original

Genshin Impact: The Admiral of Fontaine

Chapter 1: Prologue

(Prologue)

*be free. be free. oh daughter of the seas, be free, but don't forget your people here, always the pride of our nation's eyes, don't ever, go astray...*

"Where did it all go wrong?"

I ask myself, yet, even I don't know the answer...

I watched as the entirety of Fontaine was devoured by the primordial waters...

I watched as the entirety of its people turned their backs on their archon...

I watched as half of the Golden Armada, which had sworn their loyalty to me and my lady, turned against me...

I remember it all too well...

That day... I ordered my sister and what's left of the great Golden Armada to use every ship at my disposal to evacuate as many civilians as possible regardless of their status and wealth... thousands of ships many of whom were battleships that I used to conquer the seas and a hundred of airships that were still in prototype stages, everything was converted to use for civilian transports...

millions will die... but the few thousand survivors will be en route to Sumeru and continue living... that deal I made with the Dendro Archon years ago proved very useful in the end... No... who was it again? My memory of making the deal with someone... is very foggy...

That same day... I mustered what was left of my forces that still were loyal to me and marched my way to the Opera Epiclese, ready to kill anyone who stood in my way...

I remember it was quiet, the streets were empty... as the news of the primordial waters struck fear into the hearts of many...

I continued my march to the opera house only to be stopped by three people that I know too well... Clorinde the Shadowhunter, Jeanne the Hellfire Witch, and lastly Dominique the White Diamond... they were known as the Bourreaus... Lady Furina's bodyguards...

I remember asking them...

"Enough of this nonsense, if you three truly intend to serve Lady Furina with your life, join me as we put an end to this so-called 'trial'."

"We do intend to serve Lady Furina till our last breath, Lord Admiral."

Dominique replied, with no emotion on her face.

"Even if it is her last order."

Clorinde said.

"Then so be it traitors, stay out of my way or I will force you to stand aside."

I said in a threatening tone as my forces behind me raised their muskets and swords.

In response the three Bourreaus prepared their weapons as well...

I remember it all too well... the battle was bloody, as the majority of my soldiers fell in their hands... but they were no match against the power of the sun itself... with Clorinde unconscious in a cracked wall, Dominique defeated in the ground and Jeanne mortally wounded as I slashed her arm along with her gauntlet... I stopped my remaining soldiers to execute them... They were Lady Furina's friends after all, not just her bodyguards... the two would most likely survive but Jeanne... if her will to live is strong there might be a chance... With the final obstacles out of my way, I kicked the door to the opera house open.

I climbed the stairs leading to the court, I watched as the entire crowd lay their eyes on me with fear present on it... As all of them knew what I came here for...

"T-Tempest?!"

I looked at the seat above the court... The voice I know too well, I saw Lady Furina shout my name with tears in her eyes...

the moments I saw her... that look on her face... Ra's power in my soul never burned so bright... With every step I took the floor was scorched by fire...

"My Lady..."

I simply said... I laid my eyes on the Outlander, whom I knew started this whole entire charade...He should've never stepped foot on Fontaine...I should've hunted him down the moment I heard about him... My eyes then darted to Neuvillette, He was the last person whom I thought to turn against My Lady, yet, here he is, the one who will deliver the verdict.

I walked to the stage as the Gardes tried to stop me, but were too terrified to point their weapons against me, the man in the middle of the stage was after all, 'The Sword of Fontaine' the one who brought the Golden Age on Fontaine back.

"Tempest, if you intend to watch the trial, then, please sit down."

Neuvillette said, with a demanding voice, that a normal person would immediately comply, but, the one in the middle of the stage was Tempest Proudmoore, Fontaine's grand admiral and commander of the Golden Armada, the biggest fleet Teyvat has ever seen.

"How ironic, here I am, standing on this stage once again like it was twelve years ago..."

I said as I glared into Neuvillette's eyes.

"Tempest... please... just do what he says..."

Furina said with a pleading voice... I can see it in her... those eyes, completely accepting defeat...

"No, I will not stand by as your subjects turn their backs against you."

You turned to the crowd as they talked against one another nervously, terrified of what you would do next.

"Traitors... all of you...for five hundred years she ruled this nation with grace and elegance... and all of you loved her flamboyant and confident attitude towards her people, she was pure, she is perfect, an Archon loved by the people and an Archon that loves her people... but the moment she revealed the truth... all of you turned your backs against her... all of you disgust me...in my eyes, you the people are guilty."

The crowd was silent as you voice out your opinion.

"Tempest, I will not repeat this again, if you came here intending to watch the trial, then, sit down and be quiet"

Neuvillette once again demanded you and again you did not listen, you turned towards him.

"And you, Monsieur, you were the last people I genuinely believed to turn your back against Lady Furina... but you listened to a mere machine..."

You raised both your arms and as you did the ceiling of the opera house exploded and a giant hole above it formed.

"It disgusted me."

The whole crowd panics and disperses as the explosion happens, the giant hole above reveals an airship, 'The Pride of Focalors', Tempest Proudmoore's flagship the pinnacle of Fontaine ingenuity and engineering.

"Seize him!"

Neuvillette shouted to the Gardes and Meks standing by were immediately activated, what remains of my soldiers from the confrontation of the Bourreaus earlier surrounded me raising their muskets and swords and ready for anything.

As the entirety of the Opera's Gardes and Meks moved toward us, smoke bombs were thrown to the stage from above the ceiling, and then, ropes coming from the airship above deployed down to the stage, Ghost Operatives landed to the stage.

"We'll hold them off, Lord Admiral! you and Lady Furina must not die here!"

A Ghost operator said to me.

"I will not forget all your sacrifices, hold them off as I go and get Lady Furina."

I told the Ghost operator and he simply nodded, I jumped away from the stage and then towards Lady Furina's seat.

"T-Tempest?! W-what are you doing?!"

Lady Furina asked me with an uneasy face, clearly not liking the idea of what I was doing.

"You shouldn't be here! stop this madness at once! I order you!"

You simply looked at Lady Furina with pity before speaking.

"I apologize my Lady, but I will not stand by and watch as this trial goes on."

You simply replied to her.

"You don't understand! I mus-"

Before she could finish what she was saying, you hit the side of her neck, and she immediately fainted, you caught her body before she fell.

"Forgive me..."

You carried her body in a bridal carry and you jumped back to the stage.

"Retrieval complete, hold them off while we ascend to the airship."

The Ghost operatives simply nodded, they were ready to give their lives for their Archon... As the smoke slowly disappears, both of you are seen by the crowd slowly ascending to the airship.

"If all of you still desire to live, my ships are waiting at the harbor, the evacuation will last for three days, gather your friends and family before it's too late, don't try to find us we will be long gone by now."

You said to the crowd as you both ascended to the airship...

"Tempest!"

Your sister's voice called you as you boarded the airship with an unconscious Lady Furina at your hand.

"Penance... how's the evacuation?"

You asked your sister with a tired look.

"Everything is going smoothly, for now, a hundred ships have already left en route to Sumeru, is... is she alright?"

Penance asked with a concerned face.

"Mhm... she just... unconscious, is Bartos ready?"

You asked.

"Yes, he's fully saddled with supplies and full of necessities."

As Penance said that a griffon landed at her side.

*Caw!*

Penance patted the great beast beside its face.

"Where will you go now?"

Penance asked with a hint of sadness on her face.

"Mondstadt... just somewhere far from here... Penance... save as many as you can."

"I will... Good luck brother..."

She hugged you and the unconscious Lady Furina at your hands.

"Be free My Lady..."

Penance said to the unconscious Lady Furina, you then mounted Bartos the griffon you had for many years, you then tied Lady Furina with your body to make sure she won't fall when Bartos goes airborne.

*Caw!*

You patted Bartos's head.

"Take care of her brother."

Penance said to you with a tear in her eyes.

"I will, we will see each other again, I promise, Go!"

*Caw!*

Bartos flapped its wings and prepared for flight, you held tight on the saddle and you were both en route to Mondstadt...

I remember it all too well... its been over a year now...

"Was it worth it in the end?"

the person at your side asked you. It was Barbatos, or what he calls himself now, Venti, his usual cheerful attitude was not present.

"An entire nation devoured by the ocean completely disappearing off the map..."

Venti said to you.

"It breaks my heart just seeing her sitting on the chair gazing at the horizon motionlessly, with tears pouring out of her eyes until they're too dried to do so... Where did I go wrong?"