The Traveler: Mondstadt (Genshin Impact)

Chapter 43

- Irma -

With everyone's help, we had two small tents pitched up in minutes. I don't know exactly how long we've been on this damn mountain but it felt so much better now that we had someplace to keep out the cold. When we planned this, I knew it would be bad, and now that I'm here I realized how bad turned into worse.

The wind was so damn hard and the snow...it just crashed into your face, making your whole body numb. It made it almost impossible to keep moving, especially when you have literal ice pressing against your lower body, putting it into a constant state of shock. Lumine had mentioned something about being a battle of will rather than strength while securing the bottom half of the tent with rocks (to keep air from seeping through) and she was completely right. This was a battle of will.

As Lumine, Kaeya, Ariana, Jean, and I set up the two tents Diluc focused on getting a fire ready right between the two. This might sound weird but I'm fighting the urge to go over there and wrap my arms around the man. I'm two seconds away from testing the theory that Pyro users naturally emit a certain warmth from their bodies thanks to their visions. The only thing keeping me back is that I don't know whether or not he'll shank me.

It's a fifty-fifty chance honestly.

Paimon shivered slightly as she rested in one of the tents, the flap left open while we situated coverings on the floor. She had been clinging to Lumine when they arrived and when I did my best to help warm her up, she was cold to the touch. Right now, I had her wrapped in some spare coverings I managed to sneak in through my bag and a warm bowl of veggie soup. The wonders of having a magic bag.

Our camp setup was set with the tents pushed up against the large wall made by Ariana. Both to protect us against the wind and so that we only had to focus on keeping watch in front of us. The fire just ways in front and between the two. The tents were small, only able to fit three people at most with regular a-framed structures, flaps hung down on the front. The ground is covered in thick pelts so we won't have to rest on cold ground.

"Honorary Knight, do you have any more blankets?"

Well...I tossed my hand into my bag and dug around. I think I packed like five of them in here aside from the ones Hertha gave me. My hands connected with thick rolls of fabric and I pulled out two bundles, one for her and Diluc. She thanked me then walked over to her tent to our right, then closed the flaps behind her.

Diluc kneeled before the fire, finishing a secure structure of some sort of thin twine, arched thin sticks, followed by thicker fuel. He reached out two of his fingers into a small opening in his fire pit then with a settle whoosh! a small fire started up. He gave a small sigh, watching it for a while to make sure it wouldn't go out.

Once he was satisfied, he walked away from it, leaving me to listen to the subtle crackling of wood. I watched it for a while as everyone else walked around securing the area. I didn't really have many survival skills so I was in charge of making sure everyone had what they needed and were in good health. Which is why I was currently watching over Pamion.

After a while, the fire began to grow and I stood up. I walked into the tent then I kneeled down in front of her sitting form. She looked up at me, the bowl in her hands now empty. I took it from her and set it in front of the tent.

"How are you doing?"

She sniffled, "B-better. Paimon still feels really cold but at least she isn't freezing anymore."

"That's good. We should probably set you next to the fire though."

I carefully watched as Paimon hovered towards the fire, the large fabric on her body lightly dragging against the ground until she turned into a small pile of cloth once more. Just as she sat down the three others returned from securing the area. Kaeya, Lumine, and Ariana went on ahead for a bit just to make sure it was safe. The storm had died down significantly so we trusted that they'd be back alright.