Chapter Text
Dangling their legs casually over a large platform above Amakumo Peak, one lone male looked on at the nation before him.
Once the famed archipelago of Inazuma, the now Elemental Alliance stood united. Cryo, Dendro, Pyro, Anemo, Geo, Hydro, with Electro at its center. It went without saying that Inazuma was the heart of it all.
After all, he was Inazuma's Raiden Shogun so it made sense that he'd rally all of the nations around the one he called home. Even if he wasn't born there.
High above, a smile graced his features as the faithful Thunder Manifestations flew about. With his godly vision, it was easy to spot his dear sister, Qiqi, flying atop the very first creature he tamed. Given it was his first and Qiqi being… well herself, they'd dubbed the electric bat "Echo."
It and its siblings were vital in the battle against Barbatos. To fight a God that could discard the very oxygen was not something he'd ever want to do again. Things were only made worse when he had to go back and fight a second time because things happened during his first trek to the Anemo Nation, Mondstadt.
Thankfully with him now as an ally, Barbatos, aka Venti the bard, now only drunk gallons after gallons of disgusting alcohol along with their friends like Citlali, Kaeya, and the others. He could only give another silent condolence to Diluc for the next time the Pyro would have to deal with them for their next late-night gathering.
He couldn't help but chuckle at their last gathering together.
Citlali and Eula had gotten so drunk, they started arguing over who loved him more. As amusing as it was for everyone, he couldn't deny the red tint that adorned his entire face that night. It was even worse when both women came to the following morning with one of the worst hangovers he'd seen either sport. Those two were a lot of things. Drinkers, fighters, and he was thankful to call them his lovers. Two of his surprisingly many.
Sara, Hu Tao, Keqing, Fischl, Ganyu, Ayaka, Eula, Citlali, and the others…
Sara and Ganyu were his right and left hand woman respectively. Not just due to him matching their elements but with how far they've come as fighters and lovers, it made the most sense for the generals of Inazuma and Snezhnaya to be on common ground.
Hu Tao, the former Funeral Director, was his sun. She was the first to stay with him even before his adventure in Inazuma started and she's stuck by him since. Her cheery attitude and constant positivity had brought him back from his lowest points time and time again. Keqing and Sara had gripes with her teasing nature because that was a nature none could take away as much as they'd all wish to not deal with that side of her, even for just one day. Once fearful to fight, her own experiences had melded her into one of Teyvat's strongest capable of contending with the likes of Zhongli and Mavuika, the Geo and Pyro Archon respectively. A man couldn't ask for a better friend.
Keqing and Fischl, one workaholic and the other arguably Hu Tao's partner in crime when it came to anything drama related. Both held pros and cons as did everyone. No one was perfect but the effort both put in to ensure Inazuma stayed up and running throughout the war had been recognized time and time again by nearly each and every person. Days of having to order one to relax under the watchful eye of Lisa and the other to act like "themself" were well worth it to see both still alive and able.
Ganyu as well as Ayaka…
"Haha…"
What are you giggling about, Relon?
Like the nearly infinite times before, his head lifted once more as if to peak at the electric bats high above.
"Nothing much, Nahida. Just reminiscing again. We've been through a lot, you and I…"
Feeling the presence of life manifest, he only had to look at his side to see the visage of the young radish girl smile up at him. She wasn't real. Lesser Lord Kusanali remained inside himself. The specter before him was simply her projection. One only he could see. Something he's seen her, Ei, and a few of the other Archons do whenever they inhabited his body.
"Teehee. This is the farthest we've come so that's true."
"Well, this is our last chance at saving everyone in Teyvat so defying that fated loop was a good first step, that's for sure." He never wanted to experience repeating something over so many times and he'd beat the shit out of Celestia and anyone else that dared to screw with his beloved God-sister or any of his younger claimed siblings.
He'll never forget how thrown for a loop he was when Qiqi suddenly declared Diona her "sister" and then Nahida and Yaoyao soon after. From there, the "Tiny Brigade" was formed and it was the most adorable thing anyone in the Elemental Alliance had seen. Basically his "younger siblings" according to the talisman-user.
"We've overcome one trial after the next. Now we've amassed all the nations. Powerful beings like Neuvillette, the Traveler and his sister, even the remnants of Khaenri'ah have joined us."
"Learning about Khaenri'ah was definitely something," he muses. "Kaeya really threw up for a loop there too…"
"Indeed," she nods to rise up as the bats descend. "What troubles me is when they shall make their next move."
Following her gesture to eye Qiqi hop off, he can only nod in agreement. The cause for the nations splitting, the reason why he had to fight so many of his friends, the cause behind the nations' very landmasses migrating around Inazuma; it all lied at one singular cause. And someone else close to him was alone with that very evil.
"We'll save her soon."
"Soon can't come any quicker, Nahida. We need to get with Aether, Lumine, and the others to plan how we'll strike. They won't wait forever."
"Why wait?" A new voice, all too familiar chimed in casually. Relon's blood shivered as all instincts too the forefront.
Polearm manifesting to life in an instant, he immediately slid back from the blocked attack.
"Big Brother!" Qiqi's voice exclaimed.
One snap to his left saw a wall of ice block a volley of arrows as icicle spears halted a scythe to blur in motion.
"Childe! Arlecchino! Why are you both still doing this?!"
"Come now, Relon. We're tied a piece from our battles. We have to settle the score!"
"You have what we need so it's time we take what rightfully our!"
Feeling the imminent power residing within both begin to churn, he can only grab Qiqi to manifest a portal.
"None of that!" Jester snaps to cancel out their escape route.
"Tch!" Hunkering down, he stomps for a pillar of ice to send them up as they hop to be caught by the swooping Echo. "You're a lifesaver, Echo!" He thanks to finally notice the overbearing shadow.
Conjuring two layered walls of ice, both can only feel themselves lose their footing.
Relon!
Snapped from his sudden blackout, his eyes dance around to see the descending Qiqi. Righting himself on an electro sigil, he lunges catching her for the same force to slam into his back.
"Ack! I've… had… ENOUGH!" Forced back as they crash to the ground, a sphere of concentrated ice lays lodged at the center of the ground. With a blast, ice particles fire for the three to not flinch.
From beyond the mist, a burst of purple and light blue energy emerged. Around them, purple and red matched their own emergence.
Snow white eyes lifting to their foes, he only had to glance at the gargantuan humanoid machine to feel Scaramouche was inside.
"Scara, Childe, Arlecchino, and Pierro himself…" The calm yet distorted voice of Relon spoke.
With a single step, the platform cracked. Then it crumbled. Down they all fell, none bothered by the sudden occurrence as he danced his polearm in his hand.
He could see it.
All of the combined nations under siege.
This was it.
"Tell me, Relon, Qiqi, why do you both persist?"
Dim red eyes glowing bright as her hands support Relon's for a sphere of mixed elemental powers to manifest in his palm, Qiqi eyes the leader behind their ruined lives.
"Why do you wish to harm those who haven't hurt you? Nahida, Klee, Yaoyao, Big Brother, Ms. Raiden; what gives you the right?!" Gone was the slow and droopy sister, now she was focused.
"Come now, Qiqi," Arlecchino pesters, her outfit littering her form with embers. "We both know what we're doing is the right choice! Now allow me to show you both why my title is the Knave!"
"All that matters is settling the score and unifying the world as we see fit!" Childe adds under his Foul Legacy Transformation.
"Arlecchino, Childe, if what my brother and Eula told you truly meant nothing then we'll simply defeat you all over again!"
From the sturdy stone, both blasted off.
"Pierrooooo!"
"YOUR INSIGNIFICANT ATTEMPTS MEAN LITTLE BEFORE POWER LIKE MINE!" Scaramouche roars descending a hand to intervene.
"Spiral Sphere!" Combining Electro plus Cryo, static dances inside the frozen ball of spinning ice for two shockwaves to emit. For a moment, all becomes sucked in to invert outwards as both sides reach the shoreline.
Coming to a halt, both sides eye the other.
"To think it'd all end right where it started. You asked why, Pierro. It's simple really." First came the Cryo at his feet, then the pulsating Electro against his body. Next came the booming thunder from above as more manifestations swarmed the sibling duo. "It's because I'm not just the archon's chosen, but Ei's chosen!"