The Power of Revelation: The Truth Shall Set You Free

Chapter 1: Bow before the Abyss

"Watch out!" Chongyun yelled, ducking as an Electro Orb sailed over his head.

Tartaglia was barely able to swerve out of the way in time to avoid the attack by the Electro Abyss Lector, while Zhongli hastily pulled up his Jade Shield before Kaeya got his face sliced off by the Hydro Abyss Herald.

"Thanks!" Kaeya chirped, barely phased, before shooting a bolt of Cryo right back at the Abyss Herald.

It all started when Aether had discovered a domain called the Spiral Abyss a while back, and had realised that it was filled with very tough, strong enemies that were extremely difficult to defeat. Even though it was located on Musk Reef, a place that was realistically only accessible by a portal above Cape Oath, it was still easily accessible to anyone who owned a glider, and the Traveller had decided it was in his best interest to warn his friends about the dangerous domain.

Obviously, some like Kaeya and Diluc were intrigued by such an odd domain, but they were cautious and wary enough that they wouldn't go exploring the Spiral Abyss for no reason without a proper party and supplies.

The main issue that occured was Tartaglia. Unlike most people who would balk at the mention of dangerous enemies, Tartaglia loved a good fight, and the second Aether mentioned the Spiral Abyss and the horrors that lay within, the Harbinger had practically begged the blonde for directions to the domain.

Aether really couldn't say no to Tartaglia, not when he was curious about the domain himself. After roping in the Cavalry Captain (Jean had only agreed because Aether and Kaeya had argued it could be a potential safety hazard, especially since the Abyss Order was being much more active), the zombie Qiqi (Baizhu wasn't too happy about putting her in danger but she wanted to help Aether), and the Kamisato Housekeeper (Thoma went behind Ayaka's back, thinking that it might contain threats to Inazuma and it could be good to gather some intel for Ayato), they had set off for the Spiral Abyss.

They fought their way through hoards of enemies, and it didn't take them long to realise that Aether was right: as they went through each floor, the enemies got progressively stronger and tougher to take down.

There was also the issue that they had to split up in order to cover two chambers, and they just didn't have enough people, being just barely to make it out alive, but the monsters and enemies seemed contained within the Spiral Abyss, and weren't able to escape, making the domain more of a challenge rather than a real threat to Teyvat.

And Tartaglia loved challenges, and fighting tough opponents. He especially liked it when they were put together.

Whenever he could get some spare time (which he had plenty of since his fallout with Zhongli), or he got frustrated and wanted to kill something, he just hopped on over to the Spiral Abyss (through Aether's Teapot Adepti Realm thingy) to vent his anger on the monsters.

Eventually, Kaeya caught wind of his actions and started accompanying him, saying that it was good training. It didn't take too long until others such as Diluc, that shorty Yaksha Xiao, and even the ever elusive Head of the Yashiro Commission, Kamisato Ayato (Tartaglia had no idea where the man had been when he had been investigating Scaramouche's whereabouts), to join in, and clearing the Abyss floors got gradually easier with more firepower and expereince.

They had managed to reach the twelfth floor of the Spiral Abyss, and Zhongli was busy worrying about Xiao, since they didn't know what enemies were on the Yaksha's half in the previous chamber, feeling that they had gotten off rather easily with two Ruin Guards and an Electro elemental node.

Weaving through columns of Pyro that erupted from the ground, narrowly dancing past bolts of Electro, evading Hydro blades that so closely resembled his own, Tartaglia couldn't stop the way his heart was pounding.

Tartaglia was having the time of his life against the Abyssal Trio, Childe was mildly worried as Zhongli rushed in to save Chongyun from the Pyro Lector's flames, and Ajax... well...

Ajax was terrified. Nightmares of that day he fell into nothingness, the darkness that seeped into his veins, his blood corrupted into that of the monsters' he had fought so desperately against, all in the desperate bid for survival, to go home and see his family once again.

The Pyro Lector activated its shield, catching Kaeya, who was duelling the Hydro Herald, off guard. Tartaglia fended off the Electro Lector, but could only watch helplessly as the Hydro Lector took the opportunity to slam Kaeya into the wall and stabbing him in the shoulder with watery blades, effectively incapacitating him.

Tossing the Knight aside carelessly, the Herald headed in Zhongli's direction, as Chongyun came to Tartaglia's aid and took over the duty of fending off the Electro Lector, freeing the Hydro user up to quickly and efficiently shred the Pyro Lector's shield and evening out their numbers.

Zhongli was holding his own against the Hydro Herald, until the Herald put his shield up. The air around the Herald was humid, full of water vapour and moisture from the abyssal Hydro attacks and shield, and the former Archon was finding it hard to catch his breath, being just barely in time to put up a new Jade Shield to intercept an attack.

Tartaglia knew that Zhongli was strong; the god had earned his place among the Seven. But the Abyssal energy radiating off the Herald was definitely not reacting well with Zhongli's divine nature, and the man was still recovering from his lack of a gnosis. Not to mention that Geo really wasn't the fastest at chipping away a Hydro shield. Put them all together and it was clear that Zhongli was barely keeping up.

The Hydro user would have loved to help the former Archon, even if they still hadn't made up, and maybe gloat in his face as some revenge for hiding the truth about his godhood (even if he did understand that as the God of Contracts, he couldn't really break a contract with the Cryo Archon), except for the fact that Tartaglia knew he would fare even worse than the retired God; his arrows weren't going to be piercing that Hydro Shield anytime soon, and using his Hydro blades would be even more useless.

Instead, the Harbinger leapt forward, redirecting a bolt of Electro away from Chongyun with a Hydro blade, "Go help Zhongli-xiansheng, I've got this."

The exorcist nodded, before running off and slamming his Spirit Blade right into the Hydro Herald's head and freezing the monster on the spot, the Chonghua Frost Field allowing Zhongli to aid the boy in shredding the Hydro shield.

Tartaglia smirked and unleashed his Hydro weaponry, and it didn't take him too long to hack away at the Electro Lector until it was forced to activate its shield.

"G̸r̵a̷c̷e̵ ̶b̶e̷ ̴u̷p̴o̷n̸ ̸y̸o̵u̷!̶" The Lector hissed, sending bolts of Electro at him, but Tartaglia was easily able to evade the bolts of lightning, before attempting to wear down the monster's shield. His Hydro blades weren't doing much, but it wasn't like he was going to fair any better against the Hydro Herald.

"H̴e̸a̸r̴ ̷y̶e̷,̵ ̵t̸h̷e̵ ̸w̴o̵r̸d̵s̷ ̴o̴f̵ ̷j̶o̴y̷!̸"

Tartaglia evaded the three Electro orbs elegantly, "I'm not feeling particularly joyful now, you know!"

For some reason, the Harbinger had a feeling that the Electro Lector wasn't too happy about his response. Despite not making any visible expressions, Tartaglia had a feeling that the Electro Lector was narrowing its eyes at him, looking into his very soul, judging him, seeing past his human exterior and at the wriggling mess of darkness and corruption that resided deep within him.

After all, they shared the same Abyssal origins, the Foul Legacy, regardless of the element they wielded.

And Tartaglia knew that the Lector was far more familiar with this power than he was.

"T̵h̶e̸ ̶w̴o̶r̶l̶d̴.̷.̷.̸ ̸w̶i̸l̷l̴ ̵b̷u̴r̵n̷.̷.̶.̸"

Out of the corner of his eye, Tartaglia noticed that Chongyun and Zhongli had finished the Hydro Abyss Herald off, and he knew that the Lector had noticed that too. The exorcist was making his way over to aid him against the Electro Lector while Zhongli was tending to Kaeya's bleeding wound.

"T̸h̶e̷ ̴p̴o̸w̵e̴r̸ ̸o̴f̴ ̶r̴e̷v̶e̷l̴a̸t̸i̷o̵n̸!̷" The Lector snarled, "A̵b̸y̸s̴s̵a̸l̸ ̷l̸i̸g̴h̸t̶,̶ ̶s̶h̷i̴n̶e̶!̴ T̵h̷e̶ ̴t̶r̵u̶t̸h̶ ̴s̷h̵a̷l̷l̵ ̴s̷e̴t̵ ̵y̸o̵u̵ ̸f̶r̸e̷e̸!̴ ̸"

Before the Harbinger could make a move, the Abyss Lector erupted into a shower of sparks, and Tartaglia's vision turned black.