The Second Archon War: Interlude 10

Interlude 10: The Sabzeruz Festival

Being atop a dendrosaur was a bit like sailing on a boat. The rolling gait of the giant creature was somewhat soothing, to the point that Paimon had passed out, a bit of drool leaking out of her mouth as she cuddled up in Lumine’s lap. The sweet fragrance of the flowers on the creatures had a spicy aroma that Lumine found enticing, and she was too excited that they were nearing the end of their nearly year-long journey to sleep herself. 

She grabbed a piece of paper from her backpack and crumpled it, then extended her hand towards one of the fruit that grew along the creature’s side. A moment later, she had the fruit in her hands. Aether stirred slightly, opening one eye and frowning at Lumine. “Is that…safe to eat?”

“The fruit from a dendrosaur? It’s high in elemental energy, but you’re both capes, so it should be fine,” their drover said. He was a sunburnt man named Abdulah with a “Brockton Bay Longshoremen” ballcap, and a kind disposition

Biting into the fruit, Lumine found it sweet, with a sharp, tangy aftertaste. She also got a burst of energy that sent a thrill down her spine, and Lumine sighed in contentment. She was exhausted, her own skin freckled and sunburnt, despite her bucket hat and tinted sports goggles. Though because of all the dirt on her, she looked like a bit of a raccoon when she put them on. 

Stupid whopper flowers. They’d saved the village crop, but all three of them had ended up absolutely filthy. On the plus side, they’d gotten a ride with Abdulah and Meganium. Apparently, Abdulah was a bit of a nerd, and he’d spent a good bit of their journey playing on an ancient purple Gameboy. That had been out in the boonies, now that they were in sight of Baghdad, there was enough traffic that Abdulah was paying more attention to guiding Meganium.

“Not a lot of cars,” Aether observed, hanging over the side. “Sure are a lot of dendrosaurs though.”

“It’s a government initiative. Instead of creating pollution like cars do, dendrosaurs make fertilizer! It’s highly valuable, one of our biggest exports now along with all the surplus food we’re growing,” Abdulah explained

It was true: Lumine could see a dozen different varieties of dendrosaurs, from the sauropod-like ones similar to Meganium, to ones that resembled stegosaurs, ceratopsians, hadrosaurs, ankylosaurs, and even predatory-looking therapods. None of them were dinosaurs, at least not truly. All of them had plants sprouting from them, from the cacti along the back of the stegosaurs to the fronds growing from the therapods. They ranged in size from gargantuan beasts larger than any natural animal hauling massive loads, to the size of a small pony with single riders or small burdens. 

“Mmm, does Paimon smell food? Paimon wants some…” the sleepy fairy in Lumine’s lap murmured, and she exchanged the core of her fruit for another growing on Meganium’s back. Taking out a pocket knife, she cut off small pieces, offering some to Paimon and her brother. 

As they entered into the city, Lumine spotted banners and other decorations being raised, most of them in green and silver. She couldn’t read the letters, mostly since she wasn’t even slightly fluent in Arabic. The only reason she could communicate with Abdulah was that he spoke English, the only language of this world she’d even come close to mastering. 

“What do they say?” she whispered to Paimon as her travel guide chewed happily on the fruit.

Smacking her lips, Paimon pointed to the banners. “Most of them say ‘Happy Birthday’! It’s the Sabzeruz Festival! It’s celebrated every year in Sumeru, and now in Iraq, I guess, though in Sumeru, Greater Lord Rhukkhadevata is honored more greatly. She was the former Dendro Archon before Lesser Lord Kusinali became the current Dendro Archon.”

“Really? Did the other Archons stop an Endbringer? Twice?” Aether asked, though his tone was teasing. 

Paimon’s expression fell. “She died in the Cataclysm, saving the people of Khaenri'ah. Paimon isn’t sure exactly how, but that’s what all the stories say. She was a great hero.” 

“Then I guess Kusinali is a proper heir for her indeed,” Lumine said with a smile. “She’s saved the world twice now.”

“Yeah, Paimon didn’t know much about Kusinali before coming to this world. But she seems really nice! I hope we get to meet her, and that she can tell us a way for us to get home,” Paimon said wistfully.

“Us too,” Aether agreed somberly, and Lumine nodded. 

They rode in silence for a while after that, as Abdulah directed Meganium through the outskirts to a warehouse, where Abdulah and Meganium would unload their cargo of cotton bales. They bid each other farewell, with Lumine slipping Meganium a carrot, which the gentle giant accepted from her palm eagerly. As they departed, the dendrosaur also deposited a rather large mass of fertilizer, which a disheveled man with a wheelbarrow approached. 

“You wouldn’t know it when you look at me, but I used to run this place! Let me tell you that Kusanali, she’s pure evil! Her and her little faeries…you just watch yourselves! One day, I’ll take it all back! Oh yes, it will all be mine again!” the man cackled as he began to shovel the dung into his cart. 

“Sure you will, grandpa,” Lumine said, giving the man a patronizing smile. 

“Uh, Lumine…I’m pretty sure that’s…” Aether said, then shook his head. “Never mind. Whoever he was, he’s just some crazy old man now I suppose.”

They headed into the city, where decorations continued to be erected. Lumine smiled, remembering festivals back home, from the Charmony Festival in the Fall to the Lantern Rite to herald the New Year. Her eyes misted over slightly, as she recalled the time spent with her brother and their friends. Would they ever see another Grand Choir perform the Charmony Festival, or light lanterns to celebrate another year? 

“LOOK OUT!” 

Lumine blinked and immediately felt her adrenaline surge as Paimon let out a squeak of fear and a bright white object fell at her feet and exploded into a white cloud. She drew her baseball bat and began swatting at the object, beating it violently. There was a loud crack, and then bright objects spilled at her feet. She hesitated, breathing hard, looking around for another attack. 

With a laugh, Aether bent down and retrieved one of the little packages that had spilled around them. He twisted off the paper wrapper, then popped it in his mouth. “Relax, it's just candy. Some sort of pinata.”

“Are you OK!? Sorry, I dropped the Simurgh early…” a little girl said, poking her head over the side of the building beside them. 

“Uh, we’re fine. Um, sorry about your pinata. I was, er, startled,” Lumine said, chuckling nervously and putting her bat back in the sling she kept on her back. 

“Paimon nearly had a heart attack! But since it was candy, Paimon will forgive you this time,” the floating fairy said, bobbing down to grab as many pieces of candy as she could.

“Wait right there! I’ll be right down,” the girl said. There was pounding of feet, and a minute later, a young girl with her dark hair in long curls down her back appeared. 

“Miss Nadia!” a harried-looking older man said, hurrying out after the girl. “You nearly hurt these travelers!” 

“We’re alright, it’s fine,” Aether said with a laugh. 

“Well, I’m glad. Dang, you did a number on the Simurgh,” Nadia said, inspecting the beating her paper mache Simurgh had taken. “Why are you carrying bats? Do you play sports?”

“This is the honorable and noble weapon of a true Heroine,” Lumine said, holding forth her bat for Nadia to inspect. “It has slain many a vicious foe. Why, just yesterday, we were in Sariyatak, where this very bat slew a dozen slimes, and drove off a plague of whopper flowers.” 

“Ooooo,” Nadia said appreciatively, touching Lumine’s bat with obvious reverence.

“Don’t give her any ideas,” the man groaned, putting a hand to his forehead. 

“Are you Nadia’s father? Don’t worry, my sister and I are fine, as is Paimon,” Aether told him. 

“Me? Thank Allah, no! I’m Fadiy, her minder. But Miss Nadia is excited for the Sabzeruz festival. She wants to have Nahida over for a surprise, and she decided to make this contraption,” Fadiy said, nudging the destroyed effigy. 

“Are you an aranara?” Nadia asked Paimon, who was now stuffing her mouth with so much candy she looked like a hamster with its cheek pouches full. 

“No, Paimon is Paimon!” their guide huffed. She was doing a remarkably good job of translating the speech back and forth, even with a mouthful of sweets. “These are my friends, and we’re looking for the Dendro Archon, actually! We need to find our way back home, we were sent here from another world.”

Nadia’s eyes went wide. “Are you from Teyvat too!? Nahida’s from Teyvat! So are the aranara…I think. I don’t think I’ve ever asked. We should find out if they know a way back home, they know lots of things!” 

“We’re from Earth, but a very different one. Our home country was Genshin,” Lumine explained. “Teyvat was an old empire on the Honkai continent.” 

“Yeah, we’re just looking for a way home. We miss our friends and family,” Aether agreed. 

“Paimon was from Teyvat! And Paimon wants to get home too!” the little fairy added. Then her expression fell, and some of the candy slipped through her fingers. “E-even…even if that means Paimon won’t get to journey with the Travelers anymore…”

“Wow, so cool! You’ll definitely want to talk to Nahida then. She’s super smart! I’m her best friend though. We go to school together sometimes, and we play games, and even have sleepovers!” Nadia said proudly. 

“Is there any way you could get us a meeting with the Dendro Archon?” Lumine asked hopefully. 

Chest puffing out with pride, Nadia nodded. “Of course, I can! You just have to help me fix my Simurgh, and we can take it to her as a present!” 

A short time later, they were up to their elbows in paper, glue, feathers, and candy. Aether blew a feather off of his nose and made a face at Lumine. “There’s always something…”

“Hey, at least we’re making progress! This beats getting lost in the Taurus Mountains for two months,” Lumine pointed out. 

“Ugh, and hopefully this place doesn’t have a mad Tinker doing something weird with goats,” Aether said with a shudder. 

“Do not worry, Gold-Nara. Sarva-nara has school for tinkering, but no goats! Lots of coco-goats though!” 

Lumine and Aether blinked, then looked down to see an aranara looking back up at them, dobs of glue on its face. 

“Oh hi! Are you a fairy too!?” Paimon gasped, zooming down to the aranara’s level and smiling eagerly. “Everyone says Paimon is a fairy, but Paimon is just Paimon! Paimon doesn’t think she is an aranara, but Paimon gets lonely sometimes…”

“Silver-nara is not an aranara. Silver-nara is made of stars and light and shadow, not dreams and trees,” the aranara said with a tinkling shake of its head. 

“Oh hi, Arana! Sorry, we don’t have Nahida’s present ready quite yet. I, um, dropped it,” Nadia admitted. 

“Hello, Rose-nara. That is OK. Arana will help finish present for Sarva-nara!” the forest spirit said happily, her petals whirling so she could hover up to stick a few feathers into the Simurgh-pinata. 

After another hour or so, they had the pinata finished. Aether hung it in the sun to dry, and Sajy, Nadia’s mother, brought them falafel for lunch. Everyone ate, save for Arana, who was happy with a few spritzes of water and some moist soil. 

After that, there was nothing left but to take the pinata through the city to the House of Wisdom. It was several kilometers, so they rode in a cart pulled by a dendrosaur. The city was filled with flowers and banners, as well as many kites that were rising up into the air on strings. A few were shaped with the Simurgh, with fangs and malevolent red eyes, but far more were shaped like Nahida. A few were red butterflies, made to look like her adoptive mother Farasha, and others were long and serpentine to resemble Flower Dragon. 

There were small celebrations everywhere, with people setting off sparklers, playing music, and small games for children. The scent of food filled the air as well, with plenty of vendors hawking wares. Many were also giving out candy to children, and to passing aranara as well. They were starting to appear everywhere, and while they had little interest in the candy themselves, they dutifully thanked those that gave it to them, before flying off in the same direction Lumine and her party were going. 

“Last year, Nahida’s birthday was really scary,” Nadia explained. She shuddered, and for a moment her chipper smile broke, replaced by a grimace of fear. “I was with her in class when she told us the Hopekiller was coming. Mrs. Wafa was our teacher then, and she took us to the shelter. We were really scared…but then, Nahida saved us! And then I saved Nahida!” 

“That’s not what happened,” Fadiy sighed, shaking his head. 

“Shhhh! I’m telling the story. So, anyway, I knew where my dad kept all the guns! It was a secret, but he was actually a super cool mafia don!” Nahida said excitedly. 

“Nadia!” Fadiy croaked, his head whipping around as Lumine covered her mouth to hide a smile.

“What? He’s not a bad guy mafia don! He’s like, a cool, noble one! Now he helps people instead of robbing them, because I saved Nahida and got rid of Rotten Saddam!” Nadia declared, standing up proudly on the dendrosaur and planting her hands on her hips.

“We ran into him, actually,” Aether said in amusement. 

Nadia frowned at him. “You’re making that up.”

“No, it’s true! He was a dendrosaur pooper scooper,” Aether assured her. 

That made Nadia burst into giggles. “Hehe! Nahida did do that. She felt really guilty about it, but I think it’s funny!”

“It is poetic justice,” Lumine agreed with a laugh. 

A short time later, they arrived at the House of Wisdom. Lumine gaped at the structure in awe. It was less of a building, and more of a forest. Massive trees over 150 meters tall, the size of skyscrapers, that were visible from a distance, but up close, were awe inspiring. They were actually growing over existing buildings, and several of the trees were growing together to form a single, massive tree trunk. It would be decades if not centuries before that happened, but still. 

Flowers bloomed everywhere, and there were tinkling fountains all around. Colorful birds nested amidst the branches, as did flying dendrosaurs. Pterodendros? Lumine wasn’t sure. There were also hundreds of aranara, buzzing about or waddling on the ground. 

And the people! Lumine had seen pictures of Iraq from several decades ago, mostly of people in drab and somewhat shabby clothing. But these people were wearing wonderful clothing of all the colors of the rainbow. The green of dendro, Nahida Saeed’s colors, prevailed, but they were far from the only colors. There was a large group that had clothes of a similar cut, but their styles were very different. 

“Those are students here at the House of Wisdom. The color tells you what they’re learning! Did you know a bunch of them are learning magic!? Nahida’s taught me some magic too!” Nadia said as Fadily let them off before taking the dendrosaur to the stables. 

“I’d heard about that. I was surprised to learn there was no mystic arts here on Earth before Parahumans. There was plenty of magic back home,” Aether said. “Though, we didn’t think of it as strange. Just a different set of tools. My sister and I were mostly just into computers and tech though.”

“Oh, you’d be Kshahrewar then! They wear white,” Nadia said, pointing to a group of students in white robes. They were overseeing what looked to be a robotics zoo: all of the robots were shaped like various animals and were reenacting life in nature. One of the robots, shaped like a giant four-legged crab, was currently on the fritz, and the students seemed to be trying to fix it. 

“Interesting. Maybe they could make a portal back home,” Lumine mused. 

“I keep trying to get Nahida to let them reenact Battlebots, but she says robots shouldn’t fight one another,” Nadia said with a sigh. “What’s the point of robots if they don’t even fight?”

They went further into the school, where even more wondrous things could be seen, from a small amusement park with carousels and roller coasters grown from plants, to a great kitchen serving dishes of all kinds. The entire place was gripped by a festival air, and if Lumine hadn’t been on such an important mission, she could have spent days exploring everything. 

They were just passing a choir of aranara singing to the crowd, when Lumine noticed a little girl wandering alone. Unlike everyone else, she had a dazed expression, and was holding tight to a large hairy coconut in her hands, with tears in her eyes. She looked rather strange, with pale white hair, and pink eyes, her coloration like an albino. “Hey, are you lost?” Lumine said, kneeling in front of the child.

“Cocogoat,” the little girl said mournfully, holding the coconut up to Lumine. 

“Qiqi, what are you doing here? Where’s your mom and dad?” Nadia asked, coming up to the other girl

“Qiqi get cocogoat,” Qiqi said, as if that explained everything. 

“Yeah, you would run away for a coconut,” Nadia said with a shake of her head. “Here, let me see.”

Qiqi reluctantly handed over her treasure, and Nadia produced a large knife, with which she expertly cut a hole into the fruit.

“Dare I ask why you have a knife like that?” Aether said with a slight frown. Nadia couldn’t have been more than seven. 

“My dad always says it’s better not to ask questions you would rather not know the answer to,” Nadia said airily. 

“Relax, a girl’s gotta have a knife for cutting open coconuts for her friend,” Lumie said, elbowing Aether. He rolled his eyes as Qiqi eagerly took the coconut back, lifting it to her lips and eagerly sucking down the coconut water. 

“Qiqi! There you are! Oh, and Nadia! Thank you for finding her,” a woman with green hair said, hurrying up. She had an anemo vision on her chest and was dressed in black robes with green ribbons. 

“Hi Aunty Faruzan!” Nadia said. “We came to give Nahida a birthday present! It’s a pinata.”

Wincing, Faruzan forced a smile on her face. “Nadia, what have I told you about calling me aunty?”

“That aunty is for old people and you’re not old yet. But aren’t you like forty? That’s super old,” Nadia said seriously, and Qiqi nodded. 

“Aunty,” she agreed between gulps of coconut.

“Forty isn’t that old! And besides, I’m still in my thirties!” Faruzan huffed. She turned to Aether and Lumine. “I don’t believe we’ve been introduced. Are you watching these two trouble makers?”

“They’ve been no trouble at all, ma’am. I, uh, mean, Miss Faruzan,” Aether said, correcting himself as Faruzan glared at him. 

“These are the Travelers, and Paimon is Paimon!” their guide chirrupted happily. 

“Oh? And what are you? Your clothing…it’s incredible,” Faruzan said, reaching out to finger Paimon’s garments. 

“Oh, these? Paimon put on her original clothes for today, since it’s a special day! They’re very fancy,” Paimon said, preening at the attention. 

“Fascinating! They remind me of the garments Nahida showed me from Teyvat,” Faruzan mused. 

“Really?!” Paimon zipped right up into Faruzan’s face, causing her to jerk back slightly. “Do you think Paimon is from Teyvat too!? Could Lesser Lord Kusinali send Paimon and the Travelers home!?” 

“I…I’m not sure! You’d have to ask Nahida. But it’s almost time for the Sabzeruz Festival to begin,” Faruzan said. “I need to get Qiqi back to Nahida, they’re to ride in the Flower Carriage together.”

“But what about her present?!” Nadia gasped. 

“I’ll make sure she gets it. It will go in a special place of honor in front of all the others,” Faruzan said, taking the pinata from Aether. 

“Ok. Come on, let’s get good places to watch!” Nadia said, grabbing Lumine and Aether’s hands and leading them out of the House of Wisdom, down the streets, and up to the top of a building that she somehow knew would have an unlocked gate at the rear. 

“Shouldn’t we tell Fadiy where we are?” Aether asked as they looked down at the street.

“Nah, he’ll figure out where I am eventually, he always does,” Nadia said with a shrug. 

They stayed on the roof for an hour, with Nadia falling asleep in Lumine’s lap, while Paimon snored in Aether’s arms. The two siblings sat in the shade of a tree that was growing atop the building, enjoying some peace and quiet. 

“Do you think this will be the end of our journey? Truly?” Lumine asked her brother, feeling her heart race nervously. 

“It’s the end of a journey,” Aether said quietly, so as not to wake the sleeping children. “But it’s the start of another. Where that will lead…I don’t know. But no matter where we go, we have each other.” 

“Yeah. Together,” Lumine agreed.

Not long after that, music suddenly swelled, and shouts filled the air. 

“Hmm? Is it starting? You were supposed to wake Paimon,” the sleepy fairy said, scrubbing at her eyes with her hands. 

“It’s starting!” Nadia cheered, running to the edge of the roof and peering over. “Listen! They’re chanting, ‘sahib al'amal!’ Hopebringer!” 

They didn’t have to wait long. While the parade was a great snaking procession that was many kilometers long, at the head rode Nahida in a flower carriage. It was shaped a bit like a flower bud, and was festooned with flowers of every imaginable kind. It was drawn by two strutting dendrosaurs with feathered plums on their heads and garbed in dresses of flowers. 

Riding in the driver’s seat were Dr. Bashir Saeed and his wife, Farasha Saeed. Farasha was just starting to show her pregnancy, and instead of her usual black and red uniform, was dressed in white, with a garland of red roses in her dark hair. Next to her, her husband had on a green turban and green robe, with a white serpent entwined around his neck. 

And behind them, amidst a cushion of flowers, were their daughters, Nahida and Qiqi, holding hands and waving to the crowd. Qiqi was still waving her hand backwards, as if to herself, but she seemed happy enough. Probably because of the dozen coconuts around her. 

Nahida herself wore a crown of flowers, with a bright green dress of cotton spread about her. She waved merrily to the crowd, but when she saw Nadia, she laughed and called to her by name. “Nadia! You have to come to my party later!” Her voice was soft and musical, but it carried easily to everyone’s ears. 

“I WILL!” Nadia screamed back. “I’M BRINGING MY NEW FRIENDS! THEY’RE FROM TEYVAT TOO!” 

Nahida’s eyes went big at that, but she only nodded, and with a final wave, rode away in her carriage. Behind her, Tessa the Flower Dragon walked with an honor guard of Aranara in her humanoid form, waving to the crowd herself. After that came bands, government officials on dendrosaurs, and dozens upon dozens of students. 

There were also dignitaries from every nation, save for one notable by its absence: Imperial Russia had sent no dignitaries to the Sabzeruz festival. Every other nation, from the United States to the Vatican itself, had sent representatives. Far from repudiating Nahida, the Holy See had recognized her as an angel of a similar nature to Barbados. 

The parade lasted for hours and hours, until well after sunset. At that point, Nadia convinced Aether to give her a ride on his shoulders, and they made their way to a small doctor's office near the city’s former slums.  While on the next day there would be a grand celebration with important people and heads of state, tonight, Nahida was celebrating with her friends and family alone. 

There were guards, at least, not those that would be visible to most people. The door was kept by the aranara, who had mostly gone back to being invisible to adults. Lumine only noticed that when an aranara had to dodge out of the way of a man’s footsteps, though she herself could still see them. Apparently, she was still an innocent at heart, which was a bit silly considering what she’d been through. 

“Gold-nara and silver-nara are invited to the party, Sarva-nara says so!” Arana told them as they approached Nahdia’s home. 

“Thank you,” Lumine told the little fae. “Um, do we need to check our weapons?”

“Sarva-nara did not say so. But butterfly-nara is very protective. Arana would not bring weapons.”

Wisely, Lumine and Aether left their bats outside. 

On the inside, the home was humbler than Lumine had expected. The most extravagant things were the shelves and shelves of books, and the exotic plants both inside and outside in the garden. Beyond that, it could have been the home of any small family, with worn plates and slightly scuffed but clean floors. 

The guestlist, however, was anything but ordinary. Lumine hadn’t been in this world long, but she knew that Farasha was a name to be reckoned with. Once the most terrifying parahuman in the Middle East, she had traded in her ornate white dress for a simpler dress and slippers. Tessa, the Dendro Dragon, was in the kitchen with the Dendro cooking dinner, which smelled wonderful and seemed to include dino nuggies. Dr. Bashir was entertaining Qiqi and Nadia (and Paimon) with a few simple tricks with his vision, while Aether and Lumine could only look on, wide eyed. 

“So, you two are from Nahida’s neck of the woods, huh? Did you know her back home?” Farasha asked them. 

Lumine shook her head. “Not exactly. I don’t think we’re from the same world as Nahida, though we are from another world.” 

“We were sort of hoping she could show us how to get back home,” Aether added. 

“Huh. Well, she’s a smart little radish! Maybe she can help you out,” Farasha said with a shrug. 

“Pardon, did you say you were from another world? Could you tell me about it? I’ve been fascinated by the concept for many years,” Dr. Bashir said, leaning over. 

Before any potentially awkward questions could be announced, Tessa announced, “Dinner time!” 

The table was cleared away, and steaming dishes were loaded onto the plain wooden table. There was biryani; rice served with spices and flowers and topped with lamb, panipuri; fried bread filled with potatoes, onions, and chickpeas with a spicy gravy, fruit salads made with harra fruit and lotus blossoms, butter chicken curry, and a special dish that Nahida called “Halvamazd” that was made with candied ajilenakh nuts, almonds, and garnished with roses. And of course, Dendrosaur Nuggies, with garlic and yogurt sauce. 

Everyone dug in, and there was so much food that even Paimon was able to eat until she was barely able to float. During the meal, Lumine watched Lesser Lord Kusinali, though she insisted, “Call me Nahida.”

The Dendro Archon didn’t look human, with her pointed ears, glowing green eyes, and silver hair. But she laughed, talked, and played with the other children (and Paimon) just like any other little girl would. She seemed…happy. Content. Lumine questioned if this was really an Archon, really the Hopebringer who had liberated mankind from the terror of the Simurgh. 

When the meal was finished, Bashir and Farasha went to clean up in the kitchen, with Farasha saying that, “It’s the only time anyone trusts me with a frying pan and spatula!” 

Nadia and Qiqi left with Tessa to prepare some last minute party favors, which left the Travelers alone with Nahida at the kitchen table. 

“Would you like to see my garden?” Nahida asked, almost shyly. 

“Of course, we’d love to,” Lumine agreed, and her brother nodded. Paimon was sleeping on the bench, somnolent after gorging herself. 

They stepped outside into the evening air, Nahida walking barefoot on the still warm stones. “I first came to this world two years ago. When I woke up, I wasn’t riding in a flower carriage, but a truck bed filled with produce. I was frightened, and scared, having not left the sanctuary of my imprisonment in five centuries. How did you first arrive upon this world, Travelers?”

“We arrived during a Simurgh attack,” Aether said, his tone tight. “We had just been at school, waiting for our Aunt and Uncle. We were staying late after class for gaming club, but the other members had already left.”

“Then, well, I’d call it a hole, maybe a wormhole? Opened up and swallowed us, along with most of the computer lab,” Lumine continued. “It dumped us out in the middle of this secret base. There was a man there. He…he’d gone crazy. He was ranting about unveiling the universe, and he had a giant machine that had created the wormhole. There were sparks everywhere, and fire too.”

“It was some sort of secret government facility, filled with Tinkertech. At least, we think so. We’ve been able to only piece together a little,” Aether added. “Anyway, it was on fire, and the smoke tasted like acid. We couldn’t get back through the portal, it had already closed. We struggled our way out, the man ranting at us until he succumbed to the fumes.”

“But we were trapped, we couldn’t find a way out. We stayed low, like you’re supposed to do in a fire. We found our way into another room and shut the door, but we knew that it was only a brief respite,” Lumine explained. 

“That’s where we found Paimon, and two vials. Paimon was unconscious, trapped in this tank. But she was alive and breathing, we could see that. With the fire coming, we were desperate, so we opened the tank and revived her.”

“She didn’t know who we were, or what was going on, or where we were. But she could read the instructions on the vials,” Lumine added, closing her eyes, recalling the chaos and flames, Paimon babbling almost incoherently, but blessedly in a language she and her brother knew. 

“The vials would grant us powers she said. She didn’t know the risks, we didn’t either. But we needed…something. Anything. Or we’d die trapped in that warehouse in the fire. So…we drank the vials,” Aether admitted. 

“It hurt. It hurt so much,” Lumine said, shuddering and hugging herself. She could remember ice and flames racing through her veins, feeling as though her mind would explode, seeing visions of horrific creatures the size of solar systems gobbling up entire planets like mad locusts.  “I thought I was going to die. Until…Paimon hugged me.”

“She hugged both of us. After that, the visions we saw calmed, and whatever was in those vials didn’t kill us. It did give us powers, make us parahumans,” Aether said, holding up his hand. A distortion in the air rippled over his fingers, and he shot a pebble into the night sky with a thunderous crack. 

“I can tell you what was in those vials, but first, finish your story,” Nahida urged. 

“There isn’t much else to tell,” Lumine said with a shrug. “We used our powers to break out and escape the flames, then fight through a city gone mad. The Simurgh had stopped her song and left, but there were thousands, tens of thousands, of maddened zombies trying to kill and destroy everything around them. So, we fled. Ran as fast as we could. Somehow got through the cordon, and started our journey.”

“We’ve met Lord Barbados, but he couldn’t help us, much. So we came to you. Hoping you’d have answers. Hoping you’d have a way home,” Aether said, kneeling down to look hopefully at Nahida.

She gave him a sad smile, then a quick hug, before going over to hug Lumine as well. “First, I want you to know that if you ever need somewhere safe to stay…you’re always welcome here. And to not give you false hope, I do not know how to get you home. I myself have no way back to Teyvat.”

A lump formed in Lumine’s throat, and she nodded. “T-thank you, anyway. Well, I suppose-”

“Wait, just a moment,” Nahida urged them. “I said I could tell you what was in those vials. It’s important that you know. What you drank, it was from Cauldron. They were bits of a dead god, harvested and placed in those vials in an attempt to grant mortals powers they should not hold. They would have turned you into parahumans. But they didn’t.”

“What? But, we are parahumans. We have powers,” Aether said in confusion. “You saw, right?”

“You have powers, but you are not parahumans,” Nahida said firmly. “Someone changed the path of those powers. Awakened those bits of a dead god. Merged them fully with your souls. A bit like what Lord Barbatos does with his Knights who are possessed. Though they were not of you, these powers are now truly yours.”

“Huh? You mean, Venti changed our powers?” Lumine asked curiously. 

Nahida shook her head. “No. I think someone else did. And I think you know who.”

The twins blinked, then shared a startled look. “Paimon!?”

“Yes. Paimon is also of Teyvat,” Nahida confirmed. “And by her coloring and the constellations that follow her…well. I have some guesses. But she is not malevolent, so do not fear. She truly is your trusty guide and travel companion.”

“But…do you know what Paimon is?” Aether urged. 

“I have suspicions. Guesses. Nothing more. You refer to her as a fairy, and that is a good name for what she is: a fae, a child of magic and wonder,” Nahida said with a smile. 

“But what about finding a way home? You said Cauldron was responsible for this. Could they help?” Lumine asked hopefully. 

“Do not stray into the godless land you came from. Should they find you, your journey will end, and you will fall into the Abyss, as lost Khaenri’ah did,” Nahida warned, her eyes glowing even more brightly in the dim light. 

“That sounds…ominous,” Aether said, frowning. 

“You must continue your journey to its end. Though there are many trials and travails ahead of you, one day, you will find your home,” Nahida promised them. 

Hope fluttered in Lumine’s heart, and she teared up slightly. She stepped closer to her brother, and both put their arms around each other, taking comfort in the only piece of home they had left. 

“There is one other thing I can offer you,” Nahida said. “Stay here tonight, sleep, and Dream. There is power in Dreams, and perhaps you will find what you need to continue on.” 

Before Lumine could ask what that meant, Farasha stuck her head out. “Hey, you’d better hurry! It’s time for cake, and if we make Qiqi wait much longer she’s liable to burst!” 

The cake was formed in the shape of a giant radish, but the interior was coconut flavored. They had homemade pistachio ice cream to go with it, and though Lumine had thought she’d been full, she found room for two entire servings. After that, she was very grateful that Nahida had offered to let them sleep over, as she didn’t have the energy to try to find somewhere to sleep. She and her brother took the guest room, with Paimon sleeping between them. She drifted off, warm and content, feeling safe for the first time in months.

“Lumine? Lumine! Wake up, you’ll miss the sunrise!” 

Blinking, Lumine sat up. She blinked groggily for a moment, and a warm cup was shoved into her hands. “Come on, we’ve waited the whole year for this! It would be a shame if you missed the sunrise on Honkai Dawn.”

For a moment, Lumine couldn’t believe her eyes. Then she let out a strangled cry, shoving the cup onto the nightstand and wrapping her arms around her Aunt. “Aunty Himeko!” 

“Oh? What’s wrong, Lumine? Did you have a nightmare?” her aunt asked, gently patting Lumine’s back. 

“I…I thought I’d lost you,” Lumine gasped, squeezing as tightly as she could. “I had a dream, that I was on a journey, that I-”

Lumine cut herself off. She grabbed the cup of coffee, then looked around the room. Spotting her Seele MK-II gunpla, she extended a hand, trying to swap the coffee with the model. But nothing happened. She lowered her hand, staring at it, confused. 

Pursing her lips, Himeko put a hand to Lumine’s forehead. “Are you sick? You’re acting strangely. Maybe you should go back to bed.”

“No, no, it’s fine. I wouldn’t want to miss a Honkai Sunrise,” Lumine said, and that was when she made a grievous mistake.

She actually drank some of her aunt’s coffee. Not just a little. The whole thing. It was so sickeningly sweet and syrupy that Lumine almost gagged on it. But the sugar and caffeine started pounding in her ears, and she knew there was no chance she could go back to sleep any time soon. 

“I’m awake now,” she said, her teeth practically chattering. “Let’s…let’s go see the sunrise!” 

They stepped out into the hall, and Lumine felt her heart lurch again as she saw her brother coming out of his bedroom with a familiar figure. “Uncle Welt!” 

“Ooof! Hold on there, Lumine. You’re going to break an old man’s bones,” he grumbled. “Your brother did the same thing. You’re acting like you haven’t seen me in years.”

“Is it wrong for a niece to want to give her uncle a hug?” Lumine asked, breathing in deeply. She could smell the ink and grease on her uncle, he’d been working late again. 

“I suppose not, especially not on a Honkai Sunrise. Come on, if we stand around here all day, we’ll miss it,” Uncle Welt said, but he did give Lumine a tight squeeze back. 

“Oh, I almost forgot, I need to wake our guest too,” Himeko said, stepping down the hall into the guest bedroom.

“Guest?” Lumine asked, looking to Aether, who seemed as baffled as her. “Aether, do you remember…?”

“All of it. But I think I might know who the guest is,” Aether said, hurrying past her. Lumine scrambled after, just as she heard Himeko say,

“Wakey, wakey, Paimon!” 

“Mmmm, just five more minutes, Paimon is sleepy,” their faithful companion said, sprawled out on a bed that was far too large for her. She suddenly jerked up, panic on her face. “Travelers! D-don’t leave-”

“We’re here, Paimon,” Lumine said, hurrying over to wrap the frightened fairy in a hug. 

“T-that’s good! You weren’t here when Paimon woke up, and Paimon was scared she was alone again,” Paimon sniffled. 

“Never,” Lumine assured her friend. “Promise.”

Paimon nodded, and they looked up to see concern on Welt and Himeko’s face. 

“Are you both alright? You’ve all been acting strangely,” Himeko said.

“Yes, is something wrong?” Welt agreed, putting an arm around his wife. 

“No, nothing. It’s fine,” Lumine said, dashing her tears away with her forearm. She gave Aether a sad smile. “Just a dream.”

“A dream,” he agreed, his own tone melancholic. “But, a good one.”

They did watch the sunrise together, the Travelers, Paimon, and their beloved Aunt and Uncle. The sun rose over their city, the darkness of the Impact washed away by the Honkai Sunrise, honoring the victory that had been won hundreds of years ago. They could see it all, the gleaming buildings, the tranquil parks, and the roads floating up to the stars above. 

“We’ll be back, someday,” Aether said, squeezing Lumine’s hand. “We’ll find our way home.”

“Yeah. Home,” Lumine agreed. But she didn’t look at her aunt and uncle. She looked at Paimon, who seemed so content and happy, hovering beside Lumine’s head. 

When the journey ended…what was left afterwards? 

But it wasn’t time to think about that now. For this night, this moment, they had a Dream of the past to share. A Dream where they could be with their family they had left behind, and the treasured companion they’d found along the way. Did it matter if it was just a Dream. 

Perhaps. But it was a Dream that Lumine wanted to strive for. 

PHILO: How typical. Even on her own birthday, the Little Radish finds greater joy in giving than in simple receiving. Most Lords would call her lesser for her naivety and kindness, but how much greater would the world be if all Lords were Lesser like Nahida?