Here I present myself with another chapter!
As promised, here it is, and again I would like to thank Surfysun for his support, as he made this double chapter possible.
Another thing to remember is that I was very busy with exams. In fact, I still am, but in a short time I will be completely free and regular updates should not be more than the two week wait (by regular updates I mean that all my stories do not have any extra chapters).
With that important point clarified, it's time to start.
Enjoy!
"What the hell are the Fatui doing in this place?"
Ei, Venti and Paimon were not the only ones who were surprised by such a question, since even Murata herself was very confused and amazed.
"As you say?" They were the only words that crossed his mind, causing Diluc to take a step forward to speak for all the newcomers.
"When we went out to explore, some of us got separated. I went on my own and found a hooded man inspecting some ruins inside the forest. His movements were very suspicious, and his little visible clothing suggested that he was not an adventurer. When I tried to talk to him to find out what he was doing, the suspect got scared and tried to run away, but I immediately neutralised him." The redhead declared with his usual seriousness, making Murata lower her head slightly.
"And how do you know it's a Fatui?" The Goddess asked as she poured herself a glass of wine.
"I had to use not very advisable methods to gather information." Diluc's response was supported by his gloves covered in blood. "Still, the man didn't say much either..." Diluc's sentence was accompanied by his eyes closing.
"I see..." Murata twirled her glass as she thought carefully, leaving everyone in a short silence. "I have no idea what those guys are doing here. All I can tell you is that I'm not the only one authorised to send invitations in Natlan."
"Are you implying that this is the Lady of Dragons' fault?" Ei asked, who watched intently as Murata subtly took the cup.
She hadn't responded, but her action made things more than clear.
"There is also the possibility that they have entered without any authorization."
"I find it very unlikely. It is true that they bring problems everywhere, but they are not the type of disorderly organisation that infiltrates regions without invitation. We all know that they do not risk angering an entire nation for something so ridiculous but at the same time very serious." Diluc denied Paimon's words, earning a nod from almost everyone present.
"So how do we proceed?" The question that everyone was thinking was asked by Ayaka, making everyone fall into complete silence.
Even Paimon decided not to speak, something very unusual for her.
The reason was obvious.
Even someone somewhat foolish and carefree like Paimon knew that the next idea could mean a big step forward or the possibility of stumbling towards the abyss.
"Where did you leave the Fatui?" Everyone looked towards a specific point after hearing the question.
"I tied him up and gagged him with many roots and branches against a tree. I don't think he can escape, and in case his companions find him, believe me, he is very well guarded." Diluc responded with his usual seriousness.
"In that case..." A smile emerged on Ei's face, something that caught everyone's interest.
"Take me to him."
_ CHAPTER 20: KNOWN ENEMIES! _
It had been a while since the last meeting. At the moment Aether, Venti, Diluc and Ei were heading into the silent forest.
Everyone remained silent, especially Aether, who was thinking about the talk he had had with everyone before leaving.
"Don't you think it's a bad idea?" Diluc asked what everyone was thinking. "They most likely don't know you came with us."
"He is right." Murata supported the redhead's reasoning. "No one knows you're here. This could be an advantage over them." The Goddess concludes, drinking some wine.
"That's exactly why I want to do it." Everyone looked at Ei with some amazement. "I don't think they know anything about Aether either, or about all of us in general. They don't know anything about our combined strength." Everyone looked at each other after the statement.
"Then why should we...?"
"Because that reasoning also works the other way around." Ei interrupted Venti, and the fact that his eyes had lit up indicated that he had understood his friend's words. "When everyone knows who we are, they will surely overthink things and try to be more discreet. That will make them delay their actions, and consequently, their plans will too. That will give us more time to know what they are planning and so act as the situation warrants."
"It's not a bad idea, but it's a double-edged sword." This time it was Aether who spoke. "Don't you think that if they hide more that it would make it much more difficult to discover what they are doing?"
"Before Diluc said that this Fatui was under constant surveillance..." Ei fixed his gaze on the redhead. "Couldn't we use that friend of yours to follow him to his lair?"
"I see, but how will we make sure he doesn't get suspicious?" Diluc asked with his usual seriousness, making Ei's smile widen a little.
"We'll leave that to Venti."
That was the last answer that appeared in the traveller's mind, as he returned to the present.
"We are already close." Diluc commented, stopping in his tracks.
"And what am I supposed to do?" Venti asked as he walked alongside the others, he had his hands on the back of his neck.
"Put this on and wait for us to leave." Ei handed him a large, somewhat old-fashioned dark suit with a hood. "You're in charge of rescuing him." The Goddess's words made Venti widen his eyes a little.
"Oh, I see..." Venti took on a strange look. "When you get serious you can be a very scary person, you know that?" Ei just blinked owlishly at him, not being able to understand his words.
"On going." Diluc called to them so that they would not continue to be distracted, and thus the three separated from Venti.
The Archon stared into space as he remembered Ei.
"I had already forgotten that in combat and strategy there's probably no one better than her. And now Aether is with her..." Those thoughts brought a short snort covered with grace from his lips.
His eyes turned to the sky, his smile softening a little in the process.
"With Aether's extremely good improvisation and Ei's knowledge and genius it would be practically impossible for anyone to beat them if they fight together..."
There was a guy tied up against a tree. The distinctive burgundy red coat along with his pants and boots of the same colour made it clear that he was a grunt with a cannon, although the man manipulating the Pyro did not have his weapon, since it was lying next to him. Although that was not the only thing he was missing, since his white hair was completely exposed in the absence of his beret, as was his face, since he did not have his extensive neck covering that was responsible for covering a large part of his face. In fact, the poor man's face was a mess, and even that was saying something.
The Fatui grunt's expression was somewhat downcast and almost without energy as he observed the tunic that lay near him, which was completely destroyed. He had probably worn that outfit to blend in, which obviously didn't work.
A whimper tried to escape his lips, but the word try was key, as the gag of roots and branches was fitted so tightly over his mouth that an almost inaudible sound was heard.
Unfortunately for him, that moment of silence was interrupted by a breaking branch. His expression without energy changed to a very terrified one when he saw who was approaching, the gag was responsible for neutralising all his screams.
"By the Gods, what did you do to this guy?" Aether asked with a roll of his eyes.
"As I said, I had to use unconventional methods." Diluc responded as if it were no big deal.
Oblivious to their little argument, Ei approached and removed the gag, making the man breathe heavily while making small moans covered in pain.
"Do not kill me!" Those were the first words that came out of the terrified man.
"Don't worry, no one came to kill you..." Ei responded with a smile, making colour return to the Fatui's face. "As long as you answer the questions." A gloomy aura surrounded Ei and her usual sweet tone changed to a much harsher one, making the guy almost die of fright.
"I-I told that man everything I knew!" Fatui exclaimed, very scared.
"Who invited them? Are they coming for Gnosis? Probably yes, but are they also seeking to fulfil another objective? How many are there? How many places are they hiding?" Ei's questions fell on the man like a great bombardment, so he could only close his eyes tightly.
"I'm a simple soldier! I don't know anything, I swear! Only Capitano knows the exact details of the mission!" Ei's eyes narrowed after hearing such a statement.
"So Capitano, eh? You see that you do have things to say."
"What...? Oh, shit..." The Fatui opened his eyes again, his expression making it clear that he had said something he shouldn't have.
"Capitano is one of the Heralds of the Fatui. No wonder one of them is here to oversee the mission." Diluc declared with his typical seriousness.
"Do you know him?" Aether asked curiously.
"Unlike the others, Capitano specialises too much in physical strength. He may not be as strong in general aspects, but he is a monster when it comes to brute strength. No one has seen him use his Vision before." Diluc shared all the information he had.
"OK." Ei nodded, then turned his gaze to Fatui, who was frightened by the act. "Can you tell me where your boss is?"
"I don't know anything else!" The Fatui closed his eyes tightly as he noticed that Ei's dark appearance deepened even more. "Ca-Capitano is someone who always does things on his own! No one knows where he goes, he just disappears and appears when he feels like it! I swear I don't know anything, I swear, please...!" The man exclaimed with great fear.
Ei continued looking at him. That simple look felt like a few hundred tons on Fatui's entire body, who couldn't stop shaking.
"I do not know, I do not know...!" The Fatui whispered under his breath, being on the verge of crying.
In the end, Ei gave a sigh and stood up again, making that suffocating pressure disappear.
"Apparently, he is telling the truth." The Goddess turned around and began walking towards them.
"At least we know who we're dealing with." Aether commented, walking away along with his two companions.
"Hey-hey!" Shouted the Fatui, who had been left tied to his own fate. "Are you really going to leave me here? My companions won't be coming for a couple of days, I don't think I can..." The man put his sad thoughts aside when he saw how the silhouette of a man moved not far from assumption.
_LINE BREAK_
Diluc, Ei and Aether were walking in silence. The traveller was the one who was most focused on his thoughts, something that the other two did not miss.
"What's going on?" Ei asked with slight interest.
"It's nothing. I just realised something very important..."
"Did you also notice?" Diluc interrupted him, gaining his attention. "After reviewing the Raiden Shogun's plan carefully, I realised that the Fatui did not move carefully. As she said, they definitely didn't know we were here..." The redhead paused briefly.
"And if Murata had been the one who called them, then they would have been alert from the beginning, since she also invited us." Aether closed Diluc's idea, receiving a nod from him.
"Will you go talk to the Lady of Dragons?" Ei asked, making the blonde look at her.
"Not yet. I prefer to do things in an organised way to have my ideas in order." The traveller responded while holding his chin.
"I think it's a good idea." The Goddess responded, returning her gaze to the front without realising that Aether was still looking at her.
"Still, it seems crazy to me that you were able to deduce so many things in such a short time..." The blonde commented with some amazement.
"I have experienced many similar situations, it is difficult for things to go over my head. But do not forget that they are the Goddesses of War, so we should never take facts for granted." The Goddess responded, remembering her old days as a Kagemusha.
"Still, you are scary." Aether declared with a smirk, causing a question mark to appear above his lover's head.
Their talk was interrupted when they heard a noise behind them, but they chose to not turn around to see what or who it was.
"Did you get something?" Aether asked as he watched Venti join the walk.
"It went perfectly." Venti responded with his typical toothy smile as he put his index finger and thumb together.
_LINE BREAK_
One hour later...
"I'm so hungry! I want to have some wine!" The bard exclaimed as he ran across the training ground.
"What does being hungry have in common with wanting to get drunk?" Ei asked herself, then sighed.
"I'll also go grab something to eat. See you later." Diluc said goodbye to Aether and Ei, leaving them alone.
The Goddess observed the traveller, who looked somewhat impressed by the place.
"Is there anything that catches your attention?" The Archon asked, approaching her lover.
"It's the first time I've seen the training field so close. It's definitely much bigger than it looked..." Aether commented as he observed the place carefully.
The meadow was really extensive. The green grass had long since disappeared. There were arch galleries, barracks, and all these buildings were surrounded by different small battlefields that functioned as drills. The number of destroyed or disabled puppets also made a name for itself, since there were many of them in various sectors of the meadow.
"It's easy to confuse the dimensions when you see it from up there." Ei commented, fixing her gaze on the imposing volcano that rose very close to her position.
"It's a little strange not seeing anyone." Aether commented as he took a few steps. "I guess everyone must be on their lunch break." The blonde turned his gaze, observing how the Goddess was also studying the place with some curiosity.
Seeing that she was somewhat distracted, the traveller took advantage of the moment. The woman couldn't help but blush when she felt her hand being surrounded by the characteristic warmth that the person she loved so much.
Still, she didn't look very happy.
"W-wait, someone can see us!" Ei exclaimed with a slight stutter.
"Don't worry, there's no one here." Aether gave a mocking smile when he saw how nervous his lover became with such a simple gesture like that. "Did you enjoy today?" The question made Ei's nervousness dissipate.
"Yes..." The Goddess's eyes could not meet Aether's, something he did not miss.
"Is something bothering you?" Aether asked with narrowed eyes.
"Huh? Of course not." The woman responded, her nervousness returning to her.
"Come on, I know you very well, and you know it." Aether stated with a smile, squeezing her hand a little tighter to comfort her.
That was an action that seemed to work, as the Goddess relaxed a little.
"Well, it's a little complicated..." Ei commented, separating her hand from Aether's to cross them.
Her gaze focused on the sky as the wind moved her braided hair harmoniously before Aether's eyes. She could look very beautiful, if it weren't for that melancholic look in her eyes.
"Today is my birthday." Ei's words undoubtedly surprised Aether, who didn't bother to hide it.
"How can you say that like it's nothing? Why didn't you tell me earlier?" The traveller asked, somewhat excitedly.
"Because..." Ei closed his eyes, choosing her next words carefully. "Because birthdays are loaded with very beautiful moral connotations and that it is acceptable to do something that day. But every time I think about this date, the feeling of regret for the past invades my mind and clouds my heart. It's supposed to be a day where you celebrate your birth with your loved ones. But….it's also the day when she passed away. A day of mourning where I'm reminded of that day." Aether could only remain silent as he watched Ei's sad face deepen. "That feeling makes it difficult for me to enjoy the celebratory atmosphere, so I always choose to ignore it." Ei put on a somewhat forced smile and gently took Aether's hand as memories of the past resurfaced in her mind. "But since I'm with you and for all that you supported me, now I just feel that these moments of regret are nothing more than a bad dream."
"Don't say that." Aether let go of his hand, something that no doubt surprised Ei.
"Huh?"
"It's not just a bad dream." Aether's response surprised her even more.
"Bu-but..."
"Look at that puppet." Aether pointed to a specific point where a puppet could be seen lying on the ground, as if it were crawling. "That was you on the Plane of Euthymia. That was you under desperation, going towards an extreme result like a crazy person trying to keep up and catch your memories that were once so precious, but you didn't know how to do it." Aether looked back at Ei, who looked visibly beaten after hearing everything he had said. "I'm sorry, I think I've said too much, although I haven't said everything yet..." The blonde commented while rubbing his hair with some regret.
"That's why I want it to just be a bad dream..." The woman commented with a very downcast appearance, she even seemed to be about to cry.
But her cries never came, as Aether held her arms very tightly.
"But these days I thought I heard you laugh. I thought I heard you sing." Aether squeezed her shoulders tighter and forced her to come face to face with him. "I thought I thought I saw you trying!" The blonde screamed with feeling, making Ei's eyes widen greatly. "It's not a bad dream." Aether moved even closer to her face, to the point that they were only a few centimetres apart.
"Try, fall, cry, get back up, laugh..."
"This is not just a bad dream, it is reality. It is OUR reality."
"Just as there are bad times, there are also good ones. The important thing is that you never give up. Because if you do, then you really wish it was all just a bad dream, one from which you will never wake up."
"I-I..." To say that Ei was shocked at this moment was an understatement.
"Promise." Aether grabbed her shoulders even more firmly. "Promise me that you will never doubt your will again." Ei felt her eyes fill with tears, but none managed to fall.
"I promise!" The Goddess shouted confidently, making Aether smile.
"That was all I wanted to hear." He responded, although it didn't take him long to get nervous. "I don't know what gift I can think of, could you give me a clue?" A beautiful and delicate smile surrounded the Goddess's face after hearing the question.
"I only want one thing." Ei brushed her lips against Aether's as she closed her eyes passionately.
"..Uh?"
Aether didn't say anything else, as the Goddess planted a deep kiss on him. The woman's hands gently surrounded his neck, while at the same time the force that the blonde was exerting on his beloved's shoulders slowly transformed into a hug.
They were engaged in a really long kiss, but in the end they were forced to separate due to lack of air.
"Weren't you nervous before in case someone saw us?" Aether asked with a mischievous smile.
"It's like you said, I was before." Ei responded, and he didn't even have time to respond, since she had caught him in another nice kiss, although this time it lasted much shorter than the previous one.
Aether grabbed her waist and leaned her back to kiss her for the third time.
"How did you get so good at this?" Ei asked, her eyes somewhat clouded by feeling and love suggesting that she was having the time of her life.
"I wanted to ask the same thing." Aether responded, giving her a soft smile.
_LINE BREAK_
Natlan
Somewhere else...
"Are you sure they didn't follow you?" A guard with a Fatui cannon in light blue clothing and a little chubby asked his fellow grunt again. "You know very well that our boss prefers to be cautious, and will not like to discover that the traveller and the Electro Archon know about our lairs."
"Don't worry. That man was just passing by, he even thought I had been robbed." The man insisted again while adjusting his jaw, since that part still hurt quite a bit.
Both soldiers were chatting at the entrance of a small cave that was surrounded by the forest, making it very difficult to find its entrance.
"If you say so..." The fat man turned around and raised the cryo cannon over his shoulders. "You're going to have to make a report. Even if you miraculously survived, that doesn't mean you're going to be spared the work." He concluded, heading towards the entrance of the cave.
"Are you serious?! You're not even going to treat my wounds first?!" The man exclaimed with annoyance and disbelief as he followed his companion.
Neither of them realised that a hawk was watching them high above.
_ END OF THE CHAPTER! _
I hope you enjoyed it!
I wanted to add that little cameo from Ei's birthday, since, as everyone knows, when I'm posting this it's June 26, his birthday. I wanted to do something taking advantage of the fact that the update coincided with this day, and I think it turned out perfect.
There will surely be lemon in the next chapter. I will continue to bring a little more romance as the plot progresses for the next few chapters.
Remember that you can become a member of my Patre-on for one dollar to order consecutive chapters of any story, including this one. You can also follow me to be aware of any notices or updates on my stories. You can find me as: Jyanzein.
Thanks so much for reading!