You can't breathe but you are unable to do anything against it. Your body sinks further and further down the sea.
There is no pain of drowning. Nothing. Only fear.
Ink-like figures circle around you like sharks would circle their prey.
Suddenly, one stabs you from behind. Your blood flows out of your body, coloring the water around you in its red color.
Your vision gets blurry because of the lack of oxygen and the blood loss. The figures laugh at your misery.
'...!', you wake up still not able to properly breath because something covers your face.
After having pushed of whatever was on your face, you hear a similar sound to a small bell hitting the ground.
On the ground you find Rosa questioning why it's laying on the hard and cold floor an not on your soft face.
'Rosa, please don't kill me while I sleep. I doubt that you will find a new friend who will tolerate you as I do.', you say and pick up the pink creature.
Having changed yourself into proper clothes provided by the Knights of Favonius, you move down ro meet he others.
'Good morning beautiful!', Kaeya greets you.
Jean stands up from the chair she sat in. 'Nice to see you (Y/N). I hope you slept well. The others already left for work. Since I have something else to do too, Kaeya will accompany you for today.'
'Eh, I am happy to see you too, but why does Kaeya need to accompany me? I should be able to navigate through Mondstadt by myself.'
The female shakes her head. 'This is to ensure your safety and to investigate about the bandits who stole your things. See it as our duty as the Knights of Favonius. Now, please excuse me.', she says as she leaves.
'Soo (Y/N), how about we grab something to eat and look for the culprits afterwards?'
You pretend to think. 'If you're willing to pay for me too. Still poor, ya know.'
'Sure thing.', he waves to signal you to follow him.
After having ordered a breakfast you sit down next to the Good Hunter.
'Is your friend always so melodramatic? It's not like if Rosa can eat in the first place.' Kaeya touches the spot on his head where the orb tackled him multiple times. 'But it surely is stronger than it looks like.'
Rosa insisted for the knight to buy a plate of Sweet Madame. You don't know why exactly it needs it since it can't get hungry, so the two of you refused to buy the dish for Rosa. Because of that the Seelie threw a tantrum and is now sulking in a corner.
You shrug. 'Maybe the desire to have a friend in its size?'
'It does remind me of the floating thing which accompanies the traveler. Just a bit more quiet.'
'Right, I almost forgot that part.'
'Kaeya, that traveler, do you remember their name?'
The male tilts his head. 'Why that sudden curiosity?'
'I do know somebody with a floating something. Would be an interesting coincidence to find out that he is the Honorary Knight of Mondstadt. He did give such vibes when I saw him last time.'
'Aster. Is that the person you're thinking of?'
'...Who the fúck is Aster?'
'Ehh, no... The person I think of has a similar, but it's not Aster. His name is Aether, well as long as he didn't change is name.'
Kaeya claps his hands. 'Ah, you're right. Aether was his name. Seems like I got something mixed up. From where do you know him?'
'Here we go lying again. As long as he and Venti don't compare their versions of my story there should be no problem.'
'Ah well, while I was wandering aimlessly through Mondstadt I ran across him. He showed me the rough direction to the city. I wonder if I'll see him again.', you lie.
The male next to you thinks for a moment. 'Crushing on the traveler?'
'Why should I? I saw him like once. I just want to thank him.', you assure him.
'Better let that be the truth.'
'Hey, if you continue to buy everything you see, we will have no Mora left.', a strange voice complains to another person somewhere in the background.
You turn round and spot a certain blond-haired male with a floating emergency food.
Kaeya notices now too so his mood sours without anybody noticing.
Remembering that you told Kaeya a story which has nothing to do with reality, you run towards Aether to prevent your lie being found out. 'Aether, Paimon, I am happy to see the two of you! Thank you again for showing me the way to Mondstadt. Please play along, this is urgent.' The last part being only audible for Aether and his companion.
'Please guys. I am begging you.'
A small cliffhanger for today, yay.
Fun fact nobody actually cares about:
Just because of this book and the oneshot one I changed my in-game language because it is unnecessarily exausting to google how every single item and place is called in the English version. Direct translation doesn't work at all there.
I hope you enjoyed reading and stay healthy!