Chapter Text
Part 1: The Wolf and Mondstadt
Wolves and jackals. Both derive from the same family tree even with their differences. So when they meet each other, it should come as no surprise that they would see each other as family.
The sun was awake. It stretched far across the fields of Mondstadts grape valley. The sun was especially curious to watch over the once lone wolf live among his own human kind. Sunlight peeked through the windows to watch the wolf juggle cards around its paws, claws unsure how to play them.
Razor had been staring at the table since the crack of dawn. Cards and Dice laid on it as if awaiting a Genius Invokation TCG game. However its player, Razor, had no idea what the rules were. Dice? Cards? These weren’t what wolves hunted, nor used to hunt. Each rule added a layer of confusion that didn’t make sense to Razor. When he played a card he liked, it was deemed as wrong and Razor was unsure why.
The unfamiliarity in the form of a scent caught Razor off guard. It was worn from another land, the only part of it being familiar was its mix of electricity that Razor himself has. He followed his nose letting it take his sights. It guided him around the tables of The Cats Tail, until this took Razor to what looked like an unfinished game of TCG. Razor’s eyes saw what his nose couldn’t, a few TCG cards in a hurried pile abandoned by their lupical. Razor frantically searched the room for the card's parents. It was early in The Cats Tail for any customer to find it before Razor and no fingerprint scent would match the profile left behind. The card’s owner was definitely long gone, so they wouldn’t mind if Razor parented them instead, right?
Razor’s paws swiped the cards quickly. The pile of new cards almost formed another deck. Razor’s first thought was to showcase his teacher Lisa his findings. Maybe this would help him understand the complex game a bit more. A simple curiosity patted Razor’s intuition. Razor fanned through the collected cards, stalking carefully at each sophisticated design. Ruby gems of the soul were enamoured, glowing passionately upon a specific card.
The card was illuminated by the hazy golden sands of a distant desert. On the card was a figure. Standing in it, adored with golds and purples, tall wolf-like ears contrasted with familiar red eyes that took centerpiece of the card. Razors pupils widened, absorbing in the details of the card. The wolf’s feet bolted impulsively out of The Cat's Tail. No resident could understand the need for their local wolf’s wild sprints across the town. However the wolf was being chased by elation, one only extinguished through a lupical’s conversation.
In the lonely library, were its usual part time guests of knowledge. The languid librarian guarded this space with little movement. Maybe awaiting something exciting or maybe simply enjoying the academic environment. Her smile at sipping tea would confirm the thought, whereas her yawns would contradict it. Tea time was important to Lisa and no one would dare to interrupt her during it. Even if it was to register a book. To the library’s surprise, the door slams open. The eyes of the annoyed followed Razor shouting, “Teacher! Teacher!”
If anyone else was causing a loud ruckus in the library, Lisa would spend her precious energy to kick them out one way or another. However, to the other’s shock, Lisa walked towards her wolf cub with a genuine smile. “Oh, hello my little wolf cub. What brings you here?”
Razor’s excitement couldn’t keep up to the speed of his words. “Teacher, I found my Lupical!”
“W-What?” Lisa uttered subconsciously. The loud energy was already too strong for Lisa to process. The words itself puzzled the purple witch. She kept to her thoughts, recalling the truth of Razor's parents. She assumed that itself was enough to bring enough closure for Razor to accept the present. Although hearing Razor say those words made her more interested in inquiring about them. She spoke up with a now calm and collected manner, “What do you mean my little wolf cub?”
“Look! Look!” Razor shoved the card he found in front of Lisa. Lisa took a step back seeing the card clearly and realizing what his words meant.
Lisa recognized the figure and smiled to see her junior classmate again. Her voice represented this, “Ah, you meant Cyno. Now that I think about it, he does look like you, doesn't he?”
“No, he is lupical! Hair, eyes, ears like wolf. He must be wolf brother.” Razor rebutted.
Lisa’s face slanted, it was serious compared to her usual smile. It was unlike her to show her thoughts outside of a gentle smile. Lisa whispered to herself, “How have I never noticed their similarities before?”
She didn’t realize how similar these two were until now. Yet the more she thought about it, the more she couldn’t shake the possibility they could be related somehow. This gave her a smile, it felt as though she never really left Cyno and the Akadeymia. She let out a peaceful sigh, “Haha, how observant you are my little wolf cub. Cyno really looks like your human lupical.”
“Teacher, you know lupical?” Razor looked up, his puppy dog eyes begging to meet this character.
Lisa’s eyes were gentle, her voice matching them, “Yes, we went to the same school together.”
“Can Razor meet this lupical?”
Lisa was surprised but also expected Razor to inquire. She pondered on how this would affect the both of them. Would this be okay with Cyno? Would this help fill the empty hole in Razor? And are they actually related? The logical part of the librarian thought this wasn’t a good idea. However she favored the optimistic opposite instead; she believed in her intuition that this would be best for the both of them. “I’ll send him a letter and we’ll see what he says.”
The wolf wanted to wag the tail he didn't have. The excitement of meeting another wolf that is built like him, the ways he’ll bond with his new lupical, Sunsetta sweet thoughts like these gave wholesome imagery to Razor.
Lisa walked over to her desk, pulling a fresh sheet of paper and pulling out her dipped quill pen. Her fingers were crossed as she wrote, hiding the true reason in favour of enticing the Jackal, hoping to explain it all in person.
‘Dear Cyno, I know it’s been long since we’ve last talked. May I ask you for a favour? I have a student who found a TCG card with you on it and would love to meet you and discuss how to play the game. Do you mind coming to Mondstadt for a day or two to help teach him? Feel free to invite Collei as well. I’m sure everyone in the Favonius Headquarters would love to see how she’s doing.
-Lisa‘
𓃥
A few days had gone by. Each day Razor would visit Lisa, awaiting in anticipation for any response to their letter. Every time he visited, Lisa was saddened to see Razor disappointed by her response. A letter would not arrive, but the sounds of people would.
The rustling of doors opened from outside Lisa’s library. Loud enough for Razor and Lisa to hear from inside. Razor curiously sniffed out the sound. Lisa followed partially to see what grabbed Razor's attention but also to follow her own curiosity of the sound as well. When they stepped outside, Favonius guards accompanied two guests, familiar to Lisa but unfamiliar to Razor.
Lisa waved at the guests, “Hello Cyno, Collei. I’m so glad you received my letter. What would I do without my favourite Sumeru cuties?”
Collei glimmered with glee, “Of course we’d come! Whenever you need us, we’ll be there to help. Sorry we didn’t send a letter back though. We thought it’d be faster if we came in person. It’s so great to see you again though!”
“You as well my little dear, my how you’ve grown. I do hope it’s not too much trouble for you.” Lisa teased.
“When it comes to the new generation of Genius Invocation TCG players, I am willing to share some wisdom. Although I am not the best teacher when compared to you Lisa.” Cyno announced.
“Do not worry Cyno, I believe your abilities are more than enough for my favour-”
What caught everyone off guard was Razor running towards Cyno, pouncing on him and sniffing the Jackal. Cyno himself was the most shocked and this translated into a threat. Lisa noticed Cyno’s hands moving under his robe as if to attack. Lisa quickly pulled Razor away, petting him for protection.
“It’s okay Cyno, he’s a student of mine. The one who I mentioned wanted to meet you.” Lisa spoke hoping Cyno would calm down.
Collei helped Cyno up. Both were still speechless. Cyno’s eyes analyzed both what just happened and who was the person that caused it. He observed the details that made up Razor, the clothing, the posture, and those eyes. Who Cyno expected to meet as Lisa’s student was flipped compared to the person standing now in front of him. He smiled realizing he underestimated how full of surprises his senior was. When Cyno looked at Razor again, the electro vision took his attention. He realized how rare electro bearers are in the land of wind. The longer he stared, the more he could see how uncanny and similar to himself Razor looked. As if he was staring at his own reflection.
“This is your student? But why did he jump at Cyno?” Collei broke the silence.
Razor, who was in the center of the topic, tilted his head. An outcast towards the common idea that people don’t normally pounce on other people. Lisa beamed a soft smile at Razor, “It’s okay Razor, you can introduce yourself.”
Razor nodded and looked to his guests, “I am Razor. I am happy to meet Lupical.”
“Lupical?” Cyno asked, Collei herself unsure of the word.
Razor walked towards Cyno, shoving the Cyno card in front of him and pointing at his Jackal ears. “You are my lupical!”
Cyno’s eyes widened. He observed the card in front of him recognizing it quickly. “Genius Invokation TCG?” Cyno muttered to himself.
“Why don’t you and Razor go for a walk? I’m sure he has a lot he wants to ask you.” Lisa hinted.
Cyno had long studied with Lisa to know her suggestions are usually roundabout hints towards hidden knowledge she herself hides. He figured the only way to fully understand what this ‘lupical’ they kept referring to meant, he was to spend time with this Razor kid. Cyno spoke towards Razor, “Very well, where would you like to go Razor was it?”
Razor lit up. Energy was still fresh within him. Razor jumped ahead, ready to give his fellow Jackal friend a tour. “Follow me!”
Collei felt a hand holding her back as she stepped forward. “Why don’t we leave those two alone for now? We can look for Amber while we wait.” Lisa spoke through her classic smile.
𓃥
For a while Bennett had been frozen in fear, shaking. Cyno stared deep through Bennetts soul, slicing the weakness inside as if he was still in work mode interrogating.
Razor broke the silence, unaware of the tension in the air, “Bennet, this is my Lupical Cyno! Lupical, this Bennet. He talks lots.”
“I can see that.” Cyno spoke his face unchanging.
Bennett had been rambling while under the uncomfortable stare of Cyno. “Hello um Cyno. It really is nice to meet you. Especially a lupical of Razor’s, I always assumed he was an orphan like me so the fact he has one makes me happy for him!”
“What do you mean by lupical?” Cyno interrogated.
Bennett panicked louder, hoping to not get on the General Mahamantra’s bad side, “Oh that’s just Razor's way of saying family. If he calls you that, it means you’re family to him.”
Cyno was taken aback. His face removed the tension, in the process freeing Bennett from the fear. Cyno spoke to himself, his tone surprised, “You think I'm your family?”
Razor nodded, “Have wolf ears. Human lupical.”
“Hm? This is a helmet passed down from every mahamantra as honor from the first.” Cyno touched his ears, curious.
From all that he’s dealt with in the Akademiya, Cyno had never felt more confused till now. Questions sturred in him. Does this kid think they’re related? How does his helmet prove they’re related? Why would he word it as human lupical?
“You know, you should meet Razor’s older sister. I’m sure she would love to meet her other sibling! We can go together!” Bennett interrupted. He walked forward, falling immediately. He landed on a cat’s tail and the cat scratched at him running to the nearby buildings. As the cat ran around it had snagged against a fabric and wooden pole. The pole fell onto Bennett as he attempted to stand up.
“Are you alright?” Cyno spoke concerned.
“Yeah, this sort of thing happens everyday for me. A normal day for someone cursed with bad luck?” Bennet laughed.
“Cursed with bad luck? There’s no such thing as that.” Cyno mocked. Cyno never believed in luck so curiosity piqued at his need to observe this.
“Bennet right, scary luck he has.” Razor corrected. Cyno was quite interested by what they meant by this.
After many moments of Bennett falling, Cyno offered to carry Bennett on his back. The weight across flights of stairs was nothing to the General Mahamatra. Bennett was both embarrassed but grateful for Cyno’s aid. They all reached their goal upon the front of the Favonius Cathedral. Cyno let Bennett down onto his own feet. “Thanks, sorry you had to do that.” Bennett bashfully uttered.
“You’re welcome.” Cyno simply responded.
“Human Lupical, very strong.” Razor commented, star-struck by the abilities of a General Mahamatra.
A voice from behind called, “Razor? What are you doing here with Bennett? And who is this?”
“Cold, dark sister!” Razor shouted with glee.
“Hey Rosaria, we were looking for you!” Bennett exclaimed.
“Oh? Were you now?” Rosaria spoke, her face a tone cryptic in between angry and curious.
Bennett smiled, “Yep, it turns out Razor found another one of his siblings. Which makes him technically your sibling. Anyways as Razor’s older sister we thought you should know.”
“So you’re Razor’s older sister?” Cyno subtly grunted.
Rosaria answered, “Not by blood, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
Rosaria and Cyno locked eyes in a battle of complex interrogation. Through their silent expression were microaggression threats against the other if they hurt Razor. Rosaria hissed, “And what is your relationship to Razor exactly?”
Razor answered for Cyno. “Human lupical! Big ears like wolf.”
Rosaria spoke to herself, surprised by the response, “So Razor believes this guy is his brother now?”
“I don’t have an explanation for it either.” Cyno sighed.
It was Bennet that would break the tense silence, “Come on guys! If Razor thinks you both are lupical, you mean as much as family to him and trusts you. You have nothing to worry about so let’s drop the weird atmosphere.”
Rosaria rolled her eyes, annoyed by the sunny words. “I must get back to work anyways.”
Cyno inquired, “I guess you’re a nun at this church?”
“You could say that. How about you?”
“I’m the General Mahamatra of Sumeru.”
Razor looked down, tangled by the word's complexity. “Ma-mat-ra? Big word for Razor.”
Cyno turned towards Razor, “I just ensure people follow the rules of the Akademiya. If they escape their judgment, I make sure they face it.”
Rosaria’s tone softened, “A patrol person huh? I can respect that.”
“Thank you.” Cyno responded with gratitude. Rosaria had long left before she could hear this.
“I got to go as well. I want to finish my commission before nighttime. I heard there have been some weird noises in the forest at night lately and can’t have my dads worrying about me. But it was nice meeting you Razor’s brother! Maybe we’ll run into each other again one day.”
Cyno and Razor waved as they parted ways with Bennett. A breeze would accompany the silence with dandelions running along it. The scale in Cyno’s mind weighed lighter than his previous perception; they were comforted by Razor’s judgment in his inner circle. Cyno spoke this thought, “He seems like a good kid.”
Razor continued, “Razor likes Bennett. Talks lots. But not lonely with Bennett. Has no human lupical too. ”
Cyno was quiet. His face hid the thoughts of empathy towards his own life and the reminder of his own ‘Bennett’ friend. Cyno turned towards Razor with a soft smile, “So, where to next?”
𓃥
The fields of Wolvendom welcomed the Jackal and Wolf. The playful sun was high above, sparkling warm joy into those it accompanied. A breeze wanted to join them, jumping around and causing excitement in the wolf. The wolf raced against the wind leaving the Jackal behind in his own pace.
Deeper into wolvendom, the forest of trees became a bubble of trees. Peeking from the trees were Razor and Cyno, observing their prey which happened to be boars. The waves of grass grew taller than in the city, this made it much easier to hide for them but easy for the boars to hide as well. Luckily the wolf and jackal are experienced hunters. Cyno noticed how much the wolf was drooling, “Are you hungry?” Cyno inquired.
“Yes for meat.” Razor spoke, his eyes never leaving his prey.
Before Cyno could react, Razor pounced, hunting the boar in one swift move. It reminded Cyno of when he hunted those rule breakers that think they could run away from their consequences. Razor sauntered back with boar meat in his mouth. Razor attempted to speak even though his mouth was full. “Wan som?”
“No thank you.” Cyno simply answered.
Razor slurped up the meat. Sniffing around the area for more. Eyes followed Cyno’s gaze. This aura of feeling stalked had prepared Cyno. His grip on his polearm was tight and each sense amplified against the environment. Razor meanwhile chased a boar that fell off the ledge of the forest. Cyno followed down into a crevasse of abandoned rock with only a claymore illuminating in the center of it. The winds here were tense in a way unfamiliar to the desert jackal. It would be the call of Razor that distracted the Jackal. “Look lupical! Look what I caught!” Razor shouted with excitement.
“You dare bring this human with ears to mock our kind to these lands? Then use our language towards this impostor Razor?” A voice roared past its eyes that glowed through the wolf carving. Its spirit stepped through in the form of a large wolf. Tall, domineering elemental energy of an entity beyond mortality. Wolves from behind growled towards Cyno. Cyno’s hands gripped his polearm, the other arm shielding Razor under instinct. As if wanting to protect Razor. Cyno’s blood red eye’s stabbed deep into the Wolf of the Norths haunting blue soul. The wolf bared teeth that growled at the Jackal. The Jackal jumped onto the sides of the rocky walls in response. The Jackal launched in the air using the height to stab the wolf from above.
A claymore blocked this attack, pushing the Jackal back. Razor shouted, “Wait, don't attack! Wolf lupical!”
Razor turned around petting The Wolf of The North, calming the fury in the now tamed Boreas. “See, lupical!”
Cyno stood up, his grip on his polearm softened. Cyno’s surprise translated into sympathy, “You were actually raised by wolves?”
Razor spoke delightfully, “Yes, wolves raised Razor. Wolves family, wolves gave Razor food, gave lupical.”
The wolves, once angry, licked Razor playfully. Razor tossed his catch of meat with the wolves. Cyno watched, a hint of empty loneliness reminded him of his memories. The closest thing he had to a family was the Matra. They were there with him for as long as he could remember. Every belief and identity that constructed the vessel of Cyno came from the Matra. Cyno wouldn’t dare remember the time his body’s vessel had the possibility of birth parents. Cyno could imagine these thoughts in Razor as well. Cyno could see himself in the wolf. A boy with no parents, left to the environment to raise him.
“You, You are no body of a wolf. And yet you have a wolf's spirit.” Boreas spoke at Cyno. Cyno’s face was silent, neither agreeing nor denying what the wolf was saying. “Your strike is of lighting, just like Razor’s. You share his nobility and share my strength. This makes you Razor’s lupical amongst humans. You are always welcomed among these lands and the pack.”
“Thank you, I will protect Razor in his journey.” Cyno nodded with respect.
“Then, I have nothing further to say. May we meet once again Razor and company.” Boreas turned around, vanishing into the carving to watch over wolvendom once again.
Wolves surround Razor and Cyno. Cyno reached out his hand in an attempt to pet the wolves. Despite fighting minutes ago, the wolves quickly welcomed the jackal eared Cyno. The wolf's ears reminded Cyno of a familiar friend. He laughed at the thought of seeing his fox friend meeting the wolves, and what kind of jokes he could make from the scenario.
“Lupical laugh? Lupical happy?” Razor asked.
“Hm, was I?” Cyno said, not noticing himself. He looked at Razor who’s eyes wilted as if thinking Cyno wasn’t happy. Cyno relaxed his smile, “Don’t worry, I'm quite happy.”
As he spoke, Cyno noticed eyes were still being watched. Without warning, A pack of hilichurls aimed for the wolves. Cyno’s polearm blocked the hilichurls before they reacted. Behind Cyno and the wolves was an abyss mage, cloaked in its shield. The abyss mage taunted through commands “Seize that wolf boy’s spirit and his pack. We’ll use their deaths to bring out Boreas...”
“No! I won’t let hurt the wolves.” Razor pulled at his claymore instinctively hitting at the shield only to bounce back from it. Razor roared out his elemental burst. A purple wolf spirit came alive and sliced through the abyss mage’s electric shield with the fury of Razor and the pack. Cyno watched, shocked to see a familiar use of the vision. He bludgeoned the hilichurls as swiftly as he could to help Razor. Each growl brought more worry to Cyno. However the hillchurls came endlessly, as if every hilichurl to exist in Teyvet came, each more stronger than the last.
As the abyss mage reached its final taunt, Razor’s Claymore claws broke down their shield. This combined with the rage inside Razor’s spirit quickly sliced the abyss mage until it collapsed, defeated. This led most of the hilichurls to run away, Cyno fought the rest off the Hilichurls with ease. Flying around the walls of Wolvendom until his polearm slashed through every one of them.
When Cyno was done, he ran to Razor and the wolves, checking if they were okay. Cyno spotted blood trickling down Razor’s arm. Razor noticed Cyno’s gaze and looked at his arm. He licked the blood that fell clean. Movement stung at the wound. “We need to take you to a doctor!” Cyno exclaimed with worry.
“No need.” Razor refuted. His paws searched around for a wolfhook seed. He crushed it and rubbed it on his wound. Once the pain was manageable, he gave it to the other wolves hurt in the process. Razor took a wolfhook seed and placed it in Cyno’s hands. “Wolfhook softs hurt feeling, good at healing too.”
Cyno observed the seed. This knowledge was unknown outside of Mondstadt and Cyno thought this souvenir of knowledge should be shared with the forest rangers. Cyno noticed how tired the wolves and Razor were, collapsing in the warmth of each other, Razor’s heavy breaths among them. Even with no word spoken, Cyno could tell Razor wasn’t ready to leave his pack alone for the night. Especially with what happened with the Abyss mage.
Cyno spoke up, “It’s getting late Razor, let’s find a spot to camp for the night okay?”
“Okay.” Razor agreed.
The spark of a flame comforted those gathered around it. This was set up by Cyno. The wolves rumbled with hunger. Razor was upset he didn’t bring enough food for them. The wolves fell on Razor’s lap, huddling asleep together with the boy to watch over them. Razor petted them until they fell asleep. The cave was quiet. It was the fire that did all the talking. To Cyno and Razor the silence was its own conversation and they were both comfortable to listen to it.
Cyno wanted to speak but It would be Razor to break the silence. Razor asked in a serious expression, “Why lupical took so long to come back?”
Words escaped Cyno’s mind. In all his years of studying, this question is something he still didn’t know how to answer. He doesn’t even know his own family tree to tell if they’re truly even blood related. Cyno could see the wolf looking down, tearing up by thoughts. Cyno could tell the truth was too complex to the wolf at his current age. Cyno sighed, “Because it did, but I'm here now.”
Cyno then recalled a thought in his mind, “Your vision’s burst. It was a wolf spirit, wasn’t it?”
Razor nodded, “Yes. Razor not know why, Razor feels spirit warm, familiar. Like Lupical.”
Cyno hesitated, carefully crafting what he thought would be right to say at the moment, “I… I can understand that. My vision feels the same.”
Razor's eyes illuminated with interest, feeling for the first time that he met someone who finally understands him. “Lupical too? Did lupical feel unsure with vision too?”
Cyno smiled, “When I first got my vision I was unsure what to do with it, if it’ll help me uphold my duty as a General Mahamatra. At the time I wished that my version of justice was enough to be what a General Mahamatra should be. It was thanks to Lisa that I learned to use my vision to its full potential.”
“Lisa help Razor too! Razor has no human lupical but Varka gave Razor name. Taught Razor strength.” A thought persisted in Razor’s mind, “What is lupicals parents like?”
“Closest thing I had to parents was the Matra. I was lucky to have them raise me with their knowledge. I wouldn’t be who I am today without them.”
“Lupical, a lot like me?”
The fire’s crackle answered for them. The cozy warmth made Razor fall asleep along with the wolves. Cyno was the only one awake, the sky itself couldn’t command him to sleep. The concept of family bothered him awake. For most of his life blood families were a concept he never understood nor cared for. He thought he would be happy with just the Matra, with Collei and Tighnari. Yet he couldn’t help but entertain that he was now a brother to this boy among the wolves. To clear his thoughts he stood up, walking away from the cave.
𓃥
The sun greeted Razor once again. The wolves yawned in unison. Razor rustled, stretching loud until he too was awake. His sights were greeted with the wolves playfully gathering around a bountiful bag of meat. The wolves were quick to devour them, feeding into famished stomachs. Razor was shocked by the sudden appearance of it, he contemplated if he was still dreaming yet its scent wasn’t a lie.surprised to see a bag of meat in front of him. Razor looked up at the figure standing in front of the bag, Cyno.
“You would like to learn TCG right? When you and your wolves are ready, let's go to Sumeru.” The Jackal smiled.