Act 1, Scene 1

28th of the 9th Cycle

"So… what you're trying to say is that you fell here from another world? But when you wanted to leave and go on to the next world, your path was blocked by some unknown god?"

Paimon looked down at the sand, where her once-grand form is depicted so crudely, and pondered whether she should kill the Traveler right then and there for such an insult. But the Traveler spoke before she could make up her mind.

"When I woke, I was all alone - until I met you two months ago…"

"Yeah, Paimon really owes you for that. Otherwise, Paimon likely would have drowned…" Paimon lied through her teeth, "So, Paimon will do her best to be a great guide!"

Inwardly, Paimon thought that if she had to put on this act for as long as she thinks she does, she might just go insane. It's degrading, she thinks, to have to use this pixie form as her body. But she kept it to herself, it was all worth it for her plan.

Yes, it'll pay off, she told herself.

"Teyvat is a land of gods, you know? So consider yourself lucky you have your own god with you!"

"You're a god?" The Traveler's eyes opened in surprise, then they narrowed, "You don't look like much."

I am going to fucking kill you.

"What?"

Oh, did she say that out loud?

She coughed, "I mean, do I look like a mortal to you?"

She flew around, constellations bloomed in the air behind her.

"I guess not."

"That's right! So, I may be weak right now, but I'll definitely help if you're in a pinch!"

Because I can't have my pet project dying on me, that'd be embarrassing, Paimon added in her mind. This time she made sure.

Act α, Scene 1

She was, Lumine thought numbly, witnessing the fall of an empire. The great city she came across was burning, once great walls nothing more than rubble, as screams resonated in the air. The sight was eerily similar to the fate of her old home.

Lumine jolted, and rushed forwards at inhuman speeds, hoping against hope that she might finally find her brother in this once city. She leapt across a moat, one filled with mangled bodies, then through the broken gatehouse. The city was beautiful once, she thought, but now all it depicted was some kind cruel hell.

BOOM

Her eyes snapped onto a figure in the distance, drawn by the sound. With her eyes, she could make them out quite clearly. A man, but with the head of a great stag and the tail of a dragon. He swung his arms, and great pillars of stone fell from the sky at his will, crushing all beneath them and more. A god, she realised, and not any lesser one.

"Help me! Someone, please!"

A little girl, Lumine saw, trapped under rubble. Rushing to her aid, and with great strength, she lifted the great stone piece no mortal could ever hope to lift. The girl dashed out from under it and clung to her.

"Where are your parents, or family?" Lumine asked her.

"W-we were heading to the Lunar Palace, the Third Prince was evacuating everyone there, b-but…" She sniffled, before breaking down completely.

Lumine drew her gaze to the rubble and realised it was from a fallen bridge. The child's parents must be under there.

"Come on," Lumine spoke, if a tad too harshly, "this is no time to cry, can you point me to the Lunar Palace?"

The girl shakily nodded and pointed down an avenue. 'Hup!' Lumine lifted the girl into her arms and took off.