"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...
He wore a white and beige sleeveless, tightly fitting shirt with subtle cloud patterns stitched into it. It had a high black collar to it with the same beige or golden color accents while it extended to an open sleeve on his left arm. What seemed to be some kind of black metal gauntlets with teal accents rimmed with gold adorned his hands up to just below his elbows. His left gauntlet she noticed immediately had a very, very distinct diamond shaped anemo Vision fastened an inch or two just below the wrist. Around his neck was a rather unique looking rosary necklace with a iron looking almost arrowhead kind of ornament and tassels coming off two red beads. His armor while minimal was also not hard to miss and her eyes grew wide in realization. "This is the same boy we saw last night!"she thought. Upon further inspection seeing his dark baggy pants, his sash around his waist line that held that very, very unforgettable mask, his black boots, and his lean frame. This was most assuredly that boy and he looked to be around her age at least in appearances.
He could feel that familiar power flowing off this woman as they turned to face each other. He was only proved right when she pulled out a very familiar sigil. "A Sigil of Permission? I see you came prepared."
"Then you must be the Vigilant Yaksha. I'm glad we finally found you."Lumine greeted with a smile.
The young adeptus simply sighed with disinterest as he crossed his arms. His tiger-like gaze never leaving the petite blonde. Why would she have need of such a sigil in the first place? It urked him so much and tugged at his kitten-like curiosity. "You are aware that though this sigil only prevents me from hurting you myself. It won't stop you from getting harmed in other ways, yes?"he quickly rebuked.
"Um...Paimon doesn't get it..."piped up Paimon.
Her friend may not have understood it but Lumine most assuredly did. "He's saying this sigil only protects us from any adepti that might be quick to attack first and ask questions later. But it's not going of protect us from anything else."she quickly explained. Xiao had to admit this mortal girl was actually smarter then she looked...not that he would admit it out loud or show it.
"Too much contact with our world is breaking the rules. Mortal souls after all are not as robust as those of the adepti, nor can your bodies withstand this amount of adeptal energies."He then gave a dismissive motion with hand before hopping onto the railing. "It's for your own good. Now, leave."
"Hey wait! We need to—"Lumine called but stopped as she watched the young adeptus vanish from sight with an agile leap before vanishing in a wisp of dark mist. "—Talk...hnm..."
"Well that could have gone so much better! He didn't let us explain why we're here."huffed Paimon. "Paimon is peeved, he should get an ugly nickname but Paimon doesn't want to piss off an adeptus...hmn..."
Lumine sighed in frustration but she was not about to give up not when she had come all this way. "Maybe Verr Goldet would know?"she thought. Her mind made up Lumine hurried inside and down to the reception desk.
"Ah good morning, Traveler. Anything I can do for you?"Verr Goldet greeted.
"Actually I was wondering if you could tell me about the adeptus I met on the balcony..."
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Well, it had taken some work as well as some trial and error but, Lumine had made the almond tofu and the salad the owner had suggested. They had learned the name of this young adeptus was in fact Xiao. Lumine had learned actually quite a fair amount about the ancient race known as the adepti. Especially the part where a majority of them only knew how to solve problems that involved battles. It became even more understandable now why these beings kept themselves so far away from human interaction. "Any regular person probably would have gone mad or worse just from exposure to their very auras."she thought with a thoughtful hum as she climbed the stairs. Being careful not to drop the food she had in hand.
Her mind wandered to that child's ghost and that damn ruin hunter. That battle to disarm and dispatch it had left her a bit bruised, battered, and now her poor scarf had a rip in it she'd have to repair later today. For now though as she reached the balcony she began to look around. She could not help but notice that the sky seemed rather dark and gloomy now, bringing the promise of the storm that would break soon this afternoon. To her surprise and delight she spotted Xiao just looking out at the horizon from where he sat on the railing.
"Hello Xiao."she greeted as she walked over.
Xiao instantly looked over looking rather annoyed as he let out a huff, "...You two again. I thought I told you to lea — Hm!?" His gaze landed on the plate of almond tofu and the small bowl of salad.
"Wait, please don't go off and disappear again!"squeaked Paimon quickly.
The way his eyes lit up at the sight of the food did not go unnoticed by Lumine as he hopped down from the railing. It was the same look she got towards anything sweet like pastries and chocolate. "Verr Goldet was right he really does like this dish."she thought in delight.
"What's this?"Xiao asked in curiosity. Lumine swore if he had little tiger ears they would very much be twitching right now with the way his pupils grew wide with astonishment and concealed delight.
"It's your favorite almond tofu, as well as one of traveler's best dishes: a satisfying salad."Paimon eagerly explained.
"Its yours if you'll hear me out. Will you hear what I have to say, Xiao?"Lumine didn't seem to have to wait as already the adeptus had accepted the dish and was already eagerly digging in.
"I will hear you out, but be swift about it."he stated between mouthfuls of his beloved treat. The almond tofu was a familiar texture and taste he knew well and one of the few things that didn't upset his stomach. The salad he was a bit more unsure of until he started eating it. It wasn't strong and overwhelming like so many mortal food out there. Actually...it was pretty good.
"First, let me introduce myself, my name's Lumine. As Paimon said, I'm a traveler and I was sent here via Moon Carver's request to find you as he's gathering the other adepti for a meeting."she began.
Hearing the name of the older adeptus caught his attention as his gaze turned back to her, this Lumine. "Meeting of the Adepti? "he echoed in curiosity as he took another bite of the tofu. Had something gone amuck or had Lord Morax called them to gather? He was not sure. However the look on Lumine's face had turned serious and solemn — not the look of somebody bringing good news or a simple summons. This woman had seen something horrific and it showed with how her face darkened as she held his tiger-like gaze.
"Xiao...I-I hate to tell you this news, but...Rex Lapis was assassinated at the Rite of Descension."Lumine's heavy words made Xiao's blood turn cold. His treat he had been enjoying fell and shattered with the plate as all around him the world seem to come to an achingly slow stand still. Thousands of ancient memories of the very man he looked up to and held in such high regards raced through his mind in a mile of minute along with more dark ones. "No...i-it can't be...not you too..."he thought crossing his arms as he looked to the sky as rain began to fall. He had never imagined a Liyue, no a world without Morax to help and guide him when he needed it. Morax had been the closest thing to family and the center of his world.
