Delusion

" If it weren't for that lovely little Rite of Parting ceremony you put together, it would have taken me a whole lot longer to get the information I needed." Childe shouted and summoned his double water blades.

"Although I'm deeply grateful to you that I was able to effortlessly find this secret location... Don't you think that trying to stop me now would just be a waste of effort?" Childe asked while spinning the blades around her hand.

" Well at least I fought a good fight." Aether answered not moving an inch.

"Stopping the Mora mints, hiding away the Exuvia... Hahaha, the Qixing are really pulling out all the stops this time... " Childe laughed but then stared at him menacingly.

" As one of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers, it's my duty to see the will of the Tsaritsa fulfilled. She will get that which she desires." Childe declared. Aether said nothing and got ready. It'll be better if he didn't get into a shouting match with her.

" If you intend to stop me. Then let me do the honors of disposing your dead body!" Childe said and rushed towards Aether. Aether's eyes glowed red and he quickly unsheathed Enma.

*Shing!*

Childe had to quickly block the golden fire blade that was shot out of Enma. The water blades created a reaction and steam was created.

The golden fire blade dominated the clash and got closer to her. Childe furrowed her eyebrows and did an unimaginable thing. She let the golden fire blade pass through her two water blades and it cut her body in half.

*Psssssh!!!*

Aether walked down the stairs and was standing in a big circle where Childe was in.

"She can turn her body into water? That's cool. Am I supposed to compliment my opponents? That's normal in anime." Aether thought while staring at Childe reforming herself from water.

The water rushed together and created a water pillar. The water pillar fell down and there was Childe completely fine.

"You like it? I could teach you if we weren't enemies right now." Childe said walking around. Aether walked around as well. They were walking around in what looks like a neverending spin.

"It is very useful. But I'll pass. We're enemies after all." Aether said and smiled a little.

"Yeah...." Childe said grimly and summoned her Polar Star bow. She jumped up in the air and shot out water currents that appeared from the ground.

Aether dodged them easily. Childe landed on the ground and a blue circle was created in her arrow.

*Bang!*

A giant water arrow was quickly created and flew towards Aether im a superhuman speed. Aether raised Enma again and cut it in half. The blade was covered in black and a purple aura surrounded it.

"That blade..... is a problem..." Childe whispered. Aether appeared in front of her and slashed at her abdomen.

*Bing!*

A blue shield block his strike. Childe smirked.

"Didn't expect that did you~" Childe teased. She got no answer.

*Crack!*

"Huh!" Childe widened her eyes as her water shield broke and Enma was about to cut open her stomach. Childe blurred away in a water current in time. She appeared away from him.

"That was surprising. But not enough!" Childe said. A giant pool of water gathered around her. Childe aimed her bow intending to shoot towards the air.

*Oooooooooolllooooooo!!!!*

A giant whale appeared behind her. It was towering. Aether raised Enma and a small golden aura surrounded him and Enma.

Aether slashed at the water whale and it was sliced open easily. The whale fell down on the ground.

*BOOMM!!*

Water exploded on impact. Aether who was wasting no time watching the explosion appeared in front of the Harbinger.

Childe made Polar Star disappeared and her double water blades were back on her hands again. Aether swung his sword at her, now intending to cut her chest open.

*Clang!*

They clashed blades. Childe used more of her strength and pushed Aether back. Aether who expected that let her. Childe overwhelmed Aether and made his hands raise in the air.

Aether jumped up and recovered. He slashed and dark green wind blades shot out of Enma. Childe dodged those and drills made from water shot out of the ground and flew towards Aether.

Aether disappeared and reappeared in front of Childe. They proceeded to have a blade battle. They increased their speed and strength overtime and a minute later, all you can see were two blurs that were gold and blue in color all around the Golden House.

*Cling! Clang! Cling Cling! BOOOM!!*

There was an occasional explosion as one them will fire elemental attacks. Childe managed to get some cuts in Aether's hands with her being in the same situation.

*Clang!*

The both of them skidded back and created a dust trail.

"Not bad. Your swordsmanship is quite impressive. No wonder Signora was so wary of you. Well, that just means I can go all out! Brace yourselves, this is about to get tough..." Childe warned and purple lightning sparked around her. A purple dome of lightning covered her.

A few seconds later, the dome was lowered and Childe stepped out with a different element. Her clothes were all black now and there was a red mask on her face.

Lightning crackled around him restlessly. Childe had a polearm made from lightning now and flashed towards him in a faster speed.

The purple lightning polearm was coming from Aether's left so Aether dodged out of the way and appeared behind Childe.

"Feel pain." Aether muttered and swung down Enma who's blade was covered in a golden ref fire. Childe widened her eyes a little and dodged.

*Shing!*

At the place where Childe stood, there was a very long slice that was from Enma. Childe jumped up to the air and swung her polearm at him. Aether looked at her the color purple returned to Enma once again.

"Rah!" Aether grunted and they clashed with blades.

*BOOOOOMMM!!!!*

*CHIK CHIK CHIK!!*

The whole building shook under their clash. Sparks of lightning were around them and their blades. Aether grinned. Childe also grinned happily under her red mask.

Childe jumped up to the air and a lightning spear was created on her hand. Three more were behind her. She threw the crackling purple spear and the three others flew towards Aether. He flipped away quickly.

*BOOOOMMM!!!!*

Aether immediately cleared the smoke with a swipe of his hand. He looked in front of him and Childe wasn't there. There was only her polearm stabbed into the ground. He turned to the Exuvia to see Childe floating beside it and her hand on the dragon.

Aether narrowed his eyes. and sheathed back Enma and prepared.

"Well then, I'll be taking Morax's Gnosis now!" Childe declared and reached his hands into the dragon's body. A glow surrounded the dragon. Aether just stared.

"...Huh?" Childe muttered in confusion when she came out empty handed.

"Hahaha... I see. Well, this is most unexpected. You... You beat me to it, didn't you?" Childe glared at Aether who was raising his eyebrow at her.

" Quite a show you put on there beautiful. " Aether teased. Childe gritted her teeth.

"It's about to get interesting." Aether muttered. He saw Childe stepped on the ground and undergo a transformation. A shockwave was created and Aether was pushed back. He covered his eyes to block the dust trying to enter his eyes.

"Not bad! But this is going to cost you!

To be continued.....