Crossposted A/N: Fun fact, this is one of the earliest things I originally drafted for this story. Though it only existed as an unedited snippet with nothing attached.

A Knight's Retirement
Chapter 6: Worries Under the Sun

Amber wasn't the type to get hung up on any kind of issue that easily. She held strongly to her convictions, sure, but was otherwise a pretty easygoing person a majority of the time. As a result, it'd been a while since anything had troubled her this much.

The issue in question? Cyril.

Or more specifically, the injury Cyril had suffered. Thankfully, Barbara had apparently managed to heal it fine, and he was back to 100% now…but it was still on Amber's mind, constantly. It wasn't like she hadn't seen people get hurt before, even if injuries of that magnitude were uncommon, but it was the way he reacted to it that bothered her.

That is to say, he didn't react to it at all.

He hadn't seemed to be in much pain, nor did he seem to care very much about the injury at all. His arm had been charred to a crisp, and the only indicator that he noticed was a nearly imperceptible wince and an annoyed attitude?

That just wasn't normal…

She still didn't know much about the mysterious knight, aside from what he'd told Jean, and his attitude tended to reflect a 'live-in-the-moment' mindset. It was something she approved of; part of why they gelled together so well despite only knowing each other for a short time. But now she found herself wondering what kind of things he'd been through that he could act dismissive with such a severe injury…

She didn't know, but now she was itching to find out.

Cyril thought it was his imagination at first, but after a few days, he'd realized that Lady Amber had taken to spending a lot more time with him than before. She'd accompanied him on most of his assignments, joined him on his walks through town, and even invited him to eat meals together.

He wasn't completely clueless as to why her behavior had shifted. She often glanced at his arm, as much as she tried to hide it. Apparently the way he handled his injury had caused her to become concerned about him.

He didn't really know what to do with this new attention she was giving him. He found the more in-depth tidbits about the city and its surroundings that he received from her to be quite fascinating, but while he wasn't a particularly secretive person, it was a bit tiring to keep up with her energy this much.

Still, he figured that eventually she would realize that he did not make it a habit of injuring himself and then pretending the injuries didn't happen. He'd just have to be patient. For now, he'd enjoy her company while it lasted.

Amber realized one thing about Cyril as she spent more time with him: He truly loved taking in the world around him. His well-known walks were one thing, but she'd never seen someone who looked so happy just...staring at random things. It didn't even take anything special to get him in one of his moods. One time, she caught him staring at the water fountain in the middle of town with a wistful look on his face. Another time, he was observing a bird's nest for nearly an hour straight.

Honestly...it was kind of cute. She imagined him in full armor, wandering around with small birds perched on his shoulders. Just adorable. And it was already pretty funny watching him chase cats with no complaint.

Unfortunately, the past few days of Cyril-watching hadn't really yielded any results. They'd become closer friends, for sure, but she'd learned absolutely nothing more about his mysterious past. It wasn't like she'd asked about it, but not even a scrap of information about him had come up. Perhaps he'd be inclined to answer if she just asked him straight up?

That just seemed kind of...rude, for some reason. If he didn't want to talk about it of his own volition, he might take offense at her just barging on to the topic. Regardless, she'd only been trying for a few days. She'd give it some more time first.

She was about to head over to his room to invite him to breakfast, but then she spotted him leaving the HQ. That was a bit unusual, as he tended to go on walks later in the day. Curious, she followed him outside.

She found him at the cliff behind the Favonius Cathedral, watching the sun rise higher into the sky. She was about to call out to him in greeting, but something stopped her. He looked...forlorn, as he stood there. As she slowly approached, she saw that he was holding something tightly in his clenched fist: a beautiful red feather.

"Lady Amber," He noticed her quickly, despite her attempt to keep a low profile, "Here to enjoy the morning view?"

"Um…" Amber stopped, deciding to be honest, "I saw you leave and followed you."

"Ah. I was feeling...somewhat nostalgic this morning." Cyril's helmet turned back towards the sun. Something in his voice felt...heavier than normal, and she wished she could see the expression he was currently making.

They stood in silence for several moments. Amber had to admit, the view was beautiful, one of many sights Mondstadt boasted for its citizens and visitors alike. But the atmosphere was distracting her right now.

"You've been worried about me, correct?" He spoke first, his helmet turning back to face her, "I trust I've proven I'm not a particularly reckless person, though?"

"No! I mean, yes! You're reliable…" Amber said immediately, before hesitating slightly, "But...I don't know…"

"Ahh. You continue to wonder about me. About why my reaction to the injury was so muted." Cyril stated.

"...Yeah, I mean...your arm...that was really bad…" Amber winced as she recalled the burnt flesh that covered his entire limb. She'd done it many times since that night, but the memory's vividness never faded. "You acted like it was nothing. But an injury like that...if you hadn't gone to Barbara like we told you to…"

"...Here, look." Cyril removed his gauntlet and showed her the hand and arm that'd been injured. The skin was smooth, to her relief, but then she looked closer.

She could only gasp.

Angry scars of all kinds could be seen from the top of his forearm all the way to his fingers. Some of them were particularly nasty, and she found her eyes drawn to some jagged lines that would suggest his fingers had been nearly severed. Or had they actually been severed all the way and then reattached?

"The truth of the matter is that I am more than used to sustaining injuries of that magnitude. Not just that, but they were actually rather common," Cyril said in an as-a-matter-of-fact manner, "Thanks to Sister Barbara no new scars joined these ones, but as you can see…"

"That's…" Amber reached out, touching his arm gently, "It isn't just this arm, is it?"

"No." Cyril confirmed, his tone softening, "My homeland and Lordran were not pleasant places to live. You can see why I much prefer Mondstadt."

She tried to imagine what kinds of people or monsters must've caused the injuries she'd seen on just his arm alone. After a few moments she decided that, yes, she could understand what he was saying.

"...Yeah, I get it." Amber nodded slowly, "Jeez. Just what kind of place is Lordran…?"

"A cursed realm. A former home, but..." Cyril answered with finality, looking into the distance, "I hope that for my deeds it was a slightly brighter place, but I'm glad to have left those lands."

It was apparent he didn't want to talk in more detail about Lordran, and Amber had no intention of making him recount painful memories. But still, she couldn't help but ask about what she'd seen earlier, "Um, I saw you holding a feather earlier…"

Judging from the way Cyril instantly froze, Amber realized she'd touched upon a sensitive topic.

"N-Never mind! I'm sorry-"

"It is fine, Lady Amber." Cyril relaxed, taking a deep breath, "That feather is a memento of a dear friend of mine."

"Oh…" Amber gulped and cursed her reckless insensitivity, "Listen, you don't have to say anything more…"

"It's alright." Cyril shook his head, "Talking about it may ease my thoughts."

"Okay…"

"His name was Solaire." He began, his tone distant, "Apparently, he also hailed from Astora, though we did not meet until our time in Lordran. The reason he was on my mind is because it was he who taught and guided me through the acquisition of the miracle I accidentally injured myself with. I'd even argue that he was my better when it came to the blade."

Amber's eyes widened in surprise. She'd seen Cyril fight several times now, he was something of a monster even without his magic. He wasn't particularly flashy, but instead was brutal and absolutely deadly.

"Haha, he saved my life many times, I was proud to call him an ally in that forsaken land." Cyril shook his head, some amusement in his voice, "He was the friendly sort, an optimist that would appear strange to anyone who met him. You remind me of him, in a way."

"H-Huh?" Amber stammered, unsure if being called a 'strange optimist' was a compliment or not.

"Oh, I meant no offense. Both of you are the type of individuals to brighten others' days with your presence, much like how the sun illuminates even the darkest corners of the land." Cyril glanced up at the sky as he spoke.

"Er...thank you…" Amber averted her eyes, embarrassed at the sudden praise.

"I only speak the truth." Cyril sounded amused again, earning a huff from Amber.

They fell silent, watching the sun together as they gathered their own thoughts. Cyril spoke up first, his voice turning nostalgic once more.

"I have to wonder what he'd think of me botching the casting of such a precious miracle. It's likely he'd laugh and tell me to practice more, but now I feel ashamed, thinking back on it." He shook his head, "I suppose living in this peaceful city has given me more time for thought. I was never the type to dwell on such things before."

Now that he mentioned it, Amber had actually noticed that Cyril seemed to have more things on his mind as time passed. Now she realized it was because as he got used to living in Mondstadt, he had the opportunity to reflect more on his past. Presumably without the pressure of his previous environment keeping him occupied.

"..." She opened her mouth to ask about Solaire, but stopped herself. The words 'A memento of a dear friend' played back in her mind.

"You wonder where he is now...or what happened to him, don't you?" Cyril read through her easily.

"I...do." Amber replied honestly, "But, really, you don't have to indulge me, Cyril."

"It's no trouble." Cyril turned back to her, "I consider you a close friend, so I'm willing to share this tale."

"Thank you…" Amber straightened up, her expression serious.

"Solaire was on a separate journey from my own, though there was enough overlap that we ran into each other often." Cyril began fondly, "He was a Warrior of Sunlight, an order that reveres the sun. I actually joined them, though for rather selfish reasons such as seeking the power of the Sunlight Spear that I used against the Lawachurl."

"To be fair, that spell seems like a pretty compelling reason to join…" Amber pointed out.

"Quite." Cyril agreed, "Solaire is...well, despite his optimism, he sought purpose beyond being a simple warrior. He called it 'searching for his very own sun'. As time passed, I could sense he was getting frustrated. Perhaps I could've been a better friend for him, but I was too worried about my own goals."

"…" Amber heard the self-loathing in his voice, but knew he was being too harsh with himself. Whatever he was doing, it was treacherous enough to give him those scars, after all.

"We parted ways after a particularly hard fight. He was less cheerful than before, but I had thought it was due to the harsh struggles we'd just experienced. I was a fool, thinking that eventually we'd cross paths again and fight alongside one another like we had so many times in the past." Cyril's voice became tinged with sorrow, "I can only imagine how Solaire felt, feeling that his purpose was forever out of reach. He journeyed to a region that was particularly hostile, even by Lordran's standards. There, he encountered a horrible parasite known as the Sunlight Maggot."

"Parasite?" Amber frowned.

"Yes, it latches onto the victim's head, almost like a twisted headpiece of sorts. Then, it begins to drain their life in order to emit light, like a miniature sun. I can see how Solaire would've been lured in," Cyril's voice was tinged with utter disgust, "In truth, it feasts upon the victim's mind, driving them insane."

"That's...horrible." Amber was utterly appalled.

"I agree."

"So then...you met him again after that…?"

"Yes. I also journeyed to this region, in search of something else. There, I encountered him once more. He...He no longer recognized me. He couldn't even form coherent statements anymore. He...attacked me. With nothing held back." Cyril's voice caught for a moment.

Amber stood wordlessly, her heart dropping like a stone as she realized where this story was going.

"I attempted to break the parasite's hold over him. But it was no use. And so, I defended myself...I...ended his life. With my own hands...with this very blade."

She gasped softly, hands over her mouth. What could she even say to that? She'd known something must've happened to his friend, but to hear that he'd been forced to fight and...kill him...that was just...

"And so his tale ended. With me." Cyril gave one last look at the sun before turning to Amber, "Do not make such a face, Lady Amber. This happened long ago. I was simply in the mood to reminisce this morning."

Wordlessly, she grabbed him in a hug. Her sudden action caught Cyril totally off-guard, though with their difference in size she hardly made him budge at all.

"L-Lady Amber…?"

"Idiot." Amber wasn't sure how much he could feel through his armor, but she kept the hug up anyways, "You're shaking…"

"..." He froze in surprise, then looked down at his hands and saw them trembling uncontrollably, "So I am. How odd."

"I...don't really know what to say. But you're here now, Cyril. And everyone's happy to have you with us, okay?" Amber stumbled over her words, "And...thank you...for telling me something so personal. You didn't have to go that far…"

"..." Cyril reached up, ruffling her hair and ribbon, earning an indignant squawk from Amber, "Teyvat and its people have been only kind to me. It may take some time, but I hope that one day I'll be able to walk under this beautiful sky with nothing weighing upon my soul."

Amber's eyes widened, "You mean…"

"There are other things I wish to keep hidden for now. I wish for this for many reasons, but...I do admit, I worry about how you and the others may view me after I reveal them."

"..." Amber thought about that for a moment, before she suddenly hopped up and slapped his helmet, making him jerk back in surprise, "I'll wait as long as it takes for you to feel ready...But no matter what happened back in Lordran, Astora, or wherever else, it won't change anything about who you are now, got it?"

And she meant it, too. The images of Cyril on his daily walks, of him laughing and playing with the people of Mondstadt, and of him taking up arms to help her and the other Knights all flashed through her head. In his time here, he'd already become something of a fixture in Mondstadt, and there was no way she'd let his past drive him away.

"...I understand. You have my thanks." Cyril's voice had turned warm, similar to how it normally was when he was relaxing around town. It looked like he was finally cheering up again.

Amber finally let go of him, giving him an affectionate glare, "Let's go eat breakfast. You messed up my ribbon, so you're giving me your bacon strips today."

"Alas, I have no choice but to give in to your demands." Cyril sighed lightheartedly. Amber simply stuck her tongue out at him in response.

In a much better mood, the two of them went to go eat their morning meal together. For the rest of the morning they talked of lighter topics, enjoying each other's company.

It was later, as she went about the day's patrol route, that Amber realized that Cyril had essentially confided in her. Among the Knights, Church, and general citizenry, he gave off the impression of being rather secretive about his own past. He was known as a "mysterious" knight for a reason, after all.

Something about the realization made her happy, but it also made her want to pay it back in kind.

But what could she do?

It'd been a few days since the morning that Cyril had spoken of Solaire.

Though Cyril was sure he'd assuaged Amber's concern about his self-preservation instincts, she did continue to seek him out for meals and missions. He didn't sense any pity from her, which he was glad for, as he had no intention of leveraging the tragic fate of Solaire to garner sympathy.

Perhaps in the same way he enjoyed her bright personality, there was something about him that she found strength in? It would be nice if that was the case.

Amber had asked him to join her on a mission tonight. She was taking it on behalf of the Reconnaissance Corps, meaning she was helping out Eula. Cyril had learned that it wasn't just Amber's propensity to make friends regardless of quirkiness, but that the two of them had known each other for quite a long time. As he thought about this, he realized that much like no one in Teyvat knew about him and his past, he knew little of his new friends' and comrades' tales as well.

Many of his fellow undead volunteered information about their situations, as in why they were in Lordran, but he knew little of their lives beyond that. Even friends like Solaire had their histories shrouded in mystery. Perhaps he should think about changing that in his interactions with the people of Teyvat...

The mission he and Amber were assigned was a simple one, the Reconnaissance Corps wanted to confirm the movements of a larger hilichurl tribe based in Brightcrown Canyon. Reports would suggest that they are simply preparing to migrate to another area of the wilds, but there was a risk that they were planning on raiding nearby settlements like the Dawn Winery Complex or Springvale. If that was the case, the Knights would need to be mobilized to intercept the coming attack. Which is where the Reconnaissance Corps would've come in, if Eula and her subordinates weren't busy tracking a recently active Abyss Order sect.

And what a surprise that was, Cyril did his best not to flinch during the briefing when he heard the word 'Abyss' come up. After a bout of frantic research and questions to the relevant people, he determined that this order of fanatics had no connection whatsoever to the Abyss that he was familiar with, the uncontrollable corrupting force that had destroyed the cities of New Londo and Oolacile in his realm.

Still, Cyril had to admit a certain distaste for them for their naming scheme alone. When he heard about their activities, that distaste had grown into straight hostility. Hopefully he'd be able to take some assignment to help the Knights deal with those scum sometime soon.

As for their current mission...it turned out to be a false alarm. Cyril stood at the edge of one of the many jagged cliffs overlooking the canyon, giving him vision over the hilichurl tribe in the distance. Even from here, it was apparent that the tribe was packing up everything, in preparation of a large move. If it was a raiding party, there would be no reason for them to be dismantling the entire camp.

"Looks like they're just migrating." Amber clambered down from a tree she'd climbed to get an even higher view of the camp.

"No need to mobilize the knights, then." Cyril replied. Amber nodded, before using a lantern to signal an all-clear message to the closest Knights of Favonius outpost. The knights manning the outpost would then signal the next outpost and so on until the message was passed to its intended recipient.

"It's getting pretty late, huh?" Amber looked up at the night sky, "Maybe we should camp out for tonight?"

"I have no issue with that." Cyril had slept in much worse conditions, after all.

"Great!" Amber shot him a cheerful smile, "I'll cook dinner, then. Could you start a fire while I get the ingredients prepped?"

Cyril was about to say she didn't need to go through the trouble, before realizing that unlike him, she actually required sustenance. He nodded his thanks and began working on their accommodations for the night.

As he helped set up their impromptu campsite, he removed his characteristic helmet and set it to the side. Finally, he cobbled together a basic campfire, setting it alight with a weak spark of pyromancy.

"I always get a little surprised when I see you do stuff like that without a Vision." Amber commented, laying out two juicy-looking cuts of steak and seasoning them with salt and pepper.

"I am a far cry from those who actually specialize in the magic of my land, such as full-fledged sorcerers or pyromancers. I suppose I am decent with miracles, but I am nowhere close to being considered a master." Cyril winced as he thought about the damage skilled magic users could do in Lordran.

"Really? That...lightning of yours was pretty terrifying." Amber tilted her head inquisitively, not having any information about Lordran's other magics to go off of.

"It is one of the more powerful miracles." Cyril agreed, "But miracles encompass a much broader scale than what I'm able to show."

"That sounds interesting, then." Amber said, "You think anyone else from Lordran might end up here too?"

"By the flame, I hope not." Cyril muttered darkly, "Few of them would be amicable…"

"Oh…" Amber remembered the scars covering his arm, falling silent.

Cyril, realizing his mistake, quickly moved to change the subject, "Er, those are rather fine cuts of meat. Are you sure you wish to use them for a simple camp meal?"

To him, such food would be a luxury in Lordran, perhaps even exotic given the scarcity of quality ingredients. It wasn't like the Undead really had the opportunity to chase such frivolities in the first place. It was why he enjoyed the various eateries around Mondstadt.

"Oho, you can tell?" Amber grinned smugly, "I've been saving them for a camping trip like this actually. It's the best time for an outdoor grilling session! Heheh, you'll get to taste my special Outrider's Champion Steak! Look forward to it!"

"A special meal?" Cyril tilted his head, wondering about the occasion, "Is it perhaps a holiday of some kind?"

"Uh…" Amber stopped, trailing off, "Well, no, it isn't. Haha, it's kinda embarrassing to say out loud but...I was kinda happy you trusted me enough to talk about your past so...I wanted to pay you back somehow…?"

"Oh." Cyril wasn't sure what to say about that, "If the reward for storytelling is quality steak, then perhaps I should change my vocation to that of a bard or scribe?"

Amber's eyes widened, before she giggled, trying to picture Cyril as a flamboyant bard or hunched over some paper with pen in hand, "Nope! Special occasions only!"

"A shame." He shook his head woefully.

"C'mon, you haven't even tasted it yet. Let me get to cooking first," Amber rolled her eyes and hopped back into preparing their meal.

"I look forward to it." Cyril settled himself down by the campfire, letting the warmth wash over him, the sound of Amber humming to herself as she grilled the steaks filtering through his ears.

He'd settled in a position very familiar to him, with one knee pulled up to his chest, arm resting over the knee as he watched the movement of the flames. As the smell of meat began to fill the air and the crackling of fat and oil replaced the sound of the gentle breeze, Cyril looked up, to find Amber staring at him.

"What is it?" He asked, bemused.

"Nothing!" Amber quickly looked away, "It's just...the way you sat down at the fire just now...it was like something out of a painting."

"..." Cyril blinked, before laughing jovially, "I suppose I'm used to watching the flames. There wasn't much comfort in Lordran aside from the warmth of a fire, after all."

"...Every time you say something about that place, I end up thinking it must be horrible living there."

"Well, it was rather miserable. Some of the sights are breathtaking, but I wouldn't recommend living there, no." Cyril mused, "Though at the same time, I wouldn't suggest traveling there for sightseeing either. I suppose it's a place best left forgotten."

"I see…I'll take your word for it, as the resident expert on Lordran," Amber shot a cheeky grin his way, before realizing her steaks were still cooking, "Oh! I think it's about ready!"

Cyril paused. He'd been idly observing the cooking process, and Amber had not flipped the steaks even once. It'd been a long time since he'd cooked anything, but he was reasonably sure steaks were supposed to be flipped as they cooked.

But should he say anything?

As he watched her cheerfully serve the steaks, grinning all the while, he decided that no, he was not going to say anything.

"Here we go!" Amber placed a steak right in front of him.

With an internal shrug, Cyril decided to dig in, "Thank you for the food, Lady Amber."

Cyril wasn't a picky eater. Actually, he didn't really know what kind of eater he was. He'd enjoyed pretty much any food he'd been served since arriving in Teyvat, meaning he'd be a terrible critic. However, despite the strange, uneven method of cooking Amber had employed, the steak was...surprisingly good.

"You like it?" Amber's face lit up as she watched him consume the steak with hearty gusto.

"I do. It's quite delicious, Lady Amber." Cyril nodded.

"Heehee," Her smile turned triumphant, before she shot him a look, "Y'know, you can call me Amber, right?"

"Hm?" Cyril turned to her, surprised, "That wouldn't be proper. You are a full knight, are you not?"

"Yeah, but you said we're friends, aren't we?"

"..." Cyril paused unsurely, earning an annoyed look from Amber, "Yes, we are…"

"So, call me Amber. Without the 'Lady' part."

"Ah...I understand. Then...Amber."

"See? That wasn't so hard." Her expression turned back to a cheerful smile.

Feeling somewhat self-conscious for reasons he didn't completely understand, Cyril just gave a quick nod of acknowledgment before digging back into his dinner. Amber seemed content not to press him either, and continued eating her own steak.

"You know, compared to the other skills I learned to become an Outrider, I only started training my cooking pretty recently?" Amber began, breaking the silence.

"Oh?" Cyril actually didn't know much about what being an Outrider entailed. He assumed it was similar to a high mobility unit, such as cavalry or something similar. The difference being that Amber used her glider as the mode of transportation.

"Yeah…" Amber paused, "I grew up watching the Outriders train, led by my Grandpa, so I knew what I needed to practice if I wanted to join them...but my Grandpa cooked for the two of us when it came to meals."

Cyril listened silently. This was the first he'd heard of Amber's childhood. He had to admit being interested in what she was saying too, as memories of his own family were hazy and disjointed after all the years he spent as an undead in Lordran.

"But one day he left...with no warning. I don't know where he went." Amber's expression shifted to one of sad reminiscence, "No one knows. But without him leading us...the Outriders didn't last. Now I'm the only one."

"So that's how it is…" Cyril said, "My first impression was that it was a singular position, maybe appointed by the Grand Master or Acting Grand Master. But then I realized that wasn't the case later on..."

"Yep! I'm the only Outrider, but...that means I'm also the best Outrider!" Amber smiled, though weaker than usual, "I do my best to honor everything he taught me, but...sometimes I realize I never really knew much about him. His past, I mean. Only that he was from Liyue, but something terrible happened to him on a job and he ended up settling here in Mondstadt."

"..." Cyril knew that feeling well. Keeping to one's self in Lordran was the norm, but judging from Amber's lonely expression it was likely she wished to know more about her grandfather. He, of course, could also relate with a sudden event changing one's life radically and quickly.

"There were some pretty nasty rumors...like how he'd deserted. I don't know what to think about that, but I decided that it didn't matter. That I'd do my best regardless." Amber's tone was filled with steely determination, before she softened up again, "So, yeah...um...kinda went off-topic there for a second, but that's why I'm still kinda new to cooking."

"I see. Thank you for sharing that with me." Cyril nodded gratefully, then remarked, "In Lordran, people's pasts tend to remain shrouded. It was just the norm, but now I'm beginning to realize how lonely of an existence that can be. Especially after arriving here."

"...Will you tell me more about Lordran?" Amber asked, curiously. She'd finished her meal, and drew both her knees up to her chest as she looked at him attentively.

"Hmm. We should rest soon...but perhaps I could tell you a short story." Cyril rubbed his chin in thought, "Well, I once met a man wearing the strangest armor you could ever see…"

Cyril spoke of his early meetings with Siegmeyer of Catarina. Of how the amiable Onion Knight found himself in strange conundrums, but maintained good cheer. Not wanting to dampen the mood after a fine meal, he kept to their early adventures, leaving the rest for another time.

Judging from her level of interest and engagement, Amber didn't notice and was content to listen to him speak.

There were few happy tales to tell of Lordran, but Cyril managed to keep his current tale both interesting and optimistic. More innocent times, one could say. Cyril was far from a pessimist nowadays, but when he compared his current demeanor to how he behaved early in his journey, he could only see the stark contrast between them.

But while he had no desire to return to his realm(s), he also didn't regret the outcome of his journey. Things could've gone better, but they could've gone worse as well. There was no point in thinking of such things. Perhaps it was this forward-facing attitude that allowed him to bring his tale to life, making one of his new friends happy and teaching her more about his old friends and himself along the way.

The two of them went to sleep under the stars that night, one remembering a dear friend, and another trying to picture the quirky and likable knight she'd heard all about. And as they drifted off to sleep, small, slight smiles lingered on both of their faces.

Headpats for Amber ^_^

I started the story in Mondstadt because that's where the game begins, but my favorite characters were all in Liyue or Inazuma when I played the game. However, writing this story made me really come to like the Mondstadt characters as well. Now it's just hard for me to pick .