"So let me get this straight." Itto was sitting down, cross-legged, as he scratched the back of his head. "You two are trying to get out of Inazuma City to help out a bro?"

"That's the gist of it." Tomo had been pretty vague about the motives. "We do not think he should be exiled just for being born in Mondstadt."

"You guys…" The oni clenched his fist as his eyes welled up. "You guys are so cool! The ultimate bros! I don't understand what's the deal with the Mond guys lately, but my good man detector is off the charts at the moment!"

Tomo awkwardly laughed as Kazuha looked away.

"You should know boss, that we have visions. I don't recommend hanging with us." Tomo continued. "I don't know what you've done, but…"

"Arataki Itto doesn't back down! You two just need to get out of Hanamizaka, and that much I can do! Ever heard what happened to the Omoikane? No? That's cause I pummeled'em so hard they got erased from history!" He stood up, towering over the two ronin. "What about the smaller guy? Is he always this quiet?"

"Oh, Kazuha is a reserved guy. He just needs some guidance, but his heart is in the right place." Tomo answered once again. "He's like a lil'bro, know what I mean?"

"Hmm…" Itto crouched, getting on Kazuha's eye level.

"I don't mean no harm. I'm simply wary of your intentions, Itto." The younger ronin started. "Why are you willing to help us?"

The oni answered with a wide smile. "Well, why wouldn't I? If someone's thirsty, I give'em water! If someone's hungry, I give'em food! You guys want out of Hanamizaka? Then I'll give you a way out."

Then, he brought his fist forward, prompting Kazuha to copy him. The first bump was somewhat unexpected, but the ronin couldn't hate Itto's upfront attitude.

"See? Now we're friends. So you can trust me, lil'bro!"

"I see?" Nobody like this could be a bad person, he decided. "We've had a bad run-in with a pretty odd lady… from Mondstadt." Kazuha continued, glancing at Tomo. "We're unsure of why she attacked us, but we don't know when she might appear again."

"A blond woman out of a carnival party? You mean those rumours, right?"

The two ronin paused, almost instantly asking about her.

"Woah, slow down. She appears at night like a ghost, around taverns. Any drunkard will tell you of one or two encounters… Rumour says that whenever you see her, you pass out and wake up like you're a new man." Itto crossed his big arms. "I've been wanting to face her, but Shinobu insists that… Shinobu is my second in command, great girl. She says that it's probably a 'bait and steal' robbery."

"And these drunkards… what happens to them after they see her?" Tomo asked as if knowing the answer.

"Well, I heard that if you see her a second time, she makes you spirit away." Itto didn't hide the fear in his voice but quickly corrected it. "But come on guys, banshees like her don't exist! They're ghosts, and that means they're fake. Not real. Artificial!"

"She was pretty real when we saw her." Itto's expression broke as soon as Tomo said that. "Perhaps the man we found dead was a drunkard as well. There's no way to tell now."

"Woah, woah, hol'up. What's this about a dead man?"

Against Kazuha's judgement, Tomo decided to explain all they knew. The mysterious death of the Main Gate attacker and the woman from Mondstadt. Itto took the news relatively well, like a tale rather than actual incidents.

"I see… Something fishy is going on in the shadows of the city. My gut never lies." The oni seemed to be thinking of an answer to all of their troubles. "So that woman is under Mond's orders? You know, the Shogun blamed them for all our troubles. She gotta be right about that."

"I wouldn't say that. I might have been wrong in my judgement." Kazuha added. "Somebody's origin matters little when they seek mayhem."

"Well, the Shogun's been really stupid with all the Vision Hunt stuff. So she's probably wrong about that." Itto quickly changed opinions. "Agh! I don't understand anything! When this happens, Shinobu always comes by with the save. She's a centrepiece of the gang, you know?"

"Oh, now that you mention it. Weren't you talking with your gang, boss? Where are they?"

"They were right behind me. Shinobu wasn't with them, but yeah! Why haven't they entered yet?" Itto headed towards the warehouse entrance.

"The Shuumatsuban ninja hasn't returned either." Kazuha pointed out. "Doesn't it feel a bit cold too?"

The trio glanced at each other, before arming themselves with their weapons. The oni immediately tried to open the door, only to find it locked. He pushed the door again, but it didn't budge. Then, he decided to pull with all his strength, breaking the door out of its hinges and finding a wall of ice blocking the entrance.

"She found us? We've been so careful, how did she…?" Tomo's words were interrupted as Itto punched through the ice.

"Boys! Where are you?!"

The two ronin followed Itto out of the warehouse and into the empty and dark street. The surroundings were quiet, and the street itself was only populated by a few buildings to each side. The lamps were unlit. The wind was still.

As Tomo and Itto looked around in search of anything out of place, Kazuha heard something above in the skies. Cutting through the air like a blade, backlit by the moonlight.

Kazuha's immediate warning did little to prevent the group from being struck by lightning as a flurry of arrows surrounded them without making any direct hit.

Kujou Sara's landing drew all the eyes of the three men, who could do little besides recover from the electricity.

"So that diplomat was right. Surrender your visions and follow the Shogun's will like law-abiding citizens." Sara's eyes focused on Kazuha. "And you, surrender yourself."

Itto placed himself in front of the two ronin, who were still reeling from the lightning impact. "Oi, tengu chicken! You go missing for like two weeks and now you order me around? Let's decide this like we always do, in a one-on-one duel!"

"You? I am disappointed, Oni. You were always a petty criminal, but to ally yourself with these… Traitors to the Almighty Shogun, is despicable. I thought better of you."

"Maybe you should have fixed that bird brain of yours if you ever thought I'd sell two good compadres! This is three on one, I'm giving you a fighting chance. Even if you're gonna lose against me anyways."

The sound of footsteps filled the street as ten soldiers appeared behind the Tengu General, coupled with another dozen at the other end of the street.

"Okay, well. Now it's a bit fairer." Itto cleared his throat, his nervousness slipping for a moment. "But you have captured my friends, so you're not getting out of a beating!"

"Friends? Do not blame me if you have lost your gang. The only arrests for tonight are you three if you don't comply." Sara replied. "I will not repeat myself, surrender now or face the consequences. The Shogun would loathe seeing her citizens be harmed. But traitors she does not forgive."

"Much like your father?" Tomo readied his sword, placing himself a few steps away from the Oni.

Kazuha copied his friend's movements. "Listen, somebody is acting in the shadows. They were the ones who attacked Main Gate. We do not mean any harm, we want to help the Shogun understand the situation. But we won't surrender our ambitions."

"I have been trained to become the Narukami Ogosho's mightiest weapons. You will regret your decision." Sara's lower lip trembled slightly. She pulled out a sword hilt and held it like it was a full sword.

Itto found it hilarious. Tomo was curious. Kazuha was completely on guard.

"Misses the blade somewhere, chicken head? Come on, go fetch'er. Bring me my gang in the meantime, will ya?" The oni readied his stance. "I can handle the bird-brain on my own."

Itto was caught completely unaware as the Tengu rushed past him, dodged Tomo's slash and clashed against Kazuha. Anemo and electro flowed through the Tengu's ethereal blade, prompting the young ronin to stand back.

Kujou Sara refused to give him space, rushing against him with wild energy swirling around. Her eyes were shining purple, a sign of electro mastery. Her slash was suddenly blocked by the equally fast Tomo, exchanging a flurry of swings that chanted like music.

Tomo broke off from the engagement, noticing his chipped sword. The blade had given in like butter against Sara's odd blade. Something was seriously wrong with the Tengu General, her strength was abnormal. That blade of hers was flowing with electro, but he could barely hear the breeze of wind coming out of it.

"This doesn't look good, boss!" Tomo tried and failed to pull Itto away from the fight as Kazuha became Sara's focus again.

"You two run, I'll hold that unhappy bird at bay!" Itto placed his heavy club on his shoulder, ready to join the fray again.

Tomo glanced at Kazuha, who seemed to be struggling against the General as well. His sword, it seemed, was also breaking against that haunted blade.

"No, look at those soldiers. They're not rushing at us. They want to keep us here. We beat the Shogun's bodyguard and they'll waver and break."

He didn't say any more words, dashing behind the General and slashing away. Tomo's sword hit nothing, as the Tengu jumped several metres into the air. Kazuha was ready to jump after her when an electro arrow pierced his shoulder. The Tengu's ethereal blade had instantly morphed into a bow, pulsating with anemo energy. Kazuha knew weapons, but none were capable of using elemental energy without the help of a vision. Even less an element that wasn't even part of the user's vision.

As he tried his best to dodge the sudden rain of arrows, his friends didn't stay idle. Tomo used Itto's club to jump off and reach the flying Tengu, who immediately plunged to the ground to dodge him. Plunging, however, was an opportunity for Itto to bat her away like a bug. He jumped and swung his club, finally landing a hit on her. Or so it seemed, as she used the club's momentum to launch herself against Kazuha.

Unable to dodge, he raised his sword to block her. But as her arms came down, his blade didn't contact anything. Her katana had somehow shortened into a mere knife, letting her land in front of him unopposed. And then his body felt cold.

Her blade was suddenly rammed below his stomach, cold and hot at the same time.

She kicked him off, turning in the nick of time to block Itto's raging swing. The ground broke below the two of them, Sara's left shoulder snapping out of place. Her body had an unnatural strength that her body simply couldn't keep up with.

Then, Tomo's blade appeared out of her blindspot. She weakened her block, letting Itto's club slide over and smash the ground, only to face the electro swordsman head-on. Tomo's thrust missed, only to zip back around like lightning and pierce her remaining healthy shoulder.

Itto then tackled the Tengu to the ground, doing his best to subdue her impossible strength.

"Stay down!" Tomo restrained her arm, trying to disarm her odd weapon. But she didn't let go. It was to no avail, as her already strained elbow cracked and stopped her struggle. Meanwhile, Itto made sure to control her legs and torso. She was strong, stronger than weeks ago. Something else was fueling her, but for the moment being, Itto was too concerned about his new friend.

Kazuha was bleeding, but it wasn't enough to put him down. He wasn't in any shape to continue fighting, but enough to flee. That was enough for Tomo to breathe relieved.

In contrast, however, things were not looking up for Kujou Sara. For the first time in years, she had been severely injured. Pain and shattered bones were not the worst part. She was failing the Shogun. After everyone had failed her, the Raiden Shogun had placed all her trust in Sara. Visions responded to ambitions. And Sara's had never been so stronger.

Lightning was summoned from the skies, striking the unaware Itto dead on the head. Tomo and Sara were less affected but rattled. That was enough for Sara to reverse the Oni's grapple and throw him away.

Tomo's vision flared up, meeting in intensity with Sara's. He had not received any damage. Yet the battered Tengu's output seemed higher than his. With a headbutt, she forced Tomo to recoil and back away as she forced her dislocated shoulder back into place.

"How the hell are you so strong?!" Itto picked up his club again, his lungs burning.

"I cannot fail the Shogun. If you held any conviction, you'd understand my resolve." Sara glanced at her bleeding right shoulder, coupled with the same arm's broken elbow. "One arm will be enough for you two."

"Whatever strength you're wielding, it will not come cheap," Tomo warned her, readying his sword again. "Your life is not worth our defeat."

Sara's dark wings were summoned at her command. The feathers gleamed in the moonlight alongside her ethereal sword. "The fate of my life is the Shogun's to decide."

"Come on, Tengu Warrior. That arm looks pretty bad, you gotta know when you've lost. Let your little soldiers help ya."

Sara answered by lunging at Tomo, connecting their blade in a brief blow exchange. Their electro visions flared in intensity, their clashes rumbling like thunder. But the ethereal's blade anemo winds proved to be the deciding factor as Tomo's sword snapped in half. He buckled, Sara's last attack grazing his armpit. Before she could threaten him into submission, Itto stepped in.

"That's enough!" The oni clasped the ethereal blade, struggling to keep it still. And then, he slammed a kick into her ribs. She was propelled backwards, rolling into the ground for several metres. "Come on, lil'bro! We're getting out of here!"

Kazuha had felt useless for half the fight, but he knew when the tables were heavily skewed. In fact, he had been trying to move for a while. And couldn't. He was bleeding heavily, his body feeling cold, so it took him some time to realise why he wasn't moving.

Ice was stuck to his feet, much like a few days ago.

Itto quickly tried to approach him, believing the Tengu to have finally given up. But Kujou Sara was no longer fighting for herself or her family. Everything was for the Shogun.

In one last spurt of energy, Sara weakly tackled the Oni. Then, as if it was all according to plan, she bit the vision on his neck before a well-placed electro punch launched him backwards.

She spitted out the geo vision, her knees finally giving up. Her breathing was difficult, a few broken ribs stopping a continuous flow. "Enough… The Shogun… requires your presence."

Tomo tried to rush the injured Tengu, when a ten-metre wall of ice split the street in two. Itto and Tomo were separated from the Tengu and Kazuha.

"Is this the greatest warrior of Inazuma?" A woman said on top of the ice. "Pitiful. I understand why it's been so easy to undermine your nation. Your despicable order will crumble before Mondstadt's freedom, you vermin."

"The woman!" Kazuha did his best to break the ice, but his strength was quickly fading. "General, she…!"

In one last act of defiance, Sara's lightning descended to strike the elegant woman attacking them. Whether it landed on its target, the Tengu wasn't able to see. She merely ordered around her soldiers and ripped out Kazuha's vision from his belt.

Scaramouche had been through a lot, even more in the last century. He had endured countless experiments. Fought leviathans and monsters buried beneath Teyvat. He had even faced several Harbingers and won. But nothing could compare to something of this magnitude.

In a blink, the Alcor had disappeared from his sight. The mere contact with the astrologer had somehow transported him somewhere else. Everything was dark, with waves of stars flowing around. With a closer look, he noticed they were ley lines.

He was back in his usual outfit, with even his missing hat, which implied this wasn't real. Instead, this had to be some sort of illusion.

Walking through the emptiness, he found nothing besides more and more waves of stars. Any attempt to disrupt the ley lines was met with some type of pushback force. Summoning his powers, he attempted it again.

This time, his hand went through the line without any issue and the scenery changed.

"With this, you'll be able to walk through Inazuma without any issues."

Without any buildup, Scaramouche found himself somewhere inside Tenshukaku. In front of him, Barbatos and… the Original Baal were talking. The God of Freedom was wearing some sort of traditional Inazuman attire.

"A memory… from Barbatos? Or Baal?" Scaramouche muttered as the conversation between the two Archons didn't create any sounds. He could see them talking, but after a while, they disappeared.

The memory seemed half-broken. The scenery was clearly of Tenshukaku, but it was too empty and barren to be accurate. He also saw no doors anywhere. Seeing no other way out, he punched his way out of the memory.

"I refuse."

The next place was somewhere in Inazuma. He reckoned it was a mountain near Grand Narukami Shrine. Baal and her Kagemusha were talking, or rather, arguing over something. Ei was quite angry, while Makoto seemed resigned or… disappointed.

Makoto caressed Ei's cheek. "I have already convinced him. I only need your consent."

"Of course he's agreed. He'd stab himself in the guts if you asked him to." Ei stepped back, clearly upset. "I promised to protect you, and doing something so reckless will only endanger you. I'll take your place."

The conversation stopped again, the corruption in the memories clear.

"Baal's… Makoto's memories. Why am I here?" Scaramouche pondered for a moment, observing the twin Gods. "And what in the world are they talking about?"

Currently, he only knew that touching the Astrologer led him here. He could only continue forward and try to find an exit. The open mountain was not infinite, and an invisible barrier prevented him from continuing. So he tore it open again.

Wind suddenly knocked him to the ground. In a dark emptiness, Barbatos was holding his gnosis in front of Makoto. The wind was so strong he couldn't open his eyes. Scaramouche wasn't able to hear anything either, but the God of Freedom unexpectedly stopped his gnosis and took a step back. The bard shook his head and disappeared from the picture.

Makoto then turned and looked Scaramouche in the eyes. The Wanderer looked back, wondering who she was looking at. Seeing nobody, he moved away yet her eyes followed.

She slowly held her hand forward, pointing at his arms.

Some sort of string was attached to the back of his hand. He tried to swat it away, only to see the same string on his opposite hand. His elbows, knees, feet, shoulders… Every joint in his body was attached with a string. They headed up to the void above, controlled by something unseen. His movement suddenly became restricted as the strings tensed up.

Thunder suddenly rumbled the empty space. Makoto had suddenly disappeared.

"A broken vessel," Ei suddenly appeared behind him, circling around him. "Unworthy, unneeded, unfit. You were but a mistake."

Scaramouche's instinct was to attack. But the strings stopped him.

"A puppet without strings is useless." The voice of a man appeared beside him, circling him as well. That mask and long hair were impossible to forget. Il Dottore, the Doctor of the Fatui Harbingers. "An artificial archon, are you? Then let's see how far can I go."

Scaramouche struggled against the strings, his distress becoming clearer and clearer. This wasn't a memory from Makoto, and he never recalled these memories. Something else was occurring in this dimension, and he was hating every single moment of it.

"Divinity flows through you and… this is all you can do?" Dottore said. "At this rate, you'll never be able to endure a gnosis. A waste of time."

"A fake will never compare," Ei repeated. "Be experimented with as much you want. No matter how much wood is reinforced, it will always burn."

"This isn't real." He shut his eyes tight, repeating those words like a mantra. The ley lines were interfering with his psyche, this all made no sense. But… their words were true, were they not? Had this not what he had been thinking throughout his whole life?

Once, long ago, he might have thought of himself as some other being. Not a god, or an archon, or a Harbinger. Just a wandering soul without a purpose.

"I think Wanderer," The shadow of a man suddenly appeared in front of him, with a soft smile. His first friend, the man who accepted him shortly after Ei abandoned him. Katsuragi. "People aren't weapons. A person is not made with the purpose to be pretty, strong or sharp. There may not even be a purpose, do you understand? The only thing weapons and people have in common, is that they have to be made with care and love. Otherwise, they will be brittle and unusable."

Taking advantage of his open eyes, Ei walked through Katsuragi and made him disappear like dust. "And you were not made with any of these. Why do you think I abandoned you?"

"Because he was a disappointment." Dottore covered his mouth, hiding a smile.

"Because he continues to be one." Ei continued. "A puppet who desires strings… that can't even move right."

"Shut the hell up, all of you!" Scaramouche yelled his body completely still from his bindings. "Say one more word and I'll kill you!"

"That's all you're good for, isn't it? Rebelling yourself like that disappointment of Mondstadt." Ei lifted Scaramouche's chin with a strong grasp. "At least he had the guts to face me, unlike you. If you say he's a coward, you're worse than that. A craven traitor to Inazuma."

"You made me like this." He talked back, barely able to meet Ei's cold eyes.

Dottore giggled, moving next to Ei. "And you know that's a lie. You were always all talk, Balladeer. A slave to emotions, to your past… something to be used and discarded. If only you had some use, of course."

"Stop talking already." Scaramouche retorted, this time more weakly. "Everything I've done is because of you."

The strings on his body lost tension and he fell flat on his back. A fine layer of dust was blowing in the air, coating the illusions of Dottore and Ei in a faint purple hue. Scaramouche struggled to get up, his body mustering all the strength he had to break out of the illusion.

"Everything could have been better, couldn't it?" Makoto was suddenly sitting beside him. "If only it was me who created you…"

She carefully placed aside his hat and guided his head towards her lap. She caressed his cheek before brushing aside his hair.

"This can't be a memory." Scaramouche thought out loud, unable to move once again.

"You are losing your sense of self, my dear. I am a simple creation of your mind, of how you believe Makoto was like." She continued caressing him. "Your mind is unfocused, without rhythm. If you don't regain your will, your soul will be absorbed by the ley lines. You'll die, never to wake up again."

Barbatos sat in front of Makoto, looking down at Scaramouche. "All in all, you're going crazy, Kunikuzushi. Either the ley lines get you… or you manage to escape out of this dimension. You're free to choose any of those options."

Scaramouche didn't reply or even attempt to move. No strings were tying him down anymore, but he didn't feel any motivation either.

"Perhaps Barbatos and I were always planning to have a child." The fake Makoto started.

"Yeah, that makes sense. Why would I treat you nicely otherwise?" Barbatos affirmed. "Nobody treats you like a person, why would they? You're an asshole to the mortals and a fake to the Gods. It only makes sense that the man who commissioned you treated you right. The perfect combination of my stupidity and the twin's innocence. I said that before, didn't I? Perhaps what I meant was the perfect combination of anemo and electro. That sounds incredible, doesn't it? It explains it all. This is why you're unfit to be the Electro Archon. You are greater than that, you were made to be greater than Ei."

Scaramouche turned to Barbatos, who just smiled at him. The Archon placed a hand in the Wanderer's chest.

"A storm, my dear." Makoto finally said, placing her own hand above Barbatos'. "Anemo and Electro within you, a true Storm."

"A revolution can only be possible when the previous order is swept away. And you are the Storm who will do that, the God of Storms." Barbatos' hand glowed in white light.

"If only I was still alive, I'd understand you, my dear. I'd love you, care for you. With my guidance and Barbatos' will, you'd turn the whole world upside down. Both the Anemo and Electro gnosis would be under your control. And then, how many more would you add to your collection?" Makoto's hand joined the bard's, glowing in a purple tonality.

The two illusions turned to smoke, swirling around Scaramouche before fusing with his body. He felt electro concentrating beyond anything he could ever muster before. And then, there was something heavy on his chest.

"Swipe away the world, huh? Yes, that's the only thing I'm good at." Electro energy surged through his body, painting the emptiness in a purple hue. Then, he took the object that appeared on his chest and stood up. An anemo vision. "I understand now. This world, these memories… it's all a test to prove my worthiness. Barbatos, Makoto… they've given me what you would never let go off, Ei. You fools are going to see my rebirth as the greatest God of Teyvat."

The anemo vision flared, mixing with his innate electro capacities. The breeze became a gale of lightning, shaking the ley lanes' void. The dimension started shattering as the tornado gathered around Scaramouche, the electro swirl converging around his body before completely shattering the void.

The world was now swaying. The pungent smell of brine and wood filled his nose. He blinked a few times, observing the wooden ceiling and Venti's worried face. He was lying in bed, in one of the officer's cabins.

"What the? Are you okay?"

Scaramouche didn't respond, choosing to get up from the bed and stumbled over to the exit. The ship's rocking caused him to trip and hold into Venti for support.

"You've been out for almost two days, sit down." The bard tried to sit him on the bed again, but the Harbinger refused. "Do you… know who I am? Do you know where or who you are?"

The Harbinger answered by punching Venti in the gut, effortlessly launching him against the room's walls. He looked at his hand, surprised by his own power, before leaving the room towards the deck.

Waves crashed against the Alcor's hull, water covering the deck for seconds before the vessel pitched up to face the next wave. Rain and thunder filled the view above the seas while he boldly walked through the surging ship. The deck was empty, as far as he could see. No soul would want to be stuck on the main deck in the middle of this storm.

Scaramouche strode across the deck towards the main mast, its sails at half-mast. A mere tap and the whole column would shatter and fall. It would be the death of the ship, especially on the eternal storms that surrounded Inazuma.

Maintaining an extreme display of balance as the vessel swayed and pitched, he extended his left arm forward. Electro swirled around his left forearm, quickly reacting to the heavy rain of the storm. Then he did the same with his right arm, this time with anemo. The slight smile on his lips continued to warp into a macabre cackle as hydro from the rain became part of his repertoire. He winded up a punch with his right arm when the sound of a blade cutting through the air stopped him.

Beidou's two-handed sword clobbered him on the head, throwing him to the ground on impact. Unharmed, he recovered immediately only to be restrained by a hydro spell.

"Goin' to repeat what happened with the Mizar, scallywag?" The Captain of the Alcor seemed completely unfazed by the raging storm, bouncing her sword on the shoulder. "I'm not as stupid as ye think."

Scaramouche forcefully broke through the binding spell with his anemo energy. "Congratulations, oaf. I always wagered the possibility of you luring me into a closed space on the high seas. Not that I ever felt threatened by such premises." He inspected the quarterdeck behind Beidou, quickly finding Mona with her spellbook catalyst on hand. "I assume you told her that I'm the despicable Fatui behind the attack. Or was it Barbatos?"

He clasped his hands behind his back as another wave struck the Alcor.

"Honestly, I truly don't feel like destroying this ship. Do not let any vessel into Inazuma, those were my orders." His crooked smile did not waver. "I do not care for the Fatui anymore. But congratulations. You shall be the first witnesses of a new God, perhaps I will let you live to carry on with the rumours."

The wind battering the vessel stood still for a moment. Scaramouche's aura suddenly appeared in the form of an anemo barrier that stretched as far as five metres around him. Then, with a mere snap of his fingers, electro energy surged through the whole anemo shield. It immediately reacted to the rain, sparks flying everywhere.

"Let's take this for a test drive, shall we?" Scaramouche took a step forward, his feet cracking the wooden boards below him, shaking the whole ship.

"You're going to blow up the vessel, you maniac!" Mona launched a few hydro spells along with her words. They merely fuelled his barrier.

"It is because of you that I realised my true calling. I'm truly grateful for that. But you still cannot shut your mouth." The Wanderer flicked his hand creating a piercing gale directed at the Astrologer.

Beidou managed to protect Mona, using her sword and electro energy as a shield. The gale proved to be too strong for the Captain, who was barely able to hold on to the deck. The wind was dispersed, but she was forced to one knee to recover.

"Moving my hand was all it took? I'm honestly disappointed." Scaramouche took another step before being hit by another hydro spell. His shield made quick work of that. "…Seriously, witch? Did the two previous attempts not tip you off?."

Mona stumbled to the main deck, trying to help Beidou in the struggling ship.

"I must commend you, anyhow." He started, crossing his arms. "The fake stars above might be a product of ley lines. That fate you are reading is but a mere reflection of that. It may explain why I appeared in that realm. Though I doubt the answer is that simple." He paused, relishing Mona's hateful glare. "Yes, perhaps faking your drowning was a mistake. But as I told you back then, I didn't lie to you. And now, I can proudly tell you that, as the next Archon of Mondstadt and Inazuma, I will not hold back in information. Teyvat will know the truth of their world."

"You're delusional, Kunikuzushi." Mona struggled to keep herself steady, but her words were. "I don't know what happened to you, or how you're even controlling the elements. But fate never favours those who fool themselves."

"You're outmatched, and you still talk shit." Scaramouche raised his hand again. "No wonder I find you amusing."

His piercing gale was met halfway by an equally powerful outburst, dispelling themselves almost immediately.

"Calm down," Venti stumbled his way through the deck, grasping his stomach. "I don't know how you've woken up, but…"

"Be glad, Barbatos. You allowed me to stay in this vessel only to deal with me. You always meant to have whatever this little ambush is as a back-up, was it? But don't worry anymore, I understand now." Scaramouche pointed his open palm to Venti. "It's always about Makoto. She was killed because Celestia knew what would happen if you two gave birth to me."

Venti didn't hide his confusion. "…What are you talking about?"

"You two were planning to have me as your heir. The Storm that would sweep Teyvat anew, the revolution that would burn down the old order. Eternal Freedom for Teyvat brought to you by yours truly, the God of Storms."

"Wh-… You're confused," Venti sauntered closer to the Wanderer. "Look, it's normal to be like this after being out for so many days. Just calm down, let's talk."

"Confused? No, I've never had my mind so clear. I am Thunder. I am Wind. You said it yourself, I am the perfect fusion of you and Baal." Scaramouche completely disregarded Venti's words.

"I meant it metaphorically you dolt. I was just connecting with you!" The ship pitched again, throwing Venti to the floor.

"Yes, you wanted to make me better than you. Everything is so clear now. Makoto's dream... It's me. It's always been me! So you can still accomplish it, Barbatos! Once I obtain the Electro Gnosis, alongside yours, I'll fulfill my purpose and turn Teyvat upside down!"

Beidou stood up, ignoring the Harbinger and prompting Venti to his feet. "I don't mean to meddle, but those are them crazy eyes, you see?"

"She's right, Venti. He doesn't look right." Mona added. "He's always been a psycho, but he's on a whole new level now. His fate is pitch black, there's no future for him."

Venti, however, didn't hear them. "You don't need to do this. I told you before, we can just talk it out. We're family. And the Fatui don't deserve your aid. You are free to choose what you want to do, you don't have to threaten the ship!"

"Family? The Fatui? The ship? So narrow-minded. I freely chose this. I chose to no longer be bossed around, and if I have to sink this vessel to achieve that, then I will. That is why I give you these options." Scaramouche answered. "Give me your gnosis. I will leave this ship alone and take care of Inazuma and Baal. You can lay back and disappear into obscurity again." He examined Venti's hardened expression before continuing. "Or I can destroy this vessel right here and now, doom a hundred souls for the sake of a million. I'll rip off the gnosis out of your dead body. Either way, I will be the revolution you've always sought. My purpose will finally be accomplished."

"You know nothing of me, Makoto or even Ei." Venti stumbled one last time before choosing to fly above the floor. "A person, be it man or god, cannot be the revolution. And Makoto would spit at your face if she ever saw her name tarnished like this. Seek by force what you couldn't win by merit… That is what she hated the most."

"Don't make me laugh. Are we going to forget the Archon War, Barbatos? This is why I was made, to do what you two couldn't. Makoto was a hypocrite, and you're a coward. But me? I am rid of those defects. The perfect fusion of Wind and Thunder. I know what it takes to get the job done, which is why I won't hesitate anymore."

"Are you sure about this, Kunikuzushi? You can just lay down your arms, we'll forget about this incident. The Mizar, all your crimes, we'll make them right. I will show you the error of your ways and give you a second chance. But if you do this… I won't be able to help you. This is your only chance."

Another piercing gale travelled through the deck, ripping the barriers on the edge of the deck. Venti dispelled it again, this time showing some effort.

"The next one will destroy the main mast," Scaramouche warned him. "Come on, you craven god. Stop me. Show me the spine you lacked to save Makoto from death. Push me to become an even greater God!"

The barrier around the Wanderer wavered before slowly shrinking. Venti's eyes shone with energy as he untied his cape, letting it fly away into the wind and rain.

Somebody yelled.

Perhaps it was the howling wind. It could have been Beidou or Mona. Maybe it had been the bard himself. After all, he had never been so weak. And his opponent was stronger than he had ever thought. Electro, anemo and hydro seemed to bend to Scaramouche's will without any sign of fatigue.

Barbatos' winds didn't care what insurmountable wall they were facing. Wind always found a way.