The laughter stopped, not abruptly but like a sound swallowed by something immeasurable. Step by step it fades away. She tried to move, but her body feels to heavy, as if it doesn't want or cannot move. Her eyes saw slowly the reality, how it really looks like for her. She felt that something solid, cold and uneven pins her to the ground, after some time to realize and her eyes become accustomed to the surroundings, she saw it is a huge stone.
Her breath hitched sharply as air forced its way into her lungs, burning, raw. She coughed, the sound echoing weakly around her, distorted by the space she lay in. Not the endless, watching darkness from before but a confined one. This feels real. She curled instinctively her fingers, scraping against the ground. Dust clung to her skin, that definitely shows her that it's real. The fine, ancient, tasting of metal when the air and dust reached her lips.
>>"R - Ruins...?"<< The word surfaced without explanation.
Her head throbbed, each heartbeat sent a dull pulse behind her eyes, slower now, heavier but steady, painfully steady. She pressed her palm against her chest, half hoping it to stop again. It didn't stopped.
Instead she saw a faint blue glow flickered between her fingers. >>"Wha-?"<< She froze and She watches the flickering in surprise, briefly forgetting the situation she is in. The light pulsed once, twice and then vanished, like it had never been there at all. The cold it left behind lingered, crawling up her arm, deep into the bone. She bit down on a sharp breath. Whatever that was... it answered her fear.
She tried to pushed herself upright but her vision is swimming and one side of her upper body is pinned to the ground by a stone. She looked around and saw broken pillars rose around her like the ribs of something long dead. Symbols carved into the stone had been clawed through, defaced, overwritten by something jagged and wrong. Then she felt it again, not a sensation and no voice, not even a presence a Pressure.
Her thoughts scattered, memories slipping through her grasp like water. She saw these Faces again, saw the consequences of the War again, hear the Screams and hear a whisper of a promise she could no longer remember making her hand trembled. The ground beneath her cracked just a hairline before going still again, she stared at it, breath shallow.
>>"I can't get up..."<< she whispered, though she didn't know who she was speaking to and why she said out loud. The silence answered, but far above, beyond the ruined ceiling, something shifted.
And she knew without understanding how that she had been noticed. She hit the ground harder this time.
Not pain pressure, more like the world pressed down on her all at once. The fracture flared, abyss-blue light bled from the cracks beneath her hands.
>>"Hey! You there! Stop!"<<
Someone calls out with a slightly high-pitched voice someone grabbed her shoulders before she could fall again.
>>"Hey ! Stop it, what are you doing?!<<
A voice said, urgent but this time gentle and not so high pitched.
>>"You're not alone. We are here"<<
She looked at the hands who hold her slowly she raises her gaze and saw a female gentle face, with golden concerned eyes and blond hair, a white outfit.
>>"I'm Lumine. My companion is next to me, is Paimon"<<
She looked next to Lumine and looks at Paimon, a small floating being that looks like a little girl.
>>"Are you okay? Do you understand us?"<<
Says Lumine and then added Paimon.
>>"We were just about to go to Mondstadt! You should come with us! It's dangerous and you seem injured and a bit confused!"<<
The pressure eased just a little, but the air... the air was still wrong. Lumine stiffened by the feeling of her surroundings and Lumine and Paimon exchanged worried glances, Lumine says.
>>"I help you to get up..."<< she said say and helped her to push the stone aside, Lumine, Paimon and she push the stone with all power. But what the three doesn't saw a figure stood at the edge of the ruin, half-hidden by shadow. He just observed and doesn't make a sound, he only thoughts: >>"You shouldn't be here"<< His gaze wander to the left fractured ground. >>"Neither should that"<<
She stood up and her whole body was injured on one side and her arm was bruised but not too badly injured, Lumine seemed worried about her condition and speak calm.
>>"I'll help you and take you to Mondstadt with Paimon; I'm sure someone there will help you, and... by the way, what's your name? I don't know how else to address you."<<
The wind changed slowly as Lumine approached to help her get up. It brushed against her skin like a cautious hand, gentle but uncertain. Not the suffocating pressure of the ruins, but something lighter, moving but alive. She flinched anyway and Lumine noticed immediately.
>>"It's just the wind, everything is okay. You are save and we both are here for you and when you don't want to share your name yet is it okay, I don't force you."<< she said softly worried she could scare her too.
>>"and Mondstadt is close."<< added Paimon.
They walked in silence for a while, Paimon with both, occasionally glancing to her she stays quiet whats a bit unusual is for Paimon but she tries to be silent, to give her time. While Lumine helps to walk.
The path sloped upward, grass replaced stone and the Ruins faded behind them, swallowed by distance and fog, for the first time since she woke, her chest loosened just slightly.
After a walk A statue could be seen in the distance, and Paimon shouted excitedly.
>>"Look ! There is the statue of the Anemo Archon, Lumine go there and get your blessing!"<<
Lumine followed Paimon while she support her to walk, Lumine They stood at the water's edge, and as they approached the water, Lumine put them down and swam across. Lumine hadn't yet considered that her companion might not be able to swim, Lumine was now on the other side and looks at her and said.
>>"Swim across, I'll continue helping you on the other side again"<<
She looks into the water and then too Lumine again, she entered the water slowly, she saw how Lumine swim and thought she can simply copy it and tried to swim, but instead of swimming, she immediately sank. Lumine jumped in after her and pulled her out.
>>"Well that was scary. But I'm not injured, not worse injured than before."<< She said after Lumine pulled her out. Paimon and Lumine are both suprised that she said something and looked at each other, instead of questioning it Lumine smiled and answered.
>>"I'm relieved and Sorry I didn't ask if you could swim, next time don't just try something."<<
She nodded and stands up with Lumine's help, Paimon added.
>>"Yeah! Paimon could have flown you over! Don't do that again! Paimon was shocked and worried!"<<
Lumine smiled with a slightly know-it-all look and then said.
>>"You want to fly her over? You probably won't even be able to get her up from the ground"<<
Paimon locked shocked at Lumine and sulked a bit.
>>"Ehe!? Paimon ist not that weak!!"<<
But Paimon don't take it personally and the trio goes to the statur. Paimon explained to Lumine that she needed to pray. Lumine did so and received the Anemo abilities, before Paimon explained it asked she if the new companien doesn't want to try it, like Lumine did. She try it and did the same as Lumine but nothing happens, Paimon tilted her head and Lumine did the same.
>>"Mayyybeee... She is Visionless ?"<<
Paimon philosophized while the trio continues the way towards Mondstadt.
In the distance, the trio could already see the towers and the church of Mondstadt. Her steps faltered.
>>"What's wrong?"<< Lumine asked worried and goes back to her.
>>"I... Idon't know..."<< she answered honestly. Her voice sounded thin, unsure.
The wind tugged at her clothes. Anemo energy brushed past her, curious and then recoiled and Lumine felt it too.
>>"That's... strange."<<
Paimon tilted her head and tried to feel it too.
>>"Huh? Paimon didn't feel anything!"<<
But Lumine did and the air around her new companion wasn't hostile it was rather wrong.
But still Lumine smiled and don't let this bother her.
>>"Come on"<< she said gently and takes her by her wrist to pull her with her.
>>"You'll be safer in Mondstadt."<<
Beyond the small hill, Mondstadt's walls rose into view. Freedom, carved in stone and far behind them, unseen by all but the wind, a lone figure turned away.
>>"For now..."<< He murmured and goes slowly.
>>"This is not my place to interfere."<<