Book One: Chapter Ten

[Reunion]

Unknown

"Mmm.." Stirring to, Relon's blurred vision begins to blur.

Coming to, he blinks adjusting to the sunlight beaming through the window.

"Where…?" As if a trigger, the moment the single word leaves his mouth, all of the recent events assaulting his head.

Whipping his head all around ignoring the normal Japanese bedroom, his eyes fall on the sole door.

"Qiqi!"

Bursting out into a single, short, hallway with stairs descending to his right, he takes note of one door across from his and three more towards the end of the hall. Momentarily, questioning where he is, his hand goes for the door to turn the knob. Barging in, his sudden tension slowly dwindles. His vermillion eyes laying themselves on the girl in question snuggled in her bed sleeping soundly. Walking towards her, he carefully raises a hand to poke her. The soft touch of their skin all he needs to know her to be real. Feeling his emotional toll finally wane, he drops to his knees smiling at the carpet floor.

"Thank goodness." He croaks quietly.

After a short while, he whips his face giving once last glance to the resting child before leaving.

"Okay." He breathes out, the remnants of his emotional self departing. "Where are we?" He wonders.

Walking down the hall, he inspects the other doors finding a master bedroom, another small bedroom, and a bathroom.

"A house obviously but whose?" He wanders in the bathroom looking at himself.

Same vermilion-colored eye yet his hair is no longer like a mane. Now short, not even reaching his shoulders, its scruffiness is retained.

"It's not like Madara's..." Blinking at his words, his brows furrow. "Who the hell is Madara?" Dismissing the abnormal wording or… name? Is that the name of someone? Whatever. Walking back towards the descending staircase, the sound of light humming accompanied by other vague sounds come from downstairs.

Someone's here? Walking down the steps touching the bottom, his eyes go to the front door directly ahead.

To his left, a living room with some couches and a television. To his right, another room seeming like a walkthrough space.

Was the war a dream? He wonders looking out the glass alongside the front door at the front yard showing a neighborhood.

Walking into the living room, his eyes land of the semi-medium sized kitchen. A sole female humming as they cook. Stopping just outside the cooking area, the sound of Relon's feet catching the young girl's attention.

"Hm?" Turning around, he takes in her appearance.

A girl seeming to be around his age with a fair complexion and petite build. Her eyes are a bright scarlet with her pupils oddly shaped like white blossoms with red makeup around the corners fading out. She has long dark brown hair shifting to burgundy at the tips. Her hair is styled into two high twin tails.

The girl's attire consists of what seems like a high schooler's uniform; the white dress shirt, colored skirt, casual shoes, even her bag over on a table. The only addition being an apron due to her currently cooking. Though looking at her expression slowly creep from from a curiosity to a gleeful smile, a pit began to form in his stomach.

"Um-"

"You're finally awake!" She cheers stepping once and leaping at the boy.

"Whoa! Oof!"

Groaning in slight pain, he gives a mental thanks to whoever made the carpet not hardwood, his eyes look to the girl laying atop his chest with a playful grin.

"How'd you sleep?" She wonders, Relon noting of her full weight pressing against his chest as her legs swing in the air without a care in the world at their current situation.

"Um. Good, I think." He breathes. "I'm sorry, who are you?

"O-ya, o-ya, did you hit your head or something?" She sighs getting to his feet, his eyes immediately looking away from the burgundy fabric under her skirt. "It is I, your wonderful and ever faithful childhood friend Hu Tao, hehe.

"Who… Tao?"

"H-U. Space. T-A-O. Hu as in 'who put me in this coffin?' And Tao as in, 'I can't geT OUt!' Hehe." She explains placing hands on her hips. "Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's 77th Funeral Director… eventually." She adds.

Continuing to blink, he slowly gets up to massage his head in hopes to quell the incoming headache.

"Dear, you must have hit your head harder than usual."

"Usual?" He gives a flabbergasted look. "As in you tackling me is a common thing?"

"Common is too weak of a word, I say. It is an everyday ritual that we perform or else."

"Or else what?"

"Or else we'll be cursed, silly~."

"... What?"

"No matter. Now, hurry up and get dressed or we'll be late for school~!"

"... Seriously. What?"

Final Book Preview

"Cold, fleeting, still breath. One life for many; unfortunate. Yet still, we fight on… Fitting, no…?"

"Kazuha…!"

"I admit, you've become stronger Aether. But this still isn't enough to beat, let alone save me!"

"Lumine…!"

Book Geo Preview

"I want to come with you."

"Hu Tao…"

"Please."

"So this is Liyue..."

"Sup."

"Who are you?"

"Heh, someone famous around these parts you could say. I'm the one and oni, Arrattaki numero uno Itto! Happy to make your acquaintance."

"Do you always talk with such… bravado?"

"And could you talk less? Preferably not at all."

"Sara, be nice."

"Grandpa…"

"So you've instilled yourself within this child, Baal."

"So Itto, what is the Geo Army doing about the war?

"Nothing at all~. A life of leisure as far as everyone is concerned. Ain't that right, Albedo?"

"There's no need for us to fight with the state we're in. Rex Lapis, our advanced technology, little is to be questioned on the consensus of going to war."

"All we gotta do is sit back and let them come to us~."

"So this entire time…! You…!"

"One such as yourself should be able to comprehend that much. No, Baal?

"You've grown into a wonderful child, Hu Tao…"

"ZHONGLI!"

"I won't forgive you!"

"Let's go Hu Tao!"

Book Hydro Preview

"WATCH OUT!"

"How… DARE you try to hurt Miko and Ayaka?!"

"A dual vision-user?!"

"You're not… going anywhere!"

"General Kokomi will…"

"My sister, Jean, I miss her…"

"Let us see which is more superior, my fellow archon. Your electricity… or my water."

Book Cryo Preview

"I was the one who bestowed upon you that which you hold and this is how you repay your Goddess?! By scurrying to that woman and becoming hers?!"

"You stopped being our Goddess the moment we left Snezhnaya!"

"You dare speak to our Queen with such disrespect? You shall pay for your transgressions!"

"Open your eyes, Shenhe! You're being controlled! Both of you!"

"I did not think your faith out of anyone's would waver, Eula!"

"Please, listen to us!"

"SILENCE! The time for idle chatter has passed. You have come to not only my land, not just my kingdom, but you have even waltzed into my throne room! You shall pay with your lives!"

"Let your minds be purged and your bodies quelled. Succumb to our frigid power!"

"Damn it! Qiqi, Eula, get ready! Here they come!"

"This time, I shall have my vengeance!"