The Power of Revelation: The Truth Shall Set You Free

Chapter 26: A filthy stain

"Hey... Childe... are you alright?" Aether asked, "This... can't possibly be easy for you..."

"It's fine." Tartaglia clenched his fists as he plastered a fake smile on his face, "I'm fine... you don't have to worry about me..."

"We can take a break, if you like." The blonde traveler offered.

"Look, the sooner we finish, the faster we can get out. It doesn't matter how I feel." Tartaglia stated firmly, "Our priority is to get out of here. With regards to that, my feelings on all of this don't matter."

It was obvious that the Harbinger was upset, that he felt oddly vulnerable, but he was just repeating a line that's been told to him so many times, that even he's started to believe it.

A lie told so many times that it eventually becomes the truth.

"Zhongli, you can't possible think this is-"

Paimon was interrupted as Zhongli cleared his throat, "Do not look at me; Childe is his own person. He should be allowed to have the final say on this situation, and none of us have the right to say otherwise. Should he wish to continue... then that is what we will do."

Clearly, Zhongli wasn't happy with this. He'd like very much for Tartaglia to declare he was done with everything, and just spend some time venting or letting out his sorrows or anything instead of bottling it all up. He'd much rather hide the Harbinger away in his home, with the rest of his treasures, safe and sound from the horrors in the world, but that would just be undermining everything Tartaglia had worked and strived so hard for. He did not need anyone to make any decisions for him, and Zhongli respected that, even if it hurts him to watch the Harbinger suffering internally.

Even if they didn't want to admit it, the others were starting to warm up to the Harbinger, and were about to protest, but Albedo crossed his arms, "Very well; then we'll continue. There is no point wasting time arguing over this when he's already made his choice clear."

"But-"

Jean gently shushed Barbara, "Stalling this out won't help anyone. The best we can do is get through this as quickly as possible and get out, then we can help him, okay?"

Barbara paused, before nodding sadly.

Ajax trudged back home, his hands clenched tightly, his nails digging into the palm of his hands, threatening to draw blood.

His father already knew he had issues, there was no need for him to go back, all agitated and jittery, and prove him right, so he continued on his way, dried blood splattered all over his face after he had opted to take his frustration out on a nearby Hilichurl camp. He didn't have his Vision with him, but several unused wooden stakes that the Hilichurls usually used to make barricades were all he needed to get rid of those monsters.

But the blood of the slain had splattered all over his coat, leaving evidence of his actions, but at that point, Ajax was too tired to care. The voices in his head were screaming at him to let them out, to decimate everyone and everything.

"That's why you ran away, wasn't it?" They hissed, "Because you are weak, you are scared. Because you wanted so much more, but knew that you'd amount to nothing."

"Oh, piss off already! Leave him alone!" Keqing huffed, already frustrated, "I'd go psycho too if I had weird voices constantly spouting crap into my ears!"

"Hey, I'm not a psycho!" Tartaglia half-heartedly protested, like he knew that it was true, that he had become something way worse.

"Hey... Childe..." Kaeya started, "Do you... still hear them?"