Hold Me When I'm Here

Jackal In The Dunes

[A/N: They are not far from Sumeru's capital city now. But in this land of wisdom just how far is one willing to go to seek the answers they need? They find out some promising leads. They all point towards the Academia. However now this being day four on the road, Ajax suddenly collapses as his condition once again worsens. They spot a stranger in the distance under the light of the moon.]

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It now looked hopeful after they had run into some of Sumeru's adventurers here in the oasis town just barely a day's walk away from the capital city where the academia was. "The city of sages..."Lumine thought. They were getting closer to finding a means to help Ajax but also find this Lesser Lord Kusanali. Along the way here to this town full of people heading to the capital and away to go towards their own destinations, they had stumbled upon an herbalist. The instant he saw the vine-like rash poking out from Ajax's sleeve she knew instantly. The cause of the poison was a rare plant with very distinct flowers and was cultivated at the academia. Apparently the plant was being studied as an option to create various new medicines. Unfortunately the herbalist had no clue how to make the antidote but had given them a picture. To Aloy the plant reminded her a lot of what some tribes in the forbidden west coasted their arrows in for hunting. 

Ajax though the entire day was feeling worse, like a lot worse as he trailed behind the girls. Briefly he had felt like he was improving but now he felt uncomfortably hot as his skin felt like it was burning with some kind of acid or had been bitten by frost. It was sharp and it burned as his chest felt tight. It was taking every ounce of focus to just follow them with each step. However, Ajax was stubborn and was refusing to listen to his body's desperate pleas as his line of sight began to fuzz over and blur in and out of focus just as they were leaving the town behind them.

 "Ojou-chan? A-Aloy?"he wheezed. The girls looked over with concern at hearing his call for them. Ajax looked about ready to collapse to them. Which had been happening way more frequently since last night. 

"Is everything alright? you don't look so good."pointed out Paimon beside Aloy.

"I-I need to take a break."he huffed rubbing his eyes trying to get them to behave as his headache had graduated to splitting migraine. 

"Aloy, we're stopping for a bit."Lumine stated swiftly steadying the poor ginger wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"That would be for the best. We're not far now from the city, we can afford a quick rest before we head out."agreed Aloy.

Ajax though as he was slowly being lead over to the shade of some trees started going into a harsh coughing fit, his hand covering his mouth. It sound quite wet; the sound of somebody coughing up water if they had almost drowned. It hurt him severely to do as his vision blurred and the world began to spin as he pulled away his hand. Lumine and Ajax's eyes turned wide in fright seeing blood in his glove. "L-Lumine....I-I hope your g-good at catch....ughnn..."Ajax instantly before their eyes collapsed out of her arms into a crumbled heap on his side with a rough thud.

"AJAX!!"The girls with haste hurried over to his side in frantic dismay. 

No reply came from him other then rapid, shallow gasps for breath as blood stained the corner of his mouth from his fit. Lumine was terrified for him as she could barely keep her hand on his forehead upon contact. He was really, really burning up and was white as a ghost as she could now see the rash had spread up from his collar bone from his left side. Fever scorched his sickly complexion with a reddish pink hue as his face contorted with each pained breath. Aloy once more running a scan with her focus.

"104.3°F, damn!"swore the young Nora. She had doubts because Sumeru was naturally hot but this was not the desert at fault. This had to be the poison at work with how severe his symptoms had begun to turn. For awhile it had seemed his body might have developed a resistance on his sheer will alone....how wrong Aloy was. 

"104.3°F!? Paimon doesn't think that's good..."Paimon squeaked in panic.

"It's not Paimon, Dr.Baizhu warned me this would happen. It's why I was in such a rush to reach the academia. I wanted to get him fixed before it reached this stage!"Lumine choked out. "But I think there's some things not even Dr.Baizhu foresaw happening."

Quickly Aloy grabbed Ajax and hoisted him onto her back with a little help from Lumine. They had no time to waste and extremely limited time if his health taking a turn as it did said anything. "Come on, you can't help him standing there. Lets hurry." Lumine and Paimon nodded and hurried after Aloy as they ran. The edge of the desert was in sight by the time the moon began to rise. But they did not stop until Aloy spotted a lone figure in the distance.  

"Lumine do see that?"she called gesturing with a tilt of her head.

Lumine saw alright.

The figure had a black cloak and was lean with a distinct jackal head shaped helmet or headpiece. His silver white hair shined in the light of the moon while sharp copper red eyes locked over at them. He wore some kind of kilt with a sash and Sumerulite jewelry adorned his body as he held a polearm in hand. From what she could see the stranger's figure was very obvious that of a young male in his late teens to early twenties. Making him around Ajax's age in fact. The around him were tell tale signs of elemental energy of some kind being used like a pyro or geo. The evidence proved factful as Lumine spotted the distinct glow of a Vision on his kilt's belt. 

To their surprise the stranger hopped and surfed down the steep dune to hurry over to them. Not stopping until he had reached their group. The tanned boy's expression was stoic but his eyes sharp and full of emotion as they spotted Ajax's face and the signs of the poison that wrecked havoc on the exharbinger's body.

"A Fatui. And not any old Fatui, you brought the one they are now calling the Deserter."The man's tone was straightforward and cold as his gaze never left the ailing ginger archer's unconscious face. His words caused Lumine to step between Aloy and Ajax with sword in hand.

"What you want ? Are you after Ajax?"snapped Lumine.

"Hm. Direct and to the point, I like that. Judging by your clothes you're the famous Traveler everyone is talking about. I have been waiting anxiously for your arrival after hearing what you did in the nations of Freedom, Contracts, and Eternity."he began turning his gaze to Lumine. "You intrigue. I wish to learn more about you so I will take you to the academia if you desire."

The stranger's gaze then turned to the one the Fatui had called the Deserter. Just what would cause the now former 1tth Harbinger to end up on his own archon's death penalty list? The boy wanted to find out. But what trouble him was the young Snezhnayan exile was showing signs of severe poisoning from a regivine unique here to Sumeru. "His handy work no doubt."thought the tanned stranger.

"Come with me, I can help your exharbinger friend....or rather, I know somebody that can. But in exchange you Traveler tell me of the things you learned while we run."he stated smoothly.

"You can really help him?"asked Lumine hastily letting her guard drop. 

"Yes, didn't I just say that? I will be frank your friend's condition is serious and judging by how the rash has progressed he's got 72 hours left to receive the antidote. So we best hop to it."sighed the man in annoyance.

"Lead the way."Lumine agreed putting her sword away. "But what is your name?"

"You may call me, Cyno."

To Be Continued...