Fatui

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"The Fatui are doing what?" Lumine grimaced.

Master Jean nodded. Kaeya just stared at the table. Amber was pacing around. Lisa was nowhere to be seen.

"Reports of the Fatui activity getting nearer and nearer to the city keep flowing in. As Acting Grand Master of Mondsadt, I have to remain calm, because damaging a diplomatic relationship this big would be very, very bad. But it's worrying. And then most of the town saw you being carried in on a stretcher, and you weren't responsive. It was scary, even for us. Imagine what the citizens felt.. the very team of people who had saved them, carrying the Honory Knight through the city on a stretcher." Jean shook her head in worry.

"They got nearer and nearer to the city.. and then Amber went on patrol, and found.. these." Kaeya had begun moving again, and he dropped a roll of papers onto the table. Lumine gently unrolled the scrolls. Some of them were blueprints, drawings, and maps. Some were notes about.. something. Some were also notes, but the writing on them looked different like the letters moved ever so slightly. Kaeya held up one with the strange letters.

"No one has been able to decipher these. They're some sort of other language. We had Albedo examine them, but he only found trace amounts of elemental power. The notes we can read, though.. just, see for yourself." Kaeya passed the scroll to Lumine. Amber had picked up a map-like scroll, comparing It to the maps of Liyue and Monsdadt they had. Lumine read her scroll aloud.

"Report #19: Part III

Camps were set up successfully. Hilichurls are active but not an issue. We have advanced on the city slowly and kept our eyes on the target(s) the whole time. Log #20 will have information on the targets. Food and other supplies are lasting just long enough. We have prepared for 'the event'.
- Agent 387, codename: Sailor"

Lumine finished reading it, and the looks of concern around the room grew more. Lumine set it down. "Do we have Log #20?"
Amber began, "Sort of. Technically, yes, we have it.. but.." Amber picked up a scroll and handed it to Lumine. Lumine read it in her head, noting how the letters and symbols moved gently, like wind on trees. It read;

Log #20: Targets found on *redacted* beach.
Targets shifted.
Camp 12 was raided.
Target weakened successfully.
Bait successful.
Hilichurl camp set up.
Target found.
The process has begun successfully.

The note ended there. Kaeya stared at her intently. Amber was back to pacing.
"Lumine, have you found anything of use in the scroll?" Jean asked.

"No, it's all gibberish." Lumine lied. She didn't know what language this was, but it can't be safe. She can handle the Fatui by herself, easily.
Kaeya didn't move, still staring at her. Suddenly, a lower-ranking knight burst through the door. "Honorary Knight, Acting Grandmaster, and.. company, we need you outside. Hilichurls have advanced, and are finding their way into the city. We've held them off well, but we're starting to crack."

Everyone began moving towards the door. Kaeya held Lumine back. "No, Traveler, you were insanely weakened. No way you're strong enough to fight again yet." Lumine began to protest, but Amber nodded. "He's right, you're far too fragile right now. Barbara said you can begin simple exercises, but that's all." Before Lumine could insist, they were out the door, and it locked with a small click. Lumine rushed over to the window (at least, as fast as her muscles allowed her), attempting to watch what was happening. She couldn't see much of what was going on, and Paimon had gone with the other knights. She was alone in the library.

She sat down, staring at the scrolls strewn on the table. The words swam still, wavering. Abruptly, Lumine stood up shakily and made her way over to the bathroom. Once she was in there, she closed the door and leaned against it. She stared at herself in the mirror. Her hair was mostly fine, but she still smoothed it down, careful to avoid crushing her flowers.

She stared at herself in the mirror. She turned on the sink, feeling the water until it was just warm enough, and splashed it onto her face. She washed away the old tears and small bits of crust. She hadn't been able to bathe in the last few days, of course. Tentatively, she lifted her skirt, seeing the purple-y lines that streaked through her whole torso.

Lightning scars. Nobody knew about them, not even Paimon. Lumine wasn't even able to get scars before she got to Tivat. But now, weakened by the gods.. she was no longer invincible. Her body remembered, as much as she wished she didn't. She wondered if Aether had scars.

Lumine sucked in a breath, tracing her finger up her hip and noticing the way it grew brighter around her side. Right, where the Raiden Shogun had struck. Lumine shook her head in disdain, letting her skirt drop back over her shorts. She was glad her dress and shorts covered just enough of the scar. It was scary enough being that easily recognizable, let alone without the scar. Next, she moved under her left glove. She guesses the healers had seen this scar, but nobody else. It was jagged and red, despite being completely healed. Stormterror's claw.

Only the might of gods could hurt her the way that these gods had.

She gently opened the door again, glancing at the clock. It had been fifteen minutes, surely they were done with a few hilichurls, no? Then again, they probably had to calm people down, right? Right. Lumine sat down and waited patiently. When she finally heard the door open, her head shot up, preparing to see her friends again. Instead, she was greeted by a Fatui agent. She bolted up, wobbling, and drawing her sword. The Fatu agent laughed.

"Aw, good luck with that. Felt sick lately? Perhaps, weakened?" The fatui agent barked.

Lumine growled through her teeth. "What do you want?"

The agent laughed again. "I suppose it's not what I want, it's what you want. We can help you find him, you know."

This caused Lumine to pause, letting her guard down.

From behind her, she heard a commanding voice. "NOW!" It screamed. Lumine wheeled around, slashing blindly. She felt her blade hit someone.

"Why you little-" The agent barked. Then, the other agent- Lumine supposed there were only two, then- grabbed her by the shoulders, easily grabbing Lumine and binding her arms and legs together. They made for the window, and Lumine was screaming now, using what little strength she had left to try and disarm her opponents. She remembered what Aether had said about bindings. Aim for the weak spots, like the eyes, and the stomach. Never the shoulders, those were hard to injure. Use your elbows. Lumine did just that, and she succeeded in a sharp jab to her capture's ribs. The fatui agent laughed once again, unaffected. They burst through the window, and dark spots hit Lumine's vision. Just as she was about to go unconscious, she heard the door to the Library open, and scream her name. And then, everything did go all dark.

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