Travel Guide by a Kitsune [Retired Archon Si/Oc!]

[Ozairus]

Ch1: Was it all useless to the end

Author's Note; Not going to lie this started out as crack but became more serious as time went on. Inspired by other Genshin isekai fics but more transmigration and wuxia themes I guess. Anyway Inazuma and Genshin Impact won me over but the fishing event is a pain. In this story Paimon is missing for now, oh and spoilers and all that.

Also went back and edited the first two chapters.

(((((

Have you ever been in an unfavorable situation? Well, it was thanks to food delivery gone wrong that I ended up the way I did, hit by a truck and now an existence devoid of earthly flesh.

Genshin Impact is not the place I expected to be isekaied into, much less a transmigration situation. It was just all-out reincarnation, a new life awaited me.

Seven elements and seven thrones for seven entitled gods crowned by Celestia. The first Archons were wicked beings that twisted into existence. From the primordial soup, I was the strongest storm that took on a human shape all because I missed my mortal form.

Humans rose to prominence but so did the monsters that terrorized the land. A technological nation that was godless burned, in hellfire a contract was forged. Only seven can keep a secret if some of them are dead.

Allies and friends withered, but in the eye of infinity, it was nothing. In time I grew tired of the mundane set of islands that I was supposed to watch over.

If infinity is everything then the concept is a short amount of time just as it is a long amount of time. Hence I could explore different other continents, the mantle was passed down and infinity split into transience and eternity.

(((((

The world was at peace, or at least feigning an illusion of tranquility. It was unoriginal but to keep people off my back I faked my death. Yet then twin stars fell to the ground and I got curious enough to check out the crash zone.

She was fishing when I walked up beside her. "So hook a tiny fairy yet?"

"What?" Lumine blinked, except her eyes betrayed her tone of voice in that it was seemingly cold as the vacuum of space.

"You need a permit to fish here otherwise the Knights of Favonius will ticket you." I let out a yawn and stretched. "I'm kidding, so what're the circumstances that's got you out in the middle of the wilderness?

"Enough with the silly nonsense. My only goal is to reunite with my brother, leave this world and maybe get revenge on a nameless god that trapped us here."

"Good luck with that! The land has seven great gods called Archons and many lesser gods, some of which are dead by now."

"If you're going to just laugh then leave." She stated point-blank.

"Hmm, a sore subject. I'm sorry if I said something wrong but it's easy for me to run my mouth since I've lived a long time, longer than one might think."

"Since we just met, I'll let it go I guess."

"Congratulations, you're not the only outsider to this world, there are rumours of another who has sided with the Abyss. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing yet." The lump in the back of my throat was dry.

"W-wait could it be Aether? Never mind..." Lumine seemed to have been stuck at a crossroad on what to do next.

Food always made the situation better. It was about around lunchtime anyway. "We could eat together, it's never good to think with an empty stomach or just go our separate ways. Whatever you choose is fine with me."

(((((

Only a few hours had passed since I had become acquainted with the protagonist of a gacha game. The atmosphere was tense at first but eventually it fell into a comfortable silence.

While I brought out supplies from my travel satchel Lumine looked like she was prepping up to hunt a boar or canard. "Here it's just a harmless mushroom skewer, take your fill."

Mondstadt cuisine was never my favorite but after being alive for many years I had become adept at making simple dishes from the place. "So how is it?"

"Good." Lumine made a face that indicated she was thinking. "Reminds me of something my mother used to cook."

We simply sat in silence and the two of us crudely dined at the edge of Cider Lake. Birds chirped, then because of my superior sense of hearing my ears rattled.

An explosion must have gone off. I guess that meant Klee, another canon character that I haven't personally met, but unfoundedly Mondstadt's red menace was up to bomb fishing again.

"Are those things real?" She asked, eyeing me warily.

"Of course, I am a kitsune after all." Subconsciously I must have been comfortable to let the visual glamour subside.

"That makes sense, you even have fox ears to match." The only thing left in Lumine's hand was a wooden toothpick from the meal that she tossed aside. "In my travels, I once met an evil woman with snakes for hair, but gods are the worst."

"Ah I see, perhaps I know of that myth. Medusa, a woman cursed by the Goddess Athena because another god by the name of Poseidon couldn't keep it to himself."

She shared her burdens and sentiments, it was only fair, to be honest with her. "So what's your name?" Lumine asked.

"I'm Inari, the first Daimyo of Inazuma. Now I'm just a wandering vagabond with little purpose, but are you okay with us having further affiliation even though I'm a former Archon?"

Her eyes went wide at the revelation of what it meant.

"So be it." Lumine agreed and with that, maybe she was of the mentality to fight fire with fire. Thus it was the start of a new dawn, a new adventure.

(((((

Whenever I sprinted Lumine failed to keep up, what a bother. Don't get me wrong her reflexes were keen, it was just she was just lacking in energy, or maybe it was just me who forgot what it was like to be a human.

Sooner or later we'd have to go in search of Anemoculus, little concentrations of pure Anemo energy. Offer them up to the right Archon statue and they'd fix the stamina problem.

Lumine's existence was a puzzling thing, one bordering that of mortal and divine but she gravitated towards humanity more. In my scenario I was twisted into an immortal beast that could only clung on to old vestiges of mortality.

Speaking of which, Lumine also hadn't interacted with any of the waypoints, structures, mostly Archon of the respective region used to teleport from place to place. So that was another thing to add to the ongoing list of things.

Once she walked up to one of the aforementioned things she resonated with it, thus the Anemo element swirled. "Kudos to you for getting your first pseudo vision!"

She tilted her head in confusion. Ah right, there was boring exposition to explain that I had glossed over, better do that quick.

"Visions are the ambition of a person given life. Hence they grant a minor ability of mild element manipulation, but in your case I'm not sure why it works the way that it does."

"So what are the other Archons like?" Lumine inquired.

That was a heavy loaded question I was unprepared to answer to its fullest capacity. Morax, the Archon of Geo, and I were about the same age, so ever since the beginning he was like a pebble that had been thrown at a window.

There's only so much a person can ramble on about the same topics without getting stoned to death. Perhaps soon he would be a copycat and retire like I did. At least the Osmanthus wine from Liyue is good.

Before Barbatos, there was Decarabian, the Anemo king of old Mondstadt. His only personality trait above being a control freak was that he loved his wife.

Meanwhile my feelings on the current Anemo Archon are mixed. Barbatos is young, and irresponsible. Yet, just as how I had left my nation, similarly he would leave in periods of absence.

It was once upon a December when the Cryo Archon Archon, aka the Tsaritsa was a hopeless romantic of a princess. During that time I was but a dutiful samurai who watched her fall in love with a man named Dimitri, or was it Dainslief?

Nonetheless it ended in tragedy when he got lost to the Abyss. Regardless, everything passes and it's infinity that's stagnant.

Sure I could reminisce longer but there's too many details to go over.

The seven of us were so similar in nature that it was easy to get along, but it was those same failings that drove friendships apart.

My ears stood up on end as I took a moment to think; "Due to the journey ahead you'll meet them soon enough but Barbatos is an over-excited drunk, and Morax an unwavering blockhead.

As for my successors, I'm not sure if one of their stories ended in tragedy. The Tsaritsa with her heartbroken aims to collect chess pieces that are scattered about the land. Meanwhile, the others and those in the high heavens wait idly by..."

Of course if the next events were to follow the game then with a roar, Dvalin had to make himself known as he flew overhead. Attention was thrown to the wind and the ensuing conversation was interrupted.

Sure we could head over to the main city and do the entire beginner tutorial but I was more inclined to skip that to go straight to the actual first boss fight. Not that Lumine needed to know that.

(((((

So off to Stormterror's Lair, it was. How ironic that the people called Dvalin terror when in fact the true horrific epicenter of thunder and lightning was situated across the sea.

Lumine would have no sentiment for Old Mondstadt but for me, the ruins were just another ghost town of memories. Once it was a thriving civilization, and the Cryo Archon blessed Decarabain's wedding.

All of which the original Seven were part of or in attendance of the occasion. Yet in times of solitude, it leads to weakness which in turn causes leeriness.

Leading up to the war that ripped many immortals apart, the death of individuals like Amos and Guizhong only added fuel to the fans of war. Years pass, victors are the ones that catalog history, and now the central conflict regards the Abyss order.

"Inari are you sure this is the right place?" Lumine snapped me out of my thoughts.

In the shadow of the dragon of the East, one of Mondstadt's four winds we stood. It was only a matter of fighting some Hilichurls to get to the main tower.

(((((

Voice Line Snippet

Favourite Food: "What's the strangest thing you've ever eaten Traveler? Not going to share anyway disregard that fact, but in all my time wandering the various nations mushroom skewers would have to be my favourite. I suppose Adeptus Temptation is a second best, but nothing compares to the homemade dishes of my homeland. Although it has been a long time since I've had poutine."

 

[Ozairus]

Ch2: Infinite dream that can't be changed

Author's Note; The first two chapters were written one after another. I jump from fandom to fandom but I try to update all my stories and yet my muse to write is a fickle thing. Anyway 'Era that had been Shining' an ost from Overlord, 'Inuyasha's Lullaby' theme and various 'Agni Kai' remixes were the music that some of my inspiration came from.

(((((

Once upon a time, Lumine was a traveling star that had fallen from afar. Stripped of her wings and powers she was little more than an individual above that of a common mortal.

She wasn't sure what to make of the foreteller fox that was elusive like lightning. Inari was supposedly a defunct god, one that didn't hold relevance anymore, but still held important experience the same way he stoically grasped a folding fan.

An important lesson Aether taught her was to never trust immortals, for they lied and lured in people to worship them just so they could extend their lives. Ideas are like diseases that spread like the common cold upon being heard.

After all, gods only truly die once they are forgotten by humans, while humanity was the one to create them in the first place. Only time would tell but regardless Inari was her guide and traveling companion for now.

"Springvale is a good place to stock up on supplies but since there's a 'little sidequest' we need to get done first before heading off to the big city," Inari commented. "There's also a lot of broke people so be careful of those who might swindle you out of money."

Draff was the name of the hunter that gave them fowl and boar meat for a couple of hundred Mora. Lumine came to quickly learn that it was the main currency used across the various nations. Yet sometimes raw materials would also be traded their weight in gold or silver.

Another thing she couldn't help but note was how the Mondstadtian language sounded like butchered German. In time she would grow used to it.

One other jarring difference was the fact that Inari was composed of pure Electro energy compared to the fleshy human vessels of the common folk. Nothing ever came of that observation, it was just another vague innocuous analysis of Lumine's surroundings.

"Not to be rude but why isn't anyone bewildered by your features?"

He furrowed his brow while turning in the direction of Lumine. "All cast illusions to avoid the unwanted attention. The only thing they think I am is but an average foreigner."

"I suppose that makes sense."

"Well, time to go beat up a giant lizard!" Inari stated with excitement that she wasn't sure was fake enthusiasm or not.

"Are we going to fight that dragon?" Lumine nearly let out a sigh.

"Sorta, but instead I'm going to play a song of healing, and you're going to sing to him so that Dvalin's corruption is fixed."

She and her brother once met a boy with a green cap that played the ocarina. The situation had a similar feel to it Lumine thought to herself. Upon high noon, not Hyrule and no moon plummeting to the earth, freedom clung to the wind.

(((((

The closer I and Lumine got to the tallest tower that was the highest point in Mondstadt besides Dragonspire the wind harshly picked up. By my inclination something was wrong with the timeline for Barbatos was nowhere to be seen.

Yet who was I kidding? The eccentric tiny windspirit was probably ideally still in a deep slumber as the world passed on by.

No matter, due to certain circumstances cleansing miasma was a proficient skill of mine, thus to rid corruption was in the same vein. Of course, Lumine's status as a foreign entity might also be a big help.

A long time ago the sole tower used to be a magnificent palace with a dreadful amount of stairs, now the only way up was to scale the walls. Meanwhile, I had another solution in mind, Electro constructs came in handy which made platforming to the top easy.

My balance was never that good so Lumine grabbed my hand and hoisted me up near the end. One Abyss Herald but mostly the several Abyss Mages set out to further provoke Dvalin.

Lumine went straight for the Abyss Herald while I went straight for the Abyss Mages. It was annoying to have to also be on the lookout for oncoming gusts of wind that were the result of a dragon flapping its wings.

Catalysts were my weapon of choice. Yet per tradition, once I activated my elemental skill it became two chained sickles, (a kusarigama) that eclipsed the distance between enemies.

In my opinion, the people of Khaenri'ah were reduced to an undesirable desolate fate. With a sickening splat, one of them was fried by electricity, while it looked dead the creature was destined to painfully reform in the depths of the Abyss.

Part of the curse of the Abyss was that 95% of those who had Khaenri'ah lineage would be revived upon death. However, each time it happened more of their humanity was stripped away. A punishment truly benefiting from what they had done.

I'm not sure what was worse, how gods had all the same emotional faults as humans, or mortals that played at being a god. Perhaps I'd have more empathy if I wasn't doomed to preside over infinity even after the heavens were prophesied to fall.

"Are you alright?!" I shouted out to Lumine but it turned out she made quick work of the Abyss Herald. Now all that was left was to perform a duet to calm the angry dragon.

Hence I got out my flute and began to play a forgotten melody. It wasn't exactly any of Barbatos's finely curated songs but back in the day, Baal, one of prodigies used to say I was the better musician.

Deep down I knew she only thought that not out of respect for her predecessor but because it was a short tune. Unlike her sister she only found joy in fleetingness, the current situation felt like one of those short-lived moments.

Meanwhile, in the background, the Traveler hummed a medley of her own that I thought I recognized. My only hope was that it was more than enough to pacify Dvalin.

(((((

Venti stirred from his deep sleep. It was the sadness and anger of his old friend of the East that called out to him. Yet when he woke the first thing he heard was the Archon's Lullaby, the original rendition of which only Inari knew how to play.

As much as Venti respected the former as a musician, Inari was also a hypocrite. The Nine-tailed fox claimed to be just an observer but then he'd dive nose first into affairs that didn't originally concern him.

Celestia, the highest divine order in all of Teyvat, even bestowed upon Inari the name Beleth but he rejected it. All the while Inari called his compatriots in godhood by what the heavens bequeathed, so to Inari, Venti would always be referred to as Barbatos.

"Infinity" was supposed to drag on forever yet the day it came to a halt all the gods and mortals were irreversibly shaken. Regardless, time's arrow waits for no one, and the drums of space hammer on.

Even then Venti's first meeting with all the other Archons had happened almost as if it were yesterday in an era that had been shining. Those in attendance were required to join the meet in their base forms, thus Venti was but a windspirit and Morax a dragon, etc.

In contrast to that Inari defied the status quo by walking the hallowed grounds of Celestia in a humanoid avatar. Safe to say he was the first ever to be kicked out of the revered banquet that day, and yet the next meeting a new policy had been integrated.

Imitation is the greatest flattery after all, and humans are the most beautiful to be free to do what they choose. Despite that everything has a price, and Inari looked the same as he did before everything fell apart and the Seven of them drank together for the last time.

In infinity's wake to the bottomless pit of the ocean to the endless blank sky, the only thing new was that a fallen star trailed behind Inari.

(((((

Voice Line Snippet

About the Vision: "I threw away my blasted chess piece a while ago. Oh wait I meant to say centuries back, anyway that's the awful fact about infinity, it's impossible to escape."

 

[Ozairus]

Consider Inari's design a work in progress for now.

 

[Ozairus]

Ch3: The great outdoors is a five-star hotel

Author's Note; Just more interactions between the main duo. Inari's probably lying about something so who knows what that's about. Thanks for the reviews and constructive criticism.

(((((

There were no personal qualms about attending to the sorrows of the dragon but it was a job best left for Barbatos. Anyway, I had already done my part by cleansing the corrupted blood the Abyss Order got from Dragonspire, but Lumine had other ideas that involved consoling Dvlain.

He thrashed his scaly tail as a dog might excitedly do. Lumine patted the Anemo dragon, it was a powerful creature but upon the gentle contact, he cried like a newborn.

Once anger is removed from the equation the only feeling left is sorrow and maybe even a little forgiveness. Nonetheless, loneliness is probably the most dreadful emotion those of a sentient mind can feel.

'Thank you stranger from the stars and fox.' Dvlain chirped out in short bursts of roars. A glorified parrot is what he was but I suppose the feathers added to his somewhat regal demeanor.

"No problem, we just happened to be in the area. Plus I'm certain a specific windbag bard would have shown up to give aid. Only a matter of time until Barbatos makes his presence known anyway." My arms were crossed in contemplation.

Lumine quirked a brow. "Interesting so you're able to interpret his growls."

"Yes, but it goes far beyond that. Since we're both elemental (although in Liyue the word would be illuminated) beasts, we speak the same primordial tongue that a few immortals left know."

"So you have another form so to speak, can I see it?" Her eyes were piqued with curiosity.

"Maybe another time, just not right now." More than a thousand years had passed and still, I was disoriented and uncomfortable with the prospect of having to walk on all fours.

The other Archons that I knew grieved over the death of beloved friends, but it was I that solely lamented over the loss of one's self.

Some people embrace what they become, others reject it or try to run. In the eye of everything, infinity, I was stuck at an impasse, and the rest of the world just continues.

"All hold your words to it like a promise." Lumine sounded like she'd get along with Morax, but it was the freedom of flight she had lost that somewhat reminded me of Barbatos. Yet then she could also be as cold as ice like the Tsaritsa.

Dvlain lowered his wings, it was a gesture he wanted us to get on.

"Up for a ride?" She simply nodded and like that one scene in Aladdin we boarded. My guess is that somewhere in the nation of Sumeru a real magic carpet existed.

It was fun soaring through the skies of Mondstadt on a dragon. Although the flowers in Lumine's would have been lost to the wind if not for the fact I grabbed them at the right moment.

To my surprise, it was one singular hairclip rather than two blooming entities of a plant. Carefully I tucked them within my messenger bag and we enjoyed the rest of the view.

Officially the region of freedom and its capital city had an interchangeable name of Mondstadt that was pretty stupid if you asked me. Anyway among the jagged hills were smaller villages and what I made out as Dawn Winery.

Perhaps it was a bonding experience, if not at least a pleasant memory to look back upon. Eventually, Dvlain dropped us off at the peak of Starnatch Cliff.

Sure he could have landed closer to the actual city of freedom but it was better not to make a scene long after the original crisis had been averted.

Lumine sent the dragon off with a wave and I was content to gaze off in the distance. My guess by the sound of crickets chirping it was around dusk fall.

(((((

The wilds of Mondstadt had rolling hills and forests that extended far as the eyes could see. Compared to the other nations, it was more basic in geography but it was the simplicity that drew a person in.

A blazing fire crackled, I was no Pyro user but if lightning strikes wood it causes a spark. Lumine helped oxygenate the flames with her newly acquired Anemo element.

Although she could stand to use a little more practice because she nearly charred my haori jacket to ashes. That being said, I wasn't any better in that I almost overcooked some grilled fish.

Maybe it was an Electro Archon thing because there were times that I failed at cooking and it was one of those moments. Thus I went in search of more branches to add to the fire, and Lumine took over the meal making.

While an ordinary person would have a hard time seeing in the dark, the night vision that I had automatically kicked in. Sure I only had one good eye left to spare but my other senses easily overcompensated for that.

Animals such as wild boars and wolves rustled the nearby grass and leaves. One odd occurrence was apple cores scattered in a field everywhere, Barbatos had probably gouged his appetite on the fruit.

Given a few decades, the landscape might become a forest. "I'm back," I stated. There was a sizable amount of wood within my arms that I was prepared to add to the dying embers.

Lumine sat close to the warmth of the everglow while munching on the grilled fish. After a good hour of foraging, call me Pavlov's dog but the food looked salivating.

"How could you eat without me?" My tone of voice was meant to be teasing but my comment went ignored.

"This night and quiet out in the darkness is kinda beautiful." She stated. Ah so perhaps the conversation we were about to have was more geared to a serious direction.

"Music is something I've always appreciated more than nature's ambiance." I admitted, "helps to drown out the bad thoughts."

If only I had a guitar or even a shamisen. We could sing silly songs, tell ghost stories, and roast marshmallows beneath the stars.

Yet the more I thought about it the more I got lost in my head, my hands were no longer that of a musician. Rather they had old scars, the mark of a warrior, only another god made other immortals bleed.

Plus the only thing I played efficiently now was a flimsy flute the weight of a feather. For what it was worth it got the job done, and it was a keepsake crafted from scratch.

"Interesting, I'm the opposite." Lumine kept talking. "Is there a reason the moon doesn't look like a rabbit or a wolf, but an eye? I swear the longer I look, it's almost like it's blinking or maybe that's just the clouds."

The moment she mentioned the moon was the second I started to freeze up until my breathing evened out again. "Well, some scholars think the backdrop of this world is false. I can't confirm that truth because only the highest order of Celestia knows.

Also, Teyvat used to have three moons, for the three sisters of fate that once guided destiny. Now only one heavenly object watches the night."

Stare into the Abyss until only nothingness glares back.

Good, Lumine seemed to be satisfied with that information enough to let the topic die. It was late thus, subsequently the fire came to a halt.

Sleep began to weigh upon her expression, she unrolled a sleeping bag. Meanwhile, I played a tune that was reminiscent of a song of storms.

Yet then I too subsumed to the lull of drowsiness, my tails were used as a makeshift blanket and pillow. Fireflies flicked across the earth or what was maybe an island drifting through space.

(((((

Voice Line Snippet

Good Night: "I'm not tired yet so I might as well entertain the stars by playing them a song."

 

[Ozairus]

I was bored in lecture hall so this is the result of that. Guess all include Lumine next time.

 

[Ozairus]

Inari's Basic Inventory:

Flute: Vagabond Instrument, once upon a time it went by another name. In the clutches of a nine-tailed beast he proclaimed it "Lunar Unification." For when the first Daimyo set out to conquer Inazuma he looked upwards to the moon and played music.

Chain Scythe: A weapon thought lost to time, "Grained Retribution." In the local language of Inazuma it is referred to as a kusarigama. Perhaps the wielder used to be a farmer because two old sickles used for harvesting rice were the original set of tools not sharpened to kill.

Vision: It's a fake token, regardless the owner is able to use Electro energy without hesitation. The main materials used for craftsmanship was Crystal Marrow from the deepest cavern of Tatarasuna and smelted in the fires of the nearby Mikage Furnace.

Bag: An odd raggedy bag that someone of proud Inazuma culture would not be seen carrying around. Usually Kinchaku bags made from kimono scraps were popular, although because a certain fox used to relay information from the heavens to the mortals it's quite fitting to have a messenger bag.

Fan: Made of paper, somehow it's lasted through the years. A promise of infinity, but it's bad to swear on the ever changing moon. Rumour has it that Raiden Shogun used to have a similar hair piece which is now pinned to the ribbon sash on her back.

Skewer: Mondstadt speciality with a twist. The mushrooms are drenched in mitarashi sauce, maybe next time just stick to dango instead.

 

[Ozairus]

Ch4: Ballads at dawn

(((((

I blinked, there were white spots in my vision. So the sun had risen, sunglasses would be nice to have been warranted, then I'd have one less thing to be irritated about.

By the looks of it Lumine was all prepped and ready to go. Her blonde hair was emphasized by the light, while her scarf and outfit were pristine. The only thing missing from her regular ensemble was the flower pin I still had carefully tucked away.

It was probably in my best interest to return that soon. Nonetheless with or without the decorative object, the center part of her locks were more free flowing.

"Good morning!" She greeted me with a small smile. I lazily grinned back but being half asleep slightly impaired my groggy expression.

The two of us weren't best friends by any means, but there was the feeling that a comradery in arms type of connection was slowly being built.

Meanwhile I probably had a severe case of bedhead and my shirt plus outer layers were undeniably wrinkled. Not exactly the best way to start the day.

What good was it to have past knowledge when over the many years that I have lived the memories easily slipped away. Still I hated waking up in the morning just as much as I disliked lasagna.

Birds cooed, either it was a stocky barn owl or a lame pigeon.

Mondays were a fickle thing, I sometimes referred to the first day of the week as Monday. However, because each region of Teyvat relied on a different calendar system, that personal practice of mine was pointless.

Old habits die hard I guess. Nearby was a slow moving river that I used to fix a few of the disheveled hairs that refused to flatten and stay down.

Maybe I should put more effort into keeping up appearances, but reach a certain age and there's a lethargicness to looking good. At best my image was presentable, if not a little wild.

Yet no matter how much sleep I got, the bags of tiredness never left my eye. It wasn't super noticeable but if a person looked close, the shadows simply made the angle of my face gaunt.

"So I don't forget, here take it." About the perfect time for me to give her the accessory back.

Lumine took it from my hand, and thus, proceeded to pin it back to its proper place. Although I couldn't help but notice the angle was slightly askew.

"Need some help?"

"It's good enough, but if you really want to fix it then go ahead." She replied.

Close to the river bank we sat, Lumine watched the fish swim about in the water. Meanwhile, I kneeled close beside her..

It wasn't the best, but one of the skills I had picked up from having two adopted sisters. So by the end of it Lumine's hair was braided back into a finely woven bun.

(((((

Only certain moments do I realize that I've fucked up badly. Since immortality is a big thing that comes into question, and life seems to go on forever I've often taken a trial error until succession approach.

Yet where the hubris does lie in wait is that gods can die, the universe is on a timer, and certain very specific events are impossible to repeat.

Up ahead was the looming city of wind, Mondstadt capital. From a distance it looked like a large looming fortress, but at a second glance with the huge windmills and all it was quite tranquil.

"Please don't tell me we have to climb another wall." Lumine said with apprehension in her voice that turned into teasing. "Because if so I won't be the one to lug you around like a damsel, it'll be potato sack style."

"I thought we agreed to never talk about that incident ever again!" I complained, what happened during that embarrassing incident was best left forgotten.

"But seriously, what do we have to do to get past the gate?"

"Nothing too complicated, we just have to tell the guards were traveling merchants, or entertainers, etc. Then after that clearance has to be granted at the Knights of Favonius visitor bureau located at their headquarters."

Sure Mondstadt was known for its freedom but that mostly applied to its inhabitants and citizens. Outsiders were not free to come and go as they please, lessens threats of foriegn invasion and terrorism.

"Well onward we go to civilization at last." Lumine being the appointed leader that she was led the way and I followed closely behind.

(((((

The journey took us to the bridge that was less than a few steps from the entrance. Luimne looked ecstatic, unfortunately for me a sensory overload started to overwhelm my senses.

There were many new sights, familiar scents like baked goods, and harsh noises such as a baby crying. For a person that was a wandering vagabond like me who dallied about near the countryside the city was too much.

Despite that I'd grin and bear it. The situation would be a lot easier if I were still human. My calm facade was probably tearing at its seams.

Nobody was none the wiser to my inner turmoil. Anyway, whereas the wilderness was vast and somewhat tedious, the town had a huge concentration of people who went about mortal affairs.

Maybe I had some small expectations that within the first few seconds that a canon character from the game that I barely remembered might show up.

However, that was unrealistic. The local population was large, and every individual had different lives that hardly intersected with the more influential and prominent figures in Mondstadt.

A formally dressed woman behind the counter at the visitor bureau was paid to ask. "Name and place of birth?"

"I'm Lumine and he's Inari." She introduced the two of us. "He's from Inazuma and I'm an outlander who's looking for my brother Aether."
"What Lumine means is that she's from Fontaine." I interrupted, the result of which she gave me a strange look. "It's not wise to give away sensitive information like that."

"While you have a horrible sense of direction, this time you're right." Lumine tentatively whispered in agreement.

"Congratulations!" The bureau women stated. "Your papers have been issued, the next step of the process is the currency transfer unless you already have Mora that suffices."

In the end the whole administrative nonsense took longer than necessary. At the bank the accountant watched in horror as I shoveled Ryo out of my pockets, the out of date coins were swiftly placed on the counter.

Perhaps Lumine had a good laugh at the expense of my dignity, all the while she scolded me because I accidentally made a scene.

(((((

Finding a place to stay at was an absolute failure on my part.

The Goth Grand Hotel and other similar taverns were booked up by regular patrons. It turned out to be a wild goose chase, thus the search for a basic room was for naught.

Back to the woods and tenting it for a few hours until tomorrow turned out to be the sorta temporary solution for now.

It was arrogant on my part to think that I was better at managing my finances when compared to my contemporaries Barbatos and Morax.

Speaking of which, the amount of Mora I managed to scrounge up was little in compensation for daily necessities. To stay in Mondstadt permanently involved becoming a beggar on the streets, seek refuge at the church, or finding a good paying job.

Hindsight is twenty-twenty, past memories of another life only sometimes come in blips. Somewhere while skipping a few passages I screwed up.

If I and Lumine continued with the way we were operating without any source of revenue we were guaranteed to be broke in two weeks.
Therefore, once the sun peaked at dawn the plan was to join the Adventurers' Guild to take on commissions. Regardless, I barely got a blink of sleep that night.

Regretfully I had a lot of things that went unfulfilled. Visions are ambitions, but to throw away a Gnosis is a loss of an even bigger extreme.

Hence, whenever I close my eyes I no longer dream. There's just darkness and thus I lie awake to drown.

"Get up it's morning!" Lumine called, and that's my cue to stop with the self deprecating thoughts and keep moving forward.

(((((

Voice Line Snippet
Inari's Hobbies: "I don't really have any activities that I enjoy per say but believe it or not once I was a farmer who tended to grain. Rain, shine, thunder, no matter the weather, watching over rice was once a huge priority."

 

[Ozairus]

Ch5: Soldier, Poet, King

Author's Note; So the new Dragonspire event is really cool but I'm looking forward to the later banners so I can get C1 Xiao and maybe Ganyu.

(((((

Mondstadt's city is busy as ever, good for the local economy, but taxing due to my more introverted personality. The unseen fox ears pressed tightly against my skull.

Sure once I may have been one of the Seven reigning Archons yet that was a different situation altogether. Quietness easily went hand in hand with ruthlessness, thus I had to fight tooth and nail to be crowned.

That purpose I used to have ended with a checkmate and lost in translation.

Everything even now, while not blatantly stated, has an underlying survival aspect to it. In light of that as a rhetorical question I can't help but think there's more than that to life.

Visit one small town and every small town is the same, go to a big city and there's no point in visiting another similar bustling metropolis. The only nuanced concepts that ever seem to differ are the language, people, and culture.

Yet even after living for a few thousand years there's still so much to discover. Maybe I should take influence from my companion and change my outlook on life.

Lumine was a bonafide traveler that hungrily took in every sight and sound."I've been to many places, but each is one special in that they're all different."

"Once I too had a similar thought process." My reply was a nod, "but then somewhere along the way something changed, or it was just constant dissatisfaction I had with the places I visited."

"I can kinda understand where you're coming from, certain destinations are better vacation spots than others."

"Don't even get me started on Dragonspire, it's one of the worst places in all of Teyvat."

"Consider me in-dragon-spired to want to check it out anyway!"

Now it was my turn to groan at the bad pun. At least in the meanwhile I was able to think of an appropriate comeback. "Well for all freeze years the snow is kinda nice I guess."

There was a light hearted airiness to the conversation, something productive for me to focus on rather than the flaky locals.

For a protagonist that I remember to be of the silent variety Lumine had an interesting perspective in contrast to my more cut and dry personality.

(((((

Signing up to join the Adventurers' Guild was easy, doing the actual commissions is what I considered to be the most tedious part.

"Are the guild receptionists really all named Katheryne?" Lumine wondered.

"That's just the running joke they tell every newbie." I explained. "Katheryne is actually a respective title that dates back to the forgotten nation of Khaenri'ah."

"Ah okay, but I'm still not over the fact you called her a robot to her face!" She let out a hearty chuckle. Yet again we were on our way.

Helping a girl named Ella Musk talk to a Hilichurl was our only job of the day. It was easier than I thought it would be.

Lumine carefully walked up to the Hilichurl's primitive settlement. Thus, I stuck close to the aforementioned commissioner as backup.

Nothing happened as the only creature that was awake was passive and its companions were in a deep sleep. Mission success! Ella was able to have a broken conversation with the Hilichurl.

Give enough and Ella might become the next Elon Musk of Teyvat, yet the Ceo of Tesla also had a hair transplant so I didn't know what to think.

Meanwhile Lumine looked a little bored at the final outcome. On the other hand I was happy to get our first paycheque.

Either the rest of the money was going towards buying a better sword for Lumine or a wind glider. It was enough to pay for lunch and then some.

"So Ella, where did you find out all that information about Hilichurls?" Lumine asked.

"Duh, the Knights of Favonius Library silly!" The younger girl stated.

"Maybe we should have gone there in the first place." A huge oversight on my part I admitted. Although the more the years passed the more my memories of Genshin Impact deteriorated.

Why did I even throw away my Gnosis again? Not that it mattered or I remembered but that was a thought best left for later.

(((((

Stairs, boy do I hate stairs with a passion and the nearby artitecture happened to have a lot of stairs. Then finally there was a brief reprieve once we descended down some steps.

Mondstadt's library was bigger than last I checked or bothered to note.

Interestingly enough some of the really eccentric books were "One Hundred Uses for Slime," "My Bestfriend's a Hypostasis," or "A Legend of Sword."

"So what do you think of the expansive book collection?" I tilted my head.

"I've seen better but it's not bad." Lumine stated.

"Hmm… Then Liyue is probably the next place on the list to check for some of this world's oldest records."

"It might be best to ask the head librarian then." Encyclopedia after another heavy textbook and she still hadn't whatever it was that she was looking for.

"If the Knights of Favonius are busy investigating the disturbance that we stopped then it's safe to say that nobody of true importance is currently within their headquarters."

Once again my habit of meddling came back to bite me in the ass. To seek out the Acting Grandmaster, or Cavalry Captain, etc, right now was akin to going on another frivolous hunt for nothing.

"Oh well, it's getting late anyway so we can try tomorrow but the night life looks kinda fun." Lumine let out a quiet yawn.

However, while I was reluctant, a night out on the town it was.

(((((

They don't call Mondstadt the capital of booze for nothing. During the day the streets were relatively tame but a few of the Favonius Knights ensured nobody got too rowdy.

There are a lot of great drinking establishments to choose from. Yet the best bar ever had to be Angel's Share.

"Woah! Foxy grandpa after all these years you're still kicking..." Commented the plucky windspirit dressed in garishly bright attire.

Although from his voice he sounded slightly inebriated. A god that walked amongst people but he was also super ridiculous. No one believed he was the Anemo Archon.

"Greetings to you too, Barb." I replied. "Can't say I expected to see you here."

"Come on anything but that nickname Inari!" The drunkard whined. "That's an old person's name, anyway nowadays I just go by Venti."

"Like that one starbucks drink? Anyway Barbatos, er… Venti you're not just old but ancient, but I guess that would make me extinct. "

"Ugh, you've probably been smoking that pipe again haven't you."

"Actually I only burn incense. However, approximately six hundred years ago I may have set a tree on fire with lightning... Anyway, Lumine meet Barbatos aka Venti. Barbatos, this is Lumine."

"Have you seen a boy that looks like me or ever heard of the name Aether?" Her voice was filled with hope but she didn't expect much either.

Before Venti could give an answer, a new fourth party interrupted the important conversation. "Halt, as the acting Grandmaster, I Jean Gunnhildr place you three under arrest for suspicion of collaboration with the Abyss Order!"

(((((

For a God of freedom like Venti there isn't much that bothered him besides injustice and tyranny. After all, an apple a day keeps the Hilichurls and stress away.

Although if only Venti had woken up sooner because the mess Inari caused wouldn't have happened.

However, maybe his bad drinking habits had finally caught up to him. Venti's mind trashed by intoxication conjured up an image of a dead older brother figure.

It had to be a delusion of an old memory that resurfaced. Thus he humoured the apparition of Beleth, perhaps this was a way of finding closure.

Unlike the death of his friend the nameless bard, Inari's demise never made sense to Venti. People don't one day become someone else but that's what happened.

Back when there used to be annual Archon meetings it was as if a stranger stood before the other six. Then a month later due to mysterious circumstances Inari just up and died.

Wait, so it wasn't just a dream that's the result of a drunken stupor. Inari was still alive and about to be humorously arrested.

Anger was only the tip of the iceberg of the indecisive emotions that Venti felt.

(((((

Voice Line Snippet
Inari's Troubles: It'll be fine I'm sure! Lest my problems come back to haunt me it should be nipped at the bud but slapping a bandaid on a leaky faucet simply creates a huge tidal wave…"