insurmountable | you know i'm the type / type to risk my life, not afraid to die

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you know i'm the type / type to risk my life, not afraid to die

[Call it crazy, call it morbid curiosity, call it insane. A craving for battle, a craving to test his skills against the powerhouses of the Abyss, he follows a few Heralds into the portal they'd left behind as they whisked themselves away from the camp they'd set up for their next assault in Teyvat. He couldn't leave the Abyss without aid, of course, but if he could find his master once again, he'd be able to return to Teyvat. And maybe get a good sparring match out of her while he was at it. Either way, he's got his sights set on those Heralds who thought they were alone, announcing himself behind them as he brandishes his weapons with glee.

They look surprised. Good. That was the point.

The battle rages on for some time. They prove to be incredible foes, taking several on at once. One dies, cut down by the Harbinger- the others wounded badly. But what Childe hadn't counted on was that they'd get reinforcements so soon, and with more numbers, they manage to overpower him. The Foul Legacy Transformation still proves to be a large burden on his body, and with waning strength, he finds himself captured and chained. The remaining Heralds drag him to an incredible hollowed out ruin, one that looks like the very architecture of the ancient dynasty from Khaenri'ah itself. Finally, he's thrown to the ground in a room that clearly was made for some sort of royalty, his knees hitting the concrete hard.

His head bowed, he coughs up blood, knowing he'd really messed up this time. This isn't good, and he has no way out of it. His body is wrecked. It's taking all his strength just to keep from passing out, as he looks up and sees the leader of the Abyss...]

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[He spends several days in that room, resting, eating and drinking when the mages bring him food. At some point, he notices they don't lock the door behind them. Ever. He's not sure if this is a trap, but even so, the door is unlocked. He's got a feeling it's a show of power, that he'll never leave the Abyss even if he can roam around outside.

On the fourth day, he dresses himself and opens the door, peeking outside. The Herald that waits for him stands stoically next to the door, not making a move but surprising Childe all the same. He leaps backwards, ready for a fight, but it makes no move to restrain him.

This isn't right, he thinks. He asks the Herald why he doesn't immediately strike at him, and it doesn't answer- furthering to confuse and frustrate the Harbinger. Turning on his heel, he begins to stomp off, and it follows him, silently becoming his shadow. Which, in turn, annoys him further- and he mouths off to it, of course, taunting it to attack him, asking what its problem is, etc.

This same behavior goes on for another three to four days, as he explores the palace that he's imprisoned in, or rather, where he chooses to stay for the moment. He's not leaving without his vision.

Finally, a week later, after learning the routines of the palace in the abyss, he finds her once more in the garden. He stomps right up to her, arms folded, looking quite annoyed.]

Hey, are you ready for that fight now? I'm feeling much better and I don't wish to tarry here any longer. Besides, I'm tired of this shadow stalking me wherever I go.

[He jerks his thumb backward at the Herald.]

[ his exploration of the palace doesn't go unnoticed. her mages report to her his every movement: where he's gone off to, what he's done, who he's spoken to. she can tell he's looking for a way out despite nothing standing in his path, but she can also tell he won't leave—at least not until he's recovered what she's taken from him. and that in itself effectively keeps him imprisoned, leashed to her for eternity if she wants to.

and the fact that he searches for her last only means that he's realised and has understood the same thing. the very point of her confiscation of his vision and delusion. ]

You talk as if you have a choice in leaving just because you feel better, [ she responds when he finally storms towards her to whine, pausing from her leisurely stroll around the garden. ] I don't recall giving or making that impression.

[ lumine glances at the herald standing sentinel a few feet from them, an eyebrow mildly arching, before she turns away and starts walking once more. ]

You'll get used to it, don't worry.

I'll get used to no such thing.

[He shoots back, intent on following her. There's no way he's staying here for an indefinite period of time. No way. He trots up to her, joining her at her side. Excuse, do not walk away from him!]

You said that once I felt better we could fight. And once I beat you, I'm leaving. So, I'm here now, and I'm ready to fight- so give my vision and delusion back so we can have our little brawl. I'm looking forward to it.

[Wow is she going to tell him no though....]

[ what a persistent man; then again, her brother deals with the same kind of obstinacy from him too, doesn't he? still, she makes no move to accommodate him, seemingly unperturbed even when he catches up to her once more. ]

Yes, I did say that we can fight once you're feeling better.

[ she remembers saying a couple of times, too. ]

But in no way does that mean you can leave, or that I'm permitting you to leave. Nor does it mean you can have your items back. [ she glances sideways at him, her expression that of mild amusement. ] Is that not how prisoners are kept in Teyvat, too?

[Excuse her? What?

He uses his height to step in front of her, stopping her with his arms now folded. Oh no. He won't allow that, not for a second. What is her deal.]

Hold on, how are we supposed to have our battle if I don't have my tools? I can fight you in my transformation then, if that's what you're so inclined to do battle with...

[He lets his voice trail off, threatening her with dealing with him that way.]

And when I'm done, I will return to Teyvat. You're sorely mistaken if you plan on keeping me here.

[ lumine catches sight of her herald from the corner of her eyes shifting to move in and keep him from getting too close to her. but it stops when she sends it a look, bowing its head in response; her power is more than enough to manage a problem like this. this one can't hurt her, they don't have to worry. ]

Then transform right now.

[ does he think she won't call his bluff? he's the one who's sorely mistaken if she's simply going to say yes, go ahead. ]

Let's see how much you've recovered.

[Uh oh. He hasn't waited until he was completely better. He could absolutely handle himself if he had his vision or delusion, but the transformation is going to place a burden on him that he's not ready for. The injury to his side hasn't completely healed, and now he's between a rock and a hard place.]

Ugh, fine.

[His bluff is called, and he jerks his head to the side in frustration.]

Do you at least know some hand to hand combat? Sitting still in this place is driving me crazy.

[ he's lucky she didn't try to check how much of his injury has healed already; otherwise, he might need another week's rest to mend and improve his wounds and his offended ego. she supposes that, at the very least, she's found a bit of entertainment in this dreary place, a form of respite from her task and duty as the abyss order's leader.

lumine sidesteps him and starts walking once more, clasping her hands behind her back. she doesn't quicken her footsteps, simply resumes pace from before he accosted her. ]

Try that shadow who stalks you. [ her poor herald ... ] See if he'll willingly humour your request.

[ a beat: ] Or did you specifically mean me?

[His eyes widen as she just sidesteps him, mouth dropping open in offense to her clear avoidance of his request. He looks at the Herald, arms opening in a gesture that suggests 'what the hell???' before he turns and catches up with her once more.]

I meant you, [He says with full irritation now.] I've already fought your Heralds. You're the one I want to challenge now.

[He refuses to leave her side now, because he has gone into full brat mode.]

Are you going to fight me or not?

[ she glances at the herald once more, canting her head just a bit out of curiosity. and here she thought they wouldn't get along, having very different ideals and belief systems. but they're both forces of chaos, and she's quite sure they'll eventually find common ground somewhere.

lumine glances back at the harbinger, however, before she shrugs. ]

No. [ his first taste of rejection from her. how does it feel like? and how much does she want to bet that that will only frustrate him further? ] I'm in no mood to fight at the moment.

[ besides ... she reaches out a hand and pokes him on his injured side. she'll bet her life this part hasn't healed yet. ]

Wha- ow!

[He holds his side, stepping back a few steps. Oh, that's just insulting him now. She got him right between the broken ribs and everything.]

That was uncalled for! Hey, how are you going to say no and poke me like that?!

[Isn't that basically asking for a fight???? What is with her??????]

[ see? ]

Because it proves my unspoken point that, while you're well enough to mouth me off, you're not well enough to fight me at your full strength.

[ and wouldn't that be a sad sparring match for him? again, she's not quite fond of bullying the injured and the weak—in his case, it's both. she'd rather not waste her energy on something that would end so quickly, and in an unsatisfying way. ]

... I'll send over a mage to help you redress your wound.

Being coddled by the Abyss Order...it's more than insulting...

[He grumbles, but wow. Ugh. His frustration grows, ever bored with now wandering around. Something's gotta happen around here, he's got to get his vision back, this can't go on like this. He has things to do, gnoses to collect, foes to slay.]

Do you even plan on fighting me? I think you're just pushing it off because you're afraid.

[Last ditch effort. He knows it's not going to work.]

[ what an obvious provocation. he didn't even try so hard, how disappointing.

though were she admittedly someone different, someone who would easily get riled as much as he does, perhaps she would've risen to such goading. would've started a fight even before he can utter another word. but she's not, so she doesn't, and lumine simply levels him with a flat look as she continues her walk. ]

Then feel free to be insulted more. [ she waves offhandedly at him. ] Though you'll probably get tired of it eventually, given how long you might have to stay here.

[ she'd laugh but she's quite fond of this garden, even if much of it feels dead, and laughing would probably provoke his rage. ]

[He no longer walks with her, stopping where he stood. He can't believe this affront to his warrior's spirit, and he just turns on his heel and walks away. He can already feel his temper rising, and he walks right past the Herald with focused eyes that burn with an inner rage that he can't satiate.

He'd wait. He'll wait until he's fully healed, and when that happens, he's going to throw this entire place into chaos and here's absolutely nothing anyone can do to stop him. As far as he's concerned, at least.

Fast forward three more weeks.

He's gotten a little bit of sparring out of his assigned Herald, which at least was something to let the steam out. He'd at least asked it not to hit him in his ribs where he was still healing, sighing but accepting this was going to be his life for the time being. He's learned the day to day here in the palace a lot better, and learned where the most chaos could be started too.

A fight breaks out in the courtyard, some squabble that turns into a scene among the mages. Childe had been seen talking to some of them days prior.

At the same time, an entire formation of Abyss soldiers get violently sick. Childe had shown the cooks a traditional Snezhnayan dish to make, having cooked it with them the two days before and eaten it right in front of them to show that it was safe. They tried the dish. It was good. So he wrote it down for them! Except he changed the ingredients to include something that wouldn't go over well with their stomachs.

Minutes later, an explosion happens in the kitchen. He'd managed to distract his Herald for enough precious seconds while he set up a recipe for disaster in there, feigning that he was going to cook something.

In the chaos, he slips away, beelining towards where he knew that the princess kept her quarters- and he's rummaging around in it looking for his vision. It's nowhere to be found, not at all. He turns it upside down, only to find that it wasn't here.

He should of known, ugh, so frustrating.]

[ chaos in the abyss is, well, to be expected. it's something she's learned centuries ago, the collective will of the place seemingly warping and corrupting every single living being into a creature of chaos and destruction. so finding her palace in disarray after returning from a brief trip to teyvat is a little on the nose, perhaps even more so when she receives several reports from mages that are close in tears on who the perpetrator is.

the fight in the courtyard, the argument between the mages, the upset stomach of the vanguard, the explosion in the kitchen—there's only one person who could've done this, and she finds it rather amusing that this is how he tries to get her attention.

—or even keep her distracted.

lumine moves past the burning kitchen, leaving her guards to deal with it, while she makes her way to her quarters. she didn't spot him in the courtyard or hallways or even in the kitchen, which means that he's elsewhere that's not crawling with the orders' soldiers. and she can only think of one place where that is. ]

I see that you're not above going through a girl's bedroom.

[ she's leaning against the doorjamb, arms folded on her chest, her gaze flickering over the mess in her own quarters: clothes strewn everywhere, pillows thrown haphazardly, sheets pulled out and bundled up in a corner. ]

Did you find what you were looking for?

[He doesn't even stop looking, even when he hears her voice in the doorway. He chucks another piece of clothing to the side, still not finding what he's looking for, absolutely frustrated beyond reason that he can't find his vision. A few more items get dashed to the floor, before he finally straightens up and turns to look at her with a fire in his eyes.]

No.

[Is all he says, staring at her. Finally, after a moment, he asks:]

Where is my vision. Keep the delusion if you want, but that vision belongs to me.

[ her eyes follow the fluttering of fabric as it's tossed over his shoulder and onto the floor, covering another square inch of stone, before she lifts her gaze to meet his. she can tell how it means so much to him, that trinket bestowed by the gods of celestia, without even realising what it could mean, what it's for. and she finds that even more shameful than his attempt at destroying her palace.

humans are so foolish, to think that these are gifts from the gods. their acknowledgment of their ambition and strength. ]

If it's not here, then it's not here.

[ she straightens to her full height as well, slowly walking into her room. it's such a mess she has no idea where to even begin. she'll simply have the mages sort it out for her. ]

Ah, so then you have it? Or did you leave it with one of your Heralds?

[He turns to her as she enters, now approaching her. All of that planning, and he's got absolutely nothing to show for it.]

I can kill each of them until I find it. And I will find it.

[ lumine barely spares him a glance as she walks past him into the room, hunching over to pick up one of her scarves. unused and untouched for years, and yet it's remained in her dresser like a reminder of sorts of a dream a long time ago. she folds it over her arm before she picks up another article of clothing, sighing inwardly and refusing to answer any of the questions he poses to her.

sometimes she wonders if he realises what he is in this palace. just because she's granted him the freedom to walk around doesn't mean he's also permitted to wreak havoc in her own domain. ]

You can try, [ she deadpans, still not turning to look at him. ] Your death will be on your hands if you do, not mine.

[He's upturned this room, and found nothing. His search is over, so he gives it up. But he's not done with her yet, oh no. If it's not in the room, then it can only be in a few other places. With a trusted associate, in a locked area he hasn't found yet where they keep valuables that need to be guarded, or she has it.

Since she's here, let's try that first.]

Give it to me now or I'm going to take it from you.

[He's done playing games. Maybe it's under her neck scarf. He seems to be searching with his eyes to find where she might be hiding it on her person.]

[ she knows a threat when she hears one, and this one isn't empty either. not when the rest of the order is preoccupied with the current state of affairs in the palace, and they're in an area where very few heralds or mages ever visit or go to. it would be simple, very simple for his threat to become a reality.

lumine pauses from her attempt to clean up her room and slowly turns around to face him, eyes following the line of his gaze. ]

Then take it, [ she calls him out, dropping her clothes back onto the floor. ] Or are you going to walk away again like before?

[He won't walk away this time- instead, he readies himself to fight here, right here, right now. It's her own fault she let him roam around, figure out how to create problems, and put herself in this position where she has almost no backup available to her.]

Ready yourself. I won't hold back.

[Knock her out, search her, get out. That's the plan.]

[ lumine doesn't need backup. she's more than capable of handling him, with or without a vision; if anything, her heralds will simply serve as a distraction if and when a fight breaks out. she'd rather handle it by herself to make the cleanup easier and less stressful, even if her hand's being forced. ]

And yet you've held back for the past four weeks. So come, try and find it on me.

[ even if he won't find it on her person—or on anyone in the palace. she's not an idiot to hide it in a place where she's allowed him to roam freely. ]

[He lunges at her, ready to take her on now that he's fully healed. His fist flies through the air, aimed at her face, to stun and go from there. If he misses, which he expects to- the already in motion follow up is an uppercut to her gut, to knock the wind out of her.

He's sick of this. He wants to leave, with his things, to return home. To his duties, and to his family.]

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