https://youtu.be/4z97qULGHIE

(Sanctuary of Surasthana)

The large group arrived inside the Sanctuary of Surasthana where Nahida was waiting for them.

Vert and Paimon: Nahida!

Nahida: Hello, everyone.

Nahida: What a fantastic night. I'm still immersed in all the happiness and joy, like a candle floating on water.

Paimon: So are we, and that's why we're here to talk with you!

Nahida: Is there anything you want to know?

Patrick: Yes there is. While one half of our group knows. There is still the other half that does not know.

Aether: About the Akasha...

Nahida: After recent events, the Akasha can no longer function as it used to. I've given it some thought, and have decided to shut it down permanently. But this is definitely not a bad thing. Even from the beginning, I've been planning to shut it down. The Akasha's centralized administration of knowledge has always restrained people's curiosity and curtailed the number of paths available to them. I don't think this is good for Sumeru. Although people may initially feel a little uncomfortable with the loss of the Akasha, they will soon understand that this life is more suitable for them. And as for the future of Sumeru... I'm preparing to regain control of the Akademiya. The former sages have received their punishment, but the new sages have yet to be selected. I will oversee the process personally.

Vert: As for Azur. Patrick and I executed him.

(Flashback)

Patrick and Vert were with Cyno in a room where Azur was chained up while Patrick held his sword and Vert held her spear instead of her Rapiar.

Vert: Because of everything you've done to Nahida. You are to be sentenced to be executed.

Cyno: I have allowed Patrick and Vert to do the honors of executing you. I would do it but they insisted on being the ones to do it.

Patrick: Don't think you can earn anyone's forgiveness now, Azar! For 500 years you and the sages have made Nahida and everyone's lives in Sumeru a misery! I hope we never see you ever again!

Vert: And don't even think about coming back to haunt this place! Because if you do! We're going to make sure that your soul gets sent back to hell!

Patrick and Vert: Now die!

At that moment, Patrick and Vert stabbed their weapons right through Azar's heart all the way through then through his head as blood spilled.

(Flashback end)

Patrick: We're finally rid of Azur for good this time. Vert and I stabbed him through the heart then the head. As far as I'm concerned we're never gonna see him again. Good riddance.

Vert: Azur deserved to die for everything he's done. He and the old sages refused to let go of the past and refused to accept change. He and all the previous Grand Sages have made Nahida's life a misery and Il Dottore made her misery even worse. But all that is finally over thanks to us. Good riddance.

Nahida: I hope that the new Six Great Sages will be more focused on academics. Sumeru needs such leaders more than ever.

Vert: And they better not be like the previous Sages who did bad things to the people of Sumeru and to Nahida.

Nahida: The other big issue is the people of King Deshret — all the residents of the desert, in fact. They have been mistreated for far too long. I've already taken some measures to address this. It will take some time to rebuild everything, but no matter if it's culture, friendship, or trust... we will rebuild it.

Aether: About what happened after I fell asleep that day...

Nahida: You mean, what happened after The Doctor put you to sleep?

Kallen: The majority of us were put to sleep because of the sound waves while the minority of us did not fall asleep because they were deities.

Aether: Did he take the Gnoses?

Patrick: No he didn't. We anticipated that he would come back. So we bribed Nahida with wisdom of our own and took the Dendro Gnosis first and tricked him with the decoys of the Electro and Dendro gnoses. I tried to kill him but he used another sound wave he made by himself that affects hearing that works on all living beings and forced us to hand the decoy of the Dendro Gnosis over without realizing it was a fake. Then after handing it over I punched him in the face then Kiana opened a Void portal and sent him away before he had the chance to realize that the Gnoses he got were fakes.

Nahida: The top-ranked Fatui Harbingers, up to No. 3, possess power comparable to that of gods. I was no match for him in that kind of situation. Even with some of you not falling asleep. He still took the decoys.

Patrick: I know they were fakes. It's just that it still bothers me and it feels like it was a loss. The Fatui and the Harbingers have been really rotten to us and it feels like they've been cheating to get what they want anyway they could. I just can't get over what Il Dottore did. The next time I see his ugly mug and beat him in his boss battle. I am going to kill him.

Nahida: However, in spite of the bad situation, I still managed to make a fair deal with The Doctor. I'm sure you remember the entity that changed your fate, Aether — the Heavenly Principles.

Kiana: The Goddess who calls herself the sustainer of Heavenly Principles. Who looks exactly like me and is unstoppable.

Nahida: Yes, that entity. In fact, the Heavenly Principles has been quiet since the Khaenri'ah disaster five hundred years ago. I used this point as leverage against The Doctor. I told him that the Heavenly Principles may be awakened if I destroyed a Gnosis. Although it was just a bluff, he still fell for it. I assumed that the Heavenly Principles wouldn't just stand by and let such extensive damage to its "laws" take place.

Patrick: Well what if the Heavenly Principles do decide to wake up if one or two Gnoses get destroyed?

Neptune: There was one way to find out. If we actually destroy a Gnosis but it's too risky and out of the question.

Nahida: And as for what I exchanged for the decoy Gnoses... The exchange served as both punishment for The Doctor, as well as a boon of new knowledge that I couldn't refuse as the God of Wisdom.

Mei: Next thing to talk about.

Aether: About The Balladeer...

Nahida: He's still in a coma. I've hidden him like how one would hide a feather.

Mei: Patrick and I helped with that. We locked him up and made sure that he can't use his powers when he wakes up.

Nahida: I know you have many misgivings about him, but as someone who had "become a god," he has retained a number of very useful features. As I've said before. I still need him to investigate Irmensul further. Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't do any evil.

Mei: So will I.

Patrick: I will also do it as I'd like to interrogate him further about the fake sky, Celestia, and the Tsaritsa.

Nahida: In addition, there are still some mysteries left in him. Some things may be very clear from my perspective, but he has still yet to understand them himself. His future will be determined by fate. Patrick. Mei. I know you both still don't like him. But at least give him a chance and let fate decide his future.

Patrick: ... ... ... Alright. But I'm still not feeling bad for him.

Mei: I still have mixed feelings about Scaramouche. But I will let go of the evil things he did. The last thing is the next part of our journey.

Aether: About Fontaine, the next stop on our journey...

Nahida: Is that where you're headed next? Fontaine, the nation of justice.

Seele: That's the plan. Yes.

Nahida: As far as I know, that nation operates on a judicial system.

Paimon: Does their archon personally judge people?

Nahida: No, there's a Chief Justice in Fontaine. Generally speaking, the Hydro Archon, Focalors, won't preside over individual trials. However... even then, Focalors will still make herself present at just about every trial. It seems that she just likes to immerse herself in that sort of atmosphere.

Nahida: As archon, she still reserves the right to influence the final verdict. Anyway, let's just say she's got... hmm... a very unique personality.

Patrick: Seele. You went to Fontaine after we finished in Inazuma. Is there anything you know about?

Seele: No. Not really. All I did was train and fight monsters out in the wild.

Patrick: Ok.

Aether: We've got nothing else to say.

Nahida: Are you sure? Isn't there something else that you haven't asked about yet?

Patrick: There's still one last thing.

Paimon: Huh? You mean...

Nahida: About... your sister.

Patrick: Why didn't you ask about your sister?

Aether: Because Nahida was not there during the destruction of Khaenri'ah and would know nothing about my sister. And she wouldnt be recorded in Irmensul.

Nahida: Actually I do. While you were resting at Gandharva Ville and while the others who did not fall asleep were doing other things, I took some time to perform an Irminsul search for information on your sister.

Aether: But... we both came from beyond the sea of stars. There shouldn't be any information on her in Irminsul.

Kiana: Us too.

Paimon: Yeah, isn't Irminsul a repository for all the information and memories of Teyvat? So there shouldn't be anything on him or his sister and everyone else in here.

Nahida: This is true in your case, everyone except Paimon. Irminsul indeed does not have any information on you. However... There must be something different about your sister, Aether. because as it turns out, the world has recorded information on her after all.

Everyone except Nahida was shocked.

Everyone except Nahida: What!?

Neptune: HOW?! WHY?! How and why would the world record information on Lumine if she's not from Teyvat?!

Nahida: There's only one possible explanation: She belongs to this world.

Once again everyone was shocked.

Everyone except Nahida: HUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

Kiana: HOW?! How could she belong to this world when she is not from this world?!

Neptune: Exactly! How could she belong to this world when she is not from this world?!

Aether thought in his mind.

Aether: (How is that possible? We journeyed the sea of stars all our lives until we came here. How could she possibly hail from Teyvat...? Things don't add up. Is there something wrong with my memories? Or is it this world that has done something to her...)

Paimon: But... nothing about this makes any sense. Wasn't this your first trip to Teyvat?

Aether: It was.

Neptune: Could it be that you and Lumine aren't actually blood related? Or she's not your real sibling? Or she's...

Noire bonked Neptune's head.

Noire: Don't put those thoughts in his head! You know perfectly well that they are blood related and are real siblings!

Patrick: Bad teasing, Neptune.

Noire: Do you have any further intel?

Aether: Do you know what she has been through?

Nahida: According to the records I was able to access, your sibling suddenly appeared in Khaenri'ah... After the Khaenri'ah disaster, she began her journey through the seven nations of Teyvat. But just as her journey was about to reach its conclusion, the Irminsul records on her suddenly become fuzzy...

Paimon: What do you mean, "fuzzy"? Did something happen to her?

Nahida: All I know for sure is that somebody, for reasons only they can know, is deliberately obfuscating her fate... And whoever it is... if they can do that, who knows what else they're capable of.

Aether: Could it be related to... the Abyss?

Paimon: But even that wouldn't explain how she somehow comes from this world...

Neptune: She could've registered herself to this world.

Kiana: Maybe.

Patrick: Or someone could registered her to this world and to Irminsul.

Nahida: Something else I noticed was that according to these records, the Fatui have not classified your sibling as one of the "Descenders."

Aether: Descenders?

Paimon: ...What's a Descender? Paimon's never heard of it...

Nahida: Look, I'm sure you must be curious about the information I received from the Fatui in return for the decoy of my Gnosis, right?

Nahida: A very important part of the intel was about this world's Descenders... external beings, ones that don't belong to this world.

Nahida: Aether, you are Teyvat's "Fourth Descender."

Aether: Fourth...?

Paimon: Huh!? So the Fatui count three other Descenders before Aether? And his sister isn't even one of them?

Nahida: That's right. My current hypothesis is that the "First Descender" was likely what we now call the Heavenly Principles.

Kiana: The goddess who calls herself the sustainer of the Heavenly Principles didn't come from this world. It made perfect sense. She came to this world long before Aether and Lumine. She must have been able to easily get authority over Celestia by easily winning and being stronger than any deities.

Blanc: And she possibly doesn't want anyone knowing that she's not from Teyvat and why she silences everyone who finds out she's not from this world and why she silences anyone who find out about what came before the gods and what came before her time here.

Patrick: We've been wondering who could the other descenders be?

Kiana: And we've been wondering what does that make the rest of us?

Patrick: Just more Descenders that came after Aether.

Nahida: Precisely. All of you except Aether are unnumbered Descenders that came after Aether. As for the other Descenders... I still need to verify their existence. It could take me some time.

Paimon: Whew... Paimon's head's about to burst from all this crazy new information...

Nahida: And yet, even knowing all this, I'm sure you must still have a lot of unanswered questions. I must say, I truly regret that I can't help you more as the God of Wisdom... There are many questions in my heart as well. I will need some time to go through each one of them.

Aether: Same here... We'll need some time to reflect on what you've said.

Nahida: And soon, you'll also begin your journey anew, and depart from Sumeru. I'm very interested in your future. It's a journey that can't be observed or recorded by this world... If fate is the ultimate knowledge, then your future will be the ultimate fate.

Paimon: Paimon's sure glad we got to meet you, Nahida.

Vert: We all are.

Nahida: The pleasure is all mine... I can't thank you enough. All right, that's enough talk for today. If you ever miss me, just close your eyes — and maybe I'll appear in your dreams~

Vert: Not all of us are leaving. Including me because...

Vert instantly grabbed Nahida and hugged her in between her breasts once again. A pink sparkly back ground appeared and Vert had tears coming out of her closed eyes while Nahida was flailing her arms with blank eyes.

Vert: I want to make sure that nothing bad happens to you again! Do you have any idea how angry I was when those horrible Sages said horrible things about you!? I just want to hug you and never let you go! Big sister Vert never wants to see you get hurt by those evil sages and Fatui ever again!

Blanc: VERT!!!!!!!!!!!

Blanc gets angry then summons her large hammer and chases after Vert. Vert runs away still hugging Nahida in between her breasts.

Patrick's face turned saddened as he had a lot on his mind. He turned around and walked to exit the Sanctuary. Paimon noticed.

Paimon: Now where's he going?

So Paimon goes to follow him.

Paimon: Paimon is gonna follow him.

(Mawtiyama Forest)

https://youtu.be/YIxSxTXEAkg

Patrick was just sitting down while looking at the horizon of Mawtiyama Forest. He had lots of things on his mind. The Gnoses, the Tsaritsa, the Fatui, Celestia, Khaenri'ah, and what happened back in Inazuma with Scaramouche.

Patrick: (I feel so alone...)

From behind him, a tiny hand raises and touches his shoulder. He instantly looked back and saw Paimon.

Patrick: What are you doing here Paimon? You're supposed to be with Aether.

Paimon: Paimon just wanted to know why you left and what you're doing out here?

Patrick: ... I just want to be left alone. I've been really disturbed.

Paimon floats next to him.

Paimon: About what?

Patrick: The Gnoses. Even though we've fooled the Fatui Harbingers with decoys. It was still disturbing that they took the decoys. And everything Il Dottore said was so much to take in. I was so angry at him. I wanna kill him and the other harbingers. ... I can still hear that voice in my head.

Paimon: Why would you care about what happens to the Gnoses?

Patrick: Because the Fatui have been causing nothing but trouble to Teyvat and covering up their crimes so their diplomatic immunity to the nations doesn't get revoked. Because of everything they've done to the seven nations. And because of everything they've done to us. ... And I absolutely refuse to let them be the ones to defeat the Heavenly Principles because of everything they've done. ... I am also confused about Lumine being from Teyvat as nothing makes sense about her and Aether anymore. Are they actually not blood related? Where did they actually come from? Who are they? What happened before they came to Teyvat? None of these questions are gonna get answered.

Patrick stopped speaking before turning his gaze to the horizon.

Patrick: ... As soon as we get to Fontaine. I'm gonna steal the Hydro Archon's Gnosis before the Fatui have a chance to do so. It's the only way to protect it from the Fatui.

Paimon: You're actually gonna do that?!

Patrick: I don't have much of a choice at this point. The next time we foil a Fatui's plan in Fontaine and thinking we've prevented them from stealing a Gnosis, one of the Fatui Harbingers is just gonna show up out of nowhere, steal the Hydro Archon's Gnosis, ruin everything, and satisfaction gone once again. We already have 2 Gnoses in our possession while the Tsaritsa and the Fatui have 3. Including the Tsaritsa's Gnosis. (I've also been getting into too many arguments about the Gnoses and Celestia. Which is driving me mad and insane.)

(Music ends)

Paimon: Paimon knows what you're feeling as Paimon was also disturbed because of what happened when Signora stole Venti and Zhongli's Gnoses and finding out what happened when Scaramouche tried to kill us only for Miko and Sakura to save us with a decoy of the Raiden Shogun's Gnosis. But at this point...

Patrick: Don't finish that sentence. I don't want to hear it. It's already bad enough that the Harbingers are taking advantage of the Archons' roles like how they took advantage of Zhongli's contracts, took advantage of Ei wanting eternity, and now just took advantage of Nahida wanting wisdom. The next thing they'll do is take advantage of the Hydro Archon's justice.

https://youtu.be/tXuX32nLDUw

Patrick paused once again before continuing to speak.

Patrick: It has to be Aether, Lumine, and you who defeats the Heavenly Principles. Not the Tsaritsa and the Fatui. Because Aether and Lumine must have their second chance at fighting against the Unknown Goddess again. And because the Tsaritsa and the Fatui could take over Teyvat and sieze control over the nations from the archons after they defeat the Heavenly Principles. ... I feel like I shouldn't continue on the journey.

Paimon: Paimon gets that you're upset about what happened. But you shouldn't drop out of our journey. Right now we must do what we can to prevent the Fatui from hurting more people and keep foiling their plans as much as possible.

Patrick: ... I guess you're right, Paimon. ... We've already put 2 harbingers out of commission. And as long as we keep putting the other harbingers out of commission and foil more of the Fatui's plans, the Fatui will get weaker.

Paimon: Now let's head back so they don't worry about us.

Patrick: Alright, Paimon.

(Serenetea Pot)

Patrick and Paimon returned back to the city then went into the Serenetea Pot. A lot of the members went separate ways. Sakura, Tamamo, Higokumaru, Kallen, her 3 assassin servants, Selune's Elegy, and the 4 Shinobi returned back to Inazuma. Sakura had her servants she summoned in her Serenetea Pot. But Tamamo was allowed to be by her side. Durandal, Rita, Himeko, Cu Chulainn returned back to Mondstadt. Fu Hua, Jingwai's Wings, and Book of Fuxi returned back to Liyue with Xuanzang joining them because she wanted to see Liyue for herself then Inazuma. Cleopatra and Ozymandias were un-summoned. Liliya and Rozaliya also went their separate way together.

Patrick was sitting down on a coach in his bedroom wearing his night clothing. It was 9:00 PM. Even after talking with Paimon, he was still disturbed.

Patrick: The next time we meet Il Dottore. I'm gonna wipe that smirk off his face.

The door to his bedroom opened. Inside stepped in Vert wearing her nightwear.

Patrick: Vert? What are you doing here? It's late.

Vert sits down next to Patrick.

Vert: I'm just checking on you. Neptune and I feel that you've lost your sanity. Because after the meeting that night we heard you arguing to Drago and could definitely tell that you've lost your sanity.

Patrick: I've just been so angry at the Fatui and angry at what's been happening to the Gnoses. And hate comments have been driving me mad.

Vert: Neptune and I had a talk with all your favorite Waifus that are here with us. And we think that it would be best if you sleep with one of us once a night to calm and soothe you down. They allowed me to be the first one to sleep with you tonight.

Patrick blushed.

Patrick: Are you serious right now?!

Vert: You've been getting angry and losing your sanity so you need some emotional healing.

Patrick: I..I.I... I...

Vert leaned in and pressed herself against Patrick causing him to blush deeper red.

Vert: Come on~ You can't turn me down~

Patrick: Alright! Alright!

Vert: Thank you~

With that, Patrick allowed Vert to sleep with him because of needing emotional support so he doesn't lose his sanity or his cool any further. Sure he's slept with Kiana, Mei, Bronya, Seele, and with some of his Waifus before but this was different.

(9:30 PM)

Vert was sleeping next to Patrick while hugging him like a girlfriend. Patrick stayed awake a little longer. Even he had his arms wrapped around Vert hugging her. It was actually working Sleeping with Vert was soothing and comforting him after recent events.

Patrick: (The ones who will bring Celestia down will either be Aether, Lumine, and Paimon or the Tsaritsa and the Fatui) ... ... ... It has to be Aether, Lumine, and Paimon who bring Celestia down...

Not wanting to think any further, he fell asleep with Vert as he was now resting and recharging like a battery. He refuses to lose the game of chess and was not willing to give up easily to the Fatui. With how it will all conclude is up to fate itself. Then the camera zoomed out from the bed and faded into black.

(Author's Note: I wasn't writing more because through late 2022 and most of 2023 my real life has been getting in the way. During the summer of 2023 I had to take a summer class but failed and had to retake it again and the second time I succeeded but found no time to write the FanFiction. And through the beginning of 2024 I couldn't find any time to write either also because of my real life. Because of how much I'm behind. I'm only gonna write the archon quests. And possible anything that has something to do with secrets revealed about Khaenri'ah. I might also do a recap.)