Omniscius [Genshin Impact]

20: Soft Spots For Pretty Boys

The visions faded just as they appeared, only leaving fleeting memories for Soleil to pick up. Her sight was unclear and perception even foggier while she struggled to look around, trying to use her skills of reason.

Where was I? Soleil tried to see. But everything was hard to grasp. Sceneries of snow and forgotten altars flashed in her head as she trudged on the blurry white path in front of her.

On and on, she walked, trying to see with her eyes, but still couldn't grasp any ideas that raged in her head. She kept walking and walking until she felt cold under her feet, stepping unto the cold stone floor.

"Ouch," her eyes stung for a bit, making her wince and rub them gently. She blinked several times and looked ahead. Her vision began clearing and her eyes landed upon a towering silver tree resting at the end of a staircase.

It glistened with silver shine and its allure called for Soleil, who stood at the feet of the stairs. With each step Soleil took, bouts of whispers were breathed into her ears, incoherent and haunting.

Searching...searching...

Do not question or be met with punishment...

What is real? What is not?

Which are the lies?

Which were the secrets?

What are you planning to do?

Soleil's ears began ringing and she began to stumble. She stopped in front of the tree, leaning on it for support.

But just as she did, cool, frosty energy coursed through her body and her mind was tickled by profound thoughts. Memories that wasn't hers surged in her mind, a pale ghostly crown sitting on her head.

"Sal...Vindagnyr," she breathed, before whipping her head to the side. The grounds shook and the ruins around her collapsed, a large wave of white rushing for her.

She tried to shield herself from the snowy storms heading for her, eyes shut as she was buried due to the avalanche.

***

"Haa..." Soleil gasped for air just as she woke up, sitting up straight and grasping her chest.

She looked around her with wide, searching eyes, finding herself to be in the midst of swaying grass in the fields. It was far from the sheer cold of the endless, white sheets of snow.

Her heartbeat slowed and her breathing became normal. She shut her eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to calm down. "It's fine... It's fine," she told herself, gently patting her chest.

She sighed again and leaned back on her hand, taking in the sight before her: wide fields of grass sprinkled with dandelions stretched into the horizon.

It was still deep in the night and the gentle breeze made the grass sway in one direction and made the tree leaves shiver and shake. Soleil looked up, finding that she was underneath a large oak tree.

The roots were buried into the soil and the tree foliage stretched wide, like an umbrella of leaves that could have shielded her on a sunny day. "Huh," she whispered.

A familiar melody crafted by plucking the lyre resonated in the air, gentle enough to tame a raging beast and put a troubled person to rest.

Soleil felt light and calm with the soft music and bathed in the song's delightful feeling. It was comforting, enough to lull her back to sleep.