To the people of Inazuma, Baal was an untouchable Lord, wielding both great might and wisdom in battle. She had sundered entire mountains with but a single swing of her blade, and she rendered the skies dark for months on end. A War Goddess, said to contrast even the might of someone like Morax.
None of that mattered as Lumine laid down her burning analysis onto the depressed-looking Makoto.
The Traveler was brutal, leaving not a single stone unturned in her analysis regarding Makoto's failures on leadership. Perhaps it was her built up tension from performing a task she dearly despised, or perhaps it was something else. But whatever it was, it turned the usually lax Adventurer into a harsh instructor.
"You 'unified' Inazuma, but set up no communications once you went into seclusion. Ever wonder why practically everyone hates Inazuma city now?"
"You came and took, but never gave anything in return. Who would ever serve a Lord like that?"
"You're a god, and I get that you don't really need to eat, but come on, how did you never teach the common people to like, I don't know, fish? For food?"
"Oh yeah? 'You wish for Eternity for Inazuma', is it? Uhuh, sure. How does that tie back into what I said?"
"That's it? Wow, you're an actual idiot. People probably called you smart because they're too busy pissing their pants to realize their Lord's a dumbass."
"Eternity? Do you even know what that means? I'm thousands of years old, lil' sis. Don't even try saying anything back."
And Makoto could only whimper as she faced it all, incapable of saying anything in return. After all, they were all true, weren't they? Everything she'd built herself on—her mission, her identity, her reason—they were all torn down one by one. Any attempt she made to explain herself only gave Lumine more fuel to fire back.
All the while, Raiden Ei watched the session with undisguised awe. It was the first time she'd seen her sister be so thoroughly back-footed by someone else, and a strange whimsical emotion danced in her heart as she did. But more than that, when Lumine mentioned that she was thousands of years old, something else began to bloom in her heart. Something akin to respect, or even more.
A smile tugged on her lips as she took a bite of the peach in her hands. She hummed happily as she enjoyed the sweetness that danced across her tongue. And then she paused. Blinked as she looked down at the peach she held. When did she get this?
Hmm.
Oh well.
She cast the thought away as she continued to eat.
…
Of course, what the three women didn't know was that they had an additional unseen witness. A small, orb-shaped spirit, hiding behind one of the flickering lanterns in the captain's quarters.
Which was me.
Having [Foxtail Shift] was incredibly useful when it came to espionage, and my Wind Sprite form especially so. I didn't quite know what this form entailed at first, but when I found myself as a small ball of wind, barely bigger than an apple, I immediately realized how useful it was.
As I watched as Lumine continued to lambast the poor goddess, I couldn't help but smile. I suppose I was a little peeved at first when I found out what Lumine had been doing behind my back—I never did tell her how far my hearing went—but my heart warmed when I soon realized why.
I could only admit it now; I was far from okay. Though I remembered little of the contents of that nightmare I experienced, everything still felt…wrong. My chest felt hollow at times, and I would find myself staring into empty air, as if my subconscious was clawing for some missing piece that had fallen away.
The most I could remember was something red, but that was it. And trying to remember more brought me so much pain that it rendered me motionless for a good minute.
Lumine had taken my place because she cared. She hated the diplomatic one, and yet she still did it anyway. And what else could I feel but this great happiness?
That, and watching Lumine completely bulldoze through whatever little resistance Raiden Makoto had left was quite amusing. She'd somehow turned a tense negotiation into a parent-child conference; an incredible feat, to say the least.
…So, what now?
I mean, I suppose I could watch the rest of this 'negotiation', but I believe Lumine had already won. Watatsumi will gain independence from Inazuma—that was practically a forgone conclusion with how defeated Makoto looked. There really was no point in staying here, aside from the endless entertainment.
I…guess I should go back then. Better I leave now before I get spotted. This form offered me great stealth, but Lumine could definitely perceive me once she was done with burning Makoto with her own failures.
So, I discreetly moved from furniture to furniture, hiding behind them as I zipped towards the door's broken handle. And once I got there, I squeezed right through the hole Lumine left behind, and quickly soared into the sky. No one noticed my leave as I continued rising towards the sky.
My orb-like body glowed for a moment as I felt the winds soar past me. Befitting of being a Wind Sprite, this body felt great attunement with the winds. Though that didn't mean I could unleash power as I normally could; I instinctively knew that this form was ill-suited to any form of combat. I could control the winds of course, but most of my power lay in combining it with my sword and bow.
I enjoyed the freedom I felt as I soared through the sky, before I quickly dove back down towards Gourou Village. I went down and slipped through the small gap in the window of my temporary room, before transforming back to my normal body once I was inside. My cloak danced as I gently landed on the ground, and I calmly fixed my beret as the winds faded.
Unconsciously, I found my gaze wandering to my bed. It seemed to whisper to me, promising me comfort and the answers I'd been seeking from my dreams.
I grit my teeth as I pulled my eyes away. I knew that sleeping would do nothing. I'd already slept through most of the previous few days, both in hopes of perhaps finding that dream again and to escape the hollow feeling that followed me to my waking hours.
I took a shaky breath, and then fixed my usual smile onto my face as I left my room.
…
As the day went on, my fixed smile slowly became more genuine. It was hard not to as I watched Gourou Village thrive. Naturally, no one truly knew that Lord Baal was literally at Watatsumi's shores, though I had a feeling it wouldn't really change much. None of the people here truly revered the Electro Archon.
In truth, though the Shogunate now held a cautious-hostility towards Watatsumi Island, the people here couldn't care less about that. They were content with developing their own island now that the opportunity showed itself. Even their so-called desire from independence was born more from annoyance more than anything else.
"They haven't done anything for us, and they call us part of Inazuma?" Kensai had said when asked, scoffing. "As if. We have never been part of their union."
That hollowness remained in my chest, but I eventually found the strength to ignore it. And for the first time in quite a while, I found myself wanting to play some music.
I found a good place to sit down after a while, and after re-familiarizing myself with my harp, I closed my eyes and began to play. I didn't really have a song in mind yet, but my fingers itched with the need to play anything. I lost myself in the music's melody, letting the rest of the world fall away.
Inevitably, people soon heard my song, and they gathered around me in droves, enchanted by the allure of the melody I played. The group was small at first, but it didn't take long before more people gathered, and soon I had half of the village gathered around me, taken by my song.
Saiguu and Hanami were also in the crowd, having just returned from their daily practice. Hanami was immediately enchanted by the nameless song I played, while Saiguu smiled as she closed her eyes. She was unfamiliar with the style of music, but it certainly was pleasing to the ear.
Even Orobashi joined the audience, though he watched from afar. There was a small smile on his lips as he watched his people gather around me. He had repeated it many times, but no amount of words could ever convey the gratitude he held for Lumine and I. For had we not arrived, he was certain that Watatsumi would have fallen to ruin just like Enkanomiya did in the past.
I didn't notice any of that. Instead, I focused on the song I was playing. There was a niggling sensation in the back of my mind, guiding the way my fingers moved across the harp. A song from deep within my subconscious, waiting to finally be played.
Then, my lips parted.
And I sang. About fighting together against the shadows of despair. About finding our way even in the unknown. About dawn. About unending dreams. Of weathering through storms. Of fighting for hope no matter what.
The lyrics came to me in an almost overwhelming tidal wave, yet I found myself singing along with little difficulty. I could feel myself playing in this strange Resonance I'd somehow joined, but the feeling was pleasant, and I found my foot tapping to this unheard rhythm.
But to my audience, the event was even more incredible. Though I only played a harp, the moment I began to sing, it almost sounded as if there was an orchestra playing behind me—an unseen band playing together to form this symphony. My song, already enchanting, became almost hypnotic. And so it was inevitable that the rest of the village soon gathered, drawn together into the budding Resonance.
It wasn't just them. The world itself seemed to listen. The clouds above parted, and sunlight peered down onto me, almost like a giant spotlight. Some people even thought they could see white wings behind my back, though most quickly dismissed it as a trick of the eye.
At that moment, the Wandering Bard looked almost angelic, with the world as my audience.
Then, finally, the last line of the song came.
"In the face of God, we rose as one." I finished in an almost-whisper, and the moment I did, I felt the Resonance slowly unravel. The rest of the world rushed back in, and I then blinked as I heard hundreds of people's applause. I could even see Hanami and Saiguu in the crowd!
"My, and you dare call yourself a tone-deaf Bard to me that one time?" Saiguu smirked. "Many artisans would cry blood if they ever heard that."
"T-That was really good, Wendy-sama!" Hanami said, her eyes glittering in awe.
"Aha! What an amazing song! Much time has passed since something so enchanting was heard!" A man said, his face covered by a strangely familiar happy mask.
I blinked once more, and then smiled fondly. It's been a while since my music could gather such an enthusiastic crowd. Or, perhaps it was more accurate to say that it's been a while since my music wasn't known to most.
I stood up and gave my audience a deep bow. "I hope my performance was enjoyable, dear listeners." I winked. "Now then, perhaps another song is in order?"
The people of Gourou Village cheered, and I laughed lightly as I sat down and began playing my next song.
…
The afternoon sky seemed to warp slightly as a strange humming echoed from Celestia's outpost.
And unseen by all, a strange pillar-like object began forming next to the island, aimed right at Watatsumi Island.