Chapter Text
Yanxia was a beautiful place. The clear water belied the reefs lining the shores of Isari, bordering the landmass’ seaside entrance with diluted colour. Rock pillars towered above them in the inland valley. Grasses swayed in the breeze, barely reaching the ankles of the group as they stood in between a patch of the rice paddies that dotted the hills.
Every bit of it made Mars’ head and heart ache more and more. Ruins full of aged wood and cracked tile, eerily clear of nature as if they had been destroyed but day prior. The delta where the One River met the ocean was bereft of life–the grasses that made the estuary and shore full of life, gone. The paddies felt too few and too small, the sprouts too small for this time of year; the sheer sight made Mars’ scales crawl. The grass around the settlements was too short, too uniform, too sparse. It should be longer, he could feel it. It should be different. So much of it should be different.
Those same blades of grass filled his vision as he tried to focus, attention split too many ways. Janus’ hands on his back, the pain in his head steadily getting worse as grey eyes bore into him.
“Well? Aren’t you going to answer me?” the xaela in front of the group sneered, “Or is that blank look on your face permanent now? I thought you were better than this.” Mars winced, the words cutting deeper than he expected. Janus hushed him quietly.
“You wanna know who we are? I wanna know just who this Imperial asshole thinks he is trying to insult and order us around,” a voice to his other side spat out. The crunching of footsteps interrupted a quiet interlude; surely, the calm before the storm. Mars took a sharp intake of breath, eye shooting upward to watch the two. The taller xaela stared down at Shrimp, squinting in confusion as she pointed at him.
“…Who the fuck are you?”
“Who am I ? I asked you first, jackass.” The other xaela scoffed, shaking his head. Shrimp’s tail swished broadly from side to side, reaching back to grab her lance.
“Hmph, so quick to resort to violence…not the type of people I thought you’d like—“ he cut himself off, grimacing.
“Maybe I wouldn’t have to resort to threats if you’d stop acting like one.” Shrimp hissed. The xaela closed his eyes, sighing heavily before opening them again.
“Andronikos. Andronikos pyr Lykaios. You lot call me that for now,” he looked back at Mars, tone dripping with discontent, “You’ve yet to earn the right to do otherwise.” Mars hissed in response, clutching his head tighter. Andronikos stared the raen, opening his mouth and shutting it again, swallowing thickly. Glare resting in his eyes once more, he turned his back to the group.
“Oi, where do you think you’re going?!” Shrimp yelled, rushing forward before Allium grabbed her arm.
“Away. He’ll know where I’ll be.”