"So Venti really did tell you all about himself?", Kazuha asked as Xiao sat in front of him.
"He did", Xiao replied to Kazuha.
"I see... I am so glad the he finally found his courage and st-"
"Kazuha", Xiao interrupted Kazuha and continued, "I want to go... to Danzig"
Kazuha was suddenly out of words. He looked at Xiao with a surprised face.
"Go to... Danzig!? Why would you want to go there... that place... it really is nothing less compared to a hell"
"I... will go to Danzig... Find each and every one of those bastards who dared to make my Venti suffer- and kill them all with my own hands", Xiao suddenly said with the coldest possible tone and angriest look in his eyes.
Kazuha was completely taken aback. "What are you saying Xiao? Venti would absolutely hate you for doing that. And he would again start blaming himself if anything happens to you. Please for the sake of god, don't make any rash decisions. Instead, stay with Venti here and make his future beautiful. That's the only thing that you can do for him. Revenge... is not worth it"
Xiao did not reply back. He got up and left the room. Heizou came and sat on Xiao's seat instead. "Kazuha, wanna help me find captain Beidou?"
"Why do you need her?"
"Hmm. Something related with the new case that I am handling. Nothing too serious. Just some business matters."
_
Xiao walked away and out of the college building. He walked all the way to the center of Mondstad where the huge statue of Barbatos stood. He looked at the staue. Then suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head.
A hand patted him behind his back and he came face to face again with Nahida.
"You?... again? Wait! Last time you simply disappeared fro-"
"Please take me to Venti!", she suddenly yelled.
Xiao was confused. How did she even know Venti?
"I... It will be too late! Please... I beg you... take me to him"
Xiao could not doubt Nahida's eyes which looked at him pleadingly. "Follow me", he said and together they headed for Venti's home. He had not gone to college. But the reason for that was quite embarrassing.
_
"You left way too many hickeys on me!", Venti shouted as he threw the pillow at Xiao.
"Ahh... I did not realize that those marks would be so visible ", Xiao said with his red face.
"Jeez- Just go to college will you! I will stay back home today. Wearing a turtle neck will be too suspicious. And... I don't want others to know."
_
Xiao stood in front of Venti's house. He looked at Nahida. Nahida looked tensed.
Xiao knocked on the door. "Its me Xiao"
The door opened. Venti himself opened it for Xiao. "Huh? Why are you here? What about classes?"
"Ahh...", Xiao slightly looked at Nahida. Venti noticed her right behind Xiao and immediately remembered their last encounter. "You!- you are that girl"
Xiao realized that Venti had met Nahida before as well.
"Venti...", Nahida said with a voice that was almost breaking up. Venti was confused but immediately let the two into the house. He made Nahida sit on the sofa and brought water for her.
"Here you go... drink this."
Nahida took the water. She drank a bit of it and then gave the glass back to Venti. "There is something... something that you two must know", she said.
Venti and Xiao looked at each other. Then back at Nahida.
"Who are you exactly?", Xiao asked her.
"If I say who I am... you know what will happen", she replied. The two realized what would happen. They would feel a sharp pain in their head just like the last time.
"So, how will you tell us?"
"I... have to somehow... not only to you two but also to Mora- I mean Mr.Zhongli... and to", Nahida started tearing up.
This was all too sudden to make any sense. But something told Venti that matters were more serious than they looked at the surface level. Something very important that they were failing to realize.
"If I ask you two to bring these people to me... will you be able to?", Nahida asked as she held back her tears.
"Who are these people?", Xiao asked.
"Mr. Zhongli... your professor Raiden, and Murata..."
"Murata?... isn't that... Hu Tao's father?", Xiao said.
"He is...", Nahida replied.
Both Xiao and Venti did not question her anymore.
"I'll get them all here. Venti, you stay here with Nahida", Xiao said and almost immediately left in a hurry leaving Nahida and Venti alone.
"Your sisters...", Nahida spoke lightly.
"They are at school. They'll be back... not very soon though", Venti replied and sat beside Nahida. He felt a strange connection to Nahida. His head was feeling a bit heavy.
_
Xiao came back after about an hour. He brought every single person who Nahida had mentioned along with him. Kazuha, Hu Tao, Ganyu and Heizou were also with him.
Nahida saw them all together and gave a very sad expression.
"Everyone...", she mumbled.
"This better be something serious", said Murata out loud.
Nahida stood up in front of everyone.
"Everyone of you... must wake up to reality immediately "
She said with a serious look. Everyone looked at each other with no idea whatsoever.
"We must break this cycle of samsaras! Unless we do, we will all die", she said. Suddenly everyone's head started hurting.
"If I continue to speak, it will continue to hurt... but I have to... there is no choice!", she yelled. "Morax... Murata.. Beelzebul, remember me! Buer!"
The moment she said this, Kazuha, Heizou and Hu Tao fell on the ground and lost their consciousness. Everyone else present in the room held their heads which was killing them.
"Morax...?", Zhongli suddenly saw glimpses. Glimpses of him... he who was The Geo Archon!
No one else saw anything like that. Their heads continued to pain and Raiden fell down on the ground. Xiao could hardly see anything but a hazy surrounding. His head was hurting him just as much. In the midst of the haze he saw Venti...
"Venti...", then his eyes widened as he saw Venti's mouth dripping with blood...
"Venti!", he ran and caught Venti just as he was about to fall. "Venti! Wake up!", he shook Venti. But Venti was already unconscious.
Nahida gave a horrified look and immediately Made Xiao lay him down on the bed of his room.
"Oh no! This can't be happening again...", Nahida panicked. "No... we can't enter the next samsara... we must not! "
"Nahida! Explain it all!", Xiao yelled. The room became silent. "I need a proper explanation... not just you beating around the bush! If this is something that is hurting Venti... Then explain! "
Nahida remained quite for a while. Then spoke,"You are right... we hardly have enough time. Everyone here in this room... I must warn you. This will be painful. But I'll have to make you all visit the irminsul. Then all of you will get back your memories "
She said this and everyone looked even more confused. Everyone but zhongli.
"Buer... Send everyone but me", Zhongli said all of a sudden. "I remember who I am"
Nahida looked at Zhongli with bright eyes. "Morax... ", she said with a teary smile. She made preparations and spoke,"Now I'll send you all ... to the Irminsul."
Everyone present in the room suddenly found themselves in an unknown void. And in front of them stood a giant silver tree which shone brightly.
"Is this... the Irminsul?", asked Ganyu.
"Yes it is"
"Wha- that's Nahida's voice..."
"Thats right. It is my voice. Currently I am speaking to you all through my consciousness. Now then, everyone, please proceed towards the tree in front of you all. Touch the roots and the wave of your memories will flow back into you. But be careful... this will be painful."
All of them went slowly towards the tree. Xiao was the first to touch the roots without any hesitation. Others followed right after him.
It felt like their minds were being twisted and turned and a pull of gravity making their bodies heavier and heavier. It was excruciatingly painful.
But the memories flew into them. Memories of them and the truth of who they were.
Xiao could hardly stand anymore as a green aura surrounded him. "Ahh... ghhh- This!- My... vision!"
An object flew out of his chest and the waves of pain stopped. He now knew who he was.
And the very next moment, he was back in Venti's room. Nothing had changed. Venti was still lying unconscious on his bed. Nahida had also laid down Kazuha,Hu Tao and Heizou on the ground.
Except, everyone looked at Nahida with a serious expression.
_________________________________________