"Darkness exists as part of balance, yet fear has marked it as evil. To you who is burdened by guilt, grief, and regret -- I bestow upon you the {Power} of Abyss. May you atone for your sins, for only then shall your purpose be fulfilled."
"Go forth...my successor."
Somewhere near a beach...
The sea stretched out before them, its surface a gleaming mirror of the sky. Sunlight flickered on the gentle ripples, casting shifting patterns across the water. A soft breeze rustled the trees lining the shore, carrying the faint scent of saltwater and earth. It was, by all accounts, the perfect setting for a peaceful afternoon of fishing.
Except, of course, for Calibur.
Lumine sat on a flat rock by the shore, her legs crossed as she patiently watched her makeshift fishing rod. A simple wooden stick, a bit of twine, and a hook she'd fashioned from a stray bit of metal—primitive, but functional. She had always been the practical type, and fishing, while tedious, was at least straightforward.
Calibur, on the other hand, was knee-deep in the water, sword drawn. The red, angular markings etched across his silver visor seemed to narrow as he focused. Every slight movement in the water was reflected in his stance, his entire form locked in predatory precision.
Lumine sighed. "You know, most people use a fishing rod."
Calibur didn't even glance her way. "Hitsuyou nai."— (No need.)
Lumine rubbed her temples. "Yeah, of course. Because why fish when you can just threaten the fish."
Calibur ignored her. His grip on his sword tightened, his stance shifting ever so slightly. Then, without warning, he swung. A single, fluid slash cleaved through the water with a pulse of energy. When the ripples faded, several fish floated belly-up.
Lumine stared, slack-jawed.
"…You can't just obliterate the fish," she groaned, pressing her palm to her forehead. "We need to actually eat them."
Calibur waded forward, unbothered, and plucked one from the water. He held it out to her, expression unreadable. "Sakana wa shindeiru." — (Fish is dead.)
"That's not the point," Lumine muttered.
She was about to launch into a lecture about cooking techniques when a strange, muffled noise reached her ears. A tiny, high-pitched voice.
Then something wiggled near Calibur's leg.
Without hesitation, Calibur reached down, grasped whatever it was by the back of its soaked cape, and lifted it out of the water.
The thing flailed, coughing and spluttering. "PAIMON WASN'T A FISH—PUT PAIMON DOWN!!"
Lumine blinked at the tiny, furious creature dangling from Calibur's grip. Short, drenched, and floating. Not quite human, but certainly not fish.
"…Did you just fish up a person?"
Calibur held the strange little being at arm's length, unimpressed. "Chiisai." -- (Small.) His head tilted slightly, assessing. "Taberareru?" -- (Edible?)
Paimon gasped, scandalized, as if knowing what Calibur was saying about her. "EXCUSE YOU! PAIMON IS NOT FOOD!!"
With surprising speed for someone her size, she launched an attack—tiny fists smacking against Calibur's helmet with all the force of an indignant mosquito.
Lumine snorted, clapping a hand over her mouth to muffle her laughter. "Okay Cal, put her down before you traumatize her."
He let out a huff but obeyed, setting the drenched creature on the ground. The moment her feet touched solid earth, she floated up again, puffing up like an angry cat.
"Fueteru..." -- (She floats...) Calibur muttered, eyes locked on the tiny creature bobbing in the air.
Lumine sighed, pointing to the sword still gripped in his hands. "I think you can put that away now."
"Kotowaru." -- (I refuse.) He made no move to sheath his weapon.
Lumine blinked. "What do you mean no?"
"Chibi mono ga ayashi." -- (The pipsqueak is suspicious.) His gaze didn't waver.
Lumine cast a glance at the drenched, indignant Paimon before turning back to him. "She's just a...small kid! You're just being paranoid."
Calibur scoffed. "Gaki? Nani o itteru?! Umi kara doko karatomo naku arawareta! Henso shita teki kamo shiranai!" -- (A kid? What are you even saying?! She appeared out of nowhere from the sea! She could be an enemy in disguise!) Calibur argued.
Lumine hesitated. "I...couldn't understand most of that, but still, something as small as her couldn't possibly pose that kind of danger." Lumine reasoned.
Meanwhile, Paimon -- having finished wringing out her cape -- stood with her hands on her hips, staring at them in pure disbelief.
"Wait a second… You two don't even know how to speak properly?! No wonder you look lost!"
Lumine crossed her arms, defensive. "We were figuring it out just fine, thank you."
Calibur, ever unbothered, muttered, "Rikai wa juubun." -- (Understanding is enough.)
Paimon scoffed. "Okay, big guy, from now on, Paimon's gonna be your teacher! And rule number one--DON'T ASK IF PEOPLE ARE EDIBLE!"
Calibur remained silent for a long moment before finally sheathing his sword. "Mada kangaeru."
"Still thinking he says."
Paimon choked on air. "HEY, CONTROL YOUR KNIGHT!!" For the first time in what felt like months, Lumine burst out laughing.
So over the course of a few weeks, Paimon began teaching Lumine and Calibur the proper Teyvatian, fixing their broken grammar and pronunciation with relentless enthusiasm. Lumine picked up the language quickly, but Calibur struggled with anything remotely resembling polite speech.
At first, he tolerated Paimon's presence. Slowly--begrudgingly--he accepted it. She was annoying. Loud. Pushy.
But she was useful.
Lumine, for her part, didn't mind the change. It was nice to have someone around who could translate when needed. Even nicer to have someone who could make her laugh. She told them stories about the world they were in, and what cities are around them. And how each regions is protected by their respective archons. But when it comes to food though, Paimon was quite a glutton, munching on the food Lumine cooked nonstop while giving good comments about how delicious they are. Even though the food were just made with simple methods...
Then one day, as they sat around the campfire, eating their breakfast, Paimon finally asked the question that had been on her mind.
"So why are you two out here all alone in the wild?"
It was time for them to tell their story—how they had come to be here.
Lumine spoke first, recounting her journey with her brother, how they had traveled together across countless worlds--until the day he was tragically taken from her by the unknown god.
Calibur on the other hand?
"Wait, wait, wait--you found him buried inside a tree?" Paimon squawked, staring at Calibur, then back at Lumine." She nodded. "And you don't find it weird that someone like him was even there?"
Lumine shrugged. "At first, I thought he was some kind of monster. But after realizing he was just as lost as I was, I just… bonded with him."
"Oh~? So that must mean you two got very close since then, huh?" Paimon teased, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
Lumine glanced at Calibur, recalling some particular moments she had witnessed. "…I guess you could say that," she replied with a forced smile.
Paimon furrowed a brow at her reaction but let it slide. "So, he just popped out of the tree, and you both couldn't understand each other?"
"Pretty much. But even though we couldn't speak the same language, I could tell he really had no idea who he was, what he was, or even where he came from. The only things he had with him were his sword… and this book. To which only he can read apparently." She digs her hand into her bag, looking for Calibur's book.
Paimon puffed up her chest and hands to her hips "Hmm~ Hmm~! Leave it to Paimon! I'm sure she can read it!" Paimon said with a proud smug.
Lumine shrugged as she pulled the book out. Its size is roughly 5 by 7 inches, thick with age. Its leather covers are worn but durable, stitched with gold thread along the spine and sealed with a clasp. On the cover, a red dragon is depicted in the background, unleashing a stream of flame. The sky surrounding it is also dyed in red. The title of the book reads "Brave Dragon", and in one corner rests a distinct symbol, carved into the leather like a sigil of power.
Paimon stared at the book, already showing signs of confusion. She takes the book into her hand and inspects its closer, bringing it really close to her eyes. She opens a page of the book, then just continues to flip rapidly through them, hoping to find something she'll recognize. Then she closed up the book.
In defeat, she says "Paimon can't read this. Paimon can't recognize a single word from it! What kind of script is this!?"
Lumine smirked. "I told you, its only something he could read."
"Oh yeah?! What's this say then?!" Paimon holds the book up and taps on the cover's title to Calibur's face.
"Brave Dragon." Paimon looked at him incredulously, then turned the book to her.
"Is he making it up?" She turned to Lumine, who responded with just a shrug. Paimon stared at her with half-lidded eyes and a frown, showing her disappointment. Feeling as if she won't get anywhere with this, she decides to change the topic.
"Huh. Now that she thinks about it, Paimon finds it funny that you're named after a sword," she mused, tapping her chin. "But I guess it makes sense, considering that thing on top of your helmet." She pointed at the golden blade-like structure protruding from his headpiece.
As we get a good look at Calibur; he stands tall, clad in an imposing suit of deep violet and black armor, accented with streaks of gold that trace his limbs like lightning. His chest is adorned with sharp silver plating, segmented like the fangs of a beast, with a golden blade-like structure running vertically down the center. His shoulders bears symmetrical armor--encased in a simple yet sturdy silver plate. (Just to clarify, the Jaaku Dragon pauldron isn't there.)
His gauntlets and greaves are sleek yet aggressive, tapering into pointed edges with jagged golden patterns crackling along their length. A black and gold sash drapes from his waist, adding a regal yet battle-worn air to his stance. His boots, reinforced with metallic accents, complete the look of a warrior forged in both mystery and battle.
At the center of it all, his helmet is his most striking feature—a silver faceplate adorned with red angular designs in place of visible eyes, giving him an unreadable, almost otherworldly presence. A golden horn juts forward from his forehead like the tip of a blade, while jagged, layered armor extends from the sides of his head, resembling a knight's helm fused with the visage of a mythical beast.
His appearance was a contrast to Lumine.
She had chin-length hair except for two shoulder length locks framing her face. She has two light-blue flowers pinned on the right side of her head and two pale blue feathers tucked at the left. She wears a sleeveless, backless, box pleated white dress held up by crossed black straps.
She wears a two-tailed scarf, with each tail having a gold, flat diamond-shaped ornament attached to the tip of the tail. Her legwear consists of angles thigh-high stockings and white ankle high high-heeled boots.
As a response to Paimon, Calibur barely reacted. "Name...felt natural."
"Still, though, how were you sealed there? And why for so long? Judging from what she said, you were buried deep—only part of your face and hand were showing."
"Wakaran. When I...awoke, felt something...inside. So, I awoke." -- (Don't know.) Calibur answered, looking at his hand, gripping and opening it.
Paimon squinted. "Yeah...we should really get you a dictionary. Your Teyvatian is really terrible and Paimon doesn't know how to help anymore."
Tch." Calibur clicked his tongue and looked away, clearly displeased with the comment.
An awkward silence settled over them. Paimon fidgeted with her foot, unsure of what to say next. Lumine and Calibur simply stared into the fire, lost in quiet thought.
Then, softly, Paimon spoke again.
"So… what are you going to do now?"
Lumine was quiet for a moment, her eyes still locked on the flames. Then she looked up, her voice steady.
"I think it's time I leave this place… and start searching for my brother."
She turned to them, her gaze firm with resolve. "I don't know how long it's been, but I'm going to find out."
Paimon lit up as she rose up.
"That's the spirit! Paimon will do her best to be a great guide!" She said, putting her hand to her chest.
"Cal? What about you?" Lumine asked, turning toward him. A slight hint of hope could be heard from her voice.
"Kimi ni tsuite iku. Ima sara ware wa doko ni mo iku no shiranai kara." (I'll follow you. At this moment, I don't know where else I could go.)
Lumine smiled warmly. "I'll take that as a yes."
"Then lets get going! The earlier we leave the better!" Said Paimon as she flew ahead.
Calibur stood up first, then giving Lumine his hand which she accepted gratefully.
To be continued
Act 1: The Outlanders That Caught The Wind
Chapter 1: A Windy Introduction