บท 44: 42. Hidden In Shadows
The air inside the Fatui compound was stale, pressing against us like a weight. Torches cast flickering shadows that stretched along the damp walls, making every twist and turn in the corridors feel endless.
I led the way, keeping my steps light, with Aether and Paimon close behind. For all the silence, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched—or maybe the quiet just didn't sit well with me.
Ahead of us, two guards were leaning casually against a stack of crates, talking in low voices. From the sound of it, they were grumbling about something—likely their night shift or the cold—but whatever it was, it kept their attention fully occupied. I looked back at Aether and Paimon, motioning for them to stay close.
Perfect opportunity.
I closed my eyes for a moment, drawing on the energy pulsing just below my skin, feeling it respond to my intention. With a flick of my wrist, I nicked my palm, letting a few drops of blood trickle onto my fingers. The power hummed as I concentrated, feeling that familiar, tingling thread connect me to the blood in my hand.
"Alright," I whispered to Aether. "Cover me. This might take a second."
He nodded, positioning himself to keep watch. I carefully crept forward, flicking a few drops of blood near the guards. The blood splattered onto the stone just inches from their boots, the faint scent drifting up toward them in wisps. The moment it reached them, the power spread, seeping slowly into their senses. One of the guards paused mid-sentence, his eyes drooping slightly, and then his head lolled forward. The other blinked heavily, fighting it off for a moment before he, too, slumped against the wall, sound asleep.
"Nice " Aether whispered, an approving grin flickering across his face while Paimon hovered nearby.
We slipped past the guards and down a narrow corridor, Paimon flying ahead to peek around each corner, keeping an eye out for anything unusual. Every few steps, she'd dart back, giving us a quick nod before we continued forward. Never thought Paimon would be this useful in an infiltration mission.
We reached a door at the end of the hall, and I felt a prickling sense of unease as I looked it over. Just beside the door, embedded into the wall, was a small metal panel, its purple light pulsing softly—a security mechanism, no doubt. I leaned in, watching how the wires connected to the doorframe and the lock. One wrong move and we'd be neck-deep in trouble.
"Alarm system?" I murmured, keeping my voice low. "Looks like it'll trigger if we mess with the lock."
Aether examined the setup, his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Think we can bypass it?"
I scratched my chin, weighing the risks. "We could, but it's risky. If we trip this thing, every guard in the compound will be here before we even make it to the next room." I glanced over at Paimon, who had flown up to hover beside me.
She was squinting at the panel, her gaze sharp. "What if we go around it? There's a gap just past the door that's big enough for us to slip through."
I followed her gaze and spotted the narrow passage she'd mentioned, just wide enough for us to move through single file. "Good eye, Paimon. Let's take it slow. You keep scouting ahead for any surprises."
With a quick nod, Paimon led the way, slipping into the passageway and scanning the hallway beyond for any movement. She waved us forward, her movements quick and precise, and we moved past the door, giving the alarm panel a wide berth. With each step, the silence grew thicker, making every sound seem magnified. So far, so good. No alarms, no patrols. Maybe we'd actually make it through without—
The sound of approaching footsteps snapped me out of my thoughts. Three Fatui agents emerged from a side corridor, their strides steady and purposeful. I froze, feeling the surge of energy in my blood as I reached for my powers. I needed to end this quickly, or we'd have a much bigger problem on our hands.
Locking my gaze on the closest agent, I reached out with that thin thread of power, letting it flow toward him as I tried to lull him into a sleep. But the moment the energy touched him, it rebounded, like it'd been pushed away. He blinked, clearly unaffected, his eyes narrowed as he raised his weapon and he looked at our direction . The telltale shimmer of Hydro energy swirled at his fingertips.
I scowled, realizing these agents were more than just regular foot soldiers, they are more elementally attuned than the others, his elemental energy potent enough to push back my attack.
Great. Guess we were doing this the hard way.
Aether was already moving, summoning a gust of Anemo that knocked the agents back a few steps, forcing them to regain their balance. "We need to take care of them quickly, before others are alerted!".
The Pyro agent lunged first, his sword infused with pyro energy as he swung down at me. I raised my hand, channeling my power to solidify my blood to harden across my arm into makeshift barrier. The blade clashed against it with a burst of heat, sending a scorch of warmth radiating outward.
"This elemental energy feels different." I muttered, shoving him back with a forceful push. "More unstable than normal vision users". I jump back to regain my balance.
Now that I think about it, Diluc did say something about the Fatui using something called 'Delusions'. *Sigh* This is why I need to stop spacing out so much.
Aether launched forward, taking the guards attention and sending another burst of wind that put him on the defensive, disrupting his stance just long enough for me to use a new move I've been working on.
I sidestep and clenched my fist hard enough to draw blood, then it solidified and I launched it at the guard. The hit landed, forcing him back with a grunt, but he recovered quickly, his eyes locked on me with irritation.
Getting some distance, the Hydro agent raised his weapon and shot out a wave of water that crashed across the floor, making it glow with Hydro energy. It made the floor slippery but I can see that he's controlling it too. Making water spikes come out of the ground.
"Tsk.. you're annoying." I muttered, shifting my stance to keep my balance. I conjured another blood shard, aiming it right at the gaps in his armor. The shards struck him with a satisfying hit, making him cry out in pain as it pierced him, temporarily making him lose focus. But he barely winced, his eyes blazing with anger as he readied another attack.
"Guess he didn't like that one," I muttered, glancing at Aether as he prepared another Anemo burst. Wait where's the third gua-
Above us, Paimon's sharp voice cut through the noise. "Tayden! Watch your left!"
I turned just in time to see the third agent, his weapon crackling with Electro energy, rushing at me with a massive hammer. Even though that thing looked heavy as hell, he was wielding it no problem and swung it straight for my head.
In a quick motion, I raised my blade to block, feeling the impact reverberate through my arms as I absorbed the hit. "Damn! That's heavy!"
My grip held, and I pushed back with enough force to push the agent back a few steps. Before he could recover, Aether shot forward, delivering a swift kick that sent him sprawling against the wall.
One down, two to go.
I looked at the remaining guards and put my sights on the Hydro one. Aether can deal with the Pyro easily enough, so I'll deal with taking out the support first will make things much easier.
Sensing my intent, he shot condensed Hyro attacks at me which I easily dodged. In just a few moments I was in front of him, taking hold of the barrel of his gun I, I twisted as hard as I can and broke it.
Before he could recover, I quickly headbutted him. My attack disorienting and breaking his mask. I took this moment to look into his eyes and activated Enmu's power. With him being weakened and disoriented, it was easy to get him to fall asleep.
I let go of his broken weapon as he fell down to the floor. Alright, now I gotta help out Aether- Nevermind.
Looking back I saw the Pyro guard on the ground, he was still alive... I think. Aether on the other hand was almost untouched, besides some dirt there were no traces of fire even on his clothes.
With the threat now gone, I let out a steady breath, flexing my fingers as the remnants of my blood arts faded away. I shot Aether a grin "Well, that was invigorating."
Aether wiped a trickle of sweat from his brow. "Let's hope we don't run into any more of those." Hopefully no other guards heard the commotion. Paimon punched the air, her eyes bright with relief. "We totally showed them who's boss!"
I chuckled, rolling my shoulders as my regeneration removed all trace of exhaustion. "Agreed. Now let's wrap this up. The Lyre should be just ahead."
We moved cautiously toward the reinforced door at the end of the hallway. As we approached, a strange energy began to press down on us. It was… intense, pure energy. I knew the lyre was behind this door.
"Do you feel that?" I murmured, unable to shake the strange discomfort settling in my chest. My eyes were fixed on the door as the aura of the Lyre pressed against me like an invisible weight.
Aether nodded, his expression serious. "Yeah. I can feel the holy energy seeping from it."
I looked up at the reinforced door in front of us. I knew that breaking it down wouldn't be a problem but the attention that would bring isn't exactly ideal. "Got any ideas anyone?"
Aether moved up to the door, eyeing the key hole. He placed his hand over it, channeling a pulse of Anemo energy that swirled softly, muffling the metallic sound as he worked to weaken the latch. Paimon hovered nearby, her eyes wide with anticipation. "Come on… come on…" she whispered.
The lock finally gave a faint creak, the sound echoing down the corridor. I took a steadying breath. Alright. Almost there. The Lyre is just beyond this door.
Aether glanced back at me, and I nodded, gripping my weapon tighter as we eased the door open. It swung inward with a slow, ominous creak, revealing the chamber beyond.
There it was, sitting on a pedestal encased by iron bars—the Holy Lyre der Himmel, one of Mondstadt's most sacred treasures. My breath caught for a second. The room itself was empty, save for a couple of crates shoved into one corner.
Too empty. Something was off. The place was practically begging for an ambush.
Aether must've been thinking the same thing, because he sent a subtle Anemo current into the room, stirring up a swirl of dust particles.
For a moment, everything seemed clear, but as the air settled, I noticed the faintest shift—a disruption in the airflow, a presence I hadn't sensed before. Someone was in there, blocking the current.
Right then, a figure flickered into view, becoming fully visible as he lunged forward, blades raised. My senses went on high alert. Another agent.
He moved fast—so fast that Aether barely had time to react. But I was quicker, my blade meeting his with a resounding clang that filled the room. The impact vibrated through my bones, and I held my ground as the agent's face twisted with surprise.
He jumped back, vanishing before I could counter. Aether recovered, stepping into position, his eyes sharp and focused. Above us, Paimon flew up to get a better view, glancing around with an alarmed expression. "What the heck was that?! They can go invisible now?!"
I didn't answer, just nodded to Aether as we stood back-to-back, both of us scanning the room. From somewhere in the darkness, I heard footsteps—a faint, taunting sound echoing off the walls as the agent circled us. Alright, pal. I see how it is. Let's even the playing field.
I focused, using my body manipulation to shift my senses, amplifying my hearing until every tiny sound became sharper.
...
...
...
There! Right side!
"Aether, to my right!" I hissed.
Without missing a beat, Aether turned and released another blast of Anemo energy, the force of it strong enough to rattle me as I braced to keep my footing. The wind slammed into the agent, sending him skidding across the floor, his form finally visible again.
I quickly ran towards him and aimed my blade to stab through is abdomen, but I felt no resistance? Suddenly, the agents body dissipated into red mist as I hear footsteps coming from multiple people?! "He has fucking clones?!"
I looked around the room frantically, trying to pinpoint his location before Paimon's voice rang out from above. "Tayden, to your left!"
I pivoted, just in time to see the agent reappear, rushing at me with both blades raised. My own sword clashed against his, the sparks flying as we traded blow after blow. He was quick—too quick to let up for even a second.
From his fighting style and previous blows, I realized that while his speed is impressive, his strength is pretty underwhelming.
With a twist, I coated my sword with solidified blood then I extended the range of my blade, striking wide to force him to dodge. He moved, barely sidestepping, but the distraction was enough. Aether was already in motion, bringing his sword down with a powerful strike aimed at the agent's side. He didn't have time to block as the attack cut through him. But just as it did, he vanished again into red mist. "Another clone!" Aether shouted, his gaze darting around the room.
"Right here!" Paimon's voice was tense as she pointed. The agent appeared just behind me, charging with a fiery, single-minded focus, his blade aimed straight at my head.
I didn't have time to dodge, so I did the next best thing—I raised my sword to meet his, the impact jarring as our weapons locked, both of us braced against the force. His face twisted in frustration, and he pressed harder, leaning into the strike. For a split second, I saw it—the flash of something darker in his gaze, he was getting desperate.
"Not today, pal," I muttered, twisting my grip. I shifted my stance, letting my body manipulation take over as I shoved him back with all the force I could muster. He staggered, caught off guard, and I lunged forward, sinking my blade into his side.
His face contorted, but instead of falling, he dissolved into a mist of red, his form dissipating as if he were never there. Another clone. I swore under my breath. How many more tricks did this guy have?
"Tayden, behind you!" Paimon shrieked.
I spun just as the agent appeared, a wicked grin on his face as he drove his blade toward me. I felt the blade pierce my head, the shock of pain radiating through my skull as it embedded itself.
I should've been dead. The agent seemed to think so, too, judging by his horrified expression as I looked him dead in the eye. "How… how are you still alive?!"
I grinned, my voice calm despite the situation. "I'm just built different."
In one swift motion, I pulled my sword up and stabbed him through the chest, the blade sinking deep. His scream echoed through the room, and for a moment, everything seemed to slow down—the blood trickling from the wound, his eyes wide with shock.
Aether, having closed the distance, struck swiftly, severing the agent's arms at the elbows. The agent howled, stumbling as blood sprayed across the floor. I took a deep breath, pushing forward to drive my blade deeper, pinning him against the wall with one final push.
I stepped back, letting go of my grip as the agent slumped against the wall, pinned by my weapon. He gasped for breath, his face pale, eyes wide with defiance even as the life drained from him.
Aether stepped forward, his gaze hard, his sword pointed at the agent's head. "Tell us everything you know." he demanded, his voice low and cold.
The agent laughed, coughing up blood as he stared back at Aether with a chilling intensity. "You'll regret this… Lady Signora will have her way with every single one of you—"
Before he could finish, Aether swung his blade in one quick motion, severing the agent's head. The sound was sickeningly final, and the severed head rolled to a stop at my feet.
I froze, staring down at it as reality slammed into me. We just killed someone. Like, really killed them...
And now his head was just… lying there. What was I supposed to feel right now? Panic? Regret?
The taste of adrenaline was sharp on my tongue, mixing with a strange, queasy feeling that twisted in my stomach.
I kicked the head aside, forcing myself to keep it together.
"That was… unexpected of you" I muttered, glancing at Aether. What was the protocol here? How was I supposed to react to my friend casually decapitating someone right in front of me?
Aether's expression didn't waver as he looked back at me. "He was just going to keep talking unimportant things" he said simply. "Ending him quickly was kinder."
Yeah, okay, that made sense. I could see the logic, sure, but… the sight of it was still a lot to take in. Guess that's what happens when you're not exactly used to killing people. I mean, I've seen blood plenty of times—mostly mine—but there was something different about seeing it drain from someone else, seeing them die like that. Seeing their lifeless head rolling across the ground.
Aether nodded, his face softening as he looked at me. "You alright?"
"Yeah… yeah, I'm good." I swallowed, shoving down the thoughts clamoring for attention in my head. Focus. We still had the mission to finish. "Let's grab the Lyre and get out of here before we're up to our necks in more guards."
Paimon floated down from her spot near the ceiling, her face twisted in a mix of horror and disgust. "Did you really have to decapitate him?! Ugh, Paimon's gonna be haunted by that for weeks!"
Aether chuckled, dismissing his blade. "If it gets the job done, it gets the job done."
I forced a weak smile, still feeling that odd, lingering queasiness. Okay, maybe I'm not the only one in this group who isn't totally used to killing yet, but at least Paimon was just grossed out. Me? Sigh. "I'm definitely gonna need a drink after this. Actually tea would be nice, since I don't drink."
Aether gave me a pat on the back, a gesture that actually felt… comforting, all things considered. I returned his smile and moved to the pedestal, bending the iron bars out of the way to grab the Lyre.
The moment my fingers brushed its smooth surface, a sense of awe washed over me. The Lyre was beautiful, pristine, and… powerful. Something about its energy was intense, almost overwhelming, pressing against me like a solid weight.
I felt a strange unease prickling at the back of my mind, a feeling that went beyond the usual rush of adrenaline. It was… humbling, almost. This was a holy artifact, the same one Venti had used in countless legends. The same one that had been wielded to defend Mondstadt. It was radiating power, a strange kind of warmth that felt sharp, intense. Like it was judging me.
I glanced down at my hands, hesitating for a moment as that old stereotype about "holy weapons" flickered through my mind. All those tales about holy artifacts that could purge anyone who didn't measure up to their "standards" or weren't "worthy" enough.
And here I was, with my demonic blood art still buzzing beneath my skin, carrying the kind of energy that, if those legends were right, could paint me as the Lyre's enemy.
"Well, not like you're giving me a choice," I muttered under my breath. The Lyre pulsed lightly in response, its energy almost alive in my grip. I held on, gritting my teeth as the warmth grew, half-expecting some kind of backlash. But… nothing happened. The energy settled, almost as if it had accepted me—or, at the very least, didn't find me as repulsive as I'd feared.
Aether and Paimon watched me, curious but relaxed, clearly unaware of the tiny crisis that had just passed through my mind.
"Wow, this thing is… so cool," I said, allowing myself a smile as I took in the Lyre's beauty. For a second, I forgot about all the grim stuff. This was a piece of history. Barbatos himself had wielded this thing.
Sure, knowing that Venti was Barbatos sort of ruined the whole image a bit, but still.
Aether's expression softened, and Paimon's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Alright, we should head out," Aether said, his tone low and serious again. "If everything went well, Diluc and Jean will be waiting for us at the exit."
"Right," I replied, snapping back to the present. We needed to get this thing out of here and into Mondstadt's hands, or all of this would've been for nothing.
I took a step toward the door, but Paimon floated closer, her gaze fixed on my head with a look of mild concern. "Uh… Tayden, you know you still have that knife stuck in your head, right?"
Oh. Right. I'd forgotten about that.
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