"busy with your work again master?"
the tall woman who looks young and beautiful speaks to the elegant looking crane
"Yeah, you can say it like that" the crane said to the woman with calm answer while focusing with her work
The identity of the crane herself is actually an adeptus known as cloud retainer. Adeptus, are a group in Liyue that consists of both illuminated beasts and gods. Most of them are bound by a contract to protect Liyue from demons and evil gods and are led by the Prime of Adepti, Rex Lapis himself. Cloud retainer appearance is taller than many humans as a crane and is white with blue, gold, and black plumage. Under her eyes are red markings.
While the woman was basically her disciple by the name of shenhe. She is tall woman, she has a fair complexion, long hair that turns from silvery white at the roots to inky black at the ends, and pale, iridescent eyes with white pupils. She has her nails painted with light blue nail polish.
Cloud Retainer loves to create and study various mechanisms. In her abode many riddles and puzzles can be found. She loves to compete with other Adepti in the mastery of her inventions. A lot material floating in front of her on a stone table, merging together to form a complex machine.
Shenhe blinked while watching her master with a calm and stoic face. Seeing her master busy with her activities was a normal thing that she didn't think was bad, in fact she considered her master's activities that were very familiar to her as something calming.
"Master, i made tea, please drink it" the woman said putting a cup of tea on the table by showing her aloofness, they both currently on the grassy peak plains of mount aozang
"One truly appreciated for you to make this tea shenhe. Still, did you already finish your training? Already done with your meditation?" Said cloud retainer
Shenhe simply reply with nod to her master, keeping her flat neutral or stoic look front of her master.
"One can feel you seems have something to say. Care to telling one with something inside of your head?" Said cloud retainer
There was a pause before shenhe spoke, the shake her head. "... I am somehow have a bad dream, master"
"Thats trouble..." Said cloud retainer, "perhaps you can sleep with one like we usually do when you still a child... It might be helping you to get some peace. One still remember when you still young-"
"Master, please stop... It's embarassing" Said shenhe give her master deadpanned look
"Hmph, what you mean embrassing? One simply showing my caring side toward one lovely disciple... you simply not different from ganyu" Said cloud retainer, "*sigh* then again, one think this is what happen when you start growing up. One wonder why puberty happen so fast..."
("How could i know? ... Also, even if you always mention this ganyu name. i am never met her") Shenhe though, looking at cloud retainer with deadpanned eyes
"Master ... Is it truly necessary for me to visit liyue city?" Said shenhe to her master with weak tone
Cloud retainer simply look at her, "Perhaps this is what make you feel so uneasy and ended up have a bad dream? *Sigh* Shenhe, one will say it again. You just thinking too much, just stop filled your head with unnecessary things"
"What happen if i am... Ended up losing control or make trouble there?" Said shenhe
"Then you just need continue your training again. Even so, ones pretty sure you already fine and ready. Also, you already becoming adult. One expecting you to soon have family, and who knows... perhaps one can see another version of you in form of baby-" cloud retainer
"Master..." Said shenhe shooting her master with cold eyes, with lazy tone
"*Ehem* sorry... One just want to said, no matter how you try living like us adeptus. You can't reject your trueself, your core, and your origin. Is not like one do not want you to live here... This place, this mountain is always open for you shenhe" Said cloud retainer
"..." Shenhe simply pondering the words of her master
"For human... This place is too small for you to make big decisions for your life. Shenhe, try living like adepti. For you... it will be too lonely" Said cloud retainer said gentlely
"I, i understand master..." Said shenhe nod with smile
"Good, just take it slowly. You don't need forcing yourself and doing it soon-" cloud retainer talking with her, but suddenly noise of lightning strike could be heard
*Drrrrt, boom!!!*
"?!?" Cloud retainer and shenhe
Both looking at the night sky, where they heard the noise. Just looking at sudden cloudy sky covering night sky filled with star. Both knows there is something wrong...
"How rude, whose the barbaric person try messing up in one abode" said cloud retainer
"Seems like someone fighting there, vision user... But, with this a lot elemental energy. I think it's too exaggerated for simple fight or self defense" Said shenhe
"It doesn't matter if they are try to killing each other. But, about them making fuss near one abode is still a fact and it feels unpleasant. Hmph, shenhe, go there and check what happen" Said cloud retainer
Shenhe simply nod "yes master", then she jump from mountain
***
"Should we do introduction princess? I am erick! Fatui harbingers!!!"
Erick waved his hand in the air and what appeared was a large burst of compressed fireballs that came straight at keqing like gun shot. Keqing didn't move to dodge, instead, she turned the sword so that the sharp side was facing her enemy, under her feet there were sparks of purple lightning energy spreading around her, shining brightly in the darkness of the forest. In short moment, This action confused Erick through his mind, wondering if this girl had lost her mind trying to slice this attack under short reaction time. For the second time, his eyes widened as Keqing countered the fire attack with an elemental electro slice and fired a slice of electro energy at him. And it was much stronger and moved twice as fast than his own previous attack at her. Once again, Erick was unprepared for this and couldn't dodge in time before his entire body was covered in electro.
*Boom!*
Even though keqing seing erick got clear hit from her elemental electro slice, she not hearing any a scream or cry of pain from erick. The smoke of dust filled the view each everyone whose currently there.
Keqing holding her sword with battle stances ready for next attack, she will not lowering her weapon until her enemy going down on the front of her eyes. *Fwoosh*
In the blink of eyes, the point of knife appear front keqing left eye, "!!!" Keqing widened know this knife will make her losing her left eye if she not dodge it. With her reaction time, keqing move her head to the side ended up the knife slicing her cheeks.
*Fwoosh*
*shoosh*
Second and third knife appear behind smoke of dust, like an arrow with precise shot at her and keqing parrying the knife with her sword.
The knife after got parried still in mid air, suddenly the knife turned red from the overheat, "Good!!! That means you're not weak!" Erick said with a dangerous smile behind cloud of smoke
The knife suddenly explode *Boom!*
"Tch, so smooth, fast... I hate cat with their fast reaction ability" Said erick
"And you so dirty... Trash" Said keqing at him while covered by smoke of dust, it slowly gone showing keqing shielding hibiki and chang yu from the explosion with elemental electro shield like a glass. Keqing glancing on her back look at hibiki lying down with chang yu
1, 5, 8... There were 15 Fatui agents who appeared around Erick right in front of Keqing. They simply suprised by sudden attack from keqing previously and got away from short battle between her and erick.
"That girl, she is lady yuheng from qixing, oi erick isn't this trouble?! Tartaglia gonna angry toward us if we mess up with organization plan" Said one of fatui agent
"I am not blind idiot, i know that too. AND STOP MENTION THAT NAME!" Said erick then sighing
"How the fuck we ended up making trouble with someone big in liyue? Don't let her go, it will be bad..." Fatui with fat appearance
"Lets killing her" Said fatui masked woman
Doesn't give a fuck, keqing was lowering herself in preparation for a dash, her eyes go through each and one of them as though selecting goods in an open-air market, her eyes stopped, and she found her first target.
*Bam! Drrrtt!* The air around forest become heavy, the spark of purple lightning spread around forest while keqing as center.
*Shiver* erick smile dangerously at keqing who seems ready targeting him, while other fatui agent seems got pressured by heavy air.
"She sure is scary" erick muttering with stoic face look at keqing, he is the only one who seems not in trouble or got pressured
*Boom! Fwoosh* keqing disappeared from where she stood, leaving behind a trail of shattered ground. Purple lightning shot like a laser towards the Fatui group, more precisely towards Erick. keqing shot herself towards her opponent bringing a terrifying slash without any flaws.
*Block*
Erick block her attack with his dagger, *clank! Boom!* Both ended up destroy the ground around them and anything around them, creating spark of purple lightning and red flame, both element trying to eat each other element to prove which one is more superior.
"Gwaaargh!" Other fatui agent spread around as they were blown away by the impact
"Damn cat! You really want to die, eh!?" Said erick with dangerous smile, hold his dagger covered by elemental flame
"Tch, Vision user..." Said keqing annoyed while her widened eyes have slight purple glow, she realizing her enemy is same like her. A vision user with elemental pyro
"You are not the only one blessed by the god!" Said erick
***
Chang yu slowly open her eyes, she can see hibiki lying down on the ground beside her, his condition is really worst. While still hurting from the beating she got. Chang yu still forcing herself to get up from the ground.
Her hand try to reach hibiki, but it's stop before it touch him. Tears flow from her eyes to her cheeks...
("Why it become like this?") She though
"I know... I know- this is my fault *hiks*, i am truly sorry..." Chang yu try wipe away her tears and sobbing
"*hiks* *hiks* Uwaah..." The little girl crying loud while walks away leaving the location, she ignoring the loud noise of battle between keqing and erick
Meanwhile hibiki lying down slowly losing his consciousness, his vision become blurry while lying down on the ground
"... Chang- yu, do- don't go" Hibiki hand try reach her, in the end he lost consciousness
Hibiki kuze died because his heart was destroyed by fire
***
Hibiki Kuze is an ordinary child from the third planet in the solar system, Earth. Well, maybe calling him ordinary is still not the right word. Some might consider him as someone with a sharp and perceptive mind, even the teachers at his school see him as someone brilliant with raw potential that will sparkle if honed.
On the other hand, Hibiki Kuze does not consider himself that way. He feels that he is just a child who happens to be a little better at studying than most people of his age.
That's a brief explanation of hibiki kuze. if explaining with an 18 year old background, it would be too long. so for addition, "hibiki kuze is a sensitive third year high school student with a wise nature that doesn't match his age, yet still unsure of his own future", and thats enough.
"Hibiki?" The voice called him
"Ah!?" Hibiki opened his eyes wide, then looked left and right, and focused on someone in front of him who was behind the cafe dining table.
"Hibiki, oi- you okay?" The boy look at him with worry look, hibiki seems in confused state checking himself and touching his own chest
"Daichi..." Said hibiki,
"Yeah, whats wrong buddy? You were lost in thought for a moment. Imagining something pervert or what?" Daichi smirking
"Wha-!... *Sigh* stop talking like that, i am not you... " Said hibiki slowly calmed
"*Chuckles* I thought the exam had burned your brain, then again, i know something like exam will never give you trouble, you are smarth after all. Anyway, seems you have rough days?" Said daichi, daichi is ordinary and average kid, he is his childhood friend and classmate of him
"Well, rather than trouble... I guess, i feels like dreaming something? Imagining? Yet, i forgot" hibiki pondering
"Whats that? You seems unsure... " Daichi giving him confused look
"I also don't know, it feels so real... Ugh whatever, forget what i say. So, where did our previous conversation go?" Said hibiki
"We currently talking about beautiful heroine from the rpg you recently playing from my recommendation" Said daichi
"...heroine?" Hibiki
"Oi oi... Seriously, are you okay? Why suddenly have short term memory syndrome?" Said daichi
"I- i am fine... Seriously, i am fine" Said hibiki
"Is that so? ... Are you perhaps still confusing about future" daichi
"Future..." Hibiki
"Yeah, you always daydreaming and deep thinking with dilemma, you really concern about that and thinking a lot what you gonna do after our highschool. I know i am not the right person should telling this. But, you could always just tell me if something bothering you, it's not healthy you know to keep something for yourself, we are friend" daichi smile at him, hibiki hearing that just smile warmly at him
"Man... Whats wrong with that cheesy word? You sure know make thing become cringe and awkward with that corny word of yours *chuckles*" said hibiki, while daichi have red face and embarassed
"What are you talking about! I am just simply worrying about my own friend, nothing wrong with that" daichi punch hibiki shoulder, after that both of them simply just laughing together.
Still ("what is it? What i forgot?")
Hibiki still thinking something doesn't feel right at the moment, he might be forget something important. But, at the same time when he look at his close friend daichi, it make him feeling calm and relax.
"Thanks daichi ..." Said hibiki smiling
"It's fine, it's fine~ ... Anyway, now i remember something, i want to tell you this" said daichi
"Hm, what is it?" Said hibiki curiously
"Well, tada~!" Daichi with smirk showing some application from his phone at hibiki
"Nicaea?" Hibiki tilting his head
***
Wherever you go—Inazuma, Mondstadt, Fontaine, or any other region—you'll always find landscapes that capture the eye. Each one is unique in its own right.
But Liyue?
Liyue's landscapes are something else entirely: towering mountains, ancient forests, floating rock formations, and awe-inspiring architecture. Nature thrives here, but so do secrets—buried deep beneath the land, guarded by contracts older than memory.
BOOM!!!
CLANK!
The forest trembled. Winds howled as a shockwave tore through the trees.
Two streaks of light—one violet, one red—raced through the air, slicing through stone and wood alike. The clash of power carved glowing lines across the forest floor, like constellations drawn on earth.
Purple lightning collided with crimson flame.
***
Keqing POV
Pant... pant... pant...
Keqing stood in the middle of the destruction, her sword gripped tight in her hands. Her breathing was ragged, her cheek bleeding from the earlier strike.
This wasn't her underestimating Erick. She knew he was dangerous—but this... this was worse than she had anticipated.
Keqing really not know fatui that much, but she do know what harbingers mean. ("That person... Is he really harbingers? It will be serious case if it's true")
The Fatui.
Always running from the consequences of their actions, always leaving behind ruins. Slippery as snakes.
Her mind flickered back—briefly—to Hibiki and Chang Yu.
...What about Hibiki? Is he still alive...?
The image of his wounded body haunted her. That wound—it had pierced through his heart.
She bit her lip, forcing herself to refocus.
It's not over yet…
She had thought she could take them down alone. But now she wasn't so sure.
*Sighing*
This wasn't just some hired thug. Her enemies wasn't holding back. And neither could she.
***
Erick POV
The air still sizzled where lightning had kissed the ground. Leaves twitched from the static, their edges blackened and curling. Smoke drifted lazily through the ruined treetops.
Erick crouched low behind a broken trunk, his breath even. The faint red of Pyro energy flickered under his skin but didn't glow. Not yet.
His eyes tracked her from the shadows.
Lady Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing.
She stood in the clearing alone, sword steady in her grip, sharp gaze flicking across the forest. Focused. Alert. But not relaxed.
Not natural.
You're not used to this, he thought, watching how her weight shifted slightly too soon before a turn.
You fight monsters. Creatures. Beasts. Not people like me.
That was what made this fun.
Fighting a beast? Predictable. Even when they were strong, they were loud, direct, ruled by instinct.
But a human? A Vision user with a mind for tactics, deception, misdirection?
She hadn't dealt with that often. And it showed.
Only in flashes—barely a blink. A slight delay when the wind rustled the wrong way. A subtle overreaction to a movement that wasn't a threat.
Small things.
But small things could mean everything.
Still… she was adapting quickly. Calculating. She hadn't panicked. Her breathing was controlled. Her sword wasn't shaking.
Fast learner, Erick noted.
She wasn't charging in blindly anymore. She was waiting, listening, learning.
That made her dangerous.
But not unbeatable.
He slowly moved along the forest floor, quiet as smoke, keeping the trees between him and her view. The forest was still enough now that he could almost hear her heartbeat—though it might have been his own.
She turned her head slightly—scanning.
She knew he was close.
But not close enough.
Erick let out a quiet breath, licking dry lips.
This isn't a wild beast you can overpower, miss. Yuheng.
You're in a hunt now.
***
The forest was quiet again. Too quiet.
Ash drifted from the trees like slow snow. Smoke hung low, curling around charred roots and cracked stone.
Keqing stood still, her stance composed, sword faintly humming with residual Electro.
She was listening.
Waiting.
She didn't flinch when the voice came.
"…You hold your blade like someone who never misses."
It came from above. Smooth. Measured. But it carried something coiled beneath it—like a wire pulled too tight.
"That step just now—half a breath forward, half a breath back. You're not sure whether to chase or bait."
A pause.
Then, a grin behind the words.
"You're not used to fighting enemies like me, are you?"
Keqing exhaled through her nose—calm, but clipped.
Her gaze shifted upward.
BOOM!
The trees above exploded in a flash of red as Erick dropped like a burning arrow. Fire spiraled off him in wild arcs, his daggers poised like fangs.
Keqing reacted instantly.
CLANG—!!
Steel met steel with a crack of lightning and heat. Sparks scattered. The ground cratered beneath their clash.
They locked in mid-air for a breathless instant.
Erick's face was close—too close. His eyes were wide, alive with something unhinged. His grin wasn't mocking. It was curious.
"You've fought monsters," he said quietly.
"But they don't study your rhythm."
A beat.
"They don't smile when you land a hit."
Keqing's expression stayed cold, but her brow tightened. A flicker of visible annoyance.
"You talk too much," she said.
Then a burst of Electro ripped from her blade, throwing him off.
Erick flipped mid-air, landing light and loose, his boots skimming ash as he reset his stance with unsettling ease.
He twirled one dagger lazily. The other dripped heat from the edge.
Keqing's posture remained firm. But her silence said enough: she wasn't enjoying this.
Erick tilted his head, amused.
"There it is," he muttered.
"A crack."
He chuckled again, low and wrong.
Then he moved—faster this time, more force than flourish.
The clearing exploded once more.
Keqing emerged from the cloud of smoke. "I was careless... bad, bad, bad, that bastard where is he?"
"Behind you" whispers that made Keqing's neck feel cold
Keqing spun back with a clean slash. *clank* Keqing's sword clashed with Erick's knife.
"Too bad, I win this fight!" Erick wielded two knives, one blocking Keqing's sword, and the other swinging to stab Keqing in the eye.
But just as the tip of the knife was inches from Keqing's eyeball, Erick's animal instincts exploded, warning him in a flash, causing him to jump back.
Suddenly, a spear flew right where he had been standing, freezing everything.
"Damn it... Another princess again? I am really popular tonight huh? But, can you wait your turn. I am a one lady type of guy" Erick said with dangerous smile
A striking figure of a beautiful white girl standing in front of Keqing under the soft moonlight. Shenhe with a flat face looking at Erick, she lifted the hat that covered her beautiful face, the hat had a fatui style design and looked familiar to Erick.
Erick muttered "Tsk! Truly useless bunch of idiot moron subordinate" while he spin his knife and dagger
[End of Chapter]