Swift and fluid, the two artificed dancers moved almost effortlessly in the circular plaza, their polished metal almost enveloping them in a golden aura. A masculine shape that rolled in wheels, and a feminine partner that spun with its drill-like lower body, moving as one in graceful and artistic motions. No wonder the couple of meks kept the newly arrived natlanian enthralled. It was an odd thing, seeing such a mountain of a man sitting on the stone handrail that led to the arena, but neither Lumine nor Paimon could blame him. They had the same reaction when they first witnessed the Icewind suit. No, their worries were elsewhere.

– You don’t think he’s going to try and fight them, right?

Lumine grimaced at the thought. The purple and gray hues on the man’s outfit, as well as his muscular build were dead giveaways for his allegiance. And it was precisely that that worried her. The people of the Collective of Plenty could get… carried away. These were the people that wrestled saurians for fitness, after all. 

– …Lumine?

Paimon’s voice carried dread and worry this time, head slightly turned towards her blonde partner, but eyes fixed on the man, waiting  for words she desired to hear. He scratched his chin, folding his arms on his chest. Though distant, Lumine could have sworn she heard him mutter something about not losing a fight to meks, and wanting to battle the toughest ones. It had been rather unfortunate that Paimon’s stomach decided to roar to life, the small flying woman blushing and looking away.

– We’ll let one of the gardes know, just in case. - Sighed Lumine, walking away.-  After that, let’s have something to eat.

With the promise of food, Paimon floated next to her, sparing one last glance back at the man. He was still sitting, but the blonde was right. Best to warn the gardes… just in case. Luckily the Opera Epiclese had some of them patrolling the area, the garde altering her route to ensure the new visitor’s safety; And although a melusine was far from intimidating, it was a good way to avoid a ticket to the Fortress of Meropide.

Walking away, finding a good spot to set up the portable stove was the easy part, both of them going over the recipes they had collected and learned on their travels. The hard part was going to be keeping Paimon under control, her eyes lighting up at every possible choice Lumine went over. Each name said only made her daydream further, her eyes gleaming at the thought of a feast and unfocused, with a massive drooling grin on her face. And as her Lumine got to work, she floated closer and closer to the edge of the stove.

– Living up to the “Emergency food” name?

Paimon immediately snapped to her senses, pulling back with a pout.

– It’s been forever! Stop calling Paimon that!

– It’s not me who has been about to bathe on the stove. - Said Lumine, sticking her tongue out.

Paimon harrumphed, folding her arms and turning away, nose up. She stood no chance though, as the rising aroma and the sizzling of oil quickly reached her. Like an enthralling song, it encroached around her nose and ears, weakening the fit she was throwing. Or tried to. The sound and the smell, working together, eventually made her crack, the silver haired companion glancing over her shoulder. A glance was all it took, but there was the drooling again. Lumine carefully gathered the fried fish fillets and potato chips, wrapping them in a paper cone. A bit of sauce, and she handed it to Paimon.

– Charlotte’s specialty. Made it extra big for you.

With a gleeful squeal, Paimon lunged towards the food, the cone being almost as big as her. Not that it stopped her, gobbling the chips away as Lumine packed up the stove and ate her own ration. 

The surroundings of the Opera building were picturesque, with rolling green grass that covered the island and the gentle crashing of the waves on the shores nearby reaching them faintly. And, much to Paimon’s delight, Lumine had developed quite the skilled hand at cooking. The floating petite woman gleefully devoured her lunch, fries and fish fillet alike, groaning at the crunchy texture and flavour. And Lumine was not very different, although she was much more discrete. With the radiant sun shining down on them, they walked around the Opera, finding a place to sit.

Rising on the horizon, the Court of Fontaine demanded the attention of anyone that as much as caught a glimpse of it. A gleaming monument of light stone and brass, sitting in the centre of the archipelago region. A blocky shape with lean lines that made it more rounded and gentle looking, less of a fortress and more of a concentrated urban nucleus. An arch stood over it, lean and slim -at least from a distance-, and reaching almost as tall as the government building on the highest level. Lumine followed the shapes of the aquabus lines with her gaze, gentle curves that radiated away from the city and off to the different regions of the country. Some into distant vertical ports in the horizon, others connecting the islands of the archipelago. 

She plunged her sight into the shimmering blue waters of the region, a vibrant azure that darkened where it became deeper, concealing the submarine world it held. The tallest kelps could only tease what lay below, swaying gently in the current like alluring dancers. Like ominous tentacles of a leviathan waiting to claim the overworld, to drag it to a watery grave. 

Her eyes went back to the main city, hardening at the memory. It had almost been that way. Almost. But the city remained firm, gleaming in the sunlight. Most if not all of the damage relegated to a memory. One that had carved itself into the minds of the fontainians, yes, but one they were able to tell the tale of.

– It was close, wasn’t it?

Glancing at Paimon, her silver haired companion sat next to her, having a similar look on her eyes. Her gaze fixed on the government building, Palais Mermonia, towering over the city’s skyline.

– It seemed like a certain fate. Many tried to fight against it, but you succeeded. - She continued.- And put a dragon back in charge to boot.

The blonde traveller ate a fish fillet absentmindedly, mulling over all they had come to know and discover. The rush against the flood and those that tried to stop it. The horrendous theories and experiments carried with that goal in mind. The former rulers of Fontaine and the waters, and the current one.

– A lot of people came before us. And had a lot of help.

– Yeah… - Paimon sighed.- Navia, Furina, the people at Meropide… even the Fatui.

– Aren’t you forgetting someone? – Smirked Lumine.- Someone that never leaves my side?

Paimon’s eyes lit up at that, floating again and puffing her chest.

– Paimon wouldn’t be the best companion and guide otherwise!

Seeing her go back to her usual antics made Lumine release a breath she had not noticed to be holding.

– Can’t let my emergency food wander too far off.

– Ye- Hey!

Chuckling at the petite silver haired woman stomping the air, Lumine kept eating. The fish and chips were delicious, and after a moment of antics, Paimon got back to devouring her extra large ration. With a little help of water, they were done soon after, standing up and stretching their limbs.

– Where to now?

– How about we go back to the city? A nice walk and a boat ride, and we’ll decide once we are there.

The cobbled road lacked any covering or eaves, and the sun shone with all its might. Nothing too displeasing, especially after their journeys through the desert, but it did make the coolness of the Opera’s entrance that more welcome. Lumine stopped by the fountain, gently touching the inscription on it. The sobbing had long stopped. 

Courtesy of the two small canals that flanked the cobblestone road, the path to the aquabus station was cool and refreshing. The murmur of water accompanied every step, the occasional small fountain breaking cadence and also helping in keeping the sun’s scorching heat at bay. The aroma of roses and jasmine was just the final detail, making it all rather pleasant.

Lumine arched an eyebrow at Paimon’s humming. She floated along, her voice an absent-minded lower pitch, and rather than interrupt, the blonde hummed along. That finally gathered Paimon’s attention, who sang a bit more loudly.

– Riez tout cela, ne vous inquiétez pas, profitons d'aujourd'hui!

She finished with a small twirl in the air, giving a small bow to Lumine’s chuckles and clapping.

– I didn’t know you were such a good singer. - The blonde beamed.- You should show Furina. I’m sure she would find something for you.

– Eeh… I’m not that good.

– Uh-huh… you’re blushing though.

Paimon looked away, blushing at the compliment. Her eyes went to the cobble road and to the surrounding greenery, to the clear blue skies and the gleaming waters of fontaine. Anything that could veer off the conversation elsewhere, anywhere but her. She even considered scurrying back to her pocket dimension, Lumine only having to purchase one ticket was sure to do the trick, right? Something did catch her eye though. A figure on the floor, while a garde and a woman crouched next to her. The woman in particular, with her tight clothing reminded her of-

– Xianyun?

The woman tensed and stood up, turning her head towards them. A motion so mechanical that, with another look, she could have been confused with a clockwork meka. Long hair covered her right eye, past her firm lips and chin, reaching all the way down to her bust; but even then they could feel her glare on them, sizing them up. It lasted for a moment, before her pose relaxed and approached them.

– Not quite, Paimon. – She said, her mezzo soprano voice melodious and enthralling.

– You know who we are?

– Master speaks highly of you two. – Her left eye, a pond of blue with an oval vertical pupil, was fixed on the blonde.- Particularly of you.

Lumine held the stare in silence, her face an expressionless and stony mask. The woman was clad in a form-fitting bodysuit, a dark brown cloth that covered her from bust to thighs, leaving little skin exposed. Still, beneath the blue corset that covered her trunk, right at the end of the red stripes that ran across it horizontally, she could see some openings for ventilation. That, along her almost knee-high brown boots and the two blue feathers on the sides of her hair, left the blonde wondering.

– What happened here?

– To the point, as she said. – The woman turned and faced the scene again.- This man attacked me.

Lumine arched an eyebrow at that. The man on the floor was dressed in plain clothing, nothing out of the ordinary. She knelt next to the garde, the man in uniform immediately recognizing her and giving her a nod. Still, his eyes darted to the brunette for a moment, going back to the unconscious man as he tried to reanimate him. Lumine moved the body ever so slightly, trying to discern some injury.

– No injuries besides a solid hit on the gut and light concussion on the head. – Informed the garde.

– This guy is out cold. – Said Paimon, lowering herself for a closer look.- Maybe we should take him to the nearest infirmary… 

– He is unconscious, that’s all. – Elaborated the garde.- He should come back around eventually.

– I see. Thank you. – Said Lumine, standing up and turning to the woman. - From where I stand, it does not look good for you.

– Look good for- – The brunette’s lip stiffened and her chest puffed in anger, Paimon eeking and ducking for cover behind the blonde.- Are you daft?! It was him who attacked this one, not the other way around!

The woman stared down at Lumine and the guard, standing tall and making her frame as big as she could be, as if trying to test the blonde traveller. Lumine was having none of it, her golden eyes fixed on the woman, unflinching and unyielding. Behind her, Paimon cowered and peeked for a moment, only to hide again, and out of reflex, the garde slowly reached for the baton on his hip.

– Lower your tone, if you please. We don’t want a street performance. – Said Lumine, her voice low and her stare hard.- Could you be a little more specific?

The woman seemed to deflate, sighing in defeat.

– One arrived here on the aquabus, heading for the opera for a rehearsal. It was a mere routine, a path walked many times before. However, before I could reach far, this man came from the woods, howling as a madman.

– Howling?

– He screamed about doing its will. Time and again.

– And that’s when he got the jump on you?

– Indeed. – The brunette nodded.- I am not so easily surprised, though. Two hits and I was unscathed.

– I see… – Lumine mused.- Is there anyone, anyone that can corroborate what you say?

– Ah… One is afraid not. The trip on the aquabus towards the opera building was a solitary one.

– Of course… – Lumine said, pinching the bridge of her nose. Xianyun’s pupil and trouble. Not that surprising, if she was honest with herself.

– You are a performer? – Asked Paimon from the safety her blonde partner offered, getting a nod in response.- On whose troupe?

– Furina de Fontaine.

The reactions said it all. Lumine’s arching eyebrows, Paimon gasping and even the garde looking up. The brunette merely looked back, taking turns to meet different stares.

– What is it?

– Your situation. – Said Lumine. - It’s… not that bad.

– I’m free to go then?

– No.

It was the garde who intervened this time. He had the unconscious man over his shoulders, doing his best to maintain some decorum.

– Traveller, I hate to ask you this, but could you accompany this woman and inspect the area? – He glanced at the performer.- Where did the… victim come from?

The brunette pointed northward, nowhere concrete, but the horizon was enough to make both the garde and Lumine hold in their chests exasperated sighs. It was nothing out of the ordinary at first glance. Sharp and bare stone of hilltops, like teeth of a giant leviathan, covered by rolling greenery of grass and trees. All of it framed by golden beaches and sparkling azure waters. Quite picturesque, if one ignored what waited behind it.

– Of course. – Sighed Lumine.- I’ll go with her and check out the area ahead.

– Appreciate it, Traveller. – Answered the garde, giving a semblance of a salute.- I’ll take this man to the Opera building, where he can rest until proper help arrives.

Parting ways, the garde huffed as he walked down the road, with the man over his shoulders, the sun beating mercilessly with its radiance. Meanwhile Lumine, Paimon and their improvised partner ventured into the scenery. Soft grass and gentle looking dirt beneath their feet, a radiant sun and a blue sky overhead, and the ruins of the Fontaine Research Institute ahead. 

None of it made the walk less awkward. 

It was a short hike, the three women making their way through it without interruption and in complete silence. The place was… rather unremarkable. Rolling slopes of verdurous grass and some trees and brushes, growing taller to the right; and the sparkling waters of Fontaine and the golden sand beach to the left.  

While the brunette remained close by, trying to find some clue by herself, Lumine walked around the area. Slowly, she surveyed the surroundings, trying to find something, anything, that could work as a lead. Some half-erased footprints, a forgotten object left behind by mistake, some broken branches or flattened grass… she would even take an abyss order ambush. Those usually had the fanciest timing, not being uncommon to try and get the jump in moments like that.  But not this time. No matter how hard she squinted at the distance, or glared at the scenery, there was absolutely nothing that could serve as a clue. She had to suppress the urge of shouting a challenge out loud, just to see if that provoked the abyss into attacking. But no, there was nothing.

If anything, they could be lucky there was a trodden path at all.

– Are you sure he came from here?

– Positive.

– Well that’s just peachy…

The blonde murmured and protested quietly, walking with Paimon in tow. But there was just nothing that could pass as suspicious.

– Hey, traveller… maybe you should try using your elemental sight? See if there is something strange?

– Something feels wrong. – The brunette muttered, closing the distance while squinting at the air.- Your… friend might be right.

Arching an eyebrow at the vagueness of the supposed culprit, Lumine closed her eyes for a moment. Paimon was right about the vision. Something that had proven useful in the past, and that she constantly forgot about, probably due to her more “direct” approach to the matters at hand. When she opened her golden eyes, the world around her was duller in colour, as a wave of pearly white radiated away from her.

“Note to self: treat Paimon to something sweet later.”

Purple fumes hung in the air, dotting the whole area around them. It was something faint, and unperceivable without the elemental sight, but it was there. And just as the brunette had said, it felt “wrong”, a sickening feeling deeply embedded in her stomach. The miasma that remained  trailing off further and further in the distance, towards the ruins of the institute.

– We have a lead.

– Really? – Asked Paimon.- What is it?

– Some sort of miasma. It feels…

– ...familiar?

Both Lumine and Paimon turned their heads towards the brunette, the woman having an expression that looked like an odd blend of concern, anger and… guilt? The blonde nodded at her intervention, the gears of her mind turning and churning. It felt familiar, yes, but why? Where had she seen, or felt something similar?

– That’s the golden question, isn’t it? – Mumbled Lumine.

– Beg your pardon?

– Just thinking aloud, sorry. – Apologized the blonde, closing the distance and offering a hand to the brunette.-  I believe we started wrong-footed. Lumine, wandering adventurer.

There was a moment of silence, the brunette looking at the hand first and then at the blonde traveller. Back to the hand and back to locking gazes, pupil on pupil. Her hand remained closed, wary, even as she slowly took her offer. Her skin was smooth and slightly warm, the lingering traces of sweat letting Lumine know of the nervousness in her, despite a flawless stone façade. No wonder she was a performer and an actress.

– Maya Kongque.

– And Paimon is Paimon!

Sighing at the antics of the petite floating woman, Lumine motioned the road to follow, the air between them remaining tense as they made their way forward. It had lightened a bit, yes, but Maya kept quiet and at a certain distance. Lumine didn’t mind giving her some space, but even then she could notice the discomfort on her face, clear as the skies above.

– Hey… Maya, was it?

– Maya Kongque.

– Where are you from? Your name sounds fontainan, but the surname sounds… Liyuean? Inazuman?

Suppressing the urge to pinch her brow, Lumine let Paimon go on. Blunt as she was, it could be a good way to take her mind off whatever was bothering her. The silence was deafening, the floating woman taking the hint a moment later.

– Sorry, sorry! Paimon didn’t intend to come across as rude! – The petite woman said, arms flailing wildly.- It’s fine if you don’t want to explain. Paimon was just curious.

– It’s… fine. – Maya sighed.- It has a bit of history behind it.

The walk went on and on, as the trio made their way over hills and across ruins, trodden paths and cobblestone roads taking turns. And meanwhile Maya told them the story. 

It was the tale of a dazzling fontainian woman, with talent on song and dance, and how all came crashing down when she was kidnapped. Torn away from her home and friends, from all she knew and loved; only to be plunged into the darkest depths of conspiracies and schemes of a complete stranger.

Far from the gleam and luster of Fontaine, she was crushed and battered, both in body and soul. To make her a hollow husk, a blank sheet to be used and remade into something entirely different. And it almost came to fruition. Powerless and prisoner as she was, it did not stop her from hating.

Hating her predicament.

Hating her own self.

Hating her captor and tormentor.

And in that hate, the power found a small crevasse to work with. A wisp that, however small at first, it only kept growing and growing. A faint mist enveloped the stones of her mind, slowly and carefully. It took time and patience, but eventually the first wisps became a blinding fog, asphyxiating and overwhelming, claiming more and more of her. The dark fog tainted and muddled memories, as if ruining a beautiful canvas. Sometimes quickly claiming and twisting them, other times taking its time to poison and cloud larger and more relevant ones. Slowly but surely, as it grew in strength, enveloping and tainting her mind.

When help finally arrived, it was long past the event horizon. Righteous winds and furious storm clouds  brought a fitting end to the tormentor, while clearing the fog that drained the pitiful remains of what used to be Maya. With worry and horror, her liberator realized that the only way to save the woman was to see things through; to deliver the finale of the ritual. 

She was not one to merely accept things as they were though, so with effort and art of her own, the heroine managed to save a few scattered remains of the prisoner’s mind. Safely kept until the right time, she brought the hollow husk under her wing, giving her a new name and home. She nursed and cared for her, both having long been denied to the husk, but that would not be enough. Although the foul power had taken much, her future it had not. And that was hers to shape and decide.

To grow stronger is to learn, both about oneself and the surrounding world. Through learning, one tempers abilities and character. And by tempering the body and soul, one grows stronger. And the husk, under watchful care and receiving a new name, did as such.

However, truth always finds a way out, no matter how pristine the façade. And her venerable master, her loving carer, knew that full well. When time came, when her training came to an end, she explained accordingly and  revealed the tragedy she had lived and forgotten. What she had managed to learn of her past life. The twisted purpose of the ritual she was subjected to, and her hand on the finale of it. Her reasoning for her nursing and training. All of it, giving her pupil two choices: to try and recover her former life, building anew; or to embrace her new self.

Such terrible revelations are hardly taken well, and this was no exception. Stunned silence followed by doubt, both of the revelations and herself. The pupil left the room and her master without giving an answer, and for the following days she was barely seen at all.

A week went by, but the answer finally came. Her words had revealed much to the pupil, learning more than perhaps she had ever wanted. She needed time, time to think and meditate, letting these revelations temper. And once things had simmered down, she had made her choice.

She was both of them. A dazzling artist, and her powerful pupil, and wherever the wind might carry her, she would be forever grateful to her master.

Silence hung heavy as Maya finished her narration, Lumine and Paimon having listened in complete silence.

The hike along the beach had been silent and tranquil, listening to the story Maya had been narrating.

– …Traveller?

Paimon’s voice was but a squeak.

Maya glanced at Lumine, the blonde having  an unreadable expression on her face. A blend of contained ire, anger and… recognition? All while radiating a murderous aura. Perhaps that was why no monsters had shown up, not even the most daring ones. Paimon slowly floated behind the performer, clearly afraid of her.

While rare, the petite silver haired woman had gotten glimpses of what Lumine’s fury could be like. She recalled clearly their adventures in Sumeru, when the blonde had punched the akademiya’s leader until his face resembled a bloody pulp, as well as their battle against the Tanit. There were no screams of anger or theatrics, merely the sound of punches and the blade rending flesh; precise, focused and efficient.

Abyss hath no fury like a woman scorned, and Lumine was certainly livid. Yes, that was the gleam in her eyes. Recognition.

The cogs and gears on her mind spun and turned, the blonde furious at the culprit behind it and at herself. Her eyes gleamed, her elemental sight fixed on the trail of purple wisps. Something that only grew stronger with each step they took, from mists to a nauseating miasma of poisonous purple. 

Of course they had seen it before. 

Of course it felt familiar.

Last time, back in Liyue, Xiao almost didn’t make it out of the Chasm because of it.

Climbing the slopes of the hill, the soft grass fully gave way to the cold and weathered cobblestone path. Now that they had circled the mountain, the horizon showed a distinct picture.

Hunks of rock, segments of broken bridges and large cube-shaped bodies of water floated in the distance, seemingly without effort and against the fundamental physics of Teyvat. A large empty space and scattered ruins that, if one stared long enough at the scenery, the shape of a sphere could easily be made between all of it. Even after so long, that blasted place was still the epicentre of troubles.

– The ruins of the research institute? – Asked a confused Paimon.

– Of course. – Lumine scowled, striding forth.- Perfect place to hide nefarious business.

Maya hastened her own steps, trying to keep up with the blonde. The woman was resolute, and each of her strides made her look unstoppable. Across ruins and down the road they marched, the air around them feeling wrong and heavy, almost making her dizzy once or twice. Whether it was her mind playing tricks, or an effect of the now visible miasma, she could not tell, but the growing sickness on her stomach made it all very real, with the wisps now hanging in the air like phantoms.

Long and lean, and yet vaguely humanoid forms that vanished at the touch, she could not shake off the feeling of being watched. Even if Lumine marched forth stomping like a clockwork meka, with only two eyes to work with, she could not keep track of all of them. A completely mute audience that merely watched, waiting for the perfect moment to drag her away, to envelop her in the dark.

Every step made the sickness in her stomach grow, making her  feel weak and uneasy. The wisps drew closer, growing stronger, bolder.

A metallic whoosh brought her much needed focus, as the blonde materialized a sword on her hand. Footsteps approached quickly, a group of hilichurls marching into the scene in complete silence. The lanky and thin figures wielded clubs on their hands, as they usually did, with two of them also carrying small wooden shields. But they did so in complete silence, without their usual growling. The purple miasma permeated their figures, clinging to them like a poisonous aura, while they waited for something. 

Lumine tensed her muscles, grip steady on her sword. It was eerily quiet with no breeze nor chirping of the birds to hear, and the murmur of the fontainian waters was too distant. For the briefest moment she broke her glare, her golden eyes glancing quickly to the right and the left. Her jaw tensed, gritting her teeth. She could hear Paimon panting behind her, and at the very end of her peripheral sight she could see Maya was not well. She had a fan on her hand, probably a catalyst of some sort, but the woman was not up for a fight.

Without word or warning, things hastened to a blur. The horde charged as one without a word, Lumine jumping back to avoid the barrage. One, two steps, firm stance and grip, and-

– Yah!

A barrage of slashes hit the enemies, slashing them and staining with blood the ground below. Some of them took cover behind the shields, while others stumbled backwards, buckling under Lumine’s attack. An opening the blonde took advantage of, dashing forward and delivering precise strikes on three of the enemies. Her sword pierced and slashed, three bodies falling lifelessly on the ground with heavy thuds. But still, there was not one grunt from them.

Lumine grunted as a club connected on her back, turning in place and delivering a powerful kick. The lanky humanoid was sent rocketing against a ruined wall, followed by a crunch and a fourth casualty to the tally. Dashing to the side, she avoided a club to the head, returning the favour with a slash. Five.

– Aah! Traveller!

Avoiding a new attack, the blonde glanced at the voice, her pupils shrinking at the sight. The one she had sent against the wall, was not as done as she thought. It advanced slowly, stumbling towards Maya and Paimon with a club in hand. The dancer remained in place, gaze empty and the fan down. She seemed completely enthralled by the purple miasma, something that seemed awfully clingy to her. And meanwhile Paimon floated between her and the hilichurl. She was not a fighter, and her cowardice got the best of her plenty of times, but here she was, arms spread wide and standing between the monster and the woman.

With grunt, Lumine dashed forward, her gaze piercing the monster’s back, and her sword following suit with its chest. Paimon ducked to the side, a splat of blood landing on Maya’s face. That seemed to bring her out of her stupor, the woman raising a hand to her cheek as her sight took turns between her blood stained fingers and the newest corpse that fell silently to the floor. She recoiled at the hard gaze Lumine gave her, to slow to warn-

– Traveller, behind yo-

Paimon’s words fell silent as a club landed behind the blonde’s head, one of the hilichurls having finally landed a good hit. Her ears rang and vision blurred for a moment. When it cleared, her golden eyes were set ablaze as a fiery aura enveloped her. The slash, now imbued with pyro, cleaved cleanly across the monster’s club, chest and arm, filling the air with the smell of burning meat.

She panted, her head still aching. Blocking more swings, she was put on the defensive even as she set clubs and shields ablaze. And still, nothing. They didn’t let go. In fact, they didn’t seem to notice. The smell of burning flesh became stronger, hearing Paimon gag behind her. Maya was still not fully back to her senses, and something had changed on the monsters. They moved and attacked differently, almost as one. She could barely keep her front on a stalemate, quickly having to parry and block attacks. Even if she managed to sneak in a kick or a slash, the enemy was quickly gaining the upper hand.

– Stray clouds, converge!

A blinding teal light crashed right before the blonde, anemo energy gathering at the point and releasing a deflagration as it combined with Lumine’s pyro. The fiery aura, along the blazing winds dispelled the miasma around, while engulfing the remaining hilichurls into an inferno. The tall figure took a step back, approaching the dancer, while the blonde traveller glanced over her shoulder. Right on time too, as she scrambled to the side to make way for a very livid crab. Enveloped in her bubble, the hydro familiar rolled by like a runaway boulder, colliding with the monsters and plunging them into a cloud of steam. Some stumbled back, a few remained insufferably stalwart, and two of them fell to the ground, their lifeless bodies dissolving soon after.

– Yoo-hoo! 

Another familiar face trotted up the way they had come not long ago, exhaustion visible on her face despite her dignified façade. Given her workline as an artistic consultant, Furina was not that fond of long distance running.

Her other two familiars, the seahorse and the octopus with the top-hat joined the fray, peltering those that remained standing with a barrage of hydro projectiles. And meanwhile, the hydro crab stood on top of one of the hilichurls, pummeling the monster with her pincers instead of her more dignified rolling attack.

Lumine smirked, feeling the pyro cling to her body like ardent magma. The steam that surrounded the remaining hilichurls made them all that vulnerable, and she had just the finisher at hand. With a war cry, she focused the energy over them, forming a mark  that she delivered with all of her might. It fell upon them like a flaming bolt, making quick work of those monsters that remained.

The smell of burning flesh and wood did not last long, as the bodies dissolved into nothingness. No grunts, no snarls, just the same eerie silence.

The blonde warrior panted, rubbing the back of her head and flinching at the paint. A quick glance at her hand revealed nothing, but she still needed a moment. She sat down, back against a nearby wall, as Paimon hurried to her.

– Traveller! Are you hurt?

– They did land a good hit. – Lumine smiled, trying to calm her partner. Right on cue an elegant figure rose next to her, a small wave like figure holding an orbs between her fin-like arms.- But I’ll be fine.

– I presume we arrived right on cue? – Furina closed the distance, kneeling next to her.

– Yes, yes you are.

– I couldn’t stand by while some brutes attacked my dear friends. – The silver haired woman beamed. - Even if it was quite the trek to get here…

– Thanks for the help, Furina.

– Don’t thank me. I wouldn’t have made it had it not been for Miss Xianyun.

Said woman knelt next to Maya, and the picture only made the earlier confusion that more understandable. A dark and form-fitting outfit, with a flowing black dress over it. Golden and teal accents adorned it with volute and stripes, while a feather-like teal coat covered her shoulders, two long and flowing tails going down her back.

Reacting to her name, she looked up to them with the same expression as always: Stiff lips and a judgemental stare. However, she immediately relaxed upon realization, pressing her red glasses up.

– A pleasure to meet you, although this one wishes it would be under more favourable circumstances for a change.

– Thanks for the help, Miss Xianyun. – Lumine said, standing up fully healed as Furina’s familiar vanished. - Things were not looking good.

– Hardly. – The red-glasses woman scoffed. - You are an excellent fighter, and this one would have entered the fray regardless to protect her pupil.

– Yeah, we figured that you knew each other. – Nodded Paimon.

– And why so, pray tell?

Paimon, Lumine and Furina looked at the other two women from head to toe. Dark and form-fitting outfits. Colourful accents and small patterns here and there. Their speaking mannerisms. Although Maya wasn’t defenceless, the mother bird had clearly come to her aid. At least in this one matter.

– A gut feeling. – Said the floating woman, looking away as she pressed her fingers together.

– Master. – Spoke Maya. - Those monsters…

– It is not the same power. There are similarities, certainly, and this one ventures it might be a lesser version of it. 

– You know who is behind all of this?

– Not who, but certainly where it has fled. No matter the cloak or foliage, I saw the figure clearly during my descent, as well as a nearby cave, up the field to the right. And I’ll deliver us to the fool behind it.

– As for this power… – Started Lumine, cracking her knuckles.

– Ancient adepti arts, twisted and corrupted to erode minds and control bodies.

– I see. – The blonde nodded. - No wonder the hilichurls seemed… off.

– Monsters and fiends, not to be missed by any and still useful as subjects. – The woman said, pushing her glasses up and making them gleam for a moment. - Disgusting and vile all the same.

– What are we waiting for then? – Claimed Furina, chest puffed and holding her azure and watery sword forth. - The finale awaits!

– Furina, wait. Shouldn’t you take Maya back? It might be best to let Xianyun and I deal with this.

– Preposterous! – Snapped Maya, glaring at Lumine. - This one shall not be cast aside and be denied of her vengeance!

Xianyun merely started walking, with Maya in tow. Furina, Paimon and Lumine, after exchanging a look and the petite woman rolling her eyes, followed suit.

As they made the way up, the verdant grass bent to the sides, almost like opening a way towards the bare rock. The cave was clearly visible ahead. A dark crevasse on the side of the mountain, purple miasma seeping out of it like a burst pustule. Vegetation seemingly avoided the entrance, while the clear blue skies and the radiant sun only made the gaping void even more visible. The only reason it had gone unnoticed was due to the grass parting before them, most likely, was the -former- institute ruins and the test subjects used.

Standing on the entrance, dark fumes floated past them, trying to pollute and spread to anything nearby. The bare stone twisted and turned, the tunnel burrowing into the mountain. As Lumine set foot first inside, the rest followed, their footsteps echoing around them as the miasma floated past them. Maya could feel it again, the sickness in her stomach building up, but a hand on her shoulder made her feel better. Xianyun met her glance with a small smile, giving her a reassuring nod.

It took little time to reach the end. The tunnel had no ramifications or crevasses to hide in, coming to an end in an ample chamber lit by several braziers. The orange flames cracked and flickered, projecting the shadow of a lone figure against the far wall of the room. Covered by a ragged cloak, it showed its back to them, purple fumes radiating from beneath it.

The group glared at it, calling forth their weapons. Swords and catalysts, no matter the shape or form, ready to put an end to it.  Furina squinted her eyes. Something didn’t quite add up. The ripples and swaying of the cloak, it seemed like there was nothing under it, no body to speak of. She took a couple of careful steps back, ready to invoke the healing familiar once more.

– Your foul deeds end here! – Maya proclaimed, pointing her fan at the figure. - Turn yourself in, and there might be some lenience for you!

She could see the fumes radiating from it, the sick feeling in her stomach growing stronger, having to suppress an urge to gag. Her voice caught its attention, turning around to face them and losing the cloak in the process. An abyss mage, or what had once been one. It would be hard to tell if not by the bird-beaked mask, two empty sockets that vaguely stared in their general direction. The rest of it was… not much else. What looked like the body of it was but a fractured and fossilized collection of shards and pieces that formed something that vaguely resembled a ribcage. A dark nucleus of miasma spun and swirled in place, oozing more and more into the room. It stuck to the walls, and clung to their bodies, Maya’s sight becoming blurry once more.

– The sooner we end this, the better. – Said Furina, calling forth the healing familiar again.-  Que le spectacle commence! 

Lumine lunged forward, sword ready to pierce the monster. The mask’s eyes, previously empty sockets, glowed with a malicious purple hue, the body opening and vomiting a gust of dark miasma at the blonde. It came forth like a furious and violent torrent, engulfing her wholly for a moment, before the blazing aura enveloped her again. Burning bright like  a star, the blonde, gritted her teeth, trying with all her might to push forth. She held steady in place, yes, splitting the torrent into tendrils, but was unable to push forward.

– Traveller, look!

Paimon called for her. As much as she hated the thought of it, she had to take off her steely gaze from the thing for a moment. While swift and, if able to connect, deadly, the miasma was piling on the walls. A thick and toxic coating that threatened to engulf the room and their group. Grimacing and frustrated, she swung her blade aside. Most of the stream was redirected at the side, crashing against the wall, but she was still hit, jumping back. It crawled down her throat, blurring her sight and making her cough, her landing not as steady as she would have wanted. Coughing, she breathed deeply, not wanting a repeat of Inazuma, all those years back.

A gust of wind and the soothing of water filled her body, clearing her sight and cleansing any and all corruption. Looking around, she surveyed the situation. Paimon held back with Furina, who surveyed the fight and made sure the crowned oceanid was hard at work, mending the poison that filled the room. Xianyun pranced to Maya, the woman staring into the void again. Each step the mentor took surrounded her with a gust of anemo, dispelling the corruption even if momentarily. The vortex in the body was the key, yes, but she wouldn’t be able to dispel it. Still, she could open the way.

– Traveller, you’ll be healed shortly. – They heard Furina say.- Miss Xianyun, when the traveller creates an opening, try to dispel the core.

– Wait, young ones! Don’t be too hasty.

– We are running out of time. – The woman in azure outfit said.- We might have no choice.

Preparing herself, the blonde tensed her body, lunging forth again when Furina gave her the go, this time trying to attack from the side. A new torrent was shot her way, sidestepping it and making sure it remained on her as she ran around the monster. Behind it, she could see Xianyun jump and prance in the air. One. Two. Three. Engulfed in anemo element, a ghostly apparition of a crane dove against the monster, landing a solid hit. The gust of wind earned a hiss from it, turning its head to glare at the woman that was stepping back. The hiss turned from menacing to pained, as Lumine’s flaming sword hit the body that protected the vortex. There was a sick crack, followed by it splintering and cracking. The damage was done and visible, and it wouldn’t take more than a couple more swings to fully crack, but, to their horror, the miasma started to ooze more and more profusely, its contention weakened.

Furina coughed, covering Paimon’s mouth and holding her sword with the other, ensuring the healing familiar remained standing. Xianyun tried to clear the air around Maya, as the performer gasped for air and remained staring at the void, clutching her bust.

– Make haste, young one.

Lumine charged again, looking for an opening for the new attack. The thing hissed, emitting miasma as a shield around it. A nauseating cover that started expanding and moving towards the blonde. It wasn’t swift or blunt, but an inexorable thing. Sluggish as the monster was, they inhaled part of the fumes whether they liked it or not, feeling their throat and lungs burn as sight became blurry.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Xianyun repeating what she had done before, jumping in the air, closer and closer to the ceiling before diving. One. Two. Thre- Before she could finish that last jump, the thing hissed, a jet of miasma bursting from its back and rocketing towards the adeptus. Coughing, she nonetheless sent forth the ghostly crane once more, even if she had to do so sooner than wanted. The gust of wind the impact caused dissipated the shield, giving both women much needed breathing room, and Lumine the opening she was looking for. The luminous aura enveloped her yet again, cracking like a fire while she gripped her sword and put all her strength into the blow.

The sick and dry crack echoed in the room. Splinters flew again, and some parts of the body did fall. A chilling clack that unshackled more of the vortex, which started spitting fumes without control or reason. Lumine coughed, her throat burning and eyes watery. The thing twisted and turned, almost looking like it was writhing. Looking to the side, she could see Paimon in the oceanid’s embrace, while Furina tried in vain to clear some air by swinging her sword. Xianyun, even when coughing, tried to remain somewhat dignified, her eyes red and bloodshot. She could finish this if the miasma was not overpowering.

From her place, Maya merely watched it all unfold, unable to intervene. The flashes of light and fire that filled the cave when the blonde traveller struck. The grace and power of her master’s movements. The help and support of her troupe-head. But they wouldn’t make it in time. The miasma sapped their life away, slow but steady. And it only grew stronger- denser, an asphyxiating smog that would soon start to make its way outside, like a pustule bursting open.

It went on before her eyes like the frames of a kinography film. A painfully slow display that only seemed to grow grimmer by the moment. And her body didn’t react.

It was a nightmare.

Her mind went back to her capture. To her memories being eroded to leave her a hollow husk. What she was bearing witness to something similar. In place of memories it was their health, but the point remained. Her stomach ached. 

Powerless then, powerless now.

Her chest burned, a pressure moving upwards as anger took flight among her thoughts. Her hand stretched forward weakly. Her fan, used both in performance and combat,laid on the ground, seemingly withering under the miasma.

All that training under her masters guidance.

All that meditation, embracing her past and present to forge a future.

All for naught.

Xianyun coughed violently next to her, Maya’s eyes welling and teary. She refused, she would not let it end like this. Not for them.

The burning feeling moved upwards, past her breasts and into her throat. The idea made her livid. Something so vile twisted even more so. It wasn’t enough to erase those monsters’ minds, but this… thing had the gall to wield it even when it could not. Unable to match, it was a tumour, a mistake that only polluted and poisoned. For such extraordinary people to be brought low by this… this… parody…

Her blood boiled, jaw tight and gritting her teeth. Strength surged through her, weak but enough to grip the fan and bring it to her face. Her sight was perfectly clear, fixed on the thing. A mockery of the original power, twisted as it might have been. Furina had once quoted a fontainian writer to her. That mimicry was the greatest honour mediocrity could offer to greatness. Mimicry was too high of a standing for this thing.

She had seen Lumine lunge forth, blazing like a shooting star.

She had seen her master open the way, graceful and poised.

She had seen Furina direct the fight, befitting of her abilities.

They were inspiring. They were all playing their part, and she had to as well. While not able to see teal veins on her body, she could feel the power coursing through her.

Her arm extended, the fan pointed at the thing.

Her chest swelled. 

Her vocal cords vibrated.

Her lips parted.

And she let it out. Ghostly teal feathers fanned behind her, similar to a peafowl’s tail, as her voice projected forward in a cone, the gust of anemo carrying it all with it. 

All her loss and anguish

All her frustration and bottled out fears. 

All of it.

The miasma parted under her wail, blowing past Lumine and rocketing towards the monster. It gave them breathing room, piercing even the shield the monster had formed around itself. The core, a swirling vortex of purple miasma, out in the open and vulnerable.

Lumine didn’t need any words. Following Maya’s lead, she ran, one last time jumping head first into the breach. The blazing aura formed around her one last time, as she cast over the thing a symbol, a glowing figure that fell on it like the sun itself had launched a bolt of flame. It hissed in pain, stumbling in place. Lumine did not stop, swapping the sword to her other hand and delivering a mighty punch on the wrecked body with all her might. It shattered in a myriad of shards, the vortex growing unstable without a frame to latch on to.

– Finish it!

– Indeed.

Xianyun stood by her pupil, the two focusing on the vortex. Wind rose as they chanelled and focused their power, Xianyun delivering a barrage of a gust and Maya adding her own smaller one. The vortex flickered, growing unstable. More gusts of anemo and wind followed, as Maya moved her arms and fan. Each motion had an artistry to it, flowing one after another with grace and mercilessly keeping the tempest going. The monster kept oozing miasma, trying in vain to fill the room again, only for the fumes to dissipate immediately. They could hear Furina gasp in the back, while Xianyun took to the air once more, prancing once, twice and thrice.

The ghostly crane dived again, joining Maya’s last gust. The vortex faded silently, the clatter of the abyss mage mask echoing as it fell to the floor. Lumine’s stomp shattered it into a thousand pieces, putting an end to it.

There was no celebration or cheer, only panting and Paimon’s wailing as she flew to embrace Lumine. Furina sat on the floor, breathing in the clearing air, the familiar vanishing the miasma fully disappeared, leaving behind bare rock walls. Xianyun walked to her pupil, offering her a hand to stand up. One Maya timidly took.

– Well done, pupil of mine.

– Master, I-

– Hush now. You performed wonderfully. – The woman smiled, glancing at her pupil’s bust.- And you now have your reward.

Following her master’s gaze, Maya’s eyes widened. On her bust, as part of her outfit, was a small teal gem. A circular frame surrounded it, having small triangular ends that made the form of a diamond. It made her feel lighter, as if she had gotten rid of a large burden that had finally set her free.

The opera’s entrance was bustling with people trying to reach their seats. Gossip had been running wild with this performance. An exotic artist that mixed song and dance; a blend of liyuean and fontainian. And directed and supervised by Furina de Fontaine no less! Rumour had it that even the Great Iudex had shown interest!

Sitting on a nearby bench Lumine and Xianyun overhead it all, waiting patiently for Paimon to finish the box of macarons.

– So this is what has become of my pupil…

– You don’t like it? – Said Paimon, her mouth stuffed full.

– Hardly. It is just… not what I had in mind, I guess.

– What did you expect? – Asked Lumine, glancing at Xianyun.

– One… one is not sure, if I am to be honest. But I should have seen it coming. – She said, shaking her head.- One is a civil servant, another works currently at Wanmin restaurant, and this one is a performer. If anything I can boast about their many talents!

Lumine chuckled at that, the three remaining in silence for a moment.

– Miss Xianyun?

– Yes, young one?

– Pardon the indiscretion but… were you scared of her reaction when you revealed her past to her?

– One was terrified out of her mind. – Xianyun sighed.- Such revelations are hardly taken well, and I could sense the coming storm. But I am glad she had tempered her character.

The liyuean woman stood up, prancing in light excitement while followed by Lumine and Paimon floating nearby.

– Now, let us find our seats. One is eager to see her pupil perform. Oh! Next time one has to bring Ganyu and Shenhe along.

Stagehands made the very final revisions to everything. Outfit of the actors, atrezzo and props, lighting and hidden passages… 

– Check. Check. Check.

With a singsong tone, Furina marched towards the backstage room, gently knocking on the door before coming in. Maya was looking in the mirror, one hand clutching her wand and the other on her bust, next to the vision her eyes were glued to. A small and lone dot of teal that crowned the small teal hints on her trunk.

– It fits in perfectly.

– Thank you, Miss Furina. – Maya answered with a small smile.

– Tut-tut. Out with those nerves, my dear.

– I know, I know. – The dancer sighed.-  I can’t help myself though.

– Some nerves are fine, it is only natural after all. – The silver haired woman said, leaning against the wooden table next to the dancer.- What’s troubling you?

– What if… well-

– Yes? – Furina’s voice was calm and soothing, just like the smile that she gave Maya.

– I fear… not fitting in. To be cast aside. To bring trouble to you and the rest, despite all of their hard work. – Maya sighed, letting her worries out.- To be left alone.

Silence hung heavy for a moment, as both women pondered those words. The wooden floors creaked as Furina closed the distance and stood between Maya and the mirror. Despite the height difference, she exuded calm and confidence, her heterochromatic eyes fixed on Maya’s.

– It won’t happen. I know full well.

– And what of the perform-

– What of it? If something goes wrong, I’m certain we’ll be able to adapt. Improvisation is an art of its own.

Maya’s lips curled into a small smile.

– Now go out there, and give it your best. I know you will.

Both women left the room, Furina closing the door behind her. As Maya made her way to the stage, lights dimmed and music started to hum. Just a little encouragement could go incredible lengths. And besides, she didn’t have to know that she had given Miss Xianyun and the travelling duo some of the best seats in the house.