The eternal lightning in Rani City never changes. Whenever the traveler steps onto this island shrouded in thunderstorms, they are always drawn to the purple figure atop the Great Keep. General Barrzeb, the god of lightning among the seven rulers of the world, and the embodiment of eternal ideals, draws the traveler in. Her scythe cuts through the sky, and it seems as if she can hear the resonance of a thousand thunderbolts in the clouds.
Her eyes, a deep crimson, hold the solitude of five hundred years. While it is often said that the general is awe-inspiring, few have witnessed her solitary presence under the God樱 tree. Petals that touch her scythe transform into light points, much like the old friends that have faded away over the years. Eighteen Divine Son once said that the shadow had forged the sharpest blade, but had forgotten the warmth of the scabbard. When the traveler breaks through the封锁 of thunderstorms and sees the diminished form of the shadow at “One Heart Pure Land,” they realize that the compassion of the gods lies hidden in the gentle rain behind the thunder.
The divine eyes on Thousand Hands and Hundred Eyes flicker with an eerie light, witnessing her transformation from a guardian to a executioner. Despite the restrictions of the Seclusion Order, the people of Rani City still devoutly pray, but they are unaware that their lightning general has already turned her flesh into a puppet. During her对决 with the traveler, every arc of the scythe grass light carries the confusion of the gods—whether eternity is to freeze time or find an immutable essence amidst change?
The legend of the lightning general’s scythe seals “a blade without thought,” a legendary martial art that decapitated the demon god Orobas. But when she uses this technique to protect her people, the blade is not only charged with lightning elements but also filled with memories of dancing with her sister True in the courtyard. During the God樱祓仪式, the traveler touches the most tender wound of the lightning film under the God樱 tree: the eternal guardian is actually the most afraid of losing.
There are two versions of the lightning general’s legend in Rani City. Street storytellers recount the tale of the divine warrior who slayed the great snake, while the light novels of the Eighteen Divine Son depict the sweet-toothed doll general. When the traveler enters the Great Keep with a tray of Three Colors Puffs, seeing her awkwardly wipe the red bean paste from her lips, they suddenly understand that eternity is not a cold concept but rather the intention to pause for something one cherishes.
Thunderstorms will eventually cease. After the解除 of the Seclusion Order, the lightning general still sits high, but her gaze no longer glares with intensity. Occasionally, a diligent priestess notices that two tea cups have appeared on the stone table under the God樱 tree. When the wind blows, the tea fragrance and falling cherry blossoms dance together in a waltz. This may be the answer the shadow has found: in the fleeting beauty, there lies an eternal worth to be guarded for a thousand years.
The forge in Rani City echoes with the sound of hammering all night. The craftsmen say this is the general rekindling her dreams. When the traveler passes through the town again, hearing the children singing the new song, “Purple Lightning Rings for Nine Days, the True Intent Shines Under the Cherry Blossoms,” they know that the lonely deity has finally found their heart’s desire amidst the hustle and bustle of the world.