In Your Eyes: Empyrean Admonition

You Are Forced to Fight

South of Chatrakam Cave, Sumeru

"Do you hear me? The auction team was unsuccessful and we are now fighting this Eremite group," Alhaitham's voice blared through the Akasha Terminal that he modified. He sounds breathless on the other side and you can hear fighting, "If you think you can't fight then retreat back to the city, understood?"

He doesn't wait for you to reply when the line gets cut off by another voice, "Another group has surrounded us here! Captain Beidou has started the fight and the whole auction tent is a mess. No, not the antique vase! Aww, I was planning to take that home."

Kaveh grunts on the other side, probably fighting other people as well. You can hear the clash of swords as both men are caught up in battle. The heated situation in both of their places is in stark contrast to your current location. You and Zhongli are in a quaint campsite northwest of Sumeru City, the only road that leads to the city from the supposed area where the auction takes place near the wall. There is a gentle breeze that ruffes the leaves on nearby trees and you can hear the flow of the river around the area. You can see anyone who might be coming in from Vanarana or Chatrakam Cave, so far nobody has passed through this way.

"Are you really planning on taking home stolen property?" Alhaitham asks and you can hear him catch his breath, "Cyno, that woman can summon a Spirit of Omen. Oh, then I guess I'll just watch your fight here."

Kaveh grunts but also says, "Haitham! Are you really just letting Cyno fight a woman and whatever she summons? That's like two against one! Tell him to be safe."

"If Cyno can't handle her then he can't handle me," Alhaitham chuckles. "Yeah, I'm talking with Kaveh. He says you should take care. Huh? Cyno says he can also take care of you if you want to, Kaveh."

"No, thank you! Ugh, hey! Cut it out..."

You jump up from your seat and exclaim, "Kaveh?! Are you okay?"

Kaveh grunts in response, "I have enough of playing around. Feast your eyes!"

His line gets cut as Kaveh starts to fight more seriously. Alhaitham has been quiet for sometime now too and you wonder if he is doing okay on his side. Zhongli walks closer and hands you a small flask, your hands shake too much to take hold of it that it drops on the ground.

"I'm sorry!" You bend to pick up the flask but when you stand up, you find yourself inside Zhongli's domain.

"Calm down and stay here," Zhongli commands. "Let's make this place a bit more comfortable..."

A table and chairs appear in front of you inside the adeptal domain. He places his pack on the table and takes out some snacks and water before conjuring a spear.

"A group of Eremites are closing in about a kilometer from our location. They are probably headed to the city to hide as calculated by Alhaitham so I will be intercepting them." Zhongli turns his back on you but looks at you before saying, "This domain is weaker than what I usually create so I want you to try breaking out of it. Think of this as a test if you are really ready to fight. Visualize the place where you want to go to then pour out your adeptal energy to it, if you are successful you should be able to break out."

A huge door appears out of nowhere which Zhongli opens. You can see a group of Eremites on the other side of the bridge approaching your area fast. The archon nods calmly at you before stepping out, leaving you alone in the domain.

"Alhaitham? Kaveh? Can you hear me?"

Nobody responds, probably because the Akasha Terminal signal got cut off by the domain. You look around and you seem to be in the same place where Zhongli took you before, a floating island with rolling clouds hundreds of feet below you. Zhongli said that this is a test for your competence as an Adepti and even though it must be a bit too early for you, your competitiveness won't let you back down.