Was it fate or was it all accidental? Were you born only to be raised in a faraway nation by the Electro Archon?
Perhaps it was fate... to be raised in a foreign country and meet a certain person who would, later on, play a big part in your life.
...
Takayuki's soldiers stood in stunned disbelief, their eyes widening as they watched Ayato and you plummet until you became specks against the backdrop of the horizon.
"They're...insane," one of the soldiers whispered, breaking the silence.
"Would you say...they're dead?" Another murmured, his voice laden with uncertainty.
A scoff followed, "Obviously! No one could survive that."
Yae's gaze remained locked on the balcony from which Ayato and you had made your audacious leap. Slowly, the reality of the situation began to seep in, despite Kujou Takayuki's obvious displeasure, he barked orders at the soldiers who had been standing idly, gossiping in the aftermath of your daring escape. "Find them! Dead or alive, I want their bodies!"
"And you!" Takayuki pointed a finger at Yae before gripping her collar, his teeth clenched in resentment. "Under the new governance, worshiping your dear shogun is forbidden. If you value your life and the Shogun's, you'll close this shrine, Lady Guuji."
With that, Takayuki stormed away, the soldiers releasing their hold on the trembling shrine maidens and hurrying after him.
A young shrine maiden with raven hair rushed to Yae, tears brimming in her eyes. She spoke softly, "Lady Guuji..."
Yae turned her gaze to the sky, unable to meet the troubled maiden's eyes. She took a moment to collect her thoughts before addressing the other maidens. "For your safety...do not return to the shrine."
"But Lady Guuji--" The maiden began, her plea cut short.
Yae shook her head, her expression resolute. "No excuses, child."
She walked to the balcony, her fingers gently trailing over the rails. "Y/n...Ayato...be safe." She sighed deeply, a heavy weight of guilt pressing upon her. In her mind, she offered continuous apologies, asking for forgiveness for her perceived weakness and for allowing herself to be controlled.
Meanwhile, Kujou Takayuki strode through the shrine's torii gates, a sneer playing on his lips. He muttered to himself, "Even if they survive the fall, they cannot escape the nation while the borders are closed."
The old man's thoughts drifted back to the orchestrated meeting, a cunning scheme he and Shinsuke had devised. By poisoning Kujou Sara with Magestu Mitake's tears and engineering a controlled panic within the Tri-Commissions, they manipulated the events to their advantage.
Posing as concerned Commissioners, they had argued for the safety of their Shogun and the closing of the nation and ultimately guided you into the role of Kujou Sara. Their speculation that one of your visions was linked to Magetsu Mitake. They had realized your potent emotions could be the key to breaking the seal on Magestu Mitake.
To set their plan into motion, they had enlisted Hisashi, who had been closely connected to the Kamisato family. His hands had carried out the heinous act, ending Kamisato Ayaka's life. It was a move that sparked a chain reaction, culminating in the current disruption and the overthrow of the Shogun's rule.
Takayuki shouted orders at his minions, sending a few of them off to scour the area for any trace of Ayato and you. With a triumphant smirk, he led the rest of his troupe back to Inazuma City rejoining Hiiragi Shinsuke to further their audacious pursuit of establishing a godless nation.
As they collaborated in their pursuit of the lofty goal, hidden away somewhere deep within the city lay Magestu Mitake, nestled within a dimly lit chamber. Here, she remained in a state of profound meditation, locked in a fierce metaphysical battle against Ei in the realm of consciousness.
As days turned to a week, there was still no word of Ayato and your whereabouts. Takayuki and Shinsuke took matters into their own hands, branding both of you as wanted criminals, dead or alive, with a handsome bounty to sweeten the deal. Through clever manipulation and persuasion, they managed to convince the Inazuman populace with a fabricated web of deception.
With newfound authority over Inazuma, they imposed strict laws forbidding the worship or prayer of the archon, setting harsh penalties for disobedience. Despite the heavy-handed rule, many citizens remained compliant, their hopes shattered by Takayuki's persuasive narrative and learning the 'truth', which painted the destruction of the headquarters as a deliberate act by the Shogun.
Amid the backdrop of collective mourning, the people joined forces to rebuild the headquarters and the damaged structures that bore the scars of that traumatic event that had shaken their city.
Meanwhile, beneath the city streets, a lanky young man with emerald green eyes, fair skin, and blonde hair, found himself in a most undesirable predicament. Gripping the cold metal bars of his prison cell his voice echoed in the murky confines, "Hellooooo?! Why on Teyvat am I locked up in this forsaken cell? Surely, you must've gotten the wrong blonde here! Can someone send my lord and m'lady? They need to know of this grievous mistake! Helloooooo?!"
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