High Impact || Genshin Impact H.S AU

Chapter 13.5

Fumes singeing his eyebrows and heat pressed onto his face, Kaeya looked around the locker room. He saw numerous students coughing, a few shaking uncontrollably and another few on the ground, unresponsive. Kaeya dashed to the unresponsive students, heavily concerned for their well-being.

“Hey, are you alright?” he asked one, realizing it was Xiao. Gripping Xiao’s shoulders, he shook him, wanting a response. Then he heard a gasp of air and coughing, relief filling him for a bit.

“D-dude, that’s not CPR,” Xiao said weakly, his face coated in dust as he coughed into his fist.

“Don’t care, you’re awake now,” Kaeya said quickly.

“Yeah, it was just a few cuts, I just passed out from the explosion or something,” Xiao said, using Kaeya’s shoulder to stand up. The two boys got up and began to search around the locker room, examining their surroundings. Then Kaeya remembered Diluc and his argument, wondering where he was.

“Diluc?” Kaeya cried out, knowing that the red-headed boy couldn’t be far. He was right as Diluc was still next to his locker. Kaeya dashed to him and shook his shoulders. Kaeya quickly discovered the dripping liquid staining Diluc’s shirt. His heart went still as he realized it was blood.

“We need to get out of here, ASAP!” Kaeya cried out, scared as hell for what could happen to Diluc if they didn’t hurry soon.

“Okay but dude, look,” Xiao said, pointing to the other side of the locker room. Kaeya was confused, only seeing dust but then he heard voices. Not the usual deep grunting voices found in the boys’ locker room but also the softer and higher-pitched voices as well.

“Uh, is anyone there?” a familiar voice said. Kaeya squinted and realized it was Sucrose, behind her were Yoimiya and Barbra. They were all wearing large shirts, Kaeya immediately blushed, remembering that both parties were changing before the explosion took place.

“Uh hi, is everything alright?” Yoimiya said.

“Not really, Diluc might be dead soon if we’re not out of there quick enough,” Kaeya disclosed.

“Oh shit,” Yoimiya said, a bit too calmly for Kaeya’s taste.

“She’s in shock,” Barbra said. Kaeya nodded, understanding a bit more.

“G-guys is there an exit around here or?” Sucrose asked.

“No, I’ve scoured the locker room, it seemed the explosion only opened up the wall that divided the two locker rooms,” Xiao said. Kaeya started to feel the blood touch his shirt, seeping and staining it with red. His heart lurched and he began to take it off, wearing only a pair of shorts at this point. He wrapped it around Diluc, hoping to stop the bleeding.

“Er- hopefully that will hold till we get help,” Kaeya said, denying the fact that it wasn’t doing much his adrenaline and shock were still activated. However, it seemed fate was against them as they all begin to hear a loud echoing ticking noise. Kaeya’s skin tensed up every time it ticked loudly, banging into his head and making his heart scream in fear.

“Oh god,” Sucrose murmured. Yoimiya’s eyes went wide, and she seemed to stare blankly. Kaeya didn’t love the expression, not used to seeing her talkative classmate go so silent.

Other students begin to shout out frantically, collectively panicking. Kaeya had to hold Diluc close inf ear that he might get trampled by the other students as they rushed to the walls and tried clawing at them.

“Help!”

“I can’t die!”

“Ahh!”

And many more cries of desperation as the room continued to blare the ticking noise, vibrating through the lockers and bodies. It made it hard to think but thankfully one person came along with a solution. Kaeya looked up and saw Sucrose, holding pair of matches with a mysterious liquid in a glass vial. She directed her aim towards the wall that Kaeya remembered was connected to the outside shores.

Immediately a new explosion occurred, the nose being bombastic against the concrete and straining Kaeya’s eardrums. Wincing and rubbing his ears, he noticed light peeking out. He then heard Sucrose say something along the lines of “Hydrofluoric acid concoction with matches sure a useful weapon,” but he was more focused on getting out.

“Everyone MOVE!” Kaeya commanded out, and no one needed to be told twice. All the students began to dash out of the locker rooms in a mad panic, once again almost trampling Kaeya but he was a football player and was able to push the panicked students off to the side as he got up.

Carrying Diluc bridal style, he joined the mob and hurried onto the sandy beaches. Diluc simply murmured, eyes closed and the bleeding still going. Kaeya gulped, hoping to save him quick enough.