Crossover: Monthly Character Templates in the Multiverse Chat Group — Chapter 107

Chapter 107: This Furina is So Lame!

“What exactly is my brother’s situation?”

Lumine sat in the plush chair of the Acting Grand Master’s office, her golden eyes clouded with utter confusion. Her memories were a fragmented mess. One moment she was asleep, the next her brother was shaking her awake, dragging her into a frantic escape. Then came the unfamiliar, white-haired deity blocking their path. A clash of power, a suffocating darkness, and she had lost consciousness. When she finally opened her eyes, her powers were completely gone, and she was stranded in the wilderness of Mondstadt. After three grueling months of wandering and fishing a strange floating companion out of a lake, she had finally set foot inside the city walls.

“Since you are already here, I will give you the brief version of your brother’s current status.” Frez settled back into his seat, his gaze shifting toward Jean. “Sorry. Some things are better left unsaid in mixed company.”

Jean understood the unspoken dismissal immediately. With a polite nod, she ushered a bewildered Amber out of the office, closing the heavy oak door behind them. The room was left to Frez, Lumine, and Paimon.

“Let us start from the very beginning,” Frez began, his tone steady and measured. “When you and your brother arrived in Teyvat on your starship, he was likely intercepted and summoned by Khaenri’ah through a highly specific, mysterious ritual. Because of his unique constitution, he possessed the ability to absorb Abyssal power. Recognizing this, the ruler of Khaenri’ah, the Black King Irmin, appointed him as the nation’s heir. Irmin continued to make contact with the Abyss. On the eve of the Cataclysm’s outbreak, he imprisoned the Prophet Vedrfolnir. The Twilight Sword, Dainsleif, led four others to rescue him.”

Frez paused, his mind briefly wandering to the discrepancies in the timeline. According to the visions shown by the Young Lady Columbia during the Nordkalai incident, the starship had crashed in Nordkalai, and the site had remained entirely undisturbed. No one visited, and no one left. Yet, her brother had somehow managed to wake her from the outside to initiate their escape.

It was a glaring contradiction.

Still, Frez knew better than to dwell on it. Given the extraordinary nature of the twins, it was almost certainly the machinations of some Archon operating behind the scenes. Dainsleif’s actions were equally complex. The man had gathered a team to rescue his brother, only to turn around and seize the Abyssal power dwelling within Aether. Then there was the Moon Hunter, Rerir—a true romantic warrior who likely never would have entertained such dark thoughts if not for his desperate desire to save his wife.

“However, the rescue mission went horribly wrong,” Frez continued, bringing his focus back to Lumine. “After the prophet was secured, the four individuals accompanying Dainsleif were corrupted by the Abyss. Together, they divided the Abyssal power your brother had absorbed. Naturally, Dainsleif likely secured a portion for himself as well. Shortly after, the Cataclysm erupted. Khaenri’ah was utterly destroyed. During the chaos of that destruction, your brother chose to find you, intending to flee this world entirely. You already know what happened next.”

Frez stood up, his footsteps echoing softly as he approached the grand bookshelf lining the office wall. “Here it is.”

He pulled a specific volume from the shelf and tossed it onto the desk. The cover read: The Pale Princess and the Six Pygmies. “This story is an allegory for the events of that era. Many of the fundamental truths about Teyvat are hidden in plain sight, disguised as children’s fairy tales. The minor details might differ, but the overarching narrative is accurate.”

Lumine stared at the book, her hands slowly reaching out to grip its cover. Her knuckles turned white. “Then my brother… what is he trying to do now?”

“Because he chose to abandon Khaenri’ah to find you when the nation fell, he carries a massive debt of guilt. He wants to help restore the fallen kingdom. You must understand, many of the monsters making up the Abyss Order are actually the twisted, cursed former citizens of Khaenri’ah. He intends to lead them, meddling in forces he has no business touching. But Lumine, listen to me. Do not make contact with the Abyss. It is the ultimate taboo in Teyvat. The nations that have been wiped off the map by Celestia are almost exclusively those that violated such taboos.”

The ancient kingdom in Dragonspine had disrupted the ley lines. The Goddess of Flowers had helped King Deshret touch forbidden knowledge. Khaenri’ah had made direct contact with the Abyss, triggering the largest Abyssal invasion since the era of Nibelung. Looking at the historical data, Khaenri’ah’s annihilation was hardly unearned.

Lumine sat frozen, her golden eyes staring blankly at the polished wood of the desk. “You said… my brother will meet me again?”

“Yes. He will want you to travel this world, and travel you shall. One more thing, Lumine. Trust only what you see with your own eyes. And remember, the Abyss offers nothing good. You may have the constitution to absorb and purify it, but never put your faith in it.”

With that final warning delivered, Frez turned and walked out of the office.

Paimon floated closer, her small hands wringing together nervously. “So… what are you going to do now?”

Lumine took a deep breath, the tension slowly leaving her shoulders. “We take it one step at a time. We cannot just sit around and do nothing, right? I am going to see this world with my own eyes. Paimon, thank you for guiding me to Mondstadt. Finding out so much about my brother… it really means everything to me.”

She truly meant it. Even if she still had no idea what kind of creature Paimon actually was, having company kept her grounded. And in the absolute worst-case scenario, she still had a reliable source of emergency food. Just kidding.

“Ah, it is nothing!” Paimon puffed out her chest proudly. “So, where to next?”

“Me? I will keep traveling. Paimon, can you keep being my guide?” Lumine offered the floating fairy a genuine smile.

“Of course! I am the absolute best guide in all of Teyvat, you know. Do not underestimate me!” Paimon flew a few rapid circles around Lumine’s head before freezing in mid-air, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. “Wait a minute. Paimon is not emergency food! You absolutely cannot eat me!”

Lumine let out a bright laugh. “I know, I know. Come on, let us go find some work so we can afford a massive feast.”

The two of them walked out of the Knights of Favonius headquarters, the sound of their lighthearted bickering echoing down the stone steps.

Meanwhile, Frez arrived at the luxurious villa Jean had arranged for their stay. The moment he pushed the front door open, Kiana greeted him from the sofa. She was swirling a wine glass filled to the brim with apple juice, a massive grin on her face. “Oh, look who it is. The great Anemo Archon, Barbatos.”

Frez chuckled, shedding his coat. “I wouldn’t dare. How could I possibly presume to call myself a God in the presence of Her Majesty?”

They shared a knowing look before bursting into laughter. Furina strolled into the living room, hands resting on her hips. “You two… honestly. So, how does it feel to play pretend as a deity?”

“It is just alright,” Frez replied, stretching his arms. “I can be this impressive back in Kazdel without having to put on an act.”

“With your current strength, you could pretty much walk sideways through this world too, couldn’t you?” Furina teased, fully aware of how far his abilities had progressed.

“It is enough to handle standard Gods. But against the Archons or Phanes… hehe.”

Frez kept his tone light, though his mind calculated the odds. He wasn’t entirely certain of the exact power ceiling the Archons possessed, but with his current stats, as long as he didn’t give them a window to strike first, he could end a fight instantly. Unlimited Void was an all-purpose restraining skill. Even a microsecond of distraction, a mere tenth of a second, was all the opening he needed to secure a kill.

A sudden gust of wind blew the living room window wide open. A bard dressed in green hopped lightly onto the sill, stepping into the room. A split second later, the sharp ring of steel filled the air. Clorinde had her sword drawn and pressed directly against the intruder’s throat.

“Who are you?” Clorinde asked, her voice cold and precise.

“Hey now, easy! I am just a passing bard!” Venti raised both hands in the air, offering a nervous, entirely harmless smile.

“A passing bard?” Frez crossed his arms, thoroughly amused. “Try the Anemo Archon, Barbatos.”

Furina waved a hand, signaling Clorinde to sheathe her weapon. The duelist complied, stepping back into the shadows. “Lord Barbatos,” Furina addressed him, her tone carrying a hint of theatrical flair. “What brings you to our humble temporary abode?”

“Ah, it has been so many years, and we haven’t had a proper gathering in ages,” Venti sighed, dusting off his cape. “The last time was with the old blockhead and the rest of the original seven. How about it? Care to share a drink?”

“A drink? Now that sounds like a wonderful idea.”

Furina agreed without a second thought, immediately dispatching Clorinde to procure the finest wine available in Mondstadt. Before long, the five of them were seated around the heavy oak dining table, bottles uncorked. Furina downed her first glass in a single, fluid motion. A flush spread across her cheeks. A moment later, she was standing on top of the table, twirling into an impromptu dance routine.

“This Furina is so lame!” Kiana laughed heartily, clutching her stomach. She tipped her own glass back, draining it completely.

Ten minutes later, a second dancer had joined the tabletop performance, Kiana and Furina spinning in uncoordinated, dizzying circles. Clorinde let out a long, suffering sigh. With practiced efficiency, she scooped both of the intoxicated girls off the table and hauled them upstairs to sleep it off.

Left to their own devices, Frez and Venti engaged in a fierce drinking contest. When the villa’s supply ran dry without satisfying either of them, they took the competition out into the city streets.

It was well past midnight when Frez finally stumbled back through the villa doors. Because he had spent the earlier part of the day successfully impersonating Barbatos, the bartenders at both the Angel’s Share and the Cat’s Tail had practically thrown free drinks at him. Venti, on the other hand, had cheerfully ordered his own massive supply of alcohol and put every single Mora of it on Frez’s tab.

Too exhausted to make it up the stairs, Frez collapsed face-first onto the living room sofa and passed out instantly.

The peaceful silence of the early morning was shattered by a piercing shriek from the second floor.

“Who are you?! Who wants to go to work with you?! I will never work a single day in my life!”