Strain can take a toll on the body quite heavily. Since he hasn't had a good amount of rest upon his journey, the feeling of being overwhelmed finally takes a toll on him. Helping out people's problems, being thrown into life-threatening situations. All the stress has accumulated and he reverts to his listless self. Without his sister to be here to help him like she's always done, everyone else has to find a way to take care of the Traveler. "So... it seems that you've reached your breaking point and have finally returned to your listless form... big brother."

Basically a story where I put my own spin on what takes place in Inazuma. still the same story, but told in a different manner (with some extra splashes of originality). This story is slow, but with reason. I want to create a plot that is built off of time and plausiblity, in attempt to avoid the story feeling rushed, super "jumpy", or cringy even. I'm trying to keep the end goal in mind, building the plot up to that point. But there will still be romantic or fluff spots early on to satiate those reading. Also this is not a Ayaka x Reader. Aether is the traveler, yes; but, he is not the reader/player. Aether will have a personality that could differ from that of the reader. Additionally Lumine will be the abyss ruler in this story for plot reasons. 18+ (I doubt this will have any thing riskae, but 18+ just in case). This story will begin shortly before the departure of "The Crux Fleet", which means Ayaka may not be in the story right away. HOWEVER; I may skip around some parts of Inazuma (if they aren't relevant to the plot I'm creating). Some details may differ from what is Canon (mostly because this isn't a copy pasta, it's an story I want to convey with originality, but still try to make it seem as a "plausible" canon. This story probably won't get updates consistently since I have my priorities set on the other story I have written. That and Innuzuma isn't completely out yet, so there's more story to be told. I don't want to diverge too far from the canon story THINGS ABOUT THE WRITTING: Please don't tell me how to write my own story. I don't mind constructive criticism or recommendations; but, please don't tell me how I should do things, at least not often or in an annoying way. Feedback is nice, but back seat writing isn't. Don't spam me to write new chapters either, it won't make them come any faster. Each chapter takes many hours to write, I don't have much free time. A chapter or two a week is to be expected Thanks, hope you can enjoy!

Time passes, seasons change, yet old wounds remain. Even as the Traveler finishes their business within the nation of thunder and lightning, Inazuma remains a broken and fractured land. Smoldering embers and past trauma left the country torn in half still, even as the arctic wind approaches. Splintered, weary, and still yet to recover from the Civil War, Inazuma was brought to its knees while the people bleed, and yet threats of past, present, and emerging would continue to haunt the islands. Inazuma was entering a new cold season, one without the light of the Shogun to guide its people. This is a tale of two opposites, a heron who's graceful and as faultless as the snow, and a wounded thrush - unwanted and unable to fly without its wings. This is a tale of a noble and a simple lowly thief, one who wants to fight for the nation, while the other wanting nothing but to escape from it. Both shall come together in search for answers of their nation's future in a dark, Inazuman winter. This is a tale of two songbirds. This is the tale of Cold Steel. A Side Story of Inazuma. [Non-canon take of lore, character, and locations. Only follows in-game lore up to Patch 2.1-2.2. Better to be consumed as AU material!]