Esmeralda: Natlan

A/N: This takes place during Archon Quest Chapter V Act V: Incandescent Ode of Resurrection. Specifically, Esmeralda enters Natlan during the party near the start of the chapter, when Aether invites Mavuika to join them. This means that this chapter happens just before Aether's Ancient Name is forged, and before the Abyss is purged. This also means that Esmeralda's 2025 Birthday message is out of chronological order and a little inconsistent with this chapter. I'm going to just ignore that.

"What do you mean, I need paperwork to leave?" Esmeralda exclaimed, incredulous.

The clerk, whose name Esmeralda did not care enough to remember, seemed entirely disinterested. "Employees of the Institute must submit the appropriate forms and have them checked and approved before taking extended time off."

"What forms?"

There was a thump as the clerk brought out a ridiculously thick stack of paper.

"What if I just quit?"

"Then you will lose the benefits that being an employee brings, including the pay and any access to Institute facilities," he intoned. "To do so, please full out forms - "

Esmeralda sighed. As much as she hated the Institute's bureaucracy, it was her home at the moment. "Fine, give me the time off forms."

It was time to face her hardest challenge.

"Please?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I am physically incapable of doing paperwork," Daisy pointed out.

Esmeralda slumped onto the table, scattering half-complete documents. "This is stupid."

Daisy was inclined to agree. "Indeed. However, it must still be done."

"Fiiiiiine..."

The paperwork took hours, and the submission, review, and approval afterward took even longer.

Finally, days after her planned departure date, Esmeralda was ready to set off. She took a look around her workshop to make sure that she had not forgotten anything. The research that she could publish was published. The research unsuitable for the public was safely locked away, as were the equipment. Project Mirage was still running in the corner, and Esmeralda had informed the Institute to keep the power flowing. She had also left a few dormant Ruin Sentinels mixed into the various crates, just in case. All seemed fine.

To Natlan.

The first sign that something was wrong was the headache. As Esmeralda and Daisy neared the borders of Natlan, the former's head began to hurt. Having just travelled through a whole desert to get there, she thought little of it. She could sleep it off once she found proper accommodation.

The sharp rock formations before her loomed ever closer as they approached. That was when the second sign hit Esmeralda like a hammer. A sudden wave of nausea dropped her to her hands and knees, gasping and fighting the urge to throw up.

The third sign went barely noticed.

"Esmeralda... are you... aright?"

Daisy's message was oddly distorted, but Esmeralda could not even find the strength to reply. Gritting her teeth, she tried to focus and shut out the dizziness. She felt sick - not just physically, but spiritually, as though something was eating at her essence.

"Esmeralda... respond... "

It hurts, Esmeralda mentally responded, too disoriented to speak. Her eyes were beginning to hurt now, a sharp pain that was rapidly increasing in intensity. She collapsed onto her side, groaning in pain.

"Experiencing abnormalities... Unable to assist... Deploying flare..."

Esmeralda peeked out with one eye, concerned by Daisy's message. Flickers of static cut through her vision, but she could make out quite the concerning sight. Daisy was, like her, on the ground, her usually bright eye glowing a dim yellow. A bright flare in the sky drew her attention for a moment before her entire field of view glitched out into static for a moment, and she squeezed her eyes shut once more as pain assaulted her senses.

"Humans detected... They can assist... Must retreat... Irreversible damage..."

The pain was overwhelming. Her eyes burned. Her soul felt like it was corroding, and it was all Esmeralda could do to remain conscious.

"What was that light? Hey! There's someone there!"

"Miss? Are you alright?"

The voices were accompanied by footsteps, and all of it made Esmeralda's pain worse. She groaned and curled up, her hands clasped over her eyes. Putting pressure on it helped, but it still burned... and burned so deeply.

"Look, her eyes! That's abyssal corrosion for sure!"

"It's bad... Come on, carry her up. We need to get her to a doctor."

"Don't worry, miss, we're going to help you. Just hold on."

Pain. Esmeralda felt someone pull her up. Pain. She was slung over their back. Pain. She wanted to cry but could no longer do so. Pain. Movement. Pain.

Esmeralda blacked out.

When Esmeralda awoke, the first thing that she noticed was how familiar the situation seemed.

Blinded, eyes burning, strange environment, and Daisy in hiding. Not again.

"Are you awake?" an unfamiliar voice asked. A doctor, probably.

"I'm..." Esmeralda paused. Was she fine? Definitely not.

"Here, drink," the doctor said, pushing a cup into her hands.

Esmeralda drank, the water a nice cool feeling against her burning eyes. "Where am I?"

"You're in the Children of Echos, one of the six tribes of Natlan. Or in a clinic, to be specific. My name is Caipa, what's yours? How do you feel?"

Natlan... She made it, then. "I'm Esmeralda. My eyes hurt."

There was a pause. "Yes, that'll be expected. Alright, from what we can tell, you are suffering from some manner of severe Abyssal Corruption. However, it's quite unique - your eyes have taken the brunt of the effects. They seem kind of odd, but I don't have the equipment here to do proper tests."

"They're mechanical," Esmeralda idly replied, her mind racing. Abyssal Corrosion? There had been no Rifthounds or any other Abyss Creature in the vicinity. That meant that it must have come from another source, and, since her eyes were most severely affected, that must have been where the Abyss attacked. But was it the eyes or the visor? The eyes only had their Leyline power source as an external connection, while the visor -

"I'm sorry, did you mention Leyline power?"

Oh, was she thinking out loud? "Yes," Esmeralda replied, "My eyes draw power directly from the Leylines. Would that cause an issue?"

"You could say that. Unlike the other nations, Natlan's Leylines are vulnerable and unstable. Your... eyes... were likely damaged due to this and thus provided a weak point for the Abyss to exploit," Caipa explained.

"Unstable Leylines?" Esmeralda muttered. Was such a thing possible? Most of the technology that she used - Khaenri'ah technology - used the Leylines for power. Being in Natlan would be far more difficult without it.

"Yeah. It's been a problem for centuries. We have the Night Kingdom to act as a proxy, but even that is failing. Still, we actually have a chance for things to change now. The Pyro Archon and the Traveler are preparing to end the Abyss once and for all. Once they achieve victory, the Leylines should be restored."

"Aether's here?"

"You've heard of him, then? I'm not sure of his exact location now, but if you feel healthy enough, you could join us at the Stadium of the Sacred Flame tomorrow. He'll be there, and all of Natlan will be cheering him and the Archon on."

"Aether... is a good friend of mine. If you see him, could you tell him I'm here?"

There was obvious doubt in Caipa's voice when she replied, "Sure, if I get the chance. I can't make any promises, though."

"That's alright. Thank you," Esmeralda replied. Then, she added, "One more thing. Was there anyone with me when I was found?"

"No, the people that brought you here said that you were alone, but there were some strange markings on the ground nearby. Should I get some scouts to look for your friend?"

Esmeralda shook her head. "No, it's nothing."

"Alright then. I'll leave you to rest now; I have to check on my other patients," the doctor said. With that, she left, leaving with the soft thump of a closing door.

Left with her thoughts, Esmeralda's mind raced. There was no way she was simply going back to sleep when her eyes hurt that much, so she might as well take the opportunity to examine her situation. For a moment, she considered summoning her visor but decided against it. Without knowing if the Abyss could affect it, it was better off stowed away.

What about Daisy? Recalling the incident, Esmeralda remembered that her friend seemed to be in trouble as well. Fortunately, if her rescuers did not mention anything about a giant robot, it was safe to assume that Daisy remained operational and had managed to relocate after calling for aid. Another time that Daisy had saved her.

Esmeralda sighed. Enough procrastinating.

Cautiously, she put her hands over her eyes and popped them out, shuddering a little as she did. She never liked doing that, and this time, she could feel the slimy corrosion that was present.

Yeah, she was going to put those aside for now and -

"Esmeralda! Whoa, that's... not what Paimon was expecting," a familiar, high-pitched voice sounded out.

Esmeralda looked up - figuratively; she was still blinded. "Paimon?" she asked, aware of what she must look like, especially given that she was holding her eyes in her hand.

"You got it! Aether's here, too; we came as soon as we heard. What happened to you?"

Esmeralda shrugged. "Abyss stuff. I've got a splitting headache and my eyes hurt, but... Aether, you're going to deal with it, right?"

"Yep! Aether's going to take the fight straight to them. Don't worry, you'll be all right soon."

"That's nice to hear."

"In the meantime, allow me." Suddenly, a warm hand touched her cheek, and Esmeralda froze. A surge of power washed over her, taking the pain with it. She could visualize Aether leaning in as he spoke, "I've purified the corruption for now. Stay strong for a while longer, Esmeralda. I can't stay now, but we'll be back soon."

Esmeralda blushed furiously. "Th...thanks. Actually, could you bring these with you?" she asked, holding out the corroded pair of artificial eyes.

"Huh? Your eyes?" Paimon exclaimed. "Don't you need those?"

"Not really. This pair is too damaged to be of any use. Help me dispose of them, please; just drop them into a pit or something. I'd do it myself, but I'm stuck here for the time being."

"Then are you planning to make new ones? Don't you need Daisy for that? Speaking of which, where is she?"

"Daisy was also affected by the Abyss. She's fine; she managed to get me help before retreating beyond Natlan, where the Leylines are still stable. I'll have her bring me my spare eyes after it's safe."

"Wait, you have spares?"

Esmeralda grinned. "Well, yes. Building something this complex while being blind sucks. Of course I took precautions."

"Seems like things will be alright, then," Aether said. "Have some rest, Esmeralda. We'll handle this."

"See you soon, Esmeralda!"

"Bye. Good luck."

With that, the two of them left. Despite being blinded once more, Esmeralda felt great. Sure, Aether quest was not for her alone, but his efforts were appreciated. She had faith in his abilities. For now, it was time to rest.

Dawn came and with it, a subtle sense of relief. Her connection was weak, but... Yes, Esmeralda could feel that the Leylines were stable once more, much like that of other nations. There was, however, a strange presence within it that she could not identify.

She put that out of her mind and focused instead on Daisy. She could feel her robotic friend through the Leylines, yet it felt even weaker than before. The abyssal incursion must have affected it somehow. If the link were ever severed... Esmeralda shuddered at the thought.

Reminder: Create some kind of long-range communication device.

Fortunately, that time had not yet come. The bond was not strong enough for a full conversation, but Esmeralda managed to get some emotions through - an assurance that she was safe, relief that Daisy was safe, and a request to meet up as soon as possible.

Once she received acknowledgement, Esmeralda returned her focus to the real world. Until she got her eyes replaced, she would be staying put. Without sight or Daisy to spot for her, exploring was out of the question. In the meantime, she summoned her visor. She had chosen not to do so earlier due to her fears that it might get affected by the Abyssal corrosion, but now that that issue had been resolved, Esmeralda decided that it was safe enough.

Normally, her visor would connect to her eyes, which would connect to the base implant that Martin had installed for her, which was connected to her brain. Time to see if she could skip a step.

To an outside observer, Esmeralda was lying peacefully on the bed, resting. In actuality, however, her mind was racing as she attempted to bind her visor directly to her mind.

Connection established. Time to get to work.

First, check if she could use the visor to get her eyesight back. Unfortunately, after a few moments, Esmeralda came back with a negative. While the visor could improve the vision capabilities of her mechanical eyes, they could not send any images directly into her mind. Unfortunatly, she would still have to wait for Daisy to arrive.

That was alright. Esmeralda had other things to do. Next, she activated the visor.

Then, Esmeralda sensed it. Daisy had arrived in Natlan and from their bond, she could feel no particular abnormalities. Seems like the Leylines were properly stabilized indeed. Now, she just had to go and meet up with Daisy.

Esmeralda dematerialized her visor and immediately ran into her first problem.

Ideally, Esmeralda would get the nurse to escort her out... but she had no idea how long it would take to get the nurse to check up on her, nor did she know how to summon the nurse.

Well, she was free to leave.

Throwing the blanket aside, Esmeralda slid off the bed. Her legs were weak from being bed-bound for the past day, but it was nothing major. Carefully following the wall, she made her way to what felt like the door. Opening it up, she only managed to take a few steps outside before someone took her arm.

"Where are you going?" Caipa, the doctor, asked. She sounded both concerned and annoyed.

"I'm going to meet a friend. She's carrying my spare eyes," Esmeralda explained.

"Spare eyes? Oh. I could get them for you. You should be in bed."

Esmeralda considered it. If Caipa went out and saw Daisy by herself, screaming and combat would probably occur. She shook her head. "No, she won't meet with anyone else."

"Hm. I'll escort you out, at least," Caipa said. It sounded like she still had some concerns, but Esmeralda could handle herself. "Where are the two of you planning to meet?"

"Just out the back. You can come along, if... if you promise not to panic."

"Right... Follow me, then." With that last, slightly disbelieving sentence, Caipa began to move, bringing Esmeralda along. They moved slowly, which she appreciated, especially when the doctor occasionally pulled her out of the way of other patients.

There was a sudden onset of noise, the ever-present sound of people who told her they had arrived outside. By the sounds of things, they were celebrating - no surprise, given the victory that Aether had achieved in their stead.

"So, where to?" Caipa asked.

Where to? Esmeralda had never agreed on a specific location with Daisy, but that should be no issue. "Just somewhere quiet, away from people."

"... You sure? It might be dangerous."

"Yes."

Caipa sighed audibly. Apparently having decided against arguing further, she pulled Esmeralda along. "This way."

The sounds grew dimmer as the doctor led her away from the main tribe. Soon, they stopped.

"This should be far enough. Is your friend here?"

Yes, Daisy was nearby. "She's here. Don't panic, please," Esmeralda said, a few seconds before the massive robot decloaked mere meters in front of the two of them.

Caipa let out a yell of surprise and released Esmeralda, but she was too focused on Daisy to notice. Reaching out, she took the two little orbs that her companion was offering to her. Esmeralda cradled her replacement eyes for a moment. So small, yet so complex and so necessary. With a sigh, she popped them in, shuddering a little as she did.

Starting up... Initializing connection... Activating...

Esmeralda stood still as her vision flickered. The darkness that she had been stuck with was repowith static, then a blurred image, which quickly focused onto a familiar robot.

"It's great to see you again, Daisy," Esmeralda said, analyzing her mechanical friend as she did. Everything looked normal, which was excellent. No problems with her eyes or with Daisy.

"Likewise," Daisy replied, then, "Your doctor seems concerned."

Esmeralda turned to see Caipa for the first time. The doctor had fallen onto her back, jaw wide open. "It speaks?"

"Miss Caipa. Thank you for taking care of me. This is my friend, Daisy, and I'd appreciate it if you could keep her presence to yourself."

"What... How do you control that?"

"Control? Daisy is my friend, not a tool."

"Miss Caipa, I value human life as much as you do," Daisy added, to reassure the shocked doctor. "I shall cause no harm."

Caipa took a few more seconds to compose herself. She seemed to aceept the facts and said, "Very well. I'll leave the two of you to... get re-acquainted. I should return to the clinic. Esmeralda, if you feel any lingering effects of the corrosion, make sure to get help." With that, she turned and hurried away.

Esmeralda turned back to Daisy. "What happened after I blacked out?"

"After I shot that flare, I retreated from the area, away from Natlan. My cloak was still functioning despite the various issues, so I became invisible and moved to a location where my systems were functional. Have you figured out the cause?"

Esmeralda nodded before explaining what she had been told about the Leylines.

Daisy listened attentively. "Interesting," she said, once it was clear. "This brings up several areas of improvement. We must create both a method of isolating our systems from external influence, as well as develop a method of long-range communications."

Esmeralda nodded. "Makes sense. For now, though, let's go exploring."

Project Mirage: Version 1.1

Warning! Unauthorized data access in progress. Warning! Unauthorized - Rebooting. Data package received. Alert. The contents of this data package cannot be verified and may be harmful to your device. Are you sure you wish to continue? Confirmed. Installing program. Initializing...