Kaeya's words robbed the air from my lungs swift and sure like a punch to the gut. The weight of his statement alone was enough to plummet me to the bottom of the ocean. I couldn't find the words to respond to his question, the bile pooling in my throat scorching any and all of my abilities to speak. Instead my eyes snapped in the direction on the nearest window, my feet moving on their own accord. Some part of me hoped that by looking out a window the problem would simply just go away, at least I prayed it so. Unfortunately, the prayers effort was as I'd expect, futile and childish with no difference in the outcome. The sky was as Kaeya said, pitch black.

"I...I-I..." I struggled to regain my composure, not that I had much of it to begin with. Instead of explaining the unknown, I doubled back, stating an observation instead, "There's no stars."

"Quite the observation." He clapped, by the tone of his voice I could tell he was smiling, "but that didn't answer my question."

I racked my head for any sort of excuse, an explanation or better yet, an escape. Adrenaline buzzed through my system, I felt my hands tremble, my chest tightened even more. I quietly thanked the gods that my back faced them, obscuring the oh so obvious fear plastered on my face. I clenched my fist in attempt to force the shaking to subside, the tips of my knuckles no doubt becoming white. I needed to run, I needed a way out and fast.

"I don't know. Im sorry." Was all I could manage.

If I ever got out of this situation I was going to definitely kick myself for being so weak, so helpless, so useless. In this situation I was nothing more than a lost child, these people seemingly towering over me like I really was one. I stood in place like a statue, fixing my eyes to the sky in desperation that some stars could show themselves, or better yet, the sun.

"Is that your favorite answer? I don't know?" Kaeya added, his voice getting closer to where I stood.

I could tell Diluc was about to speak given his signature huff of annoyance, "This is getting nowhere. We need-"

A deafening explosion cut off Diluc's sentence. The ground rumbled violently from the aftershocks. Small pieces of debris crumbled from the ceiling. I covered my head and crouched down trying to keep the shattered glass from slicing into my skull. As quickly as the shaking started it vanished, leaving the cathedral in even more of a disheveled state. Finding the courage to stand upright I bolted to the main doors. Shoving my shoulder into the doors they flung open with ease. Regaining my balance I sprinted as fast as I could away from the group not even sparing a glance back.

"I need to wake up. Please fucking wake up." I thought as I practically tumbled down the stairs.

Another explosion tore through the city, this one could practically rip the city apart.  The force flung me into the wall with no time to react. The adrenaline gunning through my veins pulled me back up and kept me going. From the distance I gained for the cathedral I could see the main gate just past the ledge over looking the market.

"The chaos in the main square could give me just enough cover to escape." I thought as I flung myself over the railing into the small fountain below.

The searing pain was quickly numbed by a new wave of adrenaline as I dashed towards the exit.

"Think you could get away?" A voice called out.

In a green flash I was pulled back from the final set of stairs into the main square. Landing flat on my back I could view the one responsible; which was none other than the bard himself. Grunting I pushed myself back up and faced him. I could see the remaining party join him just as the third explosion rang out through the square. We both hit the ground hard from its staggering force. This time I could tell where it was from its proximity. As I lifted my head to observe its damage I caught sight of something much worse. From the peaks of the mountains I saw an abyss mage practically shaking with laughter from the chaos. Only this mage sported a much darker uniform than the original brightly colored mages. What was worse was that it was far from being alone. It's army of mages didn't sport the same look, but their eyes instead matched the blackened sky. Clenching my jaw I wiped the dust from the face and stood back up. A pulsing ache shot threw my head. I winced and gripped at my head, squeezing my eyes shut.

Look forward...

I cracked my eyes open to see the army beginning it's decent, and it's first target being Lynn, the adventurer who always sits by the boiling stove just outside of Mondstat. Without warning I began my next move, whether it was decided from the copius amounts of adrenaline coursing through me or the voice in my head, my legs moved on their own accord. I had decided I was going to save Lynn, and began to sprint directly into the fray.