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"Perhaps one day, they'll understand all the sacrifices she gladly made out of love for them."
- John Mark Green
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"Blessed is a mother that would give up a part of her soul for her children's happiness."
- Shannon L. Alder
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Haden,the Wrydsword of Heaven's End, an Iniquitous Baptist, and Commander of one of His Highness's finest legions, was currently having a field day! One of their great endeavors is now within reach!
Everything was going according to plan!
They had successfully gathered the necessary components, the stolen fragments of long-dead gods, and now all that was left to complete the final ritual is the heart and soul of one specific adepti.
He could feel it, the power of the Abyss surging within him!
The promise of a new era, an age free from the tyranny of the divine usurper in the heavens!
"Finally, at long last...his Majesty's vision will soon be realized! The age of the Seven under the Usurper will soon begin its slow demise and from the ashes of this old world, a new one will rise!"
'An age ruled by the laws of reason and science! An age ushered in by the sole might of an ascended humanity!' Haden exulted in his thoughts.
"Yes, yes, yes! Soon that Usurper and his ilk will be pulled down from their thrones of lies!"
"No longer shall we be their playthings!"
"We shall be the architects of our own destiny! Doesn't that sound so swell my dear audience.....oh dear." He said as he looked at the unmoving child, pierced and left hanging at the end of his tendril.
Pity, he thought.
He wanted her to atleast hear about his glorious plan on how he and his Order, led by his glorious Prince, will sow discord all throughout Teyvat and usher in a rebellion of such grand magnitude never before seen in this world since the War of the Funerary Flame 6000 years ago!
But alas, the child was too fragile.
He planned to offer the child to his beloved pet/god as a little treat, but unfortunately that mindless abomination only likes to eat people while they were still moving.
With a flicker of his wrist and without a single care in the world, Haden threw the motionless body of the child into the dirt.
"That little street rat had stained my magnificent tendrils with her filthy blood!"
"No matter, I will wash it with the blood of all those who call this loathsome world home." He mumbled to himself as he wiped the blood from his tendril.
With the little distraction now out of the way, Haden began summoning forth his creation from the depths of the Abyss.
Several esoteric circles appeared on the ground and in the air as a sudden burst of malevolent abyssal energy poured out from all of them.
The sky began to darken and the wind began to howl as several black lighting began coming out of the ground, around an emerging summoning circle.
Haden chanted verses of incomprehensible words that drew forth power from the other side.
Each word he uttered was filled with malice and hatred, a deep seated grudge that he and the rest of the Order held against the Heavens and its servants.
As his malevolent spell began to increase in power, the very land itself began to feel its corruptive touch.
The grass and plants around the circle slowly turned black and withered away, as if they had been exposed to a toxic plague…
The once clear waters of the nearby stream began to bubble and boil, emitting a foul stench that made the very air unbreathable…
Haden's own voice became even more frantic and passionate as the very fabric of reality began to twist and bend around him.
When the abominable chanting reached its crescendo, the Wyrdsword of Heaven's End spoke the final words of incantation with such ferocity, with such force that the very act itself shook the very foundations of the ground beneath him!
At that moment, an insurmountable amount of concentrated of abyssal energy burst forth from the dark summoning circle, shooting upwards towards the sky like a dark pillar.
So powerful it was that the surge of energy seemed to tear a hole in the very heavens itself!
…..
And from the depths of this abyssal maelstrom emerged a grotesque collosal blob, oozing with an almost palpable aura of corruption and despair.
Tormented inhumane faces, their expressions frozen in eternal agony, were seen screaming at the very skin of this creature as it let out a deafening howl that reverberated throughout the land.
"Behold!" Haden proclaimed triumphantly.
"Behold the pinnacle of Human knowledge empowered by the all encompassing might of the abyss!"
"LET THE HEAVENS WITNESS THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA! AN ERA HERALDED BY THE BIRTH OF THE FIRST ABYSSAL GOD! A GOD MADE BY HANDS OF THOSE WHO WERE UNFAIRLY DAMNED!"
"TREMBLE AS I PRESENT TO YOU THE DOOM OF LIYUE! MADE FROM THE SYNTHESIS OF NUMEROUS LONG DECEASED GODS…!"
Haden then pointed his clawed finger towards the direction of Celestia above, a gesture of defiance that would have been considered blasphemy in any other age.
"...GODS WHO SERVED AS YOUR PAWNS IN YOUR MALICIOUS GAME OF FATE!"
"NO LONGER WILL ANYONE BE SUBJECTED TO YOUR FALSE ORDER!"
"FROM HERE ON OUT, THE ABYSS WILL BRING FORTH AN AGE OF REASON AND REBIRTH, FAR GREATER THAN THOSE BROUGHT FORTH BY YOU OR BY NIBELUNG!"
"THE AGE OF THE ABYSS, THE REBIRTH OF KHAENRI'AH IS NOW AT HAND! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Haden let out a maniacal laugh as he finished his twisted rhetoric.
His inhumane voice echoing throughout the now darkened marshlands, a testament to the madness that had consumed him and his brethren.
Just as he was about to bask in the glory of his newfound creation, a sudden blur of motion caught his attention.
It was the Conqueror of Demons, Xiao, who had just arrived from his journey to Liyue Harbor, and was now firing a barrage of Anemo projectiles towards the abyssal abomination.
His attacks, though powerful, didn't seemed to do any significant damage to the grotesque monster, who seemingly absorbed each Anemo-infused attack into its round gelatinous body.
Those attacks however, did manage to interrupt the Iniquitous Baptist's grandstanding.
The creature let out a deafening screech akin to pain and anger, its many faces contorting in agony as it sensed numerous elemental attacks colliding with its body, though they all got seemingly absorbed into it.
"Perfect! You arrived earlier than expected!" Haden's delighted exclamation rang out, a stark contrast to the violence that was unfolding.
The monstrous blob then began its counter-assault, sending forth torrents of corrosive abyssal sludge-like bullets towards the lone Yaksha.
Xiao, a veteran of countless battles against demonic threats, dodged the incoming attack with practiced ease, yet the sheer volume and unpredictability of the assault made it a challenging feat.
The sludge bullets that impacted the ground began to immediately eat away at the very earth itself, leaving behind sizzling, corrupted patches of abyssal contamination that smoked with a foul, acrid stench.
The corruption was potent, a concentrated venom that not only defiled the land but also promised a slow, agonizing death to any living thing it touched.
The fight intensified, each of Xiao's Anemo-infused strikes, though swift and powerful, did very little to harm the creature.
He lept towards the monstrosity, using his Anemo powers to swiftly close the distance, his spear glowing with a jade light as he prepared to strike.
But the abomination was surprisingly agile, its form shifting and morphing in unnatural ways.
A colossal tentacle, tipped with a sharpened barb of bone, suddenly erupted from its mass, swinging towards Xiao with blinding speed.
The Yaksha narrowly avoided the attack, though the sheer force of the swing created a gust of wind that sent him skidding backwards.
The fight went on with increasing ferocity.
Xiao fought with the ferocity of a cornered beast, applying several moves and countermeasures honed from centuries of battle experience….
Yet, despite his efforts, he began to realize that he was being slowly overwhelmed by the abomination.
Every attack he launched was either absorbed or deflected by the creature's amorphous body.
It was like trying to fight a living, breathing ocean of malevolent energy!
The giant blob of otherworldly goo began forming several more tentacles that lashed out in every direction, crushing anything in its path.
Trees were uprooted, boulders were shattered into dust, and the very ground trembled under the sheer force of the creature's rampage.
Xiao, however fought on, a lone warrior against a single monstrosity that could easily surpass the strength of an army, but the odds were against him.
For every tendril he severed, two more would take its place, each one more monstrous than the last.
As the fight raged on, Haden kept on observing from a safe distance.
If he had a normal humanoid face, a cruel smile would be seen plastered unto it.
He was carefully analyzing the situation and observing the fighting style of the Conqueror of Demons.
He was once the premier sword instructor of Khaenri'ah. The master of the Black Serpent Bladework, and though he usually spend his time nowadays dabbling in the fine arts of the occult, he still has an appreciation towards the rigorous nature of martial arts.
Every move, every technique, every subtle shift in the Yaksha's posture was being meticulously recorded and processed by his twisted mind.
The Iniquitous Baptist found the situation to be perfect, an ancient being with a hardened spirit, tempered by centuries of battle and a soul resonating with near divine power...such a being would be the perfect specimen to serve as the final catalyst for his pet to finally metamorphosize into a True God!
He just needed to capture the frizzy little bastard and things will go according to plan.
'That adepti would be difficult to capture...I have to weaken him significantly for us to subdue him without spending so much energy....hmmm what to do?' Direct and forceful capture is viable yet too laborious...I need to do something, one that would easily exploit his weakness...' He thought to himself.
Using his extensive knowledge of ancient Liyuen History, one that he acquired through years of extensive research, Haden came up with a brilliant idea.
'Why use force when a few words could suffice...'
Yes, a perfect plan, one that would break the spirit of the Conqueror of Demons. A plan that could turn the very pride of the Geo Archon into a pathetic whimpering mess!
He signalled his pet to cease its rampage for a moment, which it did, much to the confusion of the now slightly weary Yaksha.
"Bravo. I must say your performance is most impressive. Truly worthy of an elite Yaksha."
Haden sarcastically stated all while clapping his taloned hands in a slow, mocking rhythm.
"But I must say, you do realize that your efforts are futile. One lone adepti such as yourself couldn't hope to match a being of such immense caliber as that of my pet."
Xiao growled at Haden and shouted some words of defiance which only made the once former Khaenri'an sword instructor chuckle.
"Ah, the pride and honor of beings such as yourself...a weakness that always leads to ones downfall." Haden said in a mocking tone.
"Are perhaps stalling? Trying to buy enough time for your allies to come to the rescue?"
"No matter, even if its the great and mighty Rex Lapis himself that is leading the charge, by the time they arrive…. you'd be long gone and my pet will finally achieve its ultimate potential!"
"But before that happens, how about I invite you to a little reunion with a 'old friend' who is DYING to see you."
With the snap of his clawed fingers, Haden brought forth a face into the forefront of the collosal creature's facade.
The other inhumane faces that once decorated the grotesque body of the creature slowly receded, melting back into the swirling abyssal muck, allowing a singular face to remain.
A face that greatly shook the Conqueror of Demons to his very core...
A face that he had long since buried in the deepest recesses of his mind...
A face that haunted him in his nightmares...
A face that symbolized a past of unspeakable suffering and despair...
It was the face of Yunu.
The nightmare-incarnate who he once served.
The once so-called benevolent goddess who drove Xiao into the brink of insanity until he was rescued by Morax.
The former Overlord of Chenyu Vale, the goddess Yunu...or in this case, what was left of her.
Xiao was now clearly distraught upon the sight of his former tormentor's face now plastered upon the body of the abyssal monstrosity before him.
He involuntarily began to shake as the memories of the countless physical and psychological tortures he had endured under her service began to resurface in his mind once more.
"~Xiao my dear sweet bird, its been so long since I last saw your face.~"
The face on the abomination spoke, its voice a sickeningly sweet melody that sent shivers down Xiao's spine.
It sounded like her. It was her!
But how? How could she be here? He saw her fall, he saw her being struck down by the Lord of Geo himself! He saw her lifeless body crumbling into dust!
Could it be...that this...this THING...is somehow using the memories of her fragmented soul to mock him?!
"~Oh my deer bird, what's wrong? Look at you, you're practically shaking!~"
The sweetly sick voice continued, a mockery of the affectionate tone she once used to deceive him.
"~Come here and let your beloved mistress comfort you and make it all better.~"
That voice, that damn sickly sweet voice nearly made Xiao to puke on the spot!
Haden began to laugh after seeing how agitated the last Yaksha had become after seeing his former master.
If only he had thought about this earlier earlier!
He could have save some precious time and energy trying to subdue that miserable Yaksha by force!
"~Come here Xiao, let me embrace you like I did before. You loved my being patted on the head while you sleep yes?~"
Xiao had enough, he tried to muster enough courage to talk back against the manifestation of his greatest fear, yet he still staggered in articulating the words.
"Sto...sto..p…it! Be..gone…from here…you..you foul beast! Your…very presence…cor…"
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A FOUL BEAST YOU UNGRATEFUL INSIGNIFICANT WHELP!"
The once beautiful face of a long-gone goddess had immediately transformed into a wrathful visage comparable to that of a demon
The eyes that once held a gentle shade of blue were now burning with a malevolent red hue.
Gone was the sickly sweet smile that was plastered on her face moment earlier, instead, it was now replaced by a twisted and cruel snarl.
"DON'T YOU DARE USE THAT TONE WITH ME BOY?! DO NOT FORGET WHO MADE YOU TO THE WARRIOR YOU ARE RIGHT NOW!"
"WHO DO YOU THINK FOUND YOU WHEN YOU WERE STILL BUT A SMALL, WORTHLESS CHICK WHO COULDN'T EVEN TELL WHAT DIRECTION WAS NORTH AND SOUTH?!"
"WHO DO YOU THINK NURTURED YOU INTO THE STRAPPING WARRIOR WHO SLEW COUNTLESS DEMONS!"
"WHO DO YOU THINK GAVE YOU YOUR NAME…..FACE IT XIAO, I'LL ALWAYS BE A PART OF YOU, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!"
Yunu's tone suddenly swifted back to that of a sickly sweet motherly tone, complete with that sickening smile on her face.
A complete 180 degree turn from the wrathful visage that the creature had donned seconds ago!
"~How about we forget everything that has happened just now. I'm willing to forgive you Xiao if you just comeback to my side. How about it my DEAREST SON? How about you come back to Mama?~"
"N...no...I'm no longer your pawn. I am my own.."
In less than a second, the entire area suddenly became bone-chilingly cold…
"I wasn't asking Xiao….."
All of a sudden countless tendrils sprouted out from the abomination's body and began shooting towards Xiao, trying to capture and drag him towards itself.
"~Come now my DEAREST SON, with you be my side, I'll be made WHOLE once more!~"
Yunu's voice began to change into a distorted cacophony of inhumane voices.
"JOIN US, JOIN US, JOIN US!"
"JOIN US, JOIN US, JOIN US!"
"JOIN US, JOIN US, JOIN US!"
The menagerie of voices echoed across the now darkened marsh like a symphony of madness that sought to ensnare the soul of anyone who hears them.
Xiao kept dodging all attempts, yet the resurfaced fear and trauma towards his former master made him unable to properly mount any form of counterattack.
He was trapped. Both physically and mentally!
As the hunt goes on, Haden, who was casually observing the events with profound glee, noticed a slight movement on his peripheral vision.
'Oh my' he thought, the filthy gutter rat he once thought was near dead had somehow manage to survive and began to crawl away from the scene.
'How delightful!'
Haden always relished in the agony and despair of his prey.
It gives him a sense of power and control, an ecstasy unlike any other!
Especially if the prey has some sort of indomitable will to live...
Another idea, a most brilliant idea, appeared in his deprived mind once, one that could potentially end this cat and mouse game that is currently going on with the Conqueror of Demons.
"Mother always told me that I shouldn't PLAY WITH FOOD for too long..."
"~My Pet, please cease your action. I have a surprise for you! Look a child crawling away towards the marshes! Don't you love the taste of a child's soul? They make for a very tasty treat.~"
The monster seized its attack the moment it heard its master's words, allowing Xiao some room to breathe.
It then began to turn its hideous gaze towards the severely injured child that was desperately crawling away from the scene of the battle.
Dragging her severely injured body through the mud with what little strength she had left.
Feeling a bit famished, the monster then willed its countless tendrils towards the child in order to snatch it….but before they could reach her, Xiao appeared in front of their path and sliced them into countless pieces with a flurry of swift slashes.
He finally regained a sense of his duty, especially after he noticed an injured child desperately crawling away from the battlefield.
'How did this child get here?! Why is she here and how was she injured?!' He frantically thought.
He can sense the dwindling life force in the child and she tried to desperately cling to the world of the living with what little strength she had left…yet he also noted the abyssal corruption that was slowly festering around her wound.
Slowly dragging her into oblivion...
Xiao growled at the thought of how low the Abyss Order would go in order to achieve their twisted goals.
To harm a child for some nefarious scheme...these heretics must be purged from this world!
He then positioned himself in front of the child, acting as her guardian.
He couldn't attempt to heal her in this situation, for his focus was locked towards the chaotic battle in front of him.
He may not be able to heal her, but he was sure as hell that he will protect her, even if it cost him his life!
He is a Yaksha! One of the Five esteemed Generals of the Geo Archon!
And he will do his duty!
Xiao then readied himself as another barrage of tendrils, now coated with a significantly larger amount of abyssal energy surged forth towards his position.
Disregarding the trauma and fear he initially experienced earlier, he battled the incoming barrage, parrying and slicing every single blow that the monster had thrown at him with a renewed sense of determination.
He will not let another innocent soul be consumed by the darkness of the abyss!
Not as long as he still draws breath!
He will protect her!
The grotesque abomination let out a loud screech of frustration as every single move it threw at the Yaksha was being deflected
Yet none was more frustrated about the sudden turn of the situation than Haden himself.
He thought he could have easily ended it all by breaking the will of that loathsome Yaksha but now the Conqueror of Demons had somehow regained a sense of purpose all because of that damnable street rat!
He was running out of time, he knew that if he prolonged this battle, reinforcements might arrive including the other adepti or worse, the Geo Archon himself.
That situation would surely be a disadvantage, and might even render all of these, all of the planning and sacrifice they had made for the past few years virtually useless!
He must end this now!
"ENOUGH! I'M TIRED OF ALL THIS FARCE!"
Haden then roared.
"CLEARLY YOU WON'T SURRENDER AND FACE YOUR INEVITABLE DEMISE! VERY WELL THEN I'LL JUST HAVE TO TAKE YOU BY FORCE!"
Haden then leaped towards the side of the abyssal monster and without any hesitation, he stabbed his entire left arm deep towards the side of the creature causing it to howl in agony and pain, much to the surprise and horror of the Xiao.
'What is this madman doing?!'
"Time is of the essence, and since I couldn't wait any longer, I'll just have to force my pet to undergo its last stage of metamorphosis regardless of its incomplete state!"
"But no matter, for as long as I'm able to feed you to it later, my long awaited plan will still come into fruition!"
Haden then forcibly pumped a exceedingly large amount of abyssal energy from his very own reserve into the creature making it writhe in severe pain!
The surge of energy was so immense and concentrated that the grotesque abomination began to shake uncontrollably!
Soon, black mud made from concentrated abyssal sludge began pouring out from the eyes and mouths of every faces that dotted the surface of the creature.
The contaminated substance then began churning like some sort of sentient being and then began to spread all across the body of the creature, engulfing it until it was completely encased in a sort of dark violet egg-like cocoon.
Haden then maniacally proclaimed, "BEHOLD ALL YOU FOLLOWERS OF THE SEVEN! BEHOLD THE BIRTH OF A GOD BORN FROM THE INGENUITY OF THE DAMNED AND THE POWER OF THE ABYSS!"
He then turned towards the slightly trembling Yaksha who was busy protecting the little girl behind him.
"WITNESS THE RISE OF THE NEW ORDER THAT IS ABOUT TO COME!"
The large egg-like structure then began to crack as waves of immense dark energy burst out from each of the newly formed fissures.
The energy output being released was so immense that it caused a small hurricane to form around the immediate vicinity.
Xiao had to shield the severely injured child with his own body, making sure that she wasn't blown away by the sheer intensity of the transformation happening in front of them.
Yet he knew that even with his best efforts, the monstrosity that was being formed behind that dark transmutation before them might soon prove too much for him to handle...
He prayed that his Lord, the Geo Archon or even that goddess from Mondstadt would be able to arrive soon before it's all too late....
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(Back in the Wangshu Inn)
People caught outside, whether they be near the inn or anywhere across the vast expanse of the Dihua Marsh held on to anything solid and sturdy they could grab their hands on as strong dark winds coming from the northeast buffeted them.
The intensity of the wind was so strong that it could uproot small trees with ease!
Every town, farm and village within the area of the Dihua Marsh were on a state of panic.
Some people were shouting that the end of the world was now upon them while others were seen desperately praying to the Geo Archon and the Adepti for deliverance.
Yet, amongst this chaos, one group of people stood firm in defiance against the encroaching darkness.
The Honor Guards from the Knights of Favonius led by Captain Yuan and Varka, stood their ground.
Their swords and shields were held firm and ready, as they prepared to defend and carryout the Grand Master's orders to the last man!
They had witnessed the sudden and abrupt change that occurred at dusk, the darkening of the sky and the strange streaks of dark lightning coming from the northeast area of the marsh.
Yet not a single one of them was deterred from honoring their duty to stand guard and defend the denizens of the Inn.
Nearly all of them knew (with the exception of Varka), that amidst the darkening clouds, their Grand Master...their goddess....their archon was with them!
"Brothers!" Shouted Captain Yuan
"Remember your oath!"
"Tonight, we are not mere knights but guardians and enforcers of HER WILL!"
"We will not cower in the face of evil nor will we shudder against the Abyss!"
Yuan's words were then followed by a resounding war cry from the assembled mass of Knights.
"FOR THE GRAND MASTER! FOR THE ARCHON!"
Yuan then raised his sword high into the darkened sky.
"FOR MONDSTADT!"
*****
Meanwhile, back inside the Grand Master's chambers, Artoria was preoccupied in comforting her four distraught children who were now clearly scared of the dark things that were suddenly happening outside.
The children were huddled together with their mother in the middle of the room, hugging her tightly.
"Mama I'm scared." whimpered a teary eyed Barbara as she buried her face into her mother's bosoms.
"Me too Mama!" added a equally teary eyed Venti.
"Mama what's happening out there? Why is it so dark?" Bennett fearfully asked his mother as he tried to snuggle closer to her side for comfort.
Jean on the other hand was silent throughout the entire ordeal.
The eldest of the bunch tried to remain strong and resolute especially in front of her mother and younger siblings, yet Artoria could see the slight trembling on her eldest daughter's shoulders and the subtle fear present in her eyes.
She held her daughter's hand and gently squeezed it in an attempt to comfort and reassure her eldest.
Though the four children found comfort in the loving presence of their mother, the same thing however could not be said to the mother herself.
Artoria was torn between staying and defending her cubs, and going into the frontline to confront the source of this menace.
Since her arrival in this world, she hadn't yet made any direct contact with any member of the Abyss Order.
Even though she was certain that she had enough fire power to level anything they can throw at her, the rational side of her born from Emily's soul cautioned her to be careful and cautious.
'Knowledge must come before action'
As one of her favorite video games had once quoted, 'Battles may be won by strength, but Wars are ultimately won through logistics, cunning and analysis.'
She had taken those words to her heart, thus she had reigned on her more primal instincts to blindly charge forward especially with her four most precious children in her arms.
However, that indomitable resolve of her would soon be shattered when suddenly she sensed a tremendous burst of abyssalenergy erupting just a few miles northeast, around the same spot where all of this madness had began just minutes ago.
'What the hell was that?!'
Artoria was slightly shaken by the sudden unnatural outburst of abyssal energy.
Knowing that the phenomenon might herald the appearance of something more sinister, Artoria immediately tapped-in to her latent divinity and began expanding her senses towards the northeast direction.
Through her divinely augmented senses she felt the birth of a terrible being slowly emerging from a sort of cocoon weaved from abyssal energy.
She felt nothing natural about that being, for it seems that it was hastily forged from several fragmented souls both mortal and divine, all held together by a substantial amount of abyssal substance!
She can sense no formal consciousness nor intelligence coming from that being, only the profound emotions of rage, pain and hunger, all swirling around in a chaotic maelstrom of destructive power.
'This thing...it's a monster...an abomination!'
However it was not the grotesque divine monstrosity that truly caught her attention.
It was the life signatures of Xiao...and…..
Artoria's eyes widen as a sudden and profound sense of dread washed over her very heart and soul.
Along with Xiao...she sensed a very familiar life force.....one that was slowly fading away..... belong to...to someone she knew....from.. a child...a child that...that..she knew!
'No...No...No....NOOOOO!'
She screamed in her mind at the terrible possibility that now seemed too real.
'No! Not her! ANYONE BUT HER!'
Disregarding her earlier cautious approach and with a profound sense of urgency towards the possibility of losing someone she had already started to care and love, Artoria abruptly stood up from the floor and yelled.
"CREPUS, MELISA, ELSPETH! TAKE MY CHILDREN AND EVERYONE ELSE TO AVALON NOW!"
Everyone was profoundly shocked at the sudden change of demeanor coming from Artoria.
For Crepus, Melisa, Elspeth and the rest of the adults inside the spacious room, this was the first time they had witness their benevolent and majestic Archon show a genuine expression of fear!
'Her Holiness is afraid...is it even possible for a goddess to feel fear?' Melisa thought as she looked at the distraught Grand Master.
Yet upon closer inspection, they sensed that what their goddess was fearful of was not the possibility of facing a powerful foe, but rather....the terror of losing someone dear to her!
Without uttering a single word, both Elspeth and Melisa immediately understood the gravity of the situation.
The two women then gathered the four Gunnhildr children along with Lisa and began to hastily usher them towards the portal leading to Avalon that Artoria had erected earlier that afternoon.
Jean, however, was able to slip from their grasp and hurriedly ran towards her mother.
The little girl, the eldest among the four siblings was now clearly confused and distraught.
She didn't know what's happening and why her dearest mother was acting so fearful all of a sudden.
This feeling of uncertainty that was now swirling around her young mind greatly scared her!
Gone was the brave facade she had been trying to project earlier…
In the middle of this dark and fearful moment, she just wanted nothing more than just to be with her mother.
So she ran towards her.
Her small arms reaching out to her mother as she cried out her name.
"MAMA!"
Jean's desperate cry for her mother was then followed suite by her three younger siblings, all of whom managed to escape their respective caretakers and were now running towards their mother to hug and cling to her as she was preparing to leave.
"MAMA, WHAT'S HAPPENING?! PLEASE DON'T GO!" Jean cried desperately, her hands now tightly clutching onto Artoria's leg.
The other three then drove themselves to their mother as they began hugging her, preventing her from moving even a single step.
"DON'T GO MAMA!" Screamed Bennett as he buried his little head on his mother's thighs.
"MAMA DON'T LEAVE US!" Barbara added with a wail.
"MAMA DON'T GO!" Venti sobbed.
He was supposed to be the brave hero, the one to protect his mama from all the mean monsters and sabers who are out there. But at that moment, he felt all powerless and afraid....afraid of losing his dearest mother!
Artoria had to pause for a moment, her maternal instinct now wrestling with the sense of urgency that she had felt earlier.
She knelt down at their level and gently pulled all four into her warm embrace, trying once again to comfort them and to soothe away their fears.
Her heart broke into a countless pieces at the sight of her beloved children in tears. It took every ounce of her will not to break down and cry with them.
Yet she knew, that if she were to break down now, then the darkness outside would eventually find its way inside.
Artoria then kissed each one of them in their foreheads before she began to speak, her voice filled with so much love and tenderness.
"Mymost priceless treasures....the very light of my life. Something terrible has happened and Mama's must go and face it."
"BUT WE DON'T WANT YOU TO GO!" Screamed Bennett still not wanting to see his mother go.
"Mama don't leave us!" Jean cried once again. Memories from before when she and Barbara were all alone resurfaced in her mind.
Memories from the time when their mama haven't yet arrived and when everything was still cold and dark.
"There are bad guys out there Mama, you'll get hurt! I don't want you to get hurt!" Venti continued to sob, the little 5 year old boy, for the first time in his reborn life, felt so powerless.
Seeing the miserable and inconsolable state of her children, Artoria did the only thing she could think of at that moment.
She hummed a soft, gentle and sweet melody.
The same lullaby she sings to them at night whenever they would have nightmares or when they were having a hard time sleeping.
Her melody, which was infused with a small trace of her divine power, instantly soothed and calmed her crying children as they now began to listen intently, their tears now subsiding.
'There's always a choice' A thought then came into Artoria's mind, a thought that she had been mulling so many times ever since she decided to embrace her new life as a mother.
A thought that had always been her principle as a king, as a goddess and as a mother.
'To be a ruler, a king, a goddess and...a mother, one must always make a choice for the sake of those who cannot make them themselves.'
'A mother must protect her children...but sometimes, she herself must make the hardest choice of leaving them...for their sake.'
She then opened her eyes, her gaze now filled with profound love and resolve.
"Do not be afraid, my dearest little ones. For wherever I may be, I'll always be with you."
"Have you all forgotten that your Mama is the Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius?"
"It is during times like these that I must perform my duty. Not just as a Grand Master who protects those who are unable to defend themselves but also as a Motherprotecting her most precious children."
Tears began to flow down her eyes as Artoria poured out all her love for her four dearest scions in her words.
"Do not despair my beloved cubs for your mother is the STRONGEST in all of Mondstadt!"
"Do not even think for a second that whoever is causing all of this mess right now have the power to even stand against me!"
Artoria proclaimed as she allowed a her divinity, the very essence of her soul, to flood the entire room.
The golden ethereal glow that emanated from her bathed the entire chamber in a warm light akin to sunlight, instantly pushing away the tide of darkness that originated from the outside.
All who were present inside that room were stunned by the sheer majesty of sight before them.
However to the surprise of everyone, a soft brilliant glow began to emanate from the bodies of the four Gunnhildr heirs.
May it be through her deep-rooted love or through the sharing of her very soul, Artoria's own divinity that was ever present within each of her children's soul responded to their mother's celestial glow, amplifying the golden light even further!
This was the unbreakable proof of their now divine lineage…
The testament to their rightful place as the heirs to the legacy of The Once and Future King!
"WHOA! MAMA WE'RE GLOWING!" shouted a surprised Barbara as she looked at her hands.
"Me too! We all do, just like Mama!" added Bennett as he examined himself.
They can feel it...the warmth...the love...the otherworldly power surging forth.
They can feel their mother's soul singing towards them!
This, this was same feeling...the same feeling they had whenever she holds them, whenever she feeds them, whenever she sings to them and whenever she tucks them in bed…
This was the manifestation of her deep-rooted love for them…
The Unconditional Love of a Mother to her children.
Jean looked at her hands that were now glowing with a soft golden hue.
She was starting to understand...
Her mother was not just a strong knight nor was she just the Grand Master who lead the Order that thrives under the guidance of the Wind.
She was much more than that...she was someone far...far...greater.
But…
But regardless of who she truly was, one thing will always be certain...she is, and will always be HER MOTHER.
Jean looked at her mother's eyes and saw no fear but rather, resolve and a fierce determination to protect.
***
Artoria smiled proudly and lovingly to each of her four children.
All of her lives…
All of her trials and sacrifices…
All of her battles and all of her pain…
Through sheer cosmic serendipity, had culminated to this one single moment.
Her happiness and joy...of being the mother for these four wonderful children.
She then made a divine oath, a vow that she would engrave onto her very soul, a vow solely for her children.
"Do not be afraid, for all of you are THE CHILDREN OF ARTORIA PENDRAGON!"
"Each and every one of you carries within your heart and soul, MY WILL, MY LOVE AND MY LEGACY!"
"MY STRENGTH, MY BLOOD, MY VERY ESSENCE flows within all of you."
"When you are all alone and afraid, always look deep into your heart and know that no matter the distance, no matter the time, I will always be with you."
"And I will always...LOVE EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU, MORE THAN MY VERY OWN LIFE!"
Artoria gently wiped away the tears from their eyes and gave each one of them a heartfelt kiss on the foreheads.
The kiss, which had been infused with a portion of her divine power, formed a small faint golden mark on their foreheads that would soon vanish but not before it imparted a fraction of her power, a small measure of her protection and an unwavering promise that she will come back to them.
"I must now go my children."
"Someone is waiting for me, someone who you would soon know....and hopefully care for as much as I have."
Artoria broke her embrace and stood up once more, turning her attention towards Melisa, Elspeth and Crepus.
"I'm counting on you three. Please take good care of them while I'm gone."
All three, including the household staff who were present, simultaneously kneeled in unison, an act which surprise the children who were present.
"AS YOU COMMAND YOUR GRACE!"
Artoria then turned her attention to her two smallest and most powerful companions, Fou and Dvalin.
The two phantasmal creatures were now standing close to the children forming a sort of protective line in front of them.
"My two faithful companions. I intrust their protection and all of those inside Avalon into your hands."
"Fou, once you arrive back in the tower inform the three sisters about the situation."
"Tell them that if something were to ever happen that might spill over towards Avalon, I want them to use every ounce of the authority I've bestowed upon them to protect the realm...no matter the cost."
"I'll be going now. Guard them well, my beloved friends."
Both familiars, one an ancient Dragon, the other a small Beast born from the very essence of a nascent world, let out a series of screech and yelp which signified their vow to their mistress.
The children, now calmed, were then ushered once again towards the portal, towards the safety of the Tower of Beginnings in Avalon.
Artoria gave them one final reassuring smile before she streaked out as a flash of golden light heading towards the northeasten part of the Dihua Marsh….
Towards the battle that would herald the start of her Legend all across Teyvat.
(To be continued.....)
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(Black Serpent Bladework)
- Black Serpent Bladework is a sword and claymorefighting style traditionally used in Khaenri'ah, named after the Kingdom's Royal Guard.
- Although it is not strictly specified, it likely includes or is synonymous with the martial art "Truthseeker": a swordsmanship style practiced by the Black Serpent Knights that entails the use of transforming weapons.
- Practitioners of this ancient sword art include Haden, Surtalogi, Dainsleif, Skirk and Halfdan.
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(Demigods)
- Demigods are beings with a significant amount of divinity within them.
- These beings were either born naturally from the union of a god and mortal, or were created through other means such as a god sharing a significant amount of his or her essence or soul to mortals
- Depending on the circumstances or the amount of power they held, a demigod can ascend into fullgodhood.
- There are some cases, in which a demigod can be classified as a godling, especially those who possess strong divinity. These cases are usually observe when a demigod is frequently near the presence of his or her divine parent.
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