"Why? Why won't you rely on me more? All I said is you had to call my name and I'd be there....so why didn't you?"
Xiao, the last Yaksha and Lumine, a traveler not from this world whose very existence defies logic. Their encounter had happened by ch...
[A/N: Well festival's over so bye-bye Liyue dress and back to everyday dress for Lumine. An odd encounter leads Lumine to stumble upon a dark, tragic piece of her beloved yaksha's past. Zhongli helps Lumine understand what from the book is the true tale. To those curious the names of the other four Yakshas was Bosacious, Indarias, Bonanus, and Menogias.]
Lumine could only glare at this stranger with a goblin mask and his followers. Here in this field of wind swept, lush green grass just a few miles away from Wanshu Inn. She had been doing her work for the guild as usual with Paimon at her side. June had just started bringing with it her encounter yesterday with Beidou and the wandering samurai, Kazuha. Kazuha and her swiftly becoming good friends after getting his late friend's Vision back and Beidou promising after their prepared they would take her to Inazuma. But back to her current situation as she finished talking to the people with this stranger. This...Starsnatcher able to grant wishes? Ha! Sounded way too farfetched to Lumine honestly but somehow Paimon, innocent as ever was buying it.
"What do you think? One's followers may exaggerate a little, but they speak from the heart."said Starsnatcher. Lumine still could only stare with suspicion as she crossed her arms.
"Hmph. From their imagination I'd say for sure..."she huffed.
"Surely you jest, traveler. There was once a senior adeptus by the name of Xu Wuliang, known by the people as 'Liangzi.' He said the following: All things are connected. That which mortals call, 'Imagination' is merely the bridge between the material and the spiritual. In other words their wishes are already on the path to transitioning into reality. Does this not make things clearer?"informed Starsnatcher.
Lumine could only sigh in annoyance at this man before her, not believing a speck of the nonsense that came from his mouth. "I know several adeptus including the prime of the adepti himself. I'm even in love with one. This reeks of a scam artist."she thought once he asked for mora. "Paimon we're leaving."
"What? Why?"gasped Paimon turning to her friend.
"I still have one commission left for the guild and we're burning daylight. I do not want to be late for lunch with our friends back at the harbor. Or have you forgotten that Xiangling's new menu?"That got the fairy's attention alright.
"Hurry, hurry! That lawacurl will rule the day it messed with us!"hissed Paimon rushing off in a hurry. Lumine just shook her head with a chuckle and hurried after her gluttonous companion. But still it really bothered her what this scammer was doing. What's more he had a sigil of permission.
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Lumine was just leaving the bookstore behind with her new books in hand. One of them a book that caught her interest and not just because Starsnatcher had bought a copy before them. It was a book with a rather interesting title, "Yaksha: The Guardian Adepti". The cover was old and darken with age a little bit with distinct patterns on the cover. But there was one pattern on it that was familiar to her eyes that looked a lot like Xiao's tattoo. It appeared to be some kind of phoenix with peacock-like features to it. The others she was not sure what they were but she could make out a tiger, a dragon, and a tortoise at least and wait that last one kinda looked like a snake.
"Hey I can see Mr.Zhongli, Lumine! Hi Mr.Zhongli!!"pointed out Paimon as she waved to the ombre burnette geo archon, alerting Lumine.
"Oh hello Miss Lumine and hello to you as well Miss Paimon. Doing a spot of shopping are we?"Zhongli greeted.
"Yes a little. We just came from the bookstore."Lumine informed but her eyes lit up with an idea. "Mr.Zhongli maybe you can help me with something?"
"Oh, to what may I ask do you require my assistance with?"Lumine grabbed the book on the yakshas to show him, making the eldest of the seven's eyes turn wide before turning somber. Understanding clear on his face as he gesture for the girls to follow. So they did as he lead them straight for his favorite tea house, taking a seat at a table with them.
"You wish to discern what is fact and what was twisted by time from that book, am I correct?"Zhongli asked keeping his voice down, his tone rather serious.
"Yes we read it before we bought it to be frank with you."Paimon informed.
"What if fact in here and what if the truth? Xiao never talks about his past but I want to know, to understand."she whispered firmly. But it went beyond that she also wanted to know why Starsnatcher was so interested. If that scammer was planning to pose as a yaksha she would not stand for it!
"Then listen closely, young ladies for what I say is the truth solid as stone."began Zhongli as he held the girls' full attention. "In ancient times, Liyue was a land of chaos and misery. Shadows of evil loomed large over the land. As slain gods festered, their vengeful wrath plagued the land corrupting monsters and beings as mutations sprung forth in infernal forms. Miasma, demons, and mutations infested this land. Unable to ignore the pleas of the common folk, I brought forth the Yakshas under a contract to protect Liyue and vanquish the demons and purify the land."
"Wait a minute, he's called the Viligant Yaksha ain't he?"interrupted Paimon. "You don't think..."
"Shh! Don't interrupt, Paimon let him continue."scolded Lumine earning an apologetic giggle from the fairy. "Sorry Mr.Zhongli, you were saying?"
"Forgiven. Now where was I? Ah yes. I brought forth five Yakshas under contract one by one, each swore an oath, 'Restore order through slaughter, purge evil through battle. To this we dedicate ourselves to you Prime of the Adepti.' were their words binding the contract. Eons of slaughter later, I did not foresee what would befall them. Xiao, the youngest and most recent to join their ranks at the time...I can only imagine what went through his mind at the sight. Debt of negative karma weighed heavy on them, like a sickness a phantom wrath seeped into their bodies and broken souls. One by one they fell victim to it."he explained sadly recalling the events all too vividly. So, so many succumbed to it to the point he and the five strongest had to raise their hand. But even then Zhongli's remorse and guilt shined in his wise, sharp eyes as he stared into the clear tea as the tea leaves floated to sink to the bottom of the cup. "They went mad with fear from the karmic debt, turned on each other even, or they succumbed to the darkness. Out of the five that remained not even they could escape it."
"And these five remaining, one of them was him wasn't it?"Lumine whispered. Zhongli nodded with solemn hum taking a sip from his tea.
"So what happened to them? You said they couldn't escape the karma either."Paimon asked.
"Yes, you are correct. They were like family to young Xiao and he respected them in kind. Their names were Bosacious, Indarias, Bonanus, and Menogias and young Xiao was the last member of this small elite group. Of the five foremost elite Yaksha, death came to three, while the fourth vanished without a trace. In the millennia since only young Xiao remains protecting Liyue from the wrath of the fallen gods."Zhongli said at long last finishing his tale.
Lumine could only stare for the longest time even after Zhongli bid them farewell as he had to return to work, his break now over. The tale weighed heavy on her and Paimon's mind. While her floating friend felt pity a different thing coursed through her...sadness. Sadness that the one she loved was now quite possible the last of his kind. Sadness he had been alone. But that sadness turned to anger at recalling Starsnatcher. "That damn scam artist, he's making things more difficult for Xiao! He doesn't realize he's playing with fire."she thought as she also recalled Xiao's warning about the sigil. She had to go find Xiao and she was right he should be in Dihua Marsh at this time. But Xiao wasn't alone anymore and if what he had told her was true, his karma was improving to boot since he met her. Mind made up, Lumine left with Paimon for Dihua Marsh. Xiao needed to know about the scam artist abusing a genuine Sigil of Permission and he needed to find out fast.
