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The crashing waves of the ocean roamed across the dark. A raging storm had come upon the sea, churning the waters into an endless turmoil, growling after the end of the catastrophe. Amidst the primordial sea water and a few radiant oceanids twirling in the waves, a woman with long white hair was wearing a simple yet beautiful white dress with golden accents, floating above the vast sea, deliberately searching for something.
“Alas, these beautiful creatures are no longer my familiars.”
There was a blue ethereal glow shining on her long silvery-white hair flowing in the howling winds, her hair glowed as if she was a beacon in the vast expense of the raging sea despite her petite form. After the fall of Khaenria’h and the demise her mother, her creator, Egeria, the Mistress of All Waters, she was chosen to be her successor, being on the throne of the Hydro Archon.
As a Lockknight, she had witnessed the downfall of Remuria and the establishment of Fontaine, and after a seemingly everlasting peace of two thousand years, she had once again witnessed the end of another nation.
She had seen the red sky looming over the fallen nation, warriors setting forward valiantly but never returning, crimson blood shed like a running river. Hearing the far cry in desperation, hysterically, for the lost of their loves one, she was outraged by the fact that her god, in fact five out of seven archons were defeated in the doom, being defeated by the forbidden abyssal inventions of the five sinners during the Cataclysm.
Before Greater Lord Rukkhadevata turned Egeria’s body and consciousness into the Lake of Amrita, to rest peacefully in the mortal realm, a bright beam of light surrounded by hydro mimics pierced the sky, releasing the energy stolen by Celestia back to its rightful owner, and Focalors was determined to find the reincarnated form of the light.
Just then, she heard a large roar from the sea. Swiftly flying over to the source of the grating voice, an abyssal dragon attacked a little child with electro beams. Instead of succumbing to its devour, the small child shot hydro beams against it, though it didn't hurt the malicious dragon much, it acted as the last wall of defense so the little boy’s effort was not completely in vain.
"Hold on just a little longer!" she shouted. But the newly reborn boy had reached his limits, battered beyond repair by the abyssal energy that swirled in the storm. In the blink of an eye, a sharp blade pierced through the dragon-like daemon’s scaly torso, it flinched and was then splintered.
As it sank into the depths, the she lifted the child above the waves. "May the divine protect you," she prayed into the night. A huge wave crashed over them both, revealing an even larger dragon, one of the elder abyssal dragons that had emerged in the recent calamity.
Focalors clutched the little boy tightly, shielding him from the battering winds and rain.
The mighty sea creature swam powerfully through the stormy sea towards them.
As she cut swiftly through the waves, she dodged the attacks from the Pyro monster, and turned every fireball into obsidian blocking her path by incubating Hydro flames into them. She forged a hydro bubble around the little boy to protect him and approached the furious dragon. The Splendor of Tranquil Waters released hydro energy towards it as she summoned a surge of primordial sea water, trying to devour the large daemon. It was instantly pushed aback by the primordial wave and the sea remained unsteady and rippling.
Focalors was willing to avenge her fellow deceased archons, her mother. She fought gallantly as she once did during the old times of Remuria, when she was the renowned Erinnyes who rebelled against The God King, Remus. Though she used her archon powers and superb swordsmanship to attack the dragon, the wrath of the monster was inevitably strong enough to break through her delicate hydro shield.
“I will not succumb to Celestia’s pawn!” The dragon huffed in a low voice.
“And so will I succumb to the creations from forbidden knowledge that will destroy Teyvat!” She vowed as she gritted her teeth, her hand covering her mouth when she coughed out blood. Her body was corrupted by the invincible abyssal power and crimson blood was flowing out from her wounds, the torment caused by the abyssal power caused her to sway in her movements when she launched a bout of hydro cannon.
Her brows furrowed as she beared the pain, she knew she was not as strong as this abyssal dragon even in her full archonhood right now, but she had to avenge her mother, for everyone who had sacrificed themselves to the Abyss.
“You shall not pass!!!” She cried as she attempted to stab her sharp blade into its torso, but her efforts went futile as its claws pushed it away.
“Argh!” She screamed in agony as the claws seeped through her torso, blood flowing out her lips when she tried to escape from his grip.
“Pathetic young archon, here will be the end of your archonhood.” It scowled, its claws withdrew from her body covered by crimson blood.
She tried to heal herself but was too weak. Before falling unconscious, a surge a hydro energy emerged around her, it's a miracle that she felt less dizzy and painful, and some of her fresh wounds are even closing up.
The little boy flew next to her and lifted his arm, some mini hydro bubbles flowing out from his palm. These magical bubbles soothe her pain.
“Thank you, little hydro dragon,” she said softly as she smiled at the little boy in spite of the anguish in her body.
He darted a determined gaze with a nod, seemingly understanding the situation despite his young age, or at least he looked like he was. He then shot a hydro beam, way more powerful than the one he used against the previous smaller abyssal electro dragon.
“Not bad, not bad. It seems like you are adapting to your new powers quite well, maybe I’ve underestimated you newly reborn sovereigns.” She nodded with approval.
Focalors summoned her last strength.
All around the abyssal creature, the tides began to churn and swirl violently in response to surge of hydrokinetic power. The monster thrashed in confusion as it became ensnared in a whirlpool of their creation, being trapped in a massive waterspout. Seizing this chance, Focalors gathered her remaining might and used her sword to lunge at it again. With its final roar and rumbling tides of the mad ocean, the blade utterly penetrated through the monster’s lower body, tearing through flesh as dark blood spilled into the frothing sea. It screamed in agony and began to twirl in pain, failing to stay upright properly.
As the monster's diminished form sank beneath the waves, the duo took aback their power and retreated towards the shore. Exhausted but victorious, Focalors scooped up the little boy and glanced over to observe his exquisite features.
His long silver hair with blue horns flowed lightly. His draconic eye shone like amethyst, blinking at her innocently.
“What an adorable little dragon!” She gently stroked his silvery hair.
“Maman.” He said in a soft, muffled voice.
“I am not your maman! I am your…your… sister!” She retorted.
He snuggled deeper into his newly found sister's embrace, who protected him against the merciless storm, she caressed his cheeks in return.
“Alright, let's give you a name. Hey stop flailing about!” She tilted her head as he wiggled his legs against her stomach.
“You will be a fierce leviathan when you grow up. Hmm….maybe Neuvillette? It sounds similar to the almighty leviathan.” She stated as a matter-of-fact after he stopped swaying his legs.
“Sister…”Little Neuvi mumbled in her chest.
“Let's get you home, but I assume you don't wanna dry up yourself right?” She flew across the mountains onto Erinnyes Island.
~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•
After Egeria died, Focalors settled down in the Erinnyes Forest before her ascension as the archon of Fontaine, next to some vibrant lakelight lilies around the peaceful lake.
Little Neuvillette was dazzled by the scenery, well not because of the beautiful flowers, but the lake. He jumped off from his sister's grasp and ran towards the lake, ready to jump into it.
“Neuvi, come back! What are you doing?” Focalors ran towards him, but it was too late to stop him, he had already jumped into the lake, leaving a splash of water and some bubbles.
“I like pure water.” He swam freely like an otter, looking exactly like the ones in the Fontainian regions.
“You are not gonna get home if you don't get yourself dried up, I don't want my house getting all wet.” She scolded. “Come on, Neuvi. I can make you fresh water.”
He nodded reluctantly and swam back to the shore. When she thought he was just about to get out of the water, he splashed water onto her, making her clothes all wet.
“......What–”
“Hehe.” He grimaced.
Focalors knew she had to be gentle with children, and she had to be especially patient with a particular little boy who is the hydro dragon sovereign.
She put on a smile but gritted her teeth, clenching her fists tightly to prevent any outburst of anger.
“Let go home Neuvi~” She sang in an exceptionally joyful tone, she had successfully controlled her temper for once, though she was soaking wet as if she was drenched in the pour.
She quickly scooped him up despite his reluctance and flew back to her little house. Warm and cozy, the different paints of blue on the wall seemed to match her mismatched eyes, decorated by some flowers and photos, simple but neat.
She changed into a white sleepwear and offered the same but smaller one to Neuvi.
She was really tired after the fight and her wounds were not fully healed, she made a soft hydro bed for him and drifted off to sleep.
Curling up in her bed and clutching the thick blankets, she felt something touching her arm. Neuvi pleaded her with his amethyst eyes, a pout forming on his lips, begging her to let him sleep with her.
“Fine.” Focalors hugged little Neuvi and they both fell asleep soundly.
~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~
Neuvi was a quiet boy, he looked very young like a two year old but Focalors suspected he understood things much better than what he said.
Though he did not talk much, he seemed to learn pretty well. He learnt some complicated words, and could totally understand the bedtime stories his adoptive sister read.
One day, Neuvi took a book from her bookshelf and read it relishingly.
“Aw, little Neuvi is so smart, you can already read the books on the bookshelf. Let me see what you are reading~”
“La Chanson d'Erinnyes! You are totally not gonna read that! Give it back!” Focalors scolded sternly, clearly she didn't want her adopted little brother to know her about her past.
“You look exactly like the girl on the cover page.” He sulked as he blinked in confusion, not understanding why she was angry all of a sudden.
“Nonsense! Give it to me already.”
“But-”
“No buts! Give it back to me, now!”
“From now on, you will be asking for my permission before you read the books from the bookshelves.” She added.
He gave the book back to her, she had hid it well since then. Clearly, she wasn't willing to let him find out about her identity, not to mention the stories in the book was well-edited by the author, which differs from the truth.
“If I had got that holy grail, I wouldn't have to deal with the cumbersome prophecy now.” Focalors sighed.
Later, she gave him “The Laws of Fontaine” instead, insisting that he had to remember every word written in the book.
Every night, she would read him a bedtime story, he really enjoyed it and would sleep soundly in her embrace afterwards.
“Later, Barbatos held a rebellion against Decarabia for the sake of the freedom in Old Monstacht……” Pretty good bedtime stories for children, huh.
Neuvi was mostly well behaved, but sometimes he would braid his sisters long white hair.
“Stop it, Neuvi.” She complained in a playful tone.
She helped him tie a black knot on his long silvery hair, since he liked to play with her hair that much.
Focalors liked little Neuvi very much, she always thought he looked as cute as a little otter, so she made an otter stuffed toy for him.
“Aww Neuvi, it looks exactly like you! Do you like
it?”
“Yes! Thank you sister! But I don't think it looks like me.”
He hugged his otter toy and both of them slept on their soft, comfy bed.