A Bond of Eternity - Genshin Impact

Chapter 1: Undying Resolve

- Four hundred and ninety nine years later, six months before the Traveller arrives... -

Almost five centuries have passed after the victory of Teyvat against the forces of the Abyss. In that long time, humanity has prospered, though still recovering from the scars of the past and even still feeling its effects way into the present day. It may seem just the way of life for the mortals, but for those who have lived long enough to tell the tale, they sometimes see shadows of those who were left behind.

Inazuma was no exception. The people have rebuilt the nation once more by generation after generation and the rule of the Raiden Shogun remained steadfast. Despite this, there in the western reaches of Inazuma lies the Sangonomiya resistance who opposed the Shogun's rule and eventually engaged in open war after the Raiden Shogun implemented the Sakoku Decree and the Vision Hunt Decree, fighting in skirmishes that ended in stalemates more often than not.

Even though Ei personally assured to him that his Vision will not be seized and granted him state protection for it, (Katsuo) is suspicious on how it happened around the same time the Fatui started to appear in larger numbers in Inazuma, though he often set it aside.

(Katsuo) often fought with the Shogunate army and even led his own soldiers into victorious battles, but he has his centuries-old mission to fulfill and thus, he did not officially remain in the army.

It was a sunny morning and (Katsuo) has just arrived to the shrine dedicated to Chiyo. The place that it now stood in is apparently set near the battlefield where the Shogunate forces often clashed with Sangonomiya rebels, the latter of which tried several times to take the area for its advantageous position as well as any artifacts that may be resting in the shrine, but (Katsuo) was always there to repel them.

Entering the place that has since been enclosed from outsiders, (Katsuo) is greeted by shrine maidens who are descendants of those who Lady Saiguu assigned to maintain the shrine as well as a few Yashiro Commission samurai assigned to guard the sacred place. The shrine is now a small building with two floors that serves various purposes and though seemingly old is well-kept on the inside so much so that it almost looks like the interior of a mansion.

There inside truly are ancient artifacts that are suspended in specific places and (Katsuo) remembers to whom each of them belonged to. Some are simple weapons that have since turned into billets in their time of inaction, others were possessed by powers or spirits that made them more powerful and otherwise, dangerous, and some were simply articles of everyday items that were used by revered Inazumans.

Past the various walls is the small shrine that (Katsuo) personally saw raised. It is centuries old now, yet it has remained standing with restorations being done regularly to preserve it. There, on the same altar lies the box that contains Chiyo's horn as well as the items that her sons offered a long time ago. He approached and touched the box; the spirit safeguarding the box reacted as it usually did, but it did not harm him. For this long, he has held onto hope that Chiyo may still be alive although Saiguu as well as Ei have started to lose faith, much to his dismay.

Saiguu is still alive although barely after (Katsuo) went to save her. He managed to bring her out of the clutches of the dark will which he managed to subdue but not destroy at the cost of most of his enenra powers. The lady kitsune has since been interred into a sarcophagus that (Katsuo) personally designed to help Saiguu regenerate from the damage her life force sustained, using even more of his energy that left his powers to a diminished state, leaving him to be reliant on the Vision that Ei granted to him. The sarcophagus lies in a place that is a secret to all but him and Yae Miko to prevent Saiguu's process of recovery from being interrupted.

That was long ago, though he is still able to communicate with her at certain times each year.

(Katsuo) knows that Saiguu will recover and he did not regret sacrificing his own powers to save her. All that was left was to find Chiyo.