Chapter 30: Chapter 29: Mentis Mors

While Emmy and her friends walk through the gates of Mondstadt, Lynx, and Lynn We're still on the other side of the bridge sitting down under the tree. They both sat there under the tree together in relative silence.

"Lynx…" Lynn started twiddling with her thumbs looking down to the ground "Are you okay?" Lifting her head for a moment nervously taking in Lynx's expression before ducking her head again.

He appeared to be lost in thought and didn't respond to her questions.

If you want to be completely honest Lynn was quite nervous for her friend, After all, he seem to be hit quite hard by the betrayal and attempt on his life today. If she was a go by his expression he seemed to be in quite a shock.

She would too if she was hit with a glass bottle and also came close to the chance of being stabbed by that same person. She waited for a moment before she got up from the ground and started to walk toward the city, drawing out a reaction from Lynx.

"Are you going to live as well?" Lynx said, his voice hoarse as he looked up at her blankly and to her shock she noticed something.

He was crying. His face was now a literal depiction of the term in blood and tears and they mixed horribly on his face. Adding to the fact that he was now soaked from head to toe he looked extremely pitiful.

Lynn's heart softened, "No, I'm just going back to the city, I'm not going to aband—"

"How can I trust you?" Lynx looked at her blankly, his blood drying up gradually, "I have nothing to offer you, so why?"

"I—," Lynn started but her voice was caught in her throat, she didn't know what to say. Did he even remember her from that day, and would he even care right now in such a state?

"Hah!" It seems that she had taken too long to formulate an answer as Lynx gave her a look of ridicule, "Ah~ it seems that you don't even know huh, go away."

Lynn placed her fist on her chest, clutching it, "But Lynx I—"

"Go away!" Lynx swung his arms sending dirt flying in her direction and Lynn screamed, covering her face.

Lynx looked apologetic and lowered his head in his arms, "Lynn, I–" looking up, he saw her scared expression and he felt something cracking inside him; he lowered his head once more, "I'm sorry, just– leave me alone for a bit."

Lynn nodded and turned; walking toward the city. She turned back for one last time before walking away again, Lynx watching her go until she went through the gates.

A long time passed and Lynx stayed under the tree, staring blankly at the sky as the sun went up until it was about noon, at that time the 8-year-old didn't move an inch. He wasn't completely idle during that time, spending it warding off curious merchants and pedestrians offering help.

When the others saw the child refusing help they stopped and went on their way, Lynx smiled as contempt settled in his heart. He got up and went toward the lake shore, wanting to wash his face.

He stretched his limbs on the way, walking down the small hill and reaching the lake. He looked into the lake, he noticed the ridicule that was centered heavily in his smile. He bent down and washed his face lightly, wincing as he touched the mark on the right side of his head.

He examined it in the water for a bit before he was suddenly overcome with emotion, Lynx looked up into the sky as he mourned his fate and the choices thus far.

Drip—

He looked; shocked as tears cascaded down from his face and he desperately tried to dry them off, however like a bursting dam they didn't let up. They fell into the water; sending ripples and Lynx could faintly see something behind him, it looked to be a child with light-brown hair and peach eyes.

Wait—

Wasn't that him?

Lynx abruptly looked behind him and saw the child who looked like him smiling as he walked closer to him, Lynx backed up.

He didn't know why but he didn't want to come into contact with this boy, looking closer his entire wardrobe and facial features seemed to be warping; turning darker progressively quickly.

"Who are you!" Lynx was terrified as he looked at the boy, his feet damp as he approached the edge of the water. Looking back he saw the deep, dark precipice of water, it looked ready to devour him.

A realization sent chills down Lynx's spine and drained his face of all color as he stopped before such an intimidating substance.

He couldn't swim.

"Well, if I were to say," The boy who looked like Lynx spoke, his transformation done. He now was certainly a darker version of Lynx and his eyes were blood red, continuing he said "I am you!"

"That's impossible!"

"Hah! I'm afraid your time is up, it's my time to shine now."

"What—"

"Bye~," and with that, the other "Lynx" pushed him into the water.

"Hub— Bubo— Oooo—," Lynx struggled in the water, looking deep into the eyes of his other self and strangely he smiled, it was a fake smile. One that would mostly be found on dolls, Lynx struggled in the water making one last effort to come to shore.

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He didn't make it.

"Ahh—" Lynx gasped as he clenched his throat, looking and flailing his arms around as if he had just drowned.

"Huh?" Lynx asked, confused as he looked around finding himself at the same tree he was left at. The only difference was that now it was late evening and the sun was beginning to set. Lynx couldn't believe it.

Wasn't he drowning a second ago, was it all a dream?

Lynx continued to look around, touching his surroundings and himself for abnormalities, he winced as he touched his head, finding that the wound had already dried up. Finally, Lynx realized that he was safe and sound.

He touched his chest, feeling his beating heart as he breathed. He sprawled on the ground, looking at the now night sky, relieved.

He was alive.

"I have to get moving!" Lynx got up as he realized he was outside of the city, in the darkness of the approaching night. It wasn't very safe for a child, he was certain.

He ran across the bridge idly wondering where the other Lynx went before he spotted something in the corner of his eye, at the gate entrance.

It was him and he was smiling, Lynx blinked. The other Lynx was now gone as if he vanished into thin air.

"I see you~" Lynx shivered as he looked behind him, spotting nothing he tensed, now determined to reach home before anything could happen to him.

He rushed toward the gates, speedily giving them his name and telling them that he was just sitting under a tree.

"So," the guard said, "You sat under a tree for the whole day."

"Yes," Lynx said, sweat flowing from his hands as he once again caught sight of the mysterious figure, prompting him to ask, "Can I go home now?"

"Why so anxious?" the guard asked, "We're not going to hurt you."

Lynx gulped looking up to see the other on the walls, smiling at him, "I just don't like the dark, so can you please let me go home."

"Hah~," the guard sighed, patting Lynx on the head, he pursed his lips from the pain. Not wanting to alert the guards of it, they seemed to be unaware of what happened and he would like to keep it that way.

He didn't want to stay here. He looked up and the other Lynx was gone, but he felt that something was behind him.

So he dashed home after he got confirmation from the guards, he started to run away as he efficiently navigated the streets of Mondstadt. He wanted to be at his home, on his bed, and not speaking to some creepy version of himself.

Ran to the west passing by the blacksmith and making his way through the hoses to approach one of the older-looking ones. All the while he kept seeing little tidbits of the other Lynx's location.

He went inside the lit house, closed the door, and walked through the hallway to the kitchen on the first floor. He quickly grabbed an apple from one of the cupboards and a glass of water before he went up the stairs to his room. Not bothering to greet his parents that were eating in the living room once.

It wasn't like they cared.

He walked up the stairs to enter another hallway and approached the door that had his name on it. Ignoring the other door that said [Marcus] and the lack of light coming from it, he walked inside his room.

Crunch—

He took a bit of the apple in his hand and drank some water going to his bed, ignoring the various musical instruments on the floor.

Crunch—

He didn't cause that!

Lynx sighed and slowly turned to look behind him and what he saw made him feel as if his skin would flee off of his body.

It was Lynx or the other one, and he was smiling at him.

"He—llo~," dark Lynx said as he took a bite of his apple as well, mirroring Lynx.

"Did you miss me?"

His blood-red eyes seemed to devour the encroaching darkness.

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