"Madam Alice," Barbatos and the others landed beside Alice.
"Yo, Barbatos! Morax! Long time no see."
"Thank you for your help this time."
"What's with the thanks? The Abyss cast such a dark shadow over Klee. How could I, as her mother, face her if I didn't do something?"
Barbatos: "When she said 'They' saw it earlier, who was she referring to?"
Alice: "You guys should know better than me. After all, you've locked eyes with it yourselves."
Morax nodded. Their earlier speculation seemed correct: the entity on the other side of the rift was likely the Master of the eye that appeared in Inazuma.
This realization weighed heavily on Morax and the others.
If Fontaine's Pure Soul was this difficult to deal with even before the Abyss could claim it, and a mere rift could leave them helpless...
It was clear: even without the Pure Soul, the Abyss's power was steadily growing.
At this rate, the next confrontation would likely be an extremely difficult battle.
"Alright, I need to go find Klee and share the good news. I won't keep you company any longer."
Alice tossed a medium-sized Dodoco to Barbatos. "Looks like your information network is quick too. To avoid any more awkward moments like this, take this. Call me if you need anything."
With that, Alice opened a rift, just as she had when she arrived, and slipped through.
At the scene, Rukkhadevata and Nahida circled the Obelisk several times, thoroughly reassured by its seals.
Yet one lingering question remained: Was opening a rift like this equally difficult for the Abyss, or was it merely a trivial matter? If the latter, what would they do if the Abyss began opening such spatial breaches at random locations?
Another long period of worry awaited them...
Skirk, seeing the immediate crisis resolved, had already departed.
Neuvillette approached Rukkhadevata. "Thank you for your assistance. May I examine Fidelle's condition?"
Rukkhadevata naturally agreed. She produced a small purple orb and, using a wisp of her power, levitated it before the group.
Venti and Zhongli had already resumed their customary attire, and the group gathered around the floating orb.
Venti: "Her soul energy seems incredibly weak..."
Rukkhadevata: "This orb, which contains her soul, bears her soulmark. Her soul remains intact. Though weakened, it should gradually recover."
"Focalors once told me about her past," Zhongli said. "She..."
"Wait, Focalors?!" Neuvillette interrupted, his composure cracking for the first time in memory. If Zhongli's words were true, could Focalors still be alive?
But how was that possible?!
He had personally witnessed Focalors' execution, the destruction of the Hydro Archon's Divine Throne, and his own restoration to the Authority of the Ancient Dragons.
"Fidelle burned her soul to draw the Abyss into the execution chamber, disrupting the proceedings," Zhongli explained. "She used the power of her burning soul to shield Focalors' final consciousness, ultimately sacrificing her own soul to let the Abyss carry both herself and Focalors away from the execution chamber."
In just a few words, Zhongli laid bare the entire sequence of events. His listeners reacted with astonishment and awe.
Neuvillette's eyes, however, betrayed the deepest turmoil.
He had never imagined that Fidelle... could go to such lengths.
Dissolved to nothing but a soul by the Primordial Sea water, she had ultimately wagered her very essence in a bargain with the Abyss to save the God Focalors...
Neuvillette felt his entire understanding of reality crumble. From Fidelle's dissolution to the Hydro Archon's execution, only a few short days had passed.
Just hearing Zhongli's account, Neuvillette could imagine the sheer difficulty of executing this plan—it seemed virtually impossible!
Unless the Abyss actively cooperated, but how could that ever happen?
Venti: "Her identity is very... 'special.' I'm not surprised she could accomplish this."
Neuvillette: "May I take her into my care?"
Seeing Rukkhadevata nod, Neuvillette carefully reached out to the small purple orb, slowly lifting it into his palm and securing it.
"My apologies, everyone. Fontaine is currently in chaos. Please forgive me for not being able to stay any longer. I will safeguard Fidelle's soul, and I will never forget your assistance."
After Neuvillette departed, Venti approached Zhongli. "Old Man, I'm heading to Fontaine to see the Traveler. Want to come along?"
"I... sigh, I'll pass this time..." Zhongli rubbed his temples.
Venti asked anxiously, "What's wrong, Old Man?"
Zhongli waved dismissively, indicating he was fine.
His age was catching up with him. Such frequent exertion had accelerated his erosion; he just felt a bit tired.
After all, if it weren't for the Abyss, Zhongli would have retired long ago.
"Old Man, don't push yourself too hard," Venti warned. "Go see Rukkhadevata later."
"Hmm..."
Venti glanced at Rukkhadevata, who was looking up slightly, her expression complex.
Fidelle's act of sacrificing her own soul to save the Hydro Archon's consciousness had stirred Rukkhadevata's thoughts about Sumeru's Pure Soul.
By now, she had largely pieced together what that person had done.
But... her name and memories remained irretrievable.
Every trace of her existence had been erased by Irminsul, a deletion so thorough that it was irreversible, beyond her ability to repair.
What that person had dared to imagine was something even Rukkhadevata herself wouldn't have dared to imagine. Yet she had not only dared to dream it, but had also dared to act on it, and ultimately succeeded...
-
Inside Fontaine's Opera House, Focalors had revealed everything to Furina, including her five-hundred-year plan, all the changes that had occurred in Fontaine, and the reason she had appeared there.
When Furina learned that Fidelle had burned her soul to save Focalors, tears streamed down her face in large drops.
Upon discovering that the Abyss had taken Fidelle, Furina even tried to rush out to rescue her, but Focalors stopped her.
"Furina, Neuvillette and the others have already given chase. The Anemo Archon, Geo Archon, Electro Archon, and Dendro Archon are all there. I'm sure they'll resolve this quickly."
Furina nodded repeatedly, but her tears continued to flow.
"She'll be alright, she has to be alright! With so many gods going after her, Fidelle will definitely be safe!"
Furina clasped her hands together, praying for Fidelle's safety.
"You promised me, Fidelle... This is punishment, and you have no choice but to endure it..."
Standing beside the distraught Furina, Focalors felt a pang of sorrow herself.
Fidelle was deeply important to Furina. Similarly, after observing the girl for so long through the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, Focalors had grown fond of her.
She was my savior...
Alas, Focalors was powerless to help in her current state. She could only join Furina in praying for Fidelle's safety and return.