130 Lochfolk

[AN: I'll say this. The game will most probably reach the Fontaine region before me as I need still to finish Mondstadt, Inazuma and Sumeru before starting. However, I have already prepared and thought about the main story of Fontaine, preparing hints all over the story and specially during these chapters.

So I won't change this story to adapt it in the game as I'll made to Sumeru (I thought about it before the actual realize of Sumeru and my story was far different, but I have adapted to it, completely changing it from what I thought previously.)

This way, there will be big changes from the game, I only using the game for some referances but not for the story of it.]

"So you finally decided to kill me yourself, Focalors?!" Rhodeia shouted full of anger.

"Focalors? I think that you've got the wrong person. I don't know who that might be."

"Do not think for a moment that merely changing your form would be able to trick me. Neither Lochfolk nor human, but with both characteristics, there's no other than you, Focalors!" Rhodeia said without a doubt "You have sent countless traitors against me and now you came in person. You will regret it! I won't lose without fighting!"

Rhodeia summoned water pillars, boar mimics surging from them and charging at Allen.

"I'll help you, Allen!" Endora summoned bubbles, throwing them at the boars and caging them before absorbing them.

"Ahhh!" After swallowing the new water, Endora cried painfully, falling to the ground weakened "Too... Bitter..."

"You even brought a contaminated Lochfolk to contaminate me," Rhodeia said with disgust. "But you underestimated me. There's no way that something so weak could harm me. She can't even take my water!"

"I'll deal with it!" Rhodeia extended her wings, summoning bird mimics all around her. "Die!" Rhodeia charged toward Endora, becoming a water jet.

*Pa!* Allen jumped in front of Endora, blocking Rhodeia's charge with her sword, but she could feel herself losing ground, being pushed and unable to hold it any longer. Moreover, Allen was unable to stop the birds around Rhodeia who passed over her and charged at Endora.

'I need to stop them!' Allen summoned a pillar of water under her feet, propelling herself forward while creating a barrier for Endora. 'While Hydro abilities will be unable to damage mimics, I can still use them for defense.'

However, to Allen's surprise, the birds were pushed aside by the water, breaking their form and transforming into normal water, falling into the lake.

'I can damage them!' Allen quickly realized.

"AHHHHHH♪!" Allen sang, causing all the water around them to vibrate and shooting water spears at Rhodeia.

"Dammit!" Rhodeia backed down, stepping back while summoning a shield around her, stopping the incoming spears.

"Calm down! I am not Focalors! I have not come to fight or kill you. I only came to deal with the bitter water," Allen explained, taking the opportunity to speak.

"Who are you trying to lie to? That wings and that Hydro capable of damaging us is proof enough! And to sing like her!" Rhodeia shouted far angrier than before. "How dare you?!"

'Wings?' Allen realized that little wings had sprouted over her backhead, similar to the previous Columbina.

Rhodeia charged again, creating waves around her massive body.

'Now that I am aware that I can hurt her, there's no reason to doubt. She doesn't give any other option. I'll kill her!' Allen decided, lifting her sword. 'It's a pity that I don't have the Flute, but I'll make use of the area.'

"La! La! La!♪" Allen started humming, causing all the water around her to vibrate and rise, following her voice.

Rhodeia's body flinched, as she was highly affected by Allen's voice, far more easily than humans, and especially in this area with so much water to transmit it. Usually, this place let Rhodeia unleash all her potential, becoming her strongest, but against Allen's abilities, all those strengths went against her.

Allen took advantage, avoiding the attack and slashing one of Rhodeia's wings. But that was far from enough to stop her completely. Rhodeia showed her speed and strength, charging at Allen, slashing her with her wings while commanding summons, but it was all useless in the end. Allen was able to read her moves, blocking her attacks while her song weakened Rhodeia.

"Dammit!" Rhodeia fell to the ground panting and exhausted, the mere act of staying over the vibrating water being quite mortal for her. "How are you able to sing like her?!"

Allen stopped singing, the water becoming calmer as she approached the prone Rhodeia, preparing her sword. "This is the end." Allen lifted her sword, preparing to decapitate her.

*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* Water pillar rose from around the platform and from them, four new Lochfolks surged, summoning waves towards Allen.

"Tch!" Allen clicked her tongue as she stepped back, letting Rhodeia go and avoiding the attacks.

"It's your end!" Rhodeia declared "Come, sisters! It's our time to take our revenge and finish Focalors!"

"What are you saying, Rhodeia? It's clear that she is not Focalors" One of the new Lockfolk stated with a gentle voice, she was quite small and was more similar to Endora, but a little bigger.

"What are you saying, Dione?! It's clear that she is Focalors, we can all change form. She is only trying to trick us to contaminate us!"

"Has your rage blurred your brain, Rhodeia?" Another Lochfolk stated with a dignified voice, this one being similar to a mix between Rhodeia and Endora "What would be the need of hiding herself? You know about Focalors' strength, if she were to personally come, we won't pose any threat, there's no need to trick us."

"I hate it, but Thoe is right" Another one, this being quite similar to Rhodeia, said with a pissed voice "Neither her strength nor her style are like Focalors. And you know how Focalors is, she never dares to leave Fontaine and its barrier. This person might have some similarities but are completely different."

"Whatever, Chryseis!" The last one shouted with anger "Let's kill her! It might not be Focalors, but she's certainly related. Let's kill her and satisfy our anger!"

"No! No!" Endora stepped forward "Allen is good! She helped Endora!"

"Just shut up!" the last Lochfolk shouted "How could you say that?! You know our resentment!"

"Calm down, Urania" Thoe said "She has just been born. She is unaware. She needs to learn at her own pace. Don't blame her for that."

"But it's quite curious" Chryseis said "To think that there's someone apart from Focalors. She also reminds me a little of her. That's why I came when I felt her presence."

"Don't think to even compare them!" Rhodeia growled "I might be wrong with her, she is not Focalors, but it does not change what we must do. We must end her now, she is a danger to us!"

"Yes, it could be" Chryseis nodded "Unlike Focalors, she has left Fontaine. If someone with her abilities starts hunting us, it will be quite the peril and we are busy enough with the contaminated ones."

"Yes, let's kill her!" Urania affirmed.

"B-but she hadn't done anything yet" Dione timidly stepped.

"Yes, it was Rhodeia who attacked first!" Thoe defended "She was only protecting the little one. We shouldn't attack her."

"Yes! Yes!" Dione nodded "Focalors did bad things, but we shouldn't hurt humans for that."

"Say the terrified one that only trembles in fright. Too scared to leave her little spring! I'm even surprised about you coming here, Dione." Urania was disgusted "Rhodeia did it well. We should even corrupt all the water around for those humans to learn! Killing this person will only be the first step."

"You are changing the subject, Urania" Chryseis interrupted "We are not talking about humans but about that half. We should decide it all together, so why do not do it by voting?" She proposed "Kill her or let her go, what will be your decision?"

"Of course, we must kill her!" Urania voted "As our revenge!"

"Let her go" Dione voted "She hasn't done anything yet and it will make humans think of us as a great danger."

"Kill her!" Rhodeia said her vote "I'm sure that she is related with Focalors.

"Ler her!" Thoe exclaimed "I like her aura!"

"It seems that in the end, my vote is the decisive one" Chryseis stated. "My decision is to..."

'These ones talking about as if I'm not here' Allen thought seeing them discuss 'But I doubt that I am able to go against all of them if they cooperate together. I need to be ready to escape, against so many of them, I won't be at advantage in the water, so I should escape outside where they can't follow me' Allen thought while touching the handle of her sword.

"...kill her. She is too dangerous to let her go" Chryseis finally said.

"It's decided!" Urania said gleefully "Let' kill h-"

"Wait a moment!" Endora stepped forward "Endora votes to let her go!"

Every other Lochfolk looked at Endora.

"Allen saved Endora and gave Endora water. If it weren't for her, Endora would have died! Endora votes against killing her!"

"Who said that you could vote, newborn?!" Urania spatted.

"Endora is also a Lochfolk like you. Endora can vote"

"It makes sense" Chryseis stated "But in that case, it will be a draw. What can we do?" She said thoughtfully.

"Kill her!" "Let her go!" The Lochfolk started to look at each other with anger and contempt as they discussed what to do, creating a chaotic situation where a fight could break out between them at any time.

'This is a good opportunity' Allen grinned for herself 'If they start fighting with each other, it will be the perfect moment to escape or even to finish them on. How could I start a fig-' Suddenly, a warm feeling appeared over her heart, causing Allen's eyes to go wide.

'Really? What's this situation?'

"Whatever!" Urania shouted frustrated "I'll kill her myself, with or without your help!"

"I'll protect her" Phoe and Dione stated at unison.

"I'm with you, Urania" Rhodeia stated, positioning next to Urania, both looking menacing at the little Phoe and Dione, making signs of an imminent fight.

"♪" Suddenly music started, the sound of a piano resounding all over the place. "♪" It was a bright and bold brass fanfare, which was quickly followed by a sweeping melody played by the strings. The melody was grand and majestic, with a sense of urgency and pride that seemed to build with each passing note.

All the Lochfolk stopped their fight, turning over the music with shocked expressions on their faces turned over Allen who was playing a blue and white piano. Her melody resounded in their minds, leaving them in awe, inspiring them and making them remember the pride and love for their country that they thought was long lost.

Allen did not know the song, but her body moved along the piano without any difficulty, as if completely imprinted in her body.

As Allen continued, the song became increasingly intense, with the brass section taking center stage and driving the melody forward with powerful and assertive blasts, the effect over the Lochfolk increasing, losing themselves in the perfect music.

"♪" After about 5 minutes, Allen finally finished playing, opening her eyes and breathing, the piano completely disappearing without trail before turning over to the Lochfolk whose all attention was over her.

"Grand Orchestre!"