To Bask in a Ray of Sunlight: a XiaoAether fanfiction

Chapter 24

Xiao.

"I see we have a new visitor from afar."

I summoned my power to send me to where Aether was when he called me. However, this place where I landed doesn't seem to connect to what I assumed, considering his voice when he called my name.

"Who are you...and where am I?" I asked, not even looking at the woman who had welcomed me. I looked at my surroundings instead--full of Sakura trees, with well-built shrines all over the place, complimenting the bright colors the cherry blossoms emanate. Considering the pressure and coldness of the air, I assumed that we're at the top of a mountain.

"I welcome you to the Grand Narukami Shrine, the largest shrine in here in Inazuma. I am Yae Miko, the chief priest of this shrine." She gestured everyone to give us some space to talk. Everyone bowed their heads before leaving.

Assured that our voice will be inaudible to everyone else, she continued. "Your arrival here was quite suprising, but we are more than glad to entertain travelers, regardless. However, I do think that this isn't a good time for that."

"And may I know the reason why?"

"A blonde traveler from afar came here a few months earlier--"

"Aether?" My eyes widened as I was relieved that he at least got here safely. Moreover, this is a good lead for me to find him.

"Ah, I suppose you're a close friend of his. I have to borrow him for a while; he is just too perfect to carry my plan." She giggled.

I felt annoyed for some reason. "Where is he, then?"

She smiled at me teasingly. "I must tell you, even if you know where he is, you can't go in--"

I don't have time for this. I took my spear and pointed the tip at her neck, its blade just a few centimeters away from contact. She didn't scream nor retaliate; after all, it will cause a ruckus in her peaceful shrine.

"Where. The fuck. Is my boyfriend?" I scowled.

Sweat was evident from her forehead. "No need to be so violent." Yae laughed nervously, trying to push away the spear out of her neck's reach. "he's inside the Plane of Euthymia, the Raiden Shogun's consciousness. He's fighting with the archon as we speak."

"WHAT?" I shrieked. "You made him fight an Archon?!"

"Ah, not to worry," her voice stayed calm but her eyes screamed of fear from me. She knows I can't be stopped by a vision alone. "The ambitions of the vision holders are the key to his victory. He'll be alright if he used it well."

"And if he failed?"

"You can trust his safety to me. If I failed to get him to you in one piece, you can kill me for not keeping my promise."

Placing one's life on the line for a single promise......

"Sounds good to me." I said. We shook hands as a sign of our informal contract.

"In turn, you can lend a hand to his comrades at the entrance of the Tenshukaku. As you can see, the Raiden Shogun's puppet seems to be moving autonomously despite the archon's consciousness being used to fight the Traveler. The resistance may not be hold her off for a long time." She pointed her index finger to a place not too far from here. Assuming that it was the Inazuma City, the entrance of the Tenshukaku was enough to be called chaotic.

"Understood. I'll leave Aether to you, then." I glided down the mountain, dashing through the winds to speed up my flight.

Upon landing at the battlefield, the atmosphere was much more overwhelming than what I saw before gliding down. Electricity seems to have molded with air, making my skin tingle.