"What's going on here?!"
Furina had been proven innocent and confirmed as the Hydro Archon. This should be double the joy, so why...
"What criteria does the Oratrice use to sentence someone to death?!" Lumine demanded of Neuvillette.
"I don't know. But both times a death sentence was issued, it involved cases with massive casualties."
"Though the pattern is clear, I can't imagine why the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale would sentence Fontaine to death."
Neuvillette shook his head, his face filled with confusion.
Looking up at Furina, who still sat in her seat, her expression as if questioning her very existence, Neuvillette's eyes brimmed with contemplation.
"Lady Furina..."
"Hm?"
Hearing Neuvillette call her, Furina snapped out of her momentary daze and looked at him in confusion, unsure why he had addressed her.
"Since the Oratrice has acknowledged you as the Hydro Archon of Fontaine..."
"...what exactly made you believe you were a false god before?"
"Or to put it another way, why did you instinctively forget your identity as a Archon?"
Faced with Neuvillette's rapid-fire questions, Furina felt flustered. "Even if you ask me like this, I still don't know."
"When I first opened my eyes five hundred years ago, I was told to play the role of the Hydro Archon. Only by doing so could I carry out the plan to save Fontaine."
Lumine's brows furrowed. "You were told to play the role of the Hydro Archon?"
"Thus, Lady Furina," Navia interjected, "who exactly made you play the role of the Hydro Archon? In this situation, it's best to be completely honest. Please tell us."
Navia's words were met with unanimous agreement from the assembly.
Yet the implications behind their words were chilling upon closer consideration.
What entity could have erased Furina's awareness of her identity as the Hydro Archon, keeping it hidden all this time?
Lumine pondered, and in her mind, she recalled her previous conversation with Witch N.
[There exists a hidden Descender in Fontaine who has remained concealed until now.]
[And this Descender is working to save Fontaine in their own way.]
[Could this be the mastermind behind making Furina forget her divine identity, making her believe she's just an ordinary person?]
The players outside the screen were also led astray by Lumine's thoughts. Upon careful consideration, the only entities capable of making a divine being forget their identity and believe they were an ordinary person were either a Descender or Celestia. However, Celestia clearly had no need for such deception.
Therefore, the only remaining possibility was the Descender.
"But that doesn't make sense! My wife Themis, with that face of hers, standing right beside Furina—how could any Descender possibly get involved? The last one, you know, the one who knocked us all out and made us sleep for five hundred years."
"What kind of Descender is this, daring to manipulate the Hydro Archon's memories right under my wife's nose?"
CatCatEatsNoMedicine stared at Furina, her mind's gears grinding as conflicting thoughts collided. The mental strain nearly fried her cognitive circuits.
Even during her time in Sumeru, she'd never faced such overwhelming confusion.
After all, those endless Sabzeruz Festivals runs had left her only exhausted and annoyed. Given the preceding narrative, it was easy to conclude this was just another dream realm.
But Fontaine's... this was truly a mind-bending labyrinth!
Moreover, during a previous quest, Themis had attacked Furina while she wore her divine dress.
This presented two possibilities: either Themis had erased Furina's memories, or she was attempting to counteract the mental manipulation affecting the Hydro Archon.
"Huh? A Descender? No, wait—my mirror self!"
"She told me to play the Hydro Archon, and I've been acting the part ever since."
"Five hundred years ago, she said as long as I didn't reveal the Hydro Archon's identity, the plan would succeed. Everything would conclude in a grand, theatrical trial—just like this moment."
"No... no! I, I am the Hydro Archon! Why would I need to pretend to be the Hydro Archon? If I am the Hydro Archon, then what about the situation where I was exposed before..."
Will the plan revealed by my mirror self still fail?!
Furina sat in her seat, scratching her head in frustration, her face a mask of confusion.
Neuvillette listened to Furina's words, his eyes filled with bewilderment. "The Hydro Archon in the mirror—just who is that? Why have you never mentioned this to me before?"
Furina replied, "I've never even told you about pretending to be a god, so how could my mirror self be exposed? Besides, she rarely appears. I could count the number of times she's shown up in the past five hundred years on one hand."
Furina's straightforward answer left Neuvillette completely speechless.
"Although summoning her could indeed save us much trouble, I'm sorry to say I have no way to contact her directly."
"So... the clues have been cut short again?"
Paimon looked at Lumine, who shook her head, confirming that the clues had indeed been cut short.
Cut short by Furina's mention of another version of herself.
"Rather than that, shouldn't we consider the matter of the Oratrice?"
"Though we don't yet know how exactly the Oratrice will deliver Fontaine's death sentence, the Oratrice itself seems dangerously unstable now."
Paimon pointed at the Oratrice. What had once been a divine creation symbolizing fairness and justice now appeared undeniably hazardous no matter how one looked at it.
Neuvillette nodded. "You're right. If the Oratrice truly issues Fontaine's death sentence, even if it's sacrilegious, I'd choose to dismantle it by force."
Furina: "Ah?"
"Lady Furina, do you have any objections?"
"No objections, no objections. Dismantle it, dismantle it."
Furina indeed had no objections. She didn't want to be inexplicably dragged along by the Oratrice's execution of this death sentence.
But if possible, she hoped it was simply a mistake on the Oratrice's part.
"However, Neuvillette..." Furina's call made Neuvillette look up again, his gaze turning toward her position with some confusion, unsure why she had summoned him.
"I've been meaning to ask—have you seen Themis? She doesn't seem to have been at the opera house from the beginning."
"Lady Furina..." Neuvillette sounded surprised. "I thought Themis had some other business to attend to, which is why she wasn't present at the opera house."
"Could it be that you don't know where she went either?"
"How could I possibly know? When I woke up this morning, she was already gone!"
Fontaine people: "Gone when I opened my eyes"—does that mean they were already sharing a bed?
The inexplicable excitement of the Fontaine people made Lumine doubt her very existence. Don't get so invested in these matters, you guys!
Just as everyone was at a loss, the doors of the Opera Epiclese swung open again.
It was Freminet, clutching a stone tablet as he rushed in.
His arrival drew all eyes. Under the gaze of so many people in the opera house, Freminet's social anxiety nearly froze him solid.
"Uh... that is... sorry for the interruption..."
"How is your trial progressing?"
Lyney: "Freminet! You're finally here! Looks like you've completed your task."
Freminet nodded, then with the help of some Fatui, brought the stone slab onto the stage...
Paimon: "Is this... the 'Prophecy Stone Plate'? Could it be the lost fourth piece of the Prophecy Stone Plate?"
Freminet: "I spent ages searching. Finally found it underwater. Avoiding dangerous waters took quite some time too."
Lumine: "The mystery remains unsolved."
Neuvillette: "Thank you for your efforts, Mr. Freminet. Please let me examine the contents of the stone plate."
Hidden within the Oratrice, Themis observed Furina sitting in her seat with curiosity. When Furina tried to run down and look, she could only crane her neck to see the group gathered below.
The corners of Themis's lips curved upward. She found Furina's expression quite adorable.
The Oratrice required evidence for its judgments, which was precisely why it had remained silent all this time.
Now that the evidence had arrived on the scene, it was time to take action.
Hydro element power overflowed from the Oratrice, enveloping the fourth stone plate as it flew upward.
Neuvillette watched the stone plate being taken from his hands. Though surprised, he made no move to stop it.
Lumine: "What is the Oratrice trying to do?"
Neuvillette: "It's obvious. It knows the contents of the stone tablet and is now presenting physical evidence to support its previous judgment."
Paimon: "The Oratrice... It seems to have developed its own consciousness, just like the General."
The unusual behavior of the Oratrice drew the attention of all Fontaine people present.
Having just been sentenced to death by the Oratrice, it would be impossible not to feel confusion, bewilderment, and anger toward this divine creation. Yet despite this, the people still believed in its power.
A familiar screen appeared before everyone, showing the same situation as the previous case of the missing young girl.
[Once, there was a special sea on the Teyvat continent.]
A pink-purple sea appeared before everyone. This was the Primordial Sea, a place the Fontaine people had long heard about.
[Most of the life on Teyvat was born from that sea, so it was called the Primordial Sea.]
[According to legend, the composition of the Primordial Sea was similar to blood. All living things immersed in the original sea became one with each other.]
[To traverse land and sky, life evolved blood vessels, preserving the primordial sea within.]
[The heart governing this sea of blood—the original Hydro Dragon Sovereign.]
Neuvillette pondered. "The heart of the Primordial Sea. So that's why... So that's how it is."
No wonder the ocean's call to him had been so intense.
Was it trying to draw him back to the Primordial Sea, to become its new heart?
[Later, when the Hydro Dragon Sovereign perished, Celestia—the sky's ruler who represents life—created another heart for the Primordial Sea. Her name was Egeria.]
"Egeria..."
"She was the first Hydro Archon, before Lady Furina," Lyney explained, noticing Lumine's confusion.
Lynette added, "What we didn't realize was that Lady Egeria was actually another heart created to suppress the Primordial Sea."
[She was a tear drop falling into the Primordial Sea, seeking communication and understanding. That's why she wept. And it was precisely this compassion that led her to commit the original sin—all Oceanids must remain silent about.]
Furina stared blankly at the image of the Oratrice, "Original Sin..."
Her heart hung suspended in her chest as she realized this was the beginning of everything.
The very start, buried beneath the sands of time and history's river currents.
[The Oceanids are Egeria's favored children. Legend has it they were born from the first tear shed by the compassionate Egeria, who pitied the dragon race.]
[The Oceanids' origins have vanished into history's flow, leaving only this allegorical fragment: "When lizard bones dissolve into mud, swans are born from the mire."]
[The newly created Oceanids were granted a sacred mission: to comprehend all living beings, to love every form of life.]
[Egeria commanded them to remember the shapes of all creatures, and through this, they developed an admiration for life itself. Among their yearnings was a particular fascination with humanity.]
[Human beauty and romance captivated the Oceanids, making human form their greatest desire.]
[Yet despite controlling the Primordial Sea, Egeria lacked the power to create humans.]
[Thus, the compassionate Egeria, the great Egeria, the lonely Egeria, stole the power of the Primordial Sea and transformed the Oceanids into human form.]
[By utilizing their blood vessels to encapsulate the Primordial Sea within their bodies, she created these humans.]
[The power of the Primordial Sea within a Fontaine person sustains their human form. When they come into contact with the sea's waters again, the power within them breaks free and returns to the Primordial Sea, dissolving their form and transforming them back into Oceanids.]
[This is the original sin Egeria has carried all along—stealing the power of the Primordial Sea to create humans without permission.]
"We... are fake humans created by Lady Egeria... Our true selves are Oceanids!?"
"I felt like Im about to collapse. Who could handle being stripped of their humanity so suddenly?"
"But wait, if that's the case, why would we be sentenced to death? Even if our bodies dissolve into the sea, wouldn't we just return to being Oceanids?"
"Still, now that I think about it, I have experience being human. But how do you become an Oceanid? Has anyone here done it before?"
"How would I know? Go ask an Oceanid yourself."
"But Lady Furina, what about you? Could you also be an Oceanid transformed into human form?!"
Furina: "Huh? Me?"
She stared bewildered at her hand that had previously touched the Primordial Sea. The flesh there was indeed eroded.
But I'm the Hydro Archon, she thought. Why don't I possess even the slightest divine privilege?
[After discovering this act, Celestia issued Egeria's judgment in its fury, along with the Fontainians' execution. This was what the Fontainians called the "Prophecy Crisis."]
[Following Egeria's death, the Primordial Sea began its upheaval, and the Prophecy officially commenced.]
"No wonder Fontaine's water levels only started rising five hundred years ago."
"Doesn't that mean if Lady Egeria hadn't died, the Prophecy might never have begun?"
"You're likely right. But Lady Egeria was executed by Celestia. Since this is punishment for the Fontainians, how could we possibly have been spared?"
"That means Egeria's death wasn't coincidental. Celestia must have ordered her to die."
"Why? Aren't the gods omnipotent? How can there be something that can order them to die?!"
The Fontainians suddenly felt that Teyvat, once familiar, had become utterly alien.
[In the distant past, we record events of the far future.]
[In the distant future, the Fontainians will hold a trial against the Hydro Archon. Here, the final step of the prophecy will be fully realized, and the prophesied crisis will finally arrive.]
[And in the end, everyone will dissolve into the water, leaving only the Hydro Archon herself, weeping upon the divine throne!]
"Lumine! What did the Oratrice just say?!" Paimon cried out in disbelief.
"The Fontainians will hold a trial against the Hydro Archon, and this... is the final step of the prophecy..."
Lumine stared blankly at Neuvillette. Even though she didn't know what basis he had for prophesying this distant future, she understood completely that things had gone terribly wrong.
Lyney: "How... how could this happen? This trial was clearly meant to find a new way to save Fontaine!"
Lynette: "But instead, it's become a catalyst for furthering the realization of the prophecy."
Neuvillette said, "Our actions have been woven into the Prophecy from the very beginning."
Paimon asked, "So now... what should we do?"
Lumine replied, "I don't know..."
Clorinde murmured, "The Prophecy must come true... Is this what it feels like to be trapped by fate?"
Paimon suggested, "If that's the case, the vision on the fourth stone tablet might appear soon, won't it?"
Navia gazed at Furina standing on the stage. "Everyone will dissolve into water, leaving only Lady Furina to weep alone on the Archon's throne..."
"..."
Furina looked down at the bewildered crowd below, her palms already slick with nervous sweat.
"What should I do...?"
"Themis! Where have you gone?!"
A violent earthquake suddenly struck. The audience stared in panic at Neuvillette and Furina on the stage.
A massive spatial void opened at the center of the Opera House, and a colossal Narwhal leaped out.
As the crowd screamed in terror, scrambling to escape their seats, a white figure suddenly darted forward.
"It's Lady Themis!"
The sharp-eyed Fontainians spotted the white figure, and their hearts settled completely.
They might doubt anyone else, but they could never doubt the capabilities of Regent Themis.
Her presence here meant there must be a solution.
The Fontainians always had a mysterious confidence in Themis.
"Furina: "Themis—?!"
The sudden appearance of the Regent left Furina staring wide-eyed in shock.
She watched as Themis charged forward, drop-kicking the Narwhal that had leaped out of the void back into the abyss.
Before everyone's astonished gaze, both combatants disappeared into the chasm.
When the passage vanished, the crowd fell silent.
Paimon: "Themis... So she was in the opera house all along?"
Neuvillette: "Just now, Themis appeared out of nowhere. Before that, I didn't sense her presence in the opera house at all."
Lumine: "Speaking of which, since the Narwhal has already broken through, does that mean Tartaglia has been defeated?"
"Neuvillette, we need to rescue Tartaglia immediately."
"And Themis fell in too."
"Regardless of the circumstances, I believe we must go help Themis."
"Traveler, we understand your urgency," said Clorinde, "but before we assist, we should at least ascertain the true nature of this narwhal."
"That narwhal doesn't belong to Teyvat," Neuvillette interjected. "It's a monstrous creature that weeps constantly as it traverses between planets."
"It's greedily devouring the energy of the Primordial Sea, growing larger with each passing moment. This is also the primary cause of the rising sea levels."
"The energy of the Primordial Sea will soon be depleted," he continued, "and the Fontainians' blood holds immense allure for that narwhal."
"When it leaves the Primordial Sea, the Opera House - teeming with citizens - becomes its top target."
"Then Themis merely repelled it earlier, didn't she?" Navia asked. "Does that mean once it recovers, it'll return to the land and target the Fontainians again?"
Neuvillette said, "Yes, it's true. One could say this creature has long desired to come to the land. Its first appearance before us now is thanks to that Fatui Harbringer, Tartaglia."
"It has absorbed too much of the planet's Primordial Sea's power, to the point it's nearly fused with the planet's very essence."
"Perhaps even if we destroyed all of Teyvat, this narwhal would still survive and swim to other worlds."
Paimon stammered, "H-how is that possible...?"
"Isn't that situation extremely dangerous?"
Furina pressed, "Neuvillette, is there truly no other way?"
Neuvillette replied, "I'm afraid not, Lady Furina. At least not with my current capabilities."
"However, you're right." He turned to Traveler Lumine. "Though we don't yet know how to resolve the narwhal, we must assist."
"At least delaying it is what we can achieve now."
"Follow me, Traveler. Together, we should be able to buy more time."
Meeting Neuvillette's gaze, Lumine nodded. This was indeed the time to summon all their strength.
"I understand. You two, please stay safe," Furina said, her gaze filled with concern. "At least when you go, stay with Themis. Don't act alone."
"I'll do my part here too."
"At the very least, I must find the other version of myself in the mirror. While you buy me time, I'll figure out how to locate her and get answers."
Neuvillette bowed. "Then we entrust this to you, Lady Furina."
Paimon nodded. "Indeed, there's still much we don't understand here."
Lumine added, "Perhaps once Furina finds her mirror self, the answers will come naturally."
Yet Lumine couldn't shake her doubts about this matter.
The situation had become clearer at least. Eliminating the All-Devouring Narwhal was the correct way to save Fontaine; there were no other paths for the Prophecy to unfold.
If that hidden Descender truly held a method to save Fontaine, it would logically involve a way to defeat the All-Devouring Narwhal.
"Then, Lady Furina, is there anything we can assist with?" Navia asked, turning to the elder.
"Hmm..." Furina stroked her chin thoughtfully. "The underground tremors may persist for some time. During this period, all Fontainians traveling on roads or in the wilderness should return home immediately and avoid unnecessary movement."
"Moreover, we still don't know the specifics of the Oratrice's death sentence verdict. We must remain vigilant and prepare for potential disasters that may follow."
"Our primary tasks are disaster preparedness and comforting the people. Please handle this, Clorinde and Navia."
Clorinde nodded. "Understood, Lady Furina. I'll immediately mobilize Fontaine's Gardemeks to prepare for impending calamities."
Navia stepped forward. "In that case, I'll address the public. When the narwhal breached earlier, the Oratrice ceased operations and the transmission cut off. Someone needs to inform them about the current situation and reassure them."
"Lady Furina, what about us?"
The audience below, looking utterly bewildered by how quickly the three women had decided their course of action, now turned their expectant gazes toward Furina on the stage.
In an instant, two of Fontaine's three high-ranking officials had vanished.
Though Lady Furina wasn't as reliable as the other two in normal times, at least her identity as the Hydro Archon was now beyond question.
The people instinctively entrusted their dependence and trust to their divine being.
"Uh... The Primordial Sea poses too great a danger for you all... Perhaps it would be better to seek higher ground?"
Faced with the rising Primordial Sea, Furina could only consider ways to reach higher ground within the limits of her power.
After all, when it came to natural disasters on the scale of the sea, only the power of the gods could resolve it.
Furina: "Since I am a god, then my power..."
She turned to look at the Oratrice below, deep in thought.
Navia and Clorinde had already begun taking action.
Some audience members, unwilling to leave, remained inside the Opera House.
However, given Fontaine's current state, it seemed no other place could offer absolute safety.
Furina descended from the opera stage, walking toward an unfamiliar room.
This was the chamber Themis had previously told her contained the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale.
"Come to think of it, I've never really examined the Oratrice."
"I only know that it judges cases based on evidence."
"If there's anywhere in all of Fontaine where secrets could be hidden, this must be it."
Staring at the door before her, Furina took two deep breaths to steady herself.
Reaching out, she pushed open the room's entrance.
Themis's absence made Furina feel somewhat nervous.
But it was just a room, after all. Though the interior was pitch-black, she found the light switch near the door.
As the light came on, threads of illumination filled the space. The sight before her left Furina utterly stunned.
-
The players maneuvered their characters into the depths of the Primordial Sea.
Neuvillette: "Exercise caution. I sense turmoil within the sea."
"Well, considering there's such a massive narwal in there, it's hardly surprising."
"Hmm... Is Themis truly that formidable? To have repelled the narwal with a single kick?"
"Perhaps that colossal creature isn't as formidable as we thought?"
"Neuvillette: "The narwal itself isn't the primary concern. The critical issue is that it has consumed Primordial Sea essence. We currently lack means to extract it from its body."
Lumine: "If Furina possesses divine power, could she utilize her identity as Hydro Archon to separate the Primordial Sea essence?"
"Neuvillette: "If Egeria—the former heart of the Primordial Sea—were here, I'd wholeheartedly support this proposal. But regarding Furina... truthfully, I'm uncertain."
"Though Furina bears the title of Hydro Archon, the supreme ruler of Teyvat's waters, she doesn't manifest the expected divine power of her position."
"I hope Furina can unravel everything and regain her strength within the time we have."
"That would give us some chance of winning."
"As for Themis's power, I've never seen her in action. Like Furina, she's someone who rarely shows herself."
"Truthfully, I was just as surprised as everyone else when she appeared at the opera house."
"Regardless, having Themis's strength on our side in this situation is a tremendous advantage."
Neuvillette fell silent, but as they drew closer to the All-Devouring Narwhal, his vigilance intensified.
"Lumine: "Themis isn't here, but Tartaglia is still fighting the narwal."
"Paimon: "That vile narwal looks absolutely repulsive!"
Tartaglia, clad in his Foul Legacy, was clearly astonished to see the Traveler and Paimon.
He delivered a kick to the same spot on the narwal where it had previously sustained damage, then leaped backward to join them.
"Comrades, why have you come?!"
"Tartaglia, we're here to help you. But did you see Themis just now?"
"I didn't see her earlier. I just let my guard down for a moment. The narwal escaped, and just as I was about to chase after it, the narwal suddenly fell. If I hadn't dodged quickly, I would have been crushed beneath it."
At this point, Tartaglia still seemed somewhat relieved.
Given the narwal's massive size, if he had been crushed, he would probably have been turned into a Tartaglia pancake.
Neuvillette said, "Traveler, even though we don't know the exact reason, the current situation is clear. Let's go."
The two of them exchanged glances, then attacked the All-Devouring Narwhal alongside Tartaglia.
The battered All-Devouring Narwhal let its ancient, mysterious voice resound through the Primordial Sea once more.
But before the All-Devouring Narwhal that had consumed nearly all of the Primordial Sea, these attacks couldn't even penetrate its defenses.
"Waaah, dodge, dodge, dodge!"
"Shit, shit, shit! Move, move! The narwal's coming down!"
"Fuck! Out of stamina!"
CatCatEatsNoMedicine controlled Lumine, her entire body nearly numb.
"Ahhh, why do I have so many characters, yet they insist on using the protagonist I've never trained?"
"Even though this is the official protagonist, this is ridiculous!"
[Mihoyo, you owe me a refund!]
[In the opening cutscene where we first jumped up to fight the narwal, she still had all five elements!]
[I thought we'd finally be able to freely switch elements, but this is all we get?!]
Watching Lumine fire Hydro's small water bullets at the narwal, the players' defenses completely collapsed.
"What the hell is the point of this shitty water gun?!"
CatCatEatsNoMedicine slammed her hand on the table, nearly sick with disgust.
"I strongly demand my wife come and lead me in battle!"
[Let me clarify - this is my wife, not the streamer's wife.]
[The streamer's already so devastated. Let's not expose Themis to the nutcase that is the streamer.]
"First things first - this is all Mihoyo's official representation. It has absolutely nothing to do with me as a player!"
[Of course, my friend, not everyone wants to be a water-spraying tortoise.]
[We can always choose to be water-spraying dragons instead.]
-
Themis watched the streamer in the live broadcast chamber using Lumine's small Hydro bullets, the da-da-da sound followed by a ha echoing incessantly in her ears.
She observed the Traveler in reality unleashing all five elements, slaughtering enemies across the narwal's body. The Traveler even used Anemo to fly, triggering elemental reactions on herself.
Finally, she understood the difference between marketing claims and reality.
Hidden in the surrounding space, Themis watched the increasingly tense battle situation and took a moment to check on the situation in Fontaine, particularly Furina's location.
-
Furina turned on the light and fell silent upon seeing the room's condition.
The Oratrice's quarters looked nothing like she imagined.
In Furina's mind, the room should have been cold and lifeless.
But the thick, soft blanket on the floor, the white, comfortable single bed, and the neatly arranged desk and chair...
All these details showed someone had been living here.
There were also unfinished drafts on the desk.
Furina walked up and casually picked up one of the unfinished drafts.
"This... This is..."
Furina's calm azure eyes scanned the text line by line. Her composed expression gradually crumbled as shame surged to its peak.
"What is this abomination?!"
"Themis and I have never engaged in such acts!"
"Who dares slander us?!"
Flushing crimson, Furina hurled the document across the room. She gasped for air, her heart pounding like war drums.
As if repulsed by filth, others hastily retreated from her.
"Calm yourself, Furina! Breathe!"
"The real issue isn't this! We must examine the Oratrice first!"
Forcing her focus elsewhere, Furina approached the mechanical oracle. She steadied her breathing, then reached out.
The moment her fingers brushed the machine, blinding white light erupted throughout the chamber.
"Ugh..."
Furina squeezed her eyes shut, raising an arm to block the radiance.
When the glare subsided, she opened her eyes to find herself floating in mid-air, clad in a pristine white gown.
"This is... my reflection in the mirror?!"
Furina's eyes widened as she rushed to the mirror's image of herself.
Seeing her mirror self with closed eyes, Furina couldn't deny the growing sense of urgency.
"Mirror me, wake up!"
"Mirror me?!"
Her simple call had no effect on the reflected figure.
Furina reached out to warn her, but the moment their hands touched—
The mirror image blurred into an illusion, an unknown force attempting to pierce into her body.
Furina felt disoriented, overwhelmed by the sudden pain.
A flood of memories poured from the fading mirror self into her mind, overwhelming her consciousness.
These were another self's memories. Furina clutched her head as five hundred years of memories violently filled her mind without warning, the process undeniably agonizing.
Furina watched the fading Focalors—now transparent and nearly invisible—her eyes brimming with panic and anguish.
As Focalors faded away, she opened her eyes one last time. With a final, astonished gaze, she looked at Furina.
"It's alright," she said. "Let's become one again, Furina."
With those final words, Focalors sighed deeply and chose to return.
She and Furina had always been one. Only when they merged would the true Hydro Archon Focalors be reborn.
Guided by the divine essence, the godly power and the memories of that other half gently settled, gradually fusing with Furina's personality.
Like flowing water, there was no resistance.
When the divine essence and power fully returned, Furina's attire completely transformed.
Overall, she now resembled the statue of Fontaine's Hydro Archon, clad in a white robe.
The scene shifted back to the Primordial Sea, where three figures joined forces to block the All-Devouring Narwhal.
For this wicked narwal, they harbored no mercy whatsoever.
Though they didn't know how it had infiltrated this place, killing it was now imperative!
"Ugh..." Themis sensed a faint trace of Abyssal energy.
It seemed that apart from their group, an unknown guest had quietly arrived in the Primordial Sea.
Themis knew exactly who Tartaglia was.
"Now that the pet's owner has arrived, I presume you've decided to atone for the damage caused by your creature, haven't you?"
Her golden eyes glowed with radiant light as Themis reached out and turned the All-Devouring Narwhal's head.
"Tartaglia, look out!"
The massive narwal suddenly changed course, its colossal body charging violently toward Tartaglia.
Tartaglia barely managed to dodge the narwal's initial charge, but was then struck by its sweeping tail. The tremendous force sent him tumbling downward.
Though momentarily disoriented by the sudden change in direction, the All-Devouring Narwhal harbored a grudge against Tartaglia - the human who had been battling it for so long. After flinging Tartaglia away with its tail, the narwal adjusted its position and continued its charge.
"Damn it! I can't reach him in time!"
Just as Lumine moved to dash after Tartaglia, a dark purple portal suddenly opened.
A figure emerged, seized Tartaglia by the collar, and hurled him through the portal.
"Who are you...?"
Neuvillette stared blankly at the figure who had suddenly appeared. Though filled with questions, he hesitated to approach due to the All-Devouring Narwhal blocking his path.
"Of course... I'm the pet's owner..."
Golden chains materialized from all directions in the air as Themis extended her hand.
Skirk watched in bewilderment as the chains suddenly appeared. She twisted and dodged, evading the first wave. But in a moment of hesitation, her movements froze - the chains had found their mark.
Lumine and Neuvillette stood frozen, staring at Skirk bound in golden chains alongside the All-Devouring Narwhal.
"Themis?! So you're this powerful?!"
"Why didn't you show up earlier?!"
"We were fighting so hard!"
Players: Paimon! You're lying! You disappeared the moment the battle started!
Skirk chuckled from her restrained position. "Why would she help you? Letting the narwal bring about the Prophecy without joining forces with it was already an act of mercy."
"Don't you agree, [Envoy of Celestia]?"
Players watching the drama unfold: I knew it! Themis must be the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles!
Skirk's nickname for her didn't faze Themis. She calmly replied, "Miss Skirk, you should understand that letting a dog off its leash means the dog ends up walking itself."
"Though I'd love to make your master accountable for her irresponsible behavior, given your master-disciple relationship, it's only natural for you to compensate for the damage your pet caused here."
Seeing Skirk's indifferent expression, almost as if she didn't care, Themis felt like she might burst into laughter from sheer exasperation.
This attitude was infuriating.
She opened a spatial gate and tossed Skirk inside.
The newly unified Hydro Archon, having just integrated all memories and divine power, stared at the suddenly appearing spatial gate and the thrown-out Skirk, utterly bewildered.
Quickly regaining her composure, the Hydro Archon seized the moment before the gate closed, transforming into a stream of light that shot through the portal.
However, upon emerging on the other side, the Hydro Archon realized something was amiss.
"Themis?"
Seeing Themis, her lover, Furina—or perhaps Focalors—instinctively felt joy and moved to approach.
"Stay away from her, Furina!"
Neuvillette blocked the path of the approaching Furina.
Themis averted her gaze from Furina, who had suddenly appeared, and turned back to Neuvillette and the Traveler. Their eyes, fixed on her, betrayed clear wariness.
The two shielded Furina, who still seemed bewildered by the situation, positioning themselves protectively behind her.
Lumine raised her weapon toward Themis. "Themis," she demanded, "what did that woman mean when she called you an Envoy of Celestia?"
"Ha~ My dear friend, why so cautious?" Themis replied with a smile. "This is most unbecoming."
As Themis met Lumine's gaze, it became clear that the latter was now completely on guard.
Under Furina's watchful eye, Themis fell silent for a moment. When she finally looked up again, her face wore an enigmatic smile. "As you know, I am indeed an envoy of Celestia. Naturally, I've come to advance the Prophecy's fulfillment and carry out the divine judgment. I am the executioner overseeing the Hydro Archon's punishment."
Themis spread her hands, maintaining her smile.
"So... you're betraying Fontaine? Betraying... Furina?!" Neuvillette stepped forward, his brow furrowed as power coiled around him.
"Themis...?" Furina stared at her in disbelief, her eyes wide with shock.
-
Title: Themis! Are you betraying Furina? Betraying Fontaine?!