EXCEPTION (def.): a person or thing that is excluded from the general statement or does not follow a rule.
ETERNITY (def.): infinite or unending time.
INLAY (def.): ornament (an object) by embedding pieces of different material in it, flush with its surface.
Capable of using elemental energy without a vision...
You are an exception, it appears
Exceptions... the enemy of Eternity
You will be inlaid upon this statue
"The Electro Archon's might is too great, and it takes but a single slip for her to knock you unconscious. The Raiden Shogun prepares to make an example of you before the crowd, but at that moment, Thoma shakes free of his bonds and hurls a spear at the Shogun."
~ Excerpt from Travel Log
"Wake up, wake up!" Paimon flew to the Traveler the moment the purple lightning that cursed through her body had dissipated. A slight touch to ensure she would not be affected had Paimon start her attempts to wake up Lumine. Her motionless body moved with the shakes, but the Traveler remained unconscious.
A low murmur rose from the crowd already whispering, discussing what had happened not even ten seconds ago. But the little fairy could not focus on what they were saying. Feeling the small hairs on her neck rise Paimon looked up to see Raiden slowly advancing on the pair.
"Come on! Wake up!" The small faery turned back to her companion and begged for her Traveler to wake up, her voice cracking. She put all her strength into waking Lumine up, but her companion was not waking up.
A grunt from behind her forced Paimon to glance back at Thoma. The man who was the reason they were now here in front of the Statue. The reason they were in this situation. And who apparently managed to get free, as she saw him reaching for the spear embedded next to him in the wooden flooring. He pulled it free and with a roar threw the weapon at the Electro Archon. Thoma then followed the weapon trying to reach the Traveler and to try and pull her away from the Shogun. But he did not get far as the Archon had merely sidestepped the flying spear only to retaliate by unleashing her own attack.
"Now, you shall perish!" The Archon murmured as she raised her sword above her head. Thoma and Paimon froze watching the sky darken behind the Archon as the blade was crackling with the small purple lightnings jumping along its length. The swing was short but so strong it had created a wind current that forced them both away from the Traveler.
"Wahh!" Paimon cried as the gale forced her uncontrollably into the air. She didn't tumble for long as Thoma caught her.
"We have to leave," the man mumbled hugging her closer to himself.
"We can't leave her here!" The little fairy cried in anguish. She tried to push open the arms around her torso.
"The Traveler is too close to the Shogun. We risk our own death… or even worse, capture if we try to retrieve her now," he whispered, clutching the small body even closer to himself.
"And? This is your fault she is in this situation!" The fairy kept squirming, her small hands hitting his chest. Thoma knew why she was crying the blames at him. He blamed himself as well. After all, he was caught unaware, his vision almost stripped from him and the Traveler and Paimon got involved because of that.
"She is going to inlay Lumine upon the statute!" The fairy wailed as she kept squirming to get free, and the man did not know if he would be able to hold on to her any longer.
The Archon tsk-ed at her failure and snapped her fingers only to then point at the arguing pair. That snapped the guards from their stupor. They rushed around the Shogun with their spears ready to catch the duo.
Thoma rushed to make his way toward the end of the platform. A jump over the gorge will allow them to escape from the shogunate at least for some time. From here they could escape back to the Komore Teahouse and when there they would be able to make some plans to save the Traveler. Maybe. If she was not inlaid upon the statue as the Shogun had threatened to do before.
He jumped from the edge sticking the landing on the other side. He briefly glanced back to check on his pursuers. They were stopping right on the edge. Thoma adjusted his hold on Paimon who was justled during the jump as he started to make their way to the Teahouse.
At the same time on the square in front of the statue some of the guards had surrounded the unconscious body, their spears all trained on Lumine who had not moved since she crumpled down.
"Your Highness, what should we do with her?" The guard's leader asked to get instructions. The Shogun did not answer immediately. She slowly took in the crowd, noting how the spectators in the first rows avoided catching her eye. A frown formed on her face, and she sharply turned around after throwing a look at the unconscious blonde at her legs.
"Take her to Tenshukaku. I will personally deal with her," she ordered, her sword disappearing in a flurry of flakes of light.
"And what of the male that escaped with the floating child?" continued the soldier.
"Seize them under the decree."
With these words the Shogun disappeared in a flash of purple lightning, leaving behind quiet and unease.