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The ropes dug sharply against his skin as he pushed his wrists against the bindings, struggling to find any slack in them. The soldier who had tied him up had been careful, however, clearly not wishing for a prisoner to escape while under the command of the Shogun. Thoma tried to direct Pyro to the bindings, deciding that a few burns would be well worth his freedom and life. For a few moments, he felt the heat simmer out from his core and course its way through his body; however, just as quickly, the energy was strangled, and he felt a burst of pain shoot through him, though he did not let it show on his face. From the Statue of the Omnipresent God, the Shogun gazed down at him, as though she had felt the surge in elemental power, despite his attempts to smother it.
He wanted to look around-- maybe it would reveal to him a mode of escape-- but as he looked into the cold eyes of Inazuma’s God, a surge of pride took over, and he decided that he would not break eye contact until the end.
“Hm. How commendable. Even while on your knees, you refuse to truly kneel.” Her voice, though calm, crackled beneath its surface, like the air before lightning strikes. “It is people like you, who will not bow to eternity, and who seek to rise above it, who must be put back into their place.”
The air was definitely charged with static now; he could feel the hair on the nape of his neck rising with the pull of electro. For a moment, he felt a surge of fear, though it was not for himself. Ayaka and the Traveler-- surely they had received the news by now, and he knew that the former would not stand down and allow for him to be stripped of his Vision, even with the risk defiance carried for herself and the Kamisato Commission. While he could perhaps rely on the Traveler to convince Ayaka not to be rash, it was unlikely that she would be willing to help him herself. In which case, Ayaka would make her move, regardless of the risks…
It wasn’t that he did not wish to put his faith in the Traveler, but rather, she had given him cause not to do so. When he first heard of her exploits in Mondstadt and Liyue, he felt his heart swell with excitement in a way years of war made him think it no longer could.
But then, she had gotten off the boat. It wasn’t her small stature or her delicate features that had made him doubt her-- he had seen more than his fair share of formidable fighters whose appearances served as warning to those who dared underestimate them. Rather, what sowed the first seed of doubt was the look she wore on her face. When he heard tales of The Saviour of Mondstadt and Liyue, descriptions of her never failed to recount the warmth that emanated from her eyes or the way in which she seemed to create her own force of gravity, drawing everyone to her, regardless of whether or not they were aware that they were being pulled in.
What Thoma saw stepping off the Alcor, however, was a young woman with tangled hair and dark circles under her eyes. Though he saw flashes of the legend (for that is what she was at this point) shine through when she smiled at the crew or hugged Captain Beidou and waved goodbye to Kaedehara Kazuha, that momentary and blinding light fizzled out just as quickly once the ship disappeared over the horizon. Her eyes were tired as she leveled her gaze at him-- clearly not trusting him, clearly expecting him to ask something of her, the weariness so profound that he almost felt guilty since that was exactly what he had been planning on doing.
He could sympathise with her-- how painful it must be to be asked time and time again to give, but very seldom to take in return. Yet, even so, her flat refusal to help the resistance against the Vision Hunt Decree had made him sick to his stomach. Even when she had acquiesced in the end, the sour feeling lingered. Only when confronted with suffering firsthand could she be bothered to lift a hand-- only when she was promised a meeting with the Shogun in return. She was not helping people simply out of the goodness of her heart, but because doing so represented a means to an end for her. Perhaps that’s the way it had always been. Perhaps helping Mondstadt and Liyue had also been in service of her own interests. Perhaps not, perhaps there had been some change along the way that had shattered her irreparably, but as things were now...
If the Traveler’s goal was the Shogun, then there was no way that she would dare deviate from that goal, no way she would risk angering the one she sought, all for the sake of someone she hardly knew and who was yet another person who had only asked her to give.
So he was alone, now, praying that he would remain so and that Ayaka wouldn't do something stupid for his sake.
The Shogun was raising her arm, and a sizzling sensation at his waist finally forced Thoma to break eye contact as his Vision was tugged free from its place at his belt. Despite his determination to retain a cool composure, a momentary panic swelled within him, and he lunged forward, only to be forcefully pulled back by the guards standing next to him. He already felt a small tinge of loss as he helplessly watched the Vision spiral away from him, the whispers in the crowd reaching a crescendo, until--
His clouded thoughts were interrupted by a jolt of energy, and he saw a streak of violet fly past him, coalescing into an arm, outstretched to catch his Vision, and then into the image of the Traveler. He could not see her face, but he watched the way the Shogun’s faltered, and his eyes widened. Though the Traveler was smaller than the archon in stature, though the Shogun stood upon a platform thirty feet in the air, Thoma swore that in that moment, Lumine eclipsed even the statue of the Omnipresent God.
The guards that had been tasked with watching over him sprung into action, and he surged forward before he could even register his actions. Though he was bound, he had to help her. Then she turned, and he saw the face that caused even a god to falter. Those eyes, which he had once thought dull and nothing more than Fool’s Gold, were filled with rage. Unlike the anger of the Shogun, which crackled restlessly like lightning ravaging the land, Lumine’s eyes were like watching a planet become engulfed by its star. That which gave life, moved at last beyond the point of patience to end it utterly.
Two jolts of electro, and the guards were sprawled unconscious. She disappeared in a flash of light again and reappeared next to him. Without a word needing to be exchanged, he angled his body towards her, allowing her to secure the Vision back at his waist. As she moved to untie the knots which bound him, however, a jolt of electricity forced both their gazes upwards.
The Shogun was advancing towards them, though her gaze was no longer fixed on Thoma.
“Capable of using elemental energy without a Vision… You are an exception, it appears. Exceptions. The enemy of eternity.”
An explosion of electro burst from the archon’s body as she summoned forth her blade. Thoma glanced towards Lumine, fully expecting to see fear written across her features despite her bravery earlier. After all, she must have heard the stories-- there was not a single known survivour to have crossed blades with the Shogun.
Instead he found that same planet-engulfing anger returned to her eyes as she summoned her own blade and readied her stance.
“Lumine…” Her name escaped his lips, and he wanted desperately to warn her, to tell her to run, but no other sound came out, and she acted as if she hadn’t heard him.
“You will be inlaid upon this statue.”
Thoma’s eyes widened as the archon sliced her blade through the air and a black mist began to pour from the rapture in reality created by the cut. He struggled helplessly against his bonds once again as Lumine was caught in the mist. She turned towards him and Paimon and for the first time he saw fear enter her eyes. She was extending her hand, and calling out to them--
“No… no! Not again, I can’t be trapped again--”
And then she was gone.
The crowd burst into a flurry of whispers, he heard children crying from the commotion, but all he could do was stare at the space where Lumine had been.
“She… she’ll be alright. Lumi… Lumi’s really strong, you know?” Paimon’s voice was quivering, but he made no attempt to answer; it seemed like the fairy was talking more to herself than anyone else, anyways.
“Y-yeah! She beat up Dvalin and Osial and I even saw her make Venti give up drinking for an entire week! This’ll be small beans in comparison! She’ll be just fine…”
Thoma didn’t know how much time had passed since Lumine had disappeared. Duels with the archon were not common, but he did know that they typically only lasted seconds. A single bolt of lightning, and it was over. But it had been minutes. If she were dead, though… the Shogun would no doubt reappear to claim her victory. Maybe… maybe Paimon was right, maybe Lumine could pull it off--
A flash in the air once more, and something fell through, hitting the ground with a sickening thump. Thoma stared at the body of the Traveler, unmoving save for the electro energy that was still pulsating through her skin.
Paimon zipped forwards, frantically shaking Lumine, urging her to wake up. The air around the electro archon was settling. In just a moment’s time, she would turn, and--
A gleam of metal caught Thoma’s eye. The polearm of one of the fallen guards. Swallowing heavily, scrambled over to the weapon, working its blade against the ropes at his wrists.
The Shogun was approaching with slow and measured steps, and for once Thoma was grateful for the god’s flare for the dramatic. Paimon was still shaking Lumine desperately, even as the archon drew nearer, casting glances between the Traveler and the enraged god, only backing up when the Shogun’s sword was already swinging through the air--
Only to parry the polearm which Thoma sent hurtling towards her. The gust created from the parry sent both the Traveler and Paimon careening backwards and Thoma scrambled to catch Lumine. She was still breathing. That was good, at least. The wind also seemed to have woken her up in its force, though she was blinking confusedly.
“C’mon, we have to go. Now.” He tried to scoop her up, but her eyes came into focus and she shook her head, seeming to understand the situation.
“No, it’ll be faster if we both ran.”
There was no time to argue, so Thoma just frowned, slinging one arm around her waist as a form of compromise as they leapt over the city’s wall to the grassy plain below, and made their hurried retreat to the sounds of guards and citizens yelling.
_______
Thoma peered at Lumine in the dusty light of the Naganohara’s basement. She was leaning against a crate of fireworks, eyes closed and breathing raggedly, clearly in a lot of pain.
“Don’t worry. Once more of the guards move out of the city, we can make it to the Teahouse and get you treated.”
Lumine only grunted in acknowledgment and let the silence engulf them once more. Paimon had disappeared into her pocket dimension once she was sure Lumine was stable, her tear-filled voice telling them both that she had hidden away to cry. Thoma bit his lip, moving his eyes towards a small casing of gunpowder at the far end of the room.
“Why… why did you help me? You realize that you’re only placing yourself further from your goal by doing this, right?”
Lumine stirred at this, cracking an eye open to look at him.
“Have I made such a bad impression that you’re really that surprised?”
“Huh? Not at all, I--”
“You don’t need to lie to me, Thoma.” She closed her eyes once more, “I think that, at the very least, I deserve that.”
Thoma let his shoulders slump as he readjusted himself to face her.
“Once I’ve made a decision about someone’s character, I’m very seldom wrong. I told Ayaka that we couldn’t place all our hopes in you, and if she hadn’t made you help those people, would I have been wrong?”
“I suppose not.”
“You’re friendly enough, smart, and capable, but despite what the stories say, you’re selfish, too. And… I don’t think that’s a bad thing, necessarily, but you can’t trust a selfish person with one life, much less the lives of an entire nation.”
“Funny, you might be the first person in this world who’s told me that I’m selfish.”
Her eyes were open again, looking right at him, though there was not the slightest flicker of anger within.
This world…? Thoma stored that fragment of information away for later, returning to the present conversation, noting the small smile on her face when she noticed his brief pause.
“People tend not to see faults once you’ve pledged to help them, especially in the degree that you have. Even Ayaka won’t hear a single word against you.” His eyes softened as he regarded her. “That’s why I don’t think you’re purposely selfish-- there’s no way someone like that could have attracted so many… fans. But I do think something happened to force your hand.” He watched her as she averted her gaze. “And I think that once someone has been pushed to the point where they’re made to look out only for themselves, it’s hard to return to selflessness. And yet… there’s no way that defying the Shogun was in your interests, so I ask again-- why did you help me?”
The air in the room grew suffocating, and Thoma prepared himself to hear an answer, regardless of whether it was one he could accept or not. But then, a soft giggle pierced through the tension in the room, and Lumine cast him a lopsided grin.
“Hotpot.”
“...What?”
“You promised another hotpot night, and Paimon was really looking forward to it. Not having you around or having you all listless would put a damper on the whole event.”
“You saved me… for hotpot?”
“What else are you good for?”
Thoma laughed incredulously. To joke around in such a serious moment… Yet, he couldn’t find it in himself to be frustrated. If anything, it felt as though a burden had been lifted from his heart and soon he found himself laughing uncontrollably, Lumine soon joining in.
“Hey! Are you guys trying to get caught?” Yoimiya’s head poked into the room, frantically whispering as she made a slicing gesture across her throat.
“Oh. Sorry!” Lumine whispered as the girl disappeared into the house once more.
She glanced over at him and another giggle slipped out as she met his eyes and made a shushing motion. As Thoma looked back, for just a moment, the tired girl was gone. He understood now, why the stories had described her as Celestia embodied. Her eyes were twinkling with mirth, glowing like the sun piercing through thunderclouds, and he could swear he saw all the stars contained within them.