Raiden Ei felt her conviction waver, each crossing of blades, each meeting of eyes wearing away at a wall that she had been building up for five hundred years. And there were none more motivated to tear it apart brick-by-brick than the man who knew what was behind it the most.
Aether appeared to be on the other end of the spectrum. Throughout their fight that spanned eternity, he slowly exhausted all of his options, and even the original power he possessed, born of the stars, had dried up.
So how can his eyes shine brighter than before the fight had begun? Such determination to see this battle through was a will that Ei had only seen in herself in her pursuit of eternity.
That, and…
"Aether," Ei spoke, "Did Makoto say anything to you?"
The silence was his answer, and the storm that started to swirl around Ei was her response.
Sister.
She found herself gripping onto her naginata like a lifeline. Her voice reduced to a mere whisper as she asked the person who had already passed on, "Did you not trust me at all?"
…! Through pure reflex, she managed to bring her weapon up to bear against another one of Aether's thrusts faster than the mortal eye could see, and an attack even her trained hawk-like vision struggled to track all the way.
Unlike those previous times, there was no disappointment or sorrow on his face, "Eyes on me."
Ei felt compelled to listen to him, and so she did, just this once.
Why?
She sucked in a sharp breath. Ei hadn't expected much of Aether's words, not after he disappeared after the Cataclysm. After the toll of battle slowly wore away at the both of them, even going as far as to drain him completely from the light of the stars, her anticipation was even lower than that.
Yet when Ei looked him right in the eye, it had a certain sharpness, a glint that hadn't been there when she first saw him again. Her senses had felt the anomaly lurking underneath the bandage wrapped over his other eye, a dark power that she knew he would not grasp willingly, one that held a presence that overshadowed Aether himself.
So why was it, then, that Aether shone brighter now? Even the curse that chained him no longer had a say in it despite his being bereft of the stars' power. The wounds that dotted his body glowed and subsequently vanished.
Her eyes widened into saucers as Aether took out a familiar little item, one that Makoto had gifted him all those years ago, "Do you think so little of me, Ei?"
"Even if I hadn't promised her," He put the artificial Statue of the Seven away, "Do you think I wouldn't have come back?"
"I had been blinded in my desperation to find a place to call home for so long. It took losing Lumine to finally snap me out of it." Aether gritted his teeth.
"Both you and Makoto took me in and gave me the will to stand back up. I didn't know how to repay either of you for doing so." Fully recovered from his injuries, he stood tall.
"My grudge towards Celestia took my reason away. Leaving you to grieve alone is my biggest regret to this day." A golden iris met her twin violets, resolute.
"No more," He said with certainty, "Perhaps I'd known of it for quite some time now, but I can finally say it in words."
"Even if you'll hate me for this, even if I'm banished from Inazuma forever, I will oppose you."
Ei found her tiny silhouette caught inside his eye, a mere shadow in comparison to the sun that stood before her in the present.
"You're like another sister to me, and this place is my home." Aether said with a smile, "I couldn't save Makoto or Khaenri'ah, but I can still save you."
Perhaps it was Aether's words, maybe it was the genuine smile on his face, but something deep inside of Ei snapped. Her rationality left her for a split second as she watched her own body move on its own, charging at Aether and bringing her naginata forward.
For the first time since they had started fighting, Ei felt her polearm pierce deep into the flesh. At that moment, her blood ran cold. Aether could have defended against that and dodged a simple jab like it.
Yet–
A second later, the smoke cleared as she jerked forward, getting the answer to her question. The Traveller had intentionally taken the blow, redirecting her attack to hit his shoulder and pierce straight through and to keep it there with a combination of the elements.
Ei tried to let go, her focus on the sword in his other hand, but Aether was a step ahead. Instead of using his blade, he opted to headbutt her with all his might, leaving her in a daze and staggering back to recover.
As she tried to steady her balance, a sickening squelch and a muffled scream tore through the eternal silence, followed by the painful ringing of a bloodstained weapon falling to the ground.
Finally regaining her bearings, Ei was met with the Traveller's left arm hanging limp to the side, a gaping hole in the shoulder hastily covered with ice. His other arm gripped his sword tightly, a rainbow of colors swirling into the blade alongside the golden glow of the stars as if his very will was a star all on its own.
"It's time to wake up, Ei." Despite the pain he was in, Aether's voice remained firm, bearing no negative emotions. Rather, she could feel the warmth in his words, one that she didn't realize she'd been sorely missing until now.
Was she mistaken after all, then? The heart inside of her that had grown cold over the years was recoiling from the foreign heat. Unsure, yet still unwilling to give up on this eternity.
Ei thought of their time together from an age forgotten. He was always trying to catch up to them, be it her skill in martial arts or Makoto's wisdom. He'd come so far.
What about me? She'd remained stagnant throughout the years, stubborn to a fault. But she couldn't envision her sister's Eternity in any other way. Reaching into her heart, the Musou Isshin manifested itself once more.
They would settle this as they once had, the winner to be righteous. If Makoto's prized blade struck Aether down here and now, then her eternity would flourish, once and for all.
On the other hand, if Aether finally defeats her…
Even as the Plane of Euthymia deteriorated around them, Ei couldn't suppress the smile on her face.
As their blades and ideals clashed for the last time, the dark world of her mind was taken over by white.
Kokomi's nerves were starting to get the best of her.
It was to be expected, she supposed. The Priestess had gone many a sleepless night just to make sure the Watatsumi Resistance could keep up in the war effort, and now it was starting to take its toll.
Just one more. She told herself, pushing her drooping head off her desk.
One more battle to decide the fate of a nation once and for all. The pressure Kokomi had felt on her shoulders right before previous confrontations with the Shogunate's army was nothing compared to this.
The fear of facing them while being supplied with the Fatui's Delusions had been taken care of, but there was still no doubt that a sizable amount of them were in enemy hands. An already daunting task was made even more so.
"...I need some fresh air." Kokomi murmured, finally standing up for the first time in hours, only to unceremoniously fall down as her legs had fallen asleep.
After brushing off that minor inconvenience, she stepped outside of her personal cavern-turned-private-quarters, shielding her eyes as they readjusted to the sunlight.
Already, the change of scenery was doing wonders to quell the tide of worry that clouded her mind. The salty yet familiar breeze of the sea was also welcome. While having time to oneself occasionally was refreshing, it didn't quite beat the feeling of her true home and those she held dear.
At the edge of the encampment, a beaming Kazuha Kaedehara was teaching an unlikely person the way of the sword. While Kaslana looked to be on the verge of complaining, she kept her mouth shut and pressed onward.
Kazuha would give her pointers and make minor adjustments to her stance every now and then, and Kaslana would take it all in stride. Even in the few minutes Kokomi and Gorou had spent watching them, the improvement could already be seen.
"Kokomi!" A gruff, familiar voice called out to her. Gorou slowed in his jog as he approached her, a look of concern on his face.
"Gorou," She tilted her head in confusion, "Were you… here to see me?"
"On behalf of the entire Watatsumi Resistance, more or less," He sheepishly admitted, "The reports from our night watch said that this was the third time this week that you've forgone sleep."
Kokomi sighed, "Shouldn't they be looking out for the Shogunate's armies instead of me?"
"Not to worry, they kept an eye out for everything, and your predicament is the only thing that was of any interest. According to them, at least."
Only hers? She was sure there were at least a few dangers worth looking out for. Enemy reconnaissance, warships, and any suspicious movements from the Fatui were ones she could list off the top of her head.
"They weren't talking about those." Gorou read her like an open book.
"Even so…" Kokomi trailed off, her thoughts lingering on the Statue of the Omnipresent God, a sight that she had only seen once yet still made her stomach churn regardless. How many more dreams would be stolen? How many lives…
"It wouldn't do you well to dwell on the past," Gorou quietly said, "I can see that you're still thinking of it."
"How could I not, after I sent a man to his doom?" It was one thing to command an army from the backlines. It was an entirely different thing to willingly entrust someone on a mission that he had little chance of surviving.
She should have just had Teppei stay. Kaslana's downtrodden impression when she returned and reported the Delusion factory's destruction proved it.
"You needn't worry about Kaslana. Trust me on this." Gorou reached out to Kokomi and gently squeezed her hand, putting a stop to tremors she hadn't even known were there.
"How would you know?" There was an underlying confidence in his words as if he knew more than he was letting on. Had something changed in the past night? Come to think of it, she hadn't seen Kaslana the days following her report, only hearing from others that Kazuha had been with her.
"You'll see in time." The toothy grin on his face ended up being the deciding factor in her letting go of her present worries. When Gorou made a motion to let go of her, she only held on tighter, an unreadable smile on her face.
"Care to accompany me on a walk?"
So, a leisurely stroll around Watatsumi Island began. Kokomi knew that it had truly been a while since she had actually taken time off for a break, but only now was it occurring just how many nights she had powered through.
Kokomi had thought that Gorou being there would be the main reason for her to continue treading along the paths that threaded all over the island, but she found herself entranced by the sight of her home as if she was born into the world again.
She put a hand up to her mouth to muffle a giggle as she poked at an iridescent jellyfish that was minding its own business, turning away from the Priestess in a seeming act of indignance as it raced away to return to its smack of fellow brethren.
Was Kokomi's current sleep deprivation situation to blame for her brazenness? When a shrine maiden greeted the pair, her usual greeting had a slight wobble to it, and when a villager had greeted them from the window of her house, any sense of formality had been abandoned as she wildly waved at them with an absentminded smile.
Gorou brushed her antics off with a laugh as he did the actual talking, making sure that nobody would get in the way of her clearing her clouded mind.
Eventually, their ears picked up on the whistling of arrows as they soared through the air and the screeches of steel meeting steel. They were nearing Watatsumi Island's encampment for the Resistance.
Concealing herself just out of sight, Kokomi watched in fascination as these people, who could only be considered ordinary, put all their blood, sweat, and tears into their preparations for the upcoming battle.
"They possess quite the spirit today." She observed with a hint of pride, Gorou sharing that same sentiment as they continued spectating in silence.
Ever since the Delusions had come into the fray, troop morale had plummeted at the thought of taking their bearers on. Ordinary people simply struggled when pitted against the extraordinary, be it a Delusion, a Vision, or their very own Archon.
So how…?
"Watching others give it their all for our cause boosted morale quite a bit," Gorou answered her unsaid question with that same tone of voice that told her there was more than he was letting on, "The entire Resistance is pouring everything they have for the final battle."
"That's a relief to see." Still, Kokomi knew he meant no harm in that. Just as a soldier trusted their commander, a leader had to trust their subordinates.
She wanted to stay just a little longer, but remaining in their current location would eventually lead to their cover being blown, shattering the peace and quiet in which she was supposed to be finding solace. With some coaxing from Gorou, she relented and moved onwards.
Their feet carried them to the shore, where the far-stretching ocean greeted Kokomi with the calm crashing of the waves against the sand. Kicking off her sandals, she ignored Gorou's protests and moved towards the water's edge, finding comfort in the wet sand rising into the spaces between her toes, only to wash them off as she dipped her feet into the ocean, her legs following shortly after as she sat down.
A slight rustle of footsteps alerted Kokomi just as Gorou came back into view, his footwear also gone as he joined her with a wisp of a smile.
The sun had reached its peak in the sky, the light it shared reaching the still waters and casting a clear reflection to see. Kokomi peered down, her eyes widening in shock as she was met with another reflection.
"Archons, I look…" Kokomi whispered, a hand lightly brushing against her face and the ugly bangs that could be seen under half-lidded eyes. When had it gotten so severe?
She had been so focused on her less-than-stellar condition to the point where she didn't notice Gorou's hand slowly inching closer to her other one. What noise came out of her mouth once it did could only be described as that of a banshee.
"Now you see our concerns weren't quite unwarranted." He said, his voice oozing smugness. If she weren't technically off-duty, she might have abused her own authority a little to get back at him. Maybe.
Gorou's attempt at cheering her up worked, albeit not for long. Seeing her entire being in such a disorganized state was fuel to the fire, a burning desire to protect the beauty within the people and their ambitions.
"It's like you said, though," Kokomi muttered, "I have to give this next battle my everything."
The citizens of Watatsumi, the soldiers of the Resistance, each one of them held ambitions of their own, reaching for the bowels of the earth and the heavens above. She, too, had such a goal to strive towards.
So–
Kokomi's bubble of thought burst when a hand caught her by surprise by ruffling her hair, courtesy of the general beside her.
"H–hey!" Flustered, she had to reach up with both of her arms just to stop the relentless assault of Gorou's admittedly larger single one. If he really wanted to keep doing it, however, there was nothing she could do to stop him.
"You've already given five hundred percent. I think it's fair if you wait for everyone else to catch up." He, thankfully, had mercy on her and decided not to continue.
Pouting, Kokomi turned away from him and kept her gaze fixed on the sea. She could hear Gorou inch closer, and she braced herself for another one of his attempts at getting her mind off the war, yet nothing came.
She found herself returning to worrying again, this time about the most daunting opponent of all: the Shogun.
It was inevitable that they would eventually face their Archon. Everyone who opposed the Vision Hunt Decree knew that, and it was also something they agreed upon to be feasibly impossible.
The next best thing they had was to show the Raiden Shogun that they were not going to give up their dreams without a fight, which might as well not be a plan at all.
Kaslana's letter informing them of the Shogun's absence had allowed them to press the attack, but the meddling of the Fatui and their Delusions had put a halt to that.
How much longer did they have until the Raiden Shogun returned? From what Kokomi had heard of Aether from those who had personally interacted with him, there were no doubts about his strength.
If only strength alone was enough. Many gods had met their end at the hands of their Archon, so what more could a mortal do? Even a dozen more nights without rest would not bring her an answer.
"Ugh…" Kokomi clutched her head, trying to ignore the needles prickling her mind. Oh, how she wished to just find someplace to rest, if even for a moment. Her brain had registered Gorou's presence once more, and an idea had struck her.
Almost hesitantly, she relaxed and leaned on his shoulder, her head finding respite as the contact between the two of them washed away the pain assaulting her head.
Oh.
Gorou had intended to do this the entire time. When had he become so considerate?
Time passed by in the blink of an eye from their first meeting. How word of a courageous soldier that had rallied his unit, Gorgosia II, into action in the hopes of reinforcements coming to their aid.
Kokomi herself had arrived with those reinforcements. Seeing him panting in exhaustion, lying on a stretcher after his suggestion for a pincer attack had succeeded, resonated with her in a way she didn't quite understand.
His meteoric rise to the rank of General was a matter she observed with great interest, and before she knew it, they stood face-to-face once more. The memory put a smile on her face.
He always was.
A shout from a fair distance away interrupted the silence, followed by the faint sound of wood crashing against itself.
"What's that sound?" She whispered, alert but not enough to move from her current position.
"Sounds like it's them." Gorou huffed in jest.
"Them?" Shifting her head slightly, Kokomi eventually saw what he meant.
That despondent, almost numb woman who had returned from completely annihilating the Fatui's Delusion factory had taken a complete turn for the better since Kokomi had last seen her.
A practice sword was in Kaslana's hands, and her mentor was none other than Kaedehara Kazuha.
"So," Kokomi murmured into Gorou's shoulder, "How did this happen?"
"Well, you see…"
"...I'll have to refuse." Asmodeus replied matter-of-factly, peering at the prized possession Kazuha was offering her in equal parts bemusement and fascination.
The item in question was the Yoshitsune Isshin, the sword the Kaedehara had forged with the assistance of that strange, sentient island they had unwittingly stumbled upon.
"Please, I insist," Kazuha only smiled at her weak attempt to push him away and inched closer, "While it certainly is impressive, I cannot part with my own sword, as it is in more tune with me than the Yoshitsune."
"Still, I'm not a fighter," She repeated, "The best I can do with a sword is to point it in the enemy's general direction."
That was putting it lightly. When space itself bent to your will, the use of a weapon that equated to a sharp, pointy stick wasn't exactly high on her priority list. The battle against Tartaglia had shown her there were some merits, but it was too late to do much now.
"No, your role in the battle to come is much greater than that of a mere warrior," He admitted, "But when all else fails, it doesn't hurt to have a companion by your side, even in the form of a blade."
"As for your inexperience," Kazuha continued, "I wouldn't mind teaching you the basics."
Damn him, shutting down every argument she was formulating in her head. He did have a point, however. Passing out in the middle of a warzone because she exerted her ability too far was a humiliating way to go out.
Asmodeus inadvertently brought up a hand to her chest, where a heart that did not beat should have been. After their return to Watatsumi Island, she finally decided to get a more suitable attire that could weather the current civil war Inazuma was enduring.
It was more or less just the outfit of a typical shrine maiden here– a Kosode if she'd heard them properly– with some tweaks here and there to fit her liking. As for where the Resistance had acquired it, Kokomi had only told her that an ally from the Grand Narukami Shrine had provided them.
Like night and day, the fabric that made up the Kosode was quite rough in contrast to the silk of her Liyuean dress. Underneath that rugged exterior were matching necklaces; the unceremonial clicking noise they made as she moved was the closest thing the Goddess had ever felt to a real heart.
"I'd make a horrible student, you know." She muttered, her eyes locked onto the Yoshitsune Isshin, quietly gazing at her from within its sheath.
"I've never taught anyone, either," Kazuha replied, "I would likely be an equally horrible teacher."
They reveled in a short bout of laughter, one she didn't even consciously think of doing. Her body treated it as a natural response.
"But it's not like we're looking for a master-student relationship, are we?" Kazuha said, "You're a friend of mine, and all I'm doing is looking out for them. Is that wrong?"
Out of all the people to ask that question, I'm definitely the worst one. She thought.
Kaslana sighed, "You're just as annoying as him." She whispered under her breath. With steady hands, she took hold of the Yoshitsune Isshin.
"I guess it isn't."
"...That's the gist of it all," Gorou finished, regaling his recollection of the events he'd seen at the camp earlier, "So you needn't worry about them any longer…"
"...Kokomi?" His ears twitched in alarm as he heard no response from her. He stilled himself, focusing on her body slumped against his and the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.
"You almost had me there," He chuckled, pulling her in a little closer, "I owe you my life. It would be a disgrace if your life had flickered away under my watch."
Kokomi looked at peace. Every muscle in her body relaxed as the long nights she powered through had finally caught up. There was no way he could wake her up now.
"You deserve this much." And much more. Gorou wanted to add. How someone he had once dismissed when he was little as just a priestess ended up being the head that commanded Watatsumi's body was still unknown to him.
He wasn't the strongest of his unit at the time, nor was he fast either, and his intelligence was also quite average. Some of his soldiers often joked that he was more like a kid than anything else.
If this dream of his, too, was childish, so be it. He might not be the best at anything, but his entire being was focused on being a spearhead for Watatsumi. For the men who battled at his side, the farmers who would give them food, the shrines that blessed them in prayer, and the girl who saved his life.
"Sweet dreams, Kokomi."
If the Kamisato clan's own housekeeper ended up barreling through the paper-thin Shoji within Komore Teahouse to inform someone of a newly received message, then there was certainly some cause for concern.
"The Shogun has returned?" Ayaka ended up relearning that lesson all over again.
"It appears that is the case, my lady." Thoma nodded grimly, his thoughts likely in the same space as hers.
"Then Aether must have…" The final word she meant to utter had died in her throat.
Taking on the Shogun in direct combat was plain suicide, and Orobaxi's skeleton scattered throughout the islands and Musoujin Gorge was more than enough to prove it. Before the might of a being that surpassed even the Gods, what could they hope to do?
Even her standing as the Shirasagi Himegimi could not do anything once Thoma had been taken before their Archon. For saving Thoma's dreams and giving the resistance a fighting chance by stalling the Raiden Shogun, the Kamisato clan would forever be indebted to him.
Her grip on her paper fan tightened. On a personal level, it was rare for Ayaka to feel truly relaxed with people outside her family, with the exception of Kazuha and Yoimiya. He understood the burdens of a sibling and even helped her by being the sole witness of the Heron's dance in the lake.
"There was no news on what happened to her opponent, so we mustn't give up hope yet." Thoma quickly caught on to her turmoil, offering her a reassuring smile.
"...You're right." Aether had to live. If not for himself, then for the people who cared for him.
In just a few days, the Vision bearers who still remain in the city would pave the way for the Watatsumi Resistance to make the decisive blow to end the stalemate. There weren't many left, but those who did all had some authority to ease the burden.
"...Can you bring me some tea?"
"Right away." With a bow, Thoma left Ayaka to her own devices to fetch her a drink.
Calm down. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, pushing all her worries out as she exhaled, just in time for Thoma to return.
"Thank you." Without further ado, Ayaka started sipping with the regality to be expected of her.
Her feet were surprisingly cold, but the warmth of a hot drink was enough to melt that discomfort away like she had been transported back in time to that lake and the lone Traveller with all eyes on her.
"...I'd like to play a game with them again someday." She blurted out, immediately covering her mouth. Thoma only grinned at her slip of the tongue.
"Me too."
"Tch." Signora clicked her tongue as she kicked away a piece of rubble, her eyes scanning the remains of what had been the Fatui's Delusion factory, most of which was now buried underground.
What a nuisance. They had insufficient manpower to carry out an excavation, nor were there any guarantees that any Delusion had survived that blast at all.
"I don't recall having our factory being reduced to ashes being a part of the plan." She scowled, pointedly looking at the Balladeer.
"Nor do I recall the information we have on that woman informing me that she was capable of such a thing." Scaramouche only glared at her in defiance.
"That Tartaglia, going on and on about finding an opponent worth his time, it would have been marginally helpful to know what she was actually capable of." He continued, crushing a shattered Delusion in his hands and reducing it to dust.
"Getting out of being buried alive was difficult enough. Now, I have to give that man an earful on his priorities when I see him again…" Signora tuned out the rest of the Balladeer's pointless drivel, her eyes shut in thought.
The Fatui's spies within the Tri-Commission were useless now that the Shogunate army's last offensive was met with catastrophic failure, and supplying them with more Delusions would quickly run Fatui's remaining stocks completely dry. There surely had to be a way to salvage this.
"I heard that the puppet that replaced me was finally spotted again," Off of her fellow Harbinger's rant, an idea came to mind, "Seeing as our work here has gone up in flames, you wouldn't mind if I paid the doll a visit, would you?"
"...No," Signora slowly spoke, "I'm sure the Doctor has other plans for you. I'll speak with the Raiden Shogun myself."
"Heh," Scaramouche snickered, "That arrogance of yours will be your undoing. Do take care out there."
"Perhaps." She brought a hand up to her chest in mock gratitude. An old puppet cast aside and merely slaving away to kill time actually showing concern? Such a day would be when the heavens finally come crashing down.
"Perhaps not. I suggest you hold your tongue until then."
"...Where to go, where to come across a land bare and dark…"
AN:
The OG chapter I was typing away at ended up being much longer than I expected, so I had to snap it in half. The next chapter shouldn't be too far behind (probably).