Archons x male reader
Candle lights flicker, rain drops onto the ground.
7 souls captured in the heart of darkness.
The candle, extinguished.
Credit to the artist who drew the art in the story cover.
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Y/n and Nahida ran as fast as they could, their breath coming in ragged gasps as the monstrous creature pursued them relentlessly. Its heavy, thunderous footsteps shook the ground, and Y/n could hear the terrifying growls of its three heads behind them, getting closer with every second.
Nahida, despite her exhaustion, summoned her power once more. She stretched out her small hands, her face pale with strain as she called upon the earth. The grass and vines surrounding them responded to her magic, writhing and growing with an unnatural speed. Thorny tendrils shot up from the ground, wrapping themselves around the creature’s legs, trying to slow its progress. The wolf snarled in frustration, snapping at the plants as they tightened around its limbs, but it wasn’t enough to stop it.
“Nahida, come on!” Y/n shouted, pulling her along. He could see how drained she was, her energy barely holding together. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her breath was labored, but she kept going, determined to protect him.
The monster roared again, breaking free of the vines with a single, powerful lunge. It shook off the plants and surged forward, closing the distance between them in seconds. Y/n felt a surge of panic wash over him as the beast’s claws raised, ready to strike them both down.
Just as the monstrous wolf’s heads lunged toward them, Y/n grabbed Nahida and threw himself to the side, narrowly avoiding the deadly strike. They hit the ground hard, rolling through the grass as the beast’s claws sliced through the air where they had been moments before. Y/n’s body screamed in pain, especially the deep wounds on his back, but he forced himself to move.
Nahida struggled to get up beside him, but her energy was almost gone. She looked up at the massive creature with fear in her eyes, her magic flickering weakly.
Y/n’s mind raced, desperately trying to think of something, anything, to protect them. But they were trapped—there was nowhere left to run.
The wolf snarled, and in a flash, it leaped toward them again, its claws outstretched and fangs bared. Y/n instinctively shielded Nahida with his body, bracing for the end.
But it never came.
With a sharp, piercing sound, a polearm flew through the air with deadly precision and impaled the middle head of the beast. The monster let out a bloodcurdling howl of pain, its three heads thrashing wildly as it staggered backward. The deadly polearm had gone straight through its skull, killing it instantly.
Y/n blinked, his heart racing as he looked up and saw Zhongli standing tall behind the collapsing monster, his hand outstretched from where he had just thrown his weapon. His golden eyes gleamed with quiet fury, his expression calm yet fierce.
The beast crumpled to the ground with a final, defeated growl, its enormous body going still.
Zhongli rushed toward them, his face softening with concern as he knelt beside Y/n and Nahida. He gently helped them both to their feet, his voice soothing but firm. "Are you both alright?"
