Welcome to my world // Genshin Impact x reader

oO Chapter 55 Oo

"(y/n), stay back!" Lumine exclaimed, standing defensively in front me, her sword raised towards the Shogun. Her voice was harsh and unlike any other time I'd ever heard her speak before.

"There is much to verify about you two." The Shogun said monotonely, her voice flat. "You are able to control elements, yet do not posses a Vision," She said to Lumine, simply circling us. "And you," She shifted her attention to me, her  amethyst eyes piercing my cool facade. "You are unlike any I've come across before." She broke her course around us to step towards me.

Lumine slashed at the Shogun when she got too close, but was unsuccessful in drawing blood.

"Oh? Does that mean you like me?" I smirked, trying to keep my voice from trembling. I'd recovered from my earlier shock, and though I still felt nervous, I did my best not to let it show.

"'Like' is too strong a word, and highly inaccurate." The Shogun shot back, sweeping her polearm towards Lumine in an attack. Lumine, thankfully dodged, but barely. "You intrigue me. Your Vision is abnormal. And soon it shall be in my keep, and I may unlock its secrets."

"You could just ask nicely, y'know" I winked. "I'd love to be better acquainted with you, honey."

"You have no respect for the Archons." The Shogun scowled, continuing to circle us. I will admit   that I was starting to get more nervous  by her passive behaviour for now.

"False, i'm friends with  Rex Lapis and Barbatos." I said, grinning.

"Do not lie to me." The Shogun snarled, the first hints of true emotion starting to shine through.

"It's not a lie."  I tilted my head, allowing the hair to fall in my eyes as I smiled at her smugly. "Maybe if you'd stop trying to steal my Vision and kill us, then we could go meet them.  Or  at least, one of them. We only have Rex Lapis with us right now, in Inazuma."

The Shogun stared at me incredulously, like she was halfway between taking me up on my offer or stabbing me. "Fine. I'll indulge your little lie. Say Rex Lapis was here. What reason would he have to try contact me after five hundred years, and moreover, why would he do it through you two?"

"Heh, well, that first one is a packed  question, but as for the second one, he didn't send us. More like we brought him along, and we weren't expecting to meet you so soon. It wasn't meant to be just the two of us." I replied.

"Answer both questions, or I shall see to it that you are both executed." The Shogun said, losing patience.

"Tevyat is dying because of Celestia." Lumine snapped. I got the feeling that she wasn't exactly in the mood for pleasantries right now. Wonder why...?

"I see I've let this farce go on for too long." The Shogun said, her tone of voice indicating that she obviously didn't believe us. She...glitched(?) forward, lightning crackling as she bore down on Lumine from above. Lumine struggled to fend her off with her sword, and sweat rolled down her face. I saw an opening for myself and took it, summoning a whirlwind. I intended it to throw back the Shogun, at least a little, and to provide a boost for Lumine.

I was successful, partly. Lumine managed to duck the Shogun's attack and roll away in a somersault. Unfortunately, she realised the mistake she'd made in leaving me alone too late, and the Shogun instead turned her attention to me, annoyed that I'd had the audacity to attack her.

"You are quite impudent for a mortal, aren't you?" The Shogun said, walking towards me. Again, I knew it was a useless thing to focus on, but I was transfixed on the way she sauntered casually, her hips swinging from side to side, her polearm trailing in the sand behind her.

"Well, I live to amaze, y'know?" I grinned.

"Hm." The Shogun narrowed her eyes at me, thrusting her polearm forward, lightning surging forward. I moved to dodge her, but by the time I registered what was happening, the electricity was already close enough to do damage. I screamed as the lightning made impact, surging through my body with an intense pain I'd never  felt before.

The world blurred through my tears and I could hardly hear Lumine shout my name before I collapsed. It felt like the lightning was coursing through my veins, taking care to strike every nerve, and torment me as much as possible.  My body convulsed unnaturally before the pain reached its peak and I could barely keep my eyes open anymore.   

It hurt too much to even scream anymore, yet, all on its own, Xiao's name left my lips. I guess I was hoping, through some miracle, he'd force his way into the Shogun's realm to help us and make the pain stop.

My ability to form words left just as suddenly as it had appeared, and the world around me faded to black. The pain subsided, thankfully, but I still blacked out.

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

".../n)! (y/n)!" A frantic voice yelled, as I came to. I felt hands on my shoulders, erratically shaking me. I groaned, and opened my eyes, blinking  rapidly as I adjusted to the light. The surface beneath me was soft, most likely a bed. The figure in front of me came into focus and I sighed in relief inwardly.

"Xiao?" My voice was hoarse and scratchy and I made a mental note to avoid talking if I could help it. 

"(y/n)." Xiao let out a brief exhale, closing his eyes. "Thank the Archons..."

He slumped forward in relief, his forehead resting against mine. Just then, I realised that he was straddling me, his thighs squeezing my hips slightly. I flushed red, though I'll admit I liked the sensation. 

"Where are we?" I asked, my voice barely audible above a whisper. "What happened?"

"I don't know where we are." Xiao replied softly, raising his head slightly, though he still stayed on top of me. "I didn't take the time to ask. Lumine and someone else brought you here after you lost consciousness. What happened to you, (y/n)?" He asked, threading his fingers through my hair, and frowning. To be honest, I'd never seen him this clingy and emotional before. His voice cracked at the end and I took all I had not to break down into tears then and there. Look, it's been a stressful day, okay?

"Fought the Shogun." I explained as simply as I could, since it hurt to talk. "Lightning hit me."

"Oh, Archons..." Xiao groaned, shifting off me and instead laying down on the bed next to me, on his side. "Does it hurt anywhere?"

I would have laughed if it didn't hurt to do so. I tapped my throat and the centre of my chest, where the lightning hit.

Xiao bit his lip, keeping silent. "...Can I do anything to help? I don't understand how mortal medicine works, but..."

I smiled and shifted to lie on my side, wincing a little, so I was facing him. I moved forwards, snuggling into his chest. "Just stay."

He stuttered for a moment, but tentatively wrapped an arm around me gently, like he was afraid of hurting me. "Alright."

"Where's Albedo?" I mumbled, my already quiet voice muffled.

"Still in the serenitea pot." Xiao answered, running his fingers through my hair. "He wanted to come with me, but since you called for me so desperately, I thought it would be too dangerous to bring him along."

I hummed in response and sighed. The Shogun hadn't listened to us or believed us at all. Next time we met, we'd have to make sure Zhongli was with us.