insurmountable | you know i'm the type / type to risk my life, not afraid to die

[ it isn't too long ago when she receives the report from one of the mages.

something about a breach in one of their portals, which is why a part of her initially assumed it might be dainsleif yet again; truly, that man's tenacity and tirelessness in chasing after her is something to be admired and something to be detested. but they tell her it's a child of teyvat and he's decimated a few of her heralds, and that's when her brows furrow and her curiosity piques, her steps turning away from her quarters and towards the throne room, heels clicking against the stone floors.

this better be something worth her attention and time. after all, despite the sovereignty she holds over the entirety of the abyss, sitting on a cold, hard chair isn't what she'd like to do for the rest of her day. and it seems like it is when she sees her current guest being dragged before her presence.

still, lumine keeps an impassive expression as she waves a dismissive hand at the heralds and they step back just as ropes of dark energy shoot out from the floor and close around his wrists to hold him down. ]

If it isn't the 11th Harbinger of the Tsaritsa. [ she knows him too well, perhaps much more than what her brother does. ] I'm very honoured to finally meet you.

[The ropes wrap around his wrists, and he can feel the force behind them- he's not going anywhere, and he makes a feeble attempt to struggle against it. But his body won't cooperate, so tired from using the full extent of his power that he can barely put up a fight.]

I'm humbled that my reputation precedes me even in the darkest corners of Teyvat, [he says with a smirk on his face.] It's not very impressive that you had to have all of your dogs come after me at the same time, though...perhaps you need to think about how you train your troops.

[It's now he finally lifts his head, as difficult as it is- and sees exactly who he's speaking to.

She's the spitting image of Aether, in every way. The same eyes, the same face...

For a split second, his expression betrays him, instantly recognizing who she is. How is this possible? Does Aether know?]

[ to be fair, she wasn't the one who sent the heralds running after him. they did it on their own, and why wouldn't they when someone invites themselves unannounced into the realm? ]

It's not every day they find someone, especially a servant of one of the archons, deliberately visiting my realm and picking a fight. Most of my visitors accidentally fall in.

[ like him, as her flat voice seems to imply. yes, she knows about that too. it would be unbecoming of her as the abyss leader if she wasn't aware of the ongoings in her kingdom, of the abyssal power that's being harnessed by a child of teyvat.

still, she's quite certain that he doesn't dwell on his previous journey that very moment, not when he finally lifts his head to look at her. the expression that crosses his face says it all, and she's almost, almost tempted to wear the smile that her brother often does if only to unsettle him. she's heard enough about his association with her twin brother, known enough of the kind of impression aether has made on him; taking advantage of their current circumstances would be simple.

but lumine decides otherwise, resting a cheek against a hand as she looks down at him. ]

You look like you've seen a ghost.

Perhaps, I have.

[There's three things that go through his mind- one, she knows he's been here before. And two, she knows that he knows Aether. This puts him in an even worse position, but he believes he can navigate that well enough. But thirdly, that's his sister, the person he'd been looking for this whole time. And she's here. Here of all places, in the Abyss, as their leader.]

So you've been parading around in the Abyss the entire time while your brother endlessly searches for you? Some sister you are.

[He spits that last part out. He'd never do that to his own family, even as a Fatui Harbinger who walks in the shadows. Despicable, really. He feels for Aether in this moment, though he doesn't know the circumstances.]

[ if she's, in any way, offended by his words, her expression doesn't show it. if anything, her heralds and mages seem more affronted on her behalf, and lumine has to lift a hand to keep them at bay. there's been enough violence for today already and she's in no mood for further bloodshed, especially not in her presence and not in her halls. instead, she simply tugs at his bonds, pulling him down further. ]

Aether knows, or is that something he's never shared with you? [ her lips twist crookedly, though her eyes remain indifferent. ] For someone who has close relations with my brother, that's quite a shame.

[ though she's more than certain aether, always the more compassionate between the two of them, has never shared that information with his other companions either. for whatever reason, whether it's a concern for them or for her, she's not entirely sure.

but she's not here to humour him with verbal sparring. her heralds can entertain him later, instead. ]

So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, then? Surely, you didn't come here simply to judge me as Aether's sister.

Ngh...

[The bonds that hold him further pull him downward, and he doesn't have the strength to fight it. Aether knew? Or was she bluffing? But he can see his comrade not sharing with him that he might of known that his sister was in charge of the Abyss Order. He kept some things close to his chest, which he could never blame him for- and this information would be incredibly personal, if not chaos inciting. And he's Fatui, he'll never be able to fully trust him. But at the same time, he wishes Aether would of at least asked him for help, for advice...

She's so cold, he thinks, as he pulls against the dark energy binding him. What was her deal anyway...]

Your Heralds here were messy, [he says, in defiance.] So I made short work of them. Even I didn't expect to be brought before their leader. But now that I'm here, don't you want to see what exactly brought down your elite soldiers? I'm more than willing to fight you too.

[An open challenge, even with his dwindling strength. But if he can get free of these bonds, he can get away- even if it would hurt his pride to do so. But he's not in a good situation here. Even he knows he wouldn't win right now.]

[ so he's not sent by his archon? what a strange boy, she thinks, to simply go through one of the portals to make a mess of her heralds. though she does wonder how much of that facetious challenge is candid. once more, lumine lifts a hand to silence the hushed twittering in the hall; he's agitating no one here with his presence and provocations but her servants. ]

You can barely stand on your two feet. It's not very enjoyable to bully the weak.

[ and she makes her point by jerking him down further. she'd smile, but this isn't very amusing for her, either.

a moment later, however, she deliberately slackens her grasp on his bonds, enough for him to get back up on his feet but not enough for him to get away. if he can, that is, get up on his feet and she's quite certain he'll try to prove her wrong. from what she's heard about him, he seems to be quite the pigheaded type, not much different from her twin. ]

Challenge me again when you've recovered your strength. And then, perhaps I might tell you a thing or two about your transformation.

[ she turns to one of the mages and gives it a set of instructions in the abyssal tongue. the mage bows and disappears into a flash of snow and ice. ]

After all, it takes a toll on your body when you use it, doesn't it?

Edited 2022-01-01 08:02 (UTC)

[So that bluff wasn't going to work...

It hurts, being yanked down again, gritting his teeth as he tries to keep himself silenced as to not give away how hurt he actually was. Sure, she might know that he isn't doing well, but if he can convince her otherwise to loosen his bonds, that would be the most ideal situation.

But it's when she mentions his transformation that gets his attention. He looks up at her, feeling the dark energy loosen, and he struggles to get to his feet. It takes a moment, but he does, standing up straight despite how heavy and tired his entire body felt. Why did she let him up?]

How do you know about that.

[He asks curtly, but he wants to know. He'd only learned it in such a short period of time in here- if there were more secrets, he'd love to hear them.]

[ oh, so he's interested. how curious.

perhaps the reports about him are true, of his thirst for blood and battle. after all, unlocking the secrets to his transformation, to further strength and power, is something he won't be able to resist, a delicious temptation dangling within his reach. ]

Your power comes from the Abyss, and the Abyss is my realm. Did you think that I would be unaware of the happenings in my own domain?

[ the mage returns, once more bowing at her in reverence, and lumine gets up from her seat and starts walking down the raised dais, pausing momentarily in front of him. even his eyes, she muses with a tilt of her head, have been stained by her realm, the light in those blue eyes extinguished.

without another word, she walks past him just as the bonds return around his wrists, tugging him after her like a leash. ]

Come.

[ not that he has a choice not to, anyway. ]

[As she stops in front of him, he only stares back, unwilling to show any kind of subservience to her. She studies his eyes, something he's noticed about himself as well. Guess it was no coincidence, and as they say, eyes are a window to one's soul, and his was twisted by this dark place long ago.

The bonds quickly tug him along, and he almost stumbles in surprise. He walks behind her, unable to do much more than wonder what she has to show him, or what she had her mage do. He's sure it's nothing good, and more than likely has everything to do with him.]

What, going to show me your awesome omnipotence in this realm of yours? Save it, [he spits at her.] Just because you know about the Foul Legacy Transformation doesn't mean I'm just going to bow down to you and beg for you to teach me.

[ she briefly glances at him over her shoulder as they walk down ruined hallways, bathed in white by the huge pale moon floating over the abyss. for a moment, she says nothing in response, her heels simply clicking against stone floors, and it's the cryo mage floating next to her that speaks in that strange enochian language. a moment later, she chuckles. ]

You come into my domain uninvited, fight my heralds and lose against them, and when you're captured, you're the one upset about it. How fascinating.

[ they have a name for that kind of person, but lumine dares not say it. not out of fear of retaliation, but out of allowing him to realise what she's pointing out. she assumes he's intelligent for that, at least. ]

Is that what your Archon asks her defeated foes to do? Bow down and implore for her forgiveness?

[Ugh, she's starting to sound like Signora. It's only helping to anger him further, and he ignores her shot at him. He can accept that it was his own fault for getting captured, and he's not going to take her bait.]

Her Majesty the Tsarista is pure, unlike your order that slinks here in the darkness. She, at least, does not seek to destroy the world. I'm just wondering why you decided to bring up my transformation in the first place, hanging it in front of me like that.

[He knows he doesn't have much of a ground to stand on there morality wise. But he won't stand for any ill-talk of his Tsarista.]

Besides, why not finish me off now, then? I'm a threat to your operations here. Wouldn't it be best?

[Fight him ojou-chan]

[ pure.

another laughter bubbles up her throat, a little less mirthful this time around, but she says nothing more about the topic. it's not his place to know and her time will only be wasted explaining to a zealot of an archon. instead, she allows the mage to leave her presence to take care of more things. ]

If you wish to crush the gods and their thrones under your heel and rule the world, then your current transformation will get you killed even before you reach Celestia.

[ and wouldn't that be a shame? not for her, but for him, who feeds off of the glory and thrill of fighting. ]

But hm, I suppose you're right. Perhaps I should finish you off.

[How much does she know about him?

Almost every word she's uttered reveals that she knows more about him than he realizes, and part of him starts to worry. He won't let that show on his face, but it's troubling when she's constantly rattling off his own deepest wishes. Granted, so far he's okay with someone knowing these things- but the way she's presenting them to him, one after another...what else does she know? How long has she been watching him?]

Come, try me then, [he says, to try to egg her on,] finish me off. But at least make it a fair fight. What pleasure is there in bullying the weak, right? Let me show you what a Harbinger can do.

[He'll push himself to the limit. He doesn't care. He's doomed if he doesn't.]

[ he's like a child, isn't he, teasing and provoking his playmates to fight him over a toy or a game. even when he knows he can't win, even when he's beaten and broken, he simply won't let up. skirk has injected far too much chaos into this one, the abyss having taken root firmly in him already.

she stops in front of a door where two heralds stand watch outside, pulling at his restraints. one of them gives her a momentary glance before they open the door, revealing a modest room. nothing opulent or grand and it looks like it hasn't been used for centuries, but it'll do for now.

there's a small wooden box sitting on the bed and she pushes him towards it just as the heralds close the door behind them. ]

Take off your shirt and then sit on the bed.

[He stumbles a few feet forward, noting the doors closing behind them. He's confused...what is she doing? He'd fully expected to fight for his life, and now he's finding himself in an ancient bedroom that looks as if it hasn't been used. He looks over to her, annoyed and giving her the most incredulous glare.]

What is this? Are you mocking me?

[He wants a battle. Not whatever....this is.]

And how am I supposed to do anything with these bonds on my wrists?

[Does she even know how much of a pain in the ass it is to put this jacket on every day?]

[ he gripes at everything, doesn't he? lumine idly wonders how her twin brother is able to deal with this kind of whining on a near-daily basis as she walks towards the bed and offhandedly waves a hand. the restraints around his wrists dissipate into thin air, releasing him.

that should be enough, shouldn't it? ]

You said you want me to make it a fair fight, didn't you? It's never going to be a fair fight in your current state.

[ she turns to him once more as she sits on the edge of the bed, the wooden box now on her lap. her lips tug at the corner as she keeps her gaze intent on him. ]

Now take off your shirt and sit.

[Finally.

He rubs his wrists as the bonds come off, grinning. Free, and now he'll make her regret it. He eyes the box in her lap, formulating a plan. He is weak, that's true. If he transforms now, he'll surely fall, and there's only one way out of here. Abyss Heralds on one side, their leader right here in front of them. If he kills her now, in the chaos he might be able to escape. He'd have to do it quick or else those bonds were going to come right back and restrain him again. He'll have to get close.

Was it worth it?

He'd have to figure out a way to apologize to Aether. This is a dire situation for him. But still...his curiosity is nagging at him. What's in the box, and why is she so intent on this?

So he walk towards her, a weary eye on her.]

That's quite a bit of confidence you have, releasing me like this. You know I have every chance to kill you now, right?

[He doesn't sit. Instead, he steps in front of her, looking down.]

And here I thought you were smarter than that.

[In a flash, a hydro blade appears in his hand as he swings it, aimed for her throat, with nothing held back. He's not as fast in his condition, but he's going to try anyway. At the very least, perhaps he can start the fight he wanted now if she survives.]

[ lumine can't say she was expecting this, even wondering when he would make his move. she supposes that attacking her in the throne room would've been suicidal with her court in attendance, so striking while they're alone like this would be most optimal for his survival. though she wonders if his mind is also affected by his previous fight with her heralds; clearly, he's not thinking this plan through.

he's fast, but she's quicker uninjured. her sword, silver and gold, flashes into existence before her in time to block his blade just inches from her neck. the box on her lap falls to the floor from the movement, spilling its contents. ]

Is this your idea of a fair fight? [ she murmurs quietly, her eyes not leaving his face at all. ] I expected more.

[ her other hand closes into a fist, sharply punching the side that he's been surreptitiously trying to hide from her. a broken rib, perhaps, or some kind of bad hit from earlier—who knows. what she does know is that he's clearly underestimating her. ]

And here I thought you were smarter than that.

[He's about to counterattack with his other hand, when her fist slams into his side. He can feel pain radiate through him, having hit a spot that he knows is already far too injured to take another blow like that and not stun him.]

Ngh-agh!!!!

[He stumbles away, holding his side as he gasps for breath, hacking up blood into his gloved hand. It serves as a reminder of how injured he was, and her words cut through him like a knife. He shouldn't be letting her get to him like this, but his mind races for more options to take here. If he even has more options.]

Guess you really are into bullying, huh...

[His mouth keeps running, but it only serves to make him cough some more. The effects were clear. He's in no condition to be fighting anyone right now.]

[ his cry causes the heralds to burst through the door, and lumine, in exasperation, sighs and lifts a hand once more to keep them from swooping on her errant guest. there's a long pregnant pause, one that she allows all of them to stew in, before they bow and reluctantly leave them yet again.

once more they're gone, she gets up from her seat and starts picking up the contents of the box from the floor: clean bandages, antiseptic and strong-smelling ointments, even a sewing kit, procured by the mages elsewhere. ]

Only when it comes to children who can't follow simple instructions, such as taking off their shirt and sitting down.

[ shots fired, etc.

once she's gathered the items and deposited them back into the box, lumine takes a seat again on the edge of the bed, looking at him expectantly. now, will he finally remove his clothes and sit down? she's honestly getting tired of this. ]

[Even doubled over, he sees now what was inside the box. Simple first aid. He's in too much pain to hide his shock, blinking a few times. She was going to bandage him up? What?]

I don't need you to talk down to me from that perch you're sitting on.

[He's mad, but more mad at his own incapability than at her in this moment. His mind is still boggled. But he needs a minute, to recuperate from that blow. Finally, he steps over, sitting on the bed as instructed, but not without a glare.]

Fine.

[He unclips his banner from his chest, slowly edging the jacket off of him. It's painful to do even that, but he manages, throwing it on the floor in front of them and doing the same with the red undershirt. Wounds cover his upper body, blood dripping down that's stained his shirt, revealing all sorts of scars from the many years of battle.]

[ well, it's not like she anticipates or wants him to be grateful. the look of surprise on his face when he realises what she's been holding onto and the fact that he finally, finally relents is enough for her to appreciate. after this, she's telling the mages not to disturb her rest unless the entire abyss goes up in flames.

her hands start busying themselves as he begins to undress, picking up a piece of cloth and soaking it in antiseptic. her gaze flickers at his jacket and shirt being tossed onto the floor, eyebrow arching.

just like a snake shedding his skin, she thinks, but she could also compare it to a child throwing a tantrum. either comparison works. ]

You seem to respond to me talking you down well enough.

[ lumine studies his injuries before she shifts closer and reaches out to start disinfecting the visible cuts, her hand much gentler now that it's no longer punching him. her heralds really did a number on him, though, which is to be expected of them. but to take down a few of them in his current state ... she'll have to sort that out too. ]

[Childe grimaces at the pain from the disinfectant, but it's necessary. He sits still, watching her work, and the only thing he can think of is why. There's a strange familiarity in this entire exchange too- had Aether found him in this condition, surely he would have scolded him and done the same. Forced him to sit, to dress his wounds, put his hands on his hips and glare.

There's a part of him that still wants to take advantage of this situation. But for now, he silently watches her, not really knowing how to respond for the moment.

His next movement is slow, non-threatening, as he reaches his hand up to grasp one of her wrists. His grip is loose, and she can easily pull away without much effort. He just wants to stop her for a second.]

Why are you doing this? You have servants you could order to dress my wounds, and yet you invite me into this room and treat me yourself.

[His head tilts slightly to the side with curiosity.]

Your brother would have done the same for me too, you know. I guess you both are pretty alike.

[ and here she thought he'd never ask her that question.

lumine lifts her eyes to meet his, her hand pausing from its occupation with her wrist imprisoned, and returns his questioning look with the same impassive expression as before. a moment later, she lowers her gaze once more with a sigh, her other hand rummaging through the box. ]

I didn't know that you preferred mages and heralds over people. Shall I call one of them and have them continue?

[ besides, he's agitated them well enough; who knows what how effective their treatment would be if she were to leave them in their hands. ]

I'll summon a lector as well to sing you songs while they treat and dress your wounds.

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