As the sun rose into the sky, I stood at the docks, watching the light illuminate the cerulean sea, the cries of black-tailed gulls ushering in the dawn.
"Madam, your cargo's all set!" a sailor hollered from the crow's nest. "It's about time to depart!"
Nodding, I collapsed my parasol, greeting the captain with a curtsy and holding onto the mast as the ship lurched into motion.
I descended the stairway to my quarters, the planks creaking beneath my footsteps, kicking aside dust bunnies and cobwebs.
Honestly, is this really a suitable place for a princess to stay?
Tugging open the door to my bedroom, I faced a sparse and unkempt room, consisting of no more than a wooden table paired with a stool and a small bed with a thin steel frame.
I smirked, running my fingers over the porthole.
Liyue.
From the outside, Liyue Harbor was a port of dignity, charm, and prosperity, but in truth, it was a city swarming with greed, hunger, vice, and lust. Lady Ningguang handled all matters of the day from her throne in the sky, observing the affairs of merchants and peddlers while the land was bathed in the brilliant rays of the sun. Meanwhile, I watched over the night by the light of the glazed moon, looking down upon a city lit by the glow of golden lanterns and echoing with the whispers of criminals and frauds. And so, for as long as I could, I worked alongside the Tianquan, maintaining this equilibrium and ensuring the safety of the citizens of Liyue through our unspoken partnership.
I reached into my pocket, removing the white-jade smoking pipe I had received from Lady Ningguang.
The Celestial Pearl . . .
It was time for me to take on that mantle once more.
"Madam, I've brought you something to eat!"
Unbolting the door, I was met with a scrawny young man with dirty blonde hair, holding a small silver tray filled to the brim with food.
"Thank you for your generosity," I responded. "If you wouldn't mind, would you fetch me a few books and place them outside of my door? I'm afraid it will be rather dull to remain here without any tasks to occupy myself with."
He saluted me curtly. "Very well, madam."
I shut the door, staring at the meal indifferently.
On one of the plates was a slice of bread, smeared with marinated tomatoes and garnished with a sprinkle of oregano. Beside it lay a glass of ginger ale, paired with a green unripe apple.
Biting into the apple, I placed one of the seeds in my palm, taking a deep breath.
"Divine forces of time, breathe life into this being!"
The seed cracked in half, a sprout bursting through, until it transformed completely into a miniature fruit-bearing tree in a matter of seconds.
With a wave of my hand, the tree vanished, and I reminded myself that it was still hazardous for me to practice the unstable art of time reversal.
Dendro was a mysterious element, and there were few who were capable of harnessing its power. It wasn't an ability suited for combat, but rather, one that belonged on the sidelines, serving as an assistant and amplifier. Only through careful and precise application could the true essence of the Dendro element be revealed: the manipulation of time.
After a plant surpassed its prime, its leaves would fall, its flowers would wither, its fruit would rot and its life force would drain, until even its heartwood became one with the rocks and the earth. Such was the dependence of Dendro on the elements of nature, and many came to dismiss that dependence as weakness. And yet, on the contrary, I believed such fragility, such vulnerability had its own kind of beauty. Anemo was an element that changed rapidly, constantly twisting and turning and churning and swirling with the frivolous caprices of its wielder. Geo, on the other hand, was firm and unyielding, embodying strength, resilience, and stability in both the body and mind. Electro was the manifestation of desire, devouring all in its path with instantaneous and lethal retaliation, focused in pursuit of a single goal. Hydro, swift and agile as a rushing stream, saw to the upholding of justice, fleeing to the defense of the innocent and the protection of the weak. Pyro was an element of passion, most present in the hearts of the brave and chivalrous, exploding with youthful energy and determination. Cryo was solemn and ruthless, sentencing its users to a life of apathy, despair, and detachment from humanity.
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𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜'𝙨 𝙜𝙡𝙤𝙬 // scaramouche x oc
Hayran Kurgu--DISCONTINUED-- As the former heiress of the Yashiro Commission, Rin's past in Inazuma is . . . complex, to say the least. She was the true Shirasagi Himegimi, before her sister, Ayaka, took over that role in her stead. But when she left the nation...
