Shattered Will

A searing wind swept across the Sumeru desert's fringe, scattering dunes into the borderland's greenery. The land trembled, dust and pollen merging into hazy currents as five figures stood poised beneath a bruised sky. At the center, Neroth advanced—calm, measured, his black scythe glinting with every pulse of moonlight. Opposing him: Ei and Nahida ready for reaction tactics, Arlecchino poised for offense, Aether flanking them all.

Arlecchino was the first one to attack. Her red Scythe sent huge flames towards Neroth. But Neroth was too fast for these for sure. He was able to dodge easily but green vines circled him suddenly. Ei rushed towards him with her sword. Musou No Hitotachi was a powerful sword for sure. But Ei knew he would dodge an attack from her. The moment Neroth dodged her attack, Ei's sword hit the vines which caused an aggravated reaction.

Neroth stepped his feet on the ground which caused corrupted-geo pillars to appear around him, blocking reaction.

-Stop copying our techniques! Can't you fight with your skills?!

-Wait Ei! Don't get close to those pillars!

With those words pillar exploded, causing a shockwave that sent Ei flying back. Yet Aether made a swift move to absorb the explosion with his own Geo skills, creating a Geo wall between Neroth and Ei.

-Up here!

As Neroth looked where the voice was coming from, he saw Arlecchino above him, swinging her scythe in the moonlight towards him. But the moment their Scythe's blades met, Arlecchino disappeared into flames, passing behind him.

-Got you.

Deadly red flame spikes appeared where she had passed. But her eyes widened when she saw that Neroth was already gone. This wasn't a speed she expected

-Watch out!

Nahida yelled at her, sending ivies behind her to create a second for her and let her escape. But Arlecchino just realized the attack coming from behind her, even if the ivies softened the hit, it was enough to send her flying.

With Neroth's Scythe pierced through the ivies, Aether rushed and created a hydro ball and fired it towards Neroth. He knew it was nothing for Neroth, he would slash it without any problem. But with Neroth's slash hydro ball exploded and met with the ivies of the earlier.

-NOW Ei!

Aether yelled. Dendro seeds appeared around Neroth and Ei rushed with lightning speed, preparing to slash through dendro seeds.

-Impressive, but you shouldn't scream your next moves you know?

Neroth calmly said, jumped up, and easily escaped from the explosion.

-That's not all!

Aether said with a victorious face. Suddenly dendro cores rushed out of the explosion with electro effects, hitting Neroth and creating a huge dust cloud on air.

Everyone was looking at the cloud in the air. Silence stayed for a few seconds while worried eyes looked for Neroth to see if they were able to deal damage.

-You have lowered your guard…

With those words, Ei heard a loud sound, and Arlecchino's flying body passed behind her before she could even react.

-Fatui's insects are getting annoying. I am here for Gnosises not to play with you. I won't let you archons or the Fatui cause any more pain…

Arlecchino was crushed to the ground and dust circled her. Ei suddenly felt rage towards Neroth and she started to attack him alone. Seeing Neroth was able to dodge her attacks easily, her rage grew.

-You are talking about pain but what do you even know about pain?! Do you even know what it means to be powerless for once?!

With a last attack of hers, Neroth jumped away from her and landed a bit away from her… but his attitude had changed fully… His eyeballs grew tinier and even if his face was still cold and composed, his purpose seemed to change fully…

-The answer to your question is… yeah… more than you.

With those words, Neroth slowly took one step and literally disappeared. Everyone was shocked and started to look for him. Suddenly Aether's voice tried to warn Ei but Neroth appeared in front of her and grabbed her face.

-Die…

He whispered, and a huge black electric wave came from his hand pinning her to a huge rock.

Neroth started to clench his fist, and that ominous aura started to shape around him again. Black powerful lightnings started to hit the place where Ei was, again, again, and again. Creating a huge cloud of dust.

-Stop… I SAID STOP YOU DAMN MONSTER-!

Mavuika jumped over Neroth with all her strength, lifting her huge claymore to hit Neroth. But Neroth merely waved his hand, creating a flame wave that sent Mavuika flying back. And he kept squeezing his palm, hitting the dust cloud with lightinings again and again.

At that moment, Aether wanted to move and stop him, but he felt the same dizziness again. This time much harsher. His head was killing him. He clenched his jaw, his hands trembling as he pressed his fingers into his temples, as if he could squeeze the pain out. But it was too late for him. He couldn't move his legs, couldn't move his arms. He fell to the ground, breathing deeply. He couldn't keep his eyes open anymore… It was so cold…

Finally, Arlecchino made a move to stop Neroth from his mad attacks. Clashing her scythe with his.

Nahida looked towards Ei, but she was all spent, lying on the ground in blood… She ran towards Ei and tried to wake her up but her situation was serious…

His strikes were intended to kill for the first time.

Luckily she was still breathing, but it was obvious she couldn't go on anymore…

Arlecchino was doing her best to fight against him but she was no match for sure. She backed away for a second.

-Fine then, you wished for this.

Arlecchino lifts her scythe to air, the skies above seem to bleed. a crimson hue washes over the battlefield, as if the moon itself weeps blood in her presence.

But Neroth's degrading and bored gaze was gone. İnstead of there was eyes of someone who calculates and catches every weakness under seconds. His menacing aura increased massively.

Without Arlecchino even being able to finish her attack, she felt a huge pain in her heart. As if corruption was attacking her soul directly this time. Neroth caught her at her throat, lifting her from the ground and not letting her breathe.

The situation was going even worse. But Nahida made a move that an Ivy started to pin Neroth to his ground which letting Arlecchino to escape his grip.

Mavuika was able to collect herself finally and made a move to fire up the ivies, catching Neroth in a flame wall.

-I hope I wasn't too late!

An Anemo arrow hit the flames, which caused a huge tornado of flames around Neroth.

-Sorry, but I can't let you get my friends that easily!

Venti said. With a proud smile on his face. But his smile couldn't last long with a voice from flames…

-You have created a good reaction there, but a reaction is only as strong as its trigger.

Black flames suddenly rushed out of his silhouette, hitting Mavuika directly. Black flames circled her, and a huge pain started to run through her. She couldn't even scream or try to fight back. She could feel her power leaving her body with these chaotic menacing flames. When the flames had stopped, her fainted body fell to the ground.

Even so, Neroth emerged from the reaction flames without any scars at all. He didn't even seem to be out of breath.

The situation seems to be even more grim for them now. They were confident in themselves, but they couldn't last a few minutes when he just got a bit serious… 2 archons, a harbinger, and Aether were already down. Nahida and Venti weren't the best at fighting either.

Yet there was something strange, Nahida was able to keep up with Neroth's attacks together with Venti. Her moves weren't exactly to fight back, or even that professional. But she was able to see through Neroth's attacks somehow.

-Interesting. Using a paradox to earn time for your friends. No wonder you are the Archon of Wisdom. Yet we both know that soon you will be tired of this.

-Even so, I should earn as much time as I can!

-You do have the intelligence, kid. But let's end this here.

Neroth charged on her last time, but Nahida couldn't dodge even if she had tried a hundred times. His speed was far greater than hers in battle, and her physical capabilities just weren't enough to dodge this one.

Neroth caught her from her neck and lifted her without effort.

-You created so many problems for me in battle even if you are not a warrior. Yet I will end this fast.

The moment he lifted his hand to get Nahida's Gnosis, powerful ice spikes hit him, flying him away from Nahida.

-I see. So you had the heart to come back. Capitano.

-I couldn't stay silent while my allies were hurt. And we still have a deal to settle…

-Even if I want to settle the points with you as much as you do. Seems like there is another one I have to take care of.

A bard's lyre's soft melody was in the air. And the winds started to scream against Neroth.

-There you are, I was wondering what you were about to do.

Neroth mumbled to himself. His gaze turned back to Capitano.

-You are a strange person Capitano. I can sense the curse on you. Unlike Archons, you are one of the rare ones I respect. When I am done, your curse will be lifted too.

-I am not seeking any bribe from an enemy. Keep your words to yourself. Soon we will meet again after all.

-We will see. I will give you the time to change your mind.

And finally, Venti's roaring winds hit the ground. Blocking Neroth's vision and helping Capitano and Nahida take away the injured ones with his winds.

-There you are, thought you could hide in the winds?

Neroth reached out and grabbed Venti from his wrist, pinning him to the ground.

-Once you were symbolized by the freedom. Yet the freedom you gave to others caused you to lose your freedom…

Neroth was tired of others interrupting his job, so he landed his punch to Venti's stomach. And ripped off the Anemo Gnosis from his body…

Capitano rushed towards them, creating powerful ice attacks again to save Venti.

-Take your friend, he is no use to me anymore.

Neroth threw Venti's unconscious body towards Capitano's attacks. Causing Capitano to stop suddenly and catch Venti. The moment Neroth was about to take advantage of this moment, Venti used his last power to take all of them away from the situation with his hurricanes and forbid Neroth to follow with his winds.

His huge winds couldn't last long but it earned enough time to let Capitano and Nahida to carry others away.

Once again, Neroth was alone.

-Seems like Fatui is getting angry. No use, I will take their harbingers one by one if they get in my way.

…