NOCTURN BRIDE • genshin Impact | ✓

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

a subtle breeze of freedom blasted through the atmosphere. as the apostle and alatus gracefully descended from the short distance trip from dragonspine to the top of the cathedral, they couldn't help but admire the stunningly tall statue of barbatos crafted alongside people worshipping it.

"ganyu." with an elegant tone, the apostle lifted her hand in front as a gesture. "it has been awhile."

ganyu bowed down, holding onto the apostle's hand as her nose came in contact with the apostle's fair porcelain skin. ganyu was slightly took aback, expecting a rough, callused hand — only to be greeted by a smooth, untouched one. almost as if the apostle never wielded a weapon in her entire entity of living, before she responded, "apostle, you came."

"i will get straight to the point." nodding her head, the apostle leaped up to a higher point of the cathedral. there was a large bell, she was very tempted to ring it. but now, was not the time. "i am sure that rex lapis would have noticed the absence of both of you; alatus and ganyu. i will presume he would come her very soon."

"but didn't he forge his death? why would he want to-" before xiao could complete his sentence, the apostle shushed him, putting on a small smile. "apologies, please continue."

"unfortunately, he is not a stupid man. it would be great if he were to be one." continuing on, she stretched her arms forward, as her meticulously crafted dagger appeared. a dagger that she wielded only when she acknowledged her opponents — it played a role of her extra limb. twirling it around, she blew onto the blade of it, before it was coated in a sheet of cold ice. "furthermore, he won't be the only one we're facing."

"is it barbatos?" ganyu questioned timidly. her eyes still darting low, head on the ground. "i suppose, two archons against us would be a tough feat. but it won't be impossible."

"we have other variables to consider as well. the tsarista will most probably not partake in this, however, i do believe that there will be a few others who... who declared their own independence." the apostle seethed in a bitter tone. nonetheless, her calm facade still remained. she tossed her dagger up into the air, before catching it in between her index and middle finger. "scaramouche, for an example. he's a dangerous one for sure."

"how so?"

"a failed prototype to raiden shogun. fortunately, his body is far too frail to hold a gnosis." with a pitiful sigh, the apostle held back a laugh. "he's holding onto it, in hopes to be an archon. but with no doubt he is powerful. well, basing off his attitude, arrogance doesn't come for nothing."

usually, people only become arrogant when they know they are better than many. they would seize this opportunity to look down on others as they claim the high horse.

"then, what is the plan?" xiao asked. his head tilted slightly upwards, to admire the apostle who stood meters above him. she would've been mistaken as a mythical creature, an angel from celestia or even a grim reaper if people were to closely look at her expression. "wouldn't it be hard to evacuate the citizens yet go against our enemies?"

"what nonsense are you talking about!" with a fake gasp, the apostle snorted ever so slightly. it was like she heard something so stubborn that she couldn't contain her laughter. "whatever do you mean by, evacuate the citizens?"

both ganyu and xiao looked at the apostle in disbelief. did she perhaps have another plan up above her sleeve?

"we're going go and harm the civilians."

"what- this wasn't part of our agreement to-" before both xiao and ganyu could retaliate the apostle; harming innocent civilians? they wouldn't dare to do that. if they could remember correctly, the agreement they made was to simply not protect the civilians, not harm them. they were two, very different concepts.

"is it because you doubt me?" it was a very short question. a question, no, it was more of a statement. she gave a snarky and sly leer, but her elegance in tone still remained. she bent down, her cunning vixen eyes staring right into theirs — like a fox preying onto two timid herbivores. "or are you planning to betray me and go back to rex lapis?"

"it's not that!" ganyu immediately denied. faltering under pressure, she waved her hands in anxiety, clearly portraying her nerves. "its just... we could never dare to hurt a civ-"

"even though you've killed more than you'd saved?" innocently batting her eyes, the apostle tilted her head before she witnessed the faces of her two companions turn sour. but, was it wrong? sure, it was a bitter truth, but its not like it was a lie. these disgusting thought of saving others, while killing many, many, many more; they call this justice? "i find it... rather pathetic."

neither ganyu nor xiao said anything. its not they couldn't, but they didn't know what to say. after all, the apostle wasn't wrong.

"it seems that we have company." turning around, the apostle could feel a radiating resonance of anemo and geo waves that radiated nearby. she licked her lips, head tilted upwards before she saw two silhouettes appear before her. barbatos and rex lapis; however they meekly concealed their presence in order to avoid attention from the citizens of mondstadt. "welcome, my beloved guests~"

the apostle smiled. but this time, her eyes didn't.

"it seems that, our show begins now."

because she wanted to die.

and never live again.

━━━━━

( CHAPTER XXVII )