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He had never wanted to fight. But, alas, here he was, fighting alongside a mercenary who had earned his respect against a shared enemy.
He’d sworn to protect the forest and all its inhabitants. This included Haypasia. He wouldn’t let these cursed Fatui pass. He’d taken them down before, and he would do it again.
He felt the hairs inside his ear twitch. He felt the change in the weather without the change in the atmosphere. He knew it was wrong. The lightning felt wrong. Soldiers started dropping left and right as lightning struck indiscriminately. Dehya ran. He started to run with her.
Then everything went white. He saw flashes of an unfamiliar face, filled with rage and pain and determination for power. And betrayal, but he didn’t know from whom. Then, everything went black.
Cyno had stayed in Pardis Dhyai instead of moving to Sumeru City on Al-Haitham’s orders. They may have been on the same side, but he didn’t trust him enough to follow orders blindly. He would make his way over there when he felt it was time. He also wanted to confirm Haypasia’s safety; he knew it was important to Tighnari. But when no one came to rendezvous, he became suspicious.
When he reached the building where he suspected Tighnari would hide Haypasia, his heart dropped through his chest. Haypasia was asleep, as he expected, but there was chaos beside her. Haypasia had been set on the side of the bench, but there was someone beside her. At first, Cyno couldn’t see who it was. All he could see was a battle-weary but alert Traveller, and Dehya leaning over the other person laying on the bench.
Cyno, silent and stoic, marched up to the bench. The Traveller stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.
“You may want to... take a second.”
Cyno narrowed his eyes. The question was clear -- why?
Before the Traveller could answer, Cyno heard Dehya muttering to herself. “Come on... come on, Tighnari. You can do this.”
At the mention of Tighnari, Cyno pushed past the Traveller and willed himself to keep his composure. It was the hardest thing Cyno had ever done. On the bench, Tighnari laid limp and unconscious. Occasionally, he would twitch or grimace... and those were the only signs that he was even alive. Someone, likely Dehya, had taken his shirt off. But from what Cyno could see, there wasn’t much left of it. Strips of burnt fabric and melted jewelry littered the floor nearby. Across Tighnari’s chest was a patchwork of burns and battle wounds.
“What happened?” The tension in Cyno’s voice was palpable.
Dehya was too wrapped up in performing what appeared to be triage, so the Traveller answered his question instead. “He and Dehya were protecting Haypasia. But the Balladeer, the person who is trying to become the New God, got involved. He summoned a storm, and one of the lightning bolts hit Tighnari.”
That may have been what happened, but it didn’t explain Tighnari’s state. While it was unpleasant, Tighnari had been struck by lightning before. It was a rare occurrence in the forest, but was an occupational hazard if he needed to search the forest for lost travellers in a severe storm. This was not what happened when Tighnari was just struck by lightning.
“And he hasn’t woken up?”
“No.”
“Then it wasn’t just lightning.”
Cyno stood behind Dehya’s shoulder. His heart may as well have shattered at the state Tighnari was in, but he’d never show it. “What is happening?”
Dehya pressed her ear to Tighnari’s chest. “His heart isn’t beating right, it’s stuttering.” She lifted up her head and turned to Cyno. “But I don’t know how to fix it. The only person who would know how to fix it is-”
“I can fix it.” Cyno gently, but firmly, guided Dehya away from her spot at Tighnari’s side and placed himself there. “Tighnari taught me.” Cyno put both his hands on Tighnari’s chest, one above his heart and the other on his abdomen. If someone looked closely, they could see a dim glow to Cyno’s vision. Tighnari’s whole body jerked, and Cyno caught his head before it could hit the hard bench. It took all of Cyno’s willpower to wait patiently for the shock to do what it needed to do. He then took a step back, and motioned for Dehya to resume her spot.
She quickly returned to her post, and placed an ear against Tighnari’s chest. “Thank the gods,” she sighed, before picking herself up to her usual strong stance, “it’s beating normally.” She stood and turned to Cyno. “How did you do that?”
Cyno didn’t answer, but his grip on his spear became far more relaxed. “The next stage of the plan has to start. Now.”
The Traveller was the first to object. He wasn’t surprised, they were one of the most empathetic people that he had ever met. “We can’t just leave them here!”
“We won’t. But you need to ready yourself for your fight against this so-called New God. And Dehya also has a vital role to play that cannot be fulfilled from Pardis Dhyai. I will stay here with Tighnari and Haypasia, and fulfill my role as needed when the time comes. If necessary, it can be reassigned.”
Anyone could tell by Dehya’s stance that she wanted to fight Cyno on his decision. But anyone wise could see from Cyno’s stance that his choice was made, and nonnegotiable. So both Dehya and Traveller said their goodbyes and left to continue their missions.
Cyno loyally stood watch over Tighnari and Haypasia. It broke his heart to see Tighnari beside someone who he knew that Tighnari wanted to protect. Cyno felt a miniscule swell of pride; he knew that Tighnari must have fought to protect Haypasia for every moment that he could.
He didn’t know how long he stood guard. Every creak, every noise, caught Cyno’s attention until he could deem that it wasn’t a threat. He’d worked as a guard and a soldier for long enough that the time didn’t matter. What he was protecting was the only thing that mattered. Tighnari, and by extension Haypasia, they mattered.
He stood guard. And he waited for a signal for him to act.
Eventually, that signal came as a sound of pained effort from Tighnari. While he kept his attention around the room, he turned to Tighnari.
Tighnari was awake, he could tell, but his eyes were closed. Cyno watched as Tighnari slowly began to move around. First, he twitched his fingers, then, his feet. But once he passed the point of confirming he wasn’t paralyzed, Tighnari tried to push himself up. But the moment he did, it was clear to both Cyno and Tighnari how hurt he really was.
As soon as any weight was put on his arm, a shout of pain rang out through the room. Tighnari’s eyes shot open as he grit his teeth and tried to catch his breath from the sudden pain of simply trying to wake up. Tighnari frantically looked around, eyes unfocused and frazzled.
“Tighnari.” Cyno put his hand on Tighnari’s cheek, afraid to touch anywhere else or move Tighnari in a way that could hurt him somehow. “Breathe. It’s going to be alright.”
After a moment of panic, Tighnari’s breathing began to even out from painful gasps. It wasn’t optimal, but it was better.
Cyno didn’t want to press, but he needed to know what happened. From both a General’s perspective, and of someone who cared for Tighnari deeply.
“It was-” Tighnari whimpered as his chest was wracked with pain, “lightning. From the Balladeer.”
The Balladeer. But there was more to it. He knew that was, there had to be.
“Okay. What else?”
The more Tighnari tried to think, the more panicked he became. He spoke through the pain “I saw what Haypasia saw. I felt him.”
So that’s what it was. The lightning did it’s damage, but the dooming factor was the divinity imbued within it. Haypasia had been exposed to it and had lost consciousness for days, and there was the possibility that she would no longer be sane when she woke up. Tighnari may not have been seeking a connection with divinity, but he was a practiced scholar, protector of Irminsul. He was already well-equipped to potentially connect with the divine. It filled Cyno with rage now that he knew that divinity that Tighnari had never even asked for had been forced into him, and now he was under immense suffering because of it.
“You’re going to be okay, Tighnari.” Cyno kept his spear in one hand, and took Tighnari’s left hand in his other hand. “I promise. I’m going to keep you safe.”
Tighnari nodded, his face scrunched in pain. He tried to thank Cyno, but he could only produce pained half-words. Cyno felt him squeeze his hand. It wasn’t a white-knuckle grip, but it was strong, likely as much strength as Tighnari could muster.
“Is there anything I can do to help you?”
Tighnari shook his head -- but then his eyes shot open. He instinctually reached out for Cyno with both his hands, despite the cry of pain that erupted from his chest as he did so.
“Tighnari, calm down! It’s okay.” Cyno took his hands, not only to provide comfort but to keep Tighnari from moving anymore. “What’s wrong??”
“He’s coming--” Tighnari gasped, through pain and what Cyno recognized as something else: terror. “Cyno, he’s coming. You need to--” he was cut off by another wave of pain, and he wasn’t able to continue speaking through the effort that was needed simply to breathe through the pain. But Cyno was only half concerned that Tighnari wasn’t able to tell him what he wanted to do. Cyno wanted to know, but knew that whatever Tighnari told him may not matter. Cyno already knew what he was going to do. He was going to stay by Tighnari’s side, no matter what.
“I’m not going anywhere.” Cyno held Tighnari’s hands to his chest. “I’ll keep you safe.”
“Run, Cyno, please.” Tighnari choked, pushing his hands against Cyno’s chest.
In between Tighnari’s pained gasps, Cyno took both of Tighnari’s hands in one of his, and held his spear in another. He lightly kissed Tighnari’s hands. “I will never leave you.” His determination to protect them only strengthened when he saw Tighnari’s tears finally break through. “Tighnari, look at me, please.” Tighnari did. “I will never leave you. I will keep you safe.” Tighnari nodded. Cyno felt a tug on his hand, and let Tighnari pull his hand back. With the little strength he had, Tighnari brought Cyno’s hands to his forehead, Cyno felt Tighnari nod against his hands.
A new voice rang out from the entryway. “Oh, you should have listened to him. He knows what he’s talking about.”
Cyno turned on his heels and took a protective stance in front of Tighnari and Haypasia.
It was the Balladeer. But he looked awfully human to be a god.
“He failed. His last thought as a god--” Tighnari gasped, using all his effort to speak, “he wanted to find his followers.”
Followers. Plural. The Balladeer was no longer only protective of Haypasia; he wanted Haypasia and Tighnari, if he saw those who connected with his consciousness, even briefly, as his followers. Cyno wasn’t going to let that happen.
“He usually does.” Cyno remarked. His voice was dull, but his body language portrayed how serious he was. “You, however, appear to be playing the fool.”
“I was betrayed! Destined for godhood, but reduced to this.” He motioned to his body with disgust. “They,” he scowled, “are only reminders to my failure. They need to be dealt with.”
“They did nothing to you.”
“They have. Their intentions mean little to me.”
“You’re failure,” Cyno spat, “does not warrant their deaths. But the next choice you make may warrant yours. Make one move towards them, and your delusions will surely end, False God.”
Electricity filled the room, arcs of lightning dancing from one window to another and condensing in the arches above them. Cyno looked up in awe, and fury, as the same lightning that tortured Tighnari prepared to strike again. The weather was no longer being manipulated, but that didn’t mean the electro element wouldn’t deal extraordinary damage.
A scream behind Cyno tore his attention away from his opponent. His heart nearly leapt out of his chest when he saw Tighnari was no longer on the bench where he had been trying to rest. He was a crumpled, panicked mess on the floor in front of it. He had seen the lightning above them, and it a flurry of panic, had tried to find shelter from it. Instead, his body betrayed him as he tried to flee and he fell onto the floor with little resistance. He screamed as he hit the ground, curling into himself to try and muster any protection that he could. But it had only brought pain.
The Balladeer took the opportunity to strike. A concentrated bolt of lightning shot towards Cyno. He sensed the strike coming, and embraced it. He conducted the lightning with his spear, and let the burning sensation travel through his shoulders, to his stomach, and then back out his hand, taking the form of the claws of a jackel. He slashed the air and sent the scrambled lightning back towards the Balladeer, who dodged.
“An electro vision.” He remarked. “How annoying.”
Cyno could see the gears turning in the Balladeer’s mind as he found a new strategy. He raised his hands in the air and began to attack the structure itself. Cracks rippled through the supports of the building and the archways threatened to crumble. Cyno raced to find a plan of action. If the building fell, would he be able to get both Tighnari and Haypasia out? Would he be able to keep himself safe long enough to do so? As pieces of the structure began to fall, the Balladeer grinned. Cyno abhored that the Balladeer had found a way to wrench the advantage to his own side. But the Balladeer’s grin faltered and he and Cyno made the same observation.
The building was cracking, but it wasn’t falling. They both looked up, trying to figure out why that was, or wasn’t happening. Cyno saw it first.
Vines were holding the building together.
Both Cyno and the Balladeer turned to see Tighnari, shaking with a mixture of effort and pain, pressing his vision against the floor. The marble beneathe it was cracked, and sections of viney roots could be seen growing from the vision and into the floor.
The Balladeer shouted with rage, hurling more lightning at Tighnari. Cyno, again, redirected it. The Balladeer charged forward, burning with anger. Cyno charged forward, releasing a wave of electro which the Balladeer charged, then stopped.
“That attack is useless! I’m as adept with electro as you are! Even if you somehow managed to land a hit, it would be useless.” Then, he took a step back and grinned. He continued to attack the building and its supports.
He was right. And Cyno knew it. They were at a stalement. More accurately, they were at a stalement until Tighnari collapsed, which was only a matter of time. It was a miracle that he was able to keep the building together. But Tighnari was always, always strong enough to do what he needed to, even when Cyno wished he didn’t need to be. It was a strength he possesed even before he had gained Kusanali’s favor.
“Cyno... take it.”
His eyes flickered to where Tighnari was focused on maintaining the vines. His dendro vision was now only in one hand versus the two, and he was clearly on the verge of collapse. He was pushing his vision towards Cyno as he lost the battle to keep himsel upright.
“You.. can use it.”
What was he talking about? People couldn’t use others’ visions.
But as the building finally begin to groan, and debris began to fell, Cyno knew that now was not the time to think about what was and wasn’t possible, especially in front of someone who believed themself to a god who was entitled to take the lives of those who hadn’t even chose to connect with him.
Cyno gently took the vision in his hands as Tighnari fell back to the ground. He pressed the dendro vision to his chest and felt the power race through him. It felt like Tighnari, who he knew and loved more than anyone on this earth. Who he would protect.
He clipped the vision next to his own as the Balladeer’s smugness shifted to confusion. “That’s a useless trinket when worn by you.”
But... he still looked worried.
And he should be worried.
Cyno rushed forward, his electro powering up as jackal claws formed around his fists. But this time, the evolution didn’t end. Thorny vines formed inside the projects, creating a physical weapon that the Balladeer couldn’t redirect. He frantically dodged Cyno’s wrath, but only once. He swung his fists again and caught the Balladeer by the fabric of his hat. When he fell, Cyno unleased the burst that he had seen Tighnari unleash against countless enemies. He swung his spear, and dendro infused vines arched towards the Balladeer -- and hit their mark. The Balladeer flew backwards from the strength of the vines.
Now on the ground, Cyno stalked towards his fallen opponent. He drew his spear, but as he plunged it towards the Balladeer, a chunk of debris was dislodged from the ceiling. He leapt back, and when the dust cleared, the Balladeer was gone.
With the threat gone, and the vines holding the rest of the building in place, Cyno rushed back to Tighnari, still unconcious on the floor. Cyno unclipped Tighnari’s vision and placed it on his chest. “This is yours.” He said gently, placing the vision on Tighnari’s chest. “Thank you for letting me borrow it.”
A green glow bloomed from the vision and seeped into Tighnari’s chest. Cyno pulled Tighnari onto his lap and watched gratefully as Tighnari’s eyes fluttered open. Cyno pressed his forehead against Tighnari’s and heard a small sound of contentment from Tighnari.
“How did you know that would work?” Cyno whispered, afraid to speak any louder.
“Urban legends. Myths. I wasn’t sure it would.” Tighari’s voice was weather and tired, but filled with less pain than when he’d first woken up. “But I knew there was a chance.”
“You’re incredible.” Cyno muttered, pressing a kiss to Tighnari’s cheek. “You’re incredible.”
He felt Tighnari’s head nod in response. “We’ll talk more later,” Cyno said, picking Tighnari up and sitting with him on the bench next to Haypasia. “Please rest,” Cyno implored. “I’ve got you.”
Not even a minute later, Tighnari is asleep in Cyno’s arms. So Cyno rests, too, knowing that the worst is over, at least for now.
Voices in the distance pulled him from his thought. These voices, however, were familiar.
Dehya had returned, Nilou in tow. She stared at the wreckage in awe.
“Hot DAMN, Cyno! What the hell happened???” The question is answered when she see Tighnari resting in Cyno’s arms.
“Ah, that’ll do it.,” she chuckles as she approaches the bench where they are sitting on the opposite side of the room “Let’s go; I’ll grab Haypasia.”
Cyno nods.