It was right in front of him.
He was so sure that he had it.
He finally managed to sneak up on a boar, a rather large one at that.
As he had gotten closer, Aether grown more confident that his target would make his first meal of the day.
Only for his thinking to cloud his judgment.
The wild boar had known he was there, it was used to obstructions to its natural habitat. It had adapted through instincts in order to out cun any hillichurls or human whom planned on feasting.
Had it not changed in the name of survival, it would have died out some time ago.
If Aether had only reflected on this sooner, would he have anticipated the trashing he was in for.
By the snap of a twig, the boar had stomped the ground with all its might. His knees felt week as the wild boar smashed itself into him, leaving a sore pang in his rib cage.
Winded on the ground, Aether tried to grasp the boat, but failed. It had kicked free only to summoned the attention of a creature whom would make for a perfect distraction.
An electric whopper flower.
Before he knew it, his satisfying lunch had gotten away and he was left to deal with a trouble some creature. Of course it wasn't impossible to beat, even on an empty stomach.
It was a creature based off of deception in order to make up for its weakness in over all mobility and strength.
That's not to say it didn't have its own challenges. Afterall, being a creature on such a harsh island had made it particularly stubborn against his blade.
Still, it was no Raiden Shogun.
He had woke up a some time ago, hoping that resting would replenish the energy his body had spent so much of his strength in his fight with the eternal God of Inazuma.
Though really it wasn't a fight.
It was more a scrabble for survival, clinging onto his instincts and battle experience to dodge the sheer power of someone whom was vastly more significant.
It was one sided.
She was fighting for something she strongly believed in, some goal she had upheld for more years than mortals live. While, Aether on the other hand, had only recently started believing the cause he had been fighting for.
Not to mention, she was a literal God whom had honed her skills far more than him. Aether's skills of the blade was superb, but nothing compared to the Shogun. She elegantly and swiftly put herself in a constant offensive with her ranged polearm and even sometimes, her swift electric katana. Not to mention her even faster speed and reaction time.
The Shogun had not only counteracted anything he threw at her, but she had also adapted to his combative style.
He highly doubted that she had encountered someone capable of using multiple elements, let alone master them.
The Shogun had ambition, strength, speed, integrity, and a godly perception.
Aether sighed as he rested on a stone, examining the small sparks he had sent from his hand.
If he had any hope of besting her, he needed to understand his electric power more.
Wind wouldn't stop her electric attacks.
Geo may work, but it's slow and limited in the ways it can reach her.
That only left his recently adapted ability to discharge electrical current from his body.
That in itself was a problem.
He needed to fight the Shogun with that particular element.
Aether had only just begun to understand the current that he wielded.
She had created it. Mastered it.
Could he really best a godess at her own nature?
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Ayato had been rather annoyed that the General was so persistent.
He harbored no hatred towards Kojou Sara, for she is merely doing her job; as is he.
But using her collection of superstitious evidence on Ayaka and the newly made criminal, Aether, she had just enough to force him in for a "chat"
Any ability to decline the offer would be seen suspect, only further giving Kojou Sara evidence to push further. Prying at a wound that wasn't there.
In reality, it wasn't an offer it was an order. A threat.
But, he played along with the general and her pointless games.
She was great at her role in the Shogun's army, that was no doubt; but part of Ayato had wished she could see even just the slightest of the shadow to the puppeteer who pulled the strings.
Instead of doing so, she had even hindered his abilities to further monitor whom he knew was the enemy. Of course, Ayato never planned to enact upon those who have deceived his nation, in the name of protecting those he cares about.
The best he could do was utilize his Shuumatsuban to ensure nothing went beyond the scopes of his own meticulous intuition.
He sighed as he entered the room, fully knowing what to expect from this. Kojou Sara would meet no demands from him, but rather peel away until he confesses.
To which he had nothing to confess; other than setting a plan in motion from behind the scenes. One that should hopefully, reveal the enemy in due time. One that would correct Inazuma's tainted course.
Still, he could help but feel disappointed. For someone who claimed to know the Shogun so well, Kojou Sara, hadn't seen the bigger picture. She hadn't even seen the smaller picture either.
"Take a seat Commissioner?" her voice had came in a question, but didn't fail to deliver it's oppressive tone.
Her words suggest he had an option, but her body gestured something else entirely.
He played along, but his patience was indeed limited. He was a busy man with much more important matters to attend to.
"Please, let's not uphold the charade that you aren't hold pretenses of me." Ayato said as he took to the wooden chair acrossed from her.
Doing so he has grabbed the cup of water on the table between them and casually took a sip.
That particular display from the Commissioner had rather fueled the inner anger of general, Kojou Sara, it was as if he was mocking her.
"Straight to the point then, Commissioner." Kojou's display aggression has only grown "tell me, just what are you planning Commissioner?" She asked bluntly
He shrugged his shoulders "What ever do you mean? Are you suggesting I, the Commissioner of the Yashiro Commission and head of the Kamisato clan, have an secret motive?"
He played coy knowing she had fully expected no upfront answer.
Her brows furrowed and her eye twitched to his response, as she attempted to remain composed.
"You and that fox are always looking for something to gain. Scheming away for personal benefit, that much is clear."
While this was true, the Guuji usually always hid her true nature. Everyone had known she was ecstatic at finding ways to for her light novel business to profit off circumstances.
He also knew that she was a cunning women who hid everything behind constant tease.
But he had always been two steps ahead of her.
"General, everything I do is in the name of the people of Inazuma. My role is to serve the Shogun as a public official whom attends to the public. Therefore my motive lies with the Shogun and the citizens of Inazuma. One where they stand to benefit from, not me. Such a motive is done by merely conducting my role as Commissioner of the Yashiro Commission."
It was more than likely to be seen as a political round about way of dodging a question by masking a lie with a generic truth; but, that really was his motive.
With that being said, Sara wouldn't see it that way given Inazumas current situation.
"Enough of this non-sense!" Kojou lashed out as she slammed the wooden table.
She didn't move, nor spoke for a time, in order to recompse herself. Though the pang of anger never left.
"I'm on to your schemes, I will find out sooner or later. I've already acquired enough evidence to have you hear... its only a matter of time." She said coldly
It was a bluff. Ayato knew they clean as day.
Sure, she could use the blotch in the Kamisato clan's past as a call to his loyalty in the Shogun; but, that happened long before Ayato's role as Commissioner. Something both he and his father worked so diligently to correct.
Sure, she could accuse him for aiding Kazuha Kaedehara, a wanted criminal, in escaping the Shogun's wrath. Ableit indirectly, there was no sound proof evidence.
And of course there were some other loose ends, like Thoma. She could use his position along with Aether's to tie suspicion to the Kamisato clan.
But her so called 'evidence' wasn't worth the Shoguns time.
"We both knew if that were true, than we wouldn't be having this conversation right now." Ayato said plainly.
If she did have a solid case, he'd be standing before the Shogun. Yet, she hasn't seem to deem that worthy of her time yet.
She scoffed before accidentally letting a grin loose.
"You're forgetting something Commissioner. You're not as smart as they say..."
"Oh? Please do elloborate tell. I'm dying to hear your claims against me." He said sarcastically.
"Thoma had been a wanted criminal ever since his violation agaisnt the Vision Hunt Decree."
"And? How does any action of a retainrer or friend tie to his master?"
"It also happens that the Traveler had violated the law, by aiding Thoma whom was being accordingly punished for his actions."
Ayato remained quiet, letting Kojou speak more. He let her taste her small victory as she slowly 'connected the dots'
"It appears that he was sent to rescue that retainer."
"General, please, we both know this hash is pointless. That connection is as strong as frail paper soaked in water."
"Maybe it is... or maybe not."
Ayato raised a brow on queue as if he was interested.
"A pretense is your evidence? Surely, the Shogun's best General is more perceptive than this."
Kojou didnt hold it any longer, she smiled looking at him
"Tell me, how does your sister fare? It must be hard for her."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Well she must certainly be distraught right now. Her most loyal servant and dear friend vanishes, only be branded as enemies and a traitors... poor Miss Kamisato. She did spend a lot of time with him. Surely it was only a matter of time before the Traveler swindled her heart..."
Ayato had expected something of this sort to arise; though he had hoped secretly it wouldn't.
He had planned for this, but still hated the idea of his sister being roped into a dangerous affair as collateral damage. All to simply get him to spew his misdeeds.
"Ayaka's priorities, even as a young girl, has always been innocent and pure. Every deed had been done for the Shogun. What makes you think that changed over the years?"
"Love is a powerful drug Commissioner. You never know what it just might make you do. Say where was she before and when it all went down? My reports say she had headed right for the Komore Teahouse. And might I say in quite a flustered way too... my, my...."
"Insinuations such as these insult the Yashiro Commission and the Shogun. You are implying that a sacred gift such as the Komore Teahouse be used for illegal activities?"
"It makes perfect sense for their base of operations. Why else would she flee there so inelegantly, only for the Traveler to shortly after, free our fugitive. For all we know, Thoma could be in the Komore Teahouse. Maybe a quick walk with me to the Teahouse could jog your memory?"
Her general initiation had known Thoma couldn't have gone far without a boat. Even then, only the Traveler had been seen escaping by sea.
"May I remind you, General, that Teahouse is a gift directly from the Shogun herself. It was given to the Yashiro Commission for our use. Someone such as yourself, A Tenryou Commission member, entering it is an encroachment of your power. Shall I report it to the her majesty?"
"Hardly necessary, afterall, I have all the evidence I need against Kamisato Ayaka. You promptly denied my entry to the Teahouse, along with recent events and Kamisato Ayaka's actions are eligible for an clean investigation of Kamisato property. It be a shame to see a flower such as your sister, wilt away."
Ayato grew bored of this conversation.
"Speaking of wilting away... have you seen Master Masakatsu? I heard a rumor: after his capture he was brutally beaten. A man his age being treated so viciously? My my General, if that's true, you better get a better grip on your army."
"Why you!!!!"
"Will that be all General? I can see this conversation is getting nowhere and you clearly need a break." Ayato stood up
"Sit down! We're not done here yet!"
Ayato cleared his throat
"I'm afraid we are. Any further developments and maybe we could discuss this some other time. But as of now, I have a duty to uphold in the name of the Shogun. You wouldn't dare go out of your way to impede my work would you?"
He had mused her long enough. He grew tired of these games. The threat from him was clear as day.
But she had no choice other than to back off of him. Any further attempts to arrest him or withhold the Commissioner would lead to flak on her end. Without proper evidence, she would be technically interfering with the Tri-Commission.
And Ayato's comment of Masakatsu, suggested he had cards of his own to play. Should she choose to go after his sister, Kojou Sara would also suffer the consequences. She had let Aether escape with Masakatsu do to her subordinates abuse on him. This in itself would be treason, ending her career.
She wouldn't be able to catch anyone responsible for any large part of the rebellion.
She silently glared at him as he waved good by in victory.
But as he walked out she called to him.
"This isn't over! I will find out your plans and you will be punished!"
He ignored her words as he walked away. For now his sister was safe.
But Kojou Sara most certainly posed as a threat to that safety. At any given moment she could strike.
While things weren't too complicated for Ayato, he knew that he would have to adapt to the potential hell that would knock on his front door.
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Maybe it was his pride that was hurt.
Or maybe it was his determination to challenge himself.
He could have given up. Gone back to his temporary camp and made dinner out of crab. There was certainly bound to be crabs at the beach, they would be much easier targets.
He could have fished or gambled with potential poisonous plants.
He could have even gone for a different animal. A squirrel or even a different boar.
But he didn't want to.
Surviving the wild wasn't something Aether found difficult, normally.
Monstadt was open and left plenty of food. Aside from treasure hoarders and hillichurls it was a relatively tame environment. Even resourceful children could make their way around it.
Liyue might have been more difficult due to its more extreme terrain, but it wasn't impossible. Weather was relatively normal and food came in a wide variety.
But Inazuma was different. Unlike either Monstadt and Liyue, Inazuma had no patterns; or at least any by normal standards.
The weather made any place at any given time a warzone. One minute it could be sunny and the next a storm could be raging thunder and lightning upon the ground.
This made hunting grounds almost impossible to establish. Animals were almost always on the move, accounting for the bizarre weather that made any part of the island potentially uninhabitable. Creatures had to either endure the harshness or move on.
Thus, creatures became more nomadic. There were some small exceptions like Hillichurls who've adapted their crude living conditions to endure smaller storms. However, crabs, fish, boars, squirrel, and even fox can't really do that.
The same could be said for plant life. They can't be nomadic, so they must endure. The highly electro static environment forced plants to evolve and adapt. Plants directly to compete with others in order to remain alive. The reduced nutrients in the soil meant all the more important they were to survive. Roots tend to be deep, especially in trees, and many plants have developed some sort of protective coating.
Something to endure the harsh battering rain and razor edge lightning strikes. But also to out cun wild life that preys on plants.
For example; Naku Weed. It tastes bitter, which makes for a poor reason to devour it. It's also capable of sapping nutrients through electrical charges, utilizing thunderstorms to its advantage. At the same time, the plant tends to grow in both lighted and dark spaces suggesting that it doesn't need much sunlight. This could be due to the fact that storms can happen at any given time for extended periods.
These are the smaller details that seem almost unimportant. But as Aether spent more time on the island, he begun to understand it. By studying plants and animals odd behavior, he had begun to understand their own adaptations.
And with that knowledge he decided he would no longer settle for crabs and fish, nor berries.
He stood from the rock with profound determination. Today was the day that he had a taste of victory. Today, he was going to get that boar.
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It wasn't like her to sulk or feel defeated.
Even when she was young Ayaka had managed to always persevere. She would reject defeat and overcome hardships.
At the very least, she was capable of hiding the pain she endured.
She, along with Ayato, are the faces of the Kamisato clan, as well as the Yashiro Commission. They couldn't afford to be seen weak or even in despair during moments of crisis.
They served as a pillar to their nation, giving the people the strength to stand.
What good was a pillar if it can't even bare it's own weight?
This thought had crossed Ayaka's mind as she played chess. A game relative to what she was used to called Shogi.
Even with the unfortunate events of both her mother and fathers passing, Ayaka had the energy to push through it. She endured all the pain behind a mask. She pushed her emotions aside to pick up what her parents left behind.
Inazuma didn't need either heirs to the Kamisato clan to mourn their losses. What they needed was strong successors whom could keep the country stable.
That's what Ayaka had thought of herself for the longest time. At least up until now.
She convinced herself at a young age that she could put on a smile, so long as Inazuma would benefit from it.
But now that wasn't possible. She felt herself crumbling as if she was a foundation built on sand.
Ayaka shook her head.
No.
She was not placed upon sand. The ground wasn't the issue. She was.
Ever since Aether's confrontation with the Shogun she had been reduced to this state, unable to properly think or control herself.
She barely holding herself together as of now. Her brother had left suddenly and without notion too.
She couldn't get herself under control and her brother wasn't there to scold in line.
He obviously had more important things to handle, Ayato had no time to tend to trivial matters.
What became of it was a young women subjecting herself to a game of strategy in attempt to keep her mind distracted. She had gone as far as to play chess instead of Shogi, a game she was far more familiar with.
And her opponent?
It wasn't someone as fun as Thoma
Sporadic as Yoimiya
Or as insightful as her brother.
Nothing close to that sort.
Her opponent was a lazy ninja driven out of her slumber with intentions of catching even more sleep.
Originally the thought process for her was to loose faster, that way she could go to sleep sooner; but Ayaka had saw threw it.
Far more desperate to occupy herself, Ayaka sweetened the deal with the Shamantsuban.
If Sayu won, then Ayaka promised not to make her eat carrots for a whole week. On top of that, she also promised not to reveal Sayu's three newest hiding spots to the Shrine Maidens.
Which had the little ninja determined...
...well for a little bit.
Ayaka looked up after she had moved her rook, setting her opponent into Checkmate.
However, her eyes had told her why there was no response.
Sayu had inevitably drifted off to sleep, with what seemed no sign of waking up anytime soon.
Ayaka sighed and rose from the floor where they had been playing.
It was pointless to trying to wake Sayu up. Besides, playing chess wasn't getting her anywhere; her mind still drifted into places she hadn't wanted it to go.
She had hoped that chess would bring her clarity and composure, but it only brought confusion.
And right now what she needed was answers.
Her subconsciousness swallowed her actions as she thought deeply. By time she had realized it, Ayaka had taken a walk.
Of course, she didn't make it far out of the Estate, before she realized why she brought herself here.
Afterall, it was hard to miss the floating teapot. The same one that laid in the same place, everytime Aether was here.
The Serenitea Pot was what she had drawn herself to.
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Ganyu set down her pen, finishing up her last bit of secretarial work for the day. She had hoped to finish it sooner in order to discuss the Serenitea Pot plans with Tubby, and maybe even learn more from Cloud Retainer.
But her drinking tea with Rex Lap- Zhongli had taken up more spare time than she had.
Of course, she didn't mind; afterall, Aether had insisted not to work herself to the bone. He'd probably be mad if she didn't pump the brakes once in a while.
Still...
That overwhelming sense of dread was undeniable.
Zhongli had felt it too.
But to imagine.... him clashing with a godess?
It didn't entirely strike her dumbfounded, considering how persistent the Shogun was on pursuing Eternity. Or even considering how the recent lockdown would put her on edge.
Ganyu forced herself to place her worries behind her. It was hell to not worry or cry thinking that he was facing such an incredible opponent.
But she knew he would be fine. Both her and Morax knew that.
He had endured unimaginable hardships already. Stormterror, Azdaha, the Fatui Harbingers, and even the Abyss Heralds... he bested them.
In the face of impossible odds, Aether always perseveres.
No matter how many times he gets knocked down or how close he is to the end of the rope, Aether won't stop.
His determination to do good in this world as well as reunite with Lumine had been far too strong for anything to bind him.
She had seen his determination first hand, it was enough to make her fall for him.
Those two things alone were enough for her to shake of any despair she felt.
She let out a satisfied sigh, finally content with her finished work.
The teapot was certainly too quiet with out Paimon or Aether around. Though, it was peacefully enough she could easily take nap if she wanted.
Even though it wasn't noon, an extra hour of sleep was never out of the question. Her work load constantly demanded a large portion of her time, she rarely got the average amount of sleep.
A rather loud gust of wind had picked up outside; one that had usually meant someone had entered the realm. Confirmed by the pleasant wind chime ring that followed.
She had elected to greet the guest, though she had a feeling whom it was.
Ganyu made a quick glimpse into the mirror and patted down her clothes. She tried to make herself look as proper as possible, even quickly adjusting her hair
...
Somehow drinking tea with the women infront of her have brought comfort to Ayaka, even though it had not when she was alone.
Neither Ganyu or Ayaka needed to state why the air felt so tense or why they both felt so nervous. They both knew of Aether's predicament.
Despite that, being together had made it easier. Perhaps it was the kindling flames of loving passion, an emotion that they both shared for the same person.
It wasn't just empathy, it was sympathetic.
They had hardly known each other, grown with different customs. Yet; neither of them thought any other person could have been as consoling.
Yet in this moment where they had found a shred of comfort, Ayaka still struggled to speak or compose herself. She kept her lips sealed tight, in fear of crumbling apart.
She didn't fear of Ganyu seeing her weak side; but rather, she feared if she fell apart then she wouldn't be able to put herself back together.
Despite her condition of mental state, Ayaka had been rather suprised how composed Ganyu had been. She could see the hurt she carried, but she wore it down.
She couldn't stay silent when Ganyu managed to lift with a soft and small smile, even if it did seem slightly forced.
"H-how? How are you so strong, doesn't it hurt?"
Ganyu's gaze didn't leave Ayaka "you more than anyone else should know just how much it does; but it's imperative that we remain vigilant." She took a deep breath and sipped on her tea. "We have important roles as models to our countries and to Aether. No matter how much it stings we can't falter, nor give in. Or at least that's what Rex Lapis always says."
And of course they both knew it was true. Ganyu was a representative of Liyue's government. Even as a secretary it was vital that she remained to appear in high spirit. If not, it effects the nations moral and productivity as a whole.
It was the same for Ayaka, even more so, considering that her crucial role in Inazuma centered around the populace. She couldn't be seen in a defeated state, or her people would surely give into despair and hopelessness.
"How can I? When each passing day the growing threat for Aether only grows in magnitude..." Ayaka shook her head "I apologize, I didn't mean to disrespect you."
"It's quite fine, your still young compared to me. These emotions are complex and make people act out." Ganyu sighed "As for the other matter; we can't truly tell if Aether is or will be safe. We must pray for his safety and hope that his strength is enough to prevail as it always has."
"Yes you're right... it's just... difficult not to think of the worst."
"It's the same for me Ayaka; but we must not think like that. Aether wouldn't want us gawking at issues we can't resolve. He would want us to be head strong and focus on issues that we can fix."
Ayaka felt tears threatening to come out "But it's my fault that he's in danger! How's it fair for me to ignore is state of well being when I asked him to challenge the Shogun?"
She couldn't even see anymore, tears started flowing and they wouldn't stop anymore. She began bawling like a spoiled child.
Moments passed and she couldn't see still, blinded by her own tears.
Until a sudden wamrth and slowly seeped into her body. A delicate and yet comforting embrace. Thin fabric rubbed on hers as arms extended around her.
Ayaka weaped for a time after, only when the tears wouldn't come anymore, did they stop.
It would have been rather embarrassing, but she hadn't even realized what she had asked.
"Why?" She choked out.
Ganyu's voice was soft and close
"Suffering shouldn't have to be alone, pain is best overcome with company"
"Why don't you hate me? It's my fault"
"I can never hate you. You've done nothing wrong."
"But..." Ayaka's voice crumbled as she sank further into Ganyu's embrace.
"You've done nothing wrong. He did this because he wanted to, not just because you asked. You needed help and Aether decided to lend his strength. Think of it as nothing more than I'm doing now."
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Aether had plenty of hunting experience, but even tracking was harder in Inazuma. Weather made tracking inconsistent and harder. Not to mention the unpredictability of animals here.
It was a normal boar or appeared to be like any other; yet somehow it had easily masked its scent and even found a way to reduce visibility of its tracks.
Nonetheless, Aether had managed to keep a general idea of where the boar was going. He had to be slower, thanks to the creatures added measures.
At first the boar had incredibly weaved through puddles of muddy water and tall grass, in a way that was almost disorienting; but as he stayed on track, the lazier the animal had gotten.
Or so he thought. He couldn't afford to let his guard down. These creatures live in a harsh environment, meaning anything could happen.
Aether's eyes darted left and right as he noticed a distinct spot...
The grass had been chewed on, blades being significantly shorter and deformed compared to other patches. Had he not pushed the taller blades aside, this detail would have been missed.
And among that was...?
Aether kneeled, reaching down into the dirt, touching a darker spot with the tips of his fingers.
Warm to touch... yet not entirely fresh. Its was a dark red, almost as if it was a brown; yet the smell of iron made indisputable proof of the substance.
Blood.
The blood was not a pool, but rather spattered in droplets and small connected droplets.
It was likely the animal didn't rest here while injured, but rather it was attacked here. The lack of disturbed environment of marks, made the attack from another wild beast unlikely.
He followed the blood carefully, trying not to disturb his only trail; but also on high alert.
The trail was ongoing, so it was likely the the creature was capable of fleeing and did so for sometime. It's more practical that this was the working a distanced impaling object like a crossbow or longbow.
Once again, confirming this was not done by a beast; but rather humans or hillichurls. It was still too soon to tell which had hunted the wild beast.
Eventually the blood trail thinned into a single line, indicating the beast had eventually lost its strength. Given only a short while before it had been presumably carried away.
From this point on tracking had gotten easier. The beast who was prey was no longer the one moving; but rather the predator. Whom, don't normally worry about the tracks or evidence they leave behind.
Initially it was a single set of footprints left behind, along with a small amount of trickling blood (from the injured prey); but eventually those were met up with even more footprints, a long variety of foot sizes from at least 4 individuals, maybe more.
Passed a long stretch of a cliff, laid a large encampment where a ritual had been taking place.
Primitive like huts were connected to shabby wooden fence and entrances were manned with basic search towers.
A path way made of overused dirt went from the entrance or the compound and led to a conjuction of objects. Small water pots, junk crates, and barrels (some of which were explosives).
Obstructions like trees, rocks, and tall grass made it hard to see tribe in its entirety; but if the structural design wasn't confirmation of lifeforms, the beating drums and incoherent chanting were.
Large drums were pounder occasionally while incoherent chanting spread around.
Hillichurls, and lots of them too.
A rising platform had a large pot on it, with flame kindering beneath it. Above it lied the boar he had tracked, it was the preparation process; though the Hillichurls. Hadnt ruined the meat yet, he didn't have too much time before they did.
Generally their proceedings were the same. It was some sort of ritual they preform for every meal.
Their dancing and chanting was just one part of the ritual.
Crack!
Aether sighed as the camp stopped and turned their attention towards him. Of course he had grown careless during his approach and had forgotten about traps.
Luckily he didn't trigger a deadly one, but rather one based of sound.
Still the camp was pissed.
Large hillichurls came up front from behind the smaller hillichurls and samichurls.
A loudly enraged roar came from a large one with an axe. Instead of charging like they always do, it grabbed an electric slime and slammed it into the axe.
It finally let out another battle cry and lifted the axe up into the air, it sparked a wicked purple and arcs of electricity came from it.
"Just perfect..." Aether complained as he drew his katana.
Perhaps he didn't give hillichurls enough credit for ingenuity afterall...
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For the first time on Tatarasuna the night sky was surprisingly clear. Aether hadn't doubted at one point this may have been common, but it's most certainly a rare occurrence to him.
It's the polar opposite to the constantly cloudy sky he looked up towards. Rain and thunderous activities weren't perpetual, but they were still rather common.
The wind wasn't even harsh either, it was fair and quiet.
He felt almost at peace as he sat on the beach, watching the campfire peacefully dancing. It's warmth had been perfect as it softly warmed his skin.
The fires level of heat was and had been at the perfect condition for sometime now. Aether sighed in content as he bit into the freshly cooked boar meat.
It tasted much better than the bitter berries and hard crab he had been living off of.
The meat was strong in flavor and it felt replenishing. It had also made for a good broth to drink along with; though he would really had limited options.
For survival food it was good, but it was definitely no match for any good cooking skills.
Only if he could have added some seasoning...
He sat back in comfortable silence, finally beginning to feel happy. As if he had bested his odds. With a rather full sto-
*growl~*
Aether looked down at his stomach. He had certainly felt full, but apparently his body had felt otherwise; despite eating more than his fill of food.
He shrugged his shoulders and reached for another portion, slipping a wooden stick into its middle. It served as a replacement for the lack of plates and bowls that the wilderness had.
*rustle*
Aether's eyes darted to a tall shrub, he could have sworn it had moved. He stared at it for a time, but nothing came of it. Eventually he passed it as nothing more than a whim of his imagination.
He had been on high alert nearly all day, he was simply jumpy. The area was relatively flat, he would have seen something coming it there was a threat.
He drew his attention back to his meal; but what happened as he drew his mouth near was hazy.
Aether had heard a very loud noise come from something exiting the bush and it seemed to move in a ferocious manner.
By time he had realized, the food in his hands was nevermore. It had disappeared, bone and all!
He surveyed his surroundings, to eventually find a rather small creature hovering just slightly above ground, next to the campfire he had made.
It's back was turned, but he could hear sounds as if the creature was rabid. He could hear a conjunction of odd noises followed by gnawing.
Whatever it was, it wasn't very maintained.
He gasped after thinking about the creature or a time.
"Paimon! Is that you?!?!" He asked realizing that her figure was similar.
The creature reluctantly turned around, with a bone picked clean of meat in her hands, confirming it was none other than Paimon.
"By the archons, you look terrible!" He said suddenly. He spoke instinctively upon seeing the raggedy mess that was her hair, not to mention the dirt that covered her.
She must not have been off too bad, because the classic snarky comment shot out from her immediately
"That's not how you great friends! Paimon went through hell to get here!" She pouted as she reached for another portion of meat.
Before Aether had realized it, Paimon had devoured all that was left of the boar.
"That was a weeks worth of food! Where do you put all of that even!" He said with with a mixture of anger and astonishment.
She glared at him, but ignored the comment.
.
.
.
.
"I see... so let me get this straight: you were chased by flowers on land, and then you were attacked by fish?"
"Don't mock Paimon!"
Aether chuckled "Alright I'll concede, at least you got here safe... say did Thoma make it out safe and sound?"
"Yeah!" Paimon cheered "We managed to sneak into the Komore Teahouse without any of the Shogunate seeing us. Thanks to the nature of the Komore, nobody from the Tenryou Commission will enter there. Thoma should be safe as long as he doesn't leave."
Aether cleared his throat and spoke in a serious tone "So if you were safe there too, then why did you leave..."
It came out almost harsh, which wasn't his intentions; but he wished Paimon wouldn't have left. Especially if it was somewhere as secure as the Komore Teahouse.
The fairy was dumbfounded "why wouldn't I?"
"It was safe there..."
Paimon glared at him "No place is truly safe in Inazuma, at least not until this ordeal is resolved: besides do you even know what to do from here on out?"
Aether shrugged his shoulders "I'll get stronger, I have to."
"And how do you plan on doing that?"
"By surviving agaisnt harsh conditions and overcoming foe whom have are stronger than me. Then I'll meet the resistance see, what they are made of."
"And where will you find them?" Paimon asked raising a brow doubtfully.
"I... haven't gotten that far yet." Aether admitted.
Paimon proudly pointed at herself "See~ you need Paimon, that's why Paimon came here. Paimon happens to know a lot about Inazuma and where we need to go"
"You're just here for the free food" Aether teased
"Am not!"
Aether chuckled as she pouted over his antics. Satisfied with the added wood over the campfire, he laid down on the sand and stared up at the sky.
Its dark, but trails of blue and purple haze combined with the pitch black; also contradicted by the flashing white stars. It was mesmerizing and almost calming at the same time. Though the night had at its core was a reminder that had brought him so much pain.
The abyss, and with it, his stolen sister.
"Do you really think you can beat her?"
Aether turned his head towards Paimon, whom broken the long and blissful silence
"To be honest, I don't know." Aether swallowed down a lump "I'd be a fool to simply rush head first back into a duel with her. I was overconfident in my abilities to fight. Will power alone is strong, but agaisnt a godess of her magnitude it simply isn't enough."
"Now Paimon thinks your being pessimistic."
"Not quite. I'm just trying to be more cautious than before. I'm fighting a god whose power may have slightly declined over the years; but that doesn't amount to anything. She could cut me down in an instant. Her power seems so fierce that it can cut through space and time."
"So we can't win?"
Aether sighed "Well, only one way to find out; but until then, getting stronger and training will only better us. Knowledge is power too, we should learn as much as we can about the Shogun, Inazuma, our assets and our enemy."
"This sounds like so much work... *ughh* Paimon's brain is starting to hurt."
"Maybe so, but this is only the beginning to what will be a treacherous climb to the top. We have to give it our all." Aether did stop to think "There's one thing that bothers me though..."
Paimon looked up at him, she was puzzled but also interested.
"Maybe my intuition is wrong or perhaps it's a coincidence; but when I fought the Shogun, it felt like.... like- she wasn't going all out."
"What? That's ludicrous, even for you. Of course the Shogun went all out."
Aether raised his hands. "I know, I know it sounds insane. Afterall I'm easily an obstacle to her promised eternity. I directly defied her ruling and I don't need a vision to use elemental powers; not to mention i have more than one element at my disposal. So why would she hold back? But I still can't shake that feeling..."
"You're absolutely sure about this?"
"I'm positive about it... I could feel her imense power... I mean in one move she shattered the reality around me and brought me to her own personal domain. Not to mention she also didn't use her famed move, until the very end."
"You mean the Musto No Hitotachi? The one, rumored to slay other gods in a single strike?"
"Yeah that one. She could have easily killed me with that if she wanted to... she could have ended it all right there, the moment she first attacked me."
"So what are you saying Aether? That she was just toying with you?"
"Maybe, I don't know. Perhaps she felt that I was strong and wanted to test me. Perhaps she longs for a challenge. But what if it's more than that Paimon?"
"Paimon doesn't get it, what other things could it be?"
"The Shogun is undoubtedly a women- a goddess of action. She makes her moves immediately and dominates her opposition swiftly. She seems impenetrable almost."
"So what? She's got an impenetrable will, I don't see how this supports your theory."
"But what if, even for a second, she had second thoughts. If she doubted any part of her ruling. What if the Shogun has regrets? It's hard to tell, but I feel that deep down she knows this isn't the answer she's looking for. Inazuma had extreme changes happen rapidly over the course I've been on Tevyat."
"It seems unlikely that a women who so strictly enforces her latest decree would doubt herself." Paimon disagreed.
"But what if she felt this path couldn't be changed, it was too late? What if there was some external force at play; someone pulling the strings? Or maybe she isn't entirely on board, but doesn't realize it. Perhaps she doesn't want to seem week by admitting she was wrong."
"But it's only speculation."
"Not quite, there is some hints towards this being the possibility. Afterall, not only did she hold back agaisnt me in our fight, but she didn't attempt to kill either you or Thoma. Even then, she allowed us to escape; or rather didn't cut us down while we ran. She could have easily pursued us herself, but chose not too. Hell, I haven't even seen a single search boat for me since I initially escaped. So while it might not be much, this whole ordeal certainly doesn't match up."
"If that's the case, then Paimon also wonders why the Shogun hasn't intervened with the Rebellion personally. Surely she could stop them alone?"
"Perhaps, but the Shogun could also be testing her people. It's important for a leader of a country to have a strong team behind them. Then there's the possibility of casualties, innocents and civilians getting caught in crossfire. There could even be some form of honorary or political stipulation that keeps the Shogun from entering their region."
"Well, according to Thoma and Ayaka, the rebellion has had forward operating bases on every island; but, the main base is established on Watatasumi Island and their leader is divine priestess, Sanganomiya Kokomi."
"Good to know." Aether nodded "Then I'll take time to gain strength and work way from island to island. Eventually we'll get to the rebels. It's important that we understand their motives and plan of action. We might not want to help them if this is fighting is over some sort of vendetta or power struggle."
"So should we not meet them?"
Aether shook his head "their our best chance at either beating or convincing the Shogun. If we don't like what the divine priestess has to say or if we think of ulterior motives, then we'll do this thing ourselves."
"Eh-heh... when you say by ourselves..." Paimon looked at Aether for any sign of a teasing smile or some sort of laugh.
But he was serious.
"No matter what happens this will be difficult. If this so called rebellion aren't fighting on behalf of the people, but for some self benefited reason, then we can't afford to take the easy way out. The whole reason why we're doing this in the first place is to save the people from unruly laws and regulations. They should be free; what good would we be doing if we stop the Shogun, but allow tyrants replace her?"
"Paimon thinks you're trying to impress Ayaka."
Aether cleared his throat.
"Anyways, let's focus on the later; when we actually have more solid evidence to go off of. These are possibilities to consider as we journey. The truth will reveal itself in due time." Aether closed his eyes "In the meantime we should catch some rest, the sun won't be long before it rises."
He heard Paimon make a noise, probably one that involved going to her pocket dimension. Aether shifted onto his side and relaxed.
The journey was long, and it was only just beginning. There was much to be done and certainly none of it would be easy; but, nothing had been easy so far.
Stormterror, Osial, Azdaha, Fatui, the Abyss...
But Aether had to succeed.
There was a chance that this would bring him one step closer to finding his sister; it was a slim chance, but it was one he was willing to take.