alice shrugged it off. “So I am less uptight than you take me for, but–! I understand where you’re coming from, being a naturally busy, beautiful lady can give off that impression.”
“So you’re just letting me off the hook…”
“Sure am, I know you won’t actually bring any unwarranted harm to this world after all.”
“And how do you know that?”
“Mm, well, I am aware of a certain ginger haired young fellow’s existence who does not deny being your disciple and is quite proud of that mere fact.”
Skirk became more awake the second she heard those words. “...You’ve met Ajax?”
“Ajax? What a lovely name! Haha, sadly no, i’ve only heard about him from… let’s say here and there.” Alice then casually asked her. “You care about him, right?”
“That’s a strong word.” Was all she replied back because admitting it felt.. unusual, something she wasn’t used to.
“So you do not deny? I see, that just lessens my worries for this world– oh and, speaking of this world…”
“What of it?”
“Speaking of the stars…”
Skirk could feel that she was in for something that she would not see coming in the slightest so she eased back down into the bed. “...What of the stars?”
“You should meet Barbie! She is quite well versed in the telling of the stars, ah, no doubt that she’ll respect you– albeit begrudgingly, for you have managed to conquer the stars and…” Alice placed a hand on her chin and continued on. “You’ve destroyed some of them, no doubt but that probably still doesn’t whisk your remarkable authority away.” She chuckled.
Skirk held in a sigh.
That was probably another one of Alice’s friends and no doubt that if Alice wished for that to happen, then at one point, she would meet that certain someone.
“Ahh… it’ll be quite the meeting…! I can already imagine it…” Alice would then suddenly switch up by showing concern for Skirk once more. “And now speaking of you, do you want some water or… what can this generous witch do for you, dear?”
“Water is fine.” Skirk shortly replied.
She did not actually expect Alice to conjure up a glass of water from nowhere but she should’ve seen that coming, the woman was a witch after all.
Taking the glass, she blurted out. “...Thanks.”
“You’re very welcome– wait, let me help you up.”
“I’m okay–”
“You won’t be anymore if you choke on water, you know?”
A bit of an exaggeration but–
Fair enough, so Skirk let Alice help her sit straight up before she downed the glass and handed it back to the witch who in turn made the glass disappear with one snap of her finger.
“I know that my status as a trespasser most likely did not change.” Skirk brought up, trying to cut straight to the point just to see if the fiery witch was really content on not charging her with anything. “So tell me, are you really fine with me staying within Teyvat?”
“You mean to question if I really expect nothing of you in return? Meaning that you take me for a calculated being?” Alice tilted her head to the side, her long and perky ears seemingly twinkling a little – probably out of bemusement. “Colour me hurt but you are fortunately very right…”
I knew it, she is definitely going to make quite high demands for me–
“I want you to enjoy your stay in Teyvat, therefore, I hereby consider myself off your case.”
What–?
Skirk paused, took a very long pause in fact.
“...You mean to say that you are not going to monitor my actions anymore?” She double-checked, thinking that she heard that wrong.
“I sure am, why, would you rather help me sustain Teyvat’s borders instead?” Alice jested.
“No– no, no thank you, I frankly would rather spend my time on something more.. productive, no offense to you.”
“No offense taken, darling. Anyway–”
*Dodo-dodo…dodoco!*
“Ah! That should be Nicole, let me get that…” Alice excused herself and left the room, leaving Skirk alone at last.
It was a relief that she finally had some more time to think to herself.
Now, she did not really know what she was supposed to do from here.
Her fight was definitely not over, not at all if her master was still alive and roaming the outer space, possibly waiting for another chance to catch her off guard just to continue their fight.
The only thing that she could do was to continue to train, get stronger and…
Maybe she should continue keeping her distance from anyone else in this world, it’d risk their lives and she’d rather fight this alone—
“Help me…? Why? This isn’t your fight.” Skirk was unsurprisingly a little taken aback by The Descender’s offer but she should’ve seen this coming, their kindness…
“Because if we want to build the world that we both want to see… everyone has to be willing to fight for it.”
“If we all do our part, we can make the entire universe a kinder place.”
It truly knew no bounds, so this was the will of a Descender indeed, this was…
This was a form of strength too and she, melting the ice that was her suppression of self, reached an acceptance and thus did she carve out a new way for herself to continue to grow as a person.
That enlightenment, that same enlightenment that The Descender brought upon her, should she reject that for the “greater good”?
…No.
Of course she was still stuck in her same old mindset, she had barely managed to scratch the surface of it by accepting that emotion was not always a sign of weakness.
But this did not mean that she should abide by the saying “old habits die hard” – absolutely not.
If she did, then what would be the point of all of this progress? All this growth… for what?
Nothing?
That won’t do.
She got out of bed or at least she tried to, only to realize that she was unable to because even the slightest bit of movement made her stagger– meaning that her limbs hadn’t actually fully healed up from the inside.
Right after that did Alice also come back, noticing that Skirk had attempted to get up, she gave the other an apologetic smile that was also actually not so apologetic at the same time. “Well, I did not want to break this news to you instantly but… your healing is in fact– unsurprisingly quite incomplete.”
“...And why do you look so pleased about this?” Skirk questioned, a little puzzled about that.
She was wrong to believe that Alice did not possess any ulterior motives, wasn’t she?
“Pleased? What an accusation… I am merely looking forward to helping you out, can’t a powerful woman do things for another powerful woman?” Alice casually spoke.
She was persuasive alright and she also definitely knew how to be confusing.
Skirk did not bother arguing furthermore with her nor did she question her, she figured that going with the flow would just save her from the headache that was her trying to properly process Alice’s goals.
And so that was what she went with throughout her entire stay with Alice who kept her company as much as she could.
Sometimes she disappeared for hours at a time.
Sometimes she stayed for almost an entire day and brought along some tales written by her “impressively genius of a writer” friend who transcended fate so that Skirk’s interest would be kept intact. (And it worked just well because Skirk was immediately interested by the mere concept of transcending fate in this world.)
Sometimes she chatted all about her casual life, talking about those that she knew – especially her daughter that she was most proud of. (Skirk did not know that Alice had a daughter before but it didn’t surprise her too much, she did talk about some “children” in the past after all.)
There was nothing in between.
Did Skirk complain though?
Not one bit, a weirdly caring woman with a bizarre attitude was the least of her worries in this entire universe.
Yet despite Alice being the least of her worries, Skirk realized not long after that she was released from the fiery witch’s clutches that she unironically enjoyed listening to everything that she had to say and blabber on and on about.
This meant that returning back to her journey, to the lonely abyss below, felt quite lonely – especially now.
Skirk even felt a ridiculous urge to go out in Teyvat and keep adventuring until this little annoying need of entertainment faded away to nothingness.
She didn’t give into that, getting strong enough to fully fend for herself on her own was still her life’s mission, she wasn’t about to go and slack off.
Because truly, did life give her another chance just for her to be lazy?
Absolutely not.
Stronger, she had to get stronger. If she got stronger then this newfound power within her existence would naturally grow as much too.
The stars wouldn’t respond to her if she was weak, utterly useless.
She kept reminding herself that.
Kept reminding herself that she mustn’t ever amount to nothing or disappear like she almost did when her master almost erased her.
This cycle, no matter how boring, how life suckingly exhausting…
She had to keep it up.
She had to.
She had no other choice.
She had no other way.
No other way…
No other way?
Skirk found herself going all cold, empty minded to be more precise.
She was practically straining her mind to keep up with her body for the past…
Oh right, time passed differently here in the abyss.
It’s been months.
A few months definitely equaled to a mere few days on the surface.
Quite the strange flow of time, yet nothing that she wasn’t used to just like a mere little strain.
But this strain–
That’s it.
Skirk put her sword away and took a good moment to recover from the slight sizzling in her limbs. (Only a mere moment indeed because she always gave herself that much amount of time, no exceptions.)
Then she broke open a portal back to the surface, to Teyvat.
She didn’t really have a specific place in mind but…
Wherever this one would lead? She’d make sure to make her time up there a productive one, have it be well spent since time passed faster up there.
So, she’d enjoy whatever scenery that she was greeted with just the right amount of time.
And…
Well, she had nothing else to do.
She walked into the abyssal portal without a second thought and called it a day, looking forward to the next one that she would experience. (Hopefully.)
….
— ★ —
Skirk had accidentally made a habit of going out more often.
Sure, she had promised herself that she wouldn’t waste as much time in Teyvat during that one occasion where she thought that a break would do wonders for her mind.
Yet here she was, making these foolish mistakes.
She did not have the luxury to enjoy herself, every single (rare) human interaction she had was a reminder of that because afterwards, they’d only forget about her as she wouldn’t allow them to remember a single bit about her.
Meaning that their forgettance reminded her of her situation and she…
Whatever, she was used to it.
Oh.
She just realized that she had mindlessly wandered off again and almost dipped her feet into the water body of the Great Sea of Fontaine.
Speaking of this region, why’d she find herself coming back more often than not…?
This wasn’t home at all, this region was merely…
An introduction to her master’s world.
An introduction to the beginning of either her end or his.
“You’ve been most disappointing, I did not train you just for you to fail your ultimate goal, Skirk.”
“Look at you– you’re even showing emotion, guess I should have seen this coming… this was the sign of the prelude to your end.”
…Guess it wasn’t.
Skirk looked up at the skies.
Or maybe was it really, master?
I guess you’ll tell me about it sometime later in a message from beyond this world, after you are in a better condition that is…
Or you’ll try to take me out again in the same fashion.
I can’t say that this doesn’t scare me but…
I’m no longer as chained by fear as before.
She extended her hand up to the night sky.
The stars presented on this veil were fake.
So she wondered:
What if I pull a real one inside it? Would it blend in perfectly with the fake ones?
Right as she was about to attempt to tap into that power, she sensed a powerful form of energy behind her.
Skirk halted and turned her head to the side.
What is this…?
Huh–?
The energy formed into a portal.
With it, came a very unexpected surprise.
A presence that she was all too familiar with.
Ajax.
He was in the middle of slashing something with his Hydro-forged blades so he staggered when he realized that he had been taken away from his original position, he was bewildered even as the portal spat him out and did not even give him the chance to go back– quickly closing away and earning a shout of protest from the man who attempted to somehow catch up to it via using his Electro delusion but alas, it was in vain.
Ajax scowled, shouting in the distance at the now non-existent portal. “Hey! That’s not funny! Whoever you are, you owe me a way back to Snezhnaya! It’s late out here you know?!”
…How did he get here?
Skirk turned her head back and pondered about it.
That form of unfamiliar energy, wait…
It wasn’t actually unfamiliar, she recognized it.
But from whom was it from? That part took a solid few seconds for her to come to an answer.
…Alice.
I shouldn’t’ve mentioned Ajax to her in the first place, this is on me.
“Wait a second…” Ajax trailed, his voice slowly drawing closer to her presence. “Master…? Is that you?”
And of course it didn’t take long for him to see and recognize her, how unsurprising.
Skirk sent him a side glance at first and then turned around.
That was when Ajax perked up. “Ah! So it is really you, haha, pretend like I wasn’t complaining just now because I definitely know what you’re about to propose…” He smiled, that smile slowly transformed into an excited grin.
As bloodthirsty as ever… you still hadn’t changed much.
Well, to be fair, it hasn’t been that long anyway.
“No.” Skirk flat-out clarified herself. “I am not about to propose a duel to you.”
“What–? Seriously…?” Ajax’s grin fell to a disappointed smile but he seemed like he still held out hope. “We’re really not going to fight? You don’t even have a single itch to compare our strengths?”
“Not quite.”
“Then why am I here? Surely you’re not going to disown me as a disciple?”
He said that jokingly but that did remind her of the fact that she did consider that, way too many times in fact.
She wanted to do that for his safety but knowing that his surging riptide of an ambition would not fade? She had always decided against it and let him maintain a connection with her, despite knowing that it had carried a huge risk of him possibly being targeted by her master.
“You’re not actually here because of me and no, I won’t ‘disown’ you.” Skirk stated, then thought some more about the first part.
Why did Alice even bring him here? To me?
“...Well technically, maybe you are here because of me.” She fixed the first part of the statement.
Ajax was naturally confused by that. “Hmm? What do you exactly.. mean, master…?”
“Let’s just say that a witch had plans for you.”
“What witch? Does she want to fight me? I’m down if she so wishes–”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Ajax.”
“Okay, my bad… but come on, master, what witch?”
“You really do ask a lot of questions.” Skirk turned around and began walking along the shoreline.
“E–Eh? Hey– okay! I’m sorry, i’ll ask less questions! I swear..!” Ajax quickly caught up to her, thinking that she was about to disappear again but to his surprise, she was only just… walking along the shoreline, like she intended to.
“It’s fine.” Skirk nonchalantly replied. “You can call her a friend since she apparently does not just tolerate my existence anymore.”
Ajax was dumbfounded by her being a little more specific, he looked kind of worried about that but he nodded along. “Alright… so she’s your friend but you’re not her friend, how does that– uh, no question.”
“There could be another term for it but I just couldn’t care less enough to think as to what suits my relation to her.”
“I see…”
“I’ll pay her a visit sometime to never disturb you, don’t worry.”
“That’s not what I–” Ajax stammered, stopping in his tracks. “I just wasn’t expecting to see you again, no thanks to her no less.”
Skirk too came to a halt but she did not face him. “...What? Don’t tell me that you missed me?” She asked, not as deadpaningly.
It was meant to be a “joke” but she didn’t even know why she attempted that, she never cared for jests in the first place.
But apparently, it came out as serious towards him.
“Miss you? Why shouldn’t I?” Ajax was confused. “You know how eternally grateful I am towards you, for all that you’ve done for me and I still am.”
…What have I really done for you?
Other than to steer you towards my master’s path, what have I?
“Guess now I do.” She suddenly turned around in the blink of an eye and posed this question. “Tell me this, Ajax, are you still determined to follow in these footsteps?”
“Of course I am.” Ajax answered with confidence. “Why the–”
“Good, that’s great.”
“Wha– okay where to now–?”
Skirk led them upwards to a higher point, towards the very edge.
Ajax followed after her without hesitation and while doing so, he looked around. “Wait… this is Fontaine– hah, this nation really doesn’t bring back good memories…”
“Why? Oh… right.” Skirk looked up to the sky. “I read about it way later somewhere, that you.. ‘caused a scene’? Per say? In the courtroom?”
“It wasn’t my fault that I was wrongfully convicted, not only that but they also had the audacity to send me to their prison on the basis of pure nothing…!” Ajax huffed.
“...It’s whatever, at least you’re no longer there now.”
“Archons no, I wouldn’t let that so-called Chief Justice catch me the next time anyway.”
“Spiteful, huh? Fair enough.”
“Nevermind my distaste for that man, what were you about to tell me, master?”
“Do you see those stars above?” Skirk gestured for him to look up.
Ajax took one step forward to stand right next to Skirk and did as she said. “Yeah? What of it–? Is this about the sky being fake?”
“No, I wouldn’t talk to you about something that you know of.” Skirk raised her hand towards it. “Watch.”
Ajax was confused as to what she was about to do but he waited with his arms crossed.
She squinted her eyes, making sure that she was using the right power and amount of force.
Slowly and steadily, I don’t know how fragile this veil is and if I do manage to break it?
Someone might not like it.
Yet despite her careful grip on the star, the second she closed her palm and pulled it in; the veil had gotten torn through, revealing a hint of the real sky.
…Oh well, guess i’ll bear the consequence of that.
“W–Whoa…!” Ajax was stunned. “Master–! Did you just–”
“I pulled a star in, yes.” Skirk gently pulled it a little closer and compared it to the ones currently within The False Sky.
She was right, there was a difference between them and now…
She was finally able to confirm it, all because she had gained the power necessary to do so.
“That’s a very impressive power…” Ajax was in awe, not even fazed by the fact that there was a tear in the sky. “To be able to pull a star in– what kind of abyssal technique is this?”
“I’m still not sure if this power is a part of my abyssal arsenal.” Skirk truthfully answered. “It’s a relatively new power to me.”
“Hmm? Does this mean…”
“Mean what?”
“Does this mean that your fight is over and you’ve been not telling me about it?”
That wasn’t too far off, she didn’t think that he would actually go there.
“...I had a prelude to the fight.” Skirk confessed, though recalling the exact events were nothing kind on her, she still decided to confess. “I fought it, I almost died against it but amidst it, I emerged half-victorious and gained this strength.”
“Half-victorious? Not bad– wait—” Ajax snapped his head towards her when he processed the ‘death’ part. “You almost died…?! Master… just what was it that you were up against?”
“I’ve told you about him before.” Skirk became clearer with her words. “The Foul, the legacy that you’ve inherited… since I am tied to him? You too are tied to him as well.”
“No– I know that but just how strong is he?”
“So you really don’t remember… very well then, The Foul is a being that transcends fate, he is constantly on the search for a worthy opponent simply because… he’s too strong, he destroys everything in his way…” She trailed. “If he so wished right now? With all of his might, he could destroy Teyvat.”
His lips parted, he didn’t know what to say for a good moment until he scoffed out. “...So he is providing a challenge and he’ll stop at nothing until he dies? Hah, he’s arrogant– but i’m down for the challenge! I’ll take him down too if it needs to be done that way!”
…Ha.
I rather like his confidence.
It was way better than despair after all.
“Hm, so you’re offering to help?” Skirk double-checked, looking at him with the corner of her eye.
“Well of course,” Ajax then mischievously smiled. “–but as a payment, I would like for you to fight me right here and right now, master!”
“I see.”
“So i’m really not getting a single thrilling fight out of this, huh…? Shame…”
“I’ll fight you, when we next meet.”
Now he was no longer sulking.
He was excited and determined.
“I see what you’re getting at, you want me to be more prepared… challenge accepted, master!”
“Very well, don’t bite off more than you can chew though.” Skirk directed her gaze back to the skies.
Oh–?
She noticed a certain thing.
How interesting…
“Frankly, i’ll still do anything to get stronger…” He happily hummed. “Even if I have to do that.”
“Then at least heed my advice: always keep your mind and body in an equally robust condition.” She turned her eyes away from the skies and looked down below, at the moon’s reflection. “If you do not? Forget about traversing the wreckage of the stars; you cannot traverse anything.”
“Alright, alright, I get it… speaking of stars though– did the false sky just repair itself? I didn’t know that it regenerated that quickly, haha, every time I learn something new.”
“It did? That’s good news then.”
“Huh? What’re you–”
Skirk shattered open an abyssal portal with her fingers. “Step inside the portal, then you’ll return back to Snezhnaya, I at least owe you that much as you said.”
“Oh– ooh… so you just want me gone? I’m hurt…” Ajax faked sadness, when she gave him a deadpan look? He laughed it off. “C’mon master, i’m just joking! Besides, I also have to ask… who are you and what have you done to my master? You didn't show me that amount of basic courtesy before.”
“The basic courtesy being?” She raised a brow.
“That you actually don’t throw me and tell me where the portal leads to.”
Right.
“Mmhm, yes, that…”
He could tell that she still didn’t get his point but he shrugged it off and slowly walked towards the portal. “Yeah? Well, whatever, guess i’m off then– it’s been fun talking to you, master! Bye-bye! Oh and–” He added in as he set one foot inside the portal before fully disappearing into it. “–send that friend of yours my best regards! She actually did me quite a favour there, haha!”
“...Goodbye, Ajax.” Skirk gave him a little wave and watched the portal disappear into thin air as well. “And I will, you can count on it.”
She did not lie about that, she would.
Just not now, the night was…
Simply too peaceful and quite right for her moment of accepted clarity.
She’d savour it a while longer.
….
— ◆ —
As the blonde witch was indecisively trailing her fingers over on the books on the shelves of the Mondstadt Library, she suddenly felt something swift and sharp coming after her– or so she thought it was aimed at her but she quickly turned around and with her magic, stopped the blade from making impact.
She couldn’t lie, the mere surprise of it all made her wince but upon seeing who was standing in front of her? She ended up smiling, then laughing.
“...That one.” Skirk told her, her tone as flat as ever. “You should pick that one.”
“My, my… what a way to give a lady like me a fright!” Alice was unironically thrilled to see her again even though that was quite an unorthodox way to greet a friend, she still liked it– she knew that Skirk was interesting. “You should’ve told me that you were coming, I could’ve made a peaceful little realm just for you.”
“No need, my visit here is meant to be short.” Skirk clarified, grabbing a hold of her sword and making it disappear.
“Hmm? Why, that’s a shame… nevertheless, what did you need to see me for?”
“I owe you one.”
“For what?”
“Bringing Ajax to me, repairing the False Sky…” Skirk trailed, also adding in upon being reminded. “Ah, and retracting the real star back into outer space, I didn’t know if that was actually harmful to do or not.”
“You are as vigilant as ever… haha, at least you’re grateful for my deeds! How kind of you…” Alice sweetly replied back.
“But I will let the Ajax part slide only this time.”
“Aww, so you are no longer down for surprises?”
“...No, just do them without involving him again, I do not want him to get too used to things like these.”
“So involve him less frequently then? You got it.”
“That was not what I said but alright.” Skirk turned her back to her. “It was good seeing you again, Alice. Ajax also sent you his best regards… do whatever you will with that, goodbye.”
“Bye-bye, see you around, dear Skirk!” Alice gave her a wave and smiled to herself when Skirk disappeared right after.
Well, at least a part of her day had gone entertainingly now, she definitely felt great knowing that she helped.
That little twinkle of peace in Skirk’s eyes….
Guess all of this was worth it after all despite Alice doubting her own judgement for a bit due to the other witches expressing their deep concerns regarding her involvement with The Trespasser.
Ah, it was whatever now.
She turned around and was about to recall which book the blade had pointed at only to find that exact same book in an instant all because it had a slight dent on it.
Oh my, guess I didn’t stop her sword in time…
Well, I better borrow this in secret because Miss Librarian sure won’t be pleased with this when she finds out.
At least this book is intact and wow…
It is quite a fine pick! I’ll go ahead and read this now!
Just like the shooting star from beyond this world, the witch too disappeared after making sure that there were no eyewitnesses, happily going on about the rest of her day that would end not just with a tale well cherished but also a tea party thoroughly enjoyed with the rest of her fellow witches who commended her for achieving the results that she so wished for.
….