#dawnpyre

This wasn’t the first occasion that she knew the shackles imposed by the Stars to be broken prematurely by their very key holders, but on this occasion, she’d not heard word of it. His flames had carved through the mists, setting the very air ablaze — and that was the signal which draw Saber his way. His was a personality with little to no patience for the antics of the land’s lords, pulled between pillar and post by the timing of his entrance into the city and the invasion of the fog thereafter. One could hardly blame him. Mere days and the island was giving him ample grief.

It was difficult to see. It was colder than last time. It was bad enough how vast the city was, and the fact she’d no way of contacting her brother. The tip of her blade drew a line in the dirt beneath her, impatient as she. The question of if she would be wandering aimlessly for eternity, unable to find a way out, passed through her mind on more than one occasion. Like it was passing by a checkpoint on a cyclical marathon, and still her legs didn’t stop. Not until she found him. Not until she knew saw her brother, knew he was alright.

Two silhouettes in the mists gave her hope; at the very least, she wasn’t alone. walking in some endless void. They appeared in way that lifted her spirits; one substantially taller than the other — just as Arthur towered over her. They were hopes short-lived. When visibility improved enough to make the identities of the pair, the last person she wanted to see was there. That girl... that girl who looked identical to her. That girl whose memories invaded her head and drove her mad when those outsiders invaded her city. What the hell...? Why?! Her teeth ground against one another, dragging her sword laced in madness around befohre her weary legs.

       "YOU!”

“You know that going after an entire camp of unknown abyss monsters alone is not only risky but extremely stupid, right?”

The voice that greeted the tavern owner came from the nearby apple tree, the bard’s leg tangling over the branch as he spun one of the red fruits in his hands. Hidden not only by the darkness of the night but the thick leaves too, it had been surprisingly easy to rest there unnoticed by the guards and wait for the redhead to sneak through the gates of Mondstadt like he knew they would after those rumors started spreading through the tavern earlier that evening.

Naturally, the identity the redhead cloaked himself with nearly each night was not a secret to the former archon, having watched the other do the same song and dance with the abyss for some time by now. 

However, something about this threat felt different.

She had gotten too comfortable it seemed, had dared to allow herself to grow at peace on this unknown world - reality had its ways of reminding her that such things were forbidden to her, via a well placed metaphoric slap to the face; she never kept a set routine, always breaking up her routes when she did venture out, but inevitably…all paths lead to one of the solitary creatures that she had grown close to.

And of course, the day she was trailed was on a day where she was tending to their wounds, her distraction as she focused on sealing those fresh injuries, weaponized and used against her; it was infuriating when she finally felt them, how close they’d managed to come to the entrances of the cave...and there were so many of them.

A few words of comfort given to the towering, icy giant as she slipped out of it’s chambers utilizing the method she hated most, reemerging and reforming behind them - she was fond of plants, yes...but she wasn’t above getting pulling a few weeds when the occasion called for it; as she made her approach, she debated with herself...did she simply displace them, or wipe them out?

She was quiet, listening intently to their conversation, doing a headcount - twelve were converging on the area...wait...there was another, not grouped up with the others...was it a look out? How curious...and it felt as though they were approaching the lot of them from a distance...what were they up to?

It was strange, this whole situation. Being tossed into a new world was one thing - pacts unable to be called upon and given only a wooden sword. He had to wonder for a moment, if this was how all those people who somehow wound up in Grastaea from their own worlds felt but...no, even they had their abilities.

Alfonse and Sharena could still open gates, once they found the right spot to do so, given their worlds were connected. Pecorine had her sword perfectly in tact. Those four from Shibuya could still call upon their Personas.

This was different from that. 

Besides, it seems there was some sort of mist swirling around the city, which...given people’s reactions, seemed to be an abnormal thing to have happen. But they walked in regardless, and it seemed like a good choice to follow after.

Nothing seemed strange, though, that Euden could notice. People were just walking around and talking. There were a lot of people, at that, but it wasn’t...anything that made him feel he needed to be cautious. Even when he swore he saw a familiar girl clad in blues and whites pass by.

The calm didn’t last for long, as he walked further in and noticed someone transfixed on a scene before him...and not in a good way. 

And it would be brief, because there were things that were too foggy, too...Off to be accurate. And then there was her.

She left him along when the mists where thin, when they could not veil her existence, but where they were thickest she arrived. Sword in one hand - sometimes not even armed at all - to test his limits. Or, perhaps more accurately, “she” arrived, because this shade of a person was not Skirk. And every time he would start to press her, she would disappear.

Luckily for him, the mist had gathered thickly here, and the clash of blades could be heard through the mist, and whoever approached would be greeted with the sound of battle. As he arrived, she withdrew for the moment, skirting the outside.

“Oh, it’s you. Well, it’s...Eh,” he waved a hand at him. “If you know who I am, then that’s great. If not, I’m pretty sure you can tell.” He moved to put his mask over his face, clearly marking him as a Harbinger.

“Feel free to join, or don’t but whatever you plan on you should make it quick. She’ll be back in a few moments.”

ah, so that’s how it went in this city. after having accustomed herself in this very place, she was still lost. especially on how she got there. and the people she was sharing her apartment with... they were nice too. although she was thinking... maybe there would be someone who could understand her... a fellow vision bearer perhaps.

the qixing was sure if anyone else has found themselves in this place; yet it wasn’t her main concern right now. there was the advice to not look for a way out after all, and after being informed on how this place was working, she was thinking if she’d try to find a way to make money. 

she’d stick to her old habits if there was no way to leave, right? well, anyways. her attention was brought to a man sitting nearby a bench. she had never seen an area like that one before-- it was like a park with a little garden. 

and when she looked closely, she could tell that she had seen this man before. a... mondstadter? perhaps she wasn’t alone after all. if he was here, then maybe someone she’d know would be here too.

❛  you could do more than merely stand watch. ❜  did he feel loneliness? was it comforting for him to watch over her in such a manner?  ...  was he truly content with doing only this?     ❛  it was my fault for suddenly imposing, you needn’t fret yourself further over my safety.  i believe .. you have done enough, and i am grateful. ❜  she came to this side of the land after the fire. all she could do was run, run as far and wide as her feet would take her.  there was nothing to return to, nothing to look back on except ash. 

she would have to begin anew, somehow. 

     It wasn’t that she didn’t expect danger when entering the mist- in fact she anticipated it. Caster was still new but from what shes seen from this city and the people who inhabit it it continued to prove this place wasn’t a place where she could find any form of relaxation. It was expected and she didn’t mind the added danger of living here.

      What Anastasia didn’t expect was to be attacked by someone within the mist already. They were quicker, quicker than Viy could warn her and if it weren’t for her speed granted to her from being a servant she would have absolutely gotten her head lopped off by a sword. This mist was already a pain the ass but the firey red hair was a give away against its grey, dullness of its surrounding.