Chapter Text
“I wish we can continue funding ISIS and the other terror groups in the Middle East, but the Archons and the Americans are making things more complicated—!”
”The International Task Forces were already a problem, but here comes the entities that don’t operate under international law and are resorting to precise force—!”
”We might have to pull our forces out of the Middle East then…”
“Contact Tehran, they won’t like that our cover is going to be blown–”
CRASH–!
“FBI–!” / “MOSSAD–!”
”WE HAVE A WARRANT—!”
“sh*t–!”
Zhongli eagerly prepared to unleash the rage that had been practically building up in the sky behind him. Around him, the winds were whipping, clouds were forming - each formation hiding spears or meteors that he eagerly prepared to send up.
Geo Gold turned the early evening into early morning, as if a new sun appeared, But it was being conflicted with, as there was also Anemo, Geo, and now Hydro. A strange tapestral mix of colors were dominating the skies of the region they were hovering over.
Some of his dragon features were bleeding on through, but the other part of him was able to keep it under wraps as much as possible. His amber eyes were glowing, fury within the pupils as he scanned the Earth below.
Ei’s lightning was flickering around her. Furina’s little Oratrice was humming with energy, her little flask was glowing more and more with Indemnitium.
But he needed the final confirmation from Venti, who’s tattoos were humming.
“The winds, they speak of who are the true targets,” he turned and faced the bard, who spoke . His form is blessed by the Wings and long white clothes, as well as the familiar Anemo tattoos they have come to know. “Listen to them, they speak true and will ne’er forget.”
”Worried more about exacting vengeance on individual mortals?” Questioned Zhongli, his voice was loud and true throughout the skies.
“I would rather not the innocent suffer,” he sharply clarifies, glancing at his old friend, “For they have done nothing wrong to deserve to be buried with the sinners.”
His form had changed since he last openly wore it.
Though his wings and overall clothing was still the same, there was an overall more feathery look to him. The wind was swirling around him more freely, with little wind spirits also dancing too. Zhongli swore he saw other wings as well.
While in one hand was his Lyre, the other was the bow. Both instruments, but one that’ll play songs and stir the winds, the other that will enact the wrath that Venti keeps under wraps and songs.
“Arrogant, zealous mortals,” Ei mutters. She was dressed in a lot more armor, Electro flowing around her pretty freely. Her hair glowing violently. Zhongli was wondering where she got all of the Electro-based armor from, but they seemed to be based off of her regular Shogunate soldiers.
“They shall meet her judgement here,” Furina’s archon form was a lot more interesting. Tendrils extended from her hair like she was a giant jellyfish. Her hood was adorned, but there also seemed to be a bit of a leviathan like feel to her.
Even more so with the strange little 2 tails that extended from her normal long strands that she has with her hair. Her pupils were brimming with Hydro Energy. Rarely they have seen her actually exercise her strength, so this should be good.
“To see the Archon who lives for the spectacle of the Courtroom come to execute the justice herself…” begins Zhongli, who looks over at the white haired goddess, “This must be a treat to see if your people are observing…”
Venti hummed for a moment, his eyes closing. His braids were glowing with energy. Zhongli looked back down again, seeing the movement of armed forces that were driven by the sole purpose to destroy what is called the Islamic State.
Humanity’s war machines were something to observe - Whirrrrrrrrrrrr—! - The Archons were practically getting a first class treat to an utter show of force that would make the Tsaritsa wary and Murata incredibly interested.
“To think that Humanity would gain the freedom to fly, yet also make a new battlefield out of the same sky…” Venti mused - Vmmmmmmmm-! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr…! - eyes tracking everything in the sky.
Whatever just flew by had turned a plateau into a giant, sandy dune. Venti was watching every single one with an interested, yet slightly mirthed gaze.
Drones, what the humans call Thunderbolts and Lancers, helicopters and strategic bombers that were turning towns, landforms, and outposts into fiery heaps of debris.
Some of them were turned completely into glass from the heat alone.
The sands burned, the cliffs crumbled, and various sand formations were being whittled down every ‘Gun Run’ that he heard. “…ice those f*ckers—!” Zhongli watched as another outpost became another sparkler show, worthy of Lantern Rite.
Zhongli felt the winds shift, with spirits coming in front of them, dancing as they began to squeak. There was then a chirp in each of their ears, causing them to reach up and press against their ears.
It was the American military, judging from the voice that came through;
“This is the acting command center in Cyprus, are we reaching the Archons on this line?” an officer questions, tone polite and as authoritative as he could muster.
”Speak, mortals,” Ei ordered, speaking harshly yet concisely. Venti could imagine that they flinched, but he wasn’t sure of it till the winds told him later.
”Lord Kusanali has been confirmed to be rescued by joint Matra, Marines, and an individual that calls themselves the ‘First Sage’,” Venti’s eyes briefly lit up at the mention of the individual, and Zhongli knew who exactly the officer was referring to.
“It is Open Season on the terrorists.”
“What you all would refer to as ‘Weapons Free’, is that what we can see?” Venti questions.
”Yes, Mr… Venti,” the officer responds, before adding on, “Try and keep the damage to actual terrorists, we don’t want civilians or true innocents to be caught in the crossfire.”
The line then closed. Zhongli notices that the aircraft that were in the area sharply began to turn away
Venti then gave a look, serene as the wind spirits around him started to squeak something to the godly bard. Not a moment too long, before he turns to face the other Archons, “Close your eyes, let us hear what the winds want us to divide.”
His eyes were closed, Zhongli soon following. As they muted out their senses, they had let the thousand winds come to them with information and with locations. They whispered who they were going after, where they were, what they were doing.
They are here—!
Bad people are there—!
They are shooting at innocents here—!
They are preparing to attack Pardis Dhyai—!
They are fighting here—!
“I shall be the vanguard, let the wind lead—!” suddenly declares the wind borne Bard, who’s wings flapped once. And over the horizon to the east he went. A loud sonic BOOM—! being the only thing that warned of his departure.
And the Archons were off.
The winds in their hearts, and rage on their minds.
The wronging of a fellow Archon will be corrected, period.
Venti enters Eastern Sumeru, his form booming past Caravan Ribat and Aarhus Village. Anemo was following him in one giant trail which glowed mystically.
He passed by some aircraft which immediately swerved and got out of his way.
“Evasive—!” He zipped past an A-10, whose pilot was struggling to keep his bird leve and steady because of the wind vortex caused by his movements.
Venti’s going to issue an apology to them later. Reaching the green canopies of Sumeru’s heartland, Venti’s presence was immediately felt by the local wildlife, who began to run away.
He even noticed that in the so-called “Ruins of Dahri” the Ruin machines were starting to run away. For the Anemo was filling the sky once more, and they knew that this was about to get bad.
They are there—! And Venti immediately stops, seeing a group of people - disguised - heading towards Pardis. Anemo began to charge in his bow, and in his Lyre. His face was as close to neutral as it ever has been in the time had been alive.
Seeing the terrorists for themselves, and seeing them start preparing something - a Mortar system - that they were going to use to harm the students that were in Pardis that were just trying to study and live their lives…
He wasted no time in unleashing his targeted judgment. He nocked his arrows, and infused them with an incredible amount of Anemo, which caused the sky around him to shiver. He takes aim—!
“Get ready for TAKEOFF-!” He declared, just before letting loose the 3 arrows, and some additional wind missiles that go flying with the projectiles. He didn’t see if they directly impacted any of the terrorists, but the giant wind vortexes that spawned were giving him some ideas.
His missiles then flew, impacting some of the trees, but ultimately nailing the terrorists which were ready to turn the greenhouse school of the Akademiya into a tinder box.
The mortars and explosives they prepared were picked up by Venti’s winds, brought up to him which allowed him to take a closer look at them. He looks at some of the engravings on there, just to square up what else he was just about dealing with.
High-Explosive, Incendiary, Vat—
ZIP—! Venti barely dodges a bullet that flew his way. He glances in the direction of its origin — not even having to listen to the wind for this one — and goes ahead and throws the mortar its way, while also imbuing it with some Anemo.
He then begins to fly over in its direction, preparing more wind vortexes that he sends their way. The destruction started to scale up, as he started tossing explosions that were not deployed by the terrorists to start amplifying their destruction.
By Allah–! Venti hears one of them pray amongst the whipping winds.Save us–! Cringing, Venti waves that prayer away, before going to send some wins in that same direction.
If your god sanctioned this, then I am truly disappointed, the Archon mused, crinkling his nose. Prayers from people like that, who will do anything to strike and invoke fear in the hearts of innocents, are prayers he has little interest in.
He made sure the winds kept telling him where all of the terrorists were, and he hoped that the other Archons were still heading the calls of the winds.
Once more he prepared his arrows, sending them in one direction, and then sending more in another direction. More and more terrorists went up, screams of terror - hah - from each area he sent arrows. He would have felt bad, really, he would have.
But the winds told him of their intentions.
Just a little bit of housekeeping, taking all of the dirt out of Sumeru so when Nahida is back, she comes to a nice, clean nation. He was angry, for the few times ever in his life span, and he was going to use it to give a nation freedom.
Free of the terrorists and the monsters that make things go boom in the night.
Mondstadt’s First Brigade had arrived in Jordan not too long ago, and was slated to make their way east to Sumeru proper alongside an “Air Defense Unit” that was belonging to joint American and Israeli forces.
They were overlooking a cliff that was near the Ruins of Dahri, along the wall of Samuel, and were providing meager support to the forces who already knew what they were doing.
It was only 50 Knights and 450 other personnel - dressed in “Modernized” armor styled similarly to the KoF standard with the twist of technology. Acting Grandmaster Jean had pushed them out here, to ensure that they were making - in a nutshell - the correct investments in the KoF.
They were only expected to watch and learn from the more professional forces.
But what they weren’t anticipating was something that would give the nuns back home a run for their money.
“Is that Lord Barbatos?!” Leah points upward out of the top of the vehicle she was riding in.
Now it was no surprise that they knew that Barbatos had returned. Most of them were not expecting him to actually be in the form of a bard that spends a lot of his time at Angel Share however.
There were rumors circulating that he was completely weak because of this, that all he can really do is hold his liver and sing songs - ballads of times long ago and long gone.
But, for these Mondstadtians on the front, they are reminded why Barbatos is counted as among the oldest of the seven. In awe they watched, as his abilities were demonstrated. Like they were given the first class seats to a grand, visually spectacular opera.
“Anemo can do that–?!”
“... i really need to appreciate my vision more, wow…”
“Go, Barbatos, go!”
The survivors of the Archon War and one of the few that survived the calamity that ripped Teyvat half a millennium ago.
For Wind Vortexes were tearing the land asunder.
And the Anemo Archon was breaking land, sky, and more.
Judgement fell upon terrorists, much like bows and arrows against the thunder.
Thunder flickered purple over the Middle East.
And the Raiden Shogun began to strike as precisely and as fast as the lightning she commands.
Zipping between the valleys, her blade began to swing and execute with the mercilessness she was known for during the Civil War. Following the guidance of Barbatos’ winds, she was able to boost herself towards her targets with certainty.
Like a lightning to a lightning rod, borrowing an American expression.
Terrorists… enemies to Eternity, Ei concludes, her eyes glowing with a magenta fury, Both forms… old and new–! The eternity of stagnation, and the eternity of human progression. Both would find themselves offended by the monsters that were terrorism.
Ei had managed to avoid running into international forces, zipping out of their way at the behest of the breeze. They were not her enemy, at least not yet. So long as they pose no threats to eternity, then she will obey Barbatos’ wishes and not accidently strike them down
So, she was going along the path that should only bring her to what she wants.
The terrorists, the enemy that had wronged the youngest amongst the Archons.
She was once again finding herself in a city. But this one is made of sandstone, instead of the steel and concrete back in Tokyo. She hovers over the city for a moment, eyes closing as she prepares to listen to the directions of the winds–
BLST–! WHRRRR–! Not even flinching, Ei zaps to the side and dodges a tank shell that had gone her way. Hmph… she looks over to the vehicle, which - as she feels the electricity within - was desperately preparing another shell to hit her.
Denied, foolish ones… Not even a moment’s later, and she quickly slashes down the armored fighting vehicle, which was much, MUCH older than the ones she had turned into fine sheets of metal back near Ginza.
Rifles began to shoot at her from a nearby building, and she saw some innocents desperately scrambling away. The winds were granting them protection, and Ei was thankful that at least for now, this was made easier.
“Be TORN TO OBLIVION–!” she screams in anticipation, raising her sword. Electro from the sky suddenly came down in a giant stream of rage. It connected with the tip of her signature blade, which caused it to grow an extension.
The gunfire within began to hit her, but all that did was cause some minor tickles and pains that she could just ignore. She glares at the windows, one of them completely ceasing their shooting. She did not give the slightest care for that individual, as soon.
She rushes…
ZPPPT–!
Bursting through the building, ending up on the street behind it, she sheaths her sword…
KBOOM–!
And down it crumbles, as well as the surrounding street. And some other buildings that were across the city. Each one turning into piles of stone, fabric, and bits, before going up in an Electro-sparked explosion that caused debris to go everywhere.
She moved quickly. In that brief moment when she was nothing more than a spark, she was able to travel across the entire urban center that was this town in Western Sumeru, find all of the Anemo marked buildings and individuals, and deliver her wrath.
There was an APC rolling down the street, its gun firing alongside some enemy terrorists that had gotten out. How had she missed that–? ZPPPT–!
Well with a cold glare, and a quick drawing of her blade, they were a problem no longer. Each person falling into the sound as a few thousand pieces. She had turned that one APC into 1 million parts of an APC.
But she was not done. She glares in another direction, cold and ice in her gaze. There was more terrorists to the south, and she had pledged that she was going to deliver unto them more justice.
Taking to the sky and appearing once again in the open dunes and mesas, she began seeing a giant outpost where there were cannons and some sort of blocky rocket launcher preparing to aim at her. A giant dish was also - Wasn’t aware that kitchenware was also a weapon… - she jokingly thinks, before quickly imbuing herself with Electro and–
BZZT–! ZPT–! BOOM–!
–reducing the outpost into a giant wound in the sand. Electro began to spark and fill the land. This was one scar that could be afforded, at least in the opinion of the Electro Archon. She was momentarily satisfied, turning to start preparing to move on to the next settlement–
ZPP– WHIRRRR–!
… a rocket flew by her, and she was sure that it came from a far distance.
“Try that again, Foolish Mortals–!” she barks, her voice loud as her thunder.
Quickly, she was off, rushing towards a cliff face.
Blade utterly ready to cut down a number of terrorists which were running for their lives.
Screaming and praying for their supposed Allah.
“BE TORN TO OBLIVION—!”
Television channels back in Japan were beaming to Ayumi and many of the people in Tokyo the true, raw power of the Archon that had taken over Japan. Drones watching her cut down entire encampments with ease, instantly erasing supposed ISIS safe houses within Syria/Western Sumeru.
“That is the power of a Goddess…”
“She’s taking the terrorists down with terrifying ease…”
“What incredible power…”
The Inazumans were already familiar with her displays of power, but there was no shortage of those who were absolutely loving seeing their Archon in action again - when it wasn’t the civil war.
Like an overzealous fangirl, Sara with her own little TV was screaming her support at the shapes on the screen that had made up the live footage of the Electro Archon. Annoying - and causing a very jealous - Kokomi who was in the room with her, laying down on the Futon with her.
The Yashiro Commission was taking the footage, and was doing a rather interesting move with it.
They were making sure that this broadcast reached every corner of Japan.
If anybody was using radios, they had announcers explaining in perfect detail what was going on.
Channels found their digital signals hijacked, and their broadcasts showing an absolute beatdown of ISIS by the Electro Archon. Doing so suddenly and deliberately.
Why were they doing this? To the public within the Dual Shogunate, it made little sense.
But to the enemies of Japan and Inazuma, they knew what was going on. A Psyop.
One elaborate, new psyop, that was designed to shake them to their very cores.
If there was one Archon that was intimate with the concept of vengeance and divine retribution, Morax would be married at the contractual hip with it, expecting children with it too.
Whenever a god breaks a contract with him, they suffer the wrath of the rock.
Plain and simple as that.
But he is brutally swift and efficient with it whenever he conducts it. Enacting meaningful destruction that lines up perfectly with the warrior god of Teyvat.
Which conflicts a bit with the parameters. He has to watch out for not only innocent civilians, but also the allied militaries which were enacting human-originated justice.
But, Zhongli is used to this.
Fighting armies and having the troops of Liyue be stuck in the mess has been a norm for quite a long time. Where Millelith soldiers dueled off with enemies, Zhongli was able to provide his large area of effect support because of knowing and targeting the ones who have wronged.
Which means that what he has been doing - instead of rushing off to battle like the other 3 - was patiently listening to the winds. Pictures and faces of the targets he was about to annihilate forming into his mind.
The skies above the targets began to swirl with his geo energy. Aircraft were still operating where he was, and there was the sight of large fighting machines still fighting ISIS encampments and storming into cities to try and get the cancer of an organization out.
Brutally efficient, I can praise these earthling militaries for that… Zhongli’s arms crossed. His posture straightened up and his eyes opened. Amber glows across his hair and expression which has formed into a stone-cold glare as he stared pointedly at an encampment nearby.
The earth begins to shake and tremble, for his judgement was almost ready. The leaden sky began to crack and cry, clouds swirling and forming over every single one of the targets.
Geo gold continued to glow in the sky above him as well, reaching a crescendo of ultimate power projection from just the glow alone. All aircraft in the area were effectively vacating at full speed.
Good… Zhongli praises, because I believe I have waited long enough.
The winds around him agreed.
The earth continued to shake, soldiers down below running for cover while terrorists whooped and hollered.
“The power of Allah, it manifests—!”
“The Americans are running, Allahu Ackbar—!”
“Run! Run imperialists! Your aggression ends here—!”
Zhongli said nothing, glaring at the outpost. You may believe that your god is coming… the earth’s shaking also began to reach a crescendo, reaching an incredible intensity which was causing some… additional formations within the area he was over.
The skies began to open up, a rumbling filling the air that gave all life pause. Zhongli took in a deep breath, his glare intensifying with Geo permeating from his being in waves;
Just as the sky opened up, and everything started to come at once. The gold in the sky was as bright as a new sun.
Meteors and giant spears began to descend, breaking through the clouds and screaming towards each of the targets.
Amusem*nt filled Zhongli seeing the terrorists’ whoops and cheers turn into yells and screams of horror. He felt the same as the allied forces began to also scream;
“SWEET LADY LIBERTY, IS THAT A METEOR—?!”
“F-f*ck THIS, GET ME OUT OF HERE—!”
“NO WONDER THE AIR FORCE GOT THE f*ck OUT—!”
Soon, Zhongli’s instruments of destruction completed their shock and awe, massive impacts happening all over the Middle East where the winds were blowing in descriptions of his targets.
From the far east of Syria to the Iranian-Iraqi border. To northern Arabia to the Black Sea.
If there were terrorists and the Winds found out, a meteor or spear was sent their way.
A light show of Geo explosions filled the region, impacting everywhere that the other archons weren’t already clearing up. Furina was enacting her justice somewhere to the west of him, so he made sure that she had some groups she could clear up in the general vicinity.
Mushroom clouds of dust, sand, and smoke began to rise. The winds came to him and reported, with confidence, that the terrorists and their machinations were completely destroyed by the spears or turned to stone by the meteors.
He looked at the outpost below and saw evidence of this. The Archon saw new mountains form, new cliff faces, new valleys, new plateaus as well.
Zhongli also began to fly over to a nearby settlement, which was struck by both spears and a meteor.
While yes he was aiming for the terrorists with things that were able to shape the landscape, he was also being sure to imbue some adeptal energy to only target the things the winds wanted him to destroy.
As such, where some would have expected a flattened city with new giant spears as a part of its landmarks, there was - instead - still standing the Syrian urban center. His spears are fiercely embedded into various warehouses and safehouses.
The terrorists were no doubt vanquished, buried under the violence of the god of contracts.
But warmth filled him seeing the civilians and the city still hustling and bustling as if nothing was wrong.
Some even cheered him on when they were able to see him. Zhongli kept his posture tight, but he relaxed for just a moment.
He left not too long afterwards, focusing on going to find Barbatos.
The strength of Rex Lapis, broadcasted to various Television stations that were hastily set up in locations like Third Round Knockout.
The people cheered on their god, celebrating him being alive. Some watched with snacks, others with drinks.
“Look at him go!”
“That’s the strength of Rex Lapis!”
“Hah! There’s no way he could have been dead with that power!”
Liyue felt fervor for their archon again.
Though, one thing was going on for certain. Eyes began to lay on Wangshang Funeral Parlor.
And on a director who was watching all of this with the twitch of her eye.
Furina scowled, her eyes opening with a glare that could sink nations.
She was looking over the giant mountain that resides within Sumeru.
Her mini Oratrice began to spew Hydro Energy at her, which then formed into a little ticket - not too dissimilar to the ones that the actual machine in the Opera Epiclese would produce - and began to read it off.
“Flawless Justice as usual…” she darkly chuckles, tossing the little slip to the winds. She turned and stared at her own targets, caves full of enemies, and several outposts that were brimming with gunfire and missiles.
It would have been a painful march up the mountain for any soldier or vehicle to try and clear up the area of the terrorists within, but Furina had a lovely idea.
Though she wasn’t sure if she could stomach that was to come.
“Furina… I will guide you…” Focalors spoke to her. And she was so thankful that she was still here, despite being in the middle of observing a trial.
Her flask at her hip was glowing, indemitium starting to bleed from it. It was going to be important in the execution to come.
Furina closed her eyes, the winds giving the same instruction that Zhongli gave.
Thankfully there was little to no civilians around the whole mountain, which is probably why they gave this task to her.
Something she could more easily accomplish without having true blood on her hands…
Hydro began to flow from her figure. Her sword manifested in her hand, though its role was going to be ceremonial for the type of destruction she was about to wage.
Her jellyfish like tentacles began to flow and glimmer, making her out to be this beautifully haunting entity that hovered in the sky.
She heard troops of the allied forces immediately start getting out as soon as possible, their engines roaring and their infantry rushing back down and away from the area that was about to be struck.
“…I will call upon the power of justice for you, one moment…”
Back in the Opera Epiclese, the audience watched as their Archon descended from the high throne. Chevreuse was calling after her, while Neuvillette - who was watching over the trial which was on a civil disappearance - questioned the professionalism that had been inducted into him.
“Lady Focalors,” he calmly addresses, “what is the meaning of this?”
“Give me one second, dear Iudex,” she responds, stepping up to the Oratrice, and reaching out for it.
The machine began to move, to the surprise and confusion to the defendant and other individuals.
“Is she trying to end the trial?!”
“The archon giving her judgement… How exciting—!”
“Yes,” Focalors responds, “I am going to enact my judgment, but it is not on the trial currently going on…” screens which were set up in Fontaine and in the opera Epiclese began to turn on.
Lady Furina hovering in the sky, in her beautiful, archon attire and form appeared on all of them. Footage of her looking down upon Sumeru’s biggest mountain filling the screens - some showing different angles.
As the crowd behind her buzzed with excitement, Focalors activates the Oratrice. But instead of producing a verdict, it began to shoot Indemnitium, straight up and into the sky.
Forming a ballistic-like arc, it made its way to Lady Furina.
Furina had raised her sword.
Focalors were beaming instructions to her, and this is one of the instructions that she had been given. She was told to wait for the indemnitium which was on the way.
She listened to both her and the winds, carefully thinking about the way to exert her power and how to deliver it.
Without a moment more to consider, to practice, the indemnitium had finally come, slamming into the top of her blade.
The splendor of tranquil waters was like a lightning rod here, except instead of the thunder and Electro of Ei, it was bringing the manifestation of Fontaine’s justice.
Justice that she was to turn against the blasphemous that hurt a fellow archon.
”I… Furina De Fontaine…” She begins slowly, voice loud and permeating across the land. Hydro floated around her, sigils and seals glowing brightly. Her tendrils became brighter, letting her rage and emotion fill her being.
Her sword suddenly expanded, glowing violently enough that it rivaled the gold to her East. Speaking again, she brings down the sentence upon the sinners.
“I hereby pronounce the Islamic State guilty… to be punished via Divine retribution!”
The hydro seals around her became brighter and brighter. The Indenmitium in her blade prepared to turn the splendor into a staff that had a seal spin around the end.
Terrorists below began to shoot at her, trying to hit her since her presence was not particularly well concealed because of how bright she was. But that wasn’t going to matter soon.
Their resistance and their blasphemy ends now.
A beam shot into the heavens, storm clouds immediately forming at her command.
The sands below were trembling, for they were finding themselves no longer as shifty and safe as they normally did as another beam went into the grainy battlefield.
The clouds continued to gather, layers upon layers of them.
Thick, stormy, and absolutely leaden compared to the rest of the skies around.
Rain began to fall. Furina’s eyes never opened as everything began to wash over the land. Below, the sands were starting to break away.
The little valleys that had surrounded the mountain were starting to find leaks of water peaking through the cracks.
Caves were finding themselves starting to fill up with water.
It was forcing terrorists out into the open. Each of them totally soaked and ran with whatever weapon they had or could grab. Some of them were completely drenched as the sands of this area of the Middle East was assaulted by her rage.
The flash flooding was starting to ruin all of their encampments, destroying the bunkers they had built within the mountains. Furina kept her eyes closed, trying to ignore the yells from below, and the gunfire that was attempting to stop her.
“Now—!” Focalors advised, and she turned the beam in the sky to glow a darker shade of blue. Furina tensed, as she felt her Gnosis beam with energy that was being released in droves.
The winds spoke to her once more, before the beam faded. The rain briefly slowed for her, large drops appearing around her.
Except these weren’t droplets.
They were blades of water, they were arrows, they were spears.
She had turned the rain into a focused weapon, and for any hostiles in the open that the winds were guiding her to? They found themselves the targets of the storm.
Ignore the water, ignore the flooding Furina, she began to tell herself as the rushing started to get louder and louder. Ignore it, you have control over this, you are drowning bad people who deserve divine retribution—-
stay calm—
CALMCALMCALMCALM—
Furina did not open her eyes.
Instead focusing on drowning her hearing out with the rushing of heavy rain, and the flood that soon consumed the sands. Ignoring the screams of the terrorists below, ignoring the sight of waters overtaking a dry, unforgiving desert.
Which in another time, would have been her own people, her nation.
Hydro… not of the leviathan to my north…
Focused… from another domain not of them…
No… This is the hydro of a usurper…
Ohhh…? There is more…?
Hydro… Geo… Electro… Anemo… all in the sands—?!
What in the name of Nibelung are those usurpers doing now—?!
In the north of Sumeru, just along the border of Turkey, a sovereign awakes.
Just as the water began to flood her cavern, entering her domain with a rushing violence that she had not known for time immemorial.
I shall see to it myself…. The heavens know to leave me alone, so what is it now?!
Rmmmbblllllleeee—!
”Take my hand—!” A crewman calls out, before pulling up a royal marine like a fisherman pulling the latest catch. He was assisted by a US Marine who had lost her weapon.
She lands on the back of a soaked ACV-1, coughing her lung out and face towards the sky, looking at the clouds in all of its glory; “Bloody f*cking hell—!”
Rain was falling all around them, geysers were shooting out of spots around the mountain. The waters were filling up the lows and valleys between everything.
”Sweet mother of f*cking God…” the marine looks over the ledge, into the raging waters.
“Get this f*cking machine over to the nearest plateau!”
He points over at one that had a Syrian city sitting on one such cliff. “Go, drive damnit, that way!” The vehicle starts to move, the engine roaring as it pushes on.
The crew member goes back under, while the marine goes and straps down the Brit with some clips, “You alright there limey?!” She looks up at him, coughs at him, and flips him off;
”f*ck off and sod off, Yank.”
”Love you too,” he replies sarcastically, before going over to help another person - an Israeli soldier - that was desperately flailing about in the water. The royal marine looks over, hearing a commotion nearby.
V-22s, Seahawks, and other aircraft were desperately rushing from place to place, ropes and nets out trying to save anybody and anything that was in the water. There was a destroyer - a god to honest destroyer of the royal navy - that was coming in, life boats coming from it with crew on board.
Civilian casualties were a minimum, for luckily many cities were shifted and moved to either be on top of canopies or on top of some sort of plateau. But still, there was incredible damage that was being dealt out. Soldiers, Eremites, Marines, Terrorists alike, everybody was affected by a disaster of truly divine proportions.
“My God…” she mutters. She then looks over at the strange, jellyfish-like being over near the big mountain of Sumeru. Glowing in divine, yet ethereal light, she knew that to be the Hydro Archon.
There was Geo Gold in some directions, and giant spears and meteorites that were falling. Electro strikes in the distance, and Anemo swirling everything together.
It was a blender, the Middle East had turned into a blender.
And the archons were the chefs, adding various ingredients to the nightmare slush.
”I didn’t f*cking sign up for this sh*t…” the Briton complained, head back to the sky which delivered pelting rain. Each drop caused an audible noise against the hull of the vehicle she was on.
Like the angry knocks of a police officer on the house of a damned family.
If you count ISIS as a family, she guesses.
”f*ck…” she mutters, “And now we have this kind of power right off the doorstep of Ol’ Blighty…”
A pleasant thought for those who are concerned about national security.
And Hydrology, and geology, and everybody in between.
That… was the power of their Archon?
Clorinde found herself looking at a TV screen with absolute awe, respect, and terror.
Just moments ago, she was pleasantly speaking with some musicians with Lady Furina over some tea and snacks.
They were expecting to just discuss some compositions, perhaps some new instruments that she could use for their 2nd Opera on earth.
Yet, there was the same Lady Furina now - who wouldn’t hurt a fly - enacting divine retribution on a bunch of criminals in a far off region.
With a vengeance and power she never thought she would have.
She was keeping that buried under a level of professionalism. The display of power was unhinged, and it made her feel more proud and honored to be chosen as her bodyguard.
But it also makes her feel a little nervous, for if that was the power she could use…
That would not deter her away from her duties, her occupation, her relationship with her Archon. What’s a bit of power sharing? If Furina could defend herself, that would probably lessen the burden on herself and on the Archon.
There was something about seeing the lady that she shared tea, cakes, and had fuss over the Champion duelist turn enemies of the
However, there was an issue. It’s more a political issue.
Nothing wrong with the Palais Mermonia, but it's the citizenry.
She was sure that back in Fontaine, the newspapers were going to go wild. Neuvilette would definitely have questions, while the entirety of Furina’s doubters will find something to tackle on Furina.
Nothing ever escapes them, especially Charlotte who is sure to get everything. They will turn something gold and powerful into terrible dirt. Turn the great deeds into power trips or power grabs.
And if what is being shown is true, then it’ll be a public disaster on the positive review front.
Or, the many peoples of Earth would be in absolute awe of the power of an actual Archon.
“…Drones over the Middle East are reporting massive flooding, meteor strikes, and incredible storms that have descended upon Syria and Iraq. Particularly the areas of the 2 nations that would be housing the Islamic State,” the Associated Press spokeswoman comes on, eyes wide and horrified.
The entirety of what just happened in the region has beamed into the hundreds of million drones that were over Western Sumeru. Everything was shared, from the Anemo Archon’s power to the flooding of Sumeru’s North - all the way to the Mediterranean Sea.
There was a transcript of live, non-classified military communications that abruptly turned from the professionalism amongst the soldiers, to absolute sh*tcannery over the channels;
”f*ck—! HELP HELP—!” / “WATER’S COMING—!”
”BAIL FROM YOUR TANK, GET OUT DAMMIT—!”
”Requesting a f*cking ExFil! We’re getting FLOODED—!”
So far, nobody has died yet, outside of the terrorists, but the spokeswoman was just watching the footage with haunted amazement. Many of the viewers were the same, and even the rowdiest podcasts and streamers found themselves quiet, despite their chats being flooded with reactions.
There was horror, there was disbelief, there was fear. There was also respect, cheer, and worship. Online churches that are devoted to the Archons were in a frenzy, using this to try and push their support for the divine beings.
In other forums, there were those who were pushing for immediate tripling, quadrupling, or even multiplication of their defense budgets by tenfold in reaction to the Archons giving off a show of force that makes America’s pale in comparison.
There were those who wanted to try and appease the Archons, fear gripping defense officials across the globe. Politicians began their rush for defense contractors, while those in Russia found this a compelling justification to prepare to break from Yazov and his potentially very foolish actions.
”…The Military has not commented on the situation yet,” she reports, head sinking just a little, “But it is reported that many in the Pentagon are fearing for the counts of missing and casualties that are soon to come. No dead yet according to commanders in Cyprus, but many are in critical condition.“
”In Turkey, the president has declared a state of emergency, as well as the provisional governments of Syria, Jordan, and Iraq. These 3 nations were practically taken over by Sumeru’s domain, and the provisional governments in the absence of any elected officials
A spokesman leans in, taking control with screens showing something developing;
“The 4 Archons, identified to be Furina, Barbatos, Morax, and Baal, have successfully lead the destruction of many of ISIS’ openly resisting cells,” he brings up a paper, as well as some footage of some invasions going on;
“The FBI and Mossad operating in Jordan, Israel, and other areas have launched a massive raid that are positive to take down same of the commanders of ISIS and remove their influence from the Middle East, once and for all.”
”The state of Lord Kusanali has not been confirmed, but it is said that she is safe when the Archons start delivering the divine retribution upon the terrorists,” the spokeswoman presses on her ear piece, as she gets new information, “Currently 10,000 terrorists have been taken captive in Jordan alone, the counts in Iraq and Syria are unknown due to the situation and loss of communications in the region.”
Anatoly turns off his phone, causing the Tsaritsa to lean back against her throne. A breath of exasperation leaving her, and her fingers pinching the bridge between her eyes.
His Cryo Vision tapped against his side - where his pistol once was - and his hat tilted just a little down.
Next to him were unarmed Russian soldiers, who were watching the news on their own phones as well.
The Cryo Archon was watching the entire proceeding in the Middle East with an unreadable expression. Her harbingers and Anatoly’s advisors that were with them were behind the 3 Russians, looking at her worriedly.
”That was the greatest showing of force our nominal adversary has just conducted,” he concludes, looking at her worriedly, “And that is only a fraction of their unclassified military capabilities. The true numbers and abilities of America remained wrapped in 100 layers of deception and passive words that it’s hard to fully—“
”Silence,” the Tsaritsa orders, causing him to bow his head and step back.
”Yes, your majesty…” he mutters that last bit, messing up the syllables a bit since he’s not familiar with saying that phrase so familiarly. She was contemplative for a moment, looking over at the Dottore and then at Pulcinella with a gaze that speaks finality.
”It is clear that our current approach to Foreign Policy will not be sufficient in this world,” she concludes for herself, gesturing at the phone in his hand with grace, “The Americans, allies with much of our target nations such as Fontaine and Mondstadt, have shown themselves to be a more formidable adversary.”
”They have brought their military to project their power,” a soldier says, out of turn with his Cryo vision glowing, “America is… master of war on our planet, they will not fight fair on the battlefield. They will turn deserts into glass if they want.”
”Diplomatic avenues will be… discussed,” Pulcinella hesitantly speaks, looking at his fellow harbingers, “We do not have the position and strength and authority that we have enjoyed back in Teyvat, and as such, we must go back to square one in our own power projection.”
The Tsaritsa then looks at her harbingers, all of them standing dutifully alongside, interestingly, some Russian Spetsnaz and VDV that were trapped here during the first Ice wall rising. She began to question them; “How goes the situation in Russia?”
”Actually,” Anatoly starts to speak up, shivering a little as their gazes snapped to him, “Much of the eastern provinces of our nation is starting to show signs of breaking. Siberia was just the first brick in that direction, and with Yazov taking over with an unpopular party with various regions, the Federation Council and the Duma are preparing to break off.”
How DID he go form the president of the 2nd most powerful - at least on paper - nation the world has ever known to a glorified advisor trying to keep order amongst the revenants of Russia that has been captured by the ice walls that were growing around him?
Russia was falling apart at the seams, and only the west around Russia’s core was going to remain. Loyal. The Urals, every east, the Caucasians, anything close to Murmansk or St. Petersburg? The federation can forget holding control to them.
Things were about to go ‘pear shaped’ and it was going to go there very fast.
”Hmm…” the Tsaritsa hums, thinking for a moment. The ice around the throne room got a little more intense, and it made Anatoly worry. The harbingers were glaring at him once again. “If we don’t act,” Anatoly speaks without thinking, “America might be able to take influence in regions closer to us, which would be unacceptable.”
After an eternity passed, she spoke again, a decision on her lips after considering his final little note that he blurted out in all honesty..
“When the fall comes, we will start speaking with words towards the potential breaks in the Russian Federation,” she turns to Anatoly and to Pulcinella, “We will begin exerting diplomatic pressure on the breaks to accept our protection. And not other superpowers…”
She then faces her Harbingers, “Prepare your diplomatic teams, we will await the fall of the Federation, and then we will take in the breakaways. Like a bear would to cubs…”
”Yes your majesty.”
And the Russians and Harbingers quickly vacated the room. Anatoly knows that she is also possibly worried about Siberia, who follows the Hyperborean pantheon.
But to what extent?
He doesn’t know. He doesn’t want to know.
Gods have been proven to be somewhat real at least within the confines of Teyvat, so what’s to say that the ones on Earth weren’t also real to some extent?
Nothing, nothing is and it makes this politician fear for everything he knows.
He feels the world he knew preparing to crumble around him under the ice.
A special type of depression, specific to Russians in this unique situation, was starting to befall them. But he was sure that the prideful amongst Moscow and those loyal to Yazov are absolutely drumming up everything they can to keep Russia on the board.
But it’s likely that the ol’ bear will go through one more breakdown, almost a century after the fall of the USSR. What a pitiful decade to be Russian, darkled mused Anatoly, tapping against his Cryo Vision to get the thoughts away.
Walking next to Pulcinella, Anatoly takes out his phone, and checks back in on the news. Pulcinella leans his head over, curious to hear what was going on around the world since he was mostly confined to Snezhnaya most of the time.
“…news drones over Sumeru City shows the Archons descending upon the city, alongside a giant mechanical war machine with 4 arms and Electro-oriented emblems. The Dendro Archon has been spotted being moved into the ‘Sanctuary of Surasthana’ alongside a unit of Matra and Marines that have been hunting for her.”
“The Acting Grand Sage of Sumeru has told our correspondents that he plans to relocate Lord Kusanali to a safer country so she can recover. America, Britain, Ireland, Cuba, and other nations have been considered, but much of the choices are within the Anglosphere.”
“60% of US forces deployed to the Middle East will return home to America, while 40% remain in the area for peacekeeping purposes.” A graphic of what units were exactly being recalled back was shown, particularly most of the ones who were congressionally deployed.
The state of war, presumably, no longer exists, so it’s going be down to Marines and some of the Army which was already present.
”We are unable to get any more information on the actual condition of the Dendro Archon and those who will be attached to her detail, but we have seen a strange individual in her vicinity that the locals of the city are calling the First Sage…,” and Anatoly notices the Dottore leaning over his shoulder, hearing the title and grimacing a little.
”Is that…” he mutters under his breath. Anatoly looks over, his interest thoroughly grabbed. Suddenly, the blue-haired Harbinger chuckled, hands behind his back, “Of course he did.”
“… but we apparently also hear some individuals within the city call them the ‘Traveler’… now we do not…”
”Hmphh… even here, that pest is still active…” the Dottore scoffs, before speeding up to get away from the phone, even as the news blasted a little louder than normal.
…Anatoly doesn’t know what to make of this ‘Traveler’, but if they were a pest to the Snezhnaya, then god - or Gods he guesses - just what kind of trouble he can cause. Just what kind of a headache that would get a grimace out of the 2nd Harbinger.
“… we are still waiting for new information, but it appears that this brief war against the Islamic State has been violently struck down by the Gods, bringing forth a new age of unsteady peace to the region.”
Unsteady…? Ha… cynically the Russian thinks, producing his trusty flask with the best Russian Vodka inside, That’s the understatement of the century…
He walks off with the Harbingers, the flag of Snezhnaya flying alongside the flag that represents a new Russia.
A new age that has come with the fist of the divine.
Both benevolent, and malevolent.
