Chapter 1 – The Wind and the Wanderer
"Inazuma?"
The receptionist seemed to ponder his question for a moment, until her eyes lit up with an answer. Not the one he'd been hoping for, sadly.
"Unless I am mistaken, there is no way to access Inazuma at present, even for adventurers supported by the Guild. I'm sorry, Traveler."
Chihu Rock was loud and boisterous in the salty morning. The fishing boats that had spent the night out at sea were heading back to shore, and their crews brought today's catch to the wharf. The sailors' laughs and shouts filled the air, stalls and bars shyly opened for their regular customers, and the Adventurer's Guild was as lively as ever. If you went up the stairs leading to the reception, you would surely find a golden-haired adventurer and his floating companion.
Aether resisted the urge to slam his head against the wooden counter. Another setback – he just seemed to be collecting those, lately. To advance further in his journey to meet The Seven, he needed to get to Inazuma, it just made the most sense right now. But the Land of Thunder was currently under lockdown, all because of a decree issued by the Electro Archon, one of The Seven.
The main issue here was fairly easy to pinpoint.
"Katheryne," he sighed, his fingers tapping lightly against the counter. "There has to be a way in that the Guild doesn't officially know about, right? I frankly doubt that an island nation can subsist for a whole year without trading with its neighbors, so is there any additional information that the handbook allows you to disclose?"
Katheryne shook her head. "Foreign trade is very strictly regulated by the Kanjou Commission. If you do manage to cross the storm barrier and reach Inazuma, you will need to have a travel permit delivered by them before accessing the main island. The status of adventurer holds little weight at the border, as far as I'm aware. And on another note, please remember that the Adventurer's Guild cannot and will not be held accountable for any misdeeds or legal violations committed by its members."
Forget being backed up by the Guild, he couldn't even get past step one: cross the storm barrier. Not only would he need a sturdy vessel to have a fighting chance, a crew was necessary to man it - which meant salaries to pay. The Traveler wasn't exactly dirt poor by any means, but he clearly didn't have that kind of money he could spend on a whim. Especially not when he had a black hole known as Paimon to feed everyday.
As he racked his brain, the black hole in question appeared out of nowhere. "Paimon just had a genius idea!"
May the heavens above protect us.
"Why don't we go ask the Qixing?" she enthusiastically chirped. "We're super buddies with Ningguang and Keqing already, they can probably use some of their political wizardry to make us enter Inazuma! Once people know that we're friends with these big shots, they'll let us in easy-peasy."
She crossed her arms in satisfaction, confident she'd hit the bullseye.
The Traveler responded calmly to not lose his train of thought. "We're not merchants. You really think the law-makers of Liyue would help us sneak in illegally? Best case scenario, we get a life sentence the second we step foot on Inazuma's docks. Worst case... I'd rather not think about it."
Even with that well-meaning but terrible idea in mind, he couldn't afford to give up. He had a journey to finish, he needed to learn Teyvat's truth for his sister – to come up with something, anything that would let him cross the ocean and get to the bottom of things. So setting the manpower problem aside, what is it that he actually could do? Become an influential merchant and enter Inazuma the legal way? But even with a trade of his own, his fame as a national hero, and Ningguang's advice, it would still take a very long time.
He needed something that fell within his already limited capabilities. As basic as it sounded, fighting would probably be his strongest suit right now. He could always offer his strength to a merchant who's afraid of getting robbed blind by pirates, despite the Liyue-Inazuma ocean route being pretty devoid of any human activity, let alone piracy...
"Wait a minute, pirates?"
"Paimon, do we still have that letter?"
The pixie pulled an envelope out of, well, somewhere, and waved it around. "You mean your invitation to the Crux Clash? Paimon thought you weren't interested in participating..."
"Desperate times call for desperate measures, I guess." He tossed a gold coin at the receptionist. "Thanks for everything, Katheryne. If all goes according to plan, I will be seeing the other you in Inazuma soon enough. The legal way, don't worry."
"According to plan? We have a plan now?"
"I'll explain later. For now we have places to be." The Traveler walked away with a confused Paimon in tow, leaving at her desk a very bewildered Katheryne. The receptionist alternatively looked at the glimmering gold coin in her hand and its former owner, who was already a black and gold spot headed towards the wharf.
Now analyzing discussion history...
"Does not compute." her head tilted. "Did I help the Traveler in some capacity?"
"The red maple flies
But its longing also grows
For its lost homeland."
"Not bad, but perhaps a bit too melancholic." he mused. "I want to try something about... the waves and the seabreeze, next."
Kazuha lay down on a smooth stone, and let the sounds of nature take over. By controlling his slow, steady breathing, he'd found himself capable of hearing things others could not. This ability was not only useful in predicting the weather during his travels, it also spurred his muse to create priceless material for his poetic soul. Each chirp of a bird's song, each rustle of a tree's leaves, each caress of ripples crashing against the sandy beach, his mind could grasp it all.
Maybe his artistic chord was struck so easily because he did it all for the sake of nature, to let the beauty he put in his haikus return to the great cycle of things. He'd never dare use his attunement to the world's sounds for profit.
Kaedehara Kazuha is just a wanderer, after all.
A sudden gust of wind blew past his face. Strange, he'd failed to predict that one. But the wind murmured something new in his ear, something that could only be described as the sound of impending change. He heard voices.
Two people. A young man and... a little girl, maybe? He wouldn't call Guyun Stone Forest an ideal place for a vacation, but to each their own, unless they were strong enough to survive in the wilderness. The thought of the two being dangerous individuals briefly crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. Rather than hiding, the ronin would let them come to him, he found a certain freedom in letting himself be discovered. And with his current peace of mind, he had pretty much become a part of the scenery anyway.
Sand crunched under their feet, as the sounds of footsteps grew closer.
"Okay, they're not pirates per se, but I'm sure you can follow my thought process."
His fairy companion scratched her head. "Well yeah, but Paimon doubts Beidou would take us to Inazuma just 'cause we asked nicely..."
"That's where the letter comes in, since we've been invited to the-"
The blond froze as he felt a human presence nearby, and the wanderer figured it would be best to step out of the shadows. His head snapping to the right, the Traveler locked eyes with a young man lying down in the shade, the latter greeting them with an easygoing smile.
"Ah, sorry if I startled you." Kazuha waved. "The wind just told me of your arrival, and I couldn't help but overhear your little conversation."
The samurai was wearing a gray kimono under his black haori, with a few maple leaf patterns donning his scarf. His relaxed face could easily make one feel comfortable around him, even with complete strangers. That, and the windy aura that surrounded him wherever he went.
The two looked a little confused as to what he was doing here, but the blond snapped out of it first. "Good morning." he replied, still slightly estranged. "Uh, we're trying to board the Alcor. Are you perhaps a friend of Beidou's?"
Kicking himself up, the samurai leapt down to them as he slowed down his fall in a whirlwind of maple leaves.
"Why yes, you could say that." he smiled
The Traveler observed his face for a brief moment, and caught a glimpse of a burdened past behind the ronin's lax eyes. The young man was clearly more cunning than what he'd just let on, which could be both good and bad news depending on his stance. But since it was their first meeting, he felt compelled to at least give him the benefit of the doubt. If he turned out to be hostile, the matter would be settled swiftly.
Also, the wind told him of their arrival?
Paimon merrily clapped her hands. "Ah, great! Do you know where we can find the captain, mister..."
"Kazuha. Kaedehara Kazuha, hailing from Inazuma."
"Alright, Kazuha it is!" the fairy nodded. "Surely you know a way to get onboard, right?"
"Well, that I do..." the ronin glanced at the two as if to gauge their threat level. "But isn't it a bit early to be worrying about this? We just met, so why not take the time to get to know eachother better? It's not everyday that you have a chance meeting in a place such as this."
Kazuha's muscles relaxed. "You carry the smell of sweat and salt – I gather you came all the way here from the harbor, meaning you must be quite hungry." He gestured at his small campfire, over which were grilling some freshly-caught fish. "There are also a few things I would like to discuss, so why don't you two share a quick lunch with me? I wouldn't be able to eat this feast by myself if I tried, so please, help yourselves."
The Traveler mentally face palmed at his floating guide, who was already drooling over a complete stranger's food. Well, he was feeling a bit peckish himself, and it was no use trying to reason with Paimon when food was involved - yes, even if it could be poisoned. They could ask all about the Crux Clash later, and speaking with an Inazuman he met by pure chance was a useful source of intel he couldn't possibly pass upon.
"I suppose," he withheld Paimon by her starry scarf before she could rush tiny hands and mouth first into the skewers. "we'll take you up on your offer, Kazuha. Thank you for your hospitality."
The tasty smell of grilled medaka tempted their noses as they sat down around the campfire. Aether dug in, and found with great surprise that the fish had been expertly seasoned beforehand. Given his companion's blissful expression, one could assume she liked the crispy skin and tender flesh too. So much so that she was beginning to forget her manners.
"So, Kazuha." she began, waving around a skewer that was way too long for her as she spoke with her mouth full. "What are you doing here all by yourself, if you're friends with Beidou? Shouldn't you be hanging out with the rest of the crew?"
The mysterious samurai smiled. "I tend to wander around and see the sights wherever the wind leads me, with or without the rest of the crew. Today, I wanted to enjoy Guyun's breathtaking seascape and spend some alone time to work on my poetry, so here I am."
Aether remained silent, which gave the platinum-haired man an opportunity to correct his statement.
"Well, I haven't always been out on the road – I actually used to live a rather quiet life in my thunderous homeland." Kazuha raised a hand to eye-level, and a tiny wind current made a maple leaf dance. The air within his palm compressed as his expression grew saddened, and only a few crimson flakes remained of the leaf when he discarded it into the fire. "But after some... unfortunate events within my clan, and even more regrettable happenings later on, I had no other choice but to leave behind everything I once knew and begin a new journey."
The Traveler caught the meaning in his words. "So you were forced to flee your homeland... Are these regrettable happenings related in any way with the current situation in Inazuma? I heard things aren't looking so good over there."
"Sadly, yes." A weak smile crept up on his lips. "I'm sure you've heard a great many things about the Islands of Eternity, it seems rumors manage to cross the storm barrier better than the Crux's experienced sailors. It is a very hostile place at the moment, and life has also been getting increasingly difficult for both outlanders and Vision bearers."
Technically speaking, Aether didn't qualify as an allogene, despite his ability to manipulate elemental energy at will. But if the nation was closed off to outlanders and the vast majority of merchants, surely the ban also included world-hopping star gods, right? Yikes. Staying on the local authorities' radar would probably be the worst way to spend the Inazuman leg of his journey.
The ronin quickly noticed his worried expression. "Are you concerned that your plans to travel might be in jeopardy? As an Inazuman citizen myself I probably shouldn't say that, but the Tenryou Commission almost never checks for your travel permit on the mainland. Once you get past Ritou, it should be smooth sailing from there."
"And if I want an audience with the Raiden Shogun?"
Kazuha slowly blinked twice, as if he'd just heard the unfunniest joke ever. He quickly lost his relaxed composure when it dawned on him that the Traveler was in fact not joking. Even the distinguished Commissioners had trouble scheduling a single meeting with the Almighty Shogun. Since the two decrees, their god had become cold and distant. The Statue of the Omnipresent God spoke volumes about her power and dominion over the archipelago, but in the end it was just that – a statue. Their Archon herself was a shadow, living in silence and mystery through the sacrosanct halls of Tenshukaku.
He chuckled. "Well, I suppose the famed Traveler is one of the elite few who would like a chance to speak with our ruler. Do not take offense in what I'm about to say, but your chances of success are still extremely slim. In the eyes of the people, the Almighty Shogun's mood is fickle and unpredictable like lightning, no one can truly tell if she will grant your request or not."
"Yeah, I figured it wouldn't be that easy. But even if it's a one-in-a-thousand chance, I still have to try." The blond paused before letting out a sigh. "Guess I'll just tackle my problems one at a time and get to Inazuma first. Which actually brings us back to square one: I need Beidou's help."
The Uncrowned Lord of the Ocean was pretty much his last resort at this point. He needed a concrete plan to get on the Alcor for a ride to Inazuma, which meant getting into the captain's good graces. They had already worked together on various occasions, but he knew that the last thing to do with Beidou was to take her services for granted. If he wanted to succeed, he needed to excel at her personal source of pride, something she had built with her own two hands.
"Where do I sign up for the Crux Clash?" he finally asked.
The ronin raised a brow. "So you already know about the tournament? Now that's a surprise."
Paimon finally realized that a whole conversation was going on, the topic being way more important than the albeit tasty food. "Oh, yeah! You never told Paimon why you wanted to enter on a whim. Didn't you say you suck at martial arts?"
Aether coughed in his fist at the sudden friendly fire. "I said I'd rather leave a martial arts tournament to actual martial artists, that's all." he explained. "If trying my luck with them in the arena is the only way to get onboard, I don't think I can afford to be picky now, Paimon." His gaze shifted to the wanderer. "And now that you are done appraising us, you can lead the way to the tournament site."
"So you could tell that I was testing your intentions this whole time? Impressive." Kazuha looked up at the clear blue sky above them, and a certain urgency suddenly filled his voice. "Well, as much as I would like to keep praising your perceptiveness Traveler, it seems you've made up your mind at an untimely moment. The tournament is about to begin any minute now."
"Wait, it's today?"
Aether jolted up to his feet, his motion prompting Paimon to do the same. Well, she floated, but you get the general idea.
So much for doing things at the last second. "Paimon, didn't you read the date properly?"
The fairy inspected the letter again, reading it from left to right, right to left, upside down, until a guilty beam crept up on her face.
"Um... Ehe~?"
For Archon's sake... No matter, they were already running too late to bicker.
The wandering samurai stood up as well, but didn't seem panicked in the slightest. In fact, his calm figure was looking at the fallen leaves dancing in the wind, almost in a daze. His eyes spelt a sense of accomplishment, of finding something he had been looking for at long last. He had been waiting for this for so long. The Traveler was a determined, ambitious individual. They both traveled for different reasons, but he understood now why the wind had brought them to him.
"I think you two... would have become great friends."
"Kazuha?"
"Traveler, do you really want to go to Inazuma?" he asked. "Is it a burning desire within your heart, an inferno of determination capable of scorching everything in its path until you've reached your goal?"
The blond looked a little puzzled, but answered truthfully. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get there – my mission depends on it. I have a lot of reasons that I can't really explain, but it's very important to me. No matter how difficult the road ahead gets, I will get to the end of this world's story."
Kaedehara Kazuha's smile was slightly agape, relishing in a satisfaction they could not fully understand. The last time he'd felt so drawn to an indomitable ambition, the Raiden Shogun nipped it in the bud. But this time around, it could be different. As someone who had challenged and defeated gods before, the Traveler would be the ultimate way of carrying an old friend's legacy. To walk a path that others could not. To fulfill a samurai's broken dream.
To brave the lightning's glow.
The wind suddenly changed direction. He smiled again, unruly platinum hair framing his face. "That's the answer I was hoping to hear. You speak with no hesitation, and I'm well aware of what you have already accomplished. If someone can change the way things currently are, then I don't think I can find a better candidate. Let's make haste, you have to get on this ship."
Beidou was just a bit anxious.
The Crux Clash was her idea, to break up the routine every once in a while. It started off as just a small series of wrestling matches between crewmates, where the victor could win an entire crate full of beer. But over the years, and with the Crux fleet getting more and more popular among the people, it had soon become an open martial arts tournament where everyone could come test their skills, hoping for a bit of fame and a handful of Mora. Which was a great idea, because the price of good beer had skyrocketed recently.
But this year was bound to be unlike any other. This time around, the grand prize would be phenomenal – probably the most valuable item a martial artist could ever get their hands on. To the winner would go a masterless Vision, courtesy of the crew's resident samurai. And the samurai in question was running awfully late.
The captain shot an upset glance at the crowd. The preliminary rounds were long finished, and even though the contestants had already fought to their hearts' content, some were still itching to kick it out in the arena. More importantly, the guests were getting incredibly impatient – understandably so. They'd come all the way to an abandoned island to see fists fly, and now the battles had been inexplicably interrupted. All they could do now was stall.
"Kazuha, you scallywag... I know you can't stay in one place for too long, but at least warn me before you run off with the grand prize!"
"Oi!" A man shouted in the crowd. "What is this, some lassie's birthday party? Give us a fight!"
She clicked her tongue as several other dissatisfied shouts began to rise into Guyun's usually tranquil skies. Maybe serving drinks to their audience before the tournament even began wasn't the wisest choice after all. But the Uncrowned Lord of the Ocean, who slayed giant sea monsters in a single blow, could certainly stand her ground against a handful of drunks. Certainly.
In a powerful motion, she slammed her hefty claymore into the ground. "Hey, quit whining! If you really want a fight, step into the arena and face me, tough guy!"
The aforementioned 'tough guy' instinctively stepped back. "Uuuh... captain you're not seriously considering..."
"Well? I'm waiting." Her muscular arm rested on the weapon's ornate handle, as her blade sank further into the earth. "Surely you've got the strength to match that tongue of yours, right? I know all the men of my crew do."
"N-No, forget what I said!" Tough guy wanted the sand to engulf him whole. "I-I respect you too much for that, that's the only reason I won't fight you!" he mumbled.
Blades don't care about neither fame nor status, coward. But she decided to let the argument die on its own.
"So, anyone else wanna complain?" She scanned the crowd, which had suddenly grown more silent than the halls of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. "That's what I thought."
Tough and rowdy bunch, but they still knew to pick their fights wisely. And besides, she'd just gained about ten extra minutes of respite. Past that time, she'd have no other choice but to feed Kazuha to the fishes if he still failed to show up. Okay, maybe that was a bit too extreme. Just making him scrub a few decks should be enough.
"Captain!" Sea Drake shouted from atop a nearby cliff. "I think our ronin's coming!"
Thank the Archons. "About time..." she turned back to face the audience. "Well, folks, you heard him. The grand prize of this year's Crux Clash is about to be revealed! Come on, can I hear some noise or what?"
Men yelled in unison and bottles clinked. A collective cheer clamored around the sandy arena, the grumpy attitude from a few minutes prior all but forgotten. Blame the power of booze, or maybe her charisma. Or both.
Indeed, she could spot the young samurai's familiar face running towards them. The captain squinted her only eye, and an unmistakable blond head appeared in her field of view, followed by a flying speck of white. Kazuha had somehow brought the Traveler along? She shot a curious glance at Sea Drake, but he seemed none the wiser. The audience was also slightly intrigued as to why Liyue's national hero would make an appearance at a martial arts tournament.
"Sorry for being late."
The Inazuman fugitive arrived first, took a few seconds to catch his breath, and whispered a few words in her ear. The more he spoke, the more Beidou's face lit up. The Traveler, in need of a ride to Inazuma and willing to participate in her tournament for it? Well, that certainly made up for his tardiness.
"Oho, looks like the Traveler will be our surprise guest today!" She snatched a small box from Kazuha's hands, and waved it at the audience. "Who among our sixteen brave contestants wants a shot at winning a masterless Vision?"
At the mention of a masterless Vision, the crowd cheered once more with oooohs and aaaahs.
"A Vision?! Darn it! I should've participated!"
"Well, you'd have to beat the Traveler for it..."
"Hey, don't underestimate our boys! I bet they're gonna give blondie here a run for his Mora!"
The excitement was growing, while Aether couldn't help but raise a brow. "Beidou, how come I don't have to go through the preliminaries? That's not really fair, is it?And to be frank, I'm not really here for the masterless Vision either..."
A heavy pat on the back nearly pulverized his rib cage. "Relax, you're pretty much a VIP here, look how riled up the crowd is! And don't worry, Kazuha filled me in about your little ship predicament. The Alcor will take you anywhere – as long as you can win, of course." she flashed a grin.
The Traveler let out a sigh of relief. All he had to do now was defeat his opponents one by one, and his ticket to Inazuma would be secured. Partaking in a fighting tournament was easy enough, compared to nearly getting killed by dragons, terrorists and ancient gods. And besides, getting to solve most problems with his sword was already pretty convenient in itself.
"Well, make some noise for our final contestants!"
Over a dozen men rose from their seats – the winning contestants of the preliminaries, he surmised. Burly or agile, strong or swift, sixteen different faces and fighting styles cast their shadows over the arena. Adventurers, sailors, Guhua disciples and self-taught martial artists, all men hardened by battle. It had been a long time since he last fought without elemental powers, but he could probably hold his own even against trained fighters. In fact, he was rather eager to-
Wait a minute, why were they all leaving the arena?
Captain Beidou roared. "Alright, is everyone ready? Allow me to re-explain the rules, then. There are three ways to defeat your opponent: knock-out, tap out, or out of bounds. Weapons and elements are banned, but you may hit anywhere that's not life-threatening or disabling – save for the crotch, please behave like gentlemen. All challengers will be assigned a random opponent, and the battles continue until there's only one man left. At least that was the original plan."
Her confident smile turned into a mischievous grin, as a sudden shiver ran down the Traveler's spine. "But you know, Liyue's golden boy is here now – wouldn't it be kind of unfair to put him up against your average contestant? I mean, this guy goes toe to toe with Fatui Harbingers for breakfast, defeats ancient gods twice without breaking a sweat, and there's probably not a single move he can't pull off in battle. So why don't we find him a worthy opponent to spice things up a little, a true one-on-one duel with no holds barred?"
The excitement was now palpable around the arena. Normally it would have reached him, egging him on to fight, but the "golden boy's" eyebrow twitched. Of course, he could appreciate Beidou's natural charisma, but why the heck would she use it at his expense? And besides, who was he going to measure up against if the other fighters were a no-go?
He didn't have to wait long for the answer. "So place your bets! Who will win between the legendary hero, and the strongest samurai in the land?"
Kazuha approached him, humbly saluting the audience's resounding roar. "I asked the captain for a chance to spar with you, as an opening match to the final rounds of the Crux Clash. I must say, your foreign bladework and mastery over the elements have gained quite the reputation among wanderers. Your feats have made even me curious." The wanderer's eyes lit up with an expectant glimmer. "Since I already know that you plan to take on my homeland, may I put your skills to the test?"
The Traveler quickly did a double take. "You... want to be my opponent? Right now?"
"Indeed. By crossing blades with you, I hope to gain a better understanding of your ambition, and test your resolve. Consider me the first hurdle on your journey to meet the Almighty Shogun."
It was selfish, and Kazuha knew it. He was not doing this for his friend, not for the Electro Archon, not even for Inazuma as a whole. There would only be one man to make the Shogun abolish the Vision Hunt Decree, and it would not be him, because he did not aspire to do so. He was free. Free to roam the world, free to rebel against the Shogunate, free to experience all sorts of things. And right now, he was free to see whether or not the Traveler could live up to his words.
The captain tossed him the box containing the masterless Vision, which he instinctively caught. "Last one standing with our grand prize in hand is the winner. I won't anything hold back, so please show me the full extent of your power in return."
Time seemed to come to a halt in this instant. The loud shouts of the audience had died down, and the light flapping of a seagull's wings was almost deafening. All eyes lay on the Uncrowned Lord of the Ocean as she raised her hand overhead, and promptly brought it back down.
"Battle begin!"
"Successor to the Isshin Art, Kaedehara Kazuha. A pleasure to be dueling with you, Traveler." the samurai nodded, and his calm features hardened as he dug his feet into the sand. "Here I come!"
In a crimson whirlwind, Kaedehara Kazuha disappeared, only leaving behind a trail of maple leaves. The air went silent for a brief moment, everything tensing up in the arena. The spectators held their breath, and suddenly, a loud clattering sound was heard, tearing through the cloudless skies.
Aether tasted Inazuman steel for the first time.
Beidou wiped bags of Mora from the hands of unfortunate betters, beaming with the glee of a child on their birthday. "Nice, looks like the Crux will be buying a few more ships soon! Keep it up, boys!"
That woman... He couldn't help but smile amusedly, as he wiped the sweat from his forehead with one arm.
"With all the profit I'm bringing you, you certainly owe me more than just a trip to Inazuma, captain." He shouted while adopting a fighting stance once more. "But we'll discuss my payment later. For now, let me make this a battle to remember!"
He dashed out of the way as Kazuha's razor-sharp edge nearly cleaved him in half. Again. The wanderer wasn't even trying to kill him, but his attacks were deathly precise. Like a well-rehearsed choreography, his katana harmoniously chained from slow and powerful moves into quick attacks, all of the Isshin art mobilized to strike the blond at full throttle.
As they weaved in and out of each other's slashes, the two swordsmen appraised their opponent's strength. The samurai relied on his speed to confuse his opponent, channeling his Anemo Vision's power whenever he needed to dodge. On the other hand, Aether predicted his movements to either evade or counter, finding a comfortable balance between offense and defense.
The blond spun his sword around in his hand and dashed towards the enemy with a sweeping slash, causing the latter to sidestep and rush back in. Blocking each other's attacks simultaneously, they both went for a follow-up, which resulted in a second clash. Kazuha was the first one to put some distance, and brisked into the Traveler's blind spot. Sensing the incoming swordstorm, Aether coated his arms in a protective layer of Geo, withstanding the attack without breaking a sweat as unbound steel clashed repeatedly against his hardened wrists.
Another one of Kazuha's attacks came and went, this time in the form of a crimson gale arching towards his opponent. Rather than dodging, The Traveler rushed forward into the razor wind, summoning a windblade of his own. The two tempests clashed and canceled each other out in a powerful whirlwind, leaving the ronin wide open. Piercing the air with his keen edge, the blond immediately went for his side...
And Kazuha vanished at the last second.
Aether sensed impending danger, gritting his teeth as a curved blade was about to strike the back of his head. It shone brightly under the blazing sun, blinding its surroundings. If he looked back to calculate an evasion route now, the refracted light would allow the ronin to strike him without fail. No way he's letting that happen.
Calling forth his sense of battle, the blond stopped holding back. He twisted his own arm to parry the blow, as the wanderer's katana bounced off his steel. Kazuha landed behind him, but almost immediately lost his footing. He realized too late what was actually happening.
Gathering a large quantity of Anemo in his palm, Aether was displacing the sand from beneath his feet. The coarse energy accumulated into a ball, gathering a tiny sandstorm in the form of a projectile. Before he could draw his sword a second time, the samurai was engulfed into an explosion of sand and dirt.
Kazuha shielded his face with a fold of his haori, while continuously trying to repel the sand with his fierce winds. Before he knew it however, a shadow snuck up on him, locking his arms behind his back as a cold steel was pressed against his neck.
"You fought well, Kaedehara."
The sandstorm subsided, and Aether had won.
Before he could catch his breath, the Traveler's wrist was snatched away by Beidou, who lifted it high into the air. Sweaty, dumbfounded, yet victorious, he let out a hearty laugh. And the crowd followed suit, roaring and cheering for the Crux Clash's new champion. The adrenaline had yet to fade from his body, and it was not even a life or death situation, but that victory felt good. He still held the power to decide the story's outcome.
Rubbing his sore shoulder, Kazuha came to congratulate the victor. "Impressive, truly. I expected no less from someone as skilled with the blade as you. I don't think you'll find much difficulty in traveling through Inazuma with such strength at your disposal. In fact, I'm eager to see what you'll accomplish."
The two men exchanged a firm handshake, and the crowd went wild once more.
He did not have much time to relish his victory, however, as his head was immediately locked into the captain's shoulder. Roaring with laughter, the Uncrowned Lord of the Ocean mercilessly ruffled his blond hair. "Well, we have a deal, don't we? You won against Kaedehara fair and square, so this ride to Inazuma's yours - along with a small cut of today's profits as an added bonus. So tell me: when are we setting sail?"
Aether took in a deep breath in an attempt to fill up his nearly-crushed lungs. He gazed at the vast sky, before his eyes set on the beaming woman.
"As soon as possible, captain. I hope your crew is ready to move out, because I sure am."
The sun slowly shook off its slumber, and brought with it a salty breeze that blew hard through the wharf. Though it was still very early in the morning, Chihu Rock was timidly beginning to bustle with life, as the first fishmongers began to peddle their wares along the docks.
Repressing a yawn, the Traveler took in the sight of the golden daybreak over the harbor as he walked down the shoreline. His resolute footsteps took him past the shipyard into the docking area that was usually reserved for large-scale vessels. The Alcor gradually took over his field of view, the fierce dragon figurehead at its prow seeming to stare down those brave or foolish enough to approach it.
As for a traveler who'd defeated the Dragon of the East and the Sealed Lord of the Vishaps, well... he was willing to take his chances with a beast of the wooden kind.
The winds carried salt, ambitions and adventure, gently rocking the vessel and the hearts of its crewmates. Aether took a single step on the gangplank, and as expected, the Uncrowned Lord of the Ocean was waiting for him aboard. Her brown hair billowed on the powerful morning gales, as she expectantly grinned at the newcomer.
"So, looks like the big day is upon us." she heartily shook his hand. "Ready for an adventure on the high seas? But before you set foot on the Alcor-"
The Traveler offered a humble smile in return. "Don't worry captain, I'm already prepared for everything the ocean might throw at me. If your resident samurai has already told you about my plans, then you probably know that I can't just back down from them."
"You do have a good head on your shoulders..." the captain nodded. "If someone can change the ways things are over there, it's you. And even if you encounter hardship and can't reach the treasure you're gunning for, remember that you'll have enjoyed the lulling embrace of the sea during your journey. Welcome aboard, Aether."
The blond leaped on the smooth deck, hailing the members of the crew he was already familiar with. He saw Kazuha sitting in the crow's nest, the ronin greeting him with a wave of the hand. Two gledes flew towards the horizon as he neared the prow, leaning on the wooden railing to gaze at the boundless ocean.
He heard Beidou shout the order to set sail, and the entire vessel shook as the high tide began to carry it away from Liyue Harbor. A very sleepy Paimon appeared in a starry splash, clutching his shoulder for dear life as she drowsily muttered something.
"Why are we leaving so early in the morning..."
He amusedly patted her head, making sure not to fully wake her up. "High tide, Paimon. If we set sail early, the overall trip should be shortened by a few days - if the wind is with us. And knowing how seasick you can get, I'd say this is probably for the better."
"Uugh... don't remind Paimon of that..."
Aether's eyes melted into the golden sun towards which he was headed for some fresh adventures. In truth, he was apprehensive. If everything he'd previously heard about Inazuma turned out to be true - and in fact, he was positive that it would be a lot worse - then this would easily be the most challenging leg of his journey yet. With nothing more than his sister's vague words to light up his path, he delved into the unknown. The chances of him failing had never been higher.
But he was willing to try his luck.
We're setting sail everyone, hope you're not seasick like Paimon! Thank you so much for the support you've showed on the prologue, it's become my most followed first chapter by a lot. If you've made it here, then hopefully you're already hooked and awaiting more. As always, I'll do my utmost to deliver a quality story right into your eyeballs!
Yeah, I'm in love with Inazuma, in case you couldn't tell. Looking forward to continuing this tale with y'all :)