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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[After some consideration, even though one of the true purposes of the Vision isn't exactly to his liking, it does make sense. And they were from the gods themselves...why should he care how they use them? It still gave him the power he sought. But he's going to keep that to himself for now.]

They're far worse, [He immediately says, with disdain towards his fellow Harbingers.] In the future, I'd appreciate it if you didn't compare me to them. Though I may share the same title, we are not the same.

[ of all the things he gets antsy about, and yet that gives her an understanding of how the cryo archon's organisation is structured. and based on the reports she's received about liyue months ago, a part of her wonders if this is something the tsaritsa has planned to shake up the fatui and eventually the entirety of teyvat.

that's quite counterproductive and counterintuitive, isn't it? ]

In any case, I hope you understand why I won't be returning your Vision to you.

[ if he wants his delusion, however, then perhaps she can concede to that, at least. what the cryo archon does and will do pose no change or dangers to the affairs of the order. ]

The fact that you're able to roam my hallways and given the choice to leave is more than enough of a boon granted to a captive such as yourself.

The choice to leave?

[He glances back at the Herald that has been with him for the past few month or so. What???]

Hold on one moment, then the purpose of him was only to watch me, not keep me from leaving? That doesn't make me a captive at all. [He narrows his eyes at her.] You know I can find my way out of the Abyss, right? What was the purpose of keeping me here then anyway?

[ he should know by now that she always has a choice when it comes to the questions he asks, and deflecting this set is no different. instead, she simply shrugs and gestures all around her. ]

I know, but will you leave without your Vision?

[ she knows he won't. she's learned enough about him to know that it's too much for him to give up a power he's gotten used to. a power he could use to fulfill his ambition of conquering the world. his vision is just as much of a shackle to him as a ball and chain. ]

Will your generous gods grant you another one if you lose it?

If I'd lost it, it would be returned to me, [he says,] but that's not the case here, since it was forcibly taken from me. I don't even know if the gods can reach this place to retrieve it for me even if I had lost it.

[He gets it, but he's confused now. Nothing makes sense. He has to pause, since she's not answering his question.

She gains nothing by taking his Vision, really. Right? She gains nothing by keeping him alive, other than maybe enjoying playing a game of keep away. But it doesn't seem like she has the time? Is this just for her amusement, to keep him trying to retrieve what was his? He still had the ability to rip through a lot of her troops, as dangerous as that was.

Why?

Why is he still here?]

Could I at least have my Delusion back, then?

[ whatever her reason for detaining him, lumine keeps it to herself. even her expression remains inscrutable as she continues her promenade around the garden. and for one long moment, she says nothing in response to his remark about the gods and his vision, her thoughts settling on something else instead.

she only pauses when he inquiries about his delusion, looking at him over her shoulder to nod at the herald. the herald bows to her, hand over its chest, before it steps back into a newly-opened portal. ]

I'll see to it that it's in your quarters when you return.

[ and she can also provide further instructions to the others, just in case he decides to wreak havoc uncontrollably. ]

Do you have any other requests?

[He really didn't think she'd give it back to him. Wow. Well, that's one thing down...]

No, [He says slowly, knowing that any questions he had probably weren't getting answered.] I have much to consider given the nature of our conversation. But now that I think more on it...

Is there anything you think I should know that I do not? You have been at war with the divine for some time now, and while Fatui intelligence covers a grand expanse of Teyvat, I know there's many things that lie hidden from us.

[ and here she thought he wouldn't ask, his mind full of thoughts of fighting her and her servants. then again, perhaps a different harbinger is in charge of intelligence—and this one isn't said harbinger. still, she wonders how his archon will react to any of the information she may just see fit to share with him, if there is any ...

the cryo archon seems to have an objective of her own that's similar to theirs. but at the same time, she too is hellbent on getting rid of her and the order, so perhaps not. ]

And what will you give in return for the information you're seeking?

[ surely he can't think that this is for free?? ]

Hmmmm....

[He has to think. Everything he could offer as a Harbinger, outside of delicate information that he knows he couldn't share with her probably isn't of worth to her. So maybe he could offer things he thinks she should know, but who's to say if she doesn't know them already...]

Normally in this case, I would offer up information of my own. But you must understand that there is a lot of matters I have to stay tight-lipped on. No amount of coercion will get it out of me, even the offering of my own Vision back to me.

[He won't betray Her Majesty, even for that.]

But if that doesn't suit you, I'm sure you can think of something else.

[ why is he placing the onus of the exchange on her when he's the one asking for information? lumine shakes her head, her expression that of amusement as she turns away from him and back towards the palace. ]

Perhaps you should consider first what you're willing and not willing to give. You can find me again once you've made up your mind.

[ she gives it a beat, before she pauses and looks at him over her shoulder. one information, perhaps, and one that she's willing to give for free. after all, it's up to him on how he will use that information to his advantage ... that is, if he's willing in any way. ]

As long as you continue to tread the fine line between a mortal walking under the sun and a creature writhing in the Abyss, your transformation will continue to eat your life away.

...

[He's left speechless for a moment. He'd always had suspicions that the transformation was doing something to him, but...he had no proof. Hearing her say that serves as a shock to his system. It makes sense though, why the burden was always so great on him. But he doesn't know what it was he was missing.]

Princess...

[What does he even say here? There's a part of him that thinks that he's not been strong enough now to handle the transformation. Is that not so dissimilar to those who try to use Delusions and die? He has to change that. What an absolute bomb to drop on him, he has so much more to consider.]

Nevermind. I'll keep that in mind. Thank you for telling me that.

[ lumine simply gives him a slight nod before she walks back towards the palace, leaving him to his thoughts. he'll need it with the amount of information he's managed to garner from her. and she also needs to speak to her mages regarding the return of his delusion, to ensure that they're kept away from him at all times now that he has the power he acquired from his tsaritsa.

let the heralds and the lectors handle him, she instructs them. there's no need to incur more losses on their side in reining in a wild horse.

she does wonder how he'll use the information about his transformation. she doesn't think he'll simply and easily just give up his humanity for power, but then, humans can be quite unpredictable with what they do. and the choice is his, in the end. that's not something she'll force someone's hand with.

strange, though, that she hears nothing about him even after he receives his delusion. no kitchens burning, no fights in the courtyard, no reports from the mages ... something doesn't feel right.

she walks by his quarters to speak to the herald posted at his door and ask for a report of sorts on their guest. ]

[The herald gives a concise report to her- he's stayed in his room on a whole, coming out only the first week or so to ask for sparring sessions to get a feel for his Delusion. But after a time, he'd become strangely reclusive, the only interactions he'd had was with the mages who brought him his food daily. Any exercise was done in his room, and he'd been taking naps, which was unusual for him.

He'd caused no trouble at all, to everyone's surprise. And even now, Childe lies down on his bed and stares at the ceiling, one foot dangling off the edge of the side of the bed. He'd started to lose count of the days he'd been in the Abyss, and now he was forgetting why he was even trying to leave in the first place.]

[ strange, and to think that him receiving his delusion would make him even more enthusiastic about retrieving his vision from her and escaping her palace.

her herald advises her about the similarities with the incident in inazuma despite some reports contradicting each other. lumine simply gives the information a pause before she summons a lector by her side and orders it for an investigation. humans suffering under celestia's rule is not something of her concern, and yet ...

the information she needs arrives to her a few days later, and it's for that reason that she enters his quarters unceremoniously. ]

Come with me. [ if he's in bed, she'll have a herald toss water at him. ] There's somewhere we need to go.

[Thankfully, he's mostly dressed. The minute she enters, he sits up in confusion. She hasn't ever come in here since the first day he'd arrived, and why she's summoning him now makes even less sense.]

Must we? [He's busy being depressed.] You've never come to me like this before, what happened?

[He swings himself out of bed, slipping his boots on and attaching his mask to his head.]

And where are we going, anyhow?

[ and as expected, she answers none of his questions, simply waiting for him to finish getting ready. if he thinks that's going to change anytime soon with her appearance in his quarters, well, he's mistaken. the moment he finishes dressing up, her herald opens a portal for her to step in and she beckons the harbinger to follow her.

lumine's not one to make this trip but she supposes this won't be too much of a waste of her time. she wrinkles her nose at the biting cold when she steps out of the portal, her boots sinking into ankle-deep snow. the air smells like fish and brine, a strange and familiar scent.

curious, how the family of a harbinger has decided to remain in this place rather than move to snezhnaya's capital. ]

Where is your house?

[He follows through the portal, the next moment opening back up to his hometown of Morepesok, surrounded by the vast open sea that he remembers so fondly. The snow crunches beneath his feet, and it's like he doesn't even hear her question as his mouth is slightly agape with the view. He hasn't been home in so long, not even counting the time he'd spent in the Abyss.

Taking a few steps forward, he breathes in the cold, fresh air, wondering if his family was gathered inside of their home to keep warm. Snow falls from the sky, lightly coating the top of their heads. It's home, and he feels like he should be filled with nostalgia and warmth at the sight.

But yet, he still feels empty. His eyes don't reflect the emotions he should be feeling, and he sighs heavily.]

It's further into the village. It's a bigger house, one large enough to house a large family. Come, I can show you.

[ she lets him lead the way, waving a hand to her herald to return to the abyss. she'll summon him once more when she needs to return, he doesn't need to linger. it doesn't seem like there's any danger here anyway, the village being small and innocuous, other than the usual fatui encampment. nothing she can't handle. ]

Most humans would be thrilled to return to their homes and see their families.

[ not him, obviously, and she can tell that much. celestia has certainly done their brand of damage to this world. ]

I mean, I am.

[He says, with a clear amount of dejection in his voice.]

But I...

[Even he notices he's been dragging his feet through the snow now. Sighing, he stops, shaking his head.]

I can't let them see me like this. All I'm going to do is make them worry.

[ she moves past him, walking towards what's clearly the biggest house in the village. there's a yard out in the front, something that's to be expected from a family with several children, but it's empty, no doubt due to the snow that's starting to fall again. everyone's indoors, so it seems, shadows bustling through the window and noises coming through the door.

it's too chaotic, she thinks. not at all like when she was still traveling with aether.

she shakes her head at that thought, knocking on the door. she momentarily glances at her companion right before the door opens, a boy looking up at her curiously. the auburn of his hair gives it away quickly. ]

... Hello. Your brother is here with me.

[Brother!

Teucer runs outside, hugging Childe- it's hard, but he manages to put a smile on his face. Teucer...]

Hey! Long time no see. Didn't think I'd be home this early, did you?

[The child shakes his head, and starts going on and on about home and what they'd been doing, and how they'd prayed for him. Childe can only painfully smile back, even though he's so glad to see his brother and glad that everyone was doing alright. After that business is over, he gestures a hand toward Lumine.]

Teucer, I'd like you to meet someone. This is Princess...

[Oh no he doesn't know her name!]

[ she takes a step back when the boy practically jumps onto him, followed by several others who hear the commotion. her gaze flickers past the house and into the woods behind it, eyes narrowing just a bit when she spots her herald. but it disappears just as quickly, her attention returning to the group before her when she's addressed. ]

... Lumine.

[ not that she needs an introduction. she won't be here for too long anyway, and she won't be joining them either, watching his little siblings drag him indoors to their waiting parents.

lumine lingers in the yard, looking around the village and ignoring the muffled remark about how she resembles someone. she should leave ... but even before she can, the same boy from earlier rushes out to grab her hand, an attempt to drag her inside as well. but she simply shakes her head at him, offering a faint smile. ]

I have to go, but give this to him instead? Tell him not to fall into strange holes next time.

[ she leaves a glowing glass ball in the palm of his hands, chilled by the wintery weather, before she walks out of the yard and towards the direction they came from earlier. ]

[Once inside, he's greeted by his parents, surprised and happy to see him home. They thought he was still out working, deployed to another land. He shakes his head. It would be hard to explain his sudden appearance, and that's when his brother runs back in, happily repeating what Lumine had told him and placing the Vision in his hand.

His memories return to him, with his ambitions and dreams- and he realizes now what exactly had happened to him. He's left speechless for a moment, looking down at the orb in his hand, before he turns to his family.]

Excuse me for one moment.

[Rushing outside, he looks around for her, finding no trace whatsoever. The footprints in the snow are already being covered up by the snowfall, and they lead to a dead end anyway.

Childe lets out one long, deep sigh. He's left with more questions than answers, and he doesn't know when or how he'd ever be able to see her again. He didn't even have the chance to say thank you. He guesses that the only way he's ever going to get answers is to find her again.]

Lumine, is it? [He muses to himself.] Wait for me, I'll find you again.

[He turns back towards his home, to spend the rest of the night with his family, reminiscing on his experience in the Abyss as he walks.]

[ silence welcomed her back in the abyss, and she can tell there's a bit of an unspoken concern that she's released a harbinger out into the wild—a harbinger who was allowed to roam around the palace and learn more about them.

she finds that she doesn't really care and it doesn't really matter. for one thing, she doubts the tsaritsa will lead a vanguard into her realm, not when the archon knows the kind of monster it harbours; she'll lose more than she bargained for, and lumine's more than certain she won't risk it. for another, she doesn't think he would try intruding into the abyss again and relive the same experience all over again.

it's months later when she returns to teyvat, spurned on by new information that her lectors were able to collect. as always, she avoids the crowd, the places where her face can be recognised. instead she lingers around ruins and temples, areas where there's little to no people around.

her new haunt is lingju pass, the ruins half-sunken into the lake its overlooking. much to her dismay, however, she's not alone, her eyes flickering to the fatui skirmishers that suddenly surround her. ]

... No different from us, it looks like. How ironic.

[ sorry childe, but she's beating up your subordinates like it's a day ending in y. ]

[In turn, Fatui intel had reports of Abyss Order activity in the surrounding area in Liyue, and he's set off to investigate it himself. He has his own troops in the area, and he's off to find some of them to get a more detailed report of anything they might of seen in the meantime. As he travels through, he sees no signs of the Abyss, wondering if this was going to be a wild goose chase. In time, he finally arrives at the ruins at Lingju Pass, and he's surprised to see a familiar flash of white among the ruins.

He quickly makes his way down, seeing Lumine making short work of his subordinates. In a flash, as her sword comes down on one of his skirmishers, a hydro blade comes in and blocks it before she can finish the skirmisher off.

He holds her sword there, muscles tense from the effort. She's strong, and it's exciting. While he has the advantage of having his back to his troops, he winks at her- before swinging his sword upward to separate both of them, standing between her and them.]

I'll take care of this, [he says, watching them out of his peripheral.] Take the injured and head back to Liyue Harbor. Oh, and make sure the report is handed directly to my desk. I'll need to make some additions to it.

[Yes, Lord Harbinger! There's little time before they've scurried off, carrying their compatriots with them. He waits until he knows they've left, before breathing out a heavy sigh. There's no malice in his eyes however. If anything, they brighten with her presence.]

You know, it's been incredibly hard to track you down. This is the last place I thought I'd find you.

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