(I think I've run out of Welt images)
(I think Gepard is next)
The trip to the Alchemy Commission was long and tense, very little words being exchanged between y/n, Dan Heng, and Jingliu.
The silence seemed to be getting to Yanqing at first, but he remained silent and simply wandered along after them.
"So... why exactly are we here at the Alchemy Commission?" the Lieutenant inquired upon their arrival, finally breaking the tense silence.
Jingliu crossed her arms with a quiet exhale before finally replying, "I heard the Healer Lady is capable of curing any and all diseases. I'm here for the same reason anyone would be: for a check-up and consultation." she turned her head to Yanqing, "Patience, young man. The mission the general tasked you with is about to come to an end."
"Healer lady... healer lady..." y/n mumbled before perking up, "Ah... Bailu! She should be here."
The group made their way through the Alchemy Commission before finally reaching Bailu who was discussing something with someone.
She noticed them before they even had to say a word, the little Vidyadhara turning to face them with a bright eyed look, "Dan Heng!? What a surprise!" almost immediately, she began looking him over with a concerned frown, "Are you not feeling well? Any injuries?"
Dan Heng smiled gently and shook his head, "I'm not here for a check-up," he gestured to Jingliu instead, "She, however, is here for a consultation."
"Oh, I see..." Bailu murmured as she turned to look up at Jingliu, "Are you here for your eyes, maybe? Or is it something else?"
"My eyes are fine. I cover them to avoid seeing that which reminds me of the past and riles my inner demons." Jingliu explained, "My thoughts have been disordered lately, and I experience occasional night terrors. Do you have a way to soothe my mind, Dragon Lady?"
"Sounds like Caelus after losing the 50/50 on those gacha games he likes blowing his spare credits on." Y/n mumbled, to which Dan Heng gave her side a little pinch that made her yelp.
Those symptoms don't sound like my area of expertise." Bailu murmured before frantically shaking her head, "Bah, who cares, I'll still do my best to help. Here, give me your hand. We'll check your pulse first. You'll need to take some translucence worms as well, so I can take a closer look."
The three others there quietly watched as Bailu took Jingliu's pulse, and it was a few moments before the little healer jolted, "Your hand... it's freezing!"
She looked around frantically for a second before zeroing in on Dan Heng, "Ahem, please wait a moment. Dan Heng, can I speak to you real quick?"
Bailu grabbed ahold of Dan Heng and scurried a distance away while y/n remained with Jingliu and Yanqing, silence between the three of them before the h/c haired woman let out a long yawn.
"Urgh... I need a nap..." she mumbled with a weary look, "I don't think I've slept properly in days."
"Didn't the General tell you to get rest in between work? You're the one who doesn't take a break." Yanqing pointed out, to which y/n glowered at him.
"Do you realize just how much 🚚ing paperwork the Seat of Divine Foresight has been drowning in since the whole 💩 storm with Phantylia. I don't have time to sleep if I want to get all of it done as quickly as possible. This is the closest thing to a break I'll be getting."
"...huh, what he said about you was right."
"What do you mean by that?"
Yanqing quickly turned away with a cough, "AHEM, uh... wait a minute, where'd Miss Jingliu go?"
Y/n's eyes scanned the area and immediately found the blindfolded woman by Dan Heng and Bailu, the doing looking rather startled to see her there.
"Are you in trouble, Dragon Lady?" the former Sword Champion inquired as Yanqing and y/n hurried on over, "If you need assistance, I'll come along as well."
N-No! No, no trouble at all... haha..." Bailu laughed nervously, "Don't worry about it, you can stay here and rest."
"I insist, a little walk will do me good." Jingliu hummed, receiving an uncertain look from the little Vidyadhara but no protests.
"Guess that means we'll be coming along as well." y/n chirped before breaking off with another yawn, "Ah, crap..."
"If you're tired, you can stay here." Dan Heng offered, "If you haven't been getting a lot of sleep recently, then you should take a break."
"Mm... no, I'll come along. I may not be able to fight right about now, but I can still track down whatever we're looking for." she mumbled with a shake of her head.
And with that, it was settled.
They began to search, both y/n and Bailu being able it smell that it was nearby... WHAT THE HELL?!
One of those weird dog abomination 💩s had the box, attempting to sneak off but halting when it realized that it'd been spotted.
"Hey! That's my medicine box!" Bailu shouted, pointing at the abomination, "Give it back!"
The creature skittered away, y/n immediately darting after it and leaving everyone else behind.
"Y/n!" Dan Heng protested and began rushing after her and the abomination while everyone else gave chase to avoid losing it.
After a while of chasing, the group making their way down to the docks, they eventually came to a halt and found the damned thing hiding behind a big 🍑 ape abomination.
"What the-?! Hey! That's no fair! How come you're hiding behind an even bigger monster?!" Bailu demanded when her and the others caught up, "More importantly, when did even more of these things start showing up at the Alchemy Commission?"
"You little-!" y/n was about to lunge at the smug look dog abomination that'd hid behind the ape, but was grabbed by the back of her clothing and dragged back by Dan Heng who stepped in front of her.
"Careful, these things are dangerous."
"But—"
"You're under orders not to engage in combat, and you can't use your duties as a train guard as an excuse either since you're no longer a member of the express," damn, "Stay back and let us handle this."
Y/n couldn't even be angry about what Dan Heng said, stepping back with the slightest bit of hurt in her eyes as she let her gaze drop to the ground instead.
Yanqing and Jingliu stepped forward as well, the latter nudging Bailu back to stand beside y/n, "Allow me to eliminate these obstacles, Dragon Lady. Be sure to keep your distance, the chill of my sword freezes everything in its path."
Indeed it did. The air itself seemed to freeze over as Jingliu effortlessly cut down the big 🍑 ape abomination while Dan Heng and Yanqing were barely able to do much of anything.
Though the fight was brief, Bailu seemed to have figured something out. There was a mild look of awe on her face, "So this is why your hands are so cold...
these temperatures aren't something normal flesh could withstand."
"Your medicine box." Jingliu said as she offered the box to Bailu who eagerly accepted it, her tail swishing from wide to side.
"Thank you!" the little Vidyadhara chirped before opening it up, "Alright, let me make sure nothing's missing... yep! The calming-valerian and qi-strengthening infusions are here. Let's head back! Quickly, now!"
They returned and Bailu prepared the medicine for Jingliu, the little group of four patiently waiting.
The wait, however, was interrupted by shouting.
Shouting which y/n quickly recognized.
The squad of four all looked and found March rushing at them, Caelus hot on her heels as they rapidly approached.
"Wha... what are you guys doing here?!" y/n demanded as the two of them skidded to a halt in front of her, "What are you breathing so heavily for? Did something happen?"
March was breathing heavily, but still managed a, "It's your mother... she's not well! You've gotta—" she yelped when y/n suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders, suddenly seeming panicked and almost fearful.
"What do you mean she's not well?" y/n demanded, "What happened to her?!"
As the words left March's mouth, y/n's world seemed to grow blurry. There was an incessant ringing noise in her ears, blurring out and muffling what she said.
Something didn't want y/n to hear it, to know what had supposedly become of her mother. If it was so desperate to keep that information away from her, it should've taken her sight completely.
It wasn't difficult to read March's lips, and the dread that filled y/n at the sight of them probably wouldn't have been any less harrowing had she actually heard the words.
"We talked to a healer from the Alchemy Commission and she said something about a Spiritfarer, but we wanted to check with you first— hey!"
Y/n ran right past March 7th, breaking out into a sprint as she immediately began to head for the Alchemy Commission exit.
"More running?!" Caelus demanded, groaning when March immediately ran after y/n with frantic shouts.
"You... the gray haired trailblazer." Jingliu called before he could run off, "The young one's mother, has something happened to her?"
"Err... well..." Caelus wasn't quite sure if he should be telling her, 'Who is this lady anyways? Someone y/n knows?' "D-Don't worry about it! I'm sure it'll be fine!"
Dan Heng grabbed ahold of Caelus and spun him right back around before he could flee, "Caelus."
"Damn it, don't make me break the bad news!" he whined before rubbing the back of his neck, "Look, uh... y/n's Mom is on the verge of becoming stricken with mara."
"Huh? Then shouldn't you call for a Spiritfarer?" Yanqing began to ask, but Dan Heng was quick to interject. "Because of y/n's supposed death, right?
"We figured that if she saw her again, maybe there'd be some chance — if not, at least they'd be able to see each other one last time," Caelus mumbled, "Don't... don't worry about it. I'll go catch up with them and make sure, y'know, we don't get another y/n situation."
Refusing to elaborate further, he pulled away and rushed after his two companions who'd already fled.
Dan Heng was left to watch them leave in silence.
"Y/n was quick to run to her mother's aid. I see she hasn't changed in that manner either." Jingliu remarked, "M/n has been around for quite some time, and it's inevitable that her time would eventually come, but... I sincerely hope she won't go like this."
Y/n's mother was her reason for staying. If she truly was becoming stricken with mara, did that mean...?
No. No, it wasn't right to think like that.
She'd been through enough, if anything, she deserved to live happily with her mother after all this time.
Even if...
"We're friends now, and we'll be friends even after you're reborn. No matter how aloof and cold you may be. Promise me that, alright, Dan Feng?"
Even...
"The Astral Express promised to help me find my way home, so it's only natural I return the favor. It'll probably take a while, so let's be good friends! Sound good, Dan Heng?"
Dan Heng heaved a sigh, turning away from the retreating Caelus. He was getting a headache...
Yun, on the other hand, was having a bizarre day.
He'd just been told that his mother was going to become stricken with mara, and there was absolutely nothing he could do to help her.
A Spiritfarer showed up at his door and told him he had a day to say his goodbyes before they returned to take his mother away.
And... his dead sister showed up.
Frazzled, out of breath, in a panic.
But alive, more alive than he remembered.
"Y/n..." Yun mumbled.
"Mother. Is is Mother alright?" y/n demanded.
The boy stared at his sister before tears gathered in his eyes, "That Spiritfarer... he said he has to take her away tomorrow. Mother isn't..." Yun broke off with a sob, beginning to cry as March and Caelus watched him with sad gazes.
Y/n was... struggling to get a grip on reality.
Nothing felt real anymore.
Oh 💩, was she going to lose her mind again?
'No. I won't let it happen again.' she assured herself,
'Not here, at least.' "Will it be okay if I go see her?"
"I doubt she'll recognize you... she doesn't even know who I am anymore." Yun continued, rubbing at his eyes, "But... please, you should go sit with her. I don't think I can right now, but I don't want her to be alone."
Y/n nodded, giving Caelus and March one last glance before heading up to the second floor. As she guessed, her mother was in her room resting.
She peeked into the room silently, regarding her mother's still form for a long moment before wandering over and kneeling beside her.
The woman rested her head on her mother's lap, holding her hand and watching her carefully.
Still alive. She seemed to be resting well too.
'I don't want her to go. I don't want her to leave me.'
Don't leave her? How could she ask something like that when her mother had asked the same of her countless times... only for her to leave over and over again.
Her mother had been around for a very long time, longer than most Xianzhou natives would. She'd gone so long without becoming stricken with mara, and it seemed as though she'd had many years ahead of her.
'And then I went and died in front of her. Right when I finally returned.' y/n let out a quiet, bitter laugh, 'What a 🚚ed up world we live in, huh?'
"Y/n, is that you...?"
The woman tensed, falling silent and going still at the sound of her mother's voice. Ah... she was awake.
It was a long moment before M/n let out a shaky sigh, a soft, broken little noise that made y/n's heart ache.
"Y/n... y/n, if you're there. You won't be alone anymore, I'm coming to join you." the older woman mumbled, "You, B/n, your father and I. We'll all be together again..."
Burning. Y/n's eyes were burning. It felt as though liquid fire were gathering in her eyes as her tears began to overflow, but she remained perfectly silent.
It wasn't long before her mother dozed off again, her breathing steady and calm. Only then did y/n slump over, hiding her face in her mother's hand as she began to cry.
'Maybe if I hadn't come home at all...'
'Maybe this would've never happened.'
(He's so— he's so— he's—)