The Tragedies of Life {A Genshin Impact OC Story}

Chapter 23: Control pt. 2

"What are you doing? Get up. Get up!" Signora barked at me. I had fallen over and over and over again, pain searing through every muscle of my body. The Fatui guard in front of me charged at me, leading with his head. With a yell of frustration, I tried to push him away. He's too big, and I'm too weak.

"Pathetic..." I heard The Balladeer mutter under his breath as he watched me. "This is who you chose to utilize what she has? Seriously?" His arms were crossed as he looked at me with disgust. I wanted to rip his eyes out with my bare hands, just to take that stupid look off his face.

I wish I could tell him how much pain I've truly been through, and if I had been under better conditions, maybe I could be a better fighter.

Or maybe I'm not.

Maybe I was just never meant to be found and taken in.

"The Tsaritsa has agreed to the 'experiment'. I'm not sure why I had to be her 'mother'." My mother spat. She looked at me with disgust too, but I would do so much worse to her than the other harbinger in the room. "If she fails, I'm leaving her to die."

I had expected to hear laughter from The Balladeer as I knelt on the floor, catching my breath, but instead he was quiet. I was wondering why, but then again I spend far too much time trying to analyze the other harbingers. I would do my best today, even if I secretly felt like dying.

I stood up, grabbing my scythe from the ground. There was a small part in the crook of the guard's neck that had no armor, just thick cloth. As he ran towards me, I ran around him and slashed his neck. Blood started spewing out, and I felt sick to my stomach. He knelt to the ground and started to die. I felt like I was dying inside. "I'm sorry." I whispered under my breath.

I knelt to the floor once again, my knees and ankles giving up on me. "Get up." Signora said once again. "Finish the job."

Feeling dizzy and my vision blurry, I shut my eyes as my scythe lunged forward to his throat.

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"So, that's what happened the day I truly met you." Wanderer stood up from his spot on the ground. The sun was setting, and Cyno and Nahida had already gone home. The remaining two were just taking a rest while watching the view, sitting side by side. The entire day had been spent destroying rocks, slimes, mechanics, anything they could find to test the true potential of Kinoko's abilities. However, the more she used her power, the more tired she got. Luckily it was the end of the day, and she could rest.

"Oh..." Kinoko mumbled. Somehow, just the vague description Wanderer had given her triggered a memory. "That's uh...something." She begged herself not to cry. It felt like feeling the pain of that day all over again, and she hated it.

"What's wrong with you?" He frowned, trying to see her face.

"I remember that day now." She said weakly. She told him about what she was thinking during that time, how much she hated him, and how much she wished she could tell someone how hard she had worked.

"I would hate me too to be honest." He replied. His gaze trailed off, like he was thinking. "You don't feel that way anymore, think those thoughts." He said it as a sentence, but it was more of a question.

Kinoko hesitated. "No. Not since...well, you know." Her memory traced back to when he helped her up when she was in a bad place mentally.

Wanderer looked away, his hands fidgeting with the tips of his hat. He didn't say anything to that, just stayed silent.

"We have a long day tomorrow. We should head back." Kinoko stood up, stretching when she did.

"Alright. Let's go, mushroom."