Chapter Text
Aether and his sister weren’t particularly unique in the grand scheme of things. In fact, the only notable thing about them would be their agelessness, a very rare trait among the universe. Even that wasn’t unique, though. Many possessed some form of immortality, and most carried a form much stronger than the star twins.
Aether and Lumine were old , though. Very, very old. Their birthworld had long since vanished in the chaotic streams, but they remained, a relic of a world of ancients.
They’d never met another of their race, nor heard of one. It was probable there were none.
The two had left their world as travelers, bidding farewell to a world they would call their birthplace, but never home. Their home was the stars, the beautiful, infinite expanse that reigned above all.
So, it was very distressing when not just their companionship was severed, but their freedom was restricted, thrown and tied to a world they had no intention of remaining within.
Aether’s first memory of reawakening was of fire and death and of pain, but that memory quickly faded to null.
His first non-transient memories were of blue, slightly clouded skies, salty air tickling his nose, the rhythmic sound of water against the shore(swish, swish, swish, it went), the taste of thirst in his mouth, and the feeling of sand beneath his fingers.
He examined his state. His clothing was impeccable(it had better be, considering how many self-restorative runes were engraved), and his body remained free of injury. All he knew was that he’d been asleep.
He felt the desire for water crawl up his throat again. Odd, he’d not need water for centuries, and even so he had much to spare in his-
He startled from his dreamy state, and instantly attempted to access his subspace, a realm of himself. Surely the god had not-
He felt nothing. Or rather, he saw, or rather, there was nothing to see or feel.(the god had)
His subspace was a void, and upon pressing, he could feel its boundaries pressing against him. He’d guess about a thousand pockets now existed, where there had been countless prior. Even worse, all were empty.
He didn’t panic. He was glad that he still had access to it, because he’d learned the habit of hoarding any and all things of interest. Trying to physically carry them would’ve been… improbable. Even only a thousand or so unique slots could last quite some time. Possibly enough time to sort this situation out.
This seal was… odd. He’d need to learn the language it was written in to truly grasp its intricacies. But, he’d learned many languages through his travels, and spellcraft systems even moreso. He could make some basic assumptions.
He wasn’t dead, that was a big surprise. That god had no problem acting with lethal force in their fight in the sky(universe, celestia, in-between, it had many names but simplicity was useful in its own right), so why had he been spared his own death?
Gods were fickle beings. Bound by their own existence, there were rules even the greatest gods needed to comply to, and he suspected this was one.
The Unknown god had attacked them for ‘trespassing’, though the statement itself was absurd, none could own the sky. Many had tried, it was their remnants that remained as markers in the twins’ journeys.
His strength had been transformed into an anchor, one heavy enough to break through the world before it would break free of it. Rather ingenious, if he grew to care of the world, he’d be ‘trapped’ there for as long as the seal held.
That, was, of course, provided that god had encountered ordinary travelers, but the twin stars were not so easily contained. He could likely create a seal around the seal, and destroy both in one go. Provided, of course, such a thing was possible in this unknown spellcraft system.
If not, he’d simply improvise.
---
Simple exploration of his surroundings revealed little. He’d also… ‘rescued’ a strange, floating sprite. (A sky-originating entity? No, it didn’t make any sense)
It vehemently rejected the title of ‘sprite’, calling itself ‘Paimon’.
“Paimon is Paimon” they shouted rather cutely, speaking in the third person.
“And I am a traveler, call me Aether.” He responded in kind, thankfully using the first person, in which identification was much easier
“So, Traveler, whatcha up to?” they asked, their body floating all around, as if to make up for their lack of size.
“Traveling” he replied, was his occupation not in his introduction, had she not just voiced it? This person would do well to understand basic correlation.
She nodded, her noise of agreement particularly vocal for such a small being. She seemed adamant about talking and acting just as much as a normally sized humanoid. Perhaps moreso, she seemed adept at emphasis.
He nodded along to her rambling stories, something about fish and mushrooms and eating the two together. Interesting, but ultimately not very pressing.
---
Two months passed. Little of interest appeared, and he followed Paimon’s vague directions, believing her to be speaking the truth, she would gain nothing from lying to him, anyway.
She continued another story, she rather enjoyed recounting minor tales and adventures of hers, and he was willing to listen. She called him a friend, and he supposed he was one(though attachment would not come so quickly).
While she spoke, he was walking along a path. Some creatures of vaguely pig and humanoid shape appeared, but he avoided them. Ally or Enemy, he didn’t care.
Stealth was an advantage, and he intended to use it.
The sprite(“Paimon is Paimon!”, they again shouted), directed him to a large statue, whose base was near twice the height of the statue itself. The statue was of a cloaked, winged figure, whose hands were holding a large sphere, as if offering it.
He instinctively sensed the statue resonate with him. Hesitantly, he reached out to touch it. He could vaguely hear Paimon explain it, but it escaped his focus.
Suddenly, an airy feeling drifted through him. Anemo , it whispered, of wind and freedom .
Fascinating. Had the power resonated with his currently empty soul? Most of his soul(and the majority of his power) had been trapped, but what little remained was still quite potent. Perhaps equal to a dozen average souls, though such a comparison was improper.
Simple experimentation revealed ‘Anemo’, as it called itself, to be the power of motion and of freedom from boundaries. Thus the names it inscribed itself with weren’t actually inaccurate, unusual when it came to gods. Most would much prefer to hide their true abilities beneath layers of trickery and deceit. It was much safer, that way.
Adapting to this new strength took only minutes, as he found the limits of what his current body could endure. Not as strong as he’d like, but better than he’d expected.
Anemo(he’d call it as such, considering it had granted him access to itself) preferred to manifest in the motion of winds and of people, making it a very agile power.
Of all the things he tried, it excelled in letting the user explore the limits of their body, twisting him in odd ways to avoid (imagined at present) attacks, helping ensure he could run faster than he would’ve been able to normally, and also act as a way to transfer attacks from himself to afar(‘grabbing’ his attacks and using that force to propel itself, rather ingenious).
He found it versatile, but not particularly skilled in any one trait. A jack of all trades, as it were. There was something better in each individual aspect that Anemo touched, but Anemo could do many things.
Undoubtedly useful to his current self. He offered up thanks, and continued on his journey, trusting his new guide to ensure they were traveling in the correct direction.
After a quarter day’s travel, they encountered another humanoid. This one undoubtedly human.
Humans were a versatile species, able to survive in a wide range of places. No one was sure where exactly they originated, and it was possible that they had sprouted up multiple times, independent of each other. With a bipedal nature that allowed for minimum food to movement loss, a centralized nervous system for maximum intelligence, and two independent appendages each capable of grasping, precise motion, and explosive force, there was little wonder why they were the ‘default’ for many shifting races.
Including Aether himself.
But, of course, even his most innate ability was crippled here. He’d detest the god who’d done this, had he known who they were. All he was left with was his favored appearance, and the vague feeling that he wasn’t totally unchangeable. Which was a relief, because a single body would always feel limited to him, no matter how he built it.
He examined the human he had come across. Three things of interest were noted.
One, a device hung from her hip, emitting a strangled form of energy, this one of fire(though that idea encompassed so many others he always hated to encounter gods who used it) and… war? Odd, usually fire’s vague connotations would sweep up such things. To see the two separate, he reevaluated the connection between the two concepts. Previously, it merely seemed to be an ‘element’(though the term was revoltingly inconsistent) and its primary ideal. Much like the lead character of a play, it was the focus of an event, but not the sole actor.
Now, though, he speculated otherwise. He wouldn’t make a conclusion without data, but there was something going on there.
The second thing of notice was her outfit. While slightly flamboyant(was that hair tie supposed to extend so high? It seemed impractical), it was an outfit made for rugged use, to survive the wilds and return unscathed. He speculated she would travel often, or at least often enough to warrant an outfit dedicated for such purposes.
The third object of interest was the crests on her outfit. Two notable designs near her stomach(or perhaps one two-parted design), two more designs on her hands and shoulders(mirrored, of course), and another design around her knees, unique as well. All could be identifying, but he didn’t know which(if any) held meaning.
She didn’t seem to be doing much, wandering aimlessly through the woods. Well, not aimlessly, she was clearly looking for tracks in the dirt, but to the casual viewer, she would simply be strolling.
He examined her in a combat capacity. She held herself like an archer, arms slightly taunt and fingers curled enough to quickly nock an arrow onto a bow. Oddly, he saw no bow on her(retractable perhaps?), but he recognized her stance well enough to know he is correct in his assessment.
Her footsteps were light but confident. She felt comfortable in those woods. Either a hunter or a warrior used to the forested environment, she had clearly fought enough to not look towards every possible hiding place. Instead, she glanced through the foliage, the trampled plants, and dirt to discern any possible company.
Her outfit betrayed an agile style(or perhaps a fashion choice, however unlikely) that suggested she was fast on her feet. Her muscles, powerful but lithe, left a layer of fat that hid her strength.
He considered her abilities against his own. Not considering the possibility of augmenting abilities(such things always left marks, and he would be able to tell at a glance, even crippled as he was) she was relatively weaker then him physically, and didn’t seem particularly capable in non-physical combat(specifically ‘elemental’, this world’s powers). He would beat her eight out of ten times, losing if she had the initial advantage or was able to gain enough ground to flee his Anemo’s range.
He walked out of his hiding place, and encountered her shortly.
She found him rather quickly. He thinks it’s the underbrush that gave him away, or perhaps his companion’s rather bright effects(constellations seeming to appear and disappear around her, shining somewhat brightly before fading).
“Hey, you! Stop right there!” She points at him, making clear her message. She didn't seem particularly invested in what she ordered, but he stops regardless.
She seemed much more agreeable after he complied, before uttering “May the Anemo god protect you, stranger!” jovially, but the exact tone she uses suggests a common, polite greeting. He recognized ‘Anemo’ as the name that his Anemo whispered into his ear.
He briefly considered if the god overseeing Anemo would care about his accidental access to its power, but he doubted it will notice, most gods are relatively uncaring to the small act of granting a follower access to its power. Almost none but the smallest oversee every transaction.
She again speaks, seeming to continue the formalities she must state, “I am Amber, Outrider for the Knights Of Favonius.”
Two new pieces of information. One, this person was named ‘Amber’, holding the occupation ‘Outrider’ within the group ‘Knights of Favonius’. And two, He’d learned a little about the world, ‘Knights’ tended to be a very narrow category, and it provided the most information out of everything she said.
With her(Amber’s) mandatory introduction finished, she moves on to her actual question, “You don’t look like citizens of Mondstadt. Explain yourselves!” She spoke, her eyes narrowing slightly. Her tone was rather soft(impressive considering how hardline her words were), but still demanded answers.
Again, he absorbed as much information as he could. Her subtle intonation suggested she either knew all of the ‘citizens of Mondstadt’, or they were similar enough in appearance that she simply had to know their basic traits to separate him from them. She said ‘Mondstadt’ in a tone that suggested mild reverence, but not so much that it was excessive, meaning it was probably a large town at most. So, he was likely pegged as a foreigner, and one without a clear origin, since she demanded an explanation.
Somewhat beneficial, he decided.
Paimon, his floating (Assistant? Guide? Helper?) companion responded in a panic, “W-We’re not looking for trouble!” She stutters, her body throwing itself around. He’d asked her before how she didn’t get dizzy, but she didn’t seem to even understand the question.
Amber seemed to relax slightly at Paimon’s words, though whether she was overly trusting or dreaded a different answer was unclear.
“That’s what all the Troublemakers say.” She speaks, somehow sounding both slightly mischievous and completely serious. Impressive, if he had to say for himself(It had taken him decades to master the ability, she looked no older than nineteen).
He decided to contribute to the conversation, offering his name. “Hello, I am Aether.” He offers softly, trying to avoid any social faux pas by speaking the minimum needed. He stares at his companion, urging them silently to do the same.
Before she gets the gesture, however, Amber continues instead, “Doesn’t sound like a local name to me…” she utters rhetorically, before continuing, “And this… Mascot, what’s the deal with it?” Her words contain mostly pure curiosity, rather than a questioning tone(one that would demand, rather than inquire).
“Emergency Food” He speaks in jest, mostly to get a gauge on her. He means none of it.
Paimon is suitably agitated, though he senses she understands that he’s playing with her, “Hey!” she cries out in pseudo alarm and accusation, “That’s even worse than being a mascot!”
The sprite makes eye contact with him, though his poker face is solid as stone. Just as she begins to mentally sweat, Amber speaks again.
“So…” She says, returning their attention to her, “You’re… Traveling partners, right?” A hint of confusion and request for affirmation coloring her voice.
He motions his head yes silently, while Paimon bobs up and down in sync with her own nod.
“Well, look, I’m sure you’ve seen the large dragon flying around recently, It’s best you get inside the city as soon as possible.” She informs them, conveying genuine concern. Highly empathetic(or prone to sympathy), he noted.
They had seen such things, but there had not been a movement since they’d gotten close enough to make it out. Curse his crippled... everything, but especially sight. He felt half-blind, being unable to see things such a short distance away.
Amber’s eyes rove over the two of them, seemingly evaluating them. “It’s not too far from here, I’ll escort you there.” Her tone softens, seemingly in pity.
So, she evaluated them rather poorly. It wasn’t that such an evaluation didn’t make sense. His companion was barely able to keep herself afloat, and could barely lift a small rock without exhausting herself(though she still managed to keep herself afloat even in utter exhaustion… fascinating). He wore a body so smooth it could be mistaken for a newborn’s, and who looked more 'noble' than 'warrior'.
Paimon curiously asks, “Oh? Aren’t you out here for some other reason? Seems kinda weird to stand there just to escort people into the city”
He thanked her internally, because her appearance would lead many to believe she was nothing but pure and innocent(small, feminine, and petite, it was little surprise), it made asking questions not readily asked more easily conveyed. In simpler terms, her cuteness made it easier for people to say things they shouldn’t.
“I am!” Amber replies confidently, ignoring the paradox of conflicting interests, “But not to worry, I can keep you both safe while doing that too.” She reasons, sounding unreasonably chipper, considering this was his first hearing of possible danger, and he had no idea what she meant.
“Besides…” She side-eyes the two of them shiftily, “I’m still not sure if I can trust you two just yet.” She tries to sound suspicious, but Aether heard more of a yearning for companionship.
If it was as he suspected, and she was a loner with no choice in the matter, many things made sense.
He remained quiet, simply staring at her.
Upon his persistent, silent gaze, she cracks slightly, “Oh, ahh..” she seems to recompose herself, shifting from ‘friendly girl’ to ‘worker’, “Not something I should say as a knight, sorry.” She smiles a business smile, her true thoughts buried under a veneer of ‘knightly honor’.
“I give you my apologies,” A slight pause, a glazing of the eyes, as if trying to recall something, “Strange, yet respectable travelers.” Her tone was strictly monitored, as if required to sound exactly so.
“That sounded so fake!” Paimon immediately calls her out on it.
Amber’s knightly tone immediately vanishes, losing all presence as she shifts towards a more casual tone. “Do you have something against the type of language usage prescribed by the Knights of Favonius Handbook!?”
She sounded genuinely upset about the perceived slight, though it was clear she was still technically following the words authored by the supposed handbook. She clearly held affection for some aspect of the Knights of Favonius, though he could only guess which. Still, it was enough to defend it, even in the face of rational questioning.
She fell silent, guiding them but not really initiating conversation. A trait likely picked up in her time in the wild. Her familiarity with her environment betrayed years of time spent within.
Eventually, though, she re-initiated conversation, “So…” she says, taking a moment before continuing to her question, “Suspicious travelers, what brings you to Mondstadt?”
He noted she dropped her ‘respectable’ prefix for them, she was more upset at the jab at the handbook than he’d initially thought. Was she better at hiding her feelings than he had thought? Or did she get attached too quickly to them and take it to heart? He’d usually never consider the second, but she was oddly quick to form an emotional connection.
He stays silent, but Paimon, the helpful narrator that she is, recounts the story she’d eked out him over their two-month travel. “Aether got separated from his sister during a really, really long journey.” She says, encapsulating more than she could possibly imagine.
Paimon points to herself, her drooping body floating back up to normal levels, “Paimon is his travel buddy, helping him find his sister!”
Amber is quiet for a moment, before uttering a soft affirmation, “Looking for your family, huh…” her eyes once again glaze over, clearly remembering something personal. Had she lost a close family member?
She blinks, shaking whatever thoughts she had out of her head, before continuing, “Okay! Let me finish up my other stuff first, and then I can help you put up missing person posters around the city…” She starts speaking enthusiastically, before slowly realizing how little she could actually help, her joyful tone mellowing into a quiet sadness.
Paimon, as always, came to the rescue, easily avoiding the sudden awkwardness. “So what exactly is it you need to finish doing first?” She asks, her hand on her chin in a questioning fashion, her thumb on the left side of her face, her pointer finger on the right, with her chin nestling between them, resting comfortably.
Amber perks up again. “It’s simple, you’ll understand in a bit.” She talks to Paimon, but indirectly informs him as well.
He was more than fine not talking, and leaving all their conversations to Paimon. As a native of this world, she was a much better fit to talk to others than him, someone very much not a native.
Though, the sprite had never seen another like her, and wasn’t even sure of how she had been born. He felt it mildly suspicious, but not worth interrogating her when she clearly didn’t remember.
Amber hadn’t spoken another word, focusing solely on finding whatever she was hunting for. If it weren’t for the occasional gesture, he would’ve thought she’d forgotten them.
After several minutes of, if not comfortable, then amicable silence, they approached a clearing. In that clearing were more of the creatures he’d seen prior to her. They were in a simple fortification, grunting around a campfire.
Their language(if they indeed had one) was not recognizable, unlike humans, the vocal characteristics of non-humans were varied enough that trying to form a meaningful universal language for them was impossible, bar a few exceptions.
Amber stopped at the edge of the clearing, hiding behind a tree. He followed suit, though further back.
Suddenly, a bow materialized out behind her back, her hands naturally reached behind her to grip it.
Fascinating, he thought. For a world to have such a law, it was clear this place was more remarkable than he thought. Observing the process closely, it didn’t materialize from a central point, rather it seemed to seep into existence, parts of it forming spontaneously, but still remaining in the correct place. Such a property was intriguing.
Amber, unrecognizing of Aether’s fascination with her weapon, quickly nocked her bow, aiming carefully before she fired at one of the creatures, hitting it directly in the head.
Expecting a shower of viscera, he’s surprised to see the creature instead evaporate into the air, much similar to how Amber’s bow appeared, except in reverse. It's rather family friendly, he thinks humorously.
The two other creatures notice their brethren dissipating, and are quickly moving to grab their weapons. Amber easily predicts this, shooting the second one in the head. Again, it evaporates.
The third one, however, reached its weapon and shield in time. Holding its shield over its head and upper chest, it sacrificed visibility for safety. The creature seemed to have figured out where they were positioned, and charged towards their hiding place.
With casual ease, she instead aimed for a leg, crippling it and causing it to fall. Noticeably, it didn't seem to fear pain, instead trying to drag itself onward.
But before it could get far, it is unceremoniously shot twice more, once in the arm holding its shield, and the killing shot to its head.
He observes many things from the fight. Notably, how advanced this world's combat rules were. Summoning of weapons, the disintegration of corpses, and ranged weapons seeming to have unlimited ammo.
Very few worlds had any high-level combat rule, much less multiple. This world kept getting more and more mysterious.
After a quick investigation of the camp, Amber returned to them, and cheerfully informed them “Those monsters have been getting too close to the city lately, I was tasked with clearing out the encroaching camps.”
She smiles to herself, and quietly but confidently whispers “Heh, nothing to it.”
Paimon looks at the former camp curiously, “Now that you mention it, how is it that the Hilichurls ended up here?” Aether already knew their name, but he preferred not to name the hordes of monsters he faced. Keeping them nameless and distant was the easiest way to avoid possible emotional issues.(He’d seen it happen, and it was never pleasant.)
Paimon continues after a brief pause, elaborating on her question, “Those creatures don’t seem like the type to set up camp so close to cities like this.” She states it more as a fact, rather than an observation.
Amber sighs, and agrees, “Exactly, it’s more normal for them to be much further out in the wilderness.”
He’d noticed that. Their presence was much higher deep in the woods, away from civilization, thinning out closer to civilization, before a sudden jump in population as one got closer to the supposed ‘City of Mondstadt’. Of course, this was based on indirect observation, but it was still likely close to the truth.
“But because the dragon -Stormterror, if you didn’t know- has been around a lot more recently, the Knights are too busy dealing with the aftermath of it’s storms to worry about things like hilichurls.” she sighs, either in emotion from the damage the dragon has been causing, or due to the overworking of the Knights of Favonius, of which she is a part.
He agrees, even indirect influences of a dragon were often greater than normal humans could bear, he was surprised they had persevered.
Paimon returned to her thinking position, this time leaning(Floating?) forward as well, “So those annoying creatures have been getting closer and closer to the city?” she remarks, making the connection between the two topics.
“Right. That said, clearing the nearby camps helped make this area just a little bit safer.” She sounds rather proud of her contributions, enough so that he hadn’t the heart to point out it’d likely be repopulated by the end of the week, if not sooner.
“That said, let’s get to the city. A responsible Knight must make sure to see you two to the city safely.” She returns to her mission of escorting us, and quickly finds a well-worn forest path to walk through.
After a few glimpses through the trees, they entered a clearing, becoming able to see the city of Mondstadt in all its glory. In all honesty, it was rather small. Situated on a small island, with walls completely enveloping it, it looked more like a fort than a city. Two structures reached over the walls, a chapel(the customary place to worship gods) and an unidentifiable fortified structure, possibly related to the Knights of Favonius, as they seemed to be a military force in the city.
Seemingly satisfied with their awe at the city, Amber introduces it, “Let me officially introduce the city of wind, dandelions, and freedom- Welcome to Mondstadt!”
Paimon is visibly excited, though not for purely aesthetic reasons, “Finally, no more having to camp outdoors!”
They make their way to the city proper, but he noted that the people of the city looked none too cheerful. Paimon makes a similar observation.
“The city folk don’t look too cheery,” she says quietly, as if trying to avoid letting the subjects of her statement overhear.
“Everyone’s been put out of place by the storms recently. Stormterror living up to its name…heh” She tries to crack a joke, but it doesn’t incite any feeling of humor.
She peppers herself back up, “But everything will be fine as long as Jean’s with us!” she claims, though it seems to be more of a hope than an objective statement.
“Jean?” Paimon questions, her innocent curiosity getting the best of her.
Amber seems eager to share, “Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius- Jean, Defender of Mondstat! With Jean on our side, even the vicious Stormterror will be no match for us!” How much of her claim is true, and how much is wishful thinking, is impossible to know.
But, given that the dragon remained very much undefeated, something prevented ‘Jean, Defender of Mondstat’ from forcing the dragon into retreat. Whether that be lack of strength, or something else.
She turns to him, “Before I take you guys to the Knights of Favonius Headquarters, I have a present for you, Traveler.”
Surprise colors his features. Though internally, he was more curious about what warranted such a present.
“What about Paimon?!” his companion complains cutely, quite distressed at their unequal treatment.
“Ahh… because this present is useless to you,” Amber remarks calmly, before continuing.
“Instead… I’ll treat you to a traditional Mondstadt delicacy, Sticky Honey Roast!” She exclaims jovially, unknowingly gifting Paimon one of the two things she cravs, meals and money.
Paimon’s tiny mouth widens as much as possible, and echos Amber, “Sticky Honey Roast!”
“After we get you registered with the Knights of Favionius, of course” she declares. “But first, let’s head to the plaza, I’ll give you your present there.”
While leading them towards the plaza, she explains a little about the city, “This is usually a bustling street, but with so many Stormterror attacks recently, the usual crowds are huddled up at home or at the tavern.”
She snorts, “The tavern’s probably the only exception, I’ve never seen it more packed. We’ll head down there to ask around after I finish checking you in with Jean.”
Eventually, after far too many stairs(why make so much of an already small town public property? The building to empty space ratio was insane for how small it was) they arrive at a particularly grandiose terrace, with the god’s church behind them, a winged statue(likely also that same god) placed in the center of the plaza, and a magnificent view of the small town they’d just walked through.
Amber rested her head on the terrace wall, looking out at Mondstadt. Aether saw within her a longing for many things, and the determination to achieve them.
After a moment of admiring the beauty, she turns to the two of them, “So! The present I want to give you is…” she trails off, intending to draw suspense from him. “A Wind Glider!”
Her hands, which had been held behind her back, quickly showcase her gift.
She took to explaining the gift before he could speak a word, “Outriders use them to ride the wind, and the people of Mondstadt love using them too!”
She gestures to the plaza where they are located. The once purely scenic view takes on new meaning.
Paimon gets excited too, seeming to feed off Amber’s exuberance, “Ohh! You’re really excited about those wind gliders, huh!”
It was also clear why the gift would be of no use to Paimon, who could float on command.
Amber nods in agreement, “Well that’s because the wind is the heart and soul of Mondstadt!”
Amber finally transfers ownership of the device. He examined it, a pure and simple design, though no less effective for it. In fact, it seemed capable of both haling freefall and horizontal motion, rather impressive. He examined the fabric, to see what made it so unique.
Anemo containing fabric? That would explain it, a gentle wind for motion, a strong upward draft for halting a freefall. It remained self-contained, not losing any Anemo energy during usage. What on earth was this fabric?
“Alrighty, enough talk!, let’s take it for a whirl!”
She stands up on the ledge, her own wind glider in hand. Suddenly, right before take off, she stops and whirls back around, “Almost forgot! It's easy to use, but you still need to pay attention to my instructions.” A slight pause, “Don’t want you slamming into a building!” she says slightly wistfully, likely recalling her own personal experiences.
He nods, while he is familiar with similar devices, getting used to the intricacies of a particular design would be easier with a mentor.
She jumps off recklessly, throwing her glider into the proper position carelessly. Clearly, she has a lot of experience. He follows her, more careful in his jumping off of high ledges, having his glider already positioned before he leaps.
In the air, she directs him via her own motions, but after several seconds she remarks, “Keep yourself balanced! Lean too much and you’ll find yourself out of control!” She has to somewhat shout to be audible, but he can hear her nonetheless.
Paimon, meanwhile, was floating alongside him, seeming thoroughly uninterested in this. It was probably pretty boring for her, especially considering she could also ascend instead of purely decending.
They had to fly through a fairly narrow gap to reach the lower plaza, but otherwise, land uneventfully.
“You’re pretty good! Have you used a Wind Glider before?”
He shakes his head, then decides to remark, “No”. It's not wrong, but he prefered to be misleading. Acting “Normal” for a world is almost a second instinct at this point. The attention drawn from being an outsider was repetitive, and got rather boring very quickly.
She simply stares at him, seemingly impressed with his talent. Though, he’s not sure where the talent lies, as all one has to do is keep their balance and angle the wind glider in the direction they would like to go.
As she seems to appraise him, something catches her attention behind him. Meanwhile, he felt a wind pick up that was clearly unnatural, rising from below his feet.
“The sky…” Amber remarks, her tone much less cheerful than a moment prior.
He turns to look, finding it considerably darker than a moment prior. It continued to darken, getting thick with dust, while the winds pick up speed, growing faster and faster until it was strong enough to make one lose their balance.
Suddenly, in the sky above Mondstadt, a six-winged creature soared overhead. He believed it to be the dragon, Stormterror.
The dragon flew around the city, seemingly surveying it. After a minute of the dragon soaring dangerously close to buildings, it returned to a higher altitude, and screeched(he’ll have to ask what they call the dragon’s words. Roars? Screams? Bellows?). It was muffled by the wind, but he made out “...Dare…” from the already slurred words.
The tongue of dragons had much more range than humans, and often included body language. He counted himself lucky his barely functional ears could make out even a word.
As the dragon stopped it’s screech, three whirlwinds strike the city. Not so strong as to rend buildings, but definitely enough to damage them. He stared at the chaos unfolding around him, people desperately fleeing to their homes.
Unfortunately, as he watches to ensure none are swept up by the wind(he would be obligated to save them if they did, as a guest of the city), he himself felt a wind grip him. Too strong and too sudden to escape, he thanked Amber for her glider, and tumbles wherever the wind would take him, spinning as he does.