Given how badly this site has been broken over the last few months, it's a surprise I'm even deciding to update here. I thought I was done with this site. Yet I just can't give up on it as it is where I started writing. So even as it is broken, I will update here occasionally with massive dumps of what's been written since the last time I've updated, so if you want timely updates, follow me on Ao3.
"Ow! Ow! Could you please stop?!"
"You idiot! You knew where I was! You could have woken me up! Why didn't you?!"
"I tried!" Venti withdrew into himself, covering his face with his hands while looking down and away. "Nothing we did could wake you up… We believed it was your time."
His voice, a deep snarl, quivered with anger. His eyes narrowed, and his gaze turned icy. "Who is we? Who gave you the right?"
Fearfully wincing, Venti grimaced, tucking his head further in. "Makoto… She called an Archon summit when she could not awaken you years before the incident… She wanted to ensure that if this were your time, you would go in peace… But make preparations for if you were to awaken. …Many of the rest of us feared that would not happen and left you to your final rest."
He had expected a more ferocious beating to follow at mentioning her name. After hearing that, they, as a group, together, decided to let him pass on. Yet here he stood, passively standing before him with a golden aura fading, but his daunting glaring piercing into him.
"So the seven of you decided to let me go peacefully… Is that it?" Naruto's voice was a low growl.
Venti's hair stood on end. His body trembled, and his teeth chattered. That voice… That look promised death…
And if he were to tell a lie…
"Yes." Venti painfully swallowed the lump in his throat, prepared for the worst outcome.
If need be, he had several replacements prepared to become Archon… Perhaps Celestia would let Venessa return…
A simple, exhausted exhale caused the Anemo Archon to stumble. Once more, Barbatos was taken by surprise. Two tired cerulean eyes bored into his before Naruto clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Typical… I shouldn't be surprised. Makoto had the right to choose and prepared for both cases… The rest of you have no excuse."
"I happen to agree." Xiao's voice resonated through the wind as it swept through, and he landed in a crouch beside the two. Straightening up, Alatus crossed his arms and deepened his scowl as he fixed his gaze firmly on the Anemo Archon. "I have nothing but respect for you and the rest of the Archons… You as well, my master… You trained us… Raised us alongside your brother and forged us in your teachings. If we had known anything about your descent, we would have made sure to have kept you guarded till you awoke or let you pass peacefully."
"Which is why I didn't inform any of you." Naruto pitifully sighed, weakly glancing upon the Yaksha. "It's why Sasuke did what he did and descended into the Abyss when he was all but lost… We knew how you would react and wanted you to live on your own terms… And go out on our own."
"But master…" Xiao attempted to argue but was cut off by Naruto.
"It is nothing personal, Xiao. You all were family… But just like Sasuke in his final moments, there's something about holding your fate in your own hands, ya know?" Naruto took a deep breath and exhaled before distantly gazing into the skies boiling into a storm over the city of Mondstadt. "I gave up that right when I became involved with Makoto. And she chose to let me rest if it was the end… But give me a chance if I were to awaken."
"Now I'm left with the aftermath of everyone's fuck up to clean up after, and I ain't too happy about it! Time to remind those in Celestia that the First Descender did not win the war against us, the Primordial Ones!"
The storm had picked up the moment they had entered the city. Spiraling twisters spun outside the city's mighty walls, providing a modicum of protection from the gales that swept through the streets. Ornately dressed individuals in the town helped guide other people into shelters. Most had the same symbol that Amber and Eula wore, but others wore a peculiar green and white outfit.
This was not good. He had seen the devastation of tornadoes in other worlds. If this dragon had the power to summon them at will…
"I've seen many storms in my life… Many when my Master is upset. This is the most impressive by far." Shenhe watched as Knights desperately tried to corral civilians into their houses and reach safety as they came upon the center of town where the statue of Barbatos stood.
"Argh!" Mona bumped into another on the streets, her eyes flickering as her witch's hat flailed into the wind. She desperately reached out for it before despondently cursing her fate. "Not again! Ugh! This hunt for ancient knowledge has become a curse in disguise!"
"Ugh! Such horrible weather… I lost my balance." A young blonde girl shrilly called out as her outfit ruffled within the gusts, standing up after crashing into Mona. "Ehem! Her majesty demands you unfurl your blessed wings and shade me from this desolation!"
"It is not my fault you didn't bring your parasol. I fear it would not do much for you in this weather." A raven made of darkness and electro-currents descended towards the young lady who stumbled into Mona. However, to her surprise, in its beak was her wide-brimmed hat as it released it into her grasp. "Please forgive mein Fräulein. She can be a little difficult to understand at times."
"Oz!" The young blonde with an eyepatch covering her left eye pouted and placed her hands on her hips. Huffing, her annoyance rapidly drained from her system. Her lone eye visibly quivered as she gazed at the storm blowing around the city. "I have not seen such weather before. Has Tasraque come to this realm to continue our battle?!"
"I'm afraid that is not what Lady Katherine has informed me." The raven known as Oz shook his head as Mona accepted her hat. "I suggest we all head inside until the Knights establish calm and quell this calamity. It seems the dragon, Stormterror, has descended upon Mondstadt and has directly attacked the city properly."
"Katherine?" Mona scrunched her face while desperately hanging onto her hat as she placed it back on her head. She furrowed her brow, and her eyes lit up brightly as she snapped her fingers with her free hand."Oh! The Adventurer Guild's automatron? Wait, you are awfully young for an adventure…"
"And none of you should be out during this storm. An emergency curfew is currently in effect for the duration of the attack. Please take shelter." A stern but gentle voice echoed through the whirling winds.
All eyes were drawn to Jean as she strode toward the small group, her expression fierce as a lioness protecting her cubs as she gazed upon each of them with Amber, Eula, and Kaeya trailing behind them. Upon seeing them, the former's eyes lit up, and she chipperly responded. "Oh, hey! You arrived! … Now is not the greatest time…"
"Hm? So there are the individuals you ran into while on recon?" Kaeya mused, eyeing the odd gathering before him. Coughing, he brought his attention to the sky as a dragon flew through the sky. "Regardless, like the Acting Grand Master request, a curfew is in effect. Please take shelter and allow us to handle this threat of Stormterror…"
"Dvalin is not a threat." A flicker of golden and a burst of wind swirl around the group. Aether stumbled as Naruto, with a golden aura fading around him, appeared alongside Xiao and the same young boy they saw with the dragon earlier in the forest.
Then the young bard in green spoke, carefully observing the dragon, wincing as he watched him fly. "He is in so much pain right now. He has been poisoned… Corrupted by the Abyss."
"How did you become aware of this knowledge?" Jean turned to Naruto and Venti, her eyes shimmering, bringing her hand to her chest. "I've only been looking into this recently with the Librarian, and these facts have only begun to surface."
Venti brought his hand to the back of his head and sheepishly rubbed the back of his hair, crumpling the back part of his hat. "Ahha, well, you see…"
"No time for this! We need to act!" Naruto's gaze fell onto Dvalin as he flew upon the sky, cursing as the storm picked up. "Driving him off is the highest priority! We can talk about purifying him of the toxin corrupting him as soon as the city is safe!"
Jean's eyes shone, hearing a suspicion of hers confirmed. Focusing her gaze, she looked upon the gray and stormy sky as the wind blew and scowled. "That task is no trivial matter. Stormterror is a master of the skies; even my mastery of the Anemo element is useless against a force like this. If I could get closer, maybe…"
"Master," Xiao whispered to Naruto, standing at his side. "I know you are hesitant after what happened… But if Dvalin is rampaging like this, to keep him from doing further harm…"
"I know…" Naruto snarled before taking a deep breath. "I'm just not sure I can control myself… Why I don't want to hit 'em. …Can't really modulate my power at the moment."
"Hey, I'm here too." Venti frowned, scowling at the two of them, hearing their whisper. "Don't forget my specialty is soothing one's soul. Leave it to my music if you need to stay in control. Besides, once Dvalin senses you, he's sure to flee."
"Agreed. I don't think he'd want to take a fight he knows he can't win despite his clouded judgment." Xiao looked up at the building storm. "I can feel it within the winds… He feels hate but is indecisive. Perhaps an intervention is enough for now."
"Fine…" Naruto snapped as he stepped forward from Venti and Xiao, his eyes focused on Dvalin while separating from the group.
"Keep back." Xiao motioned, holding his arm and keeping Mona back, particularly as she attempted to follow. "Do not follow. This is for your own safety."
"We're professionals at this!" Venti beamed, a harp appearing in his hand, and he gently strummed the instrument, carefully observing Naruto as he began to brim with a golden aura. He winced and then turned back to everyone. "But, uh, you might want to still evacuate just in case…"
A golden pillar of light, like that of the night before but significantly scaled back, parted through the storm clouds. Everyone there braced through the flash and burst from the transformation as an immense nine-tailed fox cloaked in a golden aura stood within the walls of Mondstadt.
Its gaze fixated upon Stormterror as it descended toward the fox.
"What in the world?!" Eula screamed through the gales, looking at the golden nine-tailed fox with flickering eyes. "You're kidding me, right?! He was what caused that golden pillar?!"
"I thought he said he chased it away…" Amber mused, his lips pursed in confusion. "Why would he say that?"
"Would you announce your mistake to everyone on your awakening despite it being out of your control?" Xiao flatly retorted, standing within the glares of Dvalin's wing beats with ease as he watched the staredown between the two.
"You? You have awakened?" Dvalin stared at Naruto in his transformed state, carefully observing him. "And you protect them? Despite that they have forgotten us?"
"Damn straight, I have." Naruto's muscles strained as power coursed through him, revealing a grin through his muzzle. He had to give Venti credit; his music was soothing, and he could keep his focus. His expression sternly straightened, and a growl escaped his muzzle. "Not sure what you are on about, but I ain't about to abandon this world. So I'm gonna give you a chance here and now. Leave and calm down."
"Or I'm gonna crush ya and throw you into the wind."
The wind picked up as the mighty dragon roared indignantly at Naruto's statement. But it did not budge or attack. Dvailin's gaze peered into the fox's gaze, jeering at Naruto. "You know not what they have forgotten… Or the crimes they have committed while you have slept… But I will leave you to learn… Farwell, my old friend."
The storm Dvailin had generated receded and faded as the dragon rose into the sky, heading northbound to its realm. Scowling, allowing his transformative aura to fade, Naruto frowned. He knew he had been asleep for a while…
But he hadn't realized there had been so much he needed to fix! He only wished he would have woken up sooner!
"You cannot be serious, Ei."
"Why would I not be serious about this? I have seen his condition faltering for years. I know what he was like before. I felt his condition. He's in no condition to last." Ei sharpened her gaze at Miko, not expecting her to defy her openly. Of all people that she would expect to wish to help him…
"I am more aware than you of his condition. My bond with him allows me to feel him wherever he is as long as we're both awake." Yae's ears stiffened behind her head as she refused to yield to her Shogun on this particular subject. "And yes, you are right. He is broken and fading. He will not last much longer… And that is his choice. Eternity does not mean an eternal life, Ei."
Fiercely gazing into her familiar's piercing stare, Ei's lips quivered momentarily before her expression flattened. "This was not a request…"
"I don't care if it was or not." Miko snarled as her eyes dilated. With a huff, Yae turned her back on a shocked Shogun, her eyes scornfully glancing back at her friend. "Ei, listen to me. I understand you have a complex history with him. You do not understand your own emotions or how to deal with them or him. I know that you don't want to lose another friend, which is why you want to do this…"
"But this is his choice, not yours. I will leave it at that, my friend."
It had been a long time since she had seen Liyue. It was as beautiful as always. If she weren't on the job for the Shogun and Head Shrine Maiden, she would have loved to finish getting her license and become a lawyer… Something Lady Guuji had pushed for her to do while here, but…
Didn't feel quite right, given that the Shogun was direct with her desires.
However, none of that mattered now compared to her headache as they pulled into the dock. What was causing her headache? The same thing as always.
Her boss.
"Oh, wow! Didn't think this place would be so cool! Man! Think of all the festivals that go on in a place like this! Or all the places we can find host Onikabuto tournaments! Oh man, I gettin' fired about it!"
Kuki was already rubbing her temple. Itto was already off in his own little world. Not that she expected any better from him. She just hoped that he could focus a tad more. She then twitched a tiny mujina beside him, looking upon the port city of Liyue, her eyes shining in awe. "Whoa! It's so big! How are we ever going to find our target?"
"Target?" Itto scrunched his brow before he clapped his hands together and grinned. "Ah, right! I remember! We're here to find that guy! Ah, what's his name again?!"
"Uzumaki Naruto." Shinobu exhaled with a soft smile, gracing her lips beneath her mask and looking up at her boss before gratefully patting Sayu's head. "His name is Uzumaki Naruto. Lady Guuji requested… Boss, move!"
"What… Hey, hey, hey! WHOA THERE! Watch out now!" Itto leapt back, drawing a massive spiked club as an arrow impacted, and an enormous cryo bust froze the immediate area. Their eyes traveled toward a group of soldiers that surrounded their ship.
Shinobu's eyes dilated as she took in the situation, carefully considering their options and analyzing precisely what was happening. She hadn't expected this outcome. "She knew that Inazuma had been isolated from the rest of the world."… But why were they hostile toward them?
Her boss, however, wasn't so patient and far more forthcoming with his thoughts, focusing on the blue-haired, horned woman who had shot at him. "Yo! What the hell? We just got here, ya know! Mind explaining why you are attacking us?!"
"By orders of Rex Lapis, all Inazuman ships and crews that port at Liyue harbor are to be detained until further notice!" Violet's eyes vividly glowed as she decreed her orders, and she strung another bow as Itto defiantly stared back at her.
"Oh, is that so?" Itto tightly gripped his club, preparing for a fight.
"Wait!" Sayu loudly called out as she jumped out in front of a tense ship, waving frantically. Reaching into her mujina costume, she pulled out a letter before rushing off the boat. She ran straight to the horned lady, and with a pant, she held it out to her. "Ms. Ganyu? If that's you, this is for you from Lady Yae!"
"Huh?" Ganyu's eyes blinked rapidly in a moment of surprise before they settled on the letter. Curious, she reached out her hand and accepted it, eagerly anticipating what it might contain. Upon opening the letter, she frowned as her gaze shifted between Itto and Kuki before returning to the letter."This is from… Sister Miko?"
"Yes!" Sayu rapidly nodded her little head, beaming as she tried to keep the peace.
"Understood." Ganyu frowned, clutching the letter to her chest before scowling at Itto and Kuki, particularly before she smiled at the child. "Then come with me."
"I will take you to speak with Rex Lapis to explain the situation."
R & R.