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"In the vastness of the universe, there are wonders beyond imagination, mysteries waiting to be unraveled and incredible beauty that humbles the soul."
"So don't cry for me, Okay? I'm sure that someday, we will meet again under this same sky."
- The parting words of the 'First Outlander who visited Teyvat' to her companion, 'the Heaven's Star'.
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Its been six days since one of the Abyssal Order's legion had attacked and subsequently devastated the northern most region of Liyue.
A massive relief effort organized by Qixing-lead Liyuen government, the various other regions of Liyue, and even several private enterprises from the other nations had began to make their way across the different towns and villages of the Bishui region.
Countless supplies consisting of various essential goods such as food, clothing, medicine and building materials began pouring in towards the devastated Bishui Region on order to help rebuild it.
The Milileth, whose Bishui division was crippled by the sudden onslaught of monsters days ago, had mobilized several of its remaining garrisons across Liyue in what can be described as the largest humanitarian effort conducted by the ancient military organization in centuries!
Tens of thousands of Millileth soldiers from regions such as Lisha, Minlin, Qiongi, and Chenyu Vale, all converged towards the Bishui Plain to assist the locals in rebuilding their homes and provide necessary protection from any possible stray monsters who might have survived the earlier battle.
It was a grand display of solidarity from the Geo Archon's chosen people, a testament to the resilience and order that the nation of Liyue had upheld for millennia!
However, there was also another party who had unexpectedly joined the massive relief effort. A party that claimed to come from the north, from the neighboring nation of Freedom itself.
'Mondstadt'.
Caravans upon caravans of supply wagons began pouring in from the Stone Gate each filled to the brim with fresh food, clothing and even the finest basic medicines the nation could offer.
They were escorted by 30 of the 65 Honor Guards upon Artoria's specific orders, and each wagon were driven by what many people had described as a group of stoic and beautiful pale maidenswho wore the same distinct black and white maid uniforms!
Countless citizens from the Stone Gate and up to the towns that the large foreign convoy had passed through were utterly perplexed and equally impressed by the unusual but nonetheless pleasing sight.
Who would have thought that the nation of Mondstadt, known for its relaxed and carefree lifestyle, had such an efficient and well-organized disaster relief response?!
In truth, however, those supplies never actually came from Mondstadt in the first place. Rather, those essentials were created and harvested from the nascent world of Avalon itself!
A newly born world that lies hidden within the very fabric of Teyvat itself!
Around two days ago, prior to the convoy's arrival, Artoria had given specific instructions to her shade, Alter to use the Holy Grail to create several dozens resupply wagons of the highest quality and fill them with the necessary supplies needed for a massive regional-scaled relief effort.
High quality Avalonian-made food products, medicine clothing materials and so many more were all loaded up inside the newly created wagons in less than a day, in a manner and efficiency that far surpassed the production capabilities of any single nation in all of Teyvat!
Once all of the necessary preparations were made, Alter then assigned a large number of her trusted staff within her so-called 'Maid Legion' to oversee the transportation and distribution of the goods.
Members of this 'Maid Legion' were the pale and stoic beauties that the people of Liyue had seen driving and overseeing the wagons escorted by some of the Knights of Favonius Honor guards!
Meanwhile, using her abilities, Artoria created a hidden portal somewhere along the numerous crests of the Stone Gate that directly connects it with Avalon. It was a portal that only those she permitted could see and use. From there, the large convoy of aid from Avalon passed through undetected and began their grand journey southwards towards Liyue's northern most region.
This large charitable act by the supposedly small and carefree nation of Mondstadt had not only helped the people of the devastated region of Bishui but it also skyrocketed Artoria's already growing legendary status among the citizens of Liyue!
In the days that followed the attack, reporters from all across Liyue and beyond began flock into the Bishui Region in order not only to get the latest scoop but also to secure an interview with the now celebrated Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius herself!
Unfortunately for them though, the said Grand Master refused to give any of them, or anyone else for that matter, an audience, under the disguise of 'still recovering' from the injuries she had 'sustained' during her battle with the 'dark god'.
But still, some journalists, particularly from Fontaine's 'Steam Bird' news agency, were persistent. A few of them even tried to get a hold of the elusive Conqueror of Demons, who was the primary source information about the recent craze that was spreading like wildfire across all of Teyvat.
But then again, try as they might, they were unable even find a single trace of the usually reclusive adeptus.
After so many failed attempts, the journalists finally just settled with what sources they could readily find, namely the few knights who were willing to talk to them, and some of the personels affiliated with the Wangshu Inn.
Speaking of Artoria, (and unbeknownst to the general public), the now elusive and celebrated Primordial Goddess of Avalon, spent her days following the battle not in some makeshift infirmary or inside her heavily guarded chambers in the Wangshu Inn.
No, she spent the days following the battle as a sort of vacation back in Avalon, more specifically in her Tower's palatial halls and gardens, surrounded by her precious and adorable little children!
Aside from the solemn knighting ceremony of her squire Varka and his subsequent elevation to full-fledged knighthood, Artoria mostly spent her days within the confines of her Tower, lazing around and quietly knitting a new set of clothes for her newest little daughter, Beidou.
With her hands skillfully moving her knitting needles, Artoria watched with immense motherly joy as her five precious children played around inside the massive and luxurious gallery of her tower.
Her little Beidou, who was still shy and somewhat overwhelmed by her new life, quickly became the literal center of attention with her siblings playing a sort of 'tug of war' with each other to see who gets to spend the most time with their newest sister!
Jean, alongside Lisa, who was also present in Avalon along with her mother Melisa, would usually take turns discussing a wide range of girl-related topics to Beidou.
The two little girls enthusiastically talked about subjects pertaining to dresses, hairstyles and even some of their favorite literatures to the newly welcomed Pendragon-Gunnhildr scion, who appeared to be quite clueless about them. Beidou nonetheless enjoyed listening to them.
The former street rat would often just nod and smile as she listened to her sister and her newest friend talk about things she never knew existed.
"Little Sister, I would like to present to you my one and only Sir Kay!" Jean said as she proudly presented her pet beloved tortoise to her newest little sister.
Beidou looked at the shelled reptile with fascination. She had never seen a turtle so livel and so… polished (?) before! The little reptile's shell seemed to glimmer and reflect the rays of sunlight!
She cautiously reached out her small hands to touch its shell and head hoping to prove her assumptions.
"His...his so smooth!" She said with a hint of wonder in her voice.
Jean beamed with pride after hearing her little sister's reaction.
"Of course! I regularly polish him myself twice a day! Sir Kay is the most handsomest and strongest tortoise in all of Mondstadt and Avalon!" The future Dandelion Knight and heiress declared.
"Oh, ignore her Beidou, Jean's just being overly dramatic about her beloved pet tortoise." Lisa said with a playful eye-roll.
"Instead of being fascinated about that cold-blooded reptile, I would like to introduce you to a more interesting subject. The study of various land and aquatic creatures known as 'Biology'." The young academic prodigy said as she presented a large book to Beidou.
Beidou looked at the large book with a mix of awe and confusion, only to be shocked when her now 'older sister' Jean suddenly snatched the book away from Lisa's hands.
"Lisa! Don't corrupt my younger sister with your 'book-nerd' nonsense! She's clearly more interested on how I take care of my dear Sir Kay!" Jean said with a hint of childish possessiveness in her tone.
The two best friends would then playfully bicker with each other back and forth, with Beidou in the middle of them, trying her best to absorb the new and exciting world she had suddenly found herself in.
For Benny and Venti on the other hand, they would use a more direct approach to get their newest big sister's attention. The little rambunctious duo of troublemakers would pester their newest big sister with all sorts of make-believe games that would usually involve turning some of the stationed Enforcement Knights into impromptu cavalry horses!
"Hyah! Giddy up horsie! To the evil dragon's lair we go!" The little adventurer shouted as he gleefully rode on the shoulders of a stoic Enforcement Knight, who, despite being a powerful magical construct, remained impassive at being treated as a child's plaything.
"I see them! The evil dragon and the nefarious beast!" Shouted Venti, as he sighted both Dvalin and Fou who were sleeping in one of the plush couches nearby.
"Fear not, my brave brother, for I, Prince Venti, the mighty and mysterious hero of the wind and bane of all sabers, shall vanquish the foul beasts!" The godling in green scarf and cap declared, as he pulled out his wooden toy sword aptly named Xcalibur 1.0 and pointed it towards the two sleeping critters who were blissfully unaware of the 'danger' they were in.
But before the two 'adventurers' could even get near their targets, Beidou came in and blocked their path!
Riding on top of her own Enforcement Knight 'horsie', and carrying two red wooden swords of her own, Beidou stood in her little brothers way with a fearless expression on her face.
"Halt you dastardly duo! I, Lord Beidou, most loyal demon general of the Great Demon Lord Mama, shall not let you pass! My Mama has ordered me to guard her precious fluffy monsters and I shall not fail her!" The so called make-believe demon general declared, her stance full of conviction.
"The Mid level boss! We must defeat her Venti!" Benny exclaimed with excitement as he and Venti charged towards their older sister.
The ensuing 'battle' between the trio of godlings was both chaotic and adorable, especially when their 'horsies' began to 'fight' each other with their fists, much to the amusement of their every dotting mother, Artoria.
But even with all the fun she was having with her two brothers, Beidou still made sure to have some 'quality' time with her youngest sister, Barbara.
Barbara, sweet little Barbara, would often use her cutesy approach to lure her big sister into helping her read some of her favorite storybooks she had brought from Mondstadt.
"Big Sis! Big Sis Beidou! Can you help me read this book please?" Barbara asked while holding up a book entitled 'The Adventures of the Knightly bunny'.
Beidou seemed to be in fascinated with the books her little sister had brought. They were filled with so many colorful illustrations and interesting characters that she never saw in her life.
However, a problem soon emerged…
Beidou was struggling to read them.
Years of hardships and the lack of proper education caused the little godling to struggle in performing any acts of literacy. She could recognize some letters and words, but not enough to fully understand the story or concept!
Artoria noted this with profound sadness. A child's mind, much more her daughter, is a beautiful thing and she intends to cultivate it to the fullest!
She made a mental note to give the highest quality of education she could provide to her newest daughter, once they get back to Mondstadt after their diplomatic journey.
Thankfully, Barbara too sensed her big sister's struggles and took the initiative. The little princess began reading the story to Big sis Beidou herself.
"Here Big sis! It said that the knightly bunny hopped and hopped, all the way to the dragon's lair..."
This simple act of love and sisterhood cause Beidou to become instantly attached to her newest baby sister, much to the delight of Barbara!
From that moment on, the two sisters became almost inseparable, with Beidou often sitting beside Barbara as the little angel read her stories from their books.
This bond would soon help cultivate Beidou's burgeoning obsession with books, and later, towards objects of history and knowledge such as antiques, maps and old scrolls. A seed that would eventually grow into one of her future passions that would greatly benefit Mondstadt as a whole in the future.
Overall, Beidou's first week with her newest family was filled with happiness, love and warmth, a stark contrast to the cold and lonely life she once lived.
After so many years, the little girl was finally happy, truly happy indeed.
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During one fine afternoon, within the calm and serene gardens of the Isle of Apples, Artoria sat quietly on a polished marble bench as she continued to carefully knit a new set of clothes for her children, this time using some new innovative patterns from a fontainian knittology book that she had procured a few months ago.
Armed with her knitting needles and several colorful balls of yarn, the motherly goddess skillfully worked on her newest sets of projects with utmost concentration and care.
"Let's see. This green pattern would look lovely with Venti. And this fiery pattern complements my Little Star's eyes!"
"Oh so many wonderful styles and patterns to choose!"
Besides her, a small tea party was arranged by her homonculi maids, complete with her favorite apple pies, apple tarts and freshly brewed camomile tea.
The motherly goddess enjoyed this simple moment of peace and tranquility, a rare occasion now that she's the leader of a nation and a mother of five hyperactive children.
Speaking of her adorable children, most of them were currently taking their afternoon nap in their respective rooms, leaving their Mama with some much needed personal quiet time, or so she thought.
As she finished a row on the small yellow and orange sweater she was making for her son Benny, Artoria felt a small presence carefully approaching her.
She paused her work after seeing her precious little angel, Barbara, being escorted by a couple of homonculi maids.
Her precious little baby was shyly and quietly walking towards her with a nervous expression in her adorable face that she immediately recognized with fondness.
Artoria had always adored the unique styles her children would use whenever they wanted to ask her about something.
Jean would be the most direct, though she would add some puppy-dog eyes to further lure her mother into granting her requests.
Benny, on the other hand, would just bounce around her lap while repeating his request over and over again until she gives in!
Venti would snuggle to her side, acting all sad and weak while murmuring the things that he wanted, such as a brand new set of green scarf and cap or a fancy mechanical toy from Fontaine!
Even her little Beidou, who had only been with them for a week, had already started to follow the trend, and her approach was the most simple of all! Her little star would just sit besides her and tug her clothes, all the while trying to create the most pitiful pout that always managed to melt her poor divine heart!
Each of her wonderful and utterly adorable children have created their own unique ways of getting her attention! And she began to silently wonder if whether or not she had already spoiled them enough.....orif herspoiling was still lacking!
But going back to the present topic.
Barbara approached her Mama, while nervously trying not to look at her in the eye.
The little girl was twiddling her little thumbs and looking at the grassy ground like it was the most interesting thing she had ever saw!
Meanwhile, Artoria was already gushing on the inside at her daughter's super cute display!
She placed her knitting needles and the yarn on the small table before her and gently scooped up her little angel, placing her little baby in her lap.
Once in place, she then immediately cuddled the little girl, raining kisses on her adorable little face which in turn made the little godling giggle in joy!
"Awww~ My sweet and adorable little baby! What can Mama do for you today?" Artoria asked as she cradled her youngest daughter in her arms.
After a few moments of cuddling, Barbara, with her little heart now calmed by the warmth of her mother's embrace, finally gathered enough courage to speak.
"Mama...?"
"Yes, my little angel?" The goddess replied with a gentle smile on her face.
"Mama... I... I always saw you making those shiny sparkly things... and those beautiful lights..." The little girl said while shyly looking at her mother's hands.
Artoria listened intently, a bit intrigued by where her daughter's little mind was going.
"Mama... can you... can you teach me how to do that too? To make magic?"
This revelation greatly surprised Artoria! Never once had any of her children asked her about the nature of her magic before, let alone teach them.
Sure, Jean and occasionally Bennett and Venti would ask her to give them some lessons on swordplay and martial arts, but never was there any question about magic or in her terms, Thaumaturgy.
So it surprised her greatly that the one who would ask her this type of question was the most gentle and kindest of them all, her sweet little Barbara!
"Oh? And why does my little princess want to learn magic?" The goddess asked, her curiosity now piqued.
"Because... Because I want to be like you, Mama! Doing cool magic spells... and and... I also want to be amagic-wielding princess! Just like in the books!" Barbara said with a hint of excitement in her tone.
"And may be, when I'm strong enough…I may be able to convince Lord Barbatos to become my friend!"
'Oh, my innocent little baby. If only you knew.'
Artoria couldn't help but giggle at her daughter's cute and honest confession.
Instead of power or prestige, her daughter's request was born out of innocence and a child's simple desire to be like her mother, her idol!
And when she looked deep into her little daughter's sparkling blue eyes, she saw something else. She saw the fires of determination burning within them.
At such a young age, she's already determined to go through her request!
'That determination of hers, reminded me of myself when I too was young. Back during the time when I wished for nothing more than to become a knight one day.' The goddess thought to herself as she recalled her own childhood.
After a few brief moments of consideration, Artoria finally made up her mind.
She going to teach her precious little girl magic! After all, someone in the family needed to inherit her vast knowledge of the arcane arts!
"Alright, my little angel. Mama will teach you the ways of magic!"
"REALLY?! YAY! THANK YOU MAMA! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!" Barbara exclaimed with joy as she tightly hugged her mother.
"However," Artoria said, her voice now a bit more serious but still gentle.
"You must promise me that you won't use your magic to bring harm to others, okay? Especially towards your own brothers and sisters. Can you promise me that, my dear?"
"Uh-huh! I promise Mama! Pinky promise!" Barbara said with conviction as she offered her right pinky. Artoria then locked her own pinky with her daughter's, sealing the deal.
With her knitting temporarily forgotten, Artoria devoted the rest of her afternoon teaching Barbara the basics of magic, more specifically, her own brand of thaumaturgy that combines the elemental magic present in Teyvat and her vast knowledge of magecraft from her homeworld!
She started with a brief and simple lecture concerning the overview of the arcane arts, supplementing it with simple magical demonstrations intended to excite her adorable daughter's appetite for learning.
Concepts such as mana, od and leylines were introduced to the young godling's mind in a way that even a five-year-old could easily understand.
She showed Barbara how to feel the flow of mana, the very lifeblood of the world, and how to draw it from the world around her.
The little girl was so focused and eager to learn that by the end of the day, she had already grasped the fundamentals of manipulating mana, to the point that she could now make a small, shimmering orb of condensed energy float in the palm of her little hand!
'She's a genius!' Artoria proudly exclaimed in her mind.
Compared to the mages back in the Nasuverse, Barbara's progress was considered to be beyond prodigious!
Then again, she's a godling, a goddess in the making who's learning the arcane arts from a true primordial deity!
Seeing her little daughter's progress filled the Artoria with such immense pride and joy that she spent the remaining time of their session praising and showering her with more kisses!
In her joyful and proud moment, the almighty goddess began to plan out her youngest daughter's future magical education in a manner and pace that would perfectly suit her.
She couldn't help but think that her little Barbara would one day become one of the greatest mages in all of Teyvat!
Later that night, at around bedtime, Artoria would gift her little white mage with a special set of books that she had once adored during her previous life back on earth.
The Harry Potter Series.
The perfect set of books that showcased just the right blend of magic, wonder, and childhood adventure that she believed would further inspire her little angel to continue her studies about the magical arts!
Artoria would then gather all of her five most precious treasures in her private chambers and read the first few chapters of the series first novel, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, as a bedtime story to all of them, painting a world of wonder and magic that eventually lull her five tired babies into a sweet and peaceful sleep.
(End of Chapter)
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(The Root)
- The Root, otherwise known as the Swirl of the Root or the Akashic Record (Akasha), is a metaphysical location that acts as the "force" that exists at the top of all theories in every dimension, as well as the source of all events and phenomena in all of existence.
- It is the source of all existence of all realities in the multiverse. The place where all souls originated.
- In the current universal setting, the Root is known by a select few as The Imaginary Tree, the all encompassing entity that gives birth to all possibilities and realities.
- The Root/Imaginary Tree is constantly in a state of perpetual rivalry with the chaotic realm known as the Sea of Quanta.
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(Magic and Mystery)
- Mystery is a term used to describe a sliver of power of many different types that comes from the Root.
- Mystery can be described as the source of power for all supernatural phenomena such as magecraft, and magic.
- In certain realities, Mystery is known as Imaginary Energy.
- Magic is the highest class of Mystery that surpasses magecraft and all current sciences of that age.
- Magic represents the actualization of events that are impossible to reproduce in a certain era, whether by humans or the Planet, even if given an infinite amount of time and resources.
- Though the term magic is often used interchangeably with commonly known spells that are more akin to magecraft (such as fireball or healing), 'True Magic' produces miracles, phenomenons that could not be replicated, even with science. 'Magic is what makes the impossible into the possible.'
- The acquisition of the capacity to perform True Magic is considered the ultimate accomplishment of a mage, and only within the grasp of those who have accessed the Swirl of the Root.
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(Magecraft)
- Magecraft is the artificial reenactment of mysteries (scientific phenomena) using magical energy, bound by the laws of physics and human limit.
- Magecraft by itself is the multifaceted ability to bring about what is possible through science with supernatural means; although the process is considered a miracle by some, the result is not. This would include the application and subsequent creation of spells such as Fireballs, healing, reinforcement, Bounded Fields, structural analysis. These phenomenon can be replicated while as True Magic (eg. Parallel World Manipulation) cannot.
- Performing magecraft requires the usage of Mana, a type of Magical Energy, as fuel.
- The formal study of magecraft is called Thaumaturgy.
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(Magical Energy and Magic Circuits)
- Magical Energy or otherwise known as Primordial Animus is the source that powers all forms of magecraft. Analogous to gasoline, it is an essential element for the invocation of spells.
- Magical Energy by definition is a product of an entity with a soul.
- Magical energy is primarily classified by two types, Mana and Od.
- Mana is the greater source of magical energy found in the atmosphere and soil of a planet. It is considered the very 'breath of a world', the manifestation of a planet's soul.
- Mana flows through specialized veins deep in the planet know as Leylines.
- In Teyvat,Mana is called Elemental Energy.
- Od, otherwise known as Life Force, is the type of magical energy found within living beings. For most beings (with the exception of gods) both Mana and Od needed to be converted into a usable form of energy that can be safely utilized by the body. This process in done through the usage of Magic Circuits.
- Magic Circuits are a pseudo-nervous system that spreads itself through the human body.
- Theactivation of ones dormant magic circuits is what qualifies a person to be called a mage or magus.
- Magic circuits are not purely physical, for they are but the product of the soul, and they help connect the material world to the astral plane.
- Magical circuits have two basic functions: first is to create, replenish and refine Life force/Od (or in rare cases convert Mana from the environment into usable energy), and the second is to allow the person to perform magecraft.
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