Celestia watches over all. And it seems the Abyss Princess had found out the hard way.
Ever since the transgressions Lumine had committed in obtaining forbidden knowledge about the gods above, she and the abyss were punished harshly, and found out t...
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︵‿︵‿ ☁︎ ‿︵‿︵ This was the era when thousands died fighting for what they believed in. The age in which feral, rogue monstrosities ravaged the world. ︵‿︵‿ ‿︵‿︵
As raindrops would pelt the earth and the couple of trees that sprouted from the grassy soil, birds settled on branches and huddled up beneath the leaves, protected from the sky's assault. Small reptiles scurried across the moist dirt, and foxes scurried around for small mice.
Accompanied by the rain were multiple footsteps, squishing and squeaking under leather boots, paired with the peculiar sounds of the floating, white-haired fairy's movement. The group traveling held some form of umbrellas over their heads, while the girl floating beside them had picked up a fallen branch, attempting to use it as a makeshift umbrella.
That unfortunately hadn't worked out as she thought it would, and had now a semi-drenched head of hair, as well as part of her jumper's collar being a little soaked. The floating mascot huffed softly, annoyed. To her surprise, however, she no longer felt the onslaught of raindrops slipping through the branch's defenses, and would only feel the chilling air on her skin.
Turning up would she be met with the site of a warm, red umbrella canopy, before figuring whose umbrella was above her head now. A head of silky brown hair and a red bow reminiscent of bunny ears met her eyes, the outrider, Amber, giving the floating child a gentle smile.
"I told you it wasn't going to work out, Paimon. Why didn't you just ask to share an umbrella with one of us? I'm sure none of us would mind, and there's enough room for the both of us!" She chirped, the cloak that hung onto her shoulders being dragged behind her gently by the occasional gusts of wind.
The porcelain-haired pixie crossed her arms and shook her head. "No way! Paimon can't be independent if Paimon's actively depending on someone for help! Paimon's pretty sure you know how that works when she told you!" She said, pouting and puffing her cheeks out.
Amber's brows furrow at her statement. "Why are you determined to be so independent, Paimon?" The cocoa haired girl asked, staring as she waited for a response from the fairy. The girl in turn had her expression shift from a playful pout to a hurt, dejected look.
The Outrider noticed this shift, and winced a bit, letting a sigh slip past her lips. "Paimon, I know what's been going on in your head.. A lot of the knights have known for a while too. And I get it, it's not the same without Aether here. But that doesn't mean you need to act strong because he isn't here. I'm sure he feels like there's something missing too.." Amber wistfully said, before trying to offer a comforting smile.
"Besides, we've made a promise to find the Traveler and bring him back to safety. And I intend on making sure it's kept!" The girl declared, one of the bows' "ears" twitching.
Paimon sighed, and finally gave a smile to the Favonius Outrider, albeit small as she floats closer to her. "Alright.. But just this once. Paimon needs to grow on her own!" She claimed, before seeing that look in Amber's eyes. "As a person, I mean!" She squeaked with both hands on her hips, glaring at Amber, who was now suppressing her giggles.
It didn't take long for their little conversation to be cut off however, as someone would clear their throat, delicately, as the source of the sound came around. Her ears twitch as she pushes her rounded specs back up to the bridge of her nose. "A-Apologies for the intrusion, Amber, Paimon. But we're nearing The Chasm." Sucrose uttered, ears flicking lightly.
The two's heads perk up a bit as they look at the alchemist, then ahead as they approached The Chasm. The two towers that once at the entrance collapsed, and the tents tattered and destroyed out front. Thankfully, those collapsed towers didn't block the entrance to The Chasm. The Chasm itself had seemed to remain the same, aside from the damages and age it endured, it was still relatively the same as it had once been.
Hibiscus-colored leaves blew in the light gusts of the rain, and the tents that remained flapped a bit in the breeze. And was Cinnabar Cliff..?
"So what I heard was true.." Sucrose mumbled as she stared at said cliff along The Chasm's outer cliffs. "There is water flowing down it." She added. And there certainly was water running down it like a waterfall, though a gentle stream that seemed to run down into The Chasm's gaping maw.
Amber stared in awe, and Paimon with a wondering expression. "Is that normal?" Paimon asked. If Aether were there, she'd be probably tell her that this was a dumb question. Sucrose hums in affirmation, however, walking ahead of the two as she stared at it.
"It is. It's natural for a lake to form in this weather. Especially considering the amount of time that's passed, we've suspected for the forming river beyond Cinnabar Cliff to transition into a waterfall down it." She continued to ramble, before clearing her throat. "B-But that's not what we're here for.." She uttered.
Amber nods and smiles. "Mhm! We're here about that peculiar wanderer!" She chimes in, before placing a hand on her chin as she thought. "Though, I still think it's weird.. I've only ever heard of her once. I've never seen her myself.." She mumbled, huffing a bit. Paimon nodded. "Yeah, Paimon has never even come across this wanderer, even when she was with Aether.. How could someone just slip under everyone's noses?" She added onto Amber's statement.
"That doesn't matter right now." A new voice would cut in, a familiar head of vermilion hair coming into view. The Winemaster glanced at the three, aside from other scouts that were around them, as he walked ahead and down along the path of wet soil and wood. "We're here to see whether this new face is a friend, or a foe." He stated flatly.
And not long after that statement would a brilliant, bright flash of orange and white erupt just behind a looming cliff further into the chasm. "..And I think we've found what we're looking for." He finished, his pace increasing a bit as he walked down the wooden steps. The others follow suit in a bit of a hasty pace compared to Diluc.
