To Avenge a Friend - Kazuhei/Scarahei

Chapter One

Through the dense forest, Heizou sprinted, oblivious to the slashing branches drawing blood and the rain that clung leaves to his frantic form. A disheveled mess, he cared not for his appearance; his sole focus was reaching the forsaken warehouse. Time was a merciless foe, ticking away relentlessly. He had to get there before the impending doom unfolded, before his dearest friend met a gruesome fate at the hands of unseen adversaries.

Heizou's anguished cry echoed through the air as he rushed to the lifeless body of his friend. In a desperate attempt, he cradled the cold form, feeling the last vestiges of warmth slip away. With meager medical knowledge, he tried to stanch the flow of life, but the damage was irreparable. The gash across his friend's stomach was gaping, drenched in a crimson cascade. Heizou, too, became drenched, his hands and clothes stained with the hauntingly hibiscus-colored liquid. The brutal reality set in – his cherished companion was gone. Overwhelmed by grief, Heizou wept, holding the lifeless body of the person who had shared the entirety of his childhood. Unbeknownst to him, scarlet eyes observed from the shadows of the haunting forest.

Heizou stayed there until sunrise, for hours, he wept inconsolably, his face buried in his chest, yearning for the faintest sign of a heartbeat. He stayed there ignoring the multiple footsteps running towards the clearing. "Heizou!" Kujou Sara's voice reached his ears, but he paid no mind. The voices of the others faded into background noise. "Get a medic, quickly!" Kujou's authoritative command resonated through the forest, and although he could picture her gesturing towards a direction, he was too fatigued and overwhelmed to even bother opening his eyes.

Heizou, through the midst of the chaos had fallen asleep, exhausted.

~

As consciousness gradually seeped back into him, the world emerged in hazy fragments. Blinking against the lingering darkness, he became aware of his surroundings. The sensation of lying down, limbs heavy and unresponsive, hinted at the passage of time. The disoriented fog began to lift, and he could feel the pokey, grassy, surface beneath him. Rubbing his eyes, he pushed himself into a sitting position, grappling with the remnants of grogginess. The minutes that had slipped away during unconsciousness felt like a distant dream, and he surveyed his surroundings, piecing together the fragments of memory that led to this moment.

His friend was dead.

~

A week had elapsed since the unfortunate demise of his friend, and the toll on him was evident to both Kujou Sara and himself. The disheveled state of his uncombed hair and the pronounced bags under his eyes bore witness to his deteriorating condition.

Recognizing the urgency for a change, Kujou Sara took decisive action. She cleared his schedule and arranged a trip to Liyue, despite his initial protests. With a firm determination to help him heal, she ushered him out of his dim, secluded abode—bereft of sunlight for days—and pressed into his hands a bag containing essential provisions.

~

Heizou grumbled discontentedly as he emerged from his cramped living space aboard the modest ship, the harsh sunlight momentarily blinding him. "Welcome to Liyue, good sir! I hope you enjoy your stay!" The captain's cheerful greeting fell on deaf ears, Heizou's expression near lifeless as he disembarked.

The lively scenes that greeted him in Liyue—streets abuzz with chatter, children immersed in play—stood in stark contrast to the somber atmosphere that had engulfed Inazuma as of late. Fortunately, he held a special pass granting him temporary access beyond the confines of his homeland, a respite lasting no more than a month.

The air held a crisp and gentle quality, prompting him to consider the logical step of securing accommodation. After a bit of inquiry, he discovered what seemed to be the lone hotel in the city: Baiju Guesthouse. An urgent need for rest drove him to swiftly book a room, harboring a desperate desire to spend the entire two weeks in Liyue asleep. However, the looming expectation of Kujou Sara pushing him to return with an improved mood lingered, preventing him from entirely succumbing to an extended slumber. Nonetheless, a day or two of undisturbed sleep seemed harmless enough.