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Xiao’s spear swung swiftly through the air as he struck one, two, and then three times. The final hilichurl disintegrated with a groan, leaving nothing but a broken mask in its place.
He lowered his weapon, then sat down to rest his aching feet. He has always thought that his purpose was endless slaughter, but only after the disaster struck did he truly understand the true meaning of the word endless. There were always monsters elsewhere that he should take on, but… he was so tired. Just one moment…
Xiao set down his Lithic Spear, then, after a moment of contemplation, dismissed it. He had more effective weapons to use, but even he fell prey to sentiment every once in a while, and this weapon helped him remember the young exorcist boy who had given it to him as a gift, as thanks for protecting Liyue. He could tell himself that he wouldn’t use it again, but he’d long grown sick of the feeling of smooth, blood-stained jade in his hands. Maybe he should pay a visit to Hu Tao’s resting place and borrow the Staff of Homa. He’s sure she wouldn’t mind.
Xiao’s musings are interrupted by the approach of the strangers from beyond the sky, and this time, he finds that he simply does not care enough to leave before they spot him.
Or maybe, his curiosity has grown enough to overpower his disinclination to talk to people, especially after so long spent with no company. But the voice in his head that thinks that sounds too familiar, and it hurts too much to not ignore it.
He doesn’t turn around. He’s seen these people in Liyue several times already, and it seemed each time like they were looking for him, so naturally he fled the situation whenever he saw them. He didn’t feel bad about it– whatever monsters he left behind was nothing that these four couldn’t handle themselves. He’d watched them fight a few times to ensure that they would be fine, and while he couldn’t help but scoff at the young man’s spear technique (he was slow), he could see that they were all capable of handling themselves in the ruined land that Teyvat had become.
“We are with the Astral Express,” the man leading them said. “I am Welt Yang, and these two are March 7th and Dan Heng. We come from outer space, and the path of the Trailblaze leads us to worlds all across the universe. This one was one of them.”
Xiao doesn’t say anything. The three of them have been talking to each other since they arrived, and they’re loud. He already knows all of this.
“We came here originally because we detected the presence of a Stellaron. I would assume that it was the cause of the catastrophe that struck this world. We have the know-how to seal it and ensure that it does not cause more destruction, and we have done so. …Regrettably, it appears we were too late to save the people of Teyvat, or to do anything to quell the influx of monsters that the Stellaron has caused.”
So, so many monsters. Monsters were nothing that the people of Teyvat weren’t used to fighting before, but the numbers after this “Stellaron'' arrived were so staggering that there was no coming back from the destruction they wrought.
“As far as we can tell, you are… the only survivor. We have the capability to locate life, and all we could find besides monsters was you.”
He hadn’t known for sure, but it didn’t surprise him. It was the cruel way of fate that he would be the last survivor. With nobody left to protect, his constant monster patrols felt like little more than a chore, but what else was he supposed to do?
“...What is your name?”
“...You should leave this world,” Xiao finally said, and he’s a little surprised at the sound of his own voice after having nobody to talk to for so long. It sounds frailer than he’d like. “There is nothing left here for you.”
“You’re left here,” replied March 7th. What an odd name. But more importantly, she looks painfully sad, and Xiao decides that’s his cue to leave.
“Leave this place,” he says once more, before vanishing from sight.
He flies with the wind to what was once Wuwang Hill, where he finds the spot marked with nothing more than the Staff of Homa stuck into the ground, and a stone with a crude carving of a ghost to mark the spot. He was no artist, but it had felt appropriate.
No time for reminiscing. There were monsters to slay. Xiao pulled the Staff of Homa from the earth and went to work.
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While Xiao had felt it fitting to mark Hu Tao’s resting place, it was the only one he had bothered to mark himself. Most of the other people he knew well enough to want to commemorate had perished when there was still someone around who knew them better than he did. Mortal lives, aside from being shorter even in peacetime, were also so fragile. Hu Tao was a notable exception, lingering dangerously on the border of life and death for so long that he had begun to grow unnerved himself.
Therefore, when the other adepti had passed, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor had been the ones to send them off. They were far from being fully performed Rites of Parting, but were good enough for the situation at hand. There was hardly time to be singing to glaze lilies when monsters were constantly trampling them underfoot, after all.
When Rex– When Zhongli had died fighting in Mount Aocang, Xiao did not even need to think about commemorating it. The death of a god was not a quiet affair, gnosis or not. The earth had quaked terribly and Xiao had felt it all the way from Guyun Stone Forest. When he arrived at the scene, the faces of the mountains and the ground beneath were blasted with formations of angry-looking stone pillars, pointing away from the site of Zhongli’s death in all the oranges and grays and browns of the land of Liyue. Scattered piles of Mora were all that remained of the monsters that were caught in the blast, and Xiao knew that there had been no humans left to protect in the area, or his lord would never have let himself fall. The land itself mourned Zhongli’s death more beautifully and hauntingly than Xiao ever could.
It was here, at Mount Aocang, where the adepti had met to exchange mortal delicacies and stories of their own lives, that the crew of the Astral Express found Xiao again. He didn’t notice them at first, as he had donned his mask. The added speed and mobility it granted him was useful for the now-jagged terrain, and Vortex Vanquisher sang as it tore apart hilichurls, mitachurls, rifthounds, and geovishaps alike.
…It would have felt wrong to not use Vortex Vanquisher here. It was a weapon of unparalleled quality, and it wasn’t like anyone else was going to use it. Besides, it was appropriate for the location.
He noticed them when he dove towards a pack of samachurls that were suddenly frozen in place as a wave of ice crashed over them. He landed, his anemo ripping them apart, and looked up to see the pink-haired girl– March 7th, he remembered– standing with what looked like a bow drawn, shimmering with icy power flowing over her.
He immediately remembered Ganyu, and turned away quickly back towards the remaining monsters, but he’d already been nearly through. As he watched, Welt flicked his cane, and a spot of utter darkness appeared and sucked the last rifthounds into it, screaming as they disappeared. The force the sphere exuded was so strong that Xiao himself could feel it tug on him.
Who were these people?
“Vigilant Yaksha,” said Welt, now that the area was more or less cleared. It had been a few days since their last encounter. Perhaps. He had hardly bothered to count days in a while.
Xiao’s head snapped towards him. “Do not call me that,” he hissed, his voice bitter. “It is hardly a title I deserve anymore. There is nobody left to protect in this cursed land.”
“Yet you still watch over this land, do you not?” Welt pointed out. It was taking every ounce of Xiao’s politeness to not vanish immediately. “Regardless, I don’t know what else I could call you.”
“We could call him Dan Heng 2,” suggested March. She seemed much more cheerful today, and part of Xiao was relieved, though Celestia alone knew what there was to be cheerful about here.
“Do not call him that,” said Dan Heng.
“Please do not,” agreed Xiao, squinting at the man in question. Unfortunately, he could see the resemblance, and he had seen Dan Heng’s own polearm in action, with anemo powering his strikes… Perhaps March 7th was on to something– no.
(Well, it looked like anemo, but it didn’t feel quite the same. Xiao was unsure how to explain it.)
“You can call me Xiao.”
“Xiao, then,” agreed Welt. “Xiao, we’re here to extend you an offer.”
“What could you possibly offer me?”
“Come join us on the Astral Express,” said March 7th. Her eyes were pleading, and Xiao’s stomach flipped with displeasure and sympathy, so he was sure to look away as she continued speaking. “We have plenty of room on the train, and you can come with us with no problem if you want.”
“Come with you… to where?” he asked, puzzled. “Also… what is a train?”
Dan Heng sighed. “The train part is not important. We have gathered information about this world for the archives, and as soon as the three of us are ready, we will depart this world, and head to the next.”
Oh.
“I– I cannot–”
“Why do you continue to fight, Xiao?” Welt interrupted. His voice was hesitant but kind. “We learned of the myths and legends of this land from what books and other records were left intact, and you are mentioned in them as a protector and hero of the people of Liyue.”
“I failed them,” snarled Xiao. “They are all dead. I am no protector. I am a weapon, a tool for destruction. Nothing more.”
“...No, Xiao,” Welt said, looking indescribably sad. “A Stellaron is not something that a world can be prepared for. Sometimes, they are lucky enough to be able to weather the storm it brings for long enough until help arrives. Sometimes, they’re not.”
“I should’ve been–”
“It is my understanding that there were multiple beings stronger than you in this world,” interrupted Dan Heng, far less kindly than Welt. “If they perished as well, surely it is not something you can reasonably blame yourself for. If anything, they should be the ones–”
“Do not speak ill of Rex Lapis!” snapped Xiao. Frustration welled up in him. “He… He…”
“He protected his nation and people to the end, and the scars his death left on the very land is proof of his love for them.” Welt laid his hand on a nearby stone spike, but it was a bit farther than he expected, and he had to do a slight shuffle towards it.
“You could be considered the same. In any case… there is nobody left here for you to protect, is there, Vigilant Yaksha? I think there is none more deserving than you of the title.”
The concern, the awkwardness, the experienced demeanor… Welt Yang, to Xiao in that moment, was the splitting image of Zhongli, and it was too much to bear.
“I cannot leave Teyvat behind,” Xiao said through gritted teeth, his eyes stinging. “You should go while you still can.”
March 7th’s eyes widened. “Hey, wait–”
There was a gust of wind, and he was gone.
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The third time Xiao saw the people of the Astral Express, he was the one who approached them. They were surrounded by monsters in the Chasm, and he saw them while flying overhead.
…He had only stopped by to collect Calamity Queller. He was not following them.
Regardless. He knew they were capable fighters by now, from their encounters and what glimpses he’d caught of them in the days following, but the Chasm was not a good place for anyone to visit after the Stellaron had landed. The three of them were being swarmed by Consecrated Beasts, which would spell trouble for anyone no matter how capable. With Welt wrapping the beasts in glowing yellow, ethereal chains, March 7th freezing the others in their tracks, and Dan Heng darting around and finishing them off with his spear, they were able to stall for time, but Xiao could tell they were having trouble breaking through.
Resigning himself to his fate, Xiao gripped Calamity Queller and dove towards the beasts, donning his mask in midair. He landed, and blades of Anemo tore through the beasts in a vicious circle from around his point of impact.
With his addition, and the raw power of the spear wielded by his fellow Yaksha centuries ago, the four of them managed to turn the tides against the monsters, and soon enough, it was just him and the Astral Express crew standing among the empty shells left behind by the beasts.
…Xiao could deny it to himself no longer. When he swung his polearm with the intent to protect rather than the intent to drown himself in violence, it felt lighter and more alive than it had in so long. He’d missed that feeling, even if he’d only just realized it. He looked back towards the three visitors, and found that he had already gotten himself stupidly and irrevocably attached.
“Vigilant Yaksha–”
“Xiao.”
“...Fine. Xiao,” Welt corrected himself. “You just saved us. You are still a protector after all, despite what you said last time.”
Xiao remained silent.
“Staying here like this can’t be good for you,” said March 7th, voice quiet. “Anyone can see that this land is covered with nothing but painful memories.”
“Liyue is my home,” replied Xiao, and he was shocked to hear his voice come out choked and vulnerable.
“Liyue is gone,” said Welt gently. “I am sure Rex Lapis would not have wanted to see you waste away here for the rest of your life.”
(“Xiao, if I die–”
“My lord, please, do not say that.”
“It is Zhongli, now.”
“...Zhongli, then. Still, please do not–”
“Xiao, even if I could fight forever, erosion has been catching up to me for years already, and my people, my close friends, my country… They are all dying left and right. I am weary, Xiao. I do not know how much longer I can hold on, nor how much longer I will want to.”
“...”
“I do not wish to leave you behind. But if the day comes when I do…”
“What?”
“...Do not mourn me too much. Every journey has its final day, and mine has already been long and fulfilling, wouldn’t you agree?”
“My lo– Zhongli…”
“But your story has so much more potential. It may not even be possible for you, but I must ask regardless. Though the situation may seem bleak and hopeless… try to find that light at the end of the tunnel.”
“Zhongli, you are being extremely hypocritical.”
“Yes, Xiao. I am being hypocritical, and selfish, especially considering my own feelings that I have just shared with you. It warms my heart that you can point out such a thing to my face now. Even only a few years back, I do not think you would have."
"..."
"I am old, and perhaps age is wearing away at my sense of reason. But, please. For me, if you cannot do it for yourself, Xiao… I want you to be happy.”)
“Mr. Yang,” March 7th said in a stage whisper. She looked far blurrier than she did a moment ago, for some reason. “You’re making him cry!”
Xiao hastily dragged the back of his hand across his eyes.
“Come with us, Xiao,” said Welt, his voice gentle. “We travel to countless worlds, all with peoples that are alive and flourishing, and you can turn your skills to vanquishing threats that actually matter to them.
Xiao sniffled embarrassingly.
“I am… not pleasant company.”
“That’s fine.”
“I was– I was born for battle. That’s all I can do.”
“I am sure that’s not the case. Even if it is, we can find your other skills together.”
“I– I, my karma–”
“Ah, your karma,” Dan Heng piped up. “I read about it in a book.”
Xiao feels hysterical. “What can a fairy tale teach you about…”
“I theorize that once you leave this world, the karma will be lessened or perhaps even completely left behind, as the gods you have slain are tied to Teyvat. Whether or not it works, I think it is worth a try.”
“I might corrupt you.”
March shook her head. “Did you know one of us, back on the train, has a Stellaron inside them? I think we’ll work something out with you.”
Xiao shuts up.
Welt steps forward and grasps Xiao’s shoulder, and Xiao lets him.
“Come with us. Is there anything from Teyvat you’d like to take with you? We can always visit later, but it might be a while. Space travel takes time.”
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He brings the Lithic Spear that Chongyun gifted him. He wished he had gotten to know him better. The young man had seemed respectful and competent enough, and Hu Tao spoke highly of him and his friend Xingqiu.
He brings the Staff of Homa, of course. Hu Tao would never forgive him if he didn’t.
He brings Vortex Vanquisher. Rex Lapis had fantastic taste in weaponry.
He brings Calamity Queller. It’s a reminder of another cataclysm, and a friend he had lost so long ago that it felt like another life now. The loss stings as much as any of the recent ones, but it’s not as terrible of a feeling it should’ve been.
He brings the Aqua Simulacra. He has no idea how to use a bow, but Yelan… he remembers his most recent excursion into the depths of the Chasm. He respected Yelan, and he should try to take her words to heart. Maybe he’ll try to learn archery someday for her.
(He considers, perhaps, using both a melee weapon and a bow in combat interchangeably, and it sounds appealing until he remembers Childe. Then he regrets ever thinking it.)
He considers bringing the Memory of Dust, but it feels wrong for that item to leave its resting place at his lord’s grave. Besides, he has even less idea how to use a catalyst than a bow. He wonders if he could bring the Guizhong Ballista instead before deciding that it was probably too big.
He brings the Missive Windspear. He wishes now that he had spent more time in Mondstadt, before everything went sideways. He picks up a damaged lyre while he’s there.
He brings the Deathmatch. He… it was a gift from the Traveler. He doesn’t want to think about the Traveler, but… it would feel wrong to leave it behind, and it was a good weapon after all.
…He stares at the Primordial Jade-Winged Spear, and revulsion fills him.
He leaves it at the base of the giant tree that holds up Wangshu Inn. The tree is dying now, anyway, and the floorboards of the inn have rotted through and the building is more or less falling apart.
He stares for a long moment at the image of the spear and the Inn, trying to remember what the place looked like before the Stellaron appeared
He turns around and walks away without looking back.
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“So this is a train,” Xiao remarks. “It is bigger than I imagined it from your description.”
He totally could have brought the Guizhong Ballista. He can’t help but wonder if it’s too late to go back and collect it.
“Yeah!” Exclaims March 7th. “We’ll get you your own room and everything. Oh, man, I can’t wait to go clothes shopping with you. Your current outfit looks great and everything, but you seriously do look way too much like Dan Heng.”
“I am not going clothes shopping with you.”
“Aww… Fine, I’ll just go get you clothes myself then! I’ll get a picture of you in my camera, and then I can do some guesswork to get your measurements!”
Xiao ignored her.
The doors of the train opened, and a gray-haired woman stuck her head out.
“Holy shit,” she said drily. “He brought a whole armory. He’s like if Yanqing was sulky.”
Xiao glared at the woman, who stared impassively back.
“Now, now, Stelle, leave the man alone,” said another voice. Stelle turned around, and Xiao saw Himeko behind her. (March had regaled him with detailed descriptions of the other passengers on the way here enough that he recognized both of them immediately. Against his will, he also knew many other details about them, such as Himeko’s favorite coffee and Stelle’s affinity for garbage, but that was neither here nor there.)
“So you’re the Vigilant Yaksha,” said Himeko, and Xiao tried not to bristle at the title… but it hurt less, this time.
“Please, just call me Xiao.”
“Very well, Xiao,” responded Himeko with a warm smile. “Welcome aboard the Astral Express.”