Screams and explosions are heard everywhere. Yang saw the citizens of Atlas running away from a fiery force coming towards them. Her legs moved on their own. Yang can notice the familiar people running with her. Her teammates, her friends, her family. Yet something has changed again. She's falling down now to the deep, dark void. Familiar screams filled the air. She saw how her friends got burnt one by one. She saw how Neo was about to stab Ruby–
Boom
The explosion caused Yang to shoot up from the bed. Her breathing is erratic and haggard. Another explosion echoed around her. She looked at the small gap of the entrance of her tent. It's so early that not a single ray of sunlight has touched the ground yet.
"That's it." Yang rushed outside for a peek. It doesn't matter if she had bed hair. The people outside are probably too occupied with the fight outside to care. Plus, Weiss is not there to tell her off anyway…
In the distance, there is a group of younger Eremites surrounding Vahini and her… flying snake? The mysterious creature just shook the damage from the previous explosion earlier like it was nothing. It hissed wildly while its owner was just standing there in a relaxed demeanor. Whatever the tricks the other guys pulled is not enough for Vahini to take them seriously.
"Morning sunshine," Jeht approached Yang with cheer on her steps. Benben trailed behind with its own mechanical enthusiasm.
"Morning…chief? Or boss? What should I call you again?"
"Just call me Jeht. That's what most people call me here."
Yang raised her eyebrows. "That's a bit casual. Don't you think they might take advantage of you?"
A dark smile formed on Jeht's face before it switched to a normal one. "Don't worry. My strength is enough to rein them in."
Yang only nodded. "So, about the agreement…"
"You're quite in a hurry, huh?"
"Yeah, there are people waiting for me."
Jeht crossed her arms. The sounds of battle in the distance had not yet subsided, despite two of the Eremites being knocked out. Either the newbies are getting stronger or Vahini is on her streak once again.
"Tell me," Jeht said. "Are you willing to kill anyone?"
The question is grim, yet the way the Eremite chief said it so casually. Yang looked away for a while and took a deep breath. Jeht waited patiently as she watched her guest contemplate on the answer. Outsiders are not used to this life after all.
Yang looked back at her with a firm gaze. "No. I'll refrain from killing as much as possible."
Jeht only hummed. Is it an agreement? A confirmation? Is it positive or negative? Yang can't figure it out.
"How about hunting monsters?" Jeht asked. "Can you do that?"
Yang grinned ear to ear. "That's what I'm trained for."
"Good. You are going to join a hunting party later. Make sure to prepare."
As soon as she said that Jeht turned around and walked away. Benben pulsed a little to Yang before following its friend.
"Wait," Yang called out. Jeht turned around and looked at her. "Um… sorry to ask but, how is this going to help me to go home?"
"Well, going around the desert is expensive, and we are not a charity. Do enough jobs and we'll give you the supplies needed for your journey."
Yang nodded once again. Jeht smiled at her in return. "Good luck out there."
"I will."
–
The Abyss Order. A group of monsters who appeared after the great Cataclysm that devoured Teyvat 500 years ago. With a goal of messing with humanity, they spread their operation across the seven continents, hidden from the prying eyes of many many humans. Obviously, they love lurking in dark and cramped caves as well.
Yang inhaled as she squeezed herself between another tiny gap that she encountered so many times. This is not the monster hunting she was trained for. Or at least not yet probably. She's not sure if Professor Port ever elaborated on his battles in any caverns during his lengthy lectures. Or maybe she missed it…
Arjun waited for her to cross the gap as he placed another marker on the cavern wall. Yang approached him quietly, not wanting to take his concentration away.
A familiar scent entered Yang's nose. In fact, it is the same smell Arjun made her smell throughout the entire trip.
"This is another one that Wenut things, right?"
He nodded and walked forwards. Yang followed him.
More walking and spelunking followed. Arjun would stop occasionally and teach her the ropes of navigating the cave systems. How to tie a rope before going down, how to listen to the echoes, how to use the oil from the Wenut larvae as a marker, and what kinds of monsters are lurking inside based on the marks they left. Overtime, the true purpose of the expedition became clear to Yang.
Jeht could've told her she's going to take a spelunking lesson, but maybe big bosses need that mysterious factor going on. Yang remembers Ozpin but the goals are much more…clear? Fathomable?
She shook the thoughts out of her head. Surviving the desert and finding her way to her team should be her first priority. Ozpin and Salem's war will come later. Much, much later.
After a while, both Yang and Arjun smelled a faint fiendish scent from afar. With a few hand signals, both of them decided to sneak towards the scent. The rugged cave walls slowly turned smoother and smoother until it turned into a chiseled wall befitting an underground ruin. The two barely emerged from the dark as they hid behind a rubble where they could see the ritual in front of them.
Inside the large room, a blue Abyss mage (as Arjun told her) was dancing around the strange flame that barely lit anything further than five meters.
Four hilichurls are also at the ritual as they dance over and over again around the bonfire. Two shielders, two crossbow men.
"How do you want to do this?" Arjun asked Yang.
It's obvious to Yang that this is a test. Should she lure them out? Use a trap? Create a diversion? For now, there's one idea that is clear in the brawler's mind, and it's from someone she knows very well.
"How good are you at fighting the dark?"
Arjun drew his twin blades silently without objection and nodded. Yang hoped her answer was correct.
She charged forward. Using her running speed, she zeroed in on the closest hilichurl and sent it flying to the bonfire. Darkness quickly covered the cavern before the monsters could react. The remaining embers tried to hold back the darkness. It was enough to spot their remaining prey.
Before the survivors could get their bearings, another shriek of the hilichurl echoed in the darkness. The abyss mage barked its order wildly into an unknown language. However, the words fell to deaf ears as the remaining hilichurls drew their crossbows and shot wildly into the darkness. Their cries turned into screams of pain.
"Curse you," the mage said as it flew upwards. Water emerged from the dry soil and covered the mage in a liquid barrier. However, Arjun charged forth and froze it with his blade in a single slash. Yang followed up with a straight punch and shattered it immediately, sending the mage rolling on the floor.
The once illustrious blue robes of the mage are stained with dirt as it crawled further away to the two figures looming closer and closer. Finally, it felt the cold hard wall behind it. The two figures did not stop. The dim light only gave a faint silhouette to the approaching humans. A brown boot shattered the mage's fallen staff.
"W- What do you want?" The mage asked.
"Just some information." Arjun said.
"And you better tell us the truth, shortie." Yang followed up. Her boot twisted the already broken staff into tinier pieces.
"And why should I tell you fil–"
A blade cleaved the cave wall a mere inch close to the mage's face. Seemed Arjun wanted to be the bad cop today, Yang thought to herself.
She kneeled down to reach the eye level of the monster and smiled. "Listen little fella, if you don't want to suffer further, I suggest you tell us the info we need."
"Alright. Alright, what do you want to know?"
Arjun leaned closer. "Tell us about the whereabouts of the traitorous Nagarjunite leader."
—
"Finally, the sun," Yang said as she breathed in the arid yet fresh air. Maybe she was too harsh on the desert after all.
"You are quite crafty out there, outlander," Arjun said, as he relished the fresh air as well.
Yang turned to him with a haughty look. "What? You thought I'm just a punchy gal out there?"
"I do admit that's my impression."
"Heh, you got to thank my partner for that. That was more of her style of fighting, anyway."
"Then I'm interested in meeting your partner."
Yang's face became solemn. "You and me both buddy." After a few seconds of silence, her smile returned as if nothing had happened. "Let's go home before it gets dark."
—
The sun had already set by the time the two reached the Ermite camp. Alongside them are other people who just arrived from their respective mission, tired yet still lively as ever. As the two entered the camp, Jeht met them with a smile on her face.
"So how is your mission?" Jeht asked while she approached them both.
"Splendid," Arjun said. "She is a quick learner and a capable fighter."
"I guess your initial assessment of me yesterday was wrong, huh?" Yang asked. Her teasing smile is obvious.
Arjun grinned. His hand is twitching in excitement. "We could answer that now if you wanted."
Jeht clapped her hands, but her face shared the same eagerness as the two. "If you want to fight later, then do it some other time. Arjun, tell me what you've gathered during your last expedition. And Yang, you can rest for the night."
Yang nodded as she watched the two returns to the big tent from last night. She's alone now.
A rowdy cheer reached Yang's ears. She turned around and saw a few Eremites talking and laughing with each other at the central bonfire. One of them is even playing a lute while the others play cards. It seemed that those had also returned from their own missions and were taking a deserved break. She can see a familiar guy there. Was it Aabha? Abasi? Aarush? Well, it didn't matter, it's time to get herself properly introduced to the people here anyway.
The group turned to Yang as she walked towards them with her bravado. "Hey there, fellas. Got a room for one more?"
"Yeah sure," a female Eremite said as she scooted over to give Yang some space.
Yang gave a curt smile and took her place. In response, a young man around Oscar's age ran up to her and gave her some bread and wine.
"Thanks."
The boy smiled and ran back to the other mercenaries, diligently giving them food and water.
"So, outsider, we just saw you with Arjun," one of the Eremites said. "How did your mission go?"
Upon hearing the question, the others stopped talking to each other and turned their heads to Yang. All are eager to hear a new tale from the newcomer. Even those in the nearby tents moved closer to listen. Yang knew what kind of situation she got into.
With a single gulp, Yang downed her entire cup before she stood up from the log she's sitting on. The girl beside her decided to move and give her the much-needed stage.
"Alright, listen up. I'm just gonna tell you this once, so if you snooze, you lose. Do you hear me?"
"Just start with the story," the impatient one from afar shouted.
Yang told the Eremites of her journey with the cold and quiet warrior. How they crossed the harsh yet fascinating desert. How they dove deeper and deeper and deeper into the earth below. As if they had reached the ancient civilization that sleeps below. She regaled them with their clash against the dark forces that schemes within. How she outmaneuvered its mage and convinced it to tell her its hidden secret. How she managed to get out from the maws of the cave and—
"Hey, wait. Isn't it just a normal intel gathering mission?"
"I think we just did that earlier. We fought the fire one."
"At least she did well."
"But Arjun is in there."
Hushed murmurs began to plant a seed of doubt between the audience. The others had already left.
"Alright. Alright," Yang said. Her prosthetic arm was raised for all to see. The mechanical whirling widened many eyes from the audience. "Who wants to hear a tale from a far, far away land?"
Everyone's gaze was on her once again.
The last few hours were filled with her bragging about Remnant. About her adventures, her fights, and her friends. After almost an hour of telling stories, the audience began asking questions in a mix of intrigue and excitement.
"So, you're telling me you fought big scorpions before?"
Yang nodded. "I got quite an experience with it, yeah."
Another mercenary pitched in, "You should join us on our next hunt. We're always assigned to those giant beasts."
"Yeah, sure." Yang is indeed intrigued by how giant scorpions looked like in Sumeru.
Another one raised her hand.
"What is it?"
"If you have a chance, can you call your sister so she can put a gun on my sitar?"
"Yeah sure. I think they made a movie about that."
Another one interjected. "What's a movie?"
More and more raised their hands at Yang. And she diligently answered all of them. At this point, she could replace Port and teach at Beacon herself. Hypothetically, of course.
—
It was late at night when Yang went inside her tent and slumped to the bed. Who knew talking for two hours would take a lot from her? She begrudgingly respected Port's tenacity during lectures as she slowly closed her eyes. Before she could go to sleep, a familiar voice called out to her.
"Hey are you awake?"
Yang opened her eyes once she saw Jeht and got up. "Oh, do you need something? I'll get a seat for you."
"Don't bother." Jeht said. "I just want to check on you really quickly."
"What is it about, then?"
Jeht brought out a box and placed it on Yang's table. It's a box of bullets. "Since you told me about where you come from last night. I thought this could help you resupply your weapon."
Yang went to the table excitedly and opened the box. However, her mood plummeted as she took a closer look at the bullets.
"I'm sorry." She turned to Jeht with the bullet between her fingers. "But these are rifle rounds. They are not the same as the bullets I'm using."
"Really? Could I take a closer look?"
"Sure."
Yang brought out some of her bullets for Jeht to compare. It seemed that the bullets of the northerners were really different from Yang's.
"Hey, you don't have to worry about it." Yang assured her. "I can beat any bad guy with my fists. Plus, you guys are in there, so I know you got my back."
Jeht smiled at her. How optimistically radiant. Maybe the people from far-away lands are not much different after all. "Alright then. Get some rest. I heard that you said yes to scorpion hunting tomorrow. Watch out for their lightning strikes. Those are more dangerous than their venom."
Yang's eyes widened, but she nodded nonetheless. "Sure thing. And Jeht could I ask you a question?"
"Go for it."
"How many more jobs?" Yang paused to reword that sentence; she didn't mean to sound whiny and rude. "I mean, how many more jobs do I need to pay for my trip?"
Jeht could see the eagerness in Yang's eyes. An emotion that she is all too familiar with. It reminded her of her youth.
"When I feel you are ready enough to leave on your own," Jeht replied in a firm tone.
Yang looked down. "I see… Well, good night."
"Good night."
Yang found herself alone in her tent once again. She laid down and pondered for a while. That night, a plan was hatched in her head.