LANTERN SKIES ( xiao ) ✓

𐐒𐐚 27 : no-win ˎˊ˗

•| ⊱ CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN ⊰ |•

❛❛ the whole, new you ❜❜

"Xiao..?" Confusion and horror strains your voice, calling out to him with the little energy you had in you left. You just woke up in sunrise and this is what you see unveiling right before your naked eyes.

The Xiao you met that particular night, truth to be told has now become a very different one from now on, you thought as you looked at him from head to toe.

His eyes were no longer of golden amber color, but instead a glowing hue of teal and black replaced the latter.

From the dark matter surrounding and consuming his body, almost everyone who would see Xiao's current condition right now would freak out. Hell, they would even doubt if the creature standing in front of you right now was actually Xiao, the Yaksha himself.

He pulls out his infamous Jade Spear from the thin air little by little, as you can clearly see the weapon he's wielding is not its usual appearance from how you've seen it back then. Everything about it looks off-putting, especially the aura the weapon is emitting.

Your eyes widen as you saw his spear  etched with black and mysterious carvings, seemingly words of a language unknown from the deepest pits of Teyvat. The elemental magic encompassing it was tremendous in power as you can feel the goosebumps crawl part by part on your skin.

Xiao grunts and raises his dominant hand, holding on the spear tight, cutting you off from assessing the situation any longer. The adrenaline rush through your veins, each breath that you took seemed to be a bit heavy from the unfortunate scene of the daybreak. And so you immediately run towards the balcony, the rays of sunlight almost blinding your panic-stricken irises.

The adeptus comes lunging forward, tailing you from behind as well as aiming the tip of his deadly, sharp spear at your feeble figure. You throw your whole body to the right with no hesitation, dodging the attack.

But that was what you thought. When suddenly-

Fluid of crimson red seethes from your left cheek, streaming down slowly until it meets your sultry lips. You bit your lower lip in frustration, wiping your blood-stained skin.
Even though you're the one in dire need of help right now, there's still a part of you wanting to save him instead of you. But what can you do when you're not someone of importance, let alone blessed by the Divine?

"Xiao! It's me, [F/N!]" You yell out, hot liquids then starting to form in your eyes. "Please! Wake up!"

A loud thud echoes in the place once again as Xiao did not do any movement but swing his spear directly at you. Half of the railings from the Inn was obliterated from a single blow, the wood debris falling down below. However, as anticipated, Xiao wasn't a bit fazed. His lips carved into a stoic, blank expression with lifeless turquoise orbs all the while he tried to commit countless attempts of wounding you.

Having no choice to dodge anymore as you continually take a step back each time Xiao attacks, you find yourself stuck between him and the wooden railings of the Inn, your back making in contact with the cold ligneous fencings of the balcony.

Memories of your moments spent with Xiao flashes in your mind, the color of the surroundings and the feeling a bit too vivid for your liking. Sure, reminiscing the sweet times is not that bad. But given the circumstances, suddenly remembering those memories just discern of bittersweet aftertaste; now that Xiao who used to be your lover, is attempting to wipe you off from the face of Teyvat right now.

It was still hard to let that truth sink in to your mind.

You felt the sudden urge to bawl your eyes out, as you still have a lot of dreams and plans in store for you both when you grow old.

Although it was too late to sever your connections with him, you wished it was you instead who got corrupted instead of the adeptus who only wishes to fulfill his contract and find happiness within.

There might still be a way.

A voice from the back of your mind speaks. As you are stuck with a one-sided battle against the adeptus, you decided to cling on to this false optimism to find a way to return Xiao back to his old self. Having enough resolve, "I won't give up." You mumble to yourself and face the vista of the plains around the Inn instead. You lift your feet up and stand at the wooden fence, taking a huge leap off right then.

With a short span of time, the cold wind caresses your blood-stained cheeks, but the feeling soon comes to a halt. Falling down on the solid hard ground, you felt a sharp pang of pain on your head as you desperately tried to ease the aching from holding on to the injured spot for dear life. You let out a grunt, your eyebrows knitted and a scowl tugged on your lips.

Shit.

Cussing under your breath, you stood up and ran towards the opposite direction from the Inn, letting your feet take you wherever it stops its tracks to. You despairingly panted in an attempt to catch your breath, your heart raced with each beat, feeling anxious with everything that's happening.

You decided to draw some distance away from the adeptus for now to buy some time and think of a plan ahead. 

Xiao only remains on the balcony for a moment, seeing your body disappear from his dark, clouded  vision.

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