Escape Our Fate (Xiao x Lumine)

Chapter 5: Star

During Khaenri'ah's destruction, an alchemist named Gold lost control of her creations, and hundreds of thousands of Hilichurls came storming out of the Chasm.

This, known as the Cataclysm in Liyue, was a devastating event that caused all 4 yakshas, the ones who serve the god Morax, to perish.

Xiao only knew of this event because he had overheard the evil god chattering about it while drinking with other gods.

"Why would a sword-" Lumine hushed Xiao by putting her finger against his lips.

"I can't say now," She said, smirking, "It's a secret! I'll tell you after, okay?"

Xiao frowned about not knowing this secret of hers, but he knew his boundaries and respected her choice of not telling him now.

"Well let's get moving again." She grabbed Xiao's hand and skipped along to the Chasm.

Xiao felt happy, but something still felt a bit odd.

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The Chasm would have been beautiful if he'd not known about the horrible event years before.

It looked like a giant swirl made out of colourful rocks, and the only entrance was the hole that lead to the underground mine.

Lumine gestured to Xiao, which he sighed to.

He scooped her in his arms and leaped from level to level, finally ending up at the entrance to the underground.

She stared down at the mine, which was at least 5 houses deep.

Lumine tilted her head more to see inside, looking for something while also having a fascinated look on her face.

The underground had multiple caves, tunnels, ores, and abandoned structures left by the miners.

"Could you have imagined that mere human miners carved out such paths? How amazing..." Her eyes were absorbing the area.

"Hey," Xiao called and Lumine perked up, "Be careful, I don't want you to-"

Fall, Xiao didn't want Lumine to fall.

So why?

Why was she slipping away from him?

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Before Xiao realized it, Lumine had slipped off.

With a shocked expression on her face, full of fear and confusion, she screamed. She screamed for anybody to help, but most importantly, she wanted Xiao to help, for him to be by her and save her.

"LUMINE!" He yelled, putting on his mask to gain a boost in power, and jumped off to save her.

Just one inch away...

I can reach her...

But no matter how far Xiao tried to stretch, no matter how hard he pleaded to reach her, she was always just one inch away.

I promised.

With just one thump, Lumine's body laid listless and unmoving, like a doll's.

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Xiao's body was under immense pressure from using his power, but he didn't care at all, for the pain of that was far less than witnessing the body in front of him right now.

He twirled his finger in Lumine's blonde hair, it felt like a feather from an angel's wing.

Then, tears welled up in his eyes, Xiao didn't even realize it, but it just happened.

He tried to stop them, but it just came flowing down, one after another, he was left alone in the mines of the Chasm crying.

He'd felt the constant abuse of the evil god, he endured the horror of devouring dreams, Xiao was able to make it through the countless lives he reaped and the karma he obtained.

Yet nothing seemed to stab his soul as deep as the sight of seeing Lumine dead.

He clutched onto her hand, and kissed it, hoping for some miracle- just this once. The gods never helped Xiao in any way before, they only laughed at his misery. However, he silently hoped for someone to breathe life into Lumine once more.

I failed to protect her.

His only goal was to help Lumine and see her smile, if he failed to do such a simple task of saving her, what use was he at all? Did he deserve to live?

No. He discarded any thoughts of his death.

The last thing Lumine would want was for me to die a meaningless death.

Xiao stared down at Lumine, and noticed something.

A glow? No- a sparkle of light?

The strange light grew from just a sparkle to a wisp, then into multiple wisps, then into dozens of strings that emerged from Lumine's head.

Xiao sat there to look at the beautiful sight, he felt like he was witnessing the birth of a star.

Then, it all slowly faded, leaving only her body once more.

Xiao kissed Lumine's hand once more, then turned around to seek a life goal once more. For that would have been Lumine's last wish, if anything at all.

"X-Xiao?" Someone called from behind him

A surge of emotions rushed through Xiao's head, happiness, sadness, anger, joy, sorrow...

Relief.

Unlike before, Xiao didn't summon his spear in a panic, he just turned around and hugged whoever was standing there.

Light blonde hair covered a part of his eye, he knew that everything was going to be fine now.

"I'm sorry," The voice said, "I'm sorry for scaring you."

"No," He said, eyes still with tears, "I'm not scared, just relieved, Lumine."

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The power of immortality is both a gift for others, while a curse for you.