A/n: There won't be an update next week because I have been feeling kinda down lately and writing has been difficult. This will be my first Christmas without my dad and it's been hard to cope. I hope you all will understand. I will try to update this story again in two weeks. 'Til then, I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. Love you all!!!
~✨Celestial✨~
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Xiao arrived on the Shogunate's ship. The storm above was brewing relentlessly. The heavy rain drenched his entire body, but it didn't prove to be an obstacle. Through the downpour, he could see he arrived on the top deck near the stern. He didn't see anyone in sight.

Moving to a neary stairwell that led to the central deck, Xiao saw the men manning the ship. They were all at their stations and doing their parts to prevent the ship from being swallowed by the storm. Alas, Xiao doesn't care what would happen to the ship after he saves Izanami.

Summoning his spear, the adeptus walked down the stairs in silence. He didn't alert the men as he idly stood on the deck. Scanning the faces of the men aboard the ship, he noticed one man was dressed like the Fatui. It was Baron, the man who had plamned the entire operation. He wasn't with his fellow Fatui. He was on his way to Inazuma with the Shogunate.

Xiao was tempted to leap into action but fought the urge. He took a few steps forward after descending the stairwell. It was at that moment the men aboard the ship spotted him. They shouted at the top of their lungs to be heard over the booming thunder. The men warned all of the crew members of the adeptus' presence and abandoned their duties to deal with him. Even Baron joined the fight as he drew his sniper and targeted Xiao.

With his spear, Xiao stood strong amd unwavering against the Shogunate and Fatui. He raised his weapon, deflecting blades and fiery bullets left and right. When finally granted the opportunity to attack, he didn't kill a single soul. He used his spear to knock them unconscious one by one.

Eventually, only Baron was the last man standing. Switching his sniper for a pair of twin daggers, he charged at the adeptus. He swung his blades crazily, but his blows were easily blocked one after another. Growing irritated, his attacks became sloppy and slow. With each swing, he was exhausting himself.

Xiao saw Baron's energy slowy being sapped from his body. He was wearing himself out and the yaksha had yet to even access the depths of his own strength. It was too easy. He thought about letting Baron exhaust himself but decided not to waste aymore time. He delivered a swift blow with his spear, knocking the man's daggers out of his hands. Then, he swept his legs out from underneath him. The Fatui fell to the deck with a groan.

Xiao pointed the sharp tip of his jade spear at Baron's throat. With a death glare, he stared down at the man. "Where is she?"

Baron swallowed in fear. His legs were shaking and his breathing was shallow. He was frightened of the adeptus. In his frightened state, he didn't even try to lie. "Sh-She's in the cargo hold."

The yaksha withdrew his spear, not wasting another second. He descended below deck and headed to the deepest point of the ship. The wicked waves jostled the ship, causing some of the unsecured items to slide around. Xiao was light on his feet and was unaffected by the swaying vessel.

Walking down one final wooden stairwell, Xiao found himself in the deepest part of the ship--the cargo hold. It was vast and empty, void of any and all cargo. Not a single crate or barrel was in sight. However, there was a single person being held captive. It was the person he'd been searching for--Izanami. His heart raced with relief and worry at the sight of her. It was almost a perfect recreation of his nightmare.

Izanami's wrists were bound with chains above her head. She sat on her knees, body hunched over as if she was a marionette waiting for somone to manipulate the strings. Her head hung limpy, her entire face obscured by a metal mask. On the forehead portion of the mask, a strange symbol was engraved in the metal. It radiated with an eerie amethyst glow.

With slightly uneven steps, Xiao stormed over. Summoning his spear, he sliced the chains off Izanami's body and freed her. He caught her limp body with one arm, promptly dematerializing his spear. Kneeling on both knees, he held her body with both arms. The adeptus could feel her even breathing, but she didn't respond. "Nami...?" He weakly whispered her nickname, voice shaking.

No response.

Carefully, Xiao laid Izanami on the floor. He tried to remove the metal mask, but it didn't budge. Trying a few more times, he was still unsuccessful. He couldn't understand what the mask was and why he couldn't remove it. Remembering Baron, he scooped the unresponsive shinigami up into his arms and carried her to the top deck. The rain pelted harshly against his skin as he emerged from below the ship. The death glare from earlier returned. He found the Fatui in the same spot where he left him. "What did you do?" He demanded, his tone lower than usual and brimming with anger.

Baron slowly crawled away from the yaksha. "I-I only did what the Shogunate told me t-to do. They were the o-ones who gave me that m-mask and told me to put it on her! I swear, I-I don't know what it's really for. All I know is it was given to me to make the job easier!"

Suddenly, the ship lurched violently. Xiao's grip on Izanami tighted as he managed to remain on his feet. Lightning struck the turmoiling ocean's surface as thunder roared menacingly. The waves and storm were intensifying, threatening to destroy the ship and drown everyone on board.

Xiao knew he wouldn't get anymore information from Baron. It was too dangerous to remain on the ship any longer since there was no one to navigate the vessel safely through the raging storm. The adeptus spotted land in the distance and did his best to concentrate. He traveled the winds, but it was too much. He couldn't manipulate the chaotic wind like the calm breeze that blew through Liyue. Losing control, he wasn't able to teleport them to the safety of the island. He and Izanami fell into the ocean.

The adeptus' grip never slackened. He kept Izanami close and struggled to keep them both from drowning. Using his strength, he swam through the wrathful water towards land. It was difficult swimming with Izanami's unconscious form. Her head and his dipped below the waves myriad of times. However, he didn't give up. He kept swimming. Even when exhaustion was beginning to gnaw on his body, he didn't stop.

It felt like hours before Xiao reached land. He was on the verge of collapsing as he dragged himself and Izanami out of the water. He didn't make it far before falling to his knees in the sand. He kept an arm around the girl even after putting her down. Vision blurring, he held her closer before falling unconscious.

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Rain pelted against Xiao's skin, soaking his clothes. Dark teal locks clung to his cheeks as he swung his spear around. The demons that had surrounded him fell one by one, their shadow-cladded bodies evaporating into thin air. Dark wisps coiled around the adeptus as he stared down at the ground with a stoic expression.

Hearing the clacking of heels, Xiao lifted his head. He turned to a stone stairwell that led up to what remained of an ancient shrine.

Descending the stairwell was Izanami. She held a parasol decorated with blue poppies, pink chrysanthemums, and white cranes. Lifting the parasol a little, she revealed the smile on her face. "There you are."

"Nami," he whispered her nickname.

She giggled as she walked over to him. "I was wondering where you went. I was starting to worry when you didn't return to the inn."

Xiao didn't respond. He only watched her every move as she came to a stop in front of him. He gazed down into her gold-slit eyes. His half-lidded eyes opened wider when she held the parasol above both of them.

"I'm glad you're okay, Xiao," she said. With her free hand, she placed it on his cheek. She wiped away the rain droplets cascading down his face with her thumb.

He leaned into her touch. His own gloved hand grabbed her exposed one and pressed it firmer against his cheek. His fingers curled around her smaller hand as his eyes slid close. The frigid nip of the rain was vanquished by her warm touch. "Nami, I..." His body shook as he tried to compose himself.

She hushed him, already understanding what he was trying to say. "There's no need for an apology. How about we head home and enjoy some almond tofu?"

Xiao's eyes opened. "Home?"

"Wangshu is our home, isn't it?" She smiled.

"Home..." He muttered the word that felt strange as it rolled off the tip of his tongue. He never thought of Wangshu Inn as a home because he wasn't sure what a home felt like. It was a foreign concept to him. Or perhaps he did know what a home felt like and didn't realize it before now. His heart thumped with joy at knowing he shared a home with Izanami. "Yes. Let's return home."

The rain ceased and the sun emerged from behind the storm clouds, casting its warm rays across all of Liyue.

Izanami lowered the parasol, shaking off the water before closing it. She smiled as she hid the parasol behind her back with both hands. She pushed herself up on the balls of her feet and pressed her lips against his cheek. "But first, you have to wake up."

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A startling gasp escaped Xiao's throat as he regained consciousness. He promptly sat up and found himself in a tatami room. He was laying on a futon and couldn't make a lick of sense where he was. Looking around the room a second time, he saw no sign of Izanami. What he had witnessed was a dream.

Heart racing wildly, Xiao got to his feet and began searching for the shinigami. He left the tatami room, opening any door he came across within the large house. He hadn't come across a single person yet.

After searching an entire corridor, the yaksha came to the end of the hall. He opened the last door and finally found the girl he'd been seeking. He quickly nade his way over, kneeling beside her. The metal mask that obscured her face was still present.

Carefully, Xiao examined the mask closer. He still couldn't make sense of the strange symbol or why he couldn't take it off. He retracted his hand and sat down on the floor. With a single knee up, he rested his arm on top. His other hand combed through his dark teal locks with a frustrated sigh. He hung his head with teeth gritted. "If only..."

Just then, the door slid open. Xiao's head shot up as his attention focused on the person who entered the room. It was a young man with blonde hair and emerald eyes. The adeptus remained on full alert as he got to his feet and stood in a fighting stance. He was ready to attack if the young man tried anything.

"Oh, there you are!" The young man said with a bubbly tone. "You seem to be doing fine, but don't push yourself."

Xiao remained silent, scowling at the stranger. His fingers twitched at the temptation to summon his spear.

Seeing the yaksha's threatening stance and glare, the young man tried to clear the air. "Oh, right! I'm Thoma. Izanami and I are friends."

Some of the tenseness in Xiao's body dispersed. He had heard Izanami mention a man named Thoma before.

"I found you both unconscious on the beach near Konda Village. Seeing you and Izanami needed help, I asked a few associates of mine to help me carry you both back to the Kamisato Estate." Thoma sat down on his knees on the other side of Izanami. "I know you probably don't trust me, but could you tell me what happened?"

Xiao looked dowm at Izanami for a few seconds before spilling the truth. He told Thoma about what happened in Liyue with Osial, the Fatui, and the Shogunate.

After completing his explanation, the door opened a second time. A young woman with snowy blue locks pulled back into a ponytail entered. "Forgive me for interrupting. I heard one of our guests was awake."

"I was just asking what happened," the blonde stated. "It sounded pretty dicey..."

"Regardless of how they got here, I am dedicated to helping them. Izanami is a dear friend who I owe much to." The young woman turned her gaze to Xiao. "I am Ayaka Kamisato. Please, allow me and my friend to help you and Izanami."

"Is there a way to remove the mask?" Xiao asked.

"We have had some people examine the mask in the past week, but no one is able to remove it," Ayaka answered with a frown.

The adeptus' eyes widen. He'd been unconscious for an entire week? He shook his head, knowing it didn't matter. All that did was finding a way to remove the mask. "There must be a way."

"We won't give up."

"Oh!" Thoma shouted as an idea came to mind. "What about Grand Narukami Shrine? Maybe one of the shrine maidens could help."

"Hmm..." Ayaka hummed. "Grand Narukami Shrine does have a separate jurisdiction than the rest of Narukami Island. Although they do worship the Raiden Shogun, it should be safe for us to take Izanami there."

"We cannot waste any more time." Xiao stood up. With help from Thoma, he placed Izanami on his back.

"I shall lead the way," Ayaka responded.

The trio left the Kamisato Estate and started their long trek to Grand Narukami Shrine. Xiao wished he knew the layout of the land so he could teleport them directly to the shrine. All he could do was carry Izanami and follow behind Ayaka.

Not too far along the pathway leading up the mountainside, Thoma broke the silence lingering between them. "So, you met Izanami when she arrived in Liyue?"

"Yes," Xiao quipped awkwardly. He hasn't had many interactions with mortals. He could handle a short conversation if Izanami was there to help him, but she was indispose at the moment. He didn't want to ignore the people who extended a helping hand to him. He wanted to try and converse.

"You two seem close," Ayaka comment.

"We are."

"Like close friends or...?" Thoma inquired.

"As you mortals say, we are a couple."

Xiao regretted his wording. Thoma deduced the yaksha was an immortal and gasped. He then began questioning him left and right. To end the conversation quickly, Xiao told the blonde of his adeptus status. Fortunately, Thoma and Ayaka knew who the adepti were.

"A shinigami and an adeptus romantically involved with each other," Ayaka mumbled. "Never did I believe such a thing would happen. I am happy for you both."

Thoma asked a few more questions. Xiao answered in the shortest way possible and didn't emphasize anything. He still was a little suspicious of the housekeeper and Ayaka even though he was aware of their status as friends of Izanami. His trust had been spread very thin as of late due to what happened in Liyue.

Continuing up the path, Xiao tried to admire the view to distract himself. The beautiful cherry blossoms and the gentle scent they emitted were useless. He couldn't distract himself. His worry for Izanami couldn't be overshadowed by beauty or fragrance.

After two hours, the trio was halfway up the windy path. Their journey had been going smoothly until they were intercepted by two kairagi. Their tall stature and armor were intimidating, but Xiao, Thoma, and Ayaka were unfazed.

"We finally found you," the pyro kairagi said.

"That bounty is ours," the electro kairagi stated. "Hand over the shinigami. The Almighty Shogun demands her head."

Xiao gripped Izanami's thighs tightly. He refused to hand her over to anyone. "How ridiculous," he spat. "You will fail your mission."

"You're that adeptus the Fatui warned us about," the pyro kairagi explained. He grabbed his katana and unsheathed it. "The adepti are supposed to be powerful. I could go for a challenge."

"I don't think so," Thoma commented as he stepped forward.

"We will be your opponents," Ayaka added. She then gazed at the yaksha over her shoulder. "We will handle them. Please watch over Izanami."

Xiao didn't argue. He backed away from the fight. He watched Ayaka and Thoma deal with the kairagi. The enemies stood no chance against the two and were wiped out within minutes. Xiao was relieved he didn't have to worry about aidibg them. He was afraid to put Izanami down for second. He feared she would disappear if he did.

With the kairagi defeated, their journey continued. They had no other interruptions and arrived at the grand shrine around evening.

As they walked up to the shrine, Inagi Hotomi spotted them. She was about to question them until she saw who Xiao was carrying. Even with the metal mask obscuring the shinigami's face, she recognized the ears and tail. Gasping, she rushed over to the three. "Lady Izanami!"

Another shrine maiden had witnessed the scene and stormed off. She returned minutes later with Guuji Yae, the one who oversees Grand Narukami Shrine. She ran over with the shrine maiden, eyes wide in disbelief. "Oh, my darling Izanami. What has Ei done to you?"

"Can you help her?" Ayaka asked.

Yae eyed the mask with uncertainty. "First, I must examine the mask. Come this way."

Xiao, Thoma, and Ayaka follow Yae inside. They enter a small tatami room not too far from the entrance. The adeptus laid Izanami down with assistance from another shrine maiden. He kneeled beside the shinigami as Yae examined the mask closely. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her as she worked. He eagerly awaited for her analysis.

A few minutes passed. Yae finished examining the mask and folded her hands in her lap. "I am quite familiar with this symbol. If we can erase it, the mask should be removable."

Xiao felt a sense of hope flow through his veins. "Are you able to erase it?"

Yae nodded. "Yes."