Say My Name and I'll Be There

Chapter 13

"You can't run from us."  Aether's lifeless eyes stared straight through you.

"Your time has come,"  Paimon grinned evilly.

"Die here." Childe stood between them as they all surrounded you, his eyes more devoid of emotion than Aether's.

"Leave me alone!" Your shout echoed through space.  "You can't hurt me! Xiao will protect me!"

"You think he can protect you from me? Oh, ojou-chan〰" Childe knelt in front of you and grabbed your chin.  "You're naïve to rely on him.  But I suppose it's all you can do, since you're too weak to defend yourself."

"Xiao!" You slapped the Harbinger's hand away and scooted backwards.  "Xiao! Adeptus Xiao! Please!"

Childe's manic laughter drowned out your desperate cries for help.

You awoke with a gasp and sat up.  Who was it that you could trust?  Aether was your number one answer out of the three of them, but after seeing that expression on his face, you weren't too sure.  Helplessness overwhelmed you, and your eyes struggled to adjust to darkness.  The campfire was dim and close to burning out so you added a few blocks of wood without disturbing anyone.  You lay your sluggish body back onto your sleeping mat and finally caught your breath, the cold sweat evaporating in the cool spring air.

The rustling of leaves to your right made you snap your head in that direction. Who was tasked with keeping watch tonight?  A quick glance around the campsite answered Aether.  But no one showed themselves near the rustling, and Aether was on the opposite side of the campsite.  You glared into the darkness and instead of being greeted with malice, a gentle breeze brushed past your face.

Wind?  It didn't make any sense.  Nothing else was being disturbed in the camp besides your hair.  You felt someone's presence, and yet no one was standing there; your adjusted vision proved it.  The presence comforted you in some strange way, and it felt familiar too.  You peered up into the tree canopy and found no figures sitting on the branches as you had expected.  

"...Xiao?" You practically mouthed the word.  The breeze swirled around you a few times, brushing against your arms and shoulders, then blowing your hair out of your face until it finally retracted and caressed your cheek--a lingering touch.  "You heard me."  Tears welled up in your eyes at the realization.  

He had only been gone for two days, but you never felt his presence like this before.  Even in person.  He was watching over you the entire time, even if you didn't realize it.  You may not have called for him consciously yet he heard your prayers nonetheless and came to you.  You found yourself reaching out into the open air silently begging for the breeze to return to you once more.

It did.  

A swift yet gentle trace from your forehead, down the side of your face, across your jaw and ending at your chin.  You could feel the gentle nature radiating from the force, even if it wasn't a lot considering the yaksha only knew death and destruction.  Still, he persisted to try and convey his thoughts to you.  It felt as though he was smiling ever so slightly as he did this, and you smiled back at the empty space.

But as quickly as he traced your face, the breeze dispersed and he was gone.

........................................

Several days passed without incident, and the two adepti had yet to return.  Aether had decided that the group would make a trip west of Dihua Marsh in search of a treasure rumored to have been left behind by a yaksha long ago.  By the time the group reached the stone tablet that held instructions for this treasure, you were already overwhelmed with missing Xiao's company.