The Shogun | A Thomas Maher Novel

Chapter 1 | Omnipresence Over Mortals

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"Yukari... did you lead me to believe that your lies and deception made me to believe you were Ba'al? Beelzebub? The infamous, 'Lord of the Flies?' Why... on your Castle Rock, full of stranded boys as the fire ignites the woods, like the books burned by the firemen in a dystopian world of burning pages. You want everything to stay the same...?"

"Imagine being locked in darkness for 850,273 years... losing yourself in the trancelike state that I was in. I almost lost myself... and I don't want to lose you too."

"Stop. Your feeble attempt of persuasion is pathetic, mortal."

"Feeble? Mortal?"

The electricity cackled from Archer's hand.

"You must think I'm a fool? I'm not."

The Musou no Hitachi is drawn.

"You are nothing but a little arrogant teenager, lost to time and will never be loved. Not by anyone. You always speak, to fill the void in your heart that was untouched by anyone's love, that was never given to you."

Archer breathes heavily.

"I'm sick of you and your arrogance."

ZAP!

The cackle of electricity, the shock, and the screaming and suffering ruptured Archer's ears. She fell coughing in the darkness.
"Please... forgive me..."

"Why should I?"

Thomas's powerful sword, forged from a black hole was drawn. He began to walk over.

"No... No... Don't kill me... NO!"

SLASH!

Darkness.

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INAZUMAN ARCHIPELAGO, TEYVAT

SHOGUN'S PALACE

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Scribble. Scribble. Scribble.

"Write," thought Ei. Just keep writing. Ignore the man behind you. The blonde man. The blonde man with Zhongli. Follow orders. Never question. Question? Do we disobey? Things have stayed the same. Forever. Forever? My eternity. What I seek most is-

"Ei." The brown haired man spoke confidently.

She halted her scripture. In her usual, commanding voice, she spoke.

"Rex Lapis. Words cannot express... how pleased I am to see you." She spoke confidently. But deep down, her thoughts betrayed her. "No. Not Rex. I hate him. I hate all of Teyvat. This is a nightmare."

"The Traveler wishes to speak to you, Shogun." He said, causing a shiver down her spine. She thought again. "Shogun. I hate that name. It's not... me. I'm nothing but a puppet. A puppet. Puppet. Puppet. Puppet. A marionette."

Marionette. The Marionette. Wind the box. Box. Box was Euthymia. Euthymia...

She tried to concentrate her mind by closing her eyes, before Rex spoke again.

"Are you finished over there?"

Ei mustered a fake veil of confidence.

"I am..." She drew the Musou no Hitachi. "...No more."

The Traveler smiled, before speaking.

"I'm looking for my sister, Lumine."

"Lumine. Loo-mean," Ei thought again. She went her life questioning her existence on this world. It felt as if the sky was a filament, a dome trapping her.

"She's not here." Ei said.

"Ei. Stop." Rex shouted, interjecting.

"NO!" Ei slashed her sword, sending an electrostatic shock to them backward.

"Why... I-... I..." Rex said.

"Leave. And never return."

Rex nodded compliantly, leaving the room as the Traveler turned into dust, with the small floating girl that accompanied her. Rex turned around, as Ei began to sob.

"What's wrong...?" Rex said.

"It's... Rex, leave... I know you care for me... but I can't seem to shake off the feeling-"

"You can't do it."

Ei nodded.

"I know... but we have a life here. Live it. With me?"

"No... I can't."

Why? Rex thought.

"Why?"

"It's... I know my soulmate is out there. And it's... not you."

"Fine. I'm sorry."

Rex rushed over, and he was swiftly pushed back by her.

"It can't be... I still love you, Rex."

Rex took her swiftly into his arms and embraced her with a long kiss. Ei shuddered, knowing something was wrong with this.

"I'm... leaving tomorrow. They're replacing me."

"I can't... see you go..." He said.

"It's for the better good."

For the better good? What good was left? In this cruel, cruel world? Who was forcing Ei to be this way?

--End of Chapter 1: Omnipresence Over Mortals--