Assorted Shrift

After the War of Vengeance the Heavenly Principles/Primordial One/Phanes lost a lot of their power and could no longer maintain their authority, so they triggered the archon war, created the divine thrones housing the dragon authorities in celestial and gave the gnosis as conduits to the thrones to the Archons (as stated by Venti all the way back in the prologue).

Elemental authority being delegated to the archons and visions, which somewhat fixed the damage caused by the war of funerary flames, but didn’t fix the root issue.

Primordial one meant to activate the Basileus process after he wakes up, but When the travelers crashed into Teyvat they accidentally triggered the mechanism to activate the Basileus.

Meta-wise she is the genshin equivalent to Herrscher of Origin from Hi3. Like how Elysia gave the next set of Herscher the freedom to overcome the will of Honkai and side with humanity, Basileus’s ultimate power allows the people of Teyvat to grow past their limits. She can free the Hilichurl from the control of Abyss Order and while she can't restore their memories or turn them back to human, she can remove their curse of wildness. 

Basileus Powers: Healing. Purification of abyssal corruption and forbidden knowledge. Enhancement of Elemental Energy. Empowering herself and others based on the strength of their Bonds (participants become stronger, faster, more durable, etc). Enhanced durability, health, strength, and senses that are equivalent to a Herrscher from Hi3. Flight. Sub-Space Creation to create and shape realms like the adepti’s abodes and relic domains. Can manifest phantom copies of her regents to fight for her.

The Primordial One made four “Shining Shades” of themself at the beginning of their conquest of Teyvat. Each Shade governs a foundational system of the world. Istaroth is the Shade of Time, Naberius the Shade of Life, Ronova the Shade of Death, and Asmoday the Shade of Space. Each possesses absolute authority over their domain.

Below the Shades are the angels, created by the Heavenly Principles as Celestia’s envoys to humanity. They bore pale silver wings and once wore crowns composed of seven colors so radiant that mortals couldn’t gaze upon them directly. Angels were commanded from birth to love all living beings equally. They taught early humanity language and the philosophies of nature, delivered oracles, and helped mortals contextualize fate.

The Basileus differs from both.

Unlike the Shades, she doesn’t embody a cosmic constant, and unlike the angels, she isn’t an impartial guide or distant oracle.

Phanes intended for you to be a spiritual leader for humanity and command Teyvats champions against the abyss and his other enemies.

Phanes and Celestia seem driven by a primary goal of creating and protecting humanity. Pretty much all the atrocities they've committed can be interpreted as an effort to nurture and protect humanity. Conquering the dragons provided a place to seed humanity. Nuking the land with Celestial Nails was to purify Abyssal corruption that threatened humanity. Khaenri'ah was destroyed after it tried to flood the world with the abyss.

In the beginning, humanity even had a hotline to the Primordial One, by way of the Angels who acted as intermediaries. While most Angels are now Seelies, the Lord of the Night loves humans and dedicated herself to their service. This was likely a common attitude among Angels, as even the degenerate Seelies aid and guide humans as best they're able.

Basically, the Primordial One and its servants seem hellbent on protecting humanity, and are willing to do ruthless things to ensure that humanity survives, even if that means tormenting parts of humanity that threaten the whole.

In this AU, along with trying to harness the power of the Abyss and the Crimson Moon, Khaenri'ah was deliberately trying to summon the Basileus. The plan to steal the Basileus started with the Crimson Moon Dynasty as part of their program to kidnap and groom lifeforms from beyond Teyvat, hoping that one such child would have the power to transcend the gods. This program continued under the Eclipse Dynasty, and found some success in the form of Lumine (my account’s abyss twin). 

….

Timeline and Worldbuilding:

–The Pre-Human World (The Sovereign Era)– 

Before the arrival of humanity, Teyvat existed under the rule of the seven sovereign dragon-lords. Their authority came from their connection to the world’s elemental energies. Each Sovereign embodied an aspect of Teyvat’s elemental powers, and stability was maintained thanks to their efforts. 

It’s during this era that Seutervoinen, a voyager from the sea of stars, first becomes aware of Teyvat. Bound by her role as a scribe and observer, her consciousness travels the cosmos while her body remains dormant in a distant celestial construct. Across countless civilizations, she records the rise and extinction of peoples fated to perish, never intervening in their development. Teyvat distinguished itself from all others by the will of the dragon king Nibelung, whose presence burns brighter than any civilization she has witnessed. Moved by both wonder and sorrow, Seutervoinen warns Nibelung of the world’s eventual end and invites him to journey beyond the stars. Nibelung refuses, instead asking her to return one day to witness the path his people will take.

Many years later, after dragon-kind had advanced sufficiently, Nibelung decided to leave Teyvat and search for his scribe friend.The king created the Three Moons to govern the world and its cycles in his absence. All three sisters were granted the authority to rule and control the eternal laws of the world, but mutually agreed to equally divide a portion of each domain's power among themselves to avoid any one sister becoming too powerful.

–Arrival of the Primordial One (First Throne)–

The arrival of the Primordial One (aka The Heavenly Principles aka Phanes) marks the first disruption to Teyvat’s natural order. They descended from the sea of stars (and as such are named the First Descender) carrying authority that exists independent of Teyvat’s original systems. Initially received peacefully as guests by the Moon Sisters, the First Descender quickly began to impose new rules upon the world. Though the Moon Sisters choose to observe rather than immediately resist, perhaps hoping the new order might benefit Teyvat, the balance of power rapidly shifts. Two of the sisters, Aria and Canon, were intrigued by the Primordial One, but the third, Sonnet, was distrustful. 

The Primordial One determined that his plans couldn’t be fulfilled so long as the dragons ruled, so they set about conquering Teyvat and unseating its ruling species. To this end, the Primordial One creates four extensions of themself, known as the Four Shades or Four Great Rulers. These entities function as embodiments and administrators of divine law, acting as envoys and arbiters beneath the Primordial One’s supreme authority. Together, the Primordial One and the Four Shades wage war against the Seven Sovereigns, ultimately defeating them and stealing their elemental Authorities. 

In the aftermath of this victory, the Primordial One begins remaking the world. The heavens and earth are reshaped to suit a new design, one explicitly centered on humanity. One of the most significant alterations is the creation of the firmament, known to some as the False Sky, which seals Teyvat off from the sea of stars and isolates it from the greater cosmos. 

Too late to help the dragons and too weak to oppose the invaders, the Moon Sisters entered a fragile peace with the Heavenly Principles where they were permitted to continue maintaining Teyvat so long as they didn’t interfere with the Heavenly Principles’ designs. 

With the planet secured the Heavenly Principles goes about seeding humanity across the world and begins implementing The Heavenly Principle’s sacred plan for humanity. This era would come to be known as the "Ark's Opening." 

–The Second Descender and the War of Funerary Flame–

The second great disruption to Teyvat’s imposed order came about as a result of a visit from an old friend. Seutervoinen returns to Teyvat, expecting to find Nibelung but instead meeting with a world bound by unfamiliar laws.

Choosing not to confront the new ruler directly, she conceals herself by projecting her consciousness into the body of a youth in the Golden City of Hyperborea. There, she observes humanity chafing against divine authority, particularly as the Angels condemn the pursuit of knowledge as heresy. Disguised among the people, Seutervoinen publicly dismantles the priests’ arguments regarding sin and obedience, exposing the contradictions at the heart of the imposed order. Her defiance leads her beneath the Irminsul tree, where she meets Koitar, the First Angel and progenitor of the Seelie. By revealing the true origins of Teyvat and her own nature as a voyager from beyond the False Sky, Seutervoinen shatters Koitar’s crown and frees her from the mental bindings imposed by the Heavenly Principles. The two form a bond and swear rebellion against the Heavenly Principles. This act of defiance is witnessed by the Three Moon Goddesses, and within a month the world is plunged into catastrophe.

At some point during his travels Nibelung became aware of the Primordial One’s conquest of Teyvat and, seeking to free dragonkind, the king resorted to drastic measures. Returning as the second descender, the king brought with him Forbidden Knowledge taken from the abyss. He believed he could harness its corrosive might against the Primordial One. Despite the ruinous nature of Nibelung’s new power, dragons flocked to their king’s banner launching a war of vengeance that would later become known as the war of the funerary flame.

During the war Nibelung requested assistance from his creations, the Three Moons. The goddesses, horrified by the Primordial One’s cruelty, were already preparing to resist him, but were concerned about the corruptive nature of their creator's new power. The sisters were caught between two annihilating forces and they argued over whether to ally with Nibelung or remain neutral to prevent total destruction by the Abyss he brought. 

Judging their hesitation as betrayal, Nibelung imprisons all three within the Moon’s Reflection and turns their moons into weapons. Viewing this as a violation of their pact, the Heavenly Principles destroy two of the moons outright and cast the third beyond the False Sky, severing the sisters from the world and dooming their purpose.

Throughout the war, the Heavenly Principles deploy Celestial Nails to purge Abyssal corruption and crush draconic resistance, obliterating civilizations such as Hyperborea and permanently scarring the land wherever the Nails fall.

 Koitar and Seutervoinen attempted to flee but the Primordial One was inescapable. Their memories are erased and Koitar is sealed away while the Angels were cursed to wither into Seelies. 

Ultimately, the Heavenly Principles emerged victorious, however, the victory came at a cost. The war left them gravely injured, and their ability to fully manage the world was compromised.

–Emergency Actions: Gnoses and Visions–

In the long aftermath of the war of vengeance, Teyvat entered an era of calm. The cataclysmic forces that had torn the world apart were finally receding, leaving behind a traumatized but still living world. Civilizations rose around the ruins left by Celestial Nails, the Abyss was driven underground, and the dragon Sovereigns were broken, scattered, or reduced to dormant remnants. To mortal observers, this appeared to be peace, but truthfully Celestia was scrambling.

The Heavenly Principles had won the war, but victory had been costly. Nibelung’s use of Forbidden Knowledge caused extreme damage and the Heavenly Principle’s power, their authority, was at its limits. Attempts to exert their authority the way they used to risked tearing open wounds that had only just sealed.

The Primordial One was forced to come up with a new plan, eventually landing on the Gnoses system, a delegation of elemental authority to worthy representatives of Celestia’s will. Gnosis bearers, Archons, would take on the role of angels in spreading Celestia's message.

Gnoses were created from the remains of the Third Descender, Saarelainen, and the stolen elemental authority from the Dragon Sovereigns. A Descender, by definition, exists outside Teyvat’s closed system and isn't bound by the False Sky. Their essence is therefore uniquely suited to interfacing between Celestia’s diminished authority and the world’s original order.

By dismantling the Third Descender and combining their remains with the world's elemental authority into seven discrete cores, the Heavenly Principles achieved three major objectives at once.

First, it kept the elemental authority of the dragons trapped to Celestia. Celestia could no longer bear to contain all of the Dragon Sovereigns’s elemental power, but they were unwilling to risk it falling into enemy hands. The solution was to trap the power of the Dragon Sovereigns within the Divine Thrones, which themselves were tied to their respective Gnosis. By the Heavenly Principles design, so long as the Archons existed the dragons could never reclaim their former power.

Second, they created power nodes that could operate independent of Celestia’s direct oversight while still being bound to their will. Instead of Celestia having to enforce order everywhere at once, the Archons would now maintain their regions to Celestia’s standards.

Third, since these nodes were made of Teyvat's own elemental powers, they weren’t as damaging as Celestial Nails, which descended violently from above. Since the power was being exerted through the Archons, beings native to Teyvat, they could mediate between imposed law and natural order without as much collateral damage.

All that was left to do was to decide who would be trusted with this power.

The Archon War didn’t begin immediately after the war of the funerary flame. Despite the power vacuum left by the annihilation of the dragons, powerful beings, both old and new, were wary of attracting the attention of their divine overlords. When Celestia failed to strike down warlords who set up their own domains, others became emboldened to impose their own ambitions upon their surroundings.

Celestia could predict the oncoming chaos and decided to co-opt it for their own project. In celestial opinion mass conflict was inevitable. Rather than allowing rogue actors to collide chaotically, Celestia forced a competition for seven "legitimate" thrones.

Of course not all participants sought a divine seat. Many were just trying to survive, and fought defensively in an attempt to keep their followers safe, but Celestia didn't care.

By the war’s end, seven victors reigned supreme. Whether they actually wanted their new thrones didn't matter. What mattered was that they could serve without collapsing under the weight of Celestia's authority.

With the Gnoses handled it was time for phase two.

Alongside the creation of the Gnoses, Celestia implemented the Vision system. In modern-day Teyvat people believe visions are rewards or acknowledgments of ambition, however the truth is different.

Visions are primitive compared to Gnoses because they operate at the individual level. When a human receives a vision, their ambition becomes bound to elemental flow. Their will is channeled and subtly integrated into Teyvat’s energy network, preventing it from aggregating into uncontrolled forces that could threaten divine stability.

This is why losing a Vision affects the bearer so deeply. Their ambition had been anchored and amplified through elemental resonance. Severing that connection destabilizes the will.

Through the Archons and Vision bearers, elemental power was diffused across thousands of individuals and Teyvat entered an age where nations formed under Archon stewardship, and humanity flourished within its carefully maintained boundaries.

But it doesn't address the root of the problem. The Abyss still existed, forbidden knowledge still taints the world, and the Primordial One is still wounded.

Before entering dormancy, the Primordial One had to set up one final measure.

–The Hallowed Plan–

Shortly after the great war of vengeance the Primordial One began working on a special project, the creation of the Basileus, a being who would have powers of healing and empowerment, but their main purpose would come from their ability to counter the Abyss and purify its corruption.

Furthermore, the war against Nibelung was the closest Phanes had come to death since  arriving at Teyvat.

Faced with the possibility of his own demise The Primordial One was determined that his designs for humanity would not end with him. The Basileus would act as a spiritual leader for the people of Teyvat and, if needed, inherit his responsibilities as the Heavenly Principles.

The Basileus’s primary responsibilities would be to act as a spiritual sovereign for humanity, not a ruler in the political sense, but a rallying point. A presence people could gather around should the world begin to fracture again. 

The design was simple in theory, a being capable of healing what the Abyss corrodes, strengthening those who stand against it, and purifying the rot before it spreads too far.

The vessel is shaped to reflect its creator, white hair like starlight, a crown-like halo suspended above its head, and three pairs of wings that looked less like feathers and more like pieces of sky torn free and woven into form.

But at the same time the angel’s betrayal had shaken him. The three moon goddesses were Nibelung’s creations, so it was somewhat understandable that they would betray Phanes for their original king. But the angels were his own creations, yet they still defied him.

Before the Basileus is released into the world Phanes must ensure that its loyalty to him is absolute. He programs the Basileus with careful limits, it will not be able to raise a hand against the Heavenly Principles. It won’t be able to overwrite Celestia’s rules.

The final component was the most delicate. It requires a compatible soul to act as the Basileus core, one from outside Teyvat, unbound by the world’s karma. Lacking the time to properly shape the Basileus’s psyche before entering dormancy, the Primordial One made it so that only once he had awoken would the core’s formation begin.

Until then, the vessel sleeps.

With the Heavenly Principles withdrawn and the Shades rarely seen, the Archons became the world’s visible divinity. They enforce Celestia’s will to the best of their ability, but time erodes even the most resolute convictions. 

Information is inevitably lost with fragments of truth surviving in monasteries, ruins, and half-burned manuscripts. Stories of the Primordial One, of the war of funerary flame, of a promised sovereign yet to come.

Most people grow up knowing, vaguely, that one day the Basileus will arrive. Some see it as the dawn of a new era. Others as judgment. Those who resent Celestia see it as nothing more than another chain waiting to be fastened.

–Out Of This World–

Twin stars fall from the sky.

When the traveling siblings crashed into Teyvat they accidentally triggered the Basileus core formation. Asmoday, the Ruler of Space, reacts immediately. Aether is placed in stasis in an attempt to halt the early activation. It works, mostly.

In Khaenri’ah, ambition surges and they experience a massive breakthrough in their plans for power and conquest. The Eclipse dynasty believed that Lumine could be their key to usurping the Basileus from Celestia. Thanks to the loss of her memories, it was easy for the king to manipulate her. Lumine is adopted into the Eclipse dynasty and they raise her as their own, cultivate her strength, and feed her a vision of a world free from Celestia’s control. Lumine’s power grows under their care, but she ultimately fails to claim the power of the Basileus.

Thanks to the events around Direidyth, Lumine’s memories snap back into place and she abandons Khaenri'ah to search for Aether at the site of their crashed space ship.

But he isn't there. 

Their princess returns to Khaenri'ah in time to observe its destruction. Lumine swears vengeance on Celestia both for separating her from her twin and the destruction of her home. 

Over the next five-hundered years, as she ruled over the Abyss Order, Lumine continued attempting to claim the Basileus's power, but the Basileus remained out of reach so long as Aether was in stasis. 

The core remains inactive for five-hundered years until the day Aether breaks free from his prison and begins traveling the world in search of his lost twin.

This is where you come in. From your perspective it seems to be a normal game, for the most part anyway. In truth your soul has been tethered to the dormant vessel. 

The connection is weak, but enough to redirect your dreams. You begin following the Traveler at the start of his journey. You walk beside him as an unseen companion, unseen, unheard, but not completely unfelt. 

Meanwhile in Teyvat, Aether senses your presence first. Initially he was wary, understandably so after what happened to the traveling stars, but the mysterious observer never pushed him toward harm. Instead you steady his aim, strengthen his resolve, and help him see openings he might have missed. Before long Aether found himself viewing you as a friend.

As time passes your genshin dreams become more frequent and the stars of your dreams vary. It leaks into your waking moments as hyperrealistic fantasies where you journey with the characters as a disembodied companion. Unable to speak with or touch them, but using some sixth sense you're able to help regardless.

Despite knowing that it’s all fictional you can't help but get deeply attached to these characters. Honestly, you should probably see a doctor with how intensely this game is taking over your thoughts, but who can afford that, ammiright?

Mondstadt becomes the first nation touched by the Basileus. 

At first they don't realize what's happening. Aether was the one with the most insight, but he'd never even heard of the Basileus until one day when Barbra was explaining Mondstadt theology and the world’s history. 

As you pull more characters more people start experiencing the same empowerment and guidance that Aether feels. Albedo and Lisa start researching the phenomena. They note that it's limited to vision wielders and those with natural control over elements.

At first many were uncomfortable with their actions being influenced by an outside force, but as you continue to act as a helpful presence the discomfort eventually gives way to cautious trust and eventually appreciation.

Despite the intrusion to their persons, your presence is never malicious, and they can get a sense of the affection and well meaning you feel during your “dreams”.

They experience your sorrow and frustration when they face hardship, and your elation when they succeed.

Meanwhile, you dream more vividly.

You travel with them in hyperreal detail. You feel the wind of Mondstadt, the salt air of Liyue Harbor. You cannot interact directly, yet somehow your presence still matters. You help solve puzzles. You guide battles. You mourn their losses and celebrate their victories.

When Aether travels to Liyue it spreads to people there. Jean and Ningguang arrange for the two countries to collaborate on their research, and the Basileus theory starts to emerge. 

Along with the empowerment, one of you stated powers is to purify abyssal taint and Aether has displayed purifying powers. Other details start to add up and more people get involved. The most damning evidence is how when you accompany an Archon the power bequeathed to them by celestial practically sings with familiarity.

As you deepen bonds and raise friendship levels, certain individuals begin experiencing stronger boons. They become regents, focal points of your influence. Their strength increases alongside your investment. They learn to interact with ley lines and domains in ways that mirror your own, providing artifacts and mora. (Pantalone is seething)

Aether and other regents start trading tales of their experiences with your guiding force. Thanks to your powers the regents are able to perform greater feats of heroism and land is purified by abyssal taint. Offerings and prayer become common and the regents are recognized by the faithful as agents of a higher power.

–Finally, We Meet–

The scientific community experiences a renewed interest in the Basileus. Within the ranks of the Fatui, Il Dottore approaches the matter as he does all other problems, by dismantling them. Vision bearers are conscripted to his command under increasingly thin pretexts. Elemental beings are used in experiments designed to capture your attention. If the Basileus has truly become active then the question isn’t whether a connection can be forced, only how much strain the system can take before it yields.

Elsewhere, the regents exercise more restraint. Albedo in particular possesses an advantage no laboratory can replicate, proximity. He’s been meticulously recording the Traveler’s adventures as well as fluctuations in ley line activity coinciding with your appearances. 

The Basileus protocol wasn't meant to be rushed, but your followers are relentless, and with every attempt to force your manifestation, an emergency clause activates and it pu l l s .

On your end there’s little warning. One moment you’re laying in bed, contemplating the psychological meaning behind your vivid dreams, the next everything shatters. Your chest seizes for a moment before your entire body goes limp. You feel as though your mind is being pulled out from your brain as your perception is stretched thin. You try to scream but your voice doesn't respond, nor does the rest of your body. 

“Am I dying?” You wonder.

In a way, you are. After all, a human body cannot persist for long without its soul.

The strain on your mind deepens as you feel yourself drawn through an opening that feels far too narrow for you. There is resistance before suddenly everything collapses into a singular pressure in your chest. 

You feel yourself forced into a new form. The vessel accepts you greedily, ancient mechanisms flaring to life as they register your presence. At the same time, you feel your original body slacken and cool under the strain, shutting down because something essential was stolen away.

In Celestia, the Basileus containment chamber splits along its seams. Golden sigils burn white, then blacken. The force from your spiritual kidnapping moves outwards in a wave that rips through the sky. To those below, it appears as though a star was torn free from the heavens. 

You fall.

Wind tears at lungs that had only just started being used. The scent of salt and ozone is the only warning before you crash into the ocean below. Water surges up in a shock of cold that steals your breath.

Darkness.

You fade in and out of consciousness, the distant crash of waves is almost soothing. 

Your eyelids are heavy and whenever you manage to force them open you feel overwhelmed by your eyes somehow focusing on every detail around you. Your body feels strange, your skin is hyperaware of every grain of sand touching you, and all your movements are faster than you expect. The sky stretches impossibly wide above you with fading streaks from where you tore free. 

A shadow falls across your vision.

Blond hair catches the light. Wide golden eyes search your face for confirmation of what they already suspect.

Aether had been commissioned to investigate the fallen star. He expected debris, perhaps a repeat of the Unreconciled Stars.

He definitely wasn't expecting you.

For a brief moment, he just stares. His hand hovers near his sword, instincts overriding curiosity. You're clearly some sort of humanoid.

Then your attention focuses on him and recognition dawns.

Memories from nights spent in half-conscious communion, when you walked beside him in dreams and offered guidance only he could hear. Battles where a second presence steadied his blade. Quiet campfires where he felt watched by something vast and attentive.

He steps closer, breath catching. “It’s you,” he says.

The shock in his eyes is replaced with excitement and a smile breaks over his face. Relief floods his expression.

You attempt to speak, but your throat tightens, what few noises you make come out as pathetic gasps. You try to prop yourself up by your elbows but your head spins and you start to fall back down. Aether reaches out to steady you before you can collapse back into the sand. His grip is warm and you lean into him without thinking.

The golden boy is speaking again, rapidly explaining about the explosion in the sky, about the commission, about how he knew it had to be connected to you. You try to pay attention, you really do, but the words blur together.

Standing is even harder than sitting up, but he doesn’t rush you. When your balance falters, he adjusts, allowing you to lean against him.

“You should come with me,” he says, probably trying to sound soothing but the edge of giddiness is clear to your new ears, “They’d love to meet you, And… you’ll need somewhere safe.”

Safe? Yeah, safe sounds good.

You take one step, then another, guided inland from the shore where he once pulled Paimon from the water. The symmetry isn't lost on Aether, though you're still too overwhelmed to register it.

The path toward Mondstadt rises ahead. Stone walls in the distance. Windmills turning slowly under a sky that still bears the faint scar of your descent.

Your mind struggles to accept the impossible, you're in Teyvat. The one from the game, Genshin Impact. Like actually standing on its grass while the main character uses his very real hands to keep you upright.

While you're having an existential crisis Aether adjusts his pace to match yours as he leads you toward the headquarters of the Knights of Favonius. 

Crewel spoke with a deceptively calm voice. “Headmaster,” he said, smiling without warmth, “are you implying that the reason Yuu is going around in uniforms that are centuries out of date is because you failed to provide any alternative?”

At least Crowley has enough sense to recognize the danger he had just brought upon himself. “Ah, well, I wouldn't put it like that. Night Raven was founded on principles of self-sufficiency after all…”

“As the headmaster of this institution,” Trein interrupts, “it is your responsibility to ensure incoming students are equipped with basic necessities and informed of the resources available to her as a student.”

His eyes narrowed. “Does she even know that Night Raven College provides its students with their first set of uniforms?”

Crowley wilted under the scrutiny. “The circumstances around Miss Yuu’s enrollment are highly irregular” he protests weakly. “My teacher’s intuition tells me that with a little extra independence–”

“–Not neglect,” Trein snapped, “nor institutional embarrassment. Your sloppiness reflected poorly on the rest of us, Crowley.”

He inhaled, steadying himself. For all that the headmaster has managed to successfully preside over a school dominated by humans, there were moments, far too many, when his inhuman perspective caused needless complications. 

Trein will easily admit that the headmaster's hands-off approach when handling NRC’s students is usually well suited with fostering the school's ideals. Unlike RSA which coddles its students, NRC believes in a more hands off, sink-or-swim approach to education. Society thrives when dark-hearts learn to overcome hardships and create their own opportunities. This, combined with the old crow’s skills with politicking has been a great boon to the university.

However, none of this absolves the administration of its obligations. Dire has had centuries to adapt, and Trien has never been one to allow excuses for failure.

“It is imperative,” he continued, “that our students are provided with the most up-to-date texts and equipment available. Education cannot proceed if the foundation is unsound.”

Sam chuckles good naturedly, “I can get the little imp hooked up with their starter supplies. We’ll just charge it to the headmaster’s account."  

Of course Crowley rushes to defend his budget. “That seems rather hasty–”

“Thank you, Sam,” Trein speaks over the crow, "it is our duty to ensure all students are equipped at the start of their education, lest we allow Night Raven to be found wanting compared to… other academies." 

Specifically Royal Swords, is left unsaid but heard by everyone.

Crewel, either feeling helpful but more likely out of offence at your current wardrobe, offers to tailor a modernized female uniform. “I recall finding some references to the uniforms used when Night Raven was a co-ed school.” He says thoughtfully “I imagine they're all rather archaic, but should provide an adequate base for me to start with.”

This support, they all agree, extended only to your initial provisions. Should you fail to maintain them, finding replacements will be entirely up to you. Night Raven provides opportunity, but will not shield students from the consequences of their choices. That was the principle upon which the school prided itself.

The meeting comes to a close as Trein continues to lecture Crowley on the importance of keeping the rest of the administration informed, and how a student's unique circumstances do not absolve the headmaster of his obligations.

…

The results are immediate.

Your appearance and demeanor shift noticeably over the following days. The ragged uniform and battered knapsack vanished, replaced by a more modernized uniform and a sleek backpack, courtesy of Crewel and Sam respectively.

From the waist up, your attire mirrored the male uniform closely, though the cut was adjusted for a feminine frame. Below, a pleated black skirt with gold trim replaced the slacks, paired with dark grey stockings and polished loafers. The Ramshackle armband, in a muted grey, is neatly secured on your sleeve. Sam’s contribution is equally evident in the backpack now slung over your shoulder, lighter than it looks and far more durable than its sleek exterior suggests, all on the headmaster’s tab. 

Regarding your behavior, Lucius notices the change before Trein consciously does. The cat watches you with narrowed eyes from his perch atop the lectern, tail flicking thoughtfully as you enter the classroom.

You still drifted at times during lectures. Your gaze would unfocus, attention slipping somewhere just beyond the classroom walls. But when addressed directly, you respond without hesitation. Your answers are usually accurate to the textbook, though often lacking in context that most are expected to have learned prior to attending NRC. 

At least you try to make up for this and usually stay behind after class to ask more questions. Usually regarding concepts most students absorb in childhood; civic structures, historical events, social hierarchies; you approach it all as completely foreign material.

This would be unusual on its own but you don't just linger to ask questions. During the conversations you will move around the classroom, straightening chairs, collecting discarded papers, and otherwise restoring order to the room.

At first Trein assumes it was just an attempt to ingratiate herself to him. Such behavior is common among first-years who believe deference might substitute for effort.They eventually stop once he's made it clear that the only thing he cares about is consistent academic performance.When the behavior persists into the following week, he addresses it.

“What do you expect to come from this?” he asks, tone neutral.

You blink, faintly startled by the question. “Isn’t this normal?” you reply. “Back in grade school we’re taught to clean the classroom together after lessons. I guess I just got used to tidying up. Don’t you all have something similar?”

“No,” He answers with a raised eyebrow, “we do not.”

At that moment, Grim chooses to voice his displeasure.

“This is dumb!” the creature snaps, sprawling across a chair you’d just straightened. “Why d’we gotta stay late? Class is over!”

You turn toward him, irritation briefly breaking through your composure. “It’s only a few minutes,” you say, already moving the chair back into place. “And it's not difficult. If more people helped, it’s done faster.”

Grim grumbles, but Trein observes the exchange closely. Your tone isn't exactly scolding but there's a bit of annoyance. It carries the expectation that participation is assumed.

As a scholar of history and societal studies Trein finds his interest sharpening.

Your home; town, village, enclave, the precise terminology remains unclear; most likely relies on structured communal habits to regulate behavior. Perhaps your schools are tasked with social conditioning as well as education.

Trein can see the logic, appreciate it even. He has long believed that when discipline is instilled early, dark-hearts are better equipped to regulate their impulses without constant external pressure.

Of course, not everyone agrees with such methods. 

While Trein raised his daughters with the same care that he held for his darling wife, he knows that not everyone shares this mindset. Some guardians attempt to use their darling’s attachment to their children as emotional leverage. Others treat children as extensions of their darling rather than individuals, molding them to serve adult needs rather than preparing them for independence. Still others swing in the opposite direction, neglecting dark-hearted children entirely under the guise of “letting them grow strong.” Personally, Trein believes such arguments are just lazy justifications for poor childrearing.

Clearly a more structured upbringing has worked on you, if your current behavior is anything to go by. Unlike the rest of your peers with their constant posturing, you act as though cooperation is the default state rather than something to be negotiated. You show no interest in asserting dominance, nor any awareness that such displays are expected. Trein finds this deeply peculiar; even students of Royal Swords Academy participate in their own hierarchies, however subtle and politely framed.

Lucius yawns in Trein’s arms and settles in the professor's arms for a light doze.

Trein left the room thoughtful. Habits, he knew, are often more revealing than words. Yours suggested a background shaped by communal responsibility rather than individual ambition; a framework that would inevitably surface in other behaviors, subtle but persistent, as you continued to navigate an institution built on competition rather than cooperation.

…

Later in the week, Trein encounters Crewel while heading toward Foothill Town. The two walk together in companionable silence for a time, discussing administrative matters and the usual early-term disturbances, until Crewel decides to bring up the school's newest irregular student.

“It seems our intervention wasn’t entirely wasted,” Crewel said, tone clipped. “Shes improved, markedly so. That first day, I feared we were dealing with an especially unrefined mutt, but proper supplies and a real uniform appear to have been what was needed.”

“I’ve noticed similar progress,” Trein replies. ““She remains after nearly every lecture, to request additional references, clarification, or recommendations for independent study.”

Crewel’s lips quirk into a faint smirk. “If only the other problem pups were so cooperative."

Trein regards him sidelong. Despite the potion master's seeming complement, the two had known each other long enough for the elder to recognize something in his tone.

“Theres still something you're dissatisfied with.”

Crewel hums. “She’s withdrawn during Capture and Care,” he admits. “And it’s not the typical boredom I have to put up with when covering the introductory material.”

“Is that so?”

“In Alchemy she engages readily with the material,” Crewel says, “in Capture and Care she acts like an inattentive student, withdrawn and scared to be called upon. It's as though she hasn’t prepared at all.”

“And yet,” he adds, irritation creeping into his tone, “when pressed, she provides correct answers. Not terribly detailed perhaps, but accurate. It's the inconsistency that troubles me.”

“If this behavior were limited to Alchemy, I could dismiss it as selective interest,” Crewel says. “But every other instructor reports steady engagement. Capture and Care is the sole exception.”

Trein thinks back to his past interactions with you. In his own class you've demonstrated steady progress. Indeed, you're practically a model student. You take notes diligently, request supplementary texts when needed, and linger after class to ask questions. 

“There are certainly areas where her foreign origin is evident,” Trein says. 

Trein recalls the nature of your inquiries. You ask for definitions most students take for granted; heart-alignment classifications beyond the most basic dichotomy, the historical rationale behind light-heart protection statutes, the distinction between custodial guardianship and voluntary oversight. You struggle most with the legal frameworks; dark-heart autonomy laws, international accords governing attachment conduct, and the efforts made over the last century to standardize adolescent regulation across borders. 

These are hardly obscure topics. In fact, nearly all of your questions are about things that most students would have absorbed in childhood. Your ignorance would be more irritating if not for your initiative.

He’s even observed you attempting to assist the dire beast and those two Heartslabyul first-years. Grim makes some sense, the headmaster informed the staff about your agreement to take responsibility for the little beast.

But the other two boys? That’s more curious. Most NRC students are still jockeying for position within their dorms, testing limits, establishing dominance through conflict. Yet you approach them without caution, and more unusually still, they respond without resistance.

Just how far have your people diverged from the rest of Twisted Wonderland for you to be like this?

Despite the potential breach of professionalism, Trein can't help but wish to study you more closely. 

After the final class of the week, he finds you restoring order to the classroom once again. The two of you maintain a polite chat for a pit, only interrupted by your direbeasts complaints. It's while you're moving the last chairs into its rightful place that he broaches the subject.

“You’ve shown notable improvement since your first day,” he says. “Not only in my course, but according to several of your instructors.”

You flush faintly at the praise, mumbling a quiet thanks. Grim, in contrast, puffs up visibly, preening as though the compliment were his own.

“And how are you finding the rest of the curriculum?” Trein continues. “Are you adjusting adequately?”

You hesitate.

“Most classes are fine,” you say carefully. “There are just a couple that are… difficult.”

“In what way?”

“Well,” you begin, searching for the right words, “we don’t really have versions of some subjects where I come from. So I don’t always have a frame of reference.”

“Oh?” Trein says, curiosity sharpening his tone.

“Yeah. And there’s one, Capture and Care, it’s…” You trail off.

Trein waits in silence as you search for the right words.

“Before Night Raven, I had some… bad experiences,” you say quietly. “Followed by a really big failure. I’m mostly working through it, but C&C just feels like it was made to rub salt in the wound.”

This time when you fall silent Trein simply nods and makes no move to press further. Some silences can be invitations, but others are clear boundaries. This is clearly the latter. 

Still, as you gather your things and leave, his thoughts linger.

And while he accepts your reluctance, professional curiosity, and something almost like concern, tells him this matter is far from settled.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You– Ace – Trein – ???

Authors note:

Ace would never say it out loud, but you’re weird as hell, and not the standard NRC weird (so far everyone he'd met here has issues), but strange in some other way that really makes people look twice.

Like the way you walk, loose, quiet, a little too aware of your surroundings. The kind of gait Ace usually saw from people who are experienced with violence. Like his mom that time she suspected a neighbor of flirting with his dad. calm expression, murder simmering behind the eyes. Except with you, there was no threat pointed outward. Just… habit. And sometimes you say stuff or refer to things that just don't make sense, as if you're from a completely different world. It's weird.

But weird can be useful. A person with your strength? Better to keep you in his pocket.

Deuce is… Deuce. A reliable dumbass. The kind who’d help you bury bodies but panic about staying out after curfew. Grim is entertaining in a "toddler with a knife” kind of way.

A decent crew.

Not that Ace cared. It was just common sense to have backup at NRC. The other day he saw two third-years get into a fistfight over whose dorm had “dibs” on a vending machine. When a professor walked by Ace thought they were done for, but the guy just used a spell to keep the blood off his coat as he passed.

So yeah, in hindsight Ace actually lucked out with you.

And you definitely got lucky with Ace, with how long you're taking most people would have left by now. He was mentally debating whether he should just leave when you and Grim finally entered the hall. 

Ace opened his mouth to complain but stopped and blinked. Then blinked again. 

You looked like absolute shit.

Your hair was rumpled, your posture slouched, your eyes had dark shadows. You stumbled across the floor with clear reluctance.

“You look terrible,” Ace blurted.

You didn’t even argue. “I finally got a signal from home,” you rasped. “Haven’t reached anyone since getting here but I-”

A yawn cracked your jaw, “-I got through last night.”

You sounded so relieved it was almost painful to hear and Ace felt something ugly twist low in his gut.

Going home, huh?

The idea hit him somewhere deep and primal, nausea and adrenaline knotted together. He shoved it down. It’s stupid, Ace doesn't have any reason to feel anything about that. You aren't his responsibility.

Except… maybe you kinda are?

Maybe he kinda prefers it if you just stay with them.

With him.

Deuce asked where you’re from that the signal could be so bad.

You look away and one hand reaches for the back of your neck. “My hometown’s surrounded by miasma. Signal drops constantly.”

Both boys winced.

Everyone knows the horror stories about the places where miasma got thick, people blacking out, buildings corroding, the ecosystem turning wrong. Ace had never lived near it, but he’d heard enough to picture what your life before orientation was like.

He coughed and crossed his arms. “Whatever. Just don’t fall asleep in class.”

… 

Ace takes it back. Falling asleep would have been better.

First, you admit, in front of everyone, that you don't have any school supplies. Ace cringed on your behalf. He can practically hear their thoughts.

‘What kind of idiot forgets to bring anything on the first day of classes?’ 

‘Are you seriously that poor?’

‘This one’s an easy target’

Seven damnit. You should have told him earlier, this could have been avoided! If anyone thinks they can try something on you he’d… well. Never mind

Deuce, the wannabe honor student, immediately offered you and Grim spare notebooks and pens. You're so damn grateful, Ace wants to gag.

Grim flailed the pen between his paws. “How do ya hold this thing?!”

Which led to the revelation that Grim couldn’t read.

Ace snorts at the revelation, then outright laughs at the shocked look on your face. 

The shocked expression on your face changes into something disturbingly intense. You scooped Grim up until you were nose-to-nose.

“I’ll teach you,” you declared with way too much passion. 

“Ugh,” Ace rolled his eyes, “you’re such a nerd.”

But despite his words Ace felt more endeared than annoyed. Gross

 Normally you're the kind of idiot he couldn't stand. But you did save his life back in the cave. That's probably it. Instead of thinking deeper on that Ace decided to focus on something else, like homeroom.

…

Homeroom sucks. 

Standard lectures, standard rules, standard boring. For a school with a reputation like NRC’s, Ace expected something more dramatic, like a magical demonstration, or at least a bit of showmanship. But nope, just a lecture.

You and Grim got singled out immediately when the direbeast started complaining. Crewel’s heels clicked  across the floor as he scolded you for failing to keep your “dependent creature” under control. You apologized awkwardly while people snickered.

Ace joins in but gets elbowed by Deuce. 

The only semi-interesting part of class was when Crewel launched into Capture & Care, the school’s course for darling management.

Personally Ace doesn't see the point, he’s had heard it all before. Everyone has. Dark/Light heart dynamics are drilled into people’s heads from childhood. Ace started zoning out before Crewel’s projection was finished setting up.

“Now, pups,” Crewel began, “a reminder of the fundamentals. Most of us are born with hearts shielded by darkness, protective, stabilizing, and perfectly suited to managing life’s emotional burdens.”

“A rare few, however… are different. Their hearts manifest shields of light. This allows them to avoid most of the dangers of blot while supporting the hearts of those around them,”

Here the professor’s voice takes on a slightly sterner tone

“However such people are less equipped to deal with the harsh realities of life. Their hearts are exposed, easily overwhelmed, easily influenced. One might even say…” he tilted his head, “delicately engineered by nature to be guided by more stable individuals.”

As the lecture goes into the science behind Dark and Light heart Ace notices you stiffen.

But then Crewel’s voice shifted to a different tone that has Ace perking up despite himself.

“Now,” Crewel continued briskly, “lesser institutions teach their students to eschew violence and death, claiming that such methods belong to a less civilized era.”

Disdain and mockery dripped from the professor's voice in equal measures.

“Royal Sword Academy, for example, backed the push for Darling Rights. A charming delusion, if one wishes to turn an entire population into unmanageable liabilities.” A few students chuckle  and Crewel smiles sharply.

“Indeed, At Night Raven College, we take a more honest approach. Night Raven Academy believes in teaching their students to embrace more controversial capture methods as well as how to properly eliminate rivals. Others might try to paint them as villains for this, but NRC maintains that a society built on survival of the fittest is more equipped for dealing with blot monsters and the miasma.”

For the first time since Crewel started talking Ace was fully focused on the man's words, but a gut feeling made him glance your way.

You weren’t taking notes, weren’t even pretending to. You stared at your page, pen limp in your hand, eyes far away. 

That wasn’t normal for you. Ace hasn't known you for very long, but he had you pegged as a “take notes on everything” type. The kind who’d highlight them later with color-coding. The kind who’d have to hold back tears if you misplaced your favorite pen.

Even dens-headed Deuce notices and nudges you. “What’s wrong?”

You blinked slowly. “It just… reminds me of something.” Your voice came out hollow. “Ever come so close to fixing something important… only to fail?”

The air between the three of you immediately becomes heavier. Ace exchanged a look with Deuce. That sounded like a darling problem. Ace hasn't met a darling he really vibed with, hasn't met many darlings at all really, but he's heard of people who meet their light young. You see it on the news sometimes, kids who’re still figuring things out get overexcited and mess up. It would explain the weird melancholy you carried sometimes.

“That's… rough, buddy,” Deuce managed, clearly unsure what else to say.

You don't elaborate and Ace doesn't like how much that bothered him.

Before either of them could push further, Crewel snapped his crop against your desk.

“Yuu! Trappola! Spade!  Focus, or I’ll have you all copy this by hand.”

Ace straightens up immediately. He’s not about to write an essay on his first day. No way!

…

The week passes and you spend most of it stuck in your own head.

Despite their attempts to cheer you up, you stayed distant. Just a weird dampened version of the person who saved them from the mine monster.

Ace hated it. What’s the big deal? Most people their age didn’t care about talking to their families daily. Ace barely checked messages from home unless his mom threatened to show up in person. 

The worst instance of your brain fog happened in alchemy class. Some idiots managed to mess up a basic potion formula and their cauldron exploded.  Everyone ducked, except you.

You were scribbling notes and sneaking glances at your brick of a phone  as the debris flew straight toward the back of your head.

Ace’s stomach lurched–

– and the debris cracked against your skull, shattering like it hit stone.

You finally look up blinking in surprise. “Huh?”

Ace didn’t notice how fast he and Deuce ran to your side. His hand clamped around your wrist; Deuce frantically inspected your (somehow undamaged!) head. 

“What the hell!”

“What?”

Ace locks eyes with you before slowly panning his gaze over to the pulverized debris on the floor, then back to you.

“Oh”

It's lucky that professor crewel was too busy shouting at the students who caused the explosion, because otherwise he’d be on your case about using a phone in class. As it is Ace feels ready to strangle you and gut the fuckers who put you in danger.

murmuring breaks out as the students who saw the debris shatter against your skull start to speculate. Ace shoots a glare around the classroom, hand gripping his magipen, until the whispers die down.

Okay, so you’re probably part fae, or monster, or something but you're his freak! But everyone needs to shut up!

And this wouldn't be the only public instance of your strangeness.

…

PE was the only time you seemed actually alive. Vargas barked orders in between flexing his muscles. Most of the students complained (Ace included), but a few students took to the exercise with an enthusiasm that Ace can only describe as gross.

“What’s got you smiling?” Ace hissed at you as you stretched.

“It’s fun.”

Fun.

Ace wants to throw something.

You outpaced everyone. Your stamina is ridiculous. The others notice and make comments.

“What kind of weirdo…

“...cant be human…”

“...definitely part fae or something.”

“...pretty hot. ”

Ace glares at everyone but doesn't have the breath to tell them to fuck off and mind their own business.

When he finally gets close enough to overhear your conversation with the teacher Ace feels an alarm go off in his head.

“...one of the coaches back at Babel-U said that when checking someone’s max speed, being hunted is the most reliable motivator–”

Ace hates PE.

Vargas leaned in, eyes sparkling with inspiration. “Interesting! Tell me more–”

Ace sprinted toward you, adrenaline granting him newfound strength.

“Guh–!” You squeaked when he slapped a hand over your mouth.

“Huff–sorry–huff–Sorry to interrupt,” Ace gasped. “But, uh–can I get some advice on my… running form?”

Vargas lit up and a crisis is potentially avoided. With all the other things that his brother said about NRC that turned out to be true, Ace still isn't sure if the “obstacle course from hell” is real, but he isn't willing to risk you making it worse.

He kept his hand over your mouth an extra beat longer than necessary. Just in case you decided to share more ideas. Not because he liked the warmth of your cheek under his palm.

Nope.

…

At the end of the week you said your phone issue was finally sorted out. You apologized for being so out of it, saying your phone issues had you more occupied than you expected.

Ace clicked his tongue. “If you’re sorry, then you gotta make it up to us. Lunch in Foothill Town. You’re paying.”

You actually laughed, and something small and tight unclenched in Ace’s chest.

“Sure,” you said. “Deal.”

That laugh stayed in his head longer than Ace cared to admit.

…

The weekend passed.

Come Monday, the halls buzzed with rumors about a Keyblade wielder seen near blot-heavy areas. Reporters speculated, blogs made dramatic predictions, students shared wild conspiracies. Typical gossip frenzy. Ace doesn't care about any of that. He cares about the stupid collar Houswarden Riddle slapped on him over a slice of tart!

As if Ace wasn’t dealing with enough. School is hard enough when he's managing his single brain-cell friends! He tugged at the collar, scowling. This week's gonna suck. 

Ace glances your way and thinks back to your offer to share a bed until his dorm banishment was sorted out. Of course, some good things have come out of this. 

Ace thinks back to how nice it was to share a bed with you. The warmth of your shared bodyheat, the feeling of comfort as you relaxed in each other's presence.

…So maybe this doesn't have to entirely suck.

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