Cold...
So cold...
A pair of icy golden eyes slowly opened.
What came into view was a rough, frigid floor.
His limbs were shackled in cold, heavy iron chains.
A heavy steel collar locked tightly around his neck.
The air was thick with filth, saturated with the stench of mold.
Moonlight seeped through a tiny window, casting a pale, cold glow.
Coldness ruled everything here. The only trace of warmth—if it could be called that—was in the man's eyes.
Golden pupils that should have held warmth were instead colder than the walls, the moonlight, even the chains.
"Alatus, time to get to work."
A sinister smile curled across the face of a man in a black coat, his expression harsh and cruel.
The prison door creaked open. A monster stepped inside, keys in hand, and unlocked Alatus's shackles.
Alatus stared at the black-clad man with frozen eyes, then moved toward him like a lifeless machine.
"If you kill enough tonight, I'll reward you."
The man gently stroked Alatus's cheek with a mock affection, his gaze full of greed.
He never imagined the boy he had captured by chance would be a born fighter—an absolute war machine. Alatus's combat prowess was absurdly high and had served him well in countless battles.
Even so, the black-cloaked Archon never fully trusted him.
After every mission, Alatus was thrown back into this freezing cell, locked away until he was needed again.
He didn't complain, didn't need food—just needed to devour the enemy's "Beautiful Dreams" during combat.
If he had two more obedient and powerful weapons like Alatus, there'd surely be a place for him among the Seven Seats of the Archons.
Thinking of this, his gaze toward Alatus grew even more possessive.
"Let's go. We're going to slaughter them good tonight!"
With a wave of his hand, he led Alatus and all his forces in an attack on another Archon's stronghold.
Teyvat was always more chaotic at night. Thunderous clashes and explosions echoed from every direction.
There were only seven Archons, but countless others vied for power. Fighting had become routine—some couldn't even sleep without a battle.
Alatus stood alone beside the black-robed Archon, a swarm of soldiers at his back.
They were fully prepared to take the enemy down, devour them, and expand their domain.
The Archon scoffed with confidence, eyes sharpening in the next second.
"Kill!"
At his command, Alatus led the charge, followed by an army of monsters and soldiers.
"We're under attack!!"
The alarm blared inside the enemy's base. Everyone sprang into action, grabbing weapons and rushing out.
In a world like this, even a single peaceful night's sleep was a rare luxury.
Enemy assaults could strike at any moment, and everyone lived constantly on edge, ready to fight.
But Alatus's power was overwhelming. Alone, he carved a path straight into the enemy ranks, cutting them down with terrifying force.
"It's Alatus! That merciless demon—kill him first!"
"Hurry! If we take him out, we can fight back!"
The enemy forces focused all their fire on Alatus. His murderous reputation had spread far and wide—even children cried at the mention of his name.
His most distinct features: a sharp, youthful face, piercing golden eyes filled with killing intent, short dark green hair, and a long spear in hand.
They said anyone caught in his gaze would die a terrible death.
Because he didn't just kill—he devoured their Beautiful Dreams.
Surrounded on all sides, Alatus remained unfazed. His eyes stayed cold and empty, regarding the attackers like they were already corpses.
With years of battle experience behind him, breaking through this siege was nothing new.
He stomped down hard, splitting the ground beneath him. His body soared into the air, then came crashing down with his spear, wrapped in immense power.
BOOM!!!
A deafening blast shook the earth, forming a crater on impact. Thick smoke and yellow sand swallowed the battlefield.
Within the haze, a shadow flitted back and forth like a ghost.
Each flash brought fresh screams.
As the smoke cleared, Alatus stood drenched in blood at the center of a pile of corpses.
The soldiers who'd encircled him now lay lifeless on the cold ground.
Seeing this, his allies' morale surged. Weapons in hand, they stormed the city.
Screams and destruction soon echoed from within.
The black-robed Archon approached with a twisted smile.
"You did well." He patted Alatus's shoulder.
"Now, it's time to devour their Beautiful Dreams."
Hearing those words, Alatus trembled slightly. Deep within his frozen heart, something resisted—fierce and sudden.
Noticing his hesitation, the Archon's smile faded.
"What's wrong? Don't want to?"
"These are your favorite Beautiful Dreams. They're right here in front of you. Don't you want a taste?"
Under his coaxing, Alatus grew more uncomfortable. He looked at the fallen bodies around him, his mind trapped in turmoil.
He did like devouring Beautiful Dreams, but doing it after slaughtering people... it tore at him.
"Come on. Don't fight it. Try it."
The Archon sneered, shoving a corpse toward him.
Faced with the Beautiful Dream so close, Alatus swallowed hard. Slowly, his hand reached out.
"Yes, that's it… It's right there… Devour it…"
The Archon's grin grew feral, clearly relishing this moment.
"No!"
With a furious roar, Alatus shoved the corpse away.
The sudden defiance caught the Archon off guard. His expression darkened. He raised his right fist and hurled it at Alatus's face, wind howling behind the blow.
BOOM!!!!!
A violent gust exploded outward, whipping Alatus's hair in all directions.
He widened his eyes—before him was the familiar tip of a spear.
He looked up along the shaft and saw a back he knew all too well.
"Well, well. The mighty Yaksha Guardian. Been a few days—why are you so weak now?"
Elliot turned, a soft smile on his face.
And at that moment, Xiao slowly opened his eyes.
He stood frozen, staring at the familiar forest around him.
...It was just a dream.
Two clear tears rolled down his cheeks.
"Damn that guy…"
"Saving me in reality wasn't enough…"
"Even in my dreams, he has to show up and save me…"
Thinking of Elliot's smile from the dream, Xiao couldn't help but smile himself.
That guy's mouth... still as annoying as ever.
"Even if you didn't come, I could've handled it…"
Leaning against the gravestone, Xiao pouted and muttered softly.