Dawnbreaker | Xiao x Reader

Entering Sumeru

Love Nikki Design art by Dai Thu, (2022)

New Intro for Sumeru Adventure: Sureeal~Ab6ix

Xiao led us into the cave. We walked for a few minutes and on the other side of the cave was a beautiful lush green forest.

"Oh my god so pretty." I say.

"Indeed." Replied Xiao.

Paimon looked around excitedly too.

We walked deeper into the forest.

We saw a passerby

"I wonder if we can ask them for directions..." I began.

"Hello!" Paimon and I called.

The passerby ignored us and walked onwards.

"Hello?" I called again.

"Let's walk a little faster," Xiao suggested as we followed her.

The Sumeru lady stopped by a cave-like tent and there seemed to be incense.

Light Purple air was coming out of the incense.

"Mmhm! Smells interesting." Began Paimon.

"I wonder what she is doing is this where she lives?" Paimon wonders out loud.

We were going to ask her, as I inhaled the strange incense, my vision became blurry.

"Guys I'm not feeling well..." I began.

Xiao immediately dashed forward and caught me.

I blacked out before I could say anymore.

I then saw a huge underground tree in my vision as I walked weakly towards it.

It was glowing.

"Yggdrasil?" I thought.

Later

"Is she going to be okay?!" I hear Paimon asking frantically.

"She should be awake soon." Says a gentle male's voice.

"Was that scent thing poisonous?!" Asked Xiao's worried voice.

"No." Replied the male's voice calmly.

"What the?" I asked as I woke up.

"O my goodness you're finally awake!" Paimon replied.

"What happened?" I asked.

"You breathed in the special incense the researchers of the Ackydemia use to help calm them down." Began the young man with long, green dog ears.

"And you are?" I asked.

"Ah sorry for not introducing myself earlier, my name is Tighnari." He replied.

"Was the scent thing toxic?" I asked.

"It's not for the people in Akdemiya, although normal people like you who encounter it can cause hallucinations." Replied Tighnari.

We followed him out of the tree house.

A green-haired girl was also there, she was talking to the villagers. She then quickly ran towards where we were.

"Thank goodness you're okay!" She exclaimed.

"Yeah that was really unexpected," I replied. 

"I forgot to introduce myself, I'm Collei." Introduced the dendro bow girl. 

"I'm Y/N." I replied. 

Paimon and I reached our hand to shake hers but she flinched back. 

"Sorry, not used to the handshaking." She replied, looking apologetic and slightly sad. 

"No worries." I replied. 

"It's not you, it's me. It has something to do with my past..." Replied Collei she then walked away. 

"That was weird..." Goes Paimon. 

"Should we go explore Sumeru city?" I asked Paimon and Xiao. 

"Yeah okay." Replied Xiao. 

I asked Tighnari directions for to Sumeru city. 

"Guess you're back on your feet real quick there. Here's a map of Sumeru." Tighnari gives us the map, "Well have a safe trip, and don't eat strange-looking mushrooms." He goes. 

Xiao takes the map and examines it. 

"Wait!" Calls a voice from outside the tent. 

We turn around to find Collei. 

She gives us some snacks to take on the way. 

"Here take this if you get hungry, they're delicious!" She goes. 

"Thanks." I replied. 

She then shakes Paimon's hand and my hand. 

"I'm glad my Eleazer isn't contagious so I can shake your hands now." She smiles. 

"Eleazer?" I asked, confused. 

"Yes it is a strange disease where the patient grows scales on their body and experiences all sorts of fever, it's a manifestation of the withering." Collei explained. 

"The withering as in plants?" I asked, confused. 

"Yes, a disease that can occur in the human body." Explained Tighnari, he continued"Beware of the withering zones, it can weaken you physically, unable to fend for yourself against the enemies there. I marked some of the areas to look out for." He adds. 

"So what's your story?" I asked Collei. 

"I was among the patients that the Fatui took in in an attempt to cure my disease but they used archon residue and caused me a lot of pain." Replied Collei, "I was placed under what they called the Doctor. The nurses and Fatui agents who worked under him had me go through these horrible experiments. I honestly don't know what I did to deserve such treatment that seemed like punishment. After I ran away to Monstadt and was rescued by Amber, that was when I knew it wasn't my fault and slowly learned to trust other people again." Explained Collei, telling her story. 

"Fatui." Growled Xiao, "I happen to know the 11th harbinger who almost flooded Liyue from my lord Zhongli,  I still can't believe my lord let him live despite this. I guess my lord is punishing him financially by constantly inviting him to go artifact shopping or tasting delicious cuisines around Teyvat while on vacation. Serves that idiot right." He adds, cursing.  

Collei widened her eyes and was surprisingly laughing. She laughed for a good two minutes before stopping.

Tighnari was slightly surprised, "I don't remember seeing her laugh this long. It'd be nice to see her happy like this." Smiled Tighnari.

"Wow! Your lord must be powerful." Replied Collei, smiling. 

"Of course he is! He can destroy the whole Fatui organization if he wants to or and take Azhdaha, it would be a walk in the park as mortals would say.  Morax Rex Lapis is the archon of Geo, the prospering lord of contracts and the laws of Liyue." Replied Xiao confidently. 

"Woah that's cool!" Laughed Collei. 

"He is one of the Liyue Yakshas after all. You sure are lucky to have him with your travels." Replied Tighnari, looking at me.

"We should get going before it gets dark." Xiao suggests. 

"Yeah." I replied.

"Thanks for making me laugh, see you guys again sometime!" Waved Collei. 

"Thank you for your hospitality, see you soon." I replied as I followed Xiao. 

Paimon flew after us next, towards the Sumeru city. 

Perhaps the Adventurer's guild would be located somewhere in there.