บท 10: 9. Mondstadt: Changes and Recovery #2

The next morning greeted me with a calm that felt almost foreign after everything that had happened. The soft chirping of birds and the gentle rustle of leaves filled the air as I stepped out into the Cathedral's garden. It was a place meant for reflection and peace, a stark contrast to the chaos and destruction I'd faced not long ago.

I stretched, marveling at how my body had healed so quickly. The aches and pains were gone, replaced by a sense of vitality that seemed almost unnatural. 'Not almost. It is unnatural'. My demon powers had taken care of the rest while I slept. But even though my body was fine, my mind was still catching up.

The garden was quiet, a sanctuary nestled within the heart of Mondstadt. Sunlight filtered through the canopy of trees, casting dappled shadows on the stone paths. It was beautiful, serene—everything I needed after the storm I'd just weathered. But the peace was temporary. I knew it wouldn't last.

I found a bench near a small fountain, its water bubbling softly in the background. Sitting down, I took a deep breath, letting the tranquility seep into my bones. But underneath it all, there was an undercurrent of tension, a gnawing worry that wouldn't let go. "Eula… Amber… What will they say? How will they react?"

I didn't have to wait long to find out. I heard footsteps approaching, and soon enough, two familiar figures came into view. Eula and Amber, walking side by side, their expressions a mix of relief and something else—something heavier.

Amber spotted me first, her face lighting up with a bright, infectious smile. "Tayden! You're up and about already! I knew you'd bounce back quickly, but wow, this is impressive!"

Eula's reaction was more subdued, though I could see the relief in her eyes, even if she tried to hide it behind a stern expression. "I can't believe you're already out of bed," she said, crossing her arms as she approached. "You should be resting. Don't think you're off the hook just because you're healed."

'There it is' I couldn't help but smile a little, though there was a nervous edge to it. "Good to see you too, Eula. And yes, I'm fully healed. I told you I'm tougher than I look."

Eula huffed, clearly unimpressed. "Tougher or more reckless? Honestly, Tayden, do you have any idea how much you worried us? You were out cold for two weeks! Two weeks!"

Amber, ever the optimist, chimed in with a grin. "Yeah, we thought you were going to sleep forever! I even joked that you were pulling a Sleeping Beauty on us, but Eula didn't find it very funny."

'Sleeping beauty exists in this world?' but i kept those thoughts to myself.

I glanced at Eula, who was doing her best to look stern, but there was a softness in her eyes that betrayed her true feelings. She cared—more than she was willing to admit. 'She's just hiding it behind that tough exterior'

"I'm sorry," I said, my tone sincere. "I didn't mean to make you worry. But… I'm okay now. Really."

Eula sighed, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "You'd better be. Otherwise, I'd have to make good on my promise of vengeance."

"Vengeance, huh?" I chuckled, trying to ease the tension. "Should I be scared?"

Eula shot me a look that was half-serious, half-teasing. "Maybe. It depends on how much you value your peace of mind."

Amber laughed, the sound light and musical, a perfect counterbalance to Eula's more guarded demeanor. "Oh, come on, Eula. You know you're just glad he's okay. You've been pacing around the Cathedral like a worried mother hen!"

Eula's cheeks tinted pink, and she quickly turned away, flustered. "I—That's not—I was just… making sure he didn't cause any more trouble."

"Sure you were," I said, my smile widening. The banter was helping, making it easier to push aside the anxiety gnawing at me. But I knew we couldn't dance around the real conversation forever.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. "Eula… So I should finally give you the explanation I promised..."

Eula's teasing expression faltered, replaced by a more serious, guarded look. "Alright, im ready". Amber next to her looking confused.

I hesitated, the weight of my decision settling over me. This wasn't going to be easy. I'd kept this secret close. 'I can't keep lying to them. They deserve the truth'

Amber noticed the change in my demeanor and tilted her head slightly, curiosity and concern mingling in her gaze. "Tayden, what's going on?"

I looked at them both, meeting their eyes one after the other. They were my friends—two people who had stuck by me even when I couldn't stand on my own. They had a right to know.

"I'm… different," I began, the words heavy on my tongue. "I'm not like other people. I have… abilities, powers that aren't natural. Demonic power's or that's what I like to call them"

The silence that followed was thick, almost suffocating. I could see the confusion flicker across Amber's face, while Eula's expression hardened, her eyes narrowing slightly as she processed what I'd just said.

"Demonic?" Eula repeated, her voice carefully controlled. "What do you mean by that?"

I exhaled slowly, my mind racing as I tried to find the right way to explain. "It's… hard to describe. But the reason I was able to recover so quickly, the reason I can heal from almost anything—it's because Im actually a Demon-or when part demon? Mostly demon? Part demon is more accurate i think"

Amber's eyes widened, a mixture of surprise and concern flashing in her gaze. "You are a demon? How? Where you always a demon?"

"It's a long story," I said, running a hand through my hair. "But the short version is… it's something I was born with. My body, it… it's not like a normal human's. I can regenerate from almost any injury, and… well, I'm stronger and faster than I should be." I decided to not tell them about me potentially being immortal, that was another can of worms for another time.

There was silence for a while but I finally continued "I didn't want to worry you," I admitted, my voice tinged with guilt. "And honestly, I wasn't sure how to explain it. I barely understand it myself."

...

Amber was the first to break the silence, a small smile tugging at her lips. "So… you're like a superhero, then? Or maybe a supervillain? No, wait, definitely a superhero."

I couldn't help but laugh at that, though it was a nervous, uncertain laugh. "I'm not sure I'd go that far."

Eula, however, wasn't ready to let me off the hook so easily. "You should have told us," she said, her tone firm. "We're your friends, Tayden. Even if I was told to watch over you, first and foremost you are my friend. Hiding something like this… it's not fair to us."

"I know," I said, meeting her gaze head-on. "And I'm sorry. I really am. But… I was scared. Scared of how you'd react, of what you'd think of me. I didn't want to lose you two."

Eula's expression softened, just a fraction. "You won't lose us," she said quietly. "But you need to trust us, Tayden. We're in this together, whether you like it or not."

Amber nodded in agreement, her usual cheerfulness tempered with sincerity. "Yeah, Tayden. We've got your back, no matter what. But you have to let us in, okay? No more secrets."

I felt a weight lift off my shoulders, the tension that had been building inside me finally starting to ease. "Okay. No more secrets. I promise."

Eula sighed, the last remnants of her frustration melting away. "Good. Because if you pull something like that again, I really will have my vengeance."

The corners of my mouth lifted into a grin. "I'll try to avoid that, then."

Amber laughed, the sound bright and full of life. "You'd better! We've been through too much to let a little thing like demonic powers get in the way."

The three of us fell into a comfortable silence, the tension that had been hanging over us dissipating like morning mist. The garden around us seemed to breathe with us, the gentle rustling of leaves and the soft trickle of water from the fountain providing a peaceful backdrop to our conversation.

---

We stayed in the garden for a while, talking and laughing, the weight of the past few weeks slowly lifting off our shoulders. Eula and Amber told me about everything that had happened while I was unconscious—the reconstruction efforts, the people they'd helped, the small victories they'd celebrated in the midst of the chaos. It was exactly what I needed to hear.

At some point, Amber brought out a small basket of food she'd prepared. "I figured you'd be hungry after sleeping for two weeks," she said with a grin, handing me a sandwich. "And I wasn't about to let you keep eating that bland hospital food. You need real food to get your strength back!"

Eula rolled her eyes but didn't object, instead handing me a flask of water. "You should eat," she said, her tone softer than before. "You need to regain your strength. Who knows what kind of trouble you'll get into next?"

I took the food and water gratefully, realizing just how hungry I was. My stomach growled in agreement as I took a bite, the flavors bursting in my mouth. "This is… really good," I said between bites. "Thanks, Amber."

She beamed, pleased with the compliment. "I'm glad you like it! I figured you could use some comfort food after everything."

We ate together in comfortable silence, the atmosphere light and easy. The tension from earlier was gone, 'This… this is what I needed'.

As the sun began to dip lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the garden, Amber stretched her arms above her head and let out a contented sigh. "It's been a crazy few weeks, hasn't it? But I'm glad we're all here, together."

"Yeah," I agreed, feeling a warmth in my chest that had nothing to do with my powers. "I'm glad too."

Eula, who had been quiet for a while, finally spoke up, her voice thoughtful. "Tayden… about your powers. I know you're still figuring things out, but… if you ever need help, or if you have questions, you can come to us. You don't have to go through this alone."

I looked at her, seeing the sincerity in her eyes, the concern that she tried so hard to hide. "Thank you, Eula. That means a lot."

She nodded, satisfied with my response. "Good. Because you're stuck with us now, whether you like it or not."

Amber laughed, a bright, infectious sound that made me smile. "Yeah, you're part of the team, Tayden! There's no escaping us now!"

And in that moment, surrounded by the people who had become friends, I realized something important. This wasn't just about survival or getting stronger. This was about living—really living, with all the messiness and joy that came with it. I had been given a second chance, and I wasn't going to waste it.

As the sun set and the sky turned a deep shade of orange, we continued to talk and laugh, the worries of the world fading into the background. There would be challenges ahead, dangers and uncertainties that I couldn't predict. But for now, in this moment, I was content. I was alive. And for the first time in a long time, that felt like enough.