掠夺 | Genshin Impact

𝔄𝔠𝔱 9

A NOTE: Play the music while reading to offer the fullest experience. 

┏━━༻✦༺━━┓

Asira hardly makes it to the epicenter of Liyue Harbor when the cloudless sky shifts to black. Like ink corrupting an empty page, the day is rewritten and etched with all the horrors of endless night.

And so the world falls to silence.

Silence, until the screaming begins.

Within a moment, the city is eclipsed in darkness, only to be shocked back to life with a violent flurry of thunder, spiraling uncontrollably as the storm surrounds Guyun Stone Forest. Another violent howl of wind, and Asira loses her footing, flung back from the tempest that causes the ships at harbor to toss and turn, lanterns, shops, and those cursed enough to be trapped outside hurled across streets and into buildings.

"The Overlord of The Vortex," Asira grimaces and her first clenches around the stone newly fastened to her gauntlet, "he has returned."

She forces herself to stand, battling the sea-born winds as she squints at the horizon, tears blurring her vision as she strains to find the center of the bygone god. There. Quickly approaching from Guyun are three tornados of water, seemingly feeding into the sky and swallowing up the lighting's glow, the ocean now buzzing a sickening purple.

In the center stands a god born of seawater and reborn with fury. Osial.

There's no time to lose. Childe should already be on his way, and if Baizhu is still alive he'll have delivered the letter saying Morax has taken refuge at the Golden House. Then, all that's left is to beat the Harbinger and trap him, leaving Sandrone as the last piece for Asira to redeem herself.

His death will become her freedom.

It will strip her of her Fatui bonds, forever severing her from the Tsaritsa, Pedrelino, and her past.

She'll become her own salvation.

For the first time in days, Asira feels a smile etch onto her lips, and with a flick of her wrist her knuckles clench onto the familiar hum of her sword, and the feeling of electricity coursing through the air and through her blood boil over. Now, it was time to set the last piece before she let Xiao and the rest of the Adepti take over.

Asira cranes her neck up, the floating stairway disappearing into the stormclouds as she begins her second climb up these stairs. The stairs to the Jade Chamber. Wind howls louder and louder as she climbs higher and higher, until finally she reaches the airborne palace, a congregation of both people and Adepti gathered before her.

A flash of green catches the corner of her eye, and she sees Xiao close his eyes, a quiver of movement so slight she might have missed it, but Asira knew better. He had smiled.

But her gaze was quickly turned away as she saw the woman standing in the center of it all, Asira immediately bowing as she got close enough, catching a glimpse of her gold and white qipao, violently whipping against the storm.

"Lady Tianquan." 

She motions Asira up, and the women complies. "I cannot apologize for keeping this information from you, however I hope I am not imposing when I ask you to follow my plans." Asira hesitates, "Please. This is the last chance Liyue has."

The Tianquan offers a curt hum in response, but she waves a hand and an Adepti Asira has not seen before appears, her soft features and curled horns contrasting darkly with the lightning striking about them. "Xiao and Ganyu have informed me about the situation. Faced with a calamity of such magnitude we have decided to place our differences aside for now and unite against the enemy. Captain Asira, you have my trust. Lead us to victory."