Childe had to give it to the girl. Amber's reaction time was almost as good as his own.

Dodging, both of them jumped away from each other as the Lawachurl slammed its fist down into the earth between their feet. The ground shook with the impact and Childe could hear berserkers forming a ring around them. Casting a frantic look to where Teucer was Childe couldn't help but feel relieved to see Amber already had the boy in her arms making a mad dash for shelter.

The Lawachurl roared making a swipe for him, as Childe flipped out of the way. This was not a situation he wanted to be in right now. Childe felt his old wound groan under the pressure of all the flipping and dodging he was doing. If Teucer wasn't so close Childe would have simply unleashed his whole power and flattened the annoying bug, but the risk of his brother getting in the crosshairs was too high.

Childe cast a look over his shoulder. Amber was holding her own surrounded by a group of berserkers. Two laid at her feet knocked out clean, but the rest had her backed up against a tree. Teucer was halfway up the trunk clinging to the lower limbs as Childe watched horror as a hilichurl turned his bow up and aimed. With a shriek Amber roundhouse kicked the attacker in the face and landed before swirling on her heel, drawing her bow back, and landing an arrow cleanly into the mask of another bowman.

If Childe hadn't been more preoccupied he would have almost said he was impressed.

Childe dodged slashing at the Lawachurl's hardened skin. He hated Geo shields. They were always so annoying. With a grunt, Childe landed a more forceful blow causing the Lawachurl to stagger his power up flickering for a moment before he reared back at Childe angrier and enraged than before. Childe dodged the ground at his feet exploding in a mist of shattered rock and pulled his bow out. Aiming with one eye shut Childe let loose his arrow watching it sail through the air and land cleanly thru the Lawachurls eye slit of his mask.

Blood spewed as the Lawachurl howled raising his arm to his face other arm swinging wildly around him. Flickering the Lawachurl's geo defense finally dropped, skin finally becoming soft.

"Over here you lump of rock!" Childe yelled backing up to put a good amount of distance between them and the other members of the group.

The Lawachurl lowered his arm balling both hands into fists and roared. With a lurched it charged the vision user intending to smash Childe under its weight.

Childe smirked and felt a familiar power fill him as the enemy got in range. The a flourished he unleashed his vision at full force hitting the Lawachurl head on knocking it back. Its roar became a gurgled groan as its arms cartwheeled back the monster realizing its mistake too late. Childe watched with satisfaction at the Lawachurl seized up going stiff before falling to the ground and disintegrating into dust.

Now, Childe swirled readying his blades, time to deal with the rest of them.

Except there wasn't any more to deal with. Childe stopped looking at the sight before him. Amber stood in front of him, chest rising and falling with her panting, as she stood over a half-dozen unconscious hilichurl foot soldiers, bow still in hand. Above Teucer was yelling about how awesome she was pumping his fist into the air the other hand balancing him on a branch. Amber smiled up at the boy taking a deep breath and before turning back toward Childe.

Childe wasn't quite certain what his stomach was doing at the moment Amber and his eyes locked, her smile still stretched across her face. It was confusing and concerning to him all at the same time. He was still trying to figure it out when Amber's smile dropped a look of horror crossing her face as she started to raise her bow again, yelling his name as she lurched forward.

"Childe behind you!"

The Harbinger realized he had made the number one worst mistake in combat. Childe had let his guard down. He cursed under his breath as he barely dodged feeling the cold, rusty metal of the ruin guard's arm slicing past him and slamming into the ground.

Couldn't he just get a break, Childe thought dodging as the metal giant took another swing at him. What Archon had he pissed off so bad to deserve this type of luck?

The ruin guard twitched and jerked toward him chirping into that weird ancient grabble that they made. Childe raised his sword ready to fight and felt a shadow fall over him. Jerking his head around he cursed. Of course, there were two of them. Why not right? One ruin guard was bad enough but two were just a headache. Plus, Childe didn't have enough stamina left to take them out with another burst.

With a jerk, both ruin guards slammed their fists into the ground making the ground shake. Childe dodged, slashing one with his blade making it stagger but the other just came over the first swiping at him with an open palm. Childe realized he couldn't get out of range and braced himself for impact.

A streak of red soared over the Harbinger's vision as he watched Amber arrow land perfectly into the ruin guard's weak spot. Glass shattered as the machine jerked going still before falling down knocking its companion back several feet. With a grin, Child took the opening and jumped using his vision to launch himself up on a small tidal wave. Aiming down he plummeted his blade straight through the opening Amber had made and into the ruin guard's core. In response, the ancient machine chocked out a few mashed-up noises before it fell still.

One down, one to go.

"Mr. Cyclops!"

Childe heard Teucer's voice from the younger boy's spot in the tree and froze. For the briefest of seconds, the Harbinger had forgotten his younger brother was even there. In horror, Childe watched as the remaining ruin guard jerked as if it heard his brother yells and with the sound of groaning gears turned in the direction of Teucer's hiding spot.

Feeling his stomach drop Childe jerked his blade free and morphed to his bow. He fired but the ruin guard only flinched moving its leg forward in deliberate steps. It had honed in on Teucer and simply ignored Childe like he was an annoying gnat.

No. Dread spread through Childe's veins like poison. He was out of stamina, and he knew once a ruin guard homed in on a target the only way to stop it was to kill it or get the target out of range. Teucer though was five feet up a tree completely oblivious of the danger that was marching toward him. Childe felt himself lurch forward just as the ruin guard bent down placing its hands on the ground, the missile launchers on its back flaring to life. He was going to have to use foul legacy. It was the only way Childe was going to make it in time and Teucer was going to see. His brother was going to find out, he—

"Launch me!"

Childe heard Amber's voice as if through a haze and looked over to see the girl running up towards him. Her eyes were blazing as she looked at him, bow in hand.

"Launch me, you idiot!" She yelled again.

It took Childe a fraction of a second to realize what she was doing. Summoning his vision power he formed a wave around himself. Amber jumped, feet landing gracefully on top of the current as Childe forced it to surge upward sending the outrider into the sky. Pulling her bow back Amber aimed down just as the ruin was almost fully charged and fired.

The shot hit the guard's weak spot with an audible crunch of rusty metal. Jerking the light from its missile launcher faded as it staggered to stand again. Coming down Amber caught herself on the gap between the machine's head and body with one hand and with a yell of determination took the edge of her bow and slammed it straight into the guard's front weak spot, shattering the glass. Childe could hear the gears whirl and groan the machine staggered, and the Harbinger watched as Amber front flipped over its shoulder and landed perfectly on the ground.

Swing back around Amber pulled back her bow, the tip of her arrow coming to life with a fiery spark, and let loose. The projectile soared through the air finding its mark straight into the ruin guard's core. With a final jerk, the machine groaned and went still falling forward and hitting the ground. All Childe could do was watch as the dust settled.

Blinking Childe's mind finally seemed to be catching up with what his eyes were actually seeing. Looking up he locked eyes with Amber. The weird feeling in his stomach had returned as well.

"That," Amber stated triumphantly, placing her hands on her hips. "Is how you properly shoot a bow."

:.

"You killed Mr. Cyclops!"

Amber was at a complete loss for words for what to say to the younger boy. She still had sweat drying on the back of her neck and Teucer was rubbing his eyes tears streaming down his face over the pile of rusted machinery that had just tried to kill him.

"I…Teucer that's a ruin guard." The outrider tried to pat the boy's head but only got her hand smacked away. Desperately Amber looked over her shoulder at Childe for some sort of help.

The older man was just standing there staring at her, a thousand-mile look in his eyes.

Amber cleared her throat. "Childe, a little help here."

The man jerked as if suddenly coming out of a daze and walked forward flashing a wide grin before patting his younger brother on the head.

"How now buddy, don't get all upset," Childe soothed. "That was uh….Mr. Cyclop's evil twin brothers!"

Amber's jaw nearly hit the ground. Surely even someone as young a Teucer would be able to see through a lie that thin.

Teucer sniffled finally lowering his fists to stare up at his brother. "Really?"

You have got to be kidding—

"Yep, and uh now Mr. Cyclops will be super thankful to us for taking them out because it's a huge weight off his mighty shoulders!" Childe pumped his fist into the air before looking over his shoulder. "Right, Amber?"

Amber felt her eye twitch. "Yeah of course!" She said trying to put on a believable smile. She didn't really like lying to Teucer like this but she could get where Childe was coming from trying to protect the younger boy's sense of wonder. Still, all this babying was going to lead to trouble eventually.

It took Amber a few seconds to realize that Childe had actually used her name. Blinking she started to process the information as she watched Childe stand up dusting dirt of Teucer's clothes. Beneath her feet, the ground gave the smallest shake sending the outrider into immediate high alert. She knew that tremor.

"Look out!" Amber rushed forward just as the Pyro Whopperflower exploded out the ground on the other side of the brothers. Before her mind could completely register what she was doing she had a hand on each of the males' chests shoving them out of the way as the Whopperflower slammed its appendages down into the ground sending sharp root spikes towards them. Searing pain exploded into Amber's left side as she felt the spike stab in her flesh before ripping back out her vision going hazy as she staggered.

Amber had been stabbed by Whopperflowers before but realized very quickly something was wrong. Usually, the pyro spikes cauterized the wound as they stabbed causing a deep and painful but not life-threatening injury. Except for this time, Amber could feel blood sliding down her side and soaking her clothes. She clutched the puncture site and felt her glove become wet. Stumbling Amber struggled to reach for her bow as the Whopperflower danced in front of her beady black eyes sizing her up.

Half comprehending what was happening Amber watched as a jet of water blast the monster away sending it flying. Amber felt her knees give her sight becoming hazy. She realized she was going to pass out and struggled to look up just in time to see Childe slash the whopper flower into a disintegrating pile of ash. Vaguely she could hear Teucer screaming her name as she started to fall sideways blood pouring from her side.

Amber felt her shoulder hit something solid as arms circled around her another hand putting pressure on her wound causing her to cry in pain. What was happening to her? The outrider felt like her head was spinning as she slipped down into the person's arms. Looking up Amber could make out Childe's face her ears picking up that he was yelling something.

"Hey stay awake!"

It was so hard though. Amber struggled to hold on to conscious but it felt like all her energy was leaving her body. For a fleeting second, the outrider wondered if this was how she was going to die.

Amber felt her body suddenly leave the ground pain exploding through her. She vaguely realized Childe was carrying her as he ran yelling for Teucer to follow.

"Don't you dare die! Amber! Amber!" Childe's words sound far off in her ears. Amber reached up and felt her blood-soaked glove touch his face to prove he was still there before the last of her energy dried up.

With a sigh, the Outrider felt her world go black.

:.

Consciousness came back to Amber slowly. Jagged bits of memory flew before her eyes as she tried to piece them together. She remembered the ground beneath her feet flying by as she soared over it suspended. Hands that had gripped her shaking her as a wash-out voice screamed at her to hold on. A large tree in the distance-people running around panicked. A kind face pushing the sweat-soaked hair away from Amber's brow as she shouted orders to the men behind her.

And then pain. Amber remembered the pain. It felt like someone had placed and hot fire poker into her side and was twisting it around and around. Amber remembered hearing herself scream as someone poured a hot liquid into her wound while forcing something into her mouth as she struggled.

Dazed and in agony Amber saw the fleeting image of Childe's face staring down at her twisted with some sort of expression Amber couldn't place, before she completely blacked out.

When she came too Amber realized she was laying a small bed, sheets pulled up her chin. Above her, the full moon cast shadows over the room. Deep dark wood panels lined the walls matching the bed and end table. Groaning Amber tried to sit herself up only to feel hands on her shoulders pushing her back down. Wincing the Outrider looked up to find Childe's face, moonlight causing shadows to dance across his feature.

"You shouldn't move," was all he said before Amber gave up and let herself fall back down against her pillows.

"What happened?"

Amber's heard her voice come out dry and worn like she hadn't had a drink of water in days. She licked her lips to find them cracked and split open. The action caused the outrider to cough making pain erupt from her side. Suddenly she felt a gentle hand behind her head lifting her up and cold glass pressed to her lips.

"Hey, easy there," Childe's voice was soft and soothing, far past anything Amber thought he was capable of. Greedily Amber gripped his hand around the glass and gulped it back almost causing herself to choke.

"I said easy," Childe pulled the glass away setting it down on the table next to him before sitting his elbows on his knees. "You really shouldn't push yourself right now."

Slowly the gravity of the situation seemed to settle on Amber. She blinked realizing Childe was sitting next to her in nothing but a simple white shirt, jacket discarded. He had bags under his eyes as he had walked to hell and back. Looking down at herself Amber realized the whole upper portion of her outfit was missing replaced with a network of tightly wrapped bandages covering her whole torso and a flimsy nightshirt that definitely didn't belong to her.

Amber felt herself blush from one ear to the other pulling the cover back up to block herself. She was alone sitting with Childe in a room she didn't recognize half-naked and he was just staring at her with a look of concern that was almost believable. If dying of embarrassment was possible Amber was certain she'd already been six feet under.

What a minute, Amber paused. They were alone.

"Where's Teucer?!" Amber slammed the blankets down looking around frantically before realizing she was basically flashing the man in front of her and lifted them back up.

Childe raised a hand making Amber pause. "He's fine," he stated flatly. "In fact, he's probably asleep in the other room."

"Other room?" Amber took a moment to survey her surroundings. She didn't recognize any of it.

"Wangshuu Inn," Childe answered Amber's question before she could even ask it. "One of the guest rooms. Teucer's in the other room. He wanted to sleep in here with you but I convinced him against it."

"Wangshuu Inn?"

Childe frowned leaning towards her. "How much do you remember?"

Face scrunching up Amber tried to grasp the fragments she had just watched in her dream. "I remember we were fighting the hilichurls, then the ruin guards, then I got hit by the Whopperflower and…"

The pain in Amber's side seemed to tick up a notch making her wince. She placed a hand over her wound and felt the tender skin. It didn't make sense. Sure Whopperflower stabs hurt but Amber had never seen them cause this type of damage before. It made her feel pathetic to have been injured so badly so easily.

"Don't beat yourself up over it." Childe must have been able to read Amber's thoughts on her face. "Apparently the Whopperflower that stabbed you is a known variant that plagues the Dihua marsh. Locals call it the vampire flower. It secretes a venom in its roots that cause anticoagulation in wounds when it stabs. If you hadn't cauterized your wound when you had you would have bled out."

"Cauterized?" Amber looked at Childe confused, the fleeting memory of a burning pain going across the back of her head.

Childe tilted his head and looked at her. "You don't remember. You were bleeding out in the Inn's kitchen when you suddenly summoned your Pyro vision and shoved your fingers into your wound. If you hadn't the Inn keep thought you probably would have died."

Amber's head hurt. She couldn't remember what Childe was describing, but if he was telling the truth she had nearly died. The thought sent a chill down Amber's spine.

"What happened after that?"

"The staff gave you some anti-venom they had and tried to clean your wound to keep it from getting infected but you had already passed out," Childe replied voice still in that gentle tone. "After everything was settled and done they put you in here to recover. Teucer didn't want to leave your side but I was finally able to convince him that staring at you in your sleep wasn't going to make you heal any faster."

"I," Amber started suddenly feeling sheepish. "I don't know what to say. You saved me life."

To her surprise, Childe snorted shaking his head. "All I did was carry you here while you nearly bled out. If you hadn't pushed Teucer out of the way when you had…I…"

The man fell silent running his hand through his hair before staring directly at Amber, eyes a piercing blue.

"I owe you a life debt," Childe's voice was firm with a hint of emotion Amber couldn't place. "Blood for blood. I know we already have a deal but I want to make it official. We are in the land of contracts no?"

Amber felt her face go hot. "Life debt?" She heard herself repeating. "That's a little over the top don't you think? Anyone would have done the same thing."

"No."

The look Childe was giving her made Amber's stomach flip. She felt him grab her hand and watched as he lowered himself to both knees pulling her hand against his forehead.

"Really, Childe, you don't need to go this far…I…" Amber felt the words die in her throat. The look Child was giving her made freeze was she watched him

"I, Childe, hereby pledge my life and body to your search to find your grandfather. I will not take a breath as a freedman until your wish is fulfilled. To this, I make this solemn vow. May the power the Tsaritsa, the souvenir of Shezhnaya, pay witness to this oath of blood."

Amber was at a complete loss for words. Childe's hand felt warm around hers as he lowered it looking up at her.

"Do you accept my oath of blood, Amber, Outrider for the Knight of Favonius?"

"I.." Amber swallowed trying to find the right words. What exactly was she supposed to say right now? A man she barely knew had just sworn his life to her in the pursuit of a far-fetched missing person's hunt that she wasn't entirely sure she was ever going to see the end to. Yet Amber could feel it. A part of her that was elated that finally, she wasn't alone in her hunt. She finally had one true ally to help her find the answers to the question that had been burning in her soul for four very long years.

Taking a deep breath and Amber pulled herself up staring directly back into Childe's eyes.

"I accept."

:.

The waves of the marsh ebbed and wanned under Childe's boots. He stared out over the dark landscape the light of the Inn causing flickering sparkles to spin across the dark water.

What in the world had he just done.

Childe frowned crossing his arms over his chest. He, Tartaglia, 11th Harbinger to the royal Tsaritsa had just sworn a blood oath to a knight of Favonius. For some reason though, Childe just could bring up the urge to care.

Scuffing Childe stared back over the marsh thoughts whirling through his head. He had sensed the Whopperflower only the briefest of seconds after Amber had. He had been so tied up making sure Teucer was okay it had slowed his reaction time. If Amber hadn't pushed him out of the way, no worse, if Amber hadn't pushed Teucer out of the way, Childe wasn't sure what the outcome would have been. The thought left an unpleasant taste in the back of the Harbinger mouth.

Reaching up Childe felt his cheek. He could still feel the sensation of Amber's warm blood-drenched fingers sliding down his face, her eyes dim as her life slowly seeped out of her. She had nearly died—she had nearly died because of him.

Childe pinched the bridge of his nose feeling a headache coming on. He was tired he knew that much, but he knew closing his eyes wasn't going to give him much relief tonight. Every time he did all he had been able to see was Amber's golden eyes staring at him he held her hand while she accepted his oath. The image was making his stomach do weird things and he felt blood rushing to his face picturing her small frame under the thin blankets. Whatever was wrong with him the Harbinger knew he needed to get ahold of himself soon.

The sound of grass crunching under boots made Childe's shoulders tighten. It appeared his inner reflection was going to have to come to an end for now.

"What?" Childe didn't spare the Fatui foot soldier a second glance as they morphed out of the shadows dropping to one knee.

"Lord Childe," the solider dropped her head in respect. "I am glad to see you are unharmed."

"And why would you think I would have been harmed." Childe's voice was as hard as nails making the soldier flinch.

"I mean no disrespect to you Lord Childe, all of the Fatui know of your strength and might. I, a lowly subordinate, would never question your skill." The Fatui solider raised her head face hidden behind her mask. "I merely imply that your absence has left the other soldiers worried of when you might return, though they know it is not their place to ever question you."

Scoffing Childe turned placing his hands on his hips. "Fine. Spit it out."

The Fatui solider seemed to freeze for a moment before continuing. "I bring word that La Signora will be arriving in Liyue Harbor in two days' times and implore you to return the harbor as soon as you can."

"Of course that bitch has to show up right at the wrong time." Sneering Childe turned back around. "Well, you can tell the others to just sit in cold water and wait. I'll make sure to beat the nosey hag to the city as if nothing ever happened."

"And as for your brother?"

Childe shot a glare over his shoulder feeling his anger rise. "None of your concern," he snapped pleased to see the soldier flinch back at his rage.

"And," the soldier started. Childe could hear her gulp as she moved forward with her next question.

"What of the Mondstadt knight? If it pleases you we as your loyal followers can easily—"

The words died on the solider's tongue, the cold sensation of Childe's blade pressing hard into her throat. Childe hadn't even given her the chance to react, leaning down blue eyes piercing, voice level and cold.

"Let me make one thing extremely clear," Childe spat digging the tip of his blade ever so slightly deeper. "None one is to come near her. Better yet if I find out she even saw a glimpse of any of you I'll make the responsible parties wish were being thrown into one of Dottore's labs. Understand?"

Childe heard the soldier gulp. "Of course Lord Childe. Understood."

Standing back up the Harbinger let his blade fade back into the thin air cocking a fist onto his hip. "Also," he stated. "I have a job for all of you to work on before I arrive back into the harbor."

"Of course Lord Childe! Anything you wish!"

"One," Childe raised and finger counting off his demands. "Purchase a storefront. I don't care the cost or means you have to go through to get it. If the Ministry of Civil affairs gets in the way pressure some dumb merchant to let me borrow theirs. I'm sure plenty are eye deep in debt with the Northland Bank. Two, fill it with toys."

The Solider looked at Childe in shock. "Uh…toys sir?"

"Did ask for you to question me," the tone of the Childe's voice made the soldier visibly shake. "Yes, toys. And lots of them. Three, make sure you have living quarters prepared both for my brother and the knight."

"Consider it done." The soldier bowed her head eager to please.

"Last," Childe crossed his arms over his chest. "If any of this reaches La Signora's ears, you personally get to feel my wrath, understood?"

"Understood!"

"Good," Childe uncrossed his arms turning back around to the marsh. "You are dismissed."

Just a quickly as the soldier had come, they slipped back into the shadows leaving Childe alone. He sighed pinching his nose again before raising his head and looking over towards the Inn.

What had he just gotten himself into?

:.