Legacy | Genshin I. |

Chapter VIII: Act VII

"That sounds terrifying!" Paimon exclaimed.

"They'll lose all control over their body!?" Aether gasped out in horror.

Paimon quickly turned toward Aether. "Wait, hold on! So when Collei seemed to be acting a little clumsy earlier, it was because..." She trailed off.

Tighnari nodded his head. "Correct. That would be the effects of Eleazar, which is precisely why I do not want her carrying or holding anything, lest she ends up hurting herself," he retorted.

"So is there any cure for Eleazar?" Aether asked.

"With appropriate treatment, the disease can be effectively controlled before it progresses to a more serious stage. However, there is, unfortunately, still no true cute for Eleazar. Nevertheless, Collei's mother still hoped that there was something out there. She handed Collei over to an organization known as the Fatui after one of their members lied and said they had a cure," Tighnari replied.

Paimon's eyes widened. "What? The Fatui!?"

Relief went across Tighnari's face.

"Ah, it appears you are already familiar with them. That'll save me some explanation. Anyway, the person who eventually rescues Collei and brought her to me for care said that she had been given to a Harbinger known as "The Doctor". I have no idea how this "Doctor" managed to do it, but her case of Eleazar was completely stable for all the years that Collei was with them. However, Collei's days with the Fatui were anything but pleasant. Collei is a resilient individual and always tries to appear cheerful, but her experience with the Fatui has left deep scars. Even now, she can still feel deathly afraid of someone touching her," Tighnari explained.

"Aw, Paimon had no idea Collei's been through so much suffering..." Paimon said sadly.

"Oh, by the way, Paimon, Collei, and (F/n) wanted me to tell you that they're sorry for scaring you yesterday. Collei also wanted both of you to know that she's sorry for hiding her illness," Tighnari says.

Paimon quickly waved her hands in front of her. "She doesn't need to apologize. None of this is her fault, or (F/n)'s, at all!" She exclaimed.

Tighnari chuckled, and gave a small smile, "Well said, I hope you'll get a chance to tell them both that in person the next time you see them. Collei once thought that it would be impossible for her to have any real friendships... I trust you four will never let my trainee experience such emotional pain again."

"Don't worry, Tighnari! We'll take good care of her!" Paimon beamed.

"How's Collei's condition now?" Aether asked.

"Well, it's not too serious at this point. She over-exerted herself the last couple of days, which is what led to her breakdown this time. As long as she has taken her medicine and gets plenty of rest, she should get better. Though, I must admit that Collei's condition was much more stable when she first arrived here in Gandharva Ville. She was interested in the work of the Forest Rangers the moment she saw us. I could see that she was serious about learning, so I felt compelled to ask her to join us," Tighnari answered.

"Her stamina has gotten much worse recently. Though a moderate amount of physical exercise is always necessary, I'm afraid the long-distance patrols are a little too much for her now. Alright, now that I've told you about Collei's past, I think I'll head into the rainforest to find some ingredients for her medicine, I'll see you two later," Tighnari finished explaining.

"Wait, can we come along?" Aether asked.

"Yeah! We'd like to do something to help Collei, too!" Paimon agreed.

Tighnari placed a hand on his chin. "Alright, but I must warn you two, the rainforest is a dangerous place, especially for someone who's still recovering, like the Traveler. You must follow closely and listen to every instruction," he agreed.