The monsters were getting worse. Twice now, I had been saved by passing members of the Adventurers Guild. There was no reason—no explanation—that they could offer besides their mirrored bewilderment as to the behaviour of the wildlife around Liyue.

I had concluded my meeting with Wangshu Inn's manager the day before, who had offered to hire escorts for me when I left on errands and supply runs. It was an important role, after all, working in the Ministry of Civil Affairs. I had gladly accepted, but with the increasing danger of the situation, I couldn't help but wonder if the escorts that now surrounded me and my cargo would be able to fend off the monsters that I knew lurked in the nearby hills.

I loosed a quiet breath, keeping a steady hand on the cargo balloon as it drifted down the path. One of my escorts—Verrin, he said his name was—flashed me a wry grin. "I see we've already received the dreaded Exhale of Dissatisfaction."

"N—no!" I blurted, waving my hands in denial. "Not at all! I was just worried... S—sorry, I do not mean to doubt your skills as my personal escorts but... these monsters have caused me much trouble recently and the widespread incidents have only been getting worse."

Verrin chuckled wholeheartedly. "Fear not, Miss Cargo Escorter. You shall be safe, by any means possible."

I offered a nod of gratitude, though his words were not enough to sway my doubts.

We continued on, me, Verrin and the other escorts—who were unfortunately not as lively—exchanging small talk to pass the time.

But our breath was soon taken away by the view as we stood atop the next hill, our eyes widening considerably. Verrin had a hand on his sheathed blade in an instant.

For what caught our eyes was not Liyue Harbour in all its splendour and beauty in the distance—but rather the valley full of raging monsters in front. A death trap, some would say.

I glanced at my escorts, taking a step in front of my cargo as if that would do anything to protect it. "Do you have a weapon of your own?" Verrin asked me.

"No," I breathed as I gazed upon the valley of terror. "None that would be of any use against these guys anyway."

"We should take a different route," the other escort beside me said. "This one is far too dangerous and—"

She paused as the ground shook. Footsteps.

We all turned our heads slowly. Coming up from the path we had just travelled was a Stonehide Lawachurl and its entourage of Hilichurls. My breath hitched and I became utterly utterly still.

Its eyes gleamed as it saw us. Verrin screamed the order to run and scatter before it had even summoned its Geo shield and suddenly my legs were moving as fast as they could carry me. I didn't know where I should go—only that I should move away from the valley. So I traversed right—and that Stonehide Lawachurl followed me.

I hauled myself higher—must go higher—over rocks towards the top of the mountains. The Lawachurl followed with easy steps. I was alone in the mountains—so very very alone. There was no one else to help me—nothing else to guide me except that lone command to run.

I felt something hit me and grew worried—an avalanche would be the worst thing that could happen right now—and looked up. What I saw above me was not falling rocks, but rather a thick blanket of midnight blue stretching across the sky. It wasn't long before the rain began to fall in sheets.

My fringe clung to my forehead and I had to continuously wipe stray strands of hair and water from my face. Behind me, I heard a loud thud that shook the rock I was climbing and dared a glance backwards. The Lawachurl had fallen—slipped and fallen on the wet rocks, it seemed. It turned and began to walk away, bored of stalking its prey in this hideous weather.

I loosed a shuddering breath as I realised I was in the clear—then another as I realised I wasn't. The torrential rain continued to batter down on me and my surroundings, making it hard to navigate the mountain—and I had no clue which mountain I was even on. "Lost," I whispered into the rain, resting my head on the slippery surface of the rock I climbed. "I'm lost..."

How stupid of me! Lost in a storm. If the Stonehide Lawachurl couldn't kill me, then the raging storm certainly would if I didn't find shelter. I strained my eyes to see through the grey gloom that surrounded me, searching for something—anything—that could provide me with somewhere safe to go.

And it was up where I found my would-be refuge—a barely visible cave carved into the mountain. I clenched my teeth as I continued the strenuous climb upwards. Of course, it was up. My muscles ached and I was sure my fingers bled from how tightly I gripped the jagged stones. But little by little, I was able to haul myself upwards—upwards towards safety.

And finally, after much climbing and stopping to rest my arms mid-climb, I finally found myself on the slight incline that would take me to the cave. I stood and hugged the cliff face, shimmying slowly along the incline. Smooth as it was, it was hardly safer than the rock I had just climbed, what with the little space it provided me. In some ways, smooth rock was more dangerous than rough rock when wet as there was nothing to grab onto, and the drop beneath the incline was—well, I didn't even dare look.

But I was almost there. My eyes were filled with determination as I kept them fixed on my goal. And then the rock beneath one of my feet gave way.

There was nothing to grab onto as I lost my balance and tumbled with a shriek—tumbled down.

And down.

And down.

I then felt a caress around me—holding me. My... how Death was warm...

⁜※⁜

I slowly opened my eyes. The air was warm—dry. But I was not. My damp hair still clung to my face in matted patterns. I could feel my right hand shifting but I wasn't bothered to see what was moving it. Above me was a ceiling of jagged rock and I could hear rain thundering down outside—as if we were deep within a cave.

"The Afterlife... looks weird," I mumbled to myself.

"You are not in the Afterlife." I turned my head to find a boy beside me, wrapping my bloodied hands with bandages. I looked closer. Yes, that was the figure of a boy, but those eyes—they were the eyes of one who had garnered wisdom after centuries of living, the eyes of one who had seen the most horrendous and soul-wrenching things that almost nothing bothered them anymore. "You are still a living, breathing human," he continued.

"How did I survive... the fall?" I asked him.

"What fall?" he simply said, not taking his eyes off my hands.

"I fell from the cliff," I said, beginning to sit up. " I was sure I—"

Immediately, he gently pushed me back down to rest on what I realised was some sort of cotton or fleece padding. "Wait until I say you're ready to sit up. Your body is still damaged."

"Damaged..?" I felt like I was in some sort of daze, so I did as he said.

"I found you here," he stated. "You have wounds, so I'm cleaning them. I know not of your situation nor would I like to."

I turned my head to find a fire beside us. Barely any of the material had been consumed by the small inferno, so it was just recently lit. I turned my head back to the person—no, not a person, not a boy, not a man, not a human. He carried a different sort of weight around him that humans did not.

"M—my name's Y/n. What is your name?" I asked out of curiosity. The male didn't reply, so I examined him further.

On his hip, the male had a mask that swayed when he moved. It was a beautiful thing, the pinnacle of the arts. Every inch had been carved with care, the colours striking and painted on with enormous amounts of patience and effort. And a thought struck.

"Are you... an adeptus?"

The male's neutral expression gave away nothing as he finally met my gaze, a blink the only sign of surprise at my question. "Why would you ask that?"

"You have the mask... You... you're an adeptus. You did save me."

"No—"

I sat up. "I did fall. You did save me," I repeated.

"I am nobody—"

"You are adeptus..."

The male opened his mouth to object, then closed it again with a slight exhale of defeat. "I didn't expect you to awake so soon," he admitted. "My plan was to fix you up and leave you here to wait out the storm before you could figure out who was here. But it seems I have failed."

My breath was shallow as if the revelation of who kneeled beside me had whisked all the air out of my lungs. "Oh, great adeptus, allow me to offer you my thanks."

He cringed at the title. "You owe me nothing."

I could feel that I made him awkward, so I paused and leaned against the wall, allowing him to finish bandaging my hands. His hands were small, soft, and his touch was gentle—gentler than I knew an adeptus could be. I felt a cool slimy substance scented with mint applied to my neck and it began to sting. I hissed, realising there was quite a large gash where my neck met my shoulders, most likely from when I had fallen.

After a few moments, I asked the adeptus, "What were you doing out there in the rain?" I had noted earlier how wet he looked—he was as drenched as I was.

"Taking care of business," he said without batting an eye. "The karma monsters have been gathering has made them aggressive. It is my job to take care of them." He met my gaze, reading the subtle question in my eyes. "All of them."

My mouth gaped open slightly. Powerful—he was so—"You killed... every single one of them?"

"Even the Stonehide Lawachurl that chased you this far."

"You knew?"

"Mortal affairs are none of my business but... I fought it not long after it had turned away from you and deemed you safe enough that I would be able to focus on killing it. When I returned to check on you, I was unable to find you, so I had thought you found shelter—until I heard your scream." He stilled, as if remembering the moment, his hands grasping my shoulder tightly. "You almost hit the ground."

I could hear the faint hints of guilt in his voice—guilt at almost not being there in time. But why should he feel guilty when he disposed of the monster who chased me, when he watched over me from afar to ensure my safety, when he rescued me when I was moments away from death?

"Had you not been there, I would have," I said by way of reassurance. I offered a soft smile in solace. "I am eternally grateful. The fact that an adeptus such as yourself would even spend the time to look after me is... You saved me. That is all that matters."

"I would say the method is what really counts." He finished applying the salve. "Your fall could have been avoided had I just..." He cleared his throat and stood. "My job is done. I must now take my leave."

"But it's... horrible out there," I objected, referring to the weather.

"Rain is nothing to an adeptus," he said—even as the thunder rumbled, echoing throughout the mountain cavern.

As he turned to leave, I grabbed his hand. "W—wait! I... I don't feel safe without your presence, great adeptus."

The look he gave me as he turned suggested he was able to see through my lie, but he sighed and nodded. "My name is Xiao. You may call me by name. It is more pleasing than..." He grimaced as he recalled his nickname. "Great adeptus."

I smiled. "Then, Xiao... will you accompany me until the storm is over?" I patted beside me in invitation.

Xiao slid against the wall, before he sat next to me, face slightly flushed either in embarrassment, awkwardness or both. "As you wish... Y/n."

As I gazed into his golden eyes—which remained averted from mine—I noticed the strange, almost mystifying beauty and gentleness that was held within them. Though I knew I should, I couldn't take my eyes away from the male who sat next to me. There was just something so alluring about him—and seeing that he was an adeptus, it was hard not to be interested.

And as the rain didn't seem likely to stop for a while yet, I requested, "Tell me about the things you have seen, Xiao."

He turned his head. "Like what?"

"All the strange and wonderful beauties and sights that granted you peace from the war." I was knowledgeable enough to know of the adepti's past feats. Surely, Xiao was one who fought alongside Rex Lapis.

He thought to himself, likely weighing the benefits—or drawbacks—of telling me these things. After moments of long silence, I assumed he wasn't going to tell me anything, to which I loosed a small sigh.

"Would you appreciate a story of when I first laid eyes on the Guili Assembly?" he said at last.

I smiled at the words and nodded eagerly, to which his eyes brightened. Perhaps he had never met someone so genuinely willing to listen to his stories of peace rather than war—never met someone with the childlike curiosity I held in my eyes. Lore was always an interest of mine.

And so, he began to regale the tale of when the God of Dust, Guizhong, had invited Rex Lapis to bring his closest adepti companions to the Guili Assembly. He at first was slow, hesitant in his words, but as the story went on and he described the Assembly's beauty, he became more easy-going, overcome by the peace that was held in his memories. I listened intently, envisioning the scene.

Xiao said he had lived within the boundaries of the Guili Assembly for some time prior to being invited to the capital but had not come further in than the outskirts. Besides, he often spent his time fighting in the Archon War alongside his fellow yakshas. On the day Rex Lapis had asked him and others to come into the capital, he was hesitant, though he would never refuse an invitation from Morax—as if it were an order.

And as he entered through the gates, his breath was whisked away from him. He described towering arches of stone with intricately carved designs, fields of blooming flowers—including Guizhong's own personal glaze lily garden—and the bustling of the countless citizens, all of who wore pleasant smiles. It was art. It was technology. It was peace. It was... everything beautiful in the world.

Coming to the end of his story, he paused, words lingering on his tongue. He opened his mouth to speak again, but it seemed he found he couldn't go on. It was understandable. Everyone knew of the ruins on the Guili Plains—everyone knew of the destruction that had befallen such a great civilisation.

"I'm sorry such a wonderful place was lost," I murmured, even though he had yet to say anything about its destruction.

Xiao sighed through his nose. "Its fall was bound to occur. It is not your fault. Do not stain its memory with your pity."

I nodded, mumbling another apology. An absence of words reigned the cavern once again, the thundering rain echoing through the cave, accompanied by the sound of the flickers of the fire. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, but my mind was left empty, with little to think about—until a question formed.

"Why exactly did you follow me, Xiao?"

Xiao's gaze drifted to me. "These mountains can be dangerous."

"I felt a presence... long before I entered the ranges. You have always been there—watching over me. That was how you knew exactly where I was. This encounter was not exactly chance."

The adeptus remained silent. I knew I was heading in the right direction. I offered a soft smile and made the longing for an answer in my eyes shine clear, trying to coax out an answer.

"You..." he began. "You have... caught my interest." I cocked my head in intrigue. Caught his interest? "You have for a while. You're such a... diligent worker. I'd often watch you from afar while you escorted cargo and ran errands. No harm has ever come to you before because I cleared your path."

So... a silent admirer... In no way did I mean any disrespect, but my mouth twitched to the side slightly as I said, "That's... incorrect." Alarm flashed in his eyes. "With the increase of monster activity lately, I have been under attack twice before now. Passing adventurers came to my aid."

Xiao's eyes darkened. "They slipped through my grasp..." Not a question—more of an acceptance of fact. From the wrath held in his gaze, he looked as if he were about to murder every single monster that walked Teyvat. He must've noticed the slight shock and fear written in my eyes because he willed himself into calm. "I apologise. I'll do better."

"No—no, there's no need. I'm not asking an adeptus to take time out of his day to escort me. I'm sure it's... I'm sure it's only trivial." My gaze drifted away. Refusing an adeptus, no matter how good my intentions were, was likely not going to end well. I had to be stupid—stupid or insane or even both to—

"Not to me." His stare pulled my gaze back to his eyes and my face bloomed with colour. "To other adepti, maybe. Human matters are of no concern to them but you... I've told you already, Y/n, that you've piqued my interest." His gaze dropped from my eyes to the bottom of my face and I saw some form of longing and desire—a silent request. "To even know your name was enough for me at the beginning... but now to confirm that you are as kind and... a—and wonderful as I had seen, as I had hoped..."

I began to wonder how long he had watched over me, longing to make contact but unsure if he should. Perhaps he thought it simply better to look on from afar and imagine. After all, how could an adeptus ever be friends with someone who worked under the Liyue Qixing when the two were constantly at odds? Surely, he knew that was my profession if he had watched me so closely.

But I had little to no qualms with the adepti—in fact, they were heroes in my eyes—and it would seem that if he had spent so much time to ensure my safety, he also wanted to befriend me, despite my profession. So I said, "Don't believe me to be so cruel that I would distance myself from you now that we have met, Xiao." I offered him a smile. "I'm glad we finally got this opportunity."

He seemed to have been lost in his thoughts for a few moments, as it was if he took no note of my words, only my smile that he subconsciously mirrored as he continued staring at my lips. Quiet and reserved, but also bold and assertive. Even as my cheeks turned a deeper shade of red, why would an adeptus need to be embarrassed about such things?

But I couldn't say it was a bad thing. In fact, it was largely endearing, watching this stoic adeptus succumb to my smile, so much so that I giggled. He blinked and snapped out of whatever daze he was in, gaze flicking quickly back to my eyes—away from my lips.

Outside, I heard the rain come to a stop, little trickles of runover the only remnants of the terrible storm that had passed—and I remembered that Verrin and my other escorts were likely looking for me.

I brushed a hand against his cheek as I stood, making to leave. "I should probably go. I guess I'll see you again shortly, Adeptus Xiao." As I began to walk out, a thought suddenly crossed my mind. Was he really listening when I had very clearly implied I wanted to see him again? So I stopped and turned and asked, "I will see you again, right? You'll stop keeping your distance?"

Xiao opened his mouth as he thought of the words to say, before closing it and nodding, allowing a small genuine smile to form on his face. "Of course."

That was enough reassurance, for I knew someone like Xiao would never go back on his words. And as I carefully shimmied along the narrow path down the mountain, I couldn't help but smile at the thought, which only broadened as I remembered how he had looked at me—at my lips.