For a Celestial God, pain didn't register the same way it did for mortals. You'd seen people cry over a small cut caused by a knife on their hand or over a scraped knee.
As a God with a duty as enormous as yours, pain was something ingrained in your everyday life, an unfortunate necessity, as Nuwa would say. Yet, you didn't know having your heart torn from your chest would be as agonising as it was.
Even now, millennia later, you could still feel the phantom pain of feeling every muscle being pulled apart and the bones of your rib cage cracking under his hand. You could still taste the blood crawling up your throat and down the sides of your face and could still envision those terrifying eyes and that chilling smile staring at you, overjoyed, as you took your last breath.
As he took up your line of sight, making you unable to see anything else except his face, you didn't have a choice but look, as if you didn't see the same mask in your nightmares every now and then.
He stood there, watching you, his face so close to yours. Even though you couldn't see his actual face, you could feel his smile underneath his mask. He was delighted at seeing your wide and terrified eyes staring at the ones on the mask, tears trickling down the side of your face and down to your ears, sweat making your hair stick to your forehead and to your neck.
You were truly petrified. Your body was trembling violently and if you still had a heart, you're sure you'd hear it beating violently in your ears. You were waiting. Waiting for him to do something. Kill you? Take you away? Even simply say something? But the white figure just stood over you for what seemed like hours, and perhaps it truly was a few hours as the sky outside the window slowly started to brighten.
The figure above you didn't seem bothered though as he continued to stare at you as if you were an artwork in a museum. More of a caged animal in a zoo, you felt like. The eye-contact broke as you saw him move his arm towards you. You thought perhaps this was the end, the moment where he finished what he started 3000 years ago. You followed his hand with wide eyes as he started trailing it up your stomach and over your sternum so gently you barely felt it. He continued over your neck and over your features settling on caressing your wet cheek, letting his hand stay there.
Him touching you softly and intimately terrified you even more instead of calming you down. It felt eerie and unsettling in so many ways you couldn't explain. Nonetheless, you didn't know why you weren't fighting him. Your body was still weak from yesterday but you were a Celestial God, for Archons' sake. Yet, you sat there obediently, being too scared to even blink, body locked in place. You'd doubt you were even breathing if you didn't see your own chest unsteadily rising and falling as the masked man's hand trailed over it.
You couldn't help but hate yourself over your weakness and over the fact you found yourself praying for someone to save you. Without intending to, your mind drifted over to the thought of calling out for help; Zhongli, Xiao and even Childe. The fear inside you was all-consuming and overwhelming you didn't even realise your lips were moving with barely any sound coming out but it did make the masked man's hand pause in its ministrations.
It barely registered in your mind that you were whispering Xiao's name.
You could feel his irritation through the way he gripped your face, squeezing your cheeks roughly and getting even closer, "I will be back for you." Before your mind could even comprehend what he'd said, the masked man disappeared in the blink of an eye, window left open as the cold early morning air seeped in but you couldn't even feel it. Your body felt numb yet hot and cold at the same time.
The moment he was gone, you could finally breathe easier and think clearer. Why was he here again? What did he even want? He already had your heart, which basically meant he had all your power in his very hands, so what else could you possibly have left to give? Your hands trembled as anxiety welled up in your chest.
Your train of thought was broken as a figure came in through the window at the speed of light, your eyes barely being able to follow it. Your body seized up, blood rushing to your head, making you dizzy, as you thought perhaps the masked man was coming back to finish you off.
Instead, as the figure stopped next to your bed, you realised it was Xiao, his golden eyes looking you up and down worryingly.
"You're awake," he said out of breath, chest heaving up and down. He surveyed the room, eyes squinting in suspicion. You wondered if he felt the energy left from the masked man, but your body still wouldn't cooperate and talk. He seemed to notice that as he hurried to the other side of your bed to a glass of water you hadn't even noticed.
"Here, drink this." He raised your head gently and touched the cup to your lips, letting you drink slowly. You hadn't even realised how parched you were as you downed the whole cup of water.
He set the now empty cup down and turned his attention back to you. He noticed the way your hair was matted to your forehead and the dry tear tracks left on your cheeks.
Reaching a hand over to cup your cheek he asked, "What happened?" He brushed a thumb over a fallen tear you hadn't noticed still clung to your cheek. His touch brought you comfort like no other thing could in your current state.
But could you tell him? He already knew about what the white figure had done to you but wouldn't it put him in danger if he knew he was back? You didn't want to involve anyone else in your mess. You didn't want to lose more people you loved.
"Nothing," you lied easily, "Just a nightmare, I guess."
"And you called my name in your sleep?" He raised an eyebrow but kept brushing his thumb over your cheek comfortingly. You leaned into his hand subconsciously. It was so warm.
"I-I don't know. Would it be a bad thing?" You asked, trying not to meet his eyes.
He shook his head, "Of course it wouldn't be. If you are ever in danger, call my name. I will be there, no matter what."
"You'll hear me? No matter where I am?" You questioned, eyes shining with something other than tears.
"Of course I will," instead of the unsure, quiet tone he usually used with you, this time it was filled with determination, boldness and that same emotion you'd been trying to figure out since the first day you saw him. "I always will," he continued in a lower voice, almost a whisper. It sent chills down your spine but it wasn't fear, no, for once you felt hope burst in your chest.
"Why are you crying?" You could hear the panic in his voice as your tears blurred your view of him, his arms were fretting around in a frail attempt to find a way to comfort you.
Instead of answering, you continued to cry, letting out loud sobs as your tears wet your cheeks. You didn't hold anything back, didn't care how loud you were, didn't even bother hiding your face. You let out the fear and the despair you felt caused by your encounter with the masked man, all the hopelessness you felt about finding Yin, the confusion after finally visiting Liyue and all the peculiar happenings. It all felt too much and you couldn't hold it in anymore.
You didn't know why the masked man came back after such a long time nor what he wanted from you and that was probably what scared you the most. You knew if you were to fight the way you were right now, heartless and powerless, you'd lose.
You couldn't even tell the people around you unless you wanted to put them in danger. You knew if they got involved it would just end in a one-sided massacre. You'd never let that happen.
You choked on a sob when you felt being pulled forward abruptly and your head pulled onto a chest. You tried looking up at Xiao, barely being able to catch a glimpse at his red ears before he pushed your head back down onto his chest in a hurry.
Him standing up while you kneeled on the bed put you in the perfect position to lay your head right where his heart was. You listened to his heartbeat, it was fast but steady and it calmed down the anxiety and fear in your own chest. Your sobs subsided to small hiccups as you focused on the beating of his heart.
In a small burst of courage, you lifted your hands and wrapped them around his waist, pressing your head even harder against his chest, seeking more of his warmth and affection. The corners of your lips lifted ever so slightly when you heard his breath hitch and his heartbeat speeding up.
Your eyes started drooping making the last of your tears fall, sleep making your body lax. You tried to shake it off, not wanting this moment to end.
It seemed Xiao felt the shake of your head when he patted it softly and gently pulled your head away from his chest, huffing gently at your unenergetic grumble. "Go to sleep, you're still not recovered."
"But-," you wanted to protest but he shushed you.
"I'll be here when you wake up," he promised you softly as he helped you lay back down. You didn't know what prompted this sudden display of affection but he gave it to you when you needed it the most so you were going to make the best of it as long as you could.
"You promise?" You held your pinkie finger out to him. He looked confused for just a moment before he remembered what it meant. Instead of immediately hooking his finger to yours, he pulled the glove off of his right hand before finally clasping his pinkie around yours. The feeling of his bare skin on yours made you feel warm.
"I promise." You took the opportunity to grab his hand in yours and hold it tight in yours in an act of boldness. You felt safer feeling the warmth radiating from it. You closed your eyes and smiled faintly at the sound of his embarrassed fumbling, clutching his hand to your chest as you finally let sleep take you, succumbing to the darkness listening to the sound of Xiao's soft breaths.
---
It was many hours later that you woke to the sound of numerous voices in the room. You groaned as you finally opened your eyes, the brightness making you flinch back.
"You're finally awake." You recognised the voice as Zhongli. He came closer to the bed and you felt him touch your forehead. "It seems your temperature is back to normal. I'm glad."
You could still barely open your eyes but you forced yourself to anyway. Being met with Xiao's red face so close to yours was the last thing you expected.
You exclaimed in surprise and tried to back up a little bit as you felt your cheeks heat up but as you did that you noticed his hands in yours.
Oh, right. You remembered early in the morning, the masked man being back, calling out for Xiao and him coming. Your cheeks flared up even more causing Childe, who was leaning on the windowsill, to burst out into boisterous laughter.
Xiao ignored it, deciding instead to avoid your eyes and look to the side. Yet, he still didn't let go of your hand, you noted. You were sure you looked like a tomato right this moment.
"I-I'm sorry," you apologised, retracting your hand from his. You felt cold all of a sudden.
The yaksha only cleared his throat and tried to compose himself as he sat up straighter on the chair. "Don't mind it," he uttered, seemingly confident and unbothered but the slight flutter of his voice gave it away. You smiled a little behind your hand.
"How are you feeling today?" Zhongli asked, not paying any attention to the scene before him.
Physically you felt fine, your head was no longer hurting. But the fact that he was back was enough to make you sick. Xiao looked at you, noticing the way your face went pale and your body rigid.
"I'm feeling a lot better, thank you for asking," you lied easily. You didn't want to make anyone paranoid or worried. It would make for a less ideal situation and would distract you from your goal - finding Yin. Not to mention put all of them in unneeded danger.
You cleared your throat, "I apologise for making you worry. What happened yesterday was probably just exhaustion," you forced out a small laugh.
"Can gods really collapse from exhaustion? Huh. Who would've thought gods were so fragile," Childe muttered, mostly to himself.
"It is possible, yes. However, it is most likely to happen after a gruelling battle, I do not seem to recall-"
"Haha," you interrupted him. Zhongli and his big mouth. "I am a weak god after all. After so many sleepless nights, it sure takes its toll on me." You tried to play it off by plastering on your face the biggest most convincing smile you could manage. Xiao only glanced at you but didn't say anything. You were sure he had many questions that you couldn't answer right now. Your best plan was to ignore it altogether like you always did.
"You seem more like a human than a god," Childe hummed but waved it off eventually. "You should take better care of yourself, I really don't like seeing my ojou-chan so sick," he pouted childishly to which Xiao tsked at.
"You got a problem, shortie?" Childe snapped, leaning away from the window and taking a step closer to where Xiao was sitting.
"With you? Many," the yaksha retorted.
You sighed in exasperation as the duo started their antics again and looked over at Zhongli who was quietly sipping his tea. He was already looking at you with worried eyes, calculating.
"Is everything really okay? You seem better but your complexion is paler," he said, frowning slightly.
The last thing you wanted was to worry your companions, "I really am feeling a lot better. Thank you for worrying, Zhongli," you smiled warmly at him to which he reciprocated with a smile of his own.
"Well, if you're feeling better how about we go out for a picnic today?" Childe beamed from where he was sitting, his brawl with Xiao seemingly over.
"The weather seems nice and some fresh air would do you good, don't you think?" Zhongli turned to you.
"Do you really think that's a good idea? You don't have to go anywhere if you don't want to," Xiao spoke up from beside you.
"I think it would be good for me to get out of this stuffy room for a bit, so why not?" You nodded. You wanted to get away from this room as fast as possible.
Zhongli stood up from the chair and patted the wrinkles from his trousers, "I will go fetch us some food and drinks then." He reached his hand out to Childe who laughed sheepishly before pulling out a bag of what you guessed was mora from his back pocket.
"I feel like my only purpose on this journey is to be a wallet," he scratched the back of his head, an awkward smile adorning his face. Zhongli only hummed in return. "You could at least lie and make me feel better!" Childe exclaimed as he dramatically put a hand on his heart, feigning hurt.
"It is not of my interest to deceive, Childe," he simply said and turned to you, "Would you like me to wait for you?"
"No worries, I'm sure I can manage by myself," you reassured Zhongli. "Thank you for taking care of me."
"It was my pleasure," he took your hand in his and kissed the back of it, bowing once more before leaving.
The yaksha sighed from beside you as he got up, spear appearing in his hand, "I'll go survey the area." He nodded towards you once, looking you over once more before directing his ireful gaze towards Childe. "Aren't you leaving?" He retorted.
"And leave ojou-chan all alone? How could I?" He faked a hand on his forehead in worry.
Xiao seethed, "As if I'd leave you alone with her." He seemed ready to fight with Childe.
"Xiao, it's okay. One day alone with him wouldn't be the end of the world." You grabbed his hand in an attempt to stop him from actually attacking the harbinger. Feeling the warmth of his hand again, even through the glove, made you shiver.
He looked back at you, all traces of anger gone from his face as his eyes softened. You squeezed his hand in reassurance and he sighed in defeat.
Turning once more towards Childe, "Behave," he snapped and turned back around, his hand falling from yours. You missed the warmth of it.
"Xiao," you called out to him, "Thank you." You didn't need to say anything further, he understood. He nodded before looking back and forth between you and Childe once more as he reluctantly left, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
"Let me help you up," Childe smiled, reaching a hand out to you. You grabbed it without thinking too much about it. He hoisted you up but the moment your feet touched the ground, your knees buckled. He grabbed you by your waist and held you to his chest, successfully hindering you from falling. But you much have rather fallen down than to be in the predicament you found yourself in. He held you tight to his chest, your face squished in it, feeling the rumble as he laughed at your red face.
"Ojou-chan, I must say I rather enjoy this face you're making," he chuckled. You growled in annoyance as you hit his chest and backed off of him, trying to keep your distance.
"Don't play with me today, I'm really not in the mood for it, Childe," you chided. You were already worn out, you didn't have the energy to put up with his antics.
"Okay, okay, I promise I won't play too much with you today," he beamed. "Though I can't let you walk around town looking like this now can I?" He lifted a strand of your hair, making a point of it.
"What's wrong with my hair?" You snatched the strand he was holding, observing the matted state of it.
"Let me fix it for you," he smiled softly and walked over to the dressing table, picking up a hairbrush. Returning with the brush in hand, he gestured for you to sit on the floor by the bed while he sat on the edge of it.
"You're so obedient today," he smirked, voice lulling.
You puffed up your chest in annoyance, crossing your arms, "I told you I'm just tired today. All I want is one quiet, peaceful day for once," you said softly, voice low and somber. There was a bit of unusual silence coming from the man behind you before he finally reached for your hair, startling you a bit.
"Okay then. Hold still," he steadied your head and started brushing your hair, piece by piece. He was surprisingly gentle with it, handling each strand with care. The last thing you expected today was to feel relaxed while in the hands of Childe but you couldn't care less and allowed yourself to close your eyes and exhale in bliss.
"I know you may not trust me and I have done many things in the past to prove that but I do not have bad intentions towards you." His sudden confession startled you. You tried to turn around to face him but he held your head in place. "I told you to hold still," he scolded and continued to brush your hair.
You sighed and tried not to move as you spoke, "I never thought you were a bad guy Childe. I know we must all do things we are not proud of for our duty and for the people we serve."
"And who do you serve? A god as old as you has to follow someone else's orders?" He questioned as he ran his fingers through the brushed hair, making you relax even more in his hold.
"You may not know this but even the most powerful of gods and Archons have to follow orders and perform their duty. Sometimes those orders may not come from someone in a higher position than them but the circumstances they find themselves in," you explained. "I'm sure even your Archon, the Tsaritsa, is not simply doing what she's doing without her hand being forced in some way. No one would risk their life and position by going against Celestia on a whim."
His hands stopped in their ministrations, "You don't know anything about the Tsaritsa," his tone turned defensive yet his hands remained gentle.
"You're right, I don't. Which is why I do not wish to judge her or her actions and I do not wish to judge you either, Childe," you stated simply.
"I did say my intentions were not to harm you but you really shouldn't be trusting me so easily, Ojou-chan," he chuckled.
"Who said I am?" You chirped back and finally turned around to face him as you felt his hands leaving your hair.
"Good call," he smiled haughtily. "Your hair is done." He stood up from the bed and made you face the mirror on the boudoir. He'd brushed your hair beautifully and braided some sections of it and had tied it to the back of your head.
"This is gorgeous. Where did you learn to do hair like that?" You asked as you turned your back to the mirror and tried to catch a glimpse at the back of your head.
"I have a little sister who pesters me to do her hair every morning, I had to learn otherwise she would've had my head," he laughed. His eyes softened as he spoke of his sibling, radiating with warmth which was not something you'd seen from the harbinger.
"I hope to meet her one day," you grinned as you twirled around to face him once again.
He looked at you for a moment, his smile falling off his face. You didn't understand why his mood had turned sour all of a sudden.
"One day perhaps I'll bring all my siblings to Liyue so you could meet them." The smile he gave you was nothing like the one he'd showed a few moments ago, his eyes equally as dull. You didn't want to overthink it.
"Shall we go then?" You said and he extended his elbow towards you in a gentlemanly manner. Despite all the warnings Zhongli and Xiao had given you, perhaps Childe wasn't that bad.
---
It was a few hours later when you finally settled down in a small clearing in a forest nearby the village. You'd taken a sizable, colourful blanket from a drawer in your room and laid it down onto a patch of grass alongside a few dishes you prepared yourself. Zhongli had returned with a big basket of all kinds of foods and delicacies, accompanied by a bottle of wine that you didn't want to think about the price of. Everyone was here except Xiao himself.
You wouldn't pay it any mind as the adeptus tended to overdo his job of looking out for danger if you weren't so obscenely wary of someone watching you. Ever since leaving the house, you could feel someone watching you, following you. You thought perhaps it was someone from the village but as you had looked around, everyone seemed to be going about their usual daily activities.
On the way to the agreed upon spot in the forest, Childe had been carefree and had struck a mostly one side conversation which led you to believe he didn't feel the ominous presence like you did. You didn't dare think of the obvious possibility of who it may be.
"Ojou-chan, why don't you relax for a bit and eat with us," Childe called from the other side of the blanket.
"Xiao isn't with us yet so I'd rather wait," you smiled at him and sat patiently, hands folded in your lap.
"You don't need to wait for me." You jumped as you heard a voice behind you suddenly. It was Xiao. "I don't enjoy human food either way," he sighed as he sat next to you, a hand on his propped up knee.
"Oh," you said and tried not to show how disheartened you were. "I made my best dish - well it's the only one I know how to cook," you laughed sheepishly.
He perked up. "I'll eat it," he said curtly, taking you by surprise.
"What's with the sudden change of mind? I haven't even said what it is yet," you pouted. "If you must know, it's almond tofu," you beamed as you opened the small basket you were carrying and pulled out a few plates of the dessert.
"Oh, how did you know Almond Tofu is Xiao's favourite dish," Zhongli questioned as he sipped on his tall cup of wine.
"It is? I didn't know," you gasped and looked back down at your dish, you should have tried harder to make it better, you thought. "If I had known, I would have put more effort into it," you said, disheartened.
Without saying anything further, Xiao grabbed the dish from your hands and took a bite with a fork. You watched his eyes light up as his cheeks puffed up from how full they were with food.
"D-do you like it?" You asked cautiously, afraid of the answer.
Instead of replying, he just nodded as he took another bite full of tofu. Seeing him enjoy your dish so much made something flutter in your chest. He resembled a child starved for food as he stuffed bite after bite in his mouth eagerly. He looked precious.
You hadn't noticed that you stood there staring at him, smiling like a fool until Zhongli cleared his throat.
"Ojou-chan, now that your Romeo is here, you should eat," Childe smirked.
"Ah, right- W-wait, what do you mean Romeo?" you flustered, face reddening. Childe laughed in return as you took a bite of another almond tofu dish begrudgingly. You looked at Xiao to see his reactions but noticed he had stopped eating and was staring at his plate melancholically. You wanted to ask what was wrong when Childe spoke up again from the other side of the laid out blanket.
"What is this symbol on the tree?" He let his plate of food down and mentioned towards the tree behind him. And true to his word, on the tree bark was carved a symbol that resembled a noose painted white.
"I've never seen this before," Xiao spoke up, getting closer to inspect the carving.
"I recognise it," Zhongli muttered, a hand on his chin in thought, "It's been such a long time since I last saw it."
"I also didn't think I would be seeing such a thing after 1500 years," you said, making all three men turn their attention to you.
"Do you recognise it?" Childe asked.
"Of course I do," you said softly, tracing the symbol with a finger.
"I see," Zhongli spoke up, seemingly coming to a conclusion.
"See what? Care to share?" The harbinger exclaimed frustratingly, looking between you and Zhongli and the quiet yaksha.
Zhongli sighed as he went back to his place and sat down, picking up his previously empty glass and pouring himself some more wine. "Its origins come from a very old story, a legend almost, originating in a kingdom that once neighboured Liyue. The legend is that of a princess who made the ultimate sacrifice for her people." He sipped his wine quietly.
"A legend is an overstatement in my opinion," you remarked as you sat back down again.
"Huh? I've never heard of it," Childe muttered.
Xiao's interest seemed to also be piqued as he glanced at you suspiciously, a frown adorning his features.
You breathed out as they turned to Zhongli with curious eyes, waiting for him to tell the story of the symbol. You didn't expect to find said symbol from such historic times carved on a tree in Liyue. It brought back both happy and unpleasant memories.
The archon straightened up and cleared his throat, "Around 1500 years ago there was a king and a queen of a long since forgotten kingdom," he began. "In their 50 years of life, they never managed to have a child of their own. In these old times, politics were all about bloodlines and needing to keep up a facade and assurance of the throne and in a desperate attempt to do just that, they lied to the masses they had a child all along and thus kept themselves in power.
"However, there was an ongoing war with a neighbouring kingdom and unfortunately the king died in a battle, leaving the queen by herself and no heir. Yet, there was a miracle amongst the despair. A simple servant girl who had served the royal family for years and yet hadn't aged a day. The queen, overjoyed at the revelation that there was a walking god amongst her servants, saw that as a blessing bestowed to her by the archons, decided to crown said servant girl as a princess, an heir to her throne." He narrated, forgoing his wine completely in order to tell the story.
"And how does a god become a servant to a couple of mortals?" Childe implored, seemingly getting into the story.
"When you are a god with no power left, you have to make a living somehow," you replied. The times back then were truly difficult. You were a Celestial god without her power and barely any knowledge of the mortal realm. You weren't ashamed to admit to the jobs you've had to take just to keep yourself safe with a roof over your head.
You looked over at Xiao to gouge out his reaction but he too seemed intrigued by the story, almond tofu discarded to the side.
Zhongli continued, "The kingdom was delighted, finally seeing the princess that had been hidden for so many decades. Astounded at her beauty and leadership, the people fell in love with her, accepted her as their queen and trusted her to lead them in battle. She is known to be one of the fiercest warriors in history, able to hold her own against thousands of enemies."
"How does that explain the symbol on the tree?" Childe questioned, "Give me the whole story."
"It is quite an unpleasant ending, I must warn you," Zhongli admitted. He then looked at you, silently asking for approval. You nodded at him discreetly, a gentle smile creeping on your lips.
"It was a gruelling war, spanning over the course of a few decades," he continued, "The people loved their queen and believed in her wholeheartedly that she'd be the one to put an end to the war. However, through spies and briberies, the enemy kingdom found out about the royal family's deceit and demanded the armies to retreat, for the people bow to their new king, accept the enemies as their leaders," he paused, "for the queen and queen regent to die."
"But because the young queen could not allow the queen regent, someone who had loved her as her own, to die such a gruesome death, she helped her escape in the middle of the night. The next morning the benevolent queen wore white and hung herself from the front gates of the kingdom. Because of her sacrifice, her people were spared and treated well. All the same, her people never forgot her and continued to love and respect her. To spread the word of their beloved queen, they created this symbol, a noose painted white, as a token to her sacrifice," he finished.
"Her sacrifice was a horrible decision," Xiao spoke up, arms crossed. He looked at you, eyebrows furrowed and wearing a displeased expression.
"But maybe she wanted to," you said defensively, "The queen regent was a mortal who would permanently die and the young queen was a god, someone who would not die by a simple hanging. They just needed to see a body, that's all."
"Perhaps she should have found another way instead of sacrificing herself for a couple of mortals," he pressed, leaning closer and uncrossing his arms.
"Maybe she didn't have a choice," you countered, scowling slightly.
"She was a god, of course she had a choice," he squinted his eyes at you.
"And the choice was obvious," you responded.
"A-am I missing something?" Childe spoke up, looking confusingly between you and Xiao.
"No, you're not," Zhongli replied, closing his eyes and taking a sip of his long-forgotten wine.
"Didn't you say you do not lie? Why do I feel lied to right now?" The harbinger whined as you laughed at his pouting face. The adeptus tsked as he turned away and picked up his almond tofu again, yet you could see the way he'd glance at you apologetically.
Looking at the way Zhongli smirked behind his glass of wine, how Childe cried childishly at being left out or how Xiao continued to grumble in the corner, you couldn't help but feel warmth creeping up where your heart should have been. Even if you'd still feel like you were being watched every now and then, the pleasant day spent with your companions was refreshing and made you feel content and blissed out.
It was this simple happiness that made hope blossom in your chest once again. You wished to be able to live in this moment forever, with the people you loved, laughing and drinking while the sun shined between the treetop canopy and birds sang in the distance.
At that moment, you decided to protect them with everything you had, even at the cost of your life.