Memories of Home and Hearth

Chapter 1

Massive waves were in the midst of trying to overturn a vessel daring to cross over them. Rain and hail poured in torrents, inundating the ship from all angles, while lightning posed a fiery threat to the masts and sails. Amidst the chaos, orders struggled to be heard over the cacophony of crashing waves and roaring thunder.

"Take in all sails! "

"Batten down the hatches!"

Jean clambered up the steps to the deck where the steering wheel was being managed by the captain. "Grand Master, I'm not sure how much longer she can endure. We must seek calmer waters."

"Keep her steady! The only way we're going to find the source of these anomalies is to head deeper into the storm. For now, we'll try to ride out the storm."

Jean was not about to accept that she and the crew were about to perish in the sea. "Tend to your men. I'll take over from here. They need your directions. Go!"

"Yes, mam!"

The moment he let go, the wheel started to spin out of control. Jean grounded herself and grunted as she tried to regain control and steer the ship to safety.

"Drop the anchor! Come on, lads, pick up the pace!" The captain yelled.

Just as Jean was regaining control of the wheel, a wave crashed on board, nearly sweeping her away. She would have been tossed overboard, never to be seen again, had it not been for the sudden formation of ice around her calves and a strong hand grabbing her arm.

"Careful now. I'm the one that will get blamed if something happens to you." She knew the voice all too well.

Lightning illuminated the sky, revealing that it was Kaeya who had saved her from falling. Jean used a sharp burst of anemo to break the ice that had formed around her legs and rushed to regain control of the spinning steering wheel. She had to yell to be heard over the deafening storm and chaos.

"You're assuming you'll survive this?" She shouted at Kaeya.

Kaeya held onto a side of the steering wheel to assist in stabilizing it. In the midst of all the turmoil, he managed a smile. "Hey, we've faced worse situations than this. From where I stand, it's just another day at work."

Jean struggled with the wheel, her strength waning. "We haven't encountered weather this severe since Stormterror attacked the city. At least back then, we had solid ground beneath our feet."

"Hold fast! Hold fast!" The captain's warning echoed as another menacing wave loomed over the ship. Crew members clung to anything sturdy enough to withstand the force of the ocean.

Amid the chaos, Kaeya swiftly seized Jean and pressed them against the wheel as the ship was battered by another wave and began to take on water. When the immediate danger had passed, Jean turned her gaze to meet Kaeya's. "We need to uncover the cause of these anomalies before they reach Mondstadt."

"Indeed. It seems we're getting closer to the source, but the weather is only getting worse and it's nothing but open ocean out here."

Jean's face filled with concern. "Kaeya... What if... what if the origin of these storms lies beneath the sea?"

"Then we need to retreat and get to the bottom of it."

The captain ascended the stairs, gasping for breath. "Grand Master... I implore you, reconsider. We must retreat now if we hope to return home safely."

Before Jean could respond, a mysterious change swept over the sea. The waves gradually subsided, and the fierce winds abated. Though the rain still fell heavily, the hail ceased. The three of them exchanged puzzled glances before turning their attention to the calmer sea. "This is just as unsettling. Weather doesn't naturally behave this way," Jean remarked.