Dark Secret

Chapter 12: Crystalline Voice

"Paimon, go get yourself some sleep."

"A-are you sure Lumine? You haven't been too much of yourself recently..."

"I'll be fine, Paimon."

Paimon looked unsure for a moment. "Whatever you say... just wake Paimon up if you need anything..."

"I'll be fine. Just go."

Paimon started to float away, and Lumine saw her disappear into a puff of stardust at the corner of her eye. Lumine relaxed, seeing the little chatterbox gone.

Finally.

Lumine stood up and looked upward.

Are you watching, Aether? Do you see the beauty of this world, not just the darkness of the Abyss that blinds your eyes?

Lumine sighed, and started to walk towards the edge of the cliff she and Paimon were camped on. At the edge, she looked down.

I can see why Liyue's people consider Luhua Pool a sacred place.

Below her, the crystal blue waters of the Luhua Pool glittered. Lumine looked behind her, making sure no one was watching her, and she jumped. Boy, she wanted her wings back. She could soar through the heavens, traveling from world to world again. It was her, the cursed god was... she was the one that had taken away her wings. At the last moment, she released her glider and gently floated onto a little island that had been formed in the middle of the pools. Lumine admired the waters in front of her and gasped.

It shouldn't be there. No. No. It's not supposed to be like that.

In the reflection of the lake, where her constellation was supposed to be blurry, her constellation was fully revealed.

It's supposed to be foggy! Mona couldn't view it because it was foggy, and it's still supposed to be foggy, even now!

Lumine's head shot upwards once more. In the sky, her constellation was foggy, yet in the water...

The water repeals illusions that show as reflections. I have no choice, do I?

She stepped into the water and began to sing.

(Put the link here right here when posted on Wattpad)

Lumine's legs gave out under her and she dropped into the water. She wasn't just exhausted now, no. Her mind was plagued with the living nightmares that she had always tried to forget. The Unknown God, her brothers' corrupted face... but the most vivid was a land burning, destruction everywhere she looked.

Finally able to sense someone's presence, her head looked into 5the stranger's location. "Who's there?"

The stranger laughed, and approached Lumine, lowering his hood. "Jeez, Lumine. Now I know to never get on your bad side ever again."

Lumine's face flushed. "Childe! What are you doing here?"

"I heard someone singing in the distance, and I wanted to go see who this mysterious singer was, and I never thought I would find you there~!"

Lumine hesitated before replying to his explanation. "You heard all of that?"

"Yep, and if I'm going to have to say my last words right now, it's that I don't regret it one bit!" Lumine took a glance at the water's reflection, where her constellation was now blurry.

That means it worked... but listeners disintegrate if the magic works... especially if it's sung by one of our kind...

"Lumine? Lumine!"

Lumine emerged from her thoughts. "Yes?"

"You alright? You're mumbling a bunch of stuff."

"Yeah. I'm fine. I should probably go now."

Childe hesitated before asking her. "Okay, you can go... just... why are you avoiding me all of a sudden?"

"I have? I didn't realize. Later!" Lumine spun on her heel and took off running.

"What's wrong with her these days?" he mumbled under his breath and continued on his way to Liyue Harbor to meet with Zhongli.

I'm sorry Childe. I'm not ready to tell you where I'm headed to.

A single tear rolled down Lumine's face as she charged up the cliff and landed with a little plip.

...

"We can't have the love of your life disintegrating because of one simple song now, can we Lumen?" a hooded lady in white and silver, and gold looked into a little orb, showing Lumine singing and Childe silently watching. "For the story's only just begun, little Lumen."

A/N: Sorry, but that's all I got for you so far! Until the next chapter, happy holidays, and... 3... 2... 1... HAPPY NEW YEAR! 新年快乐！ あけましておめでとう！새해 복 많이 받으세요! ¡Feliz año nuevo! Maligayang bagong Taon! (English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Filipino, is the order of the languages I typed in if you were curious!)

Best Holiday Wishes, and Happy New Year!

Xiaolumi78, also known as Qinglang, 清狼, 칭랑, チンラン (Qinglang but in different languages)