It was a long vote, but it finally ended and I am pleased to say that this story came out as one of the two winners.
Before I begin, I'd like to make a few clarifications:
The first point is that I like slow pairing, but on this occasion I'd like to develop something different. I'm not saying that Aether and Ei will be a couple from the start, since I obviously want to build their relationship well. Mind you, I think that within the first 15 chapters they should already be a couple.
You could say that this story is divided into two phases. First the building of the relationship between the characters, and then comes a lot of action and battle (although the first chapters will have a small taste of what will be that second half of the story).
Another thing is that there may be sexual content if you wish. I usually like to have this kind of scenes, but this time I prefer to leave it to your opinion.
Finally, remember that this story officially started in 4.1 of Genshin Impact. Future modifications that may be made to the story cannon or different additions will obviously not be reflected here. You should also keep in mind what era the initial development of this story is set in, because that may mean that certain characters never appear simply because they had no real influence during the end of the Shogun Raiden's tyranny.
Without further ado, let's get started.
Enjoy!
PROLOGUE: UNSURPASSED LIGHTNING.
Narukami Island...
That island that was home to the great Inazuma City.
That city that remained in complete silence, just like Ritou and Konda Village, including the very estate where the Kamisato Family lived.
The entire Narukami Island was in complete silence, as if the people were afraid of breaking the great authority that had been exercised by her Great Majesty Electro since time immemorial.
In fact, the silence was most likely not due to fear...
It was respect.
The enormous respect that the Shogun Raiden commanded spread throughout the entire region.
That's right, no one was afraid of her. They only respected her...
But...
What kind of respect were they submitting to?
Perhaps the great Inazuma City had been stuck in those desires and times that vanished more than 500 years ago?
Still, not everyone thought that way. Not everyone wanted to be marginalized to a supposed utopia that only conformed to the whims of a Goddess who had long since been abandoned for her happiness.
A happiness that she still wanted to replicate with her concept of Eternity, tying herself to a past that was never to return...
For that very reason, the wind that blew across Narukami Island always took care of whispering beneath that silence. Low enough so that no one could hear them.
Those little blizzards were coming from the top of a big mountain. A mountain that could be as or even more important than Inazuma City itself, and that was so because of the majestic sanctuary that stood at the top of it, being accompanied by a gigantic and bright Sacred Cherry Tree that instilled a great presence in that place.
The Great Narukami Sanctuary towered over Yougou Mountain, welcoming a new dawn that was just beginning to hit the highest part of the beautiful cherry tree.
There stood two figures. Two people.
Or at least, one of them appeared to be human, being that the other figure possessed fox ears.
The other blond young man accompanied her at her side, both enjoying the slits of light that were beginning to emerge through the clouds, slowly covering the shrine in warm sunlight.
"There is nothing more beautiful than the sunrise. Especially if you witness it from this precious place..." Commented the woman, who wore a Miko garment that highlighted a white color with red embroidery. "Don't you think so, traveler?" She would question, turning her gaze to look at the young man who was accompanying her.
"For the first time I agree with you, Yae." The traveler caller replied, nodding his head in agreement.
"Oooh!" The now recognized Yae snorted. "Your words are too harsh, honey!" She would exclaim with clearly feigned annoyance.
"Let's get to the point." The traveler only gave her a nonchalant look, indicating that he had already gotten used to her tricks, even though they had only spent a day together. "Paimon and the other Mikos aren't awake yet, so it's a perfect time to start my second day of training."
Yae's usual mischievous look changed to a slightly more serious one, though she still maintained this air that characterized her.
"You're no fun at all, you know that?" The Miko leader commented, then narrowed her eyes. "Follow me." She ordered with a friendly smile, although the traveler already knew perfectly well that smile always hid something.
"Where will we go?" The blond wanted to inquire further.
"We'll go to the foot of the mountain, like we did yesterday." Commented the pink-haired woman as she descended the myriad stairs.
"Don't you think that place is a bit out in the open?" He would question, following close behind the woman. "I mean, it's a gigantic meadow and a lot of people usually come to the Grand Sanctuary even about dawn..." The traveler made his point, getting Yae to stop her walking.
"The three commissions don't usually come very often, and every time they do, I'm always aware of everything. After all, this is my territory." The woman commented, striking an odd pose with her bandaged fingers to cover her lips. "As an example, I know Sara is coming today in the afternoon."
"Wait, she..." The traveler remembered that Ayaka and Kokomi had told him about that woman. "Isn't she Shogun Raiden's right hand?" He questioned with great concern. "You don't think this could be dangerous?"
"Not with the information I control." The woman affirmed, sketching a smile that made her companion shiver. "But, if you're so insistent, I can let you train at the shrine." Said the woman with her typical friendly smile, making the blond feel great doubts.
"Really?" He would ask, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course!" The woman exclaimed as she covered her laughter with her fingers. That friendly look changed drastically when she opened her eyes again, getting the traveler to take a step back. "As long as you pay for every single thing you break with a month's work under my stupendous care..."
"No, thank you!" He replied without a second thought, getting a chuckle out of Yae.
A few hours later, at the foot of Yougou Mountain...
The blond wiped off the huge sweat stain on his forehead, then took some water from a bottle handed to him by the Miko, who was sitting next to him.
"You're doing very well compared to your previous day." Yae commented, admiring the scenery. "At this rate you'll be able to cope with the Euthymia Plane, and maybe you'll be able to talk some sense into her..." She concluded, getting the blond to give her a sidelong glance.
"Do you think I could beat her?" He asked, earning a chuckle from Yae.
"Definitely not." The withering reply made the traveler feel rather discouraged. "At least, not without help..." She concluded, catching the young man's attention as she pulled out a piece that resembled a chess queen.
"That's Gnosis!" He wondered in utter amazement. "Isn't that what the Fatui seek?" he concluded, looking at that piece with great interest.
"That's right." The High Priestess replied, looking at that piece with great attention. "Scaramuccia wanted it in exchange for your life when I rescued you that day." She would comment. "I don't know how the Fatuis learned that Ei had given me the Gnosis before locking herself in that sword, but I suspect the Fatuis' association with the Shogun Raiden had something to do with it."
"Do you think the puppet would just tell them?" The traveler would question, receiving a quick denial from the Miko.
"Most likely they would have delved into confidential documents without her or Sara realizing it." Yae replied, giving a small sigh at the end. "Just for the sheer desire to throw a tantrum like a spoiled child, Ei is neglecting Inazuma too much..." She concluded, and the young man could see for the first time a slightly downcast expression on that Miko, though it didn't last long. "I even had my arm damaged to save our nation's only hope." She concluded with a snort covered in an indignation and charm that made her look rather pretty.
"Speaking of which, how is it that you were able to defeat one of the Eleven alone?" The traveler would inquire with great curiosity.
"Remember, I'm the spirit familiar of Archon Electro." She commented rather suspiciously. "My tongue is not the only dangerous thing you might find in me." She would culminate, raising her gaze. "Still, I couldn't stop it from escaping. That could be a problem..."
"There's one thing I don't understand..." The blond commented, rubbing his hair in slight frustration. "If you're so much stronger than me, then why don't you fight her yourself?"
"Are you out of your mind? It would be suicide." The traveler's face turned pale after the sincere, too sincere answer. "But, that's not why..." The woman would conclude, bowing her hand to hand him the Gnosis. "I think this old thing might answer your ambitions."
"Ambitions...?" The blond took the small object in his hands, glaring at it for a few seconds.
He continued to think about that word, until it finally dawned on him.
"Wait! What do you mean you only believe it?!" The blond exclaimed with his eyes rolling. "You're throwing me into the fight that will decide my life with just a 'maybe'?!" He scolded her.
"Come on, don't be such a crybaby!" She exclaimed with her typical smile, getting a vein in the temple to appear in the traveler.
Before he could reproach her further, the woman quickly stopped him.
"If this helps you at all, I firmly believe you'll be able to use it."
Those last words, and coupled with the seriousness with which she said it, the young man knew she was not at all joking.
He seemed to dwell on those words for a few seconds.
Just as he was about to ask how the Gnosis worked, someone arrived with her typical really irritating voice. Although to the traveler, it didn't seem to be that annoying.
"Aether!" They both turned to see the arrival of the floating thing that looked quite similar to a fairy. "How could you leave Paimon behind!" She exclaimed with a small pout as she landed in front of the boy.
"Sorry, you seemed really comfortable and I didn't mean to disturb you." He commented with a smile as he rubbed his hair.
"You...!" Paimon shook with slight annoyance, but would finally accept his friend's consideration. "Very well, I understand." She concluded, then looked at Yae. "How long ago did you two start?"
Paimon and Aether looked confused when Yae didn't answer them. The Miko was just looking at the giant path guarded by guards that led straight to the Great Narukami Temple.
The two friends looked at each other with a raised eyebrow, then turned their gaze back to the woman.
"Is something wrong, Yae?" The one who asked this time was the traveler, who looked rather confused.
"It's been more than three hours since the sanctuary's petitions opened, but no one has come." She would say with a tone that did not bode well. "It's really strange..."
As if by the work of fate, her unspoken question was immediately answered as a large luxurious chariot was on its way to the shrine. At first, the guards on the road seemed to want to stop it, but they stood rigidly in position after seeing who was on it thanks to the window that was ajar.
Yae stood up quickly, and watched everything that happened with slight intrigue. While Aether and Paimon didn't look too pleased at the sight.
"Look, the cart has the insignia of the Shogunate!" Paimon exclaimed, stepping behind her friend, who gripped the hilt of his sword carefully.
The transport stopped right in front of the three of them. Yae stood in front of her protégés, watching as the door opened.
"I hope to have interrupted something important, Miss Yae." Sara commented, stepping out of the wagon as she watched the High Priestess.
"What's with the lack of manners?" Yae questioned her, watching as Sara folded her arms.
"I don't need to deliver manners to someone who appears to be harboring a fugitive." Sara glared at her, though Yae didn't seem to be affected by her words.
"I heard that you approached the shrine yesterday, but that you didn't enter." The Miko commented, downplaying the fact that she was protecting a suspected criminal. "Wasn't your request for today?" She would conclude, getting the Lieutenant to grimace slightly.
"I was free, so thought I could go yesterday. But I saw things I really disliked." Sara would comment with clear distaste. "I thought you were much smarter, Miss Yae."
"Anyway." Yae clapped her hands together with a smile. "On the bright side, you didn't make me wait until this afternoon..."
"I don't know what you want to tell me, but I'm not going to listen to you either." Sara interrupted her, getting the High Priestess to look at her with great confusion. "Yesterday I had intended to use my authority to take the criminal away as soon as possible, but I realized that perhaps it would be too complicated a task for me...even if I hate to admit it." The young woman stated, looking at the traveler out of the corner of her eye. "From the stories he has behind him, it's very difficult for someone like me to beat him. Besides that, being in the Narukami Grand Sanctuary, it was difficult to be able to drag him down due to the fact that I don't possess the necessary authority in this place." Sara looked at Yae again, who seemed to be a bit surprised at her deductions. "To conclude, I know very well that you wouldn't leave the criminal so in plain sight if you didn't have some sort of devious plan."
"You may not have been as impulsive as I thought you would be, but you are still in no position to take something from me that is in my sanctuary." The High Priestess stated as she folded her arms, getting Sara to give her an bad look. "I will only give him to you if you listen to me..."
"It's amazing how Yae always gets her way." Paimon whispered to Aether, who couldn't help but nod in agreement.
Though that was far from the reality...
"Don't waste any more time."
Everyone froze completely after hearing that tone of voice. Even Yae herself stood completely static, watching as a hand grabbed the wooden door frame.
"Hand him over now, Yae." The cold, emotionless tone of the Raiden Shogun became much more audible as she finally stepped out of the chariot.
Aether looked at Yae, who was sweating.
It was obvious that this was not part of her plan.
"I'm sorry, but I can't do that..."
"You dare defy the word of your Archon?" The puppet's deadpan tone made Yae click her tongue.
"If only it were really you, then maybe there was a chance to fix this..." She would mutter under her breath, low enough only for Aether to hear her.
"I don't understand the reason for bringing a criminal into your home, but I will disregard this fact and spare you from all punishment if you turn him in now." The puppet commented, fixing her vacant gaze on Yae. "After all, I know very well that we both pursue the same concept of Eternity."
Yae didn't seem to agree much with those words, but before she could do or say anything, she could feel Aether grab her hand.
"Thank you for everything, but I don't want to cause any more inconvenience." The traveler would comment with a smile, surprising both Yae and Paimon. "Take Paimon to the sanctuary." He asked, drawing his sword. "If I understand, she is not agendized as a criminal, is she?"
"She is expendable to me." Was the quick reply from the Shogun Raiden, who was observing the young man.
"But, you're not ready yet..." Yae whispered to him with slight concern. "We haven't worked with your elemental consonances yet."
"That doesn't matter. You need to leave, now." Aether left no room for argument, managing to make Yae clutch the bridge of her nose in great irritation. Still, the woman went to her request, even though Paimon seemed rather reluctant to accept it.
"You may not possess a Vision, but you have resonance with more than one element. I don't know how you do it, but that makes you someone who generates instability over my realm." Would state the Shogun, who continued to stare at the traveler without a hint of empathy. "At first, I would have settled for expelling you from my nation. But now you have teamed up with the Sangonomiya Resistance, and set out to sabotage many of our plans. It has been so much so that we now lost much of the Kannazuka Island dispute and they're at the gates of Narukami. All because of you." The Shogun drew her spear from behind her back. "Your sentence will be the highest. You may choose to surrender voluntarily, or I will personally see to your subjugation."
"I'm sorry, but that word is not within my vocabulary." He commented with a smile, as he struck a battle pose.
"Sara, make sure no one interferes." She ordered, receiving a quick nod from her Lieutenant.
A rather tense silence ensued between the two future hosts of the battle he was about to conceive. Sara was in charge of moving all the guards away so that no one would get hurt, while the two individuals looked at each other without saying a word.
Aether seemed to be quite relaxed, but the reality was that the tension was eating him up inside.
Meanwhile, Shogun Raiden didn't seem to show a hint of emotions. The only thing that indicated her presence was real was the fact that her braided hair was moving freely in the wind.
"If you're going to kill me, I'd at least like to witness the true face of my assassin." The blond would comment, getting the puppet to frown slightly.
"That's not for you to decide." She would clarify, getting Aether to give a small sigh.
They both looked at each other for a short second longer, before they began.
Sara positioned herself on the steps leading up to the sanctuary, preparing for the clash of forces as did some of the guards.
"I tried asking nicely, but I guess it's useless..." The traveler concluded, then began to run towards the Shogun Raiden at the same time as he held on to his sword with great strength.
The Raiden simply stood completely expectantly in place, where she seemed intent on not moving a muscle.
Aether took a huge leap in front of the puppet, charging his sword in a downward slash, using all his strength. The Shogun only had to raise her spear with one of her hands to block that attack, containing it without any problems, even though small cracks appeared on the ground from that impact.
The guards themselves were impressed by the sound of the metal when it hit, because it had been surprisingly strong, to the point that the material seemed to be close to breaking.
Aether used the same momentum of the collision to leap backwards, then countered again with a lunge. The Shogun swung her spear several times at incredible speed, quickly bringing it into position for the two weapons to clash again. But, this time, the sword got stuck in a part of the spear, allowing the puppet to lure Aether in, then give him a hard knee that knocked the air out of him. That didn't end there, as she raised her spear into the air, causing the spear to spin on its axis at extreme speed, so that Aether ended up on its back, generating a dull sound when it hit the ground.
The guards winced slightly after seeing how the same impact had generated a small crater, indicating that the blow had been much harder than it first appeared.
Any normal person would already be unconscious with that simple movement.
But Aether certainly wasn't a normal person...
The Shogun's stoic gaze changed slightly when she felt a large presence on her back, coupled with a yellow glow. She tightened her grip on her spear, turning around quickly, watching in amazement as Aether stood, using Geo Resonance.
The small bolts of lightning surrounded the Raiden Shogun just as their weapons collided, creating a small blizzard around them. Aether couldn't help but widen his eyes at the terrible force that sent him flying, being that he could barely hold back the spear's counterattack.
The traveler opted to do several somersaults in the air to recompose his posture, falling to the ground on his feet. His gaze at that moment was focused on the ground, so it could be said that he acted on pure instinct as he thrust his sword deep into the ground, at the same time creating a large amount of rocks behind him for support.
That instinct came true in less than a second, as the spear impacted hard against his sword, causing a large amount of sparks to fly everywhere.
Aether's eyes widened as he began to be swept away at an enormous speed, creating a gigantic line of destruction with his feet as he shattered all the rocks he had created as support.
"Her strength is absurd!" He exclaimed in his thoughts, being completely dragged by the spear, which kept pressing against his sword, which was of no use to him being stuck in the ground.
Aether looked back, seeing that he was about to crash into the mountain wall. His feet reaffirmed his position, taking a small jump just at the right moment. The Shogun watched without even a hint of impression as Aether's stance shifted in midair. His feet came to rest on the mountain, and sank practically immediately because of the great pressure exerted by Raiden.
The traveler couldn't help but clench his teeth tightly as he used all his strength in his muscles to make a leap, managing to escape his adversary's onslaught while creating a large crater in the spot he used as his momentum.
The Shogun saw him in the air, so she quickly reasserted her stance and began to spin her spear at a great speed while moving in circles, denying the aerial attack to her enemy.
Seeing this, Aether couldn't help but clutch his sword even tighter, descending at full speed with a deadly lunge.
"If I want to get back in...!" He thought, watching the movement of the spear as closely as his eyesight would allow.
The movement of the spear came to an abrupt halt as the blade's edge was placed in the perfect spot. The Shogun's eyes couldn't help but widen slightly as she witnessed how her defense had been brought to a screeching halt, and she didn't have much time to process it as her opponent continued his attack without even having had a second to rest.
"I'll have to do much better!" He concluded his thoughts, raising his hand while still in the air, creating a huge rock that impacted full on the puppet, sending her flying and crashing hard into a rock, creating a huge curtain of dust.
Aether paused in place, witnessing as various small violet rays expanded throughout the dust.
"Besides Resonance with Anemo and Electro, are you also counting on Geo?" The dead tone was heard coming from the figure slowly becoming visible through the dust. "How is it that a mere mortal can have so many Resonances without a Vision?" Aether couldn't help but adjust his fighting stance after seeing the Shogun make her presence known, all of her now loose hair fluttering and glowing with great violence. "It is unacceptable." She concluded, taking the spear in both her hands.
Aether's eyes grew wide as the woman hit a great leap and began somersaulting through the air at incredible speed, forcing him to take cover with his sword.
The first defense seemed to work, as the Shogun fell in front of the traveler, though it did not stop her onslaught for a second.
Aether was forced to retreat when he could barely block the various thrusts and prominent attacks from the spear, creating a great deal of sparks from the impact of the metal. He was even forced to use somersaults to dodge and try to get distance, but it was impossible. Not only because of the fact that the Shogun was moving much faster than him, but also because of the long reach of a spear as opposed to a sword.
In short, he was in problem.
In one of the many blows, the puppet blocked the movement of the sword with the protruding edges of her spear, causing the traveler to become completely disoriented. She lifted the spear into the air, and consequently the traveler also ended up rising without even being able to react. The spear was released in one swift motion and the Shogun's hair shone even brighter as she tried to deliver a powerful thrust.
Luckily for him, Aether had abnormal instincts that had often saved him from difficult moments. And this was no exception, as his free hand reflexively moved and created a small geo pillar to stop the thrust, resulting in a huge explosion of lightning that sent him flying by the simple inertia of the impact between the two Elements.
The longed-for seconds of rest didn't come either when he was several meters from the ground, as he was forced to use his Anemo Element to recompose himself as quickly as possible in the air and parry another prominent lunge from the puppet, who didn't stop and began to deliver dozens of short thrusts at an absurdly high speed, making it even more absurd to see how Aether could react in time to block them with his sword.
The force of the final lunge sent him straight into the ground. He managed to land on his feet and settle in just an instant, and then made several sideways jumps to dodge the various lightning bolts that fell on his previous position, leaving several marks and cracks on the ground.
The sound of metal and sparks began to be witnessed again without even a second's rest.
Aether was doing his best to keep up, but the sweat on his face, his gritted teeth, and his increasingly crude movements made it evident how he was being overwhelmed by his opponent.
His eyes were moving at a great speed in an attempt to keep up with all the fancy movements the Shogun was making with her spear, but his brain could only make out very blurry movements.
The woman's forwardness began to show as a lunge grazed and cut the traveler's shoulder. Another graze could be seen on his abdomen soon after, and then a deep cut on his cheek.
"Which side?!" Aether thought in great frustration, trying to make out the movements of the spear, only to change his concentrated expression to one of complete surprise as the puppet attacked through the center.
A great violet blizzard combined with all the lightning bolts that shot out after the attack, where Aether was blown out of the area, rolling on the ground.
The blond stood up carefully, watching as his sword was embedded between him and his enemy.
"If only I hadn't used the vortex there..." He thought, watching as his sword had traces of the Anemo Element.
His gaze fixed on the woman again. His concentration ended with a grimace, at the same time as both of his hands were imbued with the Anemo Element.
"I guess that will be the best option..." He concluded, approaching at full speed, while the Shogun just watched him with her eyes devoid of light.
Aether grabbed his sword in one swift motion, causing all that Anemo energy to build up in his weapon.
"GUST SURGE!"
The traveler spun on himself at an enormous speed, creating a small tornado that completely caught the Shogun. That green color was replaced by a violet color, managing to bring a smile to the traveler's face.
That smile was replaced by an expression covered in disbelief as the puppet broke through the tornado and emerged without a scratch.
"TRANSCENDENCE: BALEFUL OMEN!"
The spear acquired a strong purple glow when it was waved to the front, generating a kind of crack in space that exploded right in front of the traveler, inflicting great wounds all over his body, at the same time that he flew away from the strong attack.
When Aether tried to get up, he could witness how the Shogun was already in front of him, preparing a deadly thrust. Somehow he was able to react just in time, putting the blade of his sword in the way so that it would not pierce his chest. A small shockwave arose between the two as the weapons clashed, causing Aether to spit out a bit of saliva as he was embedded against the ground from the force he was trying to contain.
The Shogun narrowed her eyes and reaffirmed the grip on her spear with both of her hands, managing to get Aether's blade to begin pressing against his chest.
"You can't hurt the storm with more storm." Clarified the puppet, clearly referring to the earlier attack Aether made.
Aether clenched his teeth tightly, releasing a scream.
"Damn!" He roared in pain, causing one of his hands to stop holding the sword.
The Shogun's eyes widened slightly as Aether used that same hand to create a vortex that struck her in the face, knocking her back a couple of feet.
Aether rose up at a great speed, instantly charging at the puppet. She simply stood there, then deflected, jumped, blocked and dodged all the swords with great elegance.
In one of her many movements, the woman stepped aside and grabbed Aether's hand, then pushed him forward with great force. The blond's eyes widened as he looked back, seeing how the Shogun was already preparing a lunge.
The impact and lightning echoed throughout the battlefield, generating the largest shockwave yet.
The Shogun's face twisted to one of complete bewilderment as she saw the outcome.
Aether spat out some blood, though he ended up raising his gaze, giving her a somewhat strange smile.
That was mainly because his sword was blocking the spear that had the intentions of piercing his abdomen, though the attack was so strong that he couldn't hold it back completely, and it turned out as if he had received a strong punch in the stomach.
When the Shogun came out of her little stupor, she tried to remove her spear, only to be even more surprised when the blond had grabbed it by the leather, preventing her from moving.
The sword glowed green, generating a large vortex that sent her flying again. Aether took advantage of her opponent's slight instability, approaching at full speed.
His surprise was minimal when the Shogun was able to respond in the air to block the attack with her spear. He used the same force of the impact to move at a great speed towards where she was standing, charging a strong punch.
The Shogun's face twisted to the side as the sound of the impact reverberated throughout the place.
Aether's smile was quickly replaced by an expression covered in shock as he witnessed the puppet slowly turn her face to face him, unbothered by the fact that he was using all the force he could to avoid such a move.
The spear separated from the sword in a single motion, and again shook with great violence, something that alarmed the traveler quite a bit.
"TRANSCENDENCE: BALEFUL OMEN!"
"WAKE OF EARTH!"
Both attacks collided thunderously and created a huge explosion, generating a gigantic curtain of dust that disoriented the spectators of the fight. The disorientation of those mentioned did not last more than a second, as a figure shot into the sky, where everyone could easily distinguish that it was Archon Electro.
The puppet recomposed herself in the air in an instant and parked her two feet against the mountain with great dexterity. She held onto the protruding rocks and quickly averted her gaze to the huge curtain of dust, witnessing how it was slowly disappearing.
There stood Aether standing there, though he had more noticeable wounds as he grabbed his abdomen with a grimace of pain. That expression didn't last long, as he used his Anemo vortex as momentum to fly in the direction of his opponent. The Shogun did the same, generating a small amount of destruction as she left her former position due to the great momentum she made.
Just before both weapons were about to impact, everything went sluggish around the traveler.
The blond widened his eyes slightly as certain parts of his suit became tinged with a violet color.
Metal clashed together, and just before the spear completely pierced the traveler's defense, the sword melted with an electrifying glow.
The Shogun's gaze widened with genuine surprise as three shadowy bolts of lightning took off from the sword, clashing against the edge of her spear that was imbued with electro. As if they were opposing magnets, Aether shot upward, spinning on himself as he held his sword tightly.
Sparks and lightning struck the sky with an eerie sound, where Aether ended up on a mountain cliff, while the Shogun ended up falling to the ground. Both demonstrating their great combat prowess as they fell to perfection.
"He managed to change the trajectory of the spear in a single second..." Aether thought, remembering how the spear suddenly appeared over the puppet's back and blocked most of the damage. "I didn't think I would meet someone with such skills in this world..." He concluded, glaring at the woman.
The Shogun lowered her spear for a short second, watching as there was a large crack over her right hand reaching up to her forearm. "He used the polarity of the Electro Element to harm me..." The Shogun looked at the traveler again, narrowing her eyes. "What would be a great disadvantage to everyone, he managed to use my own element against me..." She reaffirmed her grip on her spear, drawing a much more serious look than usual. "You are far more dangerous than I had thought, traveler." She concluded her thoughts, launching herself at tremendous speed.
"But..."
"Here she comes..." Aether thought, reaffirming his grip on his sword.
That seriousness was completely shattered when he felt his stomach give him a gigantic stab, causing him to vomit a large amount of blood.
Aether was able to dodge the lunge despite the adversity, but it was impossible for him to dodge the strong punch that was placed in his chest, causing his ribs to make a horrible crunching sound.
"The difference you'll never be able to bridge, is that of our bodies." She concluded, only for a loud shockwave to then present itself on the spot, managing to send Aether hurtling towards the ground at full speed, sinking into the earth upon impact.
It only took a few seconds to see a hand emerge from that place. Aether struggled to his feet while coughing blood. His body looked visibly emaciated, making the guards themselves feel quite sorry for Yae Miko's "special customer".
"I guess this fight is over now..." Sara thought aloud, only to be surprised when Aether picked up his sword again, as he returned to his stance even though he could barely move.
She wasn't the only one who was shocked at what she witnessed, as the guards themselves and even the Archon had been perplexed at such an action.
The one who first came out of her stupor was the Shogun, who merely closed her eyes.
"I recognize your value as a warrior." The woman commented, then opened her eyes again, noticing how her purple eyes glowed with an electrifying intensity, as did her hair. "For that recognition, I have decided to show you my full strength."
Sara watched wide-eyed as her leader brought one of her hands just above her breasts. The lightning intensified there and could be witnessed as the Archon drew a sword between her cleavage soon after.
Lightning bolts shot everywhere, being accompanied by a gigantic purple aura that covered the entire Grand Sanctuary.
Everyone looked completely dumbfounded at the true potential of the Electro Archon, and their indecipherable expressions only reaffirmed that fact.
"When we fought on the Plane of Euthymia, she hadn't even demonstrated half this power..." He concluded, unable to believe what he was witnessing. "This is what Zhongli explained to me when he was talking about Erosion, but I never imagined that the difference between two Archons could be so abysmal..."
"What do you think about the Power of Eternity?" She would question, taking a small leap to stand closer to Aether, causing Aether to stagger.
"How is it that her presence can be so suffocating?!" He wondered internally, gritting his teeth to remain conscious.
"Do you want to keep fighting?" The Shogun asked another question again, watching as Aether could barely stand upright. "Or will you accept your eternal sentence?"
Aether grimaced heavily at her question, though then smiled.
"I've faced hundreds of adversities since I've come this far. But to be honest, this is the first time I don't see any way out." He commented, feeling a pang of regret. "If only I had continued training with Yae, or if only I had managed to enter the Plane of Euthymia..." Those thoughts made him noticeably annoyed. "But I don't think there's anything I can do anymore." Aether smiled again as he lowered his sword. "I have no choice but to accept your sentence."
"This is strange, I thought he wouldn't give up..." Sara thought with some curiosity and confusion, she was sure he was up to something.
But Aether's plans went to hell when the suffocating aura disappeared completely and the Archon once again dematerialized her sword between her cleavage.
"Wise decision." She replied, then turned away. "Your sentence will be handed down as early as tomorrow. In the meantime, you will spend this day in prison." Aether's look turned to one of complete bewilderment, for he had not expected this outcome. "Get in the chariot." Clarified the puppet, just before getting into it. "And Sara, make sure he doesn't do anything weird."
The Shogunate commander reacted after hearing those words, so she quickly left her position. "Understood, Shogun-Sama!"
The aforementioned approached the blond, who didn't even react when she grabbed both of his hands and placed a pressure cuff crafted from Magic Crystal on him.
"Don't try anything stupid." She whispered from behind his back, getting Aether to finally snap out of his stupor. "These cuffs block the use of Elemental Energy, so forget about quick escapes."
A few minutes later...
Silence and discomfort were present in that small space. The only noise that could be heard were the rocks on the road crashing against the wheels of the transport.
The Shogun seemed to be in her own world as she had a blank stare into the slits that allowed a glimpse of the outside. Aether seemed to be sharing the same feeling while Sara had her eyes closed, as if she was mentally resting.
Aether continued to stare into nothingness as numerous thoughts crossed his mind.
"In the end the Gnosis never responded." The traveler rested his face against the slits as he felt the small bulge in his pocket. "I thought that if she kept pushing something would manage to happen, but this outcome took me by surprise."
"But, omitting that obvious outcome, it should have been activated now. After all, I'm in a really complicated time."
"Does that mean my ambitions aren't strong enough for it to activate?"
"Or was it that I lacked training?"
"Maybe the consonance of the elements Yae spoke of was obligatory?"
"Would I have stood a chance if I finished that training?"
A loud thump caused Sara to awaken from her self-imposed slumber and the Shogun rolled her eyes at the prisoner, who had hit the back of his head.
"It's not worth thinking about anymore..." He would conclude in his thoughts, then look at the Archon. "By the way, why wasn't I killed right away?"
"Execution." It was the Shogun's simple word. "It was a proposal I received from Signora upon learning that I was coming to look for you."
"I don't find that strange at all coming from that woman..." He commented with disdain. "But, I find it interesting that you accepted it just like that." He culminated, somewhat interested at the response.
"It's expendable to me."
"There's that answer again..." Thought the traveler aloud. "What exactly does that word mean to you?"
"Shogun-Sama speaks of expendable when she considers that this something will not break or affect the order of Eternity." Sara would explain, getting Aether to raise an eyebrow.
"Hum, I see..." Was his simple reply, leaning back against the slit. "In that case, you're telling me that you underestimate Paimon." A small smile would appear on his face.
"What a surprise she's in for..."
The traveler would be distracted from his thoughts when he noticed the bustle making its presence known from outside, added to different structures that appeared to be stores. And homes.
"I recognize these businesses..." He thought. "Why are we in Ritou?" the carriage stopped, causing those doubts to increase a bit along with interest.
"I'll be back in a minute." The commander gave a small bow before leaving, closing the door.
Aether's thoughts were racing a mile a minute trying to decipher the necessity of making this stop, but it was impossible for him to come up with an answer.
"Most likely the war has something to do with it..." He concluded.
His eyes widened slightly as a cloaked man passed close to his position, though it was very difficult to see his silhouette because of the small slits.
Aether went completely blank for a few seconds, until he finally looked away.
"It must have been my imagination..."
"We can go now." Sara, who had arrived, would comment.
Aether found the need to ask, but decided to keep those questions to himself. It was obvious she wasn't going to tell him anything.
The hooded man would watch as the transport continued on its way. He pulled back his hood slightly, denoting the face of a man with somewhat messy orange bangs. His blue eyes sparkled as a smile appeared on his face as he sat down next to another hooded.
The only thing that could be seen of the other figure, was a long lock of hair as white as snow that reached down to below the bumps that were generated in the light blue robe, hinting that it was a woman.
"Tomorrow we start with the plan, right, Zarina?" The man would ask with a smile that seemed to be very typical on him.
"I already told you that you won't call me that in this place, Ajax." Whispered the woman under her breath, as she sipped some coffee.
The now recognized as Ajax would watch as the Zarina played with two small pieces very similar to the previous Gnosis presented.
"Sorry..." He would comment with a smile as he rubbed his hood.
"First we'll go visit the Great Narukami Temple for what she did to one of our own..." Were the words of that woman.
She raised her face a little, denoting how her eyes were of a strong light blue color.
"If we don't find anything, we'll take Inazuma as the final target."
END OF PROLOGUE!
I hope you enjoyed it!
As you can see, the Gnosis will have much more utility and mystery than is presented in the game (at least as far as is known at this time).
As you could see, I will be giving the Elements broader functionality. I think a couple of things were already presented here. With the battle I also wanted to make it clear that the main skills of the characters would be used, although there would be a much wider variety regarding the uses of the elements since I'm not limited to what only the game can give you.
Remember that this is a translation elaborated by a person who doesn't know much about this. If you want to help me save time and make a completely clean translation, then feel free to contact me. It would really be a great help.
With nothing more to say, I'll see you right now in the next chapter.
Thank you very much for reading!