Kill Me Slowly || Tartaglia/Childe

Chapter 28

It was exactly fifteen years ago where Childe had left his home in Snezhnaya. It was rather an easy decision to do so as he felt bored. There was no thrill, no action to which he craved for something more than just waking up and going ice fishing then returning to repeat the same cycle over again. As his father had told him about the adventures he's encountered, that's what made him make up his decision to go seek a challenge.

"It's true," Childe told himself as he wanders around the unknown land. He has discreetly passed by several treasure hoarder camps, recalling the stories his father had told him. He calculated their quantity as well the entrances and exits in case he fails to make it out alive. Before he could jump from his hiding spot, a hand on his shoulder stops him.

"Silly boy. What can you do with a bunch of rocks and sticks?"

Childe turns to the cloaked figure, glaring at her. "Hmph! We'll see about that."

Childe throws the hand off his shoulder and grabs a handful of rocks, throwing it on one side, alerting the treasure hoarders. Childe then hops off his spot, running towards the small tent. He grabs whatever the treasure hoarders took on the cargo and hurriedly returns back to the cloaked figure.

"See!" Childe proudly presents his items and then looks at them with a confused look. What are the treasure hoarders doing with star conches?

"Over there!" One of the treasure hoarders yells, pointing at Childe and the figure.

"Not quite." She says, pulling out the two daggers she's hidden behind her back. "Sit back and watch, kid."

Childe watches the cloaked figure face all eight treasure hoarders equipped with different weapons. They charged together at once and in a blink of an eye, there were all thrown off to the ground defeated. Groaning, the leader picks himself up and grabs his shovel. "Who are you?"

The cloaked figure doesn't say anything and hits him once, finishing him for good. She turns her head back to Childe who looked at her with sparkles in his eyes. That's what he craved for— chaos, havoc, and bloodshed. "Come on." The woman told Childe, who willingly followed after her.

As the days passed, the two established their status: mentor and student. She taught Childe how to use several weapons— claymore, spear, sword, and a bow. Childe excelled well with wielding a sword, especially a dual sword, and although he has mastered the four weapons, Childe challenges himself by using the bow most as he isn't particularly proficient with it.

They trained together for about three months and Childe learned that his master's name was Skirk. Over time, Childe became an exceptionally skilled and seasoned warrior as the woman thought him what he's been always craving for— The art of battle.

One day, as Childe was waiting for his mentor to appear, she didn't show up even after a few hours of waiting. The next day and the day after that, there was still no sign of his mentor. It was after a month of waiting did he realize she was never going to show up. Maybe it was because Childe mastered everything and there was nothing else to earn or maybe some other reasons he didn't know of. At that moment, he decides to adventure once more.

He came wandering in a beautiful port that lies in the east of the map, the harmonious Liyue. Tall mountains decorated a lovely stone forest on the west of the harbor, and together with its lovely view of the plains and rivers, make up Liyue's unique landscape. It certainly was a huge contrast to Snezhnaya's with the weather and atmosphere because the moment Childe step afoot into the bustling street, everyone was busy with their own business.

Walking for a few while, Childe decides to check in a famous inn, Wangshu Inn. He's heard plenty of stories about this inn, most particularly about an urban legend that an adepti basks here in the moonlight. Though Wangshu Inn was a more well-known haven for a lovers' moonlit rendezvous, it merely served as a resting place for Childe.

"Is there a festival?" Childe asks the inn owner.

"Oh, a guest from afar! Welcome to Liyue!" She comments as she eyes Childe's clothing and instantly denotes he's not a Liyuean citizen, "Why yes. It's isn't really a festivity but it's the Rite of Descension! Once a year, we pray to Rex Lapis for us to have a bountiful and prosperous year."

"I see. Thank you... Mrs. Goldet." He reads off the small name tag above her chest. The woman smiles and returns to her original post where she continues to attend to other clients.

Childe decided to check out the Yujing Terrace where the Rite of Descension was to be held but he got lost along the way, ending up somewhere near a souvenir stall. Suddenly, everything seems to be in chaos. Several Liyueans start to run around in panic. Amongst the crowd, he spots a (Hair Color)-haired female looking lost. That marks the first time he's met you.

"Pst." He calls and you ignore him. "Hey girlie!" And this time, you mind him. He offers you his hand, helping you in your plight with no ill-intentions which you're very thankful for. As he's brought you around the areas in the harbor, your little trip with him comes to an end as the Millelith guards found you. Before you could even thank him, Childe was already gone.

He didn't mean to disappear so abruptly but with these two hooded men holding on to him so tight, he couldn't escape free from their grip. Childe was then brought to another area (Northland Bank) and was met eye-to-eye with a blonde woman with light gray eyes. "Is this the boy?" She asks. The two men nod their heads, affirming her question. "Okay, let's go."

With a blindfold on his eyes and rope tied around his wrists, Childe was being transported elsewhere. By the time the carriage stops, he could tell he was in Snezhnaya as the smell of fire-water wafted through the air.

The two men lift Childe once again, leading him to who knows where. A few minutes later, they remove his blindfold and leave him by himself. As soon as Childe adjusts to the light, he sees a woman with dark blue ombre hair.

"Welcome to the Fatui Headquarters. May I inquire for your name?"

"I'm..." Childe hesitates for a bit, unsure whether he should tell his name to a stranger but still went with it anyway. "Tartaglia."

"Tartaglia... what a wonderful name. Say, what do you think about being a Fatui General?"

"Fatui?"

"Yes. You've met Signora, the 8th of the Fatui Generals."

"What's in it for me?"

"Anything. You name it and it's all yours."

"I want to fight."

"Congratulations Childe, you have become the 11th of the Fatui Generals."

"Childe?"

"Your alias. Under this name, your first mission is to return to Liyue and make connections to get your way in the Kingdom of Yu. Report to me every month through a messenger bird or physically, whatever your choice is. Keep an eye on the Emperor... as for his daughter, you need not care."

"Yes..."

"Tsaritsa."

"Yes, your Royal Highness Tsaritsa. See to it I'll bring victory onto the table."

Tsaritsa laughs. "I'm sure you will."