Chapter 3
New Friends
Two months before the end of the Stormterror Incident
The full moon hung in the glowing night sky, a luminous sphere that was slightly hidden by an aurora of every different hue of blue and green. In the light, a dark, shrouded figure darted from one shadow to the next, tightly gripping a small pendant in his hands. A teal gem glowed on his hip, illuminating the hide clothing he wore to keep warm.
For anyone who hadn't lived their entire life in Snezhnaya, the snowy ground would've made the journey nigh-impossible, not to mention deadly. However, Will had spent every moment of his life in that tundra, and he'd had enough.
"I'm sorry Mom, Dad… You never got to see the sunrise again because of me, and my failures… But I will ensure that I survive… for you…" Will thought to himself as he rolled out of the darkness of a rocky outcropping and into the light for the briefest of seconds, only to be swallowed whole by the shadow of the Cryo Archon's statue, just outside of the Zapolyarny Palace.
Will awoke in his bed as the shadows completely enveloped him. He sat up and thought about the dream. "That's further than I got last time… I wonder how long it'll be until I'll see her again…" he wondered, before shaking his head. He got out of the bed and slipped his arms into the plain Inazuman shirt Yoimiya's dad had given him when he'd first arrived, to make him less conspicuous in the city.
After that, he walked outside to the well behind their house and drew a small pail of water, using it to wash his face. It wasn't until he walked back inside that he discovered there was someone new in the Naganohara house.
"So, you're the newcomer miss Yoimiya's been telling me about. Will, right?" said a young man with blonde hair, wearing red and black clothing.
Will nodded and held out a hand, which the man shook. "My name is Thoma. A pleasure to meet you!" he said, closing the door. As Yoimiya walked them to the main room of the building, Thoma looked over at Will. "You know, our commission has heard about a new idea floating around Narukami in the background. Counterfeit Visions, or something to that effect. And apparently, they're tied back to you?"
Will narrowed his eyes slightly at that. Since he'd arrived in Inazuma almost a month prior, he'd developed a bad taste for the Tri-Commission, particularly the Kujou and Tenryou commissions. But he hadn't had a chance to interact with the third. In fact, he didn't even know its name.
"And… say they are… what does your commission think of them… and of me? I mean, isn't this idea basically breaking the law?" Will asked. But to his surprise, Thoma actually laughed.
"Well, you're right to be wary. If the other two commissions found out, they'd crack down on you in an instant. But us at the Yashiro Commission on the other hand… well, we don't exactly think the decree is wholly necessary," he explained. "But then, you're an outsider after all. So why do you care about changing things in Inazuma?"
Will grinned slightly. "Why do I feel like this is a test?" he replied, as the three of them sat down. Thoma casually flicked a hand at the fireplace. His Pyro vision glowed for a moment, and suddenly there was a small fire crackling from the timbers.
"Well, that depends on what you think. I like to know the people my commission interacts with, and since you've basically become miss Yoimiya's assistant, that means we'll be working with you too pretty frequently," Thoma told him.
Will thought about it for a second, then responded. "Well, if I'm being honest, I'm not so worried about the retribution that would come my way, if the commissions found out about what I've been working on in secret. I'm worried because Yoimiya and her dad were so willing to take me in, despite my past, and I don't want my efforts to put them in harm's way."
Thoma looked at him, curious. "Really?"
Will nodded without any hesitation. "Really. The Naganohara's have been far too kind and welcoming for me to turn around and get them imprisoned, or worse. But you wouldn't be asking me these things, unless…"
"That's right. You've got really good intuition. As I said, our Commission, the Yashiro Commission, doesn't care much for the Vision Hunt Decree. We may support the Raiden Shogun, but the Vision Hunt? And the Sakuko Decree? Even if she desires eternity, there's got to be better ways to go about it," Thoma explained. "That's why, confidentially, of course, we've been working to subvert the Vision Hunt, and also to provide safe transport for outlanders off of Ritou, and out of the Kanjou Commission's grasp. Although neither endeavor has been very successful…"
"Which is why Thoma came to us! I mentioned that we might have a temporary solution to at least slow down the Vision Hunt when I last delivered a shipment of fireworks to him, and he was very interested, to say the least," Yoimiya finished.
Will nodded. "Ok… that's good and all, but there's a few problems we need to work out before we start manufacturing these things," he pointed out. Thoma tilted his head slightly.
"I'm guessing Yoimiya told you the original design isn't yet complete, right?" Will asked, and Thoma nodded. "Well, the first problem is that while we have enough excess bronzite to create the Inazuman shells, we lack is the ascendant gemstones to make the fake vision gemstones."
"Well, our commission can help with that, and anything else on your shopping list," Thoma replied. "What are the other problems?"
"The second is that I don't think the Naganohara Forge can handle the materials we need to make these fake visions, and even if it can, I don't possess the skills to make these things, so we'll need an expert smith, and one that we'll be able to trust," Will replied, "And that leads me to the third problem."
Thoma looked at him. "And that would be?"
"We'll need to put these things through multiple trial runs so that we can be absolutely sure they'll fool the Tenryou Commission. And unfortunately, the only way I can think of doing this is for someone to put themselves on the line and let their fake vision be taken by force," Will said, his gaze darkening. "But the catch is that they'll realize something's up if they take a vision from the same person more than once, so we'll actually need multiple people to risk their lives. And I simply can't stand that…"
Yoimiya leaned forward with an expression of determination and lacking any fear. "If you need volunteers, sign me up." However, Thoma shook his head.
"No, I don't think that's a good idea. You're too well known, and if something went wrong and the Tenryou commission discovered our plan… if they hurt you, we'd have riots in the streets."
Will nodded. "Thoma's right. We can't afford an all out civil war right now, especially not in the streets of Inazuma City. What we need is someone who isn't as easily recognizable… someone like me."
Thoma considered this. "That makes sense. But let's not decide who'll risk what yet. We still need to get the materials and put these things together. I'll see about collecting the more hard-to-find ingredients, like the crystal chunks and ascended gemstone powder. Can you two meet me at the Kamisato Estate to discuss this more tomorrow? I think milady Kamisato would be very interested in meeting the one behind this idea for fake visions in person."
Yoimiya and Will both nodded. "Of course," Will replied. "We'll bring all of our favorite toys to make things go boom."
Will and Yoimiya walked up the stone steps carved into the mountain, each carrying a wooden crate full of fireworks. Their destination was at the top of these steps: a large estate surrounded by wooden walls and ornately carved candles. "So… this lady Kamisato… you've met her?" Will asked.
Yoimiya nodded over her crate. "Yeah, quite a few times actually! We often put our heads together when planning festivals for Narukami Island. She comes up with the general aesthetic for the celebration, and once she tells me about it, I'll make fireworks specifically for her and the Yashiro commission to use during it! We've become pretty good friends since we started working together!"
"Okay… but what is she like?"
Yoimiya thought for a second. "Well, I expect she will be very guarded, since this is the first time the two of you have met. Not hostile by any means, but… well, it's difficult for me to explain. I guess the best way to put it is to just... take my personality and completely invert it," she said, shrugging.
Will narrowed his eyes in thought. "So… she's shy?"
Yoimiya jumped up in the air excitedly. "Yes! Yes, that's exactly it!" she exclaimed enthusiastically, almost dropping her crate of fireworks in the process. "So just, be polite and considerate, and you'll get along great. I just know it."
They reached the top of the stairs soon after, and a guard wearing armor similar to that of the Tenryou and Kanjou commissions approached them. He opened his mouth to ask them something, but a familiar voice cut him off. "Ah, Yoimiya! Will! Shang, please allow my guests inside!" Thoma called out with a smile on his face.
The two firework makers grinned back with beaming smiles at their friend, and he waved them into the compound. "Milady Kamisato has been very eager to meet you, Will," said Thoma as they walked through a large pair of sliding doors.
"I'm… honored. But I don't know why I'm such a big deal. I just did what I felt was right," Will replied modestly as they set their crates down inside the building.
"You don't give yourself enough credit," Yoimiya said, elbowing Will in the side. "Who else would've come up with creating fake visions?"
"I'm sure there's at least someone in all of Inazuma who's had the idea cross their mind."
Thoma and Yoimiya both sighed in unison. "Well, we're here. I'd like to introduce you to miss Kamisato Ayaka, the Shirasagi Himegimi."
The three of them walked into a large, open room. There were wood columns in the corners, and on the edges of the room, where the walls would be, were carved wooden beams crisscrossing in a pattern that looked like an Inazuman spiderweb molded into a railing. Along the back wall were numerous shelves and racks, each sporting a different kind of weapon, from small dagger-like Tanto, all the way to double sided naginata.
In the center of the room was a large platform elevated a few inches off the ground, and the top face of it was padded with interwoven reeds and fibers. "Is this… a sparring room?" Will muttered aloud, and Thoma nodded. There was a girl with pale blueish-purple hair tied into a single, long ponytail, kneeling on the platform, wearing a similarly colored kimono.
As they entered, the girl spoke. "Tachi Jutsu. It is your honor embodied, your will revealed. The wielder's mind must be pure, tranquil," she said, standing up. "When you strike, be quick as lightning, and as cold as ice." In a single movement, she finished the sentence by drawing a katana and spinning around to point it at Will, who took an instinctive step back, before regaining his composure and stepping forward to stand straight up again.
"Master your blade and seize victory in a single motion, too perfect to be parried," she said, looking straight at Will. Having been caught off guard once, he returned her gaze confidently. "These were the words of my mother."
Will didn't blink, refusing to let himself be surprised again. "You are the one behind this idea for the fake Visions, am I correct?" she asked, to which Will nodded. She then threw her sword to the side, only for it to disappear in a shower of golden lights and reappear floating behind her back. "It is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance."
Will returned the favor. "It is as much mine as it is yours, Shirasagi Himegimi," he replied courteously, but with a smile on his face.
Ayaka smiled back, but her expression was guarded. "I want to believe that, but I have been told that you are from Snezhnaya, and were also involved with the Fatui, whom I have heard… shall we say, less than positive rumors about?"
Will sighed. "It is true, I was involved with the Fatui before coming to Inazuma… that being said, I do not stand by them any longer. In fact, I wish to give all who would oppose them my aid, for they have lost my respect, and in doing so, given away that respect to all who have the courage to fight back."
Ayaka nodded, and her eyes brightened with an idea. "If you agree, I would like a chance to spar with you. I have found that the clashing of blades is the purest way to communicate one's feelings and ideals." Will nodded, but then stopped.
"I'm fine with that, but I left my longsword in my room. May I use weapons from the racks behind you?" he asked, and Ayaka nodded.
"Of course. They are not there simply for decoration," Ayaka replied, and Will walked to the back of the room. He carefully examined each weapon, finding himself drawn to the sections of swords. There weren't any double edged broadswords like what he was used to using, like the one he had brought with him from Snezhnaya. However, there were Katanas and Odachi, which he had observed many samurai fighting with them since being taken in by the Naganoharas.
He picked up an Odachi in one hand, and a Katana in the other, and, surprised by how light they were, gave each a few test swings. "Let's see how much my skills have rusted since I left the Fatui…"
Satisfied with his weapons, he turned around and approached Ayaka, the Katana in his left hand, and the Odachi in his right. She tilted her head to the side, surprised by his choice. "Interesting. I have never heard of a sword style where the user wields two swords at once."
"It's not… well, traditional. It's something I made up for myself before I left. Well, with my mentor's help, anyway. He always chose to wield whatever weapon he felt he was least proficient with at the time, so he made a special effort to show me every sword technique he knew," Will replied, remembering one of the small handful of fond memories he had of his time in the Fatui. "It was something of a hobby between the two of us."
Ayaka smiled. "Having a goal is always a very good thing. You seek to perfect your own style of bladework. I desire to learn the bladework of another land," she explained, holding up her blade in one hand. "Perhaps we can help each other?"
Will grinned. It had been too long since he'd sparred with someone. Though he'd only just met Ayaka, it was clear she was a very skilled warrior, and it felt good to hold two blades again. Having to leave his broadsword in Snezhnaya, and only bring his shortsword, was like leaving a part of him behind in the barren wasteland.
"Before we get started," Will said, vanishing the katana and reaching inside his shirt. He pulled out the Cryo Delusion and then motioned with his other hand to the Anemo Vision on his belt. "I stole this delusion from Snezhnaya on my way out, so I can use Cryo energy with it in addition to my Anemo Vision. Do you want me to use just one or the other?"
Ayaka shook her head. "No, you can use both. I don't plan to hold back, and I don't want you to, either." Will nodded.
"Whenever you're ready," she said, clearly inviting him to take the first swing. She had an ace up her sleeve. Will stepped into a stance that felt all too familiar, the katana held out in front of him, and the odachi off to the side. The two sized each other up, watching their opponent's movements to see how they could predict their attacks.
They edged forward, inching closer to each other until their katanas were brushing against one another. Suddenly, Ayaka brought her blade around in a circular swing. Will parried the strike with his katana, surprised by just how much force was exerted onto such a small edge. He'd been in his fair share of fights but never before had he felt such a calm, yet also powerful force sharpened down to such a razor sharp point.
He staggered to the side, and Ayaka spun around again, striking from the other side. Rather than blocking it, however, Will dropped to the ground and rolled underneath the blade, springing back to his feet and releasing a blast of wind. The Kamisato samurai's Cryo Vision glowed with a bright blue light, and she cut right through the wave of air, before opening a small handheld fan and flicking it at Will.
"Kamisato Art: Soumetsu!" she exclaimed, and a cyclone of freezing energy surged at Will. He brought both blades up to intercept it, and his Anemo Vision glowed in response. A current of air formed in front of the blades, deflecting the frigid air off to the sides. Will then extended three fingers from both hands and sent two trios of small icicles at Ayaka, who parried each with perfectly timed and aimed slashes.
Stunned by the swift counter, Will was left open to attack, and Ayaka capitalized on it without a second thought. She dashed towards him and slashed at waist level, spinning around behind him like a top to continue attacking. Will was quickly forced into a totally defensive stance, barely able to keep up with the rapid torrent of strikes until he had an idea.
Using both of his swords, he caught Ayaka's sword in a blade lock. Ayaka gasped in surprise, and she tried to pull her sword out of the lock. But it was too late. Will launched himself upward using a blast of Anemo energy from his feet, and he flipped over her head, swinging his swords in mid air, the metal blades clashing against each other, and when he landed, he brought the blades to her neck from behind, stopping just short of her pale skin. But strangely, Ayaka looked back at him over her shoulder with an expression just as triumphant as his.
It was only after a few seconds of confused and stunned silence, which permeated the open room, that he understood why. While his blades would've taken off her head had he finished the swing, protruding from under her arm was her katana, mere inches from burying itself deep into his heart in the same moment. Neither was victorious, for if the duel had been to the death, they would have both fallen simultaneously.
That night, Thoma treated Will, Ayaka, and Yoimiya to a deliciously cooked meal, called Sweet Madame. "It's a Mondstadt specialty," he'd explained. "It's always been my favorite, even after I decided to stay in Inazuma for good. You have no idea how hard it was to find these ingredients."
They talked about the plans for the fake visions over dinner. Will explained how he had first come to the idea, and then he and Yoimiya unwrapped the fireworks they'd brought with them. All of the common materials for the fake visions fell out of the wrappings, which were really the decorated backs of the sheet of paper Will had originally used to draw up the plans for the visions.
With a plan put together and the locations of the materials Will, Yoimiya, and Thoma would collect, all they were missing now was someone to put them together. Fortunately, Ayaka said that she had an idea of someone whom they could ask.
"Like everyone in Inazuma, Master Masakatsu is loyal to the Shogun and her rule. However, when I last talked with him, it was clear that he was no supporter of the Vision Hunt," Ayaka explained. "He's also a very skilled metalsmith and jewelsmith, and he's one of our commission's 'feelers', or people who live in the city, and report back what they see and hear to us."
Will nodded. He'd become a good friend of Masakatsu during his time on Narukami island, as he and Yoimiya often bought materials from him to make their fireworks, and more than that, he clearly didn't care much for the Vision Hunt Decree, despite having never been a vision holder himself. Will had no doubt that he'd be willing to aid them in helping the vision holders in Inazuma hide from the decree.
Eventually, after dinner had been eaten and the dishes cleaned, Will and Yoimiya bade their friends goodnight and headed back to their house. Will felt more hopeful for a brighter tomorrow than he had in a very, very long time.
