"That's eight down?" Ajax fired an arrow at the grenadier who was preparing to toss a Pyro slime at them.
"Nine." Lumine whacked a hillichurl with the flat of her blade, knocking it out.
"So that leaves us with—" A roar echoed through the plain as the Thunderhelm Lawachurl charged itself up. "—you."
Switching to his Hydro blades, he charged at the monster. He slashed at it, the Hydro reacting with the Electro shield. The Lawachurl slammed the ground in retaliation and he jumped back to avoid being hit.
"Move!"
He whipped back at Lumine's yell and promptly dove out of the way. He narrowly avoided being caught in her "water gun". The Hydro bullets battered down the shield and left the Lawachurl reeling. Taking advantage of the opening, he darted in and began attacking. The Riptide mark he had applied earlier caused additional damage. Lumine joined him and soon, they had taken care of the monster.
"I think that was the fastest we've ever taken down a Lawachurl. Your Hydro bullets work like a charm."
"Your Riptide amplified the damage. It's a highly convenient trick when you use it on others and a highly problematic one when you use it on me."
"Aw, come on, girlie. It's not that bad."
"You've made a habit of dropping whales on me and then electrocuting me."
"Touché. Anyway, where to next?"
They chatted as they walked to the next destination. Earlier that day, Lumine had suddenly shown up in front of Ajax and dragged him away under the guise of commissions. Tired of sitting at his desk, he had gladly followed. The upcoming assault on Celestia had somehow resulted in even more paperwork and he had had enough of looking at reports. She gave him a good excuse to loosen up for a while.
"How are the preparations going?"
"Too many logistics reports. I get that we're a week away but they're simply unending. I'm just grateful that you appeared when you did."
"It's an important battle. Plus, with an organization the size of the Fatui, I'm not surprised that there's work."
"I know, but that doesn't make reading all of it any more interesting. I'm looking forward to the fighting more than all this planning. I'm not made to sit behind a desk and approve reports."
He stretched himself as he spoke, loosening up his muscles.
"The sheer thought of them is making me cramp up."
She laughed, her eyes twinkling. "Aw, is the Harbinger stuck with a desk job?"
He playfully scowled at her. "Says the person who's running around all over the continent. You'll understand the pain the day you'll be chained to a desk."
"I had an important job myself, thank you."
"Of course, of course. You've been doing your fair share of diplomatic meetings. What happened with the other Archons? Will they join the fight?"
"The Raiden Shogun has agreed to help and her army is on the way to Snezhnaya. Nahida doesn't have a military to send but she has requested the Eremite forces to join the war. Neuvillette has dispatched part of the Maison Gardiennage along with the Champion Duelists. Mavuika and the tribes from Natlan will join the war. That last one was tricky because their Wayobs' protection doesn't quite extend till Celestia. With the Knights of Favonius and the Millelith, I think we should have a sizeable force."
He ruffled her hair. "I knew you'd do it. If there's anyone who can convince the Archons, it's you. The esteemed Savior of Teyvat."
"Oh, shush you. I still don't know who came up with that."
He laughed at her indignation.
They continued that way, laughing and teasing each other. Even when they fell quiet, it wasn't an awkward silence. They walked along, at ease with each other. Ajax took the chance to observe his companion. She looked ethereal, like a lily blooming amidst the snowy landscape. The white and blue of her dress melded with the snow, making her look like a fairy. Her blonde hair caught the sunlight as the wind blew it into her face. He was about to reach out to brush it back when she suddenly turned to face him.
"Looks like we're here."
He hadn't even noticed.
A little way ahead, he could see abandoned ruins, the dark stone stark against the snow. They were in bad shape, even for ruins. The stone was crumbling and altogether missing in places. The tower on the left looked like it would collapse any minute and the one at the back didn't look much better. As they approached the structure, he could see a broken archway that had some type of statue in front of it. The figure was too damaged to tell what it depicted, with the top half completely missing. It seemed to be humanoid, with some sort of vertical rod in front of it. There were some markings at the feet of the statue but they were too worn to read.
Lumine's last commission was to investigate these ruins. There had been some odd sounds coming from within and someone claimed to have seen purple lights flashing inside. For all that Lumine and Ajax knew, it could be a hoax or someone playing a prank, but a commission was a commission. Plus, it was a high-paying one because most adventurers did not want to venture into the Snezhnayan wilderness. However, they had no such problems; they had faced much worse.
They entered the ruins, alert for any signs of trouble. Within minutes, they ran into a Ruin Grader. The machine crackled to life and stood up. It turned toward them and began approaching them. Lumine materialized her sword and prepared to face it. She charged toward it while a well-placed arrow from behind her hit the eye of the Ruin Grader dead center. It faltered for a few moments and stopped in its tracks. It quickly recovered and began charging up its missiles. They had to retreat to avoid the barrage. Ajax fired off several arrows, drenching the machine in Hydro. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lumine slipped in close and stabbed the energy cores above its feet. The machine immediately buckled and she jumped back to avoid it from falling on her. Ajax appeared next to her with his swords already in his hands. They exchanged a quick glance and he nodded at her. They both charged at the Ruin Grader and began battering it down. He slashed an 'X' and applied his Riptide to it. She slammed it with her Hydro jet, causing the machine to emit sparks. They continued this dance, completely frying the internal circuitry while hacking away at the armour. Soon, the lights in the energy cores sputtered out and the Ruin Grader collapsed.
"That was fun."
"You almost got hit by a missile. How is that fun?"
"The fight, girlie, was exhilarating."
Lumine shook her head. "You're insane."
They went deeper into the ruins, encountering the occasional stray hilichurls and slimes, and one Abyss Mage. The biggest problem was the barely-standing architecture. Rock was crumbling all around them and, more than once, they had to nearly dodge part of the ceiling caving in from the ruckus they caused while fighting. For the most part, though, the ruins were deserted.
"I don't really know what the fuss was about. There's nothing here."
"It could just be someone playing a prank."
"You're probably right. But a commission's a commission. If they want to pay me to go on a wild goose chase, who am I to refuse?"
"Come on, girlie, let's go back. There's noth—"
He stopped in his tracks. He could sense a faint energy coming from somewhere inside. He knew this feeling. It shouldn't be there—it shouldn't be anywhere. He began walking toward it, bent upon finding the source.
"Hey, where are you going?"
"There's something here. There's something wrong."
"What do you mean? We just checked everything!"
"No, no, no. I can sense the energy somewhere nearby, and I really hope it isn't what I think it is."
She had to jog to catch up with his speed-walking. "What's going on?"
He didn't answer her, continuing his almost-frantic search. Soon, he managed to follow the trail to a hall, where it ended. There were no other doors in the hall except for the one they entered through. The hall itself looked like it had been grand once upon a time. There were large wooden tables scattered through it, although the wood had almost rotted through. There were some sort of wooden shelves along one wall, which were also rotten and falling apart. The opposite wall had an alcove with a crumbling stone statue installed in it. The hall had probably been some kind of study or library in the past.
Lumine caught up to him. She had been left behind in his mad dash through the ruins.
"Are you going to tell me what's going on here?"
"It shouldn't be here."
"What shouldn't be here?"
He turned to look at her. "The Abyss."
He saw the shock take over her face before she collected herself. "Are you sure?"
"I spent three months in that accursed place. I'll never forget that feeling."
"And that feeling led you here? There's nothing here."
"You have to believe me, girlie. I can sense the Abyss. It's close."
She stared at him for a few seconds. He couldn't read what she was thinking but he could see the gears turning in her head. Then, she shook her head.
"Alright. I don't know what's going on here but I trust you. If you say you can sense the Abyss, then this commission suddenly becomes much more complicated. Let's investigate."
They began to check the room, looking at whatever remained in the ruins. The roof had caved in on one side and it was impossible to move all the rubble. The shelves, despite barely holding together, were heavy. It took both of them to move them away from the walls and they were only able to shift them a few inches. The tables were beyond saving and eaten through by termites and rot. The chairs were the same and were barely standing. Most of them had already collapsed. If there was anything to find there, it had long since eroded.
"Are you sure that you can sense the Abyss here? It seems like these are just decrepit ruins."
"I know what I felt! This is the Abyss; there's no doubt about it."
"We've scoured every corner of the room. Maybe you're just sensing some residual energy."
"No. This is too strong to be residual energy. The Abyss was here and recently."
No sooner had he spoken than he felt a faint pulse of energy. He whipped around in the direction he felt it and found himself facing the alcove with the statue. He cautiously approached the statue and his suspicions were confirmed. The energy was stronger there. He looked over the statue for any signs of the Abyss but found nothing. Then, he saw it—a small depression on the wall beside the statue. It was worn away through repeated touching but he could make out the faint shape of a hand. He placed his hand against it but nothing happened.
"Let me try."
Lumine nudged him and he moved out of the way. She pressed her palm against it but it was the same.
"Hey, Ajax, I don't think this is what we're looking for. There's nothing here."
He turned to stare at her. Frustration was beginning to creep into his voice. "The Abyss is here; I can feel it. We have to be missing something. The traces are too strong to be here by chance."
Suddenly, an idea struck him. He placed his hand against the marking and Hydro began creeping up his arm. The Foul Legacy armor manifested on his arm and almost immediately, there was a pulse of energy from the mark. The statue creaked and began to turn, opening up a small door hidden behind it, with a flight of stairs leading down.
He turned to grin at the girl behind him. "Told you so."
Lumine's jaw was hanging open. "How did you know that would work?"
"I didn't. It was a lucky guess. The Abyss responds to the Abyss."
She shook her head. "Well, now that we've opened it, let's go check it out."
He stepped out of the way and gave her an exaggerated bow. "After you, girlie."
They stepped inside and began walking through the dark corridor. The corridor opened into a small hall lit by burning torches. Ajax pulled out a small lantern from his subspace and lit it using one of the torches. Going deeper into the ruins, they found another flight of stairs. They climbed down and found themselves in a small room—probably an antechamber. The room was ordinary, except for a door on the opposite wall with runes on it. They looked scratched more than carved into the wood. There was a faint light coming from behind the door.
"The Abyss is stronger here. Whatever the source is, it's behind that door. Hey, what are you—!"
Ajax found himself shoved aside as Lumine walked towards the door. "Come on, scaredy cat. What are you worrying about?" She turned back to look at him as she opened the door. "It's probably a herald or someth—"
What in the name of the forsaken was he doing here?
No sooner than she opened the door, Lumine froze. Never in her wildest dreams had she expected this.
"Girlie? Girlie!" What's going on?"
The door was narrow, only wide enough for one person; currently, Lumine was blocking it. Her poor companion was left to see whatever he could from over her head. In her shock, she barely even registered his predicament or his words. She was still trying to process what her eyes were telling her.
"What—How—Why are you here?" She managed to choke out.
"It's been a while, sister. I see that you've finally completed your journey."
The blond man in front of her raised a hand in greeting. He was standing in the middle of the room, with his side to them. He had turned toward them, probably when he heard the door creak open. Three Abyss Mages stood in front of him and an Abyss Lector loomed behind them. She barely noticed the Abyss Herald pop up in front of her until it almost had its blade to her throat. She was suddenly pulled back and a Hydro blade blocked the attack—even as a wall of Abyssal energy separated the Herald from her.
"Touch her and you die." "Back down."
The Herald retreated, moving back to stand next to the Lector. The Abyss Mages, who had been readying to attack, also backed away.
"Your Highness, this one has been an obstacle to several of our plans."
"She is not to be hurt. Whoever attempts to do so will answer to me."
"Understood, Your Highness."
"You are all dismissed for now. You know what must be done and I expect you to finish it."
The man waved his hand and a glowing portal appeared along one wall. The Abyssal creatures disappeared into it and it closed up behind them. He then turned to Lumine with a smile on his face.
"Now that that's done, how have you been, Lumine?"
She was dazed as she took a step towards him. She was about to take another step when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"What's happening here, Lumine? Are you okay?"
Ajax's firm grip brought her back to reality. She broke out of her trance and turned to face him. She hadn't even noticed when he had lowered his blade. Concern was written all over his face and she could see his protective instincts rising behind his eyes. He was ready to jump in at a moment's notice, protecting her from something he didn't even know.
"Y-yeah, I'm fine. I was just surprised. I didn't expect to see him here."
The man in question tilted his head. "I did tell you that I would meet you after you completed your travels."
Lumine turned back to him. "That still doesn't answer what you're doing here, Aether. Why are you with the Abyss? Why are you helping their agenda? They just want to destroy Teyvat!"
Aether smiled. "There's a difference between the Abyss and the Abyss Order. The Abyss wants to take over Teyvat. The Abyss Order wants to free Teyvat."
"Free Teyvat? You've been attacking the nations! Or do you mean to tell me that things like corrupting Dvalin were meant to help?!"
"We needed the power of one of the Four Winds. It was nothing more and nothing less. Stormterror's attacks on Mondstadt were of his own volition."
"You poisoned the Chasm!"
"Not my work. The Abyss was already there; the Order had nothing to do with it."
"You nearly activated that device that was harming the hilichurls."
Aether's face darkened. "That was meant to free them from their eternal pain. It was a small price to pay."
"A small price? Those were real lives you were playing with! You saw what it did to Dainsleif."
"I would have succeeded if you and him hadn't interfered. In fact, I'm surprised he isn't here right now. You seem to have picked different company this time around. Although this one reeks of the Abyss too."
Ajax was still standing behind her, and she could sense his unease. It was only due to countless hours spent fighting that she could read him without looking at him. She knew that he was holding back for her sake, but would jump into the fight the second she asked him to. She glanced at him over her shoulder and found him staring at her. His expression told her that he seemed to have pieced together the situation.
"Is this your brother? The leader of the Abyss Order?"
"Aether. Pleasure to meet you. And you are?"
"Tartaglia, the Eleventh Fatui Harbinger."
Aether laughed. "Well, well. You seem to have found yourself some powerful allies. Not only did you manage to win over Archons, but Harbingers too? I was told they had no loyalties except to the Tsaritsa."
"We may serve the Tsaritsa but I would never abandon a friend. I understand if someone like you would find that difficult to relate to."
Lumine felt the air change as Aether took a step toward them. She could feel his power gathering as he pulled out his sword, idly spinning it in his hands.
"I understand if someone like you would find it difficult to relate to having your entire nation destroyed by the gods. On top of that, any survivors were cursed to a living hell and my sister was taken from me. I have spent five hundred years trying to help my people and I'm not interested in hearing the comments of an upstart nobody."
Lumine stepped forward, positioning herself between the two men. Her sword materialized in her hand, although she did not raise it.
"Both of you—enough. Aether, I'm asking you again; what are you doing here? What's going on? Why are you with the Abyss Order?"
"My dear sister, it is obvious that I would help the ones who gave me a home. Khaenri'ah was flourishing until it was destroyed for the folly of a few. Its inhabitants were cursed to damnation. All that we want is to be restored to our normal lives and revenge on those who wronged us."
"Attacking Teyvat isn't the answer here. The citizens did nothing to harm you. The Archons only intervened to destroy the monsters that Khaenri'ah unleashed on Teyvat. The curse was not their fault."
"You have traveled through all the nations and you still think the Archons are blameless? Those who abandoned their nations to serve their own ends? You are indeed deluded, or have they managed to brainwash you? This is not what I expected of you, Lumine."
"You have lost your mind."
"On the contrary, my mind is clearer than ever before. When I traveled through this world, I saw it through my own eyes—the eyes of an outsider. I saw the pain and suffering rife through this land. I saw the injustice of the so-called gods. I saw the heartlessness and apathy of the Heavenly Principles. Do you think Khaenri'ah was the only one? Do you think they never destroyed entire kingdoms just to preserve their flawed rules? They could have controlled the monster outbreak without razing the nation to the ground. It was their own broken pride and fragile ego at stake, that a nation could exist without an Archon and without a god."
Aether stepped forward even as Lumine involuntarily took a step back.
"Y-you're wrong. The Archons have the best for their people in mind."
"Oh? Archons who take away Visions and who fool their own people for years? Is that for the best? Face it, Lumine. Your Archons have failed Teyvat and the Heavenly Principles care about nothing but themselves."
He reached out towards her with his hand. "Join me. Lumine. Together, we can destroy the Heavenly Principles. We can free Teyvat."
Lumine was silent as she was lost in her thoughts. Was it true? Had she been believing wrong this whole time, that the Archons were good? Was it all just lies? Had all those people been right, that the world needed to be overthrown? Was the Abyss Order right? Was this world beyond—
"Lumine! Lumine! What are you doing? Break out of it, girlie!"
Huh?
She blinked in shock as she was suddenly spun around by her shoulders. It took her a few seconds to focus on the blue eyes in front of her. Ajax was bent in front of her with his hands on her shoulders. He was looking at her, alarm reflected on his face. Somehow, she had unconsciously taken a few steps towards Aether and was suddenly pulled back by Ajax. His grip on her shoulders grounded her as she found her bearings.
"Come on, girlie. Talk to me. You've been through Teyvat; you have your own experiences. No one can tell you what to think or how to feel. Not me, and definitely not your brother. This is your life."
"Who are you to interfere between me and my sister?"
Ajax ignored him and continued speaking.
"This isn't Aether, Lumine–it's the Abyss. It corrupts your thoughts and fills you with hopelessness. He may have his own thoughts on the matter but his light has been eroded. Whatever he's saying is half him and half is the Abyss talking. Think for yourself and do what you feel is best." He squeezed her shoulders once more before pulling back.
Lumine couldn't make sense of anything. Who was right? Who was wrong? What was happening? She raised a hand to her head; it felt like it was splitting apart. Was Ajax right? Was it the Abyss speaking through Aether? Or were they Aether's true thoughts? She couldn't tell anymore.
Making up her mind, she decided to give it one last try. She shook her head and stepped away from Ajax. She turned to her brother and extended a hand towards him.
"Aether, we don't have to do this. Let's just stop all this and leave. This isn't our world anyway. We weren't meant to stay here."
"You're wrong, sister. This is exactly how it's supposed to be. We landed here for a reason. While you were asleep, I experienced Teyvat and witnessed the destruction of Khaenri'ah first hand. I was meant to lead the Abyss Order; Clothar Albreich told me as much. I was meant to bring down the Heavenly Principles and free Teyvat from them as well as from the fake gods. This is my purpose." He stared at her, as if trying to convey something. "It could be yours too."
Lumine dropped her hand and stepped back. "If that's your answer, then so be it. I disagree with the tyranny of the Heavenly Principles but Teyvat does not deserve to pay the price for it. If you will not budge, then neither will I. From what I have seen of Teyvat, I find it worth protecting. I will do everything in my power to fight for it—and against those who threaten it. The Heavenly Principles will face my blade. I hope you won't have to."
Aether's expression was inscrutable. He turned away from her and began walking away. Suddenly, he stopped and looked back at her over his shoulder.
"I didn't want it to come to this, but there's no avoiding it. I will see you at the final battle, Lumine. I just hope that when we raise our blades, it won't be against each other."
He opened a portal and stepped through it, leaving Lumine and Ajax in the ruins. No sooner than the portal had closed, Lumine slumped. All the fight had gone out of her. The whole experience had been overwhelming for her and she was finding it difficult to process things.
"Hey, are you okay?"
She turned to her companion and found him looking at her with concern. He reached out to touch her shoulder and gently squeezed it.
"It's okay, girlie. You can do this."
Somehow, his concern was the last straw for her and she broke. She ran her fingers through her hair and hid her face in her hands. She was trying to fold in on herself—trying to hide away from everything. She suddenly found herself pulled into a warm embrace as Ajax wrapped his arms around her. He slowly rubbed her back as she took deep, ragged breaths. He kept holding her that way until her breathing slowed down.
"It's okay. It's okay. I got you."
She nudged him and slowly disentangled herself from his arms.
"I'm alright now. Thank you."
"You always have me, girlie, even if you don't quite need me." His lips quirked up into a smile.
His words brought a watery smile to her face. "Apparently, I seem to need you more than either of us thinks."
"Well, if you can be sassy, I think you're good to go. Come on, let's get out of here. This is too depressing for my liking."
They climbed up the steps to the hall and made their way out of the ruins. Surprisingly, they didn't encounter any more hilichurls or Abyss Mages, although they did run into a group of slimes. Once they were out, Lumine was grateful to feel the sun on her face after the underground darkness. They had to travel to the Adventurers' Guild so that she could report her commissions as complete. The walk back was quiet, with her not knowing what to say and Ajax probably keeping quiet for her sake. His companionship was enough for her—knowing that he had her back no matter what. They had been through a fair amount of unusual circumstances together and she knew that she could trust him. She needed that more than ever now, with the impending battle.
"You okay, girlie?"
"Yeah, I'm just thinking. This fight with the Heavenly Principles and the Abyss Order is worrying me." She looked up at him, her voice serious. "Sometimes, I wonder if the Abyss Order is right. Is the world actually suffering?"
Ajax was quiet as he contemplated her words.
"I'm not sure. It's clear that this is more complicated than we thought but your brother made an important point. The Abyss Order is not the Abyss itself. Maybe, just maybe, the Abyss Order might not destroy Teyvat. Their fight seems to be against the 'rules' and the 'enforcers' more than the ones being ruled. I don't know what chaos the world will descend into if you remove all the rules, but that doesn't seem to be their concern."
"But then where does that leave me? Are the Archons right or wrong? Will the Abyss Order harm or help? What do I even do?"
"Do what you think is right. You've always had a much better moral compass than me anyway."
"What if the Abyss Order interferes in the fight?"
"Then we'll take them out. We've handled them many times before and there are more than enough powerful fighters on our side."
"What if we can't defeat the Heavenly Principles?"
"Then we'll know that we tried our best. If the entire might of Teyvat along with your strength doesn't suffice, there's not a lot we can do."
"What if the Heavenly Principles defeat me before we can attack them?"
"They won't be able to touch you without getting through an army first."
"What if this ends up destroying Teyvat?"
"Now you're just catastrophizing."
She was quiet for a few minutes as she mulled over things. There were a million ways this could go wrong. The Heavenly Principles could simply be too strong. She might not be powerful enough to tip the scale the way everyone was counting on her to. The Abyss Order could cause problems. She didn't know how the Abyssal corrosion would affect the other people. They could get stuck in a three-way fight with Celestia and the Abyss Order.
Then, a dark thought occurred to her.
"What if Aether's been corrupted by the Abyss beyond saving? What if I have to fight him? What if it comes down to a choice between him and Teyvat?"
Ajax stepped in front of her and took both her hands in his. He bent down until his eyes were level with hers. He looked directly at her as he firmly pressed her hands.
"Lumine. Look at me. No matter what you choose, I'll be there with you. I'll fight with you, I'll fight for you, and I'll stop you from doing anything that you'd regret. Pinky promise."
Somehow, despite her internal turmoil, she believed him.