CHAPTER TEN: THE SCARS OF WAR
Yelan's camp hadn't been that far from Ganyu and Keqing's own, having originally been a treasure hoarder group's own, up until Yelan had taken matters into her own hands. She'd known the thugs were far from just innocent pedestrians by their load of a variety of goods that carried a label of a store from one of Liyue Harbor's once-food establishments. It had been clearly stolen using brute and vile methods, so she had just returned the favor in kind.
Seeing Liyue Harbor had gone up in flames, and the luggage no longer had a home, she had decided to keep them for survival in her current situation of being homeless and having no resources. Along with that was a tent and several secret documents that she had no interest in, seeing they pertained to the city now under the sea, making them meaningless.
The only thing Yelan had left of Liyue Harbor besides the two survivors of the Qixing was her intelligence and anything else that had been on her person the night of the tragedy. Therefore, she had no reason to keep hush about anything anymore, seeing if she was going to have any chance to get even with the enemy who killed her spies and everything that kept her going, she was going to need all the help she could get.
"Okay girls, let's get one thing clear," Yelan started, her tone the equivalent of a mother disciplining their child. "Starchovski, the man you plan to trap and wring information out of, is much smarter than you think. Ningguang only gave you the tip of the iceberg, when in reality, she knew just how dangerous and complex our little friend is.
Reshav Starchovski has been in the Fatui's highest ranks for a good time, and has been in them for over three decades. That means he knows basically every trick of the trade, including the greatest knowledge of the Tsaritsa, and if someone is trained and mentored by a goddess, you definitely know that they are not easily fooled or manipulated. I'd even bet he was offered a spot amongst the Harbingers, but decided not to take it.
Why he didn't take it? Well, that's where things get even more clear on just how powerful this guy is, seeing you know as well as me that the eleven Harbingers are the Tsaritsa's strongest soldiers. However, I want you to delete that from your memory for a moment for my next set of words, seeing Starchovski is clearly well-versed in combat, tactics, and mind tricks.
Why wouldn't he take that opportunity, ladies? Answer me as if the Harbingers didn't even exist."
Ganyu and Keqing followed, thinking of an answer, and almost immediately solving the answer.
"Because he's already part of another higher branch," Keqing answered first.
"We have a winner," Yelan congratulated. "Starchovski is beyond the level of all eleven of the Tsaritsa's best, and I doubt he's the only one part of that specific group of supersoldiers."
Both Ganyu and Keqing immediately caught on.
"You're saying that group is the one that attacked and destroyed Liyue Harbor?" Keqing guessed.
"Bingo," Yelan confirmed. "The Tianquan and I investigated much deeper into the Fatui's ranks after they attempted to commit mass genocide with the assistance of an ancient sea god, and boy oh boy did we find a lot of dirt that had gone under the radar for far too long.
We launched a secret operation to figure out just how deep this paydirt went by sending unrecognizable spies into the very core of the Tsaritsa's capital. They posed as soldiers and they managed to get deep into places nobody except the queen bee and her most loyal inquirerers would even know of. Not even I would've been able to find these places and that's an accomplishment on its own.
Think of Snezhnaya as a massive vault of information that nobody is meant to see with hundreds of corridors, pathways, and rooms that go so deep underground that you need special equipment to even breathe."
"Like a set of catacombs designed to cause trespassers to get lost and eventually die," Ganyu assured.
"Exactly," Yelan confirmed. "One of the spies managed to gain access to the underground, but only reached a very mild level deep. However, that's not the point; what matters is that that is where Starchovski's relation to a secret group came from. In his Northland Bank files, he was only marked as a higher rank officer, but the documents in that underground maze labeled him as otherwise.
Therefore, the Tsaritsa is keeping secrets hidden for reasons that not even her Harbingers are aware of; a secret group called "The Agenty Smerti."
The name made shivers run down Ganyu's spine. While she had no idea what it meant, it still didn't sit well with her senses.
"Looks like we finally know who we're up against along with confirmation that Starchovski is connected to the monsters who attacked our home," Keqing said. "Whether or not it was him specifically who attacked Ganyu or I, is unclear."
"Actually, I think I can confirm it was Starchovski that I met that night," Ganyu added.
"Really? How so?" Keqing questioned.
"Remember back in the cave, when we made the connection that Reshav had been taunting us with his intent to stand out in a crowd as a form of mockery?" Ganyu started, twisting the story by adding a mild emphasis to their destination when they had connected the dots
Keqing caught on and went along with it.
"Yeah, but how does that tie to your confrontation that night?"
"Because he didn't kill me after killing Ningguang," Ganyu explained. "He mocked me by letting me go and made me feel as if I were the reason he was able to finally finish her off. It seems very similar in terms of behavior and personality, don't you think?"
"Yes!" Keqing replied in amazement. "I'm shocked that I didn't realize that connection! That confirms that Yelan's claims are indeed true, and that Starchovski is indeed an enemy of a plethora of skills. However, the only thing that I havent figured out is why? What's the motive and gain out of eradicating nations, gods, and leaders?"
"If I knew the answer, I'd tell you, but unfortunately, that's the only thing I don't know," Yelan assured. "What I do know is that as your plan currently sits, it'll fall flat on its face, so you need something to assure he will arrive no matter what."
"What exactly would that be then?" Ganyu questioned.
"You simply need to make him an offer he can't refuse; give him something he wants that he can't resist," Yelan explained.
"Like what?" Keqing added.
"You two were there when it all happened, so what did he or any of his friends lose that night that they wanted to finish?"
The area went silent for a moment, up until Keqing said something that made Ganyu nearly lose her breakfast.
"Me," Keqing said lowly. "It may not have been him specifically, but I got away, and maybe if I was offered, he'd take it out of the pleasure of just finishing a job that his cohort didnt get to."
The words caused something to trigger like a switch in Ganyu's psyche, something that made her immediately object in absolute emotional anger.
"Absolutely not!" Ganyu intervened. "Your life isn't worth the risk!"
Keqing and Yelan had both jumped at the sudden exclamation, but could understand Ganyu's immediate frustration.
"Ganyu, calm down," Keqing attempted. "I'm not saying I'm going to do it, just suggested it as an option."
Ganyu didn't hear her, realizing why she had suddenly snapped, and it was enough to drive her to an emotional state. Keqing and Yelan eyed her with worry, unsure of what was happening in Ganyu's head. Her face was pale and beginning to moisten with sweat from her pores, finally saying something after a long minute of tense silence.
"I-I need to take a walk," Ganyu said, getting up and leaving in a rush.
"Ganyu, please wait!" Keqing tried, getting to her feet to follow, up until Yelan stopped her.
"Let her go," Yelan stated calmly. "She's hurting and needs some air to clear her mind."
Keqing seated herself again, feeling a heavy drought of guilt plague her mind.
"Was it something I said?" Keqing questioned with sorrow. "I-I didn't mean to hurt her."
Yelan shook her head.
"It's not your fault, only the past's," Yelan explained. "I saw it in her eyes; the trauma of the past. A past that you accidentally unearthed by suggesting to potentially put yourself out as live bait for our common enemy."
"Dammit. I should've thought before I spoke. I'm so sorry Ganyu…
Yelan shook her head again.
"There's no fault in your suggestion, seeing it may be the very course of action we may end up taking. However, let me enlighten you about something that you aren't aware of. Ningguang told me several stories of Ganyu, and how her first years in her occupation were very hard.
War brings violence, death, and trauma, and it showed during Ganyu's first years as Ningguang's secretary. She'd go into mental breakdowns and panic attacks upon the sound of the slightest alarm, door slam, or even thunder during storms. In an attempt to cure her, Ningguang sent her to therapy, gave her special privileges while working, and over time, the trauma eventually went dormant.
In my eyes, that night that Liyue Harbor went into the ocean caused Ganyu's trauma to rise from its dormant state, and right now, she's clinging onto certain things to keep herself sane. Believe it or not, you're one of those things, Lady Keqing, and considering you two have been dependent on each other since that night, she sees you as something that gives her hope."
Keqing was shocked, having never known that Ganyu had once suffered from PTSD caused by the Archon War. It explained a lot and why she was a recluse that never wanted to endanger anyone if she didn't have to. The dots were connecting, and now, Keqing saw Ganyu in a whole different light. She was no longer a half-adeptus workaholic that had a contract to protect Liyue in her eyes, but more of a valiant hero that was heavily damaged beneath the surface.
"I never knew any of that, and…I feel horrible for just throwing myself in the enemy's line of fire as if I'm going to escape unscathed," Keqing confessed, sighing heavily and hanging her head. "What do I even say to her to assure her?"
"It won't be the first time a decision of this caliber is potentially going to be made, so the best thing you can do is show her that you can do it," Yelan responded. "War may potentially be on the horizon, and Ganyu may or may not be able to survive it. You are the person she cares the most about right now, so it's best to start with showing her that you'll always be there for her and will never leave her alone. Unlike what I did all those years ago."
Keqing nodded in assurance, feeling as if she'd been given a somewhat-impossible task, but the truth was that Ganyu gave her hope as well. Therefore, their support for each other was the catalyst for their current position.
"I'm going to go find her," Keqing confirmed, getting up and walking in the direction of Ganyu's footprints.
Yelan didn't say anything and just nodded in confirmation that that was the best course of action for her to do at that moment. It wasn't long before Keqing found her colleague seated along the shoreline of a nearby lake. Her head was down and an atmosphere composed of sorrow and grief permeated the proximity.
It felt as if she were intruding on something private, but she couldn't handle seeing Ganyu like this, so she slowly made her presence known. Ganyu caught her approach almost instantly upon taking three steps towards the shore, but she didn't move or say anything, to which Keqing read as a green light to join her.
Upon seating herself about two feet from Ganyu, the heavy essence of pain, sadness, and grief was strong enough to practically suffocate Keqing. It was as if all of the oxygen had been contaminated by some toxic gas that coagulated into lead blocks upon breathing it into her lungs, the heft becoming nearly unbearable. However, all the heaviness dissipated upon Ganyu finally breaking the tension.
"I'm sorry for yelling," Ganyu apologized.
"It's alright, Ganyu," Keqing said comfortingly.
"I know you wouldn't be in any danger, it's just that…
Ganyu paused for a moment in heavy thought, slowly shifting her eyes to Keqing's, and feeling a heaviness corrode her ancient heart.
"You're all I have left…and I…don't want to…lose you…I-I don't want to…be alone…not again…
Keqing felt emotion punch her heart upon hearing those words, just wanting to comfort her colleague in warmth and assurance.
"Ganyu…I…
She trailed immediately, unsure of what to say. However, she didn't have to say anything upon Ganyu speaking something she wasn't expecting.
"Have you ever lost someone?" Ganyu practically whispered. "Someone you couldn't even imagine losing and somehow managed to continue to live after losing them?"
Keqing just shook her head, not sure where Ganyu was going with this.
"It's a bizarre yet dreadful feeling to lose someone you're close to, and can lead you to do things you'd never imagine yourself ever committing in your entire life."
Keqing understood, but at the same time was unsure what Ganyu was talking about. Then came her next words.
"I was only a child when the Archon War first began; a time when I shouldn't have even had to worry about the grievances of death and sorrow; a time when I thought I could be happy forever. I still remember her face and smile as if it were yesterday."
That last comment stung Keqing's heart, knowing exactly where this was going.
"Her name was Yunhe, and she was my best friend up to when I mastered my archery skills, and my vision came into being. We'd play the silliest of games, tell the most bizarre stories, and just live as if we were immortals in a fairytale.
I met her by accident one day while I was taking a break from archery training, and upon the first sight of her, I was terrified. When we first made eye contact, she just stared in absolute wonder, as if I were something she had never seen in her life. She posed no threat though, and after a few meetings at the same spot at the same time, we started to become more friendly with each other.
I kept her secret from Cloud Retainer for years, and on my breaks, we'd talk and share stories about our separate kinds. I became fascinated by the stories she told, and for years we met up in secrecy. As we grew from children into teenagers, we'd do things like exchange books, drink tea, and just enjoy life.
We were so close and like sisters, but all of that came to an end upon the start of the Archon War. I would show up, b-but she wouldn't, and it wasn't until the day that I went searching along her route to our usual spot that I…found out that her village had been…a-attacked by a bunch of thieves and…was killed in the process…
A single tear escaped both of Ganyu's eyes, and Keqing found herself placing her right hand over her heart in sadness.
"I cried for so long that I can't even recall the amount of time I had spent there, but when I finally stopped, all I felt was rage. So I decided to unleash all of that rage on the very people responsible for it, and tracked them down. When I finally found them, they looked at me as weak, but my archery skills said otherwise. I shot every single one of them without any sort of remorse or regret, and when I reached the last one begging me for mercy, I didn't even listen.
After they were dead, it felt as if a wave of emotion hit me, and upon seeing all of those corpses dead from my bloody arrows, I just lost it. I screamed and cried for so long, up until I passed out. In my mind, I was hoping for death to greet me when I awoke, but instead, I was greeted by Morax who saw my skills as extraordinary and unlike anything he'd ever seen.
He offered me a spot by his side in the Archon War, so I took it, hoping it would free me of my guilt and somehow make up for my mistake. It didn't, and instead, I was punished with the grotesque effects of war to one's psyche. Something that still affects me today.
To survive the war, I had to stain my hands with so much blood, in hopes that their blood would cleanse me of my ungrateful act. What would Yunhe see me as now? That same friend she met with at that same spot or an ungrateful and ruthless monster?"
Ganyu lost it, and Keqing knew exactly why her self-sacrifice idea had led her to this state. That girl had probably been her only friend, and she had lost her to war. Not only that, but it had caused her to become someone she wasn't out of the rage of loss, all because of the war.
Keqing embraced her colleague in a warm hug of comfort and understanding, now understanding Ganyu's nature more than ever before. She avoided making friends because she was afraid of losing them, and kept herself hid away in Yuehai Pavillion as a means to never make friends with anyone.
It wasn't because of her Qilin instincts, but something more deep and devastating. Keqing held her dear friend tight, showing her that she wouldn't end up like Yunhe. She'd do her best to be there with her in every battle and not perish to the acts of war and violence.
"Hey, I'm not going anywhere anytime soon," she comforted dearly, rubbing Ganyu's back. "I'm right here with you, and will be no matter what happens."
Ganyu was silent in the matter, and while she appreciated Keqing's words, the past still haunted her as much as the emotions. Therefore, she just continued to cry her heart out, and Keqing stayed with her the entire time.
Comforting.
Understanding.
Embracing.
Keqing was there for all of it, and wasn't annoyed or bothered by it at all.
After an hour of releasing her emotions, Ganyu and Keqing finally returned back to Yelan's camp, their host still sitting in the same spot with her legs crossed in comfort.
"Feel better?" Yelan asked Ganyu.
"Very, and I have full confidence in her ability to lure in Reshav, shall it come to that conclusion," Ganyu replied confidentially.
"I'm glad," Yelan responded. "In your absence, I've come up with a plan to make this plan go more full proof, so listen closely. My plan is for me to intersect the letter for Starchovski by heading for the closest route that delivers mail to Snezhnaya. Don't worry, I'm much aware of the routes, and considering it's only been a single day, it hasn't gotten very far.
I have my ways of intersecting deliveries, so you have no worries in that regard, girls."
"What about us?" Keqing asked.
"I'll need you to write the Acting Grandmaster a letter, seeing as soon as that letter is intersected, I'll need to alert them of our new plan. It can't be you two who deliver the letter, seeing the Acting Grandmaster was right about one thing; that place is crawling with Fatui members that can very well be in connection with Starchovski or the Tsaritsa. If they see you, they'll know something's up and alert Reshav instantly.
To get this rat into our trap, you two must remain completely absent. They won't recognize me, seeing I'm not a common resident of Mondstadt, so with me delivering the letter, suspicion is averted."
Keqing and Ganyu nodded, following with Yelan's request. Upon receiving a blank piece of parchment paper and writing utensil, Ganyu wrote a letter to alert Jean of the change of plans. It took her only minutes to write, fold up, and seal in an envelope, following up by giving it to Yelan.
"Good timing, Ganyu," Yelan complimented, sticking the letter somewhere safe and then grabbing her bow. "I need to get moving if I am going to intersect that message in time. For now, you two just do your best to stay out of sight somewhere."
"We will," Keqing confirmed. "Good luck out there."
"See you gals in about a week," Yelan finished, then took off on a run into the open world of Teyvat.
Upon Yelan's departure, Ganyu and Keqing met each others gaze in planning for their next move.
"So, what do we do next?" Ganyu questioned.
"I think our best move is to just head back to Dawn Winery and stay low until we receive news from Jean," Keqing analyzed.
"I agree," Ganyu accepted. "There's no Fatui and we don't have to fight for resources. However, there's still one thing we still haven't figured out; the very reason we're out here in the first place."
Keqing nodded.
"I know, but once we get some answers, finding them will be easier. We just need to be patient for now, even if it seems wrong."
Ganyu reluctantly nodded in agreement, to which Keqing followed with an attempt to reassure her colleague.
"Hey, we'll find them, okay," she attempted, putting a hand on Ganyu's left shoulder.
Ganyu didn't answer immediately, but eventually found words to speak.
"Okay. I trust you."
With that said, Ganyu and Keqing armed themselves with their respected weapons again, and began their journey back to Dawn Winery.