*Disclaimer - I do not own the copyright nor characters for Genshin Impact or Kingdom Hearts
*A/N - Oops. Long time no see! Sorry for the long wait. I wanted to make sure my other stories were given some time to develop since for this one I have a bit more of a clear path that I want to go. Plus, with Sumeru holding a ton of lore and secrets I've been struck with so many ideas. Ideas that will surely involve Sora learning more about this world and the secrets it holds. Hence, it's time to get off my behind and crank some chapters out. And I want to include crucial moments later in the story but with a twist for Sora. So, without further ado. I hope everyone is doing well and had a good time off for the holidays. And with that, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Take care.
"Whoa!"
Standing at the top of a small hill, Sora was looking out into the distance and couldn't help the amazed look on his face. The sight of the land in front of him was something that could've looked like it came right off of a picture. Immediately he reached for his Gummiphone and began to take pictures of the sight. This would be something he wanted to start doing now that he was going to be exploring this world.
Eula standing off to the side couldn't help but sigh at the boy. In a good way of course with a small smile on her face.
Jogging back to her, Sora had a goofy smile on his face.
"Haha. Sorry about that. I saw the sight and couldn't help but want to take a picture."
"Mm. There's nothing wrong with that. It's nice to know that you enjoy sights that many take for granted."
"Yep. And when I'm away from Mondstadt I can look back at all the pictures I took during my journey and smile at all the memories I made."
Realization slowly dawned on the Keyblade wielder as he realized that he should have started taking pictures while in Mondstadt. Not just of the sights but his new friends as well. Oh, well. He could do that when he returns from becoming familiar with the world and connecting with enough waypoint pillars.
"That device you were holding, I take it that is a Kamera?" Eula asked, tilting her head.
"Yeah. It's a function that my phone uses" Sora replied while not fully comprehending what she asked him.
"Your phone? What's a phone?"
"Uh…Well, it's a device that lets me call others who also have a phone. Mine is called a Gummiphone. I don't know how they are made but it lets me take notes, and pictures and play music" Sora explained to the blue-haired girl.
"Music? Huh. I believe I heard Lisa once talking about devices found in Sumeru that played music but were a bit large in size" Eula explained, doing her best to remember what Lisa had said.
"Oh? That's interesting."
"Where did you get your device, Sora?"
Not wanting to get caught in a lie that could backfire on him in the future, Sora decided to give a simple yet truthful answer.
"I got my Gummiphone from my friends. They gave it to me not that long ago but… I have no idea where they got it."
"I see…"
Feeling like he made things a bit confusing for the Reconnaissance Captain, Sora was about to call out to her but was stopped from saying anything when he heard a scream.
"Help! Somebody!"
Turning to look at each other, no words were needed as the two quickly summoned their weapons and began bolting to where the screams were coming from.
Crossing over another hill, the duo spotted what appeared to be a traveling merchant who was running away from what appeared to be a large mechanical machine. Or as Sora identified it a robot.
Dashing toward the machine, Sora charged at it from the side and managed to slash across its side, managing to knock it back a bit. Eula followed suit and heaved her claymore right at the machine's head which caused a lot of damage. However, the machine was still standing and making noises but not attacking just yet. Not sure what else the machine had in store, Sora confided in Eula.
"Eula, do you know what this thing is? It looks like a robot."
"It's called a Ruin Guard. They're normally found all over the place. Commonly around old ruins. Hence the name. Be on your guard."
The merchant who was being chased by the Ruin Guard was startled by what had happened and yelled out to the duo from a good distance.
"Hey! You two! Watch out! There's more of them!"
Hearing the merchant, Sora turned to look at the Ruin Guard and noticed it was making a strange sound while slowly growing in the center of its head or body. Sora wasn't sure. But his thoughts would be halted when he realized what might be happening.
"Oh boy. Eula, It's calling out to the others that were chasing the merchant."
"Damnit. Stay on guard. We don't know how many there were chasing that imbecile."
As if to answer the girl's question, coming into view were four more Ruin Guards. Each machine looked worn down and had parts of its body missing. Sora eyed the enemy in front of him and was confused about the situation that led the Ruin Guards to chase the merchant. However, his train of thought would be stopped as he saw one of the Ruin Guards stop walking and aim his body toward the sky. Immediately lights started to appear around its body as several projectiles began firing at him and Eula.
Rolling to the side, Sora saw that the projectiles were set to aim right at him and had moved to where he rolled. The boy's fighting instincts started to kick in and he had a plan come to him that was sure to work.
An all-in-one attack.
"Eula! See if you can get close to the Ruin Guards."
"What? Are you trying to send me to my death!?"
"No! I have a plan that'll take them out all at once."
Looking over at the other Ruin Guards and seeing them get ready to start charging up their projectiles for launch, Sora began running and setting some distance between himself and Eula.
"After they launch their missiles, get close and start wrecking them!" Sora called out to his partner.
At first, Eula had a frown on her face but now after catching onto Sora's plan the girl couldn't help but smirk. His plan had some downsides to it but overall, it would get the job done if performed right.
Still running and having the projectiles following him, Sora started channeling the energy inside of him which caused his body to start glowing blue. Flowmotion. Not wanting to take any chances, the Keyblade wielder began moving swiftly behind the Ruin Guards and making sure that their attention was on him and not Eula. While still getting all the projectiles to come after him.
All at once, the four Ruin Guards were done charging up their projectiles and blasted them into the sky which instantly forced them to start following the boy.
This allowed the Lawrence clan descendant to start sprinting right at the machines ready to strike.
Gaining enough speed, Eula summoned her claymore and leaped at the group of Ruin Guards performing a wide slash across several of the bodies of the machines making them all stumble but still stay standing but hurt. Not wasting a second, Eula twisted on her back foot before beginning to swing the claymore and strike at the closest Ruin Guard. She then started channeling her Cryo power into her weapon and slashed down at the machine causing it to start thrashing while also having ice start covering where it was hit.
"I condemn you!"
Channeling her power, she charged at the other Ruin Guards and began to use her Icetide Vortex ability to hit the other machines giving Sora enough time to strike. Heaving her claymore from the side, the ability managed to hit several of the machines with the heavy weapon while also covering the lower bodies of most of the Ruin Guards.
However, one of the Ruin Guards swung its arm right at the Reconnaissance Captain forcing her to bring her claymore up and block the attack. The impact pushed her back a bit but thanks to slamming her heels into the ground, she was able to balance herself. She eyed the machine that attacked her and began charging at the machine by bringing her weapon over her head and ready to strike back.
Before the Ruin Guard could attack her, she easily sidestepped the attempted attack and began to slash at the machine in a rhythmic sort of way. Her assault consisted of five consecutive slashes with each slash doing massive damage to the contraption. Noticing the other Ruin Guards start to act, Eula stopped attacking and jumped back to analyze the situation.
Quickly looking over at the boy, Eula noticed that he was getting closer and closer with many projectiles all flying right behind him.
"Eula! Get back! It's gonna get loud!"
Nodding at what the boy said, the captain jumped back and made some distance between her and the Ruin Guards watching Sora continue to get closer.
Ready to conclude his plan, Sora ran right to the closest Ruin Guard and in a flashy move jumped right on top of the machine while also leaping across each machine until he was now in front of the Ruin Guards who were now blocking the projectiles.
As if on cue, explosions began to rock the area as the group of Ruin Guards were hit and engulfed in a fiery explosion. Without wasting another second, Sora sprinted right at the first Ruin Guard he encountered and dived straight at the machine driving his Keyblade into the center of its head.
Mechanical noises could be heard while the robot's head started glowing but instantly started dimming down and falling to the ground. Leaping off the Ruin Guard, Sora saw as the machine crashed to the ground turning off for good.
Eula ran up to the boy and checked to see if he was all right.
"Sora! Are you hurt?"
"Nope. I'm good. How about you?"
"Not even a scratch. As expected" Eula said, donning a confident grin while bringing a hand to her hip.
Offering the blue-haired girl a happy nod, Sora turned to look over where the merchant had gone and found that he was walking toward them now.
"I-Is everything all good?"
"Yep! It's all clear. Are you all right?" Sora asked the merchant.
"Y-yes. I'm good."
"What exactly were you doing to attract this many Ruin Guards after you?" Eula questioned the merchant while having a scowl on her face.
"I…I was looking for anything that would be worth selling at a high price but I went looking at one of the nearby shrines. I figured that since many adventures are out and about they would have cleared the area for monsters and whatnot" the crestfallen merchant explained.
"But… that wasn't the case. After one Ruin Guard spotted me the others soon woke up and started chasing me" the merchant added.
"Hmm…" Sora muttered, taking into account what the merchant was saying.
"That was utterly foolish of you to do! Honestly, did it not ever occur to you that even if the ruins were cleared of any monsters there could still be the chance that other monsters would appear? What would you have done then?"
"I-I'm sorry! I realized my mistake. It won't happen again!"
"That's not good enough" Eula stated to the nervous merchant.
"Your life was on the line. If it wasn't for the two of us, then who knows what would have happened" Eula explained while looking serious and right into the merchant's eyes.
"I… I just wanted to make some Mora…"
"*sigh* I'm not saying you're wrong in thinking that. But the way you went about it is idiotic"
"You're right…"
"You know what they say about safety in numbers. Maybe next time travel with a group or even someone" Sora said, drawing the merchant's attention.
"I'll make a note of that… Thank you. Both of you" the merchant replied.
"I know that we might sound a bit harsh right now but it's because things are a bit… hectic" Sora responded.
"Get to Mondstadt as soon as you can. It's not safe to travel by yourself now" Eula added.
"Understood. Truly, thank you two."
With that said, the merchant hurriedly made his way further down the path and toward Mondstadt leaving the duo alone again.
"What a preposterous idiot," Eula said to liven up the mood.
"I want to say don't be too hard on the guy but… with the Heartless roaming out and about nobody is safe" Sora answered.
"Not only that but thinking that the ruins are a safe place based on an assumption is absurd. *groan* That merchant's actions are making me frustrated. This calls for vengeance!"
"Pfft…"
"Huh! Are you laughing at me, Sora?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about. I was just clearing my throat" Sora replied while doing his best to tone down the smile that appeared on his face.
"Hmph. Don't take me for someone who'll just brush off the transgression you just did. Mark my words, Sora. When the right time comes… Vengeance will be enacted upon you!" Eula stated, pointing her gloved index finger at the boy who had what appeared to be a nervous smile on his face.
Feeling like she made her point, Eula began walking away with a small smile on her lips and leaving the boy to watch her go, Sora couldn't help but chuckle at his new friend's behavior. Shaking his head, he began to catch up with the girl while continuing to make his way to Liyue.
Still walking along the path, Sora continued to take in the sights in front of him and was about to take another photo when he spotted a fairly large building with people all around the outside. The building had crops surrounding the place, with many people sitting outside at tables or pushing carts around. It got Sora wondering.
"Hey Eula, what's that place?"
Looking in the direction that Sora was, Eula recognized the building.
"That place is the Dawn Winery."
"Oh! That's Dawn Winery?"
"Mm. You remember what I told you about the winery, correct?"
"Yep. And how it's well known and has a prestigious level of recognition surrounding it."
"Correct. Glad to know you are paying attention."
"Of course! Maybe when things calm down we could go there" Sora replied while still looking over at the building.
"W-We?" Eula asked while stuttering. This caused her to scold herself mentally.
"Yeah! Why not? We could check the place out and meet the people there."
"I…I would like that. Yes, that would be nice. Then I'll be able to indulge you in an exquisite lesson on how to taste wine and identify the characteristics of a finely crafted bottle."
"Can't wait. I've cooked with wine before but haven't really learned everything there is about it."
"Wait. You've used wine before in your cooking? I take it you learned back with your chief friend?" Eula suggested while remembering what the boy said.
"Mm-hmm."
"Now I'm even more eager to try your cooking."
"Haha! I don't mean to brag but I think I've gotten better with my cooking skills. It'll leave you both happy and full" Sora said, taking on his signature pose with his hands behind his head.
"Well then, the sooner we get to Liyue the sooner we'll have a moment to hopefully try your cooking."
"Yep. Let's get going!"
Having said that, Sora continued to walk down the path and soon spotted a body of water along with animals sitting atop the water enjoying the pleasant day. He also noticed that the path was becoming narrower and looking different.
"Where are we at now?
"We're still a ways away but we are coming up on the Stone Gate. It's sort of considered a waypoint for travelers to tell them that they are getting closer to Liyue. The location is also given its name for showcasing two cliffs coming close to each other but not touching. Leaving space for a path to be created"
"Huh. That's probably a useful tip to know. What other landmarks or waypoints will we come across?" Sora asked, pulling out his Gummiphone and pulling up the map that he saw back with Jean.
"After the Stone Gate, we will be coming up on the Dihua Marsh. Then the Wanshu Inn will be easily seen. It's as it sounds. An inn that travelers can stop at for a night's rest. Continuing down the path we will be in the Guili Plains and continue down that path for quite some time. But ultimately that will be the quickest way to Liyue" Eula explained to the curious spiky-haired boy.
"Are we going to be able to make it to Liyue today?" Sora asked while noticing that the sun was nearing the middle of the sky.
"Hmm. Normally I'd say no. But given that I'm experienced in traveling distances without much gear and you appear to be in tip-top shape. I'd wager that we could make it by nightfall."
Eula stopped talking and crossed her arms while having a distraught expression.
"However, that's only if we were jogging all the way there and not having to deal with run-ins with monsters or worse-"
"The Heartless." Sora finished Eula's comment.
"Exactly. My best bet is that we stay the night at Wanshu Inn and pick back up in the morning. Besides, who knows what other troubles we will be getting involved in or obstacles in our way before we get there."
"I'm good with that plan. And I have to say-" Gaining the woman's attention, Sora brought a hand close to his heart. "Thanks again, Eula. For going out of your way to help me get to Liyue."
"Nonsense. You've been a great help in the short time we've met. And with the Heartless becoming an even bigger problem we're going to need all the help we can scrounge up to deal with these pests" Eula stated while frowning at the thought of the dark creatures.
"Moreover, not only does it help me step away from Mondstadt and catch some fresh air, but… I get the chance to travel with a new friend. Hence, I should be the one thanking you, Sora" Eula stated while feeling happy inside
Swiping across his nose, Sora offered the blue-haired girl a cheerful smile to brighten up the mood.
"Heh. We're going to keep thanking each other at this rate."
"Haha. You might be right about that."
Taking another look at the path in front of them, Eula gestured to the Keyblade wielder about continuing on their travels which got him to agree with her by nodding. Break time was over and now it was back to the road.
Upon reaching Stone Gate, Sora couldn't help but pull out his Gummiphone and start taking pictures of the landscape in front of him. The boy let out another "Whoa…" at seeing the two cliffs depicted just like Eula said it to be.
She also couldn't help the small smile that grew on her lips while watching the boy take in all the sights for the first time. Some passersby even eyed Sora with confused looks which forced Eula to wave at them who returned the gesture.
Sora meanwhile couldn't believe how amazing and vastly different this area was compared to Mondstadt. If this was just how Liyue was starting to look, then what would the other regions look like!? Sora couldn't wait to find out.
After continuing to walk, Sora now noticed that the layout of the land changed and was beginning to include more water. In front of him the path that he and Eula had been following now split into two separate ways.
"We're now past Stone Gate and one step closer to Liyue."
Puzzled by what Eula said, the brown spiky-haired boy began to walk around and try to guess which path they would take.
"Uh. Eula, which way do we go?"
"Well, you see-"
Suddenly, before Eula could start explaining to the Keyblade wielder. What sounded like laughter could be heard. However, the sound was beginning to get louder and louder. Almost as if it was moving around the two adventures.
Unsure of what was happening, Sora summoned his Keyblade and twirled it in his hands while checking his surroundings. Eula did the same and listened carefully for where the sound might be next.
In the next moment, Eula swung her claymore in front of her at what appeared to be nothing. But as if something magical happened the attack from her managed to hit what appeared to be a dark blue sphere. The blue sphere appeared out of nowhere giving the idea that it teleported and was hit by Eula's weapon. And inside the sphere was a creature with long ears on top of its head and either a white face or mask.
Sora was confused about what was going on.
"Who is that?"
"It's an Abyss Hydro Mage. Stay sharp. Their shield is hard to break and will need to be barraged by elemental attacks."
As if hearing its name gave it a confidence boost, the Abyss Mage began laughing and taunting the two while teleporting back a few feet and raising what appeared to be a small staff. Sora didn't need to think twice about what to do. Hence, he charged at the mage and readied a Blizzard spell to freeze the enemy in place.
But the mage began casting what appeared to be water projectiles at the two forcing Sora and Eula to split off in separate directions to try and corner the enemy.
Feeling that something was off about this encounter, Eula began swerving her head side-to-side while still trying to make some distance between her and the mage when she spotted an unwelcoming sight making its way to them.
"Archons sake. Sora! We've got enemy reinforcements coming from the North."
Still sprinting around the water-blasting mage, Sora kept his eye on the mage while also peering at his surroundings and saw in the distance several familiar creatures start to get closer and closer to his location. These were the creatures that he first encountered when he woke up in this world and was helped by Diona. Hilichurls is what Sora remembered her calling them.
Now, however, it didn't look like these Hilichurls were in the mood for talking.
Noticing how close he was to the mage, Sora raised his Keyblade in front of him and cast an ice spell that would allow for him and Eula to deal with the mage before they had to worry about the Hilichurls surrounding them.
"Blizzard!"
Once the spell was shot at the Hydro Mage's shield the entire sphere was instantly frozen leaving the mage unmoving inside. Sora wasted no time and dashed toward the mage beginning to rapidly slash and break down the shield.
Eula also joined in the fray and started hitting the shield on the other side while also channeling her Cryo ability into her claymore to cause even greater damage against the sphere.
"There's no escape!"
"Ha! Take this!" Sora yelled, casting another Blizzard spell to try and break the shield.
The claymore's attacks appeared to be hitting the shield quite hard but still showed no signs of the blue sphere cracking at all. Eula slashed at the shield one more time, managing to thrust her entire body with the weapon, and even landed a kick against the shield. Still, no cracks were seen on the shield.
Left irritated, the blue-haired woman felt a familiar energy course through her body which reassured her with confidence.
"Sora! On my mark, land a heavy strike on the shield. I'm going to use my elemental ability."
"Got it! Just say when."
Swinging her claymore to her side, Eula gripped the weapon's handle and called upon her elemental energy. Ready to strike and demolish the mage's shield.
"Now!"
"Flood of Frost!"
As soon as Eula gave the go, she twisted her body so that she would strike at the shield with a heavy slash followed by a hefty wave of Cryo to destroy the shield. In addition, hearing her give the go, Sora channeled his Flowmotion energy and shot right at the Hydro's shield and landed with his feet on the shield which gave him the chance to shoot right into the air and see Eula perform her attack which greatly damaged the shield causing cracks to run all around it.
Without a moment to lose, Sora slammed his Keyblade down at the top of the mage's shield which upon impact caused the shield to not only break but hit the mage itself.
"Haa!"
A groan could be heard as Sora landed on his feet and readjusted himself to see that the mage was stumbling back a step until he fell to the floor disappearing.
Turning to look at the Hilichurls that were heading to their location, Sora noticed that none of them were continuing their pursuit and were now out of sight. A confused look was donned on the Keyblade wielder's face as questions began popping into his mind.
Eula also had a surprised expression while checking their surroundings to see if anything else might attack them.
"Was that it? How come they aren't fighting us?"
"I'd wager that once they saw the mage get taken down they fled. Scared that their leader was taken down."
"Is that normal?"
"I wouldn't say normal is the right term. Normally, it wouldn't matter if the mage in a group of enemies like what we saw was taken down. The Hilichurls would still attack us. But now… I'm not sure" Eula explained while eyeing where the mage had once been.
"Maybe these Hilichurls were smarter than others?" Sora suggested.
"Perhaps. But still, it's an odd occurrence with no real explanation."
Nodding at the icy maiden's comment, Sora looked down at his weapon and a few thoughts running around his head.
'Could it have been the Keyblade? Could Hilichurls sense the weapon? But… that doesn't make sense. Was it something else? Was it…' Sora thought to himself until one idea had some merit to it.
"Eula, could it have been the Heartless causing those Hilichurls to act weird?"
"The Heartless? What do they have to do with what happened?" Eula asked while bringing a hand to rest on her hip.
"Well, maybe the Heartless are posing a threat to the Hilichurls?" Sora suggested while not having any concrete evidence to go along with his idea.
"That's one idea. Causing them to stick close to their leaders but flee when all else fails. However, suffice it to say we are in the dark on anything surrounding the Heartless or if there is a connection between the two."
"Yeah. All the more reason to get to Liyue and hopefully find out anything useful" Sora stated to the girl.
"Should we get going? I don't think there's anything around here that'll attack us now" gesturing by waving his arm around the area. Sora was sure they were alone now.
"Let's. We still have a bit to go until we reach Wangshu Inn."
Not needing to say anything else, the young man followed next to the blue-haired woman and continued down the path that would take them to their next location. But not before the wielder of the Keyblade pulled out his Gummiphone and took a few more scenic pictures.
"I'm surprised the path is still visible" Sora announced while walking next to Eula, still on the path.
"If anything were to cause the path problems and become difficult to use, I have no doubt the higher-ups over at Liyue would send a party out to try and fix it. Or survey the land for a replacement path."
Nodding at the icy maiden's comment, something finally registered to Sora as he was walking next to Eula. And it was that she was extremely attractive. Granted, he had become friends with many different people throughout his journeys with some of those people being really attractive.
But being right next to Eula and seeing her face closer than usual caused the boy just to realize how pretty she was. From her shoulder-length blue hair to her icy pale complexion, and that bright and friendly smile that she now always wore compared to when he first met her. Thoughts such as these caused the boy to feel that his face was getting warm. Sora couldn't help but silently chuckle at himself for having these kinds of thoughts.
The Keyblade wielder silently shook his head as another thought came barrelling around in his head. What would Riku think about the boy having these kinds of thoughts? Sora figured his best friend would tease him about Eula. Typical Riku.
However, another person came to mind while Sora was thinking about Riku, and that certain someone was a red-haired girl. Kairi.
Sora began to feel mixed emotions flooding into his heart at the thought of his friend. On one hand, he was happy that he managed to bring her back to everyone and not alone anymore. But on the other…he knew about the girl's feelings toward him. He'll always remember the sad look on her face as she realized that his time was up and that he was beginning to fade away. All while realizing that there was nothing she could do.
It didn't help that Sora knew that might be the last time he'll ever see his friends. The last time he'll ever see her.
But… the Keyblade wielder closed his eyes and gathered his newfound thoughts. Even if he might not ever be able to return home that wouldn't stop him from hoping. Besides, this world was in trouble now with the Heartless appearing. And the people of Teyvat had no idea of the horrors that the Heartless brought with them.
He had experienced that himself and it was a situation he never wanted to go through again. Hence, the young man opened his eyes and took in the sight of this new world in front of him. He would not let Darkness take over and help save this world from the Heartless. No matter what.
Plus, Sora smiled as he brought his hand up to his heart. Even if they weren't with him now… his friends were still in his heart. Everyone that he met during his adventures was in some way connected to his heart. Everyone was now safe. The light within their hearts helped him get where he is today and he would do everything he could to keep on pushing forward.
'Riku. Donald. Goofy. Mickey. Kairi. Everyone. It's going to be alright. We may never meet again, but we'll never forget each other,' Sora mentally said to himself, recalling Leon's speech from what felt like so long ago.
Snapping out of his inner thoughts, Sora suddenly realized that the ground beneath him felt weird, almost wet.
Looking down at his surroundings the spiky-haired boy let out a yelp as he now understood what was happening.
Down below him was all water reaching up to his legs. During his inner thought process, he must've not realized where he was walking and ended up trotting further into the water. Stifled giggling could be heard coming from the side. Whipping his head to the culprit, Sora found Eula who looked both bewildered and amused at the sight in front of her.
"I tried calling out to you but it appeared that you were in your own world and not paying attention to your surroundings."
"Heh heh. Sorry about that. Had some thoughts I wanted to sort out."
"...Any troubling thoughts on your mind?"
Sora looked over at the blue-haired beauty and could only wear his emotions on his shoulder.
"Was it that easy to tell?" Sora replied while offering a defeated smile.
"There's an old saying that facial expressions are a gateway to knowing one's true feelings. And from where you're standing you appear to have a sad and conflicting look. Something I know quite well" Eula said while muttering that last part.
"Well…" Stepping out of the water and shaking off his boots, Sora grasped his hands and decided on opening up to his friend.
"My thoughts are everywhere at the moment. The Heartless. Exploring Teyvat. Getting to Liyue. Watching out for any other enemies. Finding what we're looking for. And… my friends…" Sora listed.
The blue-haired woman's eyes widened at hearing that last detail that was bothering Sora. Was there something eating away at him?
"Your friends… you've mentioned them a few times now. Did something happen between you and them?" Eula asked, making sure not to pry too far into Sora's business.
"No, no. Everything is all good. It's just… I'm thinking back to all of the experiences I've lived through and was able to make it through. Thanks to my friends. I was thinking about how they would've liked to see the sights that I'm seeing now."
Sora then started making his way over to Eula so that he was out of the water while offering a comforting smile to her.
"And I was thinking that they would've liked meeting everyone back in Mondstadt. Enjoying the fresh air and sights to behold. They would've also liked meeting you too" Sora directed to the listening girl.
Happiness filled Eula's heart as she began to realize something within Sora's words. Not only was it a thoughtful thing for him to say, but the truth of the matter was that she would be meeting people who did not know who she was. A clean fresh slate. The chance to meet people who would get to see the real her. The real Eula and not Eula Lawrence that was ridiculed and thought of in disdain for what her family had done in the past.
Hence, the blue-haired woman couldn't help the calm and collected yet wonderful smile that was displayed on her face. Eula slowly realized that in the past two days, she has been smiling a great deal. And in all honesty, she did not dislike the realization.
"Well, whatever the future may hold for the both of us, I would be honored to meet your friends, Sora."
"Mm. They would be as well."
Sensing a weight being lifted from his heart, Sora let out a content sigh as a peaceful atmosphere surrounded the two leaving them content with not saying anything and just enjoying the continuation of their journey down the path.
If this was how the rest of the journey to Liyue was going to be like, then Sora wouldn't mind if the journey took them a bit longer than expected.
After some time had passed, Sora was now staring straight up at what appeared to be a large tree house. The thought made him chuckle a bit while looking around the area and seeing people scattered all over the place.
"Is Wangshu Inn always this popular? I didn't think it would be this busy" Sora stated while pulling out his Gummiphone and looking at where the inn was situated on the map he took a snapshot of.
"The times I've traveled to Liyue it always seemed like Wangshu Inn was always busy. So, I would have to say yes" Eula replied to the boy's question.
"Well, shall we get going? It looks like we made it before the sun could set."
Pointing at where the sun was currently hanging in the sky, Eula could see what Sora meant. Even with all the hectic scenarios the two found themselves in throughout the day. They managed to make it one step closer to Liyue.
"As expected. All according to plan" Eula stated while putting a hand on her hip.
"You mean, you expected us to get attacked?"
"Yes. It was only fair to expect that we would have some bumps in the road."
"Huh. Glad you're the one that came up with the plan then."
Continuing to make their way to Wangshu Inn, Sora saw the path that was laid out in front of him and saw that there were camps of Hilichurls hanging by the water, not noticing the two.
"Hey, Eula, do the Hilichurls ever attack the inn? I mean, sure they're not like right next door but still pretty close."
"The inn occasionally has Milieth guards who are stationed nearby to help protect citizens traveling around the area. Hence, there's no reason to worry about enemies that may come close to the area. Besides, Dihua Marsh has many spots that would be useful for hiding. There are bound to be enemies that are hiding in the day and come out at night" Eula explained.
"Got it."
Not needing anything else to be said, the two continued their trek to the inn while being enveloped by silence. But it wasn't an awkward silence, rather it was nice and peaceful. Minus the sound of Sora's camera that was making noise from him taking pictures of the sights in front of him.
Now looking up at the Wangshu Inn up close and personal, Sora couldn't help but let out a whistle. Everything from the structure to the elevator system to all the food vendors around the place was amazing to the Keyblade wielder.
"I take it the inn is up there?" Sora asked, pointing upward.
"Correct. Let's hope they have some rooms available."
Passing along several vendors and carts full of food, Sora and Eula stepped onto the next available elevator lift while getting a better look at the path they had been walking along. It didn't seem that impressive but considering Sora was new to this world he thought he made some good progress today.
Hearing the elevator conductor call out to them, the two were now on the higher level and stepped off while thanking the conductor.
Eula then gestured for Sora to follow her to see if the inn had any available rooms for them to sleep for the night. Making her way up to who appeared to be the inn's receptionist, the blue-haired captain greeted her in a friendly manner.
"Greetings."
"Hello there! How may I help you two?"
"We were hoping you had some rooms available for the night."
"Of course! Let me check and make sure we do."
The receptionist took a minute to look at what appeared to be a board that had a bunch of details written all over it. She spent about a minute looking over everything and moving something on the board when she turned to look at Eula and address her.
"It appears that we have one room available. Would you like to take it?"
Stunned at what she was hearing, Eula wanted to protest and ask if there was any way to get a room for the two of them but she realized that that wouldn't solve anything. Plus, she didn't want to come off as pushy or rude to the receptionist. Hence, she turned to look at Sora and confided in him.
"Is that all right, Sora?"
"Sure! I don't mind. We'll only be staying for the night. Nothing too bad" Sora reasoned.
Having gotten her answer, Eula turned back to the receptionist and confirmed the offer for the room.
"Great! Let me write that down and get you all situated."
Taking a second to confirm the room's new status, the receptionist reached behind her and grabbed a key that had what appeared to be the number 13 on it.
"Here you go. Would you like to make the payment now or…"
While the receptionist was talking to Eula, Sora saw the key that had the number 13 imprinted on it and felt a sour taste in his mouth. His mind immediately shot to memories of Organization XIII. All the trouble that they put him through. He couldn't help but shake his head and cast those thoughts to the side.
The Organization was finished once and for all.
But before he could dive deeper into thinking about the Organization, Eula patted the boy's shoulder which shook him out of his thoughts and brought him to stare right into her eyes.
"Sora? Is everything all right?"
"Y-yeah! I'm good. Just saw something and my mind wandered off."
"I see, well, Miss Goldet was kind enough to let me know where our room is and what time is the best time to visit the food stalls for freshly cooked meals" Eula informed the boy.
Figuring that Miss Goldet was the receptionist, he could only nod.
"Great! I'm feeling kind of hungry. Should we make our way to the room?"
"Yes. Let's see how it looks."
Following Eula to where the room was, Sora felt appreciative of the blue-haired girl and couldn't help but feel a bit down for making her take on the burden of everything in this journey.
"Hey Eula, I'm sorry for making you take the brunt of everything."
"Nonsense. I told you that I would help you and I intend to do so."
"But still… making you pay for our room and most likely whatever we find to eat."
Frowning at his inability to help his friend, Sora steeled himself to be better.
"Once I've made myself familiar with everything and can stand on my own. I promise I'll pay you back."
"Sora-"
"Not just in the Mora you're spending but in everything you've done for me. It's the least I could do to help a friend that's helping me."
The icy maiden wanted to retort to the boy's claim but could see how determined he was to pay her back in the future. In the back of Eula's mind, the thought of curiosity was beginning to grow until it consumed her thinking. Just what could Sora do to pay her back for all her help?
Coming to an internal agreement, Eula could only sigh as she nodded at Sora.
"Fine. *sigh* Even if I were to dismiss your generous idea of paying me back. You would still go out of your way to thank me in the future."
"Ahaha! Sounds like you're getting to know me better."
"It would appear so… Well then, shall we see the room?"
"Yep. Let's see how big it is."
To the two's surprise, the room was fairly decent in size. Large enough for the two of them that there was one bed and a large couch and a small window that offered a great view of the land down below. Sora immediately pointed at the couch and began to sit down.
"I'll take the couch so there's no need to worry about where we'll be sleeping tonight."
Left surprised at the sudden action, Eula only nodded and began to check out the rest of the room. Sora meanwhile laid back on the couch and looked up at the ceiling. He could honestly fall asleep right now…
That was the boy's thinking process until a loud groaning sound could be heard coming from his stomach. The Keyblade wielder's face started to match the redness of his jacket. It didn't help that Eula was now staring right at the boy and had a smirk on her face which caused the boy to let out a chuckle.
"Guess I could go for a bite."
Locking the door and making their way down the elevator, Sora and Eula were now on the hunt for something to eat. Staring at all the various food stalls, the spiky-haired boy was starting to grow hungry by the minute. He had no idea what food was good but he was dying for something to eat.
"Any ideas on what to eat, Eula?"
"Hmm. How do you fare with seafood?" Eula asked, getting a better idea of the boy's preference when it came to food.
"Love it. Actually, I like all kinds of food and even take risks when it comes to tasting something new."
"Excellent. On one of my past expeditions, I stopped by here and tried some Golden Shrimp Balls."
"Golden Shrimp Balls? Huh? Do they put actual gold inside of the shrimp and roll it into a ball?" Sora asked, confused by the name.
"Haha. You'll have to see. Let's hope there's a food stall serving the dish."
Striding toward a few of the open food stalls, Eula checked to see what food was available on the menus and when she moved to the next stall she spotted the prize. Right there in another customer's hands was the meal she was looking for.
"Here Sora," Eula said, pointing at the stall.
"Nice."
Getting in line, Eula and Sora now waited for their chance to order as the line in front of them wasn't that long. The two conversed with each other about various topics. Earning the both of them to chuckle at practically everything the spiky-haired Keyblade wielder said. One topic of conversation was when Sora told Eula about the time he got punched by a soldier which caused one of his friends to stick up for him causing a huge rumble to take place.
Eula was aghast at how the boy told the story but when it came to the big rumble she couldn't help but have an amused look on her face at the thought of Sora caught up in that kind of fight. It didn't help that after the rumble the soldier who punched him happened to become a new friend of his.
Before Sora could begin bringing up another comedic story during one of his journeys, the people in front of them were now done with their order and moved out of line. Offering the two the chance to now order their food.
"Two orders of your Golden Shrimp Balls please" Eula instructed the vendor taking their order.
"Thanks. I'll get that ready now. Mind taking a seat and I'll get your order for you."
Nodding at the vendor, Eula began eyeing a table that the two could sit at while they waited for their food. Turning to her left, the icy maiden spotted a table that offered a great sight of the night sky and land surrounding them. Making her way to the table, Sora followed suit and took a seat across from her, and relaxed.
Boy was he hungry!
Looking over and seeing the night sky, the Keyblade wielder had a pleasant and collected smile on his face staring out into the night.
"Hey, Eula, what are your thoughts about the night sky?"
"Huh? The night sky? What a strange thing to ask me."
"Have you never given it any thought?"
"Perhaps define what you mean."
"I mean, have you ever wondered what else is out there? In the night sky."
"...No. I haven't really given it much thought" Eula replied while considering how else she would answer Sora's question.
"All my attention has been focused on what's happening in my life. From dealing with the trouble my family has caused for generations to fulfilling my duties as the Reconnaissance Captain and living my daily life improving and seeking vengeance against those who have wronged me" the icy maiden explained.
"That's fair. Sorry for asking a random question" Sora apologized.
"Don't be. While it's something I've never really spent much time dwelling on… you've given me something else to think about. Something that's… not so stressful and more along the lines of comforting" Eula confided to the boy while having a relaxed expression.
"I'm glad to hear that."
"However, while the night sky is something that has many questions, there are still many questions that remain down on the ground."
"I take it you're talking about all the problems that roam throughout the land?"
"Mm. But also mainly on the topic of enemy forces such as the Fatui or Abyss. There are many secrets surrounding those two factions. And as of recently there have been more situations involving the two and what appears to be an even greater scheme that we have no idea about."
"The only reason we are aware of events happening under our noses over at Mondstadt is thanks to Aether and Paimon informing Jean about all the situations they are finding themselves involved in" Eula added.
"The traveler and Paimon… I've heard a lot about those two. I hope that I'll get to meet them" Sora stated.
"I'm sure that in your journey you'll encounter someone who is close to them which will give you the chance to meet them. They are honestly some of the most fun people to be around. It's never a dull moment with those two."
"Now I'm really eager to meet them!"
The two shared a laugh at the boy's eagerness to meet the traveler and his traveling companion and were about to start talking about something else when the vendor started making his way toward them with their food already.
"Sorry for the wait. Here you go. Enjoy!"
Placing the plates with food on the table, the vendor offered his thanks and took his leave. Sora stared at his food and started to feel his mouth water at the sight. Whatever previous thoughts he had about the Golden Shrimp Balls were now diminished and now he saw the food in a different light.
"Whoa. This looks so good!"
"Ah. Why wait any longer?"
Picking up the fork that was placed on his plate, the boy started to dig into his food and could feel the weight of hunger leave his body. Food had never tasted this good before!
Hence, he set to start eating his food and enjoying the newfound taste he was experiencing all while still talking with Eula about a plethora of random topics all while earning a giggle from the girl who seemed to be enjoying herself greatly. All in all, it was a magnificent dinner.
After finishing their meal, the two were now ready to hit the hay as the beautiful night sky was lit up above them offering Sora a sight that took his breath away. Noticing countless stars in the sky, he couldn't help but realize that there were so many worlds out there. That realization caused him to close his eyes and smile at the thought.
Opening his eyes, he spotted Eula chatting with a merchant who was trying to sell her a necklace that looked hand-crafted. The saleswoman even showed her several other styles of necklaces that were being offered. Sora laughed at the sight and started to make his way over to her when all of the sudden something happened.
Feeling like he had a pair of eyes staring right at him, Sora looked around and tried to see if there was anyone looking at him. Seeing no one paying him any attention, he was about to make his way to Eula to save her from the saleswoman when in the corner of his eye across the bridge and toward the area that he would be traveling through tomorrow he saw a very familiar sight that sent chills down his arms. Large yellow eyes peering right at him.
Stunned by what he saw, Sora bolted in the direction of the Heartless and managed to step around some people who were standing in the way.
"Sorry! Excuse me!"
Hearing some commotion going on, Eula turned to look at Sora but managed to see him taking off. She was about to call out and chase after him but the saleswoman managed to step in front of her offering her another necklace. Not wanting to waste time, Eula tried to decline the saleswoman's offer but was met with another saleswoman appearing in the way asking if she would like to purchase a different kind of necklace.
Within seconds, several other saleswomen were now crowding around Eula causing her to become distraught and look in the direction that Sora ran off to. She could have brushed off all the merchants in front of her but didn't want to hurt anyone while she tried to push her way through.
"Please! Excuse me!"
But the merchants were now arguing with each other while still trying to sell their own decorated necklaces to Eula. Leaving her to deal with the troublesome saleswomen.
Jumping off the walkway ledge, Sora landed on the ground and rolled over back on his feet, and sprinted several meters in front of him trying to spot the distinct yellow eyes that he saw. Coming across the bridge that led him further into Liyue. The boy began scoping out the area trying to see where the Heartless went. At first, he thought maybe he just imagined it but in the distance, he spotted something small. Something dark brushing up over a rock.
Curious about the object, the boy headed to the rock and looked around trying to spot anything out of the ordinary. Coming up on the rock, Sora began to walk around it and see if the thing he spotted was hiding. However, he found nothing.
Suddenly, a sound began to get closer behind him until he twisted his body around and found himself staring right at the eyes of a Neo Shadow.
Getting straight to business, Sora summoned his Keyblade with one hand and pointed it right at the Heartless. Waiting to see its next move.
Tilting its head at an awkward angle, the Neo Shadow Heartless began moving its hands and shaking its body until it suddenly dashed right at Sora. Seeing this, the boy raised his weapon to block the attack only for the monster to leap to the left side of the boy causing him to step back and focus on the Heartless.
The Neo Shadow then lashed out at the boy forcing him to counter the attack and bring his Keyblade across the monster's body which had an impact on the creature sending it flying back a few feet. The Heartless then twisted its body and dashed right back at Sora causing him to prepare for another attack.
However, around the boy, several more dark portals started to appear out of the ground with even more Neo Shadows crawling out of the ground and aiming their sights at the Keyblade wielder. Sora swung his weapon down at the Shadow that was dashing at him and managed to smash the Neo Shadow's head down into the ground, killing it.
Without wasting another second, he rolled to the side and got a better look at the area around him and quickly raised his Keyblade in the air and cast a spell that would give him some space.
"Thunder!"
The spell managed to hit several of the shadows causing them to start twitching and try to continue their pursuit against the Keyblade wielder only to find a blade with crown teeth at the end smashing right into their bodies. Sora wasted no time and began to perform as many quick slashes as he could against the stunned Heartless.
Seeing that more and more Neo Shadows were starting to appear, Sora began steadying his pace and started jogging around the perimeter of Heartless and pointed his Keyblade out in front of him while casting magic spells on the go.
"Fire!"
"Water!"
"Fire!"
"Wind!"
All the spells were now flying toward the nearest shadow and as soon as the spells hit their mark a giant explosion of red, blue, and green colors surrounded the area. Sora still on his feet managed to dash at one shadow and shoved his Keyblade into the face of the Heartless managing to knock it back. This allowed the boy to swing his weapon down across the creature's body but also immediately bring the Keyblade back up across its body in one fell swoop.
Now noticing that the Neo Shadow numbers were dwindling, Sora felt a power buff coursing through his entire body. Second Form.
With a confident smirk on his face, the boy lunged at another Heartless and managed to swing his Keyblade under its body and send it flying into the air only for him to raise his Keyblade and cast an ice spell at the foe.
"Blizzard!"
A blast of ice hit the shadow causing a large chunk of ice to be suspended in the air only for it to come crashing to the ground managing to kill the Heartless inside. Sora let out an annoyed groan as he saw more and more dark portals appear on the ground with Neo Shadows and now regular shadows starting to appear.
Grimacing at the sight, Sora twirled his Keyblade and charged at the closest Heartless striding to hit it with a quick upward slash. The attack was successful and allowed him to knock the creature back which gave him the chance to slam his Keyblade down on the Heartless head and kill it instantly.
Turning his head back, Sora quickly dodged and rolled across the ground to avoid an incoming Neo Shadow's attack. Moving to his feet, the boy slashed at the shadow's body with two clean cuts managing to split it in half. Analyzing his surroundings, the boy frowned but suddenly had an idea come to him on the spot. Raising his Keyblade into the air, Sora summoned light at the tip of his weapon and began to wave it around drawing the Heartless' attention.
"I'm right here!"
A foolish plan, yes. But Sora knew that more Heartless were beginning to spawn which only warranted the chance that they would stop going after him and make their way closer to Wangshu Inn. Where all chaos would break out. Hence, the plan was to draw them to him and avoid any civilians from getting hurt.
Feeling like he had racked up a large enough crowd, Sora raised his free hand in front of him and called upon the stored energy coursing through him.
"Give me strength!"
A blast of energy surrounded him and managed to impact several Heartless sending them flying back. Now he was in Second Form with his darker clothing style and a bit more variety in his attacks. Eyeing the targets in front of him, the Keyblade wielder wasted no time and set to pummel all the Heartless in sight. Mainly, the Neo Shadows as they were the ones he had to be extra careful around.
Sprinting at the group of Heartless, Sora set out to slam his Keyblade at the ground causing an explosion to hit all the enemies while also several spheres of light appear around him. He then cleaved his weapon into one of the Shadows which sent it spiraling into a few other Shadows before the boy was forced to raise his Keyblade and block a swipe from a Neo Shadow.
Sora narrowed his gaze at the dangerous foe and flash-stepped at the Neo Shadow causing it to leap back to avoid being hit by the blade. However, without any time to think, he was forced to quickly block several other Heartless who attacked at the same time causing him to throw them back and cast a Water spell engulfing the foes.
This in turn left him second defenseless for a split second which was all the time needed for another Neo Shadows to rush at the boy and hit him in the side. The Keyblade wielder let out a yelp.
"Aaaah!"
Twisting his body quickly and spotting the Neo Shadow that hit him, Sora shot forward and stabbed his Keyblade right into the Heartless' body which slammed it to the ground and managed to destroy it instantly.
Frowning at the situation he was in, Sora ran right at another group of Shadows starting to crawl toward him when he raised his Keyblade above him with a green light coming from the tip of the weapon.
"Wind!"
Suddenly, a burst of green air appeared out of nowhere and formed into a small vortex that lifted all the Shadows in the air allowing Sora to leap into the air and start spinning in the air while also having his ability to bring the Heartless closer to him which let him attack in a circular motion. All of the Shadows were done for letting the boy land back on the ground and roll to catch himself.
Sensing another attack coming for him, Sora looked below him and spotted a Neo Shadow appearing out of the ground which he spotted in time to block the attempted swipe at him. This let him counter the attack by kicking the Heartless in the face and sending it back through the dark portal it came from.
Jumping back and checking his surroundings, Sora could see that the Heartless numbers were less than before meaning that there weren't that many left. Twirling his Keyblade in one hand while having the other at the ready, he was about to charge at another Neo Shadow when all of the sudden something landed right in front of him.
Getting a better look at what landed next to him, Sora was surprised when he saw that it was a person. A boy no less with green hair and purple pants with what appeared to be a green tattoo on his right shoulder. The boy also had what appeared to be a mask with horns coming from the mouth and at the top of the head that glowed a bright green color.
Unsure of who the boy was, Sora began opening his mouth to question the boy when all of the sudden the mysterious boy raised his left hand in front of his face which caused a mask to appear. All while the boy's right hand went to his side and summoned a green glowing spear.
"Stand back."
The masked boy said before he shot right at the closest Heartless managing to impale it with his weapon causing it to fade away. The boy then looked over at another Heartless and lunged at it while swinging his spear across its chest managing to knock it back before he landed another strike at the Heartless this time managing to twist his body with the attack and even landed a kick at the Heartless' head killing it.
Not wasting a moment, the boy then shot forward at another Heartless, this time being a Neo Shadow, and heaved his spear at the ground in front of the foe before swinging the spear up, managing to hit the Heartless splitting it into several pieces and causing it to disappear. But not before he shot off to another group of Shadows and jumped into the air and slammed his spear in the middle of the group. This allowed him to start attacking with a wide slash that managed to hit all around him which killed the Heartless.
However, before the masked boy could lunge at another group of Heartless, Sora beat him to it by using his stored energy from fighting and commencing an Ars Arcanum. Striking at the group of Heartless in a barrage of consecutive slash after slash managing to kill practically all of the Heartless before he leaped into the air and full force slammed his Keyblade into the last Heartless destroying it for good.
The masked boy moved to attack another small group of Heartless, managing to land several consecutive slashes across the group and pierce through several of the monsters in one go. Leaving none left alive which was showcased by no bodies left due to the Heartless disappearing at death.
Taking in his surroundings, Sora looked around and saw that there were no more Heartless around. Meaning that the rest either disappeared or were all defeated. Rather than start celebrating, the Keyblade wielder turned to look at the boy who appeared to be looking up at the night sky. Confused about what he was doing, Sora was about to ask the boy what was wrong when he was stopped abruptly.
"Who are you?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Sora asked, staying on guard.
"I asked you a question. And I'm waiting for an answer."
"...My name is Sora. And I-"
"Who gave you that weapon?"
"I-I'm sorry what?" Sora asked, confused about the questions he was receiving.
"That weapon. It's practically covered in light. Making it stand out like a lantern."
"Haven't heard that before. And to answer your question…"
The masked boy now turned to look at Sora before his mask slowly started to fade away leaving Sora a better idea of who he was talking to now.
"..." Letting out a sigh, the once-masked boy closed his eyes before opening them and addressing Sora. "Xiao. But you probably already know who I am."
"Um… honestly, I don't know who you are."
"Come again?"
"Yeah. I'm not from Liyue. Which is probably where you're thinking that I'm from but I'm not. I'm actually just heading there now with a friend."
"I see… *sigh* and you were saying."
"Right. I… It's complicated but nobody gave me this weapon. It was sort of passed onto me."
"...And would you mind telling me why you went looking for a fight with those monsters?" Xiao asked, showing that the answer Sora gave wasn't much to his liking.
"Those monsters are called the Heartless. They are my problem and in order to make sure they don't hurt anyone I have to be the one to finish them off."
"Bold words. But claiming that you have to be the one to kill them reeks of overconfidence. That's sure to get you killed one of these days."
"You'd be surprised…" Sora mumbled.
"What was that?"
"Nothing! Just saying that the situation with the Heartless is a bit more complicated than most monsters."
"How complicated can these Heartless be? They're monsters who need to be destroyed."
"I agree with you on that. But the Heartless are dark manifestations of people's hearts. Anyone can kill them but sooner or later they'll just keep on coming back" Sora explained to Xiao.
"Impossible! No monster has that power."
"But the Heartless are unlike any monster you've probably faced before" Raising his right hand in front of him, Sora summoned Kingdom Key in a flash of blue light and showed it to Xiao.
"The Keyblade is the only weapon that's capable of destroying the Heartless for good. It's my job as a Keyblade wielder to make sure the Heartless are defeated and not hurting anyone."
Processing what the Keyblade wielder just said, Xiao began to take a thinking pose while breaking down what was said. A moment later he found his next question.
"If you claim that destroying these Heartless is your goal, then why have I never heard about you before?"
"I…There aren't that many Keyblade wielders around anymore… Long ago there was a great war and many of them lost their lives. Leaving only a few to survive and pass on their teachings. I happened to get chosen by the Keyblade. And this is my first time on the mainland. I'm originally from an island" Sora explained with as much truth as he could say.
The silence was now noticeable in place between the two as what Sora had said left Xiao with many more questions to ponder. However, at the mention of war, he could feel his arms getting tense. More victims due to senseless fighting.
It was a minute before either of the two said anything but Xiao was the first to start the conversation up again.
"Your vision… what is it?"
"My vision?" Sora repeated, confused by the sudden question.
"I saw you casting elemental magic but not in one form or even two forms. I counted four different elements. Pyro. Cryo. Anemo. And Hydro."
"I… I don't have a vision. My powers are a bit more different than everyone else's. I'm not limited to only one element" Sora explained while getting ready to come up with a short-notice response to whatever Xiao might say.
"...Then, you're just like him," Xiao stated.
"Him? Who exactly?"
"The traveler. He's able to wield the different elements. So far, I've seen him use Electro, Anemo, and Geo. Safe to say he is now able to use Dendro."
"You know the traveler? Have you seen him recently?"
"No. I haven't seen him or his traveling companion" Xiao answered.
"I see, that's another person who knows of him and his friend."
"Sora, what is your reason for traveling to Liyue?" Xiao questioned the spiky-haired boy.
"I'm looking for any information that I can find there. The first encounter I had with the Heartless was in Mondstadt and that led me to start searching the libraries there for anything that could tell me about them. Where did they start coming from? Any prior history books discussing the Heartless. Encounters. Along with other details. Plus, exploring the world and becoming familiar with it so that I can stop them from spreading and becoming an even bigger problem. Which is why Liyue is on my to-visit list" Sora stated, putting into words everything he could about his current mission.
"...Hm. You handled yourself well while dealing with those Heartless, as you called them before I arrived" Xiao commented to the spiky-haired boy.
"It's not my first time dealing with the Heartless."
"Confidence can get the best of you. I advise that you-"
However, before Xiao could finish what he was saying a voice calling out to Sora and sounding closer was heard.
"Sora!"
Turning to look at the source, Sora saw a familiar figure which confirmed who he thought it was thanks to her blue hair and headband.
"Eula! Hey, Xiao, meet my friend Eu-"
Sora said to Xiao but not before he turned to where the green-haired boy once was and now no one was there. Looking around the area there was no sign that the boy had once been there. Left aghast at the sudden disappearance, he was about to call out to him but Eula had now arrived and looked quite irritated.
"H-Hey Eula, what's wrong?"
"What's wrong? What's wrong!? You couldn't wait for a second to alert me as to what was happening?"
Realizing that he had indeed left his friend back at the inn and did not tell her that he was chasing after a Heartless. Sora gulped at the impending dread he could feel coming his way.
"I-I'm sorry about that! It was a spur of the moment. I didn't even think it was anything and figured my mind was playing tricks but wouldn't you know it? It was the Heartless. Heh," Sora explained while fearing for his life.
"*sigh* Normally, I would be scolding you for pulling something like that and leaving me be. However, given that it was the Heartless there's not much I can do but… remind you that I'm at your side. You don't have to deal with the Heartless alone anymore. I am here now" Eula stated clearly to the boy.
Sora couldn't help but feel both upset and happy at the same time. Upset that he left her behind to deal with the Heartless. But also happy that he wasn't alone now. He had someone by his side now in this new world. Smiling to himself, Sora did the only thing he could do, which was to apologize.
"I'm sorry, Eula. Next time, I'll do my best to call you for help. It was my bad for taking off."
"Don't be too harsh on yourself. You did what you thought was right. Which in a way was the right thing. But don't forget that I'm here to help. The Heartless are now my problem as well. Otherwise, those who I have forsaken vengeance upon will be in danger which is not going to happen under my watch and most certainly not before I've had my vengeance!"
Smiling at the icy maiden's comment, Sora couldn't help but start laughing which prompted Eula to also start giggling. The two once again shared a heartfelt moment that turned into a laugh. This would be another memory Sora would hold dear in his heart.
After spending a few more minutes laughing with each other, the two decided it would be best to head back to Wangshu Inn and settle in for the night. But not before Sora turned back to where he encountered Xiao and began to have thoughts about the boy. Should he tell Eula about him?
There was still much he didn't know about the boy aside from his name and that he looked powerful while battling the Heartless. Maybe in Liyue, he would learn more about the mysterious fighter. But for now, he would put the boy in the back of his mind. It was at this point that Eula began to tell him about being entrapped by several merchants which stopped her from rushing to help fight.
"Wait. So, you're telling me the first two merchants that cornered you with the necklaces got into a fight which somehow got you tangled up which also started another fight with another merchant who was talking bad about one of the merchants who started the fight? Sora asked, trying to wrap his head around the whole situation.
"Something along those lines. There wasn't much I could do but try and calm the situation down from escalating any further. Besides, while I could have left the guards to break up the scramble I figured I had some albeit small role to play in the fight and stayed behind to clear up the situation" Eula explained, having an annoyed expression on her face.
"Hahaha! And this was all happening while I was fighting the Heartless…wow."
"I second that thought. Truly a bizarre situation."
Now left laughing again at Eula's tale, the duo began making their way back to the inn to get ready for a good night's sleep as their journey would continue in the morning. Leaving the two to reach Liyue soon and begin working on finding any available resources that could aid them in their quest. Although the main quest was on Sora's mind, he couldn't help but grow a bit excited at all the new discoveries that he was sure to encounter in Liyue tomorrow.
Across the Sea and in the nation of Inazuma
Leaning against the red-wooden post outside one of the shrines and several feet away from the Sacred Sakura tree was the Electro Archon herself, the Raiden Shogun better known by those closest to her as Ei. The purple-haired woman was doing nothing but staring out at the vast sea in front of her with not a cloud in the night sky. And in the distance, she could make out the distinct mountains that belonged to the neighboring nation, Liyue.
Many thoughts were rummaging through the Archon's head, but one thought meticulously presented itself. Darkness.
It was thought she had been pondering for some time now and at first, she claimed it to be nothing out of the ordinary. However, not that long ago something seemed to cause the hairs on her arm to rise. Sending a chilling feeling throughout her body. Plenty of questions began to hit the woman but alas no answer for any of them. Leaving her stumped on what to do.
Which is how she found herself to be resting near the Sacred Sakura tree and looking out to the neighboring nation. However, the Raiden Shogun would close her eyes and feel a new presence coming closer to her. Opening her eyes calmly, the purple-haired girl would find herself staring at a familiar pink-haired and eared face.
"Miko…"
"Didn't expect to find you here so late, Ei. Something on your mind?"
Standing near the Archon was her trusted friend and essentially family, Yae Miko. The cunning novelist kitsune that seemed to always have a trick up her sleeve or better yet her shrine outfit.
"As a matter of fact…yes. Something is bothering me."
"Oh? Do tell."
"I… I don't know what it is though. It's almost as if… I'm expecting to hear troubling news, or something is going to happen that's going to force me to become defensive. Do you sort of understand what I mean?"
"Hmm. In a way, yes. But at the same time, no. However, rather than throw yourself back into solitude and clamber to action before words, why don't you try to relax and assess the situation in a different manner."
"What do you mean?" Ei asked, tilting her head.
"I mean, instead of trying to solve this problem on your own, why don't you call upon those who you deem as friends to help?"
"You mean…"
"Yes, yes. Those around you. I don't think I need to speak any more clearly than I am, do I? If I recall the number of close friends you have is…" Yae Miko began to count on her hands the number of people who could be considered close friends to the Archon.
"Well, that's a shorter number of people than I was expecting but compared to not that long ago it's a drastic increase" Miko replied while finishing counting.
"You're right. Have you heard of any news from the traveler or Paimon? Do they happen to be in Inazuma at the moment?" Ei asked her pink-haired friend.
"I do not know. Normally, I would have heard the news about the two caught up in some random situation by now, but I haven't heard a peep. They must be elsewhere."
"I see, in that case, I think I'll have a chat with Miss Kujou Sara in the morning. See if she'll allow me but a moment of her time."
"Hm. It's good to see you're more open to others compared to before."
"Yes. And it's all thanks to our friends…" Ei responded while recalling the traveler and Paimon's help.
The happy thought of her friends was soon plagued by the rise of the previous gnawing feeling she was experiencing all throughout the evening.
Just what was going on with her and why did she feel on edge?
Past Liyue Harbour and outside of Gunyun Stone Forest on the Crux
Sitting inside her personal quarters, Captain of the Crux, Beidou, was looking down at a letter she received a few hours ago that was personally hand delivered by a messenger sent from an irksome friend of hers. The Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing, Ningguang.
At first, when she welcomed the messenger aboard her ship, she was half tempted to send a bag of clams back with him to the Tianquan as a comedic gesture. But upon being requested to read the letter by the messenger who had a serious expression on their face, Beidou decided to be a good sport and read it. What she found made her realize that it was a serious matter now.
"We have a situation. Come to the Jade Chamber in the morning. Ganyu and others will be joining us. Don't mention this to anyone and keep quiet."
- Ningguang
Left perplexed and concerned by what the letter said, Beidou turned her attention over and offered the messenger the chance to relax with the crew for a minute but was declined. While the messenger appreciated the offer, Beidou could see concern drawn all over their face while they explained that they had more deliveries to make.
Now here she was in her room debating on what the situation was and how it affected her to the point that she was called upon in the Jade Chamber.
'Could there have been another disastrous event making its way for Liyue again? Did something happen that requires the Crux and her crew's help? Or… Did something happen to the traveler and Paimon?'
Thoughts like these were popping up in the brunette beauty's head and left her with a frown on her face. Since she didn't have to take any night watch shifts, she decided the best course of action instead of pondering the subject would be to let sleep take over and worry about it in the morning.
Getting ready to hit the hay, she made herself comfy and could feel the depths of sleep begin to take over. But not before she took one last glance at the night sky through a small window found in her room. She couldn't help but have a single thought appearing in her head before falling asleep.
"The stars look brighter tonight than they ever have before…"
Back in Mondstadt near Falcon Coast
There standing on the edge of the cliff right outside the Temple of the Lion was a figure with his hands behind his back while wearing a large dark coat covering past his knees but not touching the ground. And the dark hood was pulled up preventing anyone from seeing his face. He was better known as… a Lost Master.
Starting to move away from the cliff, the Lost Master began to remove his hands from his back and take on a thinking pose. Contemplating something on his mind.
"Hmmm. Let me think… the last time I was here… I wasn't here for that long. But… I did see some things that piqued my interest."
Making his way away from the cliff and domain temple entrance, the Lost Master reached into his coat and pulled out what appeared to be a book with a blank cover. He swiftly opened the book and began scrolling page after page until he found what he was looking for.
"Oh-Ho! Here we go!"
Pulling out what appeared to be a crumpled-up piece of paper, the Lost Master closed the book and placed it back into his coat while admiring the new item in his hands. Straightening the paper and making it look good, the Lost Master gave an approving nod.
"Now then, where should I head next? Sora was heading to Liue? Ah! Liyue. That's the name. Hmm… If I recall, there was something in the land of rocks that piqued my interest the last time I was here. But I didn't have time to explore it fully…"
Considering his options, the Lost Master decided to call it good and plan his next location of interest.
"All right! Let's check out that Chasm. Hopefully, the locals finally decided to start digging and opening the area up. It'll make my job easier."
Taking one last look at the area below at Falcon Coast, the Lost Master gave it a wave before turning around and summoning a portal of light. Beginning to walk through it, he said one last thing.
"Hope the Anemo Archon is around next time. I have a few things to ask him about…"
With that, the Lost Master walked through the portal and disappeared. Leaving no trace of him being there at all. And only the sounds of the waves hitting the beach below.
*A/N - Once again, sorry for the long wait. Been a bit busy but make no mistake. None of my stories are dead. And certainly not this one. I've got big plans for what's to come. Take care and see you next time.