One of Light Tainted by Darkness - Genshin Impact x Child Reader

Chapter 1 - A Call for Freedom

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Hello: The Past

Oh, you want to know more about me? Well, my name is (Y/N). I come from a vault, I suppose you could call it, and that's where I was born. Oh, but not in the vault. Besides being locked inside a crystal, there wasn't anything bad about being down there. It was just.... Really quiet. I'm glad to have someone to talk to now- Where was I born? I was born in the underground. -Who are my parents? Hmm.... Too many questions when we have training to do.

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Nightmarish stasis, forever dreaming in a never-ending void. It was like home, like the caves, but that made you want to leave more. It was all gone and it had been so, so, long. Had it been days? Hours? Weeks? Years? You felt the same, didn't feel taller. It never got any tighter in the grasp of the prisonous crystal you were inside. If you breathed too deep, the crystal would take up the space. Your head felt light, spinning, and sometimes caused you to pass out. The crystal had just enough space and it never got tighter for you to fit height-wise. You suddenly felt faint again, your eyes rolling up before you blinked back to awareness.

Where has everyone gone? Would they find you or would you find them? Were they even looking? Had anyone survived? You didn't know and probably wouldn't ever find out. You should give up, but you can't bring yourself to.

"How long are we going to play this game? I am you and you are me. We both are here to suffer until we give up our hope. Don't you understand? It's the only way to come to me. It's our destiny."

Destiny.... you would be ruined and the ruiner. The dreams are projected into your mind without consent. Once you grew up, Lily and you would be whole. They are nightmares that seem to drive you mad. You were the villain of the story. No, you wouldn't do it. Yes, you would. Nobody could object to destiny. A vain hope rested within you still and it never could let go. It burned for a long time. Though it was fracturing steadily as the nightmares never ceased their relentless attack. You could only hope. It was really all you had left. You were holding onto in your slowly sickening heart and you would until the end of time.

How long has it been, again? Can you leave soon? Then you felt tears in your eyes, feeling the sinking darkness swallow you whole. Not even your tears had enough room to move down your face. Helpless. Like the child you were, and are, you couldn't do a thing.

You could feel the swell of your power as it pulsed, desperate. Like a cornered animal, it was going to act out. It wanted nothing more than to escape and it would gladly drain your energy to do so. It was Lily. You were Lily. If one lost, the other would too. It was an inevitable fight. You too were too different now. No, it's not you. You could achieve freedom. You would find Lily then you would be whole again.... But.... She was in too deep. One day you'll be saved then you'll save her.

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"That's right! Go to the Vault of Secrets and retrieve this item for me." Venti, the green bard, stated proudly. "I believe what you find there will be instrumental to deal with Stormterror."

"But what is it we're looking for specifically? You haven't mentioned it at all...." Paimon said, floating above the ground. Next to her was a blonde traveler who had their hands on their hips. She was blonde and had a bob-cut hairstyle. Her clothing looked otherworldly compared to everyone else.

"Oh, you'll know it when you see it." Venti mused. "I trust you've got good eyes."

"Why you!" The small floating child puffed out their cheeks, frustrated. "Just tell us already!"