Beyond Which Lies the Wind

17: Rippling Waves

You listened carefully to make sure the street vendor that Childe had been talking to was well out of the way before you let the crackle of electricity run along your hip where your Vision rested, down your arm, and into the polearm you materialized in your hand. In that same moment, because he would've sensed you unleashing your elemental powers by the change of pressure in the air, you leapt into the main street with every intention of skewering Childe directly through the throat.

You gave him enough time to counter, perhaps too much time because it crossed your mind briefly that you were attacking an unarmed man just trying to eat some street food in peace. Too much time, because the blade of your polearm clanged against steel with a horrible screech – he defended himself with merely the limb of a bow he'd materialized almost at once, what a madman – and you fell back warily.

"Haha, so eager for a fight," he called out to you as you put even more distance between the two of you because you couldn't use the range of your weapon to your advantage if he wielded a bow and arrows. "I thought I'd made it clear. We have three more months ahead of us before we can... indulge ourselves. Can't you be patient for me?"

"I never made you any promises," you said, summoning a bolt of purified lightning from your Vision to strike him where he stood. He dodged easily, of course. Even from a distance, you could see his eyes dancing, alight with excitement, like ocean waves crashing violently against the shore. The splash of water that followed the arrow he sent flying in your direction and the droplets sparkling at his fingertips and hair – Hydro, of course. He wasn't a good matchup, not unless you wanted to electrocute yourself along with him. You leapt backwards again, putting more distance between which he closed easily with long, languid strides.

"So quick to flee," he said conversationally, and suddenly he was right next to you, leaving behind an afterimage in a shower of water where he was moments before. He forcefully swung the back of his bow against your polearm as if it were a melee weapon. You parried, spinning your own weapon to knock Childe's out of his hand, and he actually had the nerve to laugh as he easily switched up his grip to the other hand and nocked an arrow, directing it point-blank at your heart – you struck it cleanly out of the air with the blunt end of your polearm and the next arrow whizzed past your ear.

"As much as I'd love to continue," Childe began, but you slammed the heavy metal shaft of your polearm horizontally into his chest, with enough force to knock the breath out of his lungs. He doubled over, wheezing from the impact. He coughed, and real irritation entered his voice and expression for the first time. "Can you just listen for –"

You raised your hand toward him, palm facing up as electricity hummed against your skin. You made direct eye contact, staring levelly and unpityingly into his pained expression as you let your Electro energy flow forth, discharging electricity through the ground and the puddles of water to funnel it directly into his heart. It wouldn't be enough to kill even a lesser man, and you had hoped for him to faint from the shockwave, so the manic laughter that bubbled from his throat was unexpected. He laughed as the buzz of electricity faded, and then his smile disappeared.

"You test my patience," he hissed between his teeth, and suddenly the light in his eyes wasn't playful anymore, but cold and deranged. You'd flipped his switch and pissed him off, finally, but at what cost?

Faster than your lightning, an arrow was pressed against your jugular vein, ice-cold against your skin. Childe grabbed your wrist before you could leap back to break free, digging the sharp arrow painfully into your neck and tightening his grip as if he weren't afraid to snap your arm in half.

"Will you have me break a contract, the sacred laws of this very land just to take your head?" he whispered hoarsely, his eyes glinting dangerously blue, a stormy sea threatening to swallow you whole. "Believe me, I want nothing more than to tear you to shreds, but I must exercise some self-control. Work with me here, or you will regret the day you were born."

You nodded, dazed.

He released your wrist, and you let your polearm dissipate with a wave of your hand, wincing because he'd held fast so tightly it felt like he'd bruised the bone. As if flipping the switch back, suddenly Childe chuckled amicably and patted you on the shoulder like an old friend.

"Well, well, you didn't disappoint," he said. "A little headstrong...I like that, if not for the contract I'm bound to for another three months. I look forward to our battle even more now, haha! I'll see you around."

As if he could leave just like that, as if nothing had happened. But it wouldn't be worth it to anger him further – it was painfully obvious that he'd been holding back, and if he could catch you off guard, then he was strong. He was a Harbinger after all, regardless of his cheery facade. You'd been overconfident.

"See you," you said coldly.

"Oh wait!" he said, jogging to catch up when you turned around to purposefully head in the opposite direction, "You hungry?"

You stopped, whirled around to stare at him in disbelief. His easy grin was blinding, and a strange feeling tugged at your heart. Annoyance.

"That's none of your concern." you told him.

"Come now, don't be like that," he said, falling into step beside you as you walked faster. "Didn't you have a blast beating me up? It'll be more fun next time, I can promise you that! In the meantime, I'll be happy to buy you dinner."

"That's..." you faltered at how unbelievably dense he was. "That's ridiculous. Don't you have everything backwards?"

"Oh," he said, bemused. "Do I? I wasn't explicitly banned from being in your company. So I suppose it wouldn't hurt to ask you out – ow! What was that for?"

Your punch had been the least painful thing you'd inflicted on him yet, but he nursed his arm as if you'd struck him with the strength of your elemental energy behind the blow.

"You're pushing your luck," you said, feeling the sparking electricity of the Vision at your waist, a warning charged with unfiltered Electro.

He laughed, unfazed. "I deprived you of a good fight, the least I can do is to make it up to you. Besides, won't you feel better after spending a boatload of Fatui money, after all that Northland Bank has done to you? I promise you can order anything you'd like. You have nothing to lose. Or do you?"

If you accept Childe's offer, go to Chapter 32.

If you reject his offer, go to Chapter 33.