Remembrance Over Solitude

Chapter 17: Panic

It's my fault...

My breathing quickened into short breaths. I could feel that I was losing control of myself.

It's all my fault..

Nearby villagers rushed to my aide and crowded around me. But their voices were drowned out by my own self-destructive thoughts.

My head began to spin, I was getting dizzier with every moment.

I caused this...
My past life
The destruction of my people and village

Everything... Is my fault..
I and the people who just wanted to save our loved ones,caused the genocide of a hundred people.

Just then, the same ringing noise filled my ears. I couldn't stand it. My eardrums felt like they were ready to explode.

I kneeled over and slapped my hands onto my ears and pulled on my hair.

I screamed and cried and created a fuss, yet I couldn't hear my own voice as I did. Why is that?

The villagers were bewildered at my sorry state. A grown stranger was in the dirt, kneeling over in pain and creating a scene. They must've been embarrassed for me, or worse they felt pity, which I didn't need.

The ringing got louder and louder with every passing second. As it did, blurry images passed through my head.

I saw myself running through the woods with cuts on my feet and legs. Carrying a small leather bag.

This memory...is showing the entrance of the cavern. Past a shrub of leaves, a hand pushed them aside to reveal a large hole in a stone wall.

The memory ended there,and with that,so did the noise.

As soon as it let up, I could hear the sound of people's voices surrounding me.

"Young lady,are you alright now? Are you hurt somewhere?" An elderly man that was kneeled down to my level asked me.

It was here I realized I was lying under a shady tree, and lying on a straw mat they set up for me. 'They did that this for a screaming lunatic?' I thought.

I sat up from position and thanked the elderly man."Forgive me, that must've been unpleasant to hear and watch." I told him as I fetched a pouch of mora from my pocket and gave it to him.

"For your troubles, take it." I outstretched my hand . But instead of instantly grabbing it, he looked at me with sympathetic eyes and pushed it back to me.

"I don't need it. You should keep it for yourself. This old man doesn't need such things." Confused, I retracted my hand with the pouch of mora and stared at it.

"Is it not enough? Do you need more?" I was getting ready to take another two more out until he stopped me.

"No, no! I meant it when I said I don't need it. Why are you carrying this much Mora with you?" He exclaimed. I think he was shocked because he had never seen such a large amount of mora before. But such an amount is normal for someone in the Fatui.

"Grandpa! I brought it!" A child-like voice said. Soon after, a little girl came running towards us carrying a bowl of some strange liquid. "Oh you're OK now. Thank the archons. We thought you were dying or something with the way you screamed."

"Leticia! That's a very rude thing to say. Apologize to this lady immediately." The old man scolded who I assumed was his granddaughter.

She pouted cutely with puppy eyes and whimpered. "I'm sorry miss. I was really worried when you suddenly collapsed. I brought you this to make you feel better."