The chaos that had ensued after the Ritou riots had crippled the few troops of the Kanjou Commission. Those who remained had been clustered to Hiiragi Estate. Though the appearance of the Shogun had calmed the population and allowed the soldiers to clear out a perimeter, they were spread thin. Another riot and the situation would turn sour for anyone involved.
Depending on perspective, not everything was bleak. The sparse security allowed Mona and Thoma to act unabated. Or so they thought.
"Look, Thoma," A soldier had stopped them in the slop towards Hiiragi Estate. "In any other situation, I'd let you through. That Hiiragi Geezer doesn't pay us enough. But the Shogun? No, she was pretty clear with outsiders."
"Come on, I'm even bringing her a gift," Thoma pressed on, trying to convince his acquaintance. "The Shogun won't even know we were there."
"Yeah, about that…" The friendly soldier looked past Thoma towards Mona, who had kept her distance. "The Shogun told us to capture that Witch of the Seas. And the tall, blond man accompanying her. You two should probably get out of here, that's as much as I can do for you."
Thoma seemingly gave up, sighing. "I guessed as much."
"You've helped Ritou a lot, it's the least I could do." The soldier adjusted his helmet and turned back. "Hopefully, we'll meet again someday."
Waving goodbye, Thoma returned with Mona.
"As I deduced, Baal knows we helped Venti. That little girl probably told her everything. At least the plan failed before she noticed." Mona covered her mouth as she yawned.
"We haven't even tried sneaking into the Estate. Are you giving up already?"
"Yes? It took two hours to even make it to the Statue of the Seven. The Merchant didn't have any dandelion wine. And look at that, the night is almost over. The Master of Knights must have heeded our warnings and stalled the talks."
"Maybe…" Thoma observed the mansion in the background, lit up in the early morning sky. "I don't know, it feels like we're missing something. I've got a bad feeling about all of this. It's probably because I haven't eaten in two days."
"You and me both." Mona slouched slightly as her stomach mutedly grumbled. "Why does that always happen?"
"Comedic timing. But, Barbatos told us to—"
"Told us to what? He's a cryptic jerk. I don't care if he's a God or a random bard, I don't want to die because he can't bring himself to give out details. One thing is to point us in the right way, and another one is giving us a trowel and telling us to make wine. Why do Gods like him get to write everyone's fate?" She didn't wait for Thoma's reaction and walked towards the centre of Ritou. "I understand that you want him to get everything back to normal, but do you believe that fool liked the status quo? What if he changes everything for the worse, and you can't even return to your family?"
Thoma followed her close, unbothered by her comments. "Because Barbatos wouldn't come for nothing and leave everything for the worse."
"Oh? He wouldn't come here without a plan; is that what you're saying? The only thing he 'planned' was the most suicidal thing ever, and that was to stop this whole Vision Hunt decree, coupled with the war. Whenever I asked, he just said that he'd talk it out with Baal. But look at what he has accomplished here." Mona just pointed to the city itself. "Ritou almost turned to anarchy because of a few of his words. What part of talking that it out is that?"
"Well, he looked pretty beat up, maybe he was a bit delirious."
"Delirious? My ass! That guy is super calculating and…"
"Let's calm down." Looking around, Thoma looked around the mostly empty street and then towards the sunrise. "The city will come to life in half an hour. We can eat, then you can go back to the Alcor and take a nice, long nap. Maybe that will raise our spirits, especially yours."
"You…" Mona pursed her lips. "Fine. You're right, I've been on edge for the past month. What will you do, then?"
"I suppose I'll try to convince Master Jean to help me. If this whole Barbatos thing is a burst, she's the only one capable of doing anything. Even if she convinced the Shogun to let us stay in Inazuma, it doesn't mean things are back to normal."
"I see." She summoned her scryglass and checked its functionality. The stars were still hidden behind some type of fog. "Maybe you should get out of Inazuma. At least until things get better."
"No can do. If everyone waits for change, then nobody will actively change anything." Thoma took the lead, walking past Mona and then turning back to her. "Anyways, let's wait for the Shogun to leave… And hopefully, we can eat too."
Mona's stomach agreed in her stead. "If that's what you wish, so be it."
As they reached Ritou's main plaza, with its iconic tree, Thoma pointed to another street.
"I know a guy here who owes me for a few side-jobs I did back in the day. Luckily he can pay me back with some treats..." Seeing no response from Mona, he nudged her. "Things only get worse if you bottle those feelings inside, you know?"
Mona scoffed at his prompt. "I'm not keeping anything bottled. I keep being used, that's the issue. My master, Venti, Kunikuzushi… they all use me for their own means. I thought I'd get something in return if I showed my worth, but in the end, I'm awarded dust. I'm just defeated, that's all."
"Ah, I see. Some people only see other people as tools. I don't think it's the same, but I suffered something similar when I first came here. People kept offering jobs, and then they wouldn't pay me when I did them. At first, I thought it was my lack of speed. Then, efficiency. Then, mentality… But no, they just used me because I was a foreigner. If it wasn't for the Kamisato clan, I think I would have turned sour." Thoma explained, bringing a little of his own experiences. "Hell, you know what? You're getting something out of this. When all of this is over, come over to Kamisato Estate. Vacations for, I dunno, two weeks? Free entrances to hot springs and you'll be able to mingle with the High Society of Inazuma. Top-notch holidays, free of charge."
"If we're still alive by the end of this… Aren't you the housekeeper? Can you afford to offer that?"
"Sure! I mean, no. But Ayato will probably never even notice you're there, and Ayaka will enjoy having some company that isn't an employee. The stars look very clear in their Estate, but it's close to Yougou if you feel like being even closer to them. Or does that remind you of work?"
"No, no, I like the stars. It's true that after all I've learnt, it's hard to observe them as beautiful sights. So it would be nice to have some paid vacations... Alas, it's just wishful thinking. I live paycheck to paycheck, so I can never afford to miss a day without studying or researching."
Thoma stopped walking, stopping in front of the closed shop. "So you're like a scholar who is also a fortune teller. That's pretty cool! I only know enough maths to calculate sales and coupons, so I'm a bit dull in that regard. I make it up with my talent to cook and sort everything, though!"
The conversation stopped for a moment as Thoma banged on the shop's door, and used all of his charisma to not only not get yelled at, but get some free leftover food to enjoy over the sunrise. Though Mona had been wary of the housekeeper throughout the previous day, his charm eventually cracked her defences. She only hoped that he'd never see her inability to tidy up anything when she was focused on research.
The food they received was mostly candy and snacks. Sugar was the thing they needed the most, so they couldn't complain. Besides, it was free. After finding a secluded spot, Thoma taught Mona the name of each food while she gave her most honest opinion.
"Alright, this daifuku thing is very good too… It's spongy and sweet, like soft gum. Much better than that horrible sukonbu, but it wasn't hard. Definitely number one on the list." Mona ate another of the round daifuku.
"I'm sure Ayaka would berate me for not having these with tea. Anyways, we still have some stuff left over. Oh, dango! You'll like these too. Have one."
It was a skewer of three dango dumplings. Mona took one of the sticks and waited for Thoma's explanation.
"These aren't my favourite but…" The sound of busy steps stopped him from talking. "Too early for a crowd, let me check who it is. Hold this for a moment." Thoma handed her the dango and after checking there weren't any soldiers, he darted towards the source of the noise.
Mona observed Thoma until he left her field of vision, and wondered if she could have enough self-control to wait for him. The smell of the dango was quite tame and barely noticeable, but her hunger amplified the soft scent of flowers into one of a delicacy.
So much so, that she didn't notice someone sitting down next to her. Mona only realised what had happened when an overwhelming dread mixed with electro washed over her. She didn't say a word. Even if she could, she wouldn't have said anything. Mona couldn't even see the person properly, as her hat got in the way. But her body had learnt this sensation of despair that first night when Venti threatened Kunikuzushi. Incomprehensible power.
"Interesting," The Shogun's voice was low. She took the dango off Mona's hand and with a curious smell, she bit into the first dango dumpling.
Baal chewed the sweet for ten long seconds. Then, after swallowing, she removed Mona's hat and tossed it aside. The Astrologer sank further into panic, her eyes stuck on the ground.
"I'm disappointed, but relieved. I sensed you two near the mansion so I would have rather settled this in a fight. However, you saw the folly of your actions, I hope?" The Shogun spoke, her eyes piercing through Mona's head. "Food tastes better when shared. Eat your portion."
In one bite, Mona ate two of three dango. She barely chewed before swallowing hard, the glutinous mass becoming half-stuck on her throat.
"Pyro and Hydro. Quite easy to manipulate." The Shogun pointed with the dango stick towards the direction Thoma disappeared to. "Pyro more so. That man was given a way to retain his passion and he took it, no questions asked. Am I right?"
Mona hastily nodded.
"And you, you're some type of fortune teller. He took advantage of your devotion, perhaps baited you with knowledge."
This time, Mona didn't move. In response, the Shogun's hand hovered above the Astrologer's nape. Then, she removed her hydro vision.
"A Mondstadt vision, it's been a while. Then, what did he offer you? Come on, answer." Baal took another dango ball.
As she chewed, Mona closed her eyes tight and breathed down hard.
"I thought… I could make him tell me the truth behind the stars." Mona answered with a barely audible voice. "And then, I'd be able to help everyone much more efficiently."
It took a few moments for the Shogun to answer. "You're stupid." She finally ate the final dango, taking another ten seconds to continue. "This was quite good. Are you not going to eat that?"
Mona shook her head, prompting the Shogun to take her skewer.
"So he just charmed you. I truly pity you, really. Nothing feels quite the same after someone you trusted betrays you like this. Especially when he takes advantage of your goodwill." Baal ate the remaining dango ball.
"He didn't… betray me."
"I thought so as well. But bile is the only thing he can properly spew. That imp cannot say his true intentions even if it cost him everything he holds dear. He lies to everyone, even himself. He uses the goodness of people's hearts to accomplish his selfish desires. It's a hard lesson to learn." Electro energy swallowed the dango stick, turning it to ash. "That's why it is no good to lie. Unlike him, I never do. I tell the truth, no matter how hard it may be. That's why you should know that housekeeper will also betray you. Now that I know Barbatos is the only possible culprit, I'll allow any Mondstadt-born resident to stay. The servant has no reason to aid you anymore."
Mona refused to say anything. She didn't have to trust any word that came out of the Shogun's mouth. That Harbinger, as much as a horrible being he was, was right. She couldn't trust the words of a God. It could all be a ruse to make her confess something that isn't.
"You're afraid, or perhaps too afraid. Some humans are afraid of my presence, it's understandable. They don't understand what they're looking at, what extent my power truly reaches. Some wonder if the myths and legends are true. So that fear is mixed wariness, letting them retain rationality." Baal turned towards Mona again. "But not you. That panic taking hold of you is completely different from fright. Because you have seen another God in action, you understand the reaches of that power. And because you know something you shouldn't, you know it is aimed at you."
If Mona had any doubts about the relationship between Kunikuzushi and Baal, she settled it right there. Though Venti's inability to answer certain questions was horrible, he never let that Godhood cloud his judgement. Baal and Kunikuzushi, however, were confident in their powers and abilities to the point of overtly showing their control. Rather, they didn't see Mona as an equal.
"Venti didn't tell me anything."
Baal sighed, placing her hand on Mona's shoulder. The town suddenly changed, and her eyes could only see a beach and the sea. They had been transported to the small Ritou beach to the south of the island.
"This could be much easier." With a flick of her hand, the Shogun shoved Mona away, throwing her to the ground. "A kinsman of the clouds, that's who he is. But among you mortals, he cannot walk, the wings get in his way. You'll give, give and give. And he'll take, take and take. Above in the clouds, Barbatos will never see you as anything else but as a means to an end. Stop protecting him, and tell me what he has spilled."
Mona rolled on the sand, barely standing up on her own. "Why does that matter? You already know what he wants, I don't have any useful information!"
"Wrong answer." Baal summoned her polearm and tripped Mona with a swing. She tried to get up, but the head of the weapon stopped dangerously close to her neck. "You collaborated with him. Your words created a riot in my lands and antagonised my representatives. What did he tell you?"
"I-It wasn't on purpose! I don't know what you want me to say!" The blade of the weapon pressed against her skin. "I, uh, I know Kunikuzushi is your son?"
"Son? That is not my son. Stop stalling. You followed him because he gave you something. So tell me. Now."
"The constellation?" Mona closed her eyes tight, knowing that if it wasn't the answer she was looking for, it would be the end.
"Constellation?"
"Fulgator Dei. Ven- Barbatos was curious or well, sad about it. But you should have known that, isn't it yours?"
"Remembering is only a new form of suffering. If there's something we share, that is pain and the inability to let go." The polearm stopped pressuring Mona. "Get up."
Mona opened one of her eyes, slowly getting up from the ground. Then, she stared at the Shogun tentatively, hoping that she would let her go.
"If there's anyone to blame, curse Barbatos for forcing my hand." The Shogun summoned her signature sword, raising it into the air. "Knowledge is a dangerous thing, you should never have heard those words."
Time felt slow as Mona could barely even react to the sudden development. Panic, fear or dread no longer clouded her mind. Perhaps this was what her fate led her towards. A summary execution in the middle of a beach for knowing two words. It would have been funnier if it wasn't so depressing.
Her hydro vision lept from the sand, hitting Mona on the head. Baal's attention was severed from Mona as she looked at the vision and then shot her eyes up to the skies. A few lights fell on Ritou, while the rest moved towards Kannazuka.
Lightning and thunder exploded in front of Mona, throwing her flying and crashing against the sand. Her right ankle snapped from the sudden hit, leaving her in pain but alive. The moment she looked towards the Shogun, she had disappeared. Rain started to pour as clouds and thunder boomed in the now-cloudy sky. Towards Inazuma City, Mona had to shield her eyes from the intensity of lightning and thunderbolts.
Mona clutched her injured foot but was nonetheless grateful that she was alive. A broken ankle was worth it in comparison. How her vision suddenly flew at her was up to anyone's guess. But seeing the Shogun's reaction, Mona begrudgingly thanked that drunkard of a God.
Vision in hand, she limped out of the beach and into Ritou once again. It was an arduous task, and turning into water didn't make the trip any easier. Her injured foot moved freely from side to side, front to back, making her realise that this was more than a few bones broken.
Slowly, the realisation settled in.
"I don't want to meet any more Archons…"
Whatever was going on in the Baal family tree, she had been almost murdered by mother and son. She didn't want to stick around to find who the father was and much less suffer again.
The sight of set stairs gave her enough hope to keep on pushing, even if the climb was treacherous and exhausting. Her breathing became shallowed and quick. That's why she noticed.
Smoke.
Again, like a few days ago, smoke was billowing through Ritou. Perhaps something had caught on fire. Perhaps nothing was wrong.
But she was lying to herself. The moment she limped up the stairs, she could see Ritou properly. And on the streets, some people, who must have been asleep a few minutes before, turned towards her. In their hands were random tools. But their eyes seemed lost, as if still asleep. Without warning, they rushed at her.
The Captain of the Guard shot up from his seat as a guard relayed the information. "What do you mean the prisoner's escaped?"
"It means the prisoner's escaped!"
"Shit! Is General Kujou around?!"
Stuck between the outer wall of Tenshukaku and the buildings within, Kazuha sneaked below the windows of the Guard Offices.
Escaping Tenshukaku looked quite impossible without leaving through the main gate. Without a vision and still injured, he could barely put up a fight. And that wasn't the worst thing of all.
"You need to tell us what the Shogun asked you," Sayu asked again, sticking to his shadow.
"Can you stop asking that?" Kazuha's question was genuine. The girl had been asking that ever since she helped him escape.
"…No." She answered, dejected.
Kazuha peeked around the corner, seeing another patrol pass. "Something is forcing you to ask, I know as much. You don't remember anything at all?"
"No."
The Shuumatsuban ninja seemed quite aware of the illogical and impulsive thoughts. Acknowledging them, however, didn't stop the impulse.
"If the Masked Woman is behind all of this, we need to stop her now," Kazuha muttered, hiding again. "I don't know if Tomo is even alive, and General Kujou didn't believe me back then. But if we show her that you're being affected by that odd seal, it might help us."
"Guard patrols have suddenly changed. A big event has happened, you need to tell us what the Shogun asked you." Sayu sunk her shoulders. "Sorry."
Kazuha looked out again. The only viable option was running straight through the middle of Tenshukaku. Going around would be even more dangerous, as the path was narrow and full of guards. However, going through the middle meant being in full view of every guard on the precinct. If they could time it with whatever is happening, they might be able to skirt the guards.
"I dream of friends never known, lovers never possessed, ideas never created, thoughts never thought, people never experienced, flowers never smelled, forests never hiked, oases never discovered, suns never seen." Kazuha muttered, feeling the wind. "I haven't experienced the world outside these islands, and… Vision or not, I won't rest until I do so."
The vagrant fixed his posture and looked at the ninja. Her eyes were unfocused as she leaned against the wall and slowly lost her balance.
"The seal must be affecting her too much…!" Kazuha immediately got to work. "I'm going to open your mouth, don't think too ill of me."
"Hey! You!"
The voice of the guard threw Kazuha into overdrive. Forgetting about removing the seal, Kazuha took a hold of Sayu and ran away immediately. The wound in his gut screamed in pain, severely disliking the added weight and exercise. Though he hoped adrenaline would give him the necessary push, he made a grave mistake. Instead of pushing forward, he ran back.
A duo of soldiers appeared in front of him, closing the small gap between the two walls. Kazuha stopped immediately, the stitches of his wound snapping open, and ran in the direction he came from. But the guard who spotted him was now accompanied by another three soldiers.
Surrounded, with nowhere to go, Kazuha quickly tried to think of a way out. No idea came. Yet, he loathed the idea of resigning to his fate. He raised his only free hand, as he was holding Sayu on his back, and showed the soldiers he meant no harm. All the hiding, running and fighting, for what? Was this little tantrum worth anything besides a last gasp of freedom? Whatsmore, now that the Shuumatsuban ninja was unconscious and on his shoulders, his benefactor would be in trouble. Was he fated to spend his life in a cold prison cell? His ambition to travel the world unabated seemed now a childish dream he'd never accomplish.
A sudden flash of light appeared above Tenshukaku. Something rose through the cloudy sky before one of the lights plummeted towards him. With barely any reaction, he shielded his eyes with his only free hand. The light hit his palm, revealing his own anemo vision.
The soldiers surrounding him experienced his exact reaction.
They looked at the vision. Shared a glance. And were immediately swatted away by a slash of anemo energy.
Kazuha used his vision to jump away and over the surrounding soldiers, continuing his escape. He didn't question whatever had happened. He now had his vision. The priority was to leave Tenshukaku right now, lest he is captured once again.
Blood trickled down his open wound as he ran away, using the Tenshukaku walls as a platform to aid his escape. He quickly found himself in the central yard of the fort palace. To his right was the central keep of the Shogunate, composed of the throne room and residence of the Shogun. To his left, a long and perilous trek towards freedom. Alone and uninjured, he would be able to use the buildings inside the fort to jump over the wall. But with the Shuumatsuban ninja and his gut opened, he wasn't too sure.
Shogunate soldiers rushed him again, forcing him to sprint towards the main gate.
As he jumped over a set of stairs, he noticed his next challenge. The Tenshukaku gates were slowly being closed, while at least thirty soldiers stood in formation towards some unknown enemy.
A cacophony of sounds erupted inside the complex. Drums and trumpets sounded the alarm, which Kazuha could only guess was for something outside. The unknown factor that Sayu had alerted him of.
Again, soldiers in front of him readied their weapons to stop him. His vision flared up, but his jump was barely bigger than a normal one. His leg buckled on the unexpected ground, throwing him against the stones. The rushing of wind was quickly overwhelmed by the sounds of steps as Kazuha tried to get up from the ground. And as shadows enveloped the wanderer, the sight of a giant brought him the hope he dreamed about.
"Oni comin' through!" The surrounding soldiers suddenly were launched away from Kazuha, as Itto rushed to hold him over his shoulders. "Sup, heard ya needed a lift? What's with the squirrel though?"
With Kazuha on one of his shoulders and Sayu on the other, Itto rushed back towards the main Tenshukaku gate. A gale of wind held open the huge doors of the keep, giving them a clear path towards safety.
Kazuha was about to ask what in the world was happening when lightning crashed in front of them. General Kujou suddenly rushed through the Tenshukaku gates, grabbing an abandoned spear from the ground. She was almost immediately intercepted by Tomo, who from Kazuha's perspective, appeared out of nowhere.
"It's all part of the plan, lil'bro!" Itto reassured Kazuha right before a sudden lightning bolt fell right beside them. "A-All part of the plan! Just keep running, Itto! JUST KEEP RUNNING!"
Thunder suddenly cut through the chaos was that going on through Tenshukaku. Anyone involved knew what that meant. Some soldiers became emboldened by it and rushed at the oni invader and his allies. However, an invisible wall of wind stopped them from approaching them. Up in the skies, the clouds darkened as the rain started to pour into the city.
"Almost out!"
Itto kicked a soldier away before he lunged out of Tenshukaku, jumping away like it would give him more speed. He looked back to see a group of soldiers follow them.
"Let's get out here, boss!" Tomo suddenly jumped over them, aided by the last trickle of lent anemo energy. "Kazuha, let's leave explanations for later!"
"We gotta get to the bridge before it's swarmed!"
Being out of Tenshukaku didn't mean being out of danger. Guards and soldiers had heard the alarm and hurried to their posts in full gear to protect the Shogunate. A dozen soldiers were already crossing the bridge, and more were pursuing the group from Tenshukaku.
Furious storm-blasts raged above the City, engulfing the clouds with the clash of thunder and light. Hearing that, Kazuha wiggled out of Itto's grasp, holding his stomach as he ran.
"Shit! That Kazemaru didn't even mean to talk with the Shogun!" Tomo shouted as he observed the dark clouds above. "We really have to—"
From the sky, an object suddenly fell right in front of the group. Tomo recognised it immediately, as he had been handling that same object mere hours before. Taking the half-broken object as they ran, Tomo saved it on his coat.
"The hell was that?"
"Some weird thing from Fontaine," Tomo answered, hastening his sprint. "I don't know if Kazemaru meant it to drop here or if it has been an accident. In any case, we have to get the hell out of here."
The dozen soldiers on the bridge formed in two lines, ready to take the fight to the infiltration group. "What's the plan?" Kazuha asked with increasing anxiety.
Another thunder filled their eardrums. But that one was different. For Kazuha and Tomo, it was a faraway sound. For Itto, it was the loudest noise he had ever experienced. They immediately found out the reason why. An electro barrier had suddenly been summoned splitting the group in two. Tomo and Kazuha were outside the shield, and Itto and Sayu inside it. All around Tenshukaku, the barrier seemed to envelop the whole palace. There was only one person capable of doing something like this.
"Shit!" Tomo tried to use his vision to break through, but it was to no avail.
"It's fine! Go to Ritou as the Bird-man-I-didn't-get-scared-by said!" Itto shouted, holding Sayu properly. "I'll, uh… find some other way!"
"We barely got that seal out of you, there's no way we're leaving you!" Tomo said, unsheathing his sword and hitting the electro barrier. "You helped us when you had no reason to, let us do the same! And I mean it for both of you!"
"I share the idea, but I think we have more pressing matters at the moment!" Kazuha solemnly said, as he too readied his katana.
Tomo didn't get to say anything else. The biggest lightning strike anyone had seen suddenly stroke Tenshukaku. The Shogun was here. And as Itto gave the two of them a thumbs-up, Tomo and Kazuha were forced to flee.
From the City to the northern Jinren Island, all of Narukami island was suddenly swallowed by an eternal thunderstorm. Rapid winds, rain and lightning made the sky a battleground not seen in half a millennium.
Lightning struck the wide Tenshukaku central yard, the explosion forcing anyone in the vicinity to shield themselves. Anyone brave enough to stay outside would have seen an equally beautiful and terrifying picture.
The scenery of Baal, with her legendary Musou Isshin, floating in front of the main keep of Tenshukaku. And dozens of metres away, the source of the gales that had enveloped the palace. Barbatos.
And then, the unthinkable happened. Barbatos awkwardly waved at Baal, who kindly answered by attacking him with the full might of a storm.
