At Wangshu Inn in Liyue, Li Mo sat on stage telling the story of the fourteenth life. The tale had reached the point where Aru had been sacrificed and died.
Below, when the audience saw that Aru had truly died, they were stunned.
What was going on? Why didn't the Thunderbird save Aru? Storyteller, you're terrible!
Hearing of Aru's death, the audience began to murmur.
"Aru, the Thunderbird is waiting for you to sing! How could you die like this?"
"This is bad. If Kapatcir finds out Aru was sacrificed, the entire tribe is doomed!"
"The whole island of Tsurumi will be destroyed!"
"Who was the genius who suggested sacrificing Aru? What a brilliant idea—"
"Aren't they just asking for death?"
"They dared to sacrifice the Thunderbird's friend—they've lived long enough."
"Storyteller, I can already guess what happens next. The Thunderbird sees Aru sacrificed and slaughters the entire island?"
"Not tragic enough? Is the storyteller losing his touch?"
"Come on, storyteller—give us more tragedy!"
For an audience that had already heard thirteen lives, ordinary tragedy no longer moved them. They had become immune. But the thirteenth story was far more complex than they imagined. The audience had only guessed part of what would happen, not the full picture.
Meanwhile, in another corner of the inn, the three Electro sisters, Barbatos, Zhongli, Yae Miko, Tartaglia, and the others were enjoying sweets, wine, and tea while listening to the story.
They too had already guessed what would come next. If the Thunderbird learned that Aru had been sacrificed, she would surely destroy the entire island.
Barbatos suddenly understood. "If Tsurumi Island was destroyed a thousand years ago, how could I have seen people there during my travels? Did the Thunderbird spare them this time?"
Xiao said coldly, "Impossible."
Zhongli said flatly, "Though I hate to say it, by all reasonable logic, the islanders should not have survived."
Ei remained silent.
They hadn't survived—but they had continued in a strange, inexplicable way.
Barbatos turned to Ei. "What about the Thunderbird? What happened to her afterward? Makoto, you were the Electro Archon back then. Do you know what happened next?"
Since this life's reincarnation was the Thunderbird, everyone was most curious about her fate.
Makoto shook her head. "I don't know. I was busy at the time and never paid attention to it. Perhaps Ei knows something."
Ei stayed silent.
She knew. She knew all too well. But she couldn't bring herself to speak of it. How could she proudly admit that she had once again used the Musou no Hitotachi to cut down her own brother's reincarnation?
Ever since the storyteller had begun his tales, the Musou no Hitotachi had become the "Brother-Slaying Blade." It was a tragic outcome.
Seeing Ei's frozen expression, Barbatos knew she was troubled and didn't press further. He turned his attention back to the stage, waiting for the storyteller to continue.
Now, on stage, seeing the audience quiet down, Li Mo set down his teacup and resumed his storytelling.
As he spoke, the Electro projections above shifted once more. The scene showed the altar where Aru had been sacrificed. Surrounding it, hundreds of tribespeople watched the ritual.
When they saw the flames consume the wooden post and ignite Aru, they breathed a sigh of relief. It was finally over.
But just then, a faint song emerged from the flames. Many thought they were hallucinating.
"What was that? Did anyone hear singing?"
"What singing?"
"It sounded like Aru's voice—exactly like his."
"Impossible. Aru is dead. A dead person can't sing."
"Don't scare us."
"Alright, let's place Aru's blood at the top of the altar and offer it to the great guardian deity."
"The guardian deity will surely be pleased."
Before the fire had fully burned out, they climbed to the top of the altar and placed the basin of Aru's blood there. Then they prostrated themselves, calling out to their guardian deity and begging her to descend.
In the past, no matter how they called, the Thunderbird had never responded to them or their pleas. But this time was different.
Just as the people knelt and called out, far away on the other side of Tsurumi Island, the Thunderbird Kapatcir waited in the flower-filled fields for Aru to keep their promise and sing for her.
But through the wind, she faintly heard Aru's song. She was puzzled. Why hadn't Aru appeared after so long? Where was that faint singing coming from? It sounded like Aru's voice.
If anyone else had treated her this way, Kapatcir would have been furious. But she couldn't be angry with Aru. She liked his singing and held him in high regard. She was willing to wait for him.
But the longer she waited, the more impatient she grew.
Finally, she decided to go to where those insignificant creatures lived—to Aru's home—and find him herself. Since he had forgotten their promise, she would remind him.
With that decision, Kapatcir slowly spread her wings and gave them a slight flap, stirring a strong wind that swept across the plains, sending countless flowers swirling into the air like a beautiful cascade of petals.
But Kapatcir paid no attention to such beauty. She had only one thing on her mind: finding Aru, who had forgotten their promise, and hearing him sing.
Anyone who stood in the way of her search would be her enemy.
In the sky, Kapatcir circled the fields once, then flapped her lightning-wreathed wings and shot forward like a massive projectile, flying toward Aru's village—toward the place where he had been sacrificed.