𝘪𝘧 𝘪 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴, 𝘪'𝘥 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶.
Seasons may change; years will pass, and time─a deep blue yonder. To which if such a strange phenomenon puts an end to the samurai wanderer's mundane life, w...
NATURE CARRIES A PROMISE, ONE THAT SHALL LAST FOR MORE THAN A THOUSAND YEARS. best read in sepia/beige
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It was a peaceful afternoon like no other.
The voyage sliced through the stagnant ocean, creating ripples that scared the nearby gulls to take flight in the vast, warm-gradient sky. Schools of fish quickly swam away as if it were first instinct had they been alerted of the grandiose pirates' return.
One would say the treasure hoarders could learn a thing or two from these creatures. After all, their survival was the living testimony.
A gentle breeze encountered Liyue's Crux Fleet; one laced with the fragrance of summer's fall.
"It is that time of the year, I see."
The soft claims of the young samurai fell as swift as the landing maple leaf on his bandaged palm with its ends dyed in red. Whistles of the coming season purred in his ears, kindred to a whisper of a memory's once bittersweet euphoria.
Do the winds of old entail a story long foretold? To which it pars with an Archon's tale─one that shall forever be withheld? Flagrant moods of the heavens, the world's beckoning cries to dare venture its lands, and the call for an eternal dance of life's subjugation─none of that remained foreign to the boy's senses of absolutely clarity, a gift bestowed upon him ironically by the gods.
However fortunate he may seem, the billows of fate dared not concur. From a strike of a lightning's glow, to the severed blade piercing on the ground having lost against a mighty foe, and to which the leaves of the crimson tree they once shared soared through Teyvat's endless expanse with a silent woe, his journey has yet to meet its remarkable end.
A road he paved with his own sword, one bounded to storms and suffering. A never-ending endeavour.
"Kazuha, did you make that out of paper? Pretty realistic, I must admit."
The captain of the ship, Beidou, stepped forward to join the Inazuma immigrant on his idle break. He always kept interesting musings in his sleeves and it never failed to beguile the person she is.
"Not this time," Kazuha rejected her praise, lifting his arm. "It roamed in the sky from that direction, then, it slowly lowered itself and rested on my hand. I believe it came from the islands not too far from where we are."
Beidou searched the area where her fellow sailor's gaze was directed at.
It was the path to eternity itself.
"The winds carry immeasurable secrets. It goes without saying that its beginning and end remain anonymous." She fixed her eyes on Kazuha who looked back in wonder at her words.
Beidou, of all people, wasn't ignorant of his story. His past that carries many great burdens could shackle him down, and yet, he continues to strive for freedom. With a driving passion and a clear goal, Kazuha stood firm and true to his convictions.
Indeed, he impeccably is an embodiment of the Anemo element itself.
A gust of wind blew by them and their crown of glory fluttered with its momentum. His red eyes glimmered under the azure sky, with its yellow hue reflecting the lone flake on his right hand.
An expression so collected and gentle, though worn daily, the current mid-day sun revealed what lay behind that carefree mask. A forlorn glint.
Noticing, her lips curled a smirked. "But of course, that's a challenge unmatched for us Crux. We explore the impossible, and brazenly seek out the mysteries of this realm. Our lust for adventure never quenched." Beidou tucked a dark brown strand behind her ear, fixing her eyes on the breathtaking horizon unmasked before them; the ship lulling them with a tranquil sway.
"So then, tell me something," she crossed her arms with a curious brow and turned to Kazuha. "What could possibly be this leaf's fable?"
Tiny waves crashing into the ship's bottom engulfed them. The sailors chattering filled their absent conversation, and their liveliness seemed to provoke the well-kept emotions.
Nonetheless, Kazuha managed a weak smile. One that bewildered even someone like Beidou.
"There was...once a time I admired this view with someone under the shade of our favourite tree. The leaves fell, turning red, marking the season's change. It was nothing grand, but the moments we shared were very much special."
His eyes closed as if to savour the memory drizzled with honey. A happiness short-lived.
"Where are they now?"
Kazuha stayed quiet, dwelling for a minute. Then, he parted his lips and gazed back at the melancholy scenery,
"Hm... That is a wonder I, too, often ask myself."
