uncover | k. albedo

Chapter Twenty-Seven

"Come back. . . don't. . . don't leave me. Please, Cascade. . . I need you--",

With beads of sweat trickling down her forehead, the known archon of dendro hastily sat up from the bed of flowers where she found herself laid at. Her breathing was unstable, erratically coming out of her lips with the accompaniment of her viciously beating heart. She tried her best to recover it's blurry images, no matter how much she couldn't comprehend a surrounding or two. . .but most importantly. That voice.

That voice that seems to be pleading her for help.

It was no doubt a male, basing from how it sounded to her. Though, it confused her greatly due to its unexplainable familiarity. As if she had heard it long before. The way the unknown person called out to her, holds this tender and longing emotions that struck a chord in her- allowing her to feel guilty and horrified upon getting pulled by an unknown vortex before waking up, only to realize that it was nothing but a dream. But why does it looks like it wasn't?

Her pale right hand unconsciously lifted itself to clutch the separated collar of her signature dress, eyes closing as she calmed herself down, letting every single new yet vague information from the dream to settle in a place within her mind. For some reason, Cascade felt like investigating, even if her mind tells her that it wasn't worth the search for it was a mere nightmare. Although, her heart and soul says otherwise, claiming that the person who called to her, was someone so dear and close to her life and is currently in danger.

The young archon is torn from both sides, yet in the end, she chose to ignore and set it aside. Upon regaining her composure, at the same time, the doors that separates the outside world from the shrine was busted open- revealing her trusty scholar and friend, who instantly ran to aid her at the sight of her silhouette. An expression of relief was clearly engraved on his visage, though it was clearly followed to that of annoyance.

"You have waken, and my heart is gladly rejoicing to see you with your eyes open. It's been three weeks", He demystified, reaching out to grab his long coat in order to wrap it around the Lord of Dendro, who shivered at the cool wind that came contact with her sensitive flesh, to which she gratefully thanked him for, not minding the fact that he was now. . .half- naked at some point. But it's traditional in Sumeru, so it's understandable.

Three. . .weeks?

"I've been asleep for that long. . .?", She inquired, rubbing her forehead that came to ache after her wake, easing it with a few strokes and motions as a remedy. Cascade would've just easily use her abilities to heal the migraine that she is having as of now, but her body is yet exhausted and is stripped dry with elemental power despite being laid next to some factors of nature, mainly flowers and leaves.

"Indeed. Three weeks. . .after that visit in Mondstadt. A wind, presumably manipulated by the God of Anemo, have brought you here, unconscious, and elementally unstable", the scholar reciprocated, diverting his gaze from the lass and towards the ground, recalling the events that haven't three weeks prior. It all came by too fast, he was just reading a textbook during those hours, and within a second- a sudden powerful gust of wind have knocked him down from his leisure only to be greeted by an unconscious archon. He was beyond surprised, mortified, even- seeing as her power was flowing rapidly out of her, causing an elemental breakout and instability. Not that he'd tell her that of course.

"I see. Three weeks-- quite a long time that is. My power must be sapped in luscious amounts. I'm feeling dry as of the moment, and it'll take me some time to recover it back", She mumbled, loud enough for him to hear. After some time of deeply concentrating with her thoughts that spiraled out in different directions. A sigh of frustration was then heard from her, followed by a few shuffling before her heels met the ground.