Hold over Myriad of Worlds

I returned to Hold, leaving the situation to Welt and Himeko. Astraea will be in charge of integrating forces into the Hold, and Tianyun will be responsible for overseeing the evacuation in place of Ninguang.

Meanwhile, I got up to speed after my absence. Few people were looking for me, so I decided to visit them. First on the list was Aether.

He has met his sister in one of the places I located. They talked but couldn't come to an agreement, and he wanted me to meet her and explain the danger of the Abyss.

Having already seen this happening, I prepared a memory stone imbued with futures when Abyss consumed her. I traveled to Liyue and started looking for Aether. At this time, he was in Inazuma, meeting with rebel forces.

Teleporting next to him would definitely alarm everyone there, so I did just that and soon had a set of ten spears pointed in my face.

-"Suprise, but can you get them to lower their weapons, Aether?"

-"Yue! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

-"I know. That's why I like appearing like that."

-"..."

-"About that weapons..."

-"I'm sorry, Kokomi, Gorou. He is my friend, and I asked him for help some time ago."

-"No need to apologize, just your friend is little..."

-"Just a little hobby in my old years. I'm Yue, a friend of Aether."

-"I'm Kokomi, Divine Priestess of Watatsumi Island."

-"Gorou, general of the Watatsumi Army. I ask you not to make similar stunts in the future."

-"Can't promise that. Is something happening here? While I'm aware of rebellion in Inazuma, it was not as bad as it is now."

-"Sigh. Because Fatui started making trouble, the shogun strengthened the army at the borders. Now, even small boats can't leave the islands, we also can't bring in some additional supplies, and famine is fast approaching."

-"Fatui? Those guys are unrelenting. Do you need some help?"

-"We are about to launch the attack. If you wish, you can join us."

-"I'm afraid that would be impossible unless you plan to fight Beelzebul."

-"The shogun? I'm afraid we don't have the power for that."

-"Aether, when are we to meet your sister?"

-"She said that after I send the signal, she will arrive in 5 days."

-"Then send it. Meanwhile, I'll take a look around the isles."

-"OK."

I left the rebel's camp and, after disguising myself with illusion, started walking around Inazuma. Seeing people wasting away because of hunger, villagers turned into bandits out of desperation, even soldiers pillaging people they ought to defend. 

After two days of travel, I arrived at the top of Mt. Yougou and entered the Grand Narukami Shrine. This was one of the last places in these lands not touched by the tragedy.

Standing under the Sacred Sakura tree, where all the leylines of this land converge, I can feel the sadness and plight of this country. 

-"Oh my. Interesting visitor wandered into the shrine, and nobody informed me?"

-"Isn't every new visitor interesting?"

-"Oh, let's not say such boring lies. Most people's lives can be summed up in a few sentences. Isn't that what obituary is for?"

-"Morbid outlook on life."

-"I believe that I'm still quite an optimist compared to all those living below the mountain."

-"That may be so. So, Lady Miko, how can I call you? Also, why did you approach me?

-"I'm Yae, Miko and head of Grand Narukami Shrine. As for your second question, I was just bored."

-"Yae then, that is a strong reason why to do something. I'm Yue."

-"Yue, huh? If not for you being human, I would have thought that I had a brother."

I turned around to see a tall woman with pink hair and fox ears.

-"Hmm, while I indeed look different from you, I know someone who can easily pass as your sister."

-"My. Then you must introduce me."

-"I definitely will, but I can give you an even better surprise."-I said and revealed my tail.

-"Fox? But aren't you a human? I don't feel feeling of Yōkai from you."

-"I'm neither. My race can only be classified as 'it's complicated', but by aura, you would consider me a dragon."-I slightly opened my eye to unveil a draconic pupil.

-"You are more and more interesting. So, Mr. Draconic-fox, why have you come here?"

-"Just call me Yue. I'm here because someone told me that you are the only person capable of reaching Beelzebul."

-"And that person was not wrong, but why do you wish to meet with the shogun?"

-"Something bad is happening in this land, and famine is not helping the situation."

-"You can feel that?"

-"Yes. Abyss is invading this land. If not stopped soon, this place may not be able to recover."

-"Why traveler like you is so concerned about the state of Inazuma?"

-"I'm not. I care about Teyvat. I have many friends in Liyue and Sumeru, and Abyss getting a foothold here will lead to more troubles in the future."

-"Sigh. And here I thought that my hero on a white horse arrived. To save the world, especially for me."

-"Well, saving the world with the beauty in arms is preferable, but I put more importance to the saving part."

-"I'll take you to the shogun, but there, you will have to count on yourself. I tried many ways to convince that obstinate fool."

-"Thank you."

We moved together while talking. Yae explained some history of Inazuma, focusing on why Beelzebul is adamant about pursuing eternity. Her story was one of losing loved ones and becoming alone in immortality.

-"Sigh... Immortality."

-"Hmm? Are you also one who dreams of it?"

-"Haha. No, definitely not. I lived for almost 100.000 years too long to be thinking of this as anything but a curse."

-"Oh, my! And here I finally started thinking of you as my younger brother."

-"You can think of me as one. The older brother would be preferred, though."

-"Older brother? I treat Ganyu as an older sister, as such, she must agree to that."

-"Don't worry, I see her regularly from where I'm from."

-"I also miss her. After this is done, I must visit her."

-"I'll take you there. There is also the person who is similar to you."

-"This is a promise, then."

Not long after that, we arrived at the castle of the shogun. Guards, seeing Yae, saluted and let us in, but before we entered the castle, we ran into another party.

-"Oh my. Koujo, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be on the front?"

-"I just returned Lady Miko. Those are guests to the shogun, who wanted to talk about reaching an agreement and stopping the rebellion."

-"Ah yes, those are rebel leaders?"

-"Yes, Divine Priestess Sangonomiya Kokomi and her guardians Gorou and Aether."

-"You must hold strong beliefs in your conviction to risk appearing in the hearth of enemy castle."

-"It's an honor, Lady Miko. We simply want people to not suffer."

-"Yue, what are you doing here?"

-"You know each other?"

-"Yes."

-"Hmm, then it's going to be an interesting meeting."

We entered the castle and moved to the room where the shogun was. Inside, there were already guests.

-"Today must really be some kind of party going here."

-"Huh, isn't this that fishe?"

-"Behave yourself, Scaramouche. We are guests here."

-"Fatui?!"

The situation quickly started becoming tense until the voice interrupted.

-"Speak, for what reason are you here."

-"Your majesty, we are here to trade."

-"Then leave."

-"But..."

-"Leave, I do not require your trades, servants of Tsaritsa."

-"You! We are here on Her Majesty's orders! How dare you..."

-"Stop Signora!"

But it was too late. Just as the other Fatui wanted to drag her away, the blade struck. When everybody opened their eyes after the blinding thunder, that woman was no more.

-"I think you are mistaken about where you are. Here is Inazuma, not your Snezhnaya. Leave before I change my mind."

Fatui quickly left after that. Now, the shogun, a tall woman with long purple hair, turned her head to Kujou.

-"Those are the Rebels who wished to see me? Speak then."

-"Your Majesty, we wish for peace, but for people to not suffer, we are willing to take arms. As Divine Priestess, I beseech you to allow the import of food."

-"Inazuma is to be closed."

-"People are starving, please reconsider."

-"Lady Kokomi!"

-"Your Majesty, soon children will start dying, I beg you."

Kokomi knelt to beg the shogun, but it changed nothing. 

-"Yae, I can see what you meant by 'obstinate fool' before. I can only call it an accurate assessment."

-"Sigh. Sadly, Ei is like that. She doesn't even go out to meet her friend anymore."

-"Want me to drag her out?"

-"Can you?"

-"Easly."

Our talk echoes around the now silent room, everyone looking at us with shock on their faces. Even the shogun was surprised.

I ignored their looks and reached my hand, grabbing at empty space. With the sound of shattering, space broke apart, revealing a small real where a person identical to the shogun was sitting.

-"Ladies first."

-"Thank you. Ei, I finally see you again."

-"Yae? And this? How did you break open the Plane of Euthymia?"

-"Well, I found a helper. Let me introduce you. This is Yue. Yue, this is Ei, the Beelzebul."

-"Well met."

-"Yes... My pleasure?"

-"Oh, don't sweat on details. Now get out. You have a mess to clear."

-"?"

Yae dragged confused Ei out of the Plane of Euthymia. She then started explaining what was going on. At the same time, I studied the shogun doll.

It was fascinating, something of a similar nature to a robot, yet built fully upon mystical technique. Closed to it would be Herta's dolls, but they are not fully autonomous.

I returned my attention to Ei only after Yea finally finished her explanation. Ei, at first, was surprised, later becoming displeased and finally lost.

-"Was I mistaken? Did the eternity I pursue truly lead to tragedy?"

-"No."-I interjected.-"You simply did not understand eternity. What you do right now is stagnation."

-"Stagnation?"

-"Answer me that. What is eternity to you?"

-"To never change."

-"And this is your mistake. I, the scion of Permanence, can tell you. 'There is nothing permanent except change.' "

-"..."

-"In life, you can't escape the storms. A tree that cannot bend will crack in the wind."

-"Oh, Yue. I thought you despise immortality, yet here you speak for eternity."

-"Immortality, Permanence, eternity. I don't like them, but it does not mean I can't understand those who seek them."

-"Then, what do you think of Inazuma?"

-"Leader is lost, people are divided, land is rotting."

-"Then what do you think I should do?"

-"I have no idea. Ei, it's you who is ruler, not I. I'm here only to prevent Abyss from eroding Teyvat. Frankly, I don't care about the people of this land. In the vastness of universe, the rise and fall of one race is of little consequence."

-"..."

-"Don't look surprised. This is eternity you pursue, a solitary life with countless lives ending while you stay. And this is if you achieve that eternity if you fail... I'll get someone to explain the fallacy of the Plauges Author to you."

-"You speak as if you know eternity."

-"Ehem. Ei, Yue is immortal. I don't know the story but..."

-"No need, Yae, let me tell you a little about myself."

I described my origins and some things I saw in my past. I also told the shortened history of the Xianzhou Alliance to show how failed immortality can be a curse.

After hearing this story, everyone here had some thoughts, but it was Ei who was struck the most.

-"Is this truly eternity I strive for?"

-"It's an answer you should seek."

-"Yue, you can go to the past, right?"

-"Yes. Do you have something in mind Yae?"

-"Can you return to the past and simply save Baal?"

-"I wish that was so easy. Basically, it's possible but not free. To change the past, you have to pay an appropriate price. As Baal is not only someone powerful but also with massive Karma, the punishment for bringing her back would let alone kill me, would possibly shatter your world."

-"Shatter the world!"

-"Don't underestimate the weight of Karma. If, for example, Yae were to die right now, If I saved her using the power of time, backslash would leave me with injury, but if I waited three days, It would definitely kill me."

-"Hmm, is it even possible to save her?"

-"If, and only if her soul survives."

-"Soul... I may have an idea, but are you able to detect soul?"

-"Not directly, but if you have an object hosting the soul, I can detect if the soul was inserted into it in the past."

-"Then could you follow me?"

-"Of course, I can take you there if you tell me where."

-"Then my shrine, please."

I teleported all of us to the shrine. Yae led us to Sacred Sakura and asked me to check the tree. I started divination and soon found the answer they were waiting for.

-"You are in luck. The soul of Baal is in the tree. It is faint but alive."

-"Realy?!"

-"Thank gods."

-"Yue, do you know how to help her?"

-"Sadly, no. You should contact Liyue as they have more knowledge on the subject of souls. I will seek how to revive someone, as I also have someone to revive."

-"Oh, some kind of past lover?"

-"No, just freind of somone dear to me."

-"Then allow me to help you."

-"Me too."

-"Ei, don't you have a country to lead?"

-"Shogun will take care of that. Makoto is my priority."

-"Sigh. Yue, can you take us with you after a few days? We will complete a few things here and follow you later."

-"I can do even better. I will directly contact Ningguang and get you aid for the famine."

-"I'm thankful, but the price for that..."

-"She will explain everything, but I believe that you will join us all together."

I contacted Ningguang and brought her here with a few other people. She started her negotiation by explaining about the Hold. Ei was quickly hooked by the Hold, Yae was also interested but was skeptical about joining at first.

They came to an agreement, and Astraea quickly arrived with relief for the hungry. Kamisato family also joined our team to help as many people as possible.

I mostly sat in place and was used to teleport everyone around. Jingliu, who came some time ago, quickly started discussing with Ei. Their duel attracted many spectators.

Sakura also arrived, but Yae directly took her away. Not long after, Rin suffered the same fate. They came out sometime late, all wearing Miko outfits.

We worked for two days until stockpiles of food were big enough to last until traditional supply routes could be re-established. Many people cried with joy when that was announced.

The rebel army also disbanded and joined with the shogunate army to help all those who needed them. They will later be combined and become Thunder Knights under the structures of Hold. They will specialize in the sea, and in future space, battles.

I helped around until Nobunaga requested my assistance. This was rather unexpected, so I rushed to her side. When I arrived a battle was currently happening.