Being surrounded on four sides by walls and a steel bar for a long period was a phenomenon that was once alien to Gray. Yet at this point, it had become the only world he knew of; a world of violence and death, of constant bloodshed for the entertainment of a few rich elite, a world of lamentation and grief, one from which he simply could no longer part. There was something to be said about the irony of his choice of life, for at any point he could have easily fought his way out of this predicament, out of his imprisonment. After all, he had the means to do it.

Yet, for all intents and purposes, Gray refused to leave this prison. It wasn't so much as ability but rather, he did not see any reason to leave this place. For him, there was no reason to leave this world behind, no reason to explore or find new avenues. His best friends, his family, and his home were all scattered amongst the stars by an entourage of cruel beings who violently snatched them from him. And even if he chose to live for the moment, he consigned to meet the end of his life here, in this hellhole.

And this was all despite a whole new world apparently waiting for him. Tazim and Aresh would always tell him about the wonders of Teyvat, its seven nations, and the rich culture each of them had alongside their deities. If Ur was still alive, she would tell him to leave this place and explore Teyvat, yet her voice felt like a distant memory. Even if he knew that leaving was the right thing to do, the pain of simply trying to move on was too much to bear.

"So here's how you write these words in order of sequence. You first use these symbols and put them here and here and….."

Gray listened intently as Aresh instructed him on writing Teyvatian. The scholar pointed towards the dirt as he traced the symbols across with his hands which followed along. The first few words were basically just alphabets and numbering systems, many of which were easy to grasp after some practice. The real challenge was in combining them to form full-fledged words and even trickier to create sentences in Teyvatian.

"Gr…ra….ey" The ice wizard said ad nauseum, having to practice writing his name in the native runes, "Gray."

"Good" Aresh nodded with a smile, dusting his hands off of the dirt, "Give it 9 more months and you might be able to write 'I love you"

Gray narrowed his eyes with an unamused look in response to Aresh's sarcasm but shrugged it off and continued to write. His ritual was unfortunately interrupted by the presence of a third party.

"Gray Fullbuster?"

A small squadron of guards approached their cell and opened it, one of them calling out for Gray. Aresh, Tazim, and the rest of the prisoners looked on with wariness.

"Yeah, the hell do you want?" Gray snidely replied.

"You've been summoned. Someone important wants to see you."


Chains wrapped around his arms and legs, Gray was escorted through winding halls filled with all sorts of exceptionally deranged individuals, reaching through the bars and screaming at him. If there was any desire towards freeing the prisoners here, seeing who they really are put such thoughts to rest. From mass murderers to political saboteurs to something far worse. According to one of the guards, one of them was even charged with wiping out an entire habitat, and that prisoner was one of the lesser evil ones. The absolute worst among them were kept in the deepest part of this prison, never to see the light of day.

Blocking out the noise, Gray focused his thoughts on what was ahead of him. On whoever it was that sought an audience with him.

Eventually, he was led to a small, compact room where a table stood at its center and two chairs on both ends. Sitting in one of the chairs, was a large, imposing individual covered head to toe in armor. His face was obscured by a pure black mass, which contradicted the cloak he was wearing. Standing next to him were two strange people, both of whom wore very long black coats with red highlights and a unique emblem stamped on their chests. Their faces were also concealed with a menacing red mask with glowing red eyes and a hood. If he recalled, Aresh and Tazim had both described these types of people to him before. "Fatui" he murmured in his thoughts.

Once he was on the other side, the guards removed the chains that bound his hands and feet and forcefully pushed him into the seat before leaving. Rubbing his wrists, he watched the men leave before looking at the armored stranger and his two bodyguards. "So, who the hell are you, and what do you want from me?" he brusquely inquired.

"Gray Fullbuster. Am I correct?" the stranger began speaking.

"Yeah, what's it to you?" Gray answered.

"I am a Fatui Harbinger of Snezhnaya, Capitano. But you may call me, the Captain" Capitano introduced himself.

The way he referred to himself earned a chuckle from Gray, mostly because of how it was uttered without a hint of humor or irony. Still, he couldn't deny that he was curious as to why a Fatui would be interested in him. "Okay….Captain" he snickered, "Why did you wanna see me?"

Capitano rested his hands on the table and clasped them together as he began speaking, "I am curious as to why a warrior such as yourself resigns in this pit?"

"Curious?" Gray repeated before taking a pause and then crossing his arms before speaking again, "I think I know where this is going. You want me to join your little clown show, isn't it? So that's what this is all about; a stupid recruitment drive."

Hearing his less-than-savory description of the Fatui did little to flinch the Captain. "So, you know of us, outlander? Good, that leaves out the chore of having to explain everything to you."

Gray's eyes widened over Capitano's statement as he rested his right hand on the table, "Wait, what do you mean Outlander? What exactly are you insinuating here?"

"There's no need to be coy with me. The warden told me you spoke an alien language when you first arrived here, your grasp of Teyvatian is passable at best and you wield elemental powers without the need of a vision. You're not the first traveler from another world and you certainly won't be the last."

Admittedly, Gray was impressed by the deduction this masked individual had made working on such little information. Then again, based on what Aresh had told him, the Harbingers are said to be the highest authority within the ranks of the Fatui, second only to their god. But it also seemed like a subtle trick to put him into a corner, which meant he had to bite back. "So you know who I am…big deal. What exactly are you gonna do with that? I got nothing you want and I ain't got nothing to do with whatever is you're doing and I'm not interested in signing up."

"It seems your cellmates have been quite forthcoming. But what exactly is it about our goals that you assume you know of?" Capitano insinuated.

"Oh, I know plenty. Nutjobs like you only want one thing; to conquer the world. I've spent my entire life fighting psychos like you" Gray bluntly replied.

His remark earned a little chuckle from the Captain. With each passing second, he was beginning to enjoy his feisty and defiant attitude.

"Is there something about this you find amusing?"

"Indeed" Capitano answered, "Contrary to what you might think, our goal isn't conquest but justice and liberation. Justice for the crimes against the people of Teyvat and Khaenri'ah in particular. We seek to free this world from the shackles of the Heavenly Principles."

Those words evoked a feeling inside of Gray that he hadn't felt in a long time. His eyes widened, and his breathing became heavy and labored while his heart pounded with great stride. Memories came flooding back, painful recollections of that awful day; the day everything dear to him was taken. "Your earth shall become clay that molds our cities, your tears shall be the dew that nourishes our rivers, and your magic shall be the fuel that enriches the lives of our world. In your death, you serve the Heavenly Principles" Those words were etched into the far corners of his mind, returning with a vengeance as he struggled to breathe, his mind and his body had separated and he had lost control of both, on the verge of breaking down. His heart beating even faster than before as if it was about to burst from his chest while his breathing escalated to the point that it seemed that he was almost out of breath. Ice formed from his arms, ready to spring forth as everything around him became hazy.

"Look at me."

A voice echoed through his mind as his vision began clearing again. The Captain knelt beside him, his stature so towering that kneeling only made him see eye to eye. He took hold of Gray's hand and handed him something. As Gray raised his hand, he realized that his father's necklace had returned to him. Seeing an object of his past, Gray's heartbeat slowly stabilized and his breathing returned to normal.

"Find a stillness and calm yourself, do not let them consume you."

Contrary to his advice, the visions intensified, as if it was being replayed in his mind over and over again. The vision of utter defeat and loss, the complete eradication of everything he held dear and of them. An armored knight-like being who soared through the air and of …her, an entity whose entire existence he couldn't fathom. But of the former, there was one thing he did find out and that was his name. Just the thought of it caused Gray to grip the necklace as tightly as he could as he bared his fangs and snarled while those particular words parted from his lips, "Abbadon."

"Abbadon?" Capitano remarked, "You know of him?"

"Yeah, he's the bastard that destroyed my home and killed my friends," Gray answered as he looked up to the Captain and asked, "You sound like you've met him too."

Rather than give a verbal response, the Captain took something from his back pocket and tossed it at Gray. As the ice wizard caught it and inspected the item, he found that it was an emblem the size of his palm, containing strange runes and a mural depicting a very familiar individual.

"Does this fit your description?"

"Tell me everything you know about him" Gray stood up and demanded, putting the Captain's enforcers on alert.

The Captain, however, was undeterred by such threats as he remained still and unfazed. "Now you're interested in us?" he mockingly retorted.

"Just answer me!"

"Nothing is given for free. What do you have to offer me in return?" the Captain countered.

His response did nothing short of angering Gray even further, whose patience had been tested to its absolute limit and was now on the verge of being broken. "Here's what I'll give" he threatened, summoning two swords of ice before leaping towards the Captain before his bodyguards could react, "Give me what I want and I won't kill you!"

But just as Gray was about to land a hit on the masked knight, the Captain grabbed his arm and tossed him to the other side of the room hard enough that walls almost broke. Before he could recover and rise to his feet once more, Gray found himself at the end of a boot stomped to his chest with such crushing strength that he was unable to move even as he struggled. "You will do no such thing," Capitano stated calmly, "I do not care what customs you followed in your home world. The law of equivalent exchange means that for what I give to you, you must give back to me."

The Captain pressed his boots against Gray for a little while longer, making the latter gasp for air before eventually releasing them, freeing Gray as he wheezed out. He strolled to the back and took in a deep breath before exhaling and started speaking again, "*sigh*That being said, I will allow you this one tidbit of knowledge. South of Teyvat, within the borders of the dark sea, lies an ancient secret. There you will find some of the answers you're looking for."

"Why?" Gray coughed as he clutched his chest and held onto the necklace tightly, "Why are you telling me this now?"

"Because the sight of a person like you in such a pathetic state saddens me" the Captain replied, walking over to Gray with his hands behind his back, "I will arrange for your release on one condition."

"And what's…that?" Gray asked as he got up with a bit of difficulty.

"You must fight for me. I will select your enemies and you will prove your worth in combat" Capitano explained.

Not too long ago, the thought of freedom barely enticed him. Yet, after this fateful meeting, Gray would be lying if he said that escaping to learn more about Abbadon wasn't enticing. A fire that had been snuffed out slowly began sparking again even if only in tiny embers. He could just fight his way out if he wanted to, but that could also have the unfortunate side effect of releasing some truly awful people. On top of that, this Captain had also returned a precious memento of his back to him and he seemed like the reasonable sort, at the very least. Plus, there was another reason to accept his deal. "Fine, I'll do it" he agreed with a nod, "But I got a request of my own too."

"Name it."


A large number of guests had gathered for this particular day, each of them whispering amongst each other yet with such frequency that it became audible in its own right. They were here for one reason and one reason only; to witness a special showing by one of the top fighters as promised by the host, under the apparent sponsorship of a Fatui Harbinger. At the top of this miniature coliseum, the host rested his hand on the ledge of the balcony, and standing beside him was none other than the fabled Captain, whose mere presence evoked a sense of awe and respect amongst the patrons. But he was not the center of attention on this day, for that honor belonged to the person standing in the middle of the arena.

Gray lifted his head and looked around, observing every single detail he could about this place. His eyes darted everywhere until they reached the center and the top, where the Harbinger looked on in silence. Closing his eyes, the ice wizard took a deep breath before exhaling and repeating the process, all the while blocking out the noise around him. Gently running his hands through the necklace that had been given back to him, his thoughts returned to that fateful night.

"My cellmates, Aresh and Tazim, they're good people, so I want them out of there as well," he said.

"Are you referring to the scholar and the Eremite in particular?" Capitano asked.

"Yeah"

"Very well, consider it done, should you hold up your end of the bargain" the Captain agreed as he turned his back on Gray and began making his way towards the exit.

Gray blinked over the man's response. He had honestly expected to pull something out of the rug on their deal to make things more difficult for him. "Hold on! Is that it?" he called out to the Harbinger.

The Fatuus glanced back and shrugged, "Indeed."

…..

Once he opened his eyes again, the host was already entertaining the crowd and shouting all sorts of claims, though he had probably missed out on most of them. "Tonight, our champion Gray Fullbuster will be in for the fight of his life. Will he earn his freedom? Or will he die trying? Let's find out, bring in his first opponents!"

Gray was Laser-focused on the task at hand, and that task was to defeat whatever it was that was about to emerge from that what. He did not anticipate that he would be fighting not one but three enormous cousins of the hilichurls. "Capture from the cold depths of Dragonspine, the mountains of Liyue, and the battered shores of Inazuma, I present to you, three Lawachurls!"

"Lawachurls? Rough start" Aresh noted, looking on from the tiny bars that contained a holding cell from where the other prisoners were to spectate.

"Gray is a formidable warrior. The odds are still in his favor" Tazim reassured him.

Aresh turned towards Tazim and wearily looked at him with a brow raised. "Don't tell me you're starting to gamble again" the scholar accused the mercenary.

Tazim for his part simply snorted and gave out a blunt, "No."

Knowing that he wasn't going to get much out of him, Aresh channeled his focus back on the upcoming and retorted with an annoyed "Uh huh."

The crowd erupted into applause as the three Lawachurls beat their chests before unleashing a wave of elemental energy, each composed of cryo, geo, and electro as it coated them in a special armor of their respective elemental composition. Before long, they jumped into the air and attempted to land right on top of Gray who dove out of the way. "Ice make: Crescent blades" Gray shouted as he unleashed a barrage of crescent-shaped ice blades from the palm of his hands. The attack had little to no effect on Frostarm and Stonehide Lawachurls, who easily blocked, but it shook up the Thunderhelm enough to knock it back to a nearby wall.

The remaining two Lawachurls charged at Gray as they each punched the ground and sent a shockwave of geo and cryo that forced Gray to evade. Wasting little time, the two Lawachurls dug through the earth and molded a boulder which was mixed in with their respective elements, and hurled it towards Gray, who immediately summoned an ice shield large enough to block them. But just as he was anticipating those two boulders, the Thunderhelm Lawachurl thrust itself onto Gray's shield like a battering ram, shattering it and sending him flying.

Slamming his fist into the ground, Gray clicked his tongue in annoyance over their surprisingly well-coordinated attack. Rising to his feet, he charged forth and slid under the leg of the Stonehide Lawachurl as the other slammed their fist into the ground to crush him. Summoning two spikes of ice, Gray jumped as high as he could and landed right on the golden Lawachurl's back by stabbing the two spikes, causing the brute to roar in pain. Using the two spikes like a harness, Gray twisted them toward his right, causing the Lawachurl to launch a vicious left hook that knocked back its Frostarm brethren, before pulling the ice spikes to his left, making the Stonehide accidentally strike the Thunderhelm Lawachurl. Releasing the spikes before viciously slamming them again, the Stonehide Lawachurl went on a rampage as it swung wildly, striking the Thunderhelm Lawachurl until it was knocked out before charging at the Frostarm Lawachurl and colliding into a nearby wall, knocking them both out.

Once the rubble was cleared, Gray stood atop the unconscious bodies of the Lawachurls, the sole victor of this battle as the crowd erupted into a throng of claps. Meanwhile, on the balcony, the host played to the crowd and raised his hands while the Captain merely stood by and watched silently. "This is merely the beginning," he said with an uninterested tone, "Send in the next one." And with his orders, the next stage of the gauntlet had begun.

"This mechanical monstrosity is said to hail from Khaenri'ah itself. Ruindrake!" the host shouted. The next in line was a mechanical creature with hind legs and wings. It took to the air and fired off a barrage of missiles, which Gray deftly evaded only for a few strays to explode behind him and send him tumbling. As the machine scanned through the dust, a white sparkle emerged and an arrow made of ice whizzed past the dust and straight into the frontal core of the Ruindrake, short-circuiting its entire functional system and causing it to fall to the ground, where it exploded upon impact.

"Straight from the depths of the unknown and personally captured by the Captain himself. Bathysmal Vishaps!" A distant cousin of the Geovishap, the creature swam through the ground like a shark, to which Gray responded by freezing the ground itself, but that did little as another vishap rose from the ground and unleashed a ball of lightning trapped him in place as the other Vishap shattered through the ice and chomped at him, mauling him left and right before spitting him back out.

Clutching his stomach, Gray watched with a pained expression as the two Vishaps stood side by side. "Ice make: Canons" he invoked as two ice-shaped canons emerged from the ground before firing off a volley of ice on his command, causing the two Vishaps to split up. As the Primordial Vishap swam through the ground again, he kept a close watch on where the Bolteater would be. "Found you" he exclaimed as he leaped in the air, dodging a pounce from the Primordial Vishap, and another electric orb from the Bolteater, which instead struck the Primordial Vishap, zapping it in place. "Ice make: Bazooka" Gray summoned an ice launcher and shot out an explosive rocket of ice midair, which struck the Primordial Vishap and instantly froze it before landing on his feet and charging straight at the Bolteater, who launched shards of electro from its tail, all of which were evaded by Gray who jumped out of the way. Once the distance had been closed, the Vishap tried to take a massive swipe at Gray with its claws to no avail. Gray then summoned an ice shield and blocked it before summoning a large spiked hammer out of ice and slamming it into the creature's head, taking it out of commission. The third round of the gauntlet was over and victory was still his.

"Walking through the lands of Teyvat alone, these Hilichurls answer to no tribe!". Two unique Hilichurls ganged up on Gray: one adorned in green wielding a short blade while the other in blue, equipped with a scythe. The blue one attempted to take a swing at Gray with its scythe which the ice wizard intercepted with an ice blade. As the two engaged in a deadlock, the green one thrust his blade towards Gray's neck which was narrowly missed when Gray craned his head towards a particular angle. Pushing the blue Hilichurl out of the way, Gray unloaded a frontal kick that sent the green one tumbling back. But just as he was about to strike back, the blue Hilichurl summoned a hydro slime and began poking at it repeatedly, sending forth a torrent of bubbles, which upon contact, trapped Gray in some sort of watery stasis. "What the" The ice wizard found himself unable to complete his sentence as the green one summoned an anemo slime and launched itself into the air, floating by holding on to the slime as it sent forth two wind blades that sliced through the bubbles and into Gray, causing him to scream as it blasted him to the wall.

Curling his fist and gathering dirt in his nails, Gray groaned and rose up. "Ice make: Lance" he shouted, slamming his right fist into his left palm before extending them forward, shooting long ice lances toward the Hilichurls. Even as the rouges blocked them, their slimes were not so lucky as both of them were struck by the lance; the anemo slime popped like a balloon causing its host to fall to the ground while the hydro slime froze in place, leaving the hydro rogue in a daze. Without wasting another second, Gray dashed at the blue Hilichurl and knocked it out with a dropkick as he picked up the scythe and hurled it at the green one, pinning it to the wall. As it gurgled in pain and struggled to free itself, Gray created an ice sword and sliced apart the blue one.

"Send in the volunteer."

"In service of her Majesty, the Tsaritsa, as beautiful as she is dangerous, the mirror maiden." This was Gray's first taste of battling a Fatuus, and half of it was spent running around trying to attack her only for the maiden to avoid it by disappearing into some sort of large mirror and then reappear somewhere else. Worse still, he wanted to avoid being struck by whatever it was that she was summoned. Eventually, he found himself entrapped by some sort of spell that hindered his movements. His eyes expanded as he struggled to free himself while the Mirror Maiden summoned six large shards of mirrors that shot out multiple bullets that pellet Gray, who roared in agony before gritting his teeth and clenching his fist as he burst through the trap. "Ice make: Geyser" he yelled out and slammed his hands to the ground, unleashing a tower of ice from beneath the maiden, who screamed as the ice began to impale her until she was completely frozen over.

"Send in the next one"

"From Inazuma, the infamous Kairagi who terrorize the lands"

Two burly samurai appeared, one whose weapon was enchanted by Pyro while the other had electro. As one initiated a spinning slash, the other leaped into the air and slammed his katana into the ground, as he attempted to unleash a torrent of electricity. However, it never came to pass as Gray summoned an ice hammer and used it to block the attack, even as the electricity channeled through the weapon and into his arms. Pushing through the pain, Gray shoved the Kairagi before striking his knee with the hammer, breaking his kneecaps, and then knocking him out with a swift strike to the head. The remaining Kairagi howled as Pyro enveloped his entire being, but despite that, he never got a chance to attack as Gray hurled the hammer toward him, sending him off balance. "Ice make: anvil!" Gray invoked another spell and dropped a large anvil on the other Kairagi, crushing him.

"Yes!" Aresh erupted into a joyous cheer as he heartily laughed and shook Tazim, who simply remained still, "See that! That's our guy!"

"Do not jinx it for him, there are still more challenges ahead" the Eremite warned. Ironically, his next set of opponents was very familiar to Tazim as two very unique and very imposing individuals appeared. A burly man who was even bigger than Tazim wearing what seemed to be a massive gauntlet with a lance as its tip on his right arm and a tall woman wielding a bow.

"From the deserts of Sumeru, these warriors offer their skills to the highest bidder and today, they are the very guardians of Le Rouche. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you, the very best of the Eremites!"

The battle raged on for several minutes, whereafter Gray found himself being plucked from the ground by an avian spirit. Infusing ice into the spirit's legs did little to deter it since it was not a creature of the living, but it did leave him open for an attack from the Galehunter, who loosened an arrow infused with the power of wind as it flew through the air and struck Gray on his shoulder. The avian spirit released its grip on him, allowing gravity to do the rest and as he neared the ground, a massive crocodilian spirit spun around and swiped him with its tail, etching the arrow deeper into his shoulder as he rolled through the dirt.

Meanwhile, Capitano pulled the host aside and whispered something into his ear.

As he pushed himself off the ground, two more Eremite warriors appeared, leaving the crowd in shock. One of them, who resembled Tazim in stature, swiped at his feet with his massive mace which made Gray fall on his back while one while wielding dual blades began swiping at him intensely alongside the Daythunder who slammed his mace, forcing Gray to roll away which allowed him to kick Gray in the stomach as the Sunfrost let out a backhanded slap, letting blood drip out from Gray's mouth before the Stone Enchanter kicked him in the back of the head, smothering his face with dirt. The crowd of wealthy elites cheered at the carnage that had ensued as some of the Eremites walked around and played to their audience.

"No, this can't be! C'mon Gray, you have to get up!" Aresh screamed and shouted, rattling through the bars as if trying to break free of them with his bare hands, "Your freedom's at stake!"

Tazim grabbed his shoulder and gently pulled him back, "Calm down. It won't do him any good to hear you screaming into his ear."

"Calm down!?" Aresh exasperated, the scholar clearly having taken offense to the mercenary's words, "Look at him! They have him beaten. If he doesn't do something-"

"It's not over" Tazim pointed out, to which Aresh responded with a puzzled look.

"What are you talking about?" the scholar asked.

"Take a look" the mercenary pointed out.

At the center of the arena, life within Gray was beginning to stir as his fingers twitched before they gripped the dirt beneath. Snarling like a cornered animal, Gray bared his fans and got up to a seated position. The Eremites took notice of his second wind and circled him like vultures; little did they know that they were now the prey. Black marks began to appear on his right hand until they were in half of his face while the crowd looked astounded. The transformation itself earned a grunt from Capitano, who was normally reserved and quiet unless it was to give out orders. The other prisoners were no exception as even Aresh and Tazim looked on with great interest, baffled by their friend's new look.

The Sunfrost warrior attempted to strike him down yet again, but before his sword could even touch the ground, a portion of his stomach was sliced off as purple ice began forming around it. He wheezed out his last breath as he collapsed to the ground. "Ice demon slayer: Zero long sword!" he let out a sonorous war cry, as the remaining Eremites readied themselves. "I'm done screwing around!"

The Daythunder attempted to go for a jumped sweep but was intercepted by Gray who froze his entire arm and bashing his skull in with an ice mace. Taking this momentary distraction as an opportunity, the Galehunter shot an arrow towards the unsuspecting Gray, only to find out that his awareness had heightened to the point that he noticed the arrow at the last second and caught it. The avian spirit attempted to fly over and cut Gray to pieces yet the ice wizard countered that by slicing it in half with his sword just as it neared him before he summoned a bow of his own and shot out an arrow that pinned the Galehunter to the wall, giving the anemo Hilichurl rogue company amongst the dead. The Galehunter screamed as ice exploded from within, bursting forth like a frozen fountain from her stomach.

This left the Geo Stone Enchanter as the final foe as he directed the crocodilian spirit to charge at Gray, who dismantled his bow and replaced it with two gauntlets made of ice. "Ice Demon: Zero destruction fist…..aaaaaargh" With a rallying cry, Gray charged at the creature and sent it flying through the air with an uppercut before lunging at the Stone Enchanter with his left fist extended forward while the Eremite thrust his lance. As the two weapons clashed, Gray's ice gauntlets began powering through the lance until it was shattered into a million pieces. "What the-" the Eremite exclaimed, shocked by the sight of his fabled weapon being destroyed yet was not given the proper time to register this as Gray interrupted his thoughts and pummeled him with a barrage of punches that ended with a powerful right punch that blasted the Eremite through the wall of the arena and into another part of the prison.

Bruised, battered, and cut in a million different places while wearing nothing but pants, Gray slowed down his breathing and looked up at the audience around him, all of whom had fallen into a hushed silence. There were bodies littered all across the arena, some unconscious, others dead but all of them defeated by Gray. The silence gave way to a singular clap, as one patron stood up and applauded. Soon after, more patrons joined in as the claps grew in frequency until they were followed by loud cheers and whistles. Eventually, some even began tossing mora towards, while others flowers, each a sign of their respect.

Deep within the cells, the prisoners watched with smiles on their faces, some even murmuring amongst themselves. "He did it," Aresh said, his words seemingly detached from his soul based on what he had just witnessed, "He freaking did it! Ahahahaha, I knew he could do it!"

Unable to control himself, he jumped into Tazims' arms and cried out in adulation. The mercenary was more reserved than the rest of his cellmates but even he couldn't resist letting out a smile. "Indeed" he smirked.

"There you have it ladies and gentlemen. One lone warrior, clawing his way to the top to become the apex predator of this arena leaving behind a trail of corpses and broken bodies in his wake." The host proclaimed, inciting the crowd to cheer for Gray even louder. Almost everyone was in the adulation of Gray, all but one. "Once more I present to you, the wi-"

Capitano grabbed the host's arm and slowly lowered it. "It is not quite over just yet" he stated, marching to the edge of the balcony and then vaulting over it.

"Lord Harbinger!" the host reached out, though by then, the Captain had already plummeted to the ground.

Capitano landed on the arena with an earth-shattering thud. If it were any other person, the audience would have descended into a chorus of jeers and boos, but given that the person that interrupted this celebration was none other than the legendary First of the Fatui Harbingers himself, they opted to remain silent lest they suffer his wrath.

"What's the Captain doing?"

"He must have his reasons."

A cold chill fell in the air from the Captain's mere presence, whose entire face was obscured by a black miasma except for his striking blue eyes. His mere existence froze everyone in place, even the prisoners who were watching from a safe distance. "I….I-I've never seen a Fatui Harbinger in person before" Aresh noted, while Tazim silently grunted. As an experienced warrior, he could tell that this Captain was not someone to be trifled with.

"You've done well to overcome the challenges I picked out for you. You are clearly a skilled warrior" Capitano acknowledged Gray's battle, reaching out his hand and curling them, "But while your body has been tested in the ring, it seems your drive is ...lacking. I've yet to see your true resolve."

"What do you mean?" Gray asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Let me show you" Capitano stated.

….

Shards of ice flew everywhere, some almost heading towards members of the audience which would've impaled them had it not been for the barriers that were now built in place to protect them once it became clear that the Harbinger was getting involved. Human screams and grunting could be heard as everyone winced at the sight of Gray getting rag-dolled across the arena.

Grumbling in pain, Gray tried to pick himself up only for the Captain to grab him by the throat and pin him toward the edge of the arena. "Is this everything?" Capitano asked, to which Gray answered by creating an ice blade and slicing at the Harbinger's hand, forcing him to release his grip on Gray and allowing him to roll away, creating a considerable distance between himself and the Fatuus.

Seeing the indomitable knight slowly march up to him, Gray created multiple crescent-shaped blades and sent them flying to the Captain who withstood all of it with very little damage to show for it. Hissing under his breath, Gray clasped his palms together and channelled all of his magic into a singular tiny ball of ice which he threw at the Captain, who easily caught it. "I expected more" Capitano said with a disappointed sigh.

"Oh you'll get it alright" Gray sniped back as he slammed his hands together and the ball of ice exploded right in Capitano's face, earning a collective gasp from the audience. "How's a little grenade for you?"

"Interesting" The Captain casually noted as he walked through the smoke, completely unscathed.

But the smoke served another purpose, as while the Harbinger had been distracted by this little spectacle, Gray had created an elevated platform out of ice that rose to the top. At the very zenith of the pillar, he created a bow and charged it with elemental magic. "Ice demon slayer: Zero destruction bow!" he yelled and released a singular, powerful arrow; the very same power that defeated the underworld king.

It was at that point that the first of the Fatui Harbingers decided to take things a little more seriously and summoned a massive sword with which he blocked the arrow before dispelling it. "What?!" Gray noted in disbelief as the Captain ran towards him and sliced the pillar in half, causing Gray to descend with a rough tumble.

Gray hissed under his breath over the turn of events; this man had taken his best shot and come out alive. "Ice make: Lance" he unleased another volley of ice lances, all of which Capitano countered by simply standing still and letting them shatter upon impact. "What the hell is he?!" Gray cursed, slamming his fist on the floor before rising up and gathering magic on his chest.

"Ice demon Raaggee!" Gray screamed out as he released a blizzard of frost from his breath. The stream of ice caused Capitano to block with his hand as his body began to slow down while ice began forming from his legs until they enveloped half of his body. Then with a grunt, he shattered the ice that froze him and charged forth, sending Gray rolling back with a push from his hand before grabbing the young man's right arm, the very arm that had been covered with black markings.

"I've never seen ice like this before. Not even from the Tsaritsa. You're unique" Capitano said, though his words of praise fell on deaf ears as Gray frantically struck him from every angle, even resorting to a kick to the temple that did very little to deter the Captain. With a disappointing groan, he threw Gray to the other side of the arena which resulted in a reverberated collision with the barrier that protected the audience. As the young man fell to the ground, the Captain caught him before his body connected with the earth and held him by the throat once more as he lifted him up. "Do you yield?" he asked, "You fight as if you have nothing left to live for, that death by combat is the only way for you to end your life. But let me ask you this; why do you think this is the only way? Do you think yourself to be the only one broken?"

Having a vice grip on his throat made it difficult for Gray to say anything, but it did not stop him from gasping out a few indecipherable words. "What was that?" the Captain asked, pulling Gray closer, "I ask you once again. Will it be death by combat or will you surrender and live to fight another day?."

"Trying…to…..distract….you"

Without warning, chains of ice emerged from the ground and hurled themselves at the Captain who was forced to release Gray. While he did initially smash some of them to pieces, they eventually began to overwhelm him until he was the one who was thrown into the air as the chains struck him from every angle. Crashing back into the ground, the ice chains wrapped themselves around the Captain, binding him as they tethered to the barriers for support.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the battleground, Gray outstretched his hands on both sides as several rows of ice canons rose from the ground on both sides, surrounding the Captain. The crowd let out a collective gasp in awe of what Gray was showing.

"He's been planting those canons since the very beginning. He was counting on it!" Aresh exclaimed, peering through the bars with great interest.

"So it would seem" Tazim noted.

Extending his hand and facing them towards Capitano, the canons unleashed a barrage of explosive fire, bombarding the Harbinger with such frequency and ferocity that he had barely become visible from the smoke. The resulting explosions carved out a significant chunk of the arena, with the host visibly panicking at the potential damage that it could inflict on the structure. But the assault would not let up nor would it until there was confirmation that Capitano was down.

"Enough!" a booming roar as the Captain broke free of the chains and slammed his fist into the ground, creating a shockwave that split apart the earth in several directions and destroyed the canons. The impact itself was such, that the prisoners watching had to reel back as their cells shook.

Gray was in disbelief, his face contorting into a look of abject horror at the sight of the Fatui Harbinger slowly walking over to him, the power he exuded was all-consuming and his killing intent froze him in place. "What the hell are you!?" he yelled out.

"The First of the Fatui Harbingers. Her Majesty, the Tsaritsa's greatest weapon" Capitano stated, dashing towards Gray at blinding speed, who created a shield to block any incoming attack. But with a mere punch, that shield was shattered and Gray was sent tumbling back while the Captain charged in for another attack to which the young man created another shield. "Lost your will to fight, have you?" the Captain asked, destroying the second shield and pushing back Gray, who simply created another shield rather than devise another strategy. "Another shield? You insult me" the Fatuus said, annihilating Gray's defenses, "What happened to all those magic you used? Where are your battle tactics? What happened to your wits?". The process repeated over and over again, like a hunter cornering a wounded animal; the prey could only put up a measly resistance as the predator closed in. "If death in combat is what you seek" Capitano announced, summoning his massive sword, "Then death, I shall grant you."

As he watched the Harbinger charge towards him with his sword, ready to end his existence, Gray could feel the moment come to him. The death he had sought for so long, at the hands of a powerful warrior. If this Fatuus was to be his executioner, then so be it. All the pain would be gone in an instant. Kneeling down, he closed his eyes and looked up with a smile. Juvia, Natsu, Erza…..he was going to see them again.

"If I didn't let you do it before, why would I let you do it now?"

A voice echoed in his mind, forcing him to wake up from his blissful slumber as he looked around. "N-Natsu?"

"Don't give up Gray"

Another voice called out to him. "Ultear."

"I'm proud of the man you've become"

Gray pushed himself off of the dirt and realized what these voices were; memories. "Dad."

"I've freed you from the darkness Gray."

"Master Ur." That final voice was what finally compelled him to rise to his feet and face down the Captain. As the Harbinger neared and about to drop his sword on him, intending to split him in half, Gray closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them once more and gently exhaling. "I yield."

In that instant, just as the sword was mere inches away from touching his head, Capitano stopped as a gust of wind blew from his hesitation. The Harbinger pulled the weapon back and dispelled it as he stared at Gray with his icy blue eyes. "Well done" he gave an approving nod and gently tapped his shoulder, "It seems you have finally found a reason to live once more. I can sense the embers inside of you trickling into a fire, but it remains to be seen whether it shall become a roaring flame once more."

Reaching into his back pocket, Capitano took Grays, right arm, which had reverted back into its normal state, and handed over a photo. Gray blinked as his jaw dropped, and his hands trembled at pictures; pictures of his comrades, friends, and family, of the guild which held fond memories for him, memories of a better life, of home. "You had this with you all along, didn't you?"

"I did"

"So why now? Why give it back to me now?" There was something about the Harbinger's actions that Gray could not fathom. Was he trying to recruit him? Manipulate him? Help him?

"Because you have earned it" The Captain answered. "I can tell that this meant a lot to you, but I needed to be sure that you truly wanted it back. After all, what good do mementos do for someone dead? Those belong to the living, to the ones who are still surviving and struggling, carrying the weight of the burden the dead have passed onto them. We owe to the fallen to continue living, les their deaths mean for naught."

"Continue living" Gray repeated, a notion that had become so strange to him until recently. His whole life changed in the blink of an eye, so many of those he cared for were taken from him over and over again, and in those moments, part of him always wondered by he never got to join them. No matter what he did or tried to do, fate would not allow his death. Was being alive, destiny's way of forcing him to carry out their burdens, to correct the wrongs of the world? His head hung low as tears dropped from his eyes and into the pictures. "Thank you...," he said as his voice hitched from the overwhelming emotions.

"Never forget the pride that lives within you. As promised, you will be a free man soon, what you do from now on, is up to you" the Captain consoled him as he turned around and began walking away.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! We have witnessed a battle for the ages! Gray Fullbuster has not only beaten the odds but has survived a battle with the legendary Il Capitano, the First of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers! Let us shower him with praise deserving of a true champion!"

"Gray!Gray!Gray!"

The adulation of the crowd barely mattered, even if his cellmates were joining in on the praise. Both Aresh and Tazim watched with their mouths open over the mere fact that Gray not only survived a battle against a Harbinger but even earned his respect.

As he stared at the picture, Gray wiped away his tears and looked towards the Harbinger who had now turned his back on him. "Why…..why did you do this?" Gray asked.

The Captain stopped in his tracks and glanced back as he answered, "Because there is no honor in seeing someone lose their will to live." The Harbinger paused before reaching out of his pocket once more and tossing the item towards Gray, who curiously inspected the item. It looked like a badge or a brooch with a particular insignia that he had never seen before. "If you're ever interested in aiding us, seek out this symbol. We have a mutual enemy and the Tsaritsa has plans to fight them."

Gray observed the item for a few seconds before putting it back and looking on as the Captain disappeared from his sight. His perception of the Fatui was almost challenged by this Captain, who had not only resolved to help him but even kept his promise. A man of honor and integrity. But for now, he would bask in this adulation, just this once for he had a newfound vigor and a reason to keep fighting; a new cause and a new goal to strive for.


It was a day he never thought he'd see nor did he ever think he would want it. Leaving behind the cold, claustrophobic cells and the bloody, damp arena, Gray was led to an elevating platform whereby he was lifted upward, almost as if he was leaving behind purgatory and ascending to paradise. For added measure, he was also gifted a new set of clothes and provided with a bag of supplies as well, although he was still in chains with his hands and feet bound together.

Once the platform had reached the top, Gray was led through a processing unit before finally being escorted through the front gate. There, his shackles were released as the gates opened up and a rush of blinding light assaulted his senses, forcing him to momentarily close his eyes. Once he had recovered, all Gray could see were dark raining clouds and a violent stormy sea. "The warden's waiting for you" one of the guards instructed, "Enjoy your freedom."

Walking over to the docks, he saw two familiar figures standing around; Aresh and Tazim were both eagerly awaiting his arrival, having already been released earlier. "There's the champion" another voice eagerly spoke, to which Gray looked sideways to find the host, who just so happened to be the warden as well, reach out with his arms outstretched and hugged him. Gray remained still as the warden snuggled next to him, holding him in his embrace before letting go. "Looks like I'll have to find a new champion around here" he smiled and patted Gray's shoulder before handing over a significantly large bag.

As Gray took it from his hands, he inspected the contents of the bag and discovered that it contained gold coins. "This is…."

"Earnings, from your fights. You've made a lot of money for me and this is your share. Don't say that I'm not generous" the warden chuckled, "I've also arranged a boat to take the three of you out of here."

"Where?"

"You can ask the captain for that or your cellmates since they've talked to the captain. Now, I've got work to do, so go out there and live your life" With those parting words, the warden began walking back to the inside of the prison, "Oh, and try to stay out of trouble? I wouldn't want you back here, ahahahaha."

He couldn't figure out if that was meant to be a genuine warning or some twisted joke, especially since he was brought in here with no charges at all. With an indignant grunt, Gray turned his back on the warden and focused his attention on the two people waiting for him. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the man of the hour!" Aresh greeted him with open arms, delightfully pleased at having his freedom, "To think that you would go through that trial just for us! You're a true friend Gray."

"Indeed, we are in your debt," Tazim said, placing a hand on Gray's shoulder.

"It's the least I could do" Gray answered with a smile, the first in a long time while downplaying his actions. Even at his lowest, these two were willing to befriend a complete stranger like him and even go out of their way to open up to him. He knew they could never replace the friends he lost but they were now close enough that he could count them amongst friends in their own right. "So, I heard you guys had a nice chat with the captain of this boat. Where are we going?"

"Liyue" Tazim answered.

Aresh groaned at the sellswords' bluntness and rolled his eyes before elaborating to Gray in greater detail, "Liyue Harbour to be precise. The commercial hub of Teyvat, home of the Adepti and the kingdom of the God of Contracts, Morax."

It had been a long time since the prospect of an adventure excited him, but he did a little jitter at the thought of exploring new lands. However, Gray bore it into his mind that his end goal was still the search for answers and the truth about those who had destroyed his home. One way or the other, he was going to find out.

"Let's go."


AN: I'm glad to see this story getting some traction. I don't know how far it'll go but I'll continue for at least the month of October before resuming work on my other fic.