A few minutes later as our little party switched to more relaxed topics, we received a knock at the door of the room we were staying in, and a voice spoke out. "I am coming in. The voice announced, and I recognized the voice as Kujou Sara so I called out that she was welcome to do so.
Kujou Sara coming in, saw me and Lumine were simply sitting beside one another reading one of the books we kept in our spatial storage with Paimon just taking a nap between the two of us like a child stuck between their parents.
"Ahem, I have news as to your request. First, what was your name I never got it in the excitement earlier?" Kujou Sara asked.
"My name is Jake Bariss, this is my companion Lumine, and this is our mascot Paimon." I said patting the yawning form of Paimon's head as she woke up at the noise of Kujou Sara coming in. "So did you meet the Shogun?" I asked and Kujou Sara nodded but bit her lip in thought as she obviously hesitated to answer.
"Yes... I have and she agreed to test you. But she also told me to warn you that should you fail her test you could very well die in the process." She warned me concerned for my safety, but I shook my head as I smiled softly.
"I understand and I thank you for the concern... Well, when can we meet her?" I asked straightforwardly.
Before Kujou Sara could answer, Paimon flew in front of me and between me and Kujou Sara and began franticly waving her arms back and sideways as she loudly denied my plan. "Jake you big stupid snowflake, what are you thinking?! The Raiden Shogun could kill you if you fail this test! Come on Jake let's just go back to Liyue or something... What about Eula?" Paimon tried to prod and pull at my emotions, but I just kept my soft smile as I gave Paimon a quick hug before releasing her.
"I am fine Paimon. I am a grown adult, and I can make my own decisions." I told her before focusing on Kujou Sara. "I sought these lessons knowing full well that the Electro Archon was one of the more demanding Archons due to her own mastery over weaponry and her element... I am willing to face this test regardless of the consequences." I said standing up.
Kujou Sara hearing my small speech nodded slightly as she spoke seriously. "Your commitment is unwavering which is the first step to meeting the all-mighty Shogun. And your test begins the moment you enter the throne room as you alone have been summoned." Kujou Sara then looked to Lumine and bowed her head slightly as she continued. "I apologize but when I asked if the Shogun knew anyone by the name of Aether, she denied any such knowledge."
Lumine bit her lips sadly as she didn't rail at the general of the shogun's claim at the god-knowing her brother. She only bowed her head in acquiescence and I sighed seeing how sad she looked at getting the abrupt denial of such further information. "Can my companion watch the test at least on the sidelines," I asked taking Lumines hand that she squeezed as she took comfort in my affectionate action and seeing that Kujou Sara sighed nodding helplessly.
"Very well... But if you should fail you would possibly be dragging two people to their graves you understand?" She spoke and I nodded knowing quite well what she meant as Ei wasn't tolerant of threats to herself. To say nothing of the Raiden Shogun's will controlling her puppet body as her true self was in some kind of pocket dimension hiding away from the world's Erosion.
"Yes, let's get this started then." I finished as Paimon and Lumine followed me and Kujou Sara as the tengu woman led us through the Shogun's palace through several hallways until we reached the throne room.
The throne room that held the Raiden Shogun's court was a long hall with a high ceiling with the stereotypical Inazuma structure details with a lot of purple highlights and the symbol for the Electro element being carved into the pillars holding up the building as well.
Even as I took in the large throne room, I could feel the Raiden Shogun's gaze upon me even with her eyes closed as she sat on her knees in the middle of a large, upraised platform that acted as her seat of power as it were. "Be careful," Lumine whispered as she gave me a quick hug and walked over to the side with Kujou Sara once we reached the midpoint of the room.
As I approached the Raiden Shogun and took in her rather scantily clad form with her short dress that bared her legs and left a lot of cleavage exposed. The Raiden Shogun's eyes snapped open with her purple eyes staring down at me and I knew it was the 'Raiden Shogun' consciousness, the puppet automatic system to govern Inazuma, and not actually the Electro Archon. Ei.
"Thousands of years... Thousands of years have passed in my life and I never took a disciple, what makes you worthy to inherit my ideals of Eternity?" She questioned and her dull emotionless gaze weighed upon me greater than Venti's ever did even when he got angry.
But I wasn't going to stutter or make a fool of myself so after a moment of thought I answered. "I do not and cannot see myself inheriting your mantle of the seeker of Eternity due to such an ideal not being possible honestly," I said sadly as I continued to speak. "No matter what you do, everything dies or is eroded away whether it be this very cliff holding up your palace that is being washed away with each rainy season or even this very world of Teyvat. Everything dies eventually." I finished somberly and a flash of Electro energy entered the eyes of the Raiden Shogun as my words struck Ei in her weak point making her take over her puppet's form.
"To speak such a speech to the God of Eternity... Do you have a death wish?" Ei asked me almost jokingly, but her soft tone was merely sheathed steel, but I shook my head at her question.
"No... The pursuit of such a goal is worthy beyond all of the other god's goals or fixation honestly. But the actual seeking of the goal is accomplishing what you desire in the end. As it cannot be found so seeking the Eternity for Eternity and finding ways to lengthen life and other things is a phenomenal accomplishment. But that's not my goal. I came to you to study under your ways of weaponry and the Electro element to become a better warrior and perhaps find my Eternity without the yoke of mortality that Celestia has put atop us all."
Ei twitched before she scoffed and then actually burst into laughter as she put a hand to her chest to steady herself as her other hand pointed at me as though she couldn't believe the nonsense I spewed in her direction.
"You desire to combat Celestia?" She demanded and seeing my unflinching face she actually sighed and took a swig of some drink she had next to her. "Your thoughts are but folly... Do you think the gods wanted to fight in the Archon War? That we didn't rebel against the flying island that dared enforce some twisted mortality that twisted the souls of the 'lesser surface dwellers' in order to get rid of the long-lived supernatural races and gods." She spat before she stood up in a blur of movement.
"Bah, what does it matter... Take out your weapon, I shall take your measure with my spear, and should I find you wanting I will save you from your ridiculous quest against Celestia. As trust in me, a god who has already seen their machinations and strength... You won't succeed when dozens of other gods failed." She said with pity clear in her voice as she walked towards me twirling her spear as I took out my Rain Splitter and charged it with Electro energy.
"I will keep my head up high and if that results in it being cut off so be it. I bow to no one." I said proudly as I swung my greatsword down onto Ei's spear that came out of her bored twirling in her hands.