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Dear Xiao,
I’m writing this letter to let you know I landed safely in Inazuma. The cruise on Alcor was a unique experience. Although we encountered the divine storm, it was no challenge for Captain Beidou and the crew.
Life in Ritou, the port for outlanders, isn’t easy. The regulations are strict and the officials are corrupted with greed. Upon arrival I had to submit a pile of documents and they wanted to charge me 1 million mora as the processing fee! Fortunately, Captain Beidou introduced me to Thoma. He reminds me of our not-really-a-friend from Snezhnaya, but he’s actually nice. He helped me a lot and I was allowed to stay in Ritou.
Leaving Ritou and getting to Narukami Island was another problem and I had to figure out the way myself. It seems that connections here are really useful. What you cannot obtain in a formal way, you can get for a favor. And as you know, I am a professional at running errands, so I managed to get a travel permission and now I can move freely around Inazuma.
I didn’t have much time to explore it yet, but this place is really pretty. I love lavender meadows and blooming sakura trees. There are also cute foxes that don’t run away when I approach them. I want to pet them so much!
This island has its dark place too. The Chinju Forest reminds me of the Wuwang Hill. Except that instead of fear, it evokes respect for whatever dwells in there. I can’t really define it, but it feels sacred. No surprise there is a shrine above it. After climbing all the way up through the darkness of the forest, the shrine feels like an oasis. I’m sitting here right now, under the Sacred Sakura. I can see the city below and Guyun Stone Forest across the sea. It’s really high here. I think you would like it. I always have my camera ready to take some photos so you can see some Inazuma too.
I took a little break to gather my thoughts and write this letter, but I should get going. I came here only to see Baal, but people here are getting ready to fight her and it seems I can’t avoid being involved. I talked to some people that had their Vision taken because of the recent Vision Hunt Decree and it pained me. They don’t remember their ambition and feel nothing about it. They became completely different people. And all their desires are imprisoned in a statue. I don’t know what Raiden Shogun wants to accomplish by that, but if solving this matter would help those people and lead me to her, then so be it.
I know you are worried about me, but I will be fine. I’m not going to fight an Archon alone. And I learned some new tricks. Can’t wait to show you!
With love,
Lumine
P.S. Normally I shouldn’t be able to leave Inazuma just like that, but I can use teleport waypoints for a reason, so I let myself bend the rules and slip out for a moment to deliver this letter. I hope I can find more time and tell you everything in person soon.
Xiao didn’t expect to find a letter in his room when he came back to Wangshu Inn. Lumine had told him before leaving that because of the Sakoku Decree, she might not be able to get in touch before she settles things down in Inazuma. He was ready to wait for her. Months, even years passed like a blink of an eye for him. He could wait, but not knowing if she even reached Inazuma was indeed a nuisance, so he was grateful she found a way to share her adventures with him as she always did. He liked listening to her stories.
Sitting on the bed, he read the letter again. Lumine surely was a traveller. Xiao recalled her expression when they found a new nice place or an ancient mechanism on their walk. He was sure she would have a lot of fun exploring a whole new country. He took the photos she left with the letter. Some purple flowers, a city covered in pink flower petals, a fox sitting by a fox statue, a forest path with wooden gates and a huge pink tree looking like a fox. Xiao guessed it was the Sacred Sakura. It was all really pretty.
He set the letter and the photos aside and lied on the bed, hugging the anemo slime plushie Lumine left. Maybe he can sleep a little tonight.