Reborn from Ash | Genshin Impact Fanfiction | Diluc Ragnvindr | Hiatus

Twelve

Warning:
Mature Themes
Not Intended for Younger Audiences

Noelle leads me down the road that cuts through the cliffs, showing us the way to the Dawn Winery. The smell of bitter grapes and hard alcohol stinks up the air. My face scrunches up in disgust.

"Such an awful smell, how can anyone enjoy such a vile drink?" I mumble.

"Hm?" Noelle asks, turning to me.

"Oh... Nothing. Don't worry about it."

"Oh... Alright then."

Noelle turns back towards the forward facing road, the view of a small vineyard comes into view. I've read stories about vineyards, ones much more massive that this. Thousands of acres in all directions with hundreds of servants that tend to the fields every single day. The story of many broken backs and burned skin; welts and blisters piling up on one another, causing the skin to fall off in chunks.

My eyes stare dead at the vineyard, able to see all the torment that has been caused by such concepts of land. Everything around me just blurs as I stare at the lot of land, watching the servants and workers mull around the fields, not even doing their work.

"(Y/n)?" a distant voice calls.

Everything is so... distant.

"(Y/n)?!"

I snap out of my daze and turn to Noelle who is holding my face between her gloved hands.

"(Y/n)?! Are you alright?! You just suddenly stopped walking and were staring off into space again! Is something wrong?!"

I just stare at her and look away. Shaking my head, I grab her hand and start walking down the steep hillside.

"(Y/n)? (Y/n)? Please speak to me!" Noelle says in a panicked voice, tears choking her throat.

"I'm alright. Let's just go."

Noelle goes quiet before nodding and walking down the hill.

Noelle squeezes my hand in hers. I halfheartedly squeeze back. In the corner of my eye, I notice Noelle looking at me with deeply concerned eyes.

All I can focus on is those two wooden doors in the front of the manour. Something evil lurks behind the closed doors, just waiting to be let out into the real world. Deep inside my chest, something cold begins to form. My whole body feels numb as I look at those two doors.