Inside a mountain that has experienced the passing of many years was the tomb covered in ice that belongs to one of the main defenders and the person responsible for planning to end a war that could have wiped out an entire nation, was the perfectly preserved body of Thráin better known as "Captain" sitting on a throne cracked by the passing of the years surrounded by pillars of ice which kept the rock roof stable over time, you could see in the remains around what were once flowers in the form of an altar around the throne, implying that the person sitting was not forgotten and was remembered as a hero, even with a rock plaque with a written text but due to the frost it was illegible.
But what no one knew was that he was actually still conscious, but unfortunately, he couldn't move, see, speak, or hear. All of his senses were deactivated. He could only speak in his mind, and his only companion was the voice of the entity that had cursed him with immortality in the first place, questioning everything he had done in his life.
In Captain's mind.
Captain (mind): I wonder if the plan worked out as expected, if Mavuika really saved Natlan.
Ronova: You always ask the same question, over and over again.
Captain (mind): What else can I do? I have no notion of time. I don't know what happened after my sacrifice. I only have myself, as I've always had.
Ronova: You would have sacrificed someone other than yourself or Mavuika. What about that blonde girl accompanying Mavuika?
Captain (mind): I'd be lying if I said I didn't have that in mind, but I decided against it since she, along with all the inhabitants of Natlan, were innocent and didn't even know about the great disaster that was approaching. Mavuika was their only hope. She was their heroine to save the nation. I had already done so much damage that I definitely deserved to be the one to sit for eternity.
Ronova: And tell me, was it really worth all the effort just so no one would know you were the one who planned everything and give credit to the Pyro archon?
Captain (mind): It's for the best. No one should remember the one who tried to destroy their only hope of saving Natlan.
Ronova: I think it's illogical, considering I was one of the main warriors who was on the front lines of the battle.
Captain (mind): No matter what you say, I'll just keep waiting for the day I cease to exist or when I can see the sky again and breathe fresh air.
Ronova: Unfortunately, I no longer have control over what happens since you sat on the throne. It would be a miracle if you suddenly managed to move.
So, both entities decided to stop talking, just as they always end their conversations.
But what they both didn't know was that at the top of the mountain where the ice tomb was located, a conflict was taking place between several people, each distinguished by their somewhat similar clothing, but with different colors: green and brown, and a headband with plates on most of their heads. The green ones were a kind of leaf for the ones in green and a rock for the brown ones.
In the battle, the ones with the symbol were using attacks with the element of earth, while the ones with the leaf tried to counter with fire attacks, and a few with water, but it was all even. They managed to injure some of their enemies and were healed by the medics of their respective squads.
You could say they were at a stalemate; someone had to make the difference.
Leaf1 (tired): We need someone stronger to come help us. We need to win this strategic point for the war.
Leaf 2 (tired): I ordered Mighty Guy to ask the Hokage for reinforcements since he's the fastest of them all, but I think the Iwa people had the same idea.
Leaf 1 (already recovered): I just hope they arrive quickly. This is getting very tense.
Thirty minutes of combat had passed, and a blond-haired man had arrived alongside the aforementioned might Guy.
Leaf 1: Minato, it's good that you're here. Iwa has put up a lot of resistance, and I believe they also called someone to help them.
Those present observed a man floating above them.
Rock 1 (excited): It's the Tsuchikage.
Rock 2: Lord Onoki, it's good that you came.
Onoki: Watch your words. If Yellow Flash is here, you're in danger, and I don't want to lose men like last time.
Rock 2: And what will my lord do?
Onoki: If necessary, I'll destroy part of the mountain so you can escape and prevent Konoha from obtaining this strategic point. Now gather those who can and flee from here.
Rock 1 and 2: Yes, sir.
So, they both left the place to inform their companions, while Onoki fixed his gaze on Minato.
Minato (seriously): Onoki, it's been a while since I last saw him.
Onoki (seriously): Last time, you wiped out many of my shinobi, but this time won't be the case.
Onoki looked back to see if his shinobi had cleared the area, and when he saw that everyone had already left, he began to make hand signals. Minato, seeing this, ordered his comrades to retreat.
Onoki: Dust style, molecular dissolution.
A white beam shot towards Minato, which he dodged thanks to his Flying Thunder God Jutsu. Onoki continued with his jutsu, either to finish Minato off or destroy large parts of the mountain, causing it to begin to collapse.
Minato (serious): You're willing to destroy a strategic point just to finish me off.
Onoki (serious): No, just so Konoha doesn't get it and so my shinobi can return to their families, that's what a good Kage would do.
The mountain was already falling apart, causing Minato to have to leave and not end up buried under the rocks. Seeing Onoki, who was still floating, he decided to retreat as well.
But inside the tomb, in the ice tomb, the roof began to collapse, causing the debris to finish destroying the throne, which was already damaged by time. It will finally break, causing Captain's body to fall to the floor.
In Captain's mind.
Captain (seriously): Hey, I could feel my body touching something.
Ronova: Try to wake up. It could be that you've somehow managed to free yourself.
Capitano would do his best to take control of his body, successfully achieving this. When he regained his sight, the first thing he saw was that the place he was in was about to collapse. Due to the time he had been inactive, it was somewhat complicated to take control of his body, so in a complicated way, he managed to stand up and start looking for a way out.
He tried to use his cryo abilities, but he wasn't fully recovered and his use was somewhat limited. With the little he could use, he created an ice path to move faster. As he slid, he managed to find a way out, just before the whole place collapsed.
When Captain managed to get out, he could only throw himself to the ground, completely exhausted, falling asleep.
In Captain's mind.
Ronova: You're now free from your prison, now what will you do?
Captain: I honestly don't know. I have no idea how much time has passed. I don't remember being inside a mountain before taking the throne.
Ronova: Tayvat may no longer be the same person you know.
Captain: Maybe you're right, and now you're a stranger in a new world.
Ronova: Well, I hope you have a new beginning, because this will be the last time we see each other.
Captain (confused): What do you mean?
Ronova: Since you no longer have control over your curse, the only thing that united us was your eternal rest. But now that you're free, my presence will disappear. See you later, Thráin.
Captain: See you later, Ronova.
Thus, Ronova's presence disappeared, and Capitano awoke from his dream, now with more energy. When he stood up, he saw a large forest surrounding him, and behind him, only what had once been his frozen tomb remained.
He went deeper into the forest in search of traces of civilization. As the days passed, he only continued to find more and more trees. He increasingly lost hope of finding what he had once called home.
Capitano ate fruits he found on trees or animals and drank water from rivers nearby. Once he recovered, he managed to regain his ability to fly. In doing so, he saw a village a few kilometers from his position, so at high speed he would manage to reach the village. Upon landing, he would be greeted by two people guarding the entrance.
??? (seriously): Name and reason for being here.
Captain: My name is Thráin, and I come from a kingdom that was once called Khaenri'ah, but is now merely a memory. I'm here seeking information about the place I'm currently in, if it's not too much trouble.
The two guards looked at each other and assumed a defensive stance.
??? (seriously): I'm sorry, but I've never heard of that blessed kingdom. I ask that you cooperatively accompany us with our leader. He'll know what to do with you.
The Captain disagreed. Who better to request information than the village leader?
The Captain, seeing the village, saw the great difference in the structures compared to what he remembered. He saw how the villagers viewed his clothing strangely, thinking he was some kind of nobleman, which they weren't mistaken about.
They arrived at a large tower, and upon entering, they climbed a pair of stairs to reach the top floor where their leader was. One of his companions knocked on the door and, checking a pass from inside, he saw a man who looked no older than 50.
???: Hokage-sama, this stranger claims to come from a kingdom other than the five great nations.
Hokage: Let me speak to him, thank you very much, Koi.
With that, both guards left.
Hokage: So you come from a different kingdom.
Captain: I'm afraid so, but at the same time, no.
Hokage (seriously): Explain yourself.
Captain (seriously): You see, I come from a kingdom called Khaenri'ah, but I believe it no longer exists, along with what I once called te teyvat.
Hokage: I can show you a map of all the elemental nations.
Captain agreed, and upon seeing the map, he realized that Ronova was right. He was no longer in Tayvat. What he had previously known as Natlan was now Iwagakure, Sumeru was now Sunagakure, Inazuma was now Kumogakura, Monstard was now what he called Konoha, and Fontine was now the Land of Ice, but it had split in two, with the smaller part now known as Kirigakure. He also realized that Inazuma had gotten a little closer to what he remembered from the map of Tayvat, while what is now the Land of Ice was still as far away as Fontaine once was.
Captain: This is very different from what I remember.
Hokachu: Let me ask, but how is it that you don't know anything about this world map?
Captain: The truth is, I was in a kind of coma, but I don't know exactly how long I was in that state.
Hokage: I'm sorry to tell you, but I think it was many years, maybe a few hundred, but what you once knew and what you knew no longer exist.
Captain couldn't say anything since he knew it was true, but now that Tayvat no longer existed, he didn't know what to do.
Hokage: Tell me what you'll do now.
Captain: Honestly, I have no idea.
Hokage: I have a proposal for you: join my village.
To be continued.