Alright, screw it. No more deadlines. Not going to keep lying to myself - and to you guys - that this will be done before the end of the year. 2024 is less than a week away, and school will be starting up again soon. Rushing things out like that only hurts the quality in the long run. Besides, if keep it going like this, it would go out to well over 20K words a chapter and that's too long for a story of this scale - not to mention the revisions would take a week by themselves, let alone updating it. That said, I should have the next update out soon.
I'm hovering on the edge of consciousness right now so apologies in advance if this thing isn't proof-read correctly.
Note at the end, let's begin.
Disclaimer: Genshin Impact and its characters belong to Mi-hoyo and Hoyoverse; I own nothing.
The meaning of the Iniquitous Baptist's words was lost on Aether, but clearly not on Furina as she lost grip of her blade, the weapon clattering to the ground loudly. A look of complete shock morphed across her features, her eyes wider than he'd ever seen them… though that look soon transitioned to pure and utter rage.
"What… WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME YOU CUR?!"
Expecting a violent reaction, Aether quickly turned his attention back to the Baptist but the four-armed being merely floated there, seemingly unaffected. However, that could be due to the fact that Abyssal beings weren't easy to read like humans were. Their emotions weren't on full display nor was there any indication that they were offended or pleased until they actually said something.
When the Baptist spoke once more, its tone couldn't be classified as anything other than smug satisfaction.
"Your designation, child. After all, who do you think it was that granted you such a status?"
Furina clenched hands tightly, to the point where Aether could swear he heard the fabric of her gloves ripping. "That's impossible. You can't be him… You're dead!"
"So sure are you? Indeed, my current appearance might be cause for some hesitation but I assure you that while my body has long since faded, my mind remains as true as ever. Rest assured, #238, I am very much alive."
"And just who are you?" Aether stepped in, hoping to take some of the pressure off of Furina. Whoever... whatever this thing was, it knew Furina and vice versa given her outrage. He would likely need to take the lead on this exchange until she could compose herself to a degree.
The Baptist finally granted him his attention, chuckling as though his very existence was amusing. It wouldn't be the first time a denizen of the abyss had mocked him and certainly wouldn't be the last. "Ah, Prince. Her Highness has indeed spoken highly of you though I must admit, I find you… lacking. Nevertheless, you do bring up a good point. So many years have passed that I've nearly forgotten basic decorum; please allow me to rectify that little hiccup if you would. In my previous life I was known by the name of Mathias, and as you can surmise, this place used to belong to me… as did the so-called archon you now stand in defense of."
Aether's eyes widened, his thoughts careening to a cataclysmic halt. This... Mathias knew his sister, and had heard her talk about him?
So, it was just a dream, he thought with no small amount of relief. The experience he'd undergone shortly after arriving in Sumeru had rattled him something fierce, casting doubts on the purpose of his journey as well as raising new questions about what his twin had gone through.
The ordeal with Caribert alone would traumatize anyone let alone having journeyed through Teyvat up till then.
"Wait a sec, Paimon's lost," the little fairy piped up, ripping him from his musings. "How can this dump belong to you - and more importantly, how can Furina!? She's not your slave!"
"I understand it is quite a shock," the Baptist answered, nodding its head in what Aether presumed was agreement. "While my associates and I are indeed pressed for time, I could spare a moment or two to indulge your curiosity."
Against his better judgment, a thousand questions ran through the young warrior's mind in that instant. What was this place? Why did it exist? What did Furina have to do with any of it? Was this Mathias similar to Jakob?
In the end, however, only one bore its way to the forefront and escaped his lips before he could catch it.
"Why?"
The Baptist regarded him with the same blank stare that the minions of the Abyss wore prominently, but his was different. Somehow he could swear this monster was staring at him like he was little more than a bug. When the Baptist spoke again, pure pride infested each of his words.
"The answer you seek is really quite a simple one: I wished to elevate humanity beyond what this world perceives as gods."
Well, he was right; it was a simple reason – horrifically so in fact. Aether had lost count of just how many others of the same mindset had sacrificed in the pursuits of such insane ambitions, and judging by Mathias' tone he was no different. No, if anything he was far worse because he didn't seem at all ashamed of his actions – he was proud of them.
It was a bitter struggle to keep himself from drawing his blade on the monstrous being claiming to once be human.
Clearly he hadn't been able to keep his face neutral, however, since Mathias let out what sounded like a sigh. "But I can see you do not yet comprehend the grandeur of such aspirations so allow me to elaborate. In my previous life, I was honored with a lofty position in the Fontaine Research Institute and regarded as a prodigy amongst my peers. My academic years contributed much in the way of modern science, medicine and even helped pioneer some of the first iterations of the clockwork meka housed within this very facility. It was such a horrendously dull excuse of an existence."
"You speak of helping people like it's a chore," Aether contested, part of him finding it insane to debate with a creature of the abyss of all things but he couldn't resist. He also had to stall for time until he figured out just how to deal with the opposition arrayed before them or until they could find locate a way out.
"Aiding the people does earn one status and privileges but hardly a sense of purpose. My mind was wasted on mundane acts and in the end, what good did they achieve? No matter the medium exercised, death still came for those I aided so my work was merely a waste on such inferior beings."
"So what did that make you then?" Paimon pointed out smugly, giving a shriek of fright as the lectors snarled at her.
If the Baptist was offended by her remark, it was impossible to tell... though the fact he hadn't attempted to attack her spoke volumes. "An unfortunate truth though such truths can be altered to suit the means of others. The truth of this world being that the gods were our everything and nothing was the spark I required to make my own truth… it was fortunate that the people I aided happened to be just the sort of medium I needed to test it."
"Test what exactly? You've been pretty vague about that thus far."
"Then I shall be blunt: I came to realize that we are not the gods' subjects, but rather their successors. I gathered others who came to see my way of thinking and together we founded this place, the Fontaine Institute of Ascension – in secret of course. We couldn't exactly go public with our views with a tyrant like Egaria in power."
"BITE YOUR TONGUE!" Furina shouted behind him, outraged. "Don't you dare call someone like her what you clearly have always been!"
Aether was left in shock at how vehement Furina was acting, more so given she looked ready to bisect the abyssal being all on her own. Though that did bring up one interesting fact...
Egaria: the former hydro archon, possibly even the first of the Seven. She'd given her life centuries ago pushing back the Abyss and, if Furina's reaction was any indication, she also had a hand in saving Furina from... whatever occurred here.
"Call me what you wish, #238. You yourself played a vital part in our ambitions if you'll recall. Five hundred years shouldn't be but a blink in divine terms."
"How? What did you do to her?" Aether all but growled out, clenching his blade tighter.
Far from being threatened by his actions, the Baptist merely scoffed. "I ask that you do not reserve such hostility on her behalf solely. She was but one of many, many others we conscripted to our cause albeit one of the more successful ones that is."
"Conscripted? That's quite the phrase for abduction," Furina shot back, venom layering her words much like the frosting of the cakes she adored. "How many children like me did you put through your little scenarios? How many never walked out of those damned rooms once you were done with them? We weren't anything to you but savages pitted against each other to see that insane ambition of yours through!"
"Sacrifices must be made in pursuit of human excellence, #238. The many before you, while still of tender age served their purpose in weaning away the weakness from many others of your quality. On that note, kindly do not lay their deaths on my head alone – you served that purpose well enough as I recall."
Paimon gasped, Aether turning back to Furina with a horrified look… but the god refused to meet his eyes.
His stomach dropped.
Paimon trembled, fearfully casting a glance back the now ashamed god. "F-Furina k-killed-?"
"Children?" the Baptist seemed to hiss with glee, deepening Aether's mounting hatred of the ex-human. "Why yes, and she was quite good at it too. Though I suppose calling her a murderer is a stretch considering she wasn't the only one that was doing it. Survival of the fittest as they say and my aspirations had no room for such weaklings. Those that did survive would go on to become the first of humanity's divine generation."
Aether forced back the bile creeping up in his throat, struggling between wanting to vomit or hurl himself at the Baptist just to get these lies to stop. Deep down, however, he knew they weren't lies because Furina still wouldn't meet his eyes.
It was starting to piece together in his mind now. Her training… her skills… all of it had been earned through the simple strive to survive. If she hadn't learned quickly then she would've been disposed of like she'd mentioned earlier.
This was insane… but still, what significance did Furina have towards Mathias? What made her different than so many others that had been done away with?
As if reading his thoughts, the disgraced former researcher went on as if he hadn't been interrupted. "With our candidates selected, we could finally begin the tests. Initial trials began with the older, more experienced candidates since they would be better suited physically and mentally to wield the raw powers of the elements. But we quickly scrubbed the idea when too many of them either melted, froze themselves solid, or fried their internal organs. Inconveniences all around it seemed."
The way Mathias spoke of such horrendous events as if he were casually commenting on the weather only hammered home that this was an utterly detestable being. As much as he wanted to stop all of this, there was another part of the blond that spurned him on to see what Furina's role in all of this was beyond just trying to survive. No matter how many she had struck down, someone would've come along that would've been her match…
Unless she meant something more to him, Aether deduced with a frown.
"After much trial and error, I realized that elemental energy was still too far advanced for humans to wield without any medium such as Visions. I languished at the idea of my ideals remaining unfulfilled when an old acquaintance paid me a visit. He requested that I try one last time with one of the younger subjects but instead of using elemental energy, we would harness the arkhe alignments. Not only was it a success, but it allowed me to narrow down the ones unfit for trials so they were disposed of. Thus it would be that the first of the new age would be those who came after us."
"An old acquaintance?" Paimon questioned, eyes narrowing.
"Yes, now what was that fellow's name… Zandik? No, no he hated being called that. Ah, that's right! He preferred the name of Dottore I believe."
Immediately the blood in Aether's veins chilled as flashbacks from his most recent trial in Sumeru raced through his head. He doubted he'd ever be able to forget the madman who nearly toppled Sumeru by replacing its own god with an artifical one. Seems that Dottore hadn't just been meddling in Inazuma and Sumeru, but Fontaine as well. If he had a hand in this madness… then Aether now could see why so many lives had been wiped out.
Because people like Dottore didn't care one whit for the cost of human life - only the results whatever experiment they were trying to complete. If Mathias dared to call someone like him an acquaintance, then whatever remained of his soul was dyed in the blood of countless innocents.
"Of course, there were hiccups. Not all of the whelps were able to harness the alignments together; those that did, as you could guess, did not fare well… save one that is."
"Furina," Aether surmised, resisting the urge to glance back at her to see how she was taking all of this.
"Is that what she calls herself these days?" the Baptist mused with a chuckle.
For whatever reason, that of all things sparked his anger like a mitachurl losing its favorite war shield. "It's her name! Don't act like she didn't have one to begin with!"
"Whatever she goes by now is irrelevant. The child before me was but one of hundreds and thus had to be labeled accordingly to keep track of her progress, hence her designation. #238 was perhaps the only notable success out of a bevy of failures though even that is pushing things. Nevertheless, her physical constitution allowed her to not only harness the alignments but express both to promising extents. Still there was much room for improvement so we tweaked her performance."
"You experimented on her," Aether all but snarled at the Baptist, grasping his blade but not yet drawing it. "You treated her like some lab rat."
"My methods might seem inhumane to the outside observer but the result couldn't be exaggerated. Aspects of her were sacrificed to unlock her latent potential both in body and spirit, though they were necessary."
"Necessary?! You tortured her!"
"Sacrifices must be made in pursuit of human elevation, Prince! Outworlders like you have no ground to stand on such matters!" the Baptist shot back, an ominous aura beginning to waft about him before it settled. "In the end, #238's progress while promising was lackluster at best. Still, she would've been used as a template for future candidates… or she would've if that witch hadn't interfered."
"Do not dare slander your archon's name, Mathias," Furina spoke up with a hiss, gaining the blond's attention once more. Her expression was clouded with fury but it had mellowed somewhat to a glare aimed squarely at the Baptist. "Lady Egaria obviously couldn't sit by and let your little science experiment carry on once she became aware of it."
The Baptist hissed at the mention of the former hydro archon. "I believed I had gathered those who shared my vision but I was careless. As the old saying goes: loose lips sink ships. All it took was one gutless coward to run to the authorities before the powers that be came knocking at our door. What took nearly twenty years to establish in absolute secrecy was swept away in mere minutes by that gods-damned witch and those hapless minions of hers within the Maison Gardiennage. I lost many colleagues in the ensuing flood that washed away my life's work, of which I nearly became victim of."
"Oh, please spare us the lies," Furina scoffed haughtily, some of her old nature bleeding into her voice. "I have little doubt they were mere steppingstones as you fled from Lady Egaria's wrath, dooming them so you could save yourself instead."
The lectors flanking the Baptist all growled and spat curses at her, but the larger abyssal being merely held up two of his hands to ward them off. "An apt deduction if a little crass in its execution. My fellows' sacrifice, however direct or indirect, allowed me to escape Egaria's clutches but soon I found myself fleeing into the neighboring nations. Had it not been for my new associates happening upon my sorry state, I have little doubt that Deshret's failed kingdom might've become my tomb."
"Truly a shame then that you were able to eke out some manner of salvation," Furina sneered, the look somehow out of place on her to Aether. "Though I suppose insects like you are rather adept at such miracles."
The Baptist's eyes seemed to narrow at that, perhaps the first visible sign of his displeasure. "You have grown quite fearless of me in my absence, child. But understand that the witch is long dead and yet I remain."
Clearly he hasn't dealt with the Pari, Aether remarked to himself.
"Not if I have anything to say about it," Furina growled back, swiping an arm across her body in a theatrical manner. "I care not for the truth behind your inclinations to return here although I must thank you for the opportunity to finally put a proper end to your lunacy. All these years and I wallowed over the fact I'd never get to put these skills you forced on me to good use."
Though he was being threatened by an archon, the Baptist merely laughed off her words. "An end, you say? Child, this is merely the beginning to a grand chapter in your otherwise idyllic little existence. I do implore you to hear me out as I'm rather uncertain of how my associates here might take your blatant hostility towards my person."
Furina scowled at the much larger being, mismatched eyes narrowing to almost slits. "Then plead your case while I decide which manner of end befits you."
"You can already surmise I have returned here to gather what remains of my previous endeavors even if there is precious little as it is. However, with your entrance, that has all changed. The Institute's path can continue anew and with you by my side, I'm certain we can-"
"Pardon?!" Furina exclaimed, equal parts incredulous and outraged. "You… did you just say you want my help with this insanity?"
The Baptist actually tutted at her. "Please don't refer to it as simply that. I understand you have mixed feelings about your experiences prior, but rest assured that you play a vital role in ensuring this project's ultimate success. You would be doing Teyvat a great service by aiding me, in fact."
"To be used as another lab rat, I'm sure," Furina dismissed with a scoff.
"No. As my partner."
Furina looked thunderstruck by the proposal, her hands falling limply to her sides as her mouth was left agape.
"What do you mean by partner?" Aether demanded on her behalf, seeing as how she was left at a loss.
"Exactly as I say. Since that witch Egaria ensured the demise of most of my subordinates, #238's experience with the initiative is paramount to resurrecting it. Not only will she serve as the template for future iterations but will act as my right hand in guiding the process to mirror her own status. While her tuning is flawed, there is greatness to be found in such failures."
"You… you're insane," Furina uttered, aghast. "You honestly believe I would help the very monster who made me this way?!"
"Now, now #238, don't regard yourself so little. After all the person you are today is thanks to my actions. Why, I believe I deserve some measure of gratitude for my contributions!"
Inwardly, Aether sneered. This man was narcissism personified. No wonder Furina detested him so deeply. He was certainly fit to be in league with the likes of psychopaths such as the Doctor if he hadn't already made that clear earlier.
"If it's any consolation, I too am disturbed to have to lower myself to working with the likes of my work, but these are desperate times. The Seven grow weaker by the day as does Humanity's faith in them. Our ascension has long since been delayed thus I am prepared to make any and all compromises to ensure its fruition. It is time for those properly suited to usher in a grand new era."
"Do you truly believe you can bribe me with such a cheap offer? I am the hydro archon. There is nothing you can offer that my status cannot afford, and that includes your head!" Furina shouted at him, baring her teeth at the Baptist.
"Nothing hmm? What if I offer you the Prince?"
Aether's eyes shot open, his heart skipping a few beats as she risked a glance back at Furina. Indeed, she was staring at the Baptist with wide eyes of her own, working her mouth around to respond to this sudden proposal. Slowly she turned to look back at Aether, her mouth parting to say something but whatever it was, she settled for glaring daggers back at Mathias.
"Captured your attention, I presume?" the ex-human remarked smugly. "You see, I have the privilege of being in her highness's trusted advocates and with it comes a considerable amount of clout within our ranks. Should you accept my offer, I will speak with her highness regarding your interest in the Prince here. If it's to place him back at her side, I'm sure she would be agreeable to this arrangement. Power, status and the chance to be happy with the one you yearn for: care to reconsider your stance now, #238?"
Aether met Furina's eyes once more and shockingly, while the fury was still very much there, there was some hesitation he could pick out from her expression. "I-"
"Don't!" Aether snapped at her, causing her to gasp. "You can't trust them! The Abyss never does anything without some hidden agenda. And I know my sister," Aether tyurned a sharp glare back on the Baptist, narrowing his eyes dangerously, "she knows she'd have to fight me herself before I agreed to anything like that."
"So sure are you, Prince?" the denizen of the abyss sneered. "While you speak the truth, her highness has been fervently worried about you and has kept tabs on you in whatever manner she has been capable of."
"If she is so worried, why doesn't she come and ask us herself?" Paimon pointed out, dubiously.
Paimon wasn't asking something he hadn't already asked himself a dozen times over, ever since encountering Lumine in Liyue. Dainsleif was no help when it came to learning of his sister's true motives, nor would he take him to her even if he did ask. Lumine was his other half and vice versa; so why would she intentionally keep him at arm's length, knowing what she did, and more importantly what did she gain from it?
But he knew who she was, and his sister was as stubborn as they came. Whatever her aims were, she would achieve them by her hands and hers alone. The only likely reason she was even using the Abyss Order to begin with was not just because they were the remnants of their people, but due to the fact that even she couldn't be everywhere at once.
His own stance on the matter seemed to shake Furina's bout of reluctance, the girl redirecting a defiant glare back to the Baptist. "I'm not as gullible as your lackeys, Mathias. Even if you offered me Teyvat itself I'd refuse if it came from you, and I will be damned if I leave the fate of my people with the likes of you."
"Your people?" the Baptist barked out a laugh. "Please do not play the holier-than-thou act with I, #238. Lest you forget that you just as much as I are to blame for so many that were sacrificed for our grand dream. Whether you choose to admit such responsibility matters little. You are as much a villain as I in this tale."
Furina's only response was to draw her blade and strike out at him with her alignments, though they did precious little to the Baptist' barrier.
A sigh emanated from the being as his eyes lowered to Furina's form. "Am I to take this bout of rebellious behavior as your answer, #238?"
"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" she snarled, directing her blade's tip at the monster who dared refer to himself as human. "My name is Furina – Furina! I am the god of hydro, and I am beyond a sadistic creature like you!"
The Baptist began to chuckle, soon breaking out into cackles that sent shivers down Aether's spine. It was an awful noise, more fit for a villain in a horror film. "Beyond me? Pitiful child. You are but an insect to my glorious existence. If anything I am the one who is the god between the two of us. My will shall usher in a grand new age for not Teyvat and Fontaine shall serve as its apex!"
"I will sooner see all of Fontaine swallowed whole by the sea than let whatever machinations you've come up with prevail! Lady Egaria would surely agree with me!"
"Your zeal towards her is misplaced, child! You think she spared you out of some latent maternal instinct? She was no different than a simple passerby to a random beggar on the street. Indeed #238, you have always been that beggar. Whether you choose to admit it means little, but the truth remains thus: Egaria was nothing more than a means to an end for you."
"YOU DARE-!" Furina screamed, attempting to close the distance between them but Aether quickly intercepted her. Despite her smaller frame, much like how he'd nearly been a victim of her rampancy earlier, she was deceptively strong and it took all of his own to keep hold of her. "Let me go! I'll have his head!"
"Furina stop, don't be so reckless!" the blond pleaded, struggling to hold back the god as she thrashed in his grasp. "He's just baiting you. Don't let him rile you up so easily!"
Furina calmed slightly at that but Aether still held onto her, afraid she'd fling herself at the Baptist once more.
The Baptist sighed. "Tis a shame. Despite the disaster she wrought, I had faint hopes that Egaria may've spared your life. Yet, time has not taught you any sort of temperance even though you now stand as her supposed successor. Fontaine is very much doomed it seems, but that hardly means anything to me at this stage. I still have need of you #238 even if you refuse my generous offer." He clicked his fingers, the two lectors floating up beside him on the left and right, respectively. "Your life was an investment of mine thus I believe I am owed some return on that, and her highness would certainly be interested in learning what makes you gods so special."
They were going to take her, Aether realized with a start. Against the might of not just two Abyssal Lectors but an Iniquitous Baptist, there was no way they'd stand a chance against them. They had to run.
"Furina, we need to leave," he whispered to her, shifting his feet slightly.
"I will not turn tail and flee from that coward!" she snarled back. "I will not let that shadow slip through my fingers whilst he's where I can see him."
"But we can't fight them like this!" Paimon protested, flitting between them worriedly.
"I don't care! I won't let anyone get between me and ending that monster!"
Holding back a mitachurl's charge might've been easier than holding back the hydro archon, but Aether refused to let her go without a fight - something the Baptist actually seemed to find amusing.
"Your devotion to #238 is to be admired but your role here has ended, Prince. I will ensure that Her Highness is informed of your contribution to my efforts once we return. In the meantime, my associates will entertain you while I evaluate #238's performance."
"The only thing lacking here will be your life once I expel it from you!" Furina declared darkly, still attempting to claw her way to freedom from Aether's grasp with little success.
"We shall see, #238. I do hope you will have something to show for all these long years apart," the denizen proclaimed, elemental power surging all around him. "Now then, let us begin."
Suddenly, Aether felt himself being flung back and away from Furina, letting out a light groan as he hit the ground hard. Quickly recovering his blade, he rose up to hurry back to Furina... only to find the two lectors now staring menacingly down at him.
"Royalty or not, the flames of retribution shall judge you for your crimes against the Abyss!" the pyro lector declared, its fellow mirroring its actions.
"W-what should we do?" Paimon whimpered, all but hugging Aether's back.
"Paimon, hide. It's too dangerous for you to be out right now," Aether ordered, and the fairy complied immediately. Now it was just him facing off against the two lectors. It would be tough but he'd faced tougher challenges before.
It didn't matter if he had to fight off the entirety of the Abyss Order to do it - he wasn't about to let Furina get snatched from him so easily.
Like I said, the next update should be out soon. No definitive date; just soon.
I wanted to get you all at least one update for Christmas. I also wanted to get the story done by now, but this thing just keeps going and going...
Hopefully it'll let me go soon.
Till then,
Merry Christmas (and happy holidays!)