21st of the 3rd Cycle
Liyue Harbour had clearly seen better days.
That being said, the industriousness of the Liyuean people cannot be understated. Aether gripped the seastone balustrade of the forecastle, watching as the clearly newly-built port enlarged before him. Sails furled, the ship drifted through the open gates of the northern harbour, escorted by four other vessels.
Approaching the docks, Aether noticed several blocks of Millelith waiting for them on the promenade - headed by a familiar face.
As the ship slowed to a halt, ropes and yards swinging wildly through the air, Aether turned around to see Jinpeng leaning against the anchor capstan. Aether hopped down the forecastle stairs and onto the main deck, swiftly picking up the yaksha and swinging his arm around his neck, supporting him.
"You alright?"
Jinpeng groaned as he stood, "I'll be fine."
"Rest well," Aether told him, "May we meet again."
"When the stars align," the yaksha agreed.
Together, they made their way to the port side, where the Millelith had already set up a gangplank. Since the walkway was too narrow, Aether had to lean over and hand Jinpeng to a soldier who had crept halfway up, and wait until the yaksha was lifted onto a stretcher and carried off before descending himself.
"Sir Aether!" Keqing greeted, "Good to see that you are… well… though you seem to be missing an arm."
The Lady Yuheng stood tall on the stone pier, her cape billowing lightly in the wind. Scale armour donned her form, her dragon-hilted sword at her side and helmet tucked under her elbow. Curiously, Aether could spot drops of blood splattered across her tassels, as if she had just left a battle.
"Sacrifices had to be made," Aether stepped off the gangplank onto the pier, "And an arm can be replaced."
"We have prepared aid and rest for you. Rest assured, your efforts will not be forgotten," Keqing glanced towards the ship, but commented nothing, "I would talk our best thaumaturges to begin crafting a new arm for you."
Aether unconsciously gripped the stump where his right arm used to be. His shoddily made prosthesis had not survived their long ordeal, and was falling apart by the time they had surfaced - so Aether opted to remove it.
"How long would that take?"
Keqing paused, "A sennight, perhaps? Though, we would spare no expense in ensuring you are rewarded, so one of high quality would take longer."
"Then I would have to pass," Aether smiled apologetically, "I wish to set off as soon as possible. Instead, could you stock my ship with enough supplies to make it to Inazuma?"
"There will be no issue," she turned her head and nodded to her retinue behind her, who bowed and rushed off, "May I escort you?"
"I see no reason to decline."
Millelith soldiers smoothly parted as they left the pier and stepped onto the promenade. Looking around, Aether could see labourers pushing around carts of stone landwise, and behind him their four escort ships were docking as well.
"May I ask her name?"
"Whose name?"
Keqing shot him a puzzled look, "Your ship, surely a vessel as grand as her must have a name?"
Aether turned on his heel, looking back at the nameless ship. It was Osial, yet wasn't Osial anymore. How esoteric, he mentally groaned. Nevertheless, it was his compromise with Paimon - Furfur yet lives to hold his seat on Celestia, but Osial was dead and gone. So, he was to name the ship.
He didn't want to. Because unlike a mere object, the ship was living, breathing, sapient - and what right did he have to name it? The five gazes of the ship met his, their serpentine necks craning, and Aether couldn't help but shoot them an inquiring look. The heads snapped at him, before returning to irritating the Millelith soldiers loading crates onto the ship. He lowered his head in understanding.
"Are all ships female?" he asked.
"In Liyuean culture, yes," Keqing nodded, "The tradition is said to have started by the original inhabitants of this region thousands of years ago, before Liyue Harbour was founded. It is said they treated their ships as handmaidens to a sea goddess named Bache. When Liyue Harbour was founded, we adopted their traditions."
Aether had half an idea as to who Bache was, so it would be fitting if this ship in particular was female as well - but then again the ship was also her former mate… Ah, how irritating. Aether scratched his head in frustration.
Why was he getting so hung up on this anyway? Perhaps it was simply guilt, or conscience - or perhaps he simply wanted to do one right for the Vortex.
"Her name is the Deicide," Aether told Keqing, making his choice.
Keqing paused, staring at the ship, before a small smile tugged at her lips, "You are quite brazen, but I suppose it is only fitting."
"Quite right."
They walked in comfortable silence along the harbourfront until they were right before a drydock, where a massive half-completed junk towered over them. Aether craned his neck, watching the shipbuilders caulk the planks together.
"May I ask why you are in armour?" Aether decided to indulge his curiosity.
"You came at quite an inopportune time," was all she replied, "That being said, when will you depart?"
"When will the tides recede?"
Keqing turned to gaze at the sea, watching the waves crash against the breakwaters.
"On the morrow."
"Then I suppose I shall depart with the tides."
"Ah," Keqing's eyes widened, "Shall I send some men to fetch Lady Megistus? She has already received her share of the awarded money in gold. She has been waiting for you since she woke up."
Aether froze, and resisted the knee-jerk reaction to reject the offer. It was good to know Mona was alright, but shouldn't that be enough? It left a terrible taste in his mouth that she had been caught up - and injured - in his affairs, but she was alright now. Furthermore, she had been awarded a fortune in gold, which granted was their original goal, but now that he already had a ship he didn't exactly need it.
Even if he left without telling her anything, she would be fine.
But the fool girl still waited for him?
Right, she was an astrologist. Aether sighed irritably, running his hand through his hair. Astrologist, he mentally spat, slave to the stars more like. Had she spent so much time with her head among the stars that she had forgotten about her own will? To be so insistent on following him… Aether couldn't help but think Mona hadn't yet realised the paradox in her own understandings of fate.
"No need," Aether said, "Point me in the right direction, and I'll fetch her myself. You must be busy, and I shan't steal any more of your time."
"Oh, it is no trouble," Keqing offered a thin smile, "But you are right - even in the wake of such a disaster, the Republic must yet brave another rising storm."
"I wish you the best of luck in your endeavours," Aether shared a bow with the Lady Yuheng, "One last thing, may I ask for the condition of Hu Tao?"
"I don't rightly know, I'm afraid," Keqing smiled apologetically, "I haven't received any news since she was returned to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlour. I wouldn't worry much, however, her attendants are capable people."
"That is pleasing to hear," he nodded.
"Oh, yes, on that note," she laughed, "Lady Megistus is currently lodging in the Wangsheng Funeral Parlour."
"Is that so? Thank you," Aether bowed again, "May we meet again."
Keqing returned the affectation, "Should the earth will it, find that we shall."
22nd of the 4th Cycle
Aether watched as the dockhands hauled crates onto the Deicide.
The Sun was peeking over the horizon, lightening the overcast Sky. Soon, the tides would recede, and the Deicide would ride the waves to the open sea. Aether took in the scent of the morning sea breeze, relishing its coolness. He had spent some time in Liyue Harbour the day before, and came to the realisation that turmoil was once again growing behind the scenes. Deciding that he wants no part of it, Aether resolved to leave.
"That was the last one, sir!" a dockhand called.
"My gratitudes!" Aether pushed himself off the bannister, "Shall I pay you now?"
"Ah, no need for that," the man waved him off, "The Lady Yuheng has already done so. We'll be taking our leave now."
"Farewell, then."
"Aye, may Barbatos bless your sails!"
The dockhand hopped down the gangplank, retrieving it once he reached the pier. More workers converged on the pier, untying the dock lines and throwing them onto the deck of the ship. Aether spotted Mona at the bow of the ship, where she claimed the forecastle as her personal territory. Approaching the foot of the stairs, he looked up to see the astrologist setting up her equipment on the forecastle deck - carefully taking the instruments out of crates.
In fact, she had erected an entire workspace on the forecastle deck. With the money she had been awarded by the Qixing, Mona elected to purchase a fortune in astrology equipment - telescopes, alidades, and astrariums among them. There were also desks, tomes, alchemical equipment and catalysts, and many more mysterious objects Aether couldn't quite parse.
Shaking his head, he clambered up the stairs.
"Need something?"
"Best stow those away for now, we're about to weigh anchor."
Mona paused, before nodding, "Sensible."
She flicked a finger, and ropes of Hydro burst out of the deck, wrapping around and tying down all of the crates and equipment on the deck. Aether snorted lightly, but accepted it nonetheless. He tapped the balustrade twice, and the deck thrummed under his feet. The anchor capstan began reeling on its own accord, chains clanking.
Mona shifted, feeling the heartbeat under her feet. Aether could sense the winds shifting, suddenly blowing sea-ward with strength even though just a few moments before they were blowing the opposite way.
"Still can't get used to that," Mona muttered.
Suddenly, the sound of whistling filled the air as ropes flew overhead, lines pulling taut as the divine vessel came to life. Coral pulleys clacked, and the sails of green foliage unfurled, catching the wind. The Deicide lurched away from the port, leaping across the waves - and soon they were hurtling for the open gates of the harbour.
The hydra howled to the sea, and Aether felt his braid flapping behind him. Mona raised a hand, pressing her hat to her head as the winds buffeted their faces. They passed through the gates, ploughing through the waves, waters breaking over the prow.
High above them, sea birds flew on the miraculous wind, cawing as they trailed in the Deicide's wake.
"How long do you think we'll take?" Aether asked.
"Considering the wind will always be on our side…" Mona murmured, and Aether could see the calculations crossing her mind, "Nine to eleven days. It is good speed, considering that if we have to follow the prevailing winds we'd take twice as long."
"Still, we'll hit the Divine Winds before that," Aether scratched his head, "So you'll have to bring in your stuff."
"I'm not daft, Aether."
Comfortable silence enveloped them. Aether scanned the horizon, the Guyun Stone Forest in the distance, Dragonspine rising over creation far to the north. Most importantly, to the south was the Golden Horn - a mountainous peninsula south of Liyue Harbour that protected the city from the worst of southern storms - once the Deicide passes the tip of the Horn, they would turn south due for Inazuma.
"Why did you wait for me?" Aether finally asked, "What made you so sure that I was still alive?"
Mona glanced at him, pursing her lips.
"I wasn't so sure of you as I was sure of fate," she shook her head, "And besides, I found your constellation, so I knew you were well."
"My constellation…?" He trailed off in thought, "Ah, you must've seen the broken Sky."
"Only Fate, or universal necessity, the inevitable 'Adrasteia,' the faceless countenance and hollow sound of unknown Destiny, was absolute," Mona recited an old prayer, "Yes. Fate cannot be changed, nor can it be reversed, it can only but be accepted. That is why it is called Fate."
Aether sighed. Fate was a fickle thing, one that divine minds couldn't hope to comprehend, much less mortals. It must seem a terribly simple thing, fate, just follow the path that had already been laid out for you after all. Truth is, not even he could comprehend it fully - but he knew it was certainly not that simple.
It is said that fate cannot be changed, but hasn't it already been? After all, fate changing was the very reason Mona was with him sailing in the opposite direction of her destination. Or, was it that it is her final destination that decides if fate was changed?
Aether was removed from his thoughts by movement. Mona had unfastened her equipment and had returned to setting them up. He left her to it, turning on his heel and skipping down the stairs.
Ah, no matter. Fate was as fickle as a child, in the end. And the best way of dealing with a child was to just agree with everything they said. Ride out the storm, as it said, just ride out the storm, and it will all pass.
2nd of the 5th Cycle
Aether sat by the helm, feeling the waves lapping against the hull, the steady heartbeat, the steady rise and fall of the deck.
In his hand was a block of Geo, carved into a somewhat cylindrical shape. He held onto a scalpel with his teeth, his lone hand scraping away chunks of Geo from the block with a carving knife. Once the block was vaguely L-shaped, he nodded in satisfaction, before swiftly swapping out his knife for the scalpel in order to define the details. A cut out channels for energy to flow easily, and defined some muscles for good measure.
He would do the fingers tomorrow, Aether decided.
"I didn't know you knew how to sculpt."
"I don't," he replied mindlessly, "This is my fourth attempt-"
Wait, wasn't Mona sleeping?
Aether released a light screech, fumbling- dropping everything in his hands before scrambling to his feet. Hastily, looking up, he found Paimon staring down at him. Under the moonlight, the goddess was an ethereal beauty, the array of distant nebulae in the night sky dying her white hair with a faint array of colours. Her nondescript dress billowed lighty in the breeze.
Unbalanced, both from standing up too quickly and because of his lack of right arm, Aether stumbled backwards - catching the helm just in time to stop himself from falling.
"What-" he gasped, "Sweet Mother, damn you - you scared the living stars out of me."
"That was my intention," Paimon dryly told him.
"What in seven hells do you want?"
"A ride," the goddess smirked, "Through the storm."
"Can't you create portals?" he asked irritably, "Go there yourself."
"You are impressively daft," Paimon told him, admiration colouring her voice.
"Why, yes - thank you for that," Aether drawled, "Now, are you going to explain?"
Paimon bent down, picking up his carving and bringing it to eye level, inspecting it closely. After doing so, she turned to face the bow of the ship, which was visibly lifting and falling as it carved through the waves.
"Why do you think Beelzebul cast her Divine Wind?"
"To enforce her Sakoku Decree?" He half-asked dryly, pulling a face.
She snorted, "You are impressively daft-"
"Yes yes, you already said that!" he snapped.
Paimon shook her head in amusement, irritating him further - nevertheless, she finally started to explain in a most haughty tone.
"Do you know Beelzebul has never once set foot in the halls of Celestia since her ascension?" Paimon asked, "Isn't it queer? Especially for- no, that's besides the point."
"..."
Paimon swivelled around, placing a hand on her hip, "The actual question is; do you think Beelzebul cares about what her people think?"
"...Isn't she an Archon?"
"Yes," Paimon flicked her finger, "But not the original Electro Archon. There's a reason why Baal took the throne instead of her sister."
"Baal- Beelzebul, what in seven hells are you on about?" He demanded.
"Ah- nevermind. Point is, the Electro Archon doesn't care about her people. All these mortal historians, philosophers - they all think her Sakoku Decree is her way of enforcing her ideal of eternity upon her nation."
"So? It seems to be working."
"No," Paimon shook her head, "It's not working. If her goal is to completely isolate her Shogunate from the rest of Teyvat, she is doing a poor job at it. Daring smugglers and pirates still cross the storm regularly, and there is a facet of her government meant for handling arriving outlanders."
"Get to the point, will you?"
"The Electro Archon isn't trying to isolate Inazuma from Teyvat," Paimon met his gaze, "She is trying to isolate Inazuma from Celestia. The Divine Wind makes it hard for mortal ships to cross, but it is just another storm in the end. What cannot cross, are gods."
"What…?"
Paimon snapped her fingers, "I'm here because I want to find out exactly what she's hiding that she cannot reveal to her peers."
"But… if gods cannot pass, what makes you think you can with us?" Aether paused, "Wait- this entire ship is a god!"
"Well," she mused, "We are riding with the blessings of the Lord of Waves. If there is one god that might just bring us through, it is Furfur."
"What in… did you plan this from the beginning?"
"Did I?" she smirked, "In any case, do you smell that?"
"Smell what…" Aether breathed in through his nose.
The air was tinted with a sweetness, completely departed from the usual saltiness of sea air. The scent of something burning, something sweet yet pungent. His hairs stood on end, and a shiver crept across his skin.
Aether slowly looked up, seeing dark clouds where there was once a clear night sky. His head snapped to Paimon, who was looking on in amusement, her arms crossed. Aether then looked to the forecastle, where Mona's equipment was arranged on the deck.
Oh, for gods' sake- Aether cursed beneath his breath, before leaping over the quarterdeck balustrade and dashing for the forecastle cabin.
"Alright girl, help me out here!" he shouted.
Not a moment later halyards zipped across the air, swinging in tandem as they wrapped around Mona's instruments and stuffed them into the crates. Aether reached the cabin door, violently swinging it open and seeing Mona sleeping soundly on a bed of sea sponge.
"Wake up you stupid girl!" he roared, "What did I say!?"
Mona jolted out of her bed, clearly immediately understanding the situation. She wordlessly rushed out of her cabin, pushing him away as she clambered up the stairs to her workspace with a single-minded goal to save all of her work. Aether closed the door behind him as her walked back out onto the deck, turning around to see Mona stuffing tomes and books into waterproof leather satchels.
It was raining now, and getting worse with every passing moment.
"Strike the sails!" he shouted, once he realised the ship wasn't doing it.
However, even then the sails remained unfurled, billowing in the wind. Aether could've tugged his hair in frustration, why only now was the Deicide deciding to not cooperate? They didn't want any more windage in the middle of a storm.
"Boy!" Paimon shouted down at him from the quarterdeck, "I'd think the ship knows best! This isn't any ordinary storm!"
Aether froze, mulling over her words. Realisation overcame him, and he could've slapped himself for his idiocy. That's right, this wasn't any ordinary storm. Striking the sails removes any control one has over their ship, but it also meant they would be more stable - heightening their chances of survival until the storm passes.
However, the Divine Winds was a wall, not a storm. It wouldn't pass - which meant they had to punch through it with brute force. And that meant they needed as much power as they could in their sails, lest they be trapped in the midst of the storm, reduced to a toy tossed about aimlessly on the waves.
Aether ducked as a cable flew right over his head, looking up as every rope on the ship danced in synchronisation. Pulleys clacked violently as yardlines were pulled taut, and canvases unfurled as the yardarms extended and the studding sails unfurled like dark winds. The yardlines swang clockwise, and the yardarms followed, sails flapping and growing pregnant with the wind.
The Deicide lurched forwards, punching through a high wave. The rain was pelting down with full force now, every strike like a thrown rock against his skin.
The Divine Winds descended upon them in a matter of moments, as soon they were embroiled in the worst storm to ever grace the seas. Aether held onto the ratlines so tightly his knuckles were white, the deck far too slippery to make it to the cabins. He looked around to see Paimon laughing maniacally on the quarterdeck, while Mona had slammed shut the door of her cabin behind her.
Thunder rattled his bones as the Deicide climbed out of a crashing wave. Thick clouds covered the Sky, engulfing them in pure darkness, with only flashes of lightning illuminating the monstrous waves closing in on them from every direction. The storm was clearly unnatural, the creation of the one god known as the Lord of Thunder as she hammered her divine fury upon them.
Aether couldn't help but join Paimon's cackling, his blood burning as the winds hammered his face and the rain pelting him and the ship.
The next gale came, accompanied by a titanic wave that absolutely dwarfed them - as if the sea and skies had boiled together into a roaring mass. And as if the ship anticipated it, the lateen and jib sails dropped down, catching the wind and jerking the ship to port side. They were now headed head first into the wall of water. He held his breath and braced. They climbed it, up and up, his feet leaving the deck as the ship reached a near ninety degree angle, Aether hanging from the ratlines.
Then, the Deicide dropped, and Aether was encompassed with a sense of weightlessness for the barest second - before the ship slammed back down onto the sea, and Aether slammed face first onto the deck.
Aether held onto the ratlines as if his life depended on it - and it may as well. He tucked his face into his elbow to wipe away the blood of his nose, breathing heavily.
"Oh, this is horseshit," he muttered, staring at the Sky.
The same Sky that had turned pitch black, swallowed by endless clouds, a constant gale howling in his ears. For the first time, he felt the true rage of the sea and sky as they worked in tandem to pound man and god alike into oblivion. Oh, they thought they were mentally prepared for the Divine Winds - but experiencing it was quite another thing.
With no little to no warning, the skies were stricken, blotting out the moonlight and starlight, and the calm seas morphed into mountains of furious waves. Aether slipped on the rain-soaked deck, landing on his knees with a grunt - his one hand never letting go of the ropes.
The Deicide kept going over watery fists, ropes and lines shifting as sails were adjusted, dropped and lifted to match every shift in wind and wave. Each time they rose, and each time they descended with all the force of a falling star, the impacts rattling his very bones.
The waves had grown so large that it was as if the vessel was sailing in a mountain range, riding up and down the swelling sea like a child's toy. The Lord of Thunder had no mercy for them, and Aether daresay he could feel her omnipresent gaze boring down upon them. The air was thick with brine and mist, the deck awash with saltwater. As the waves rocked the ship violently about, the winds grew powerful enough to pick up a man and hurl him into the raging waves.
Aether gathered Geo around his soles, and planted himself to the deck.
There wasn't any more desolate a feeling than this, he numbly thought, the sensation of the sea swelling beneath his feet and nothing on the sightless horizons but more of the same. In every direction, there was only the blue-black tempest, laced with the blinding white flashed of lightness punctuated by the deafening roars of thunder.
Even with all the Electro Archon's attention on them, there was one thing she hadn't accounted for - the Deicide.
As the ship climbed and cleared another wave, Aether's gut dropped at the sight he was met with - another colossal wave, more like a wall of water that commanded and filled his view. Except, this was a vessel forged in the Vortex, from the bones of the Lord of Waves - she was in her habitat. The ship would meet the Lord of Thunder's challenge head on - striking the starboard sails - and the Deicide just about swivelled on a dime to portside, due right for the wall of water.
Halyards whipped in the wind, and the sails unfurled once more - capturing the tempest - commanding the tempest. With a hurricane in its sails, the Deicide forged right into the mountains. Aether could hear his heart hammering in his ears as he held his breath in anticipation.
Just right when they would collide, the wall of water split, as if someone took a knife and cut it in half. He daresay the vessel was laughing, laughing at the puny challenge the mighty Lord of Thunder offered. The Deicide glided across the valley, prow and keel slicing through the water without resistance, and Aether gaped at the sheer cliffs of water flanking them. He regretted opening his mouth, because the next second he probably inhaled several barrels of seawater as another wave crashed into the starboard side.
The waters smashed into him, sending him crashing into the ratlines. Aether spat out seawater, his hair undone and matted across his face, obscuring his vision.
Sucking in a final breath, Aether removed the Geo fastening him to the deck and leapt for the quarterdeck - Anemo at his heels. He was nearly blown off the ship, but was caught by a helpful yardline, which he used to swing to the foot of the quarterdeck. Scrambling for the cabin door, he hastily opened it and rushed inside - the winds slamming the door behind him.
Aether collapsed onto the floor, wiping his hair from his eyes.
"You look worse for wear," Paimon drawled, sitting on his bed.
She was completely dry, as if she hadn't been in the midst of the storm at all. The goddess stared down at him amusedly, smile dancing on her lips.
"Ah-" he groaned, flipping over and lying on his back, "You can go eat a turd."
"How rude."
Aether didn't deign to reply, deciding to spend his time catching his breath. He could feel the heat leaving his veins, and the hammering in his ears subsiding. Yet still, he could hear the roar of the wind as the waves hammered against the hull, thunder cracking overhead - each strike rattling his bones.
He closed his eyes in exhaustion, breathing out, the ever-steady heartbeat of the Deicide lulling him to sleep.