Faded Harmony

The Sleeping City

As Lyra walked down into the quiet city, she felt rather bad that she had considered it annoying when she first woke up here. The man at the fountain was missing, and as she headed near the city gates, she realized all the shops were closed—neither Donna nor Flora was there either. Timmie wasn't near the bridge either, but all the Knights seemed okay. She hadn't even been here for a week and she'd already wrecked the city. Lyra wondered if death and destruction would always hang over her like a shadow.

A knight approached her, and Lyra formulated her own questions first, deciding to act clueless. "Why is there no one around?"

The knight blinked. "Everyone's asleep."

"Still? I recall people like to wake up and set up their shops early," said Lyra glancing to the closed flower shop.

"They seem to be... trapped in sleep." The knight waved his hand around in agitation. "We can't wake any of them up."

Lyra nodded, unsure what to say.

"Did you see anyone last night?" asked the knight, a certain hope blossoming in his eyes.

Lyra shook her head, and watched as the light of hope disappeared just as quickly.

"Then where were you?" asked another voice. Lyra spun around to see the pirate walk up to her. His name was Kaeya, she recalled.

"Asleep," she said, watching as the wind blew his hair.

Kaeya tugged at his cuffs, his voice nonchalant, but his eyes narrowing. "Interesting. Most of the people in your area are still asleep."

Lyra quickly hid her expression of surprise. It almost sounded like he suspected her. She shook her head, avoiding Kaeya's eyes, for fear of any of her thoughts slipping onto her face. "I wouldn't know why I'm awake."

"Is that so?"

Lyra didn't see his expression as he walked away. She kept her eye on his retreating figure, feeling a relief settle in her heart, before she headed to the library. She needed answers, and quickly. There was nearly no one else in the library, but it wasn't completely empty, save two voices.

The witch was locked in a discussion with another female knight, and Lyra cowered near the bookshelf with a book in hand, eavesdropping on their conversation. Even the library seemed to be sad and asleep, almost as if it reflected Mondstadt's pathetic state.

"How come none of the knights were in the city that time?" she heard the witch ask.

"I got a report this morning that there was an attack by a group of Abyss Mages and hilichurls from both entrances to the city. We think it was the Abyss Order. The knights left their posts to fend them off."

"A distraction, I see."

Lyra wondered whether the whole thing had been an elaborately laid out plan, and whether the attack by the Abyss Order was actually what had been specified in the gibberish. The book slipped from her grasp, and Lyra mentally face-palmed as it fell to the floor with a thud. The conversation ceased.

"Is someone there?" she heard the witch call out. Lyra wondered whether she should just make a run for it, but something told her she wouldn't make it out unseen anyway. She stepped around the shelf, landing in their view, her eyes immediately going to the new lady: A blonde knight with her hair tied in a ponytail. A green colored orb hung from her side.

"Cutie, you're alright." She sounded genuinely relieved, and Lyra was surprised as she felt the beginning pangs of guilt. "We heard most of the city was asleep."

"I don't believe we've been acquainted," said the other knight, which Lyra knew was knight-speak for "Who are you?"

Lyra bowed her head lightly as she replied. "My name is Lyra. I come from a land beyond Mondstadt."

"I never introduced myself, did I?" said the witch, raising a hand in greeting. "I'm Lisa, the librarian, and this is—"

"—Jean, the Acting Grand Master of Mondstadt." Jean and Lyra both studied each other with renewed interest, and Lyra squashed down the beginnings of fear. She wasn't a suspect, and they didn't have any proof.

"Did you see anyone last night?" asked Jean.

Lyra shook her head, and Jean's eyes looked crestfallen. "I'm afraid I was not even awake at the time."

"I see."

"Have you come to read again?" Lisa asked. Lyra nodded, and Lisa looked to Jean. "Shall we take this conversation elsewhere?"

Jean nodded to Lyra, and she watched as the two of them left the library together, leaving her utterly alone with the books on the walls. She started looking through the books with renewed determination, wanting something, anything to help her.

She came across the word 'Vision' in her books quite often, and it interested her. In all her years of living, she hadn't ever heard of them.

"Vision," she muttered as she read it for the umpteenth time.

"This is a Vision." Lyra looked around to see Jean gesturing to the small glass orb on her person. She hadn't even heard her walk in. "This allows me to wield the power of Anemo and also makes me someone who can ascend to Celestia."

Celestia. There was a word Lyra hadn't heard in so long. She squashed down the memories before they consumed her, bringing her focus back to the present. "You could become a god?"

"That's right." Jean walked over to Lyra's table and looked at the books. She picked one up and flipped through it. "An interesting assortment of books. Is there anything specific you're searching for? I could help you."

Lyra looked up at Jean's earnest face and considered the question, but there was no way she should show her the letter. "Not really, but thank you." Lyra smiled, hoping her gratitude would reach her.

Jean's expression softened as she nodded and walked out of the library, the door closing lightly behind her.

Lyra pulled the letters from her pocket again, hoping something would make sense, that something would've magically changed on the letter. By nightfall, she was nearly crying with desperation as a terrible dread took over her. She took a deep breath and calmed herself before putting the books back on the bookshelves. The sun had already gone down when she walked out of the Headquarters. The city was as silent as it were in the morning. She recalled Amber indicating a tavern in the city with a wave of her hand, and she decided to go in search of it.

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