Rediscovered (Genshin Impact x Reader)

Chapter 4; Trust

We ascended the stairs, I held a steady pace with him making sure he was okay the whole time. I felt glee talking and catching up with my close friend, reminiscing and teasing the old man like it was still decades ago. A few people glanced at us, as I spoke in a playful and sometimes mocking tone with the old man; as well as, talking about events that happened years ago that I should know nothing about considering my assumed age—being wholly lost in the conversation, I hadn't even realized that we stopped and stood among a crowd surrounding something. "The time is upon us." A woman spoke loudly, she was honestly breathtaking. From her long white hair to the beautifully crafted dress that brought out her strong physique. In a swift, elegant movement she summoned her geo vision to surge with power. Crystals floated around her before flying to the large item behind her, rotating once more. She turned to it, moving her arm in front of her causing the crystals to zip inside. I watched closely, my eyes locked onto the object.
A shockwave shot from the item, causing my clothes to ruffle backward and my eyes to close for but a second. A deep sound flooded the silent crowd as a beam shot into the sky. The clouds churned and darkened, and for some reason, I wanted to run. A few gasps let out, while others remained silent awestruck. However, the only thing filling me was worry. In an instant tension grew as the sun was snuffed out, the woman appearing confused. Something descended from the sky, hurtling quickly before crushing the table that resided in the center. Screams and gasps left people as smoke covered everyone's view. I grabbed Kai holding him up, while eyes were locked on the scene unfolding. A beautiful dragon lay unmoving, head dropping to the side.

My throat burned, and my stomach dropped to my feet. My mind screamed to run over and check them myself, yet, I couldn't move. My feet were locked in place, time seemed to slow. The woman quickly approached and examined the dragon, my nerves knawed at my soul as if it knew something I didn't. Whispers and murmurs filled the crowd, everyone's on edge. Seconds felt like hours as everyone waited for the woman's assessment.
In a quick and abrupt movement, she swung her arm back saying, "Rex Lapis has been killed! Seal all the exits!"

Men and women soldiers flooded in and quickly got to work, but I couldn't stop staring at the dragon's corpse. My heart strained as wet warmth dripped down my cheeks. I felt frozen in time, I had no clue why this invoked such an immense emotion but it did. Soldiers grabbed people left and right, people they believed could be suspicious. A man grabbed my arm and in pure reaction, my already cold body became colder as I gripped his wrist and ripped him away. Frost quickly spread up his clothing. Kai spoke but it was all muted, anger and grief filled my mind. My hands quickly grew blue with my damaging abilities intensified with my uncontrollable emotions. More yells filled the air as I jumped up and over the wall out of their reach, I didn't know where I was going or what I was doing. I just knew I had to leave, to disappear for a while.

...Zhongli's POV...

I watched the fake corpse fall from the sky, every one of my citizens panicking in their own special ways. None of them really caught my attention at first, except my newly found yaksha that seemed to have quite a reaction to my death. Her energy was starting to grow to concerning levels, a level that made me start to feel worried, thinking about sending Xiao to control her. In no time she was in the air and over the wall, running from the place that brought her pain. I was about to leave to follow and watch over her but my eyes meet a young, blonde boy and a flying creature that floated alongside him. I decided that I would sense of she truly needed help and watching the blonde was much more entertaining. I didn't want to come face-to-face with Skadi- I mean (Y/N), just yet. If I jog memories that wouldn't be ideal, I didn't want her to feel obligated to kill herself over and over to serve me if she can no longer handle that power she once held. Right now she is more of a glass cannon ready to shatter at the next moment. Sure, she has always been a glass cannon but right now she was full of cracks, the cracks that once were a hair wide now had chunks missing. If not mended soon she could very well die. Of course, I am not sure what will happen if a relinquish her contract, I never imagined I would ever have to... but that's a big possibility.