Tales of a Hundred Cycles

by BANIX

A book written by an unknown author had recently gained immense popularity in Teyvat, a collection of short stories of a Descender who reincarnated in parallel versions of Teyvat at different points in time. Unbeknown to them, each of the short stories are true historical events that took place in those parallel universes

13. Cycle 26- Memories of Sakura

The nose belonging to the little pink fox that was dozing off in its master's arms started to twitch, having caught the faint scent of aroma of its favourite food. It perked its head up, sniffing curiously at the air for further confirmation.

It's the smell of fried tofu, there's no mistake.

The fox delightfully jumped off from its master's unsuspecting arms, ignoring her master's worried cries to return. The fox had accompanied her master atop Mt Yougou to watch the sakura petals fall for three whole days and while it's a very pretty sight, the lack of any delicacies had left the fox craving for cuisines with a stronger flavour in contrast to the bland taste of the mundane food offered by the Grand Narukami Shrine.

The fox nimbly darted through the mountain, its nose guiding it closer and closer to its favourite food. It zipped through the air with the aid of electrograna summoned using the Thunder Sakura Boughs nearby and the fox soon found itself at the peak of the neighbouring mountain where the shrine was located.

A lone man sat beneath the shade of a sakura tree, beside him lies a partially opened packet of fried tofu that had the fox salivating in anticipation. The fox dashed out from its hiding place without delay, fully intending on making a quick heist and returning to its master's side. She wouldn't be too pleased at how she suddenly disappeared without warning but that's precisely why this was fun.

Imagine the fox's surprise when it suddenly found herself held by the scruff of its neck, dangling helplessly in the air as the man held it up with a raised eyebrow. The fox struggled, flailing its little legs and when it realised this was all in futility, began to bare its fangs at him in an attempt to scare him. It's a youkai, a mere mortal should cower in fear in its presence!

Unfortunately, the man had called its bluff judging from the unimpressed look on his face.

"A pink fox? Now I have seen everything."

The fox continued to hiss at the rude man, its hair raised and standing on end. How dare he insult the pristine coat that it took the effort to groom at every hour of the day! It would smite him for his insolence! … if only it had the power to do so. She's too young a youkai to pose a threat to the man and the man clearly understood it as well.

"You want the fried tofu?" The man asked aloud when he realised how intently the fox glared at him, or more specifically the fried tofu in his other hand when he was about to pop it into his mouth. His hand holding onto the fried tofu moved to the left and the fox's gaze moved with it. He moved it to the right, the fox's eyes moved along with it.

He laughed.

"Oily food is not good for you, you will shed fur and go bald," the fox huffed in defiance at his statement, clearly stating that this is not an issue. "I'm serious," the man continued to persuade the gluttonous little fox but the fox was not having any of it.

"Alright, just one bite," the man eventually relented and the fox finally got what it wished for when the man fed it a piece of fried tofu. The fox melted into a content puddle of pink fur on his lap, purring in bliss as the man's hand gently combed through its silky fur as they both watched the beautiful sight of Narukami Island from the top of the mountain together.

Such was the sight the fox's master stumbled into when she finally arrived. It was a mild surprise to her, because her little fox is picky in who it allowed to pet it and she had no recollections of ever meeting this man.

"I apologise for intruding, but that fox is my familiar. I hope she hasn't been giving you any trouble."

The man turned in her direction and it did not escape her notice that his eyes widened a fraction when he spotted her. It seemed likely that he had somehow figured out her true identity but she's not surprised if that were true. After all, she had made countless public appearances throughout the long passage of time despite keeping a relatively low profile.

The man looked back at the little fox dozing off contently in his lap after polishing off the remainder of his fried tofu before looking back at the unbelievably beautiful woman in front of him. There's no way he could ever forget that face. It's the face of the God that had slain him in his sixth cycle when he issued a duel before the throne to save a certain pyromaniac girl that taught him the meaning of courage.

It's the same face, but belonging to two different people. The aura that this woman gave off is too different from the one that had slain him for them to be the same person. As such, the identity of the woman standing before him couldn't be more obvious if his foreknowledge was still accurate. It's been a few days since he found himself in this new cycle. Inazuma is a land where everything seems to remain constant, the sights rarely differing much even after centuries had passed so it was a little difficult for him to pinpoint the exact point in time in which he's currently in. Her presence had made it much easier to narrow down his scope.

At the very least, the Cataclysm had not yet occurred.

"Nah, this little glutton was great company," he replied, idly rubbing the fox by the back of its ears as it released a soft purr in content. The woman blinked her eyes twice in surprise at the uncharacteristic behaviour of her picky little fox but soon understood why when she spotted the oily packaging lying not far away from the man.

"It's a beautiful sight, isn't it?" She spoke when she realised that the man was silently appreciating the scenic view in front of them like she was doing. She sat herself down beside the man who was clearly human unlike her, who did not give off any indications of being irked or daunted by being in her presence.

"It is," he agreed after a brief moment of silence. He had always heard how beautiful Narukami Island is from above but he never did have a chance to climb atop Mt Yougou in his previous cycles and spend days doing nothing but taking in the sights. He had promised someone that they would visit the Grand Narukami Shrine together and watch the sakura petals fall, a promise that he never managed to see through.

"How do I address you?"

"You can call me Xun," he replied, using the identity he calls himself whenever he visits Liyue or Inazuma as it's easier for the locals in these lands to pronounce this particular name. He goes by the name of Adham or Adam in other parts of Teyvat for a similar reason.

"You know who I am," she stated with certainty.

"You are the Electro Archon, the Shogun, the exalted ruler of Inazuma," he stated plainly without a hint of fluctuation in his voice.

"You are very special," she noted with a gentle smile. Most men who she encountered would either be overly formal in her presence, showing submission and pledging fidelity the moment she showed her presence. He clearly does not fall under this category.

"I don't see a need to fear you."

"Is that so? You are not the least afraid of me for smiting you down for your disrespect?"

"It wouldn't be the first time a God tried to smite me," he replied, although he couldn't help but grumble your sister definitely did within the confines of his mind.

"Oh, which one?"

"Tough question," Xun snorted, deflecting the Shogun's question and she did not press any further. The two of them continued to watch the falling sakura petals in comfortable silence for an unknown length of time.

"My name is Makoto," she spoke when Xun stood up to leave after passing the little gluttonous fox back to its master, "will you be here tomorrow?"

"If you would have me," Xun replied, unable to find a reason to refuse since he has nothing better to do anyway. Furthermore, he's a little curious of her, the Archon who he had never met before and whose character and history he knew very little about.

He came back to the same spot at around the same time as yesterday. True to her word, Makoto turned up as well and they continued watching the sakura petals fall in comfortable silence. Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and soon it became customary for both Xun and Makoto to watch the sakura petals fall at the same spot under the same tree at the same period of time every single day.

"You spoil her too much," Makoto couldn't help but comment when she saw how the little fox was comfortably lying in Xun's lap with its little legs in the air as Xun gave it a belly rub that turned it into a purring puddle of pink fur. It doesn't help that Xun would turn up with a packet of fried tofu every single day to satisfy the little fox's cravings, much to its delight.

"No regrets," Xun replied with a faint smile on her face, continuing to give the little fox the rubs that it loves so much. Makoto simply shook her head in fond amusement as she brewed another cup of warm tea and poured it into their cups. She had somehow brought a table set up onto the top of the mountain where they usually gather on their third meeting, complete with a tea set and all.

"It's not comparable to the tea brewed by Furuyama, but I'd like to think that my tea is up to standard," she offered, which Xun accepted with thanks.

"Furuyama?"

"A tea master and a member of my retinue. He's blind, but he brews the finest tea in all of Inazuma."

"A master of his craft," Xun nodded in understanding, taking out another packaged treat from his coat that had the little fox jumping up eagerly in anticipation.

"No, it's not fried tofu," Xun chided and the fox's ears drooped in disappointment. Upon unwrapping, Makoto realised that Xun had brought out Sakura Mochi instead.

"I didn't take you to be the type to have a sweet tooth," she laughed as she accepted his offering and ate the mochi. The little fox tried a bite and instantly decided that it doesn't really like the sticky texture and that its favourite fried tofu is still the best.

"I don't particularly like or dislike sweets, but I figured she might like it," Xun glanced towards a direction which had Makoto raising her eyebrows a little in surprise. It's rare for anyone to be able to sense her sister's presence when she really wanted to conceal herself.

True enough, another person looking exactly like Makoto stepped out from behind the large sakura tree that she was using to hide herself. Instead of the warm and gentle look that is usually present on Makoto's face, hers is stoic and blank.

"Don't get too close to my sister," Ei stated coldly with a slight frown. She never liked the idea of her sister getting too close with anyone from the opposite sex, much less a mortal, but she respected her sister's wishes above all. So while she disliked her sister's daily meetings with the man, she never did anything to sabotage it.

"Ei," Makoto gently admonished. The disapproving frown on Ei's face deepened slightly.

"We have to leave soon, Makoto," Ei spoke, knowing that this is the best excuse she has to prevent her sister from meeting with this man ever again. Who knows what kinds of impure thoughts the man would harbour against her sister and as her kagemusha, she takes it upon herself to protect her twin sister from all threats.

"I'm aware," Makoto acknowledged with a regretful sigh. These past few months were a peaceful and enjoyable break for her from her usual duties as Inazuma's Shogun. Unfortunately, that would have to end soon.

She is after all, the Raiden Shogun of Inazuma, the exalted ruler of the land.

That doesn't mean that her meeting with Xun had to end here, however, so she turned to him with a smile on her face.

"Would you want to come to Inazuma City with us?"

"Makoto–" Ei protested, but a glance from her twin sister silenced her.

"Your hands, they are the hands of someone who mastered the sword. Would you like to become a member of my retinue? Let's see… How about becoming my personal guard? A kagemusha like Ei?" Makoto extended an offer to the enigmatic human that she had grown to enjoy spending time with in comfortable silence. Part of the reason for her offer was because she genuinely enjoyed his company, another reason was because she also needs more humans in her retinue for diversity's sake. Her retinue couldn't possibly be composed entirely of youkai because ultimately, the majority of the people in Inazuma are humans.

To say Xun was taken aback by Makoto's offer was a lie. A part of him wanted to refuse, knowing that if he took up on her offer he would no longer be able to live the peaceful life that he wished for but never really had.

However, a greater part of him was moved by the sincerity he detected in Makoto's offer. He could tell that she genuinely wished for him to join her.

"I accept," he agreed. The only person who's not at all happy with the arrangement was Ei.

"In that case, allow me to test you," Ei cut in as she summoned her signature weapon, the Engulfing Lightning. As her sister's kagemusha, she takes the issue of her sister's protection very seriously and she would not be entrusting her sister into the hands of a subpar warrior. This time, Makoto did not stop her, knowing that it would be for naught. She knows that Ei wouldn't listen.

Besides, if things get out of hand she would step in. She may not excel in combat as compared to her fellow Gods, but that doesn't mean that she's a complete slouch at it. She still holds a frightening degree of power as one of the twin Gods that jointly rule Inazuma. Ei is simply better and more skilled than her in this regard.

Xun wordlessly stood up, picking up the little fox curled up in his lap and placing it on the tabletop before walking to stand opposite Ei in the clearing nearby. A sword made of ice formed in his right hand and Ei's eyes narrowed a little at the sight.

Cryo?

There's no doubt in Ei's mind that losing this spar is an outcome that would never happen. She is a God while he's but a mere mortal. It wasn't just Ei, neither Makoto or even Xun himself expected him to be able to win. Xun would never forget how Ei cut him down in a single strike in his sixth cycle.

Xun took one step forward. It was the signal that heralded the start of their battle. Both parties had an unsaid agreement to omit any usage of elemental powers in their spar with the exception of the sword of ice Xun is using against her since he does not have any other weapons on him. Both of them fought using nothing but their physical prowess and mastery over their chosen weapons, using their skills to do the talking for them.

Ei's techniques are the origin of all Inazuman sword and polearm techniques and that showed in their spar. Ei's strikes were fast as lightning and ferocious like thunder. A particularly powerful strike from her sent Xun skidding back and easily shattered the sword in his hand into fragments of ice. He was already starting to look a little ragged and was panting heavily for breath while Ei did not even break a single sweat from their bout, her face still as stoic and composed as when she first started.

Ei's gaze focused on the small tear on her right sleeve before turning back to look at the man. It's something that did not go unmissed by Makoto, who knew her twin long enough to know that Ei was caught by surprise at Xun's unexpected showing of power. Never before had a human managed to land a scratch on Ei. For Xun's blade to have cut through the fabric of her outfit, even if it's a small tear, spoke volumes of his skills and mastery.

"You are passable," Ei eventually relented, acknowledging Xun's skill for managing to complete a feat that nobody before him had done. She still doesn't like the idea of him joining them as a member of her sister's retinue but no matter, she will simply keep a closer eye on him.

Just a scratch, huh, Xun couldn't help but think to himself. It's a huge improvement from the last time he had to duel Ei in his sixth cycle but it also goes to show just how wide the gap is between a God and a human.

Makoto clapped her hands in appreciation, catching the attention of the two other people present.

"Great job, you are the first human to ever land a scratch on Ei. That's really something that is worthy of praise," Makoto complimented. "I wasn't aware that you wield a Vision though."

"I don't," Xun replied and upon seeing the confused look on the faces of the twins, briefly elaborated. "I don't have a Vision, but I am able to draw in and utilise elemental energies to a certain degree. I simply have a greater synergy for cryo and hydro as opposed to the other five elements so I use them more often than I do for the rest."

"How?" It was Ei's turn to ask this time, the confused frown on her face deepening. Xun simply shook his head.

"I have no idea."

That topic of discussion was left as it is as the trio descended Mt Yougou and headed back to Inazuma City. The city did not look much different from how Xun remembered it when he lived within it in his sixth and nineteenth cycle. He supposed that in this regard, Inazuma City truly is a city of "eternity".

"This is my residence, the Tenshukaku. You will live here as well," Makoto told him as they stood at the entrance of the Tenshukaku. "Do you have anything else that you would like to ask or bring up?"

"Can you give me an Inazuman name?" Xun asked after some consideration. He would be starting to live in Inazuma for the foreseeable future and while he had suitable localised names for the other regions that he had once visited, Inazuma was the only nation which he did not have a suitable alias to go by in their local language.

It would be nice to have a name given to him by the nation's very own archon.

"How about Osuke?" She suggested, her index finger writing the Inazuman characters for the name she gave him in the air in front of her. The characters materialised in front of her through her divine power, displaying the name 櫻助 for her newest friend and subject.

"Is this name a reference to our meeting at Mt Yougou? Because we watched the sakura trees together?"

He's not an expert on Inazuma culture but he had seen and known enough to recognise that 櫻 is the Inazuman character for sakura.

"It's a fitting name, don't you think?"

"It is," he agreed with a smile. "Thank you, Makoto. I like it."

As much as Makoto wanted to stay and talk, she had other matters to tend to as the Shogun. She left him with an unwilling Ei to induct him into the Shogunate.

"Your uniform," Ei all but dumped it into Osuke's hands, took a pause, before grabbing one of the many spare iron swords lying about in the storeroom and shoved it into his arms, "and your blade." She still has no idea why she, the kagemusha of the Raiden Shogun, had to personally induct a mortal man into the Tenshukaku when this is a job reserved for the foot soldiers, but this is her sister's wish and she would abide by it.

"Your room," Ei all but shoved him into the first empty room she saw within the Tenshukaku in a section of the building that was built with the purpose of serving as the living quarters for the Shogun's retinue. She slammed the sliding door shut and Osuke could hear the younger twin stomping off thunderously in frustration with every step until the sound descended into nothing.

Someone really hates him, but at least she didn't put a sword through his chest this time.

Osuke walked down the halls of the Tenshukaku, now dressed in the uniform of the Shogunate. He attracted the stares and glances of those he passed by, some trying to do so discreetly while some were being more blatant in their attempts. They were all curious about the newest member who joined the Shogunate because they had all witnessed how he was being personally inducted into it by the kagemusha.

"Oh it's you, come in," Makoto invited Osuke into her office when he happened to walk past her door when he was trying to familiarise himself with the place. He saw the stacks of paper neatly piled on her table and his mind briefly wandered back to the days where he was the secretary of Yuheng and had to handle mountains of paperwork on a daily basis. Definitely not something he wished to relive ever again.

He is now a retinue of the Raiden Shogun, his duty is to ensure her safety and assist her with any tasks she asks of him. He stood guard by her side in silence, be it in her office where she goes through the paperwork with expert ease, meeting the high ranking members of the Tri-Commission in discussing the affairs that govern the nation, or simply accompanying her on her daily walk in the city where she strolled through the streets incognito.

"Ah, Makoto, it's been a long time since we last saw you!" An elderly woman greeted them warmly when Makoto entered a teahouse, saying that it's her favourite because of the tea and sweets that were sold there and that she's a frequent patron of it. The elderly woman rubbed the back of her eyes when she saw that Makoto is not alone this time, actually bringing a man along with her.

"This is…?"

"His name is Osuke. He is my guard," Makoto introduced with a polite smile. The elderly woman invited them to sit by a secluded table which from the looks of it, was reserved specially for her use. The elderly lady sighed and shook her head as she left to prepare the usual refreshments for one of her favourite customers. It's a pity that the beautiful lass is already seeing someone, she was planning to introduce his nephew to her too.

"They don't know who you are?" Osuke asked when it became obvious that none of the people they met along the way from the Tenshukaku to the teahouse recognised their archon who was walking alongside them in their midst. He had also changed out of his uniform and wore a normal yukata when Makoto said that they were going incognito.

"I rarely made any public appearances ever since a few centuries ago," Makoto explained. "Most Inazumans only have the statues to refer to if they are curious as to how I look but as you can see, the statues are not very detailed when it comes to depicting my visage. Most people that I befriended on the streets simply take me as another ordinary lady from an upper class family."

The refreshments were soon served and the pair enjoyed each other's company like how they usually did back at Mt Yougou. The only difference was that the mischievous little fox is not with them now, probably having sneaked off somewhere to chase after sparrows.

"It's raining," Makoto said as she looked out of the window and watched the skies pour. "Do you like the rain?"

"Depends on the situation."

"Oh?"

"It's a great weather to sleep in and a great escape to cool off during the hotter seasons. I don't like being drenched in the rain though."

Because that would remind him too much of the suffering that Furina had to endure, he mentally added. He could relate to her insecurities, experience, and fear much more than most others he had met in his lives due to how much similarities could be drawn between their respective tribulations.

"I see," Makoto acknowledged. "I, for one, like to take a stroll through the rain every now and then. With a parasol, of course."

She plucked a strand of her long hair and breathed into it. Just like that, a paper-oil parasol was created from a strand of hair of the Electro Archon.

"Accompany me?"

It was how they ended up walking through the streets of Inazuma through the pouring rain, with him holding up the parasol for them both as she continued to enjoy her walk in silence. Osuke had never really been a fan of strolling in the midst of a downpour but for once, this doesn't feel so bad.

"Let me guess, Ei picked this sword for you?" Makoto's attention was drawn to the plain iron katana attached to the belt on his waist. This would not do, her newest follower would need a sword far better than this that could complement a warrior of his skill.

"This sword is fine," Osuke assured her. He had long since trained himself to be able to fight with or without a weapon. It's a necessity since no matter what kind of weapon he obtained in one cycle, it would not follow him into the subsequent cycles once he passed on. It was why he learned how to manifest weapons using elemental energy, usually through cryo, hydro, or geo.

Furthermore, physical objects would serve no other purpose than being a symbol of sentiment, making him dwell on the past and unable to face the future. The things he gained in one cycle should end and stay in that cycle. Like this, it would be easier to depart and head for the next one.

She stopped in her tracks, causing him to pause his steps as well and was surprised when she turned around unexpectedly to look him in the eyes, as though trying to search for an answer through it. After a moment, she turned away and sighed. For what reason, he does not know.

"Come," she beckoned and he followed. They returned to the Tenshukaku or more specifically, the armoury. As the Shogun she has unrestricted access to the best weapons ever crafted by the some of the best swordsmith that Inazuma birthed.

Makoto is not an expert in the art of combat like her younger twin, but she had seen and experienced enough to put her theoretical knowledge on the same level as a swordmaster. One particular sword caught her eye. She picked it up, carefully dusting it off and after appraising it, found it satisfactory to be given as a gift.

"Here, this is yours now. Don't even think about rejecting the gift, it's a crime by law to reject a gift given by the Shogun and I expect you to bring it with you at all times," she half-joked as she presented him a sword as gently beautiful as the ocean at night. The sword is a pale blue, its hamon as beautiful as rippling water. It is the sibling sword of the famed Haran Geppaku Futsu which now serves as the family heirloom of the Kamisato Clan of the Yashiro Commission.

"Its name is Hasui Geppaku Futsu. It has a sibling sword, the Haran Geppaku Futsu, but that sword has been in the possession of the Yashiro Commission ever since I gifted the sword to them about a century ago in appreciation of their services to Inazuma," Makoto explained. Unknowing to her, Osuke was observing the sword in surprise because he recognised it almost immediately since the Hasui Geppaku Futsu looked very similar to the Haran Geppaku Futsu. The Haran Geppaku Futsu was Ayato's personal blade, it was the Kamisato Clan's prized family heirloom that had been passed down from one generation to another for centuries.

He never expected to come into possession of the Haran Geppaku Futsu's sibling sword.

"Thank you, I will treasure this," he replied sincerely. It's been a long time since he received a gift from anyone, especially a gift like the Hasui Geppaku Futsu whose value cannot be measured with mora. Ayato's Haran Geppaku Futsu truly is an astounding blade and as its sibling sword, the Hasui Geppaku Futsu wouldn't be in any way inferior to it.

"Come now, we are friends, there's no need to be so formal," Makoto's laugh was like the chirp sung by the songbirds at the first ray of the morning sun.

The only person who was not at all happy was the kagemusha, who kept sending Osuke venomous glares whenever Makoto's back was turned. Osuke would forever remember how dark Ei's face had turned when she first spotted the Hasui Geppaku Futsu hanging from his waist.

"What a waste, the user's skill does not match the worth of the sword," she would often say when they walked past each other and saw the glaringly attractive blade that Osuke hung by his waist. She may have acknowledged his skills to be on par with some of the top tier samurais Inazuma had ever produced, but she would never acknowledge him to be good enough to be able to protect her beloved twin.

"Ara~ I had never seen Ei being jealous of anyone before!"

The petite and deceptively dainty girl comfortably lounging about in the Shogun's office as though it was her own home was in fact, an oni with two large horns on her forehead that cannot be missed. This is Mikoshi Chiyo, a close ally of the Raiden Shogun and a close friend of the twin archons. Makoto often described her to be "as lovely as the moon".

"I'm not jealous," Ei reiterated through gritted teeth. Makoto simply smiled at the sight while the fox envoy from the Hakushin Clan had no such reservations. She simply howled in laughter.

"Oh this is gold!" Kitsune Saiguu would exclaim through peals of laughter with tears forming at the corner of her eyes and continuously slapping her thigh with her palm. Perched comfortably on Saiguu's shoulder is the little pink fox with a gluttonous appetite with an unending love for fried tofu.

"Makoto~ Where did you find this cutie?" Chiyo whined coyly while pulling at Osuke's cheeks with her fingers. Osuke really wanted to escape the oni's grasp but her strength was too overwhelming and her grip iron-clad. He is at her mercy.

"Mt Yougou," Makoto replied, sipping on her tea in the immaculate and perfectly ladylike etiquette that she was known for. "He managed to land a scratch on Ei."

"Whoa."

"He didn't scratch me, he just managed to cut a small tear on my sleeve," Ei huffed with her arms crossed over her chest, an action that Osuke would never imagine the esteemed (future) Shogun to ever do. Is she actually pouting?

"That's still very impressive!" Chiyo exclaimed. "No human had ever done that before!"

"Maybe Ei's skills are starting to rust," Saiguu joked, only to find the blade of the Engulfing Lightning resting near her neck in the next second.

"I beg your pardon?" Ei asked in an ominous voice, her expression darker than the thunderstorm that was starting to brew outside… Wait, a thunderstorm? It was sunny outside just seconds ago.

"I-I-I was kidding! A joke, a joke!" Saiguu quickly denied everything and Ei finally put her weapon aside after Saiguu pleaded mercy. The skies started to clear as the rays of the sun started to shine back down upon Inazuma City once more. Okay, so it really wasn't his imagination.

"I'm going to let you in on a very biiiig secret," Chiyo would whisper to him at a volume that everybody could actually hear, but most of them were already tipsy or outright drunk after a long night of drinking. Only Makoto and him were still sober because Makoto barely touched her cup while he did not drink a single sip of alcohol since he was technically still on guard duty. It is now his job to guard Makoto.

"Ei is a big nerd," Chiyo slurred through her words, punctuating with a hiccup or two every few seconds. "A complete shut-in. She cannot cook to save her life and she's married to her naginata. And she loooooves sweets. She will have them for three meals a day for seven days a week if she ever has her way."

Osuke nervously glanced back at where Ei was sitting. Thankfully, the younger twin was already out like a light, sitting silently on her seat with her head nodding off periodically. Who knows what the violent twin would do if she heard Chiyo's words? He wants no part of the resulting mess, thank you very much.

"It's been so long since I last saw them smiling like that," Makoto sighed softly after they had finished sending them back to their respective rooms and he accompanied her to do some moon watching at the roof of Tenshukaku. "They hadn't been the same ever since Sasayuri perished in the civil war against Orobashi. That was more than a thousand years ago."

"Sasayuri?"

"He's a tengu, previously the general of the Shogunate army, also known as the Great Tengu of Yougou. He would have loved to meet you. Well, probably challenged you to a duel too while he's at it," Makoto had a faint smile on her face as she said that. It's a full moon tonight, the silver glow of the moon bathing down on them in a gentle shine.

"I had enough of duels," Osuke suppressed the shiver climbing up his spine when the memories of his demise from his sixth cycle briefly resurfaced. Makoto simply giggled into her hand, thinking that he was recalling his first ever spar with Ei.

"In any case, I'm glad to have met you," Makoto said wistfully. "I know the lifespan of humans is short but… Do me a favour and live to a ripe old age, okay?"

"Nobody can promise anyone that."

"Tsk, what an unamorous man," Makoto uncharacteristically clicked her tongue but there's no hiding the teasing tone in her voice.

Like the eternity the land represents, the days that passed by were similar and unchanging, almost like a blink in the long passage of time. In the few years he had served Makoto as her kagemusha he came to forge deep bonds with her closest friends as well.

"See, I told you! Ei is a complete nerdy shut-in!" Chiyo proclaimed, perhaps a little too smugly about it, when they found her in a room within the Tenshukaku specifically furnished so that she could conduct her own research there. As to what the research was about, Osuke only knew that it relates to puppetry and it was knowledge that Chiyo had gifted to Ei through a document she had written herself, just not expecting that the younger twin would be so enamoured with the machinations of puppetry.

"She hadn't left the room for weeks," Saiguu sighed. The little pink fox which usually either followed her or Makoto around yipped twice in agreement. By now Osuke was almost ninety percent sure that the little troublemaking fox would be the future Yae Miko but he has no concrete proof.

Ei wasn't very happy to see them in her research room but they succeeded in pulling her out of there in the end. Osuke was surprised at Ei's topic of research when he gave her puppet blueprints a passing glance. He thought that she might be researching on how to create his future friend, Junjou, but the blueprints clearly indicated the makings of another puppet that he had a vague recollection about.

The Maguu Kenki.

In his nineteenth cycle when he was a member of the Kamisato Clan, Osuke had heard sayings that the Maguu Kenki was a malfunctioned and discarded machine built based on Iwakura Michihiro's Iwakura art. His affiliation with the Kamisato siblings allowed him access to information that was obscured from the public, that Iwakura Michihiro's true name was Mikoshi Michihiro, the eldest son of Mikoshi Chiyo of the Mikoshi clan and that he was an oni. It was why he wasn't surprised that Chiyo had knowledge of how to build a combat puppet.

As such, while Osuke had no idea who the original creator of the Maguu Kenki was, it definitely wasn't Ei. Now, however, Ei would end up being the creator of the Maguu Kenki if things were to progress as it is. He's unsure what he should think or feel about that.

Now, if only he didn't end up as the first test subject to test the puppet's combat capabilities, it would be perfect, but that is a story for another day.

"Hoho, back with the young man again? You are getting more and more beautiful with each passing day, Makoto, while an old woman like me only receive more and more wrinkles," the old lady at the teahouse chuckled while giving them both the look of understanding as she walked to the back of her shop to prepare the refreshments. The old lady was definitely misunderstanding something but neither him nor Makoto had decided to clarify anything. The old lady would think however she wants no matter what they say anyway.

"Don't say that, you are still very beautiful," Makoto returned the compliment in her usual graceful demeanour. "We will be setting off on a journey tomorrow so we won't be able to visit you for a while."

"Ah, is that so? Do take good care of yourself, dear. It's not exactly safe outside the city," the old lady replied in genuine concern and soon left the two alone with their refreshments.

"Have you been to Watatsumi before?" Makoto asked. Osuke had told her that he had been to several nations before which would explain why he knew combat arts from so many different places with each of them having a distinctive style. She had also asked him once where his birthplace is but all he did was to give her a faint smile and he did not elaborate further.

She understood that his home is a taboo topic for him and so she did not pry. Besides, he had no need to answer.

She already knew the answer. What she wanted to hear wasn't an "answer", but his "trust" with her, and "willingness" to be at peace with himself.

But it's fine, they still have time. She still has time.

"No," Osuke replied. Truthfully, he's curious about Watatsumi since everyone he met that had been there before had nothing but praises for the beauty of its landscape. He will be following Makoto to Watatsumi tomorrow as well. She will be there for negotiations and peace talks with the representative of the Sangonomiya clan that led Watatsumi Island.

Nobody really expected the talks to proceed smoothly due to the deep-seated animosity between the people of Watatsumi Island that worship Orobashi and the people of Narukami that worship the Raiden Shogun, and there's also the fact that Orobashi was slain by the Shogun to consider. While the actual person to slay Orobashi was in fact Ei instead of Makoto, there's no difference in the eyes of the public. To them, Ei and Makoto are one and the same. To them, it was Makoto, the Shogun, who killed Orobashi.

But the fact that a talk could be held already meant progress, and Makoto is a gentle soul who would not give up the chance that might promise the possibility that peace might grace upon the two opposing factions once more. Naturally, Osuke would tag along as Makoto's kagemusha as per his duty. Ei would have tagged along too but Makoto had instructed her to remain at Narukami to oversee its affairs in her absence.

Ei wasn't pleased at the arrangement and that was putting it lightly.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Watatsumi Island was already in view long before the ship that they were on could reach the island. Plants and trees grew densely over the island with distinctively different colours from the usual fauna found at Narukami. Gigantic corals could be seen growing from rocky ledges as though they were a part of the natural geography of the island. The entire island truly looked as if they were an underwater palace that had been brought up to the surface.

"Breathtaking," Osuke agreed, unable to tear his eyes away from the wondrous sight. Unfortunately, he's here on a job, not sightseeing.

"Welcome to Watatsumi, esteemed Shogun. I am the current Divine Priestess of Watatsumi, Sangonomiya Sayomi, and on behalf of our people, we warmly welcome your arrival."

The current Divine Priestess of this era didn't look like anyone Osuke remembered from the future, but he supposed there's still a small bit of resemblance between her and Kokomi due to the similar colour of their hair. Makoto nodded in acknowledgement of Sayomi's greeting as she allowed Sayomi to lead her further into the heart of the island where the Sangonomiya Shrine was built. It will be where the peace talks will be held in private.

While the Shogun and the Divine Priestess looked as if they were in an amicable relationship with all the idle chatting they were having on their way to the shrine, it didn't escape the notice of the Shogun's guards that there were a considerable number of Watatsumi residents who were eyeing them with open hostility. Osuke was on full alert as well, recalling Ei's warning that this "peace talk" might very well be a well-disguised ambush by the people of Watatsumi in revenge for their fallen god.

Per a prior agreement, both Sayomi and Makoto were only allowed to bring two guards each with them into the private room within the shrine where the talks will be held. Osuke was one of Makoto's chosen guards, the other was a tengu within the Shogunate who had recently risen to power much like how his ancestor Sasayuri once did.

The worst came to pass, much to their greatest fear and regret.

It was halfway into the talks and there was little warning moments before it happened. Osuke had drawn his sword out of instinct honed from years of experience more than anything else, instantly putting himself in front of Makoto and deflected an attack that was aimed at Makoto's vitals. A dark miasma flooded the entire room, one that felt revoltingly evil just by being in its presence.

"Be careful! It's the Tatarigami!"

The warning from Osuke's fellow guard helped him to identify the evil miasma. Tatarigami, a curse that plagued Yashiori Island and formed from the will and power of Orobashi when it was slain at the island. Its mere presence causes sickness and calamities around the island and Osuke cannot help but wonder just how on earth the assassins managed to "import" the Tatarigami from Yashiori over to Watatsumi without going insane themselves. Tatarigami is well-known for driving its victims into insanity and as far as the Shogunate is aware, only Vision bearers or people with some form of elemental sensitivity possess a degree of resistance to the harmful effects.

"Solidify."

A jade shield enveloped Osuke and his companions upon his whisper, the signature technique of the Geo Archon manifesting to life at his command. If he had turned to look back he would have spotted the shocked but strangely, not entirely surprised expression on Makoto's face. She recognised that technique, being friends with the oldest archon when the Seven had their gathering over at Liyue.

What Osuke just displayed further affirmed her suspicions.

The Tatarigami was unable to penetrate the jade shield and was also able to prevent any of them from coming to physical harm. A violent crackle of electro coated Osuke's blade as he lunged and a swing of his sword not only forcefully parted the Tatarigami, but also separated the heads of the assassins from their bodies.

"You have much explaining to do, Divine Priestess."

Osuke's voice was cold and emotionless, his Hasui Geppaku Futsu looking as pristine as the day he received it from Makoto despite having drank blood for the first time. The Tatarigami was quickly cleared when Makoto invoked her divine powers and purified it. While the assassins' idea to leverage on Tatarigami to assassinate her was certainly a novel one, it takes more than just that to kill a god. She could easily handle Tatarigami of that level.

"I… I have no idea. Please trust me, this is not my doing–"

"I will be the judge of that."

The fact that Makoto allowed him to do as he wished was her implicit approval for him to do things his way. He could tell that she too, wasn't pleased at this assassination attempt. They came here with sincerity, genuinely hoping to repair the relationship between their people and close the gap of distrust that was formed from a war more than a thousand years ago.

Yet, this was what they received in return. Makoto may be a gentle god, but she is not without a temper and neither would she allow herself to be a pushover. There's a very good reason why she ended up as the victor of the Archon War in Inazuma instead of the other countless gods that once roamed this land.

All Schemes to Know

Osuke had never liked to use Nahida's technique to read the minds of people, finding the idea of intruding into the privacy of another a very rude thing to do. Even if he had to do it, he's perfectly capable of doing so without the target realising that their thoughts have been read.

However, the very idea of Makoto almost coming to harm under his watch had greatly angered him and so he made no attempt to be gentle in his mind reading. He knows she is an archon and she is perfectly capable of protecting herself and is leagues above him in terms of skill and strength, but she was not just his archon but also his dear friend. Nobody would be happy if their close friend nearly came to harm.

What he does know was that if Makoto had come to harm, he would have rinsed Watatsumi in blood and sent the people here to reunite with their beloved serpent god.

"... She's telling the truth," Osuke reluctantly gave his verdict after reading Sayomi's mind without her consent. Sayomi slumped over the table, heaving for breath and her head felt like it had been hit repeatedly by a sledgehammer. Osuke was being purposely crude in his mind reading in revenge for Sayomi's oversight for the lack of security in this meeting venue.

Makoto sighed and stood up.

"Sayomi, I trust you when you say that you are not aware of this attempted assassination on my person. However, I am also greatly disappointed. Let's hold this talk again when your people's animosity towards Narukami allows us to talk civilly without needing to fear the possibility of another assassination attempt."

The Electro Archon turned on her heel and left the room and her guards followed suit. The atmosphere was painfully tense when they stepped out of the shrine as everyone in the area was alerted to the commotion. Makoto's entourage was surrounding the place with the Sangonimiya's guards pointing their weapons at them in turn per their duty to guard the shrine. Tensions were running high and things were about to erupt in a huge fight until Makoto stepped out and made her appearance.

"Move."

Her word came out as a bare whisper yet it was heard by all like roaring thunder. Makoto exuded a regal presence of exalted authority like the Shogun she is, one that brook no attempts of being challenged. The Sangonomiya guards who had no idea what truly happened within the shrine took a step back with every step she took forward, instinctively parting the way for her as she calmly and gracefully exited the shrine, rejoining her entourage as they quickly surrounded her in a protective circle and followed after their ruler.

"To Yashiori Island," Makoto commanded when they boarded the ship that they used to arrive at Watatsumi Island. The ship's crew quickly raised the sails and set course for the destination that Makoto ordered. Makoto remained on deck, seated on a wooden chair as she silently looked over the vast sea of Inazuma with Osuke standing by her side.

Osuke broke out of his reverie when Makoto lightly tugged on his sleeve from where she was seated.

"There's no need to stay mad for so long. I didn't come to harm," a warm smile greeted Osuke when he looked down. That smile instantly parted the dark clouds in his heart.

"You could have been hurt. That was the Tatarigami."

The essence of Tatarigami is not unlike the effects of evil karma that plagues Liyue. Memories of how Xiao and his yaksha friends had suffered under its curse still resurface from time to time. Tatarigami is not something to be underestimated and must be taken very seriously.

Likewise, in his opinion whoever attempts to taint another with Tatarigami deserves nothing but a punishment worse than death.

"They would need to expose me to Tatarigami with a dosage of a hundred times much more concentrated than that to even start trying to corrupt me with it," Makoto shook her head in fond exasperation before releasing a sigh. "But I already had a feeling that the talks would not reach the conclusion that I wanted when we first stepped foot on the island. The hostility we were receiving was too much for our people to truly reconcile with each other. It would probably take a few more centuries before the hostility lessened to a level where peace talks between us can take place once more."

"Peace will come one day," Osuke agreed, knowing that the two factions will take steps to reconcile with each other after the revocation of the Vision Hunt Decree. Like Makoto had predicted, that will be something that will happen centuries later.

"Not asking why we are heading to Yashiori Island?"

"It's to check on the wards sealing Orobashi's soul that's causing the Tatarigami, am I right?"

"Correct. I'm afraid that the assassins might have tried to tamper with the wards in their attempt to harvest and collect Tatarigami and subsequently brought it over to Watatsumi. If that is so, I would need to repair the wards as soon as possible or calamity would befall the area. There are human settlements at Yashiori Island if I recall. The well-being of the people living there is now my foremost concern after seeing how the Tatarigami was being used in the assassination attempt."

They understood that the wards were certainly being tampered with when they arrived at Yashiori Island. The island looked like it was at the mercy of a calamity resulting from the lingering curse of a god when they arrived, so Makoto had disembarked to deal with the matter personally. The ship was docked at a relatively safe spot far away from the effects of Tatarigami and since only Vision-bearers or people with elemental sensitivity are able to resist the effects of corruption, she only brought Osuke with him as her guard.

"Your Excellency, let me follow you too! I swear I will not be a burden!"

"Osuke will be sufficient. You do not have a vision and while you are able to harness the power of elements without it, it's not enough to resist the effects of the Tatarigami." Makoto politely declined the request of her tengu guard to follow after her into the depths of Yashiori Island. She has no wish for her followers to go raving mad once they enter the depths of the island where the concentration of Tatarigami are denser.

"Guard our ship well and wait for our return. Meanwhile, offer aid to the residents of Yashiori Island in whatever way you can, that is an order."

"... Understood, Your Excellency."

A perpetual thunderstorm covered the entire island and from what they heard from the locals, it's been about a week since this strange phenomenon had happened. Victims of prolonged exposure to Tatarigami typically cause mysterious and untreatable illnesses in humans. Physical effects include random unstoppable bleeding from orifices, fevers, constant migraines, rashes, as well as dizziness and weakness. Psychological effects include auditory hallucinations and insanity. Already, there were people that were nearing the brink of insanity in this one short week since the wards were being tampered with.

Osuke could tell that a silent anger was simmering within Makoto. The Divine Priestess of Watatsumi may not be responsible for this, but the selfish actions of her people had resulted in innocents getting hurt. The people of Yashiori Island are people who worship the Electro Archon and they are Makoto's followers. She's not happy that they became victims of the actions committed by people from Watatsumi Island.

She created a parasol out of thin air like how she did when he first accompanied her to her favourite teahouse. The pair walked deeper into the island amidst the pouring storm and swirling Tatarigami with Osuke holding up the parasol for her and Makoto leading the way.

"That was Rex Lapis' and Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's techniques you used back there," Makoto finally broached the topic Osuke was expecting her to bring up when they were deeper into Yashiori Island and out of earshot of anyone else.

"I have travelled to many places."

"And met both the Geo and Dendro archon?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I said so."

"I will," she stopped to look up at him, her eyes clear and sincere, "because if it's you who said so, I will believe you."

Osuke remained silent, not knowing what else to say and also quickly finding that it's impossible for him to continue to look at Makoto's violet eyes. He averted his gaze and as if empathising with the awkward feeling that he's facing, Makoto looked away and resumed her steps.

"How did you meet them anyway?" Makoto asked and Osuke briefly struggled on deciding to tell her which version of Morax and Buer he had met. He's a little confused about why Makoto believed All Schemes to Know was Rukkhadevata's instead of Nahida's technique since he had never learnt Rukkhadevata's techniques, but considering that both Dendro Archons were literally cut from the branches of the same tree, it wouldn't be too far of a stretch to believe that they possess very similar abilities.

Nahida and Rukkhadevata very likely shared the same divine name too due to Irminsul's influence, if he had to hazard a guess.

"I met Morax through an adeptus. I met Buer through the Akademiya," he eventually decided since those were technically the truth. "I had also asked them if they knew why I could harness all seven elements but they had no idea either."

Makoto fell silent after hearing Osuke's words. She did remember him asking her if she had any knowledge in regards to his oddity shortly after he became a part of her retinue but similar to the two other archons, her vast knowledge wasn't of help in providing a plausible explanation behind this strange phenomenon. If even Buer was unable to figure out the reason, she doubts anyone else could.

The four wards keeping the Tatarigami at bay were located at Fort Fujitou, Serpent's Head, Jakotsu Mine, and Fort Mumei respectively, also collectively known as the Narukami Pillars. Due to the large stretch of distance between each location it took them two whole weeks to finally repair all four wards and quell the calamity plaguing Yashiori Island. Each ward requires its corresponding Rock Pillar Pearl and Rock Pillar Warding Stone to be fully functional and Makoto had to recreate them with her own powers when the originals were missing from the wards and unable to be located. That contributed to the extended length of time needed to repair the wards too.

"Look carefully," Makoto told him as she displayed to him the spells needed to cast a Thunder Barrier using the power of electro to encase the wards within so that they would no longer be susceptible to external interference. She had shown him all that he needed to know to repair the Narukami Pillars and it was knowledge that Osuke swiftly absorbed.

The follow-up work was left to the Tri-Commission after they returned back to Inazuma City. The peaceful days that Osuke had grown accustomed to returned in that usual slow lull. The only difference was that Ei was not pleased that her twin was on the receiving end of an assassination and that she wasn't there to defend her. What eventually turned out from that was Ei dragging Osuke to spar with her every single day. In her words, if he wants to continue guarding her sister as a kagemusha he needs to be a thousand times better than he is now.

And who else would be a more qualified instructor in Inazuman combat arts than the other half of the Electro Archon?

"Hmph, passable," was Ei's verdict when she took three minutes longer than the last time to disarm Osuke. As usual, her lessons will not involve the usage of elemental energies. They would spar using nothing but plain steel blades.

"Did Ei bully you again?" Makoto would teasingly ask when Osuke rejoined her after his daily sparring session with Ei. On Makoto's side, they would have daily tea sessions and walk around the city incognito whenever she took a break from her work.

"She set me up against her Maguu Kenki, then it was a duel with her right after," Osuke felt exhausted just by recalling that recent memory. It's a miracle how he's still alive but he wouldn't argue against the results. There's a considerable breakthrough in his swordsmanship and polemanship in the five years that he had undergone the inhuman training under Ei's supervision day in and day out. He hadn't met another fellow human being within the borders of Inazuma who could beat him in a duel.

"Poor thing," Makoto lamented exaggeratedly before standing up from her seat, "but I guess your body and mind is now strong enough to learn what I had been wanting to teach you for a while now. Follow me, Osuke. There's something I want to teach you."

They walked out of Inazuma City, crossed the Byakko Plain, and soon reached Mt Yougou where they first met. However, she did not bring him up to the top of Mt Yougou but rather, brought him to a secret cavern right below the Grand Narukami Shrine.

"This is a domain I created, the Plane of Euthymia. The Plane of Euthymia consists of my consciousness and is where I stored a considerable part of my power in the event of an emergency where I am not around to defend Inazuma," Makoto briefly explained as she undid the spells from a torii gate that sealed off the entrance to her domain. "This will be where I will be teaching you the final technique that Ei created for me, the Musou no Hitotachi. Afterwhich, I will impart to you the newer version of her secret technique, the Musou Shinsetsu."

"Wait, this–"

"Are you doubting the decisions made by your archon?" She interrupted him with faux anger before quickly mellowing out into a smile. "Don't worry, this was not a decision made on impulse. You told me that you had the ability to briefly influence time, didn't you? The Musou no Hitotachi had a similar effect. Perhaps you might be able to better understand the unexplainable talent you have after learning this technique. I just need you to understand this before we proceed, Osuke, that due to your mortal constitution this technique would serve as either a finishing blow when you need to put your enemy down for good, or when you require a last resort if you found yourself with your back against the wall. As you are now, using this technique will take a lot out of you, such that it would most likely render you defenceless until you recover from its side effects. I doubt you would ever be able to forge your own Musou Isshin like how I did; even I had taken centuries to achieve that, but I don't need you to be able to forge the real thing. You just need a watered down copy that can serve its intended purpose."

Makoto stepped ahead before turning around to face him several metres away. She closed her eyes and took a stance, holding her dominant hand in a gripping motion over her chest as a violet flash of electro burst forth. She pulled in a drawing motion and a pulsing sword of electro came into existence. While Makoto is not a true fighter like her younger twin, that does not mean that she's an unskilled warrior. She is still powerful enough to easily slay any lesser god without breaking a sweat.

The sword in her hand, the Musou Isshin, is a sword born from Makoto's divine might. Powerful yet unsharpened, a true representation of its owner who never yearned to battle. The existence of the sword was more of a symbol of peace than an instrument of conflict.

"Draw Hasui Geppaku Futsu, Osuke. You will need it if you wish to exit my Plane of Euthymia in one piece. I am ultimately a god, and even using just a bare fraction of my full power is enough to make any mortal crumble."

There was nothing else Osuke could do or say when Makoto had taken things to this extent. He drew the blade that people now associated with him, also surging the power of electro through it like how Makoto was doing to Mushou Isshin.

"Remember, Osuke. Don't blink, don't hesitate, don't waver."

What followed was an unending clash of swords with Makoto that never seemed to come to an end. Osuke couldn't tell how long had passed and neither was he able to tell day from night. All he knew was that he was in constant combat with Makoto who had shed her gentle nature and came at him with the force of thunder. In the years that he had come to know her he had never once seen her draw her blade for combat until this moment.

He couldn't remember when and how he exited the Plane of Euthymia. All he recalled was that a pulsing sword of thunder manifested in his hand as he slashed it down at Makoto shortly before he blacked out. As to what happened thereafter, he didn't have the foggiest idea.

He just knew that when he opened his eyes he's back in his room at Tenshukaku. If it wasn't for his sore and aching muscles protesting in pain when he tried to sit up he would have mistaken that surreal experience to be a passing dream. Yet, the knowledge and experience that's now firmly imprinted in his mind is as real as it gets.

He was taught the techniques of a god.

"You treat him awfully well, Makoto. Too well," Ei complained to her twin one fine night when they were alone. The insufferable Chiyo kept saying that she's jealous of how much concern Makoto was showing Osuke, something which Ei vehemently denied. Why would she be jealous of a mortal whose lifespan will eventually pass in the blink of an eye?

"He's worth it," Makoto replied with a serene grace as she refilled their teacups, a content smile on her face. Osuke had never addressed her as his archon just as how she never addressed him as her subordinate; he's the only person in the entire Shogunate who never referred to her by her title as "Your Excellency".

"You don't do things without reason. Just why?" Ei questioned, utterly unable to bring herself to understand why her twin did the things she did. Makoto is a peaceful and gentle soul but she's not the type to be emotionally driven to the point that she makes impulsive decisions.

"My authority is "Eternity"," Makoto answered with a seemingly irrelevant statement. Everyone in Teyvant knows that the Electro Archon of Inazuma is the God of Eternity.

"We know."

"The day I ascended to Celestia and was granted their power and the throne of the Electro Archon, I gained new abilities too. I didn't like to use it though," Makoto slowly elaborated. "Of course, you weren't aware. At that point you had destroyed your own body for my sake so that I could ascend to Celestia. Back then, I hadn't reconstructed your body yet. I don't think you are aware of this ability of mine either, seeing that the number of times I used it since I became an archon was less than the fingers on a single hand."

"What ability is that?"

"What do you think is eternity, Ei?" Makoto answered her twin's question with another question.

"Only through Eternity are you closest to the Heavenly Principles, that was what you told me," Ei answered without hesitation. "If we want to understand the Heavenly Principles, to obtain power–"

"Yes, I did tell you that, but you are missing the point," Makoto shook her head. "Ei, what to you, is eternity?"

"Never changing."

"A never changing stasis? I won't say that you are wrong," Makoto nodded her head, "but to me, "eternity" goes deeper than that. To me, eternity is the coalescence of all fleeting moments of transience. All things in this world are fleeting in nature, and only by realising the fragility of things in front of you makes you want to treasure them even more. Like how I have the luxury to enjoy this mundane yet philosophical discussion with you now, is also a form of "eternity". Why? Because this moment of transience would eventually be included into the long stretch of infinity that is "eternity.""

A brief silence fell upon the sisters and Makoto cannot help but laugh at her twin's dumbstruck expression. Clearly, she did not understand most of what Makoto just said.

"How about I ask you a simpler question? What concept, or law, in this world, is absolutely "eternal"? Something that cannot be changed, overwritten, or defied?"

"... Life and death?" Ei answered after some thought.

"Yes, you are correct. There are many things that could be defied or overwritten if you possess a power of a higher order, but nobody is an exception to the eternal cycle of life and death. Not you, not me, no one. We all will pass on and return to the earth one day. The existence of the concept of "erosion" imposed by them will ensure that death will one day claim us all. Ironic, isn't it? That I, the God of Eternity, am not eternal."

"Makoto," Ei said with a slight frown, not liking how Makoto is taking the idea of her possible death so lightly.

"We have to learn to accept the fragility of things, Ei," Makoto said with a gentle smile. "Why is this so? Because the Heavenly Principles dictate that nothing is allowed to be eternal except for the cycle of life and death. Do you know? When I first ascended and received my Gnosis I was given a warning: Every mighty and ancient city, and every austere place of sacrifice must one day return to profundity in the earth."

"That sounds like a threat."

"In a way, it was. My authority over "eternity" is in conflict with the rules that those above held sacred and it's why they are wary of me. They said: At the end of a cycle, the earth shall be renewed. Thus, Eternity is cyclical. That is their understanding of eternity and I agree, true eternity could only exist as a concept or a belief. No other object or person could truly be "eternal" otherwise, at least not in this world and not to my current understanding."

"If we are in conflict with them…" Ei's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"You have to understand that everybody has lines that they wish nobody would cross. Those above are no different. To them, there are two such lines. The first line happens to be how they defined "eternity" and how their definition cannot be challenged. The second line was that nobody in this world shall scheme to enter the garden of the gods. You should have already known that before the seven nations were recognised there were many ancient civilisations that had already flourished in eras long past, even before we existed, even before the concept of Archons existed. There were civilisations that had also once flourished under their rule and blessings. They had promised to the people divine love, prosperity and wisdom but how did such ancient civilisations ultimately meet their end? They received divine punishment. Why? Because they questioned the definition of eternity and to question eternity was forbidden. We are beings that live on the earth and to them, for earth to challenge the sky, is inexpiable. Hadn't you noticed?"

"Noticed?"

"The common traits shared by these ancient civilisations right before they met their end," Makoto elaborated. "Each one of them, without fail, had transgressed the boundaries set by them, knowingly or unknowingly. They had either become close to or had threatened "eternity", or had entered the "garden of gods". That's why they were punished and their civilisations erased. They wouldn't allow such secrets to become common knowledge."

Makoto took a slight pause to allow some time for her words to sink into Ei before she continued.

"Ironically, the most populous organisms in Teyvat are humans. Humans are such interesting creatures, aren't they? So short-lived, yet burning so brightly. They exist to seek. It's like their purpose for being alive is to seek because they have a thirst for knowledge that cannot be quenched. That's curiosity. With curiosity then comes motivation, with motivation comes ambition, and with ambition then comes change. Following so far?"

Ei nodded.

"But if you take a step back to think, isn't change the antithesis to eternity? Humans are beings that seek truth and change. If humans are indeed their creation, why would they create the subjects that they rule over to possess that one trait that would drive them to actively subvert their "law"? Celestia's act of distributing visions is very strange too, don't you think so? For the act of receiving a vision is a recognition of a person's ambition, the precursor to change. Humans' ambitions would one day drive them to obtain knowledge beyond the acceptable threshold that they had set. The extinct civilisations that existed and fell before Inazuma's creation are already sufficient proof. There's one near Mondstadt, once a proud nation of spring that became covered with frost after receiving its punishment. One day, Ei. One day in the far future, our subjects would possess the ambition, the drive, the knowledge and the means to seek out the truth of the unknown. What lies beyond life and death? What is eternity? As civilisations progress there will be more and more people who question and seek such answers, it's an inevitable development of humanity if they wish to progress. When that time comes for Inazuma, where shall we, as their archon, stand? In defence of Inazuma and our people? Or upholders of the Heavenly Principles' definition of "Eternity"? It's a choice that both of us would have to make one day."

"We… had been at odds with… them? From the beginning?" Ei had trouble digesting the truth but her twin's nod sealed the confirmation.

"Because we are the Gods of Eternity, gods that govern over the principle that is closest unto the Heavens. We threaten the laws they imposed onto this world simply by existing. None of us would meet a kind end, Ei, we have to be mentally prepared for that and so do our people. It is human nature to want to understand and escape the cycle of life and death, it is human nature to want to enter the garden of gods and seek knowledge that is deemed forbidden. It's not just an Inazuma problem. Mondstadt, Liyue, Sumeru, Fontaine, Natlan, Snezhnaya; they will all one day face the same problem too once their civilisation reaches a certain level of progress. This is because the root of the problem stems from the conflict between human nature to seek the truth and their intolerance for anything that threatens their "law". We are just at a higher risk of being targeted by virtue of the divine authority that we hold."

"Only through Eternity are you closest to the Heavenly Principles…" Ei whispered. The meaning of that statement never felt heavier after Makoto's explanation. Humans' desire to seek the truth for the unknown are wired to their very being of existence. Even if they know that it's dangerous, even if they know that nothing good will come out from it, they will still do it like moths to a flame. The closer you approach it, the higher the risk of you getting burned.

Yet, based on the kagemusha's understanding of humanity she knew that there is no stopping humanity in their pursuit of the truth, just like the moths that approached the burning flame because they yearned for the light and warmth the flame provides.

It's like her twin had said. When that time inevitably comes, Inazuma will be at odds with the Heavenly Principles. What should she and Makoto do then? Inazuma is their nation and her people their subjects so there's no doubt that they will always stand by Inazuma, but to go against the Heavenly Principles? That's suicide!

There's no way Inazuma can go against the Heavenly Principles, at least not now and not in the near future.

"Do we have a plan?" She cannot help but ask. If Makoto already understood all of this she must have a plan, right?

"I'm trying," Makoto answered. "And I think we had heavily side tracked from what started this conversation, didn't we? Why did you think I gave Osuke such preferential treatment? I told you it's because of the power I received when I became the Electro Archon. Eternity is the collection of the countless moments of transience. My power is to be able to view these moments of transience in almost every lifeform in this world. I don't know how else to explain it in a simple way you can understand, but I guess it wouldn't be wrong to understand it as the ability to "read snippets of memories". It's somewhat similar to Rukkhadevata's power to influence and read memories, but fundamentally different."

"Read… snippets of memories? You read Osuke's memories?"

"It wasn't intentional," Makoto explained. "I refrained from using this ability because it's an infringement of one's privacy. I wouldn't like it if my memories were read without my consent too, but this power… there are times where it activates involuntarily. Osuke was one such instance and through his memories…"

Makoto released a sigh.

"He… deserves better."

"Makoto?"

"As both his friend and archon, I wish this cycle – this fleeting moment of transience– would be gentle for him. Whatever that he went through, whatever calamities that befell him, those were things that nobody should ever experience. That's why I wish to help. I wish to give him an environment that could give him peace, a moment that would turn into a happy memory, a place where he can find solace and call home, but I also know he will not stay here forever. The best form of support I could give him was to equip him with knowledge and skills that can be of use to him for his subsequent tribulations. It's also through his memories that I see another possibility for Inazuma."

"Another possibility?"

"A possibility to defy fate," Makoto smiled at the memory when she first learnt of the knowledge of how Fontaine defied their curse and of how he saved the people of Sal Vindagnyr. Egeria would be proud of her successor.

"If it's inevitable that we will one day be at odds with them, I think I now know what steps I should start taking to remove the shackles that bind us. This throne, I don't care who wants to sit on it but I don't want it anymore. The throne that binds me– that binds Inazuma to them– shall fall one day. That, I wholeheartedly believe."

But, the time's not now, Makoto completed her sentence in the recesses of her mind. If her fate really was to die in the Battle of Khaenri'ah in the future then she would make the best use out of her death. Already, the godless nation was already exhibiting signs that the other ancient fallen civilisations had once displayed before being destroyed by the Heavenly Principles. She believed it wouldn't be long before the fateful day arrived.

If she has to die either way, using that opportunity to do what Focalors would one day do wouldn't be a bad idea. When her power allowed her to accidentally read Osuke's previous moments of transience she started to understand that for as long as Inazuma is bound to Celestia through her, who is bound to the divine throne of the Electro Archon, Inazuma would always be at Celestia's whim and mercy. Focalors had the right idea all along and for that, she would forever be impressed at her sheer bravery, wisdom, and courage.

Now, Makoto has a plan on how she could possibly save Inazuma or at least, reduce the ways in which Celestia could hold her beloved nation at their mercy. However, she has to choose to enact her plan at the right timing where her nation and loved ones will not be on the receiving end of their retribution.

As Rukkhadevata likes to say, knowledge is power. Makoto knew from Osuke's memories that Celestia would be inactive after the Cataclysm and that had remained true in all of his cycles till date. These are favourable odds and so she will gamble on that possibility, the possibility to save Ei, to save her friends, and to save Inazuma.

Inazuma shall shine eternal.

"I don't understand everything you just said, but maybe I will be a little nicer to him going forward," Ei eventually decided and Makoto laughed.

"Ei."

"Yes?"

"If one day, I'm no longer around, can you remember what we talked about today?"

"What are you talking about? You won't die before me, I am your kagemusha."

Makoto simply smiled.

– Tales of a Hundred Cycles, Vol XXVI

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The scenery at Mt Yougou is unchanging, seemingly preserved in a state where it's constantly in both the past, present, and future all at the same time. The Grand Narukami Shrine sits upon the top of Mt Yougou where a divine sakura tree grew and it's frequented by many Inazumans who made the long trip there to have their wishes heard by the divine.

Unknown to them, their deity could often be found at the neighbouring peak of Mt Yougou just beside the one the Grand Narukami Shrine was built upon. Another sakura tree grew there, but it's simply a normal sakura tree unlike the divine one that the priestesses at the Grand Narukami Shrine took care of.

A woman with long violet hair and lavender yukata could often be seen under the tree if anybody were to actually scale and visit the neighbouring peak. She would sit silently at a wooden table under the sakura tree, watching the sakura petals fall long after the tea in her cup turns cold. Sometimes she could be seen carefully caressing and polishing a pale blue blade she placed on her lap, handling the blade with such care and caution as if it would break at the slightest pressure.

"Makoto."

The voice of her younger twin brought the Shogun's thoughts back to the present. A woman looking exactly like her stood by her side, the expression on her face one of worry and concern.

"Ei," Makoto greeted back with a smile, knowing exactly why her sister had come to find her.

"Makoto, it's… it's been five hundred years," Ei couldn't help but remind in hopes that it might finally persuade her to put her memories about Osuke behind her. Makoto always assured her that she's fine when this topic was brought up but Ei knew that she was never fine.

She's not fine. No one who had participated in the Cataclysm and lived through it could be fine.

"I know," Makoto closed her eyes, the fond memories she had with him briefly flashing through her mind before she opened them once more, "it's regretful I couldn't bring him back."

He had stayed in Inazuma for close to two decades when the Cataclysm finally arrived. She never knew how he knew what she planned to do. No, she was wrong, it would be strange if he did not know what she intended to do given the number of cycles that he had lived. He had found a way to somehow keep her at Inazuma and went to Khaenri'ah in her stead where he ultimately lost his life.

They were both aware that they both kept secrets from each other. It was an implicit understanding between them both throughout the time they spent together, a thin veil that neither of them tore down. She knew of his secrets but did not pry, he knew that she would one day choose to head for Khaenri'ah behind everyone's backs but spoke nothing of it.

She had fully planned on giving up her life that day. She had planned to use that opportunity to take advantage of Khaenri'ah's technological prowess to assist her plan in destroying the divine throne of the Electro Archon in the process. She took this inspiration from Focalors after she had accidentally read his memories through her power.

She never expected him to have a similar idea. Truly, he's her subject through and through. Even the idea they both had was similar down to the very letter.

"The power to influence time…" Makoto whispered, recalling how Osuke created miracles with the aid of her Gnosis by reverting time on her such that it preceded the point in time "before she became the Electro Archon" and thus, her life "was not bound to a divine throne". That sneaky man then proceeded to steal both her Gnosis and the seat of the divine throne from her and became the Electro Archon instead, effectively rewriting history, and head for Khaenri'ah to die in her stead. The divine seat of the Electro Archon was then permanently destroyed with his death and it's like they had suspected, there hadn't been a response from the Heavenly Principles. It's like they were asleep.

"If only I was stronger, more powerful, if only I had realised that he too had his own plans, he wouldn't have to go to Khaenri'ah in my stead, he wouldn't have to…"

She held up the Hasui Geppaku Futsu in her hands. His blade was the only keepsake that she had left to remember him, the object of reminder that highlighted her failure as an archon. The sword was shattered and broken when she finally was able to head for Khaenri'ah. She found the broken sword in the aftermath of the battle and she had her greatest swordsmiths repair it after she returned to Inazuma.

Now, the Hasui Geppaku Futsu in her hands looked no different from what she originally remembered it to be, a testament to the skills of her swordsmiths, but the blade never felt the same.

He's gone. Had been for the past five hundred years. She never had the chance to say the words that she wanted to say to him. She never had the chance to tell him that he could always confide in her, both as his friend and archon, and that if he ever meets an alternate version of her again in another cycle, he's always welcomed to come over, to say hello, to tell her that they had met before and that they are friends in another time and place and no matter which iteration of her he met, she will always believe him.

She will always be here for him. No longer as an archon, but as his friend.

"Ei."

"Yes?"

"I plan to go on a journey, I will leave Inazuma to you in my absence– I know what you want to say. Don't worry, I won't be gone for long. I just… need to be alone for a while."

"Where will you be heading?"

"I don't know," she hummed in thought. "He said that he had travelled to different nations before coming to Inazuma. Liyue, Mondstadt, Sumeru, Fontaine… I think I will walk these lands as well, see the sights that he had once seen and maybe visit a few old friends in the meantime. Maybe… Maybe this might allow me to meet him again one day, if reincarnation is indeed a thing."

Only through Eternity are you closest to the Heavenly Principles. She's ready to meet them, had been preparing for this inevitable for over five hundred years. Only time will tell if her decision to defy fate is as laughable and insignificant as moths to a flame or if she, the God of Eternity, could become an existence equatable to the Heavenly Principles.

As an archon, she's obliged to defend her nation and people.

As a friend, she desires vengeance against those who took those who she held dear away from her.

Celestia will have to be prepared to face her worst, for her vengeance shall be without mercy and reason. Inazuma shall shine eternal and as her deity, she will do everything in her power for it to be so. She is confident that she can prevail over even the principles that imposed the irrefutable laws over this world.

For she is the God of Eternity, Baal.