Chapter 25: Flames and Frost 3

It's morning, and I'm tying a sharp edge of a wood with a long branch. I used some rope from the wreckage.

I had some memories of tying things, but with small hands and the strength of a child, it's hard to do so.

"Whew, finally done." 

I approached the tree and started raising the hook upward. One by one, I hooked the fruits and put them in a makeshift bag. I managed to get twelve fruits, which is better than nothing.

Wiping my forehead, I decided to go back to the cave.

There's still no sign of any people around, we also could not find any manmade trail around the area. If by tomorrow there are still no people, we might have to go on our way and try to find them ourselves.

"Leon, I'm back,"

Upon arriving, I looked around but I couldn't find Leon.

"Where did he go?"

Wondering, I put down the bag on the floor and surveyed the surroundings.

"Leon! Where are you?!"

I shouted, hoping to hear a reply from him yet I received no answer.

Deciding to go and find him myself, I explored the nearby faunas and trees around. 

The forest was loud with the song of nature, the birds singing and the wind whispering in a cold breeze. Its ambient atmosphere with the mud from the storm made me remember our homeland.

The terrain was hard to walk into. Some of the mud had already hardened but there are still a few puddles that are quite wet and sticky. 

I continued to call for his name as I walked through the forest. He shouldn't be able to go far, I was only gone for a few minutes. Maybe I should search somewhere else.

As I walked while thinking of where to go next, I noticed a few footprints in the corner of my eyes.

"There you are."

I followed the footprints to the depths of the forest, leading me to a small clearing with a pond in the middle.

In there, I saw a creature I never saw before in person. There, is a blue water bubble floating above the water. The creature is entirely made of water with a big bubble surrounded by a few small bubbles floating beside it. It has something resembling an eye in the middle.

I kept my distance and crouched behind a few bushes nearby observing the creature. 

"A hydro eidolon."

They're a type of mob in the game, I'm sure there are a few non-hostile ones but they're mostly hostile from the game perspective.

"Wait, I think those are called hydro phantasm or something like that."

Muttering to myself, I slowly moved mirroring its direction as I tried to avoid its line of sight or the eye-like thing on its face. Not sure how they could see.

As I moved, I felt a bump on my side and fell.

"Ouch,"

"Wha- Leon?!"

"Oh, hi Leo,"

Leon was there. W'hat is he doing here?' I thought.

"Why are you here? I was trying to find you."

"I saw that bubble thing and followed it, what's that?! It's the first time I've seen one!"

"That's a hydro eidolon or something like that. Let's go back, I don't know how it will respond if it sees us."

"..."

"What's wrong?"

After I asked, Leon slowly pointed his finger behind me.

"...Don't tell me,"

I slowly looked behind and saw the hydro eidolon. The once cute-looking bubble was now looking down upon us with his towering figure.

Yup, this one's dangerous.

I grabbed Leon's hand and dashed.

"Run!"

***

We're hiding behind a rock and are breathing heavily. That thing was a tainted hydro phantasm, a dangerous type of hydro eidolon.

It chased us while shooting droplets of water like a machine gun. It's just water, but I feel like we'll die if hit by those. Fortunately, we were fast on our feet and with a few lucky stumbles managed to dodge it. The god of luck must have really blessed us.

"Are you okay, Leon?"

"Ahaha that was fun!"

"Shhhh"

He just can't help but yell it can't he? And fun? We almost lost our lives!

"Enough yelling, is it still following us?"

Leon peeked on the side, his eyes scanning the area.

"It's still there,"

This is going to be a long day, if we survive that is. Hopefully, it's not that strong. There's no way that thing is as strong as local legends, can it? Hopefully not, those things in the game are stronger than a certain Dragon in Mondstadt.

We need to get out of here somehow, there should be a way.

I peeked out of the rock and there I saw it searching around the bushes and trees, soon it'll find us.

There must be something that can help us. 

As I searched for anything in our surroundings, my eyes landed on a part of the forest with lush bushes and tall trees and an idea came to mind.

"Leon, I think I found a way we can get out of here."

***

The tainted hydro phantasm surveyed the surroundings as I and Leon readied ourselves with stones in hand.

"On a count of three, one... two.....three!"

Leon threw the stone, getting the attention of the tainted hydro phantasm. He dashed towards the lush part of the forest and it followed behind him.

"Come here!" I threw the stone and it changed targets and started following me in the opposite direction.

It fired water bullets as I took refuge behind trees and waited for its attacks to end.

"Dumbass! I'm here!" Leon threw another rock and taunted him. The tainted hydro phantasm looked in his direction in irritation.

I took the opportunity to run to where Leon was. Noticing me, it raised its hands and fired water bullets at me.

I continued to run as fast as I could and barely managed to dodge its attacks as I tackled the ground face-first. A searing pain ignited on my arm as it was grazed by its bullets. Blood slowly dripped yet I knew I couldn't stop here and continued to dash forward.

"Leon! Let's go!" 

We rushed towards the clearing and took a turn to where there was tall grass. The tainted hydro phantasm continued to follow us. Signs of irritation formed at its huge eye and it recklessly shot a barrage of bullets at the tall grass.

The grass was cut and dirt was thrown into the air, its attacks becoming more and more violent.

We continued to run forward where more trees and bushes waited. Hope filled me as I reached the bushes, yet Leon was not as fortunate as me.

"Argh!!!"

I heard Leon scream behind me. Horror filled my whole being. I stopped in my tracks and spent no time thinking. I ran back and saw the tainted hydro phantasm raining bullets on Leon.

I ran towards it with my small hands forming a fist. I lunged forward and punched it yet to no avail. My hands merely went passed and my arm was stuck inside its body.

"No!"

I gave all my strength and tried to pull it back, I could feel something was starting to tighten around my arm and more and more I was starting to panic. In desperation, I pushed its body back with my other arm causing it to also get stuck inside its body.

It looked at me as if relishing my despair. It raised its arm and held my head. With a swing of his arms, he pushed my whole body inside of him. Tears formed yet it got mixed with water inside its body, I saw my life flash before my eyes.

A crushing pressure enveloped me as my consciousness slowly fades. Is this the end? I was just reborn and I'm already dying. I don't want it to end here. No! I want to do much more! I can't die here!

I felt my strength leave my body, I had nothing more to use to fight it, did I even have anything at all? Then I remembered. I have something left, a last struggle.

With all my will, I tried to absorb everything, the tainted hydro element, its life, its consciousness. 

The Tainted hydro phantasm jerked. Its whole body trembled and It spit me back out. My body limped, I could not feel any strength. The tainted hydro phantasm pointed its hand towards me and fired another round of water bullets.

As if possessed, I knew what I needed to do. I raised my hand towards the tainted phantasm, the bullets it fired vanished, and particles of tainted energy were sucked into my body. I absorbed its power.

It continued to shoot and I continued to absorb everything. Soon, it regressed back to a bubble, and finally, not even a droplet was left.

In myself, I could feel a foreign substance enter my soul. Unlike the rejection I felt when I tried to absorb the magical crystal chunk or the uncomfortable feeling from Indemnitium back at Focalors domain, this time, I felt comfort as if I was taking a dip at the hot springs. The corrupted energy integrated into my soul and I felt as if I had grown a new limb.

I breathed heavily and coughed. My strength slowly came back, but all I had in my mind was Leon. Tears fell and I stood up and walked towards him. 

What would I tell Papa? Leon was very young, he didn't deserve to die.

Such thoughts filled my mind as I approached Leon's corpse.

As I approached his body, I was left in shock.

In there, he sat with his clothes torn, yet no wounds were visible. There's not even a single cut or bruise. 

I was filled with confusion but gladness and relief overpowered the questions that filled my mind.

"Leo, that was cool! How did you do that? Teach me!"

Leon asked, but I ignored his question.

I rushed at him and hugged him tightly.

***

Back at the cave.

I used Leon's torn clothes as a makeshift bandage for the cut on my arm. We safely made it back to the cave without any trouble. I don't want to experience something like that again.

"Leo! How did you do that? Tell me!" Leon asked as he shook my shoulders.

"I don't know, I just did what I feel like doing,"

"But that doesn't make any sense." He said as he let go of me.

"Same to you, how did you survive that?" I asked.

"Survive? Yeah, would tickling kill you?"

"Tickling?"

"Yes, I was screaming you know. It was not a good feeling."

"..."

'This is so unfair, I feel like I'm the only one getting traumatized.'

"Whatever, just go eat." I said, not wanting to talk to him anymore.

"Awww, you won't tell me?"

"I told you, I don't know how it works!"

Theories ran in my mind as i thought back on that time.

'How did I even do that? It's the same elemental energy as the magical crystal chunk. There might be some differences but it should still be the same no? Is it because of where it came from? Or is it because of some outer interference, corruption maybe?'

As my mind continued to wander, Leon tugged on me and asked. "How did you get these? It was high up when we took some yesterday."

In reply I said. "I used a hook."

"Hook? What's that?"

".."

"So a hook is..."

And so spent the rest of the day doing answers, questions, and explanations again.

****************

Nighttime came and Leon was already sleeping inside the cave. 

I lay down on my bed, but my thoughts prevented me from falling asleep.

I kept wondering how it worked. There should be a trigger, but what is it? If I can make it manual I might be able to use this power to the fullest. What can I even absorb? 

As I pondered, a thumping noise reverberated outside. Curious, I got up and cautiously looked outside.

But before I could step out, a towering figure much larger than the Tainted hydro phantasm earlier stood in front of the cave. 

It has white fur with spikes of ice growing at the back of its arm, it has a black body and a bluish-black mask worn on its face. Blue horns resembling ice grew from its head and it has a robust giant body.

In front of the cave stood a Frostarm Lawachurl.