The End of a Contract - Xiao X Reader

9 : Surviving

Look man, I really don't like that last chapter and wanna redeem myself so hopefully this one will be better.

Y/N'S POV

It's been 4 days ever since I fell from the cliff, my leg still hasn't fully healed but it's gotten better and I can walk without feeling a burning pain run up my body but I still have a limp so I'm not fully healed.

I've made some progress in regards to getting to Nantiannmen, I was able to find some paper that fell from one of the bridges in Huaguang Stone Forest and used that to map out all of my current surroundings.

Thank Lord Barbatos I'm good at mapping and geography—

But I was able to make it past Huaguang Stone Forest today and was able to find a cave I can stay in that was closer to Nantiannmen so I don't have to walk as far.

Maybe I could've done better if I was a bit more level headed 4 days ago or if my stupid leg would heal faster— But ! I'm still proud of my progress and think that I'm going to make it out of here alive, the water at the foot of Huaguang Stone Forest seems to be rather pure as well, so that's been my main source of hydration.

Desperate times call for desperate measures after all.

But I think in two days I'll be able to get to Nantiannmen and get help from the Millelith there.

Just you wait Xiao, I'll make it out of her alive and settle things with you. But until then I have been constantly training in between my scouting trips from cave to cave, and have become more skilled with this makeshift polearm I have, I guess I'm skilled with a sword and a polearm now.

Neat !

But lately I've been seeing green flashes more often, like Xiao has been more worried about me lately. I wonder what he's thinking...

Oh well, tomorrow's gonna be a big day so the more sleep I get the better. I quickly heat up the ground I'll be lying on and take a few rocks and heat those up too, and carefully place them all around my body to keep me warm.

It's surprising cozy to be honest.

And with that, I fall asleep peacefully to the sounds of the wind and people talking.

Wait. People talking ?

I stand up and quickly peek out my cave to see what's going on to find none other than Xiao pacing outside of my cave silently muttering to himself. Seeing his face puts a sour look on mine and I quickly go back to my spot and fall asleep, trying to not to think of that man.

But I just can't help it. Why must he plague every single thought in my mind ? I should hate hime after he tried to kill me but I don't ?

Is this some weird case of Stockholm Syndrome ? I just can't find it in my heart to stay mad at him... maybe it's because of that kiss— argh I need to sleep !

And sleep I did.

The morning came and I quickly found a boar then had breakfast before going off to scout the areas past Huaguang Stone Forest. It was all going rather well until I saw a Mitachurl.

Mitachurls aren't too hard to kill and I could've prolly taken that one on and I did, but what I didn't realize was there was a camp behind it and had two other Mitachurls and Hilichurls with bows all trying to kill me. Great !

Nothing like imminent doom to wake you up in the morning ! Knowing I won't be able to outrun them with my broken leg and all I had to fight back, so gripped my DIY polearm and prepared for battle.

I brought up a screen of fire to hide my movements and quickly ran around the three Mitachurls and a few Hilichurls, I ran up to the ones with bows and quickly took out one of them but right as I did was shot by the one across from me.

I brush of the Pyro arrow that hit my shoulder and jump across to the other platform to slice the other Hilichurl and now that's I've gotten rid of the archers, time for the big guys.

I jump off the platform and run to ground and wait for the Hilichurls to all run at me, as soon as they were close enough I raised up a Pyro screen that separated the Mitachurls and Hilichurls since I know I couldn't have taken them all down at once, the Hilichurls being the dumb creatures they are all lunged at me but i quickly put up another pyro screen before me so that I could mask my movements.

I stepped back, took a deep breath and felt around the ground for a bit, looking for some trapped water underneath the grass, I knew the Pyro screen wouldn't keep them occupied for long so I had to be quick.

By some stroke of luck I found some trapped water and heated up the ground around it to make steam and create a sort of geyser effect that would launch me over the Pyro screen I made, and then I can finish them all off with a sideways slice.

Well at least, that was the plan...

I wasn't boosted up as high as I thought I would and ended up tripping and lowering down the Pyro screen I made. I quickly try to stand up but one the Mitachurls hurls a Pyro slime at me and knocks me down.

Crap. I can't die here ! I've gotten so far ! I need to travel all of Teyvat ! I need to see... Xiao again...

Speak of the devil and he will come.

Right before the Hilichurls pounced on me I heard a familiar voice shot from behind me.

"DISAPPEAR"

And suddenly a flash of green blinded my eyes and when I could open them again I could see a man's... no, Xiao, standing before me.

"You just can't stay away can you ?"

The masked fellow just turns his head to look at me and walks closer.

Eventually we're about 5 feet apart and he takes off his mask to reveal his red puffy eyes that were glowing a faint green.

And in the softest voice I've ever heard, Xiao spoke.

"I'm sorry, I-I shouldn't have done that, and all this time, I don't know why but I've been missing you."

"I know, let's talk later, I don't think it's safe here, can you take us back up to Mt. Aozang ?"

Xiao nods and he grabs me and carries me all the way back up the mountain.

It's time, time for me to get even with Xiao.

Hehe hopefully this chapter was a bit better than the last—