GNOSIS | Xiao

CHAPTER 5 | Karmatic (Xiao & Y/N)

Xiao's POV

I could feel the sticky warm blood mix with the rain as it ran along the side of my head. The hilichurl affected by my karma left put a few noises before trying to take another swipe at my head.

My hand tightened against my glowing emerald spear as I blocked it's attack that never came.

I felt the searing cold of cryo against my bare skin. My eyes narrowed as a new yet familiar figure walked in on my battle.

I let out a small growl before finishing off the last 2 hilichurls which were frozen in blocks of ice.

"You...again," I remembered my last meeting with the harbinger at Liyue Harbour, "Why did you get yourself involved with my matters,"

I could see clearer now my mask, a symbol of my position as a Guardian Yaksha, returned to its resting place. Her elegant face was half covered with a mask that represented her partnership with the Cryo Archon whilst an emotion of boredom graced her features.

I could feel my eye twitch as she took an exceptionally long time to clean and inspect her spear before answering,

"Not a thank you? You seemed to be tiring yourself there, so I decided to help put. And not a single word of gratitude. How disappointing young adeptus. You could have killed yourself there," Her tone was almost chiding.

"Young? I got one have watched over Liyue for over 2000 years!" I defended slightly.

"See. Young," She flashed a smug smile.

Her aura...it felt...familiar. She had traces of Rex Lapis all over her.

"You. Your the one that left the Lord of Geo. Your the one that betrayed Liyue," My grip on my spear tightened even more, "Your dangerous, Harbinger,"

Her expression changed into one of warning, "I'm on the hunt for the Gnosis who broke his contract with me. Your getting in my way young Adeptus, hate to hurt that pretty face of yours,"

I could feel my face heat up slightly, "Contract? Rex Lapis would never break one of his contracts,"

Y/N blinked and paused for a few seconds, taking in what she just said, "Uh...I didn't mean pretty in that way I just..." Her hard and stern personality from before broke into pieces as she stumbled over her words.

Ignoring what she said I continued my sentence, "What contract,"

"That. Will. Always. Be. None. Of. Your. Business,"

•••
Y/N's POV

Why did he turn red too? I want to smack myself. I should have thought through my words before I said that.

I shook my head as I walked back towards Wangshu Inn, not in the mood to teleport whilst the Yaksha simply took off.

The traveller and his floating companion should be at Wangshu Inn my now. Hopefully they find a way to kill that boy. I don't need Childe learning any more bad habits from me. His ability to laugh at someone dying is concerning...maybe that's just because that was Scaramouche.

"Almond Tofu was it? Just give me a moment," I heard a voice say as I walked into Wangshu Inn.

"Hmm, this Adeptus seems to be very picky," A familiar yet irritating high pitched voice said thoughtfully.

"Oh, Y/N! Your here too? Didn't you say something about going to do something?" She asked.

"I already did. Just down from Wangshu Inn. Have you found your last Adeptus?" I internally cringed at the thought of meeting Xiao again.

"Yes. Well not really. We just got here and we saw him. But he seemed really grumpy and injured. So we asked the Boss Lady about him and she said out of the mortal things he liked Almond Tofu. So we asked the chef to make one for us but he was like 'No! I can't! A chef's hands have to be steady or something because there was a ghost here. Then Aether here went to try and catch her but she possessed a Ruin Hunter so we had to defeat that one first. Now we're back," Paimon explained in her very Paimonial way.

"You did all that in the time I was walking back? I need to be able to teach this kind of efficiency to Childe. Tsh, takes half an hour to get out of bed but turns out he was making a snowman out of the snow that piled up outside his window in Zapolyarny Palace," I muttered earning a quizzical look from Aether.

"Almond Tofu, Traveller? Oh. Um. I won't bother you guys anymore," His eyes landed in me before hurrying back into the kitchen.

"Let's bring this to Xiao," Aether stated simply.

"Xiao! We brought you your favourite! Almond Tofu!" Paimon presented the delicacy as if it was a trophy, "Quickly. Tell him when he is eating it,"

He glared at me but gratefully took the dish.

Paimon and Aether finished explaining what happened during the Rite of Descension,

"You must be involved in this aren't you? You were there at the devising of his resignation," He said pointly at me.

I simply shrugged, "I am simply as confused as you as to why Morax decided to die during the Rite,"

"I doubt Rex Lapis would simply die. He would have been killed by someone of God-like authority," Xiao presented a very obvious hint towards the Harbingers.

"I-"

"I am not one to listen anymore. I will discuss this matter with the rest of the Adepti. But for now. Leave," Xiao turned around to take in the sights of Dihua Marsh and Guili Plains.

I motioned for the pair to leave but I stayed behind to make my point clear, "Do you really suspect the Fatui of deploying an act to kill the Geo Archon?"

"Yes," Xiao responded immediately.

"I hate you," I muttered.

"So it be," He replied not turning around to face me.

"The Tsarista would kill many in order to achieve her goal, yes that would be true. But her goal right now only requires the Gnoses. It is unnecessary to kill an Archon to obtain their Gnosis," I explained.

This time the Yaksha turned to face me, his aqua and black hair framed his frowning face, "And why would the Tsarista need the Gnosis?"

I let out a small laugh, "That is for the Tsarista and the Tsarista alone to know. She hasn't even told me! And if she did, do you think I'll tell you?"

Xiao let his eyes fall letting out a quiet, "No,"

I clamped my mouth shut, I could see something break in Xiao's delicate personality.

"Would you like to know why I left Morax?" I asked, walking over, resting my arms of the railing left to the Anemo-visioned boy.

I could tell he tensed up slightly, "Y-yes. Rex Lapis isn't one to simply loose one of his adepti,"