Flying in the Wind [Genshin Impact]

Chapter 12. You can take my word for it

Chapter 12
You can take my word for it

Approaching the Tenryou guard headquarters, Ayaka spotted something that made her stop. Outside the fence surrounding the building, a man was sitting just to one side of the main gate. His back was against the fence and his head down, his chin tucked into his chest. Beside him on the floor, a sword rested in its sheath. At first glance, he would seem just a beggar, resting or waiting for someone to be kind enough to share some moras with him. However, he wasn't just any person, and Ayaka managed to recognize him almost immediately.

"Thoma... That man..." the young Kamisato indicated to her companion, pointing to the seated man. Thoma looked at him, and though he didn't recognize him as quickly as Ayaka had, he finally did.

He was the man with the Pyro vision from the day before. The one who had confronted the Tenryou guards and been struck down by General Kujou's arrows. What was he doing there on the street? He should be in a cell from what they had said before they took him away.

As Ayaka and Thoma watched from afar, two guards came out of the main gate armed with their spears. Catching the man sitting next to them, their gazes were visibly filled with annoyance.

"Still here?" One of them muttered, irritated. "We already told you to leave, now."

The man reacted succinctly to being alluded to. He slightly raised his head without focusing his gaze on them or any other place. His lips parted, and from them came some very low murmurs.

"What are you saying?" one of the guards muttered, crouching beside him.

The man continued to murmur, but he raised his tone little by little until his words managed to be heard.

"My vision... I want my vision..."

The guards hissed in irritation.

"You are stubborn. You know very well that we will not return it to you. Go now before we kick you out."

The warning had no effect. And even that man dared at that moment to extend his hand towards one of the guards, taking his ankle firmly with his fingers.

"My... vision... Give me... my vision..."

"What's wrong with you? Let go of me!" exclaimed the guard he'd held down, quickly kicking him away from him with his other foot. The samurai's body was pushed back, falling onto his side.

"You asked for it..." snapped the other, raising his spear with the clear intention of hitting him with the lower point of the weapon.

"Hey!" Ayaka's voice suddenly rang out, quickly running towards them. "Stop right now, please!"

The sudden presence of the Heron Princess drew the attention of the two guards in another direction. And recognizing who it was, the attitude of both changed, taking a step back and adopting a firmer and safer position.

"Ah, Lady Kamisato," one of them muttered, his voice almost trembling. "It is an honor..."

Ayaka ignored them and instead went straight to the man on the ground, crouching down beside him to check him out. He had the mark of the kick stamped on his face, but he did not seem disturbed by it. In fact, his gaze was gone, fixed somewhere far away; he didn't even seem to notice the young woman's presence at his side.

Beneath his worn clothes, Ayaka ascertained that his arm and leg, which had been stabbed by the arrows the day before, were bandaged. But very little time had passed, so surely the wounds must still be open. They also needed to be cleaning and changing bandages.