A/N: I forgot to mention that in previous chapter I hid a name for the next book.
*Elke's POV*
Histingelors gave me a message from my daughter... the String of Time Illusion was indeed missing and she along with Y/N went to Teyvat...
I was a bit worried about them... mainly about Fischl but Y/N was with her after all so he will look after her...
???:. "Your highness we're ready to go." One of my raven statuette servants spoke.
Elke: "Thank you..." Towers of Light are in danger... without the time illusion they are kind of useless... sure they emit light but they need outside light to work...
I got on top of my horse and rode to the nearest tower. Histingelors appeared next to me all of a sudden.
Histingelors: "Ms. Elke... the night ravens will support you in every way... Abyss Order shall not return to Immernachtreich or the hunts would start all over again."
Elke: "Thank you Histingelors... I will do my best to ensure the safety of everyone."
Histingelors: "As I expexted..."
He disappeared again as I went faster.
The sky was clear... the moon stuck in the midnight phase shining brightly... unfortunetaly it's darkness and that means Abyss Order can work on Sundark Temples but first they need to destroy the towers. Hopefully it's not too late to prevent them from doing that.
The way was quiet as I rode to my destination as fast as possible. When I arrived to the tower I saw some guards still alive.
Guard: "Elke von Verurteilung we got your message... we sent it to other towers. We will do everything to prevent them from destruction."
Elke: "Good... any Night Crawlers?"
Guard: "None."
Elke: "Very good-"
Guard: "Although... ehm... forgive me-"
Elke: "No continue... your words are more important right now than mine."
Guard: "Thank you... anyways we saw some weird activity just outside the tower. It was close too..."
Elke: "A spy?"
Guard: "Might be."
Elke: "Search the surroundings... we must find them before he gives information to.... him."
Guard: "Right!" He rushed away as I walked around the tower... when a portal appeared... one I knew too well.
Elke: "Rita... it's so good to see you."
Rita: "I heard Immernachtreich is in danger from your daughter and my son... so I'm here to help."
Elke: "They're fast."
Rita: Yes... now... the string is missing... the towers?"
Elke: "This one's standing at least."
Rita: "This one... you know well that juat one towers is not enough to provide enough light for Night Crawlers not to appear."
Elke: "I know... the guards from this tower are checking on it..."
Rita: "Good..."
Elke: "We have a problem with some spy around here... he was spotted nearby."
Rita: "I'll look into it... now there's another matter I wanted to discuss but it can wait... we need to deal with that spy first."
Elke: "You're right..."
Rita: "Clearance: Foresight!" A blue aura shot from her... night starry sky was seen everywhere. "He's hiding at the stairs."
Elke: "That is amazing... I can't believe how you can use that so casually... it must cost a lot of energy."
Rita: "Elke!"
Elke: "Right!" I went to the stairs and saw the spy... it was an Abyss Mage.
Abyss Mage: "This has to end! Immernachtreich is ours!"
Elke: "Oh? Is it now? You're not a spy at all." he turned around but before he could see me I summoned my sword, charged up electricity in it and pierced his body.
The electricity was crackling everywhere, the body started dissolving as bones dropped on the ground.
Rita: "Good job Elke..."
Elke: "Thanks Rita!"
Rita: "Mirror Image: Self-duplication." 6 Ritas ran from the real one. "Go check on other Towers of Light." She threw a flask on the ground as a huge wind current appeared... the duplicates got into it as they flied up and went to other towers. Then the real Rita fell.
Elke: "Rita!"
Rita: "I'm fine Elke... just creating 6 duplicates is... real exhausting."
Elke: "Yes I see that."
Rita: "Why does my son have that book I brought to you? I told you to keep it in a well hidden place."
Elke: "I did hide it but... they found it... trust me they were looking for it all the time... I don't think there's a stone unturned after their search."
Rita: "And you allowed them to open it? What kind of mother are you? You know well he could die!"
I felt offended.
Elke: "That's rich coming from you! We both have 15 years old kids... and for how long were you raising yours? That's right I had to raise Y/N as my own... why did you even leave him in Immernachtreich then?"
Rita: "I had no choice... Varka's orders... I told you that already though"
Elke: "Varka this, Varka that! You're not using him as an excuse."
Rita: "I'm not!"
Elke: "Right... you just left your son with me."
Rita: "Shut up Elke..."
Elke: "Or what? Don't say it's not true... I saw him grow up... he and Fischl made a strong bond... I wouldn't be surprised if they ended up dating..."
Rita: "We already discussed this before... why do you have to bring this up all the time?"
Elke: "To remind you how bad mother you are." Rita pouted and made an angry expression but she sighed because she knew I was right.
Rita: "I noticed him being close to her.... and you still didn't answe why did you let my son open the book!"
Elke: "I tried to stop him but both him and Fischl are stubborn!"
Rita: "Right... totally not an excuse!"
???: "My lady..." One of the guards approached us.
Elke: "Speak."
???: "We got an information that 3 of our towers are destroyed."
Elke: "3? Already?"
Guard: "Yes and other 2 are under attack."
Elke: "I see... what about Night Crawlers?"
Guard: "Still no sight of them ma'am."
Elke: "Good... tell guards at the destroyed towers if they are alive to retreat here."
Guard: "As you wish." He left.
Rita: "Commanding are you?"
Elke: "It's my duty... now Histingelors."
The night raven appeared.
Histingelors: "Yes?"
Elke: "Take other night ravens and help defend the towers that are currently under attack."
Histingelors: "As you wish." He disappeared again, leaving a few feathers behind.
Rita: "Hold on.... how can YOU command night ravens... I though your own died."
Elke: "And because of that I can connect with night ravens... how else do you think Fischl got Oz? That's one reason... the other being I am a guardian of Immernachtreich or did you forget?"
Rita: "Ri-" A loud horn was heard, scaring every flying living being in a 50 mile radius...
Elke: "Night Crawlers... but how?"
Guard: "They attacked from the other side too..."
Elke: "Night Raven Art: Summoning!" All night ravens in 60 mile radius appeared.
Rita: "Clearance: Rainbow Slash." A beam of rainbow shot to the sky from her as it dispersed making rainbow drops that pierced our enemies.
Elke: "Immernachtreich is ambushed by Abyss Order... help us defend it from darkness."
Histingelors: "Night Ravens you heard her... fly high to avoid Crawlers and deal with every Abyss scum."
Elke: "We must protect this light tower."
Guards: "Eternal Night: Darkened Shot." A black mist surrounded them as they turned into some... abomination..."
Rita: "A disguise? How did my Foresight not detect you?"
Abomination: "Dark Prince will be proud.... bring Elke von Verurteilung's head to him..."
They... they killed them... this... this is not happening... how could I be so blind... I... I didn't pay attention to these light towers.... I had to raise Fischl... I'm sorry
Fischl: "Mom... you're amazing."
Those words encouraged me.
Elke: "If I have to die... i will take you with me."
???: "Resistance is futile!" Night Crawlers appeared..
They had a dog-like body but its skin was made from void, eyes from dark red gems... darker than ruby... their teeth... were stars...
Rita: "We won't lose Immernachtreich..."
Elke: "I was a bad guardian... I admit..." The night ravens flew to the sky and started shooting their beams towards the Abyss Order. A war has broken out...
The Night Crawlers were teleporting to the air killing many of our winged allies.
Rita: "Elke we're outnumbered. I can't leave you there alone..."
Elke: "It's okay... at least Fischl will live..."
The abomination walked towards us.
Abomination: "Head, Head, Head..."
Elke: "Surging Thunder: Clear sky Summon!" A powerful lightning stroke from above but the abomination was resistant to it. It swang its hand at me as I dodged, other Abyss Order attacked Rita...
???: "Last two survivors... and Immernachtreich is ours!"
This was serious outnumber.. the abomination, Abyss Herald and a Night Crawler... 4 of those.
The night crawlers teleported behind me... how I knew? Intuition.
What I didn't expect is that they connected into one bigger.
Cries for help were heard... it was Rita... she was dying.
Elke: "Seven Archons: Ultimate Light!" Seven different orbs appeared as they summoned a reflection of the archons... they fought side by side with us... unfortunetaly... it took everything I have... so I looked at their fight as a dead person.
*Fischl's POV*
Me and Y/N were walking on the road to Liyue... at least particially... that's where the road leads to Natlan at least. Y/N took my hand as we continued. I had a weird feeling in my chest and it wasn't because Y/N was holding my hand
Fischl: "Eh Y/N?"
You: "What is it?"
Fischl: "Do you think we will ever return to Immernachtreich?"
You: "I hope so... it's more of a home for me than Teyvat is. Why are you asking?"
Fischl: "What if we're too late? What if Abyss Order will take over it while we're here."
You: "In that case... no... I'd stay here with you... if you'd want to stay..."
Fischl: "In other words you'd go wherever I go."
You: "Yes." I squeezed his hand... Y/N always made me feel safe and comfortable around him.
Fischl: "Thank you."
You: "For what exactly?"
Fischl: "For everything." I looked into the sky... it was still night because we decided to go early in the morning... the night was starless although there was one star that appeared out of nowhere... for some reason it felt too familiar... and then there was another one close to it... other than that no other stars appeared.
Oz: "It sure is dark today."
You: "You said it..." Suddenly a group of some guys emerged in front of is from some bushes.
???: "Well, well, well lookie here... what a beautiful girl... come with us and we might not hurt your friend over there."
You: "Wrong... her boyfriend... now... I will kindly ask you to clear yourself or... I might clear our path myself... and trust me you would not like that."
???: "Oh please you think you can defeat us?"
You: "Fischl? Oz?'
Fischl + Oz: "We're ready." I prepared my bow and charged electricity into the arrow.
???: "How cute..."
You: "She is I know." It caused me to blush a little. An electricity emitted from his fingers.
???: "So... how will we do it?"
You: "The hard way... he electrocuted him as the others attacked us... I shot one of them to his legs, Oz did the same but unlike with my arrow it didn't pierce him. Instead the leg absorped it resulting in a paralyzis...
Fischl: "Still not having enough?"
???: "They... they are adventurers... or Millelith!"
You: "Just travellers..."
Fischl: "Oz capture them if you can... we could use some information."
Oz: "I can't do that Mein Fraulein."
You: "Leave now." He shocked another guy as he fell to the ground.
???: "What kind of fighters are you guys? And you cost me over 200 000 Mora!"
You: "Too bad.." I pierced his arms... he screamed in pain as he ran away. All of those who weren't paralyzed. "Are you okay dear?"
Fischl: "Yeah I am..." I went to him and hugged him. He wrapped his hands around me and pulled me closer.
You: "Are you tired?" I nodded into his chest... "I'll carry you then... on my back?"
Fischl: "Okay..." And so I climbed his back.
*Gullio's POV*
I was at the throne room yet again but this time alone... my goal was to gather information about the new Tome of Lightning weilder but not to be spotted there was only one way... through the viewing glass in the throne room... the doors suddenly opened as I turned around his highness walking in.
Prince: "Gullio what are you doing here?"
Gullio: "My lord I need to use the viewing glass so I wouldn't be spotted."
Prince: "Dread Knights can't move quietly that's true... use it any time you need for your current assignment."
I went to the glass and waved my hand above it...
Gullio: "Tome of Lightning..." A view of the new weilder was seen... I saw what he did... a little trick I used thanks to the void substance I left behind when I left.. I was lucky enough that a bubble bursted and a tiny bit of that void landed on the new wieleder... and thus allowing me to stalk on him.... "To Liyue hm?"
Prince: "Are you sure? That direction can lead to Natlan or Sumeru as well."
Gullio: "I do count with that my lord."
Prince: "Good-" Suddenly the doors opened so I dismissed the view and looked towards them...
A Night Crawler appeared carrying a head... and behind him was an Abyss Herald.
Herald: "Drop it." He said as he knelt down... the head rolled down towards the prince...
I recognized that face... it was Elke von Verurteilung... one of the guardians of Immernachtreich...
Herald: "My lord I bring you a message that we managed to kill Elke von Verurteilung and also some other person who helped her.
Prince: "And you decided to stain the floor with her filthy blood..."
Herald: "Forgive me my lord-"
Prince: "That's not important right now. You did a good job eliminating one of the main threats... however you didn't mention anything about taking over Immernachtreich... are there other stronger guardians?"
Herald: "No my lord, before this woman died though, she did something... she summoned the seven Archons."
Prince: "She what? All seven?"
Herald: "Yes."
Gullio: "And what happened to Immernachtreich."
Herald: "We lost it... the seven archons were too much with their power combined."
Prince: "So you mean to tell me we're on square one..."
Herald: "Yes... well... at least there are no other guardians."
Prince: "You fool!!! Do you know how long it took me to open the gates to Immernachtreich?!! Did someone else survive?"
Herald: "I am the only one."
Gullio: "And you're proud of that?"
Herald: "I'm not... but someone had to give infor-"
Prince: "Silence! You should be killed for abandonning your comrades but..." he snapped his fingers as the Night Crawler went to his side. "...you managed to lure out at least one of these. You are dismissed." The Herald bowed and left. "Gullio take him as your companion... he might be useful."
Gullio: "As you wish... what about the head?"
Prince: "Burn it."
Gullio: "And Immernachtreich?"
Prince: "Lost for another 400 years."
A/N: Hope you enjoyed.