A Barricade Between Us (Childe x Wall)

Chapter 5

Studying the fine arts of magic in Sumeru's top university certainly had its benefits Lisa noted, as she effortlessly casted a complex hypnosis spell. The first symptoms already showing, the librarian was confident in her abilities. The only thing left to do was wait, the period of time it would take would vary from person to person. Yet, looking over the now-apathetic gaze of the ginger, Lisa was sure it would happen any minute.

The hysterical man on the floor finally fixed himself, absorbing the same mood the other two people in the room had. Now was the time for long awaited answers.

The bound man started mumbling something and everyone subconsciously leaned in. Confirming that the spell had been put to affect, Lisa thought it was best to make sure everything was going according to plan and asked a simple question.

"Who are you?"

The tone may have been soft and lilting, but it was reinforced by a stern calmness, leaving no room for uncompliance. The man, to whom the question was targeted at, shuffled slightly before speaking with a sort of dreamy haziness and putting long pauses in between.

"Tartaglia, the eleventh of the Fatui harbingers. Code name Childe."

The woman clad in purple hummed and nodded slightly in self-approval before continuing the makeshift interrogation.

"Did you take a book from the library?"

Preparing for a quick answer, the company yet again waited. But this time the ginger made no sound. A bit confused, Lisa repeated her question and was met with, yet again, an undefinable silence. As she prepared to say it again, the rose witch noticed how a momentous spark of clarity passed through his eyes. Knowing what about to happen, Lisa warned the group.

"Everyone stay back and be prepared."

As she looked back at Tartaglia, she wondered what could've caused such a reaction.

——

Being put under hypnosis was a first for Childe. A sense of being sucked in to an endless grey whirlpool accompanied him as his thoughts grew heavy. As if he hadn't slept for weeks, Childe subconsciously stopped thinking or perceiving, giving way to an unyielding curtain of grey noise.

Who knows how long he would've continued to drift in this lazy soup of consciousness, barely staying afloat, if not for a faint sound making him gain a spark of energy. If anything else was distracting him, he was sure he wouldn't have heard it, but soon enough he heard another faint echo.

It couldn't be!

"Childe! Where are you?"

Immediately remembering who's voice it was he tried replying.

"My beautiful arrangement of chiseled wood planks, I am here!"

As he felt himself gaining more and more consciousness, a dreadful power was trying to pull him back in. As he was about to give up fighting it, he heard his beloved wall call out again.

"Help me Childe! They're going to chop me down!"

Hearing that, the harbinger grew horrified and such found a hidden well of infinite power in him. Fighting with all his might to reach out, he caught a glimpse of his wall and was about to shout out a word of reassurance when another omnipotent power started pushing and kneading him out and away. With a helpless cry, the ginger finally woke up, a new power coursing through his body. He was ready to take revenge for his wall.