Our Thorned Fate

Dying

"You better give up with him, Morax. He won't make it," Raiden said. Zhongli glanced at her while gripping his polearm.

"Why?"

"Can't you see his heart was stabbed like that? Especially with her holy blade, his survive rate is..."

Venti hurriedly covered her mouth to stop her babbling before the amber man explodes. He shook his head to Raiden.

"Don't. Trigger. His. Wrath," he whispered deeply. She only looked away and stayed, while Zhongli walking toward them.

"Morax, you should go now. He needs you," Venti said. He stopped and looked at him. "Call his pet again."

"His...pet?"

"Duh, that fat fish before! He will help you!" Venti impatiently yelled. Zhongli stayed a little bit then dashed to other way. Venti let her go and fell again, blood seeped on his clothes.

"Lord Barbatos, let me take you to the hospital," Azhdaha said. Venti grabbed on his muscular arm and smiled.

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

###

Osial shifted into his human shape when Zhongli just landed right before the entryway. He bowed.

"My Lord."

"Any progress?"

Osial looked at the Childe and shook head. Zhongli pointed his polearm right on his head.

"Let me explain it, my Lord. His body resists any treatments I did to him, so the best I could do is stopping his bleeding," Osial explained. Zhongli touched the ball with painful expression.

"How long will he survive in this condition?"

"...I'm afraid it's not more than 3 hours, my Lord," he replied. Zhongli dropped his polearm and knelt before Childe.

"My Lord!"

He looked down and gritted his teeth, wrath mixed sadness filled his chest till he felt suffocated. He was there, but he couldn't stop Guizhong from killing him. His regrets slowly getting his nerve.

"Leave us," he said. Osial bowed and left them. The amber man lifted his head and tears slowly rolled down on his cheeks.

"Ajax, don't leave me. I beg you."

###

Childe opened his eyes and looked around. The darkness embraced him till he couldn't even see his surrounding.

"Where am I?" he said.

"You're under your consciousness, Ajax. Welcome back," the narwhal replied.

"Fat fish! Where are you?!"

"I'm not fat, dummy! Stupid! Stupid!" he yelled.

"My bad. Why I can't see you?" he apologized.

"Because you're dying, Ajax," he replied. He could sense the hint of sadness from his words. "I can't come closer to you."

"...so I'm gonna die, huh?" he asked bitterly. He could hear him crying.

"Huwa!! I don't want to die now!"

"Back then you said it's better for me to die," Childe mocked.

"I'm kidding! Huwa! Xiansheng! Help me!"

Childe laughed a little and sat quietly, his hand playing with his clothes.

"Xiansheng won't be able to save us," Childe said. "We're done."

"Why you suddenly pessimist!?! It's not like you!"

"I'm trying to be realistic, boy," Childe said. The narwhal cried more.

"Don't give up so soon! I don't want to die~!"

"Well, what else can we do in this situation? I'm trapped in this dark space, can't see anything nor move. It's over. She stabbed me on the damn perfect spot, man. I guess my heart almost split into two."

"Xiansheng will help us!" the narwhal yelled.

"He will, but I don't know how long I can survive or how fast he can help me," he replied. The narwhal sobbed a bit loud.

"Please give your best to alive, Ajax. There are many things to do, right?"

"...it's just a fake hope. I need a miracle to alive," he murmured. They fell on silent for a while.

"...hey, can't you come out and see him for me?" Childe asked.

"It's not possible. I require a lot of energy to form solid body in your dimension."

"Worth to try at least. Get my energy to go," he ordered.

"You'll die soon!"

"And we're dying slowly without doing anything, just go and do something for us," he replied harshly. The narwhal cried loudly.

"Idiot! I can't let you do..."

"Just do it! I will hold as far as I could, so go!" he yelled. The narwhal shocked and flew fast to his main energy which covered with black mist.

"...promise me you'll stay alive!" he yelled and touched that thing. Suddenly he popped out right before the amber man.

"Ah?"

"...huwe!!! Scary!" the narwhal cried. Zhongli turned back to his usual form and poked him.

"Hey, it's me," he said calmly. The narwhal looked at him and hugged.

"Huwe, Xiansheng! Help us!" he cried again. He patted the fish gently to soothe him.

"I will do my best, boy. Tell me what should I... Ajax!" he shocked when Childe bleeding again.

"Ajax! You liar! You won't survive!" the narwhal sobbed. Zhongli looked at him.

"What are you talking about?"

"He gave all of his energy to form my body here, but I rejected it at first. He insisted me to go...huwe! If I knew this I won't take it!"

Zhongli looked at the young man in pain. He glanced at the narwhal with helpless expression.

"Tell me how I get into his consciousness."

"... Xiansheng wants to go there?"

"There is only way to help him," he replied. The narwhal shut his mouth for a while and flew right beside his head.

"I will send you there, so give me your energy," he said. Zhongli transferred his energy to that narwhal. The narwhal slowly grew bigger as big as the normal size and swam around him.

"I only managed to send your consciousness, Xiansheng. Get ready!" he said while sending a big wave toward him. Zhongli closed his eyes and teleported right in front of a big black ball. He looked at his hands.

"...I will come to save him, no matter what happens to me," he promised. He looked up and touch the ball, but he couldn't break it.

"Ajax?" he called.

"...this voice... Xiansheng?!" he replied. "How did you get here?"

"The narwhal helped me to access your mind. Wait there, I'll break this sphere."

"Is it possible?" he asked.

"Ajax, trust me. I'll get you out of here," he begged.