Whale and Dragonfly // OC x Childe Genshin Impact fanfiction

Chapter 48: Victory And Its Cost

"Tired already? Hah! Ajax wouldn't have even broken a sweat!" Skirk said victoriously, watching her challenger kneel down.

Charlotte leaned on her sword, panting. She covered her mouth as the deep cough escaped her lungs, tainting her black gloves with crimson blood drops. Harbinger has been hurt already. Badly.

Yet, her abyssal opponent didn't seem to be hurt nor tired at all.

"Even so, I must say you're quite a talented one. Now I can finally see why Ajax chose you. Heh, wanna meet him and say hello?"

Woman charged forward at lightning speed, leaving dark, purplish energy traces behind her. Blades clashed again as Zanni blocked the hit, pushing her opponent away.

Skirk leaped back, giving the human girl space to attack first this time. Swaying slightly, the brunette charged at her swinging her blade. The hit could have been deadly, but as expected from the mysterious swordswoman – she managed to dodge it right on time.

Her own blade pierced Charlotte's sleeve, leaving a deep wound on her upper arm. Blood splashed on the floor as the girl fell down helplessly. It was far too obvious her body was too weak to emerge victorious from this fight.

"Actually, I take it back. You are pathetic..."

12th Harbinger coughed again before Skirk grabbed her shirt collar, lifting her up. Fighters' eyes met. For a moment or two, an abyssal woman was examining a human girl.

"Hmm... Not only your physical body is pathetic, but so is the hope those eyes of yours hold."

"H-His eyes w-were sh-shining once too..." Charlotte gagged on the blood rising up her throat.

"Exactly. Until he finally understood that there's no place for hope in this merciless world."

Swordswoman launched the girl across the entire cave room and she crashed against the wall, leaving a giant cloud of smoke. A painful yelp escaped Charlotte's lips as she fell down together with pieces of stone on the ground – her arm somehow ended up underneath her. A silent but audible enough for the girl to hear crack noise was heard.

Using her left arm to grip the sword handle, she stood up. There was no doubt – her right, dominant, arm was broken. If the fight wasn't in her disfavor yet, now it was for sure. She won't be able to do much with her left hand alone.

Seeing that the fight was nearing its end, Skirk didn't waste time. All of the sudden, she appeared right behind her, her arm wrapped around her body and a cold blade pressed against Charlotte's throat. Her grip was tight and she was pressing her sword even tighter – a girl could already feel a few drops of blood rolling down her neck and collarbone.

"Why not just give up, m? Look at you... Haven't you had enough already?" abyssal woman sounded bored.

"N-Never..."

It made Skirk press her blade even further.

"I don't think you understand how close you are to death, my dear. If only you weren't so stupid, I might have had another great student... Maybe even two. Although hey, I just have to finish you off and take that kiddo with me."

Only then did Charlotte remember Teucer was around here. She was glad he obeyed her and didn't look at whatever was happening here. If only she could have come here to deal with the curse issue alone, it would have been-

Curse.

The girl's eyes widened. She suddenly remembered Venti's words.

To lift someone's curse, you either need an anti-curse spell or to kill the curse caster...