Chapter Text
“Master, please don’t wander off on your own. We are approaching a dense forest and who knows what will happen if you get separated from us.” Xingqiu’s servant, Xu, stated. If something bad were to happen to the young master during their travel to Mondstadt, who knows what his father would do.
“Xu, you needn't worry about me. I can handle any danger that comes in my way on my own.” Xingqiu stated, grinning cheekily. “I won’t wander off. I just want to admire the beauty of this forest.”
“Xu, I don’t think we can fix the carriage right away. It’ll take half an hour for us to finish fixing it.” One of the guards whispered to Xu after inspecting how severe the damage of their carriage had taken.
The young master had decided to pay his artist friend, Albedo, a visit and personally watch Albedo make the cover for his new book. Unfortunately, on their way to Mondstadt, one of the wheels of their carriage suddenly snapped as they entered the rough road of Wolvendom and collapsed right after, causing most of the things they were carrying with them in the carriage to scatter around.
“What did he tell you?” Xingqiu asked right after the guard went back to fixing their carriage.
“It’ll take about half an hour to fix our carriage, Master.” Xu answered, glancing at Xingqiu who only nodded.
“Alright. I wouldn’t want us to spend the night in the middle of the woods.” Xingqiu lightheartedly commented.
“I’ll just scout around the area then.” Xingqiu said and went to wander off.
The young master would turn to look back at their camp to make sure he’s not lost every now and then after leaving his companions to see if there are any threats nearby.
As time passed by, Xingqiu had wandered off a bit too far to even see where their camp was. “Oh dear Rex Lapis, I’m lost.” The navy haired mumbled to himself. But he just shrugged it off as he’s sure that someone from their camp would notice that he’s gone missing and go looking for him.
Xingqiu looked around the area and found to find some shade he could stay under while he wait for someone to find him. He sat down under a big tree and pulled out a book from his satchel and started reading.
A minute passed by, half an hour, then one hour, and still, Xingqiu hadn't heard anyone calling out his name. It seems like no one has noticed yet that the young master has gone missing.
“Who’s there?” Xingqiu calmly asked. He’s been hearing angry growling for quite a while now and at first, he paid no mind to it but it soon started annoying him as he kept getting distracted from reading his boom due to the growlings.
Yellow and purple lightning appeared in the blink of an eye in front of the young master, catching him off guard. Xingqiu hurriedly put his book back in his satchel and drew out his sword, preparing himself to fight.
“What… what are you?” Xingqiu raised a brow while pointing his sword at the enemy’s neck, preparing to attack the moment the enemy tries to make a move.
The enemy just growled at Xingqiu and suddenly disappeared, alerting the young master. It then appeared behind him and piercing his back with it’s claws. “I let my guard down.” Xingqiu then wielded his vision and drenched the enemy wet.
It was then when Xingqiu fell on the ground. “I feel weak.” He mumbled to himself, holding thightly on his sword. He tried to use the power of his vision to heal himself but it was in vain.
The navy haired looked up to the sky, all teary eyed, “Is this how I’m going to die.” He thought to himself as he closed his eyes, already embracing the worse case scenario that could happen to him.
“Rifthounds, stop!” Someone shouted from a fair distance from where Xingqiu was. He suddenly felt all his hair on his body standing up due to the amount of electricity that’s now surrounding him.
The young master then slowly opened his eyes to check on what was happening. He saw someone with an electro vision fighting the rifthounds.
He watched as this person fought the enemies at ease. Unfortunately, Xingqiu couldn't see this person’s face as they were wearing a hood, completely covering their face.
Alas, all the enemies had been defeated and the person started walking towards the injured young master. “Is stranger, okay?” The person asked.
Xingqiu just stared at the person who just saved him. Wow. The young master was in complete awe. Everything felt like it happened in a blink of an eye and he’s trying to grasp everything.
Before Xingqiu could even comprehend everything that just happened, he felt himself getting lifted off the ground. The person who saved him carried him.
The person then made sure that Xingqiu wrapped his arms on their shoulder as they carried him on their arms. “Razor save stranger.” He mumbled, giving Xingqiu a small smile.
Xingqiu subconsciously smiled back, “That you did.” He mumbled before wincing in pain.
“It hurts.” The young master whimpered, burying his face on the person’s chest to hide his face as he began crying out of pain.
“Are they… stranger’s friends?” The person asked as soon as they reached a camp in the middle of the forest.
Xingqiu turned his head to check and it was indeed the people he was with. “Xu…” The young master mumbled, feeling weak to the bones. He’s slowly getting weaker and weaker. The poison from those rifthounds are starting to take effects on the young master and if not treated quickly, it might cost him his life.
“Young master Xingqiu!” Xu shouted, running towards Xingqiu. “What happened to you?!” He worriedly asked and quickly called their guards to get Xingqiu from the person who saved him.
“Red wolfhooks.” The person said, pulling out some freshly picked red wolfhooks from their satchel. “Removes rifthounds’ poison.”
“And you are?” Xu inquired, cautiously taking the red wolfhook from the stranger. “How will this fruit help with the young master’s injury?”
“Razor. I am Razor.” The person answered. “Stranger eat fruit. Stranger heals.”
“Is that so? Thank you then.” Xu said, taking a big bow to Razor before attending to the young master. Razor then smiled and waved goodbye at them and left.