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Chapter Text

The first thing that Lumine notices when she wakes up is the light.

The light is dim, yet lit the room well enough that it was neither unpleasantly dark nor unpleasantly bright, resembling a dark room with the windows letting the sunset stream in. 

Actually, that may be the cause of the light.

Lumine sits up and rubs her eyes, frowning when she notices Paimon asleep on the ground next to her. The fairy always wakes first, and is the one to wake Lumine up. But this time, she's dead asleep, snoring lightly on the ground.

Where the hell were they? 

The room was large and spacious, with decor that came from every region in Teyvat yet didn't seem gaudy at all. It was only then that Lumine noticed the others; various people, people she knew and people she didn't, laying strewn about on the floor, asleep and dead to the world.

She shot up to her feet, eyes wildly scanning the room for adversaries and fingers itching, summoning her sword-

Her sword didn't appear.

Before she could panic even more, a musical clapping cut her out of her haze. Within moments, everyone was groaning and yawning, sitting up slowly and rubbing their eyes, looking around with confusion. In the crowd she could spot Jean, Diluc, Zhongli, Yanfei...  It was as if half of the people she'd met on her journey were in the room.

Paimon rose into the air with a yawn, blinking the sleep away. "Traveler..?" She murmured, instinctively floating to Lumine's side. "Where are.. we?" She yawned once more.

"I don't know either," Lumine said distractedly, turning around to find the source of the earlier clapping.

There, at the front of the room, was a person she was sure had not been there before. She hadn't felt their presence, but it also wouldn't be the first time an unknown presence had come to assault them. It would be the first time, however, that Lumine wasn't able to summon even her sword, which had always been there even before she started regaining her powers.

"Who are you?" Lumine demanded. Even if she couldn't use her sword, she could still fight. She clenched her fists and readied herself.

But the person didn't attack them. They turned their blue eyes to Lumine, shining eerily in a way that made her tense, but They didn't move from their position.

The person was fairly tall, wearing clothes that looked simple yet shone in a subtle way that implied much money had been spent on them, and had the beauty of a doll: straight posture, flawless skin, and a face that looked as if it had been carved by the gods themselves, with silky black hair framing the diamond-like face in a tasteful manner.

"Greetings, everyone." Their voice was echoing, Their voice was hollow, mechanical and clinical, ringing around the room like they were in a cave, and causing everyone to startle and jump to attention.

"Who are you?!" Several people shouted, while the rest watched on in wariness and curiosity. Many also tried to summon their weapons or call upon the power of their Vision, only to realize with great alarm that they couldn't do either.

"My Vision..." Beidou gritted her teeth, hands patting around her clothes for the stone. "Where is it?!" 

The being raised a hand. Everyone went quiet, eyes focusing on the appendage with renewed wariness. "Please, settle down. I will explain why you are all here."  They said.

"You may refer to me as whatever you please, but most call me the Seeker of Desire." A pleasant smile appeared on Their cold, beautiful face, yet it sent a shiver down Lumine's spine. Paimon was already whimpering quietly, hiding behind the blonde Traveler.

"You are all gathered here for each of you have a hand in the important sequence of events that will decide Teyvat's fate," They looked around. "What you are all here for, specifically, is to view the aforementioned events; past, present, and future."

The clamor started once more. "Future?!" "Decide Teyvat's fate?" "What the hell is going on!" 

"Future? Is that even possible?" A tall man with silver hair and piercing eyes questioned, his jewel-toned irises focused on the Seeker of Desire without fear, only curiosity. The being smiled once more. "Of course it is. As a deity, I have the power that connects to every dimension existing within this universe, and doing something such as allowing others to view the past, present and future is simply a little trick I mastered long ago." They turned their head, blue eyes settling on a certain figure lurking in a corner of the room. 

"If you do not believe me, you may ask the Electro Archon." 

Many heads whipped to the side, gaping as they took in the imposing figure that none of them had even noticed in their panic and alarm. Now that they knew about Her, though, they could suddenly feel Her presence deeply; the air in the room was thick with the scent of ozone, heavy with the Archon's power, balanced out by the comparatively cool and light power of the Seeker of Desire. The Electro Archon was a proud being, that was easy to tell; stoic and rigid, She sat calmly with natural elegance present surrounding Her form, violet hair flowing like a river down Her back, dressed in the familiar regalia that sent shivers down the Inazumans' spines.

When She had been addressed, the Raiden Shogun merely turned Her electrifying irises towards the crowd, making many flinch back. "...What They speak of is the truth." Was all that She said. Her voice, unlike the Seeker of Desire's, was not an echo that appeared within even the recesses of each mortal's mind, but was a voice which was heavy and powerful, weighing on the souls of every mortal present- far more worse than the unnerving echo.

The man who had spoken earlier simply nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer. He casually sat on the floor, where cushions were laid out messily, without fear. "If that is the case," he started. "Why did you bring us here to view the past, present and future?"

The Seeker of Desire's smile became wider. "Each world has many different versions of itself, all with the same people and the same places, but with different settings or even cultures," They said. "This is merely one of those versions. This version of Teyvat is simply a copy of what we call the main, or 'true' version of Teyvat, but it was changed the moment I appeared in this world and gathered you all here, in my Space of Liminal Dreams." 

"My goal here is to have you all view the past, present and future of the most important sequence of events that will once again change Teyvat as you all know it, no different from the Archon War or the Cataclysm." Certain people shifted uncomfortably at the comparison. "The reason why I wanted to do this?" 

Their smile, this time, crinkled the corners of Their eyes, allowing Them to become more than just a flawless doll, an ethereal deity; with that smile of Theirs, They nearly looked human. 

"Why, of course, to see what you would do after learning of this crucial information that would irreversibly change your lives." 

They folded their hands in front of Them. "Worry not about your Time, for this Space of Liminal Dreams is suspended in Time, captured and frozen from the second you all left Teyvat, and shall be until you all leave this Space, and return to your duties." 

"After certain segments, more people who have involvement within the Events shall appear within this Space and join you all, but for now, they are in a separate Space that also views these Events, due to certain reasons I cannot disclose. 

I took away everyone's weapons and Visions so that the chance of aggression amongst you all would be lessened. I sincerely apologize, but I believe you can understand why I did it."

Many nodded, accepting the apology as well as the reason. All of them had differing personalities and experiences, after all; it would only be a matter of time before a fight broke out, and in order to reduce its negative effects, having the main sources of their power to be temporarily removed from them was important.

The Seeker of Desire clapped Their hands again, creating that musical sound that had been the cause of everyone's waking just a few moments ago.

"Now that the explanations have been finished, any of your questions will all be answered by the Viewing in due time. For now, why don't you all introduce yourselves? Your name and country will suffice."  They glanced towards Lumine, urging her to start first.

The Traveler obliged, stepping forward and showing herself to everyone in the room. "Hello, my name is Lumine," she gave an awkward bow. "Most of you might know me as the Traveler, though. It's nice to meet you."

"Heya! I'm Paimon, and I'm Lumi's travel buddy and best friend!" The little fairy cheered, floating upwards to reveal herself to the rest.

"I am Jean, the Dandelion Knight, of Mondstadt. " The Acting Grandmaster took the initiative to continue the introductions.

"Outrider Amber, reporting for- ahh.. my bad, habit. I'm from Mondstadt too!" A girl in red with a bunny ear headband greeted, grinning with a slight hint of sheepishness due to her slip-up. A certain green-haired girl perked up at her greeting, clearly itching to approach her, yet too shy to actually do so.

"My name is Lisa, from Mondstadt, too. It's so nice to meet so many cuties all at once~" A beautiful woman in purple hummed, her green eyes sparkling with curiosity and amusement. Without a doubt, she was clearly a mage, what with the book with the magic symbol strapped to her waist and the tall hat on her head.

"Kaeya, Knight of Favonius." A tall, dashing man with blue hair and dark skin introduced, before looking around with his singular eye. "I believe one person from each country should be the one to add their country first, and the rest shall follow without it until the next country. Just to make it easier, no?" Noises of agreement rose in the crowd.

"I'm Barbara, Deaconess of the Church of Favonius. It's a pleasure to meet you all." A young girl in white said with a sweet voice, which was as lovely as her face.

"Diluc Ragnvindr." A red-haired man in black stated curtly. The brightness of his red hair and matching eyes contrasted with the darkness of his clearly well-made tailored outfit, and his face was as stern as his voice, despite the look of youth that may never go away.

"..Razor. Wolvendom." A boy with unruly silver hair said quietly. Some frowned in worry at the various scars present on his face and body that contrasted to his youth.

"Venti! The best bard in the mortal world. If you ever want to hear a song, feel free to pay me in apples... Or wine, whichever you prefer." A boy in teal winked, his expressive charm causing many to smile at his sweet face. At this reaction, he only smiled brighter, jewel-toned eyes sparkling like crystal waters.

"Spark Knight Klee of the Knights of Favonius! Good morning everyone." A little girl wearing red giggled, her sunset eyes big and round as she peered up at the others and waved at all of them. A few coos were heard, for she was quite adorable, and her voice sweet.

"I'm Bennett, leader of Benny's Adventure Team." A boy with pale hair and various cuts and bruises introduced himself proudly, grinning all the while. The same people who looked in worry over Razor's scars looked at him the same as well, though a little less, since it was a little obvious the boy was more of the clumsy type rather than the type who engaged in battles far too dangerous for his youth.

"My name is Noelle, Maid of the Knights of Favonius." A girl wearing a combination of armor and a maid outfit curtseyed, a welcoming smile on her face. 

"I, Fischl, Prinzessin der Verurteilung, descend upon this Liminal Space by the call of fate, greeting you commoners by the grace of royalty." A young girl wearing a black and purple getup flourished, making an exaggerated movement with haughty grace. A night raven with dark purple feathers perched on her shoulder bowed his head. "She means, nice to meet you," he explained. "This is my personal retainer, Oz!" The self-proclaimed princess said.

Many gazed at her curiously, but didn't say anything.

"I'm Sucrose, a researcher of alchemy.." A girl with green hair and drooping animal ears greeted nervously, fixing her round glasses and looking away from the others' gazes.

"I am Astrologist Mona Megistus, meaning the Great Astrologist Mona." A young woman with dark twintails under a star-dotted hat greeted. Her voice had a certain elegance to it, not quite a drawl yet not quite a simple tone of voice. A certain pair of eyes had renewed energy in them, staring at her with shock and admiration.

"Diona. Bartender of the Cat's Tail." A small girl with pink hair and calico ears and tail said simply, crossing her arms and glaring at those who opened their mouths, about to question why such a young girl was a bartender, of all things. Her tail swished in their warningly, and those who were about to state the question closed their mouths and looked away.

"I am Albedo, Chief Alchemist of the Knights of Favonius." A handsome young man with blonde hair stated lightly in a calm, almost airy voice, nodding at everyone with the barest hints of politeness and returning to stiffly drawing shapes on Klee's back. 

"Eula, Spindrift Knight. I extend to you all my greetings." A tall, elegant woman greeted curtly, the style of her powdered blue hair a little curiously childish, compared to her tall figure and practical yet elaborate outfit. 

"Rosaria." A tall woman with ghostly skin and plum-colored hair drawled, disinterestedly playing with her bone-like claws. Despite the act, anyone who looked closer could see just how sharp her stained glass eyes were, shifting subtly, looking for any trouble.

"M-mika! Frontline Land Surveyor, Knights of Favonius. It's.. it's an honor to meet you all." A young, blonde boy greeted, trembling under the weight of the gazes of the various important people in the room, though standing straight. The moment the next person stepped up to introduce themselves, he let out a quiet sigh and slunk to the back.

"Xiao. Liyue Adeptus." A young man said coldly. Though he was very much young in both face and body, it was clear that he was much older than he seemed, with the unnatural sharpness of his eyes, his fearless posture and the various strange tattoos than ran along his arms. He looked away from everyone's curious gazes, clearly uninterested in interacting with them.

"'m Beidou. Ever heard of my ship, the Crux and its crew?" A woman with a confident presence greeted easily, a welcoming smile on her face that lessened its scariness due to the sharpness of her remaining eye and the patch that covered her other one. "If you like adventure, then join me." She winked(?) "I've got your back."

"I am Ningguang, Tianquan of Qixing." The fair-haired woman who stated this nodded her head gracefully, smiling a mysterious smile to all those who looked her way. It was clear that she was powerful, even if she hadn't put her title in her introduction; with her effortlessly graceful posture, easy smile and expensive, well-crafted clothing, it was hard to mistake her someone who wasn't part of the upper echelons, and with the mystery surrounding her, even clearer still that she was not just wealthy, but held true power as well.

"My name is Xiangling, and I'm a chef from Liyue!" A blue-haired girl greeted enthusiastically, smiling brightly. She raised a small bear that was resting comfortably in her arms. "This is Guoba, my friend and sous chef. Say hi, Guoba!" The little bear perked up and made a little sound, waving cheerfully at everyone.

"Xingqiu. It is an honor to make your acquaintance, everyone." A young boy with choppy navy hair greeted, smiling and bowing his head with sincere politeness to everyone.

"My name is Chongyun. I'm an exorcist." A young boy with icy blue hair and matching eyes greeted a little shyly. 

"I am Qiqi, I, am, a zombie, and I... forgot what comes next." A little girl with lilac-colored hair said breezily, her doe pink eyes looking up imploringly at the adults in the room, as if asking them for answers. A zombie?  Many thought, frowning at the thought that such a young child could be assigned to such a cruel fate.

"I am Keqing, Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing." A young woman with purple hair in twintails and bunched up at the head to make space buns in the shape of cat ears greeted simply. Her face was stern, and she emanated an aura of pure seriousness, indicating that she likely didn't take too well to stragglers and slackers. 

"Number 11 of the Fatui Harbingers, codename Childe- but most of you probably know me better by Tartaglia. I've been living in Liyue for a few years now, but I'm originally from Snezhnaya!" A young man with ginger hair greeted cheerfully, giving a close-eyed smile to everyone in the room. Immediately, several took defensive positions, while the rest moved away from him warily. "Haha, no need to be so wary! I'm not here to cause any trouble. Besides, you'd be attacking a defenseless man! I have no weapon on hand, or powers that stretch beyond my Vision, I swear." He made a show of raising his hands, still wearing a relaxed posture despite it all.

"Fatui," Diluc growled, stepping closer, before the Seeker of Desire interjected.

"He truly means no harm, everyone," They said with mild amusement. "I've made sure that his Delusion and other abilities do not work as well, so you need not worry." Many glared at Childe for his bluff, causing him to grin sheepishly and raise his hands higher. "He will be the only Harbinger that joins us, and he is the most amicable one of them, I assure you." They smiled secretively, blue eyes swimming with more amusement, as if They were in on a joke that only They knew about.

Childe rubbed the back of his neck. "Your Holiness, you flatter me." He grinned cheekily. Surprisingly, the Seeker of Desire chuckled in response, the mild laughter a sound as musical as Their clapping, clear and smooth like water. "Please, continue." They gestured to the many who had yet to introduce themselves.

Though everyone eventually reluctantly tore their gazes away from him, with some warier and taking longer than the rest, Childe did not let his smile and relaxed posture dropped, keeping up the facade in a room full of people who were against him. Hm. It was unsurprising that the foreign deity knew of his.. other abilities, but still, he had hoped that he would have even one of them, in case things went south. He sighed, shrugging to himself. Oh well. If it came down to it, he was still pretty excellent at hand-to-hand combat. After all, he was a Harbinger.

"I am Zhongli, consultant for the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor." An elegant man dressed remarkably well in warm colors greeted, bowing his head simply to the crowd. "Please, feel free to refer to me by Zhongli only. I am but a mere consultant, so honorifics and such may be discarded, if that is what you prefer." He added humbly. Despite his humility, he still held himself in a high, powerful manner, subtly indicating that he may be more than what he allows the others to see him as.

"Xinyan's the name and rock 'n roll's the game!" A young girl with dark brown hair, streaked in red and orange, tied into two spiky, fluffy buns said energetically, a grin on her face. "Am the only one who plays it in Liyue Harbor, but I guarantee there's no one better to help acquaint yourself with the music than me!"

"My name is Ganyu, secretary of the Liyue Qixing." A young woman with long, powdered blue hair greeted softly. She had a pair of black and red rams' horns on her head that contrasted with the color of her hair and the overall gentility of her face and aura. She blushed when she saw some glancing curiously at the horns, stuttering out nervously, "t-this is my headpiece... I, uh, inherited it." She grew red at her obvious bluff, though everyone politely decided not to comment.

"Hu Tao, 77th Director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor! If you ever need a spectacular burial, with the right ceremonies and all, I'm the right person for the job!" A young woman wearing a hat decorated with plum blossoms and having peculiar flower-shaped pupils winked, the playfulness of her tone at odds with what she had just spoken. Beside her, Zhongli closed his eyes, sighing through his nostrils. Noticing this, she simply giggled, stepping back to allow the next person to go.

"My name is Yanfei, top legal adviser in Liyue, and for the record, no one else comes close!" A young woman with light pink hair stated proudly. Her large, bubble-like pupils made her sage green eyes look like a jade pond, and her appearance was made all the more unique by the pair of long, bone-like appendages that sprouted from where her ears should be... if she had human ears. It was hard to tell.

"My name is Shenhe." a tall woman with flowing silvery white hair said, suddenly pausing. Her eyes, which resembled that of reflective glass, showcasing all the colors of the rainbow in a kaleidoscope circle, shifted to the Seeker of Desire. With a quick glance to the crimson ropes that bound her body, Shenhe posed a silent question. The Seeker of Desire simply responded, "All that which is harmful has been sealed. Worry not, for no danger will befall any of you for any reason out of your control." Shenhe relaxed. Some others relaxed as well, soothed by the assurance.

"My name is Yun Jin, and I am humbled to be the Director of the Yun Han Opera Troupe." A graceful young woman wearing a cute bonnet introduced herself, smiling pleasantly towards the others in the room. Several greeted her with interest, apparently having been to some of her troupe's performances and complimenting her on her talents, to which she gracefully received and gave word of thanks with a more genuine smile.

"You can call me Yelan." a woman with choppy dark blue hair which faded into a lighter blue smiled mysteriously. Her bluish-green eyes glowed in a mesmerizing way, pulling you in until you were completely submerged and caught in her trap. She didn't say anything else, merely stretching her smile further, and giving a wink towards the more curious onlookers.

"Hello! I'm Yaoyao, a lowly disciple of the adeptus Streetward Rambler. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." A little girl with hair like that of caramel greeted sweetly. Two large golden bells were capped over her buns, and she carried with her a woven basket filled with tiny, colorful plushies.

"Hello. I am Baizhu, a practitioner of medicine at Bubu Pharmacy. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." A man with light green hair and a gentle aura about him greeted, echoing Yaoyao's polite last sentence. The white snake curled around his neck hissed. "Don't forget about me!" She insisted. Baizhu smiled pleasantly. "Of course. This is my dear friend, Changsheng." The pointed end of the snake's body flicked, and she settled back down, satisfied.

"Please excuse me. Master of Inazuma Kamisato Art: Tachijutsu- Kamisato Ayaka, present." A lovely young woman gracefully bowed, her pale blue hair framing her small face in a sweet, friendly manner that eclipsed the naturally cool air that surrounded her- though it was by no means of her personality, but rather her upbringing. She smiled pleasantly, with a hint of sweetness, to everyone in the room. "Delighted to make your acquaintance."

"Greetings. Kamisato Ayato, Head of the Kamisato Clan." A handsome, elegant young man stepped up next, clearly the former's relative from the slightly deeper color of his hair and eyes that matched Ayaka's. He was dressed in a manner that emulated both Fontainean fashion in the straight, pressed pants and open collar of his coat, and traditional Inazuman fashion in the flowing sleeves, accessories and the pale yukata beneath his coat. He smiled pleasantly as well, though it had no trace of his sister's modesty. "Delighted to make your acquaintance."

"I am Kaedehara Kazuha, a wanderer who roams the land." A young man with platinum blonde hair and a streak of scarlet in the locks greeted, humbly bowing his head to everyone present. Though he looked quite young, some could see that he was perhaps wise beyond his years, from the serene look in his eyes and his sincerely calm demeanor. He seemed to be largely unaffected by the chain of events, but a select few could notice the minute way his bandaged fingers twitched ever so slightly, trying to find the blade stolen from his hip.

"My name's Yoimiya, and I'm the owner of Naganohara Fireworks!" A young woman, dressed vibrantly, with strawberry blonde hair and bright amber eyes greeted cheerfully. Everything about her felt enthusiastic- from her warm color scheme that reminded some of late-night festivals, to the smattering of colorful tattoos across her arms, chest and legs, the bold design of her clothing, and the way that she carried herself, every minute twitch that felt way too obvious. Rather than in an exaggerated way or deceptive manner, however, it seemed like that was just how she was; unable to make even an inch of her stay still.

"Sayu! Shuumatsuban, at your disposal!" A small girl with drooping, plum-colored eyes and an adorable, tanuki-shaped hood pulled over her head exclaimed. Contrary to her alert introduction, the girl seemed to be very sleepy. 

"I am Kujou Sara." A young woman with dark hair, fading slightly into a lighter shade at the tips, introduced curtly. Her rod-like posture bore not just seriousness, but confidence as well, and her sharp, pale golden eyes were clear and alert. She raised her chin up high, ignoring the darker looks sent her way by the rebels of Inazuma.

It was gradual, but the atmosphere in the Space became tensed. Lumine shifted on her feet, before deciding to sit down. There's bad blood between the Inazuma people, huh. She mused to herself silently.

"I am Sangonomiya Kokomi, the Divine Priestess of Watatsumi Island." A young woman with pale pink hair fading into a purplish blue at the tips introduced, folding her gloved hands together and giving a small bow. A smile danced at her lips, her heart-shaped face and big, pupil-less eyes giving an appearance of pure innocence matching with her practiced elegance. Easy to deceive, most thought, while others thought, easy to be deceived. 

"It's good to meet you, everyone! I'm Thoma, the Housekeeper of the Kamisato Household." A young man with golden hair greeted, an easygoing smile on his face, posture open and relaxed. "Oh, and I'm originally from Mondstadt, but I've been working for the Kamisatos for quite a while now... It's a bit easy to forget my roots when I'm focused on making sure every meal is Inazuman to the core- unless, of course, specified otherwise.." He grinned sheepishly at his fellow countrymen, but the Mondstadtians merely smiled and laughed him off.

"Arataki Itto, head honcho of the Arataki Gang!" A tall, muscular man with unruly white hair and red oni horns exclaimed, puffing his chest out. "Arataki the Great, Arataki Oni King Itto, Arataki Oni Sumo King Itto, Arataki TCG Champion Itto, Arataki-" "Boss, I think they get it." A young woman with green hair interrupted coolly. Itto simply grinned. "-Anyway, that's just some of the names I go by. Feel free to pick one, I'll respond to whichever one, promise.. You're welcome." He finished with a wink and a proud tilt of his chin.

The green-haired woman simply sighed. She wore a unique mask and had sharp eyes in a rare shade of violet. "I'm Kuki Shinobu, Deputy Leader of the Arataki Gang. Don't mind the name, we offer a wide-range of services, none of which include illegal ones." She explained to the rest.

"The name's Shikanoin Heizou, the sharpest, and most successful detective in the Tenryou Commission." A young man with maroon hair introduced smoothly, his clear, cunning eyes and easy smile either putting some at ease or earn him mild wariness from the rest. Uniquely, he had two matching beauty marks in the exact same place on opposing sides beneath his eyes, which enhanced the slight mischief in his eyes.

"General Gorou of the Watatsumi Resistance!" A young man with dog ears and tail saluted. Many gazed curiously at him for his youthfulness yet high position, but he didn't waver. He challenged Sara's stare with his own, tilting his head up slightly, imitating her earlier action.

"I am the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine. You may call me Guuji Yae, or perhaps Yae Miko, if you prefer a lack of formalities." A kitsune in pink introduced herself with incredible grace, her alluring purple eyes twinkling with amusement as she looked over everyone in the room in an almost critical manner. "And this one over here, is the god you may know as the Electro Archon, the Raiden Shogun- but she goes by Ei." The mischievous kitsune winked.

Almost everyone gave a small flinch or instinctively recoiled, expecting the air to crackle with ozone and the room to boom with thunder... but nothing. The Raiden Shogun sat as serene as She had been the moment She appeared in the Space of Liminal Dreams, uncaring and unseeing as She stared straight ahead, almost as if She were a statue.

Slowly, people relaxed, until someone was brave enough to start the introductions again.

"I'm Tighnari, Forest Watcher of the Avidya Forest... in Sumeru." A young man with cropped black hair and bright green streaks as well as a pair of fox ears tall on his head introduced. He gave a short nod to the others and sat down on the cushioned floor, tucking his fluffy tail around his waist as he did so.

"Trainee Forest Ranger Collei, reporting for-" a young, green-haired girl cut herself off, blushing when she realized she made the same mistake as Amber had earlier. Said Outrider gave a gasp of delight at the sight of her. "COLLEI! Oh, I haven't seen you in so long!" The older girl excitedly said, rushing over to the girl and giving her a beaming smile which only made the younger girl blush redder. "A..amber! It's, it's so nice to see you," she squeaked out.

A loud, purposeful cough from someone in the room (a certain, un-God-fearing silver-haired man who Lumine side-eyed) broke them apart, and Amber quickly apologized for interrupting before pulling Collei to sit down and began to chat with her excitedly, albeit quietly. 

"I'm Dori Sangemah Bay, a travelling merchant!" A tiny woman with cotton candy pink hair introduced, her gold eyes twinkling with mystery. She placed her hands on her hips and nodded at everyone. "Since we're all in the same boat for a while, everyone here gets a 10% discount for the first time they purchase my wares- and a packaging free of charge!" She winked, giggling mysteriously as she did so.

"I'm Cyno, the General Mahamatra." A young man with pure white hair and an ornate black helmet in the shape of tall jackal ears introduced curtly. He wore rather revealing clothing, as well as various golden ornaments on his person that covered some of his skin, though not by much. He carried with him an aura of danger, the air near him a weaker replica of the Raiden Shogun's eternal metaphorical storm cloud, yet nonetheless terrifying. His face was as still as stone, stern and carved with silent judgement, his red gaze heavy and piercing.

"Peace and good health, everyone. My name is Candace, and I am the protector of Aaru Village." A woman with navy hair and a fang-like golden headpiece greeted peacefully. Despite her stern gaze, in the shades of amber and ocean, and the elegant ornaments she wore on her person that spoke of a high position, she had a gentle smile and an even gentler voice still, allowing the strangers around her to relax, even by just a small bit.

"Hello! I'm Nilou, from Zubayr Theater. It's so nice to meet you all.." A young woman with bright, orange-tinted red hair greeted in a light, airy voice, a sweet smile on her pure face. Her light aqua eyes were gentle in color, and she wore an exquisite dancer's costume in white, gold and turquoise, decorated with gold flower accessories.

"Yawn... My name is Layla, I'm a Rtawahist student..." A young woman with navy hair fading into a paler blue at the ends murmured, having been sat down the entire time. She had deep shadows beneath her eyes that were emphasized by the slight gauntness of her cheekbones, indicating it had been a while since she had last slept... or properly took care of herself in general. "..'m sorry.. could you say that again?" She yawned to herself, already nodding off. 

"Mm, I am Faruzan, of Haravatat. Though I look young, I'm actually quite old now, as a result of being trapped in King Deshret's ruins for over a century, so you must understand that every other phrase escapes my ears," a young woman with teal pigtails said with a slight haughty tone, flipping her hair dramatically. "If you wish to speak with me, calling me 'Madam' will do the trick." She smiled, eyes twinkling with humor.

"I'm Alhaitham, the Akademiya's Scribe." The man who had fearlessly spoken to the Seeker of Desire (and to the Raiden Shogun, somewhat) introduced himself, his face devoid of expression. He didn't bother to stand up from his seat on the floor, where he was distracted by a journal and pen that had somehow stayed on his person during the transportation to the Space of Liminal Dreams. Upon seeing this, the Seeker of Desire made a clarification, "All items that were on your person prior to the transportation, and which are not potentially harmful, have stayed on your person."

Several made sounds of delight as they pulled out comfort items or distractions that had been hidden away in their pockets, such as folded letters or tinkling keychains that made pleasant noises. Lumine hummed at this, and attempted to will a Chicken Mushroom Skewer from her inventory. As usual, a fresh Skewer appeared in her hand, and she grinned to herself with relief, handing it over to a delighted Paimon. "Yumm~!" The little fairy hummed.

"My name's Dehya. I'm an Eremite mercenary- nice to meet ya," a tall woman with brown hair shaped into sharp cat ears and gold streaks saluted, her unique hair being given curious glances by the small youths in the room who were more inclined to her easy posture and warm smile over the sternness of the straight-backed Keqing. 

"Nice to meet you, everyone. I'm Kaveh, an architect." A young man with a feather in his sunflower blonde hair greeted, smiling easily while cradling an ornate briefcase on his lap. "Oh, and this is my toolbox, Mehrak. Don't worry, he's harmless." The briefcase suddenly floated into the air, parting its design to reveal a blank screen that made green pixels into faces, creating a sweet smiley face to everyone who looked.

The final person was a strange little girl, with white hair streaked through by green, like vines cutting through snow. She was the perfect picture of innocence, with wide, curious eyes and pupils a wonky four-pointed star, staring nervously at the people in the room as well as flickering towards the decorations and such. She kept poking the cushion beneath her, as if amazed by its softness, as she spoke, "..M-my name is Nahida. It's nice to meet you all!" She performed a bowing of her head that she saw some of the others did.

"That is everyone," the Seeker of Desire said. "Now, before we start, I would like to inform you all that, since the Traveler is involved in all of the Events and has seen majority of the participants' views and sides as well, this Viewing will be largely from her perspective."

"Fucking shit," Lumine cursed under her breath. Paimon shrieked and punched her on the shoulder, laughing nervously as she turned to the others. "Hehe, sorry about that..." The little fairy said, shooting daggers unsubtly towards her friend.

"That makes sense," Diluc hummed. "You've already been there for two major events in two different nations... I guess this is just a confirmation that you'll be involved in even more." Lumine's shoulders slumped just thinking about it.

What lengths does she have to go to just to see her brother?

The Seeker of Desire simply smiled with amusement. "Another thing.. I would like to have you all View a.. let's say, a preview of the Events. They're collected and vague enough that you won't know truly what is going to happen until you actually see for yourself- but they give a hint of the future, anyway." 

Several people gained curious looks. The Seeker of Desire stepped aside, revealing what looked like a large, rectangular piece of black glass embedded into the wall. With a wave of Their hand, the screen lit with a machine-like noise, before changing into black once more. Now, everyone was curious, especially those with an inclination for machinery, such as Faruzan and even Ei took intrigued glances towards it.

Then-

"We had no time to say goodbye, so let's not call it that." 

"Lumine?!" Paimon gasped. Lumine herself reeled a bit from the shock of hearing her own voice coming from seemingly nowhere. Around the room, murmurs of surprise break out.

A wondrous sky is shown. Half-covered by clouds, the deep blue sky is covered in stars, yet the golden glow of sunrise lights it up even more. Two shooting stars blaze through with the tinkling sound of bells. 

"Beautiful," Nilou breathed with wide eyes. Next to her, Barbara had a similar starry-eyed look.

Faruzan leaned forward, eyes glittering with intrigue. "Fascinating.." she muttered.

"The war has already begun," a man spoke. "It is just a continuation of past battles." 

Lumine's first thought was, Dainsleif?  Her second thought was, War?

Venti's face turned grim. Zhongli's own wasn't much better. Ever since the Seeker of Desire had revealed Their reasoning for bringing them into the Space, they had both been bracing themselves for the amount of sensitive information that would undoubtedly be revealed. But it wasn't easy, when it was still such a short time to process.

Ei noticed their reactions, and her eyes narrowed. Nahida only twitched in her place, squeezing her small hands together nervously.

The sky changes into a sea of sparkling flowers, white and gold like the tears of gods, rooted in a ground of galaxial nature. "The gods goad us on with the promise of their seven treasures. Rewards for the worthy. The doorway to divinity."

A frown was already marring Keqing's face. The atmosphere in the room began to plummet with each ominous word, but this sentence was less ominous and more... intriguing, in a sense of a brand new perspective no one had ever thought before. 

"Seven treasures..?" Xingqiu mused. "Perhaps, Visions?" 

Diluc hid a grimace at that, memories flashing all too quickly in his head. 

Doorway to divinity... Alhaitham's eyes narrowed, and he slowly leaned forward. He personally didn't care for gods, but knowledge was knowledge, and learning of the forbidden was... interesting, to say the least.

"Yet buried in the depths of this world lies smoldering remains, a warning to those that dare trespass."

An imperceptible flinch there, a pair of closed eyes here. Childe steeled his smile through it all. Such discreet Archons, but not quite so if you knew what you were looking for.

Standing amidst the sea of flowers are a pair of twins, with the painted shimmering sky as their background, their hands intertwined with one another, shining among the stars and the flowers as if they belonged there more than anywhere else.

Lumine shot forward. "Aether," She breathed out, looking at the screen with wide eyes. 

Several people, mostly those who've met Lumine in the past, scanned the boy holding her hand. He really did look exactly like her; golden blonde, with a small stature and ethereal aura, an otherworldly face.

Lumine stared longingly towards the screen.

"That throne in the sky is not reserved for you,"  the man said, as if quoting the words of another. "But mortal arrogation never stops..  none  will escape the flames."

Venti closed his eyes with an inaudible sigh, already feeling a headache coming on in his fragile mortal form- readying himself for the reveals. 

Keqing crossed her arms. "Mortal arrogation?" She frowned deeply. "Hmph. Is this narrator a deity?" He certainly sounded like one- weary and ancient, yet with a hint of steel edge. And his words were what she'd expect from a god.

Barbara shook her head slowly. "He.. kind of sounds like he's quoting someone, or something." She glanced nervously at Keqing, fidgeting.

The older woman accepted this, thinking it over. "Hm. It somewhat does, especially with the first sentence." Was all she said in response.

"See for yourself."

The scene fades out into blackness, before glowing text shines against it.

ACT.PROLOGUE

The Outlander Who Caught the Wind

Mea libertas meus canor 

With the momentary flare of the symbol of Anemo behind it, ACT.PROLOGUE changes into 'Mondstadt' the same moment that the man begins to speak again.

Lisa read the small Teyvatian text aloud, "My freedom is my song."

"And what a wonderful song it is indeed," Albedo smiled. He may not originate from Mondstadt, or have much of an ethnical origin at all, but the nation was a place he'd easily come to grow fond of. It was his country now, too, even if he was destined to destroy it in the future.

Barbara clasped her hands together. "My favorite song." She declared. Klee giggled and nodded her head in agreement. 

Jean smiled fondly, giving a quick glance to Venti.

Venti hummed, a small smile replacing his earlier frown. Seems like all his efforts have paid off, after it all.

"The dragon who defended Mondstadt for a millennium finally faces his perturbation." Black changes into fluttering red hair, before the camera pans out to reveal a man, with hair and eyes as red as the fearsome fire that encases his surroundings into a spherical nature, the shape of a phoenix forming at the tip of his raised blade, standing against unknown odds. 

"Woah, Master Diluc, you look super cool in here!" Paimon marveled. Diluc indeed made a cool, impressive picture on the screen, though no one was quite sure as to why he appeared at all. Did it mean he had a bigger involvement in Mondstadt's Event than most?

Kaeya allowed himself a small, somewhat bitter smile at the determination on his former brother's face. The blazing fire in his eyes had never faded, even after everything he'd gone through in the past. If anything, it only grew stronger.

(Strong enough to burn those around him.)

"What does freedom really mean, when demanded of you by a god?"

Some people took the time to ponder this.

"It wouldn't be freedom at all," Cyno said solemnly. "Anything that is demanded from you, against your own will, is hardly freedom, no matter what is asked."

ACT.I

Farewell, Archaic Lord

Ruat caelum fiat pactum

"Let the contract be made, though the heavens fall." Ningguang read with narrowed eyes. Momentarily, she thought back on the dream she received after Rex Lapis' death, with Rex Lapis himself being a messenger in her dream. 

What was the truth behind his death? 

No being on the mortal plane, god or mortal, should have been able to slay Morax in his natural domain. He was the strongest, and oldest, of the Seven. That had to mean something. Something more than anyone else would ponder on.

Some Liyuens exchanged alarmed glances. Though the heavens fall... It sounded too close to resembling Rex Lapis' death for comfort.

With the momentary flare of the symbol of Geo behind it, ACT.I changes into 'Liyue'.

"The God of Contracts, senselessly slaughtered as his people watch on in horror."

Many of the Liyuens closed their eyes at this reminded, sorrow filling their hearts at the memory of watching their beloved deity crash and fall to the table of offerings they'd made for Him- a cruel location to lay one's corpse on, not just to them, but to Him.

To have the corpse of His holy form desecrated by the gazes of the mortals who worshipped Him...

Ganyu felt a tear slip from her eye. It was cruel. It was unthinkable.

(And it happened.)

 Black changes into the shape of a gloved hand sparking a golden glow, panning out to reveal an elegant woman floating in her place, her white, black and gold finery matching perfectly well with her flowing blonde hair and the curious screen behind her back, the graceful movements of her hands seemingly controlling the gold gemstones that circled around her. 

Beidou reaches out and squeezes her friend's hand, sensing her inner turmoil. Ningguang turned and gave her a grateful smile- small and private, but genuine.

Like most of the people of Liyue, she mourned Rex Lapis' death deeply, but she had never allowed herself to openly show it. She had people to lead, and a nation to protect, after all- and  Rex Lapis' final wish was for mortals to assist in protecting His beloved land, to work with the adepti to bring further peace to them all.

"In the end, he will sign the contract to end all contracts."

Now, this caught everyone's attention. Alhaitham was already writing it down in his journal, humming with interest. Nahida, too, was curious as a cat. She, of course, knew about Morax's death as she wandered the streets of Sumeru as Katheryne, but there would be no possible way for her to truly know what had happened behind the scenes.

"A contract to end all contracts.." Yanfei tapped her chin thoughtfully, while Xiao stared off into space, the corners of his eyes tight. "Perhaps he means the New Era in Liyue?" 

It was certainly plausible. If Rex Lapis had somehow predicted His death, and signed a contract beforehand in preparation for it, perhaps for a desire to have mortals and adepti alike to work together side by side, then some details of His death would make sense.

But there was something missing. Something Ningguang just couldn't quite pin her finger on.

ACT.II

Omnipresence Over Mortals

Perpetua perennis impervia 

"Perpetual, perennial, impervious," Ayato recited solemnly, his boundless blue eyes staring a hole into the screen. Perfectly the Raiden Shogun's motto, all of them thought but didn't say.

Sara relaxed just a tiny bit, her talons having made tiny cuts in her skin with how hard she'd been digging them in. 

With the momentary flare of the symbol of Electro behind it, ACT.II changes into 'Inazuma'.

"In the secluded land of the immortal Shogun, the Bakufu rules eternal."

Sara gave a small bow of her head. Being part of the Shogunate was a thankless job, but she would never trade serving her Archon over anything else. Simply to be acknowledged, even by an unknown person, strengthened her resolve to help achieve the Shogun's dream no matter what it cost her.

Hesitantly, she gave a tiny glance to her ruler- the ethereal deity had not moved an inch.

 The opening of a fan cuts through the darkness, emanating cryo. The fan pushes sideward to briefly reveal a face before the hand raises, taking the fan upwards and leaving a glittering trail of ice. A young woman holds her fan up, elegance and grace present in her actions and posture, the perfect presentation of her appearance, her blue hair and fluttering, snow-pressed sleeves. The golden flower that decorates the top of her headpiece glows alongside the presence of her cryo, that which glows gently beside her.

Thoma's darkened expression broke into a wide, genuine smile. He turned to Ayaka, "Milady, as graceful as ever."

Ayaka smiled at him, a soft blush on her cheeks. "Thank you, Thoma."

In turn, her brother smiled at her as well. "Flawless as usual, Ayaka." 

"Thank you, onii-sama." In an effort to hide her flushed face from her family members, Ayaka turned her gaze away towards the side of the Viewing screen, which proved to be a mistake with Lumine and Paimon sitting there. 

The golden-haired Traveler, whom was practically a legend at this point despite having only had her name known for less than a year, was looking at her with what seemed to be mild curiosity. Just seeing her fair face had the back of Ayaka's neck flushing with heat.

 "But what do mortals see of the eternity chased after by their god?"

No one dared to say it out loud. Not with the aforementioned God Herself in the same room. But they all thought it.

The lives of mortals are but fleeting blips in the lifespan of a God, Kokomi thought, closing her eyes. Eternity is nothing but a dangerous obstacle in the way of our futures. 

ACT.III
Truth Amongst the Pages of Purana

Sub floreis lumen sagacitatis 

"Under the flowery things, is the light of sagacity," Alhaitham monotonously translated. 

Tighnari smiled wryly. "I wouldn't say that every scholar who lives in the Forests have particularly good judgement skills."

The jab was enough to make Dehya snicker, and though Candace glanced at her, she didn't say anything to stop her, a hint of a smile tugging at her own lips.

With the momentary flare of the symbol of Dendro behind it, ACT.III changes into 'Sumeru'.

"The God of Wisdom's enemy is wisdom itself, and the oasis of knowledge is a mirage in the desert of ignorance."

Nahida squeezed her hands together as the Sumeruns began to talk about the line, feeling her head lower until she was staring resolutely at her lap.

"The 'oasis of knowledge being a mirage in the desert of ignorance' must refer to how us desert-dwellers are treated by the Akademiya," Candace hummed. "Unlike those who live in the greenlands, only the genii of the Red Sand who have enough ambition and natural talent to rise to the top are allowed to become scholars, as opposed to the many Forest-born who attend the Akademiya through their own hard work, rather than being a natural genius..." 

"...But what does it mean for the God of Wisdom's enemy being wisdom itself?" Faruzan crossed her arms, frowning as she tried to make sense of the vague line.

In the corner, Alhaitham pursed his lips. Isn't it obvious?  He thought to himself, closing his eyes. The Dendro Archon against the Akademiya. The Akademiya against the Dendro Archon.

Human wisdom against Wisdom itself.

 A wave of sand covers the darkness and slides aside to reveal the flash of terrifying red eyes, and red eyes belong to a man riding amongst the sandstorm, position natural and dangerous, holding the length of a polearm behind him. His gilded helmet, in the shape of tall jackal ears, covers the half of his face, allowing mystery to continue shrouding the man, stronger than the shroud of an ever-present sandstorm.

Collei shivered, instinctively leaning against Tighnari, who in turn reflexively puts an arm around her waist, careful not to touch her skin. She knew more than anyone else that Cyno truly was a good and just person, having been a lucky person who received the help of numerous people with numerous connections, one of them being the Mahamatra himself- but he was still an intimidating guy no matter what.

 "In the city of scholars, there is a push for folly, yet the God of Wisdom makes no argument against it."

Nilou bites her lip, and not for the first time does she wonder just what Lesser Lord Kusanali does within the Sanctuary of Surasthana.

"Ours feels like the vaguest one so far," Kaveh commented. Several were inclined to agree.

ACT.IV

Masquerade of the Guilty

Iustitia omnia vincit 

"Justice conquers all," Mona drawled in place of the missing Fontaineans.

Short but simple, Zhongli hummed to himself. Yet with a hint for the dramatics. It seems that is Focalors' personality.

With the momentary flare of the symbol of Hydro behind it, ACT.IV changes into 'Fontaine'.

"The God of Justice lives for the spectacle of the courtroom, seeking to judge all other gods." The darkness turns into a circular spotlight, capturing a winking face, and a comparatively stoic face, before flashing to their hands that fall to the other's, and then panning out to reveal their wholeness; two siblings dancing amongst the spotlight of the stage, a teardrop and a star, a jester and a bystander, red and blue, two performers in the heat of the glory, shadows flashing against the invasive light.

 "But even she knows not to make an enemy of the divine."

Wise woman, Venti thinks, resolutely not looking Ei's way.

Despite this, the younger deity still feels something off, and makes a miniscule turn of her head to glare at him.

ACT.V

Incandescent Ode of Resurrection

Surge vir fortis i natam victoriam 

"Rise, O strong man, and go to your destined victory," Lumine reads, leaning in close with interest.

With the momentary flare of the symbol of Pyro behind it, ACT.V changes into 'Natlan'.

"The rules of war are woven in the womb: the victors shall burn bright, while the losers must turn to ash." 

Yae Miko puts a hand on her mouth, murmuring, "And it seems those rules are immovable forces of time."

Somehow, Ei's eyes turn all the more colder.

"I guess mercy isn't all that popular amongst the divinity," Xingqiu muttered, earning an elbow to the side from Chongyun.

The darkness shatters as a foot mercilessly stomps the ground, breaking rock into but shards, revealing the omnipresent magma hidden beneath. The heat of the magma flares, and the camera rises to reveal the strong expression on the face of a child, heat flaring in their hand to allow an explosion of flame to appear behind them, letting the scene turn into fiery ash before it, too, disappears to the darkness, leaving only a green-eyed victor.

Several people startled from the resounding noise of the powerful explosion. "Wow..!" Klee's eyes were sparkling, mouth open with awe. "That was so coooll!! Oh, oh, Big Brother Albedo, can we go to Natlan?? I wanna meet them!!" Klee tugged on her brother's sleeve and pleaded, looking up at him with big eyes.

Albedo internally cringed, forcing a smile for his sister's sake. "...I'll see what I can do." He makes a close-eyed smile and sweatdrops at Klee's resulting cheeriness.

Childe leant forward a little, an excited glint in his normally blank eyes. "Such power... I wonder if they'd be up for a spar," he mused to himself.

Hearing this, Lumine felt a shudder go down her spine. Archons, I hope not.

 "When the God of War shares this secret with the Traveler, it is because she has her reasons."

Zhongli crossed his arms, cor lapis eyes fixated on the screen before him. Though Murata was fond of mortals, she had always been a proud deity, and saw herself above them still. To have felt enough of a looming threat from the upcoming war to consort with a mortal, even one as divine and long-lived as the Traveler, the war must be worse than he thought.

He caught Venti's eye, and the younger Archon in turn frowned at him, his normally sparkling eyes gone dim with seriousness.

ACT.VI

Everwinter Without Mercy

Ducam regina mea gloria haud pluribus impar 

"Let me lead my queen to near unmatched glory," Childe read aloud, a hint of pride in his voice as a sharp smirk formed on his face. 

Diluc closed his eyes and slowly took deep breaths, his fingers digging into his gloved palms as he gradually tried to calm himself in the presence of a Harbinger.

He wasn't the only one whose eyes flashed with rage, though his reaction was certainly the most extreme. Ningguang rhythmically tapped her golden claws on her thigh, eyes carefully hiding her disgust, while others less-subtly turned their glares on the uncaring Snezhnayan.

Lumine had a stare on the Harbinger, lips pursed with an unreadable look in her eyes.

With the momentary flare of the symbol of Cryo behind it, ACT.VI changes into 'Snezhnaya'.

"She is a god with no love left for her people, nor do they have any left for her." 

Venti's eyes turned sad. Dear friend, I simply refuse to believe that coldness is all that is left in your heart, he thought, clasping his cecilia-scented fingers in a silent prayer for his fellow deity and old one-sided-friend-turned-enemy. 

With the jagged icicles changing the darkness into an even colder scene, the camera shows a mysterious person shrouded in shadows, sitting on a throne with the feet encased in ice and surrounded by the imposing figures of the Fatui. Despite the person's face and body covered in shadow, there is no mistaken them for anything but a Harbinger with the power that radiated from their very being. 

Childe let out a sigh, though the mischievous sharpness on his face remained. "The Rooster," he referred to the Harbinger cloaked in shadows. 

Diluc clenched his fist. The Fifth Harbinger. He glared at the screen, as if the fire in his gaze could reach through and melt the ice of the Rooster's throne and let it harshly stick to his skin like wax.

"Her followers hope only to be on her side when the day of her rebellion against the divine comes at last."

Ei closes her eyes. Foolish youngling, she thinks to herself. Just what will you gain from going against the divine will?

(She knows exactly what it would be, and why it was a worthwhile path. Yet still, she steers her heart away from empathy; such human emotion is destructive in the path of gods.)

The scene changes into the picture of an endless galaxy, with a mysterious flare growing brighter and brighter in the distance, the camera slowly heading towards it. 

"In the perpetual meantime of a sheltered eternity, most are content to live, and not to dream." 

"What does that mean," Lisa mutters under her breath.

The camera grew closer towards the flare until, finally, the flare flashed and consumed the screen, turning the darkness into whiteness. "But in the hidden corners where the gods' gaze do not fall, there are those who dream of dreaming."

Imperceptibly, Kaeya stills. 

("Gaia," is whispered in the language of impure humans. "you are our final hope. With you, our dreams will become reality.

No longer will we have to dream of dreaming.")

ACT.???

The Dream Yet to Be Dreamed

ACT.??? changes into 'Khaenri'ah', the background too bright to notice any symbol flare.

Albedo draws a sharp breath, and Lumine's wide eyes become fixated on the screen. Whispers and unease break out amongst the scholars-

"Some say a few are chosen while the rest are dregs, but I say we humans have our humanity." The white fades into a significantly less brighter light, showing the face of a mysterious man; the owner of the narrator's voice. The camera pans out to further reveal him, blonde and dressed in strange, heavy gilded clothing, unlike any other style the Teyvatians have seen before. One eye is covered with a mask, but the other shines an aquamarine, holding the stars of every world within it.

"Human star," Zhongli's eyes become distant. Childe stares at him. Human star.

World tree.

(The language of the Abyss.)

"Dain," Lumine digs her fingers into her palms, hard enough to draw traces of shining blood. 

Not for the first time, she thinks, Just who are you, really?

 With the upwards wave of his formerly-clenched first, an aggressive, blue power appears like mist to shake the earth, before disappearing as quickly as it appeared. 

A gasp shakes the atmosphere. Heads turn to Ei, Her perfect posture broken as She stares after the otherworldly power that appeared from the mysterious man's hands.

"Power of humans, impure and impractical," Alhaitham remembers, from Khaenri'ahn texts of centuries past, torn apart and dusty.

Those who lived in the land of no gods, wielded strange powers of their own creation, genius and impure, impractical yet world-shaking-

Nahida shudders, the light of curiosity burning a flame in her wooden veins.

"We will defy this world with a power from beyond."

For once, Paimon is completely silent, an unreadable look in her eyes as she stares solemnly at the screen.

"Now, you who has set foot in this world." The scene changes and runs rapidly over a whitened filter of a scene, blurring the location into black and white, until it gradually slows down to reveal the sea of flowers from the beginning. "Your journey has come to an end, but one final doorway remains."

Lumine swallowed, paying close attention to what must be a glimpse into the end of her journey. 

It felt like an eternity since she had been brought into this world- she always knew that one day her travels over Teyvat would come to an end, yet she never really thought of it further.

Even after she saw him again... The things he told her couldn't fully process in her mind. What did it all mean to him, really? Why couldn't he have just told her?

(Weren't they family to the bitter end? What was so important that he felt the need to hide it from her? Since when did he ever hide things from her? Everything they knew, everything they had, they always shared-)

The field is shown once more, the white of the flowers turned the faintest hint of green from the glow of the sunset, the sky that has once more taken up the whole of the world, the world bathed in perpetual gold; the horizon. The Traveler stands alone, hand outstretched as if still holding their missing piece- her twin nowhere in sight. 

The symbolism is painful. Lumine feels the ache of her missing half more than ever, like a phantom limb, or as if part of her soul had been torn to pieces.

"Step forth, if you have understood the meaning of this journey." Her eyes are downcast, face forlorn. "Defeat me, command me to step aside, show me that you are worthier than I to rescue him."

"Rescue him?" She whispers. Was Aether in trouble? Had the darkness swallowed him to somewhere she couldn't reach?

Her heart ached madly at the thought. 

Lumine clenched her fist, hiding the shallow lines of blood on her palm.

Aether, I swear that I will save you,  She closed her eyes. No matter what it takes.

"Then, the threads of all fate will be yours to re-weave." 

Yae Miko releases a breath, eyes darkening with thought. "I see," she muttered. 

It was only the beginning, but things were already starting to patch together. 

The camera pans closer to the face of the Traveler, before it flies up and goes beyond with the swift breeze, joined by the missing petals from the endless sea of flowers, flying until the sky was no more, and the world was bathed in darkness once again.

"My memory has all but faded completely... but I will always remember how he too, loved these flowers."

I loved them too. 

Lumine struggles to forget white gold flowers and sunshine smiles. 

It is difficult, when the ghost of a memory is pinned to her hair. 

Paimon silently cuddles up to her as a show of support, but it is only when a hand lands on her shoulder does Lumine jerk and leave her thoughts, turning to see a sad smile on Jean's face.

The other woman didn't need to say a word. Lumine knew what she meant by the gesture -We're here for you, it's okay-, and so she gradually relaxed, offering up a weak, grateful smile in return.

Meanwhile, Alhaitham was tapping his quill on his journal, muttering to himself as he rapidly wrote down theory after theory in neat, connecting lines. Nahida carefully turned her head to look at the man, curious to hear his thoughts.

(She knew it was bad to intrude in on others' privacy, and some of the previous Sages had somehow found out she could do that and had hated it so much-)

But as the God of Wisdom, she couldn't help her curiosity.

Just this once, Nahida thought to herself, already feeling guilt swell in her chest as the flickers of green lines appeared in her vision to indicate a mind being scanned. I won't do it again.

"If everyone is ready," The Seeker of Desire called, causing everyone to turn their attention to Them. "The beginning of the Traveler's journey will soon begin. Please settle yourselves." With a wave of Their hand, small, circular tables appeared in front of everyone in the room. Each table contained a notepad and a pen, a teacup and a teapot, a tall pitcher of cold water and a glass to accompany it, a saucer containing various packs of tea, and several tiny bowls filled with snacks. Yaoyao curiously lifted the cover of the teapot, finding that it was already filled with hot water, so she picked one of the tea packets- jasmine, and began to make tea. Kaeya was already humming to himself as he popped grapes in his mouth, and several others grabbed for the proffered notepad and pen to furiously write down what they had learned. 

"In a minute or so, the View will continue the Viewing. For now, I will excuse myself. Rest assured, I will return, and the Viewing will continue without fail." With that being said, the Seeker of Desire bowed before disappearing into thin air.

Chapter Text

The scene opens to a close-up of a drawing on sand. The drawing resembles twin shooting stars, and a voice speaks while a curious crab crawls around the drawing. "So.. what you're trying to say is that you fell here from another world?"

Lumine's back slowly hunches in on itself. So this is where it starts. 

Two shooting stars, glowing and gold, leave a rainbow trail as they fly over the mountains of Liyue and pass around the Statue of Barbatos in Mondstadt City, heading towards the far-beyond behind the mountains of Mondstadt, up and above and away. 

"How beautiful," Yun Jin awed. 

"Strange. I don't remember seeing such a phenomenon." Ningguang mused. Around her, many agreed. 

"Ah, I remember reading about this in a book," Albedo said suddenly. "Mysterious Phenomena of Teyvat; this had showed up for but a brief moment, flashing across the skies of Mondstadt and Liyue, and yet no one had ever figured out where they fell, or where they came from." He frowned. "If I remember correctly, it was perhaps.. three or so centuries ago?"

"500 years," Lumine spoke. "..It was 500 years ago." 

The camera changes to a pair of golden-haired twins standing on a stone building elevated high in the sky, clouds thickly covering the view of the surface below. "But when you wanted to leave and go on to the next world, your path was blocked by some unknown god?"

"That place...!" Mona frowned. 

Venti silently winced and closed his eyes, grateful for having chosen a seat in the front. Meanwhile, Zhongli had, ever so imperceptibly, tensed, his back straightening more than it already was, his hands placed stiffly on his lap. Ei was staring hard into the screen. Nahida fidgeted, having never before seen the Place of the Gods.

"Is that..." Kaeya glanced towards Lumine with a hint of incredulity. He knew she was special, the moment they met that day, and no one could miss it, her in her ethereality that no mere mortal could even hope to replicate, but to think that she even saw Celestia...

Before the twins, a malicious power splits the air, creating three star-shaped, dark holes that screech a noise like nails on a chalkboard. From the largest bloodstained star in the middle, a mysterious being steps out, standing on air as they were, white hair unaffected by the wind and golden eyes glowing eerily. " Outlanders, your journey ends here ." Her stone-cold voice declared, waving her arm, and the star-shaped holes become shining weapons of a completely unknown essence.

Yae's eyes widened. She brought a finger to her lips, thinking.

"That's the God that you're looking for, Lumi?" Paimon asked, her voice oddly small. From beside her, Lumine nodded, something hard in her normally calm eyes. 

"Yes." The God who had her brother. The God who separated them. Perhaps even the God that helped in leading her brother astray.

Her fingers on her lap twitched.

"Who're you?!" The golden-haired twin wearing ethereal white shouts. She is a creature from the heavens, that much is obvious; the divinity of her mere existence matches wonderfully with the godlike view of the heavens. Much like her dark-clothed twin, their aura of purity contrasted with the dark instability of the white-haired deity.

"Yin and yang," Shenhe murmured thoughtfully. Two sides of the same coin. One that can't be without the other. Fitting, from what she knows of her friend. It always felt as if something was missing from her side. 

" The sustainer of heavenly principles ," the unknown deity responds, curling her fingers to create a shimmering block. 

Ei dug perfectly manicured fingers into her thighs. 

It had been so long since she's seen that flawless face...

" The arrogation of mankind ends now! " The block flares and a giant, rectangular version appears on the platform that the twins were standing on, causing them to simultaneously jump away into different directions as the block rises, barely managing to dodge it.

Floating gracefully in the air, transparent, golden wings appear on the backs of both outlanders, both summoning their swords out of thin air in a flash of gold light. The two of them fearlessly charge towards the unknown deity, who merely outstretches her arm and releases an army of red and black blocks, chasing after the twins in twisting chains. The outlanders effortlessly dodge the obstacles, skilled movements speaking of an experience far too old to belong to mere mortals.

"What beautiful wings," Nilou gasped, clasping her hands together. Her eyes sparkled as she gave a beauteous smile Lumine's way. 

Childe let out a low whistle. "If this is what you look like at full power, I'd love to fight you and your brother someday, comrade," He grinned. Lumine let out a huff but didn't reject him.

"Hm. So your power is not elemental," Albedo noted.

The chains of blocks follow them without stopping, twisting and curving over white arches and thin bridges as the outlanders fly away to escape, dodging continuously as one, as if they shared one heartbeat.

As they charge closer towards the deity, both twins let out quiet war cries as they ready their swords, the distance between them thinning until they perform an attack that spark a momentary star-shaped shine that becomes a deafening explosion as they collide to unleash a powerful attack against their enemy, sparks of flame fluttering away in the aftermath.

Gorou let out a hiss, his ears perked high up on his head as he leant forward to watch the fight intensely.

"This must be.. the power of a god." Cyno murmured.

With a look of cold disdain, the deity huffs and uses her hands that were blocking the twins to transform into a chain of blocks that swallowed their swords. Forced to let go lest she wanted to be swallowed up as well, the twin wearing white cries out in frustration and flies back to get out of range. Unfortunately, her brother wasn't as lucky. The second twin couldn't react fast enough, and so not only was his sword swallowed, so were his arms, bubbling up until it reached his shoulders.

"Noooo!" Itto yelled. "Awesome blonde guy, don't lose!!!" 

Lumine let out a snort, making eyes snap to her in surprise. The Traveler simply rubbed her nose, looking away. 

" AETHER!"  The white-wearing twin cried out, reaching out with horrified eyes, but her brother could do nothing but stay helplessly, unable to escape, locking eyes with his sister, desperation and fear present in both golden pairs.

Paimon pressed closer to her friend, putting her tiny hand on her wrist reassuringly. "We'll get him back, Lumi!" She whispered fiercely. That cracked another smile, and Lumine's face had softened, but her eyes were still blank of emotion.

Her gaze stayed locked on her brother as he was wholly swallowed up by the blocks, head of gold disappearing under the bulging darkness, which then crumbled into smaller blocks that returned to their master's hand, until it became a singular, glowing block once more floating on her palm. Whilst the deity looked down at the cube that contained the captured twin, the remaining twin gritted her teeth and swiftly flew behind the deity, lightning and flame forming into such a powerful case on her hand that it could only be seen as licks of glowing lightning. With a cry of outrage, the outlander plunged her hand towards the deity, causing an even greater explosion than the attack that the two siblings performed together, trailing off into smaller smoke as the air was engulfed in brief darkness.

Yae was glancing at her dearest friend, the goddess who was sitting stiff as a board. She pursed her lips. Her anger at Ei was still too fresh to fade; 5 centuries of loneliness and being forced to shoulder a heavier weight than she should have was too much to just brush away. And yet, she felt all of this because she cared for Ei. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she didn't like seeing the goddess hurt.

Slowly, she inched closer to her.

When the smoke cleared, the outlander, panting from the force of her own attack, looked up in confusion when she saw the circular chain of blocks that swallowed her hand, growing smaller and smaller alongside the remaining effects of the explosion as it rapidly swallowed her power, the deity completely unharmed. The deity was closer than ever, forcing the chain of blocks to turn into smaller blocks and trapping the golden-haired girl's hand, until she forced the blocks to bubble up and swallow her almost wholly.

"Wait, don't go!" The outlander cried out desperately, her final moments spent staring up at the disdainful, cold deity. "Give my brother  back– !"

("Give her back," she pleaded. In all of her years, she had never once cried, and yet on this very day, it seemed as if every tear she had never shed was coming down on her like rain. "Anyone. Anyone but her, I'll do anything-" 

But Celestia listens to no creature's begging- not even that of their own children's.)

With a final cry of despair, the bubbling blocks swallowed her whole, turning her vision into complete darkness.

"And just like that, the god took away my brother," the outlander narrated sorrowfully. "Some kind of seal was cast upon me, and I lost my power.. So while we used to travel from world to world, we are now  trapped here. " 

The despair in her voice was large, painful enough to make others physically feel her despair, enough that others began to grow fearful of the same thing happening to them, to their loved ones.

(Barbara and Jean glance at each other at the same time. Barbara stiffens, and Jean seems to hesitate- but she gives her sister a small, assuring smile. 

I will not let that happen to either of us, was the unspoken promise.

For a moment, Barbara remained frozen, but she soon relaxed and returned her older sister's smile, tentative yet happy.

Kaeya and Diluc do not look to each other at all. Some things are better left unsaid, or never touched upon in the first place.)

Despite the solemn atmosphere that had taken place with each second of the scene passing, Alhaitham could only find himself intrigued by the Travelers.

To travel from world to world, experience various cultures, see sights never before seen, meet species that will never exist in Teyvat- Lumine's knowledge and memories must be a priceless, invaluable treasure trove that any scholar would experience the seven hells to obtain.

Subtly, he turns his eyes on the hunched back of the otherwise perfect Traveler.

As if reading his thoughts, a sniffling Kaveh snaps his head to the side and glares a hole into Alhaitham's head.

The scene turns back to the sand, with the sand of seagulls and the gentle waves, crude drawings of the memory scattered on the wet sand. The camera changes to the stress-lined face of the outlander, staring down at the drawings. "How many years ago was it...? I don't know." Her voice wavered as she clenched her hands. A white-haired fairy floated next to the outlander, looking at her with sympathy. "But I intend to find out." Her voice strengthened, in the end.

A slender hand was placed on Ei's thigh. She merely glanced at it, but didn't shift to jostle it off, or did she look at the holder.

They exchanged no words. Yae simply looked towards the screen, not paying her friend another look.

Her own fingers digging into her thigh loosened.

Slowly, imperceptibly- the Electro Archon relaxed.

"When I woke, I was all alone- until I met you two months ago..." the outlander told her floating companion. "Yeah, Paimon really owes you for that! Otherwise, Paimon likely would have drowned..." The fairy, now known as Paimon, sighed. For a few moments, the scene was replaced by a picture of the outlander fishing, clearly taken aback as her rod brought up an unconscious child instead of a fish.

Klee let out a horrified gasp. "Oh no! Paimon could have been fish-blasted!" She whimpered.

It was such an innocent sentence, and yet it made the atmosphere relax. Jean sighed and put a hand to her head at the implication that Klee had, at some point, went fish-blasting in Mondstadt's surrounding beaches, whilst Albedo smiled exasperatingly and bent down to whisper in his younger sister's ear.

"So, Paimon will do her best to be a great guide!" The fairy put her hands on her hips and beamed at the outlander, whose sorrowful face had eased out, a smile playing on her lips. Now that her stress lines were less visible, it was easier to notice that she was quite young (in appearance, anyway), with her small, rounded face, big eyes, and petite frame. "We should head off, let's get going!" Paimon declared, waving her friend over as she disappeared from sight. The outlander followed, standing from the rock she was seated on, and soon, she too disappeared from sight.

Prologue: Act I; The Outlander Who Caught the Wind

Yae perked up. "So certain parts will come with titles, hm?" She muttered to herself.

Lumine and Paimon walk up the cliff and find that it overlooked much of the beautiful greenery of Mondstadt, with the city itself standing proud and grey, stone amongst life, in the distance beyond the small lake that was just below them. "Oh wowwwww!" Paimon exclaimed, her eyes big with wonder as she took in the beauty.

Ayaka, too, felt awe over the fresh beauty that was Mondstadt, having never left Inazuma in her life as a member of the Kamisato Clan. Actually, she barely even left the city. Such free and bright beauty was foreign to her, doubled by the general heavy atmosphere and constant stormy skies in Inazuma.

(It was unlikely that she'd ever see it with her own eyes and be there in the flesh. After all, none have defeated gods besides immortal creatures and gods themselves.)

Ayato, catching his deflating sister's line of thinking, did the same as Albedo and whispered into her ear. "Do not fret, Ayaka- once this is all over, I shall take you around Teyvat to see the sights for ourselves." He promised her.

Even though such a promise had a bleak future ahead of itself, Ayaka couldn't help but perk up once more, a small smile pulling at her lips. "Thank you, onii-sama," she whispered back. 

Beside the two of them, Thoma smiled. He wondered if he'd have to stay at home as Head Housekeeper, or if his masters would insist on taking him with them.

...Actually, knowing them, it would likely be the latter. Even putting aside the friendship he shared with them, it seemed as if that no matter how talented and capable the people, they would inevitably be incapable of taking care of themselves. It was unlikely they'd survive a day without him.

"That's a Statue of the Seven!" Paimon pointed out a tall statue in the near distance, situated on an island in the middle of a small lake. It had a figure carved on top of it; a gentle, ethereal face with its arms outstretched, holding an orb in the middle of its palms, dressed in a flowing cloak that was captured in such a manner that one would think the subject had been frozen onto it.

"There are a few of these statues scattered across the land to show The Seven's protection over the world." Paimon explained as they walked the line of the cliff. Lumine silently marveled over the sweet scent of the yellow and white flowers and picked a mint along the way, the healthy green grass tickling her legs. "Among the seven gods, this god controls the wind." Paimon added.

"Paimon's not sure if the god you're looking for is the Anemo God, but..."

"Paimon'll take you to the Anemo God's place first, and there's a reason why!~" The little fairy exclaimed as she floated ahead.

Lumine let out an inaudible sigh. It felt as if after she had seen her brother again, in that wretched cave, everything else felt so far away from her. It couldn't have been a little less than a year since she first stepped foot into the forests of Mondstadt, yet it seemed to her as if eternities had already passed.

What she wouldn't do to have all that peace and simplicity back to her again, even at the cost of worrying for her brother, unknowing if he was even alive...

Lumine follows Paimon closer to the edge of the cliff.

"As we all know, poetry and language flow like the wind..."

"There'll definitely be someone there who knows about your brother. At least that's what Paimon thinks!"

"Whether the gods actually answer you is a different story. You never know unless you try." She shrugged.

"So, let's hop to it!" Paimon gently floats down the cliff and easily flies over the short body of water and over to the small island.

"You can swim right over!" She waved at her friend near the statue.

As Lumine approaches the Statue of the Seven, she feels an ancient power thrumming in it.

When she tentatively touches the stone, she gasps when the red aura that surrounded it suddenly disappeared, fading away into the wind and turning light as the statue glowed, illuminating the carved figure's gentle features and lighting the orb it held in its outstretched hands teal. She feels a power course through her- and she stumbles back in surprise, eyes widening when she sees tiny winds forming inbetween her fingers.

"What-"

The world opens itself before noble hearts...

Were the words that echoed in her head when she had touched the statue, voiced by none, yet flowing within her brain like a musical breeze.

Jaws dropped open.

"Ooh! Did you just feel the elements of the wind?" Paimon gasped.

"Are you-"

"Well, that's certainly one for the books-"

"Seems all you had to do was just touch the statue and you got the power of Anemo!" She peered at Lumine with curious eyes, a newfound light in them. "As much as they may want it, people in this world can never get a hold of powers as easily as you..."

"You tell me," Amber gaped, shaking her head. Like most people, she had wanted for a Vision all her life, and she happened to be part of the lucky crowd. She didn't hold a trace of resentment towards her friend for gaining so easily the powers that everyone desired at some point in their lives, of course not, but woah, did she feel a little bit of envy after that.

"So you can harness Anemo, also," Ningguang hummed. "I take it that means you can change elements using a Statue of the Seven?"

Lumine nodded. "I received my Geo powers the same way," she replied.

"This can't be good..." Lumine pursed her lips. She was naturally a paranoid person, so receiving such holy powers so easily unsettled her.

"Ah-ha, it's because you're not from this world to begin with." Paimon pointed out, easing Lumine's worry just a bit.

"Yes!! Lumi is special, so she can do very special things!" Paimon grinned proudly, puffing her chest out as if she herself was the one who could do such miraculous feats.

Meanwhile, Beidou thought of the title. "Caught the wind, indeed," she hummed.

"If we keep heading west from here, we'll eventually reach Mondstadt, the City of Freedom."

"Mondstadt is the city of wind, because they worship the God of Anemo."

"So perhaps, because you got power from the God of Anemo, you can find some clues there."

"I wonder if the Archons themselves respond to her, or if it's an automated reaction when an Outlander touches a Statue of the Seven," Candace wondered aloud.

Yanfei thought for a moment, contemplating, before she hummed. "Actually, contrary to popular belief, Archons are not the ones who grant Visions," she revealed. "It's Celestia's acknowledgement of mortals that summon a Vision, so it's more likely that it is some sort of automated reaction caused by residuals of the Archons' power like you said, rather than a conscious acknowledgement by the gods themselves, or... Celestia themself granted her the ability to control the elements."

Across the room, the scholars furiously scribbled that information down (with the exception of Zhongli, being of Celestia). To receive previously hidden knowledge about their world straight from a trustworthy source was a novel experience... truly, the knowledge-seekers back in their world would have frothed at the mouth in envy.

"Is.. this something that should be shared?" Noelle asked hesitantly, not daring to glance at the Archon in the room. 

The room quickly got quiet, but the half-adeptus simply waved a hand. "Don't worry! We caught a glimpse of Celestia and a god that none of us in our lives should be able to see, so I take it that we're going to learn some very important information and probably even forbidden knowledge, anyway."

Despite the logic in her words, many were still tense. After all, forbidden knowledge was forbidden for a reason.

Still, the Raiden Shogun had yet to move an inch ever since the trailer, so eventually, everyone relaxed.

Meanwhile, Kazuha quietly processed the information that Yanfei revealed. Knowing that it wasn't the Archons themselves who granted Visions made the Raiden Shogun's actions make more sense. Still, he couldn't quite discern her reasons. Perhaps her actions were a rebellion against Celestia. But why?

So it was Celestia who had barred his father from his dreams, Diluc thought, lips pursed. Inarguably a being that is even worse than the gods themselves, for it wasn't impossible to catch even a glimpse of an Archon in an average human's life, but there was no chance that anyone here could even dream of going to Celestia.

(Except, of course, that sneaky Archon masquerading as a bard, and Lumine, who had already been to Celestia, but that went without saying.

...Actually, that Liyuen man that Venti occasionally exchanged glances with looked oddly familiar...)

"There are also lots of bards there, so perhaps one of them has heard news of your sister." Paimon said. Lumine nodded, thinking it made sense. After all, though taverns were a reliable source of gossip and information, the tales and experiences that bards weaved into songs were even more so of a wealth than drunkards with too much time on their hands.

"Let's move then!"

"The elements in this world responded to your prayers and Paimon thinks that's a lovely sign." She patted Lumine's shoulder, smiling reassuringly all the while.

Suddenly, small slimes burst from the sands, and Lumine quickly turned and eradicated them, practicing her newfound powers. She gathered wind in her hands to form a ball and suck them in, before releasing it and making them jump back with sufficient damage. Lumine huffed and puffed in show as she made good work of them with her dull blade, before powering up her burst as the final move; a mini tornado created by doing a flip, boots making deep lines in the sand when she landed, and successfully carting the slimes away as well as causing them to burst into globs of water.

Gorou watched closely, crossing his arms and nodding. "What an impressive display! So soon after you just received your powers, too," he awed. "You must have a lot of combat experience to control them that well without a hitch."

Lumine dipped her head. "It was nothing," she said. "Some of my original powers were elemental in aspect, and more difficult to wield than my current ones." So it really was just a walk in the park for me, was left unsaid.

Gorou nodded again, his respect for the mighty Traveler continuing to grow drastically.

"These are the Anemo powers you got from the Statue of the Seven." Paimon marveled. "Aww... Paimon's so jealous! Why doesn't Paimon get cool fighting powers!?"

"You don't have to fight to make a difference," Kokomi said wisely. "At least, not in the literal sense. You're more than just your abilities and skillsets, after all, and I'm sure that amongst your many talents, you are also an excellent friend." She smiled at the fairy.

Taken aback by the sincerity in her words, Paimon could only blush and stammer, "W-well, it's plenty hard just following Lumine around and trying to avoid getting hit by monsters, a-anyway! Not to mention being her guide! Hmph!"

The embarrassed fairy floated down to her friend's side, who patted Paimon's head teasingly. Still, she leant down and whispered, "She's right, you know. What would I do without the best guide in the world, hm?"

That got another shy beam from Paimon.

The two of them left the small island on the lake and advanced to the heart of the forest.

A shining dragon flies overhead, its massive wings spanning the sky and casting large shadows upon the ground, making tiny critters squeak and hide. "Wow! What is that!? There's something huge, in the sky! It's headed towards the heard of the forest. We must proceed with caution." Paimon exclaimed. 

They followed the dragon's trail carefully into the forest. "Huh? Look at that!" The two ducked behind a large tree trunk to eavesdrop on the scene before them- a mysterious boy in green, talking to the dragon as if it were a scared animal.

"...Don't be afraid," the mysterious person pleaded, reaching his hands out to the wary dragon. "...It's alright now, I'm back." Something about his voice seemed to be making the dragon lower its guard.

"M-mister Venti?" Bennett looked shocked. "H-hold on, you know Lord Dvalin?!"

Many faces around the room, too, looked shocked. Those who had simply dismissed Venti as another bard, one that just happened to have a Vision, began to look over in intrigue.

"Hahaha..." Venti laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "Let's just say he.. was one of my first friends."

"Is he talking... to a dragon?" Paimon whispered disbelievingly.

As they watched, moment by moment, the dragon hesitated less and less, but just as it was about to put its snout onto the boy's palms in a show of trust–

"I can't believe it..!" Noelle gasped. "Oh, Mister Venti, you truly are friends with Lord Dvalin?" Her eyes were sparkling with newfound admiration.

Venti could only grin nervously. He had hoped his identity wasn't about to be revealed so early, for even with a believable lie it was indeed a hint that got the gears of the geniuses' minds turning, but alas, the Traveler and Paimon always happen to show up in both the most inopportune moments and the moments when they are most needed.

Kaeya had a harmlessly curious expression on his face, but if anyone looked closely they could see how his eye was slightly narrowed. "I'm back, huh.." he muttered, echoing the words of Venti on the screen.

Across from the room, Alhaitham gave the same suspicious look to Venti, alongside many others.

A sudden glow of Anemo burst from Lumine's chest and palms, and it was more than enough to make the dragon startle and withdraw. A mighty screech left its unhinged jaws, narrowly spaced from the bewildered boy, who jumped back just in time before his head was swallowed by its vengeful teeth.

"O-oh, wow!" Xinyan yelped, reeling back in surprise from the ear-shattering noise. "Ya nearly got your head bitten off there..!"

"Haha! It's no problem! As a traveling bard, I face challenges like these quite often, so I'm no longer afraid of anything!" The bard boasted, laughing as if "challenges" like dragons nearly biting one's head off were truly normal occurrences for him.

To the side, Zhongli was throwing his friend an unimpressed look. If his mortal persona was one such as the Traveler, then sure, his claims could be believable, but seeing as the Traveler was a great, renowned adventurer and Venti was not, it could only be met with skepticism.

"Impulsive numbskull." He muttered under his breath. Truly, even after several centuries of separation after that tragic Cataclysm, Barbatos had barely changed. 

That made him feel more fond than he'd like to admit.

"Who's there!?" He turned around in every direction with a glare, catching a glimpse of the eavesdropping pair, but before he could confront them, the dragon's outrage began to grow more intense, wind whipping throughout the trees and making Paimon and Lumine cover their faces to avoid harm.

Slowly, the mysterious boy backed away, until he disappeared within a flash of Anemo power. The dragon spreads its wings and takes flight not a moment after.

Shenhe gave the bard a reappraising look that made him feel the urge to shrink away. "You're far more powerful than you let on." Was all that she said. 

Simple as the trick may look, it was, in all truth, unerringly complex. Only those with total mastery over their Vision and complete understanding of themself, including their capabilities and limits, could attempt to fast-travel or teleport using their elemental powers.

The others also peered at Venti with more curiosity. It seems like there was more to him than he seemed.

Venti could only look away, hoping he wouldn't be discovered so soon.

"That was close! Paimon almost got blown away!" She sighed deeply, the scared look on her face melting away into relief. "Luckily Paimon managed to grab hold of your hair! Thanks."

"Good thing the dragon didn't notice us." Lumine commented, not at all bothered by the painful tug she received on her hair at the same time that the dragon had freaked. "Just what was that? Paimon thought we were gonna get eaten." The little fairy frowned, putting her hands on her hips.

"It definitely has something to do with the weirdo talking to the dragon..."

"Is talking to dragons normal?" Lumine tilted her head.

"Of course not!" Paimon rolled her eyes, before something caught her eye. "Oh? What's that?"

"Traveler, have you ever been to a world where talking to dragons is common?" Xingqiu questioned, a glint in his eye as he pressed the tip of his pen to paper, waiting for her answer.

Lumine thought, sorting out her muddled memories. "...I once went to a world where there was a professional field centered around dragons," she said. "Dragon tamers, dragon caretakers, dragon riders, dragon slayers- all of that was something that was as famous as Visions."

Xingqiu lit up. "Fascinating," he breathed, writing down her words, nodding to himself. "Perhaps this could be a concept in my next novel..."

Yae, who had also been waiting for Lumine's answer, perked an ear up at Xingqiu's murmuring words. As the Head of the Yae Publishing House, she was just as interested in knowledge of other worlds as he was, eager to write something fresh, something new.

For she and Ei were sat at the furthest back, Xingqiu in his focus hasn't noticed the kitsune turning to his direction, who was eyeing him with mild interest.

"There's some kind of shiny red thingy on the big rock over there..." She squinted at it.

"Let's go take a closer look."

Exasperated sighs in the room were joined by soft chuckling. "Truly, Paimon, you have an adventurer's heart," Kaeya teased.

"What does that even mean?!" The little fairy shot up and stomped her feet in the air. "Isn't it common sense to take a closer look at weird stuff?!"

Not at all, was the shared thought of every non-adventurer/pirate/wanderer in the room.

Those such as Bennett, Fischl, and Razor merely brushed it off, though with more sheepishness for some.

(Lumine, that enabler, stoically nodded along to Paimon's words.)

Paimon and Lumine slowly approach the malicious-looking gemstone. As the Traveler's hand bravely reaches out to touch it, Paimon cuts her off panickedly.

"Be careful! Paimon doesn't have a good feeling about this..."

Diluc 'hmph'ed in his usual fashion. "And yet you still approached it?" He said dryly.

Paimon could only respond in angry gibberish.

Lumine pauses but continues to reach towards it, albeit slower this time. The stone disappeared in a glow of light, and immediately after a notice that it had been put away in her inventory appeared in Lumine's vision.

"Paimon's never seen a stone like this before, so Paimon can't tell what it is."

"All Paimon knows is that it's dangerous. Best we put it away for now."

"Okay, we've got it! Now let's get out of here." Paimon nodded and hurriedly floated away with Lumine following closely after.

Whilst heading towards the city, a girl in red ran and did a somersault off a small cliff. It was as if she was in slow motion, and for a few brief seconds Paimon and Lumine could do nothing but stare in surprise as the girl landed gracefully onto her feet in front of them, hands on her hips.

"You've been getting better at your acrobatics," Eula said to her friend.

"May the Anemo God protect you, stranger!" The girl was dressed in crimson, with a head of long brown hair and a bunny-shaped headband that allowed her the appearance of being perky alongside her energetic movements. Her outfit was quite cute, in Lumine's opinion, and the Traveler scanned her curiously. The girl had a kind of face that made people at ease just by looking at it, and her eyes were the same color as amber found deep in the earth.

Amber blushed. "Thanks, Lumi," she said, trying to hide her red face from her friend.

Seeing this, a gentle smile appeared on Lumine's ethereal face, like the soothing glow of the sun peering over the horizon during its rise. Seeing this, Amber could only turn more red. "It's the truth." Was all that the blonde said.

"I am Amber, Outrider for the Knights of Favonius." The girl introduced, putting her hands on her hips. "You don't look like citizens of Mondstadt. Explain yourselves!"

"We're not looking for trouble." Paimon tried to soothe. Amber rose a brow. "That's what all the troublemakers say." She replied dryly.

"Hello, I'm Lumine." The Traveler cut in smoothly. Amber frowned slightly. "...Doesn't sound like a local name to me." She said.

"There are lots of unique names around Teyvat," Lumine defended. "I'm sure parents have named their kids non-local names, like ones from stories." She spared a glance towards Childe. 

"Well, you're not wrong, but even without knowing you're not an outlander, your clothes are not exactly local either, you know?" Kaeya smiled at her. Lumine huffed.

"Kaeya is not very Teyvatian either," she muttered, which froze Kaeya's smile into place.

"You might be right, dear, because it is no longer, but the name Kaeya actually used to be a popular name in Sumeru many centuries ago," Lisa cut in, smiling in amusement at the both of them. "And our dear Cavalry Captain may not be of Mondstadt originally, but that doesn't change the fact that he is still one of the children of the winds, no?"

At this, Kaeya startled, looking away, an oddly shy expression on his face.

Nearby, Venti could only smile fondly.

"And this... mascot, what's the deal with it?" Amber squinted at Paimon.

"Emergency food." Lumine responded in a deadpan manner.

Laughter rung out through the room.

"So this is where the joke comes from!" Xiangling giggled. 

"She's told that to you as well?" Xingqiu chuckled.

"Now knowing that Paimon is definitely a fish who can't breathe, this joke is brilliant!" Hu Tao cackled.

With each word out of her supposed friends' mouths, Paimon got redder and redder in anger.

"For the last time, PAIMON IS NOT EMERGENCY FOOD!"  She shrieked at the top of her lungs, causing many (especially those with sensitive hearing) to flinch away.

Tighnari, with his ears flattened against his head, sent a dark scowl her way.

"Hey! That's even worse than being a mascot!" Paimon screeched at her, offense clear as day on her face.

"So to sum it up, you're traveling partners, right?" Amber interjected, bringing the subject back.

"Well, look, there's been a large dragon sighted around Mondstadt recently. Best you get inside the city as soon as possible." The Outrider explained. "It's not far from here, I'll escort you there."

"Oh? Aren't you out here for some other reason?" Paimon tilted her head.

"I am. But not to worry, I can keep you both safe while doing that too." Amber responded.

"Besides... I'm still not sure if I can trust you two yet!"

"That's a rather rude way to speak to guests." Lumine made a show of frowning and dropping her eyelids to display her annoyance, but a trained eye could see the teasing twinkle in her eyes.

"Oh, being the subject of her teasing," Childe sighed exasperatingly, thinking back on all the times he'd been taken aback- thinking that he'd genuinely offended her, only for the stoic Traveler to crack a smile at his panic.

Unfortunately for the Outrider, said girl did not have such eyes. "Oh, ahh... I'm sorry. Probably not something I should say as a knight." Amber said sheepishly. "I give you my apologies, uh... strange yet... respectable travelers."

Chongyun nodded in solidarity. Lumine was a great friend, but her teasing could be a little too much sometimes!

Lumine looked away as Paimon herself turned to glower at her, unrepentant.

"That sounded so fake!" Paimon frowned angrily.

"Do you have something against the type of language prescribed by the Knights of Favonius Handbook!?" Amber retorted.

"You need a little more practice with your tone to be a believable sweet-talker, Outrider," Kaeya laughed teasingly, earning a swat to the arm from Amber.

Lumine and Paimon follow Amber closely to the location she was headed to, hiking with slight difficulty over the sloping hills and tickling grasses.

"So, suspicious travelers, what are you doing in Mondstadt?" Amber started conversation as they walked.

"Lumine got separated from her brother during a really, really long journey." Paimon started to explain. "Paimon is her travel buddy, helping her to find her brother."

"Oh, looking for your family... Huh." Amber frowned, something flashing in her eyes. She suddenly looked sad, and a bit wistful. "Ah..."

Collei hesitated, but she made up her mind and turned to Amber. "Did you... Um. Is someone from your family missing?" 

Her friend smiled sadly. "..My grandfather. He disappeared all of a sudden a few years ago, and I haven't heard from him since." She shook her head. "But I know he's still out there! One day, sooner or later, I'm going to find him, and I'll be able to tell him everything that happened since he left."

Amber patted Collei's head, causing the younger girl to giggle. "If you ever face a situation where it feels like all hope is gone, never give up! No matter where you are in the world, hope always comes eventually, and one day, before you know it, it'll find you again!"

Lumine looked down at her hands. Hope...

It was not quite hope that encouraged her to keep looking for her brother despite everything that got in her way, but desperation. Desperation to find her other half, her blood who had always  been stuck to her side since the day they were brought to life. 

Finding out what Aether was doing... Knowing that he had changed from the purehearted, kind elder brother she once knew... Any tendrils of hope she might have felt every time she found a hint to his whereabouts had been dashed away.

And in its place was determination.

Determination to get him back. Determination to learn what he had learned, the path that he had set out for her in order to learn the truth. Determination to smack him upside the head, after everything is said and done, for leaving her behind. 

Still. Hope. She had stopped believing in it hundreds of years before she and Aether had even stepped foot in Teyvat, finding it an emotion that could only ever save or destroy completely, with not a single trace left. Hope. A silly, disgusting thing to her.

But to these short-lived people, hope was everything that they needed to push through in the hardest of times.

Amber shook her head. "Okay! Let me finish my other stuff first, and then I can help you put up posters around the city..."

"What exactly is it you need to finish doing first?" Paimon questioned.

Amber simply smiled. "It's simple. You'll understand in a bit."

The three of them finally arrive at Amber's location, which is a small camp of hilichurls, who have yet to notice them.

"Ah! A hilichurl!" Paimon exclaimed in surprise, successfully attracting their attention. "Quick! Get it!" Amber ordered, already pulling out her bow.

Lumine and Amber clear out the camp together with ease, despite it being the first time they fought together side by side.

Amber grinned. "We make a good team!" She said proudly, reaching over to high-five Lumine.

"These monsters have been getting too close to the city recently." Amber says as they finish off the last monsters. "My task this time is to clear out their camp." As she says this, she shoots down the final hilichurl, and it crumbles into dust with a screech.

"Heh, nothing to it." Amber grinned, putting her hands on her hips in a triumphant manner. "Though I've gotta say, you surprised me a little with your moves there..." She glanced at Lumine with a newfound curiosity.

"Those things are tougher than they look." Lumine simply said. It has been a long time since she was weak, and so she was too used to her powers. She only just gained some powers back in her body that was comatose for a long time.

"You're a humble one, huh?" Yoimiya said to Lumine, who simply shrugged.

"I wasn't lying."

Still humble, many thought. No doubt that the Traveler was unfazed about her numerous glorious achievements, in the face of flattery and sincerity of others.

"Now that you mention it, how is it the hilichurls ended up here?" Paimon questioned aloud. "These creatures don't seem the type to set up camp so close to cities like these."

"Exactly. It's more normal for them to be much further out in the wilderness." Amber nodded. "But because the dragon - Stormterrror - has been around a lot more recently, our orchards have been destroyed and the local market has been affected as well."

"When the storms hit, we usually end up with at least a few injuries, so the Knights of Favonius have been tied up doing the best they can to defend the area." She finished explaining.

"So these annoying creatures have been getting closer and closer to the city?"

"Exactly. That said, clearing this camp helped make the area a little bit safer." Amber smiled at the both of them. "Come with me! A responsible knight must make sure to see you to the city safely."

The three of them finally reach the walled city in the center of the clear waters known as Cider Lake.

Ayaka's eyes brightened at the sight of the walled city.

Many who have never been to Mondstadt perked up to attention as well.

"Let me officially introduce the city of wind, dandelions and freedom-

Travelers under the protection of the Knights of Favonius- Welcome to Mondstadt!" Amber cheered, a proud look on her face. She clearly loved her nation a lot, and likely devoted much of her energy and passion into her work.

"Finally, no more having to camp outdoors!" Paimon sighed with relief, already dreaming of a comfortable bed.

"But... the city folk don't look too cheery."

"Everyone's been put out of place by Stormterror recently." Amber nodded. "But everything will turn out fine as long as Jean's with us!"

The person in question startled.

"Jean?" Paimon asked.

"Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius- Jean, Defender of Mondstadt." Amber responded, a different kind of pride - one gained for someone you admired - appearing on her face. "With Jean on our side, surely even the vicious Stormterror will be no match for us."

An embarrassed smile appear on Jean's face. "You all have too much faith in me," she said as she saw the proud smiles on her friends' faces.

"Nonsense, our Acting Grand Master is the center of Mondstadt's world," Kaeya said playfully, a twinkle in his eye.

"Indeed. Without the pride of Mondstadt, gloom and despair might have overtaken the populace many years ago," Lisa played along.

Amber nodded vigorously. "Jean, you're the best leader that we could ever ask for! Please know that we will always be by your side," she declared.

Doubly embarrassed, Jean tried to look away, only to meet the eyes of her fellow Mondstadtians, who all had a look on their faces that said they wholly agreed. Barbara was even nodding with the same vigor and enthusiasm as Amber, pride clear on her sweet face.

(I hope she knows something about the God of Anemo.) Lumine thought.

"Hold on- we can hear thoughts?" Lumine interrupted, a displeased look on her face.

At this revelation, everyone began to exchange nervous looks.

A note fluttered down from the ceiling, landing into Paimon's hands.

"Only certain thoughts will be heard for the sake of the 'story', nothing overly personal or implicating," She read aloud.

Though it did nothing to alleviate much of the people's tenseness, they could do nothing but accept it.

"Before I take you guys to the Knights of Favonius Headquarters, I have a present for you, Lumine." She turned to the Traveler. "It's a reward for helping me clear out that hilichurl camp."

"He-hey! Why doesn't Paimon get a reward?" The fairy whined.

"Ahh.. Because this reward is useless to you, Paimon." Amber responded with a sheepish smile. "But I'll treat you to a traditional Mondstadt delicacy- Sticky Honey Roast." She promised.

"Sticky Honey Roast!" Paimon squealed, eyes already gleaming with excitement.

"Ohhh, Paimon remembers that!" The little fairy suddenly exclaimed. "For some reason, that Sticky Honey Roast that Amber and Kaeya treated us to tasted the best out of any Sticky Honey Roast we would ever taste! Eating Sticky Honey Roast after that suddenly didn't seem as good.."

"All in a day's hard work! It's definitely because we went through a lot of tasks and quests beforehand," Amber cheerfully said.

"Hmm.. so food tastes better after a long day of especially hard work? That makes sense to Paimon! I can remember how some foods taste better after completing a lot of different tasks than they usually would any other time."

Bennett sighed wistfully, recalling how heavenly the food from Good Hunter tasted when he and Fischl successfully came back from a day of constant investigation and adventuring.

As if on cue, a bowl of Satisfying Salad appeared on his table, alongside a selection of dressings.

"Woah! So Lord Seeker can give us food if we think of it," The youngster marveled, eagerly beginning to dig in.

Seeing this, others glanced over and mentally requested for certain dishes. As Bennett said, the dishes they wanted appeared on their tables. All of them were of the highest quality possible, too.

"Come with me, we'll head to the city's ahh... high ground." Amber nodded at the both of them and started walking towards her location.

The three of them head to the plaza, chatting along the way.

"This used to be a bustling street... But with so many Stormterror attacks recently, the usual crowds are nowhere to be seen." Amber said. A hint of stress appeared on her face before going as quick as it came. "Except for the local tavern near the city wall over there. They haven't been affected. If anything, their business is better than ever."

"Well, it makes sense for the collective coping mechanism of the City of Wine's citizens would be drinking the stress away," Beidou chuckled. Beside her, Ningguang scoffed.

"You're one to talk, Miss I-Have-A-Tab-In-Every-Tavern-In-Liyue," The Tianquan inspected her nail guards as Beidou simply laughed louder.

She swung a muscular arm around her friend's shoulders. "Good thing you're around to get me outta trouble in case I can't pay for 'em, eh?" Beidou snickered as Ningguang rolled her eyes, but didn't deny it.

"Surprisingly, Sir Kaeya didn't visit any taverns a single time during the Stormterror chaos," Eula crossed her arms. "You'd think he'd go to get a drink even once during the most stressful even for the Ordo Favonius in recent history."

Kaeya laughed airily. "Can't afford to slack off on the job, not when business is quite booming. I'm sure Master Diluc here could say the same for that time." He shot the man a shit-eating grin.

Diluc hid a grimace. No matter how good for the business, the drunkards were a pain to deal with, especially when things escalated into tavern fights. Those weeks at the beginning of the Stormterror chaos saw a double rising of bar chaos in Angel's Share.

Good thing something as drastic as Stormterror wouldn't happen again...

"So the present I want to give you is..."

Amber unearths a feathery, folded cloth from her back, beaming all the while, eyes crinkling in an endearing smile that softens Lumine's already soft heart.

Amber blushed again, hiding her face in Collei's shoulder as Lumine shot her a soft smile.

"A Wind Glider!" She sounds so excited that Lumine can't help but smile with her. "Outriders use them to ride the wind, and the people of Mondstadt love using them too."

"I brought you here to give it to you so you can experience it right away!" The brunette smiles gleefully at Lumine.

"Thank you for giving me a Wind Glider, by the way," Lumine said to her friend. "I missed the feeling of flying. Even though it's not quite the same, I'm really glad you thought to share the experience."

Amber grinned back at her friend. "Heh, it's nothing big! Everyone deserves to know the feeling of flying, and I figured you might not have one since not everyone from other nations own a Glider. If anything else, you would've gotten a new one with a design you don't own!"

Lumine still gave her a grateful look. Though Amber brushed her thanks off, she knew that her friend was aware of the extent of her gratefulness. After all, Lumine has never met another person besides her brother who loved flying just as much as she did.

"Oh, you're really excited about these wind gliders, huh!" Paimon crossed her arms, eyes widening in intrigue as she eyed the cloth in Amber's hands.

"Well that's because the wind is the heart and soul of Mondstadt!" Amber laughed. "Alrighty then, enough talk! Let's give it a whirl!" She said, turning on her heel. "It's easy to use, but you still need to pay attention to my instructions."

"The first time I visited another nation, I was really shocked to know that not everyone owned a Wind Glider," Barbara confessed. To this, Noelle nodded.

"Other nations have different laws regarding Wind Glider incidents as well," the maid added.

"Well, Mondstadt is the City of Freedom, after all!" Venti laughed.

With that, the three of them headed off to the plaza.

Lumine jumps off of the stone railing with her arms outstretched, gasping in delight as the glider unfurls in its full glory of dark feathers and sparkling blue jewels and lets her glide across the air, riding gently with the winds as they caress her skin gently, instead of the sharp bites that she was used to when flying high in the skies. Yet it was still a wonder, to finally fly after what felt like years on the ground, breathing in deeply after long hours of shallow breaths, breaking the surface of the lake after swimming up from far down in the deep.

Lumine sighed to herself, closing her eyes as she took in the memory of that moment. Ever since she'd received her Wind Glider, she took every opportune moment to jump off high places and glide down to her destination. Rather than take the stairs like a normal person, she'd rather feel the wind on her face as she glided to the ground.

Good thing that she has a lot of leeway as the Traveler... Otherwise, she'd probably be getting a lot of gliding tickets.

And it was over, far too soon.

Within seconds, the soft blue sky turned a horrid grey, and the gentle breezes turned into harsh winds that bit at her bare face and tore wildly at her clothes, as if trying to peel her skin off by brute force in an inefficient manner. In mere moments, Lumine was swept up with the wind, screams piercing the city as a violent tornado formed with the flaps of Stormterror's wings. And he was a terror indeed, roars shaking the very ground and every beat of his wings causing rubble to be upheaved and make the tornado even worse.

"Oh no!" Nilou gasped, flinching away from the vivid imagery and resonating sounds of Stormterror's unrestrained rage. 

Barbara bit her lip, silently relating to Nilou's reaction. She had initially missed the start of the storm because she was inside the Cathedral, but the screams of the sisters outside had alerted her, and she came rushing out just to see the Traveler.

Just witnessing it from the ground was terrifying enough, but seeing it up close...

The deaconess shivered. She didn't think she'd get out of that unscathed, unlike Lumine.

Lumine is thrown high into the sky where it was still powder blue, hundreds of clouds covering the ground below. Still reeling from the all-too sudden change, the blonde only barely manages to avoid crashing into the indomitable dragon as it flew across the clouds like a storm of its very own making, living up to its name.

When Stormterror makes its way to the top of the clouds, Lumine grits her teeth, and makes a split-second decision. She decidedly soars into the skies after the dragon, and soon finds herself right behind it, arms outstretched, gliding through the sky like a natural... But it seems as if it wasn't just her affinity with flight that made it possible.

"Huh? How are you staying afloat like this with just a Wind Glider?" Paimon's voice comes to her as she glides above the clouds, the water and land a mass of blue and green colors before her. Catching her breath, Lumine quickly looks around, looking for her companion's voice, only to realize that the fairy was speaking to her from her dimensional space.

Faruzan subtly eyed the floating fairy. "So she has dimensional spaces..." she quietly noted to herself.

Meanwhile, the others were far more focused on Lumine's predicament.

"Now that I think about it, how was it possible that you managed to stay up that long?" Albedo frowned, giving an inquisitive glance towards the Traveler.

Lumine shrugged. "You'll see," she said vaguely.

"I'm preventing your fall with the power of a thousand winds." Light as the wind and gentle as water, a mysterious voice interjected, nearly causing Lumine to startle. It was only hundreds of years' worth of discipline that prevented her from stumbling mid-air. "Now, concentrate. See yourself grasping the wind. Harness its energy."

"Wh-"

"Where did that come from-"

"That voice..."

Venti closed his eyes, sighing inaudibly in defeat. He mentally prepared himself.

Mona turned to him with narrowed eyes. "That voice... It's yours, isn't it?" She said in an almost accusatory tone.

"Mm," Venti hummed, looking away and whistling innocently.

Those who were in the know were sighing and shaking their heads. 

Alhaitham crossed his (very muscular) arms, muscles rippling from the simple action. "Hm. More than meets the eye indeed," he muttered, referring to Shenhe's earlier words about Venti's teleportation.

"Who... who said that!?" Paimon gasped, but the voice did not answer.

Whispers sounded in the room as people quickly traded theories and hardened suspicious gazes to the back of Venti's head. All the while, Venti deigned not to look at any of them.

(In the corner of the room, Nahida fidgeted. She really wanted to find a way to help her fellow god... But what? Even if she did, she wouldn't have the courage to actually speak up.)

Lumine follows suit with the voice's instructions, closing her eyes to feel the faintest hints of elemental power within the flighty winds, waiting, concentrating...

There!

She snaps her eyes open and from her body a circle of Anemo glowed. She felt a surge of power take place within her to shoot elemental energy at the back of the dragon. Though the lashing winds that made it difficult for Lumine to keep her eyes open, she could just barely catch the slight stumbling and sputtering of Stormterror's wings– the only signs of his being affected.

"You are truly impressive," Albedo mumbled, eyes flitting from his friend to the suspicious bard, unable to choose one to be his main focus of curiosity. Eventually, he gave up, turning his focus fully unto the bard. Lumine will always be a novelty, but as friends, they will always have time for each other. As for this new discovery...

Albedo quickly began writing down what he knew of the famous bard.

Eventually, Stormterror lets out a screech that tore through the clouds with its sheer volume, having enough of Lumine's attack, and burst further upwards to escape in a trailblaze of biting wind.

"That looks incredibly dangerous," Thoma winced, his usual easy cheer nowhere to be found as he, too, looked onward with a hint of concern. 

When Lumine stumbles to the ground, Amber runs to her.

"A-Are you hurt?" The girl gently grasped her by the arms and looked at her with pure concern, catching the blonde off guard. She managed a slight shake of her head as Amber nonetheless skimmed her over.

The clack of boots on cobblestone, accompanied by a slow clap, caught their attention, and Lumine looked to find a tall man walking towards them in a casual gait.

"You've actually got the power to go up against the dragon..." The man spoke, his voice as smooth as honey and light as clouds– controlled and even.

Perhaps, it was better to compare his voice to snow, rather than clouds. Despite the deceptively light tone, a hint of coldness was at the edge of his words, "Are you a new ally... or a new storm?"

"These descriptions sure are spontaneous and strange," Kaeya commented, amusement visible on his face, referring to the descriptions appearing on the screen in the form of subtitles when describing a certain aspect of a person onscreen.

A note fluttered from above, once again into Paimon's waiting hands. "Just for a little entertainment value," she read. "Most of it is the Traveler's impressions of those around her."

Lumine sighed. It seems that as the unequivocal main character of the Viewing, she was most prone to having her thoughts revealed in subtle and not-so-subtle ways.

"That being said, you're pretty dramatic, aren't you?" Dehya pointed out with no small amusement. So far, the Viewing was pretty enjoyable- it reminded her of the stories in the plays of the Zubayr Theater, just with less music.

"Stormterror... is attacking Mondstadt itself!" Amber said, already stalking off towards headquarters, a frazzled chill in her bones. "Kaeya, Lumine, you've come at the right time. We must..."

"Hold on, Amber. Are you perhaps forgetting to introduce us?" Kaeya cut her off, crossing his arms. Compared to the Outrider, the blue-haired knight was calm, showing a completely relaxed posture and unperturbed, pleasant face. He was tall and handsome, with broad shoulders and a slim frame that suggested a lean sort of strength, wearing an elaborate outfit that seemed to flaunt his admittedly eye-catching good looks.

Lumine's eye began to twitch as she heard Kaeya's tell-tale chuckling. "Oh? So this is your first impression of me?" He teased. "Can't say I'm not flattered."

The blonde groaned silently, burying her face into her hand. It's only the beginning, but why does she feel it's going to get worse...

Lumine squinted a little. One of his eyes was covered by an eyepatch and a swath of blue bangs, but the other eye seemed to be a pale blue hue, hinted with something lighter. Was it just her, or was there a familiar shape...?

Kaeya internally winced.

"Oh... Right. This is Kaeya, our Cavalry Captain." Lumine turned her head towards her by reflex. Amber seemed to deflate a little, some of the frazzled energy seeping away from her body. "These two are travelers from afar, Traveler and Paimon."

(From afar? Is that all we know of them?) Kaeya thought. Despite his wary line of thinking, he showed none of the suspicion he felt on his face. A born actor he was, hiding everything he truly felt and replacing it with a facade of emotions that weren't entirely 'him'.

"These descriptions are more frequent than the Outrider's," Diluc noted, crossing his arms. Though he didn't show anything, everyone who knew him well enough could tell that he agreed with the words onscreen.

Though his smile was still in place, Kaeya's eye twitched. Fortunately for him, it was the one hidden behind an eye patch.

On the other hand, Yanfei noted, "So it's not only the Traveler who gets their thoughts across..."

"Long story short..." Amber started.

[A blackout screen shows the words 'Amber tells Kaeya the whole story'.]

"How convenient," Kaveh said.

"I see. Welcome to Mondstadt- though you haven't arrived at the best of times, I'm afraid." Kaeya smiled apologetically, letting his hands drift to his sides and out of the crossed position. "I understand the anguish of being separated from family." He continued.

Diluc stilled momentarily, before he closed his eyes.

Kaeya looked away from his glance towards the man he once called 'brother'.

"I'm not really sure why you're looking for the Anemo God..."

"But everyone has their secrets, right?" As he said this, Kaeya quirked a playful eyebrow toward Lumine, who looked rather unimpressed, a slight pinch to her lips, which didn't go unnoticed. "Haha, relax! I won't press you for more." Kaeya quickly laughed off. "First and foremost, on behalf of the Knights of Favonius, I would like to extend our thanks to you for your help just now." Some of the playfulness seemed to remove itself from Kaeya, as he adapted a more serious glint to his eye.

"You're welcome! So... Ah... Where's the reward?" Lumine said shamelessly, keeping her expression blank as usual. Very few people got her humor.

"Ahh... How about a traditional Mondstadt delicacy, Sticky Honey Roast?" Kaeya snapped his fingers, a slight pinch to his forehead being the only indication of his surprise from Lumine's response, and it smoothed out pretty quickly.

Childe sighed faux-exhaustedly. "Andd there goes her terrible humor," he said. 

Lumine rolled her eyes. "I don't see you having excellent humor either, Mr. I-Inherited-All-My-Jokes-From-My-Dad," she sassed back.

Diluc watched their back-and-forth from the corner of his eye, not knowing how to feel about his ally being friends with a Fatui Harbinger.

"I just heard about that one!" Lumine rolled her eyes in a show of exasperation, but the slight smile on her lips showed that she was simply joking around.

"Your fight to defend the city against the dragon just now was witnessed by no small number of citizens." Kaeya said. "The Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius is also very interested in meeting you, and formally invites you both to our headquarters."

The four of them head to the Headquarters, which isn't too far from where they were just now.

"This seems to be the Knights of Favonius Headquarters. Let's head in." Paimon said to Lumine, as Amber and Kaeya entered the double doors first.

The scene changes to show a blonde knight leaning against her desk, a pinched expression on her fair face as she looked to the mounted wall clock, seeming to be waiting impatiently for something... or someone.

Making up her mind, the blonde knight walked hurriedly towards the door, only to be interrupted by a woman casually reading a book, the hat on her head declaring her a mage.

"Jean, what's the hurry? I thought we agreed to meet them here." The mage dressed in purple said calmly, snapping the book closed as she peered her eyes towards the tense knight.

"There have been sightings of Stormterror outside the city," the blonde knight, now known as Jean, responded immediately. "Once we meet, we must..."

Ningguang sighed through her nose, relating to the feeling. 

"Relax, I'll lend a hand when the time comes." The mage interrupted, perfectly serene and unbothered unlike her stressed companion, leaning on the wooden stair railing to flash the knight a small, assuring smile.

Before Jean could answer, the door opened, and Kaeya raised his hand to them in greeting, Amber, Paimon, and Lumine right behind him.

"...And once it was over I brought them straight here." Kaeya finishes recounting his version of events.

"Mondstadt welcomes you, windborne travelers." The woman named Jean greeted politely, lifting herself from her slouched position to one far more elegant, straight backed and professional, a welcoming smile on her face. She was fairly tall, and had beautiful blonde hair that honestly seemed unreal in its silky texture. 'Like a perfectly cooked milk pancake,' Lumine thought.

Several burst out snickering. "W-what kind of comparison is that?!" Hu Tao wheezed through gasping breaths.

"I-i mean, I can kind of see it-!" Xiangling giggled, turning her face away from the Mondstadtians. 

"Seriously, what kind of weird thoughts are going on through your head?!" Paimon sighed at Lumine, but her friend saw the playful jab for what it was and grinned back.

Even Barbara and Lisa could not hold back a few chuckles of their own. "Ah... I'd have to know what kind of pancakes the Traveler is eating so I can see for myself," Barbara giggled softly as her elder sister sighed in fond exasperation at all of them.

"I am Jean, Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius. This is Lisa, our resident Librarian." She gestured to the beautiful woman who left the mini-library to stand next to the blonde.

"Oh! Are you sweeties here to help us out?" Lisa smiled, a tinkle in her emerald eyes. Every small movement was graceful and enchanting, her curled hair moving with her in a manner that suggested she was controlling them to fit her image- but perhaps that was simply the extent of her sheer gracefulness. She was shorter than Jean, but the tall hat of a witch on her head diminished the height difference. "You're both so adorable!" The woman with the honey-sweet voice cooed.

Though the librarian seemed friendly from what Gorou could tell, he still felt an instinctive shiver up his spine. That mature beauty... That tone of voice... It could only remind him of...

As if knowing exactly what he was thinking, Yae turned her eyes on his back and let an amused smirk appear on her lips.

(Agh, the shivers were making all his hairs stand up...)

"Sadly, the timing is regrettable..."

"Stormterror has caused quite a ruckus in the region since its recent resurgence." Lisa explained, crossing her arms elegantly. "Simply put, Mondstadt's elemental sphere and ley lines are now akin to a yarn ball in the paws of a kitten."

As a fellow mage, Cyno winced in sympathy for his friend. The deserts of Sumeru had such intensely chaotic elemental energy at times that it was difficult not to get used to, but it didn't mean it wasn't uncomfortable at times- especially around those unopened domains...

"For a mage, it couldn't get much worse. My skin is one elemental particle away from a full-blown breakout." She mourned, shifting her gloved fingers to her forehead in discomfort. Indeed, amidst the seemingly flawless skin, Lumine could just barely see the tiny hints of acne hidden by blots of powder on her temple.

"Oh dear, you saw that?" Lisa seemed a little embarrassed as she subconsciously rubbed her forehead where the acne had been. "How embarrassing. I guess my products aren't holding up the way that they used to..."

Taking pity, Dehya moved closer to grab the mage's attention. "Well, I have the perfect solution for preventing breakouts because of elemental energy. It's a local mix in Aaru Village, and if you just squeeze it with a bit of fruit juice, it'll do the trick..."

"If it weren't for this interference, the Knights of Favonius would have better ways to help you than just putting up missing person posters." Jean sighed, slumping her shoulders as she delivered the next words. "We simply ask that you repose in Mondstadt while we help you seek out your brother."

"Guess we leave it up to you then. Where's the inn?" Lumine replied monotonously. Hey, if she was gonna end up saving the city, might as well milk her current status for what its worth.

Ayato's eyebrows shot up. "You truly don't beat around the bush, do you?" He directed these words to the Traveler, who merely shrugged. 

"I don't see the point in hiding my feelings," was all that she said.

Meanwhile, Paimon scoffed under her breath. "Says the emotionally constipated kind-of-tsundere."

"Hey! Don't be such a slug! We should be a part of this too!" Paimon screeched, smacking the back of Lumine's head with her tiny fist, only making the blonde blink without a change of expression.

"Good. In that case, we need a plan." Kaeya smoothed over, turning his head to Jean.

"With Stormterror now directly attacking Mondstadt, we may have an opportunity to cut this problem off at the source." Jean said. "Lisa has revealed the sources of Stormterror's power with her detection magic."

"Is that so?" Kaeya mused.

"They're located in the abandoned Four Winds' Temples." Lisa informed. "Stormterror's ability to whip up these kinds of storms can be attributed to it drawing power from the temples."

"The Four Winds are the ancient protectors of Mondstadt," Amber quickly explained for the ones in the room who didn't know.

"Our objective is to deal with three of these four temples." Jean said. "I trust everyone understands why we're only dealing with three."

"Paimon doesn't."

"We'll ask later..." Lumine whispered lowly to her companion, who frowned but went along with it anyway.

Jean winced, before turning to the traveling pair. "I have to give you my apologies," she bowed her head sheepishly. "It seems that in the situation, I often forgot that you didn't have exactly the same knowledge that we did.."

Paimon shook her head, sparkles shooting in the air as she did so. "Eh, it's all in the past!" She said. "Besides, you made up for it with all the food you've bought us!" 

Kaeya hid a laugh behind his hand. He expected that answer.

"Knights of Favonius, time is against us." Jean raised her voice, a look of serious determination plain on her face as she commanded her loyal soldiers. "The storm is rampant. There is no point in maintaining a defensive position."

Silently, Sara could admit that she was impressed. It had only been a few minutes since the Acting Grand Master's appearance onscreen, yet it was clear that she exuded the perfect aura for a leader, and that her coworkers and subordinates trusted her deeply.

As someone who was regularly used as a role-model for soldiers, being the General of the Raiden Shogun's mighty army, Sara could already feel a sort of kinship with the woman.

If only the time had been right, and then perhaps they could've had a friendly relationship that didn't affect anyone politically...

"Alright. We need to take initiative and act before the situation escalates."

They all go separate ways. After two hours of rest at the inn that they were led to, Lumine and Paimon meet Amber at the Temple of the Falcon.

"This is it. One of the deserted temples of The Four Winds." Amber declared, putting her hands on her hips. "These temples have been left to waste for years now. The people of Mondstadt almost never come here."

"There's a chance there's a monster nest or a hilichurl camp inside." She said. "Even Stormterror has given up its own temple."

"...!?"

Lumine blinked. "Wait, did you just say 'its own temple...'?"

"...Yes." Amber looked away. "I also find it hard to accept, but... Stormterror was once one of The Four Winds." When she looked back, Lumine could indeed tell that it was hard for Amber, who seemingly found it difficult even to say the words aloud.

"So that is the case," Alhaitham sighed. Despite the existence of Lesser Lord Kusanali, Sumeru is primarily ruled by the Akademiya, and even those in the deserts who aren't under the direct influence of the Akademiya can only cling to dead gods. There isn't much power left over from the history of Sumeru's divinity- only the remains of their deceased.

(And, of course, their mysteriously elusive Dendro Archon.)

So it's hard for him to know the feeling of having a legendary, immortal protector to become the exact opposite of what it was once, but even he can admit that it was tragic.

"Ehhhh!?" Paimon looked terribly confused. Lumine could agree, with conclusions and theories already forming in her mind at the newfound information.

"So... That dragon is one who turned its back on its nation," Heizou mused, speaking to no one in particular. 

The ones from Liyue, being the sole neighbor of Mondstadt, already knew this information, while those from Sumeru who didn't follow the major events of other nations, stewed in this newfound information, silently forming their own theories.

A certain wolf-boy frowned at the Inazuman detective's choice of words, and for the first time since his introduction, he spoke up, "'Valin... Not enemy," he said gruffly, catching the attention of most in the room.

"Uh, 'Valin?" Yoimiya blinked, repeating the boy's name for the dragon. The wolf-boy, Razor, didn't elaborate, but the discontent frown on his face made everyone get the picture, and so they stopped visibly and audibly contemplating on Stormterror's identity.

For a moment, the wind seemed to stop.

"Wait... Did you just feel that?" Amber was on high alert, her face smoothening out to give way for seriousness. "The wind here... Something's off..."

"Let's go in and take a look, Lumine. Be careful, the dragon's power is disturbing the area." She gestured over her shoulder, and with a push of the double doors, they enter the temple together.

Within an hour, they fight their way through the temple, slaying various hilichurls and burning overgrown vines to make a path.

When they reach the end, they easily destroy Stormterror's crystal, allowing some of his power to deplete.

"The two of you make a wonderful team," Kazuha smiled at the pair to get everyone's minds off of Razor's words and Stormterror's mystery. "I can sense that the Traveler's mysterious winds complement the Outrider's passionate flames, creating a harmony that is bright yet never aims to harm. I think you two must be good friends," he tilted his head at the end. 

Lumine and Amber, though startled at first, smiled genuinely at his words.

"Phew, I'm tired." Amber sighed, wiping a bead of sweat off her forehead. "But, at least this way we've helped Jean out."

"In the past, we were at least able to defend the city and keep it safe." Amber said. "This, of course, is mostly thanks to Jean."

"Not exactly," Jean unsurprisingly protested. "None of this would be possible without the combined efforts of the Knights of Favonius and the citizens of Mondstadt. Not one particular person is to place all of the credit for."

"Just take the praise, I beg." Eula sighed.

"But now with Stormterror directly attacking the city itself..." She pursed her lips, before her face brightened as she proudly said, "'The winds change, and so should our tactics.'"

Venti nodded his head at the wise words, but refrained from saying anything to not draw further attention to himself- especially since everyone seemed to mostly be distracted.

"Did you come up with it?" Lumine tilted her head, pondering on the quote.

"It's what Lisa likes to say." Amber grinned dismissively. "Speaking of which, The Four Winds we were discussing earlier..."

"Oh? I'm glad to know that you listen to what I have to say, Amber," Lisa chuckled.

"O-of course I do! You're one of the most knowledgeable people in Mondstadt, after all," Amber responded.

"If you want to learn more about our history, you should ask Lisa." She said, before blinking rapidly as she seemed to hear her own words.

"...I'm not saying I don't know our history! It's just..." She stammered, while a smile of amusement found its way onto Lumine's face, the golden-haired girl crossing her arms. "...A librarian is supposed to be more knowledgeable than an Outrider, right?"

"Red bunny, if you wanted not to make yourself look dumb, you shouldn't have mentioned anyone else!" Itto exclaimed. "Take it from me, the one and oni Itto, of the smartest and most uesful gang in Hanamizaka!"

"R-red bunny?!" Amber sputtered. "Hey, what's with that!"

Behind Itto, Shinobu facepalmed.

With that, they exit the temple.

After a short break sniffing the sweet flowers, Lumine and Paimon head to the Temple of the Wolf, where Kaeya was waiting for them.

"You've arrived." Kaeya smiled lightly, nodding at them in greeting. "Come closer. Can you smell that?"

"It's the smell of burnt Pyro Slimes." Lumine said immediately, her unobstructed senses making it easy to detect even the smallest of differences.

"Something must have happened in the temple." Kaeya added, his brow furrowed as he looked towards the towering doors. "I imagine there will be slimes, hilichurls, and... whatever is giving Stormterror extra power."

"Oh yes, it is going to be lively in there indeed!" His serious expression suddenly gave way to a smirk. The tall knight flexed his fingers, his shoulders imperceptibly loosening, as he seemingly readied himself for what was inside.

Ayato hummed to himself. He already saw a few similarities in Kaeya and himself early on, but witnessing proof of that was pleasing. This could be a stepping stone to form political bonds- and perhaps, gain allies...

"No doubt nothing more than a disorderly mob of creatures." Lumine said.

"...Woah, is it just me or did I get the coolest vibe from that, like, ever?" Yoimiya squeaked, looking at the Lumine onscreen with wide eyes.

"No, so did I!" Xingqiu excitedly exclaimed, his eyes sparkling. "Lumine has that aura of a true hero- one who has seen above and beyond, and is hardly affected by anything anymore. Of course, this is true to her real self as well, but the story protagonist vibe that I just felt from that..."

"A-Qiu, you're rambling," Chongyun interrupted.

"A-ah, is that so? My apologies..." Xingqiu sat back down sheepishly, but crossed gazes with Yoimiya once more, a kinship already forming between them.

"Oh, ho-ho! You're quite the brave one, aren't you!" Kaeya laughed, looking at her with amusement flickering in his singular eye, making what she  swore  was a star-shaped pupil glow brighter. "It's a pity that the Temple of the Wolf has been disturbed by such an atrocity."

"Let's head in, Lumine." Kaeya began to walk up the steps, and Lumine followed. "No one makes offerings to The Four Winds anymore, yet the old winds never vanish..."

"We need to clear out the temples, for The Four Winds." Resolution set into his voice.

Lumine and Paimon follow Kaeya into the temple.

As soon as they steady themselves, Kaeya turns to them, smirking.

"Let me show you how the Knights of Favonius conquer our adversaries!" An elegant sword appeared in his gloved hand. 

Ayaka perked up, leaning forward ever-so-slightly, excited to see the moves of a fellow Cryo swordsman. 

As they explored the temple's depths, fighting through monsters and slipping by puzzles, the blue-haired knight strikes up a conversation.

Albedo senselessly notes Kaeya's fighting style. He's not quite sure why he did it, when he of all people were aware of Kaeya's origins- it simply felt right to do so, sketching Kaeya's sword as he fought, his movements eerily similar to...

"Oh, Sir Kaeya, you fight as if you are dancing," Nilou notes, a gleam of innocent excitement in her eyes as she looked curiously towards the Cavalry Captain. "Are you, perhaps, a dancer too?"

Kaeya smiled. "Ah, I'm afraid not, Miss. I simply know a move or two from my childhood..." He said vaguely.

Diluc closes his eyes. There was no dance that they learned in their childhood that was remotely similar- that sword style was far older than Mondstadt's aristocratic performances. 

"Traveler... Unless I'm mistaken, you don't seem to have a Vision." He glanced towards her. "So how exactly is it that you're able to channel elemental energy?"

"It was a very strange occurrence." Paimon said vaguely, sticking close to Lumine's back, warily out of reach from the grubby hands of monsters.

Kaeya got the hint. "Speaking of, did you know?" He smoothly changed the subject, much to the pair's relief. "Stormterror was once one of The Four Winds."

"I'm not aware of the exact details. If you're interested, you can ask the Acting Grand Master about it."

The conversation stops after that, and they quickly reach the end of the temple. Lumine doesn't hesitate to immediately destroy Stormterror's crystal, swishing her sword about after the shards shatter into dust.

"Bravo! What a performance!" Kaeya playfully clapped. "You are, to my surprise, a well-trained knight."

"The battles you just fought were sights to behold." He smiled encouragingly at her, placing a hand on his hip, body language completely light and open.

"Not worth complimenting really..." Lumine said awkwardly, looking away. Sincere compliments weren't her thing. Openness was more of her brother's.

"You should get used to it, dear Traveler," Ningguang smiled teasingly. "From what we've been told, you're about to become the center of attention in every nation."

Lumine winced then sighed exasperatingly, already dreading the attention. Her brother was the extrovert, not her. There was a reason they never separated, after all, and it wasn't just because they were afraid of losing each other...

"Ah, Paimon has to step up and be the good guide that she is again, covering up for Lumine's bad social skills," Paimon sighed overdramatically.

"Haha, I see you already have the knightly virtue of modesty." Kaeya grinned. "Stories of your heroic deeds to save Mondstadt from destruction shall be known throughout the City of Freedom, well into the future."

"Indeed, they shall, reaching past even the thunderous seas," Thoma grinned. 

At this, Lumine startled. "You mean you've heard of me?" She asked, genuine surprise coloring her tone. 

"Of course! As for how... Well, the Kamisato Household has their ways," Thoma immediately laughed off, despite being the one to have brought it up in the first place.

Ayato hid his exasperated smile behind a cup of tea. No one outside of the Household needs to know that he receives information from his associates across the seas via message-in-a-bottle, manipulated by his own Hydro to arrive at his far-neighbors' doorsteps.

"Please do visit me at our headquarters when you have the time." His eye twinkled against the white light of the domain's exit. "I also know a lovely tavern, if that's more your thing."

"No," Diluc immediately denied. "You're not getting the Traveler drunk." He glared at the Cavalry Captain.

"Aw, c'mon, I wouldn't be so irresponsible as to let our star knight intoxicated. Just a few drinks, to let her have a taste of Mondstadt's greatest."

"No. She may or may not be a minor, but she certainly looks like one. I'm not taking responsibility for that when someone notices."

"You can't buy her one at the Cat's Tail either!" Diona glared when Kaeya turned to her. 

"...So, does that mean I can have a drink at the Dawn Winery?" Lumine shamelessly prodded, turning to her red-headed friend.

"..." It wasn't a no. 

Lumine smiled triumphantly. (Finally.)

"Quite rewarding, no?" Kaeya continued as he patted lingering monster dust off his sleeves.

"We've seized another temple from Stormterror's grasp!" Paimon cheered, spinning around in quick circles as Lumine watched her with a fond eye.

Kaeya turns them, and offers them a smile. "I can take care of the rest here. You go take care of other things while I'm at it."

The pair quickly acquiesce to this. "See you later then, bye-bye~!" Paimon waved as she and Lumine disappeared into the domain's glowing exit.

Kaeya raises a hand to them, but as soon as they leave hearing range, his friendly expression drops. "There's no way hilichurls organized an ambush like this by themselves– not with their limited mental capacity." He murmured to himself, his brow furrowing as he reexamined his surroundings with a critical eye.

From behind a pillar, a Hydro Abyss Mage floated silently. Giggling behind its hand, it crept slowly upon an alert Kaeya.

Gorou tensed, an instinctive warning cry on his lips-

"Thus YOU were behind this." Kaeya declared. The two of them stood far from each other, menacingly on the Abyss Mage's end, calmly on Kaeya's.

"Ghous, Chiso Vonph!" The Abyss Mage chanted, raising its scepter and summoning a whirlpool to become engulfed in, strengthening itself in the process. But just as a circle of Hydro energy appeared beneath it, its attention was caught by a cross of flames flying straight at it from the entrance.

-falling flat upon the burst of flames that filled the screen. 

Klee had stopped fidgeting, and was now staring with awe at the screen. Seeing this, Albedo quickly covered his sister's eyes, not wanting her to see an Abyss Mage die, completely ignoring her whines.

"Ghous, Chiso Vonph," Alhaitham repeated under his breath, switching from the provided notepad to his journal to write these words down. He had recently started studying the languages of the Abyss Order, and such, he must record any unknown words or phrases.

–The shoots of flame were merely a distraction. A man in black swept through the fiery haze, faster than the eye could see, effortlessly grabbing the Abyss Mage by the face and tossing it onto the ground.

"O-oh!" Itto jumped back. His surprise wasn't unwarranted, though he was the only one who hid it in embarrassment. "Oh, um, so cool. Totally didn't make that sound."

His embarrassment was thankfully left ignored as everyone else eyed the screen with interest, barely managing to keep up with the effortless movements of the man that represented Mondstadt's Event.

Continuing his assault, this time with the assistance of flames, the man in black similarly swept past Kaeya, who looked unpertrubed, as if he were expecting this very scene, and mercilessly brought his flaming claymore down onto the panicked monster, slaying it within moments.

As he flicked his claymore, the man coldly greeted, "Knights of Favonius... Always so inefficient."

Xingqiu and Yoimiya's jaws dropped open with delight. "So.. cool..!!" 

Yae hummed as she wrote some ideas down on her notepad. This Viewing was certainly giving her a lot of inspiration to draw from. 

Kaeya's slow clapping slowly died down as he began to casually pace the room. "Agree to disagree," the blue-haired knight said nonchalantly, twisting his wrists. "..But your involvement in this just made things a whole lot more  interesting. "

The final shot was of Kaeya's smirk aimed at the man in black, who only scoffed.

Jean silently winced, recognizing the interaction for what it was.

Diluc had returned to Mondstadt barely a year before the Traveler showed up in all her blazing glory, and now it had been two years since his fateful return, and the progress of Diluc and Kaeya's reconciliation was not at all going well.

Before long, the two's relationship would be permanently fractured. 

As their friend, it was up to Jean to make sure they made up before that happened. But it was so difficult, when she was the only one left to remember how the two of them had been so close, how the only people who knew that the three of them sometimes used to sneak away from duty to have picnics that devolved into water fights under Vennessa's tree were either dead or weren't coming back for a long time, when she had the weight of Mondstadt on her shoulders and their secrets in her hand.

(How long would it be until she lost the both of them?)

Instead of taking a break like earlier, Lumine and Paimon waste no time in travelling to the final temple, appropriately named "Temple of the Lion" with a stone lion's head mounting the top.

Lumine approaches an awaiting Lisa. "Hey cutie." Lisa smiles in greeting, her royal colors looking perfectly out of place in the bright, untamed wildlife.

"You're going to help me out too? How kind of you." She said lightly to the slightly-tiring Lumine in order to get a smile out of the blonde. It worked well enough, with the smaller's furrowed brow softening. "Don't hesitate to come to me if you need anything."

"Why would a librarian be at the ruins...?" Lumine asked as they walked towards the doors.

"Only because she's one of the most powerful mages I've ever met," Cyno huffed. Lisa simply giggled at this.

"Cyno, you flatter me so! Receiving a compliment on my strength from the General Mahamatra himself, how will people think of me now?" 

Terrifying, that's what, Tighnari thought, warily glancing her way. If even Cyno could say that she was someone to be feared...

Nearby, Dori shuddered. Thank the gods that her expertise didn't get in the way of the Akademiya.

"Hmm... Good question." Lisa pretended to think for a moment, tapping her finger on her chin before smiling secretively. "Well, because Jean trusts me."

"So you should as well."

Jean sighed at this, but thankfully did not say anything self-depreciating or humble, knowing just how much a leader's trust was important to the masses.

They enter the temple together.

"I guess I could give this a go." Lisa mused, examining their surroundings with a critical eye, before her smile returned. This time, it wasn't soft or playful at all, and Lumine instinctively straightened her own back like a soldier waiting for orders, sensing the shift in the air around Lisa. Sparks quite literally flew around the mage as she lazily unearthed her catalyst, flicking through the pages and smiling satisfactorily at a minimal page of spells.

Gorou had literally straightened up into a soldier's stand, from his back to his tail and ears. He quickly deflated right after, embarrassed by his own reflexes (especially upon hearing Kokomi's giggle). 

He couldn't help it! Lisa just reminded him so much of her!

Soon, they were crashing through the ranks of monsters within the temple, purple lightning mixing with harsh winds to create an indomitable storm, mercilessly sweeping up any unlucky straggler within its path.

Whilst taking a short break, Lisa catches Lumine staring at her Vision, hung from a necklace.

"Oh, you want to know more about this gem?" Lisa asked disbelievingly when Lumine gestured towards it with a tilt of her blonde head. "You're kidding... You're seriously asking? This is a Vision."

"It's used by the chosen to draw on elemental powers." She slowly explained, still shooting the blonde a look of disbelief. "In terms of mysticism, I suppose you could call it a 'magical lightning rod'."

Faruzan sniffed. "There are far better ways to refer to it as," she said. "A medallion of magic control, I believe is a much more accurate term. You hardly have to pick up a Vision in order to use it, only have it on your person."

Lisa looked faintly amused. "I could get magical lightning rod just fine," Lumine replied to the scholar.

Lumine looked at the gemstone with cautious wonder, and it was through that subtle expression that Lisa unfailingly found what it meant.

"What... You've never seen a Vision? Just where exactly are you from...?"

"Oh, you know, just from a star that doesn't exist in this world. What, you've never been?" Thoma joked, causing a few giggles to be heard.

Lumine made to throw the leftovers of their food into her bag, dispersing the pack with a flick of her fingers as she stood and tried to avoid Lisa's questioning.

"Are you a hilichurl with some level of reasonable intelligence?" The mage insisted, a gleam of scholarly curiosity showing their her eyes in a manner Lumine wished she should've realized that Lisa would have. "No, I doubt it. After all, hilichurls aren't exactly known for their smarts."

Kaeya hid a wry smile. If only they knew.

Lisa kept murmuring to herself as they walked side by side, giving her squinted glances as they marched through the temple. "And you, you'd more or less qualify to be a magister's apprentice."

"I think I'm average more than anything," Lumine commented. "Just observant." 

"The trait of observation is in itself a trait of intelligence," Heizou interjected with a friendly smile. "You have to be at least a little smart to properly observe your surroundings and recognize hidden things for what they are."

"..." Lumine hesitated, having been a little startled by the stranger's sudden interjection, but gave a nod to him in thanks anyway.

"Well, he's right! You somehow always catch onto things without Paimon even noticing!" Paimon declared.

"You're not exactly the paragon of smartness to be telling me that, Paimon."

"Wh- HEY!"

Lumine shrugged her tense shoulders, and abruptly stopped to summon her sword and throw herself into the fray of startled hilichurls. With a sigh, Lisa followed after.

Eventually, they reached the end of the temple. Before them, the final crystal floated above a locked chest, it's malicious energy tainting the room. Lumine makes quick work of destroying it with a flick of her sword, imbued with Anemo energy.

"Dragon of the East, Lion of the South, Wolf of the North, Falcon of the West.." Lisa turned to Lumine. "They are the Four Winds of Mondstadt, affiliated with Barbatos, the God of Anemo."

Heizou stopped, and then blinked. Turned to Venti, whose back was turned on everyone else. Ruminated about Lisa's words, and then blinked again.

...How did the statue in Mondstadt's plaza look like, again?

"The Dragon of the East, Stormterror– its real name, is Dvalin." Lisa pursed her lips. "Though most in Mondstadt seemed to have forgotten that with all this 'Stormterror' business."

"So now you know why Dvalin is only able to channel three of the Four Winds' power."

"Because it has been consuming itself from the beginning."

Xiao was quiet. He had heard about everything- it was hard not to, when the winds spoke to you like an old friend. 

What had happened to Dvalin... hit a little too close for home. 

A tense air settled over them as Paimon and Lumine absorbed the information.

"Why would it go to such lengths?" Lumine asked, her brow furrowed.

"Because of hatred, I presume." Lisa sighed, flicking a stray curl away from her eye as she flicked a pen she had summoned from her catalyst restlessly between her fingers. It seemed to be a nervous habit of hers.

"Hatred...?" Paimon prompted.

"Hatred for Mondstadt." Lisa stopped her motions and flicked the pen back carelessly into the pages, which she snapped closed with another sigh. Lumine, who had been following her movements to distract herself, slumped her shoulders imperceptibly.

Is it hatred that drives the Shogun, too?  Kazuha couldn't help but wonder. Everything that the Shogun has done- what worth was it to her? What was it all for?

Sometimes, he couldn't help but think that he would spend his whole life wanting for that answer.

"Hatred drove it to become something more powerful than the wind itself– to become Stormterror."

"But why would one of The Four Winds..." Paimon cleared her throat. "Hate the city it was supposed to protect?"

"..." Lisa looked down.

No matter what, Nahida couldn't fathom this emotion called 'hatred'. It was something that was apparently so fierce that it blinded those who were caught up in its flames, only realizing when they were close to burning to ash. Sometimes, they never even realize. She didn't think she hated the Sages for never letting her out of the Sanctuary, for not trusting her enough to see the world through her own eyes. She understood, after all, just how useless of a god she was compared to Rukkhadevata.

And yet... 

If a divine creature like Dvalin could feel hatred so keenly, then could Nahida feel it too? What if she been feeling hatred all this time, hatred towards herself, for never being good enough, towards the Sages, for putting their goddess on such a pedestal that anyone who came after couldn't hope to reach after it, slowly eating away at her insides in a way that humans didn't try to describe? Hatred that burned like ice? Hatred you didn't even know existed?

Nahida didn't know the answer. And that terrified her to no end.

"As a child of Mondstadt, it's something that's hard to say aloud." She shook her head, opening her book once more to withdraw a smaller one from the pages. "Here, take this. It's a very old story from more than a century ago."

They then left the temple with the proffered book, the pair waving Lisa goodbye as they lingered around the flora, staring off at the setting sun to recuperate.

"Sunsets in Mondstadt look so pretty," Yoimiya said. "Reminds me of my favorite fireworks!"

"Phew, it's finally done." Paimon said, relieved. "Well, all that 'ley flow' and 'elemental lines' stuff Lisa was going on about should hopefully be back to normal."

"Wanna go back and see how the Knights are doing?" She suggested, before quickly adding, "But if you got anything more interesting to do, Paimon can come too!"

"Like... going on a shopping spree... or checking out the Statue of the Seven again."

"We didn't even have enough Mora for more than a night at an inn, let alone a shopping spree, Paimon." 

"UGH! Paimon knows that now! It was just a suggestion!!"

At this, Lumine rolled her eyes and scoffed, causing Paimon to giggle and bump her tiny shoulder against the blonde's.

"At the temples of The Four Winds, we found something like... solidified wind, didn't we?" Paimon started. Lumine turned her head, nodding for her to continue. "In Mondstadt, people call them 'Anemoculi'."

"They're called this because they can be fitted into the statue's eyes." While Paimon spoke, Lumine summoned her bag and took out an Anemoculi that she had collected in passing. It was beautiful thing, large and floating, in brilliant teal shades and decorated with wings, stamped with the symbol of Anemo in its middle. It glowed gently and occasionally released a soft, apple-scented breeze, as if it were the very symbol of the wind itself.

Several paused and took this in. Alhaitham, especially, found his gaze turning to the floating fairy. 

This sort of information wasn't common knowledge- since oculi could only be collected by Vision users, and they spread thinly across nations (at least, Alhaitham assumed that they were- it was the case for Sumeru). It was more of a niche research topic in the archives of the Akademiya than anything.

Which begs the question:

Who is Paimon?

As far as Alhaitham was aware, child-sized fairy-like creatures weren't common staples of any nation's mythology. So far, only the Outrider was shown to question just what Paimon was, and judging by everyone's lacking reactions to Paimon's introduction, anyone else who might wonder about Paimon's species would brush it off without further question.

If Paimon was a feature in the Akademiya...

Of course, Alhaitham wasn't interested in selling the fairy off as an experiment. He wasn't that cruel. But it was strange that none of his fellow scholars gave Paimon a look over that wasn't just a brief curiosity.

"Some fairy tales say the statues' eyes originally had gems that were taken by swallows."

"Gems in a statue might be a bit excessive..." Sucrose thought out loud.

"Well, if we're assuming these statues were built by humans, then it would make sense for them to beautify them as much as possible. After all, it is a Statue of the Seven." Kaveh said, making Sucrose jump. (How did she do that?? She was sitting..)

"O-oh, well, I suppose you're correct..." Sucrose nervously pushed up her glasses, trying to calm herself down from the jumpscare. 

"Sorry, did I scare you?" 

"N-no! It's quite alright, I-i just didn't expect anyone to respond."

"But Anemoculi never had a physical form from the start." Paimon looked into the distance. "People with Visions collect them to offer to the statues in exchange for blessings."

"Huh, really?" Bennett perked up. "I thought they were just pretty magic stones! I tried to collect one that was floating off a cliff, but I fell down instead..." He turned to Razor and Fischl, buzzing with excitement. "Next time, let's collect some and offer them up to Lord Barbatos!"

Razor merely gave a nod in agreement, while Fischl hummed in contemplation. "Hm, well, I suppose a blessing from one of this world's deities wouldn't be so bad!" She sniffed.

"Mein fraulein means that she's interested in knowing what happens."

"Unlike others with powers, you don't have a Vision. But then the rules of this world don't apply to you anyway, so..." The white-haired fairy shrugged.

"We can go see what happens now, if you wanna try!"

"The statue in Windrise should be the closest one." Paimon swirled in the air, traces of glittering stars following after her, and gave Lumine a bright grin.

"Paimon can't wait to see what the gods do to you!"

The screen darkened, showing large text:

Prologue: Act I - The Outlander Who Caught The Wind

Complete

Chapter Text

Prologue: Act II; For a Tomorrow Without Tears

Venti's gaze became distant. A tomorrow without tears...

Was something like that really possible?

In these days, he could only hope.

Hope that the Tsaritsa wouldn't ruin them all.

It was a bright morning as Paimon and Lumine walked through the streets of Mondstadt the next day, heading towards the Favonius HQ to report to Jean. As they talked about the merchandise they saw in Marjorie's shop, they caught sight of Jean talking to a strange figure in black uniform.

Jean bit back a groan. After the events of Stormterror had settled down, the number of Fatui in Mondstadt had diminished greatly, with only a handful left behind watching over areas in the city that didn't seem to have much importance to any hidden machinations of the organization. Kaeya had set out to investigate, but came back with virtually nothing. Though they were still looking into the sudden and suspicious clearance,  the Ordo Favonius had put less stock in the matter over time, when it became clear that Fatui higher-ups wouldn't be making a return in the  city and that nobody had been affected by any shady Snezhnayan schemes.

She had mostly forgotten about it, but seeing this scene let it spring back into her mind, and wonder once more if there was a deeper reason for their timely disappearance. 

Well. It was likely they would find out if it was such a case, having Miss Somehow-Gets-Caught-Up-In-Every-Situation-Ever in the room. 

"Isn't that Jean?" Paimon inquired, peering at the knight's figure in the distance. "Seems she's talking to someone..."

"Let's let her finish, then go say hi?" She suggested, and Lumine nodded as they walked slower towards the pair, overhearing their conversation.

"..Something tells me that's not how it went," Thoma said, politely ignoring the pinch of stress between Jean's brows.

"...which has what has brought us to this point in the first place." The woman in black, Anastasia, drawled, crossing her arms. "If you are unable to properly deal with the Stormterror threat, then leave the defense of Mondstadt to the Fatui."

Diluc growled, and Childe internally sighed.

"We can put an end to Mondstadt's dragon issues. All we need to do is bring that monster to the–"

" 'Monster' ?" Jean repeated incredulously, her brows furrowed. Judging by her tense figure, she was holding back from showing her anger. Suddenly understanding the conversation, Lumine frowned darkly.

Paimon 'hmph'ed. She had forgotten about that comment, but now that she remembered it, she was sure to pull a revenge on that weirdo Fatui lady! Dvalin was awkward and could sometimes get too close with his teeth, but he was no monster!

She thought of what prank she should pull if she ever saw that Fatui agent again. Maybe chicken feathers in her shoes... Or an army of birds descending to ruin her hair! Paimon had so many good ideas! That lady has no idea what's coming for her!

(If she was even still in Mondstadt. But that was besides the point.)

"Yes. What's your point?" Anastasia said impatiently.

"Ah..." Jean visibly collected herself, giving a strained smile devoid of any emotion. "I'd expect a more professional attitude from your diplomats." She stated.

"Yet here you are saying you want to put an 'end' to one of The Four Winds of Mondstadt?" The knight clenched her fists behind her back, coldness in her eyes and voice. "I won't have any of this nonsense in front of the Knights of Favonius."

Monster, Yaoyao mouthed. Monster. Referring to a being clearly so sacred and holy to the lands of Green right to the face of one of its protectors, it was nothing less than preposterous. Had a Fatuus dared to badmouth an Adeptus within the earshot of a Liyuen citizen...

Xiao's eyes turned ever the more colder. Ganyu tried to hide her frown, hands twitching in her lap, which she clenched together. 

"Oh dear," Yelan had both eyebrows raised.

Suddenly, the woman in black began to giggle, a crazy tinge to the sound that made everyone tense. "Heh... Hehehe... It's not as crazy as you make it sound." A wicked grin crept onto her masked face. "Fine. That's enough negotiation for today."

"At this stage it's simply... an amicable exchange of constructive opinions, no?" She said as she straightened up. "I'll be sure to make... thorough notes..." With that, Anastasia swept away, a cloak of darkness following her dramatically.

"Wow, that crazy lady gives major supervillain vibes," Itto declared, causing the tension to break slightly as a few people gave him bewildered looks. "I mean, that mask? That wicked shadow cloak? Those choppy bangs? Gives major goth who got turned to the bad side because she was turned away all her life-"

"Shh!" Shinobu whisper-hissed. "Don't speak so loud!"

"No, no," Xingqiu interrupted, his eyes shining. "Tell me more!"

"Oh, Lumine, you're back." Jean had been rubbing her temples before she noticed Lumine and Paimon, to whom she gave a tired smile to. "Thanks for your help. The elemental flow is finally stable."

"The aftermath of Stormterror's last attack is finally settled for the moment." She explained to the two, whose easy expressions had slid off after catching the end of Jean's earlier conversation. "However, the pressure from the delegation has become too big to be ignored..."

"Delegation?" Paimon questioned. "From Liyue Harbor or Inazuma City?"

Once again, Paimon's easy knowledge of the world around her made Alhaitham's eyes narrow. Paimon didn't seem to be the subtle information-gathering type. Following the theory that she is an artificially made creature, was she built with the basic knowledge of Teyvat and its workings? Or had she had some sort of previous travel partner or master beforehand?

What did Paimon exactly do before Lumine fished her out of that lake?

So many questions, mysteries,  problems, and not enough answers. Alhaitham was beginning to  get a little excited.

At this, Jean's smile flickered. "Snezhnaya. They choose to follow the God of Cryo." Her shoulders slumped ever-so-slightly. It should have been a movement only noticed by those who knew her well enough, but her exhaustion was so palpable that it was harder not to notice.

"Their envoys go by a particular name: The Fatui. Heard of them?"

"Oh, them. They are super famous." Paimon said plainly, while Lumine tilted her head. "Wait, infamous is more the word..."

"I don't think killing Stormterror is the right course of action." Jean started to say. "The Cryo God's Fatui have always coveted the Anemo God's power."

"More like every God's power," Lumine muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" Lisa turned her head.

"Nothing," Lumine said. "Just some thought I had."

Lisa hummed, and didn't press any further.

"I don't believe they have Mondstadt's best interests at heart."

"When do they ever?" Someone muttered. It sounded like a teenager from the very back. 

Eula gave Mika a side-eye. The boy shrunk into himself.

Childe laughed, seemingly taking no offense to the comment. "Now, come on, comrade," he spoke with an easy grin, causing Mika to flinch despite not having Childe's eyes on him. "You've got to admit that the extra clean-ups around your city helped the animal population in the long run, no?"

Kaeya smiled. "Was that not because your grunts made too much of a mess doing their little errands?"

"Hehe... I wasn't their superior then, though."

"Still doesn't change the fact that you were one of the causes of said messes in the first place."

Lumine and Paimon exchanged bewildered glances.

"You two know each other?!"

Childe grinned. "Why, of course!" He swung an arm around the Captain's shoulder, who made no move to push him off. "Alberich and I used to be quite close back when I was still a mere Agent and he was still just a wide-eyed Knight so young and determined to give his naive little heart to his nation of Mondstadt!"

"I can't see Alberich as wide-eyed," said Eula, who turned her side-eye to the young Harbinger.

"Haha! You'd be surprised!"

"Speaking of power..." Lumine changed the subject after seeing how merely talking about the Fatui seemed to stress Jean out even further.

"What is it, Lumine?" Jean caught on, eager to talk about something else.

"There's something I need to show the Knights of Favonius." Lumine said simply.

A curious light appeared in the taller knight's eyes. "Oh? Let us head back to headquarters then." Jean nodded, before casting a wary glance behind her. "We shouldn't discuss important matters... out in the open."

They head to the Knights of Favonius Headquarters.

"Mondstadt and Snezhnaya are considered the same in status." Jean said as she poured them both cups of tea. Lumine sits in a chair across from Jean's desk, with Paimon sitting in her lap, enthusiastically eating the cookies that a maid, Noelle, had set out for them.

"Oh! We haven't had Noelle's cookies since that day," Paimon realized. "Noelle!! Your cookies are so tasty. Could you make some more for us, please~?"

The young maid stifled a laugh, smiling at Paimon. "I'm happy to know that you enjoyed them so much! As soon as we get back, I'll make a batch of cookies for everyone!"

Ei twitched ever so slightly. Yae caught on and give her a knowing look, a slight smirk lifting her lips. Ei ignored her, looking steadfastly ahead.

"Hm, I wonder what Mondstadtian cookies taste like~?" Yae pretended to wonder, before calling for Noelle's attention. "Young lady! Would you be so kind as to make me some as well?" Her smile was sweet, crinkling the corners of her eyes. With the addition of the sunlight from the windows streaming across her face, her beauty was glowing in ethereality.

Noelle blushed, surprised to find such an important person's gaze on her. "O-of course! I shall take a break from work to deliver them myse-" The aspiring knight faltered upon realizing.

Yae's smile became slightly strained, but the expression melted into another sweet smile. "Don't worry about delivering it yourself. I have my own ways..~"

Slowly, Yoimiya released a breath. The atmosphere fell.

"Mondstadt is independent, and does not belong to any other nation."

"In fact, despite being referred to as a city, Mondstadt is a nation."

"Right," Ayaka recalled. "That reminds me. Sir Kaeya, the main city is the only city in the nation?" She turned to her fellow Cryo swordsman. 

"You're correct. Mond is rather small compared to the other nations, and so our main population is scattered in small towns and villages across the lands," Kaeya smiled amicably. "A decade or so ago, there were attempts to set up civilization in Dragonspine, but that mountain isn't quite ready for anything beyond a temporary camp quite yet."

He glanced at Albedo, the quick shift hardly noticeable with his covered eye. "For us fragile humans, at least."

"Though, Snezhnaya's Fat ui are known to be the most aggressive diplomats in Teyvat..."

"Makes sense, given the tone of that woman just now– so rude!" Paimon huffed.

Lumine waits for Lisa to enter the office before she digs out from her bag the crystal that she and Paimon had retrieved in the forest.

"It's a crystal embedded with some sort of power... Lisa, are you able to analyze it?" Jean mused, facing her friend.

"Let me take a look..." Lisa said, and Lumine stretched her hand out so that the witch could inspect it. "Hmm... I can see impurities in the crystal, but upon further inspection..."

Her eyes tightened, and she shook her head. "No, I'm sorry, I can't make a proper analysis at the moment. Give me some time. I'll take a look through the library's restricted section."

"Right. I'll leave the research to you then, Lisa." Jean nodded her head.

"Understood. I'll notify you all if I make any progress." Lisa went to take the crystal from Lumine's outstretched hand. "Though I wouldn't go getting your hopes up. They are incredibly ancient texts, not to mentio– Ouch!" Lisa flinched back.

"Gosh, that hurt!" The witch hissed, flicking her hand and shifting her body away from the crystal as everyone else had startled.

"The impurities in the crystal... It hurts when I get close..." Lisa noted, frowning. "I see... It appears to react to Visions."

"The impurities and the elemental energy we embody repel each other." She figured out, tilting her head at Lumine. "It's strange, though. Lumine has elemental abilities as well, but doesn't seem to be affected in the same way."

"God-granted items," Layla murmured, causing Faruzan and a few others to turn to her in interest. Consequently, the young scholar jumped upon noticing their attention, not realizing she had spoken loud enough for them to hear. "I-i mean- um, since Lord Dvalin is- seems to be- going against the gods- or his own god, at least- it- well- it should make sense that impu-impurities caused by himself would react badly to something technically holy like a Vision...!" She stumbled over own words, unused to sharing her views so openly with others.

Lisa hummed thoughtfully, putting her chin in her hand. "I've never thought about it that way," she muttered.

Mona nodded approvingly, while Albedo noted it down at her side. Considering the fact that much of his corruption was caused by abyssal power, it made even more sense.

Pausing in his writing, Albedo took at a look at their mysterious bard. Could it be that...

"..." Lumine didn't say anything to do that. And no one needed to- she'd only been around for a few days, but it was easy to figure out that she was far more different compared to everyone else, moreso than they all initially thought.

"Anyway, the crystal would be better left in the hands of my cutie. It will just be a pain if left with us– both literally and metaphorically." Lisa smiled at Lumine.

(Cutie?) Lumine furrowed her brow a little, but ultimately shook it off.

Lisa chuckled at that. "I'm delighted to know I could make even the great Traveler feel a little flustered," she teased.

"I wasn't flustered," Lumine said immediately.

"Of course not, cutie."

"You-"

"Okay. I will keep it." Lumine acquiesced easily, putting the crystal away.

Jean's eyes followed the motions before her gaze flickered away. "...Fascinating." She mumbled, then turned to Lumine with a look in her eyes that the smaller blonde couldn't decipher. "Do you know anything about what makes you special?" She ventured.

Lumine simply shrugged. In all honesty, she had many, many answers, but if she could get away with being an extremely suspicious individual for this amount of time with barely any hard questioning, then it was likely she could get away with not answering. If it came down to it, she could just say that their questions were too broad- that she didn't know where to start, that there were so many factors at play that she wasn't quite sure if she'd be able to trust them with it.

"...Well, when you put it that way-"

Lisa's smile froze. She hadn't even thought of that- whatever wariness or doubt she had about the Traveler who had so bravely fought Stormterror in the skies had vanished the moment Lumine walked into the office and asked her a question about hilichurls. After that, she never again questioned the blonde's actions or her words- not seriously, at least... 

Even if they were all that desperate for a semblance of light in their rapidly darkening worlds, shouldn't they have further investigated the two outlanders who appeared seemingly out of nowhere?

She, Jean, and Kaeya exchanged glances. Slowly, Kaeya shook his head. Lumine had thus far proven herself trustworthy and was more than just kind. Being a friend to all of them and constantly helping them with little regard for her own safety and not looking for reward would make it unfair for them to doubt her now.

Lisa caught Cyno's look, and she, too, shook her head, signaling for him to quell his suspicions, at least for now. With how things were going, she was sure that Lumine would prove her trustworthiness to the General Mahamatra once she stepped into the land of wisdom.

For now, everyone else in the room could hold their horses. If someone dared to make a move against the Traveler, Lisa would be by her side. She was more than sure that the rest of Mondstadt would as well.

And it seemed as if most of the Liyuens in the room would take her side, as well.

"Oh~!? What's this? Our dear little Traveler hiding secrets?" Hu Tao giggled in tease, her bright eyes and flower-shaped pupils making it seem as if the red irises were sparkling. "However could that be!" 

Zhongli agreed with her, though his eyes shone with disapproval at her way of showing support.  "Everyone has secrets. It's not strange for someone as well-traveled as you to be unable to share certain things, however important they may seem in the grand scheme of things." He inclined his head to the blonde.

Lumine almost smiled bitterly at the reminder of Zhongli's mysterious contract with the Tsaritsa. But he was right- and she was thankful that she had a friend in him, anyway.

That  was certainly a truth, anyway.

Some, like Noelle and Bennett, shifted uncomfortably, but the Knights sat with their backs straight, unyielding in their support.

"Yellow man right," Surprisingly, it was Razor who said this. "I, too, cannot share things... Only lupical knows all." He continued, struggling to find his next words, brows furrowed.

Lisa smiled kindly at him. "We were practically strangers to our dear Lumine at the time, after all," she hummed. "Though we're dear friends now, it doesn't change the fact that there are still some things that have to be kept in the dark."

Kaveh nodded, an empathetic frown tugging on his lips. "It can't be helped,"  he said.  "Not everyone needs to know everything about you."

Lumine relaxed, kind of touched by the support she was receiving in the face of her traitorous (but true) thoughts. Not that she'd ever admit it, of course. Still, it looks like a lot of pies would have to be baked for a lot of people after this. Lumine wasn't a take-all-give-nothing type of person, after all.

"I do not know what to make of it either." Jean seemed to be lost in thought for a moment, before shaking her head. "Well, then, Lumine..." A smile played at her lips.

"The Knights of Favonius have another favor to ask of you." The Traveler tilted her head. "Please accept the title of Honorary Knight... and the gratitude of the Acting Grand Master."

"Honorary Knight... of Favonius!?" Paimon gasped.

"The one and only!" Paimon cheered, a proud grin on her face as if she were the one to have achieved the title herself.

Jean smiled helplessly. "We ask for your continued assistance in finding some answers."

"Stormterror's rage... and strange crystals... I know Mondstadt's peace hangs in the balance." She turned to Lumine with a serious look, and the Traveler squared her shoulders, nodding back at her, showing just how serious she was in turn. "May the wind open your eyes to the truth."

"We'll meet back here if you find anything."

With that, Lumine and Paimon say their goodbyes and leave the Knights of Favonius headquarters.

As they walk along the second level of the city, watching the going-ons of the main square below, Paimon strikes up a conversation.

"There's something you didn't tell them." The fairy ventured. "The dragon and the crystal weren't the only things we saw."

Lumine gave her a small side glance. "I'd like to investigate it on my own first." She replied simply.

Sara muttered something under her breath that sounded suspiciously close to Report to the authorities first, damn it.

Heizou gave her a side-eye.

"So you  do  remember him, that green guy." Paimon fixed her a look, before something caught her eye. "He looked just like that guy down there!"

"Well... Looks like him..." Lumine squinted dispassionately. "That exact shade of green... What a coincidence."

"See? See?" Paimon nodded, before stopping, eyes widening in realization. "Wait... Hold on a minute... That..."

"That's the same guy!" She exclaimed, doing a somersault in the air.

"I'm hurt," Venti mocked, placing a hand on his chest and giving Paimon his biggest pout. "Green Guy?  Why not  something more fitting and less insulting? Like, The Fellow With A Cecilia In His Hat!"

"HOW IS THAT ANY BETTER?!" Paimon screeched.

"That green guy disappeared!" Paimon turned to Lumine. "Use Elemental Sight to track him down." She instructed, and Lumine nodded, closing her eyes and snapping them back open. Now, her vision was washed out, the colors of the world fading into a pale blue-gray, waves of colorless energy occasionally pulsing through the air. Across from her, a wisp of shimmering blue elemental trail wiggled.

"You have Elemental Sight too," Alhaitham noted. 

Lumine tilted her head. "Is that something exclusive only to Vision bearers?" She asked him.

"Normally, yes, but in some cases a person is born or blessed with extreme sensitivity to a certain Element, and thus are able to see traces of that specific Element the same way we do with our Elemental Sight," he paused. "They are only able to see that Element they are sensitive to,  however. There are no known cases when, say, a person with extreme sensitivity to Pyro can see traces of Hydro with their bastardized form of Elemental Sight."

Lumine and Paimon retrace their target's steps, quickly finding his elemental trail and chasing after him. Running up stairs and dashing across the well-maintained cobblestone streets, while Lumine rapidly blinked in and out to continue the workings of the finicky elemental sight, they eventually end up at the plaza, where the same person in green was by the Statue of Barbatos, strumming his lyre to a small crowd of onlookers.

The two stop in their tracks, unwittingly awed by the gentle tune of his strumming and his hypnotic voice. The performance could only be described as otherworldly; not a single note was out of place, and his voice was steady and unyielding even in its softness.

Barbara closed her eyes and sighed softly as she listened to the bard's soothing voice. She would never admit - far too shy to - but she looked up to the bard. Though he may be mischievous at times, causing chaos and accidentally roping in the Cathedral and even the Knights into his shenanigans at times, he was a good person at heart- not to mention an accomplished musician whose prowess was something she could only helplessly look up to.

Yun Jin hummed with appreciation as she listened to the bard's pure, melodic voice. Perhaps when all of this was over, the two nations could organize a cultural music event? With his voice and her own, they were sure to draw in crowds the likes no one has ever seen. She resolves to ask him for his help in her next play. The idea of having his voice and effortless charm on her stage was quite tempting...

 Xinyan grinned, her eyes bright. Instinct told her that talking about a lighthearted topic now wouldn't be appropriate, so she merely put her gaze on the bard sitting at the front. That voice was beautiful! And that effortless playing... Suddenly, she had the urge to learn the lyre. Not very rock 'n roll, but maybe something could be implemented? A musical crossover of sorts...

Hu Tao hummed appreciatively of the crystal-clear voice that made its way into her ears. So smooth... So sweet... So fresh! Such skill, on such a youthful face too! She locked eyes with Yun Jin, who gave a smile and a nod. Hehe... A musician's event sounded really good right now.

Like Barbara, Nilou closed her eyes, smiling dreamily. The bard's voice was so beautiful that it didn't feel out of place to appear in a wonderful dream. She wondered if she could ask him to join one of the Theater's performances these days. She was sure that the whole of the Grand Bazaar would adore him!

Kazuha simply let the the music trickle into his ears as he closed his eyes and listened. With his superior hearing, he could hear every note, every tiny extra strum of the pinky finger as Venti seamlessly wove a story with nothing but a simple melody. It was exhilarating- he had never met a musician of such caliber. And an Anemo Vision user like himself... He opened his eyes and gave a short glance to the other musicians in the room, and smiled. Perhaps he'd be leaving this place with a few new friends.

Unlike all the others, Xiao was not quite as simply appreciative of the music. His mouth ran dry as a river destroyed by natural calamity, and his whole body stilled.

That voice...

For a moment, Xiao could only sit in shock. Then, ever so slightly, he tilted his head upwards, allowing his nose to better smell everything in the room-

(Cecilia, with a hint of apples. A voice so soothing that it removed all thoughts of his pain, made him forget his suffering- 

Crawling into the bushes, leaves tickling his chin, dark hair with the ends glowing teal and one with the skies, cecilia with a hint of apples drifting to his nose-)

"You're..."

His mouth could just barely mouth the words. A name barely uttered, not even a whisper or a flicker of wind.

"Barbatos..."

As he began to sing lyrics, the image of him playing his lyre with his eyes closed became replaced by a cinematic sequence.

Nilou gasped. "What is this?" 

Zhongli hummed with a critical eye even as curiosity glittered in them. "It seems like we are being told a tale in the form of... what is it they call it nowadays? Ah, yes. Cinematic art. Artistic background is displayed to show a scene while storytellers hide and power their voices using machines for all to hear, narrating the tale as it goes. Periodically, the background will be replaced in order to show a different scene. It is quite an ingenious creation."

What is to be sung transpired in days of yore

A flower fell over the dark screen as a sky blue dragon was painted along its movements.

When the divine archons still walked the earth

Nahida's eyes widened, and she unconsciously leaned forward, curiosity brimming like fire in her soul. If she wasn't careful, it would burn her alive- but it was far from anything more than a flicker against her divinity.

Within the transparent body of the blue dragon, a clear image of a winged deity in white was shown, strumming his holy lyre.

A dragon cast his curious gaze on the world below

The camera moved gradually closer to the image within the glass-painted dragon, and it could be seen that the deity was playing his song to the same blue dragon, this time depicted in a more detailed manner befitting his true appearance.

Jean simply closed her eyes and listened to the song that she had heard in that tavern in what  felt like so long ago, but was only just a year.

As he parted from the heavens that gave his birth

The dragon sought truth amongst the common folk

But mortal trifles clogged his mind

Dehya felt a flicker of sympathy. She knew firsthand just how bad "mortal trifles" could get. And the way the song was going, it was as if the dragon was but a child then...

She sighed and shook her head free of the thoughts. Clearly, this was unspoken history. There was no way a mortal bard could get his hands on that knowledge.

Right?

The picturesque image was parted by a dark forest, where a blue window encased the previous image, glowing blue amidst the glum green.

The windborne bard strummed his strings dolce

And the Holy Lyre answered his questions kind

Barbara's gasp was strangled in her throat as she met with the stained glass picture of Barbatos- a flurry of strokes in blue, white, and gold coming together to create an image that has never been seen before. 

Music seemed to flow in the air, weaving through the beautiful picture and flying gently in the wind, a melody of innocence and joy yet to be tainted.

Xiao couldn't help but relax, despite himself. His song- no matter what song it was, a story or a simple melody- it calmed every knotted muscle in his body, felt like it could fix broken bones even without the injury itself existing. 

Even so, the pure innocence of the tune caused an ache in his heart. Those sweet dreams felt so far away.

The dragon was but a child full of wonder

And soared the heavens free from care

Finally, the camera kept closer to give a clear view of the picturesque scene. The windborne and the dragon danced in the air, radiating innocence, a picture of joyful laughter forever encased in their memories.

Qiqi looked on with large eyes, unusually attentive. In her hand, her pen mindlessly wrote on her notebook which never left her person, no matter how many times she forgets. If one looked closely enough, they might see a hint of strange longing in her eyes- something she herself could not explain.

The bard's songs invited him to sing along

For he yearned to let all perceive him fair

Noelle's lip quivered. Even now, she still felt guilt for doubting one of their Four Winds. Dvalin only wanted to be accepted amongst them...

A child full of wonder.

How long did it take for that innocent wonder to shatter in the face of jaded humanity?

Suddenly, the pale blue skies in the background rapidly darkened, miasma beginning to mar the once-beautiful image.

Enchanting legends the bard and dragon were

But the tides of despair soon engulfed the land

Rain fell from beyond the picture trapped in the window, darkening the scene, bringing the camera upwards to the mysterious darkening skies, to the clouds high above.

The notepad in Albedo's hand began to crumple in his grip.

The lion fang perished and the falcon flag slept

As a vile dragon approached Mondstadt in lone stand

A massive, skeletal dragon stood amidst a backdrop of fire, the land surrounding it aflame as its eyes glowed ominously- the stains of a history long gone.

Over the Cathedral loomed death and his friends

Of the people's agony the bard soon sang

The pen snapped. Halves fell onto the floor with a clatter.

"My apologies," Albedo said stiffly, swiftly sweeping them up. A new pen appeared on his table.

Paimon could only cast him a Look, while Lumine kept her head turned away.

Accompanying the terrible scene was harsh music, so violently contrasting the earlier beautiful melody that danced amidst the stormless clouds and blue skies with the bard and the dragon. The blue dragon of Mondstadt came into the picture in an arched stance, ready to fight the foreign dragon invading his home.

All traces of calmness left Xiao's body, and he nearly winced from the sudden change in tune. Of course Lord Barbatos was just as good at causing strife in the heart with his song as he was at healing it. 

Zhongli gave him a look, silently asking if he was alright. Xiao caught the look and returned one of suspicion. 

Ah, right. He was not Rex Lapis in this body, nor was he Morax.

Zhongli silently shook his head in apology.

The soaring dragon heeded his grave calls

And amidst the windstorms a brutal war sprang

Darkness washed over the screen, and for a few moments, there was naught but silence.

Nahida swallowed. 

Blood of venom sent the sky dragon into slumber

The dragon of Mondstadt was shrouded in darkness, with the only points of light coming from the delicate membranes in his wings, resembling that of fairy wings, until the purple points of the venomous blood were brightly glowing on the dragon's back and tail, lighting up his whole body. It seems like the entirety of his scales became darker, ocean blue instead of the blue of the skies.

Only to awake to be expelled in abhor

Kaeya winced.

"Why do people in this age loathe me so?"

Jean suck in a shaky breath, looking away in guilt. 

A window depicting Mondstadt's distant city appeared in front of the poisoned dragon, raining and thundering as if feeling his grief and confusion.

But the Holy Lyre replied no more

Venti couldn't help but smile bitterly. His children were always so kindhearted, taking the blame onto themselves despite having no fault in that situation whatsoever. 

The Four Winds were Barbatos' responsibility.

The children of Mondstadt should not have had to take care of them for him.

k̸̛͎͂̊̈́̔͊̉́͆̾͋͗̂͑͝ḩ̸̦̫̻̮͔͗͘ȃ̴̞̘͕͂̒̆̊̔̽̅̈́̐̐̇̕͘͝ė̷̡̡̳͚̹͓̝̗̞̮̆̽̽̒̽͂͊̍͋̎͘ͅͅṉ̷̡̨̳̜̙̲̥͎̤͓̠́̈̕r̴͖̩͔̱̟̳̩͓̺̤̦̟͈̓ͅḯ̷̡̢̞͇̘͔̑̆̊́̆̈̍̿̔͜͝'̵̧̭̜̫͎͓̱̦̪̥̳̘̭̌̀̾̋̑͐̈́̾́ä̴̡͚͓̣͇͇̮́̚͜h̷̢̳̲̟͕̬̤̖̰̮̯̿͜ ̴̨̳̠̺̔̈́́̎̊̃̓̈́̑̓͊͊̃̅w̷͎̫̙̩̿͜͠i̴̻̫̗̻͎͐̑͊͗̍̊̓̽͋̏̋̅͘̚͝l̴̻͉̺͖̯͈̘͈̟͐̾̽̿̈́́̆́͘͠l̶̨̯̥̯̯͎̠̱͙̱̈͜ ̸͚̫̫͍̙̭̳̼͉̺̟̪͔̽̓͛̓̊̉͌̎̿̕͠͝s̷̢̡̡̢̹̣̙͍͕̥͈͉͆͐͝ͅͅe̶̦͘e̸̺̗̭̣̯͈̥̼̮̲̹̓̀̈ͅ ̴̗̫͎̃̍͗̾̉͆͆̓͛̑̆̕͘͝͠Ỹ̷̙͊͊̓̅̌̇͆̃̎̀͛͋̋͝ǫ̸̮̮̦͍̦͚̗̰̰͓͉͇̬̱͐̈͋̾̆͒̈́̐̋̓̚͝u̵̧̙͕̥̯̹͖̖̫͈̤̠̪̲̾̾̎̇̊̊̄̅́̋͝͠ͅṟ̸̫͎̞͠ ̵̢͇̲̞̣͙͍̫͈̣̟̳̳̈́̔̈́͝͝ḓ̴̭͈̺̤͍͈͚̖͖̗̫̚ȩ̵̩͆͒̀͑͑m̶̢͔̫̩̜̳̼̥̲̰̻̖̀̓̀̿̓̈́̈̔̈́̄̀̿̈́̚͠į̶̢̭̞̦͚̖̗͙̣̠͉͋̈́̂̀͑̓́̽̈́̍̚͘ͅͅs̷̱͂̅̀̓͂̀́̕͝è̴͕͓̥̙͙̜̜͉̅̐̎̈̉̅̉ ̷̦̞͙͙̝͈̏̓̓̈͊́̒͊̈́̏̑͋̄̒̚Ć̶͓̫͙̮̤͑̈́̓͌͛͑̍́̊̕ͅe̶͙͚̅̓͛̍̋̈̈̀l̷̼̫̣̣̯̥̜͔̺͎̂̌̀̄̿̔͊̌͛̀̀͘͜͜͝͝ě̴̢̨̼͓͎̤̩̫̝̦̃͆̂̋̎͐̿̍̉s̷̨̡͕͔̥̰͎̞̜̘̈͗͋͘͜ṱ̵̯̞̼̺́͋ḯ̴̡̪͎̯̜̪̪͕̘͚͍̳́̓͘͘͜͝a̴̫̮̣̫͖͎̳̮͍͙̘̪͕̯̽̊͛̈́̒̈́̐̓̉̈́̏̈́̕̚ ̸̧̢̡͓̠̜̼̟̻͓̲̰̞͒͑̅͑̈̔̐͠ẅ̶̨̛̦̮̪́̎̊̎̚i̴͔̅̎̂́͆̕l̶̛̲̔̊̐̋͑́̆͆̄̏̚͝l̵̠̞̔̅̏̓̈́͐͂̕ ̷̲̖̼͈̟͕̯̝̺̠̞̏̾̈́f̷̛̙̟̥̪͙͉̰̹̿̈́̍̓̀͠ǎ̸̡̦͉̪̬̥̃̿ḻ̶̨̨̦̹̜͙̲̱̜̽̿̽͌͛̓͊̓̈́̾͝ͅl̸̡̛̖̠̙̠͙͔̬̄̅̆̈́́̐͛͊͛͑͋̕͘̕͜ ̶̨̝̪̜͚̻̟̖̲̙̗̬͋̏̕ạ̵̢̟͎͗̊n̶̰̤͙̊d̶̨̻͓͖̓̎͆̈́ ̴̢̧̛̲̠̫͔̙̘̗̦͍̹̱̮̌̀̐́̍̀͋̈̓̈̔̐͝ę̵̜̹̠͇͕̘̺̥̺̜̝̦͂̈́̍̑͂̀̈́̿̆̀͝v̷͈̠͉̞̫̫͖̫̼͍̈͛͌́̾̕ę̸̧̗̣̙̻̥̦̲̭́̽̈́̇̂̇̈́͐͠͝͝r̸̼̰̤̜̣̱̗̥̽́́̔͂͘y̵̭̼̩̳̼̼̺̺̎̾͠t̷̪̪̝̝̺͌̊͑̈́̒̇ḥ̷̛͓̼̩̭̱̝̳̝͖̳̬́́̎͑͝į̸̛̯̰͔̬͖̪̩̅͌͠͝ͅǹ̴̡̲̯̻̳̠͖͖̫̣̎̈́̈́̉̈́͗̇́͘g̶̢͔̣͉̼̥̦̝͖̺͖̾̔̃̔̕̕ ̴̖̭͕̻̠̥̣͗͂̿̆͌̉͜͝Ÿ̶̡̨͓̟̱̼͇͉̣̼͔͔̫̞̇̿̾̆̐̿͛͂̕ö̷͎ų̶̰̝̤͚͖̇̐͆̊̀̀͝ͅ ̸̛͓̑̃̂̿́̄̑̔͝K̴͚̖͍̤͎̺̲̲͚̭̏̉̽͐̎͜͝Ń̵̛̼̯̰̩̥͚̇͊̊͜Ǫ̷̧̪͍̬̥̆͝ ̸̟͕̝̍W̷̧̢̥͚̜̦̭͚͋̊͛̋̄̓̆̑̈́̌̉̎̎͘͘ ̷̛̟̟͛̀̀͑̉̃͒̿͒̃w̴̛̠̪̳͎͇̝̒͐̈́̓ͅi̴̙̮̯̫̦̤̥͙̙͔̯͚̇́̾̕l̸̙͓̒̌̋͗͌̄͗͊̈́́͘͜͠͝l̸̡̩̳͔̭͙͉̟̲͎̀̊̐ ̸̧̧̧̧̲̠̹͎̱̤̤̗̹̙̎͋͗̒͌͌̿̿̾b̴̖͓͚̻̜̩̤̬͉̪̼̖̋͐́̅̈́̑̀ͅȩ̵̜͔͕͚̣͔̺̻͋̓̽͘͜ͅ ̸̡̩̼̠̩̻̮̱̲͖̰̻́̊͑̾̔͋͆̄̃̓͊͆̕ḏ̸̤͈͚̈̆͋̀̇̾̈́͐ȇ̸̛͖͇̰̝̱͔̙̥̣̱̂̇̓̃͜ͅs̵̨̟͇̺̠̈́͌̑̆̈́̌̆ť̷̨̘̰̞͎͙̼̺̟̤̓̔̋̾̍̍̑̈́͘͠ͅŗ̷̢͉̞̼͚̜̺̖̱̖́̒͂̍̿͂͑̀̓̇͜͝͝ͅͅö̴̡̘͉̮̹̜̺̯̣̥͔͍́̆ỳ̴̧̡̖̰̦̹͚̪͇̰̹̯̖̅͗͘e̸̖̯͈̯̳̖̦͙͋͒̋̃̅͆̋d̶̢̛̰̩̯̬̝̜̈̑̋͋͗̆ ̴͓̭͚͍̯̣̩͔͔̤̜̜̻̻͛͐̒͊̂͗̊͐̊̀̽̕d̶̨̻̭͓̗̈́̇͐̈̆̍͝ê̷͕̗̿̈̍̈́̎̈́͛̒̚͠ş̵̠̲̬̘̤̩̺̩̹̪͓͑́̈́̉̌͊̋͋͋ͅt̵̡͈̝̫̟͙̓̉̊̐̃̄̈̇̕̕r̴̲̬͎̜͖̦̭͖͎̀͛o̸̧̬̼̞͍̯̦̜̬̺̊̈́́͘͜͜y̶̦̥̱̾ȩ̶̢̯̠͔̣͕̰̲̪̎̽̿̓̍̔̏ḑ̶̨̱̇̔͒̈̇̔͒̀̈́̃͌͐͘͘ͅ ̷̯̻̯͕̅̕l̵̡̧̩̣̥͖̲̭͈̖̳͙͓͛̾̈́̀̈́ͅį̸̢͔̟̝͉͚̝͕̪͐͒͋̈́ķ̴̰̣̠̻͔͚̩̮̰̭̙̬̺̒̈́̀͒̄̿̀̿̀̽̇͊̐ë̷͙̝̼̯́̅̔̀͝͝ ̷͎̩͍́́͑K̴͍̺̜̝̜̞͈͖̜͇͗̄͐̎͊̿̇̅̏̇̒͝h̴̜̦̥̟̗͉̾̉a̵̢̼̺͉͚̘͖͕͉̰̤̓͂͘͜ḛ̵̡̤̱͚͈̠͎͎̦͍̠͙͉̉̋̿́̍̑̀͜n̶͖̦̔̑͋̋̂͋͜͜r̵̤̻̹̞̥͔̗̲̜̰̩̲̀́̉̐͑͌̽̔͑̈̔͠į̶̧̢̹͚̞̙͎̮̖̥̹̣̠̌́̋͒̃̅͛͐̊'̵̛̪̺͓͇̲̣͉͙̲̘̞̱͔̝̅̄̐̑̋͒̔̎̄̎̔̔͜͠a̶̢̨̝̭̖͉͙͓̹̦̯̠̫͛̈́̓̍͒͗̈́̅̕̚͝h̵̢̛̯͖̼̲͖̠̞͎͆͊́̒͋̉̚͠

The scene was covered by dark clouds before arising once more into a sky of diluted flame- and the dragon who was once bright like the skies turned ugly purple and black, like the colors you see in nightmares.

Wrath and woe, vigor and venom

Poured from the dragon's bitter eyes

Clutched in the dragon's claws was a Cecilia flower.

Venti's hand drifted to the one on his beret. 

The dragon's curse sprawled in silence

The camera crept closer to the dragon's face. From his bright red eye, dripped an equally bright red tear.

But the Lyre could no longer soothe his cries 

The camera followed the falling, blood red tear, until the screen went dark.

Caught up in the trance, it took a little while for the both of them to notice the end of his performance, and the dazed faces of the onlookers as they cleared out and left only the three of them.

The Green Fellow opened his closed eyes, lashes fluttering. A sorrowful look could be found lingering in his eyes which resembled the skies, so terribly out of place that anyone who saw it would too be filled with sorrow. 

Lumine felt that so fucking keenly.

It took a moment for him to realize the pair standing before him, and when he did, he startled, a brighter look widening his eyes and chasing away the previous melancholy. "Wait, you guys are..."

"Oh, that's right! You're the ones that scared Dvalin away." He exclaimed.

Paimon frowned. "Dvalin? Who's that?"

"Lisa told us already, weren't you listening?" Lumine chided.

Paimon blinked, before she came to a realization. "Huh? ...Oh, right. Most people seem to call him 'Stormterror'."  She tilted her head at the Green Fellow. "Why do you call him that... Are you two meant to be close or something?"

The Green Fellow gave a mysterious smile with a hint of dryness behind it. "Oh, so close..."

This dumb bitch, echoed in the minds of everyone who knew, in different wording, of course. But the general sentiment was the same.

Thoma remembered Venti's earlier words of Dvalin being his friend, "Ah, right! You mentioned it too when the Traveler and Paimon spotted you in the clearing."

Venti felt sweat bead at his forehead. Why was he so nervous when they were literally going to find out in a matter of hours!?

He could feel Zhongli's judging stare bore into the side of his head.

Lumine suddenly groaned out of nowhere, gaining the attention of everyone else and causing Thoma to briefly look in her direction. Venti took the chance to crawl under his small table.

"Lumine? Is everything alright?" Jean questioned. Lumine waved her off.

"It's nothing. Just remembered something embarrassing," the shorter blonde sighed.

The fucking Cathedral Incident™. Was going to be seen by everyone, on a screen so big that you might as well be blind if you missed a single detail. 

Fucking Venti. She makes another reminder to herself not to let herself get roped into his shenanigans again.

Paimon's eyes narrowed. "Hey, Lumine. Paimon thinks this guy has a screw loose..." She whispered in Lumine's ear.

Venti didn't miss a beat. "And you don't?"

"UGH! Shut it, Tone-Deaf Bard!"

"I'm sorry, you are...?" Lumine ignored her companion, turning to the bard.

The bard in question bowed his head dramatically, an equally dramatic smile on his lips. "Good day, outlander. Seems we meet again." He tilted his head back up and flicked the petals of a cecilia on his hat playfully.

"I'm Venti the bard." He introduced cheerfully. "Three-time winner of the 'Most Popular Bard of Mondstadt', to be precise."

Yun Jin's brows rose. "There's such a competition?" She turned again to her fellow Geo user, Noelle.

The young maid nodded with a smile. "Yes, it's held every year. Since there are so many bards in Mondstadt, it only makes sense to hold a popularity contest. Bards from all across the nation are called to join, and the winner is decided by a performance by each of them. Since there are so many bards, it takes at least a week for it to conclude, wherein work days are cut in half or people are given a vacation period during that time altogether. The winner gets a Mora reward, a commissioned instrument of choice from our best music shop, and a Dandelion Wine casket from the Dawn Winery- which is relinquished to the guardians if the winner is not of age."

Lisa chimed in, "It's said that the popularity contest predates even the Ordo Favonius. Our ancestors would huddle around a campfire and play their songs well into the night, and whoever was the winner earned a bottle of wine from their best winemaker and bragging rights."

Collei couldn't quite stifle a longing sigh at this. She hadn't been able to catch the popularity contest during her initial stay at Mondstadt, and since then had never been able to. She had managed another Ludi Harpastum,  which was even greater than the first now that she had significantly less worries in her life, but it still grated at her that she couldn't attend one of the most anticipated cultural events in Mondstadt.

Tighnari, seeing this, leaned down to murmur in her ear. "What do you say after your next major check-up, we stay in Mondstadt for a while?"

She lit up. "Really?"

The fox-eared man nodded with a small smile. "The other Forest Rangers can handle the Withering for now. It seems to have calmed down fairly enough that a Vision user or two leaving to take care of other matters for a little while wouldn't hurt."

"So, what do you need from me?"

"Given you recognize us, Paimon doesn't believe we need to explain any further." Paimon replied. "Of course it's about Stormterror."

"Storm...?" Venti was visibly confused.

"Hey! Cut it with the amnesia act!" Paimon growled. "Lumine, show it to him."

"What amnesia were you even referring to?" Lumine sighed.

"Hey! He acts brainless sometimes, okay!"

Lumine obediently digs the crystal out from her bag, only to pause in bewilderment at the sight before her.

Venti's eyes lit up. "Oh! Isn't this–"

"What!? The crystal has been purified!? When?" Paimon exclaimed, her eyes going comically wide.

Albedo hummed silently as he wrote down the transpiring events on his now-crumpled notepad. He hadn't quite calmed down yet from earlier, but after the lighthearted atmosphere was mostly restored, he felt a bit better.

Indeed, the stone that was once a murky blood red and oozing malicious energy was suddenly a stone that lived up to its name of a 'crystal', sparkling clear and reflecting light from every angle, the purest of gems that would be tragically beautiful if tainted once more.

"The last time I checked, it was full of impurities." Lumine muttered, her eyes glued to the brightness before her.

By Albedo's side, Sucrose was comparatively rabid, eyes so wide that her pupils were pinpricks as she urged the screen to continue the discovery, pen clutched tightly in her gloved hand.

Venti's lips pursed, and the sorrowful look from before returned, with a heavier tinge of guilt and horror. "Dvalin, he..."

"The anguish he feels... has brought him to tears..."

"Tears...?" Paimon repeated.

Kaeya couldn't hold back another wince. The heavy look and warbling voice of the normally carefree and always-smiling bard caused a pang in his heart.

Unbeknownst to him, all of the other Mondstadtians felt the same. Even Klee couldn't help but clutch at her chest, a deep frown on her adorable face.

Jean chanced a glance at their disguised Archon. Venti seemed to be lost in thought, normally clear eyes glazed over with memories, a subconscious frown at his lips.

Without another moment's hesitation, Venti unearths another Teardrop Crystal from his pocket. Identical to the former state of the now purified one in Lumine's hand, he reverently placed it right next to its sibling on her palm, and the three of them watched with awe as a bright glow submerged the malicious gem and transformed it into a pure, untainted tear right before their very eyes.

"Ehhhh!?" Paimon exclaimed again in amazement, eyes shining from seeing Lumine's purification ability in person.

Faruzan's eyes shone. She turned to Lumine's general direction and called, "Traveler, please help me with a project of mine!"

Lumine turned to her warily, thinking of Albedo's experiments. "What kind of project?" She asked slowly.

"Just a machine-testing one! It's not particularly dangerous, and there will be insurance if injury occurs, and I shall pay you handsomely, of course-"

"We'll take it!" Paimon said immediately.

"'Mon, the fuck."

"We need more Mora for food, okay!"

"We wouldn't need Mora for food if you didn't keep buying from every damn food stall-"

Venti took a shaky breath. "You... really do have some wonderful abilities..." He smiled up at her, something new shining in his eyes.

Alhaitham's scribbling started to become concerningly quick. Even Kaveh couldn't help but glance warily at his secret roommate's passion, completely immersed in the very much real story being shown to them.

"Someone like you is going to end up written into a bard's poem." He mused. "Oh, a hero so bright, should she stand in the light. Though stand in the shade, and you'll be met by a blade..."

Childe twitched. A comment on his tongue, but as if sensing with her bullshit meter, Lumine turned and glared at him so hard that his mouth closed with an audible clack.

He shook his head. "Alas... I've really not the time to compose a melody for you at this moment."

"Anyway, even if Dvalin is not taken down, his life will still wither away in the breeze..." He said sadly. "He'll burn himself out in the flames of anger..."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Lumine said determinedly, her eyes bright with the flames of determination.

Amber smiled brightly. One of her favorite things about her friend- no matter how many times she makes herself out to be aloof or cold, she was probably the most determined person Amber had met in her life. And she was surrounded by Vision users daily- people who worked harder than anyone to reach their goals or protect what they loved dearly.

Venti smiled at the look in her eye. "I really must thank you for purifying the Teardop Crystal, it has helped me greatly."

"But I've already come to devise my own plan."

Lumine let out a strangled whimper. Many looked over at her, curious for the reason of her distress.

Paimon patted her shoulder in solidarity.

Diluc turned unimpressed eyes to Venti, who was still refusing to look at anyone at all, whistling beneath his breath.

"Oh? And what plan would that be?" Paimon asked.

The bard simply smiled, eyes twinkling. "Seeing this tear has brought to mind a friend so dear."

"Friend?" Paimon echoed.

The bard suddenly took off. "Heh-heh, one must be going."

"Hey! Where're you running off to!?" Paimon yelled after him.

"To the 'Symbol of Mondstadt's Hero.' Bye-bye~" Venti disappeared into the distance, a breeze brushing past Lumine's golden hair as he did.

Paimon stared after where he disappeared. "Huh... Lumine, what do you make of that?"

"This 'weirdo' as you put it– we need to keep an eye on him..." Lumine responded.

Paimon turned to her friend. "As far as he's concerned, you're a weirdo too ya know..." She said dryly.

"Paimon still holds to that!"

"You know..." Lumine hummed.

"Know what?" Paimon responded.

"His voice seems familiar..." Lumine looked to the skies, trying to remember when she had heard that gentle voice that was more musical than a song.

Venti near-jolted at the reminder of his guidance to her in the skies.

Once again, Thoma turned to him with a smile. "Oh, right. You were that person guiding her in the sky in her impromptu fight against Lord Dvalin, yeah?" His voice was incredibly cheerful and casual. 

Why was he cornering Venti like this.

"Familiar? I don't know... You're alone on that one..." Paimon shrugged.

"But did he just say 'Symbol of Mondstadt's Heroes'? What could that be?" Lumine asked.

"Oh, Paimon knows! It's that huge tree." She said. "You know, the gigantic one! You can't miss it, surely you still remember!"

For a few moments, Lumine had a blank stare fixed on Paimon, before her eyes lit up with recognition. Without saying a word, she nodded at Paimon and dashed off into the streets, rushing in her usual manner to get to the needed direction. "Ah- Hold on! Wait for Paimon!" The fairy screeched, darting after her companion hurriedly.

Jean held back a sigh. Always so quick to rush into things with little regard for the people around her. Unbelievably like every Pyro user she knows.

Soon, they ended up at Windrise, the refreshing bright green and tickling breezes of the wide nature untouched by man a balm to the soul, causing Lumine to naturally relax her shoulders and slow her pace into a short run until she was walking normally once more.

Nahida's eyes were wide with childish joy as she took in the sun-dappled beauty of Mondstadt's most iconic landmark. The tree was glorious, large and curling up towards the sky as if reaching for the clouds, and yet it didn't give a sense of arrogance or desperation, like if a mortal was so desperately trying to reach for the heavens, to be remembered as more than a mark on time, only to fail and be stuck frozen in the same position for all of eternity. No- rather, it was as if the tree was reaching out in gentle prayer, unperturbed by mortal trifles, simply taking in the wind.

It was beautiful. 

N̶o̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ l̶i̶k̶e̶ d̶y̶i̶n̶g̶ I̶r̶m̶i̶n̶s̶u̶l̶.

There, at the base of the giant tree that marked the icon of Windrise, standing a ways away from the Statue of the Seven that was underneath it, was their sneaky bard.

"Oh? What are you doing here?" Venti hummed, daring to look surprised as if he wasn't the one who invited them over. "Though I was just wondering if you would happen to follow me..."

"I want to know more about the Anemo God." Lumine cut in, in a stone-like manner.

"Straight to the point as always," Yanfei sighed under her breath.

"You speak of the God of Anemo, Barbatos? He already disappeared from Mondstadt a long time ago." Venti remarked casually without looking at them, brushing his slender fingers across the strings of his lyre, a gentle yet incomplete tune filling the air and accompanying the sweet, distant chorus of birds that echoed across the field.

Ganyu frowned. She didn't know how Mondstadt could deal with such absence for so long. Even when Rex Lapis was not present, His existence still permeated the very air of Liyue, His godly essence being made up of the mountains and the earth themselves. He was Everywhere. Even after His passing, it felt like the wilderness of Liyue had barely changed...

As if He never left in the first place. As if His body, His soul, though never to be seen again, was still there, simply because Liyue still stood.

She looks at Venti, the bard whose eyes haven't left the screen for a long while. 

She wonders why Mondstadt's breeze feels so similar to his presence.

"Liyue and Inazuma's respective gods of Geo and Electro are still present, but Mondstadt has seen many a moon before they last saw their own god."

Kokomi's ever-present smile strained. If only their god was as caring and good as the gods of Mondstadt and Liyue.

"Why do you wish to know about the God of Anemo? Does it have something to do with Dvalin?"

"Oh... ahhh... it's because gods..." Paimon scratched her head.

"Yes, someone told me about Dvalin's past." Lumine smoothly cut in, gaze firmly fixed on Venti. Something in her unyielding gaze caused Venti to look away, a small, mysterious smile barely visible on his lips.

"Just how is it that everyone sees Stormterror? I'm quite curious." Venti changed the subject. "That said, there's no rush..."

A bemused smile crept onto his face, and he turned his back on Lumine and Paimon, looking above to see a creature descending from the treetops, bringing with it the sound of a tornado. "I have not been back in a while, it seems there are a few who are unhappy with my arrival."

In a while, Eula mouthed with a frown. As a citizen of Mondstadt who had never once left the nation since her birth, she was highly certain she had never seen him around before. As a Knight of Favonius who worked meticulously to keep track of each and every registered citizen of Mondstadt, she knew without a doubt that Venti was not a Mondstadtian who had stepped foot in the nation within the past two decades. 

With his youthful looks, his equally youthful personality, and smooth hands callused only by the strings of a bow and a lyre without a single wrinkle of age, there was almost no way he was older than 19. 

Unless, of course, he wasn't human.

Eula thoughtfully set her gaze on the bard. Looks like Sister Rosaria's offhanded theorizing of their god's whereabouts from back then wasn't quite as ludicrous as she once thought.

Meanwhile, many others frowned. What could be so important about a simple bard that a monster would cross the region just to attack him?

Eye of the Storm lingered on high mountains and cliffsides- anywhere that generated enough wind to fuel it. Stormterror's Lair was a home for them due to the combination of high concentrations of wind and Elemental Energy.

Windrise was none of those things.

As it crept closer, strong wind blazed around it, sending dust and dirt flying into their faces. Lumine and Paimon reflexively blocked their faces with their arms, shouts of surprise being lost in the air as the Traveler was forced to dig her feet into the ground, the heels of her boots sinking into the dirt in an effort not to get blown away.

Unlike them, Venti seemed entirely unaffected, his braids whipping in the face of the glowing, round monster that descended before them, an easy smile still on his youthful face.

"What sort of monster is that?" Chongyun breathed, excitement just barely visible in his eyes. Having never left Liyue in his whole (albeit short) life, he could only have heard of the monsters that appeared solely in other nations- much like the Geovishap which was exclusive to Liyue, there were all sorts of creatures around the world he could only dream of, good and bad.

He'd have loved to study them, but his exorcist duties took up almost all of his time that wasn't spent with his friends. 

"Oh, oh!" Klee piped up, excited to share her knowledge. "It's an Eye of the Storm! Sucrose sometimes goes out to collect their winds, but they're really far away in Mondstadt so she takes days to come back! They're really strong. Once when I was fish-blasting in Windrise, one of them appeared, and I almost got blown away! It's okay though, because when I threw one of my treasures at it, it EXPLODED right away!" She giggled, looking proud to have passed on the information.

Chongyun looked confused and a also little scared, but he said, "Oh, thank you, Miss Klee.."

Towards the front, Jean could only sigh amidst Lisa, Kaeya, and Amber's fond laughter.

"The wind... I can't... open my eyes..." Paimon whimpered, rubbing the corner of her eyes, blinking rapidly to try and get the dirt out. "What is a creature like that doing out here in such a calm place?" She lifted her head, only for her eyes to widen from what she saw.

"Lumine... His relationship with the wind seems even deeper than yours..." She whispered, eyes flickering to the bard's turned back. The bard was strangely calm. Despite the imminent danger, he didn't show a single flicker of hesitation or wariness- though he was a Vision user, it should be normal for him to tense up in battle, for though he was blessed by the gods to fight without fear it should be instinctual for him- one who was not a soldier or king, but a poet who did nothing but sing.

Venti tilted his head, smiling. Though he didn't say a word, the gentle amusement in his eyes showed his feelings for Lumine's apt mental description of him.

"A poet who defeats with his words," Yae muttered, one of her ears twitching. The movement nearly made Ei turn her head, which made her stiffen after realizing, which in turn made Yae hide a smirk, a phantom tail playfully batting at the puppet's back.

Even stranger was the way the winds flickered around him. While the harsh winds cut at the outlanders' faces and threw dust into their eyes, the strength itself being enough to push them back continuously, he stood perfectly still, and it al most seemed as if the winds went past him without a single care, as if he wasn't there at all.

Heizou's eyes shone with intrigue. Such a strange reaction from the bard! Was it because he had gone through something unexpected to them in the past, or was it because he was secretly so powerful that he could never look upon an enemy with anything besides mild interest?

The way the winds reacted to him was so... unfamiliar. His hands twitched. If he could perform such a trick...

Hm.

With her eyes still squeezed shut, Lumine grit her teeth and unsheathed her sword, bracing herself and running into the fray- going entirely by instinct, she managed to slash the side of the Eye of the Storm just as it lifted itself back into the air.

Beidou whistled lowly. Every trained warrior's eyes were fixated on the screen, almost hungry for the display of the legendary Traveler's skills. 

Sliding past it, she rapidly blinked her eyes open, tears coming out from the dust that managed to make its way in. She snapped her head back at the whizzing sound of an arrow being shot, golden locks flying all around her face, and saw Venti going into battle after her, expertly shooting short shots at the monster that was flying all around them. The bard was unfettered even as the creature flew itself in a zig zag motion, going in unexpected circles as it forced mini tornados of Anemo at him.

"Holy-"

Bennett leaned forward, his eyes bright with eagerness. Despite the fact that he's gone on several expeditions with Lumine, the sight of her battling never got old. His friends, too, were watching Lumine's fight, but Razor's eyes seemed to stray more towards the bard...

"Traveler! Get it!" Venti suddenly snapped, narrowly dodging an attack from the monster as he reached out for Lumine. Suddenly, a circle of Anemo formed beneath Lumine's feet, and she let out a yell of surprise as a wind propelled her into the air, gently floating her body and putting her right at face-level with the creature. For a moment, Lumine could only flail in the air, surprise overtaking her mind for a split second. Despite it, she let instinct take her, stopping her needless flailing- and she pulled her arm back, throwing her sword like an arrow, right into the core of the monster's scarcely protected body.

"What the actual-"

It did the trick- the monster let out a voiceless screech that caused more gusts of wind to come at them in waves, though they only opened up a few cuts on exposed arms, and Lumine was carefully dropped to her feet as the creature's body hit the ground, blackening and fading into nothingness soon after.

For a few moments, silence engulfed them. Then, Kaeya clicked his tongue.

"Reckless as ever, even moreso when you're not in our line of sight," he said almost fondly.

"You are so cool," Xinyan laughed breathlessly. 

"That was way too dangerous," Shinobu disagreed, but the look in her eyes wasn't overly concerned. Still, she sighed and said disapprovingly in Venti's direction, "Sir Bard, you should give her a proper warning next time. What if she hadn't understood your warning?"

"Ehe..." Venti replied sheepishly.

"Seems the dragon wasn't the only thing affected by this change in the wind..." Venti commented, giving no indication of being affected by the monster aside from his tousled clothes. "Now then, you were saying that someone had told you about the dragon?" He turned to them.

[A blacked out screen shows the text 'Lumine tells Venti what Lisa had explained to her...']

Venti took this information with a thoughtful furrow of his brow. "Is that so? Quite the scholar I must say, that Lisa." He hummed. "She's not wrong. The conflict has reached this point, only because both sides have resorted to the use of force."

Lisa rose a brow, bemused. He talked as if he knew me, she mused.

"His hate, however, did not arise from the people not making tribute to The Four Winds."

"Nor was it born from his own nature, but was instead came about a product of his degradation."

"..." Albedo looked silently at the screen, blank eyed.

"...Degradation?" Faruzan muttered, frowning. "How does a simple bard know of this, anyway...?"

"Degra... dation?" Paimon repeated.

"The black blood flowing through his heart has been torturing him for years." Venti added, his bright face darkening into something serious. "That's what has allowed him to be led astray by the lies of the Abyss Mage."

Her smile unwavering on her face, Hu Tao stole a glance at Xiao. The yaksha was subconsciously rubbing a gloved hand over his arm, eyes fixated on the screen. 

Perhaps this crossover musician event would help with a lot more than just foreign relations...

"I think I've heard of them before in Mondstadt..." Lumine muttered, mind going to the tales that adventurers in the guild quarters shared with her of their own quests whenever she came inside the building to scout for more complicated missions, and ending up running into seasoned members who would gladly give her the information she needed.

Bennett grins at the brief mention of their involvement- and subsequently, their first meeting, when a clueless Lumine wandered into the Adventurer's Guild for the first time, stoic and regal to the point the others could only stare and stay away, yet unmistakably lost as she lingered in the corner for over an hour before Bennett steeled himself and approached her. 

He smiles to himself. It's been so long since we've met, it feels so unreal...

"They are from the Abyss Order, an organization comprised of non-human beings. They despise mankind." Venti explained without preamble, seemingly uncaring of Lumine's lack of common knowledge.  "I don't know where they come from. All I know is that they hold deep hatred towards the human world."

"Many hilichurls out in the wild take orders from them and act as their weapons."

Again, this was far from common knowledge. It was typical for Vision users to know more about monsters than the average person, but specific things like these could only be known by those who dealt with monsters and leylines in their profession- and a bard certainly was not a job you would think knew of such things.

Lisa glanced at Jean, who subtly shook her head, and kept her mouth shut, despite the ever-familiar curiosity swelling within her. At this point, the questions were piling up to near-brimming, and there was a buzz within the otherwise silent room that spoke of anticipation for what felt like a long-awaited answer after several hours of this suspicion. Now, no one decided to speak or even glance in Venti's direction anymore, for propriety's sake.

They were quickly understanding that this simulation would not hold back on secrets, no matter how small or of importance.

(For now, at least. 

Later, they would have even more questions and concerns that would not be answered for a very, very long time- whether by person or simulation.)

"Ehe..." Venti rubbed the back of his neck, deciding to shrug off the palpable tension with a grin somehow mischievous and sheepish at the same time.

"Before arriving here, I too was like Dvalin, cursed and left to waste." Venti sighed, before a proud shine appeared in his eyes as he looked up at the grand tree before them. "But now, before us stands the symbol of Mondstadt's Hero, the place from which Mondstadt rose."

People's eyebrows were disappearing into their hair at this point.

He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, letting out a satisfied sigh afterwards. "The wind amongst the branches is good, I love the way it smells..."

Indeed, the wind here was particularly sweet. Though all winds in Mondstadt had a quality to them unlike any other place that Lumine has stepped foot in, the breezes here were even lovelier, having the gentle tinge of apples accompanied by mint, and the healthy grass smelled of dew even after all drops had long since fallen away. Especially the tree of Windrise, the faint scent of rain seemed to hang from its branches even on a sunny day, slightly cool and giving relief from the heat of the sun.

Despite not having a sense to accompany the description besides sight, many relaxed as the camera panned to give a slow but brief overview of Windrise, particularly the large tree that stood as its ever-famous landmark. Even those who had never stepped a foot into Mondstadt could imagine the breeze so well that the nation's signature refreshing scent could be said to exist within the room.

Behind her fan, Ayaka sighed longingly, while Thoma eyed the screen with the same feeling. Something akin to contemplation flickered in Ayato's eyes as he looked at the two most important people in his life, humming inaudibly.

"Being here with you beneath this great tree feels like when the tear was purified earlier. Like the poison was leaving my body..."

"Mmmmmmm... Feels much better."

Subconsciously, Xiao tilted his head up once more. Cecilia with a hint of apples- faint, yet always present as the wind.

He wondered what kind of poison exactly that Barbatos and Dvalin were infected with. Perhaps it had been something similar to his karma, milder but nonetheless sickening to the stomach?

(Had it slowly killed them every second just as it did to him?)

"So... how exactly did you get poisoned?" Paimon questioned.

Venti blinked. "Ahh... that would be because I tried to communicate with Dvalin earlier, but was... interrupted..."

Lumine didn't wince, but it was a near thing. It was simultaneously embarrassing and frustrating to remember that the whole mess could have been averted had Lumine and Paimon avoided their impulsive urge to follow the dragon.

Venti caught her eye. There was no way I could have fully purified Dvalin without you, his gaze seemed to say. The blonde hesitated, but gave an acknowledging nod before returning to her stoic form.

"As a result, not only did I not manage to help Dvalin break his curse, but instead, was also infected myself!" He gave them a wry look.

"That was ...me?" Lumine said awkwardly, resisting the urge to look away.

"Yes, it was you!" Venti huffed. "So to make up for it, Lumine, you're coming with me to the Cathedral!"

Jean gained a strained expression on her face, Diluc sighed, and Lumine took it all in unusually stiff stride.

Kaeya frowned at their reactions, then caught Venti's eye on accident. The bard was quick to look away, and it was enough for Kaeya to catch on. "Oh," He said, all of a sudden dastardly gleeful.

"I see," Lisa caught on as well. Eula shared exasperated glances with Rosaria who rolled her eyes at a pinch-eyed Barbara, while the youngsters associated with Favonius followed these reactions like one would follow a fastball, heads rapidly turning with wide-eyed confusion and suspicion.

"The Mondstadt Cathedral? To do what exactly?" Paimon asked exasperatedly.

Venti smiled a mischievous, almost knowing smile that sent shivers down the two travelers' spines. "To claim a certain 'Holy Lyre der Himmel'".

Noelle caught on as well, suddenly straightening her back. "..Oh my!" She gasped. Venti the bard, who she slightly admired as a symbol of freedom and song, was somehow the last person she expected to have done That Deed that was still forbidden to mention within the Cathedral, but which she had awkwardly comforted a sobbing Barbara about for a few, several, too many hours. Over a few days.

"Oho, are we about to witness a crime?" Childe perked up, hitting the nail head on.

The three of them arrive at the steps of the Cathedral together.

Ganyu made a slow motion of covering her face.

"So this... 'Holy Lyre der Himmel' is..." Paimon trailed off.

"One of the most treasured items in Mondstadt. It's the lyre that Barbatos used to play." Venti replied. "With it, perhaps I can help Dvalin draw his gentle nature back out of this nightmare he's going through."

Zhongli could no longer handle it and openly sent Venti a disbelieving look.

"Will it really stop Stormterror from causing more damage?" Paimon said.

"Of course. I'm the best bard in the world." Venti declared, a confident smile on his face. "There's not a single song I do not know, no matter if it's from the past, present, or future."

Yun Jin, Kazuha, and Xinyan desperately wanted to comment on that, but were still half-caught in the dreadful anticipation of witnessing what was most certainly a theft about to happen.

"Look me in the eyes. Do you not find me trustworthy?"

"The color of your eyes is like the sky in my hometown." Lumine said seriously.

"What a beautiful place your home must be," Nilou laughed to lessen the tension. It didn't seem to work all that much.

"Hahaha, that one doesn't work on a bard." Venti's eyes sparkled with amusement.

Paimon rolled her eyes at their antics. "So how can we get the Holy Lyre?"

"It's said that it's enshrined deep within the Cathedral, somewhere safe." Venti revealed.

Jean's head was already in her hands before anything even happened. Venti wished he could feel offended at her lack of trust in him, but to be honest it was fully deserved.

"I'll go take a look around. You can come if you want."

The three walk up the steps and stop around the entrance.

"Let me handle this." Venti said to the two, and the pair situate themselves a ways away as they watch Venti walk up to a sister standing by the doors.

A shiver ran up Barbara's spine.

"Hello there, Sister." Venti greeted cheerfully.

"May the Anemo God bless you, young bard. How can I help you?" Gotelinde greeted easily in return.

"Actually, I know a secret that can save Mondstadt from its current predicament." Venti claimed.

Gotelinde's eyes widened. "Oh, what a blessing from the God of Anemo!"

"But you should report that to the Knights of Favonius. Why have you come to me?"

"Hahaha, because you, dear sister, are able to help!" Venti grinned. "I'd like to borrow... the Holy Lyre. With it, I'll be able to help Stormterror–"

"Please see yourselves out." Gotelinde said immediately.

Silence. Then, a snort. Multiple chuckles followed afterwards. "Ah yes, excuse me ma'am, may I please borrow an ancient cultural artifact?" Heizou said, his tone so playful that it was almost serious in its overly dramatic manner. "What will I do with it? Oh, you know, simply to purge the current dragon problem that is plaguing our nation. I am but a simple bard of many talents, but you can trust me!"

"What?" Venti was taken aback at her sudden response.

"It's a vicious dragon indeed, but once the Acting Grand Master makes up her mind, nothing can stand in the Knights' way." Gotelinde said impiously, her eyes hard.

Barbara winced. Despite the ridiculousness of the situation, she couldn't forget the gung-ho way that Sister Gotelinde had proclaimed to them that the Knights of Favonius would surely purge Stormterror once and for all, that Lord Barbatos himself would have approved of such a cruel manner to destroy the not-so-holy protector.

Venti gaped at her shamelessness in such a statement. "That's simply not acceptable. Wouldn't Stormterror end up getting killed that way?"

"That foolish beast betrayed the winds. Not even the God of Anemo themselves would forgive it!" Gotelinde declared, completely believing in her words as she gave the bard a passionate glare.

"...What?" 

Any trace of lightheartedness that was caused by the sheer ridiculousness of Venti's plot disappeared. 

Ganyu could only sit in her seat as memories of a worser time flashed in her mind.

(The slow descent to insanity of the Five Yaksha. Their violence and aggressiveness getting worse and worse, until it was no longer limited to battle. The countless fights between them and the other Adepti.

The atrocities they committed. The people and monsters alike they killed in their final rampages, the monstrosity that burst forth from their immortal coils and lashed out at everyone around them, and destroying themselves from the inside.

The people they killed.

The m̶̓͐ͅo̴̡̓͘n̴͉̐ṡ̸͕t̷͎̐͝e̴̺̓r̸̮̥̓̂s̶̛͘ͅ  they became.)

Xiao-

("Those Yaksha are M̴͎̾̑̇̚Ơ̸̭̌̋̈́̓̾̽͝Ņ̴̪̗͉͙̳̹̻̊͘͝S̶̡͕̲̖̳̮̹̍̒̈͆́͒͗͜T̶̯̙͈̳̽̅̏̐̎͝ͅE̶͇͊͂̀̏̀͘͜R̸͓̾̈́̄̉̉͝S̶̡̞̫̠̼̜̈͐͠  they should no longer be allowed in the holy lands of Liyue-"

"HELP! HELP PLEASE HELP THEY'RE COMING AFTER US-"

"L̷͇̦͖̩͙̭̓͊͗̽̍́͘͘͜͜Ȯ̸̝̈́̒͛̌̾̄͘R̷̢͇͖̺͍̂ͅD̷̡̢̦̹̹̳̗̠͌̅͆̅̌͑͗͒ ̴̛̛̬̟̳̣̜̒̂̍ͅͅẢ̴̻͓͔̮͓̩L̴̳͓̲̲͔̆͐̀͋̒̊̃̽͜Ȁ̵̮̾̿͐̄̓̽̒T̴̠͙̼̿̏̂̀Ṷ̴͂͐̄͂̆̑́̉͝S̵̺͕̫̪̦̥͎̓̎̈́́́̏ ̵̧̦̰̟̝̥̳̀́͗́̓̅̂̕P̴̦̰̂̏́L̴͇̄̈͋͗̒̈́̾̕Ā̵̗̙͙͔̊͜E̷̻̅̈́̈̚S̵̛̝͚͓͛̿̏̋̄̕͝Ẹ̵̛͌̑̈̃͊̒ ̵̡̢̹̳̦̤̬͚̗̐̃̈́̑̑̉̈́̓Ȟ̷̼͎ͅÉ̷̢̮̰̼̦̠̩L̴̺̠̯̀̇̈́̑̿͌͊͒P̶͓͓̮̥̺̪͈̓̌̑̈́̊̃̚͠ US PLEASE-"

Ä̴̛̛͎͍̱̦̻̹́̏̓͐͘l̴̦͔̃̈́͝͝a̴̩͇̠̠̠̠̞̱̩̬̼̱̿̾͌̈̆̃͘ͅt̶̛͚̬͔̻̮͐͒͂͗̒̕u̵͇͉̭̠̣̲̩̲̿̀̈́́̒̏̔̀̏̚͠ș̸̛̜̏͐̓ ̶̢͔̦͇̻̓̊͊̃̀́̊̚w̴̲̫̠̥͓̮̗͓̌̈́̉̂͗̎̾̐̅͌͠͠ͅͅh̴̳̣̺̆͗̌̅̽ě̸̢̡̫͇̘̠͌̋̂͒̈́̐̄͌̑͘͝ṛ̷̳̬̩͕̐e̸̡̨̬͔̺̗͖͖̟̓̚ ̵̛̛̗͕̒̂̈́̌͐á̸̫̟̯̥̮͔͓͔̝̓̀̏̃̍̏̈́̒r̷̨̠̬̣̤͋̓̍̀͜ȩ̵͚͖͔̤̰̺͕̖̮͒̈́̃̋͆̄͗̓̄͠ ̶̻̦͓̪͕͖͕̋̎̔̀̑̅̇͌̀̃͠ẙ̵̢̪̖̜̖͑̓̀̍̀o̵̞̞͕̜̖͙̺̅̌̌̌͗͐́͜ư̴͍͔̼͚̝̎͋̀̋ ̷̝̤̰͔͉̝̫͉͕͚͉̊̆̎̏͝I̵̢̛̱͉͖̬̱̣̭̐̈́́̿̽̐̑͗̒̊̚ņ̴̧̗̞̮̱̲̬̠̈́̾̍͛̀͋́̇̕͜͝d̶̥̩̹͔͇̮͋̑̑͠a̵̦̼̼̔̿̌̂͑r̸͕͔̭̹̤̈̾́͒̀͝ĭ̷̧̢̭̹̱̣̥͙̼͎̮̟̃̃̔͑̍͋͗̃͑͆͘͜a̵̮͔̝̣̩͆̒̓̐͋̌̈́̽̓̕͝ṣ̷̏͒̔̊̈́̆̕͝ ̸̢̗̳̯͕͔̮͕̰͙̹͍̈̈͊̔͌̅̌̐̅̈́h̷̩̩̭̙̟͎̼̘͑́̀̈́͒͋́̉͂͠a̵̲̥̱̬̩̓̐͑̂ͅs̶̨̟̊ ̴̦̻̞̱̾̓̉͊̀͒͘͝F̸̢͙͉͉̜̲̰̫̮̰̓̓͒̽̑͌̄̉̓̚̕À̴̞͇̾̽̉L̷͈̩͉̝͕̇́͛̔̄̓̕̚͠ͅL̴̨̰̺̲͕̮͎̩̂͋͋͊̓̽͌̈̈́̈́̇̇ͅȨ̶͎͖̝͚̖͈͕̮͓͔̗̩̀̐́ń̶͕͕̘̫͒̃̑͒̆̋ ̶̰̣̺̹̖̍́̈͊̈́̕ͅͅà̶̦̟͈̲̜̤͔̟̗̿L̴̨̛̝̤̜̞̘̳̠̬͎̉̈́̏͝Ḁ̸̰̲͚̃̓̎̓͋͊̃́͌̃͜͠ͅt̵͎̖͖̰͈̞͔͓̝̱̃̀̈̈́̈́̅̾͛̚͝U̶̡̫̥̞̣͖̺̦̱̒̈́̿̇̓̂̚͘s̴̛̩͙̹̜͖͓͈̝̏̓̅̀͠͠ 

A

A̸̢̦̣͔̠̭̰̥͇̯̖͈̯͇͔̙̒̄L̴̡̧̢̛̛̝̫͎̤̳͖̜̠͚͙̜̹̬͕̎͑̃͌͛̈́̋͆͐̈̀̀̍͝Ȁ̶̛̻̹͕̮͚̱͔̘͕̼͍̝̲̝̿̈́̅̅̽̌̔̓́͒̃́͘͝Ţ̷̧̗̗̤͍͖̺͖̟̱͍͙̹̠̓́͂͑̃̃͂͌̈̌̃̉̇͜Ṵ̴̦̦͉͋͌̉̆̋̇͑̿̀͝Ś̵͉̤̮̳̙̝̜̮͝

)

"Alatus,"

It is a familiar voice at his ear that grounds him. A warm hand wrapping around his shoulder, gripping firmly, familiar although gloved-

The scent of earth and sun.

Rex Lapis.

"It is alright, Alatus," his Lord murmurs, hands gently squeezing the Yaksha's shoulders. "You are safe. No one can hurt you here."

The child (he has always been a child next to him, the one person in his life he can always rely on-) takes a deep, shuddering breath. He keeps his eyes closed, despite the stares and the fear hanging in the air caused by his near-breakdown.

("Harm will not befall you in our abode," she says, voice gentle in a way he has never heard before. Soft and sweet in a way that gods should not be, have never been. If this is how gods are, then was he the source of the problem? "This is your home, Alatus. You are safe here."

"No one can hurt you here.")

Venti was taken aback, complete shock lining his features. "W-wow..." He gasped in disbelief.

"Please, I beg of you!"

"I'm afraid not, little bard." Gotelinde shook her head.

(Strange... Somehow I feel so bad rejecting this sweet child...) Gotelinde thought with a frown, her heartstrings tugging at the crestfallen expression on Venti's face.

Albedo tapped his pen against his cheek, writing it down.

On his notepad was what essentially a list of 'symptoms' the Mondstadtians collectively feel when Venti is... Venti'ing. Aptly titled "The Venti Condition" at the top.

"Then... I guess I'm left with no other choice." Venti sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I cannot hide anymore!" Lumine and Paimon watched with a dawning horror as Venti cleared his throat and put his hands on his hips, a brave smile on his face as he shamelessly declared, "My disciples, rejoice! Behold, the God of Anemo, Barbatos, has descended!"

The silence has not let up since Sister Gotelinde's damning words and the panic attack stopped literally a few seconds ago, but somehow it feels dead in a way that is different from the fear-inducing event that just transpired.

"...I-" Jean sighed and dragged her hand down her face. Honestly, what did she expect?

"...Is this a confirmation or a scam?" Eula muttered disbelievingly, loud enough for only the two nuns beside her to hear, causing the wine-haired killer to snort and the blonde idol to let out a  whimper that sounded as if a squirrel was being strangled and poisoned to death at the same time.

"Shocked, aren't you? Don't you want to just cry out and rejoice? How does it feel to finally meet the god you've been serving?"

"If there's nothing else, I'll go back to handling the Cathedral's paperwork, now." Gotelinde responded without missing a beat, turning on her heel and going into the cathedral.

Venti startled. "Wait–" The doors slammed shut in his face.

Walking over to him with embarrassed looks on their faces, Lumine and Paimon stood at Venti's side, waiting for an explanation... or something of the sort.

Each and every single member of Ordo Favonius (and those associated with them in the present and past) looked rather... 

Well, there was dead silence, blankly staring into space, faces being covered by hands, people trying to decide whether to laugh or to cry. Lumine especially looked tempted to break open the windows and toss Venti out from sheer second-hand embarrassment.

"Eh? She didn't even bat an eyelid." Contrary to his startled, deer-like manner from before, Venti seemed rather calm, with only a hint of surprise in his voice. "But, I have at least learned what I wanted to know."

"Now, Lumine, since you're the hotshot of the Knights of Favonius..."

"Maybe you can give it a shot."

Leaving behind Venti, Lumine and Paimon steel themselves and walk into the Cathedral.

"Lumine," Jean started.

"I know," Lumine groaned. Still, Jean shot her a disapproving look, though it was ruined by the twitch of her lips, showing her amusement towards Lumine's despair.

The interior was as grand as the outside. The floors made pleasant sounds when walked upon, and even with no choir in sight, somewhere in the Cathedral seemed to play an elegant tune, highlighting the flawless beauty of the gods-blessed church. The light that filtered in from the top windows gave everything an unreal vision, hazy and gentle, like something from a dream.

Kaveh's eyes lit up. It had always been in his bucket list to plan a trip around Teyvat, exploring the lands for fun but primarily to gain inspiration for his next designs, to see architecture he had never even dreamed of, but he never had the time nor the funds to do so. In his life so far he had resigned himself to exploring every inch of Sumeru until he had run out of places to see and domains to discover (because holy gods domain architecture was so fucking cool) until he could finally scrape up the money to visit a nation or two.

Here, he had the ability to witness everything! Sure, it would feel a lot different than seeing it for himself, and it was unlikely the Viewing would focus on the surroundings for long, but Kaveh still had the ability to imprint every small detail to his brain to ruminate on later.

(He completely ignored the fact that it was unlikely he would be unable to focus on the small details for most of the Viewing due to the emotional rollercoasters and shock of never-heard before information, but a man could dream. Or delude himself into thinking what he wants to do is what he is going to do.)

Admiring the grand Cathedral, the two barely noticed they were in front of Gotelinde until the Sister herself spoke up.

"Barbatos bless you." Gotelinde greeted, a gentle expression on her face, so unlike her ruthlessly passionate words regarding Dvalin that were delivered not even five minutes ago.

Xiao unconsciously scowled. Ganyu, who had also moved to comfort her fellow adeptus, gave him a hesitant pat on the knee, glancing at Zhongli for a moment.

Lumine nodded her head in greeting. "I am the Honorary Knight of Favonius, Lumine." She introduced.

Gotelinde's eyes lit up, and a more genuine smile spread across her face. "I know you. You and Amber saved Mondstadt that day."

"So what brings you here? Tasks from the Acting Grand Master?"

"Yes, actually. The Knights of Favonius would like to borrow the Holy Lyre..." Lumine said.

"Is that so?" Gotelinde frowned. "Not that I don't trust you. It's just that a suspicious bard came looking to borrow the lyre as well."

"He's full of nonsense and even called himself Barbatos. He must be up to something."

"There are regulations in place for the use of the Holy Lyre. Currently, it's only used in Ludi Harpastum." The sister explained. "Signed documents from the Grand Master, Seneschal, and Community Representative are all required."

"Who even is the Community Representative?" Lumine muttered. "And the Seneschal is on the expedition, right? So there was no way I could have gotten that even if I tried to acquire it legally."

Kaeya smiled amusedly. "Careful there, Traveler," he teased. "It almost sounds like you're...  getting defensive."

Lumine immediately scowled at him.

"So, may I see the document from the Knights of Favonius?"

In the background, Paimon winced, panic slowly mounting as she flicked her eyes between Gotelinde and the window.

Lumine began to look through her bag, pausing and letting a furrow to her brow take place as she rifled through it. After a few moments, she sighed and looked up at Gotelinde with a pinch to her lips. "Paimon ate it on our way here."

"Hey!" Paimon shrieked.

"A signed document is required. Without it, there's not much I can do." Gotelinde said apologetically. "Now, if you'll excuse me. I really am quite busy as of late."

Lumine and Paimon leave the Cathedral and return to an awaiting Venti. They didn't have to say anything– Paimon's dejected expression and Lumine shaking her head was what clued him in.

"It didn't work... I knew it." Venti muttered.

Diluc sighed, deeply enough that even Venti flinched, shoulders rising to his ears.

"You 'knew it'?" Paimon echoed, her brow raising.

"I just wanted to know how influential Lumine – the hotshot of the Knights of Favonius – is." Venti explained. "You see, the best warrior should always be presented with the best sword, and yet here we are..."

"Does the story not make for a fitting ballad?" He mourned.

"So what are you trying to say? That we're not good enough?" Paimon glared, crossing her arms.

"No, that's not it. More of a commentary regarding Mondstadt's inability to see the warrior standing right before its very eyes." Venti said pliantly. "Very well. Looks like borrowing it is not going to be possible. We're simply going to have to steal it."

"Pray tell, why is that the second option?" Diluc sighed. Then, to Lumine and Paimon, "You were just told that you needed signed documents to borrow it. Couldn't you have brought up to the bard that you should try to check it over with the Acting Grandmaster first?"

"I forgot-"

"In the span of a minute?" Diluc interrupted. Then, he sighed again, shaking his head. "The first step is to exhaust all possible options." He added, "I'm not mad, just disappointed."

...Okay. Ouch. Somehow, that hurt a lot, coming from Diluc.

"Today we stand for free will! Any suggestions on just how we steal it?"

"Free will," Ningguang repeated, in a tone that suggested she had no idea how to react to this.

"..." Lumine was speechless.

"Come now, speak up. That's what free will is for," Venti teased, catching sight of her dumbfounded expression, a truly rare sight.

"Free will," Shenhe mused, in an ominous hum that suggested she was taking Venti's words too seriously.

"No," Yaoyao immediately denied her.

Lumine snapped back to herself and glared daggers at Venti, causing him to involuntarily shiver. "I don't want to steal anything!"

Venti shook his head. "Hahaha, look at you. Sidetracked from the start." He looked at her compellingly.  "But seriously, you're more suitable for the job than I."

"Aside from singing, I don't really have any other talents." He said. "Besides, if I was caught, I'd have no one to right the grave injustice of my arrest."

"A grave injustice in hell," Sara muttered scathingly under her breath. Heizou nearly choked on the water he was drinking.

"How can it be a 'grave injustice' if you got caught stealing red-handed?" Paimon said in annoyance.

"But things are different for Lumine. You are the superstar of the Knights of Favonius. You have made contributions to Mondstadt." Venti ignored her. "Should you get caught, you would easily be able to talk your way out of it."

"What kind of respectable authority-"

"The guards here, it seems they're off duty throughout the night." He said, glancing to the doors. Indeed, as they were engrossed in conversation, the knights stationed at the Cathedral had begun to leave, greeting the lingering sisters who also went to somewhere else.

"Off-duty? Shouldn't there always be a guard out for important places like these?" Ganyu asked, baffled.

Surprisingly, it was Rosaria who spoke up. "That might seem like it, but truth to be told, most thieves don't see anything worth stealing from the Church," she explained. "Most of the precious items inside are one-of-a-kind artifacts no one but extremely powerful people in high positions would dare to buy."

Like the Fatui, was left unsaid.

"And besides, there are guards inside the vault," she narrowed her eyes. "The Traveler was lucky enough that I wasn't there at the time... If I had gotten my hands on her, not even the Acting Grandmaster could have stopped me from punishing her."

Paimon shivered. "What a scary person..." She whimpered, diving into Lumine's lap. Her friend, completely unfazed, started stroking her hair without taking her eyes off the screen.

"If we manage to seize this opportunity, it should be smooth sailing from here."

"Stop mentioning us getting caught!" Paimon yelled.

A few quiet giggles.

"Lumine... What do you say?" Venti turned to the blonde.

"I'm sorry– Wait... Did you just say... you're Barbatos?" Lumine said, suddenly remembering Venti's little act from earlier.

Barbara winced, fingers twitching by her side at the reminder of the mind-boggling 'joke'.

Venti frowned at the sudden change in subject. "Ah, yes. Seems I did mention that..."

"Your point being?"

"If you really are a god, then we can't simply abandon you." Lumine said.

Venti sweatdropped. "Why does your decision hinge upon whether or not I am a god?"

"Because I'm looking for my brother," Lumine said firmly, to the clueless Venti on the screen, her friend who was not really her friend yet then, who only knew her otherworldly presence and the hard, hopeful look in her eyes.

"Paimon'll fill you in on Lumine's background story when we get the time..." Paimon whispered assuringly.

"Saying it like she's a main character whose background is needed to be known to all to understand the reason for her journey is a bit..."

"Character or not, it might as well be true," Alhaitham cut in. "With what is essentially her life being broadcasted to us and all."

"And if you're not a god, then I'll help Dvalin anyway." Lumine continued.

"Huh?" Venti sounded out.

Lumine turned away. "I don't want to see another separation." 

"..."

Venti could only stare at her back as she walked away into the Cathedral.

Venti ducked his head, smiling bitterly at his hands. It stung to see someone who had truly become a dear friend to him quietly hurt, knowing that he could do something about it.

But just as Lumine was dear to him, Mondstadt was even dearer.

(He was a coward.)

The two easily reached the basement without problem. Before they dove into the fray, Lumine took a pair of cloaks out of her bag– things she stitched using materials bought from Marjorie's store to use when it rained while Paimon and Lumine were adventuring, heavy and thick and with hoods long enough to hide their eyes. Lumine's was white, and she clipped it at the neck, making sure the majority of her outfit was hidden from view. Paimon's was also white, with a design of black constellations lining the back as a reference to her cape. 

Sara ran her eyes over the revealed cloaks, taking in every detail. Just in case they try something when they inevitably come to Inazuma...

"Those cloaks are pretty," Thoma complimented. "You made them yourself, Miss Traveler?"

Lumine, in true Traveler fashion, hardly reacted to being spoken to by a complete stranger and simply nodded. Seeing as she wasn't going to elaborate, the housekeeper continued, "Do you think we could share some sewing tips over a drink someday?"

Her lips twitched. "Sure, why not," she shrugged, her monotone voice almost playful in its next words, "As long as you pay."

Thoma simply laughed.

Meanwhile, Heizou was looking in amusement at the scene of Lumine and Paimon discreetly putting their cloaks on behind a pillar outside of the Cathedral. "Those cloaks may be inconspicuous, but there's not a lot you can do when the criminal profile is a young adult and a floating child."

"Hey!" Paimon protested, but couldn't find the words to refute. "Well... I.. Uh.. Ugh-uhm! Uh!! Paimon's not leaving Lumine's side, ever!" Was all she could get out, crossing her arms and turning away from Heizou huffily.

They easily darted down and went past the patrolling guards in a swift set of motion, reaching the vault...

With each guard that just so happened to brush their eyes over Lumine's (admittedly bare) shadow, Rosaria's eye twitched. She began to tap her clawed fingers on her thigh in a slow, rhythmic motion, causing Paimon to shiver instinctively despite being too far to see the nun's stewing irritation.

After finally getting past the throng of guards, Lumine and Paimon snuck to the pedestal wherein the Holy Lyre was sat, hands reaching for it, fingers just brushing against the surface–

–when it was snatched by a figure in purple. The masked lady twisted her hand and hid the Holy Lyre behind her back, giving the pair a wicked smirk. "Huh-!"

"Wh-"

"Fatui!? There???"

"Since when are the Fatui not there???"

"...Well-"

Childe was looking on this entire situation with mild amusement, munching on rabbit apple slices (that he sliced himself and carved into semi-realistic mini rabbits due to sheer boredom). Though the Viewing was certainly interesting and gave him a lot of insight, it didn't have quite enough battle scenes; he had to take all the joy he could get.

"Who're you!?" Paimon gasped, voice far louder than she meant for it to be. Then she covered her mouth with a wince.

The masked woman simply put a finger to her smiling lips, making an elegant 'shush' motion, while Lumine lunged after her. With naught but a sound, the masked woman disappeared in a crackle of electro, leaving Lumine to slide across the floor as her mind rapidly processed what just happened.

As the blonde stood, looking around in bewilderment, Paimon stated the obvious yet still being processed– "She... disappeared!"

Lumine gasped as footsteps clacked across the tiles. "Freeze!" A Knight snapped, laying his eyes upon their thankfully-disguised forms. "What are you doing here?"

"Too late," Rosaria grumbled under her breath, eyes getting dangerously sharp as she recognized the face of the Knight on the screen. Looks like she would have to schedule a few private lessons with... the entire vault guardstaff.

Seriously, what use were these so-called trained  guards if they couldn't immediately recognize a different presence in their midst?

"Oh no, RUN!" Without hesitance, the two dashed across the room, ducking under the caught off-guard Knight's arm and making a dash for the stairs, ignoring the cacophony of alarmed yells behind them and the ominous sound of Knights rushing to subdue them. They took the elevator back up, and as soon as they arrived they wasted no time in practically flying to the Cathedral doors, bashing them open amidst gasps of Sisters.

Their bard, lounging on the terrace, snapped his head to them, locking eyes with Lumine for but a moment before he got to his feet and jumped off, summoning a barrage of winds as he went. In the three seconds it took for Lumine to reach the railing and hoist herself up to jump, arms spread, the unshaped winds transformed into a flurry that assisted the Traveler to glide swiftly above the plaza and circle around the Statue of Barbatos, the yells of the Knights behind her covered by the sharp whistling air.

Sucrose's writing hand faltered as she began to gape at the sight before her. She was far from the only one- almost every Anemo user in the room stopped to stare. Elemental fast-travel was one thing- any Vision user could do such a thing if they trained religiously for a long enough time while gaining experience on the field. But to move the elements in such a powerful way, and to do so within the span of seconds...

("I have not been back in a while, it seems there are a few who are unhappy with my arrival.")

"S-summoning wind currents that shape themselves into something tangible...?" She muttered to herself, pupils trembling. Suddenly, she snapped her head in Venti's direction. Her own social anxiety couldn't stop her from calling for him, "Mr. Venti, I have a favor to ask-" -though the Viewing certainly did when the sound of the winds picked up in proper measure of the chase's fast approaching climax.

As Lumine swept her eyes over the grounds before her, she spotted a flash of green darting into the lowest part of the city, waving up at her. Lumine quickly summoned a burst of her own Anemo to tumble quickly down and skid across the pavement, running past the startled man standing by the door outside as she slammed into the tavern alongside her two companions.

"I would appreciate if none of you pulled that kind of thing in my establishment again," Diluc crossed his arms as the people the words were directed to stilled at the sound of his slow drawl. "You may do so in my Dawn Winery all you want, but public customers aren't exactly equipped for your brand of chaos."

"But those customers sure are nowadays, aren't they, Master Diluc?" Lisa laughed gently.

Diluc scowled at the reminder of the Traveler's incessant habit of stomping her boots all over the roofs of Mondstadt's buildings.

[A minute before their arrival...]

"Oh?" Zhongli rose a brow at this new development of captioned scene.

Inside the tavern called 'Angel's Share', two men stood by the bar.

"Master Diluc, this is this week's accounts." The bartender, Charles, presented the red-head in expensive clothes a clipboard, which he took and examined.

"I see, so this is where..." Jean muttered to herself, before pausing. She glanced at Lisa's curious eyes at her interrupted sentence and Kaeya's half-listening ear, and then shook her head. "Never mind. It seems that this is Master Diluc's 'official' introduction."

Kaeya nearly smirked at the thought of the scene in the previous episode wherein Diluc appeared out of nowhere, claymores a-blazing, and how he seemingly was never talked of after said scene. "Took him long enough." He hummed, just to be a little spiteful (playfully, of course.)

Diluc simply sighed.

"Hmm... The disaster has greatly affected business." The Master of the tavern, Diluc, murmured.

"Huh? I thought it was booming since the situation was so stressful," Amber said in surprise.

Diluc rubbed his forehead at the reminder of the disastrous months of Stormterror's terrorism. "In a way, it certainly did," he said, almost tiredly. Fortunately, he continued to elaborate, "..It's just that it boomed so greatly that regulars didn't have enough money to support themselves, their family, and their alcoholism, in Angel's Share."

"Not to mention the bar fights," he said under his breath, loud enough only for himself to hear.

Diona let out a 'hmph', too, at the whole wine business thing. Cat's Tail, of course, had gotten a lot more customers over those past few months, especially when aforementioned drunkard regulars could no longer afford the Angel's Share's directly-sourced alcohol from Teyvat's biggest winery, and thus retreated to cheaper and untraditional yet nonetheless tastier methods. In a way, it both boosted and hurt her pride at the same time. Why did she have to be the second option!?

Wait, why the hell was she getting upset about gaining money through alcohol?

The cat girl nearly cursed at herself. Don't let the stresses and joys of competition affect you, kitty!

"Well, let's hope it all ends soon." Charles sighed in response.

The doors creaked open and in came a rather eye-catching trio, cheeks flushed and panting from exertion.

"Hi, we'd like a seat at your, uhh... least conspicuous table." Venti gave a charming smile.

"Well, that's not suspicious at all." Keqing remarked.

"Umm... The second floor has fewer customers. You'd be less conspicuous up there." Diluc replied hesitantly. "But aren't you a bard? Why not sit front and center?"

"Hahaha, let's save the paid performance for next time. We'll be heading up now, see you in a bit!" Venti waved his hand, before rushing up the stairs with his companions in tow.

The two watched the trio rush up past.

Diluc leaned in to talk in his subordinate's ear. "Hey, keep an eye on them. There's something strange about that bard. I'll go ask around."

"Ask who exactly?" Charles rose a brow.

"The 'protectors' of Mondstadt..." Diluc muttered. Just as he said this, a pair of Knights came in.

Childe perked up a bit after hearing the rather unsubtle implied air quotes. Ooh, drama.

...Though every Fatuus and their mothers were already in on the fact that Snezhnaya's fearsome urban legend, Firebrand, disliked the Ordo Favonius with a passion almost half as bright as his ridiculous hair.

"Ah, Master Diluc. Have you seen two thieves around?" Otto questioned as casually as possible, as though they clearly weren't on chase-and-arrest duty.

Diluc rose a brow. "What happened? Why have you mobilized so many guards?"

"Haven't you heard, Master Diluc? Two thieves were trying to steal the Holy Lyre!" Miles said, aghast clear in his voice.

"How would he have heard if it happened literally only a few minutes ago?" Tighnari retorted to no one in particular.

"Maybe he's referring to the suspiciously loud winds outside and the, what I assume were rather obvious noises of soldiers being mobilized outside," Candace replied to the mostly-rhetoric question.

"...The Angel's Share has soundproofing due to how loud it can get at times. Don't really want to add outdoor noises to that." Diluc said.

"But won't that interfere if an emergency happens outside?"

"If an emergency happens," Diluc repeated dryly. "Knights would be busting through the doors to evacuate everyone out." One of the Ordo Favonius' few redeeming qualities was the speed and efficiency they took to get civilians to safety.

"...That makes sense."

"Oh? How odd." Diluc said.

Miles nodded fervently. "Isn't it? The Holy Lyre is a treasure that was played by the Anemo Archon themselves. Such a precious piece of cultural heritage–"

"Why would one want to steal something they can't sell off? Would pay better to steal from my cellars..." Diluc mused.

"Oh~? Is that an invitation I hear, Master Diluc?" Venti hummed mischievously.

Diluc shot him a dead look. "Rather than selling it off, whatever you'd steal would just go straight down your gullet."

"Hehe! You know me too well."

Rather than knowing him well, isn't it that Venti is too predictable?  Lumine thought.

"Huh?" Otto couldn't believe his ears.

"Sorry, off-topic. Believe they headed that way." Diluc left the bar and leaned out the entrance, pointing to the west.

"Understood. Thank you, Master Diluc!" Miles bowed his head, and the two Knights came rushing out where they came.

Sara had an unimpressed look on her face. From what she thought was a respectable, righteous man of the law to this. Then, she shook her head at herself, sighing at how she had become a hypocrite.

It wasn't as if she wasn't guilty of hiding fugitives herself, after all.

A few moments later, the suspicious trio went down.

"Today, I think I'll have a glass of..." Venti started, leaning against the bar counter casually.

"You can put that bottle you stole from behind the counter." Diluc interrupted coolly.

"...something cold." Venti finished.

"Shameless," Beidou said delightedly.

"Shameless," Ningguang said, in a tone that suggested she was far from delighted. The two shared a look.

"...I've already paid my full tab and given apology funds for that one bar, A-Guang. Don't look at me like that."

"Right. I want answers." Diluc crossed his arms and regarded them all with a Look.

Venti smiled placatingly. "Lemme finish my drink first? I'll pay you – well, with a performance."

"It's not about money. You seem too young to be drinking." The redhead countered.

Venti shook his head. "No need to worry. When I started drinking, you were still – "

"How about answering my question first?" Lumine butted in before Venti could out himself, an emotionless expression righted on her face once more.

...

That about confirmed it for everyone who harbored the right suspicions. 

Eula slowly buried her face into her hands.

Venti blinked before catching on. "Oh, you wanna ask 'Who's this?' Am I right?"

"He is Master Diluc, the boss of... ah, the owner of this tavern."

"He's very famous. By the way, his dandelion wine is one of my favorites." He revealed. "Though most of the time I can only afford a bottle or two..."

"It's telling enough that you can afford a bottle at all, since you're a bard and all, Mr. Venti," Dori muttered, distinctly remembering the exact prices of every single product from the Dawn Winery.

"Hehe!" Venti preened at the compliment.

"I just heard about some thieves from the guards." Diluc interrupted. "For the record, I like your guts for trying to steal the Holy Lyre der Himmel."

"Even if you are fools... but we don't often get to see people like you."

"Though we see them in the Adventurer's Guild every day," Mona said with a roll of her eyes.

"...Perhaps. Though rarely any of them live up to their bark."

"It wasn't us that stole it! The real thief is still out there!" Paimon insisted.

"You did try to steal it, though," Thoma hummed. "You would have gotten it, too, hadn't that Fatuus snatch it away right in front of your eyes."

"Sh-shut up! It's the principle of the thing!" The fairy threw back.

"This is the hotshot of the Knights of Favonius. Why would someone so aspiring steal Mondstadt's sacred treasure?" Venti said almost teasingly, making Lumine's eye twitch imperceptibly.

"Hotshot...? Oh, so it's you." Diluc mused. "So, you and the bard are close friends?"

"What a cold reaction to my humble act of saving lives," Lumine said monotonously. "Why, I must say, Master Diluc, that it really hurts my young heart. It can only be healed by a free bottle of wine."

"I invited you over already, didn't I?"

"I'm assuming that includes me~?" 

"Absolutely not, you drunken bard. I will not have you inside my main workplace, where respectable people work."

"Ouch! You're really breaking a guy's heart, Master Diluc!"

"Then die." Diluc finished heartlessly.

"We're not close, actually." The Traveler said coldly.

Double ouch.

Before Venti could even say anything, Lumine threw in her fastball and said, "Close your mouth."

He did so obediently.

"Well... Despite only being a passing traveler, you still offered your help to Mondstadt in its time of need." Diluc hummed. "A shame you joined the Knights."

"The Knights of Favonius... Inefficient right from beginning to end." He sighed. "And towards the Fatui? Weak and conservative."

When he saw Paimon begin to open her mouth, he said, "Forget it. I don't feel like talking about it." Her mouth snapped shut.

"But you literally just talked about it, Sir Diluc..."

"Bennett, shhh!"

"Seems you don't really like the Knights of Favonius." Venti noted.

"Just differences in approach is all." Diluc replied. "I have my own hopes for this city."

"Now, answers. Why did you steal the Holy Lyre?"

Venti smiled mysteriously. "You sure you want to know? It could implicate you in the affairs of the Knights of Favonius."

"That's fine. I somehow always end up implicated in their affairs." Diluc said, almost bitterly.

"Well, that's just what happens when a single city has two protectors," Kaeya remarked, near-sardonically.

"Two...?" Kokomi wanted to ask, but judging by Kaeya's tone and the topic at hand that seemed to be a rather old story, she decided not to. For now.

"If I tell you the story with a performance, will you believe me?" Venti asked.

"It depends. I'll make my own judgement." Diluc replied.

"Then will I get paid?" Venti returned.

"Your reward will range from anywhere between five Mora and the Holy Lyre. It all depends on your story." Diluc put in.

"Very well. Let me put on a show."

Venti plays the song about Dvalin he performed in the plaza.

Xiao closed his eyes and did his best not to think deeply about the lyrics, taking in the Anemo Archon's soothing voice instead.

"What did I just witness..." Diluc rubbed a hand to his forehead as if having a headache. "This is confidential information. Why did you let me know?" He examined Venti with narrowed eyes, all traces of humor (if there had been any before) gone.

"Why? Hmm... Perhaps the winds are changing." Venti smiled secretively. As if on cue, a strong breeze rattled outside, making the windows shake. Lumine spared them a glance, frowning.

Sara's fists clenched at her sides. She knew better than anyone in the entire military just how true that was... even if she didn't want to admit to herself most of the time.

Without having to look, she knew that Sangonomiya Kokomi was sitting as graceful and doll-like as ever, with her pure face devoid of anything that might give way to her true emotions, her mind a well-oiled machine of cogs constantly moving to keep up with her thoughts.

Perhaps the winds are changing.

Ayaka thinks solemnly of the former Vision users whose dreams and entire ambitions were stripped away from them for a bid to some unknown element above.

Ayato thinks of his sister, and what expression would be on her face if they lost the war.

His finger tapped on his thigh once, gaze locked onto the mysterious bard's secretive smile.

He would not let the rebellion fall to nothing but pieces of dust crushed under the Shogun's shoe.

"What say you, Master Diluc?"

The redheaded Vision user pursed his lips, thinking. "...Interesting."

"Give me some time. I'll organize some contacts." He turned to Lumine and Paimon. "Outlander, as one of the Knights, it seems you're not a suspect."

"Blonde is the only description on the wanted poster," he nodded towards Lumine's hood that had flown off when she was wind gliding to safety. Fortunately, she took off her hair accessory and tied it up beforehand. "you should be safe."

"Somehow, everyone missed the flying kid with white hair," Dehya said.

"As for the bard, however, it'd be better if you stayed in the tavern."

"Haha. No problem! I like taverns." Venti laughed.

"..." Diluc sighed through his nose.

Suddenly, Diona felt a wave of unwanted sympathy. Shameless freeloading drunkards like the weird bard really were the worst.

She was just glad that this particular weird drunkard had an allergy to cats, as stupid as that was. Did anyone ever have an allergy to humans?  She thought sarcastically.

"Okay. Let's meet here tonight after the tavern closes."

Paimon and Lumine change back into their usual and leave the tavern, holing themselves up in their room at the inn that was paid for by the Knights until it hit midnight. As soon as the clock struck, the two left the inn and headed back to the tavern.

"You're here." Venti smiled at Lumine and Paimon, waving cheerfully.

"Wait, you're... Lumine?"

Perhaps the person they had least expected to see was standing right in front of them, crystal blue eyes wide, dressed in casual clothing that looked terribly out of place with the image that they had reinforced in mind of her.

Lisa hummed. "So this is what you were up to that night... And the following days after." When the ever-diligent Acting Grand Master who refused to take a break suddenly left her duties for an entire two days to Kaeya and went off to Barbatos-knows-where while lying that she really was taking a break this time, by breathing in the fresh air outside the city.

...Well, Barbatos certainly knew. 

And she was certainly breathing fresh air. All of that, true... except for taking a break.

"Why is the Acting Grand Master here?" Lumine demanded.

Diluc rose a brow. "Well, first of all, I contacted more than one person."

"Secondly, she came here as 'Jean' herself, not the Acting Grand Master." He said in a sort of voice that was somehow reprimanding, making Paimon cringe from memories of Lumine using the same tone whenever she ate up their entire food supply. "A Jean you would never see, even as an Honorary Knight."

"Oh?" Xingqiu muttered to himself, subconsciously turning his head to them. 

With a firm hand, Chongyun turned his friend's head back to its original position.

"What a surprise." Jean said, her brow raised at Lumine, though her lips were twitched into an amused smile. "I heard about the Holy Lyre, but I never suspected it was you."

"Who would have thought the newly-knighted hero was one to get into trouble like this, indeed," Ningguang smirked.

Lumine instinctively straightened, about to defend herself, before pausing and deciding it wasn't worth it.

"So, the sound of the Holy Lyre can purify Stormterror and return it to normal... Is that true?" The taller blonde turned to Venti for confirmation.

"That's right! Lumine is putting themselves on the front line to try and resolve this Stormterror issue." Venti nodded, and Lumine's eye twitched as he used her as his scapegoat. "Now that's the hotshot of the Knights of Favonius I'm talking about."

"Feels like we're breaking the law though..." Paimon murmured.

"When did you get that feeling? Perhaps when you broke into a guarded vault in an attempt to steal a cultural artifact?" Faruzan said wryly.

"Hey! That's not what Paimon meant!!"

"I understand this kind of absurd explanation is hard to believe." Diluc started, and though he wasn't looking at Jean it was clear he was talking about her. "But, we can ask the bard to play the song again and try to persuade–"

"I believe you." Jean said.

"To persuade our stubborn command– Wait, what?" Diluc stilled, then turned bewildered eyes to the unwavering woman.

Lisa's eyes turned up into crescents, showing her amusement though she kept herself tight-lipped.

"I can't think of any reason for Dvalin's betrayal, given it was once one of The Four Winds." Jean explained her trust. "However, if it was poisoned in the battle over Mondstadt all those years ago..."

Nilou's face turned melancholic. As one of the believers of Lesser Lord Kusanali, she loved Her like any follower should- but even she couldn't help but daydream about what it was like to believe in a divinity so much that she would wholeheartedly trust in their intentions, no matter what the actions were.

...Still, for as long as she could, she would believe in their Dendro Archon. Whatever She may be doing now... Wherever she was now.

For she knew that even the untouchable craved love.

"And then corrupted by the Abyss Mage after it woke up – we can't really blame it." Jean frowned, a saddened look in her eyes. "But as Acting Grand Master I obviously cannot make such a statement publicly."

"Diplomatic pressure from the Fatui makes it hard for us to seek a peaceful resolution to the Stormterror issue."

"People would think I've lost grip on the gravity of the situation. That's why I can only do this in private."

Ningguang nodded approvingly, pleased that she found someone as rational-minded as one should be in a position of power. She had never believed the nasty opinions most of the Liyuen population had about their neighboring nation, but even she could fall into conformity.

She had thought that perhaps the head of Mondstadt's security was as free-spirited as its citizens, that though her hand was steady her mind was free from care.

She had thought wrong.

Perhaps it was finally time to have a proper conversation with Mondstadt's protectors, rather than just delegating it to the other members of the Qixing simply because she was much too busy with Liyue's affairs.

She caught Keqing's eye, and the younger woman gave her a slight smile.

"Hmph." Diluc's eyes were dark, though surprise still lingered on his face. "That's one of the reasons I don't like the Knights of Favonius."

Then, he muttered, "What surprises me is that you would believe an outlander so easily..."

"My cautious and meticulous superior, even  you  trust her. Don't you, sir?" Jean rose a brow as if challenging him.

...

Huh?

A scowl had begun to form on his face as soon as she said the word ' superior '. "I already told you not to call me sir... Never mind. We don't often get to work together, after all."

...?????

"What does that mean???"  Xingqiu was even more invested, and Chongyun had to physically hold him by the neck to keep from gazing at the suddenly silent Acting Grand Master and business tycoon.

Meanwhile, Noelle was blinking rapidly, eyes shining as the misunderstanding thought by majority in the room completely sailed over her head, forming a different misunderstanding in her mind. She knew that the redhead gentleman had had a flawless track record and highly respectable reputation back when he had been Cavalry Captain, but she had no idea that years after he left the Order the Acting Grand Master respected him to the extent that she still thought of him as her superior! 

Lumine pretended not to have heard anything, staring straight into the wall behind the pair before her.

"..."

"..."

...

Diluc closed his eyes, sighing through his nose. "It's far from what you people think," he said tiredly. "I... used to be part of the Ordo Favonius. Back then, I had been the Acting Grand Master's superior officer at the time before I left. That's all."

Jean coughed into her fist, looking embarrassed at the rather potent misunderstanding that she just now realized had never quite been cleared up with the others shown onscreen. "Yes, what Di- Master Diluc says is right," she agreed. 

Everyone politely agrees, and the matter is closed. There are secretive and dangerous things to learn about a person, and then there are embarrassing things, whether or not those embarrassing things are actually true.

"Wow! Um... This is really awkward..." Paimon coughed.

"I have a rough idea of where the Holy Lyre der Himmel is." Jean said quickly, jumping at the opportunity to push behind her misspoken words.

(Nice recovery! She's really talented at changing the subject...) Venti thought.

All part of being involved in politics, Ningguang thought.

"The conflict between Mondstadt and Snezhnaya stems from the conflict between the seven nations and their respective gods." Jean explained. "The Cryo God's Fatui seem to be after the Anemo God's power."

The room became solemn once more, as it was wont to do more and more often.

"..." For a brief moment, an unreadable expression flashed on the bard's face.

So it is true, Eula thought, pursing her lips. During the Stormterror situation, Eula and her reconnaissance team had been sent to the wilderness to investigate the leylines as well as check up on the unprotected villages around the nation, and thus she only knew the general rundown of everything that happened at the city when she was gone. Never anything personal such as this.

And now that she thinks about it...

Why did the Fair Lady rescind most of her troops from Mondstadt after the Stormterror situation settled?

This hadn't been a question she asked because she, like everyone else in the general population and most of the ranks in the Ordo Favonius, simply believed that the Harbinger no longer found a reason to have so many of her people in the city now that their excuse for pressuring Mondstadt was gone.

In a way, it was probably true, but seeing all of this now, she couldn't help but think if there was a deeper reason as to why.

"So they want to kill Dvalin?" Lumine clarified.

"Right." Jean nodded. "If the Knights of Favonius publicly prevented an attempt on Dvalin's head, then..."

"The only other way to affect the Anemo God's power is to take the Holy Lyre."

"The number of Fatui that have come to Mondstadt is far from limited." Diluc commented, his eyes darkening ever so slightly. "I've already managed to... coerce a few reports out of them."

For some reason, the look in the usually kind and accommodating "Red Fruit Man" that he knew, made the hairs on Razor's arms stand up, his teeth baring intimidatingly. The only reason he could hold back a snarl was the feeling of Bennett's overwhelming yet relaxing body heat at his side, Fischl's concerned murmuring at his ear, and Oz's comforting weight on his shoulder.

"Oh?" Yelan muttered to herself. She hadn't known that the man considered to be the wealthiest in the world outside of the Fatui was that type of person.

Wasn't it that he had a terrible hatred for the aforementioned organization?

How interesting...

"Diluc has determined that the Holy Lyre is not being held in the Goth Grand Hotel." Jean cut in, and the look in Diluc's eyes was gone as quick as it came, his face returning to its default indifference.  "I imagine they don't want to leave something stolen in a place where it can be so easily found."

"Paimon gets it. If too much of a scene gets made then it becomes a big diplomatic issue." Paimon nodded.

"Hmph, such is the diplomacy between the seven nations." Diluc said.

Lumine was pretty sure that was how diplomacy worked everywhere, but she digressed.

When the conversation is finished, everyone decides to take a break. After half an hour or so of preparation, Lumine approaches Diluc, a determined look in her hardened eyes.

"Outlander, ready to go?" Diluc greets, a similar expression in his own red irises.

Lumine nods. "Let's go!"

They set off into the night.

The travel to the Fatui hideout doesn't take a long time– they soon find it nestled beneath a small cliff, thanks to the use of Elemental Sight and other non-magical means of investigation.

"I'm quite surprised that the Fatui of all people have not invented a way to hide their tracks from Elemental Sight," Zhongli said off-handedly to Childe, whose smile stiffened the moment he realized Zhongli was addressing him.

Still, the Harbinger spoke as if nothing was bothering him, "Well, even if an expedition fails, we always have plenty of back-up plans," he said smilingly. Though his words were partially true, the full reason was that anything truly worth hiding (something perhaps like the summoning ritual of an ancient god or the creation of a mecha-machine unlike the world has ever seen) was headed by people who actually knew how to hide it. Y'know, like a Harbinger. 

Hearing his words, Diluc violently twitched.

Venti strikes up a conversation as Diluc, Lumine and Paimon prepare to enter the hideout.

"Huh, you and Venti didn't go with?" Amber asked in surprise.

"It just seemed unnecessary at the time," Jean explained. "Master Diluc is more than capable of handling a Fatui hideout on his own. The problem lay in retrieving the Holy Lyre without damaging it in a potential scuffle- thus, Lumine and Paimon were sent with. No one got injured, so I believe it was a sound decision."

Cyno narrowed his eyes. A man capable of handling a Fatui hideout on his own? 

It seems like there was more to the baby-faced business tycoon than met the eye.

"Jean just said the Fatui are trying to take Dvalin's power for the Cryo God..." he muses. "I fear this might fall short of their true intentions."

"I think they intend to use Barbatos' connection to the wind to draw him out." He traced his fingers against the walls of the cave entrance, pulling away with dirt coating his fingertips. "Just like Lisa traced the source of the storm to the temples."

"What an apt conclusion," Kokomi hummed, lightly tapping her fingers on her thigh. She didn't need to wonder why and how Venti seemed to just know all of that. Even if he wasn't who she thought he was, everyone had things they did in the dark- and it wouldn't be too out of place if a mysterious bard was someone who actually collected information on the most powerful people in Teyvat.

"The God of Anemo?" Diluc rose his brows. "...Hasn't been seen for more than a thousand years. What makes you think that's their intention?"

Once again, Nilou couldn't help ruminate on the differences between Mondstadt's divine protectors and Sumeru's own. Lesser Lord Kusanali, who has never been seen or heard from since she came to existence 500 years ago, whose followers could be counted in the dozens. How the whole nation was hung up on their dead gods, when everyone else beyond their sandy deserts and lush rainforests had long moved on from their own. 

She knew that the circumstances of her god and Mondstadt's own were vastly different, with one being that the Anemo Archon was the first and only of His title, while their Greater Lord Rukkhadevata had been the one who first nurtured Sumeru into becoming the nation it was today. And yet...

The people of Sumeru worshipped Greator Lord Rukkhadevata to this day, despite Her death. The people of Mondstadt adored Lord Barbatos even after a thousand years had passed since His last appearance.

What about the 500-year old  ̶g̶i̶r̶l̶   deity that was neglected and forgotten?

"Oh... Ah..." Venti seemed to realize too late that his companions were no longer just Lumine and Paimon. He rubbed the back of his neck, looking away.

"..." Diluc sighed through his nose. "...Forget it. I don't like having to pry," he quickly changed the subject. "Lumine, here. Take this." He handed over a small black cloth.

Diluc felt much like his counterpart. It seemed to be a miracle that Venti had gone undetected for so long, if he so carelessly spilled his secrets like this with anyone he got comfortable with.

"What is it?" Paimon asked as Lumine unfolded it, revealing a black eyemask that, when put on, gave the illusion of the eyes being completely white.

"A disguise, to protect your identity. Put it on before you run into the Fatui," Diluc instructed, putting one on himself and adjusting it as he spoke. "Unfortunately, they are still one of Mondstadt's allies. At least that's the facade we're maintaining..."

"Our actions are going to get them stirred up. Better not implicate yourself on a personal level." With that, he pulled up the hood of his cloak, hiding the shock of red hair from sight.

Seeing this, Lumine and Paimon did the same. Within a few minutes, the three were ready, and Jean and Venti sent them off.

After a long few minutes, they saw an unmistakable cloak lined with red and a plain black mask worn by a foreigner– a Fatuus standing guard.  Let me handle this,  Lumine mouthed to the others. She took off without waiting for their response, coming out of the shadows as if to casually approach the Fatuus. As expected, the guard sensed her almost immediately– but his reaction wasn't quite expected.

...For some reason, Childe had a bad feeling about this.

"No, NO! DON'T EAT ME– AH!" The Fatui guard screeched, pushing his body away and blocking his face with his arms. "Ah.. Ah..? You're... You're human?"

...

Childe's smile didn't twitch, even as snickers rose in the back. He was a trained Harbinger, a man who had to deal with drama at the dinner table every month because the Tsaritsa deemed monthly dinners with the Harbingers, tea parties at the Zapolyarny Palace that ended in scorched gardens and tables splintered to ash, dozens of paperwork each day, the entirety of the Harbingers' "friendly" bullying and badgering- he could take a little humiliation.

Their people weren't called 'The Fools'  for nothing, after all.

In the shadows, Diluc internally sighed.

If she was affected, Lumine didn't let it show on her face. "We have come for your life." Lumine said coldly, raising her chin to heighten the air of haughtiness about her– it wasn't hard, really. With her ethereal beauty, she could be as sweet and warm or as cold and dark as she wanted to be, with hardly any effort.

"Praising yourself, huh," Paimon deadpanned. 

Lumine simply rose her chin in response.

Privately, everyone could agree that the Traveler's self-description was quite true.

"Ahh, ahh, ah!!" Fatui Guard screamed.  "No, don't! I have valuable information! I'll tell you!"

"We hid the Holy Lyre in the depths of these ruins."

"The place it's being kept is locked up tight. If you're after the key, keep going further into the ruins, but d-don't come after me!"

"I don't know which one of the guards has it, but I'm sure you can find the guards and find out for yourselves."

"That was... rather easy," Yun Jin commented, being careful not to look in Childe's direction.

Rosaria sniffed. "You'd be surprised how easy it is for fear to take over rational mind."

"That trashbag in particular probably had no guts to begin with."

"This guy looks like he's about to wet himself..." Paimon noted.

The Fatui Guard glared at her, having heard that- though he was about as intimidating as a sopping wet kitten. "Y-You just worry about yourselves!" 

"One of the Harbingers is already in Mondstadt." He hissed.  "Signora. Once she gets her hands on you she's going to string you up and torture you. When that time comes, don't you dare say a word about me."

"He's hardly in a place to negotiate," Cyno said, unimpressed.

The Fatui Guard then refused to say another word, backing away like a cornered animal, shivering and trembling underneath Lumine's sharp gaze, keeping his own eyes trained on her every movement like any animal trying desperately to stay alive when near death.

Diona's eyes gleamed, thinking back to when she would hunt mice as a small kitten back at Springvale- even now, the memory of their terrified squeaking getting slowly and slowly more inaudible as she bit down on their tiny bodies sent a shiver of glee up her spine.

"That's pretty accurate," she whispered.

The group go further into the hideout, scouring it for the key.

"Did he say Signora? What a strange name..." Paimon wondered.

"No. 8 of the Eleven Harbingers. Goes by the name Signora," Diluc said. Something cold had crept into his voice. "The fact the Fatui can run amok the seven nations like they do is entirely because of the Eleven Harbingers."

Clenching her small fists together, Nahida bowed her head nervously. There was certain information such as this that she had not a single idea of. The barest of data regarding the Fatui organization had only been gathered through bits and pieces of the conversations that Nahida had overheard the Sages have occasionally, and had slowly begun to grow throughout this Viewing. From what she has seen so far, the general opinion on them weren't positive overall. Even the Sages had complained about them, which was why the Fatui existed as a small section in her brain in the first place.

But the more specific details, even if they were considered basic, like the titles and positions of the Fatui Harbingers, the ranks that existed within the organization, their overall goal revealed to the public and what was suspected to go on behind closed doors... Nahida knew nothing of this.

Regarding this seemingly big player in an even bigger game she had just recently learned she was apart of, the God of Wisdom felt helplessly clueless- a mere cricket lost in the skylights of leaves and trees.

If she could ask someone... 

She took a peek at  ̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶s̶u̶b̶j̶e̶c̶t̶   a certain scholar from her nation.

Would he be frustrated at her for asking questions of such common knowledge?

"We need to act quickly before she gets wind of what's going on."

They encounter more Fatui Guards as they go deeper into the ruins.

"W-Who are you? How'd you get in here!?" The Fatui Guard screeched as he caught sight of Lumine's golden hair.

"Why's he acting so surprised? The entrance wasn't exactly well-guarded," Beidou snorted.

Kazuha's lips quirked up. "To correct you on that, Beidou-san, the entrance was not guarded."

"I couldn't care less about your prissy grammar, but ha! You really think they'd have better security if they're keepin' treasure in there."

"We are goodwill ambassadors from the Snezhno-Mondstadtian Association," Lumine responded coolly.

The Fatui Guard recovered, still wary but relaxing after scanning Lumine with critical eyes. "Never heard of that association before..." He muttered. He looked at Paimon and narrowed his eyes ever so slightly– not that anyone could see it, considering that he was wearing a mask. "What are you lot doing here?"

Surprisingly, Childe barked out a short laugh. "I didn't know you were good at making stuff up on the spot, girlie," he said, almost fondly.

"You can say bullshit," she reassured him. 

"Lumine there are literal children here-"

Lumine and Paimon exchanged a glance. In the corner of the Traveler's eye, she could just barely see the shape of Diluc's gloved hand peeking out from behind a crumbled wall, formed in the shape of an 'O', or rather, a circle.

Lumine said in her best unfeeling voice, "We are here to investigate you for alleged corruption."

"Gods, she sounds like a tax collector," Kaveh said under his breath.

"What?"

"Uh- nothing."

Immediately, the Fatui Guard tensed once more. "What? How did you little brats creep in here? You take me for a fool?" The sneer in his voice was palpable. "Hmm, you're here for the Lyre, aren't you?"

"And just how do you plan to 'borrow' it?" He had figured their intentions out quickly.

Lumine smiled. "How does 500,000 Mora sound?"

The Fatui Guard startled as a fat bag of coins was thrown at him, barely managing to catch it. He immediately loosened the tie and greedily dug into the bag, checking the clinking coins for authenticity. When he was satisfied, he cradled it to his chest with a greedy smile.

"Wh- and you just had that much money on hand!?"

"I brought a bit of money along," Diluc explained. "I thought it might be useful."

Mona looked faint. "A.. a bit.. 500,000 Mora?"

Diluc rose a brow at her. "Yes..." He replied. "Half a million Mora is just about the amount of sales the winery makes in around five days. It's not that much in the grand scheme of things."

Kaveh eyed Diluc's clothes, suddenly renewed with interest for this very wealthy man. He and Mona happened to lock eyes across the room.

"Say, Master Diluc... Would you be willing to hire an astrologist and an architect to help with your business? Just for a week or two?"

On the other side of the room, Alhaitham's eye twitched.

Paimon silently renamed him as 'Greedy Guard' in her head.

The Greedy Guard looked up from his newly-acquired bag of coins. "Alright. You're free to go."

"But I don't have the key unfortunately," he continued. "You'll have to ask the next guard you come across."

Shinobu winced enviously. The Arataki Gang often had to fly by the seat of their pants just to get by day by day. That sum was no small stretch, and to just dump it all on someone who probably already had a high paycheck to begin with...

Candace frowned. "What a waste of money..."

The party left the Greedy Guard to his greedy coin studying.

The next room had another guard, timidly surveying the shadows in front of him like there was a threat to be faced in an occupied ruin. Lumine popped up behind him, making him let out a mightily high-pitched scream.

"Wh-Who are you? Wh-what are you doing here? Argh!" The Timid Guard put his arms in front of his face in a show of defense, his body leaning away from the Traveler and Paimon.

Another coward. Childe's dead eyes bore into the screen, already thinking of ways to beat such cowardice out of his own recruits the moment he saw signs.

Lumine quickly jumped on this show of weakness. "Give up. No one's coming to rescue you."

"Did you already beat all of the other guards?" The Timid Guard whimpered.

"I kicked their Snezhnayan butts." Lumine offered.

"Lumine!" Jean scolded.

"What?" Lumine whined back, so out of character that multiple had to do a double-take.

"Wh-What!? I-I'm not scared of you. An Agent will come to my aid!" Timid Guard exclaimed. Despite not being scared of her, he was backing away very scaredly.

Lumine rose a brow. "We both know you're making that up."

"Ugh... Ah..." Timid Guard squeezed his eyes shut, seemingly coming to a decision.

"Hehe..." His voice suddenly turned razor sharp. "I've had enough! I am a proud citizen of Snezhnaya! I will not falter!"

Childe's brows rose in interest. 

Alright, perhaps his assessment was incorrect.

Lumine was clearly caught off-guard, her eyes widening for an imperceptible moment, before jumping back and barely missing the slice of a blade towards her.

It took a good few minutes, but Lumine worked off her initial surprise and managed to beat the Not-So-Timid Guard down, knocking him down with the hilt of her sword and a light huff.

"And where was Master Diluc in all of this?" Kaeya rose a brow, a mocking lilt in his voice.

Diluc rolled his eyes, fists curling from where they were partially hidden by his crossed arms. "I was in the other room, checking to see if there were clues and making sure the other guard didn't get any ideas," he said coldly, a total contrast to his otherwise fiery demeanor. "The Traveler is fully capable of handling herself for more than a few minutes, and you're more than aware of that."

Kaeya simply responded with a teasing smirk, making Diluc's irritation grow.

The Not-So-Timid Guard lay on the ground, panting from his injuries. "...I have the key here," he muttered, utterly defeated. "You can head in from the hall outside, but don't tell anyone that it was me who gave you the key."

Several people side-eyed Childe, who merely gave a huff and shook his head. "He's not even under Signora's direct command, and it's not like I know his name or face," he said to them.

Though Lumine swiftly walked off, Paimon lingered, eyeing the Fatui Guard's severe injuries with wide eyes. When he noticed this, he barked, "Scram! You already got what you wanted!"

Paimon didn't stay much longer after that.

"..That was unexpected," Paimon commented. "Who knew that such a timid guy would be the only one with big enough balls to actually fight back?"

Albedo's hands flew to cover Klee's ears. Yanfei moved to cover Yaoyao's. Xiangling attempted to cover Diona's,  but the catgirl just batted her hands away with a hiss. Sayu was sleeping, but just in case, Ayato put a careful hand on her ear (she was sleeping on his lap and thus the other was already covered). Baizhu didn't bother with Qiqi, knowing  she neither understood nor would she remember in a few minutes. Shinobu swiftly reached for Itto and covered his mouth before he could say anything. Chongyun pinned Xingqiu in place with a glare, only to yelp when Shenhe's hands covered his ears (though she only really did it after seeing how everyone else made a move to "protect" their young, whatever they needed protection for). 

Lumine turned to Paimon, raising her hands as if to cover the fairy's ears, only to pause. Paimon stared at her.

"You know I'm the one who said it in the first place, right?"

The party finally found the room where the Holy Lyre was stored. Caged in the middle of the room, it was easy for them to walk up to it. But just as Lumine's hand reached for the lock, a deep, growling voice seeped into the room, " Where did you rats scurry out from..."

Itto didn't jump. Nope. He didn't. He didn't find that voice scary at all.

Immediately, the duo were on guard, blades unsheathed.. A Fatui Agent emerged from the shadows, his dark cloak making it seem as if the darkness clung to him like mist, creating a sinister image that, combined with his heavy aura, would've made a normal adventurer tense. As it was, only Paimon squeaked and disappeared into her pocket space, while the remaining party stayed calm and appropriately wary, with the exception of a scowl pulling on Diluc's lips– the only sign of emotion.

Itto wasn't shivering. Stop looking at him like that, Shinobu! It was just a little cold!

In an attempt to silently convince her that he wasn't terrified, he turned to find one of the children (and child-looking individuals) occupying the room to go over and comfort them- only to see-

Diona picking at her nails in boredom, Klee watching the screen intently with bright and excited eyes, Sayu sleeping away on Ayato's lap while the man absentmindedly stroked her hair, Qiqi's head bent while she scribbled at a piece of paper and chewing on a tangerine, Nahida clutching a half-eaten date between her small hands as she watched the screen, just as fascinated as Klee, Dori playing with a pocket watch as she watched the screen half-heartedly, and Paimon already tucked away in Lumine's arms, but rather than looking scared as she did onscreen she was simply dozing off.

...

No way.

Itto wasn't... a coward, was he?

"Signora is not going to tolerate this kind of interference in our affairs,"  The Fatui Agent mumbled, slipping a pair of flame-tipped knives from his belt.  "So I'll be the one to take care of you – save her the trouble of having to deal with you herself."

Ayaka remembered that the Fair Lady was a Harbinger- the highest position in the entire organization besides the Tsaritsa herself. This was seemingly just a Fatui Agent like any other, so why was he referring to her without an honorific? Not even Lady Signora? It was clear he (and the rest of the Fatui Guards shown beforehand) held her in some regard, yet not one of them referred to her even by her full title.

Northerners sure were strange.

With that, the Fatui Agent dove into battle, knives a-blazing.

Barbara shivered, clasping her hands together at her chest and hoping fruitlessly that they wouldn't get too injured.

Less than ten minutes later, he was half-dead on the ground.

...

Ah.

Barbara's shoulders slumped.

Right.

The ones before them were the Traveler... and Master Diluc.

With a growl of, " You can't run from debt,"  the Fatui Agent disappeared into dust and shadow, running away from certain death if he chose to engage against them further.

"Holy shit," Kaveh snickered. 

"What sort of debt are they running from?" Mona snorted. She rose a manicured hand before Albedo could explain that the phrase was a metaphor for the arrival of the Fatui themselves, blah blah blah. "Don't you even start it, Kreideprinz. I'm perfectly aware as to what he meant. It was a rhetorical question."

Albedo closed his mouth and quietly went back to eating his lunch.

"He sure was tough," Lumine commented, not having broken even a sweat.

"I agree," Diluc said, also looking unperturbed. "Though I must say it usually takes me a little longer to defeat Fatui Agents. You're not so bad a partner for missions like these."

"...How long is a little longer, Master Diluc?" Xingqiu inquired curiously.

Diluc thought. "Back then, it was around five minutes," he eventually said. "I've improved since then, so I'm not reduced to the same time constraints."

Heizou whistled lowly. What a terrifying man.

Finally, the key was inserted into the lock and the Holy Lyre was in the hands of Mondstadt's protectors once again.

"Finally, the Lyre is back in safe hands!" Paimon sighed with relief.

"Not for long," Rosaria murmured, recalling the destroyed state of the Holy Lyre currently in their vault, still trying to be fixed to this day.

Barbara covered her face with her hands and tried not to cry out in frustration at the reminder.

Suddenly, the Fatui Agent's voice echoed through the room, a lingering message of his defeat.

"Signora is going to end you. The songs bards sing of your demise will be so terrifying – the people of Mondstadt will never sleep again for the nightmares they give them."

Itto really, really, really did not want to meet this Signora gal.

"Coward," someone muttered, and Itto nearly jumped out of his skin.

"I-I'm not a coward!" He yelped.

Beidou, the source of the mutter, looked at him with amusement. "Not you, buddy," she said. "I meant the guy onscreen."

Everyone's tensed shoulders loosened when they realize it was just a threat.

Paimon put her hands on her hips, huffing. "Big talk for a guy who still ran off in the end... Chicken."

With the Holy Lyre in hand, the trio re-navigated their way through the hideout and left, returning to the city.

At the empty, closed Angel's Share, Venti and Jean waited for them. The bard perked up the moment they walked in. "Welcome back!" His eyes lit up when Lumine immediately pulled the Holy Lyre out of her bag. "Ah, this is the Holy Lyre! You managed to retrieve it!" He looked and sounded overjoyed as Lumine passed it over to him, the bard receiving it with gentle hands and a fond look in his eye that spoke years of familiarity with the item– despite the instrument only having ever been played by the Anemo Archon himself.

Heizou's eyes sharpened. It couldn't be that...

He stole a glance towards the Mondstadtians around the room. Most of them had confused or curious looks on their face, but when he looked closer, he could see that some had oddly blank expressions, or resigned ones.

...

Goddamn.

"The pattern of flowing wind carved on the rosewood... and the strings still feel cool to the touch too!" Venti's fingers gently brushed over the strings, creating a brief melody that momentarily melted away the stress in the mind. "Oh, the memories..."

Jean did all she could not to bury her face into her hands. Diluc was staring at the wall, Lumine into nowhere. Paimon was sighing and shaking her head.

All the while, Venti, who had practically merged with the carpet with the way he tucked himself under his table and watched the screen with his feet swinging in the air, ignored them all, humming near-inaudibly.

"What do you think, Venti? Can you summon Dvalin?" Jean asked, completely ignoring Venti's suspicious musing. Venti blinked, pulling himself out of his nostalgic reverie.

"...Although this lyre is the real thing, I doubt it's going to work," Venti began. "As you can see, this lyre has been through a thousand years of history. Its Anemo power has run dry." Indeed, though the carvings of the lyre were beautiful, displaying its quality, it was nowhere near the divine look that would have been expected of an artifact that once belonged to a powerful deity. The wood was dark in a way that made it seem as if it was doused in water and never dried, and there were a pair of empty holes where jewels should have been. The strings were thick and heavy despite the soft melody it produced, and resembled the dark wood so exactly that it looked as if they were not real strings, but rather decoration to make sure it was an instrument that couldn't actually be used. At first glance, it looked like a glum and plain yet hauntingly lovely lyre, but nothing like the  Holy Lyre  that was so revered in stories.

Barbara frowned. Indeed, it had been the melancholic musing of many a Sister at the church on how to restore the beauty of the Holy Lyre without further damaging it, but none had ever been brave enough to take a risk and possibly damage the closest physical item they had in relation to their god. When the bard, Venti, had 'repaired' it before returning it, it had been for several days the epitome of divine awe amongst the Cathedral workers- that was, until the spell wore off and everyone despaired as the true damage was revealed.

Meanwhile, Ningguang hummed to herself. "Even if it hadn't belonged to an Archon, and the instrument itself is shabby in appearance, it indeed is still lovely enough to be called a cultural relic once precious to a deity..."

"What I would give to have one in my collection..."

"In this condition, you couldn't play music fit for even Diluc's tavern with it..." Venti sighed forlornly, the sentiment genuine despite the jabbing words.

Diluc's eye twitched. "Bards fight to get on the stage of my tavern. Don't make assumptions!"

This got a snicker out of Kaeya and Rosaria, making the winery owner twitch ever so slightly upon hearing the dreadful laughter of his most hated customers.

Paimon interrupted, "Is that really important right now, Master Diluc!?"

She turned to Venti with her hands on her hips. "And you – did you just borrow the Holy Lyre to play music for drunkards to hear?"

Venti grinned, "Hehe."

"What do you mean 'hehe'!?"

Paimon scowled at the scene, looking quite like a rageful kitten as she crossed her arms and said, "Everytime that Tone-Deaf Bard says that I keep thinking up of ways to emotionally scar him forever!"

"Hehe!"

"SHUT UP-"

Brushing off the fuming Paimon, Venti said, "Anyway, we won't be able to call Dvalin with it."

"The lyre itself is fine, but the strings..." he frowned at the stiff strings that closely resembled the wood the lyre was made of. "You're up, outlander!"

"I don't know how to fix broken instruments," Lumine denied.

"Relax! It's not broken." The bard waved her off. "It's just that the intensity of its Anemo power has greatly diminished."

"Lumine, do you still have that Teardrop Crystal with you?"

Lumine retrieved the crystal from her bag and touched it to the edge of the Holy Lyre. Within moments, the instrument began to glow, absorbing the Teardrop Crystal and floating into the air, giving off a bright, blue light as its power was replenished by the crystal. When it landed back into Venti's hands, it looked slightly less worse-for-wear, with the strings being a bit brighter and the whole instrument giving off a faint, barely there, divine aura.

The intense sound of writing was deafening as the scholars within the room fervently recorded what was being shown before them- while Albedo was thoroughly describing the visuals and creating a sketch as the scene was being played, Faruzan was seemingly deviating away from information-recording and straight into blueprints, drawing up rough sketches of machinery that could harness Lumine's purification power and use it for whatever the twin-tailed scholar had in mind.

Alhaitham was listing down what texts he might need to read up on in order to gain more knowledge about corruption and purification in nature only for Tighnari to silently pass him a paper ripped from his notepad. On the paper contained a short list of the related literature the scribe was looking for- all of the books which were very likely to be on Tighnari's shelf at the Forest Ranger base. The two exchanged curt nods, a silent promise from Alhaitham to pull some strings and get more support for the Rangers and their mission to purify The Withering, and the two returned to their seats like nothing happened.

Collei watched them with a slightly slack jaw. What a weird yet somehow fitting duo...

All the while, Nahida was fidgeting, but her emerald eyes were sparkling. So this is what scholars looked like in their natural habitat!

Still, no matter how faint it was, it was still there.

"It worked, as expected." Venti smiled gleefully in Lumine's direction. Meanwhile, Jean had a hand held to her chest, eyes sparkling as she looked upon the Holy Lyre with reverence fit for a devoted child of Mondstadt.

Much of Mondstadt's population in the room shared the same expression as her- even Razor's normally hard eyes were lit with a childish awe rarely seen on him. 

"So gorgeous..." Barbara sighed.

"This youthful glow..." She gasped.

"Praising yourself?  Really ?" Paimon was unimpressed.

"...How did you even come to that conclusion, Paimon?"

"Look- there was a lot of stuff going through Paimon's head at that time!"

So, too, was Jean. "...I was talking about the Holy Lyre."

"Thanks to Lumine having purified the crystal, the Holy Lyre won't continue to lose power." Venti interrupted.  "That said, its power is far from replenished. It'd be great if we could get more tears."

"How can we make Dvalin cry? By hitting him?" Lumine said with a serious face.

"Traveler..." Keqing sighed. "You truly have a unique mind..." 

"Thank you, Keqing."

"...Paimon doesn't think that was a compliment, Lumi."

"Hey! Just what is going on in your head!" Paimon screeched.

Venti ignored them both, his eyes swelling with melancholy- an all-too familiar look on him by now. "I can surmise that Dvalin will already be crying..." 

"Suffering alone in some deserted place..."

"Dvalin..." Jean sighed, something heavy in her throat.

"Poor baby..." Paimon frowned.

Noelle wrung her hands out in shame. She could still remember the lack of sympathy she extended towards the dragon. At that time, she had been entirely focused on herself and what she could do to help the people around her, taking time for nothing else and not even deigning to give a thought to the well-being of the heroes working behind the scenes and the dragon so clearly suffering within plain sight.

To this day, she still feels ashamed to call herself a proud citizen of Mondstadt, knowing that she couldn't even believe in one of The Four Winds that once protected them.

But to make up for it, she knows-

-That she has to become the best version of herself in order to become a Knight and finally be able to make it up to Lord Dvalin, protecting their nation and spreading tales of his legendary presence, a safe haven, make it so that any creature who was similarly corrupted could find solace in Mondstadt...

Jean closed her eyes, thinking for a moment, before nodding to herself, seemingly coming to a decision. "This is not something that an Honorary Knight can accomplish alone. I will mobilize the rest of the knights to assist." 

"When you get the Teardrop Crystal, please let Lumine perform the purification process."

Lumine nodded seriously, showing no hesitance as she said, "Leave it to me."

"Heroes supporting each other and setting out on a journey together... How exciting!" Venti smiled, perking up.  "Lemme come up with a song for you..."

Yoimiya clapped her hands together, eyes twinkling. "This really feels like the turning point when the heroes' party finally step into the most serious and dangerous part of their journey," she gushed. "I can almost hear the orchestral music."

"Me as well," Xingqiu nodded, a smile of camaraderie on his face.

"Ha ha ha ha!" Fischl laughed grandly, grabbing the attention of the duo. "If this is what it takes to fascinate you mortals, then you clearly have never witnessed the fraught journey of a true legend!" Eye sparkling, she strikes a pose towards the sky. "For my biography, Flowers for Princess Fischl, tells it all- the tale of a princess who shall set her heart ablaze to relight the world anew!"

Yoimiya hardly blinked before saying, "Oh? I haven't heard of your biography before, Fischl-sama! Tell me all about it..."

"Is that all you're going to do? Just sing?" Paimon rolled her eyes.

Venti shot her an amused smile. "Wouldn't be much of a bard if I didn't, now would I?" 

"Hmph. You're so cheeky... You deserve an ugly nickname." Paimon sneered.  "Oh, Paimon knows! From now on, you'll be known as 'Tone-Deaf Bard'!"

Paimon huffed proudly, still proud of the nickname she made up on the spot and still used today, getting even Lumine to refer to him as that every so often.

"Tone-Deaf Bard," she shot scathingly toward Venti, who simply ignored her. She pouted. He wasn't just tone-deaf, he was deaf!

The next morning, before the skies had even brightened, the party set out to the Thousand Winds Temple, entering a domain hidden within– taking the shape of a crumbling city in the skies.

Kaveh's eyes glittered, admiring the ancient city suspended in an eternal white-gold sky. Ever since the Jade Chamber had first been built and shown to the world, he had been seething in envy and rage at not being able to work on such a project, having just been a student then.

He still hasn't gotten a request to design a floating building like the Jade Chamber, due to how expensive such a project was and how most of the wealthy persons of Teyvat didn't care much for a floating base of their own or already had their own personal architects and builders, not to mention that when the Jade Chamber would inevitably begin rebuilding it had no real need for architects since it already had an existing design. It was highly unlikely that the Tianquan would want a major redesign.

Though he actually could ask... He had a bunch of sketches on floating buildings and even his own personal designs of something akin to the Jade Chamber- even if she just wanted to change something minor, he could definitely help out with that. A free trip to Liyue and a good cheque? The only thing he was missing was the Tianquan's interest and approval!

How terribly convenient this Space was, lumping him in with a bunch of renowned people that he felt slightly inferior towards due to their sheer fame and talent... He could only wonder what kind of role he held in the future if he was one of the chosen Sumerun Vision users for the Viewing.

"This reminds me of a feud I once had with the Fatui." Diluc mused as they ventured deep into the domain. "Six months ago, a thief stole treasure from the East Temple of the Four Winds."

What kind of winery owner had an active feud with the Fatui what the fuck. 

Heizou would really like to know more about this man.

"Whoa. What was it? A cup used by Barbatos?" Paimon questioned.

Diluc shook his head. "No. Although if such a thing existed, it would be very valuable." 

 "Wasn't it said earlier that relics would be useless to sell since they would belong to the nation and therefore have no value anywhere else?" Kaveh asked curiously.

"It depends on who finds it first," Rosaria said shortly before Barbara could open her mouth.

Kaeya gave his wine-haired friend an amused smile that made her huff before he explained, "As she said, it does depend on whoever finds it first. Unfortunately, though we do have a law in place regarding ancient relics, it's not like we can make people hand them over- when we don't even know they exist in the first place, or if said relic was even still around. We, ah, actually have a team solely for relic hunting and regulations, but they're... currently out of commission due to an expedition."

"Among all the relics they managed to dig up, one particular object was very rare..."

"It was a vial which contained the Anemo Archon's breath."

Zhongli made a humming noise. "That sounds quite unique indeed," he said. "Though I do wonder how they were able to verify that it was indeed the Anemo Archon's breath, considering how far-fetched it seems..."

"If I may," Diluc interrupted. "Based off of the counterfeits I've found and the information I've gathered on the real thing, the 'breath' seems to take the shape of a ball of glowing green wind that supposedly feels 'wild yet divine' even when you're simply holding the vial. If the cork is removed, the 'breath' doesn't dissipate and serves as an endless, small source of cool wind." 

The redhead crossed his arms. "...Though that's only what I've heard. Neither the Fatui nor I have found it to this date. Who knows, it could be entirely different."

Zhongli eyed Diluc with curiosity. "How interesting." He stated, and it wasn't towards Diluc's helpful answer.

"Relics come in every shape and form huh..." Paimon murmured thoughtfully.

"Anyone with an eye for fine art would like to add this relic to their collection." Diluc added.  "Once word got out, the Fatui started trying to seek it out as well."

"They've made tons of counterfeits that can be found everywhere." 

"In response, I just bought every one I could find, irrespective of its authenticity. We're still at it now." He said as if this was totally normal.  "I've bought more than two thousand fakes to date, and the Fatui have yet to find the real one."

"...Master Diluc, out of curiosity, how much does one fake cost?" Mona asked.

Diluc took a moment to remember. "On some occasions, the prices differ, but on average, one costs around 1.9 million Mora."

1.9 million Mora multiplied by two thousand was... 

Three billion eight hundred million Mora. Spent on fakes. 

Diluc watched with bemusement as Mona fainted into a startled Sucrose's arms. Even some of the more stoic-faced people in the room had expressions of bewilderment after calculating the total amount.

Meanwhile, Ningguang, who was the only person in the room richer than him, looked amused. "Do you have a warehouse dedicated to storing such things, Master Diluc?"

He nodded. "I do. It's stationed a bit a further away from my normal warehouses since the workers not assigned to it would probably walk into it on accident and get confused... or see things they're not meant to see," he cleared his throat. "But the fakes aren't totally useless. The Fatui at least put in the effort to make their counterfeits look real. The vials they use are made from glass unique to Snezhnaya and Natlan's respective climates, and the 'breaths' can surprisingly used as a type of magic fertilizer. I usually have them planted with the dandelions for my Dandelion Wine." 

"As for the glass, their durability and unique make ensures that whatever is stored in them is preserved for longer, which is incredibly useful for ingredients. Long story short, purchasing these counterfeits is essentially a win-win situation- with both wins attributed to Mondstadt."

"Though lately the Fatui haven't been as active in producing these counterfeits along with looking for the real thing..."

"OKAY, we get it, you're a nerd!" Paimon interrupted in annoyance.

Diluc's eye twitched, lips thinning, and he kept quiet to himself as everyone else looked away, trying to hide their amusement. It was quite unfortunate that various figures around the world were learning of Diluc's tendency to ramble and overshare, which fortunately for him rarely was commented on simply because of his absolutely stoic expression and nonchalance.

On the rare occasion someone did, it was unfortunately showcased just how easily embarrassed Diluc could get. As currently shown by the way he closed his eyes just now and began to steadfastly ignore everyone and everything around him. 

"Whoa. You guys are insane..." Paimon breathed out, looking suddenly as if the weight of the world had just been revealed to her.  "So, it means that the real one must be somewhere out there on the black market, right?"

"Hmm... Paimon'll give you a discount on them if she finds any – cause Paimon's just great like that!"

Diluc offered an indulgent raise of the brow. "Sure, you can try to find the real one. I'll take what you can find, even if they're fake." 

"Once you're done, find me at the winery. I'll trade you a beer for every 20 that you find."

"One beer isn't enough for thirty-eight million Mora," Lumine deadpanned.

Diluc, still in his state of embarrassment, ignored her.

All conversation stopped as the party focused on defeating the monsters in their path. With Diluc's merciless flame, Jean's healing winds, Venti's supporting breeze, and Lumine's aggressive swordsplay, they managed to get through the monsters living in the ruins in no time, obtaining Dvalin's Tear.

Gorou's eyes sparkled as he watched the effortless battles taking place. Hearing of renowned Vision users was one thing, and watching them in action was another.

"Despite the Elemental Resonance being unbalanced, they still manage to fight together so well," Candace murmured to herself, nodding in respect.

Like Gorou, Bennett's eyes were also sparkling. Watching the way the party members adapted to one another seamlessly despite only having fought together just then was awe-inspiring, and he found himself thinking back on the time when he, Fischl, and Razor finally found their rhythm together and learned to fight as a group, adapting and making way for each other's skills, and covering the necessary holes.

A wave of gratitude and warmth washed over him, and he turned to grin at Fischl and Razor, both of whom had their eyes locked on the screen. He had always dreamed of the kind of teamwork on the screen, when an adventure team gradually became a family, knowing each other like the backs of their hands. For a long time, he never thought he would actually get something like that, considering his curse, and how the original lineup of Benny's Adventure Team never quite managed to learn how to fight and live together.

Now, he had Razor, Fischl, and even Oz. 

Bennett really was lucky to have friends like them.

"Paimon didn't think we'd find Dvalin's tears in a place like this." Paimon commented.

"As knights, we are taught to hone our investigative skills." Jean replied.

Paimon clapped. "Wow! Very impressive!" She sounded genuinely impressed.

"In my experience, the secret to find what you are looking for is to never look for it in the first place." Jean said.  "Don't think too much about it and don't search too hard... and before you know it, what you are looking for will appear right before your very eyes."

Qiqi, who always forgot everything she laid her hands on, blinked. She proceeded to write it down in her notebook, nevermind the fact that the technique regularly applied to her without her knowing.

"I really don't get the logic behind it, but somehow it always works," Collei complained.

"What?" Paimon replied bluntly.

Jean shook her head. "Don't worry about it too much. The more flustered you are, the less likely you are to find it." 

"Pay attention to what you see in your peripheral vision, and you might just stumble upon what you're looking for."

"I don't know... It doesn't sound like that would work..." Paimon trailed off.

Lumine was nodding along to Jean's words. "It does work," she said.

Paimon just gave her a look of disbelief.

"It does," Lumine insisted. "Back when Aether and I were starting our travels, we lost things all the time. If we looked for it for hours, we'd come up with nothing, but as soon as we decided to give up and leave it be, whatever we lost would appear right in front of us. As in, we'd leave our camp to look for it, but on the way back it was miraculously just lying on the ground."

"Lumi, no matter how much you try to convince me, I won't believe you."

As the two bickered in their own corner, Venti looked at Lumine with a sad yet fond expression. Lumine rarely talked about her brother, but every once in a while anecdotes of their journey together would slip out without her noticing. From what he'd observed, it was more likely to happen when the Traveler believed it was just her and Paimon alone, confirming that she'd only be comfortable to do it around people who knew almost everything about her. 

Doing it now, in a room full of strangers, acquaintances, and good friends who nonetheless couldn't measure up to someone like her ever-loyal Paimon in terms of trust, Venti could only now realize how tense she still was. 

Considering the simulation was almost entirely based on her perspective, it was understandable, something Venti could even empathize with.

Even as the time crept closer for the reveal, Venti still didn't know how to feel about his people (and many, many strangers) finding out about his secrets.

"No, seriously, it does though." Jean insisted. "In fact, it's how I used to find my tortoise whenever he went missing." 

Paimon blinked, taking in the information, before- "...Wait – you had a pet tortoise!?" 

"What's so surprising about that?" Jean huffed a laugh.

Similar to her future/real-life counterpart, Jean gave her a curious look. "Yes, why? Something wrong, Paimon?" 

"No, it's... uh, well, just surprising is all." Paimon dismissed, lowering herself from the high spot in the air she had jumped to.

"Why?" Jean asked genuinely.

"Paimon can't imagine Jean having a pet tortoise. Surely you find it hard to imagine too, Master Diluc?" Paimon turned to the redhead desperately.

"No, I don't." Diluc said.  "I had one too when I was a kid. What's so strange about it?"

Kaeya began to laugh openly. "Well, you see, Paimon, there's this phenomenon called rich kid pet when the child of a wealthy character typically keeps a small, docile animal as a pet-" 

"Just what are you going on about this time?" Diluc huffed.

"But I'm not incorrect, am I, Master Diluc?" The dark blue-haired knight turned to Eula. "If I may ask, Captain Eula, did you have a pet tortoise as well?"

Eula nodded stoically. "I did. His name was King of Tango The First."

Kaeya blinked at the rather unexpected name, before bursting out into laughter, the sound of it just as musical as his voice. "What a spectacular name! And pray tell us, Master Diluc, what was yours called?"

Diluc glared at him, but ultimately gave in with a sigh, "...She was called Lady Breaking Dawn."

"And there we have it! The rich kid pet phenomenon joined by the optional circumstance of spectacular names such as, Lady Breaking Dawn and King of Tango The First."

With an amused smile on her face, Jean joined in, "My tortoise had been called The Dragon Lord Victoire of the Seas."

"...Not so optional, then."

"What? You too!?" Paimon screeched.

To the Kamisato siblings, "Please don't tell Paimon you guys had one too..."

Both shook their heads. "It's more common amongst Inazumans to keep hamsters instead," Ayato informed, an amused smile on his lips.

"UGH! So it's a rich people thing!?"

The party leaves the domain and take a picnic break to replenish their energy. It wasn't exactly planned, but Lumine had stopped them all and had pulled out a picnic blanket from her bag while looking straight into their eyes, so they had no choice but to stop and recuperate. They enjoyed the food and drink that Lumine had preserved in her bag.

"That bag of yours is quite interesting," Faruzan began, eyes wandering to the leather bag seated at the real Lumine's side. "How does it work? Is it encoded with something? Is it a special sort of machinery?"

"It's an enchanted bag," Lumine denied. Faruzan looked a bit disappointed, but then brightened up again.

"I see... Would you teach me that enchantment you used for it?"

Lumine shrugged. "Sure. Why not."

An hour later, they went back to it, this time following Dvalin's footprints to a ruin deep within the woods.

After their enemies were all defeated and they obtained Dvalin's Tear, they made their way out of the woods once more.

Paimon sighed, "We're done gathering! That was hard..."

"It's too early to relax. We're still not done with Stormterror." Diluc said, crossing his arms and levelling a stern look at Paimon. "Besides, the Fatui could also be planning something..."

"Hey Diluc, I heard that the Fatui have recently proclaimed you 'persona non grata'." Jean suddenly said.

Qiqi tugged at Baizhu's sleeve. "It means a foreigner who is unwelcome in another country," he said to her lowly. "Like a specific Mondstadtian unallowed to enter Liyue."

She nodded seriously and wrote that down in her notebook.

"Hmph, what an honor." Diluc rolled his eyes.  "Nobody was ever proclaimed 'persona grata' by the Fatui anyway." 

Well, it was true. 

Still, to be so publicly and loudly declared essentially an enemy of the nation was almost impressive, in all of its political ramifications, and Ningguang acknowledged that with an amused huff, casting a glance over to a bemused Childe and an impassive Diluc.

The Tianquan's thoughts were further proven with the next coming words of the simulated characters.

"The Fatui? The diplomatic delegations from Snezhnaya? What have they got against Master Diluc?" Paimon pressed.

"The Fatui are a problem not only to the Knights – they also present a real threat to the whole of Mondstadt." Jean explained, a little wearily.  "And when it comes to threats against Mondstadt, Diluc is–"

"They present a threat to every nation but themselves," Lumine murmured to herself with an eyeroll.

'Murmur', she did, but considering that at least half of the viewers in the room had enhanced hearing, whether due to a testament of their skill or magic or simply their non-human heritage, she may as well have spoken them aloud for everyone to hear.

Lisa hid an exasperated smile behind her hand alongside a fake cough.

"That's enough, Jean." Diluc said sternly.  "You knights are subject to too many restrictions. You can't directly confront this so-called 'diplomatic' scum."

"Personally... I despise them."

"If I had to choose between 'eating a Cryo slime alive' or 'joining the Fatui'..."

"...I'd prefer to be crushed to death by a meteorite."

Hu Tao snickers, elbowing a stone-faced Zhongli in the side. "Oh Master Diluc~" She sang. "We have someone who can do that, right here!"

"What flowers would you like for your funeral?" Hu Tao burst into snickering at her own poor joke, gaining various sets of unimpressed eyes upon her form, including that of Zhongli and Diluc.

"Geez, your wording is so very dramatic..." Paimon sighed.

Jean murmured, "Diluc has always been a bit of a drama queen," which causes the aforementioned redhead to spin around, a look of betrayal on his face which rarely made big expressions. It was so unexpected and so much like the Diluc of their youth that a brighter, younger face flashed before her eyes in that very moment. She couldn't help but raise her arms up in the air in surrender, a fond smile tugging at her lips, as she capitalizes on this familiar feeling, this familiar situation- "My apologies, Mister Diluc. I simply meant that you have a... unique way of expressing yourself and your thoughts."

Diluc reels back at her teasing tone, eyes momentarily widening in shock- actually, more than a few people are affected by Jean's unexpected words, with Amber and Noelle looking more than a little giddy at seeing their role model loosen up and shocked that she would willingly use such a tactic on her own, Kaeya's entire body stilling, Paimon turning to her in incredulity and opening her mouth before Lumine pulls her back with a hand clamped over her face. 

But Diluc settles quick, and even as his body visibly struggles to choose what language to convey, the man himself only grumbles out an uncharacteristically low, "Quit your teasing, Gunnhildr," before he turns his head away.

Jean feels herself relax.

(It's not much at all. But it's a start.)

When they finally leave the woods, Lumine says, "Is it alright with all of you if I go ahead and get the last one on my own?"

Lumine twitched as several unimpressed and exasperated eyes came to gaze at her. 

"So you've always been the type to take everything on your own shoulders and leave nothing for those who want to help you," Keqing's brow twisted in exasperation, though her lips were upturned. "Helpful to know."

Lumine sighed.

Everyone turns to her with surprise on their faces. "...If you think you can handle it, then that's fine with me," Jean started hesitantly. "But why the sudden change of plans?"

Lumine shrugged. "I want to get some time to think on my own." Was all she said.

"Huh!? B-but then Paimon is more likely to get attacked by monsters!" Her fairy companion protested. Lumine rolled her eyes.

"That has never happened," The blonde reminded her companion.

"W-well, it could one day! And then you'll be all over Paimon, more worried than Jean during tax collection day!" 

"It would never  happen." Lumine said sternly. Paimon huffed and turned away, angrily munching on a handful of lotus crisps.

Behind them, Jean sighed, brow twitching even as her lips were spread in a small smile. "Why am I the example...?"

"You never leave your space during battle, what the hell are you gonna get attacked by?"

"Hey! That's mean! Paimon can totally still get hurt, you know!"

"Hmph!" Paimon needlessly huffed in a show of agreement with her simulated past self. Lumine just ignored her.

"If that's the case, we'll leave you on your own," Diluc interrupted. "But just in case something goes awry, we're giving you three hours to travel to the next location, fight off any surrounding monsters, get the Tear, and come to the Dawn Winery. Nothing less, nothing more. If you surpass the timeline, then we're going to come for you." His face was stern, and so was his voice, leaving no room for argument.

"Huh!? But three hours is–"

"Fine," Lumine cut off her fairy friend, looking calm and unperturbed by Diluc's demand. "You guys do that. I know the way to the Dawn Winery, so don't worry about me getting lost." With that, she turned on her heel and walked off to the direction of the next Tear, using her Elemental Sight to trace Dvalin's energy.

"H-Hey! Wait up!" Paimon flew hurriedly after her.

"Reckless," Keqing muttered. Though it was a mutter, it was rather pointed as the Yuheng raised her head and made direct eye contact with the Traveler just as she said it.

The Traveler, a divine being with advanced hearing, pretended not to hear her.

Before an hour had passed, the audience sees Lumine hiding in a pair of bushes situated high above a mountain cliff. She was staring into a humongous valley tribe of hilichurls– one nicknamed by the Adventurers' Guild as the 'Eclipse Tribe'. Situated in every angle was a tower of hilichurl shooters, waiting for a trespasser.

Silent as a mouse, Lumine snuck up on each hilichurl shooter, swiftly taking them out before they could attract any attention. Before long, she was diving recklessly headfirst into the fray of hilichurls guarding two paths where one must have Dvalin's Tear ahead of it, swiftly slaying the angered hilichurls before running into the nearest path.

Bennett and Fischl held their breaths, Razor's eyes sharpening as he fixated on the screen. The unlucky boy's face was twisted in a nervous expression, while Fischl sat straight as a board with her fists clenched at her skirt.

Lumine thought their concern was rather silly; after all, the real her was right here, and it wasn't like she got hurt in that scuffle these mortals called a fight.

(She could practically feel Diluc's unimpressed glare boring into the back of her head, despite the fact that the past him had agreed to the set-up.)

Fighting off Abyss Mages and Lawachurls at the same time wasn't easy, especially when the path she had run into wasn't where Dvalin's Tear was held, but at the start of the third hour she had obtained her prize, leaving nearly all of the tribe extinct. Heavily panting and covered in cuts and bruises, Lumine wiped dirt from her face, bending down to a nearby pond to clean herself off with Paimon hovering worriedly over her shoulder.

Just as the third hour ended, Lumine made it to the Dawn Winery, triumphantly waving Dvalin's Tear above her head when she came into view of the party.

"You're just way too cool," Itto whispered, staring at the simulated Traveler with sparkling eyes. The girl was so tiny, yet she had stronger hands than anyone the oni had ever met.

Hearing this, Paimon puffed herself up proudly. "That's just our show-stopping Traveler for you!" She proclaimed, face akin to an overly-proud mother after her daughter just delivered the winning blow in her third grade football match. 

"Woohoo!" Paimon cheered as they stepped just outside of the entrance where the party was waiting. "Dvalin Protection Squad! Assemble!"

Jean gave Lumine a smile of relief once the taller blonde finished checking her over for serious injuries. "You got back safe." Was all the Acting Grandmaster said.

"Welcome back." Diluc greeted, body nonchalant, but it was clear to everyone there that even he felt relief in Lumine's safe return.

A brief look of bitterness flashed across Kaeya's face, too quick to be noticed. In contrast, a relaxed smile appeared on Jean's shining face at the sight of her old friend showing concern (in his own, gruff way).

Venti, having not doubted Lumine even for a second, simply gave Lumine a beaming smile when she handed him the Teardrop Crystal. "Let's put our crystals together," he said.

Lumine huffed silently, glad that at least someone trusted her to be able to handle herself.

̶(̶S̶h̶e̶ ̶w̶o̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶a̶d̶m̶i̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶s̶o̶m̶e̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶i̶n̶s̶i̶d̶e̶ ̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶w̶a̶r̶m̶e̶d̶ ̶a̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶i̶r̶ ̶s̶i̶n̶c̶e̶r̶e̶,̶ ̶h̶o̶n̶e̶s̶t̶ ̶c̶o̶n̶c̶e̶r̶n̶.̶)̶

Diluc and Jean retrieved their own crystals and let them float in the midst of their circle.

"Oh..." Venti said sadly. "The color of these crystals look... muddy."

"Dvalin... You're going through so much pain..." Venti's eyes were pinched, grief welling up in his eyes before he closed them. He reopened his eyes a moment later and looked up to the rest of them, a weak smile tugging at his face. "...Let's start purifying these crystals first. Please, Lumine."

Without a word, Lumine silently puts her hand over the gathered crystals.

The glow is blinding. In mere seconds, years' worth of miasma become less than dust as the crystals grow brighter and brighter, until finally they are glittering, shining jewels of yore. The moment they are fully purified, the crystals reflect the sunlight and shine even brighter, bright blue in their diamond glow, spreading across the feeling of rightness.

Kazuha's eyes glittered. It was as if witnessing something that had been scorned and left to rot return to its old, beautiful self- something that was almost exactly the truth. More importantly, it was the feeling that seeing something that belonged to the freedom of nature getting closer to returning to its rightful place was freeing in his own heart. His shoulders relaxed and a content smile unconsciously came to rest on his lips.

Around the room, many were experiencing the same feeling. Most especially those whose freedom had been taken from them for a long enough time, liberty and rights something akin to a luxury instead of something that belonged to all living creatures since birth.

(Contrarily, the eyes of the Raiden Shogun had tightened, a complicated frown on Her face. What was this feeling of inordinate freedom?)

(And why was it so kind?)

"It is hard to believe such a thing is possible, until you see it with your own eyes," Jean breathed with awe, her eyes wide in almost childlike amazement as her hand unconsciously hovers over the Teardrop Crystals, nearly touching them.

"Interesting," Diluc sounded, eyes locked onto the sparkling jewels despite their too-bright shine with the assistance of the afternoon sun. "It's like filtering wine. The process is... refreshing."

Venti smiled, all trace of sadness gone from his face as his sky-like eyes sparkled with joy– the way they should be. "I think we should have enough tears now. So next we..."

"Use the crystals on the Holy Lyre like the last time."

Barbara tensed in anticipation.

"Let me give it a try," Lumine says, and Venti takes out the Holy Lyre to pass it to her. She presses the Teardrop Crystals to its surface. Much the same as in the tavern, the Holy Lyre floats into the air, glowing brightly as its weariness is washed away. In the blink of an eye, the lovely yet plain lyre from before is transformed into a divine instrument made for a god– gleaming gentle white gold and shining as if it were really made of gold, its intricate carvings shining like a flower blooming under the sun after heavy rain. Its teal-colored jewels were restored to their natural order, twinkling under the light like capsules taken from the sky, and the strings were positively  luminous,  unearthly in their sky blue glow. When Venti brushed a reverent finger over a string, it produced a melody so kind that it brought them to near-tears.

"My god," Nilou breathed out, a pair of crystalline tears trailing down her cheeks in contrast to her wide, joyful eyes. When had she last heard something so utterly kind?

̶E̶i̶    The Raiden Shogun let out a shuddering breath, yet Her face was still stony.

"It worked!" Paimon said, mouth open in awe. Her eyes glittered with joy as she looked over the Holy Lyre, marvelling in its beauty.

"It seems  completely  different from before." Jean managed to get out, eyes locked onto the holy instrument before their very hands.

"The lyre's Anemo power seems fully restored. We should be able to use it now." Venti turned to the blonde-haired Traveler with an unusually gentle smile on his lips, eyes bright with unadulterated happiness that Lumine couldn't help but smile back. "It's all thanks to you, Lumine." He said softly.

It took a few moments for their 'meeting' to resume. After all, it's not everyday that you witness the restoration of a divine instrument.

"I think the Traveler certainly sees a lot of things that are mind-boggling to us mortals with normal lives that this should be everyday for her," Beidou smirked.

"Do any of us here have normal lives?" Xinyan responded disbelievingly. It was true. Though there was always a sense of consistency and repetition that popped up in everyone's lives, especially for those with business or management related jobs, the lives they led compared to actual normal people were definitely...

"It can be said that these are normal lives for Vision users," Yanfei commented quickly.

"Well... You're right, there."

"Now, where should we summon Stormterror?" In the end, it was dutiful Jean who dove into the reason they were going through all this trouble for. "It must be away from the city, else there will be casualties should we fail."

"Perhaps here at the winery..."

"If the winery was destroyed, it's not something I couldn't eventually fix, but... I'd still rather  not  go through the hassle." Diluc immediately dismissed the notion, raising a brow at Jean for the obvious bad suggestion.

"...:" Jean smiled sheepishly. She hadn't been sleeping well ever since Stormterror became a problem– even less with all the hustle and bustle that went down just in one day to retrieve the Teardrop Crystals as soon as humanly possible.

"You never rest, Jeanie," Lisa sighed, thinking back on how terrible Jean's eyebags were during that time- even worse than normal. At least she had actually given in and delegated much of her regular work to others.

"It was a chaotic time, you know that," Jean defended.

"But still. Even after everything had settled down you kept working so hard we were afraid you were simply going to drop one day," Lisa frowned. "Thankfully we set up that party for you. If you kept working at the same pace you would have ended up with bedrest in the Cathedral."

"Lisa..."

"She's right, big si- Acting Grand Master," Barbara butted in, mouth creased into a nervous line but her eyes determined, shining with a hint of concern. "If you had pulled another all-nighter even after the party, I would have confined you to a month's worth of bed rest in the Cathedral! That still is up in the air!"

Those words took Jean aback. "I..."

"So stop overworking yourself so much," Barbara said, then after noticing Jean's silence, quickly added. "Please."

"...I'll try."

Barbara sighed at those meekly-spoken words, but her shoulders relaxed a little. "I'll hold you to those words, Acting Grand Master Jean."

As the younger girl returned to her seat, Jean couldn't help but stare at that small back which she still remembered supporting with a hand during horse-riding lessons.

When had her little sister grown so much?

"The wind that blows at sea or in high places should be able to carry a bard's words far away." Venti said.  "It's never going to work if the air is too dry or suffocating."

Paimon nodded slowly. "Paimon understands. Sea or high places, right?" 

"In the sky? You could play the lyre as you're gliding through the air..." Lumine offered half-seriously.

"Even Amber would never think of doing such a thing..." Jean sighed.

 Amber made a strange, choked noise, torn between laughing and being offended.

"That sounds fun!" Klee gasped, eyes shining with delight. She turned to her older brother, hands already clasped together, pouting up at him. "Can you teach me how to play the lyre? Please, please, pretty please..." 

Albedo sighed. "I'm afraid I don't know how to play the lyre, Klee. Or any instruments, really. Perhaps I could ask for musical lessons, but you'll have to wait until I get good enough to teach you." It was an obvious dodge, so that Klee would think her wish was fulfilled and that she could do so later on. Obviously, since her big brother was so busy, she'd understand that he didn't have time for music lessons, and then would eventually forget about it herself.

For now, the not-forgetful child that was Klee squealed and jumped. "Yayyy! Thank you so much, big brother!" She stood and give a loud kiss on his cheek, which made him smile faintly.

Diluc began, "If you go east from Starfell Lake, there are mountains south of the beach." 

"..Oh! You mean that beach you were snoring away on and Paimon had to wake you?" Paimon said to Lumine.

"If you head to the place where the cliff juts out – that place is known as Starsnatch Cliff." Diluc explained.

Ayaka's interest was piqued. "Why is it known as Starsnatch Cliff?" She asked her attendant.

Thoma explained, "It's because of an old folktale, milady. There was once a thief who was never caught despite having a ginormous bounty on his head, having stolen numerous things from the poor and the wealthy alike. Even when bounty hunters managed to chase him, he always somehow found a way to escape. He could steal even the most priceless artifact and the most well-hidden treasure. In fact, he was even said to have stolen the Holy Lyre der Himmel, millions of Mora minted straight from the Golden House, a precious fan that belonged to the Raiden Shogun, one of the books from the Dendro Archon's personal collection, a jewel on the Hydro Archon's necklace, an old weapon belonging to the Pyro Archon, and one of the Tsaritsa's teacups. Because of all these priceless treasures and the other countless things that he stole from maximum security or right under a person's nose, he was said to be able to steal even the stars from the sky.

But one day, after getting caught red-handed attempting to steal a figurine from the Favonius Grandmaster's office, he was chased to the mountains by the Knights and dozens of angry civilians. Even though he managed to escape, he had retained severe injury and wouldn't make it out alive without a professional healer. They say that his dying moments were at the edge of the cliff that overlooks the sea, no land or civilization as far as the eye can see, hand reaching for the stars until his dying breath."

"What do you think, bard? Meets the requirements, no?" Diluc crossed his arms and tilted his head to the shorter.

"Lemme think... Starsnatch Cliff..." Venti murmured.

"...Alright, let's do it there."

"Very well. Then let's meet at Starsnatch Cliff when we are ready." Jean nodded. Then, intoning seriously, "Please don't be late."

"Hee-hee! Yes, Ma'am!" Paimon giggled, smiling gleefully.

Jean caught her slip and her eyes widened. "Ah, sorry. I didn't mean to..."

The scene closed there.

A little while later after they had a break to replenish their strength, with Lumine and Paimon eating heartily at the Dawn Winery's dining table, they set out for Starsnatch Cliff just as the sun began to set, and arrived at their destination while the skies were still slowly being painted a dark blue, hints of rose pink and orange peeking out from the horizon.

Albedo absentmindedly flipped to a new page and started sketching the view.

At the very top of Starsnatch Cliff, the winds blew strong, cutting into the skin. Paimon shivered and drifted closer to Lumine, whose only reaction to the biting cold was a slight frown.

"Everyone is finally here." Diluc did one last sweep of the small group to assuage his own worries, nodding to himself.

"What a view..." Paimon's eyes were wide in wonder as she took in the horizon, seeming to forget all about the cold.

Longing struck Ayaka's heart once more. It felt like such a long time had passed since she last saw a sunset that didn't make her feel exhaustion and dread, when yet another day had passed since the Decree and yet nothing could be done.

"Lovely for a fated reunion, isn't it?" Venti smiled, though a solemn look had reached his eyes.  "Well, we must be prepared for a fight."

"Regardless of the outcome, things finally seem to be taking a turn for the better." Jean offered.  "Mondstadt has really been through so much recently..."

Diluc crossed his arms and scoffed. "Huh! In the end, the solution to our problem was as simple as a traveler and a song." 

"This quite feels like the climax to a story," Xingqiu pointed out, sipping at a mug of tea. His side was pressed to Chongyun's as if looking for warmth, and though all he received was coolness due to Chongyun's natural temperature he didn't dare to plaster himself away. "I must say, it's unusually exciting."

"It does seem to be set in a story format," Yae Miko hummed. "With how long this chapter has been already, it's likely that the next one is the last. I'm quite curious as to what will come next when so much has happened in this one already..."

"Aiyah, you people, put into a story it may be, but it still is real life," Hu Tao smiled, amused, after spotting the strange look that had overcome Diluc's face at the fact that their hardships had been put into an entertainment format. "Be careful of what you say~"

Still, no spoilers, please, were the unspoken words. If The Seeker of Desire wanted them to react to real life events as if they were nothing more than stories brought to life before their eyes, then might as well treat it as such.

Diluc sighed, but silently acquiesced. 

"I suppose the Knights of Favonius may have played a part in it too..."

Venti sighed. "Oh, we get it, Master Diluc... Everyone, please step aside!" 

"I, the best wandering bard of the mortal world, shall begin my performance with the Holy Lyre." 

Many straightened in anticipation for what was to come.

With that said, he began to approach the edge of the cliff. The Holy Lyre in hand, he began to strum a song so gentle and dear, known only to those of the paper past, the breeze dancing with the leaves to accompany his performance.

With a few simple (beautiful, complex) notes, it was as if a gentle breeze had swept into the room. Caressing their cheeks and brushing their hair, bringing with it the scent of fresh green and humid skies. The simple yet kind winds had come to comfort them; soothing the wounds in their hearts and seeping out the tenseness and stress from their weary shoulders and aching backs. A mother's soft call for dinner, a father's hearty laugh, a sister's beaming smile, a brother's star-like eyes, the leading hand of a friend, the unadulterated love from a beloved pet, the embrace of a thousand winds waiting to fix you back up.

The music which impossibly reached out from the screen and took their faces in its caring hands felt like home. 

 It didn't take long before the ground started to rumble, and a humongous dragon rose from the depths, bringing with him a swirl of powerful wind that caused everyone but Venti to cover their faces and take a step back. The bard stood unwavering before his old friend, still strumming the strings of his Holy Lyre.

Barbara dug her fingers into her skirts, trembling.

When the wind stopped, so did the song, and the dragon now known as Dvalin levelled himself above them. Lumine cautiously dropped her arms from her face and watched as Venti stared calmly up at the divine dragon before him.

The real-life Venti had the same expression as he did on screen, eyes calm without any hint of concern or wariness.

You have come...

The dragon's voice was a breathy snarl that echoed across the lands, making the grass bristle as if his breath was a strong gust of wind.

What has done cannot be undone...

He snarled right in Venti's face, his mighty jaw hovering right above the bard's head, yet still the boy in green did not falter.

"If so, then why do I see sadness in your eyes?" Venti placed the Holy Lyre at his hip as he stared up at his old friend with big, determined eyes, eyes that held the skies.

(Eyes like turquoise jewels, eyes like the colors which birds flocked to, eyes like skies, eyes like-)

"Sadness that speaks of your yearning for this song..."

The windborne bard strummed his strings dolce

And the Holy Lyre answered his questions kind

In response, Dvalin unhinged his jaw, showing off his rows of sharp teeth and growled so deeply that involuntarily, each mortal behind Venti shivered, their hairs standing up.

The bard's songs invited him to sing along

For he yearned to let all perceive him fair

Barbara, with trembling lips, opened her mouth, "Y-

Jean looked upon the scene with wide eyes. "They are... communicating... Huh?" Her shock was put off-focus when she caught a glimpse of something all-too familiar above them.

Dehya snapped to attention, uselessly barking out- 

"Watch out!"

A beam of light struck seemingly out of nowhere straight at Venti– or rather, the Holy Lyre. Before anyone could even react, the Holy Lyre fell to the ground, burnt by the light and flickering in static shock from the damage to the strings.

Barbara couldn't help but let out a gasp, kneeling up from her seat in terror.

It was as if the room forgot that what was being simulated was already done and passed- Xingqiu was leaning forward, hands braced on his table and not mindful of the cup he had knocked over in his sudden surge of panic, Nilou had let out a gasp so loud it made Collei flinch and was currently covering her eyes, Yun Jin had a hand over her mouth, Thoma looking uncharacteristically serious, Diona having let out a loud curse that was barely covered by the sound of the simulated Venti's body thudding onto the ground.

The only ones seemingly unaffected included those immortal (both hidden and unhidden) and those who had been there to experience what was being simulated. The rest who weren't caught up in unnecessary panic and concern were hyperfixating on the screen, eyes rapidly following every movement. 

(Yae Miko had to agree with The Seeker of Desire; seeing the reactions of those around her was quite entertaining.)

(And on an interesting note, her dear friend was grouped into those whose eyes were glued to the screen rather than the general consensus of unaffected immortals.)

"No! Tone-Deaf Bard!" Paimon exclaimed, and the party ran to their fallen comrade.

Do not be fooled by him, dear dragon...

With a snicker, a Cryo Abyss Mage revealed itself from behind Dvalin's neck.

An instinctive snarl made its way to Diluc's lips, eyes hardening as he glared at the screen. Despite the events having long since passed, he could still clearly feel the dark rage he felt back then, when the mystery of what the Abyss Order was up to was only just discovered...

Until now, he could only collect bits and pieces of scattered information, the Abyss Order having somehow closed in on themselves. No matter how far he looked, it felt as if information was being deliberately kept away from his reach, now that they had confirmed his active involvement in their most major of plans.

He left you to rot alone!...

It floated by Dvalin's side as its beady eyes looked down upon the humans mockingly.

Jean struck an arm out to shield the injured Venti, preventing him from going forward as his cry of, " No! Listen to me!"  was drowned out by the Abyss Mage's next words and the winds which were beginning to pick up in his panic.

Xiao winced faintly, eyes going distant, the increasingly wild sound of the winds bringing forth all-too familiar memories-

Now he attempts to deceive you once more...

"No," Venti whispered, closing his eyes as if in pain.

It was too late– Dvalin had fallen for the Abyss Mage's trap, cursing out Venti's name–

Barbatos...

By this point, almost everyone had already figured it out. With how brazenly Venti displayed himself and barely put effort into hiding his identity, it wasn't exactly difficult.

To hear it confirmed was a different matter in itself.

Barbara sucked in a breath, mouth hanging open as she tried to process...

Noelle's hands were covering her mouth, teary eyes comically wide as she looked at the screen.

The Abyss Mage's voice was  gleeful.

Let your wrath fester!

Mondstadt has already turned its back on you!

"No," Eula gritted her teeth. "No, that isn't-"

Dvalin's anger reached new heights– with an earpiercing roar, he took to the skies, causing another strong gust of wind to nearly knock them off their feet.

You...!

With each heavy thrum of his flapping wings, Dvalin's voice filled with more rage.

You were planning this all along!?

TO HAVE ME SLAIN BY THEM?

This time, even Yae Miko frowned from the pain of the earth-shattering voice.

All of them had to dig their heels into the ground to prevent from being knocked off their feet, legs straining and ears ringing in the face of Dvalin's screams.

"Dvalin, it's not like that!" Venti's face was gradually being overcome with despair as he looked up at his friend with desperate eyes.

Zhongli's face was solemn as he stared upon his old friend's stricken face. It had been a long time since he had seen such raw emotion on that face, and he had been hoping, silently, foolishly, that he never would again.

(It seems like time truly stops for no one. The hurts of the past had yet to completely close up, and yet more had come in store for them.

Even the two eldest Archons could only struggle in the face of an abstract being they had no control over. Pain was such a rainbow of nuances.)

The Cryo Abyss Mage flew in and landed on Dvalin's neck, right before the jut of the venomous blood clot that shaped itself in a glowing purple horn.

Xiao's eyes fell onto that clot of rotten poison, jaw clenching.

The time has come for the dragon to serve its true master...

Despite having no facial expression to speak of, the Abyss Mage was more than just smug. It  radiated  the feeling.

"'Valin has no master," Razor growled, eyes flashing with a rage that spoke of a similar pain. 

Unsurprisingly to his people, but somewhat unexpectedly for the rest, B̶a̶r̶b̶a̶t̶o̶s̶   Venti gave a nod of agreement, eyes glued to the screen.

While you bewail your pathetic selves.

And watch the world tremble with fear!

With one final roar, Dvalin flew off into the skies, leaving the rest behind to cough in his dust.

"Dvalin..."   Venti sighed tearfully, his entire face crumbled into despair.

Soft sobbing was louder than bombs in the silent room.

"Babart– Venti, please be careful..." Jean fretted as Venti slowly limped over to them, wincing imperceptibly as he did so.

"Hehe... You've known by my true identity for some time now, haven't you, Jean?" Even now, Venti managed to find it in himself to crack Jean a wry smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Though, I thank you for continuing to use the name Venti."

As if waking from a dream, the fog cleared from Venti's eyes, and he allowed himself a smile, turning to Jean and nodding in another form of thanks.

Jean could only smile weakly back. 

"How's the Holy Lyre?" Diluc cut to the chase. "Can it still be played? Or does it need to be repaired?"

With her gentlest touch, Paimon picked up the Holy Lyre and its pieces scattered to the ground, presenting them meekly to Venti.

"Wow..." He sighed tiredly. "Unfortunately, I think it's beyond repair..."

"...Uh-uhm, I'm sure there's someone out there who specializes in repairing instruments," Collei spoke nervously, trying to cut through the heavy tension. She turned to Nilou. "Do you know anyone, Miss Nilou?"

The professional dancer was silent for a long moment, wiping away her tears. Just as Collei began to falter, the dancer said, "...I think one of the members of Zubayr Theater knows a Vision user who does."

"That's great! Then, they could probably fix the Holy Lyre.." Collei lit up, bright with excitement for a moment before she turned her head to the nuns in the room. "...!"

"...We'll see if we can do a commission," Rosaria responded, sounding distant.

Lumine's face was pinched, worrying lowly, "Dvalin is in a lot of danger..."

Bennett patted Razor's arm comfortingly. "Hey, it's okay. Lord Dvalin is safe now. He took you to that island, remember?" The pat was a bit hard, but it did its job of startling Razor out of his current emotions.

"....Mm." Razor grunted lowly. His shoulders only began to relax when Fischl put her hand on his arm, too.

"No, we should make that  Abyss Mage  pay first." Diluc's face was contorted into a truly fearsome scowl, spitting out the name like a curse. In a way, with how it had so badly hurt his homeland, it was. "If we don't fight the evil at its source, then we can't save Dvalin at all." His eyes were flaming red, a hidden passion alighting them into the most powerful flames to ever be seen in the mortal realm.

Cyno's own eyes narrowed in thoughtful challenge.

"In which case I shall call upon Outrider Amber to track it down..." said Jean.

Diluc brushed her aside, looking somewhere far away with a hard look in his eyes. "No need."

"Why is that?" Jean ventured cautiously, glancing upon his angered visage with appropriate apprehension.

"I eradicated one not long ago, in one of the Four Winds' temples." The redhead explained curtly.

A small smirk pulled the end of Kaeya's lips at the reminder of that day, but he couldn't bring himself to say anything with the current atmosphere. Besides, he too was deep in thought. A god having been within vicinity of him for all these months...

How could he not have noticed?

He had always known something was up with that bard, especially with the way Jean and even Diluc trusted him and seemed to know him so well, clearly hiding secrets with him (and apparently, about him.) 

But to think it was this all along...

(His eye itched.)

Meanwhile, Amber muttered despondently, "I would have been more than happy to help..." Her voice was unusually lacking life, likely due to the shock of what had just been revealed.

Surprisingly, it was Diluc who spoke. "There was no real need. You already had enough on your plate." Though his tone was obviously grudging, the words were sincere.

Amber could only gape at him. Nice words from the second biggest Favonius hater??? 

(The Fatui were said to be the biggest haters.)

"What world are we living in now...?" Eula muttered to herself, almost dead-eyed. Too many things have happened within the span of a few minutes. Too many.

"What!? When...?" Paimon gasped.

"If you want to track those monsters down, then I'll seek answers from my contacts. I've got other means for tracking them down." And with that, he brushed them all fully aside, beginning the trek back down to civilization without another word.

"Oh... Diluc..." Paimon sighed, equal parts exasperated and fond. "Though he dislikes the Knights of Favonius, he protects Mondstadt in his own way."

Tsundere, Lumine thought idly.

She'd like to voice the thought aloud, but considering the gravity of what had just been revealed, she didn't think such a comment would be taken anything but awkwardly or ignored entirely.

(Perhaps she was finding a bit of glee at the situation. After all, while Venti had no escape from the reveal and would thus be subject to a lot of scrutinizing looks and flipped behaviors, there was someone else in the room who, in her humble opinion, had a much bigger and more unexpected identity reveal.)

(She pitied Venti, but when the time came, she was going to be the first to point and laugh at their resident consultant.)

"Ooh?" Venti teased as they ambled after him. "Why does our little Paimon sound so doting all of a sudden?"

As Paimon glowered at him, Diluc spoke from the very front of their party, showing that he could still hear them despite the slight distance between them.

"Hmph." He scoffed, though everyone could tell he didn't mean anything by it. "Wait for my word. I'll be sure to let the Abyss Order know that their blatant disregard for Mondstadt...

...will not go unpunished."

"It really is like the climax of a story," Yoimiya repeated weakly.

The scene closed, the screen darkening until only Diluc's hardened eyes and flaming irises were all that could be seen, until the screen fully went black.

Diona wasn't the only one to feel a chill up their spine at the cinematic emphasizing of Diluc's eyes.

"Dramatic bastard," she muttered, trying not to think about the flash of fear that took her heart for a moment. If Diona was a cat, then Diluc must be a panther- an unforgiving predator who rarely let his guard down. 

(As loathe as she was to make that comparison, even in her head.)

Then, a brand new scene opened up. One that was ominous and cold.

"...?"

A youth with flowing gold hair in a braid and dressed in black stood at the edge of a cliff, overlooking the eternal storm that was Old Mondstadt– whose windy barrier only grew worse by the occupance of Dvalin turning it into Stormterror's Lair. Behind the youth bowed two Hydro Abyss Mages, setting an unsettling picture.

"...What?"

The sharp and sudden voice was high-pitched and breathy, decidedly unfamiliar, especially when one turned and found the source to be the ever-unshakeable Traveler.

"...Lumine?"

With their back to the screen, the golden-haired youth was an ambiguous figure to most within the room, but those who were used to the Traveler's presence could quickly see a resemblance or feel a similar feeling that they get when around the golden-haired outlander.

Slowly, eyes turned to Lumine.

Her slackened face and trembling fists could only confirm the slow connection they made in their heads.

Above them, the whole world rumbled as Dvalin screeched, flying his way back into his decrepit, lonely home. In a flash of Cryo, the Cryo Abyss Mage which had broken the Holy Lyre der Himmel and manipulated Dvalin back into the Abyss Order's dark clutches appeared.

It, too, bowed its head to the straight back of the golden-haired youth.

Your Highness... Your humble servant returns.

Lumine snapped her head to the side where no one sat, squeezing her eyes shut.

Meanwhile, Kaeya was completely still, eye rapidly taking in every inch of the mysterious figure being shown to them. To him, the identity of this person was doubtless.

The Prince of the Abyss Order...

Jean murmured, "This isn't a memory...?" Frown lines crinkled her mouth. Hesitantly, she shot a look of worry towards Venti, but his back was turned, face blank as he watched the screen.

The boy glanced back, revealing cold gold eyes like a shrivelling sun.

Paimon flinched back, stumbling wide-eyed into Lumine's stiff body from the gaze that made her blood run cold.

That face...

Undeniably, it was almost exactly the same as the Traveler. The only differences were the curve of the eyes and the size of the nose- even then, they were so minute that you would have to take a good look to realize unless you knew that face very well.

Not only that, but the face belonged to a head of blonde hair- the shade slightly dark and more akin to sunshine than Lumine's pale locks, and yet the luminosity was the same. A petite frame and slender figure. A small face and doe eyes. 

They were like twins.

The shock of seeing such familiar eyes retain a look that could freeze hell over stayed with Paimon even with the warmth of her companion next to her.

When your homeland returns to this world, we shall revel in its glory!

The words echoed in Kaeya's mind. A familiar scene from the past was unwittingly being dug up once more.

Albedo's eyes, which had become steadily blank throughout the duration of the new scene, regained light, yet he remained solemn. The numbness hadn't yet gone away. 

He didn't need to take a look around the room to realize the atmosphere.

For good, the scene closed with the awful sight of the boy's all-too familiar face and cold eyes.

Perhaps it was the climax of the current story as Yoimiya had phrased it, but the real storm had yet to begin.

Prologue: Act II - For A Tomorrow Without Tears

Complete