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On a gentle, sloping hilltop, nearly hidden by the sunflowers and luminduce bells that stood almost as tall as she was, a frown crossed Mamere’s face. She added another stroke to her canvas, then glanced up again. Crossing into her vision, two familiar figures appeared, heading up the path from the Harbor to Fontaine. In the spur of the moment, she added two streaks onto her masterpiece, indecipherable to ordinary humans: a golden, a silver, and then, after a moment's hesitation, a deep green.
“Oh! If it isn’t the Traveler! Hello!” The small artist waved as she left her easel and paints to skip towards the two newcomers.
“Mamereeeee! It’s been a while!” Paimon squealed, zipping over excitedly and flying around, leaving behind a trail of twinkling stars.
“Miss Lumine, you changed your hair, it looks lovely. And your colors are different now! I can’t explain it but they are so much more lively!… Not that it was bad before!” She hastily corrected herself and flapped her hands around.
“It’s okay, you are right. I’m happier now.” She touched her hand to the delicate pin made of Jade and crystalfly wings that replaced the feathers she usually wore in her hair.
“Lumine is getting MARRIED!!!” Paimon blurted out, then covered her mouth, “Oh no!!! I should have let you say that!”
“Is it true???” Mamere gasped happily, leaning forward and looking up into the golden eyes.
“Yes it’s true. I think Paimon is more excited about this than I am.” Lumine smiled and shook their head.
“Hey it’s a big deal!!! I even handmade aaaaaall the invitations!!” She put her hands on her hips and gave a proud huff before her eyes flew open again. “O-oh but we don’t have one for you specifically….we assumed any of the meleusines who wanted to come could come with Monsieur Neuvillette of course!!”
“Besides, a normal invitation just didn’t feel right for you, Mamere. So I brought this.” Lumine interrupted Paimon’s babbling to pull a small purse out of thin air in a burst of stardust and rummage around in it for a few moments.
“Aha! For you. It’s a rare conch from the shores of Inazuma.” She held out the seashell to Mamere who took it with both hands, eyes sparkling. It was nearly flawless, a perfect spiral, the inside the most delicate shade of peachy pink and the outside a creamy white, with thin luminescent lines of purple running throughout.
“It’s AMAZING!! I will always treasure it.” The meleusines held it thoughtfully for a moment, then looked back up at the other two. “You said you were going to Fontaine?”
“Yeah! Wanna come with? You have to tell us everything that’s been going on since we’ve been gone! Did Seymour ever come back to visit?”
“Oh! He did! He told me all about how you helped him find his past owner Mary Ann! So much has happened! I also sold my first art piece to a collector!”
The trio headed on down towards the city, the slowly sinking warm afternoon sun at their backs, casting long shadows in front of them.
Shortly before they reached the city, Mamere bade them farewell and caught the ferry back towards the Harbor. Lumine and Paimon took the elevator up towards the center of the city.
“So, our first stop will be Furina! Errr, after we get a meal at the Hotel De Bord of course!” Lumine amended after glancing at Paimon’s face drop, then brighten up again.
“Ooooh Paimon’s stomach is rumbling already just thinking about some of the delicious food! I really could go for some garlic baguettes! Oh oh or Tripes du Port! Or some of the delicious pattes des fruits or macarons!!!”
“Aaand if you keep talking you’re just going to get even more hungry.”
“But it’s your treat, riiight? This will be one of our last real times eating out with just the two of us!!”
“Don’t act like you won’t be hanging around and begging for us to treat you even after I’m married…” Lumine snorted.
“Noooope! I’ll just go ask Xiangling myself!” Paimon crossed her arms and huffed.
The elevator dinged, and the heavy green doors turned, opening up into the Square. Fontaine was much the same as it had been a year ago when they’d left: bustling, full of sounds and smells, the clank of mecha patrols scraping against the concrete, the very dapper looking dogs, the meleusines.
It just so happened that Navia was also having dinner at the Hotel de Bord, and she happily invited the Traveler and Paimon to sit with her while she filled them in on the latest news in Fontaine since they’d been gone.
“Wow Navia, you really have tabs on pretty much everything in the city. Maybe you should ask Charlotte if you can work part time for the Steambird! You’ll always be giving them the real inside scoop!” Paimon remarked between mouthfuls.
“I’m flattered,” Navia laughed, “but no. If I’d wanted to be a reporter I already would be working for them. But enough about me! A wedding?? This is so exciting! Tell me about this fiancé of yours!”
“He’s quiet. A good fighter. Protective. You’d like him, he reminds me a bit of Chlorinde…” Lumine grinned slyly and elbowed her.
“Very funny. So how’d you do it?? I keep trying with Chlorinde but she’s so hard to crack…with the whole feelings thing, I mean. I think she thinks I’m overly emotional. At least you have a handle on your emotions!” With that, Navia brought her head down with a thunk on top of her arms crossed on the table.
“Well….” Lumine reached a hand out and patted her back with a thoughtful expression, “I have had a long time to get my emotions under control. You’re still young, so it’s normal for you to be emotional. And besides, it isn’t bad to be emotional. Some people might envy it.”
“Hmm?”
“Well maybe some people have the opposite problem. They want to express emotions to connect with others, but they don’t know how. I know a few people like that. Maybe Chlorinde is one of them.”
“I guess I never thought of it like that! Maybe you are right.”
“I would know. I’m marrying one.” And Lumine smiled, scrunching up her nose and eyes until they were merely crescent slits.
Soon enough, Paimon yawned loudly and began complaining about how tired she was from flying all day, and the two stood to bid farewell to Navia, and head up to the rooms she insisted on paying for a few hours ago.
“Aether…it’s been 570 years. This time, it’s important.”
…
“Please, wherever you are, whatever you are doing, just this once. If you’re still even here, in this world.”
********
“Lord Harbinger, there’s someone here to see you.”
“Oh? To whom do I owe the pleasure?”
“…he wouldn’t say. But he—“ the sentence was cut short as a blade emerged from the henchman’s chest, running him through from behind.
The unfortunate agent fell forward, sliding almost gracefully off of the steel of the sword, hitting the floor with a dull thud. The figure standing in the doorway was shrouded in darkness, illuminated only by the glowing on their clothes.
“Hello Knave. I’ve so been looking forward to meeting you.”
********
“It’s okay to let me dream, you know.” Lumine remarked, slipping her usual accessories into her hair in front of the mirror, glancing at the person sitting on the edge of her now neatly made bed. “You didn’t have to come all this way.”
“I know.”
“Thanks Xiao.” They walked over and lightly kissed his cheek. “Would you like to come hand out invitations with me today?”
Xiao made a face and she laughed. It was very much so an expected response.
“Does he have to come?”
“Wh—oh! Don’t worry, I’ll make sure our wedding doesn’t turn into a courtroom. I’m sure Monsieur Neuvillette will promise to behave.” Lumine pulled on her other boot and began buckling on her arm guards, then paused and frowned,
“But you do know eventually something will happen, right?”
“….i do.”
“And you know that you have to accept the outcome of that?”
A pause. She took his face in her hand and turned it gently to look at her. He placed his own hand over theirs and removed it, bringing it up to his lips and kissed it softly.
“I know. Times change. The guilty must be punished. I, of all people, understand—“
“No.” Her fingers wiggled out of his own to card through his hair as he pulled her close to him until she was standing between his legs. “Xiao we agreed no more of that.”
“Mmm.”
“Hey. Don’t hmm. Look at me. No more of that. I’m serious.”
The door flew open, and although Xiao jumped instinctively, Lumine barely even moved, but sighed and shook their head with a smile and Paimon flew in.
“Okay! Paimon is done packing her— XIAO??? …did…Did Paimon interrupt something?? Ahhhhh!! Paimon is covering her eyes!! She’s not looking!”
“Paimon it’s fine. I was just trying to talk Xiao into coming to deliver invitations with us. Right?” She tucked a strand of green hair behind his ear.
“I don’t want to.”
“Just thought I would ask. You should get back to Liyue. Paimon and I,” they reached out and yanked Paimon towards her by her cape, “have a very busy day today! Right Paimon?”
“Yeah! We have Furina, Neuvillette, Chevreuse, Lyney, Lynette and Freminet to give invites too! And then we have to head down to Meriopede to give some to Wriothsley and Sigwienne and also some other people we met in prison. Also Paimon was dreaming about some suuuper super yummy Fontanian sweets!!”
The Traveler turned back to Xiao.
“We should go.”
“I will wait for your return.”
“Well you could pick up that order of—and he’s gone. I hope he does remember about the incense, though.” She mumbled as he disappeared into a deep green mist, which dissipated around the room.
After checking out of the hotel, the two made their way over to the ……. Furina would be after Neuvillette, since it was only mid morning, and she likely was up to the early hours of the morning, reading the newest popular novel and planning her next film.
A friendly meleusine garde greeted them at the door.
“Is Monsieur Neuvillette busy?”
“Oh! No he isn’t. I just brought him his breakfast. He will be pleased to see you, it’s been a while!”
“It has.” The familiar grand doors opened before them, and the two entered into the busy but relatively quiet atmosphere of the heart of Fontaine’s legal system, where the gardes officers were working sorting through files and cases.
Neuvillette’s office door was slightly cracked open, and Lumine pushed it open, the perfectly oiled hinges not making a sound.
“I am surprised you are back in Fontaine after so short of a time.” The Iudex remarked without looking up from the book he was leaving through.
“Neuvillette, it’s been a little over a year.” Lumine corrected, sitting on the couch and crossing their legs.
“Is that so? Time does really seem to pass by differently for those like us. I wonder how you are able to keep track of it as they do.”
A shrug.
“I’m here to invite you back to Liyue.”
“Liyue? I suppose I would not mind paying another visit. The water there is exquisite and I very much enjoyed my pleasant trip a…what was it that you said? A little over a year? Ago?” He closed his book and looked at her. “But I sense you are mildly concerned about this?”
“Err…well yes. I wanted to invite you to my wedding, but,” they held up a finger to interrupt his congratulatory spiel. “I am marrying the General of the Geo Archon. And I don’t want my wedding turned into a courtroom. I also would rather avoid an altercation between you and my fiancé.”
The Hydro Dragon smiled in a slow, serene way.
“Justice must be served to the Geo Archon. However, the human man Zhongli has done nothing worthy of retribution.”
Lumine stood up and placed a light blue envelope on his desk, the wax seal hardened into drops like water and dusted with a shimmer of gold.
“I’ll be sure to pass that along. Be sure to bring any of the meleusines who want to come.”
“Of course. That goes without saying.”
“Then I look forward to seeing you there, Monsieur Neuvillette.”
*********
“I was thinking, Lyney, Lynette and Freminet live really close by. We should stop to give them their invites on the way to see Furina.” Paimon floated close to Lumine’s head.
“Hm. Alright. That makes sense.”
The two made a sharp turn and climbed up the smooth white steps towards the front door that stood on the other side of a small bridge, lined with potted plants. However, just before she knocked, Lumine paused with their hand raised to the door.
“Something feels strange.”
“Are you looking for Lyney?” A voice behind her asked and the blonde whipped around before relaxing, seeing it was just Chevreuse.
“Actually yes, but—“
“The three of them left Fontaine just…well actually just a little after you did. Said they got a letter from family.”
“But…they don’t have any other family!” Paimon shook her fists in frustration.
“It was strange. But they left without a trace before anyone could stop them. Haven’t been back since.”
“I see…” the Traveler thought for a moment before they turned to Chevreuse again, “Does anyone live here now?”
“Oh, no. The great magician Lyney was pretty well off, even though he never showed it. Not just your average person in Fontaine can afford to live here, and there haven’t been any buyers interested.”
“Then, may we take a look around inside? Maybe he left clues—“
“You can look. But if you want my personal, and professional opinion,” she paused and leaned in, “my best guess is that they were called back to Snezhnaya.”
“I was afraid of that,” Lumine tapped her chin, “but it doesn’t hurt to have a look either way. And,” she looked mischievously at Chevreuse, “since you’re here, it won’t be considered burglary!”
The house was immaculate inside. Aside from an untouched layer of dust covering everything, it was clear nothing had been touched. There were white sheets draped over all of the furniture, no personal items, and a stack of boxes which contained cutlery, bedclothes, towels and some other miscellaneous things. The three were about to give up when a small envelope with a red seal caught Lumine’s eye. It was odd that they hadn’t spotted it before. It simply sat unassumingly in the center of the table.
A vague sense of foreboding came over her as she crossed the room and ran her finger along the wax seal. It was a symbol she was all too familiar with: the seal of the Fatui. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up for a moment, and she picked it up and flipped it over. They were unsure why it made them slightly relieved to see merely her name written on the back in black ink and beautiful penmanship, a small heart scrawled into the “e”.
Lumine.
Your presence is requested at your earliest convenience. We do look forward to seeing you again. I’ve planned a special private show, just for you.
-Lyney, the former Great Magician of Fontaine
“It doesn’t say where?”
Lumine gave Chevreuse a look.
“Oooo let Paimon read!!” A white blur flew past before the letter was snatched out of her hand.
“Riiiiight. I assume you have your ways of traveling quickly? If not, there’s a shipment of rare ores that’s going to Snezhnaya tomorrow. I could take you to the merchant and see if she would be willing to offer you a ride?”
“Alright. Thank you.” Lumine pocketed the letter after letting Paimon read it.
“Paimon doesn’t understand at all. Also private show??? Paimon isn’t invited?! I hope he knows you’re already getting married!”
“I’ll be sure to tell him.” Lumine muffled a snort. “Come on, let’s go visit Furina!”
********
Xiao was perched atop Wangshu Inn, ever vigilant. The evening was warm, and the crickets kept up their chorus from the treetops. Fireflies lit up the sky, reminding him of mini Xiao lanterns, and the sky was clear enough to see the galaxy stretched overhead. He wondered which of those stars Lumine had come from.
Suddenly, the air grew quiet; alarmingly quiet. A crawling sensation of danger permeated the air and he immediately snapped to attention, donning his mask. A strange crack formed in the middle of nowhere to the north of the Inn, and several monsters he had never seen before emerged, followed by—
He vanished from his post in a swirl of mist and reappeared in front of the unwelcome visitors.
“You.”
The monsters halted before him.
“Ah. So you’re the one.” A voice came from behind them and they parted to reveal a familiar figure.
Xiao had never really actually met him before, but the resemblance was enough for him to know.
“You’re the one who thinks he’s worthy enough to marry my sister.”
Xiao scoffed and removed his mask.
“No. No one is worthy of your sister. She wanted to marry me.”
“Mmm.” His opponent hummed thoughtfully, almost as if he had second thoughts, but then shook his head,
“Sorry, but you’ll have to prove it to me first.” He drew his sword and leveled it at Xiao, “I can’t let her marry just….anyone. After all, I am the older brother.”
Something about the way the golden haired outlander said “anyone” made Xiao’s blood boil.
“Lumine will be furious if you kill me.”
“Oh I’m aware. I have no intention of killing you.” Aether laughed as his sword met with Xiao’s spear, bringing their faces close, “and I’m sure you wouldn’t kill your beloved fiancée’s dear brother.”
“I won’t.”
**********
The next day, Chevreuse bid them farewell as the Traveler and their companion climbed up onto the cart next to some boxes.
“Good luck, Traveler.”
She gave a slight wave with her hand, the morning sun illuminating her hair, making it appear almost as if it were glowing.
The hours passed by, and slowly the terrain began to change from the lush green hills covered with flowers and the floating remains of the Research Institute in the distance, to jagged, pointed peaks and drifts of snow. It reminded them of Dragonspine, with the odd colored ever resilient mint growing in patches, shimmering blue line trees, and the tiniest silver flowers that looked like little bells peeping from behind rocks along the path.
Every so often, the merchant would ask her to fend off occasional monster attacks, as was the agreement in return for passage. Even the hillichruls here were tall, lanky and wrapped in fluffy white furs. There were also large snow leopards almost the size of lawachurls.
Once, they were stopped at a patrol station by Fatui. Luckily, whether or not they recognized her, the interaction was routine and peaceful. Finally, after a whole day of travel, as the sun began to sink behind the mountains and elongate their shadows, the merchant woman pointed ahead towards and enormous city. It seemed to be made of pure ice, sparkling in the light like a massive crystal fly, and reflecting all the colors of the setting sun.
“It’s…beautiful!”
“Yeah!! Paimon would appreciate it more if Paimon wasn’t so cold!”
The buildings in the city, as they drew closer, had pointed domes that reminded Lumine (and Paimon) of ice cream cones,
“—or onions…no no! Paimon’s got it! Closed mist flower corollas! That’s it! Giant mist flower corollas!”
They were painted in varrying shades of blues, purples and yellows, and despite her previous negative experiences with the Fatui, Lumine couldn’t help but admit that Snezhnaya was a magnificent city. They thanked the merchant for the ride and hopped off, starting to wander the streets in search of the one person they knew would be able to point them in the right direction.
As the two walked along, a young woman ran up to them.
“Excuse me!”
“Mm? Er..do I..know you?”
“Oh! Right, you probably don’t recognize me without the mask. It’s me, Katerina!”
“You made it out of the Chasm?! That's amazing!” Paimon clapped her hands.
“Yeah! I thought I was done for, but suddenly all the attacking monsters just…ran off! Anyway, thank you for helping me, back there.” Katerina was rather breathless and a little embarrassed, and Lumine noticed someone hanging back across the street.
“Your friend is waiting for you.” She smiled and raised her eyebrows. “And I should go. Someone is expecting me.”
“Oh…yes well…” her face paled imperceptibly, “that’s the real reason I came up to you. N-not that I’m not grateful! It’s just, I was told to give you this! A-and I could go free. So thank you!” She bowed several times before shoving a piece of paper in Lumine’s hand and practically sprinting away.
“Huh. That was weird. Her whole attitude changed. Well what’s it say?”
Welcome to Snezhnaya!
I’m waiting. Follow the black cat.
“Oooooo it must be from Lyney!” Paimon rubbed her hands together. “We should follow! Hopefully it takes us somewhere warm so we’re not standing around in the cold…Paimon is cold…”
She spun around in the air, trying to catch sight of a cat.
“No…no…no…wait!! There Traveler!” She pointed excitedly at a black and white cat licking its back leg on top of some boxes in an alley. It froze mid-lick as it caught sight of her looking at it, then leaped off and disappeared into the darkness.
“Paimon, that’s a black and white cat. It’s this way.”
They pulled their friend in a seemingly random direction.
“Hang on, Lumine where are you goin—oh.” Lumine held up one of Lyney’s signature trick cards with a grinning black cat peeking out of a hat.
“I think he meant these, Paimon.” She handed it to the floating girl and continued to scan the area for the next one.
With Paimon’s meager yet appreciated efforts to help, the two followed the trail of cards propped against boxes or taped to walls and alleys. It was dark by the time they reached the dark wrought iron gates of an imposing building. They were guarded by two Fatui and the symbol carved into them was identical to the design she had seen countless times on Cryo Users’ visions: an intricate and delicate snowflake.
As she approached, the two guards crossed their weapons.
“What do we do?” Paimon whispered loudly but Lumine held up their hand and merely showed them the card.
“Ah. Pardon us. We didn’t realize you were an esteemed visitor. Enjoy your stay in the Palace.” And with that, the guards stepped aside and the palace gates swung open.
“Man, Lyney sure must have called in a lot of favors from Arlecchino to get us permission to come in here!”
Lumine didn’t answer. She thought back to the brief meeting she had had with the 4th Harbinger, Arlecchino. At that time, they had met as neutral parties, perhaps with the common goal of protecting the members of the House. Although they were much stronger now then she had been a year ago, Lumine still shuddered to recall the vision of the Crimson Moon. That same crimson moon that colored the sky when—
“Excuse me, are you the Traveler?” A voice startled her out of her thoughts.
“Yes…?”
“Lord Harbinger is expecting you. Follow me please.”
“Arlecchino? Why would she want to see us?” Paimon interjected but the guide didn’t respond other than to give the two a strange look.
He led them up a massive spiraling staircase, made entirely of either ice or glass, Lumine wasn’t sure. They were staring up at the massive chandelier hanging high above them, the light of hundred of candles reflecting off of thousands of crystals casting prismatic rainbows all over the walls, making them glow despite it being nighttime. Every nation in Teyvat was grand but the sheer size and intricacy of Snezhnaya made quite an impression on the Traveler. Yet something about the grandeur seemed more like…a flimsy façade hiding an emptiness and sorrow. The nation of the Cryo Archon distinctively lacked the vibrancy and life of the other nations, and something told them it wasn’t the cold.
Their guide led them down a large hallway lined with massive engraved wooden doors that were numbered from 11 downward. Noteably, 10 and 8 were frozen shut as if they hadn’t been opened in years, which, given the circumstances, Lumine supposed they hadn’t. Idly, she glanced in the direction of where the sixth door should be as they passed, only to find that it simply did not exist.
I guess I really am the only person in all of Teyvat besides him who knows the whole story.
The guard stopped in front of the door with the number carved into it, along with flames licking up and around it. Lumine wondered if Paimon had finally noticed what confirmed their suspicions all along: the presence of a familiar motif incorporated into the cravings representing the fourth harbinger, a motif that was decidedly NOT a crimson moon.
The sound of music softly playing inside the room on a spin crystal could be heard and the guide bowed to the two of them and hurriedly left without a word. Tentatively, Lumine raised their hand and knocked once…twice…
“Come in dear Traveler,” a voice she recognized all too well replied, and the doors seemed to swing open of their own accord, revealing a large and spacious room.
The inside of the room looked like a giant stage, draped in thick velvet maroon curtains, a single desk in the dead center, the figure backlit by the moonlight pouring in from the massive window behind them. The room was almost entirely dark and only the figure’s eyes glowed an eerie dull gray.
“I’ve been expecting you. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” A single spotlight turned on, illuminating the person who had stood up from behind the desk to greet them, and Lyney’s eyes met hers as a smile as wide as the cat on his cards spread across his face.
“So you finally did it? Your fighting must have improved a great deal if you managed to best Peruere in a duel.” Lumine gingerly sat in the seat he gestured to.
He was no longer wearing his signature stage outfit, instead it was a suit much in the style of the previous Knave, checkered black and white with streaks of magenta running through it. His hair was slightly longer and a strip of color ran through the braid along the side. A long scar trailed from under his right eye down to his chin and across his mouth, presumably from his duel with Arlecchino. The teardrop he usually had painted on now seemed to be permanently etched into his face on the side opposite to the scar and in a much darker color, almost like a drop of blood.
“You haven’t changed at all.” He chuckled slightly, but the mirth never reached his eyes which continued to assess her with a freezing cold and eerie glint. “I hear you are…getting married?”
“I am…” they responded carefully, “you are still invited, you know…just because you’re a Harbinger now doesn’t change anything..”
“Yes yes,” he waved his hand dismissively, “I assumed as much considering I’m sure you’ve invited Eleven. I’ve been expecting your arrival. It’s why I left all the clues to lead you here.”
“Well. If that’s all,” Lumine placed the letter on his desk and stood up, “I don’t think there is anything much left for us to talk about, Lyney. Please extend my invitation to your siblings.”
“Oh,” he suddenly appeared before her, blocking the way to the door, a few embers surrounding him, “I don’t speak much to them anymore. But Traveler, surely you can’t be leaving so soon? You haven’t even found out why I called you all this way?”
A strange fear gripped her as suddenly she felt herself unable to move.
“Let me get you some tea. After all, we have so much to catch up on, don’t we?”
And then she was sitting at the table, a cup of tea in front of her, Lyney sitting across from her, hands folded and looking at them expectantly.
“You see, I have a bit of a problem, dear Traveler. Something only you can help me with. Considering your…relentless dedication…to finding your brother, I’m sure you’ll understand.” His smile widened. “I have gotten myself into a bit of an awkward situation with my esteemed employer, the Tsaritsa. While I and…many others simply adore you and would much prefer you alive, she does not share the sentiment.”
Lumine’s heart picked up. It occurred to them they didn’t know where Paimon was.
“Don’t bother. We are quite alone here. Now tell me,” he stood up abruptly and placed his hands on the table, leaning over it closer to her, “if you had to choose between your sibling or your fiancé, who would you choose?”
“I—“
“If i don’t kill you—or die trying—Lynette and Freminet die. And I'm sure you don’t want that either. So, Dear Traveler, I am formally challenging—no, asking—you to a duel. A duel, of course, according to the rules of the House of the Hearth.”
He extended a gloved hand to them awaiting her reply. Lumine closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then calmly drank her tea in one long sip before setting it down. Her golden eyes looked straight into Lyney’s pale ones.
“The previous Knave,” she finally spoke, “once made a comment to me about how she thought I had no capacity for bad things. And while that may appear to be the truth for those in Teyvat,” Lumine slowly stood up and gave a serene smile, “I assure you that the Traveler this world has seen is only a FRACTION of who I am.”
And with that her sword materialized into her hand and she tossed the chair aside as if it had been made of paper.
“I accept your duel.”
An unreadable expression flashed across Lyney’s face and he gave a maniacal laugh before he held out his hand and flames licked and curled up and around until they formed the shape of a large and elegant silver bow, inlaid with deep red crystals, the same color as his now changed eyes.
“I’ve grown stronger, Traveler, since you last saw me fight. I’m not that cowering boy.”
Searing arrows over fifteen feet in length rained down around them as Lumine deflected every one, sending them spiraling off wildly to the side with her sword or embedding them deep in glowing stone, then shattering them into a million embers across the floor. Flames licked and curled around her, climbing up her legs and skirt that billowed in the hot wind as she summoned both the power of anemo and pyro to send a firey tornado whirling in Lyney’s direction. He hurled his hat at her, but she caught it in her left hand only to flip around in midair and send it spinning back to him fast enough to slice through wood. He ducked as it sailed over him and stuck firmly into the wall behind. A barage of razor sharp cards sizzled through the air around her as she dodged them as if she were dancing, lightening dancing from her fingertips and eyes lighting up purple and she rose into the air before raising her arm and directing a well aimed strike and sending three bolts down towards their opponent. A bit surprised at the somewhat unfamiliar element, the bow was knocked out of Lyney’s hand and it sizzled as it hit the floor and began to burn through the wooden floor boards, flames now leaping up the curtains and consuming the sides of the room from the fight. Dendro vines burst up through the floor, razor sharp and slicing through his sides before winding around his legs and holding them in place. Lyney screamed as purple ribbons of electricity licked out from the vines, causing searing and disorienting pain. He raised his hand to shield his face as Lumine leaped into the air.
For the briefest moment, they hesitated. It was Lyney after all. But if she didn’t kill him, he would kill her leaving Xiao alone, and if he didn’t kill her and remained alive, Lynette and Freminet would surely die. And with that, they brought their golden sword down straight through his chest.
A strange clack and a whirring of gears was heard. No blood pooled onto the floor, but a strange purple liquid, not unlike that she had seen running through Wanderer’s veins. Lyney’s body seized a few times before his head snapped to the side with a mechanical crunch. Lumine dropped his body in a mild panic, but before she could stand up, a faint flapping was heard. They snatched up their sword again and whirled around, scanning the room.
Well done! If you are hearing this—and I hope you are— Congratulations!! You have killed yet another Fatui Harbinger!
After her heart stopped pounding in her ears, Lumine realized that this was a recording, and they shakily made their way over to the chair and sat down, letting the sword clatter to the floor and vanish again in a swirl of stars.
I was in such a predicament. But fortunately, I had a few last tricks up my sleeve, a favor from Dottore, and some help from…a new friend. I hope you enjoyed this final magic trick of mine, dear friend. You won’t be seeing me again, I’m afraid, but please accept my most sincere congratulations on your marriage.
There was the click of a tape recording ending, but then a whirl and once more a voice came through the speakers, but this was muffled, almost as if this last recording were an accident.
Are you sure you don’t want to say something?
No! It would..just make her upset. And anyway *muffled* …approval.
Come on, not just a Congratulations?
*garbled*
*Fzzt…..*
Congratulations.
Click.
“Aether…”