Some authorities carry a legacy of pure glory. Others are born stained with sin.
All who are born of water shall ultimately dissolve back into it. A deity, at once fragile yet unyielding, is fated to weep in solitude upon her divine throne.
A seagull flapped its wings, cutting through the sky in a swift glide. From his vantage point, Zoran quietly surveyed the city sprawling across the opposite side of the pale-blue oceanic divide.
Fontaine.
This place was but a single corner of the vast continent known as Teyvat. And the ancient prophecy had already unveiled everything that was about to transpire here.
The fundamental worldview of this continent was simple and grounded in raw simplicity. Under the absolute rule of the Primordial One, the Heavenly Principles, the seven deities known as the Seven Archons each governed seven distinct nations.
And directly before his eyes lay the hydro-centric nation ruled by the Hydro Archon of this world: Fontaine.
Zoran's mind rapidly processed the lore and plot points surrounding the great prophecy.
The previous Hydro Archon of Fontaine, Egeria, had committed a grave sin by molding her oceanid familiars into human beings. Following her demise five hundred years ago during the Cataclysm of Khaenri'ah, her successor, Focalors, inherited the mantle.
Yet, even with Egeria gone, that original sin had never truly dissipated. It remained suspended over the heads of all Fontainians like a literal Sword of Damocles, waiting for the prophesied day of judgment to fall upon the current Hydro Archon.
When that day arrived, the Primordial Sea, the very cradle of life on this continent, would swell, completely submerging the entirety of Fontaine. Every citizen born of the land would dissolve into the rising floodwaters.
As for Zoran, his sole purpose for materializing in this realm was blindingly clear. Armed with his three ancient sorceries, he had come exclusively to claim the authority of the Hydro Archon. He would use it to trigger the Transposition Spell, drawing his sister Bai Tza, the Water Demon, out of the depths of the Netherworld.
"A realm of water..." Zoran sighed softly, casting his eyes across the boundless ocean flanking him on all sides.
He stuck to his tried-and-true operational routine.
As raw, mystical energies surged across the ocean surface, his true form gradually faded into the reflection of the full moon. The blinding radiance retracted, revealing his exceptionally lavish, traditional Taoist robes.
In the next fraction of a second, he sprinted across the open water. His gravitational powers were as natural to wield as his own limbs, easily cutting through the air resistance as the distant city rapidly expanded in his field of vision.
An instant later, he touched down soundlessly upon the paved ground, hovering a fraction of a millimeter above the surface, entirely imperceptible to the naked eye. His movement speed was so fundamentally astronomical that to onlookers, he appeared to have manifested out of thin air.
This was the harbor terminal leading straight into the Court of Fontaine, and the bustling crowd was engaged in animated chatter. Zoran listened in briefly, noting that the local gossip centered around two major events.
First, a legendary individual known as the Traveler had officially arrived in Fontaine. Not long ago, Lady Furina, the Hydro Archon herself, had welcomed him with a grand, theatrical reception.
Second, Fontaine's premier magician, Lyney, along with his assistant, was scheduled to perform a highly anticipated magic show at the Opera Epiclese.
"It seems my timing is impeccable," Zoran murmured under his breath.
Fontaine was widely celebrated as the Nation of Justice. Trials and opera performances were the two most famous aspects of this country, or perhaps they were essentially one and the same, considering that judicial trials here took on a highly theatrical, performance-like presentation.
And the grand structure built to facilitate these proceedings, the Opera Epiclese, stood as the most iconic landmark in all of Fontaine.
"Excuse me, friend," Zoran said, turning to a nearby man who was talking his ear off to a companion. "Could you tell me exactly when the grand master magician Lyney's performance begins?"
The man raised his hand with a touch of impatience. By nature, he absolutely loathed being interrupted mid-sentence. However, the moment his eyes locked onto Zoran, his irritation instantly evaporated into a calm stillness.
The stranger's sheer aura was miles apart from an ordinary civilian; one look was all it took to know he was not someone to be trifled with.
"Uh, greetings, foreign traveler..." The man took in Zoran's distinct attire and appearance, quickly answering, "There are roughly ten minutes left before it starts. Are you an enthusiast of the magical arts as well?"
Zoran shook his head. He possessed zero interest in theatrical stage magic. He merely recalled that this specific performance would serve as the catalyst for several key players to make their appearances.
"Oh—! I see! You must be here to catch a glimpse of Fontaine's brightest star and our supreme deity, the Hydro Archon, am I right? Word is she'll be attending the VIP box in person!" The man then wrinkled his nose. "But honestly, traveling from this harbor to the Opera Epiclese takes at least an hour. If you head over right now, you're bound to miss it entirely..."
Zoran replied calmly, "Excellent."
The moment the word left his lips, he vanished from the spot as if he had never existed. The man rubbed his eyes in utter disbelief, scanning the immediate perimeter frantically.
"Was that... magic?" he muttered to himself, thoroughly spooked.
Meanwhile, inside the grand walls of the Opera Epiclese.
The interior architecture was immensely grand, with rows of seating fanning out to encircle the primary center stage. Upon the platform, a young magician wearing a sleek top hat stood politely dead-center.
Lyney wore a brilliant, confident smile, thoroughly enjoying the sheer thrill of performing his craft upon the grandest stage in all of Fontaine. His gaze casually swept across the audience below.
A significant number of high-profile figures were in attendance.
Seated directly opposite the stage was a distinguished gentleman dressed in a lavish, deep-blue overcoat that seamlessly blended European formal wear with classic suit aesthetics. His attire was exceptionally regal, and his calm, unbothered expression exuded an aura of absolute logic and rationality.
Neuvillette, the Chief Justice of Fontaine. He was the definitive authority and supreme leader of this nation, both on paper and in practice.
Seated right beside Neuvillette was a blond youth, accompanied by a small, white, floating companion hovering gracefully near his shoulder. This was none other than the Traveler and his guide, Paimon.
And looking higher up, positioned in the prime VIP box that offered an unhindered view of the entire theater, a beautiful young lady dressed in an elegant tailcoat sat with her hands resting upon her knees, meticulously maintaining her grand, divine posture.
This was the Hydro Archon of Fontaine, Furina de Fontaine.
Lyney's eyes scanned the entire auditorium. Suppressing the frantic thumping of excitement in his chest, he cleared his throat and spoke into the microphone:
"Honored guests, the stage is set! Let today's grand performance commence!"
He removed his top hat, executing a deep, theatrical bow toward the audience. As the spotlights focused in, the interior of the opera house fell into an absolute hush. Every eye was glued to the illuminated center stage, eagerly anticipating the opening act.
Neuvillette stroked his chin thoughtfully, his gaze fixed unblinkingly on the stage. Appreciating a fine artistic performance was a fundamental quality and a core source of entertainment for every citizen living in Fontaine.
Just as Lyney was about to initiate his opening trick, a deep, calm voice drifted smoothly into Neuvillette's ear from the adjacent seat:
"Excuse me, is this seat occupied?"
Neuvillette stiffened slightly. He turned his head toward the source of the voice, only to find a middle-aged man dressed in traditional Liyue-style robes, looking at him with slightly narrowed eyes.
When on earth did he get there?
As the Hydro Dragon, Neuvillette's raw power was absolute; whenever he willed it, every single movement within the opera house could not escape his acute perception, especially the sound of approaching footsteps. Yet this man had materialized right beside him as if he had simply teleported through space.
The man calmly took his place in the seat beside him, introducing himself smoothly, "You may call me Tso Lan. That is my name."
"Tso Lan?" Neuvillette murmured, his brow furrowing as he instinctively questioned, "How exactly did you get in here?"
As the Sovereign of Water, his primal instincts immediately signaled that the man sitting beside him was deeply abnormal. More importantly, he was absolutely certain that this individual had never set foot within the borders of Fontaine until this exact moment.
"There is no need for surprise," Zoran replied, his gaze resting peacefully upon the center stage. "It is merely a minor personal quirk of mine."
"A quirk?" Neuvillette could not help but ask.
A subtle, amused smile broke across Zoran's face. "Appearing out of nowhere... Don't you think it adds a delightful touch of theatrical flair?"
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