Genshin Impact | "The Last Night in Aaru Village" | Alhaitham x Lumine

Return of the Scarlet King, Part 2

Return of the Scarlet King, Part 2

The General Mahamatra barged into the house of the scholar from the Vahumana Darshan, Tirzad. It was a typical researcher's house filled with nothing but books and scrolls. Without wasting any time, he searched the house and found the wretched man in his office, writing his next paper, probably the result of his research into the Scarlet King's civilization which ended up with two people dead.

The scholar looked up and fell to his knees when Cyno walked in. "Not again!" he cried as he started sweating in buckets.

"Not again?" Cyno's eyes narrowed as he trotted closer to Tirzad. He stopped and stared at the man kneeling before him like he was about to be executed.

Tirzad prostrated to the General, his face almost kissing the floor, and recited, "I didn't do anything to the Traveler! I swear it with my life! Nobody forced her to the Eternal Dreamland. She volunteered by herself. Paimon and Jeht can attest to that."

"Calm down. I already know that from Paimon." He helped the man to his feet. Even though he didn't like this scholar after everything he had heard from Paimon and Jeht, he needed to get clear information from him, and it would be time-consuming to collect from a hysterical man. "Did Alhaitham meet you?" he asked.

"Yes!" Tirzad said quickly like he was a child snitching on a bully. Then, he related what happened to the General Mahamantra.

Tirzad was sitting peacefully in the same office with a parchment before him and a quill on his right hand. His heart felt heavy for the two deaths that had happened in the course of his research, Jebrael and the Traveler. After attending the Traveler's funeral and hearing the Archon's eulogy, the scholar found a renewed kind of faith in himself and his research. He decided he wasn't going to let their deaths go to waste. His task now was to record everything that had occurred so that everyone may know the truth behind the Scarlet King and his ancient civilization, a revelation that will shake the foundations of everyone's knowledge about the King Deshret.

He dipped the quill in a small pot of black ink when the door to his office swung open. Looking up, the ink dripped on his parchment as the Acting Grand Sage walked into the scholar's office like he owned it. He immediately got to his feet, alarmed to see the man who bore the second highest position in the Akademiya come into his house without prior notice or even knocking.

"Tirzad," Alhaitham spat his name as he looked around the office, his eyes and voice as cold as the mountains in Snezhnaya.

"Y-yes, Acting Grand Sage. Is there anything I can help you with? Your visit is quite unexpected..."

"Of course," Alhaitham settled his steely gaze on the man before him. "This is not a courtesy call."

"...then to what do I owe this surprise visit for?" He recalled his last encounter with the Scribe. It was when they had returned to the Akademiya with the Traveler's dead body. His heart sank when he remembered how the Acting Grand Sage had collected her body in his arms, embracing her gently like she was his most prized possession.

"You see, I had a very detailed interview with Paimon before coming here. Information that was previously omitted regarding the Traveler's death are now coming to light. And you play a very big role in it." A soft breeze from the window flapped Alhaitham's cape, revealing the sword on his hip.

Tirzad swallowed. "I-I already told you everything that happened..."

Alhaitham unsheathed the sword from his side, revealing a spectacular blade designed to fit the Scribe's element. Dendro energy swirled around it as the sharp edge reflected the light from the lamps in the office. He stared at it for a moment, feeling the hilt in his hand, appearing satisfied as he slashed on empty space a few times. Looking menacing, he turned to Tirzad and said, "I am very curious if you will be singing the same tune once I, say, place this blade next to your neck."

"But I already told you everything! There's nothing more I can add!" The scholar felt his knees buckle and his bladder was threatening to give in

"I have sharpened this exquisite blade with the most reliable whetstone. I need to know how effective it is at cutting flesh now. Would you care to help me find out?"

Tirzad fell to his knees, groveling for his life. "I-I didn't do anything! I swear to the seven archons of Teyvat. Nobody forced her to enter the Eternal Dreamland. She went in at her own accord."

His patience was wearing thin. "No, but you urged her to do it. You urged her to enter the void and die so that you may survive!"

His bladder finally gave in as buckets of sweat rolled down his face and neck. "It wasn't my fault," he said while chocking at his own words. Tears streamed down his eyes. "It was Jebrael! He was weak and couldn't defeat Samail so the Traveler had no choice but to battle Samail herself."

Alhaitham regarded the man with disgust. He swung the blade close to the scholar's neck, stopping it next to a pulsing artery. His lips curled in a sneer as the other person quivered in fear. "You are not only a liar but a coward. I should cut you to pieces. I assure you, if I do, you will not count as loss to the Akademiya, and nobody will ask why the Acting Grand Sage did it... Or I can make it so that nobody will even know that you're dead."

"Fine!" Tirzad admitted. "I did it! I urged her to go in to save us all. But what else was I supposed to do? I don't know how to fight and Jeht just lost her father. I only did what I had to do to survive."

The Scribe huffed after his confession. "I already know that. I just want you to admit to everything, so we can start our conversation with honesty." He withdrew the blade from his neck. "Now I have a lot of questions regarding the Eternal Dreamland, and you will answer each and every one of them in full detail and no lies. I will know when you are lying."

"Yes, Acting Grand Sage! I will tell your everything with honesty!"

Cyno listened carefully as Tirzad finished his story. The scholar said Alhaitham had asked him about the prayer a person needed to chant in order to enter the Eternal Dreamland.

"And he asked for the Scarlet Sand Slate. He took it with him, saying he would borrow it for research purposes." Tirzad said.

"As ridiculous as this may sound, all his actions seem to point that he's planning to enter the Eternal Dreamland," Cyno said.

"But if he does, he will die. Nobody enters that place and comes back alive..." the scholar confirmed.

The General Mahamatra placed his fingers over his chin, deep in thought. "I can't possibly fathom what Alhaitham might be thinking. But I do know he is not someone who walks into a dangerous situation without a plan."

Cyno, Nahida's voice echoed in the General's mind and his head perked up. You need to go to the desert. This is the most likely place Alhaitham is headed next. Find him and stop him before he enters the Khaj-Nisut.

---end of part 2---