I stood before the massive entrance of the Deus Foundry, the air around me heavy with an unfamiliar tension. The stone door hummed faintly, as if hiding something monstrous behind it. My neck cracked as I tilted my head side to side, loosening my body the way I always did before a fight. "Alright... so this is the place," I muttered, a grin tugging at my lips.
Nahida floated at my side, her small figure glowing softly against the grim architecture. She nodded, her tone calm but edged with worry. "Yes. This is it. The Balladeer waits inside... I hope you're all ready."
I smirked, rolling my shoulders. "Ready? I've been waiting for this. Fourteen years of training under those stubborn adepti... I'd like to see if it actually pays off on this pompous Harbinger." I could almost hear Mountain Shaper's scolding voice telling me not to get cocky. Too late for that.
Nilou's hand brushed my arm, her voice gentle but steady. "Just... be careful, Shigeru. You've changed, but you still rush headfirst sometimes."
I gave her my usual sheepish grin. "Yeah, I know. But trust me this time. I actually know what I'm doing."
Greg flicked his tail hard against my shoulder like a whip, as if to say that's a lie and you know it. I scowled at him. "Traitor. You cause as much chaos as I do."
He puffed his throat and turned his head away with a proud little huff. Typical lizard-dragon arrogance.
Lumine raised an eyebrow at the two of us. "Sometimes I can't tell who's worse... you or him."
"Hey, I heard that," I shot back, wagging a finger at her. "Greg and I are a package deal. You insult one, you insult the other."
Greg smacked my finger with his claw like punctuation. Paimon burst out laughing. "Looks like Greg disagrees."
We stepped into the domain, the air instantly shifting around us. The walls seemed to stretch endlessly upward, lit by pale green light. Metal groaned somewhere deep inside, and the air smelled faintly of ozone.
I muttered under my breath, low enough that only I could hear. Feels like walking into the belly of some great beast. One that's been waiting to swallow us whole.
Paimon's voice broke the silence, full of awe and suspicion at once. "What is this place? Is this really the way we need to go?" She spun in slow circles midair, eyes wide. "Wow... Who would've thought there'd be a place like this hidden right in the middle of the city!"
Nahida's expression remained calm, though her eyes were sharp as she scanned the architecture. "The sages wanted to realize their god-creation plan without being discovered. The safest and most convenient way was to build within the Akademiya itself."
"Hmm... that's true," Paimon muttered, placing her tiny hands on her hips. "They were already hiding one god, so why not two?"
I let my hand brush the wall, the cold metal sending a shiver up my arm. All this work... all this genius, and it's twisted toward something destructive. Humans always want to play god, don't they? I clenched my fist. And I guess it's always people like us that have to clean up the mess.
Nahida's gaze swept across the intricate machinery embedded in the walls. "Judging from the structure here, the project is enormous. The sages truly believed this was their ultimate goal. But this place... doesn't seem like something the Akademiya could have constructed alone." Her eyes narrowed. "The Fatui under The Doctor provided technological support."
Lumine's lips curved into a thin line. "Of course they did. Helping one of their own Harbingers ascend to godhood... no wonder they invested so much."
"Yeah!" Paimon chimed in. "Otherwise, they wouldn't have been that generous!"
Greg tapped his claw against my arm, as if writing invisible words: don't trust them, don't trust this place. His little head turned sharply, scanning the shadows.
"Relax, buddy," I whispered. "We're ready for whatever's coming."
Nahida tilted her head thoughtfully. "But is that really all there is to it? I've always felt that this 'Doctor' doesn't share the same urgency as the sages. Instead of focusing on the result, it seems he enjoys the process itself. The experiments."
I clenched my jaw. The mere mention of that twisted man left a bitter taste in my mouth. People like him—who treated lives like tools—were the kind I despised most. I muttered, almost to myself, "If I ever meet him face-to-face... I won't forgive him."
Paimon shrugged. "Hmm... the Fatui Harbingers are all such weirdos, so The Doctor being weird is actually normal."
Nahida's eyes softened, though her words carried weight. "So... this Fatui they're turning into a god... he's called 'The Balladeer'? We've encountered fragments of his consciousness before. He has strong obsessions—two, in particular. One is his desperate desire for a Gnosis, since he was created to be its vessel. The other... relates to his past. I can't explain it fully."
Paimon tapped her cheek, remembering. "Paimon knows! He was a prototype puppet of the Raiden Shogun before becoming a Harbinger... That's why he wants a Gnosis so badly. No way he'd just accept being someone's experiment, not with that temper of his."
Nahida studied her curiously. "It sounds like you know The Balladeer well."
Lumine's tone was flat, but her eyes hardened with memory. "We've had a few encounters. None of them were pleasant."
"Tell me more about him," Nahida urged. "The more we understand now, the better we'll be prepared."
I leaned against the cold wall, folding my arms as I thought back. "The guy's a puppet with an ego bigger than the whole Akademiya. Every time I've crossed paths with him, he's been desperate—lashing out at everything like a cornered animal. His pride is his armor, but it's also his weakness. He can't stand being looked down on. That's why he craves a Gnosis. He thinks it'll finally make him more than what he is." I snorted, shaking my head.
"Honestly, the way he stomps around, it's like watching a toddler in a giant hat throw tantrums. You could probably take away his hat and he'd write a three–page essay about it. Bigger the ego, thinner the skin, right?" Greg bobbed his head in agreement, puffing his throat once before tapping his claw against my chest like see, even you get it now.
Nilou's brows knit together. "That's... so sad. To be created for something and never feel complete without it..."
I exhaled slowly, meeting her eyes. "Sad or not, it doesn't excuse the chaos he's caused. But maybe... maybe there's more to it than we see." My words lingered, heavy with an unease I couldn't shake. Because deep down, I knew what it was like to be incomplete too.
Greg flicked his tongue once, watching me with unblinking eyes. For once, he didn't look smug. Almost like he agreed.
Nahida closed her eyes briefly, then nodded. "Ah... I see. How fascinating. Your insights will be invaluable."
Her eyes opened again, calm yet resolute. "Alright, it's time. Let's move forward and meet him in person."
Nilou squeezed my hand lightly, whispering, "Don't let your anger carry you too far. You're not alone anymore."
I chuckled, soft but rough around the edges. "Yeah... but sometimes, anger's the only thing that keeps me moving. Don't worry, I'll keep my balance."
Greg thumped his tail against my back, firm but not mocking this time. Almost like he was saying We'll hold you steady if you stumble.
I smirked, smacking my fist into my palm, the sound echoing in the chamber. "Can't wait to beat some sense into him... maybe even turn him into a better person while I'm at it." My grin sharpened. "Let's go."
***
We moved deeper inside, and it was exactly the kind of nightmare I expected the Akademiya and Fatui lovechild to be. Twisting corridors, platforms that made no sense, mechanical constructs trying to cut us down, and Fatui guards who probably drew the short straw being stationed here. Every few steps we had to take down a squad, climb over some bizarre structure, or hang off the sides like we were doing a bad Spider-Man impression.
Greg even clung to the wall at one point, flicking his tongue smugly as if to say finally, a domain that respects lizards. I was starting to regret teaching him pride. "Yeah, yeah, don't get used to it," I muttered, wiping sweat from my brow as I landed from a jump. "You're not auditioning for a wall gecko role." Greg's tail flicked sharply in my direction like a whip, and I swear the smugness doubled.
Nilou laughed lightly at the sight, though her expression stayed cautious. "Even in a place like this, you two still act the same."
"Hey, someone's gotta keep the mood alive," I grinned, spinning my weapon to clear away the debris of another broken automaton. "If we stop cracking jokes, the horror movie atmosphere's gonna eat us alive."
Lumine exhaled, glancing at me with a faint smirk. "You're not entirely wrong… but maybe focus just a little more?"
"Focus? That's what you're here for," I shot back with a smirk. "I provide the soundtrack, you all handle the actual brainwork."
"More like you provide the noise," Paimon huffed, zipping ahead before ducking when a stray gear flew past her. "See?! Even the domain itself is telling you to shut up!"
After what felt like hours of zig-zagging through chaos, smashing our way through and breaking apart mechanisms, we finally reached a place that opened into a wider chamber. The air here was heavier, charged. I exhaled, stretching my neck. "I guess that's it? Shall we?"
Nahida floated forward, her tiny hands folded together as her expression darkened. "Looking at its operational status, we must prepare for the worst. The god they wanted to create… is likely close to completion, or already completed."
I swallowed at her words. A god. That word never sat right with me. Not after everything I'd seen. "Well," I said, cracking my knuckles, "guess that means we're about to meet the Academy's worst science project."
Lumine crossed her arms, her eyes sharp with memory. "That's not a surprise. I've already seen him control the weather." Her voice carried the kind of weight that told me she wasn't exaggerating.
Paimon's little arms flailed. "Oh no, what should we do… Paimon can't imagine how hard it would be to fight against a Fatui Harbinger with a Gnosis!"
I raised an eyebrow, smirking despite the tension. "Relax, floaty. It just means I'll get to test my training properly. Besides, if he's really that powerful, all the more reason to smack some sense into him."
Greg flicked his tail against my cheek in a sharp whap, which I interpreted as stop acting cocky. "Ow—okay, okay! Sheesh, can't even be dramatic for a second." Nilou giggled softly, but her eyes betrayed the same worry she'd been carrying since I came back.
Nahida tilted her head at Paimon. "Are you nervous, Paimon?"
"If you really want to know… of course Paimon's nervous!" She zipped closer to Lumine's shoulder, hiding half behind her. "Aren't you too, Nahida?"
"Yes, I am," Nahida admitted, her tone calm but not without weight. "This is probably the first time I've been faced with a calamity of this degree since my birth. I feel not just nervous, but curious as well."
Paimon blinked, floating up a little straighter. "Curious…? Curious about what?"
Nahida's eyes gleamed faintly as she spoke, her words carrying that mixture of innocence and wisdom that only she had. "Curious about our fate. To me, everything we perceive in this world, everything we learn, and everything that happens to us is considered knowledge. And if it's a form of knowledge, then it can be understood. However, only fate is about that which has yet to occur, so it has always drawn my curiosity."
Her words sank into me more than I expected. Even after training under the adepti, even after clawing my way through battles, there were still things that couldn't be bent by sheer force of will. Fate was one of them. I caught myself staring at my fists for a moment, the small scars across my knuckles like reminders that even strength had limits.
Nahida continued, her voice gentle but firm. "That's also why I love observing humans and all the things that happen to them. It all brings me great satisfaction. And now, at long last, I'm not just an observer anymore. I will personally experience my own fate, with you by my side. Isn't this such a wonderfully exciting thing?"
Paimon gasped, her mood swinging like a pendulum. "Ah, so that's what you mean! Paimon thinks she understands what you're feeling."
Nilou's hand brushed against my sleeve, her eyes soft. "It's beautiful… the way Nahida sees the world."
I glanced at her and smirked faintly. "Beautiful, yeah. But I'm not leaving fate to do the heavy lifting. If fate wants to watch, fine. But it's my fists and my choices that'll decide what happens next."
Greg flicked his tongue again, as if agreeing with me for once. Or maybe he just smelled more Fatui guards nearby. Hard to tell with him.
Lumine smiled faintly, her voice carrying that quiet confidence she always had. "I'm also looking forward to it. We won't lose."
Paimon puffed her cheeks, trying to act brave. "Yeah! Even if it's a Fatui Harbinger, Paimon's sure we can handle it… well, mostly sure…"
Nahida nodded, determination hardening her small frame. "Agreed. Okay, let's continue on. I can sense his aura from here."
I took a deep breath, cracking my neck one last time. The air in the chamber felt heavier, almost electric. My blood was thrumming. My thoughts kept bouncing between fear, excitement, and the tiny voice in the back of my head whispering don't mess this up in front of everyone. "Alright, hat guy," I muttered under my breath, a grin tugging at my lips. "Time to beat some sense into you."
Greg raised his head high on my shoulder, flicked his tongue once, and gave me a slow blink—his version of approval. That was as good as a battle blessing as I was ever going to get.
___________
End of Chapter 148
Quests Completed:
*Stand before the humming stone doors of the Balladeer's lair, crack your neck, and walk inside with a grin too sharp for the tension pressing down on you.
*Witness Nahida's calm explanation of the sages' god-creation plan, her small form carrying the gravity of calamity.
*Field Paimon's wide-eyed horror at discovering yet another secret city-within-a-city, and endure her tiny hands on her hips demanding answers.
*Confirm that the sages alone could never have built this nightmare machine, and see the Doctor's shadow woven into every twisted gear.
*Reduce the would-be god to a toddler throwing tantrums in oversized headwear, complete with a three-page essay if you steal it.
*Listen to Nahida's view of fate as knowledge yet unwritten, and realize this little Archon is as much philosopher as she is guide.
*Reject leaving everything to destiny, vowing instead to carve the path forward with your fists, your scars, and your stubborn will.
Rewards:
*+1 Greg Passive: Wall Gecko Mode (Smugness +200%)
*+1 Sheepish Grin (Used immediately when Nilou called you out)
*+1 Toddler Hat Roast (Effective debuff against puppets with oversized headgear)
*+1 Existential Crisis (Paimon-exclusive, recurring feature)
*+1 Bitter Taste (Whenever The Doctor is mentioned, automatically triggered)
*+50 Radish Wisdom Points (Nahida's Fate Philosophy absorbed)
*+1 Fate Resistance (New Passive: Refuse to let destiny do the heavy lifting)
*+1 Temporary Courage Buff (Nilou's hand on your arm)
*+1 Greg Battle Blessing (Slow Blink Edition)
*+100 Suspicion Toward All Fatui Mechanisms