Faded Harmony

A Lost Goddess

"We haven't done anything wrong! We haven't harmed anyone!" said Lyra, her body aching, battered and bruised as she stepped in front of her friend Nocturna. Her hair, as dark as the night, billowed around her as she lay on the floor, unconscious. There was not even the twitch of an eyelid to show she was alive. But Lyra silently prayed she would be alright, because when a god died, they became their surroundings, and she was not yet ready to lose her friend of a thousand years.

"But you could have. Neither of you are to be underestimated. And if a war broke out, would you truly choose to stay neutral, my dear Lady of Song?" The snake-like voice came from all around her, and Lyra turned, panic filling her heart. How do you defeat something that knows all your weaknesses? "Sleep."

And with that, darkness prevailed.

*

"Are you sure we can't talk this out?" asked Lyra, looking nervously at the hilichurls who were poised to attack. She hadn't even been back for 10 minutes and she had wandered into a group of hilichurls who seemed awfully close to a city. The light of the stars and the fire in their little camp was all the light Lyra could use to see. She had no weapon in hand, no sword, no arrow, no knife.

They charged. One held a fire as if she were a vampire, and two shot arrows.

Lyra sidestepped the charging hilichurl and the arrows shot by the other two. She silently thanked herself that she was petite and fast. She sang.

'The night sky shines because of stars,
And gentle storms will soon brew,
So sleep through the darkness,
Listening to a quiet and lonely tune.'

She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding as they fell asleep, but her relief was short-lived as a fire spread through the grass. Lyra ran towards the city lights, like a moth to flame.

"Hey!"

Lyra turned to the sound of the voice to see a girl in red fly - no, glide down to her. The girl pulled out a bow and arrow, and Lyra tensed. But the girl turned away from her and instead looked to the fire and shot arrows into it with impeccable aim. Lyra relaxed, sure the girl was after the monsters and not her. A quick glance at the girl revealed a small orb at her side, radiating celestial power. Lyra raised an eyebrow, but decided not to inquire.

The girl gave Lyra an appraising look. "I haven't seen you around before. Are you a traveler?"

Lyra, deciding the truth would be unbelievable and better off unknown, nodded.

The girl considered her. "It's not safe out here, especially at night. Why don't you come into Mondstadt?"

Lyra nodded again, as the girl turned around and led the way to the city. The girl was looking around the plains, her eyes searching the darkness, her mind elsewhere.

"Who are you and why were they here?" Lyra asked, the silence rather unbearable.

"Amber. I'm an outrider of the Knights of Favonius. Hilichurls are usually found in the wild, but recently, they've been building camps closer and closer to Mondstadt." She paused for a second. "What's your name?"

"Lyra."

Amber stopped at the bridge, and Lyra took a step back to avoid running into her. She gestured to the side. "Take a look."

Lyra looked down at the water, stagnant and clear under the bridge, and she smiled at the stars reflected in the water. Dandelion seeds danced over the lake, searching for a place to grow. Lyra could almost make out the tiny purple lights that were her eyes, in the darkness of the water and light of the stars.