Q&A
Ace980: Ch 5.
Answer: I'm going to be honest. I didn't put much more thought into it. but seeing it recently when I was making this chapter, I was planning on making some rewrites to it to make more sense. In regards to people fearing him. it's an instinct that most have. While Jayce is quiet, stiff, and cautious when you don't know him. he can be kind in his way. Granted, he won't be doing anything like chores for the local populous at any time, but I feel that he is a calm, well-spoken individual with manners. However, that doesn't mean people won't feel uneasy towards him. he gives off an aura that unsettles most if that makes sense.
In regards to the wolf quest. I can see how it feels off. I was planning to rewrite it anyway to give it more detail. I'm not the same writer as before, so I hope I can give it justice XD
Also, Jayce has a calm, almost expressionless resting face.
Ace980: Ch 2.
Answer: As I stated above. The hunter just gives off that feeling of unease. its like facing off with a well-fed lion. Sure, it's calm, and doesn't want to eat you, and it's not magical...but the fact that something like that is near you puts you in a state of uneasiness.
.
Q&A END
I hope you enjoy my book, and I'm sorry for the delayed updates. I've been stupidly busy and had writer's block. but hopefully, I can get my creative juices flowing again with the new book I have on Wattpad, which I will bring to fanfiction soon. It's a story set in the FOREVER WINTER game so if ya like dark, gritty, and dystopian apocalypses, then you might like it! okay, enough rambling. enjoy the chapter!
In the snowy lands of Teyvat, the clash of weapons and howling frost winds fill the air. Near the mountains, a lone man battles a group of Fatui.
"Are you certain there is no other way we can settle this? I merely wished to ask for directions," Jayce inquired calmly as he effortlessly sidestepped out of the Fatui Pyroslinger's bullet's path, which whizzed by at incredible speeds. The Cryo Cicin Mage, synchronized with her partner, summoned ice daggers in the sky before hurling them at Jayce. Anticipating her move, Jayce dodged swiftly. Seizing the moment, the Fatui skirmisher dashed behind him, brandishing his massive hammer and preparing to strike with all his might. Unfortunately, he missed his target, causing the ground to tremble as the hammer struck with immense force.
The hunter let out a weary sigh as his adversaries fell silent, seemingly more intent on his demise. "It seems I'm getting nowhere... Fine." He locked his gaze on the Pyroslinger and surged towards him with alarming speed.
"Wha-" The Pyroslinger couldn't even register the following events, as Jayce's recently summoned Rakuyo was already in his grasp. With a swift motion, Jayce's leg swept under the man's feet, causing him to plummet toward the snowy ground. Before the Pyroslinger could even reach it, however, Jayce followed up with a precise downward stab, his keen blade descending into the falling body faster than gravity could pull it down.
"Die," was all the hunter muttered in an indifferent tone. The blade plunged into the man all the way to the hilt and drove him to the ground with such force that the earth all around quaked at the impact. Fissures appeared as dirt, snow, and debris were flung in all directions from the sudden crash. The magician and the larger infantryman instinctively shielded their faces with their arms until the dust settled.
As the dust settled, the two remaining figures could see the hunter's blade still embedded in the man, lying dead in a small crater. "Hoaran!" the cryo mage screamed in shock. She whirled around to the hunter in fury, but stopped short when she took in the sight of her friend's killer. Though his clothing obscured his face, his piercing blue eyes stared at her with an unfathomable intensity. Without looking, the hunter wrenched the blade from the corpse and activated its intricate functions.
With a swift, practiced motion, Jayce engages the hidden mechanism of the Rakuyo, and the weapon springs to life. The single, elegant blade is split into two lethal halves—each hand now wields a razor-sharp sword. The transformation is seamless and almost balletic; the hunter's fingers dance along the hilt, and the blades detach with a metallic whisper.
"Now then..." he growled ominously at the two remaining Fatui members. "It's time I end this." Jayce tightened his grip on his blades as he charged toward the ice mage. In a panicked move, she quickly summoned floating ice spikes and hurled them at Jayce in a desperate attempt. However, she failed as he effortlessly weaved past the ice projectiles. The ice mage looked horrified as nothing she did could halt his advance. 'This is it...this is where I die, isn't it...? I-I don't want to die!' she thought in a tone of utter defeat. She knew her time was up, but it didn't hurt to reach out for help. "S-somebody...hel-" she weakly uttered before a small dagger was plunged into her chest, hitting non-vital organs. Jayce followed up with a swift kick to her lower abdomen, sending her hurtling toward the mountainside. She hit the wall with a thud before sliding down, blood dripping from her mouth.
"Mei!" the skirmisher shouted. "I'll kill you, bastard!" The hammer wielder charged at Jayce in a fit of rage. "Take this!" the skirmisher bellowed, bringing the hammer down faster and stronger than before, sending a cloud of dust into their surroundings. The battle suddenly went silent. The only sounds were the wind and the skirmisher's labored breathing. "I... I think I got him," the skirmisher called out. "That was impressive," Jayce's voice echoed from a distance. "I can tell you are strong... but it's not enough." As the dust settled once again, they found Jayce a considerable distance from them.
The skirmisher noticed that the weapon had reverted to its normal state, but there was another object in Jayce's hand. "What the hell is that in your hand?!" the skirmisher roared furiously as he saw Jayce raise it to his mouth and blow on it. No sound could be heard, but soon after, he dropped it, letting it dematerialize. "I guess this is goodbye." "What?!" The skirmisher couldn't see it, but the slumped cryo mage could.
She watched the small whirl beneath her friend's feet as it grew larger with every passing second. Her heart began to race. She knew it was bad news, but she couldn't move. Her body simply refused to obey. "F-Feng..." she spoke weakly. Summoning her strength, she tried again. "FENG!" she screamed desperately, tears streaming down her mask. The skirmisher turned to look at her, but it was too late. A gigantic head materialized beneath Feng, its mouth already open, ready to bite. Feng panicked, raising his hammer with both hands in a futile attempt to strike the unknown beast. But before he could bring it down, the monster's jaws snapped shut with incredible speed. It then sank back into the ground and disappeared, leaving only the hammer with two severed arms attached to its handle on the snowy, bloody ground.
Jayce observed the scene with indifference. In reality, he hadn't wanted to kill them. However, in the end, it was self-defense. With a heavy sigh, Jayce turned to the injured woman and slowly walked toward her. The mage began to hyperventilate as she saw him approach. "W-wait..." she struggled to speak, coughing up more blood. Her eye mask came loose, revealing tear-filled green eyes. "P-please... don't kill me..." Jayce dematerialized his Rakuyo before stopping in front of her. "Oh. It seems you are still alive..." he remarked. He knelt beside the woman. "I'm going to take your map now... You should have just pointed me in the right direction in the first place. Instead, you and your friend thought it was best to attack me...someone you do not know."
He let out a click of his tongue as he unhooked the map from the mage's belt. Observing her sobbing, he grumbled softly, "Here..." He conjured a small, ornate wooden box, which he placed beside her. "Inside this box are healing provisions. Use them, recover, and leave. I know that sparing you will be something I will come to regret. But I am not a monster... at least not always." He confessed as he rose to his feet and strode away from the battlefield, leaving behind a mage weeping in the snow, mourning the loss of her companions and gripped by sheer terror.
"That should be enough for today." Jean sighed as she looked proudly at the towering stack of paperwork she had completed. It had been three weeks since the day of the invasion. Ever since then, she had been inundated with endless documents and construction orders to help rebuild the parts of the city where the battle had taken place. "What a day..."
She sighed deeply as she rose from her chair and stretched her back, feeling the tension ease slightly. Glancing out the window, she whispered, "How could this have happened..." disappointment etched in her voice as she surveyed the destruction. Her heart sank further when she noticed some citizens crying in the corners, with others consoling them or hugging them in an attempt to lift their spirits. She despised feeling this way.
"I'm such a failure..." she chastised herself, sniffling slightly. Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to cascade down her cheeks. "That's not true," a voice spoke from behind her. Turning around, she saw Kaeya, her trusted Favonius knight. He looked at her with a somber smile as he approached. 'I didn't hear him enter,' she thought. "How long have you been there?" she asked, gathering herself to not show any weakness in front of her friend. "Since the moment you declared yourself a failure... to which I wholeheartedly disagree," he replied.
"...The families of the victims would say otherwise..." Jean murmured, looking down. "I should have seen this coming... I thought I was prepared. Maybe extended scouting parties could have uncovered something about this invasion." She choked back a sob. "I-I... I should have been better..." "Jean, it's not your fault," Kaeya said gently. "You didn't know this was coming. No one did. They hid the castle well. We didn't even know a castle existed in Mondstadt, besides the one we are in now, until that day. This means two things occurred." He theorized, pausing before continuing. "They either used a spell of invisibility, somehow or... the castle suddenly appeared in this region."
"I-I suppose..." she struggled to say. "But s-still. How can I be Grand Master after this? E-even Varkas never had the gates breached like this... W-what if it happens again? What if one day, Varka and my father return from their expedition to find the city in ruins? I-I don't think I can h-" Her rambling was abruptly cut off by a sudden hug from Kaeya. Even after weeks had passed, he could see this affected her more than he thought. "Hey... it's going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay. Trust me," he reassured her, her head buried in his chest. "Mondstadt is stronger than you know. We will get through this, just as we have faced any challenge before." He continued, after hearing nothing from Jean. "Grand Master Varkas didn't leave you in charge for no reason. He saw your skills and potential to be even better, and that's why he trusted you to act in his stead."
After a few moments of silence following Kaeya's words, Jean could be heard sobbing quietly until her cries turned into mournful wails. Her hands reached out, clutching his shirt like a lifeline, as she let out everything she had desperately tried to hold in. Even leaders need a shoulder to cry on in times of distress.
After a long moment, Jean began to calm down. She hadn't realized just how much she had been holding in. She knew it was unhealthy, but she needed to appear strong for her people and help them with their grief. She was grateful to have someone like Kaeya as a friend, someone she could confide in. "T...Thank you," she said in a near, shaky whisper. She looked up at him with her red, puffy eyes, a small blush of embarrassment, slightly smudged mascara, and frazzled hair. She looked disheveled from the emotional embrace, but it didn't stop Kaeya from blushing slightly before he looked away to compose himself. "Of course," he replied, turning back to her with a gentle smile.
"I have some good news, however." Jean nodded, allowing him to continue as he released her from the hug. His smile widened at what he was about to reveal. "After Diluc and I searched the waters almost nonstop, we didn't find his body." Jean looked at him, puzzled. "What do y- wait..." she paused, her eyes widening as she realized what he meant. "Does that mean.." "Yes, we know Jayce is alive. The question is, where did he go?"
"Okay... so I'm in Dragonspine... and now... I'm here. Hmmm..." Jayce muttered to himself as he studied the map. He realized he was positioned between Mondstadt and Liyue. He had to admit he was cold. Having been in the snowy tundra of the mountains for hours, he began to shiver. Though his high-quality clothing helped him withstand the harsh elements, and his heightened resistance to most conditions helped, it was only a matter of time before he started to feel the chill seep in.
"This place is colder than Cainhurst." He commented "Thankfully, I'm almost to Mondstadt. I just hope everyone is doing okay..." he muttered to himself as the verdant hills of Mondstadt came into view. "Good. Almost there." As Jayce continued walking, he noticed dried blood on the trail. "Hm? Blood? Looks dry..." he murmured, observing more traces along the road. He shouldn't waste any time, but his curiosity got the better of him.
He decided to follow the trail of blood on the ground. The more he walked, the larger the blood splatters seemed to get. The trail led to a cave entrance on the left. "Hmm..." Jayce murmured. He was confident in his skills, but sometimes it was best to stay prepared, especially in dark areas. Yharnam had taught him that lesson when he was still inexperienced. Getting torn in half due to a lack of light in old Yharnam was not a pleasant experience. But, most lessons in life are learned the hard way.
Jayce conjured a torch in his hand as he entered the dark cave. A faint hint of copper lingered in the air, making his senses more alert. He proceeded cautiously, each step echoing softly within the cavern.
Little by little, the cave widened until he found himself in a vast, dome-like chamber adorned with bright blue crystals on the ceiling. The light from the crystals shone brightly enough to illuminate the entire area. In the center lay a pile of bodies. Some were frozen solid, while others appeared freshly slain. "What the hell...?" Jayce muttered to himself as he cautiously approached the center. Once there, he inspected the bodies. "Whatever lives here... ambushed them. But why bring them here? Unless..." His entire body tensed as he instinctively darted out of the way of an incoming boulder hurtling toward him with incredible speed and force.
The boulder slammed into the far side of the cavern, causing a small tremor upon impact. Some of the sharp crystal spikes dislodged and shattered upon hitting the ground. "Of course, it was a trap," Jayce muttered to no one in particular. In the distance, a BEAST emerged from the sparse shadows in the cavern. It slowly stepped out of its hiding spot, making its way toward Jayce. He whistled at the sheer size of the creature. It reminded him of a Mitachurl... but different. The creature's hulking body was covered in thick, frost-encrusted fur, shimmering with an eerie blue glow. Sharp, icy horns protruded from its head, curling menacingly above its piercing, icy-blue eyes that gleamed with a cold, predatory intelligence.
The creature's broad shoulders and muscular arms were adorned with intricate, frost-like patterns, and its hands ended in razor-sharp claws capable of rending through even the toughest of armor. As it let out a low, rumbling growl, frosty breath billowed from its maw, freezing the very air around it. Encircling the beast's waist was a belt of jagged icicles, and its legs, sturdy and powerful, left small prints on the stone floor with each step.
"I can tell you're not friendly in the slightest." Jayce reached out for the Stake Driver as it materialized in his hand, thanks to his wondrous friends from the dream. The Stake Driver, an amalgamation of brutal efficiency and raw power, glinted ominously in his grip. The main body of the Stake Driver was a robust, intricate piece of craftsmanship forged from Siderite. Its handle was wrapped in timeworn leather that had clearly endured its fair share of battles.
As Jayce gripped the handle, he felt its weight – balanced, yet heavy with the promise of devastating impact. The front portion featured a long, sharpened stake, which was made of siderite, and was made to pierce through the toughest armor and flesh with ease. The metallic sheen of the stake glistened with an almost sinister allure, hinting at the havoc it could unleash.
Jayce's fingers skillfully navigated the gears and levers along the weapon's frame, engaging its unique mechanism. The clinking sounds of the metal components locking into place resonated through the air. With a final click, the Stake Driver was primed, poised to unleash its destructive power.
"This is gonna be fun," Jayce chuckled to himself as he assumed his stance. The Lawachurl pounded its chest with fury, letting out a deafening roar. A blue aura swirled around the creature, causing the crystals on its body to glow with a bright, ethereal light, signaling that it was ready for combat. Without a moment's hesitation, the Lawachurl leaped into the air, aiming to land on Jayce. Anticipating the attack, Jayce dodged swiftly. The beast crashed to the ground with such force that the cavern trembled, sending a cloud of dust billowing into the air.
Using the dust swirling around it as a smoke screen, the Lawachurl hurled rubble at Jayce through the smoke, forcing him to sidestep out of the way. Before Jayce even landed, the creature was already dashing toward him, using its massive body as a battering ram. 'Oh dear,' Jayce chastised himself inwardly. He had severely underestimated the beings in this world, thinking this one would be any different. But alas, he was wrong. He braced for impact as his body collided with the monster, sending him crashing into the cavern's walls with a sickening thud.
For the first time since appearing in this world, Jayce had been wounded. A mistake he vowed to rectify in the foreseeable future. The beast, however, wasn't unscathed either. A sudden surge of pain coursed through its arm. Upon inspection, it saw that its arm was hanging by a thread of muscle and tissue. Before it had struck Jayce, he had driven his Stake Driver into its arm, causing the stake to explode forward with devastating force.
The Lawachurl roared in agony as it clutched its arm, blood pouring out like a faucet. "It hurts, doesn't it?" Jayce's voice echoed in the makeshift arena. The frost creature turned toward the source of Jayce's voice, its eyes glowing blue with hate, rage, and pain. Jayce freed himself from the wall crater he was lodged in. Blood dripped from his head, blinding one eye. With his free hand, he reached into his coat, pulled out a blood vial, and jammed it into his leg. Within seconds, the cursed blood did its work, mending his torn cloak and healing his cuts, making it look almost brand new.
"Much better," he sighed before looking at the creature. "I admit, that hurt. It was a nasty punch, and for that, I say bravo." He spoke with a small smile, which quickly vanished, replaced by a menacing glare. If the cavern was already cold, the temperature now dropped significantly. "That will be the last time you lay a finger on me. I underestimated you, and that is my fault. No more." He said darkly as he materialized Evelynn in his free hand and primed the Stake Driver again for another attack.
The Lawachurl roared once more, slamming its uninjured hand on the ground, seemingly creating a wave of ice spikes jutting from the ground, making their way toward him. In the blink of an eye, he was gone, only to reappear to the side and dash towards the Lawachurl.
Caught off guard by Jayce's sudden burst of speed, the Lawachurl swung its good arm in Jayce's direction, claws extended, leaving floating shards of ice in their wake. These shards detonated, sending frosty shrapnel in all directions. Jayce backstepped in an instant before dashing forward again. Observing how swiftly Jayce closed the distance, the Lawachurl desperately attempted to use its muscled limb like a spring, aiming to slam its good arm down on Jayce. However, before it could strike, Jayce fired a quicksilver round at the beast, staggering it. "Gotcha," Jayce muttered as he launched his Stake Driver at the beast's chest, aiming for its heart, and activated the mechanism.
A tremendous explosion erupted from the Stake Driver, causing Jayce to reel back from its intense recoil. The stake drove forward with such force that it launched the Lawachurl's lungs, heart, and chunks of flesh out behind the beast, creating a gaping hole in its body, allowing you to see through it. The Lawachurl attempted to roar, but blood flowed freely from beneath its mask before it collapsed to the ground unceremoniously
"Well, that's that," he sighed. Jayce had a feeling he would start encountering stronger foes in the future, but he would be ready. With that out of the way, he looked toward the pile of bodies once more. "I should report these bodies once I reach Mondstadt City. I'm sure their families would be glad to have some... closure," he murmured to himself. He thought it would be the least he could do and began laying the bodies out in a row. He looted each body of one personal item, such as work orders, a ring, or possibly a bracelet, to bring to a guard post for easy identification.
He reached the last, and most recent victim, and paused. "No..." Jayce said, his eyes widening in shock as he recognized Tommy Baker among those who had been slain. "I had hoped we would meet again... but not like this." A small frown appeared on his face. He didn't know Tommy well, other than him being the first person he encountered upon arriving in this world when he saved Tommy from a Hilichurl. However, during their journey to safety, Tommy had taught him so much. He was a kind soul. Suddenly, another unpleasant memory resurfaced, causing Jayce to clutch his head in pain.
"This too is hunters' work, but bears no honor. A burden you may choose to carry."
"The decision is yours alone. Ahh, my eyes grow heavy..."
"Let me rest a while... ...I'll be fine, just wait..."
Jayce managed to push those memories down, panting as if he had been running for miles. He took a moment to compose himself before leaving the cave in a sour mood. Just before exiting, he turned his head to look at the bodies again, sighing heavily before returning to the exit.
Aether has been exceptionally busy as of late. Not only was he completing quests for the Bounty Hunters' Guild, but he was also assisting in the reconstruction efforts. "Paimon thinks you should be more careful, Aether!" she voiced her concern. "You are still hurt!" Aether let out a small chuckle, "I'm fine, really," he reassured his floating companion. "I'm a little sore, sure. But this is something I can handle."
Ever since that night with the enemy captain, he realized just how inexperienced he was in combat. While he had no trouble facing monsters, battling sentient foes proved to be a significant challenge. Determined to hone his skills, he began taking on more jobs. Additionally, Amber graciously offered to teach him how to use a bow, something he was profoundly grateful for. Although he was adept with his sword, his wind magic had been steadily improving as well.
Although he is far from being an expert, he remains determined to strive towards that goal. One could say that Mr. Colvex has been a significant source of inspiration for him. "Aether, you there? Teyvat to Aether!" a voice called out next to him. "H-huh?!" Aether was jolted out of his reverie, turning towards the voice with a hint of embarrassment. "A-Amber! Sorry about that. I was lost in thought." He chuckled awkwardly, scratching his head.
"It's fine," she replied, giggling at Aether's aloof demeanor. "C'mon, Mrs. Primrose wants to reward us with her favorite cookies for helping her gather ingredients for her bakery." "O-oh? She didn't have to do that..." Aether replied with a small smile and a good-natured sigh. "That's what I said. But hey, I'm not turning down the chance to try her famous strawberry swirl cookies!"
Without giving Aether a chance to reply, she grabbed his hand and pulled him along with her. After receiving the cookies, wrapped in a lovely, transparent bag, the three were chatting when they noticed a commotion at the front gate. "Hey, what's going on?" Amber asked, her curiosity piqued. "Not sure... let's check it out," Aether suggested. "Paimon wants to see what's happening!" she exclaimed, her curiosity reaching an all-time high. "Well, let's check it out."
The three made their way to the crowd to see what was happening. They wove their way to the front and soon had their eyes widened at the sight. On the bridge walked a familiar, tall, and dark-clothed man, making his way toward the gate. Some of the civilians were offering small prayers of gratitude to him for what he, Diluc, and the rest had done. Others, however, were angry about why he had vanished for so long.
Jayce walked across the bridge and noticed a small crowd gathered just beyond it. 'How did they know? Must have been the scouts who spotted me beforehand,' Jayce thought to himself as he continued over the bridge. Suddenly, a little girl ran up to him, her presumed mother chasing after her. The little girl hugged his leg as he stared at her in confusion. "T-Thank you!" she said, her voice trembling with near sobs. "Thank you for saving us, and my mom and dad." His heart skipped a beat at her words.
Instinctively, he got down on one knee, pulled down his mask, and removed his hunter's hat, revealing a man whose exhaustion was etched across his face. Despite this, he offered her a warm smile and gently patted her head. "Of course, little one."
"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry, sir!" the mother exclaimed, stopping next to her child. "My daughter is always running around." Jayce softly shook his head. "It's quite alright, ma'am. Truly," Jayce replied with a soft chuckle before looking down at the child once more. "What is your name, love?" The little girl looked up at Jayce with bright, grey eyes. "Lucia Bakersfield!"
Just then, Jayce's heart plummeted tenfold. In an instant, his warm smile faded before he recomposed himself. It felt like a wave of nausea had struck him. "Oh? What a beautiful name." Lucia giggled at the compliment. Jayce stood up and looked at the mother. "Are you, by chance, married to Tommy Bakersfield?" "Yes, indeed," she replied with a small smile. "The same one you saved all those months ago." "I... I see..." Jayce let out a small sigh. "Is that so? Then, I must inform you...
I have news you may want to hear. Would you like to sit somewhere?"