Through the Eternal Darkness and Lightning

Musou Isshin

*A long time before*

Ei didn't know anything about being an Archon. Her sister, Makoto, on the other hand did. She knew that Makoto deserved to rule herself, but her sister simply wouldn't let her. They had fought and prevailed alongside each other in the Archon war. 

"Dear sister, I didn't win." Makoto said lovingly wrapping Ei in her arms. Makoto's skin felt warm against hers,  Ei loved her. But sometimes she could be extremely stubborn!

"If you didn't win...how are you ruling Inazuma now? How are you still alive?" She asked. (Ei could be stubborn too). Makoto laughed. They have had this conversation many times before. With the same answer from Makoto.

"You're very stubborn, you know that right?"

"You are too!"

Makoto laughed again. Ei smiled. The only thing that could make her happy whenever she was truly sad was Makoto's sweet smile and voice and laugh. Everything about it made her feel warm and happy inside like she would be protected by that sweetness forever.

"Ei, I didn't win. We both did. You asked me that question? Ask yourself it! If we didn't win Ei, how are we ruling Inazuma together today? How are we still both alive?" Makoto replied. She sounded strict, but Ei knew she meant it lovingly. She couldn't help but start to cry.

"Makoto...I-I-I don't deserve to rule Inazuma. I can't...I'm so young-I feel like a burden to your rule." Ei said, trying to hold back tears. She couldn't, and buried herself into Makoto's arms. Makoto hugged her for a while, not letting go until she could feel Ei relaxing. They stayed there for a while, together. 

"You're not a burden my dear sister. I love you and I couldn't rule without you. You have great ideas, that I know will make Inazuma beautiful throughout it's lands and seas." Makoto said, but something was wrong. Ei could feel it. She spoke with sadness this time, and Ei didn't know why. "I want to show you something sister, come." 

Ei was led outside, in the back of their village. This was where Makoto kept her blade-the Musou Isshin. Ei could see the smooth blade shining in the sun, endlessly stained by the emptiness of blood.

"Why are you showing me this? Isn't it risky to let me close to the thing you hold dearest, the thing you prize the most." Ei asked, worried. Makoto giggled, and Ei frowned. "Seriously? I'm that funny!?" 

"Dear sister no! You're wrong." 

"What do you mean? Wrong about what?" Ei asked, but then Makoto looked down, not meeting her gaze. "Makoto, tell me...is something wrong?" But she didn't answer.

"I need to tell you something, about the Musou Isshin." Makoto stated, holding it up. "This is not a weapon." Makoto continued, while Ei laughed.

"It quite literally is."

"No, Ei, it's  not. It's a creation of my divine might. One of my biggest dreams is that someday it will witness an Inazuma as lovely as a dream and the noble hearts that dwell in this world." 

These words sank into Ei's mind, because Makoto spoke them with importance. Makoto lifted her head, and gave Ei an unsettling look, and she could feel the atmosphere change. 

"I love you my dear sister. I really do. But there are some things I have to do...for my own principles." Makoto said, and for once, it looked like her heart was about to break. A single tear slid down her face, and it broke Ei's heart. She couldn't bear to see her sister like this. It tore open her soul and burnt it to ashes. 

"Makoto please tell me, what's happening?" 

Makoto sighed in displeasure and took Ei's hands in hers.

"It's not what is happening...It's what is about to happen. Ei...something bad is going to happen to Teyvat, to Inazuma. The world is about to be devoured in darkness. And I have to stop it." 

Ei cried out to Makoto as she ran away from her. 

"Makoto...where are you going...what are you going to do?" 

*2 days later*

Inazuma was encroached in darkness, filled with evil from the abyss. There were trails of damage and destruction everywhere, and there was no one to help their nation. Makoto had disappeared, and Ei could not do anything, nor could she have the bravery to do it. She missed Makoto greatly, and wish she could be here to help her.

She had lost almost everything, everything but Saiguu, Makoto, and Miko. Chiyo had been corrupted, and Ei had been forced to wound her, and she died. Amidst the war, Sasayuri had died too.

"Raiden Ei! O Archon! Help us, please!" A soldier cried, one of her samurai troops. 

"I cannot help you, I am sorry. Without Makoto, I do not know how to fix all of this." Ei replied, trying to fix the soldier's wounds as best as possible. She could feel the evil in the air, getting closer.

"Let's just hope she didn't do the same thing as the other ones who left-" The soldier started to say but Ei stopped him.

"What do you mean?"

"Some of the soldiers have been going to Khaenri'ah, to try to fight the source of the problem, but all of them had died, it's too powerful for them, they didn't understand." The soldier said, but Ei wasn't listening anymore. She was going to Khaenri'ah right now. She couldn't lose Makoto. She would break, and so would Makoto's beloved nation. 

"Saiguu! I'm going to Khaenri'ah, keep our nation safe, and yourself too." Ei said strictly.

Saiguu agreed. "Ei? Be careful." 

Ei nodded, but knew that wouldn't be a choice.

*In Khaenri'ah*

The erosion changed Ei's eyes. Death-destruction-pain. She was feeling it all at once. The cries of dying and mourning people, the smell of blood and evil. It was too much for her. She had to get Makoto and get out of here. 

"MAKOTO!" She screamed, but there was no reply. Ei searched Khaenri'ah until she found her...lying on the ground. Ei kneeled down, and was still. The pain was too much for her to bear. She couldn't handle it, she felt like she was going to fall into the ground and get swallowed up in the darkness inside. She sobbed, she didn't stop sobbing, she couldn't stop. But then she saw her beautiful sister brokenly reach for Ei's hand, Ei grabbed it, Makoto's face blurry-eyed from the tears in both their eyes. 

"Makoto...please don't leave me. Inazuma will fall, I can't rule a nation. I'm so young, I can't do it." Ei begged.

Makoto smiled in her last moments. "You were wrong."

"What..?" Ei asked trying to stop sobbing uncontrollably.

"The Musuo Isshin was never what I prized most in life. It was you. It was you all along..." Makoto started wheezing and Ei watched sadly as she handed her the Musuo Isshin.

"I love you..." Ei cried, but the light from Makoto's eyes had already faded.

AN: (I almost cried while writing and reading this. 😭😭😭😭😭 And no it's not the end haha. Not.at.all.)

And wtf THERE'S 1154 WORDS??? I WROTE THAT???  oh welp. anyways i hoped u liked this. the words came very easily to me and i really enjoyed writing this sad chapter.