A Light To Call Home ☆Genshin Impact☆

Historia Antiqua II

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3rd POV

As the wandered through there surroundings, Akemi's sharp eyes caught onto a a faint shape on the ground ahead. She squinted, reaching out to tug on Aether's braid.

The sudden tug caused Aether to nearly fall back in surprise, and he turns to the girl annoyed. "Akemi..." he muttered in a warning tone.

"Nonononono here me out–" The pyro user hastily pointed over into the distance, I see a dead weight sack looking thing over there!"

At the mention of this, Aether and Paimon stare at where Akemi was directing them too and their eyes widened in realisation.

"Hey! Over there on the ground! Is that one of the missing people?" Paimon's voice broke the silence as she pointed toward a figure sprawled out in the distance.
Zhongli and Kun Jun followed Paimon's gesture, spotting a man lying motionless, half-buried in dust and grime.

They approached, their steps quickening with concern. The man lay face-down, his clothes tattered, and his hands rough with calluses. His breathing was shallow, and his skin was pale, smeared with dirt and the marks of hard labor.

Kun Jun crouched beside the man, inspecting the surroundings. "There's a basket here, too... Looks like mining supplies." He lifted his gaze and nodded grimly. "This must be one of the miners."

Paimon floated closer, her voice soft yet urgent. "Hello? Can you hear us?" she called, hoping he would respond.

Akemi knelt down, her expression a mixture of curiosity and mild disdain. She nudged his arm gently with her foot. "Completely out," she remarked with a touch of detachment.

Zhongli observed the man carefully, his amber eyes assessing every detail. "Judging by his appearance, he must've collapsed from exhaustion," he said, noting the dark circles under the man's eyes and his sunken cheeks.

Akemi crossed her arms, casting a skeptical glance over the man's awkwardly twisted limbs and the dirt smudged across his face. "Of all the ways to faint... What an odd position," she said, her voice carrying a hint of sarcasm.

Paimon nodded in agreement, turning to the others. "Should we wake him up?"

Suddenly, the man stirred, muttering in a voice barely louder than a whisper, "No... I don't... want to dig..." His voice was filled with an almost desperate reluctance, as if haunted by the very thought of it.

Paimon's eyes widened. "Did you hear that? He's saying something!"

Aether leaned in, his brow furrowing. "It's like he's struggling with something... some kind of dream."

Akemi's gaze sharpened as the man shifted, a look of irritation crossing her face as he unconsciously tried to lift himself. Before he could get any further, she pressed her foot firmly on his arm, keeping him pinned.

"See? Just as I thought. Looks like he's been hypnotized or something," she commented with a smirk, more amused than concerned.

Zhongli's hand found her shoulder, his grip steady yet gentle. A faintly scolding look softened his otherwise composed expression. "There's a camp nearby. It would be wise to take him there so we can properly monitor his health before deciding on our next move."

With a reluctant sigh, Akemi withdrew her foot and bends down. "Fine." She reached down, gripping the man by the collar worh little patience, ready to haul him up without a second thought.

Kun Jun's eyes widened as he quickly intervened, raising his hands in protest. "H-Hey, careful! He's injured, you can't just drag him like that," he insisted gently, reaching out.