"Ugh, my head..." A blonde-haired woman found herself lying down on the beach with a prickling headache. A brief nauseatic sensation assaulted her head, prompting her to massage her temples. She shook her head and looked around where she was lying. The chirps of seagulls, the sounds of rushing waves and the sight of tall cliff stones were registered by her five senses.
"A beach..." So for an unexplainable reason, she found herself on a beach after-
"No! Brother!" Lumine gasped while looking up at the horizon beyond the sea. Did I fail?! Is brother de- No, no, no, Lumine, you can't think like that! She shook her head again in a frenzied panic and forced herself to squash down any semblance of pessimistic ideas within her. Okay, I was struck down by the same attack that... he had received. If I'm still alive right now...
Lumine concluded that there was a chance that his brother had also survived their ordeal. Setting the goal in her mind, she rose up from the sandy surface and began a plan to search for her missing sibling. There was no use in staying and brooding over things that had already happened.
She had to move forward and do whatever she could at the moment.
"Yosh." Lumine clenched her fist and began walking to the nearest uphill.
It had been almost a week since she woke up at the beach. Until now, she hadn't ventured far from the sandy beach, preferring to have a solid plan of action in place before embarking on what appeared to be a long journey based on her travel experiences. Right now she was watching her boar meats cooked in silence.
"Lumine!"
She could hear a cheerful voice calling out her name, and she saw a flying female fairy(?) fly to her with drool on her face. She had white hair with a strange wing structure (or at least, that's what Lumine thought).
"Ah Paimon, did you get any fruit?" The fairy had introduced herself as Paimon a few days ago after she had accidentally saved her by fishing her out of a nearby river stream, much to Lumine's chagrin after she had failed to find any meat or fish during the rest of the day. And thanks to her unintended heroism, Paimon had dedicated herself to being a faithful tour guide and traveling companion for Lumine until she found her brother.
Well, it can't hurt to have a friend along the way, thought the blonde-haired girl.
"Yeah, about that..." her small hands reached for two brightly colored fruits that Lumine couldn't identify. "I could only found two Sunsettias around here. Stupid foxes already ate all the fruits growing around this place." grumbled the flying fairy.
"At least there's something fruity to eat. Thanks, Paimon." Lumine thanked the fairy. Unlike her brother who was fine with only protein-based dishes all day, Lumine preferred her meals to have some greenery or fruit in them. Both Paimon and Lumine ate their meals in blissful silence.
"So Lumine, do you already have a plan for what's next?" inquired the flying fairy.
"...Yes, I think I have. You said Mondstadt was the closest nation to our location, correct?"
"Yup! We could also see Liyue Harbor a little further south. "After we finish with Mondstadt, we could plan our trip to Liyue along the way."
"Alright, at the very least there are two cities where we can start our search. Maybe the Archons in those cities could help me..." Archons, as explained by Paimon in their earlier conversations, are deities that are revered by the major nations of Teyvat, the name of the world she was stranded in at the moment. According to her newest tour guide there were seven Archons, which were collectively known as "The Seven". Each Archon exerted their authorities over a nation.
So, in the worst-case scenario, I'll have to visit all seven countries.
"Well, I can live with that. Alright Paimon, let's get ready for-" the day was about to get stranger as a bright pillar of crimson suddenly appeared not quite far from where she was.
"W-wah! What was that!? Paimon almost choked on her food!" sputtered Paimon while she was trying to spit out her chewed out meat.
Lumine's eyes widened as she scanned the location where the light falls.
It was at the same place where she had woken up for the first time in this world.
There. she could two slumbering people lying in the same white sand. One of them was a spiky-haired male with a rather plain outfit, a white hoodie overcoated with a black shirt and trousers. Strangely enough the right sleeve of the boy's outfit was missing, as if something had torn it apart. The other one was a young girl with a white-colored nun habit (and she could also see a big golden pin that seemed to tie the habit together). Lumine walked closer to them, intent on observing them a little longer.
As she approached, the boy seemed to be waking up first. His groggy eyes slowly opened themselves to the world, revealing a pair of azure blue orbs.
"Urgh... why is the bathroom's light so bright?" He looked around and found a strikingly beautiful figure standing silently, observing him with a blank countenance.
"A... beautiful girl... with an exotic clothing... is the first sight I see for today..." Lumine yelped in surprise when her spiky hair stood up in alert. Soon after he got his bearings, he assumed a fighting stance and sharpened his gaze toward Lumine, which confused the blonde girl. "So tell me magician, what kind of nefarious plan do you have for today? Do you need Index? Othinus? Or maybe my right arm? If that's the case, then let me tell you right here, right now that if you plan to harm the innocents, then I'll shatter-"
"Shatter your idiotic thoughts first, human." Out of nowhere, a small... doll? appeared right at the spiky-haired boy's left shoulder and twisted his left ear in annoyance. Long blonde-hair and an eyepatch on her left eye. Her size was also even smaller than Paimon. Is it one of Paimon's kind? thought Lumine.
"OW OW OW OW O-Othinus?! What are you doing?" stammered the spiky-haired boy. He was yelling in pain.
"Snapping you out of your nonsense, that's what." The small doll clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Don't tell me that your fragile brain has already forgotten what just happened to us."
"What just happened... to us?"
Thus, the spiky-haired boy tried to relive what exactly had just happened to him.
(a few hours ago)
"SUCH MISFORTUNEEEEE!" wailed Kamijou Touma as he was frantically shaking the pan that had been searing a couple of thinly sliced beef and potatoes. The day had been not kind to the poor spiky-haired boy, as per usual. Chased by angry dogs, accidentally pissed off a couple of violent gang members, and almost got hit by a speeding truck, Kamijou had never lacked in the variety of misfortunes that kept hounding him. And right now, he was hastily preparing a late dinner to avoid the wrath of his two freeloading roommates.
"Human, do mind cutting the pieces properly for my portions. Just because I can still move dining utensils doesn't mean it's a pleasant endeavor for me to do so." advised Othinus, the one-eyed goddess whose height was no more than a common doll. She sat on the shoulders of Kamijou with a regal posture, watching over the poor boy who was eyeing the frying slices with rapt attention.
"Yes, yes, Othi-sama. Now please leave me alone so I can at least do this peacefully." whined Kamijou, which had earned him another misfortune in the form of ear twisting.
"I'm here to make sure you don't forget the task." The miniature lady peered over to the living room and saw a nun in a silver church robe unbotheredly watching TV. "And I have no interest in mingling with that nun of yours for the time being." The nun, Index Librorum Prohibitorum, was an avid fan of the magical girl show she was watching. Othinus could already imagine how high her temper would be if she approached her right now and got bombarded by the nun's incessant gushing over the show.
Kamijou had no choice but to accept his fate and finish his cooking as soon as possible before causing further physical harm to his body.
"Hey Touma." Index had finished her mouthful of dinner and just sat silently while watching the boy eat his meal. Kamijou took a glance at the nun.
"What is it Index? Do you need more dessert?" asked Kamijou.
"N-no, it's just... are you feeling okay?" questioned Index with a rather subdued tone in her voice. Kamijou immediately understood what she was asking considering that it hadn't been a week since the apocalyptic events in the United Kingdom were concluded. Too many terrible things happened in the country, between the invasion of Aleister monstrous spawns and a powerful demon that could destroy the universe, the fights they had fought together had not been easy to settle.
Particularly against the monster in his right hand.
"I'm... alright, Index. You don't have to worry about it anymore." Kamijou tried to placate her. But unfortunately for him, the nun perfectly understood what kind of human Kamijou Touma was.
"Touma... please..." Now Kamijou was on high alert. Usually Index wasn't this worried about him. Sure, he knew that she would always worry about him and he truly appreciated it, to think that there would always be at least one person to greet and worry for him at home. But this was first time she had been this insistent.
Something wasn't right.
"Index, I'm truly fine. I know my... other self" The spiky haired boy said, biting his lip "was really... abrasive, and you must be really spooked about it." Kamijou looked at Othinus. "To both of you. But everything has been resolved. Imagine Breaker has returned to my right hand and he won't be returning anymore." He pensively looked at his right arm. "At least not anytime soon."
The tiny goddess was eating her miniscule meat and potato slices in silence while watching her two roommates. Shortly after she finished her meal and drank her miniscule glass.
"Don't underestimate him, human. Whether you like it or not, it's still a being that carries the essence of Kamijou Touma. "Continually denying the possibility of his survival would only prolong the problem and putting yourself in further danger." She then looked at the nun. "He never truly goes away, nun. The origin may still be a mystery to us, but if there's one thing I can assure you is that it will never truly die as long as Kamijou Touma is still alive." The dinner turned into a somber affair for the trio, with two of them falling into their own demure contemplation. The one-eyed goddess could only let out a sigh.
"That being said, you shouldn't worry about him that much." Index and Kamijou looked up at Othinus, who was already standing up. "As long as Kamijou Touma is the selfish bastard who wishes to save those in his path at the expense of his own idiot self," In contrast to her biting remark, the tiny goddess smiled warmly. "He would always come out victorious over his struggle should it ever occur again." Believing that she had already said her piece, she headed to her miniature doll house. Kamijou looked at the goddess that he had fought the entire world to save, and let out a wry smile. Leave it to Othinus to answer every doubt and worry I have. He shook his head and proceeded to gather the empty dishes.
"I see. Then Touma..." Index looked at the boy she loved so much. And she gathered her resolve.
"From now on, whenever you find yourself in trouble, whenever there are enemy magicians that would threaten all of us," She rose from her sitting, much to Kamijou's surprise. "Or even if it's something as insignificant as school trouble or venting about whatever bad things happen to you on a daily basis. please rely on me." Kamijou widened his eyes. "Of course I'm not going to be able to help with everything, but at the very least please let me be more involved in your life." The nun was starting to gain more crimson coloration on her cheeks. "I'm...I'm tired of being in the dark. I'm tired of always being left behind and worrying myself to death about you, not knowing the things that are happening... I know you always mean well with that, but please..." Index tugged on his school shirt.
"Let me share the burden of your worries from now on." She spoke her last piece quietly. And still it rang clear and sound on Kamijou's ears. Deep down, he knew how selfish he was with Index, treating her more like an object of his demented sense of pride than a companion he shared his daily life with. And as much as he loathed it, he felt like the monster that shared his name and face made him fully realize just how selfish he could be. As if destroying Othinus's perfect world wasn't enough of a show for it, Kamijou derided himself inwardly. And so Kamijou Touma felt that it was only natural to give her the truthful answer she deserved.
"Index, I know that what I've been doing so far are without your involvement, and that has always been my intention." Kamijou let go of his dishes and sat back on his spot. "Fighting the enemies, punching their faces and saving those that I could reach. I've always done it for my own sake," A hollow laugh rang from his mouth. "I always preach to my opponents about how wrong they are, and in the end I have always done it just so I can punch them in the face and end things quickly on my selfish terms." The spiky-haired boy looked at the nun with every ounce of his straight, honest emotions he could muster. "That's why I've always try my hardest not to involve you, Othinus, Misaka, the yellow-colored hair girl that smells like a honey and everyone else. Ever since I've realized how selfish I can be, I have to try my best to solve my problems on my own." There was no interruption from the nun, whether it was with her usual bitings or not. She listened to his "confessions" intently.
"I can't promise you everything, Index. But at the very least I'll try to not leave you in the dark anymore." His softened gaze saw the nun's relaxing figure slumped to the side of his bed.
"I know, stupid Touma." Index sported a small smile.
"Thank you."
Kamijou scratched his hair in slight embarrassment and decided that their talk was over. He picked up the dirty plates again and headed toward the kitchen area.
But suddenly the air around them was filled with an unnatural pressure.
"!"
Right in the center of the room, a bright, dark crimson light spread itself across the room. From the light, a malignant figure emerged.
When Kamijou saw the figure appear near Index, he dropped his plates and dashed straight to her. His experiences with rogue magicians taught him about the high value his nun friend had on the occultic parts of supernatural society. He also saw Othinus emerge from her doll house and stare at the unwelcome newcomer in astonishment.
The light had partially subsided, enough to reveal more of its feminine figure. Long white hair, strange garb with bright theme, an empty amber gaze and dark colored arms. She was hovering right at the center of the light.
"..." The figure looked around with unnerving disinterest. Then her gaze fell at the spiky-haired boy.
Or, more specifically, his right arm.
Without any fanfare a dark energy swirled around her right arm and she shot it at the poor boy. Imagine Breaker rose to action and blocked the sudden offensive magic, filling the room with a loud shattering glass noise.
"... your right arm..." For the first time since she appeared, a sparkle of interest glittered from her gaze.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" asked the agitated Kamijou. The female figure didn't bother to give him any answer and continued to stare at his right arm.
"Woman, you heard him." The figure slowly craned her neck toward the second voice and saw the miniature figure of Othinus glare at her with murderous hostility. The floating figure stared at her for a few seconds before she moved her gaze back at Kamijou.
And a fountain of blood splattered around the boy.
"Eh?" Kamijou couldn't register what exactly had just happened to him. One moment he saw his potential enemy stare at Othinus, and the next thing his brain registered was something of which he was deathly afraid at the moment.
Another mutilation of his right arm.
"!"
And the female figure's facial feature was contorted in confusion as she felt a sudden, foreign presence. Something was emerging from the boy's right arm and suddenly she felt a power that could seemingly threaten her life. Quickly both of her arms summoned a dome of crimson and engulfed everyone in the room. And then the dome suddenly vanished just as soon as she had appeared, leaving an empty dorm room with shattered objects and residual sparks of crimson coloration.
"!"
Othinus flared up as soon as she saw the red dome that had encased her and her two roommates disappear. She was standing right beside the head of an unconscious Kamijou. Near him, she could also see Index's sleeping figure. She scanned her entire surroundings and was mildly surprised to see that the place they were standing right now wasn't Earth.
Yes, even with her status as a depowered Magic God, Othinus could still determine every single supernatural characteristic of the planet with relative ease in a single short observation. The striking difference in density of atmospheric thelema, leyline structures beneath the planet's surface, and not to mention the most damning evidence was the stark, alien difference in composition of the thelema around her.
Magical spells and rituals may differ in form and application, but the nature of thelemic fundamentals will always be the one constant that no one can ever change. Not even Magic Gods.
And the bi- woman that had attacked them, she had used magics that she couldn't analyze though so far she had supposed that the magics she had seen except for the red dome were simple offensive spells. But the speed of her second spell was extraordinary, to the point that Kamijou Touma didn't even have enough time to lift his right arm.
So where was the woman? Othinus was fairly puzzled as to why the woman wasn't here with them. She had thought that the assailant was an enemy magician that was looking out for Imagine Breaker, but the current situation dispelled some of her theories.
But still, a pathway to traverse another universe truly does exist... All of the knowledge from every sect of magic she had acquired during her time as a Magic God revealed nothing about the existence of even a single parallel universe, let alone a completely different one. The small blonde had assumed that the universe was a single, linear existence with no mirrors or branches to another. The world she was standing in right now was unlike anything she had ever known, even if at first glance it looked not so different from Earth. She massaged her temples and returned her gaze to Kamijou Touma's lying form.
Looking back at her sleeping companion, Othinus decided that the headache from her revelation wasn't worth dwelling on alone, and he took a nap on the side of his head until he woke up. Exploring alone with her current... size would also be inconvenient for her. And she didn't want to worry the only human she ever cared about too much when he woke up without her.
And so she fell into slumber until she heard the sound of frantic footsteps coming from the forest.
(Present time)
Lumine wasn't sure what was happening at the moment, but it looked like the boy in front of him was quite agitated. She sighed in resignation to the fact that her day was about to get more hectic.
"I'm sorry, but do I know you? Have I done anything wrong to you?" she asked. The boy was quite stupefied by her question.
"...no?" said the spiky-haired boy in uncertainty.
"..."
It looked like the boy was starting to realize how ridiculous he was.
"So you're not... a magician? You... don't want to chop off this poor Kamijou's right arm or kidnap Index?" asked the boy while scratching his head.
"Hey mister! Do you realize how rude you are right now!? First of all you're trying to attack Lumine as soon as your sorry ass wake up and now you're accusing her of committing crimes she would never do!" It seemed like Paimon was quite angry that her newest traveling companion was being ridiculed even if they hadn't been acquainted long enough, which honestly touched Lumine's heart quite a lot.
And what the hell is that about chopping an arm off?
"I-I'm sorry! With how misfortunate this Kamijou is, I'm just trying to break the surprise element whenever an enemy is trying to attack me! It's more like an instinct really!" He frantically apologized and bowed his upper body repeatedly. She also saw the small doll on his shoulder was trying her hardest not to fall by clenching on the boy's shirt.
"H-human! Stop it, you idiot!"
After clearing their initial misunderstandings about each other, Lumine felt she had received enough apology for the day and invited them to her temporary camp after the boy woke up his sleeping nun.
"Sorry, there's no food left for anyone. I and Paimon only gathered enough for both of us since we didn't expect anyone to join us."
"No, it's fine. We just had dinner a few hours ago." The boy who had already introduced himself as Kamijou Touma waved off her apology.
"Dinner? but it's already morning." Paimon pointed out.
"Morning? Oh yeah..." suddenly the boy's face was contorted in grim confusion which puzzled both Paimon and Lumine a bit. Before she could ask anything, the nun joined in their conversation.
"Yeah Touma, you don't remember what happened?" asked the nun who had previously introduced herself as Index Librorum Prohibitorum. Lumine was quite sure that it wasn't a normal human name.
"Yes human, don't tell me... that you actually forget-"
"YES! Yes I forgot, okay! Someone up there is trying to make me even dumber than ever before with the constant assault against my head!" wailed the spiky-haired boy.
Lumine wasn't quite sure what to say, seeing that the boy was too busy lamenting his own fate. He's an amusing guy, if nothing else thought Lumine.
"Alright, seeing that this idiot somehow keeps getting short-term amnesias then let me explain everything to you." Then Othinus recounted the disastrous encounter they had endured last night. At the end of her tale, Kamijou quickly looked at his right arm and he finally realized that his arm was getting torn apart again. He sighed in a mix of annoyance and acceptance.
As for Lumine...
The invasive figure the small fairy who called herself Othinus had mentioned was eerily similar to the unknown god that had attacked her and her brother.
"Miss Othinus, are you really sure with your description of the woman?" Lumine asked her, and Othinus could see a glint of desperation and anxiety in her yellow orbs.
"I have a perfect memory, girl."
"..." So they're also attacked by her. What does this mean? pondered the shorter-haired blonde girl.
"So girl, care to explain it for us?" inquired Othinus.
"Othinus?" Kamijou wasn't sure what Othinus had in mind.
"In case you haven't realized it yet, the young girl over here clearly has an idea regarding our attacker." The smallest figure in the group folded her arms and legs while setting her gaze on the demure Lumine, who was still thinking about something.
"... I'm sorry Miss Othinus, but I also don't know anything about her. Suddenly she just appeared right before me and my brother. She was really powerful, and..." She relived the moment when she and her brother fought against her. "She defeated us both and separated me from my brother." She could see a clear expression of sympathy from the boy and the nun.
"I see." Othinus wasn't quite sure what the endgame of their mysterious assailant was. There were still a bunch of missing pieces on the board and not enough information to assemble the available pieces into a coherent whole.
"Nun, do you recognize the spells she used against us?" She asked her nun companion. Index shook her head. "No, I don't. In a glance they looked like simple offensive spells crafted by practitioners of a magic sect from western Europe, but the woman had done them without any prior chant and the way they worked were also different." Index gave her brief analysis. Being a person who could memorize hundreds of thousands of different magic grimoires with perfect clarity, Index could dissect any magic spell she laid her eyes on in less than a few seconds.
So the nun didn't recognize them either. mused Othinus. Between the unrecognizable spells and the fact that the woman had also attacked Lumine who was clearly not a denizen of the Earth she knew, It looked like their assailant was indeed not from Earth. Or maybe...
Lumine felt that it was her turn to do the questioning.
"So, Kamijou Touma... can I call you Touma instead?" The spiky-haired boy glanced back at her. "Sure, I don't mind. Probably easier that way for foreigners." he shrugged.
"Alright then. So I suppose that all three of you are not from Teyvat as well?" This time the small, one-eyed witch perked up at her question.
" 'as well'? You're not a native to this world?" asked Othinus.
"No, I'm not. I'm... a traveler myself along with my brother. We often spent our time traversing through different worlds." Her answer seemed to gain the diminutive lady's interest.
"Wow really? So... there are plenty of other worlds you've visited? Does each world have its own magic system? How about gods and deities?" wondered Index.
"Mh! Most of them are quite similar though, plenty of humans, similar laws and all." Lumine then told the nun about her previous travels, and she seemed to pay close attention as if she was watching her favorite TV show. Othinus kept her detached demeanor on her bearings, though she did appear to listen to parts that piqued her interest.
As for Kamijou...
"Hey, spiky boy!" chirped Paimon.
"S-spiky boy?" Kamijou smiled wryly.
"Yup! Spiky boy! Paimon have a question for you."
"Shoot."
"Who's that scary little witch?" if Othinus got offended by her fellow diminutive figure's mean-spirited words, she didn't show it.
"Well, she already introduced herself as Othinus remember? I'm not sure what you're asking here." shrugged Kamijou. Initially, he was surprised to see Paimon, seeing that she wasn't like anything he had seen before.
Well, Othinus was quite similar to her in some regards, but she had her own circumstances. mused Kamijou.
"I mean, is she from a race of fairies of some kind? Maybe she could help Paimon unravel some of her own mysterious origin!" said Paimon.
"Wait, you don't remember where you come from?" asked the spiky-haired boy in surprise.
"...Yeah." For the first time since meeting her, Kamijou noticed her bubbly demeanor gradually fade from the loud flying humanoid. "All Paimon has remembered is that she was fished out of the river. Paimon can't remember anything before getting saved..."
"I see..." Amnesia was something that Kamijou had intimate experience with. He just hoped that whatever ailment inhibited Paimon's ability to recall her past wasn't anything similar to his memory destruction.
"I don't think you need to worry about it too much." The flying figure looked at the spiky-haired boy. "As Othinus had mentioned earlier, I'm pretty much accustomed to everything related to memory loss." Kamijou couldn't help but to let out a self-deprecating laugh. "But here's the thing Paimon-san." Paimon saw him rest his head on his right hand.
"The most important thing is that you're still aware of who you are. As long as you can still be certain of what kind of person you are, I'm sure your memory will eventually find its way back to you." He smiled serenely while looking up at the forest leaves above him. "Don't neglect the present for the past."
The sound of rattling leaves and a passing breeze filled the void between the two.
"I think I understand. Paimon wouldn't neglect Lumine for anything. Well maybe if she refuses to cook some food for me." Kamijou chuckled at her whimsical response.
"Somehow I feel like you and Index will get along just fine. Maybe a little bit too fine for my sanity."
"So Lumine-san, you said that you're planning to travel the entire Teyvat?" inquired Kamijou.
"Yes. At least until I find my brother." answered Lumine. Lumine and Paimon have already cleared their temporary camp, ready to embark on the long journey ahead. "So what will you do from now on, Touma?"
"Uh... I'm not sure, to be honest. Between the sudden revelation that I am no longer on the Earth I know and being on the lookout for a crazy woman looking to lop off my arm again, I have no idea how I should proceed with the situation." lamented the spiky-haired boy.
"Why don't we just travel alongside her? That seems like the obvious answer to me, human." Othinus had returned to her rightful seat on Kamijou's shoulder.
"Yeah Touma, why are you still looking for a way out? Big sister here is also looking for her brother and their attacker. Stop trying to make things complicated." scolded Index.
"...Can both of you unrepentant freeloaders be a little more discreet with your shamelessness? Such misfortune." Being the overly conscious person that he was, Kamijou was hesitant to ask Lumine if the three of them could just join her instead.
"Sure, I don't mind. The more the merrier, at least that's what my brother used to say whenever we met up with fellow travelers." Lumine nodded her head in approval.
"Paimon also don't mind. The more people we have, the more hands Paimon can use to help us gather ingredients and materials!" Paimon had also returned to her cheery self who wouldn't bother to mask her greed and gluttony.
"So I'm gonna be a pack mule?! Well fine, I suppose that's the least I can do." The spiky-haired boy smiled wryly at the short-haired blonde. "The three of us are in your care, Lumine-san."
"Mh! Me too, Touma." She returned his smile with one of her own.
Thus began the journey between displaced travelers who found a common purpose in their destination, marking the beginning of the series of events that would shake Teyvat to its foundation.
Heya, DeathlessEmperor here! As of now I'm writing two crossovers just so I wouldn't stuck in a rut haha, so I'll be alternating my releases between the two. And for this story, Teyvat will be the main setting so I'm afraid there is no plan to bring more elements or characters from Index beside Touma and his roomies. Well not really. actually there's one more but it's a secret.
Until next time!