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"No, your left foot needs to be forward and right foot back, got it ?"

"Y-yeah, I think so—"

"Good, the suns going down now so it's best we finish for today. We will continue tomorrow at sun rise. I'll wake you up."

"Y-yes master !"

I shout out tired from all the training, while I'm catching my breath though, I'm pretty sure I caught a glimpse of Xiao blushing from me calling him master.

"Do you want me to cook anything for dinner ?"

He shakes his head.

"I'll be making grilled tiger fish then."

Xiao just looks off into the distance. Like he's somewhere else completely.

"What're you thinking of ?"

"Nothing that should concern you."

"Oh come on, we're closer than that right ? Tell me, what's up ?"

"I'll talk but keep your eyes on what you're cooking, wouldn't want our food to burn."

I nod.

"Well you see, I remember this place where you set up your camp. This was the place I fought together with Rex Lapis for the first time. Back in his prime he was a beast. He could hold off billions of hilichurls, abyss mages, and lawachurls all at once. I admired him for his strength."

"How did you two meet ?"

"Memories from that far long ago are quite hazy, but I remember this field. I remember seeing Rex... no, Morax fend of tons of enemies that other Gods sent to attack him during the Archon War. At that time I was powerless really. The sheer amount of enemies pouring in was too much for me to handle at the time. But Morax barely even lifted a finger and they all went flying."

"Huh, the Rex Lapis from the Archon War seems to be much more different than the Rex Lapis today."

"It goes without saying, even time changes the most sturdiest of rocks... This was also the place I lost some people very important to me. Lie here are the burial grounds of some of the other Yaksha. The curse of a long life is that you must part ways with people you once thought you could never live without."

I don't say anything. I just let Xiao ramble on about his bygone days. At some point he stops, and I see him shed a single tear, illuminated by the moonlight.

"Dinners ready."

He takes his food and quietly eats. I do the same. And with that, another day ends.

"Xiao ! Do you wanna sleep next to me~?"

"No, I'll stand guard."

"Are you sure about that ? It's cold out her and your clothes aren't exactly good for the cold winds at night."

"I'm fine. Really."

"If you say so."

I quietly walk into my tent and fall asleep.

————

I go about the same routine for another week or so. I wake up. Make Xiao his Almond Tofu and we train for the rest of the day. I must say it's gotten exhausting training all the time but I have gotten stronger. My sword hits harder and I'm faster.

"But it's all because Xiao is a great teacher !"

"Heh, you flatter me."

I think we've gotten a bit closer too, he's opened up to me a bit more about his past. His life must be very sad. But I'm sure he's still happy he got to meet good people, despite having to say goodbye.

"We're done for the night. Go get some rest. You deserve it. You've gotten much stronger her already."

"Again, it's because you're a great teacher !"

Xiao just looks away and blushes. He's so cute~

"Alright I'm going to bed now, are you sure you still don't want to sleep next to me ?"

He nods.

"One day... I'll get you to sleep next to me... one day."

And that's the end of another, highly productive day.

It may have been the end of the day for Y/N, but the night had just begun.

You see, the abyss order have been spying on Xiao and Y/N for a while now, and they have decided now is the best time to strike. Xiao is tired from barely sleeping all week and training Y/N, so they just freeze him and the fight is over.

"Hi there." Said Xiao who was behind the abyss mages about to ambush him.

Xiao smirks and thrusts his polEARM towards the abyss mages but it teleports right in time and puts his shield up. Xiao doesn't want the fight to drag on so he immediately enters his Guardian Yaksha state where he laces his polearm with Anemo dealing Anemo damage to whatever he hits, and greatly increasing his speed and attack.

Xiao jumps into the air and pierces through the Cryo Abyss Mages shield and leaves it dazed to go attack the Hydro Abyss Mage. This one is a smart one though, since while Xiao was going after the Cryo abyss mage, they set up a bunch of bubbles to graph Xiao if he got any closer.

What they didn't expect though, was for Xiao to throw his polearm, pierce one of the bubbles, and use that opening to smash through the abyss mages shield Xiao is able to pull it off obviously and then lines himself up for one final thrust to impale both abyss mages ah once. Until he hears something.

"XIAO ! HELP ! A PYRO ABYSS MAGE ATTACKED ME IN MY SLEEP— PLEASE HELP !"

Xiao didn't know what to do. But protecting

Y/N was his top priority. So he left the two abyss mages alone to fight the Pyro abyss mage and save Y/N, but just before he could pierce it's shield a bubble traps him.

He struggles to get out but as soon as the bubble is popped he got struck with ice from the Cryo Abyss Mage.

"Xiao... no !"

Y/N felt helpless. He couldn't do anything to save their friend. Well maybe Xiao was more than a friend to Y/N but still.

Y/N felt searing pain in their back and let out a restrained scream. The Pyro Abyss mage burned Y/N's back and didn't stop.

Meanwhile, Xiao could still hear and see everything. But couldn't move. He heard Y/N's screams of agony, and he saw the abyss mage burning them.

So, there he was helpless. Unable to protect someone he cared for.

Xiao felt a deep hatred for the world. How could he let another person he cared for— no, loved die in front of him for another time ?

But deep down, he accepted his fate. If he were to die then and there he wouldn't have longed for a better life. And that point death was a sweet escape. So Xiao closed his eyes. And waited for the darkness.