(A/N Please forgive me, I am directly skipping to the start of Inazuma Archon Quest, Act II. This is because I havent thought about the part in between, and do not have much inspiration and writing matter for it. When this story is finished, then I might add it if I find time.)
Lumine POV
"How strange..." Lumine murmured, looking around the completely abandoned Komore Teahouse. Paimon piped up, "It's never this quiet."
The road leading up to here had been long. They had arrived in Inazuma, found help by a friendly man from the Yashiro Commission, and the daughter of the head of the Kanjou commission, who had helped smuggle them out of Ritou, Inazuma's port of arrival. Once in Mainland Inazuma, they had found Thoma again, who had wanted them to help in the fight against the Vision Hunt Decree, to which they politely, but flat out refused. There had been some stuff, blah blah blah, they had seen people who went insane after losing their Vision, helped out, blah blah. In the end, they agreed to help fight the Raiden Shogun's policies.
"Have you seen Thoma anywhere?" came a panting female voice from the door. It was Ayaka, a member of the Kamisato Clan. They both shook their heads. "No, we are also searching for him." "Then it is as I fear. On the way here, I heard that Thoma had been taken away by the Tenryou Commission." "He had been WHAT?!" Paimon exclaimed. "The Raiden Shogun was planning a ceremony today." Lumine murmured. "The Vision Hunt Ceremony, to mark the 100th vision seized. And the person in question is.... Thoma." Her fist clenched. Thoma was her best friend in Inazuma apart from Ayaka, and had helped them out of so many fixes. To see a common person's vision taken, was one thing, but seeing her friend's vision being taken away? That put the situation in perspective. But she would not allow this to happen. During her thoughts, Ayaka said, "I cannot let this happen. I must go and save him!"
Lumine instantly saw flaws in Ayaka's going. "Stay calm. You are a member of the Yashiro Commission, the Shirasagi Himegimi. You represent it. If you pull a stunt like that, you would declare the Yashiro Commission and Raiden Shogun enemies. Not to mention, this would also implicate a lot of other Yashiro Commission members." "But there is no other option!" Ayaka protested.
"There is." Lumine said firmly, a calming hand on Ayaka's shoulder. "I am not affiliated to any commission. I am a traveler, free to do as I please. I will go, and rescue Thoma. You have my word that he shall come back here, alive and still a Vision Bearer."
"Oh- ok. I shall wait here for your return. Get back safely." She nodded as she ran past her, out of the Teahouse.
If only she knew the cost of her promise.
__________
She didn't bother to walk all the way, instead using teleport waypoints. She ran towards the crowd, eyes falling on the bound up Thoma. Her fist clenched, but she would have to wait for the action. She can't act yet, not now. In front of the statue, was the ruler of Inazuma, the person she wanted to meet all along. The Raiden Shogun in the flesh. She was gazing at the statue, that didn't really look like her. Then she gracefully turned half around, and with controlled motions, extended her hand, and squeezed it. Thoma's pyro vision came off.
As she glowed with electro, she knew it was her time to act.
As the vision flew towards the Shogun, she snatched it from the air in a brilliant flash of violet lightening. Then she stood straight, Thoma's vision safe in her hand, chin raised, to face the Shogun, who was glaring straight at her, her purple eyes glowing. As the soldiers guarding Thoma attacked her, with one slash of her sword, she incapacitated them, then streaking towards Thoma with electro on her side, to deftly reattach his vision and free him. But before she could cut his bonds, a bolt of lightening interrupted her. She turned to see the Shogun descending from her high position menacingly. Every step of hers through the air seemed to be taken on a platform of lightening.
"Capable of using elemental energy without a Vision- you are an exception it appears." Her voice was curious, musing, threatening. "Exceptions- the enemy of Eternity." Lightening snaked out from her in a blinding flash, as something extended from her chest. Lumine drew her hands up in an X, to protect Paimon and Thoma.
Moments later, she was holding a glowing purple katana in her hands, with which she slashed forward. "You will be inlaid upon this statue!" Cracks seemed to form in the very air around her. When they glowed and shattered, the entire world was enveloped by black for her, and she heard Paimon's scream as she was pulled into nothingness.
Not for long, though. The world started to reform around her. Tori gates, of red colors, and what seemed to be a sort of red dwarf star in the background, radiating black darkness. In the middle of a platform, was the Shogun. Meditating. But was she? There seemed to be something different about this particular person in front of her. She had no time to worry about that though. The moment Raiden's eyes fell on her, she calmly got up, her glowing katana in hand. She knew she'd be fighting.
How hard could it be? Electro would be no use against her, she would have to use Geo and Anemo. The most volatile element and the least reactive one. Swirl probably wouldn't work against her, so she'd have to mostly rely on Geo.
She had readied herself with her own sword. Lumine launched fast and swift attacks on Raiden, never staying in one area for two long. Raiden, however, took small breaks in between to assess her enemy. Lumine didn't need to pause for that. Her warrior's sense had been honed enough.
But she made a big mistake. She... underestimated Raiden. She had always been taught to always overestimate the enemy, never underestimate. But Raiden turned out to be far stronger than she tought. Those small breaks she had taken had allowed her to conserve her energy while knowing Lumine. On the other hand, Lumine had been actively using up hers. Now, Raiden got the upper hand, and she had to keep ducking and dodging. Raiden aimed for her weak points, struck her at her blind spots.
She clenched her fists, and a golden glow emanated from her, pushing Raiden a few steps back. The sword in her hand transformed to her celestial one, with all the elements at her command, as she took on a more powerful form. At the same time, she felt her darkness growing. But she couldn't care about that yet, not if she had to survive.
But she was still shaky. Countless attacks had left her rather weak, and her demons inside did nothing to give her strength, sucking away her powers. Gathering all her remaining strength, she plunged towards Raiden, dealing one last attack. Or at least, meaning to. She sidestepped her, and swung her katana in Lumine's direction. Purple light surrounded her as her sword disappeared from her hands. Blinding lightening struck her down, and as she fell to her knees, senses giving way, she weakly wondered if this was her end. This was the first time in Tevyat that she had lost a battle.
3rd POV
The Traveler reappeared on the ground, she seemed to have been defeated. Paimon desperately tried to wake her, while Thoma hastily started freeing himself of his bonds. The Shogun kept drawing closer to the fallen Lumine, katana still glowing. Paimon jumped back in fright.
Just as she was about to deal a fatal blow, Thoma's bonds released. Without hesitation, he swung a polearm at the Shogun. She was forced to intercept it with her own blade, and the impact sent a shockwave, throwing everyone in the vicinity back. Thoma managed to catch Lumine, who had thankfully been jerked awake. They leaped off the cliff, landing and the other side, and raced off, flanked by Paimon. The Shogun glared after them with merciless eyes, then said, "Seize her under the degree. Next time, I will strike twice." Her guards instantly nodded and ran off.
Lumine POV
She was awake, but she had a feeling that she wouldn't be for long. At least they had escaped. She managed to get to the Komore Teahouse with Thoma, and knew she didn't have any strength to go further. She had fulfilled her promise to Ayaka. She fell onto her knees, as her demons grew, whispering curses in her mind. She knew that Aether had reawakened her karma. And she didn't know what would happen next. She could hear Paimon panicking nearby, and was sorry she was worrying her so much. As her consciousness started to close down, she thought of a person so close to her life. She clenched her fists, and with the last bit of her strength, murmured, "Please help, Xiao."
Xiao POV
He was getting worried now, though he probably always did. But he had gotten used to Lumine's calls everyday, even from Inazuma. But it had been hours past her usual calling time, and till now she had never missed a single day. He paced on the balcony restlessly. He would call himself, only somehow he always saw the wrong place everytime he called.
He was going down for dinner, when he heard a soft, but familiar voice in his head, He swiveled, hands on the railings. Lumine had just whispered for him. "Please help, Xiao."
Lumine was in trouble.
(1640 words.
Guess my habits of cliffhangers haven't gone yet lol. I have revealed Lumine's issue, haha see if you can find it. Cya :P)