Wish upon a star.
First of all, I want to thank 8ullred for doing the Beta read as well as proof check/editing. I am very appreciated.
This fic is dedicated for every Keqing main/enjoyer.
Chapter 1: Downfall
-Adventure guild, Liyue's Branch-
An organization that serves as an adventurer-for-hire service for the people and other organizations in all seven nations of Teyvat. It's also a place where people can show off their strength and valor to the people, gain their trust, and earn fame…
The strongest people in the guild will be listed in the Elites class. To enter the Elites, one must go through a series of challenges in the Spiral Abyss. It indeed was a very difficult challenge to pass, and as a result, only a few people were able to enter the Elites. In Liyue, there were only 2 or 3 people that were able to make it into that list at that time. A true challenge designed to test their limits.
Keqing was one of these Elites.
The Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing, who was working hard for the betterment of Liyue.
Beautiful, famous, intelligent, and strong—these were facets of her pride, elements that defined her identity.
Yet, in addition to her primary duties, which kept her engaged for most of the day, she had taken up a part-time role at the Adventurer's Guild. To many, this decision seemed unusual, given her stature and reputation. But for her, the motivation was clear and personal, rooted in experiences and aspirations that few knew about.
She chose her own path with her own strength and ability, instead of letting the gods determine her fate. She wanted to prove that humans could be strong not by some blessing or gift from the gods or heaven, but by their own abilities, will, and non-stop efforts to become stronger.
Everyone loved her and wanted her to help them which she always eventually agreed to.
Until one day, everything changed…
There were a few newcomers that joined the guild recently and they had never been heard of before. Their performance, however, was far beyond her own. They could finish the Spiral Abyss quite easily without too much effort and of course, they had reached the top of the Elites within a few days. With that in mind, the guild had to increase the difficulty to maintain the number and prestige of the Elites.
As a result, Keqing struggled to finish the now insanely difficult final floor on time when she used to do it quite easily before. Now her position had fallen to the bottom of the list.
No matter how hard she trained, she couldn't keep up with them and kept falling behind. Every attempt to regain her former glory proved nothing, the ever-widening distance between her and the new Elites seemed insurmountable.
She had become the most insufficient person of all people who were in the same rank with her… from a beacon of inspiration to a burden, an anchor dragging down her fellow adventurers.
Since that time, not a single adventurer sought out Keqing for their commissions anymore. The news of her fall from the esteemed ranks of the Elites spread like wildfire within the Adventurer's Guild. Keqing couldn't believe that this day had happened so suddenly in an unexpected way, as if it was just yesterday.
Every time someone gave out a commission and when they heard it would be handled by Keqing, they quickly told the guild to give the task for the others to do it rather than Keqing herself… Basically, they didn't want her to do anything other than just to collect some rocks or flowers around Liyue which she had done it countless times and she was getting sick of it, but she had no choice.
The guild also tried to help Keqing by assigning her to do some commission directly so she could have a chance to show her capability but that last hope was soon destroyed in an instant…(*)
"YOU'RE UTTERLY USELESS!" There was a moment when someone hurled those words at Keqing, the harsh accusation ringing through the bustling Adventurer's Hall. In a shocking turn of events, a glass of water was flung right at her, drenching her face.
"I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMEONE COMPETENT FOR ONCE, BUT INSTEAD, IT'S YOU AGAIN! WE DON'T NEED YOUR INEPTITUDE ANY LONGER! STAY OUT OF OUR COMMISSIONS!" Another voice roared, punctuating their anger with a resounding slap across Keqing's face, leaving a stinging, bright red handprint in its wake.
A group of people began to gather around her, directing their complaints and frustrations towards her. Their words were filled with disdain, but they dared only to speak, knowing that despite being the weakest among the elites, Keqing was still vastly more powerful than them. She could easily defeat them all if she chose to.
"You don't belong here!"
"You're too feeble!"
"The only reason anyone pays any attention to you is because of your status and looks, nothing more…"
…
She did her best to maintain her composure, though an intense anger boiled within her, making her yearn to lash out at those individuals. Yet, she knew her current position and had to hold back her frustration.
The guild master had to step in to quell the crowd's harassment, expressing apologies to Keqing. "I'm truly sorry for these incidents; this shouldn't have happened again."
Keqing, still recovering from the humiliation, forced a small, wistful smile. "No, I'm fine…they were right…I've become outdated." She gently touched her cheek, where a red mark from the earlier slap was beginning to form, then quietly walked away, leaving the gathering in silence.
It hurt…
It wasn't because of the slap, no.
But the people who she had helped so much now stood against her…
Nothing was more painful than being betrayed by her own people.
It hurt…
She trusted them…
It hurt…
She just wanted to be friends with them…
And this was how they treated her back…
It hurt so much…
Of course, she could continue her role as Yuheng; she still had her duties to fulfill. But doing paperwork for the rest of her life? That wasn't what she really wanted to do, she knew she could do more than that, she firmly believed in the boundless potential of humanity, the idea that they could rise above their limitations. But it seemed like the gods weren't on her side this time.
Was the thing she desired beyond human imagination? Was it because of her skepticism toward the gods so fate decide to punish her? Nobody knew. Not even herself.
"Why's everyone hating me? I've tried so hard…yet I still can't earn their trust…" Keqing's steps grew hurried as she rushed back to her home, the weight of disappointment pressing on her heart. Tears welled up in her eyes, tracing delicate paths down her cheeks, as quiet sobs punctuated along the way.
-Nighttime-
Keqing stood on her bedroom balcony, gazing out into the night. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions, all centered around the painful reality of being left out and labeled as weak within the Adventurer's Guild. The whispers, the looks of disdain, the harsh words – they all echoed in her mind, like a relentless storm that had battered her confidence.
"Is there still hope left for me?" she whispered to the stars. The night offered no immediate answers, but it provided a moment of reflection and a glimmer of possibility in the darkness.
Keqing's mind drifted back to a significant item from her past – one that she had earned during her early days as one of the first individuals to reach the elite rank within the Adventurer's Guild. It was a relic of those times, a symbol of her accomplishments and aspirations: Fate Intertwined.
Fate Intertwined was an exceedingly rare stone that can be found in Teyvat. A fateful stone that connects dreams. Its glimmers could entwine fates and connect dreams, just as how its glimmer links stars into the shapes of a heart's desires.
When it is thrown into the sky it will often leave behind a beautiful trail of blue or purple light like a comet.
However, the most intriguing part was the legend that if it ever produced an orange glow, the wish made at that moment would come true. Although many had attempted to harness its supposed power, no one had witnessed the elusive orange glow, relegating it to the realm of rumor.
She never believed in something called luck or fate before.
But on this night, she decided to give it a try.
It didn't hurt to try it once.
"Here's goes nothing."
Keqing made a silent wish, her words carried away by the wind, and then cast the stone into the night sky. It soared upwards, leaving behind a shimmering trail of blue light that eventually disappeared into the vast darkness above.
She watched the stone's trail slowly fade until the night swallowed its gleam entirely. She had hoped, even if just a fraction, that the legendary orange glow might shine for her tonight, that the universe might finally offer her some sign of validation. But still it couldn't grant her the wish she sought.
"I must be crazy now... to believe in such a fairytale." she whispered to herself with a heavy sigh.
Turning away from the balcony, Keqing returned to her bedroom and sank onto her bed. She closed her eyes, hoping the dawn would bring a new perspective. Maybe, just maybe, things would start looking up.
P/s: If anyone still remembers the drama around Keqing's banner. This fic is based on it
See everyone next time ~