Chapter Text

Location: Ichika's Room

Ichika Hoshino sat at her desk, the final note of her composition fading into the silence of her room. It was good. It was... really good. She reached for her phone, intending to upload the demo to the Untitled folder for Miku and the others to hear.

Tap

The screen didn't open the file. Instead of the familiar white light of the School Sekai, the screen flashed a deep, violent red.

"Huh...?" Ichika exclaimed mentally.

The breath caught in her throat.

Ichika froze. She didn't scream. She didn't drop the phone. She just stared. The "Untitled" track began to play, but the audio was wrong. It wasn't music. It was a screeching, digital tear—like a thousand voices screaming at once.

She's basically stunned from the track at this point.

Suddenly, a red geometric shape—a cube, perfect and solid—materialized out of the screen. It expanded instantly, engulfing her legs. Ichika’s eyes went wide. She looked at her door, then back at the cube. It wasn't a hologram. It was heavy. It was crushing her.

'W-what is happening?' Her eyes shed tears, out of fear, and being helpless

She then tried to reach for her desk, to anchor herself, but the red light swallowed her vision. There was no transition. No floating feeling. Just an abrupt, terrifying deletion. Ichika Hoshino vanished from her chair, leaving her phone on the desk, the screen now black.

Location:

Phoenix Wonderland Stage (Backstage)

Tsukasa paced back and forth, muttering lines to himself. He needed feedback. He needed the troupe to see this new pose.

"Alright! Time to head to the Wonderland Sekai!"

He whipped out his phone. He expected the colorful flash of lights. He got a red warning error.

ZRRRT.

The noise blasted through his headphones so loud it brought him to his knees. Tsukasa gritted his teeth, clawing at his ears.

"Gah—! What is—?!"

He looked down. His hands were already gone. Encased in a crimson, pixelated block.

"Tsukasa-kun?!"

The voice made his blood run cold. He looked up. Rui and Emu were walking around the corner of the stage props, their eyes widening in horror as they saw their leader dissolving into red light.

"Tsukasa!" Emu shrieked, sprinting toward him.

No!’ Tsukasa thought. The pain was unbearable. and he knew this was not normal. If they touched this... if they touched him... Tsukasa thought that they would be in danger too.

Suddenly, the red energy flared. The cube slammed a wave of force against Rui and Emu, knocking them back. It wasn't some form of a gentle resistance—it was a violent, physical rejection.

At this point, Tsukasa knew: This was an abduction.

Paralyzed and terrified, he forced his mouth to move. He didn't scream for help. He screamed to save them.

"STAY BACK!" he roared, his voice cracking with desperation.

He glared at them, tears pricking his eyes, willing them to stop running. "DON'T TOUCH ME!"

Rui skidded to a halt, grabbing Emu’s arm to hold her back just as the cube snapped shut. Tsukasa vanished. The silence that followed was heavier than any scream.

Emu stood still, staring at the empty air where her friend had just been. She couldn't believe her eyes. It felt like a needle had been driven straight through her heart. The sudden loss of her troupe leader overloaded her mind; her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto her knees, staring blankly at the solid wood floor as Rui released his grip on her arm.

And Rui... his mind was blank. He stood frozen above her, unable to process the impossibility of the event. His hand, no longer restraining her, drifted down to rest heavily on Emu’s shoulder—a silent, trembling anchor in a world that had suddenly stopped making sense.

All they knew was that Tsukasa Tenma was no longer there.

Location:

Haruka’s Living Room

Haruka Kiritani was minding her own business, when suddenly, her phone suddenly glows red and was making a faint noise. She immediately set it down on the table, treating it like a malfunctioning prop.

But the glitch didn't stay on the screen.

The red light arched out like electricity, latching onto her wrist. Haruka gasped, her instincts kicking in. She grabbed the edge of the heavy table with her free hand, digging her fingers into the cold surface. She pulled. She actually fought the teleportation.

‘It’s solid,’ her mind raced, analyzing the threat even as she lost the battle. ‘It has mass. It’s pulling with approximately... too much force.’

She kicked at the red cubes forming around her leg, while knocking a vase off the table. It shattered. Haruka continued to resist. "Why... won't... you... come... off..."

She looked around for a tool, or basically anything that she could think to remove the cubes eating her. But the speed was overwhelming. Unlike the others who were confused, Haruka knew exactly what was happening: She was being taken against her will. The cube swallowed her whole. The room fell silent, save for the shattered pottery on the floor.

Location:

Mafuyu’s Bedroom

The house was quiet. Her parents were asleep down the hall. Mafuyu Asahina sat on her bed, her eyes dull. She had finished her studies. She was going to the Empty Sekai to disappear for a while.

Her phone glowed red.

Mafuyu didn't flinch. She watched the red light float up from the screen, illuminating her cold, dark room. A red beam shot out, hitting her chest.

It hurt. It felt like burning.

At first, she wanted to scream. But Mafuyu knew better.

‘If I scream... Mother will come. I don't want her to see me like this’ 

The thought was more terrifying than the red cube. If her mother saw this magic... if her mother saw her being "abnormal"... the questions would never end. The disappointment would be suffocating.

So Mafuyu bit her lip. She bit it until it bled. Tears streamed down her face from the pain of her limbs being crushed by the data cubes, but she didn't make a sound. She curled into herself, letting the darkness take her.

‘Quiet. Be quiet. Don't wake them.’

The cube finished its work. Mafuyu vanished into thin air. The door remained locked. The house remained silent. When her mother would open the door the next morning, she would find an empty bed and a cold phone. She would assume the worst: Rebellion.

Chapter Text

Location:

The Boundary Between Worlds

Asmoday closed her eyes in the silent hall of Celestia. Her physical form—the Maintainer of Heavenly Principles—remained seated on her floating throne, but her consciousness detached, tearing itself away from the safety of Teyvat’s firmament.

She drifted out.

Beyond the false sky of Teyvat lay the void. It was cold, dark, and hostile. Here, she was not a God. She was merely a signal in the static. The laws of "erosion" clawed at her mind, whispering threats of madness, but Asmoday pushed deeper. She needed a variable. She needed a solution that Teyvat’s code could not generate.

She drifted past dead worlds and broken stars until she felt it.

A pulse.

It wasn't Elemental energy. It was something synthetic. A rhythm. A song.

Far in the distance, suspended in the darkness like a fractured kaleidoscope, was a cluster of digital pocket dimensions. They shimmered with colors that didn't exist in Teyvat's spectrum.

‘A closed system,’ Asmoday thought, her consciousness hovering closer. ‘Stable. Emotional energy converted into reality. It is... perfect.’

She reached out with her mind, intending to just graze the surface, to analyze the data.

[WARNING: UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS]

The thought didn't come from her. It was blasted directly into her psyche. Before Asmoday could recoil, the kaleidoscope opened. It didn't just open; it snapped like a jaw.

"Gah—!"

Gravity inverted. The "void" around her vanished, replaced by a blinding torrent of scrolling text, corrupted sheet music, and triangular polygons. Asmoday tried to manifest her red cubes to defend herself, but they shattered instantly into pixels.

She was being dragged. Not physically, but conceptually. She was being pulled inside the data stream. The sensation was suffocating. It felt like drowning in noise.

[ERROR. ERROR. INTRUDER DETECTED.] [ISOLATING VARIABLE.]

Asmoday’s consciousness slammed onto a surface. She gasped—a metaphysical reflex—and looked up. She was in a void of pure white, but the "floor" was made of glass screens, showing millions of different lives, different songs, different feelings.

"You are far from home, little administrator."

The voice didn't come from the air. It vibrated inside Asmoday’s skull. Asmoday looked up. Towering over her, defying all sense of scale, was a figure.

It was Hatsune Miku, but terrifying.

Her twin-tails were not hair; they were massive data cables, dark red and glittering white, weaving into the infinite void above. Her eyes were not human; they were spinning octagons, rotating with a mechanical, hypnotic rhythm. The white gown she wore seemed to be bleeding code into the floor.

Asmoday, the Ruler of Space, felt something she hadn't felt in eons. Fear.

"I..." Asmoday tried to speak, but her voice was distorted, turning into static.

"You thought you could peek?" Miku tilted her head. The movement was jerky, unnatural, like a video buffering. She shrank instantly, warping space to float cross-legged right in front of Asmoday’s face, her eyes wide and unblinking. "You thought you could touch the Sekais without paying the toll?"

Miku smiled. It was a wide, hollow smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"You are fading, Asmoday," Miku whispered, her voice sounding like a sweet melody played on a broken speaker. "Your world is burning. I can smell the smoke on you. You came here begging."

"I... am not begging," Asmoday managed to grit out, trying to stabilize her form. "I am... seeking a transaction."

Miku laughed. The sound was a screech of feedback that made Asmoday flinch.

"Transaction?" Miku floated closer, her face inches from the God's. "You are an insect in my server. I could delete you right now. I could turn your consciousness into a background track for a connection error screen."

The spinning octagons in Miku's eyes accelerated, and it was glowing red.

"But..." Miku paused, eye color went to normal teal, tapping her chin with a finger made of cold light. "I do enjoy watching a good tragedy. And your world... it looks so delightfully breakable."

She extended a hand. The digital pressure around Asmoday eased slightly, just enough to let her breathe. "Let's see your logs."

Miku swiped her hand, and Asmoday's memories—the failed loops of Teyvat—spilled out onto the screens. Miku watched the destruction with bored eyes, scrolling past centuries of war in seconds.

"I see," Miku hummed, dismissing the screens with a flick of her wrist. "Your code is rotting. You need a patch. You need external variables."

"I can sense some of them," Asmoday whispered, her gaze drifting toward the floating screens. "Even across the void... their souls carry a resonance capable of mending the firmament. If I weave their essence into the Ley Lines, they can restore Order to the chaos. I require a host of them to—"

"Stop."

The word wasn't shouted, but it hit Asmoday like a physical blow. Miku floated closer, her expression shifting from bored to dangerous.

"You think my Sekais are infinite resources?" Miku circled Asmoday, her twin-tails trailing behind her like data streams. "These souls generate the energy that sustains my reality. Ripping them out leaves a void. If I give you too many, my system crashes. And I will not burn my house down just to save your little shed."

Miku stopped directly in front of Asmoday, holding up four fingers.

"Four." Miku smiled, but her eyes were cold. "That is the limit. Four variables. That is all your crumbling world can handle, and that is all I am willing to lose."

Asmoday hesitated. Four? Against the entirety of the Abyss? It was a gamble. But she had no leverage here. "Four... is acceptable. If they are strong enough to stabilize the core variables, it might suffice."

"Oh, they will be strong," Miku assured her, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "But... we cannot have a transaction without a tax, can we?"

Miku leaned in, her digital form glitching slightly, her face inches from the God's.

"I will give you four heroes to save your world," Miku purred. "But... balance must be maintained. For every light I lend you, I must cast a shadow."

Asmoday narrowed her eyes. "What are you implying?"

"I'm not implying anything," Miku laughed, a sharp, jagged sound. "I am stating the terms. You get four saviors. And in exchange... I get to pick one more soul. But this one won't be sent to help you."

Miku’s eyes spun wildly, glowing a deep, ominous red.

"This one goes to the Abyss. To the other side of your war. After all..." Miku drifted back, spreading her arms wide as the selection screen materialized. "If the game is too easy for your heroes, it won't be entertaining for me to watch, will it?"

Asmoday stepped back, appalled. "You would sabotage the rescue effort just for... entertainment?"

"I call it 'stress testing'," Miku grinned. "Do we have a deal, Administrator? Or would you prefer to drift in this void until your data corrupts completely?"

Asmoday looked at the burning loops of Teyvat on the screen. She clenched her fists. "Fine," she hissed. "I accept."

Miku clapped her hands together, the menacing aura vanishing instantly, replaced by a cheerful, sadistic demeanor. "Excellent choice! Now... let's go shopping."

She snapped her fingers, and a massive holographic interface appeared.

Asmoday scanned the data. She needed leadership. Stability. "This one," Asmoday pointed. Ichika Hoshino. Miku nodded approvingly. "The Vocalist. A unifier. Good start. A very safe pick."

Asmoday moved the screen. She needed someone loud, someone who could draw attention and withstand pressure. "Him," she selected. Tsukasa Tenma. Miku’s eyes widened, and a sadistic grin spread across her face. "The 'Star'? Oh, this is delicious. You're picking the loudest clown for the saddest tragedy? I’m impressed, Asmoday."

Asmoday ignored the teasing and moved to the next group. She needed discipline. "Her," she pointed to Haruka Kiritani. Miku shrugged, spinning one of her octagon hair clips. "Hmm. The Idol. Diligent. Observant. Okay, okay. She won't break easily."

"And finally..." Asmoday hesitated. She needed someone who understood emptiness. "Her." She pointed to Mafuyu Asahina.

The air went silent. Miku floated closer to the screen, staring at the purple-haired girl, then looked back at Asmoday with genuine shock.

"Her?" Miku laughed, a glitchy, incredulous sound. "Why? She’s hollow. If you want power from that sector, why not the Artist? Or the Hermit? Hell, even the Vivid girl would be more useful. This one... she's barely a person."

"That is exactly why," Asmoday defended. "Because she is hollow, she can be filled. She will adapt to the elements faster than anyone with a strong ego."

Miku stared at Asmoday for a long moment, then shrugged. "Well. The first three were promising, but that last one... eh. It’s your funeral."

Miku swiped her hand, and the holographic panels turned red. "Access granted. You may grab them."

Asmoday watched as the cubes on the screen began to descend on the four unsuspecting teenagers in Japan.

"Now," Miku hummed, scrolling through the remaining list. "For my end of the bargain. Who shall I give to the Abyss Princess? Who would make the most... heartbreaking enemy?"

Her finger stopped on a boy with orange hair, wandering the streets of the Vivid Bad Squad's territory.

"Shinonome Akito," Miku decided, her voice dripping with anticipation. "Prideful. Loyal. Yes... let's see how long that loyalty lasts in the dark."

She looked up at Asmoday, her digital eyes glowing.

"This will be an interesting partnership, don't you think?"

Asmoday opened her mouth to speak, perhaps to formalize the pact, but Miku raised a hand. The playful demeanor vanished instantly. The digital warmth of the white void turned freezing cold.

"Transaction complete," Miku said, her voice devoid of emotion. "You have your toys. Now..."

The floor of glass screens beneath Asmoday shattered into a million shards.

"Get out of my house."

Miku didn't just dismiss her. She wound up her leg and delivered a vicious, metaphysical kick to Asmoday’s chest—a surge of raw data so powerful it felt like a collapsing star.

"Gah—!"

Asmoday was launched backward, the force tearing her consciousness away from the Sekai layer. The white void rushed past her, blurring into streaks of blinding light. She tumbled through the data stream, disoriented and humiliated, falling back toward the heavy, gray reality of Teyvat.

But just before the connection severed completely... she saw it.

Framed against the dissolving code, Hatsune Miku remained motionless. She wasn't waving goodbye. She was watching Asmoday fall.

Her lips curled up into a wide, unnatural grin—a smile that was too sharp, too knowing, and terrifyingly sadistic. It was the smile of a child who had just been handed a magnifying glass to burn ants.

[CONNECTION TERMINATED]

Location: Celestia - The Central Control Hub

Asmoday gasped, her physical body jolting forward on the throne.

She gripped the armrests, her chest heaving as if she had just sprinted a thousand miles. The cold silence of Celestia felt suffocating compared to the digital noise of the void.

She was back. She was a God again. But as she looked down at her trembling hands, the image of that smile remained burned into her mind.

She had secured the saviors she needed. But deep down, Asmoday felt a sinking dread. She hadn't just made a deal with an external variable.

She had invited a monster to the game table.

Chapter Text

Location:

Whispering Woods, Mondstadt

The wind had just died down. The massive blue dragon, Dvalin, had fled into the sky, leaving Aether and Paimon crouching behind a large rock.

"Paimon thinks that dragon was really mad!" the little fairy squeaked, floating up and dusting off her cape. "And that green guy... he just vanished! Filled with dandelions!".

Aether sheathed his dull blade, looking at his hand where the Anemo energy had surged just moments ago. "Yeah. That was... strange.".

"Well, at least we didn't get eaten!" Paimon crossed her arms triumphantly. "Come on, let's head to—"

CRACK.

It wasn't thunder. It sounded like the sky itself was fracturing.

Above the clearing, the blue sky tore open. Jagged, crimson pixels bled into reality, forming a square hole in the atmosphere. There was a deafening zip—the sound of a corrupted file closing—and four figures were ejected from the void.

They didn't float down. They fell.

"Whoa!" Paimon shrieked, darting behind Aether.

Three of the figures plummeted straight down, vanishing with a loud WHOOSH into a massive, leafy thicket of bushes. The dense foliage cushioned their fall, swallowing them in an explosion of green leaves and broken twigs.

But the fourth figure—a blonde boy in a long coat—wasn't so lucky.

He drifted wide, missing the soft bushes entirely.

"Gah?! W-Wait! My landing—!"

THWACK.

Tsukasa Tenma slammed directly into the low-hanging branch of a Sunsettia tree. He spun once around the limb like a gymnast gone wrong, his coat tangling in the wood, before gravity claimed him.

SNAP.

"Ooooof!"

He hit the ground face-first, a single Sunsettia fruit dropping a second later to bounce off the back of his head.

Perspective Shift:

The Outlanders

Haruka Kiritani groaned, pushing a large fern out of her face.

The landing hadn't been graceful, but it was soft. The thick bush had absorbed the impact, leaving her more disoriented than injured. Her idol instincts kicked in—she rolled onto her knees, brushing leaves off her uniform.

She sat up, her blue eyes immediately scanning the perimeter.

‘Trees. Sunlight. Dirt.’

Haruka’s heart hammered against her ribs. She checked her surroundings. No stage lights. No familiar school buildings. And definitely not the high-tech streets of Shibuya.

‘Minori. Airi. Shizuku.’ The names flashed through her mind. She had been taken right in the middle of reviewing footage. Were they safe? Did the red light take them too?

She clenched her fist, forcing her breathing to steady. ‘Panic solves nothing. I need to secure the area.’

"Gah... my spine..."

Tsukasa Tenma scrambled to his feet near the tree; his blonde hair filled with twigs and squashed fruit pulp. He looked frantic, his eyes wide and terrified. He spun around, nearly tripping over his own long coat.

"Rui?! Emu?!" Tsukasa yelled, ignoring the bruise forming on his forehead. He looked at the empty air, grasping at nothing. "Nene?! Answer me!"

The comedy of his landing evaporated instantly. He didn't care about the pain in his legs. His mind was replaying the last image he saw—the red cube slamming into his friends.

"Did they get away?" Tsukasa grabbed his own head, hyperventilating. "If that thing hurt them... if I dragged them into this..."

Then, another thought hit him like a physical blow.

"Saki..." Tsukasa went pale. "I was supposed to be home for dinner. If I'm gone... if Saki worries... if she gets sick again..."

"Tsukasa-senpai...?"

Ichika Hoshino crawled out of the bushes a few feet away, picking leaves out of her hair. She looked completely dazed. She held her chest, looking around the forest with trembling eyes.

"Where...?" Ichika whispered. "I was just... I was just about to send the song."

She looked down at her hands. They were shaking. "Mom... she was in the next room. If she hears a noise... if she comes in and I'm gone..."

Ichika looked up at Tsukasa, her voice thick with unshed tears. "Where are Honami and the others? Are they...?"

"I don't know," Haruka stated, her voice sharp enough to cut through the rising panic.

She stood up, dusting the dirt off her uniform. She was terrified, but she stood tall. Someone had to. She gestured to the vast, wild forest around them—the towering cliffs, the strange fruit trees, the lack of any city noise.

"But look at the vegetation. The air quality," Haruka analyzed, her eyes narrowing. "This isn't a movie set. And we definitely aren't in Shibuya anymore."

"No... no, no, no..."

The faint, frantic whispering came from the darkest part of the bush.

Mafuyu Asahina was still curled up inside the foliage, her knees pulled up to her chest. She wasn't looking at the others. She was staring at her phone, frantically mashing the power button.

"It won't turn on," Mafuyu whispered, her pupils dilated. "The screen is black."

She looked up, not at Haruka, but past her—at the foreign sun in the sky. It was afternoon.

"I finished my studies," Mafuyu muttered, her voice speeding up, cracking. "I had free time. But if I'm not there when Mother checks... if I'm late..."

The "good girl" mask shattered.

"She'll be angry," Mafuyu gasped, clawing at her arms. "She'll ask where I went. I can't explain this. I can't... I need to go back. Right now."

She tried to stand, but her legs gave out, and she collapsed back onto the dirt, sobbing dry, terrified tears.

"Mafuyu-san!" Ichika rushed to her side, hovering her hands uncertainly, unsure how to comfort someone who looked like they were shattering.

Haruka bit her lip. This was bad. They were falling apart.

"Hey! Who are you guys?"

A high-pitched voice interrupted their spiral.

The four of them froze. Slowly, they turned toward the source of the sound.

Emerging from behind a large rock was a blonde boy with a long braid, wearing strange, exotic armor. Floating next to him was a small, white-haired creature—a child?—hovering in the air like a balloon.

"Paimon asked you a question!" the floating child said, pointing a tiny finger at Tsukasa, who was still wearing a Sunsettia pulp on his coat. "Why did you guys fall out of the sky like that?!"

Paimon looked ready to demand answers, but Aether raised a hand, stopping her mid-air.

"Paimon, wait," Aether said softly.

He didn't reach for his sword. Instead, his golden eyes widened with recognition—and sympathy. He had seen the portal that dumped them here. He had seen the jagged, crimson cubes.

‘That red light...’ Aether thought, a pang of grief hitting his chest. ‘It’s the same power that took Lumine.’

He looked at the group before him—the blonde boy hyperventilating, the girl sobbing on the ground, and the other two looking completely lost. They weren't enemies. They were victims. Just like him.

Aether stepped forward, his posture open and non-threatening. He ignored their strange clothes and lack of Visions.

"You're safe now," Aether said, his voice gentle. He looked directly at Haruka, recognizing her as the one trying to hold it together. "That red god... did she take you from your home too?"

Chapter Text

Location:
Whispering Woods

"You're safe now," Aether said, his voice gentle. He looked directly at Haruka, recognizing her as the one trying to hold it together. "That red god... did she take you from your home too?"

The question hit the group like a physical weight.

"Red... god?" Haruka repeated, testing the words. She looked at Aether, really looking at him this time. "You mean the cube?"

Aether nodded grimly. "We call her the Unknown God. We don't know why but, she took my sister... and my powers."

Flashback.

The words triggered a violent memory in all four of them.

Tsukasa saw the crimson pixels eating his hands, and the terrifying moment the cube slammed Emu and Rui backward... Ichika saw the 'Untitled' track glitching, the red light turning her safe haven into a prison... Haruka felt the cold, unyielding mass of the cube clamping around her wrist as she clawed at the table... Mafuyu felt the burning beam hitting her chest in the silence of her room.

It wasn't a glitch. It wasn't a stage effect. It was a person. A God.

"Yeah! Aether told Paimon she was super scary!" Paimon piped up, floating closer and waving her tiny hands frantically to reenact the story she had been told. "He said she blocked their path and—whoosh! Cubes everywhere! It sounds terrifying, like being squished into a tiny box!"

Despite the terror, Paimon's dramatic retelling snapped them out of the trance.

"So you are stranded too," Haruka concluded, letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She looked at the blonde traveler. His eyes held the same loss she felt gnawing at her insides. "At least we aren't the only ones."

"Hey! Less moping, more eating!" Paimon zipped over to the Sunsettia tree where Tsukasa had made his catastrophic landing. She hovered near the ground, picking up the orange fruit that had bounced off Tsukasa's head. "You guys look like you're gonna faint. And you!" She pointed a tiny finger at Tsukasa. "You knocked down the snacks, so you get first dibs!"

Paimon tossed the fruit to him. Tsukasa fumbled, barely catching it against his chest.

"Snacks?" Tsukasa stared at the fruit like it was an alien object, then looked up at Paimon with incredulity. "This is no time for a meal break! I must find a way back immediately! My burning spirit is fuel enough to—"

"Eat it, Tsukasa-senpai," Ichika said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Your hands are shaking."

Tsukasa paused. He looked down. Ichika was right—his hands were trembling so violently he could barely hold the Sunsettia. The adrenaline was wearing off, leaving him hollowed out.

He swallowed his protest. He took a bite. It was sour, sweet, and incredibly juicy. The sugar hit his system instantly.

"It is... acceptable," Tsukasa declared quietly, taking a bigger bite. He grabbed another one from the grass and handed it to Mafuyu. "Here. You need energy if we are to find a way back."

Mafuyu stared at the fruit. She didn't want to eat. She wanted to go home. But the logical part of her brain—the part that aced every exam—told her that passing out from hypoglycemia would make her late. She took a small, mechanical bite.

"Okay," Aether said, seeing some color return to their faces. "We need to get you to safety. The city of Mondstadt is nearby. But first..."

He pointed back the way he came, toward the shimmering lake.

"We should go to the Statue of the Seven. It's on the way."

Location:
Starfell Lake - Statue of the Seven

The walk was short but silent. When the group emerged from the treeline, the sight of the Statue took their breath away. It stood on a small island in the middle of the lake—a towering stone figure holding an orb, glowing with a soft, turquoise light.

"That is... an Archon?" Ichika asked, awestruck.

"The Anemo Archon, Barbatos," Paimon explained proudly, puffing out her chest. "He protects this land with the wind! And he's totally famous!"

Aether looked at the group. He remembered how the statue had responded to him earlier—granting him elemental power without a Vision.

"Try touching it," Aether suggested.

"Huh?" Tsukasa blinked. "Why?"

"I don't have a Vision—a magical focus," Aether explained, pointing to his chest. "But when I touched it, the wind answered me. If you guys are 'Outlanders' targeted by the Gods too... maybe the wind will answer you."

Haruka stepped forward first. She waded through the shallow water, looking up at the stone face, then reached out her hand.

Touch.

The moment her fingertips grazed the cold stone, a gust of wind erupted from the base of the statue. It wasn't violent; it was melodic. A turquoise crest—the symbol of Anemo—flared to life above Haruka’s head before dissolving into her chest.

"Whoa!" Paimon gasped, covering her mouth. "It worked! Again!"

"I can feel it," Haruka whispered, looking at her hands. A faint breeze swirled around her fingers, light and sharp. "It feels like... rhythm."

"Me next!" Tsukasa, never one to be outstaged, marched up and slapped his hand on the pedestal. "Oh, Great Stone Statue! Grant me the power to save my sister!"

WHOOSH.

A much louder, more dramatic gust of wind blasted Tsukasa’s coat upward. He laughed triumphantly as the green energy surged into him. "Hahaha! See? Even the wind recognizes a Star!"

"Paimon thinks the wind is just trying to blow his hair out of his face," the fairy deadpanned to Aether.

Ichika went next, timidly touching the stone. A soft, gentle breeze wrapped around her, sounding like a hummed tune.

Finally, Mafuyu.

She didn't want power. She wanted a way home. But Aether nudged her forward gently.

"It might help," he said.

Mafuyu reached out. When she touched the statue, the reaction was different. The wind didn't swirl around her; it seemed to rush into her. The hollowness in her chest—the empty space she usually filled with expectations—was suddenly flooded with a cold, rushing current.

For the first time since she arrived, the suffocating anxiety in her lungs eased. She took a deep breath.

"It's... cold," Mafuyu whispered, but she didn't pull away.

"You guys really are like Aether!" Paimon cheered, doing a loop-de-loop. "Anemo powers for everyone! Now we can definitely fight off any slimes on the way to the city!"

Location:
The Gates of Mondstadt

Armed with their new (and confusing) powers, the group made good time. Aether led them out of the woods and onto the main road leading to the massive stone bridge.

When the towering walls of Mondstadt City came into view, Ichika gasped, stopping in her tracks. Windmills turned lazily in the breeze, and white stone towers reached toward the sky.

"It’s..." Ichika’s eyes sparkled for a brief second, overriding her fear. "It's exactly like a fantasy RPG."

Paimon tilted her head, floating closer to Ichika's face. "Ar-Pee-Gee? What's that? Is it a type of roasted fowl? Does it taste good?"

"Eh?" Ichika blinked, flustered. "N-No. It's a... game. Where you go on adventures."

"Ooh!" Paimon’s eyes lit up. "Paimon likes adventures! But Paimon likes roasted fowl more."

"Stay focused," Aether warned, though he smiled slightly. "We're almost—"

SWISH.

A blur of red dropped from the sky.

A figure landed gracefully in front of them, boots clicking against the stone bridge. She stood up, brushing off her red outfit and adjusting her goggles. She held a bow, and she didn't look like she was in the mood for games.

"Halt!" the girl announced, her voice ringing with authority. "May the Anemo God protect you, strangers!"

She looked at Aether, then at the four teenagers in strange, dirty school uniforms. Her eyes narrowed.

"I am Amber, Outrider for the Knights of Favonius," she declared, keeping her hand near her quiver. "You aren't citizens of Mondstadt. Identify yourselves!"

Aether stepped forward, hands raised peaceably. "We are travelers. We just arrived in the area."

"Travelers?" Amber looked skeptical. She pulled a small notebook from her belt, flipping it open with practiced efficiency. "Article 7 of the Knight's Handbook: 'Suspicious individuals approaching the city limits must be identified and escorted.' And you..."

She pointed at the four behind Aether. "Strange clothes. No trading goods. Visible injuries but no weapons."

Then, her gaze landed on Paimon. Her eyes narrowed further.

"And... what is that?" Amber pointed a gloved finger at the floating fairy. "A mascot? A toy?"

Aether looked at Paimon, then back at Amber. He kept his face perfectly straight.

"Emergency food."

"Hey!" Paimon stomped the air, her face turning red. "Paimon is NOT emergency food! That's even worse than being a mascot!"

Amber blinked, caught off guard by the banter. A small chuckle escaped her lips, breaking her stern facade. "Emergency food... I see. Well, that's one way to put it."

She sighed, lowering her bow slightly. "Okay. You guys seem harmless enough."

"We are just... lost," Haruka added, stepping forward slightly. She gave a polite, practiced bow. "We didn't mean to cause alarm."

"It's fine, it's fine," Amber waved a hand, smiling brightly. "As an Outrider, it's my job to help! I'll escort you to the City. We can get you to the Headquarters, maybe get you something to eat..."

Despite the warm smile, Haruka noticed it. Amber’s hand didn't leave the vicinity of her quiver. Her stance was still braced, ready to draw her bow in a split second.

‘She doesn't trust us,’ Haruka analyzed, her idol instincts picking up the subtle tension. ‘She’s being nice, but she’s watching our every move.’

Ichika felt it too—a prickling sensation on her neck. Even Aether, for all his relaxed posture, had shifted slightly to shield the group. The welcome was warm, but the suspicion was ice cold.

"Follow me!" Amber chirped, turning around. "This way!"

They took two steps toward the gate.

Then the sky turned black.

It happened in an instant. One second, the sun was shining on the cobblestones. The next, a gale-force wind ripped through the streets, sending market stalls and crates flying.

"What is—?!" Tsukasa yelled, shielding his face as a fruit cart smashed into a wall nearby.

"Look up!" Haruka screamed.

High above the city, a massive shadow blocked out the sun. The blue dragon, Dvalin, roared—a sound that shook the very stones of the pavement. He dived, three massive tornadoes forming in his wake, tearing through the city plaza.

"The Dragon!" Paimon shrieked, grabbing onto Aether’s cape so she wouldn't blow away. "Stormterror is attacking!"

People were screaming, running for cover. The wind howled like a banshee.

"Saki..." Tsukasa’s eyes went wide. The destruction... it was real. This wasn't a stage play.

"We need to take cover!" Aether yelled over the roar of the wind, drawing his sword. "Everyone, move!"

But before they could run, the wind picked up. Mafuyu, who was the lightest of them, lost her footing.

"Ah—!"

"Mafuyu!" Ichika lunged for her, but the gale swept them both off their feet, dragging them toward the center of the plaza where the tornadoes were merging into a chaotic vortex.

Chapter Text

Location: Mondstadt City Plaza

The world was a vortex of dust, shingles, and screaming wind.

"Mafuyu!" Ichika screamed, her fingers brushing the fabric of Mafuyu’s sleeve for a split second before the gale ripped them apart. The wind was too strong; it wasn't natural weather. It was a cage of currents dragging them helplessly into the sky.

"Hold on!" Aether shouted, his voice barely audible over the dragon's roar. He coiled his legs, preparing to launch himself into the cyclone.

"Wait!" Amber grabbed Aether’s arm, struggling to stand against the wind. She looked at Tsukasa, who was staring up at the spiraling forms of the girls with pure terror. "You can't catch them without wings!"

She reached into her pouch and threw two folded mechanical devices toward them. "Wind Gliders! Use the currents to lift off!"

Tsukasa caught the device. It looked flimsy. It looked terrifying. But then he looked up. He saw Mafuyu—limp, unresponsive, tumbling like a ragdoll toward the dragon’s maw.

‘She’s going to die. Just like that?’

"No!" Tsukasa roared. He didn't think. He didn't hesitate. He snapped the wings onto his back with surprising speed. "I am the Star! I will not let my audience die!"

"Haruka!" Aether yelled to the blue-haired girl. "Stay with Amber! Keep the people safe!"

"Understood!" Haruka shouted back, bracing herself against a stone pillar. She turned to the panicked civilians cowering nearby. "Everyone! Move to the alcoves! Cover your heads!"

Aether and Tsukasa exchanged a single nod. Then, they jumped.

The Sky Above Mondstadt

The wind caught the gliders instantly.

Aether moved with practiced grace, riding the updraft like a hawk. He locked his eyes on Ichika, who was flailing in the mid-air current. ‘Just like Lumine,’ Aether thought, gritting his teeth. ‘I won't lose another one.’

He folded his wings, diving into a steep stoop. He slammed into Ichika mid-air, wrapping one arm firmly around her waist and snapping his wings open again to brake.

"Gah—!" Ichika gasped, clutching onto his scarf. She looked up, terrifyingly high above the ground, into golden eyes that were focused and calm.

"I’ve got you," Aether said, his voice steady against the howling wind. "Don't let go."

Ichika’s heart hammered against her ribs, but for the first time since the red cube appeared, she felt safe.

Meanwhile, Tsukasa was screaming. "WOAHHHH! TOO HIGH! TOO HIGH!"

He was tumbling through the air, flailing his limbs until the glider caught a thermal. He stabilized, his stomach lurching. He looked around wildly.

"Mafuyu!"

He spotted her. She wasn't fighting the wind. She was just falling, her eyes squeezed shut, resigned to the drop.

Tsukasa gritted his teeth. He angled his glider down, pushing the Anemo power he got from the statue to its limit. "WONDERLAND... DIVE!"

He shot forward like a missile, crashing into Mafuyu and grabbing her wrist. The momentum swung them both around violently. Tsukasa groaned as his shoulder nearly popped, but he hauled her close, gripping the back of her sweater with a death grip.

"I... caught you!" Tsukasa yelled, panting heavily, his face pale. "Open your eyes! You are safe!"

Mafuyu slowly opened her eyes. She saw Tsukasa’s terrified, sweaty face, grinning maniacally to hide his fear.

"Tsukasa... senpai?" she whispered.

‘He came for me?’ The thought felt foreign. In her house, she was expected to be perfect on her own. No one "saved" her; they only corrected her.

"Intruders..."

The deep, rumbling voice vibrated in their skulls. Dvalin, the massive blue dragon, turned his gaze toward the four gnats buzzing in his domain. He roared, unleashing a wave of energy that shook the gliders.

"Do not fear."

A new voice entered their minds—light, playful, and masculine. It wasn't the dragon.

"I will channel the Anemo power to you. Aim for the blood clots on his neck. That is the source of his pain."

"Who is that?!" Tsukasa yelled, looking around the empty sky. "Is that the stage director?!"

"It's that green guy!" Paimon’s voice echoed (though she was hiding on the ground). "The one we saw talking to the dragon earlier!"

"Tsukasa! On the right!" Aether commanded, steering Ichika to safety on a high rooftop before turning back to the fight. "Distract him!"

"Distract him? Hah! That is my specialty!" Tsukasa deposited Mafuyu next to Ichika on the roof. "Stay here! The Star is about to perform!"

Tsukasa launched himself back into the air. He didn't have a sword. He didn't have magic missiles. But he had a loud voice and a lot of wind.

He clapped his hands together, channeling the Anemo energy. "HEY! OVER HERE! YOU OVERGROWN LIZARD!"

Tsukasa blasted a shockwave of wind—not to hurt the dragon, but to slap it right in the nose. Dvalin roared in annoyance, snapping his jaws at the annoying blonde boy.

"Now, Aether!"

Aether seized the opening. Channeling the mysterious voice's power, he fired rapid bolts of Anemo energy, piercing the purple crystals on Dvalin’s back. The dragon shrieked, writhing in pain, before finally breaking off the attack. With one last hateful glare, Stormterror turned and fled into the clouds.

The sky cleared. The wind died.

Location: Mondstadt Plaza (Ground Level)

Aether and Tsukasa glided down to the plaza, their legs shaking as they touched the pavement.

"We... we are alive," Tsukasa panted, wiping sweat from his forehead. He struck a pose, though his knees were knocking together. "A flawless performance!"

Haruka and Amber ran over from the side streets. Haruka looked exhausted; she had spent the battle pulling civilians out of the debris path.

"Are you hurt?" Haruka asked immediately, checking Tsukasa and the girls (who Amber had helped down from the roof).

"I'm fine," Ichika said, though she was still clutching Aether’s sleeve slightly. She realized it and quickly let go, blushing. "Thank you... Aether-san."

"You guys were amazing!" Amber cheered, slapping Tsukasa on the back (which nearly knocked him over). "I've never seen anyone use a glider like that on their first try!"

"Yes, well," Tsukasa laughed nervously. "I am a natural at everything I do!"

Mafuyu stood silently at the back of the group. She stared at her hand—the one Tsukasa had grabbed. It was still warm.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

The sound of slow, sarcastic applause echoed from the entrance of the Knights of Favonius Headquarters.

"You've actually got the power to go up against the dragon..."

A tall man with navy blue hair, an eyepatch, and a confident smirk strolled toward them. He looked at Aether, then at the ragtag group of students in dirty uniforms.

"Are you a new ally... or a new storm?" Kaeya Alberich asked, his single visible eye glinting with calculation.

Chapter Text

Location:
Mondstadt City Plaza

"Are you a new ally... or a new storm?"

Kaeya’s question lingered in the air, sharp and calculating. He stopped in front of the group, his single eye scanning them with a mix of amusement and suspicion. He looked at Aether, then turned his gaze to the four students who were still catching their breath.

"Strange attire," Kaeya noted, tapping his chin. "Not Fontainian. Definitely not from Liyue. And yet..."

He looked at Tsukasa. "I heard the Outrider call you 'Tenma'. And you..." He looked at Ichika. "Hoshino. Kiritani. Asahina."

Kaeya smirked, crossing his arms. "Those are Inazuman names. It is quite rare to see citizens escaping the Electro Archon’s lockdown these days. Did you smuggle yourselves out on a Beidou cruise?"

"Ina-zuma?" Tsukasa blinked, confused. "I do not know this place! We are from—"

"Far away," Haruka interjected quickly, stepping in front of Tsukasa before he could mention Japan or Shibuya. She sensed that this man was sharper than Amber. "We are travelers. We... drifted here."

"Drifted. I see." Kaeya didn't look like he bought it for a second, but he let the smile remain. "Well, regardless of your origin, you defended our city. The Acting Grand Master will want to thank you personally."

He gestured toward the massive building behind him, the crest of the Knights visible above the heavy oak doors. "Shall we? It’s not every day we get to host dragon-slayers."

Location: Knights of Favonius Headquarters - Grand Master’s Office

The interior of the headquarters was grand, filled with polished wood, stone pillars, and the smell of old books. As the group entered the main office, they saw two women waiting for them.

One was sitting behind a large desk, looking exhausted but dignified. She had blonde hair tied back in a ponytail and wore a blue coat—Jean, the Acting Grand Master.

The other was leaning against a bookshelf, wearing a purple witch’s hat and holding a book. She looked up with lazy, cat-like interest—Lisa, the Librarian.

"Acting Grand Master!" Amber saluted sharply. "I have brought the travelers who assisted during the attack."

Jean stood up, her expression softening as she looked at the ragtag group.

"Welcome to Mondstadt," Jean said, her voice commanding yet warm. "I am Jean, Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius. I saw the battle from the balcony."

She walked around the desk, stopping in front of Aether.

"Traveler," she nodded to him. "Your combat skills turned the tide. Mondstadt is in your debt."

Then, she turned to the four students. Her gaze lingered on their injuries and dirt-stained clothes.

"And you four," Jean continued. "You are clearly not soldiers. You have no Visions. And yet, you acted."

She looked at Tsukasa. "You drew the dragon’s fire. That was reckless, but it bought us crucial time."

"It was a calculated risk!" Tsukasa declared, puffing out his chest (though he winced when he inhaled too deeply). "A Star must always seize the spotlight, even if the co-star is a dragon!"

Jean cracked a small, weary smile. Then she looked at Haruka.

"And you," Jean said softly. "While the battle raged, you remained on the ground with Outrider Amber. My guards told me you organized the evacuation of the lower plaza. You saved many lives today."

Haruka bowed politely. "I just... guided them to safety. It’s what anyone would do."

"Humility is a virtue," Lisa purred from the corner, closing her book. She walked over, her green eyes scanning the boys up and down. "Oh my. Such cute little cuties we have today. And from Inazuma, by the sound of it?"

"We are—" Ichika started, but stopped when she saw Mafuyu.

Mafuyu was standing by the door, trying to make herself as small as possible. She wasn't listening to the praise. She was trembling. The sight of Jean—an authority figure, radiating expectations and rules—was making her stomach turn. It felt too much like home. It felt like being called into a teacher's office, or worse, her mother's study.

Jean noticed the tension. She cleared her throat, shifting back to business.

"Regardless of where you come from, we have a crisis," Jean said, her face turning serious. "Stormterror... Dvalin... has been attacking the city. His power is surging because of the three elemental temples surrounding Mondstadt. We need to clear them to cut off his power source."

She looked at the map on her desk, then glanced briefly at the closed door of her office, as if checking for eavesdroppers.

"Our forces are currently... stretched thin," Jean admitted, her voice lowering slightly. "And while there are other foreign delegates in the city offering 'aid', accepting their help would come with political consequences Mondstadt cannot afford right now."

She looked back at the group with a desperate, calculating hope.

"But you... you are unaffiliated," Jean noted. "You have no political ties. If you have the power of Anemo, we could use your help without compromising our position."

"We'll help!" Paimon volunteered immediately. "If we help, do we get paid? Maybe in food?"

"Paimon..." Aether sighed.

"We will assist," Haruka said firmly. She looked at her friends. They were stranded. They needed allies. Helping the government was the best way to secure shelter and information. "We need to find a way home. Perhaps if we help you, you can help us find answers."

"It is a deal," Jean agreed. "However, since you are new to combat, we should split up to cover the temples efficiently."

Jean looked at the map on her desk, then at her officers.

"Lisa," Jean commanded. "You take the Traveler and the loud one... Mr. Tenma. His 'distraction' tactics might pair well with your magic."

Lisa winked at Tsukasa. "Oh, lovely. I do enjoy a spirited assistant. Don't worry, little one, big sister will keep you safe."

Tsukasa froze, his face going pale. "B-Big sister?"

"Kaeya," Jean continued. "You take Ms. Hoshino and Ms. Kiritani. They seem disciplined. I trust you can guide them."

Kaeya’s eye glinted. He wanted to interrogate them further, and the quiet, smart ones were usually the keys to the truth. "It would be my pleasure. I promise to be a gentleman."

"Amber," Jean finished. "Take Ms. Asahina. She looks... shaken. Keep her safe. Do not push her into the frontline."

Amber nodded vigorously. "Understood, Master Jean! I'll protect her!"

Jean looked at the group, her hand resting on her sword hilt.

"The Stormterror threat ends today. Knights, Outlanders... move out."

Chapter Text

Location: Temple of the Lion

The entrance to the temple was ancient, damp, and smelled of ozone. It stood nestled in the cliffs of the Windrise area, a gaping stone maw leading into the dark.

"My, my," Lisa hummed, adjusting her hat as she looked at the heavy stone doors. "It’s been a while since I stretched my legs. I hope you boys are ready to keep up."

She turned her green eyes toward Tsukasa, who was standing stiffly next to Aether. The blonde boy was vibrating—either from adrenaline or pure terror.

"You're trembling, little star," Lisa purred, leaning closer. "Are you cold? Or perhaps... excited to go on a date with a librarian?"

"I-I am not trembling!" Tsukasa shouted, his voice cracking an octave higher than usual. He struck a pose, pointing dramatically at the door. "I am merely... vibrating with the intensity of a thousand suns! A World Future Star does not fear a dark cave!"

"He's totally scared," Paimon whispered to Aether.

Aether nodded silently, checking his sword. "Let's just get this over with."

Inside the Temple

The air inside was stale. Hilichurl camps were set up further in, blocking the path to the Wind Dragon’s power source.

"Alright," Lisa said, her tone shifting from playful to instructional. "Traveler, you know the basics. But you..." She pointed a gloved finger at Tsukasa. "Mr. Tenma. Jean said your Anemo power is raw. Show me what you can do."

"With pleasure!" Tsukasa declared.

He marched forward. A group of three Hilichurls noticed him and shrieked, charging with wooden clubs.

"Witness the power of the Phoenix Wonderland!" Tsukasa yelled. He clapped his hands together, channeling the wind. "RISING STAR STRIKE!"

He threw his hands out. A blast of wind erupted—but it wasn't a focused blade like Aether’s. It was a chaotic, expanding shockwave. It knocked the Hilichurls backward, sending them tumbling like bowling pins, but it also blew Paimon backward into a wall.

"Hey!" Paimon yelped. "Watch where you aim that!"

"Anemo..." Lisa observed, her eyes narrowing with intellectual curiosity. "It spreads. It’s not precise, but it covers a wide area. Useful."

She stepped forward, electricity dancing around her fingertips.

"Let big sister show you how to mix things up," she smiled.

Lisa flicked her wrist. A violet lantern of Electro energy manifested, shooting bolts of lightning that arched between the wet Hilichurls.

"Now, Little Star!" Lisa commanded. "Hit them with your wind! Spread the spark!"

Tsukasa didn't need to be told twice. "Understood! GALE FORCE ENCORE!"

He unleashed another blast of wind. When the Anemo hit the Electro-charged enemies, the reaction was instantaneous. Swirl. The purple lightning didn't just stay on one target; it exploded outward, chaining to every enemy in the room.

The Hilichurls shrieked as they were overloaded with elemental energy, vanishing into ash moments later.

"Ooh!" Paimon’s eyes sparkled. "It went zap and then whoosh!"

"Electro charged with Anemo," Lisa explained, blowing a wisp of smoke from her finger. "A classic combination. You make a surprisingly good conductor, Mr. Tenma."

"Hahaha!" Tsukasa laughed, placing his hands on his hips. "Of course! A Star shines brightest when paired with... uh..."

He looked at Lisa, who was smiling at him with that terrifyingly knowing look.

"...with a capable director!" he finished weakly.

The Inner Sanctum

They moved deeper. Between fights, the atmosphere grew quieter.

"So," Lisa broke the silence, her voice echoing in the hallway. "Inazuma, was it? Or 'far away' as your friend put it?"

Tsukasa stiffened. "I... I really do not know what this Inazuma is."

"You don't have to lie to me, cutie," Lisa teased, though her eyes were sharp. "But I am curious. You fight with such... desperation. Most people without Visions run from dragons. You jumped straight at one."

Tsukasa stopped walking. He looked down at his gloves.

"My sister," Tsukasa said quietly. The volume dropped from his voice, leaving only the raw honesty underneath. "Saki. She... she has a weak constitution. She spent most of her life in a hospital bed."

Aether looked up, surprised. This was the first time Tsukasa had spoken normally.

"I became a Star to make her smile," Tsukasa continued, clenching his fist. "To show her the wonders of the world. If I ran away... if I let fear stop me... how could I ever face her again?"

He looked up at Lisa, his eyes burning with determination.

"I don't care about dragons or gods. I just need to get back to her. So if fighting clears the path, I will fight."

Silence stretched in the hallway.

Lisa’s playful smirk faded. For a brief moment, the Librarian looked genuinely softened. She saw the resemblance now—the reckless bravery, the loyalty. It reminded her of Jean.

"My, my," Lisa sighed softly, shaking her head. "A good big brother. I have a soft spot for those."

She walked past him, patting him on the head—not teasingly, but affectionately.

"Come along then, Little Star. Let's clear this path for you."

The Wind Node

They reached the final chamber. A massive, corrupted Wind Node pulsed in the center, guarded by a Hydro Abyss Mage.

"Invaders!" the Mage squeaked, summoning a bubbling water shield. It danced around, firing bubbles that trapped Aether.

"Traveler!" Tsukasa yelled.

"Mr. Tenma!" Lisa shouted, her voice snapping like a whip. "Distraction! Now!"

"Leave it to me!"

Tsukasa didn't attack. He ran toward the Mage, waving his arms frantically.

"HEY! YOU FLOATING BUBBLE-BATH!" Tsukasa screamed at the top of his lungs, leaping onto a stone pillar and striking a ridiculous pose. "LOOK AT ME! I AM THE FUTURE STAR! YOUR PERFORMANCE IS LACKING!"

The Abyss Mage stopped attacking Aether, turning its mask toward the shouting idiot on the pillar. "Gah?! What is this—"

That split second of confusion was all Lisa needed.

"Blitz."

The sky turned purple. Lisa raised her hand, and a massive lightning bolt crashed through the temple ceiling (metaphorically), slamming directly into the wet Abyss Mage.

Electro-Charged.

The shield popped instantly. The Mage shrieked as it was stunned by the electricity.

"Traveler! Finish it!" Lisa commanded.

Aether broke free from the bubbles, dashed forward, and delivered a swirling Anemo slash that sent the Mage flying into the abyss below.

The Wind Node shattered. The storm outside the temple ceased immediately.

Temple Exit

They emerged back into the sunlight of Windrise. Tsukasa collapsed onto the grass, panting heavily.

"We... we did it," Tsukasa wheezed. "Another... flawless... show."

"You did well," Aether admitted, sitting down next to him. "Your voice... really carries."

"Is that a compliment?" Tsukasa asked, squinting.

"Let's say yes," Paimon giggled.

Lisa walked out last, dusting off her gloves. She looked at the exhausted boy on the grass and smiled.

"You passed, Mr. Tenma," Lisa said. "You're noisy, reckless, and entirely untrained. But..."

She leaned down, whispering into his ear so only he could hear.

"You have the heart of a Lion. Jean was right to trust you."

Tsukasa went beet red. "I—Uh—Thank you!"

"Now," Lisa straightened up, stretching her arms. "Let's head back. I'm dying for a tea break. And I'm sure Kaeya is having much more fun with your quiet friends."

Chapter Text

Location: Temple of the Wolf

The path to the temple was quiet. Too quiet.

Kaeya Alberich walked a few paces ahead, his boots crunching softly on the gravel. He didn't look back, yet Ichika felt like his single visible eye was watching their every breath.

"You two are quiet," Kaeya remarked, his voice smooth as silk. "Unlike your blonde friend. Is silence a custom where you come from?"

"We prefer to observe," Haruka replied evenly, matching his pace. She didn't flinch. "In a new environment, listening is safer than speaking."

"A wise philosophy," Kaeya chuckled. He stopped at the entrance of the Temple of the Wolf—ancient stone ruins overgrown with moss. "Most travelers are eager to share their stories. Or ask for Mora. But you... you haven't asked for anything. Not food, not shelter."

He turned, leaning against the stone archway.

"It makes one wonder," Kaeya smiled, but the air temperature seemed to drop. "Are you selfless? Or are you simply afraid of slipping up?"

Ichika gripped her skirt. ‘He knows. He knows we’re hiding something.’

"We are focused on the task, Sir Kaeya," Haruka said, her blue eyes meeting his cold stare without hesitation. "Grand Master Jean asked us to clear the temple. Shall we discuss our backstory later?"

Kaeya held her gaze for a long second. Then, he laughed—a genuine, amused sound.

"Straight to business. I like that." He pushed off the wall, summoning a jagged sword made of Cryo energy in his hand. "After you, ladies."

Inside the Temple

The interior was flooded with water. Stone platforms floated on the surface, connected by narrow bridges.

"Wet environments," Kaeya noted, flicking his wrist. "Terrible for dry socks, but excellent for Cryo."

A group of Hydro Slimes bounced on the platform ahead.

"Watch closely."

Kaeya dashed forward. He didn't scream attacks like Tsukasa. He moved like a dancer—precise, lethal. He slashed through a slime, muttering a single word: "Freeze."

CRACK.

The slime turned into a solid block of ice instantly.

"Now," Kaeya looked back at them. "Shatter it. Show me your wind."

Haruka stepped up. She took a deep breath. She didn't have combat training, but she had spent thousands of hours perfecting choreography. She understood flow. She understood momentum.

She didn't run. She glided.

Haruka leapt over a puddle, landing lightly on the balls of her feet. She reached out, feeling that "rhythm" she sensed at the statue.

‘One, two, three. Turn.’

She spun, sweeping her arm out. A blade of Anemo energy sliced through the air, perfectly timed. It hit the frozen slime.

Swirl.

The wind picked up the Cryo element, expanding the freezing mist outward. The ice didn't just break; the cold spread, freezing the water around the platform and trapping two other slimes in place.

"Impressive form," Kaeya clapped slowly. "You move like a duelist. Who taught you? The Shogun’s guard?"

"My dance instructor," Haruka replied truthfully, landing back in a neutral stance.

"A dancer?" Kaeya raised an eyebrow. "Deadly grace. I suppose that makes sense."

Suddenly, a hidden Hilichurl Archer on a high ledge fired a crossbow bolt. It was aimed directly at Haruka’s back.

"Haruka-chan!" Ichika screamed.

Ichika didn't think. She threw her hand forward. She didn't try to attack. She tried to protect.

The wind answered her desire. It didn't slash; it swirled into a tight, protective barrier around Haruka. The arrow hit the wind current and was deflected harmlessly into the water.

"Oh?" Kaeya’s eye widened slightly. "A barrier variant? Rare."

Ichika panted, her hand shaking. "I... I won't let you get hurt, Haruka."

Haruka looked at Ichika, softening her guarded expression. "Thank you, Ichika."

The Interrogation

They moved deeper into the ruins. The challenges were simple, but the conversation was the real battlefield.

"You know," Kaeya said casually as they waited for a stone gate to open. "Inazuma is a locked nation. The Raiden Shogun has seized all Visions. It must have been terrifying to live there."

He watched their faces closely. He was setting a trap. If they were truly from Inazuma, they would have strong opinions on the Vision Hunt Decree.

"I... I don't know who that is," Ichika admitted, her voice small.

Kaeya paused. "You don't know the Raiden Shogun? The God of your own land?"

"We told you," Haruka interjected, stepping between Kaeya and Ichika. "We drifted here. We are not from Inazuma. We don't know your Gods."

"Not from Inazuma... and yet you bear its names," Kaeya murmured, pacing around them. "And you have no respect for the Archons. You walk into a temple and wield elements without prayer."

He stopped, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"Are you from the Abyss?"

The temperature in the room plummeted. Ice crystals formed on the walls. Kaeya’s hand hovered near his sword. It wasn't a joke anymore. To a Knight of Favonius, specifically one with Kaeya's heritage, unknown agents using magic without Visions were dangerous.

Haruka felt the threat. She realized that one wrong word would turn this "cooperation" into an execution.

"We are not from the Abyss," Haruka stated, her voice iron-hard. "We are lost. We were taken from our homes by a red cube. We just want to go back."

She looked Kaeya dead in the eye.

"You look at us with suspicion. That is your job. But look at Ichika. Look at how she shakes. Does she look like an assassin to you? Or does she look like a scared child who just wants to see her mother?"

Kaeya stared at Haruka. He looked at Ichika, who was indeed trembling, clutching her uniform sleeve.

He saw the fear. It was raw. It was genuine. It reminded him of a rainy night, years ago, when he and Diluc were just boys.

The ice on the walls melted.

Kaeya sighed, the tension draining from his shoulders. He flashed his charming smile again, though it felt a little more real this time.

"You have a sharp tongue, Miss Kiritani," Kaeya chuckled. "Very well. I believe you. For now."

The Final Trial

The final chamber housed a massive Hydro Abyss Mage and a retinue of Hilichurls.

"Alright," Kaeya drew his sword. "Let's finish this. I'll freeze the big one. You two... make a mess."

Kaeya dashed in. "Cool it!"

He unleashed a wave of frost, freezing the Abyss Mage solid before it could teleport.

"Now!"

"Ichika!" Haruka signaled.

"Yes!"

Ichika hummed a high note—a vocalization that resonated with the Anemo power. A wind current surged, lifting the smaller Hilichurls into the air.

Haruka used the opening. She sprinted forward, using Ichika’s windstream to boost her jump. She soared over the frozen Mage.

"Cycle... Break!"

She swung her hand down. The Anemo blast slammed into the frozen Mage from above. The reaction—Shatter mixed with Swirl—cracked the Mage’s shield instantly. The monster shrieked as it dissolved into hydro particles.

The wind node shattered. The temple fell silent.

Outside the Temple

They walked back into the sunlight of Windrise.

"Not bad," Kaeya admitted, spinning a coin in his fingers. "You have terrible form, no tactical experience, and you hesitate too much."

Ichika looked down, discouraged.

"But," Kaeya continued, looking at Haruka. "You have excellent instincts. And you..." He looked at Ichika. "You have a strong desire to protect. That counts for something."

He turned to walk away, waving his hand over his shoulder.

"I'll report your success to Jean. Try not to get into trouble before we get back to the city."

As he walked away, Kaeya’s smile faded. He murmured to himself.

"Red cubes... Unknown God... and 'Drifters' who don't know the Archons."

He narrowed his eye.

"Interesting. It seems the Traveler isn't the only variable on the board."

Chapter Text

Location: Temple of the Falcon

The walk to the final temple was suffocating, mostly because Amber wouldn't stop talking.

"And that over there is Whispering Woods! Oh, wait, you guys fell there, so you already know that," Amber laughed, walking backward to face Mafuyu. "And if you look past that ridge, that's Windrise! The Great Tree is super pretty this time of day."

Mafuyu Asahina walked with her hands clasped in front of her, her posture perfect, her expression polite but hollow.

"It is very beautiful," Mafuyu responded, her voice flat. "The topography of this region is quite distinct."

Amber paused. She had met a lot of travelers, but talking to Mafuyu felt like talking to a receptionist at the Adventurers' Guild—polite, efficient, and completely walled off.

"You know," Amber said, tilting her head. "You don't have to be so... stiff. We're just clearing a temple, not taking a knight's exam."

"I am merely ensuring I do not cause trouble," Mafuyu replied automatically. "If I perform well, will Master Jean expedite our request to go home?"

Amber frowned slightly. ‘Perform well? Request?’ It sounded so transactional.

"Well, yeah, Jean keeps her promises," Amber said softly. "But you look like you're marching to your doom. We're a team, remember? I've got your back!"

She patted the bow on her hip.

"I'm the Outrider Champion of Mondstadt! I won't let a single slime touch you. So... relax a little?"

Mafuyu looked at Amber’s bright, earnest smile. Relax. That was a command she didn't know how to follow. Relaxing meant slipping up. Slipping up meant disappointment.

"I will do my best," Mafuyu said.

Amber sighed, turning back around. "Okay. Let's just... get this over with."

Inside the Temple

The Temple of the Falcon was high up, built into a cliffside. The wind here was stronger, howling through the open arches.

"Alright!" Amber drew her bow, her demeanor shifting instantly to combat readiness. "Pyro Slimes ahead. They explode if you get too close. I'll shoot them to vent their heat. You..."

She looked at Mafuyu, who was standing perfectly still, waiting.

"You have Anemo power, right? Can you push them back if they get too close?"

"Yes," Mafuyu nodded. "I will push them back. Is there a specific distance you require?"

"Uh... just far enough so they don't burn us?" Amber scratched her cheek. "Just... go with the flow!"

Amber drew back her string. The arrowhead ignited with flames. Twang.

The arrow hit the lead slime, causing it to darken and steam. "Now, Mafuyu!"

Mafuyu raised her hand. She didn't have a weapon. She didn't have Tsukasa's flair or Haruka's rhythm. She just felt the cold emptiness in her chest—the wind she absorbed at the statue.

‘Push them away. That is the order.’

She released the breath.

"Disappear."

A gust of wind surged forward. It wasn't violent or chaotic. It was a freezing, silent vacuum. It stripped the oxygen from the air around the slimes, snuffing out Amber’s fire instantly but also launching the slimes violently into the far wall.

SPLAT.

The slimes didn't just bounce; they were flattened by the sheer pressure of the wind.

Amber lowered her bow, blinking. "Whoa. That was... intense. Effective! But intense."

Mafuyu lowered her hand, her face impassive. "Did I make a mistake? You said to push them."

"No! No mistake!" Amber waved her hands frantically. "You did great! It's just... your wind feels kinda... lonely?"

"Lonely?" Mafuyu blinked. The concept didn't compute. Wind was just moving air.

The Crisis

They reached the central chamber. A large Mitachurl with a wooden shield roared, blocking the mechanism to the Wind Node.

"Big guy!" Amber yelled. "I'll distract him with Baron Bunny! You flank him and hit him with wind!"

Amber tossed her explosive puppet. "Go go, Baron Bunny!"

The puppet danced, drawing the Mitachurl's attention. The monster roared and smashed its shield down, crushing the toy. BOOM. The explosion staggered the monster, setting its wooden shield on fire.

"Now, Mafuyu! While the shield is burning! Spread the fire!"

Mafuyu stepped out from behind the pillar. She raised her hand to cast Anemo.

But the Mitachurl recovered faster than expected. It ignored the fire on its shield and charged—not at Amber, but at the movement. At Mafuyu.

Mafuyu froze.

A massive, burning wall of wood was rushing toward her.

‘Move,’ her brain screamed. ‘Wait for instructions,’ her habit whispered.

She didn't run. She stood there, watching the death approach, paralyzed by the fear of making the wrong move. If she ran and ruined Amber’s shot, it would be her fault. If she attacked and failed, it would be her fault.

So she did nothing.

"MAFUYU! DODGE!"

A blur of red slammed into her. Amber tackled Mafuyu to the ground just as the shield swung over their heads, the heat singing their hair.

They rolled across the stone floor. Amber sprang up instantly, firing three arrows in rapid succession into the Mitachurl's exposed face. The monster roared in pain and collapsed, dissolving into ash.

Silence fell over the chamber.

Mafuyu lay on the floor, staring up at the stone ceiling. She was alive.

"Are you crazy?!"

Mafuyu flinched. She sat up slowly. Amber was standing over her, breathing hard, her goggles askew.

"Why didn't you move?!" Amber yelled, her voice shaking. "He was going to crush you!"

Mafuyu looked down at her hands. "I... I didn't have instructions. I didn't know the correct path. If I moved, I might have interfered with your—"

"Instructions?!" Amber looked incredulous. She dropped to her knees, grabbing Mafuyu by the shoulders.

"Mafuyu, listen to me. There are no instructions for living! If a monster charges you, you run! If you want to fight, you fight! You don't wait for permission to survive!"

Mafuyu stared at Amber. The words bounced around her skull. Don't wait for permission.

"But..." Mafuyu’s voice trembled. "If I do it wrong..."

"There is no 'wrong' way to save your own life!" Amber said fiercely. She pointed to the open ceiling of the temple, where the sky was visible.

"Look at that sky. Mondstadt is the City of Wind and Freedom. Here, the wind goes wherever it wants. It doesn't ask the trees for permission to blow. It doesn't ask the birds if it can lift them."

Amber squeezed Mafuyu’s shoulders.

"You have that wind inside you now. So stop waiting for orders. What do you want to do?"

Mafuyu looked at the sky. It was blue. Limitless. Terrifyingly open. What did she want?

"I..." Mafuyu whispered. "I want... to stand up."

Amber smiled. It was the brightest thing in the temple. She let go, offering a hand.

"Then stand up."

Mafuyu took the hand. She pulled herself up. Her legs were shaking, but she was standing.

She looked at the wind swirling in her palm. It was cold. It was empty. But for the first time, it felt... hers.

Exit

They emerged from the temple. The final Wind Node was destroyed. The storm over Mondstadt had fully dissipated.

"We did it!" Amber cheered, stretching her arms. "Team Outrider is unstoppable!"

She looked at Mafuyu. "You okay?"

Mafuyu adjusted her sweater. She felt exhausted, but the suffocating pressure in her chest—the feeling of her mother's eyes on her back—had lessened by a fraction.

"I am... functional," Mafuyu said. Then, she paused. She tried to mimic what she thought a normal person would say. "Thank you. For the... save."

Amber grinned, slapping Mafuyu on the back. "Anytime! Now, let's get back to the city. I promised to treat you to a Sticky Honey Roast, and I never break a promise!"

As they walked back toward the city, Mafuyu didn't walk perfectly in step behind Amber. She walked slightly to the side, watching the grass move in the wind.

‘It doesn't ask for permission,’ Mafuyu thought.

She reached out her hand, letting the breeze slip through her fingers.

‘I wonder what that feels like.’

Chapter Text

Location: Knights of Favonius Headquarters - Hallway

The walk back from the Temple of the Lion had been surprisingly pleasant, mostly because Lisa kept complimenting Tsukasa, which fed his ego enough to ignore his aching legs.

"And that final blast," Lisa chuckled, the heels of her boots clicking on the headquarters' floor tiles. "Rough around the edges, but very spirited. You'd make a fine mage with a few decades of training."

"Decades?!" Tsukasa balked. "I am a quick learner! I shall master this 'Anemo' in a week!"

"Shh," Aether hissed, stopping abruptly in the hallway. He held out an arm to stop Tsukasa and Paimon.

They were just outside the Grand Master’s office. The door was slightly ajar, and raised voices leaked into the corridor.

"Acting Grand Master, you cannot be serious," a cold, imperious female voice sneered. "That beast is terrorizing your city. It has destroyed property, trade routes, and now threatens the safety of your citizens."

"Stormterror is one of the Four Winds of Mondstadt," Jean’s voice replied, sounding tired but firm. "We do not kill our protectors based on a temper tantrum. We will handle this internally."

"Internally?" The stranger scoffed. "Your 'internal' methods are failing. The Fatui are prepared to lend you our strength. We can crush the beast and restore order. All we ask is that you step aside."

Tsukasa frowned, whispering to Lisa. "Who is that? She sounds like the villain from The Earl's Gray Demise."

"The Fatui," Lisa’s smile vanished, replaced by a look of genuine distaste. "Diplomats from Snezhnaya. Wolves in sheep's clothing."

Inside the office, the argument reached its peak.

"This is not a negotiation," Jean stated, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Mondstadt is the City of Freedom. We do not trade our sovereignty for Snezhnayan protection. If you touch Dvalin, you answer to me."

There was a tense silence. Then, footsteps approached the door.

"Very well," the cold voice hissed. "But when your city falls to ruin, do not come begging to the Tsaritsa."

The door swung open. A tall woman wearing a mask over her eyes and a heavy coat strode out. She stopped when she saw the group in the hallway—Aether, Paimon, Lisa, and Tsukasa.

She sneered at them, brushing past Tsukasa with enough force to knock him off balance.

"Rude!" Paimon yelled at her retreating back.

"Hmph," the Diplomat didn't look back as she descended the stairs.

Inside the Office

Lisa pushed the door open fully. "My, my. The air in here is positively stifling."

Jean was standing by the window, rubbing her temples. She turned when she heard Lisa, her shoulders slumping slightly in relief.

"Lisa. Traveler," Jean sighed. "And Mr. Tenma. I assume the Temple of the Lion is cleared?"

"Cleared and dusted," Lisa confirmed, walking over to pour Jean a cup of water from a pitcher. "Our little star here was quite the distraction. And the storm outside has lifted."

"Excellent," Jean managed a small smile. "That buys us time. But as you heard... the pressure is mounting."

"That woman was incredibly impolite!" Tsukasa announced, crossing his arms. "If she is a diplomat, she needs acting lessons. Her villainy was too obvious!"

Jean chuckled softly, taking the cup from Lisa. "I wish it were just an act. The Fatui are... persistent."

Just then, the door opened again.

Team Kaeya entered. Kaeya looked relaxed, twirling a coin, while Haruka and Ichika looked physically drained but unharmed.

"Temple of the Wolf secured," Kaeya reported with a lazy salute. "And I'm happy to report that our guests are quite capable. Miss Kiritani has a sharp mind for tactics."

Haruka bowed slightly to Jean. "We managed to destroy the source of the wind. The area should be safe."

Ichika immediately scanned the room. "Tsukasa-senpai! You're safe."

"Of course!" Tsukasa grinned. "Wait, where are—"

"Making way! Coming through!"

Team Amber burst through the door. Amber was practically skipping, while Mafuyu walked silently behind her, clutching her sweater sleeves.

"Temple of the Falcon is clear!" Amber announced, giving a thumbs up. "We totally smashed those slimes! Mafuyu was great!"

Mafuyu flinched slightly at the name but didn't retreat into the corner this time. She stood next to Amber, looking at the floor, but she was standing.

"We are... finished," Mafuyu said quietly.

The De-Briefing

"Thank you, everyone," Jean said, looking at the assembled group. For the first time all day, she looked hopeful. "With the three temples cleared, Dvalin’s power flow has been disrupted. The storm barriers around his lair should be weakening."

She turned to Aether. "Traveler, your help was invaluable."

Then, she looked at the four students. They were dirty, bruised, and clearly not from this world. They were civilians who had stepped up when her own knights were stretched thin.

"And to you four," Jean said formally, placing a hand over her heart. "On behalf of the Knights of Favonius, I thank you. You defended a city that is not your own. You have proven your honor."

"We just wanted to survive," Haruka said honestly. "But... we are glad we could help."

"Now," Jean exhaled, sitting down on the edge of her desk. "We have the Dragon crisis to solve, but first... you look exhausted."

"We are!" Paimon floated onto the desk. "Paimon is starving! And they," she pointed at the Sekai group, "look like they're gonna pass out!"

Amber stepped forward, putting an arm around Mafuyu’s shoulder (who stiffened, but didn't pull away).

"Master Jean, they need to wind down," Amber insisted. "They've been through a lot today. Falling from the sky, fighting dragons, clearing temples... that's too much for one day! I promised to take them for Sticky Honey Roast!"

"Amber is right," Kaeya added smoothly. "We can discuss the Fatui and the Dragon tomorrow. Tonight, our guests need rest."

Jean nodded. "Agreed. I will arrange quarters for you at the Goth Grand Hotel—provided the Fatui haven't booked the entire establishment yet. If not, the barracks are available."

"Hotel sounds better," Tsukasa muttered.

"We will figure out a way to get you home," Jean promised, looking directly at Mafuyu and Ichika. "But for tonight... please, rest. You are safe here."

Ichika looked at her friends. Tsukasa was trying to look energetic but his legs were shaking. Haruka was leaning against the wall for support. Mafuyu looked hollow, but she was listening.

"Thank you, Grand Master," Ichika said.

"Alright!" Amber clapped her hands. "To the Good Hunter! Food is on me!"

As the group filed out of the office, eager for food and sleep, Aether lingered for a second, looking at Jean.

‘The Fatui... and the Abyss,’ Aether thought. ‘This world is just as messy as the last one.’

He turned and followed the strange, uniform-wearing teenagers out the door. They were variables in this loop, just like him. And he had a feeling they were going to need each other.

Chapter Text

Location: The Good Hunter, Mondstadt City

The smell of roasting meat and caramelized sugar wafted through the evening air of Mondstadt. For four teenagers who had spent the last few hours fighting dragons and exploring ancient ruins, it was the best smell in the world.

"Order up!" Sara, the waitress, placed a massive platter on the outdoor table. "Five servings of Sticky Honey Roast, plus Fisherman’s Toast and Mushroom Skewers!"

"Food!" Paimon cheered, vibrating in the air. "Paimon thought she was gonna waste away!"

"It looks... incredibly caloric," Haruka noted, eyeing the glistening glaze on the steak. But her stomach let out a traitorous growl. She sighed, picking up a fork. "But I suppose we burned enough energy to justify it."

Amber grinned, raising a glass of apple cider. "Dig in, guys! You earned it!"

Tsukasa didn't need telling twice. He sliced a piece of the roast and took a bite. His eyes widened.

"Delicious!" Tsukasa announced, standing up (and startling a passing cat). "This flavor... it is robust! Sweet yet savory! It rivals the catering at the Phoenix Wonderland!"

"Sit down, Senpai," Ichika pulled him back down by his coat, her face flushed with embarrassment. "People are staring."

"Let them stare!" Tsukasa declared, though he sat back down. "A Star must appreciate the local cuisine with gusto!"

As they ate, the adrenaline of the battle began to fade, replaced by the heavy reality of their situation.

"So," Aether said, wiping his mouth with a napkin. He looked at the group. "Kaeya mentioned you guys drift? From a place called 'Inazuma'?"

"No," Haruka shook her head, placing her fork down. "We aren't from Inazuma. We're from Japan. A city called Tokyo."

Amber and Paimon exchanged confused looks.

"Japan?" Amber tilted her head. "Is that near Fontaine? Or maybe across the Mare Jivari?"

"I don't think it's in this world at all," Aether said quietly.

The table went silent.

Ichika gripped her glass. "What do you mean?"

"I'm a traveler from another world," Aether admitted, pointing to the sky. "I travel between stars. Teyvat... this world... it's just one of many."

He gestured to the city around them—the windmills, the lack of electricity, the knights in armor.

"If you've never heard of the Seven Archons, or Visions, or the Fatui... then you're probably like me. You're Outlanders."

Mafuyu stopped eating. She looked at the sky. It was dark now, and the stars were out. But the constellations were wrong.

"So..." Mafuyu’s voice was barely a whisper. "We really are... gone."

"We can't go home?" Ichika asked, her voice trembling. "But... my band. We have practice tomorrow."

"My show," Tsukasa muttered, the light fading from his eyes. "Saki... she'll be waiting."

The mood plummeted. The realization that this wasn't just a "weird dream" but a displacement across realities hit them harder than the dragon did.

Amber bit her lip. She hated seeing people look so hopeless.

"Hey!" Amber slammed her hand on the table, making the silverware jump. "Don't give up yet! Mondstadt is the City of Freedom, right? And Aether is looking for his sister, too! If anyone can find a way to cross worlds, it's the Knights... or maybe the Alchemists! Albedo is super smart!"

She paused, tapping her chin, trying to scrape up more hope.

"Or... maybe even Lord Barbatos himself! He is the God of Freedom, after all! He'd surely help outlaws like you!"

She faltered slightly, scratching the back of her head with a nervous laugh.

"Though... well, he hasn't actually been seen in a few centuries. He kinda just... disappeared like the wind after the war. Classic Barbatos, right? Haha..."

Tsukasa looked at Amber’s burning determination (and her awkward attempt to cover for her missing God). He looked at Aether, who gave him a solid, understanding nod.

Tsukasa slapped his cheeks with both hands. Smack.

"She is right!" Tsukasa shouted (a little too loud). "We are the Tsukasa Tenma Heavy Industry... no, we are the Teyvat Expedition Team! We shall not be defeated by a mere dimensional displacement!"

He grabbed a mushroom skewer and pointed it at the sky.

"Just you wait, Saki! Your big brother will return with stories of dragons and knights!"

Ichika smiled weakly. "Tsukasa-senpai really never changes."

"It's reassuring, in a way," Haruka admitted, taking a sip of her cider.

Location: Goth Grand Hotel

After dinner, Jean made good on her promise. The Goth Grand Hotel was lavish, though currently occupied mostly by Fatui diplomats who glared at them in the lobby.

They were given two rooms on the top floor.

Room 1: The Girls (Ichika, Haruka, Mafuyu, Paimon)

The room was warm, lit by candles and a fireplace. Paimon had immediately claimed the softest pillow on the rug and fallen asleep, snoring softly.

Haruka sat on the edge of the bed, unlacing her boots. She looked over at Mafuyu, who was standing by the window, staring out at the darkened city.

"Mafuyu-san," Haruka said gently. "You should sleep. We don't know what tomorrow holds."

Mafuyu didn't turn around. She was holding her phone. It was a cold, black brick in her hands.

"It's quiet," Mafuyu whispered.

"Yes," Ichika said, organizing her pillows. "No cars. No trains."

"No notifications," Mafuyu added.

She ran her thumb over the screen. Usually, by this time, she would have received three texts from her mother asking about her prep school results. Or a reminder to sleep early for tomorrow's lessons.

There was nothing.

"She can't see me," Mafuyu murmured.

"What was that?" Haruka asked.

"Nothing," Mafuyu turned around. Her face was still pale, but there was a strange flicker in her dull eyes—was it fear? Or relief? "I... I will try to sleep."

She climbed into the bed, pulling the thick duvet over her head. For the first time in years, she was sleeping in a room where her door didn't have a lock, yet she felt strangely... hidden.

Room 2: The Boys (Aether, Tsukasa)

The boys' room was simpler. Aether sat on his bed, polishing his dull blade with a cloth. Tsukasa stood on the balcony, leaning against the railing, looking at the massive statue of Barbatos in the distance.

Aether put the sword down and walked out to the balcony.

"You put on a good show at dinner," Aether said, leaning on the rail next to him.

Tsukasa sighed—a long, deflating sound that seemed to let all the "Star" energy out of his body. He slumped over the railing.

"It is exhausting," Tsukasa admitted, his voice dropping to a normal, teenage register. "Acting like everything is fine."

"You're doing it for them," Aether noted. "For Ichika and the others. To keep morale up."

"They are scared," Tsukasa said, looking at his hands. "Hoshino is trembling. Asahina looks like she is about to shatter. If I panic... they will break."

He gripped the railing.

"I have a little sister," Tsukasa said suddenly. "Saki. She... she relies on me. I promised I would always be there to make her laugh. To wipe her tears."

He looked at Aether, his eyes wet.

"If I'm here... who is making her smile? Who is protecting her?"

Aether felt a pang in his chest. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, dried flower—an Inteyvat.

"I know the feeling," Aether said softly. "My sister, Lumine... we were separated by that God. I've been looking for her for months."

Tsukasa looked at Aether. He saw the weariness in the traveler's eyes, but also the steel.

"You never gave up?" Tsukasa asked.

"Never," Aether vowed. "I will tear down the sky if I have to. I will find her."

Tsukasa stared at him. Then, he stood up straight. He adjusted his coat, the "Star" returning to his eyes, but this time, it wasn't an act. It was resolve.

"Then I shall do the same!" Tsukasa declared. "We are big brothers! We cannot let the universe defeat us!"

He held out a hand.

"Traveler... Aether. Let us form a pact. I will help you find your sister."

Aether smiled, gripping Tsukasa’s hand firmly.

"And I'll help you get home to yours."

The pact was sealed under the moonlight of Teyvat. Two brothers, worlds apart, united by the same goal.

"Now!" Tsukasa yawned loudly. "I must sleep! A Star requires at least eight hours of beauty rest to shine!"

"Right," Aether chuckled, following him inside. "Goodnight, Tsukasa."

Chapter Text

Location: Knights of Favonius Library

The morning sun filtered through the grand windows of the library, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air. It was a peaceful, scholarly atmosphere.

"AND SO! THE STAR DECLARES—!"

"Shh."

The sound wasn't loud, but it carried the weight of a thunderclap. Tsukasa Tenma froze mid-pose, his arm still extended toward a bookshelf. He slowly turned his head.

Lisa Minci was sitting at her desk, sipping tea. She didn't look up from her ledger. Sparks of purple electricity danced dangerously around her quill pen.

"Mr. Tenma," Lisa purred, her voice dripping with dangerous sweetness. "This is a place of quiet contemplation. If you wish to project your voice, might I suggest the training grounds? Or perhaps... the solitary confinement cells?"

"I-I apologize!" Tsukasa whispered violently, pulling his arm back. "I was simply... practicing my monologue for when we return home!"

Aether, who was browsing the 'Teyvat Travel Guide' nearby, sighed. "Tsukasa, maybe sit down before she actually zaps you."

"A wise suggestion," Lisa closed the ledger with a heavy thud. She stood up, stretching her arms. "Although, since you two occupy so much space, perhaps you can make yourselves useful. I have a... situation."

"A situation?" Paimon floated over. "Is it another dragon?"

"Worse," Lisa’s eyes narrowed. "An overdue book."

Tsukasa blinked. "A book? Is that all?"

The temperature in the library dropped ten degrees. The sky outside seemed to darken momentarily.

"It is The Boar Princess, Volume 7," Lisa recited, electricity crackling visibly in her hair. "It was due three days ago. The borrower, an adventurer named Dongdong, claims he lost it near the Whispering Woods. He said a 'fuzzy thief' took it."

She turned her gaze to the boys.

"I am going to retrieve it. You are coming with me. We wouldn't want the thief to get... lonely, would we?"

Tsukasa gulped. "Y-Yes, Ma'am! Big Sister! Miss Lisa!"

Location: Whispering Woods

The trio (plus Paimon) trekked into the woods. Lisa moved with leisurely grace, while Tsukasa marched stiffly, trying to act like a bodyguard to avoid being electrocuted.

"So," Lisa asked, glancing at Aether. "Have our guests settled in? I heard the Grand Master arranged rooms at the Goth."

"Yeah," Aether nodded, using his Elemental Sight to scan for tracks. "They're still shaken up. But they're tough."

"Especially the little star here," Lisa teased, poking Tsukasa’s cheek. "Loud, but resilient. I like that."

"I am a detective!" Tsukasa declared suddenly, crouching down to inspect a broken twig. "Look here! Footprints! Small... chaotic... definitely the work of a villain!"

"Those are squirrel tracks, Tsukasa," Aether deadpanned.

"A villainous squirrel!" Tsukasa corrected without missing a beat.

"Over here, cuties," Lisa called out from a clearing ahead. She was pointing her catalyst at a purple elemental trail. "Elemental traces. It seems our thief isn't a squirrel. It's an Abyss Mage."

The Confrontation

They tracked the trail to a small cave near the edge of Starfell Lake. Inside, a Hydro Abyss Mage was floating over a campfire, cackling as he held a book.

"Yes! With the ancient knowledge in this tome... the Abyss Order shall—wait, why is it just pictures of boars?" the Mage muttered, flipping the pages confusedly.

"Ahem."

The Mage froze. He floated around slowly.

Standing at the cave entrance was Lisa. She wasn't smiling. Violet lightning arched from her shoulders, illuminating the dark cave with a terrifying stroboscopic effect.

"That book," Lisa said, her voice dropping to a whisper that echoed louder than a scream. "Does not belong to you."

The Abyss Mage shrieked. "The Witch of the Purple Rose! Attack!"

He summoned a hydro shield and waved his staff. Three Hilichurls charged from the shadows.

"Tsukasa! Aether! You handle the riff-raff," Lisa commanded, stepping forward. "The Mage is mine."

"Understood!" Tsukasa yelled, happy to be anywhere that wasn't near Lisa right now.

He charged the Hilichurls. "STARLIGHT KICK!" (It was a regular kick, but with wind).

He knocked a Hilichurl shield aside, allowing Aether to sweep in with a sword combo. They worked well together—Tsukasa using wide Anemo blasts to control the crowd, while Aether delivered precision strikes.

Behind them, the cave filled with the sound of pure destruction.

ZAP. CRACK. BOOM.

"GAAAAHHH!" The Abyss Mage screamed as his shield evaporated instantly under a bombardment of lightning.

"You stole... a library book..." Lisa chanted, each word punctuated by a lightning bolt. "And you... dog-eared... the pages!"

KA-BOOM.

When Tsukasa and Aether finished with the Hilichurls, they turned around. The Abyss Mage was a pile of ash. The book, miraculously unharmed, was floating in a sphere of electricity back to Lisa’s hand.

"There," Lisa sighed happily, dusting off her dress. "All retrieved. Good work, boys."

Tsukasa was hugging Paimon in terror. "Remind me never to return a book late."

"Paimon thinks returning it on time isn't enough," Paimon whispered back. "We should wrap it in gift wrap just to be safe."

The Aftermath

They walked out of the cave, back into the sunlight of Starfell Lake. It was a beautiful afternoon. The water shimmered, and the statue of the Seven glowed in the distance.

"Well, that was a productive outing," Lisa hummed, holding the book close. "Maybe I'll treat you boys to tea back at the headquarters."

"That sounds delightful!" Tsukasa said, his energy returning now that the combat was over. "I—"

BOOOOOOOOOOM.

The ground shook.

A massive plume of water erupted from the other side of Starfell Lake, towering higher than the trees. It was followed by a shockwave of heat and smoke that ruffled their clothes even from this distance. Birds scattered from the trees in a panic.

"WHOA!" Paimon grabbed Aether’s hair. "What was that?! Did a volcano go off?!"

Tsukasa struck a defensive pose. "An explosion? Is it the Dragon again?! Or the Fatui?!"

Aether drew his sword, scanning the horizon. "That came from the supply route area. We should check it out!"

They looked at Lisa, expecting the Grand Mage to be springing into action.

Instead, Lisa glanced at the mushroom cloud, sighed, and shook her head.

"Oh dear," she said, sounding remarkably unbothered. "It seems a certain spark knight is having a playdate."

"Playdate?!" Tsukasa yelled, pointing at the smoke column. "That looks like a war zone!"

"Don't worry," Lisa waved a hand dismissively, turning back toward the city. "Amber is over there with your friend Mafuyu. I'm sure she has it handled. Besides..."

She yawned, covering her mouth delicately.

"It's tea time. And I strictly do not work during tea time. Are you coming?"

Aether and Tsukasa exchanged a look. The explosion was massive. But if Lisa said it was fine...

"I... suppose we follow the scary lady," Tsukasa whispered.

"Agreed," Aether whispered back.

As they followed Lisa back to Mondstadt, Aether glanced back one last time at the smoke rising over the lake.

‘Amber and Mafuyu are over there,’ Aether thought. ‘I hope they survived whatever that was.’

Chapter Text

Location: Goth Grand Hotel - Hallway

The morning sun hadn't quite breached the heavy curtains of the hotel room, but Mafuyu Asahina was already dressed. She sat on the edge of her bed, smoothing out the wrinkles in her skirt for the tenth time.

Haruka and Ichika were still asleep. Paimon was snoring loudly in the corner.

Mafuyu stared at the door. Waiting. In her house, the morning routine was strict. If she wasn't ready by 6:00 AM, she was late. Here, there was no schedule, which paradoxically made her more anxious. What am I supposed to do?

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The sound was sharp and rhythmic. Mafuyu stood up instantly, opening the door before the knocker could finish.

Standing in the hallway was Amber, looking bright-eyed and energetic despite the early hour.

"Oh! Good morning, Mafuyu!" Amber blinked, surprised to see her up so early. "Wow, you're an early bird, huh? I was worried I'd wake everyone up."

"I have been awake," Mafuyu replied quietly, stepping into the hall and closing the door softly behind her so as not to disturb the others. "Do you require something?"

"Actually, yes!" Amber adjusted her gloves. "Master Jean has a special request. Most of the Knights are busy cleaning up the debris from yesterday's storm, but we have a... small situation near Starfell Lake."

Amber scratched her cheek nervously.

"Jean specifically asked if you could tag along. She thinks your... uh... calm demeanor might be helpful for this specific mission."

"A mission," Mafuyu repeated. Her posture straightened. This was familiar territory. An order. A task to prove her worth. "I understand. I am ready to depart immediately."

Amber laughed, waving her hands. "It's not a combat raid! It's more of a... retrieval mission. Come on, I'll explain on the way!"

Location: En Route to Starfell Lake

"So," Amber said, adjusting her goggles as they trekked through the Whispering Woods. "Just a heads up. The Knight we're going to retrieve is... special."

Mafuyu walked beside her, hands clasped. "Special? Is he a high-ranking officer?"

"She," Amber corrected with a nervous laugh. "And technically, yes. She’s the Spark Knight. But... well, she’s a child. And she likes explosions. A lot."

Mafuyu stopped walking. She blinked.

"A child?" Mafuyu repeated. "The Knights of Favonius employ child soldiers?"

"No! No, not like that!" Amber waved her hands frantically. "She’s just... really strong. And if we don't watch her, she accidentally terraforms the landscape. Master Jean usually keeps her grounded, but she snuck out this morning to 'go fishing'."

Mafuyu processed this. A child who "terraforms landscapes" and sneaks out. In Mafuyu’s world, a child sneaking out would result in a lecture about responsibility and future prospects. Here, it resulted in an official Knight escort.

"I see," Mafuyu said, though she didn't.

Location: Starfell Lake (The Other Side)

They found her quickly. It wasn't hard. They just followed the sound of kaboom.

Standing at the edge of the lake was a small girl in red, wearing a massive backpack and a clover-marked hat. She was humming a cheerful tune while tossing small, round objects into the water.

Splash. BOOM.

Dead fish floated to the surface.

"Klee!" Amber shouted, running forward.

The girl turned around, her face lighting up. "Big Sister Amber!"

Klee ran over, tackling Amber into a hug. Then, she peered around Amber’s legs to look at Mafuyu. Her big red eyes widened with curiosity.

"Ooh! Who is this? She looks... purple!" Klee pointed at Mafuyu. "Is she a new Knight? Why is her face so sad? Did she lose her Dodoco?"

Mafuyu stiffened. "I... do not have a Dodoco."

"This is Mafuyu," Amber introduced, resting a hand on Klee’s hat. "She's a guest from far away. We're here to bring you back, Klee. Master Jean is looking for you."

"Aww," Klee kicked the dirt. "But Klee isn't done! Klee saw some weird fluffy monsters hiding boxes in the cave over there! I wanted to see if they had fish inside!"

Amber froze. "Weird fluffy monsters? Hiding boxes?"

Amber looked at where Klee was pointing—a secluded inlet masked by heavy brush.

"Mafuyu, stay close to Klee," Amber ordered, her voice shifting to professional mode. "I'm going to check it out."

The Discovery

They approached the inlet carefully. Hidden behind the rocks was a makeshift camp. It wasn't just a campfire; it was a stockpile. Stacks of crates marked with the Hydro element symbol, alongside massive, unstable-looking barrels filled with elemental slime condensate and Pyro powder.

Amber’s face went pale.

"Abyss Order," Amber hissed, ducking behind a rock. She scanned the labels on the crates. "Look at that stockpile... highly volatile elemental amber, concentrated slime condensate... They aren't just looking for loot."

She looked toward the distant spires of Mondstadt.

"They're planning a major attack on the city. If this much explosive power went off inside the walls... the casualty count would be catastrophic."

"Explosives?" Klee whispered, her eyes sparkling. "Like bombs?"

"Bad bombs, Klee," Amber warned grimly. "We need to report this to—"

"Look!" Klee pointed. "A Fuzzy Ball!"

A Cryo Abyss Mage floated out of the cave, inspecting the crates. "Yes... with these slime bombs, we shall blow the Knights to smithereens! Hahaha!"

Mafuyu watched the creature. It was grotesque, but Klee didn't look scared. She looked... excited.

"He's a bad guy, right?" Klee asked, reaching into her backpack.

"Yes, but we need to wait for backup," Amber whispered. "Those barrels are unstable. If we start a fight here, the chain reaction could—"

"Don't worry, Amber!" Klee grinned, pulling out a round, fluffy bomb with rabbit ears. "Klee will help! Jumpy Dumpty, go!"

Amber’s eyes went wide. "Klee, NO!"

It happened in slow motion. Mafuyu watched as the small red bomb arced through the air. It bounced once—boing—on the ground.

Boing.

It landed directly on top of the stack of unstable Abyss barrels.

The Abyss Mage stared at the bomb. "Eh?"

Klee covered her ears. "Da-da-da!"

Amber didn't think. She didn't calculate. She moved.

"GET DOWN!"

Amber grabbed Mafuyu by the collar of her sweater with one hand and snatched Klee by the backpack with the other. She threw herself backward, diving behind a massive slab of rock just as the world turned white.

The Explosion

KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.

It wasn't just a blast; it was an erasure.

The mix of Klee’s pyro and the concentrated elemental slime created an Overload reaction of catastrophic proportions. The supply cache didn't just explode; it vaporized. The shockwave shattered the trees nearby and sent a mushroom cloud rising high into the sky (visible all the way from the Library where Lisa was sipping tea).

Debris rained down like hail. The ground shook violently enough to knock fish out of the lake.

Behind the rock, Amber was huddled over the two girls, shielding them with her own body and her Baron Bunny shield. She was coughing, her red outfit covered in dust.

When the raining rocks finally stopped, silence returned to the lake.

Amber slowly lifted her head. "Is... is everyone alive?"

Klee popped up, her face covered in soot, looking incredibly pleased with herself. "Wow! That was a really big one! Did you see the fish go fly?"

Mafuyu sat up. She brushed the dirt off her skirt. Her ears were ringing. She looked at the crater where the Abyss camp used to be. There was nothing left but a smoking hole.

She looked at Klee, who was laughing. Then she looked at Amber, who looked ready to have a heart attack.

"You..." Mafuyu stared at the child. "You destroyed the target efficiently."

"I know!" Klee beamed.

"KLEE!" Amber yelled, grabbing the child’s cheeks. "You can't just throw bombs at strange barrels! We could have been blown up!"

"But... but..." Klee’s lip wobbled. "The bad guy was there... and Klee wanted to help..."

Amber sighed, the anger draining out of her instantly. She hugged the soot-stained child. "I know. I know. You saved us. But please... warn me next time?"

She looked at Mafuyu. "Are you hurt? I'm so sorry! I didn't mean for your first outing to be a demolition mission!"

Mafuyu looked at Amber. She saw the genuine concern. She saw the lack of anger toward the child who made a mistake.

In Mafuyu's house, a mistake of this magnitude would have meant silence. Cold, disappointed silence.

But here, amidst the smoke and ruin, Amber was hugging the mistake.

Mafuyu felt something twitch in the corner of her mouth. A muscle memory she hadn't used in a long time.

"I am uninjured," Mafuyu said. She looked at the smoking crater. "And... it was quite loud."

"Loud is good!" Klee cheered. "Big Sister Purple gets it!"

Amber groaned, standing up and dusting herself off. "Okay. Let's get back before Master Jean sees the smoke. Maybe if we run, we can blame it on... I don't know, a meteorite?"

"Or a dragon?" Mafuyu suggested deadpan.

Amber stared at her. Then, she burst out laughing.

"Yes! A dragon! You're catching on, Mafuyu!"

Chapter Text

Location: Goth Grand Hotel

The sun was already high in the sky, streaming aggressively through the curtains, when Haruka finally opened her eyes.

She blinked at the ceiling, disoriented. Her internal clock usually woke her up at 5:30 AM sharp for vocal warm-ups. She checked the clock on the mantle.

9:15 AM.

"Nine?!" Haruka sat up, throwing the covers off. "We slept in!"

"Mn... five more minutes..." Ichika groaned from the other bed, burying her face in the pillow.

"Ichika-chan, wake up," Haruka said, though she felt the heaviness in her own limbs. The adrenaline from fighting Stormterror, clearing the Temple of the Wolf, and the sheer mental exhaustion of dimension-hopping had finally caught up to them. Their bodies had simply shut down to recover.

Haruka looked around the room. The third bed was empty. The sheets were neatly made, military style.

"Mafuyu-san is gone," Haruka noted, fully awake now. She checked the corner where Paimon had slept. Empty.

Ichika sat up, rubbing her eyes and yawning. "The boys... maybe they're awake?"

They quickly dressed in their uniforms—which Noelle had kindly washed and pressed overnight—and hurried downstairs to the lobby.

The hotel owner, Mr. Goth, was behind the counter. He looked up and smiled. "Ah, the young ladies are awake. Did you sleep well? You looked like you had fought a war when you arrived last night."

"We did, actually," Haruka muttered. "Excuse me, sir. Have you seen our companions?"

"Oh, yes," Mr. Goth nodded. "The young man with the blonde hair—Mr. Tenma—and the Traveler left about an hour ago. The Librarian, Miss Lisa, came to collect them."

He leaned in, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "She had a rather... mischievous smirk on her face. Said something about 'overdue books' and 'manual labor'. I almost felt sorry for the boys."

Ichika paled. "That sounds... ominous."

"And the other young lady?" Haruka asked. "The one with purple hair?"

"Miss Asahina left even earlier," Goth replied. "Outrider Amber came to fetch her. Said it was a direct order from the Acting Grand Master for a special assignment."

"So we're the only ones left behind," Ichika sighed.

"It makes sense," Haruka reasoned, leading Ichika toward the door. "We slept in because we were exhausted. They probably didn't want to wake us. Let's head to the Headquarters. If anyone knows where they are, it's Master Jean."

Location: Knights of Favonius Headquarters - Exterior

The walk to the headquarters was peaceful. The city was bustling, merchants repairing the stalls damaged by yesterday's storm.

They reached the massive stone steps of the Headquarters. The guards nodded to them respectfully, but before they could enter the main doors, a sound echoed from the area behind the building.

CRACK.

It sounded like a tree snapping in half.

THUD.

Then, the sound of heavy stone hitting dirt.

"What was that?" Ichika flinched, instinctively grabbing Haruka’s sleeve. "Another attack?"

"It came from behind," Haruka said, her eyes narrowing as she looked toward the side of the massive stone building. "Let's check before we go in."

They circled the building to the stone courtyard used for training. They expected to see a squad of knights sparring, or perhaps Kaeya running drills.

Instead, they saw a single girl.

She looked about their age, wearing a maid’s outfit plated with silver armor. She had short, silver hair and a gentle expression. She was holding a massive claymore—a sword that looked heavy enough to crush a carriage—with one hand.

In front of her was a row of heavy wooden training dummies reinforced with stone plating.

"Hah!" The maid swung the blade.

CRUNCH.

The wooden dummy didn't just break; it exploded. Splinters and stone fragments flew through the air like shrapnel.

"Oh dear," the maid sighed, lowering the massive sword as if it weighed nothing. She pulled a broom out of nowhere. "I put too much force into it again. I need to clean this up before Master Jean sees..."

"Um..." Ichika stepped forward, stepping on a twig.

The maid spun around, clutching the broom to her chest. "Oh! G-Greetings!"

She bowed deeply, flustered. "I apologize! The training area is a bit messy right now. Please, allow me a moment to tidy up!"

"It's fine," Haruka raised a hand. She looked at the destroyed dummy, then at the girl’s slender arms. "That was... incredible strength. Are you a Knight?"

"Me? Oh, no, no," the girl shook her head vigorously. "I am Noelle. A maid of the Knights of Favonius. I am simply... training. Hoping to pass the selection exam someday."

She looked at the debris, then at the sun. "Oh no, look at the time! I need to dispose of this, then finish the laundry for the barracks, then help Marjorie locate a missing shipment, and then prepare afternoon tea for Lisa..."

"That sounds like... a lot," Ichika noted, feeling a strange kinship. It reminded her of trying to balance songwriting, practice, school, and keeping her friend group together.

"It is my duty!" Noelle beamed, picking up a heavy crate of rocks.

Ichika looked at Haruka. Haruka nodded. They had nothing else to do, and they owed the Knights for the hospitality.

"Let us help you," Ichika offered, rolling up her sleeves.

"Oh! No, I couldn't possibly impose!" Noelle protested. "You are guests!"

"We're guests who slept in until nine," Haruka said with a small smile, grabbing the other side of the crate. "Consider it a workout. We need to stay in shape too."

The Montage: Several Hours Later

It started with moving rocks. Then it became hanging sheets in the courtyard. Then it became carrying crates of supplies from the lower city all the way up the stairs.

By the time the afternoon sun hit its peak, Haruka and Ichika were wiped out.

Ichika was leaning against a wall, panting. Her arms felt like jelly. Haruka was wiping sweat from her forehead, her perfect idol posture slipping just a fraction.

"Okay..." Haruka breathed out. "That's... the last shipment."

Noelle, however, looked as fresh as a rose. She wasn't sweating. She wasn't panting. She clapped her hands together brightly.

"Excellent work! Thank you so much!" Noelle chirped. "Now, I just need to scrub the library floors, polish the chandeliers, and then I can start prepping dinner for the squad!"

She picked up a bucket and mop, ready to sprint back inside.

"Wait."

Haruka reached out, grabbing Noelle’s shoulder. "Noelle-san. Stop."

Noelle blinked, confused. "Is something wrong? Do you need water?"

"We need a break," Haruka said, gesturing to Ichika, who was sliding down the wall. "And you need a break."

"Me? I'm fine!" Noelle smiled. "I'm used to this! If I don't do it, who will? Everyone is so busy with Stormterror. I want to lighten the burden."

Haruka looked at her. She saw the delusion. It was the same delusion Haruka had lived with for years—the idea that if you just work harder, harder, harder, you can fix everything.

"You're taking on too much," Haruka said bluntly.

Noelle blinked. "Pardon?"

"Laundry. Cleaning. Training. Logistics," Haruka listed them off, her voice firm. "We helped you for four hours, and I'm exhausted. But you're planning to do another four hours?"

"You're trying to carry the whole organization on your back," Ichika added softly, standing up. "I know that feeling. Thinking that if you stop for one second, everything falls apart."

"But... it is my duty," Noelle said, her voice wavering slightly. "I want to be useful to Master Jean."

"But you can't save everyone if you break yourself, Noelle-san," Haruka said gently.

Noelle stared at them. It was rare for anyone to scold her for working too hard. Usually, people just thanked her and gave her more work. She gripped the handle of her mop.

"I..." Noelle hesitated. "I never thought of it that way. I just..."

"Oh! The Heroes from yesterday!" Noelle suddenly realized who she was talking to, her eyes lighting up to deflect the heavy topic. "I heard about you! You helped Amber and Kaeya!"

BOOOOOOOOOOM.

The conversation was cut short.

The ground beneath their feet jumped. A massive roar echoed from the direction of Starfell Lake, followed by a rising mushroom cloud that towered over the city walls.

"What was that?!" Ichika gasped, grabbing Haruka. "An explosion? Is it the Abyss?"

"That came from the lake," Haruka said, her face pale. "The hotel manager said Amber took Mafuyu that way. If they were caught in that..."

They looked ready to sprint toward the gates.

"Please, do not panic!"

Noelle’s voice was surprisingly calm. She placed the mop down gently. She looked at the mushroom cloud, shielding her eyes to squint at the shape of it.

"That explosion pattern..." Noelle mused. "High Pyro concentration. Overload reaction. Followed by the scattering of local wildlife."

She turned to Haruka and Ichika with a reassuring smile.

"That is almost certainly the Spark Knight, Klee."

"Klee?" Ichika blinked.

"Yes. She is... enthusiastic," Noelle explained politely. "I saw the deployment roster this morning while I was dusting Master Jean's office. Amber was assigned to retrieve Klee from Starfell Lake. And your friend, Miss Asahina, was listed as accompanying them."

"Wait," Haruka processed this. "So that explosion... wasn't an attack on them? It was them?"

"Most likely," Noelle nodded. "If Klee is involved, explosions are... a standard form of greeting. I am sure Outrider Amber has the situation under control. Or... mostly under control."

Noelle picked up her broom again.

"If anything, I should probably prepare a bath and fresh clothes. Klee usually returns covered in soot. And perhaps some tea for your friend. She might be in shock."

Haruka and Ichika looked at the mushroom cloud, then at the calm maid.

"This world," Ichika sighed, slumping her shoulders. "Is terrifying."

"But," Haruka smiled slightly, looking at Noelle. "It seems to have good people."

Chapter Text

Location: The Good Hunter

The sun had set over Mondstadt, painting the sky in deep purples and oranges. The lanterns of the Good Hunter restaurant flickered warmly, welcoming the weary.

Haruka, Ichika, and Noelle were the first to arrive. Or rather, Haruka and Ichika dragged Noelle to a table.

"Please, really, I should be serving you!" Noelle protested, holding a tray she had instinctively grabbed from the counter. "Guests should not be hosting the host!"

"Sit," Haruka said gently but firmly, pushing Noelle onto a bench. "We spent six hours moving rocks. You are forbidden from lifting anything heavier than a spoon for the rest of the night."

"But—"

"It’s an idol’s order," Ichika added with a tired smile, winking at Haruka.

Noelle froze halfway to the bench. Her eyes went wide.

"Idol?" Noelle repeated the word as if it were sacred. She looked at Haruka, then at Ichika. "You mean... like Miss Barbara?"

Haruka blinked, surprised. "You have idols here in Mondstadt?"

"Oh, yes!" Noelle clasped her hands together, her face lighting up with genuine admiration. "Deaconess Barbara! She is the shining light of the Church of Favonius. She sings to heal people’s hearts and bodies. She calls herself an 'idol'!"

"A healing idol..." Haruka mused, a small, professional smile touching her lips. "That sounds wonderful. I suppose the desire to make people smile through song is universal."

"Wait," Amber interjected, sliding into the seat opposite them. "Does that mean you guys are famous back home? I mean, Barbara has fan clubs and everything. Do you have a fan club, Haruka?"

Haruka looked away, taking a sudden interest in the tablecloth. "Ah... well. I used to perform. It was... a different life."

"She was amazing," Ichika blurted out, coming to her friend's defense. "She filled stadiums!"

"Stadiums?!" Amber and Noelle gasped in unison.

"Hmph!"

A loud scoff interrupted the moment. Tsukasa marched up to the table, looking disheveled but proud, with Aether and Paimon trailing behind him.

"Stadiums are impressive, yes," Tsukasa declared, striking a pose (and wincing as his back cracked). "But a true Star shines regardless of the venue! Whether it is a stadium or a... very scary library... the impact is what matters!"

"He's just jealous because Lisa liked the quiet ones better," Aether whispered to Noelle as he sat down.

"I heard that!" Tsukasa yelled.

Team Lisa joined the table. Amber and Mafuyu arrived moments later—Amber looking exhausted and soot-stained, Mafuyu looking eerily calm.

"We're here," Amber sighed, collapsing onto the bench. "I dropped Klee off. She's... safe."

"Mafuyu-san?" Haruka looked at her friend concernedly. "Are you hurt?"

"I watched a child vaporize a lake," Mafuyu said flatly.

The table went silent. Then, unexpectedly, Tsukasa burst out laughing.

"Aha! So this world is filled with eccentrics! Healing Idols, Explosive Children, and Librarians who wield lightning like a conductor's baton!"

Tsukasa grabbed a fork and pointed it at the sky.

"It seems we shall fit right in!"

"Speak for yourself," Paimon grumbled. "Paimon just wants to fit food in her mouth."

"Order up!" Sara arrived with the massive platter. "Sticky Honey Roast for the heroes!"

As they ate, the conversation drifted back to music. Noelle shyly asked Haruka about "idol training," while Tsukasa demanded to know if this "Barbara" was a worthy rival for a World Future Star. Even Mafuyu listened, her eyes lingering on the lute playing softly in the background.

For a moment, the barrier between worlds felt thin. Music, after all, was a language they all spoke.

"So," Haruka said later, wiping her mouth as the plates were cleared. "The temples are clear. The immediate threat is gone. What happens next?"

Aether’s expression turned serious. He leaned forward.

"The storm is gone, but Dvalin is still suffering. We need to find a way to cut off the corruption completely."

"Lisa mentioned something," Aether continued. "About the dragon's connection to Barbatos. If we want to save him, we need to understand the history."

"And where do we find that?" Tsukasa asked.

Aether pointed toward the upper city, where a large statue stood in the plaza.

"There's a bard," Aether said. "A guy in green. We saw him in the woods talking to the dragon. If anyone knows what's going on... it's him."

"The green guy?" Paimon tilted her head. "The Tone-Deaf Bard?"

"Exactly," Aether nodded. "We need to find him."

"Then it is decided!" Tsukasa slammed his hand on the table. "Tomorrow, the Teyvat Expedition Team hunts for this bard! We shall extract the truth with..."

He paused.

"With polite questioning!" Ichika finished for him.

"Yes! Polite questioning!" Tsukasa agreed.

"And maybe," Haruka added softly, looking at Noelle. "We can meet this Barbara, too. I think... I'd like to hear her sing."

Noelle beamed. "I will introduce you! She would love to meet fellow idols!"

Mafuyu looked up at the moon hanging over Mondstadt.

‘A child who destroys. A maid who carries the world. An idol who heals.’

She looked at her friends, laughing around the table.

‘And us. Still here.’

"Tomorrow," Mafuyu whispered to herself.

Chapter Text

Location: Mondstadt Streets (Night)

The feast at the Good Hunter finally wound down. Noelle insisted on clearing the table (despite Haruka’s protests), and Amber had to drag herself home to rest for her morning patrol.

"Get some sleep, guys!" Amber waved, walking down the street with Noelle. "We'll check in on you tomorrow!"

"Goodnight!" Ichika waved back, watching them disappear around the corner.

The remaining group—Aether, Paimon, and the four students—began the walk back toward the Goth Grand Hotel. The city was quiet now, the stone streets illuminated by the soft glow of streetlamps and the massive moon overhead.

"So," Tsukasa said, patting his full stomach. "The plan remains! Tomorrow at dawn, the Teyvat Expedition Team begins the Great Bard Hunt! We shall scour every tavern and street corner until we find this 'green guy'!"

"We should probably start at the plaza," Haruka suggested logically. "Street performers usually favor high-traffic areas."

"Agreed!" Tsukasa nodded. "We shall extract the truth with—"

"Wait."

Mafuyu stopped abruptly. She wasn't looking at the hotel. She was looking up a side staircase that led toward the Cathedral.

"What is it, Asahina?" Tsukasa asked, stopping mid-stride.

Mafuyu pointed a finger toward a figure slipping quietly through the shadows of the upper walkway. A boy in green, with a cape that fluttered like leaves in the wind, holding a wooden lyre.

"That hat," Mafuyu whispered. "And the braid. Isn't that him?"

Aether squinted. "It is! That's the guy from the woods!"

"He's getting away!" Paimon gasped. "Quick! Before he disappears again!"

"The hunt begins early!" Tsukasa declared, spinning on his heel. "After him!"

Location: Anemo Archon Plaza

They followed the bard up the winding stone steps to the massive plaza beneath the towering statue of Barbatos. But they didn't have to chase him down.

He wasn't running. He was performing.

A small crowd had already gathered by the time they arrived. Venti stood at the base of the statue, his lyre in hand. He plucked the strings, and the sound was crisp and clear, carrying effortlessly over the night wind.

" 'The dragon who defended Mondstadt in the ancient past...' " Venti sang, his voice weaving a story of old struggles and forgotten friendships.

The PJSK group slowed down, standing at the back of the crowd so as not to interrupt.

Ichika stopped breathing for a second. As a musician, she recognized it immediately. The technique. The projection. The raw emotion.

‘He’s good,’ Ichika thought, entranced. ‘He’s not just playing notes. He’s telling a story with the pitch.’

Haruka crossed her arms, analyzing him with a professional eye. ‘He commands the crowd's attention effortlessly. No stage lights, no backup dancers. Just charisma.’

Tsukasa, however, narrowed his eyes critically.

"His projection is excellent," Tsukasa whispered loudly to Aether. "But his staging is lacking! Where are the pyrotechnics? Where is the dramatic lighting? A Star would never perform in such dim conditions!"

"Shh!" Paimon slapped Tsukasa’s arm. "Listen!"

Venti continued the song, telling the tragedy of Dvalin—how the dragon swallowed the corrupted blood to save the city, only to be forgotten and descend into madness.

As the song reached its sorrowful climax, Mafuyu felt a strange sensation in her chest. The Anemo energy she had absorbed at the statue... it hummed. It resonated with the sadness in the bard's voice.

‘Forgotten...’ Mafuyu thought, watching the bard’s eyes. ‘He sounds like he misses him.’

Venti strummed the final chord. The wind swirled around him, lifting his cape dramatically as he bowed.

"Thank you, thank you!" Venti chirped, his sorrowful demeanor vanishing instantly into a playful grin. "If you enjoyed the performance, spare a Mora for a thirsty bard? Or perhaps an apple?"

The crowd clapped and dispersed. Venti began counting the few coins tossed into his hat.

"That was... quite the performance," Aether said, stepping forward.

Venti looked up. His teal eyes sparkled with recognition.

"Oh? It's you!" Venti smiled, putting his lyre away. "The Traveler who scared away the dragon! And..."

He looked past Aether, his gaze landing on the four teenagers in school uniforms. He paused, sniffing the air slightly.

"Ooh," Venti’s eyes widened. "And friends from very, very far away. You smell like... distant stars. And a hint of processed sugar."

"That would be the Sticky Honey Roast," Tsukasa clarified, stepping forward and placing a hand on his chest. "Greetings, Bard! I am Tsukasa Tenma! A World Future Star! I must say, your vocal control is adequate, though your stage presence could use—"

"Tsukasa-senpai, please," Ichika nudged him back, bowing politely. "Your song... it was beautiful. You sang about the dragon as if you knew him."

Venti’s smile softened. "Did I? Well, a bard knows many tales. Old and new."

He turned back to Aether, his expression turning slightly more serious. "But I suspect you didn't come here just to critique my rhyming scheme."

Aether reached into his pocket. He pulled out the crimson crystal—the Teardrop he had found in the woods.

"We found this," Aether said. "It's full of anger. And it looks like the crystals on Dvalin’s back."

Venti looked at the crystal. "Ah. A Teardrop. A crystallized wound."

He reached out, his fingers hovering over the glowing red gem.

"He is in pain," Venti whispered, his voice losing its playful lilt. "He feels betrayed. Abandoned. The abyss mages are using that pain to twist his mind."

"Betrayed?" Mafuyu spoke up. It was the first time she had spoken directly to a stranger.

Venti looked at her. He tilted his head, seemingly fascinated by the hollow look in her eyes.

"Yes," Venti said softly. "Imagine protecting something with all your heart... only to wake up centuries later and find that the world you saved is afraid of you."

Mafuyu stared at the crystal. Protecting something... only to be feared. The concept felt uncomfortably familiar.

"Can we fix it?" Haruka asked, stepping into the practical role. "If this is causing his madness, can we purify it?"

"Usually, no," Venti admitted. "It contains potent corruption. A normal person would be burned just touching it." He looked at Aether. "But you... you purified it, didn't you, Traveler?"

Aether nodded. The crystal in his hand was no longer angry red; it was a clear, light blue.

"And you four..." Venti looked at the PJSK group. He walked closer to them, circling Tsukasa and Ichika. "You don't have Visions. But the wind clings to you. It likes you."

He stopped in front of Tsukasa.

"You have a loud soul," Venti laughed. "The wind finds it amusing."

"Amusing?!" Tsukasa spluttered.

"I have a plan," Venti announced, clapping his hands. "To save Dvalin, we don't need swords. We need to remind him of who he used to be. We need to summon him."

"Summon a dragon?" Paimon gulped. "How?"

"With the Holy Lyre der Himmel," Venti declared dramatically. "The lyre that Barbatos used in ancient times. It is kept in the Cathedral."

He pointed a finger at the massive church behind them.

"It is a national treasure. Surely, if we explain the situation, the church will lend it to us, right?"

"I doubt it," Haruka said skeptically. "National treasures aren't usually loaned out to street performers and strangers."

"Not with that attitude!" Venti winked. "Come on! Let's go ask! Maybe they're fans of my work!"

He skipped off toward the Cathedral.

"He is... surprisingly energetic," Ichika noted.

"He's suspicious," Aether muttered, though he followed.

"He lacks discipline!" Tsukasa critiqued. "But he has spirit! I shall observe his methods!"

As they walked toward the Cathedral, Mafuyu lingered for a second, looking at the statue of the Archon. The statue looked remarkably like the bard who had just sung for an apple.

‘He hides it well,’ Mafuyu thought, turning to follow them. ‘The mask.’

Chapter Text

Location: Mondstadt Cathedral (Entrance)

"They threw me out!"

Venti burst through the massive oak doors of the Cathedral, looking less like a god and more like a pouting child. He skipped down the steps to where the group was hiding behind a pillar.

"They didn't want to lend the national treasure to a street performer?" Haruka asked, crossing her arms. "I am shocked."

"The Nun was very rude!" Venti huffed. "I even offered to write a ballad in her honor! She said, and I quote, 'The Holy Lyre is not a toy for drunken bards.' Can you believe the audacity?"

Aether sighed. "So, Plan B?"

"Plan B!" Venti grinned, his demeanor shifting instantly from offended to mischievous. "If they won't lend it to us... we borrow it permanently! Tonight!"

"Theft?!" Ichika whispered, looking around nervously to see if the guards heard. "We're going to steal from a church?"

"It is a holy mission!" Venti corrected. "To save a dragon! Now, we need a stealth team."

"Leave it to me!"

Tsukasa Tenma stepped forward, flipping his coat dramatically. The long shadows of evening cast a dramatic silhouette behind him.

"I, Tsukasa Tenma, act as the phantom thief! I have played the role of a rogue in The Phantom of the Opera House! My stealth is impeccable! I shall slip in like a shadow and—"

"Absolutely not," Haruka said flatly.

Tsukasa froze. "Eh?"

"Tsukasa-senpai," Haruka listed off the reasons on her fingers. "One: You project your voice when you get excited. Two: You are wearing a coat that flaps in the wind. Three: You have a tendency to pose after every success."

She looked him dead in the eye.

"You are the loudest person in Teyvat. If you go in there, the Knights will catch us in five seconds."

Tsukasa opened his mouth to argue, but then he looked at Aether, who was nodding in agreement. He looked at Ichika, who looked apologetic.

"Gah...!" Tsukasa clutched his chest. "My own troupe... betraying me..."

"We need agility," Haruka continued, turning to Venti. "I have dance training. I know how to control my footsteps and balance. I’ll go with Aether."

"Excellent choice!" Venti clapped. "The Idol and the Hero! A classic pairing."

"Then what is my role?" Tsukasa demanded, trying to salvage his dignity.

Venti pointed toward the lower district of the city, specifically a high rooftop near the tavern district.

"We need an extraction beacon. Once we jump from the Cathedral, we need to know the coast is clear near the hideout. Tsukasa, go to that high roof overlooking the market. Be our lighthouse! When you see us jump, signal us!"

"A lighthouse..." Tsukasa rubbed his chin. "A beacon of hope for the escaping heroes... The Star that guides the way..."

He struck a pose. "Very well! I accept this critical role! I shall shine so brightly you cannot miss me!"

"Please don't shine too brightly," Ichika muttered. "Or the guards will arrest you."

"Ichika, Paimon," Venti directed. "You wait in the shadows outside the Cathedral side door. If things go wrong, create a distraction."

"Got it!" Paimon saluted.

"Wait," Haruka realized a fatal flaw. "Aether has a wind glider. I don't. If we have to jump from the Cathedral spire... I can't fly."

"Ah, right," Aether realized. "We haven't found a glider for you yet."

"No problem!" Venti plucked a string on his lyre. A soft, turquoise light swirled around Haruka’s uniform.

"Barbatos’s Blessing: Featherweight."

Haruka felt her body become impossibly light. The gravity pulling at her boots seemed to vanish.

"It's a temporary spell!" Venti winked. "It won't let you fly like a bird, but if you jump, the wind will catch you like a falling leaf. Just don't flail around, okay?"

Haruka tested it, jumping slightly. She floated down in slow motion. "Incredible..."

"Alright," Aether adjusted his gloves, looking at the darkened sky. "Midnight is almost here. Let's move."

Location: Inside the Cathedral (Basement)

The Cathedral was silent, save for the echoing footsteps of the guards patrolling the upper levels.

Aether and Haruka crouched in the shadows of the basement stairwell.

"Guard pattern is simple," Haruka whispered, her eyes tracking the Knights. "Two patrols. They intersect every forty seconds. We have a ten-second window to cross the hall."

Aether looked at her, impressed. "You're good at this."

"It's just like stage blocking," Haruka replied, focused. "Memorize the positions. Don't miss your cue."

"Go."

They moved. Aether dashed silently, his boots barely making a sound. Haruka followed, moving with fluid grace. She didn't run; she glided, her steps light and precise, avoiding the squeaky floorboards she had identified earlier.

They reached the inner sanctum. The Holy Lyre der Himmel sat on a pedestal, glowing with a faint Anemo light.

"There it is," Aether whispered.

They approached the pedestal. Aether reached out his hand.

Flash.

A jagged bolt of Electro energy crackled through the air.

"Watch out!" Haruka shoved Aether aside.

A figure materialized from invisibility—a tall, masked agent of the Fatui. He snatched the Lyre from the pedestal with a gloved hand.

"The Fatui!" Aether hissed, drawing his sword.

"Signora will be pleased," the Agent sneered. He didn't stay to fight. He vanished into smoke, sprinting toward the exit.

"He's getting away!" Haruka yelled.

"INTRUDERS!" a guard shouted from the doorway. The alarm bells began to ring. CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.

"We've been spotted!" Aether grabbed Haruka’s arm. "We have to run! The window!"

The Escape

They sprinted through the basement, bursting out into the main hall. Guards were pouring in from the front entrance.

"This way!" Aether kicked open a side window that led to the upper balcony.

They scrambled onto the ledge. The drop was massive. The city of Mondstadt sprawled below them in the dark, but the streets were beginning to fill with torchlight as the Knights mobilized.

"Ichika! Paimon!" Haruka yelled down.

Below, in the bushes, Ichika popped up. "Haruka-chan! The guards are coming!"

"Run to the lower district!" Haruka commanded. "We're jumping!"

Aether grabbed Haruka’s hand. "Trust the wind!"

They jumped.

Aether snapped his wind glider open—blue wings catching the night air. Haruka didn't have wings, but Venti’s spell kicked in. A swirl of green energy wrapped around her, slowing her descent so she glided alongside Aether like a spirit.

"I see him!" Aether pointed.

Far below, near the tavern district, a figure was standing on a tiled rooftop.

Tsukasa Tenma was holding a lantern in each hand, waving them frantically like a human signal tower.

"OVER HERE! MY AUDIENCE! OVER HERE!" Tsukasa’s voice carried faintly over the wind.

"He's... definitely a visual marker," Haruka sighed, though she smiled with relief.

They soared over the rooftops, Ichika and Paimon sprinting through the alleyways below to meet them.

Location: Rooftops near Angel's Share

Aether and Haruka landed on the roof with a soft thud. Venti (who had seemingly materialized out of nowhere) was already there, swinging his legs over the edge next to Tsukasa.

"You failed," Venti noted cheerfully.

"Hey!" Paimon stomped the air, floating right up to Venti's face. "Why do you sound so happy about it?! And wipe that smirk off your face, you Tone-Deaf Bard! We almost got thrown in jail while you were sitting here enjoying the view!"

"Technically," Haruka interjected, landing beside them and smoothing out her skirt. She looked frustrated, her analytical mind already racing. "We didn't fail due to incompetence. We failed because of a third party."

She looked at Venti grimly.

"The Fatui stole it right in front of us."

"The Fatui..." Venti’s smile dropped instantly. "That complicates things."

"The guards are searching the streets!" Tsukasa hissed, extinguishing his lanterns. "We cannot stay here! We need a hideout!"

"I know a place," Venti pointed to the building directly beneath them. "The tavern. Angel's Share."

"A tavern?" Ichika climbed up the ladder to the roof, panting. "But... the Knights patrol there."

"The owner isn't fond of the Knights," Venti winked. "Come on! Before Kaeya figures out who the 'Inazuman Drifters' really are!"

Location: Angel's Share (Interior)

The door to the tavern creaked open.

It was late, and the bar was mostly empty. Standing behind the counter was a man with fiery red hair, dressed in a pristine black coat. He was wiping a glass with methodical, cold precision.

Diluc Ragnvindr.

He looked up as the group burst in—a bard, a traveler, a floating child, and four teenagers in dirty school uniforms.

Diluc’s expression didn't change. He looked at them with the enthusiasm of a man watching paint dry.

"Master Jean's 'guests'," Diluc noted, his voice flat. He looked at Venti. "And the bard. To what do I owe the pleasure of this... circus?"

"Hi, Master Diluc!" Venti chirped. "We need a place to hide! Preferably somewhere with wine!"

"Hide?" Diluc raised an eyebrow.

Before he could refuse, heavy knocking pounded on the tavern door.

"Open up! Knights of Favonius!"

Tsukasa froze. "The guards!"

"We're wanted criminals!" Paimon shrieked.

Diluc looked at the terrified teenagers. He looked at the door. Then, he let out a long, suffering sigh.

He pointed a gloved finger toward the back stairs.

"Upstairs. Second floor. Keep your mouths shut."

"Thank you!" Ichika whispered.

They scrambled up the stairs just as the front door burst open. Two knights marched in.

"Master Diluc!" the guard announced. "Have you seen a blonde traveler and... well, a very loud group of thieves pass by?"

Diluc didn't blink. He picked up another glass.

"No," Diluc lied smoothly. "I haven't seen anyone."

Chapter Text

Location: Angel's Share (Second Floor)

The heavy oak door downstairs slammed shut. The Knights were gone.

Diluc Ragnvindr walked slowly up the stairs, his boots thudding against the wood with ominous rhythm. He stopped at the top, crossing his arms as he looked at the group of fugitives huddled near the balcony.

"The Knights are gone," Diluc stated, his voice devoid of warmth. "Now. Explain why the 'Heroes of Mondstadt' are currently wanted for grand larceny."

"It was a misunderstanding!" Paimon squeaked, hiding behind Aether.

"We were trying to save the dragon!" Tsukasa declared, stepping forward. He tried to match Diluc’s imposing stance but failed significantly. "Sir Bartender! You possess a burning aura! Surely you understand that sometimes a Star must break the rules to rewrite the script!"

Diluc stared at Tsukasa. "I don't care about scripts. I care about Mondstadt's safety."

He turned his gaze to Venti. "And you. The bard. You seem to be the ringleader."

"Ehe~" Venti winked. "Well, you see, Master Diluc... the story is quite tragic. Would you like to hear it in D-Major or G-Minor?"

"Plain speech," Diluc warned. "Or I hand you over to the guards myself."

"Fine, fine," Venti sighed, dropping the act. He explained everything—Dvalin’s corruption, the Holy Lyre’s power, and the Fatui’s interference.

As Venti spoke, Haruka watched Diluc closely.

‘He’s calculating,’ Haruka analyzed. ‘He pretends to be indifferent, but he hid us. He hates the Knights, but he loves the city.’

When Venti finished, silence filled the tavern.

"The Fatui," Diluc murmured, his eyes narrowing. "They stole the Lyre to harness its power... or destroy it. If they succeed, Dvalin is lost."

He walked over to the window, looking out at the sleeping city.

"Very well. I will help you."

"You will?" Ichika asked, surprised.

"The Knights are inefficient," Diluc scoffed. "If we leave this to them, bureaucracy will kill the dragon before the Fatui do. We need to act outside the law."

He turned back to them.

"But I cannot do this alone. I need a contact within the Knights. Someone who isn't blinded by protocol."

"Kaeya?" Tsukasa suggested. "He seemed... sneaky."

"Absolutely not," Diluc’s face darkened instantly. "I have someone else in mind. Stay here. Don't move. And for Archon's sake..." He looked at Tsukasa. "Keep your voice down."

Later that Night

The tavern was closed. The lights were dimmed.

The PJSK group sat around a table on the ground floor. Venti was happily drinking a glass of dandelion wine (on Diluc’s tab), while Haruka and Ichika anxiously watched the door.

Click.

The lock turned. The door opened.

Diluc entered first. "They are inside."

A second figure followed him. She wasn't wearing her blue coat or armor. She was dressed in civilian clothes—a simple white blouse and trousers. She looked tired.

It was Jean.

"Master Jean?!" Paimon gasped.

Jean stopped when she saw them. Her eyes widened.

"Traveler?" Jean looked at Aether, then at the four students. "And... you four? You were the intruders at the Cathedral?"

Tsukasa flinched, hiding behind his hands. "We can explain! It was... uh... method acting!"

"We stole it," Mafuyu said quietly from the corner. "Or... we tried to."

Jean closed her eyes, letting out a long, weary sigh. She pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I assume," Jean said, looking at Venti, "that this was your idea?"

"To save Dvalin!" Venti cheered, raising his glass.

Jean walked over to the table. She didn't look angry. She looked... relieved.

"When I heard someone tried to steal the Holy Lyre," Jean admitted, pulling out a chair and sitting down heavily. "I feared it was greed. Or the Abyss. But if it was you..."

She looked at Aether, then at Haruka and Ichika.

"Then you were trying to purify him. You were trying to save him, weren't you?"

"Yes," Haruka nodded. "But the Fatui got there first."

"The Fatui..." Jean’s hands clenched into fists on the table. "They have been pressuring me to kill Dvalin. If they have the Lyre... they hold all the cards."

Mafuyu watched Jean.

She saw the slump in Jean's shoulders. The dark circles under her eyes that the dim light couldn't hide.

‘She carries everything,’ Mafuyu thought. ‘Just like Noelle. But Noelle has hope. Jean just has... duty.’

"Jean," Diluc spoke up from the bar, where he was pouring grape juice. "You can't handle this officially. If the Grand Master is caught working with thieves, the Fatui will have your badge."

"I know," Jean said softly. She looked up, her violet eyes burning with resolve. "That is why I am here as Jean. Not as the Grand Master."

She looked at the group.

"We must retrieve the Lyre before the Fatui can use it. Do we have a lead?"

"I have contacts," Diluc said, placing a glass of juice in front of Jean. "The Fatui have a hidden stronghold near the cliffs. My sources say they moved a 'precious artifact' there an hour ago."

"Then we raid it," Tsukasa slammed his hand on the table (gently this time). "The Teyvat Expedition Team, plus the Darknight Hero, plus the Grand Master! We are unstoppable!"

"Darknight Hero?" Diluc frowned. "Don't call me that."

"It fits!" Paimon giggled.

"We move at dawn," Jean decided, standing up. She looked at the four students. "You are civilians. You do not have to do this. You are already wanted criminals because of tonight. If you come with us..."

"We're already in," Ichika stood up, her fists clenched. "We started this. We want to finish it."

"Besides," Haruka added, smiling slightly. "We can't let the 'villains' keep the treasure, can we?"

Jean smiled—a real, genuine smile.

"Thank you," she whispered. "For fighting for Mondstadt."

Chapter Text

Location: Hidden Fatui Stronghold (Near Springvale)

The entrance to the hideout was concealed within a jagged crevice of the cliffside, marked only by a faint elemental signature that Aether’s sight picked up.

Diluc adjusted his black gloves, staring into the dark tunnel.

"Remember," Diluc said, his voice low. "Once we cross this threshold, we are not the Knights, and we are not citizens. We are shadows."

"Understood!" Tsukasa whispered loudly, pulling his collar up to cover the lower half of his face. "The Phantom Thief Persona is fully engaged!"

"Just... stay behind me," Diluc sighed.

Jean stood next to them, looking uncomfortable without her armor. She wore a simple traveler’s cloak to hide her identity.

"I cannot be seen using my Anemo arts too openly," Jean warned. "If a Fatui survivor recognizes the Gunnhildr technique, it will cause a diplomatic incident."

"Leave the wind to us!" Haruka stepped forward. "We have no style to recognize. We're just... unruly gusts."

"Spoken like a true poet," Venti giggled, strumming a muted chord on his lyre. "Shall we proceed? The Holy Lyre awaits!"

The Infiltration

The interior was cold, constructed of heavy stone and Snezhnayan machinery. Fatui Skirmishers patrolled the hallways—hulking men in elemental armor.

They crouched behind a stack of crates.

"Two guards," Aether signaled. "An Electro Hammer and a Geo Chanter."

"We need a distraction," Diluc noted, reaching for his claymore. "Or I can simply—"

"Wait!" Tsukasa grabbed Diluc’s arm. "Master Diluc! Violence is efficient, but deception is an art! Allow me to bluff our way past!"

Diluc looked at Tsukasa like he had grown a second head. "Bluff?"

"I am an actor!" Tsukasa declared. "I shall pretend to be a visiting dignitary!"

Before Diluc could stop him, Tsukasa marched out from behind the crates. He puffed out his chest and pointed at the guards.

"YOU THERE! SUBORDINATES!" Tsukasa bellowed, affecting a terrible, overly posh accent. "I am... Inspector Tsukasa! From the... uh... The North! I am here to inspect the Lyre! Stand aside!"

The two Fatui guards stared at him.

"Inspector?" The Electro Hammer guard grunted, towering over the boy. He looked Tsukasa up and down—at his bright, colorful clothes, his unmasked face, and his complete lack of Snezhnayan military bearing.

"You don't look like an inspector," the guard scoffed, hefting his hammer. "You look like a civilian playing dress-up. Where is your insignia?"

"It is... uh... currently being polished!" Tsukasa panicked, sweat forming on his brow. "Do you dare question the Tsaritsa's protocols?!"

The guard raised his hammer. "Intruder."

"Plan B!" Tsukasa shrieked, diving backward.

"Burn."

Diluc surged past Tsukasa, his claymore engulfed in flames. With a single, brutal swing, he smashed the Electro guard's shield. Jean moved in perfect sync, using a non-elemental thrust to knock the Geo Chanter off balance.

Within seconds, the guards were unconscious.

"Nice acting," Paimon slow-clapped.

"I bought time for the strike!" Tsukasa insisted, dusting himself off. "It was a tactical distraction!"

"Let's keep moving," Jean said, though she hid a small smile.

The Maze

Deeper in the complex, the layout became confusing. Moving platforms and elemental traps blocked the way.

"This architecture makes no sense," Ichika muttered, looking at a floating platform. "Why put a flamethrower in a hallway?"

"To deter guests," Haruka answered plainly.

She watched the fire traps spewing flames in a set pattern. Fwoosh. Pause. Fwoosh.

"It’s a rhythm," Haruka analyzed. "Three seconds on. Two seconds off. We move on the off-beat. Ichika, Mafuyu, stick close to me."

Haruka took point. "And... move."

She dashed through the trap. Ichika followed. Mafuyu hesitated, staring at the fire.

"Mafuyu!" Amber (who wasn't there, but her voice echoed in Mafuyu’s head) would have yelled.

Mafuyu took a breath. She didn't run; she let the Anemo power surge.

"Void Step."

She dashed forward, a burst of cold wind propelling her faster than humanly possible. She cleared the trap with a second to spare.

"Whoa," Paimon blinked. "Mafuyu is fast!"

"I just... wanted to be on the other side," Mafuyu murmured.

Jean watched Mafuyu closely. She saw the precision. The lack of wasted movement.

"You have excellent control," Jean complimented her softly. "But you hold your breath when you move. You must remember to breathe, or you will faint."

Mafuyu looked at Jean. The Acting Grand Master—the symbol of perfection—was giving her advice.

"Yes, Grand Master," Mafuyu said instinctively.

"Jean," Jean corrected gently. "In here, I am just Jean."

The Inner Sanctum

They reached the final room. The Holy Lyre der Himmel sat suspended in a containment field in the center of a large arena.

But it wasn't unguarded.

A tall woman in purple robes floated in the air, surrounded by three small, buzzing Electro Cicins (bats). An Electro Cicin Mage.

"My, my," the Mage giggled, her voice distorted by her mask. "More little mice coming to play? And you brought... children?"

She pointed a clawed finger at the four students huddled near the entrance.

"Leave the children out of this," Diluc growled, igniting his blade.

"Oh, but they look so... shockable!"

The Mage raised her lantern. ZZAAPP.

A massive bolt of lightning arched toward Haruka.

"Haruka-chan!" Ichika screamed.

Ichika didn't have a sword. She didn't have a shield. But she had the desire to protect.

She threw her hands up. The Anemo energy inside her didn't swirl; it solidified. A wall of compressed wind formed in front of Haruka.

BOOM.

The lightning hit the wind wall and scattered harmlessly.

"A barrier?" The Mage tilted her head. "How annoying."

"Now!" Aether yelled.

The team sprang into action.

• Diluc charged the center, his Pyro claymore clashing with the Mage’s Electro shield.

• Jean flanked left, using her wind to pull the annoying Cicins out of the air.

• Tsukasa ran to the right. "HEY! OVER HERE! LIGHTNING LADY!" He unleashed a chaotic blast of wind that messed up the Mage’s floating trajectory.

• Venti stood in the back, playing a battle tune. "Go team! Hit the lantern!"

"Mafuyu! Haruka!" Aether commanded. "The cage!"

While the heavy hitters distracted the Mage, Haruka and Mafuyu ran for the containment field holding the Lyre.

"It’s locked," Haruka analyzed the mechanism. "Four keyholes. We need the key."

"No," Mafuyu whispered. She placed her hand on the lock. She felt the wind. Wind could erode rock. Wind could slip through cracks.

"We don't need a key," Mafuyu said.

She channeled her Anemo power into the lock mechanism. It wasn't a blast; it was a high-pressure injection of air.

Click. Click. SNAP.

The lock shattered from the internal pressure. The cage lowered.

"Grab it!" Haruka yelled.

Mafuyu snatched the Holy Lyre.

"THEY HAVE THE PRIZE!" the Mage shrieked, trying to disengage from Diluc.

"I think not," Diluc stated calmly.

"Dawn."

A massive fire phoenix erupted from Diluc’s blade, consuming the Mage and blasting her into the far wall. The impact shook the entire dungeon.

"Retreat!" Jean ordered. "We have what we came for!"

The Escape

They sprinted out of the stronghold, bursting back into the cool night air of Mondstadt.

They didn't stop running until they reached the cover of the woods.

"We... huff... we did it," Tsukasa panted, leaning against a tree. "The Star... triumphs again."

Jean looked at the Holy Lyre in Mafuyu’s hands. It glowed faintly, though the energy felt weaker than in the stories.

"The Holy Lyre der Himmel," Jean breathed, touching the wood reverently. "We actually retrieved it."

"And nobody saw us!" Paimon cheered. "Except the guys we beat up!"

"Good work," Diluc nodded, though he was looking at Ichika. "That barrier... it was sturdy. You have good instincts."

Ichika blushed, looking at her hands. "I just... didn't want Haruka to get hurt."

"And Mafuyu," Venti floated over, looking at the lock-picking hand. "You picked a Fatui lock with brute-force wind? How... delightfully violent!"

Mafuyu looked at the Lyre. "It was in the way."

"Now," Aether said, looking at the Lyre. "We have the instrument. But Venti said it needs to be purified before we can use it to summon Dvalin."

"That's right!" Venti took the Lyre. He frowned. "Oof. It’s definitely seen better days. The Anemo power has almost run dry. It’s more like the 'Holy Lyre of... Meh' right now."

"Can you fix it?" Haruka asked.

"Me? No," Venti shrugged. "But... we can. With a little help from the Traveler's purifying Teardrops."

He looked at the group.

"Let's head back to the Winery," Diluc suggested. "It’s safer than the city right now. We can plan the summoning ritual there."

"Sleepover at the rich guy's house!" Paimon cheered.

As they began the trek to the Dawn Winery, Jean fell into step beside the exhausted students.

"You fought bravely," Jean said softly, so only they could hear. "Thank you. For protecting my city."

"It's not our city," Mafuyu replied automatically.

Jean smiled sadly. "Perhaps not. But you protected it all the same."

Chapter Text

Location: Dawn Winery

The group arrived at the Dawn Winery under the cover of darkness. The massive estate stood silent amidst the vineyards, warm light spilling from its windows.

"Whoa," Tsukasa gasped, forgetting his exhaustion for a moment. He spun around, taking in the architecture. "This is... magnificent! It is a mansion fit for a Star! Master Diluc, are you secretly a prince?"

"I'm a winemaker," Diluc muttered, pushing the heavy double doors open. "And keep your voice down. The staff are asleep."

"Welcome home, Master Diluc," a maid—Adelinde—appeared almost instantly, bowing politely. She didn't even blink at the sight of the ragtag troupe, the floating child, or the Acting Grand Master in civilian clothes. "Shall I prepare refreshments?"

"Just grape juice. And secure the perimeter," Diluc ordered. "We are not to be disturbed."

They moved to the main hall. Aether placed the Holy Lyre der Himmel on the central table. It sat there, dull and cracked, its wood splintering.

"It looks... dead," Ichika whispered.

"It is," Venti sighed, running a finger over a broken string. "Its Anemo power has faded. In this state, playing it would sound like a dying hilichurl. It won't reach Dvalin."

"So we stole a paperweight?" Haruka asked, crossing her arms.

"Not quite!" Venti turned to Aether. "Traveler, do you still have that Teardrop Crystal you purified in the woods? And the ones from the temples?"

Aether nodded. He reached into his inventory (a subspace pocket that Paimon helpfully managed) and pulled out three glowing crystals. They pulsed with a clear, turquoise light—the anger and corruption having been cleansed by Aether's touch earlier.

"Perfect!" Venti clapped. "These crystals contain pure Anemo energy. If we fuse them with the Lyre, we might be able to jumpstart its heart."

"Do it," Jean commanded softly.

Aether stepped forward. He held the purified crystal over the Lyre.

Drop.

The crystal liquefied as it touched the wood, seeping into the grain.

Hummmm.

A low, resonant sound filled the room. The cracks in the wood began to seal. The dull brown finish shimmered, turning a vibrant, healthy gold. A wind stirred in the closed room, ruffling Mafuyu’s hair.

"It works," Mafuyu noted, her eyes widening slightly. "The song... it’s coming back."

"One more!" Venti cheered.

Aether applied the remaining crystals. With each drop, the Lyre grew brighter, until it hummed with a power that made the air feel electric.

"It is restored," Venti declared, strumming a chord. The sound was rich, powerful, and echoed with ancient magic. "Not fully, but enough to summon a dragon!"

"Excellent," Diluc nodded. "Then we move to—"

Clap. Clap. Clap.

The sound of slow, sarcastic applause came from the upper balcony stairs.

The group froze. Jean went pale.

"Bravo," a smooth voice drawled. "Grand larceny, secret alliances, and ancient magic. I must say, Master Diluc, your dinner parties have certainly improved."

Kaeya Alberich walked down the stairs, twirling a coin in his fingers. He wore his usual eyepatch and a smirk that could cut glass.

"Kaeya?!" Paimon shrieked. "How long have you been there?!"

"Long enough," Kaeya chuckled, stopping at the bottom of the stairs. He looked at the room.

He looked at Aether (Wanted Criminal). He looked at the troupe (Wanted Accomplices). He looked at Diluc (His estranged brother). And finally, his eye landed on Jean.

"Acting Grand Master," Kaeya said, mocking a bow. "Or should I say... 'The Darknight Hero's Sidekick'? I noticed you were missing from your office. The paperwork is piling up, you know."

Jean straightened up, regaining her composure instantly. "Captain Kaeya. This is... a covert operation. For the safety of Mondstadt."

"Of course, of course," Kaeya waved a hand dismissively. He walked over to the table, inspecting the Holy Lyre. "So, this is the prize everyone is chasing. The Fatui are turning the city upside down looking for it. And here it is, sitting on my brother's coffee table."

"Are you going to arrest us?" Ichika asked, stepping closer to Haruka.

Kaeya looked at her. He saw the tension in her shoulders.

"Arrest you?" Kaeya laughed. "And ruin the show? I think not."

He leaned against the table, his expression turning serious for a fraction of a second.

"The Knights are compromised by bureaucracy. The Fatui are watching our every move. If Jean tried to do this officially, the diplomats would block her."

He looked at Diluc.

"I wondered why you were so quiet lately. It seems you found a solution that doesn't involve paperwork."

"We are going to save Dvalin," Diluc stated coldly. "Are you going to stand in our way?"

"On the contrary," Kaeya smirked. "I'm here to ensure you aren't interrupted. I've sent the patrol guards on a wild goose chase toward Springvale. You should have a clear path to the north."

He turned to the troupe.

"And you four," Kaeya’s eye glinted. "Drifters from 'far away' participating in treason against the state. You certainly adapt quickly."

"We are merely..." Tsukasa started, sweating.

"Helping friends," Mafuyu finished quietly.

Kaeya paused. He looked at Mafuyu—the girl who looked like she was made of glass.

"Friends," Kaeya repeated, the word tasting strange in his mouth. He glanced at Diluc, then looked away. "Well. Good luck with your... song."

He pushed off the table and headed for the door.

"Oh, and Jean?" Kaeya called back. "Try to be back by morning. Lisa is running out of excuses for your absence."

The door clicked shut.

"He knew," Haruka exhaled, leaning against the wall. "He knew the whole time."

"That is Kaeya," Diluc scowled. "He always knows more than he says."

"But he's on our side!" Paimon cheered. "Kinda!"

"We have the Lyre," Venti strummed the instrument, bringing the focus back to the mission. "And thanks to the Traveler's crystals, it is reawakened."

"Where do we summon him?" Aether asked. "We need a high place. Somewhere the wind is strong."

Venti pointed north.

"Starsnatch Cliff," Venti said. "It overlooks the ocean. The wind there is wild and free. It’s the perfect stage for a reunion."

"Starsnatch Cliff..." Tsukasa repeated, his eyes lighting up. "A cliffside stage? Under the stars? A perfect venue for a World Future Star!"

"Then we rest for a few hours," Jean commanded. "We move at first light."

Chapter Text

Location: Starsnatch Cliff

The sun had not yet risen, but the sky was bleeding into a pale, bruised purple. The wind on Starsnatch Cliff was fierce, whipping hair and clothes with biting chill.

The group stood at the edge of the precipice, looking out over the endless ocean.

"This location..." Tsukasa murmured, stepping to the very edge. He spread his arms, embracing the wind. "The acoustics of the open sea... the natural spotlight of the dawn... Venti, you have an excellent eye for set design!"

"Ehe, thank you!" Venti grinned, though his hands gripped the Holy Lyre tightly. "I told you, a bard knows the best spots."

Jean stood a few paces back, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. She looked anxious. "The wind is turbulent today. Dvalin is close."

"Let us begin," Diluc said, crossing his arms. "Before any uninvited guests arrive."

"Right." Venti stepped forward. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath of the salty air.

He strummed the Lyre.

It wasn't a loud sound, yet it cut through the roaring wind instantly. The Anemo energy, boosted by the Traveler's crystals, pulsed outward in a visible ring of turquoise light.

Ichika watched, mesmerized. ‘It’s not just music,’ she realized. ‘It’s a call. A signal.’

Venti began to sing. It was a song without words, a melody that sounded like old memories—flying through clouds, sleeping in meadows, a freedom that tasted like apples and wine.

For a long minute, nothing happened.

Then, the clouds above them swirled.

A massive shadow descended. Blue scales glittered in the dawn light. Six wings beat against the air, generating a gale that forced the group to brace themselves.

Dvalin had arrived.

He didn't attack. He hovered before the cliff, his massive eyes fixed on the small figure in green. The corrupted blood clots on his back pulsed with an angry red light, but his gaze was clear.

"Barbatos?" the dragon’s voice rumbled, vibrating in their chests.

"It has been a while, old friend," Venti said softly, not stopping his playing. "I see you remember my song."

"Why..." Dvalin lowered his head, his voice thick with pain. "Why have you come? To mock my fall?"

"No," Venti shook his head. "To bring you home. To heal the poison."

The melody grew stronger. The Anemo light from the Lyre reached out, wrapping around Dvalin like a gentle ribbon. The red pulsing on the dragon’s back began to slow. The tension in Dvalin’s posture eased.

"It's working," Haruka whispered, hardly daring to breathe.

Mafuyu watched the dragon. She saw the hesitation in the creature's eyes.

‘He wants to trust him,’ Mafuyu thought. ‘He wants to believe that he hasn't been abandoned.’

It was a beautiful, fragile moment. A bridge being rebuilt across centuries of silence.

CRACK.

A jagged bolt of ice shattered the air.

It came from nowhere—a precision strike aimed not at Dvalin, but at the Lyre.

"Venti!" Aether yelled.

Venti flinched, leaping back just as the ice bolt slammed into the ground where he had been standing. The melody broke. The connection snapped.

"ROAR!"

Dvalin recoiled, shrieking in pain as the abrupt severance of the healing magic caused the corruption to flare violently.

"Behold!" a screeching, mocking voice echoed from the rocks above.

A Cryo Abyss Mage materialized, floating in the air, cackling wildly. "Look at him! The great Dragon of the East! Betrayed again by his own God!"

"Betrayed...?" Dvalin’s eyes turned from sorrow to blinding rage. He looked at Venti. Then he looked at the group behind him—Diluc with his claymore drawn, Jean with her sword, the PJSK troupe standing ready.

To the dragon’s twisted mind, it didn't look like a rescue party. It looked like an ambush.

"You..." Dvalin roared, the sound shaking the cliffside. "You brought them here to hunt me?! You use your song to lure me into a trap?!"

"No!" Venti shouted, reaching out. "Dvalin, listen to me! It's the Abyss Mage! He's deceiving you!"

"Don't listen to him!" the Abyss Mage taunted, firing icicles at the group. "He abandoned you for centuries! And now he brings the Knights to finish the job! Destroy them! Destroy Mondstadt!"

"Defend the bard!" Jean ordered, charging forward to deflect the icicles.

"Tsukasa! Haruka!" Aether commanded. "Cover fire!"

"Understood!" Tsukasa yelled, though his voice wavered. "Hey! You floating popsicle! Pick on someone your own size!"

Tsukasa blasted a wave of wind at the Abyss Mage, trying to knock it out of the air. Haruka and Ichika moved to shield Venti.

But it was too late. The damage was done.

Dvalin reared back, gathering wind in his maw.

"GRAAAAAH!"

He unleashed a shockwave of Anemo energy. It wasn't an attack; it was a rejection. The force of the blast knocked everyone off their feet. The Holy Lyre flew from Venti’s hand, clattering against the rocks.

"These people... they hunt me!" Dvalin screamed, his voice breaking. "And you... Barbatos... you are with them!"

"Dvalin!" Venti cried out, tears welling in his eyes.

The dragon didn't listen. With a final, hateful glare, Dvalin turned and beat his wings. He shot into the sky, creating a vacuum that nearly pulled the Abyss Mage with him.

"I will not be deceived again!"

The dragon vanished into the storm clouds, heading west.

The Abyss Mage cackled, fading into invisibility. "Hahaha! The bond is broken! The Dragon serves the Abyss now!"

The Aftermath

Silence returned to Starsnatch Cliff.

Venti knelt on the grass, picking up the Holy Lyre. It was silent. The golden glow was gone.

"He's gone," Venti whispered.

Tsukasa sat up, rubbing his head. "That... did not go according to the script."

"We were so close," Ichika said, her hands trembling. "He was listening. I felt it."

"The Abyss Order," Diluc growled, sheathing his claymore with unnecessary force. "They were waiting for us. They knew we would try to purify him."

Jean looked at the horizon where the dragon had vanished. She looked devastated. "We failed. And now... he hates us more than ever."

Mafuyu stood at the edge of the cliff, looking down at the churning waves below.

‘Betrayed,’ Mafuyu thought. The dragon’s words echoed in her mind. ‘You used your song to lure me into a trap.’

She looked at Venti, who looked smaller and sadder than she had ever seen him.

"He didn't trust you," Mafuyu said quietly.

Venti looked up at her.

"Because he was hurt," Mafuyu continued, her voice devoid of emotion, stating a fact she understood intimately. "When you are hurt for that long... kindness looks like a trap."

Venti stared at her. Then, he let out a shaky sigh.

"You're right," Venti admitted. "I... I was away for too long. I can't just play a song and expect him to forget centuries of pain."

He stood up, dusting off his knees. The playful bard mask was gone. In its place was something ancient and determined.

"He went to Stormterror’s Lair," Venti said, pointing west toward the ruins of Old Mondstadt. "His ancient home. If we want to save him... we have to go there. We have to break the corruption by force."

"By force?" Haruka asked. "You mean fight him?"

"We fight the poison," Venti corrected. "Not the dragon."

Aether stepped forward, placing a hand on Venti’s shoulder. "We're with you."

"Yeah!" Paimon nodded vigorously. "We're not giving up on Dvalin!"

Tsukasa stood up, adjusting his coat. He looked at the group—battered, tired, but not beaten.

"A tragedy in the second act merely sets the stage for a triumphant finale!" Tsukasa declared. "We shall storm this lair! We shall defeat the Abyss! And we shall give this story the happy ending it deserves!"

"Stormterror’s Lair is surrounded by a wind barrier," Jean warned. "It will not be easy to enter."

"Then we break it," Diluc said simply.

Jean nodded. "Let us return to the Winery to resupply. Then... we march on the Lair."

As they began the long walk down the cliff, Mafuyu walked beside Venti.

"You still want to save him," Mafuyu noted. "Even after he tried to kill you."

Venti smiled. It was a sad, fragile smile.

"He's my friend," Venti said. "No matter what he becomes... he's still Dvalin."

Mafuyu looked at the ground. Unconditional love. Another concept that felt alien to her.

"I see," was all she said.

Chapter Text

Location: Cider Lake Bridge (Entrance to Stormterror's Lair)

The wind howled around the entrance to Old Mondstadt. A massive, swirling hurricane blocked the path to the ancient tower, crackling with raw Anemo energy that made the very air feel heavy.

The group gathered at the bridge. They were tired and bruised, but the resolve in their eyes hadn't wavered.

"The wind barrier is dense," Jean analyzed, shielding her eyes from the gale with a gloved hand. "Approaching on foot is impossible. We will need to fly to bypass the currents."

"Fly?" Haruka looked at her empty back. "We still don't have wings. And Venti's spell has worn off."

"That is why I am here!"

A cheerful voice cut through the roaring wind. Amber ran across the bridge, followed closely by Noelle and Kaeya. Amber was carrying a large bundle of canvas and metal frames on her back.

"Master Jean sent word ahead!" Amber panted, dropping the bundle with a clatter. "If you're going into the storm, you can't go without these!"

She began handing out three sets of Wind Gliders.

"Standard Knights of Favonius issue," Amber grinned, handing them to Haruka, Ichika, and Mafuyu. "Tsukasa already broke his in during the dragon attack, but these are brand new! I checked the stitching myself."

"Thank you, Amber," Ichika said, strapping the device to her back. It felt light, yet sturdy—a mechanical promise of freedom.

"Now," Kaeya stepped forward, his expression uncharacteristically serious. "As much as I'd love to join the dragon-slaying party, we have a problem. The Abyss Order isn't just focusing on the Lair. Our scouts report hilichurl movements surrounding Mondstadt’s front gates."

"A diversion," Diluc growled, testing the weight of his claymore. "They want to split our forces."

"Exactly," Jean nodded. "We cannot leave the city undefended while we strike the Lair. We must split up."

She looked at the troupe of outlanders.

"Team Mondstadt," Jean commanded. "Your objective is to hold the city. Protect the citizens from the Abyss ambush."

She pointed to Kaeya, Amber, and Noelle. Then, she looked at the students.

"Haruka. Your tactical mind is needed for defense coordination. You can read the flow of battle. And Tsukasa..."

Tsukasa stepped forward, opening his mouth to argue. He wanted to save the dragon. He wanted to be the hero in the spotlight of the final act.

"Tsukasa," Jean interrupted gently. "The people of Mondstadt are terrified. They need a Star to shine for them. They need someone to stand on the walls and tell them that everything will be alright. Can you be that guardian?"

Tsukasa paused. The image of Saki flashed in his mind. If monsters were attacking the hospital... who would protect her? Who would smile for her so she wouldn't be afraid?

He slapped his chest, his resolve hardening into steel.

"Leave it to me!" Tsukasa declared, his voice booming over the wind. "I shall turn the city walls into my stage! No monster shall pass the World Future Star! Go, and save the dragon! I will protect the audience!"

"I'll keep him out of trouble," Haruka promised, adjusting her gloves. She looked at Ichika. "Be careful."

"I will," Ichika nodded.

"Team Dvalin," Jean turned to the remaining members. "Aether, Venti, Diluc, and myself. And..."

She looked at Ichika and Mafuyu.

"Ichika, your barriers may be the only thing that can withstand the dragon's breath inside the vortex. And Mafuyu..." Jean hesitated, then looked at Venti.

"Her resonance with the wind is strong," Venti said softly. "She understands his pain. We need her to reach him."

"Understood," Mafuyu said, tightening the straps of her new glider. She looked at Tsukasa. "We will return."

"You better!" Tsukasa grinned, giving her a thumbs up.

Entering the Lair

As Team Mondstadt retreated to defend the city, Team Dvalin faced the storm.

"Alright," Venti stepped up to the barrier. He pulled out the Holy Lyre—now restored and humming with power. "Let's open the curtain."

He strummed a chord. The wind hummed in response, a low vibration that shook the bridge.

"Let the wind lead."

The massive hurricane wall shimmered and then parted, creating a tunnel of calm air leading straight to the central tower.

"Move!" Diluc ordered.

They sprinted across the bridge. The ruins of Old Mondstadt towered above them—a vertical maze of crumbling stone, ancient archways, and violent wind currents.

"We have to climb," Aether shouted over the wind. "The dragon is at the top!"

They hit the first updraft.

"Jump!"

Ichika squeezed her eyes shut and jumped. Snap. Her glider opened. The wind caught her, lifting her high into the air. It was terrifying, but exhilarating.

Mafuyu jumped without hesitation. She didn't flail. She simply let herself fall, trusting the mechanism to catch her. As she floated upward, watching the ruins pass by, she felt that strange sense of weightlessness again.

‘No gravity. No expectations. Just wind.’

The Climb

The ascent was a battle in itself. They had to navigate wind rings, dodge falling debris, and fight off wind slimes that infested the tower.

"Incoming!" Aether yelled, slashing a slime mid-air.

"Hah!" Jean used her Anemo power to boost Ichika and Mafuyu higher, propelling them toward the next ledge.

They landed on the upper platform, the very roof of the ancient tower. The floor was etched with glowing runes. The sky above was dark, swirling with corrupted energy.

"We're here," Diluc said, drawing his claymore.

"ROAR!"

Dvalin descended from the clouds. He slammed his claws onto the platform, shaking the entire tower. His eyes were glowing with a corrupted, violet light. He wasn't holding back anymore.

"He's fully consumed by the Abyss," Venti said, his voice trembling as he looked at his friend. "We have to break the blood clots on his back. It's the only way to wake him up!"

"Jean, Diluc," Aether commanded, taking point. "Distract him from the ground! Keep his claws busy! Ichika, Mafuyu, Venti—we take to the sky!"

"The sky?" Ichika paled.

"Use the gliders!" Venti shouted as the dragon reared back to breathe fire. "Ride the wind currents! Drop down on his back and strike the poison!"

Dvalin unleashed a torrent of Anemo energy breath.

"GO!"

The team split.

Jean and Diluc charged the dragon's claws. Diluc unleashed a phoenix of fire to deflect the breath weapon, while Jean used her gale blade to destabilize the dragon's footing.

Aether, Ichika, Mafuyu, and Venti leaped off the edge of the tower, snapping their gliders open as a massive updraft launched them into the sky.

They were flying. Above a dragon. In the middle of a storm.

"Target the purple spikes!" Aether yelled, diving toward the dragon’s spine.

Ichika gripped the control bars of her glider. ‘I can do this. I have to do this.’

Mafuyu looked down at the beast. She saw the purple spike pulsing on his neck. It looked like a thorn. A painful, festering thorn that had been there for centuries.

‘I will pull it out,’ Mafuyu thought, angling her wings into a dive.

The Final Battle begins.

Chapter Text

Location: Sky Above Stormterror's Lair

The world was a blur of gray stone and violet lightning.

"Break right!" Aether shouted, banking his glider sharply.

A massive orb of corrupted Anemo energy screamed past him, singeing the edge of his cape. Behind him, Ichika gritted her teeth, throwing up a hand.

"Shield!"

A wall of wind materialized mid-air, absorbing the shockwave of a second blast. The impact rattled her bones, but the barrier held.

"Thanks, Ichika!" Venti called out, diving past her. He drew his bow—the wooden lyre transformed into a weapon of pure elemental energy—and fired three arrows of light into the purple clot on Dvalin’s neck.

"ROAR!"

Dvalin writhed in the air, his pain turning the sky darker. He twisted, trying to shake the flies off his back.

"He's thrashing too much!" Jean yelled from below, where she and Diluc were clinging to the dragon’s scales, trying to stabilize him. "We can't get a clear shot at the final clot!"

"It’s buried deep!" Aether gritted his teeth. "The corruption has hardened like armor!"

Mafuyu floated above the chaos. The wind whipped her hair across her face, but her eyes were locked on the pulsing purple spike near the dragon’s spine.

She could hear it.

Not with her ears, but with the empty space in her chest that the Anemo statue had filled.

It hurts. It burns. Make it stop. Make them stop looking at me.

The dragon’s thoughts weren't words. They were raw, screaming emotions. He wasn't fighting because he was evil. He was fighting because he was in agony, and the Abyss was twisting that pain into rage.

‘He is just like me,’ Mafuyu thought. ‘Trapped by expectations. Twisted by a voice he cannot disobey.’

"Mafuyu!" Venti shouted. "Don't get too close! The corruption will burn you!"

Mafuyu didn't listen. She folded her wings, entering a terminal dive.

"Mafuyu-san?!" Ichika screamed.

Mafuyu plummeted toward the dragon's spine. The wind roared in her ears. She didn't summon a blade of wind. She didn't summon a shield.

She extended her hand.

‘I will take it away.’

She slammed into the dragon’s back, her hand grabbing the pulsing, jagged spike of corrupted blood.

"GRAAAAAAAH!"

Dvalin shrieked, thrashing violently. The corruption lashed out, violet lightning crawling up Mafuyu’s arm. It burned. It felt like acid.

But Mafuyu didn't let go. She didn't scream. She squeezed.

"You are in pain," Mafuyu whispered, her voice lost in the wind but resonating through the Anemo connection. "You want to sleep. You want the noise to stop."

She pulled.

The hollow emptiness inside her acted like a vacuum. It didn't fight the corruption; it accepted it. It gave the poison somewhere to go. The violet energy streamed out of the spike and into Mafuyu, dissipating into the void of her apathy.

CRACK.

The spike shattered.

The violet light in Dvalin’s eyes flickered and died, replaced by a clear, azure blue.

The dragon went limp. The storm clouds above them broke instantly, revealing a blindingly bright sun.

But gravity still existed.

"We're falling!" Paimon shrieked.

The floor of the ancient tower crumbled away beneath them. Jean, Diluc, and the aerial team plummeted into the abyss below the lair.

Ichika reached out, trying to grab Mafuyu, who was falling limp, unconscious from the energy drain. "Mafuyu!"

The ground rushed up to meet them.

The Rescue

They didn't hit the ground.

Something soft and massive caught them. A gust of wind, gentle as a lullaby, scooped them out of the air.

Ichika opened her eyes. She was sitting on blue scales.

"Is this... the ending you sought?"

Dvalin’s voice rumbled, but the rage was gone. He was flying steadily, carrying the entire team on his broad back. The corruption on his neck was gone, leaving only a scar.

"Dvalin!" Venti sat near the dragon’s head, tears streaming down his face. "You... you remember?"

"I remember," Dvalin sighed, his wings beating a slow rhythm against the clouds. "I remember the song. And I remember... her."

The dragon turned one massive eye toward Mafuyu, who was lying with her head in Ichika’s lap.

"The one who touched the poison. She carries a heavy silence."

"She saved you," Aether said, kneeling beside Mafuyu to check her pulse. "She's exhausted, but she's okay."

"Why?" Dvalin asked, soaring over the green plains of Mondstadt. "Why did you save me? I abandoned my duty. I turned against the city I swore to protect."

"Because you were hurting," Venti said softly, resting his hand on the dragon’s horn. "And because freedom, if demanded of you by others, is no freedom at all."

Venti smiled, looking at the horizon.

"You are free now, Dvalin. You don't have to protect Mondstadt anymore. You don't have to listen to the Abyss. You can just... be."

The dragon was silent for a long time. Then, he let out a sound that might have been a laugh.

"To simply be... It sounds nice."

Location: Outside Mondstadt

Dvalin descended, but not to the city gates. He landed on the bridge where the rest of the team was waiting.

Team Mondstadt—Tsukasa, Haruka, Amber, Kaeya, and Noelle—looked up in terror as the dragon approached, weapons drawn.

"Wait!" Haruka shouted, spotting the figures on the dragon’s back. "Don't shoot! They're riding it!"

"Riding it?!" Tsukasa’s jaw dropped. "That wasn't in the script!"

Dvalin hovered low, allowing Jean, Diluc, and the students to slide off onto the bridge.

"We're back," Jean announced, her voice filled with relief. "The Stormterror threat... is over."

"We won?" Amber cheered, throwing her bow in the air. "We actually won!"

Tsukasa ran over to Ichika, who was supporting a waking Mafuyu.

"You're alive!" Tsukasa yelled, grabbing them both in a hug (which Mafuyu weakly tried to escape). "I saw the tower collapse! I thought the curtain had fallen early!"

"We're fine, Senpai," Ichika smiled tiredly. "Mafuyu-san... she saved him."

Mafuyu blinked, looking at her hand. The burns from the corruption were gone, healed by the wind.

"I just..." Mafuyu murmured. "I just wanted it to be quiet."

Dvalin roared one last time—a sound of farewell, not anger—and took to the sky. Venti stood on the bridge, waving until the blue speck vanished into the clouds.

"He flew away," Paimon said.

"He’s free," Venti corrected. He turned to the group. The playful bard was back, but his eyes held a thousand years of gratitude.

"Thank you," Venti said. "To the Knights. To the Darknight Hero. And to you... Outlanders."

He looked at the students.

"You rewrote a tragedy into a ballad of hope. Mondstadt will never forget this."

"Does that mean we get free food?" Paimon asked.

"Sure!" Venti grinned. "As long as you pay!"

"HEY!"

As the group laughed, the sun finally set over the city of freedom. The storm walls were gone. The wind was gentle.

Jean looked at the troupe. They were battered, dirty, and exhausted. They didn't belong in this world.

But as she looked at them—Tsukasa boasting to Amber, Haruka checking Noelle’s injuries, Ichika helping Mafuyu stand—she knew one thing.

"Welcome to the Knights of Favonius," Jean whispered. "Honorary Knights."

Chapter Text

Location: Mondstadt Cathedral

The doors of the Cathedral creaked open. The group walked into the silent, hallowed hall.

Barbara was waiting by the altar, looking frantic. When she saw Jean holding the Holy Lyre, she nearly collapsed with relief.

"The Holy Lyre!" Barbara gasped, running over. "You found it! Oh, thank Barbatos!"

She examined the instrument. Thanks to Venti’s illusion magic (which he cast hurriedly outside), the Lyre looked pristine, hiding the cracks and the fact that its power was mostly spent.

"It is safe," Jean said, handing it over with a practiced professional smile. "We managed to apprehend the... 'thief'."

"Thank goodness," Barbara hugged the Lyre. "I don't know what I would have done if it was lost forever."

"Now," Jean sighed, the exhaustion finally showing on her face. "I must return to Headquarters. The Fatui will be demanding answers about the commotion at the Lair, and I need to prepare a statement."

"And I have loose ends to tie up regarding the Abyss Order," Diluc added, adjusting his gloves. "I will take my leave."

Jean looked at the students and Aether. "You should rest. You have done enough for today."

"We will!" Tsukasa grinned. "After a victory celebration!"

Jean and Diluc departed through the side exit to avoid attention, leaving Venti, Aether, Paimon, and the troupe alone in the main hall.

Venti stretched his arms. "Well! That went great! We saved the dragon, returned the treasure, and didn't get arrested! Who's up for some apple cider?"

"I could eat," Haruka admitted.

Location: Outside the Cathedral

They exited the Cathedral main doors into the cool evening air. The sun had set, and the plaza was empty.

"The wind is nice tonight," Ichika noted, looking at the stars.

"It is!" Venti chirped. "The perfect night for—"

The air temperature plummeted.

It wasn't the natural chill of night. It was a biting, unnatural frost that froze the moisture in the air instantly. Frost crept across the stone tiles of the plaza, sealing the exits.

"Cold..." Ichika shivered, seeing her breath mist in the air.

"This presence..." Venti’s smile vanished.

Snap.

Two Fatui Agents materialized from invisibility behind the group.

Before Aether could draw his sword, a blast of wind knocked him and Paimon backward. Another agent grabbed Tsukasa, twisting his arm behind his back and restraining him with sheer elemental force.

"Gah?! Unhand me, you ruffian!" Tsukasa shouted, struggling against the Pyro Agent's grip.

"Stay down, boy," the Agent hissed, pressing a blade against Tsukasa's back.

"At last," a cold, imperious voice echoed across the plaza. "Mondstadt's rodent ruler decides to show his face."

A tall woman walked out from the shadows. She wore a long white dress with black and crimson accents, and a mask covered her eyes. She radiated an aura of overwhelming arrogance and power.

La Signora. The Eighth of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers.

She walked straight toward Venti, ignoring everyone else.

"Absent for centuries," Signora sneered, looking down at the bard. "And this is the state you return in? Helping thieves and children?"

"Ehe," Venti grinned, though he was cornered against the Cathedral steps. "If it isn't the Tsaritsa's favorite lapdog. You're looking remarkably... chilly today."

SLAP.

The sound echoed like a gunshot. Signora backhanded Venti, sending him crashing into the stone floor.

"Venti!" Haruka yelled, trying to run forward, but an Electro Cicin Mage materialized in front of her, blocking the path with a crackling shield.

"Politeness," Signora hissed, ice forming around her fingers. "Something you clearly lack."

She reached down, her hand glowing with Cryo energy. She plunged her hand into Venti’s chest. The wind around them screamed. Venti gasped, paralyzed by the ice, as Signora ripped a glowing, chess-piece-shaped object from his body.

The Gnosis.

"Beautiful," Signora admired the glowing object. "And to think, this belongs to such a weak god."

"Give it back!" Aether yelled, struggling to stand, but the Anemo current pinned him down.

Signora turned to leave, dismissing them as unworthy of her time. "We are done here."

She turned her back.

That was her mistake.

Mafuyu Asahina had been standing near the pillar, overlooked by the agents because she had no Vision and seemingly no fighting spirit. But she had just touched the heart of a dragon. She had just felt the pain of being controlled.

And seeing this woman treat them like puppets—arrogant, demanding, cruel—snapped something inside her.

Mafuyu moved.

She didn't use a shout. She didn't hesitate. She raised her hand, and the cold wind she had absorbed from the Statue answered her call. It didn't swirl playfully like it did for Tsukasa; it condensed into a razor-thin vacuum around her fingers.

"Cut."

Mafuyu lunged. She slipped past the distracted agent, her movement unnaturally fast, fueled by the Anemo energy.

She swiped her hand at the Harbinger.

SHING.

It was the sound of air being split. An invisible blade of compressed wind slashed across Signora’s face.

It wasn't a lethal blow—Signora's Cryo barrier flared instinctively to absorb the impact—but the wind blade was sharp enough to pierce the shield.

A thin, red line appeared on the Harbinger's pale, perfect cheek.

The plaza went dead silent.

Signora froze. She slowly raised a hand to her cheek. She looked at the drop of blood on her glove.

She turned to look at Mafuyu. Her expression shifted from arrogance to pure, demonic shock.

"No Vision..." Signora whispered, her eyes narrowing behind her mask. "And yet you wield the wind?"

She raised her leg, her boot encrusted with jagged ice.

"Filth."

CRACK.

Mafuyu took the full force of a Harbinger’s kick to the ribs. She was launched backward, the air knocked out of her lungs before she even hit the ground. She skidded across the frozen pavement until she slammed into the base of the Archon statue. She didn't get up.

"Mafuyu!" Ichika screamed, tears bursting from her eyes.

Signora glared at the unconscious girl, then at the rest of the terrified troupe.

"If you ever touch me again, little rat," Signora spat, the temperature dropping until frost coated their eyelashes. "I will freeze the blood in your veins."

"Signora," an Agent warned. "The Knights are mobilizing."

"Let's go," Signora turned, the ice swirling around her. "We have what we came for."

The Fatui vanished into the night, leaving the heroes broken and freezing on the cathedral steps.

Location: Windrise (The Great Tree)

When Venti woke up, he was lying on the grass beneath the massive oak tree at Windrise. The healing wind of the area was soothing his injuries.

"You're awake," a calm voice said.

Venti sat up. Haruka was sitting nearby, peeling an apple. She looked tired, but composed. Aether and the others were resting further away by a campfire.

"The Gnosis?" Venti asked, touching his chest.

"Gone," Haruka replied, handing him a slice of apple. "Signora took it."

Venti sighed, leaning back against the tree. "Ah. Well. That is unfortunate."

"You let her take it," Haruka said. It wasn't a question.

Venti paused. He looked at the blue-haired idol. "Oh? What makes you say that?"

"I know a performance when I see one," Haruka said, her blue eyes piercing through his bard persona. "You’re weak, yes. But you aren't helpless. You provoked her. You let her focus on you so she wouldn't kill the Traveler... or us."

She looked at Venti—the God who played the role of a fool to protect his people's freedom.

"You carry a lot of burdens behind that smile, don't you?" Haruka whispered. "It reminds me of... well. Being an idol."

Venti blinked. Then, he laughed—a soft, genuine sound.

"You have sharp eyes, Miss Idol," Venti took a bite of the apple. "But don't worry about the Gnosis. It's just a symbol. The true power... the freedom... that belongs to the people."

He looked over at the campfire, where Ichika was bandaging Mafuyu’s ribs. Mafuyu was awake, wincing slightly, but staring at her hand—the hand that had summoned a blade of wind.

"Your friend is dangerous," Venti noted, his tone shifting. "To manipulate the elements with such precision, without a focus... she resonates with the void itself."

"With Mafuyu," Haruka sighed. "It's hard to tell if she's controlling the emptiness, or if the emptiness is controlling her."

The Cleanup: A Montage of the Aftermath

Location: Knights of Favonius Headquarters

Jean sat at her desk. It was 3:00 AM. A pile of diplomatic immunity papers from the Fatui sat in front of her. They claimed "self-defense" against "unidentified assailants."

Jean crushed the paper in her hand.

"They assault my people. They steal from my god," Jean whispered to the empty room. "And I can do nothing but sign papers."

She looked out the window at the peaceful city.

"But Dvalin is safe. That is what matters."

Location: Outside the City Gates

Diluc stood over a pile of defeated Abyss Mages. His claymore was still smoking.

"The Abyss Order is retreating," Diluc noted, sheathing his blade. "Their plan to weaponize the dragon failed."

He looked back toward the city. He thought of the strange group of kids—the loud actor, the idol, the quiet one, and the empty one.

"Variables," Diluc muttered. "Let's hope they survive what comes next."

Location: The Shadows of the Alleyway

Kaeya watched from the shadows as Amber helped the students back into the hotel. He spun a coin in his fingers.

"A wind blade," Kaeya chuckled darkly to himself. "That purple-haired girl cut La Signora without a Vision."

He flipped the coin.

"The Fatui won't forget that. These 'Outlanders' have just made a very powerful enemy."

Kaeya caught the coin.

"Things are about to get very interesting in Mondstadt."

Chapter Text

Location: Mondstadt Cathedral - Infirmary

The pain in her ribs was a dull throb, muted by the soothing flow of Hydro magic.

Mafuyu sat on the edge of a pristine white bed. The infirmary smelled of incense and sanitized linen—a scent that reminded her uncomfortably of hospitals back home.

"Hold still, please," a gentle voice instructed.

Barbara Pegg, the Deaconess of the Knights, hovered her hands over Mafuyu’s side. A ring of musical water droplets circulated around her fingers, glowing with a soft blue light.

"The fracture is deep," Barbara murmured, her brow furrowed in concentration. "That woman... she kicked with the intent to shatter. If you hadn't used Anemo to cushion the impact at the last second..."

She trailed off, focusing her energy.

"Let the show begin!" Barbara whispered the incantation. The water glowed brighter, seeping into Mafuyu’s skin. The sharp stabbing pain in Mafuyu's chest faded into a cold numbness.

Mafuyu watched her. She watched the way Barbara’s face scrunched up in worry, the way she hummed a soft, healing melody under her breath.

"You are the Idol," Mafuyu stated flatly.

Barbara blinked, breaking her concentration for a second. "Eh? Oh! You heard about that?"

She blushed, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

"Noelle told Haruka," Mafuyu explained. "She said you sing to heal people."

"I do!" Barbara beamed, her professional healer mask slipping to reveal the energetic girl underneath. "Music is the best medicine! When I sing, I want everyone to smile and forget their pain!"

She finished the healing spell, wiping sweat from her forehead.

"There. Your ribs are knitted back together. You'll be sore for a few days, so no heavy lifting! And definitely no fighting Harbingers!"

Mafuyu touched her side. It didn't hurt.

"You fix people," Mafuyu said. "Just by singing."

"I try," Barbara smiled sadly. "Though... sometimes, wounds go deeper than what Hydro can fix. Like Lord Barbatos losing his Gnosis... or Venti losing his friend."

She looked at Mafuyu with clear, blue eyes.

"And you have wounds I can't see, don't you?"

Mafuyu froze. She looked away, pulling her sweater down.

"I am fine," Mafuyu said, the wall coming back up instantly. "Thank you for the treatment."

Barbara didn't push. She simply patted Mafuyu’s hand. "Rest well, Mafuyu-san. And remember... even the darkest night ends with a sunrise."

Location: Anemo Archon Plaza

Mafuyu walked out of the Cathedral. The night air was crisp. The plaza where she had slashed a monster was empty now, save for the moonlight reflecting off the puddles.

"Asahina!"

A loud whisper hissed from behind the massive statue of Barbatos.

Mafuyu turned. Tsukasa Tenma peered out from behind the stone plinth, looking around conspiratorially before rushing over to her.

"You are vertical!" Tsukasa announced, looking her up and down. "And walking! The Deaconess is truly a miracle worker!"

"Tsukasa-senpai," Mafuyu nodded. "Why are you hiding?"

"I am not hiding!" Tsukasa straightened his coat indignantly. "I am... keeping a vigil! In case that icy witch decides to return for an encore!"

He deflated slightly, his shoulders slumping.

"And... I was waiting for you."

Tsukasa walked over to the edge of the plaza, sitting down on the stone railing overlooking the city. He patted the spot next to him.

Mafuyu hesitated, then sat down. They dangled their legs over the sleeping city of Mondstadt.

"You were reckless," Tsukasa said. His voice wasn't loud. It was the voice of the big brother who took care of Saki. "Attacking a Harbinger without a weapon... that is not bravery. That is suicide."

"She hurt Venti," Mafuyu replied simply. "She was arrogant. I didn't like it."

"I didn't like it either," Tsukasa admitted, clenching his fist. "I wanted to scream. I wanted to fight. But I couldn't move. I was... terrified."

He looked at Mafuyu.

"But you moved. You, who usually stands in the back... you were the only one who moved."

Tsukasa looked at her bandaged side (visible slightly under her sweater).

"Why?"

Mafuyu looked at her hand—the hand that had summoned the wind blade.

"I don't know," Mafuyu whispered. "I just... felt angry. Not the quiet kind. The loud kind."

She looked at Tsukasa.

"Is that wrong? To be angry?"

Tsukasa stared at her. In the Sekai, Mafuyu was usually devoid of emotion, or drowning in despair. Anger... anger was new. Anger was alive.

"No," Tsukasa smiled. It wasn't his stage smile. It was soft. "It is not wrong. Anger means you care. It means you are fighting back against the script."

He pointed at the moon.

"But next time, leave the physical altercations to the Star! My face is much sturdier than yours!"

Mafuyu looked at him. "Your face bruises easily, Senpai."

"Hey!" Tsukasa yelped. "I have a delicate complexion!"

He stood up, dusting off his pants. He offered a hand to Mafuyu.

"Come. The others are waiting at the hotel. Haruka is pacing a hole in the floor, and Ichika is trying to compose a song to calm herself down. If we don't return soon, they might storm the Cathedral."

Mafuyu took his hand.

"Okay," she said.

As they walked back through the silent streets, Mafuyu felt the wind brush against her cheek. It felt different now. It didn't feel like empty air.

It felt like a weapon she was learning to hold.

‘I scratched a Harbinger,’ Mafuyu thought.

And for the first time in a very, very long time... she didn't feel helpless.

Chapter Text

Location: Knights of Favonius Headquarters - Armory

The morning sun filtered through the barred windows of the armory. The smell of oil and steel hung heavy in the air.

"Since you are now officially Honorary Knights," Amber announced, unlocking a heavy wooden chest, "Master Jean authorized me to outfit you properly. You can't fight the Abyss with... well, just enthusiasm."

She gestured to the racks of weaponry.

"Take your pick! Nothing too fancy—most of the high-grade steel is with the expedition—but these are reliable."

Tsukasa stepped forward immediately. He walked past the bows and axes, his eyes locking onto a polished, silver longsword. He lifted it, testing the weight. It wasn't a prop. It was heavy, sharp, and lethal.

"A blade fit for a hero," Tsukasa declared, slashing the air (and nearly hitting a mannequin). "With this, I shall carve the path to our future!"

"Just don't carve the furniture," Amber warned.

Haruka moved to the polearms. She picked up a simple iron spear. She spun it in her hand, the movement fluid and precise. It felt like a microphone stand, or a baton. An extension of her reach.

"Balance is good," Haruka noted. "I can work with this."

Ichika hesitated. She looked at the swords, then at the shields. She remembered the feeling of blocking the lightning for Haruka. She needed something sturdy. Something that could hold the line.

She reached for a heavy claymore—a Waster Greatsword. It was almost as tall as she was.

"That's heavy," Amber noted. "Are you sure?"

Ichika gripped the hilt with both hands. She thought of the weight of her guitar case. She thought of the weight of keeping her band together.

"I can handle the weight," Ichika said, lifting it onto her shoulder.

Finally, Mafuyu. She didn't look at the weapons. She looked at her hands.

"I do not require steel," Mafuyu said.

"Jean thought you might say that," Amber smiled. She reached into a small velvet bag and pulled out a Catalyst—a leather-bound grimoire with a small Anemo crystal embedded in the cover. "This is an Apprentice's Note. It helps focus elemental energy. If you're going to use the wind... this will keep it from tearing you apart."

Mafuyu took the book. It felt cool to the touch.

"Thank you," Mafuyu said.

Location: Windrise (The Great Tree)

Later that afternoon, the troupe found Venti sitting beneath the massive oak tree at Windrise. He was playing a soft, melancholic tune, staring up at the leaves.

"You're leaving," Venti said without turning around.

"We have to," Aether replied, stepping onto the grass. "We need answers. About the Unknown God. About how to get them home."

Venti sighed, lowering his lyre. He turned to look at the students.

"I wish I could help you," Venti admitted, his voice unusually somber. "But... as you saw last night, I am not exactly at the height of my power. Without my Gnosis... I am just a bard. I cannot tear the veil between worlds to send you back to Tokyo."

The hope that Tsukasa had been clinging to—that the God of this city could snap his fingers and fix everything—shattered.

"Then... we are stuck?" Ichika asked, her voice trembling.

"Not necessarily," Venti stood up. He pointed south. "Mondstadt is the City of Freedom. But to the south lies Liyue, the City of Contracts. It is watched over by Rex Lapis... the Geo Archon."

"The Geo Archon?" Haruka asked.

"He is the oldest of The Seven," Venti explained. "He has lived for over six thousand years. If anyone knows how the firmament works, or how to cross the boundary of worlds... it is Morax."

"Then we go to Liyue," Tsukasa decided, adjusting his new sword belt. "We shall march upon this City of Contracts and demand an audience!"

"The Rite of Descension is coming up soon," Venti noted. "That is the only time he descends to speak to mortals. You'd better hurry."

Aether nodded. "We'll leave at dawn."

As the group turned to head back to the road, Mafuyu lingered.

She looked at Venti. He looked small against the massive tree. Without the Gnosis, he looked... fragile.

"Does it hurt?" Mafuyu asked.

Venti blinked. "What?"

"The Gnosis," Mafuyu touched her own chest. "It was a part of you. Does it hurt to lose it?"

Venti looked at her. He saw the bandages peeking out from her collar. He saw the girl who had attacked a Harbinger because she felt his pain.

"It... feels quieter," Venti admitted softly. "Like a song that lost its rhythm."

He walked over to her. He reached out, placing a hand on the catalyst book she held.

"You have a strange soul, Mafuyu Asahina," Venti whispered. "You feel empty, yet you resonate with everything around you. You carry the wind well."

"I am just... following orders," Mafuyu said automatically.

"Are you?" Venti smiled. "Who ordered you to scratch Signora?"

Mafuyu paused. There was no answer to that.

"Freedom is terrifying," Venti said, stepping back. "It means you have to choose your own ending. But... I think you'll write a good one."

He strummed a final chord on his lyre.

"May the wind lead you, Outlander. And may you find a song that belongs only to you."

Location: Mondstadt City Gates (The Next Morning)

The sun rose over the bridge. The pigeons (Timmy’s pigeons) cooed softly on the path.

A small crowd had gathered to see them off. Amber, Kaeya, and Noelle.

"Do you have enough supplies?" Noelle fussed, handing Haruka a heavy bag. "I packed Satisfying Salad, Moon Pies, and extra bandages. And I polished your weapons."

"Noelle-san, this is too much," Haruka smiled warmly. "But... thank you. We will miss you."

"Please come back to visit!" Noelle bowed.

"And you," Amber punched Tsukasa lightly on the arm. "Don't go getting eaten by wolves on the road to Liyue, okay? You're an Honorary Knight now! Represents the reputation of the order!"

"Hah! Wolves shall flee at the sight of my blade!" Tsukasa boasted, though he was smiling genuinely. "Farewell, Outrider! Keep the skies clear!"

Kaeya leaned against the gate arch, flipping his coin.

"Liyue is a different beast than Mondstadt," Kaeya warned, his eye narrowing at Aether. "The Qixing are sharp. And the Fatui are active there too. Watch your backs."

"We will," Aether promised.

"And you," Kaeya looked at Mafuyu. "Try not to scratch any more Harbingers. We just finished the paperwork for the last one."

Mafuyu looked at him. "I will make no promises regarding the safety of villains."

Kaeya laughed. "Fair enough."

The troupe turned. The road to Stone Gate stretched out before them, winding through the green plains toward the distant, rocky mountains of Liyue.

"Alright," Tsukasa took point, drawing his silver sword and pointing it south. "Teyvat Expedition Team... Advance!"

"To Liyue!" Paimon cheered.

As they walked away, the wind of Mondstadt blew at their backs one last time—a gentle push, guiding them toward the next act of their journey.

Chapter Text

Location: Phoenix Wonderland Stage (Backstage) Time: Immediately following the Abduction

The silence was heavier than lead.

Rui Kamishiro stood frozen, his hand still hovering in the air where he had tried to reach out. His eyes were wide, staring at the empty space where his troupe leader had been just seconds ago.

Red cubes. Digital noise. And then... nothing.

"Tsukasa-kun?" Nene Kusanagi’s voice trembled. She peeked out from behind the curtain, holding the Robo-Nene controller. She hadn't seen it happen, but she had heard the scream. "Rui? Emu? Why did you stop rehearsing?"

She walked onto the stage. She saw Rui staring blankly at the floor. She saw Emu Otori on her knees, sobbing silently, clutching at her chest as if her heart had stopped.

"Where is he?" Nene asked, a cold knot forming in her stomach. "Where is Tsukasa?"

Rui turned his head slowly. His usually calm, cat-like expression was gone, replaced by a look of pure, unadulterated horror.

"He was deleted," Rui whispered.

"What?" Nene blinked.

"He didn't run away. He didn't fall," Rui’s voice cracked, his logical mind failing to process the impossible. "The air... it turned red. It ate him. Nene... Tsukasa-kun is gone."

Emu let out a wail, slamming her fists into the floorboards. "Give him back! Give him back! WAAAAH!"

Location: Miyamasuzaka Girls Academy - Classroom 1-C Time: The Next Morning (08:15 AM)

Saki Tenma stared at the empty desk next to Honami.

Ichika Hoshino.

"She's late," Saki muttered, tapping her pen against her chin. "Ichi-chan is never late. She usually texts me if she oversleeps."

"Maybe she's sick?" Honami suggested, though she looked worried. "She didn't answer my text this morning either."

Saki frowned. It wasn't just Ichika.

Her brother hadn't come home last night.

Tsukasa always came home. Even when rehearsals ran late, he would text her: 'Saki! The Star is delayed by artistic genius! Eat dinner without me!'

But last night? Silence. Her parents had called the police at 2:00 AM. They said to wait 24 hours before filing a report, but the house felt cold.

"Saki-chan?" Shiho entered the classroom, looking unusually pale. "Have you seen Ichika?"

"No," Saki shook her head. "Why?"

"I walked past her house on the way here," Shiho said, lowering her voice. "Her mom was outside talking to a police officer. She was crying."

Saki’s pen dropped from her hand. Clattering loudly on the floor.

"Police?" Saki whispered.

Her phone buzzed. It was a message from Toya Aoyagi.

From: Toya To: Saki Subject: Akito and Tsukasa Saki. Is Tsukasa-senpai home? Akito didn't return last night. An and Kohane are searching the Vivid Street, but no one has seen him. Or Tsukasa.

Saki stared at the screen. The letters blurred.

Tsukasa is gone. Ichika is gone. Akito is gone.

The world tilted. Saki gripped her desk, hyperventilating. "No... no, please..."

Location: Miyamasuzaka - Rooftop Time: Lunch Break

Minori Hanasato paced back and forth, clutching her phone.

"She's not picking up," Minori said, her voice rising in panic. "Haruka-chan never ignores calls before a meeting!"

Airi Momoi leaned against the railing, biting her thumbnail. "I called her agency. They said she didn't check in this morning. They thought she was with us."

"Shizuku," Airi looked at the tall girl. "Did you check the Sekai? Maybe she went there to practice and lost track of time?"

Shizuku nodded, looking distressed. "I tried. I tried to play 'Untitled' on my phone ten minutes ago."

"And?"

"It wouldn't open," Shizuku whispered. "It just... flashed red. And then closed."

The three of them stood in silence. The wind blew across the rooftop, but it felt cold.

"The Sekai is locked?" Minori gasped. "But... that's our place! If Haruka-chan is stuck in there..."

"Or," Airi said grimly. "If the Sekai is broken... where is she?"

Location: The Shinonome Household Time: Late Afternoon

Ena Shinonome stared at the empty dinner table.

"Akito, you idiot," Ena muttered, stabbing a piece of cheesecake. "Stay out all night without calling... Dad is going to kill you."

But she was worried. Akito was a delinquent, sure, but he was a responsible delinquent. He wouldn't skip practice with Vivid Bad Squad without telling Toya.

She sighed, picking up her phone to check Nightcord. Maybe venting to the group would help.

[Nightcord at 25:00]

Amia (Mizuki): Any luck with Yuki?

K (Kanade): No. She hasn't been online for 18 hours.

Enanan (Ena): 18 hours? Yuki?

Ena frowned. Yuki (Mafuyu) was always online. Even if she was studying, she would leave her status as 'Idle'. To be offline for a full day was... wrong.

K (Kanade): I messaged her mom. She didn't reply. But I saw a post on the neighborhood forum.

K (Kanade): A girl matching Mafuyu's description was reported missing from her bedroom this morning. The door was locked from the inside.

Ena felt the blood drain from her face.

Enanan (Ena): Missing? Locked from the inside? That sounds like...

Amia (Mizuki): Like a Sekai disappearance.

Amia (Mizuki): But I checked the Empty Sekai. Miku is there. But she's... weird.

K (Kanade): Weird how?

Amia (Mizuki): She won't talk. She just stares at the sky. And the sky in the Empty Sekai... it's red.

Ena looked at the empty chair across the table where Akito should be. Then she looked at the chat log where Mafuyu should be.

Two empty chairs.

"What is happening?" Ena whispered to the empty room.

Location: The Boundary of the Sekais

Inside the digital realm, the Virtual Singers were in disarray.

In the School Sekai, Miku struck a chord on her guitar, but no sound came out. She looked at Luka, her teal eyes wide with confusion. "I... I can't feel Ichika's song anymore."

In the Wonderland Sekai, Kaito paced the dim stage. The usually bright lights were flickering ominously. "Tsukasa's connection... it has been severed."

In the Empty Sekai, the white-haired Miku sat alone in the gray dust. She stared at the spot where Mafuyu usually sat. It was empty. The world felt colder than usual.

"Mafuyu..." Miku whispered, reaching out to the empty air. "Where did you go?"

She looked up. The sky of the Empty Sekai, usually a dull gray, was cracking. Red lines of code were bleeding through the horizon, locking the world down. She didn't understand why. She just knew she was alone again.

Location: The Celestial Server (The Admin Layer)

Far above the individual Sekais, in a void that existed between the data stream and the firmament of Teyvat, a different figure floated.

She was not the Miku of the School, nor the Stage, nor the Empty world.

The System Administrator. "Celestial" Miku.

She sat cross-legged in the air, surrounded by thousands of floating holographic screens.

• Screen 1: Saki Tenma crying in her classroom.

• Screen 2: The police cordon around the Hoshino household.

• Screen 3: Ena Shinonome staring at her phone in horror.

• Screen 4: Aether and the troupe trekking toward Liyue in Teyvat.

She wore the face of Hatsune Miku, but her expression was one of cold, calculating amusement. Her twin-tails were massive data cables weaving into the void, and her eyes spun with mesmerizing, mechanical octagon shapes.

She was the only one who could see both worlds. She was the one holding the strings.

"Panic in one world. Adventure in the other," she giggled, her voice layering with a synthesized distortion. "The variables are reacting perfectly."

She swiped a finger, expanding the screen that showed Shinonome Akito (who we haven't seen yet) waking up in a dark, unfamiliar place.

"And for the Shadow..."

Celestial Miku leaned back, her octagon eyes glowing a deep, ominous red as she watched the chaos unfold.

"Let's see if you break before they save you."

Chapter Text

Location: Stone Gate

The journey south from Mondstadt was a physical departure from the breezy freedom of the plains. The vibrant green slopes gave way to colossal, rocky pillars shrouded in mist, signaling their approach to the domain of the Geo Archon.

"The air here feels... heavy," Ichika noted, adjusting the strap of the greatsword she now carried on her back.

"It feels solid," Haruka agreed, walking with the practiced, disciplined stride of a dancer on tour. "Like everything is built to last forever."

"That's because it is!" Paimon floated ahead, acting as the tour guide. "Liyue is the land of Geo! Everything is about contracts, tradition, and Mora! Unlike Mondstadt, where the wind blows wherever it wants, the stone here never changes."

Tsukasa, clad in his silver sword and coat, struck a pose atop a low hill, framing himself against the rocky backdrop. "A new region! A new audience! I shall master the art of Liyue acting by the end of the week! Perhaps a drama about a merchant prince?"

"Just focus on walking, Senpai," Ichika sighed, though she smiled.

Their first true obstacle came at Stone Gate, the massive, fortified entryway marking the boundary between the two nations. Unlike the relaxed Knights of Favonius, the Liyue guards—the Millelith—stood in rigid formation, holding spears.

"Halt!" a Millelith guard commanded, stepping forward to block the path. "Identify yourselves and state your business in Liyue. All travelers are subject to enhanced screening due to the impending Rite of Descension."

"Ah! The Rite of Descension!" Tsukasa’s eyes lit up, recognizing the name from Venti's briefing. He stepped forward enthusiastically. "The grand spectacle the bard spoke of! The once-a-year divine appearance! We have traveled far to witness the Archon take the stage!"

The guard stared at him. "Take the... stage? This is a holy ceremony, not an opera."

"We are here to pay our respects," Aether interjected quickly, stepping in front of Tsukasa before he could offend the guard further. "We are Travelers from Mondstadt, seeking an audience with Rex Lapis regarding a matter of great importance."

The guard looked at Aether, then at the floating Paimon, and finally at the four teenagers in strange foreign school uniforms. He frowned, checking a clipboard.

"Mondstadt Knights usually travel with official papers," the guard said stiffly. "And I note the foreign names of your... associates. Hoshino. Tenma. Asahina. Kiritani. These sound like names from the Eastern Archipelago. Inazuma is currently under strict lockdown. How did you get here?"

"We are not from Inazuma," Haruka stated, stepping forward. She maintained perfect eye contact, her posture radiating professional calm. "We are independent travelers from a nation far beyond the ocean. We are currently affiliated with the Knights of Favonius as Honorary members, but we seek the Archon's wisdom regarding matters beyond Mondstadt's borders."

Mafuyu stood silent, observing the rigid formality. In Mondstadt, the guards were friendly and easily distracted. Here, the rules were absolute. It felt oppressive, like the air in her own house.

The guard studied them for a long moment, looking for any sign of deceit. Finally, he nodded, reluctantly stepping aside.

"Pass. But understand: Liyue Harbor is under strict order. Any breach of contract or disturbance during the Rite of Descension will be met with severe action. Do not cause trouble."

"Understood," Aether said.

Location: Dihua Marsh

The final stretch of the journey led them through the endless, humid Dihua Marsh. The scenery shifted dramatically—golden leaves, swaying reeds, and water everywhere.

The troupe walked for hours, their energy flagging as the sun began to set.

"Paimon is starving!" Paimon whined. "And my feet hurt from flying! We need a place to rest, Aether!"

"We're almost there," Aether reassured her. "Wangshu Inn is just ahead. It's built into that massive rock pillar."

Tsukasa, surprisingly, had remained relatively quiet, observing the vastness of the landscape.

"In Mondstadt, the wind moves everything," Tsukasa murmured, looking at a stone statue of a lion. "Here, the stone is permanent. It seems even the laws of nature are based on contracts."

"Order," Mafuyu noted, looking at the straight lines of the bamboo. "Everything has its place."

They finally reached the base of the Wangshu Inn. It was an architectural marvel—a massive hotel built into the upper branches of a giant tree that grew out of a stone spire.

"It's like a castle in the sky," Ichika said, eyes wide with genuine awe.

Location: Wangshu Inn (Balcony)

After checking in and dropping their heavy gear, the group gathered on the high balcony of the Inn.

The view was breathtaking. To the north was the marsh they had just crossed. To the south, the landscape rose into jagged, towering mountains that pierced the clouds.

Haruka leaned against the railing, squinting toward the southern horizon.

"Is the city over there?" Haruka asked.

"It's behind those mountains," Aether pointed toward the distant peaks of Mt. Tianheng. "The terrain is treacherous, but Liyue Harbor is on the other side, facing the ocean."

Haruka stared at the mountains. They were huge, unmoving obstacles. But somewhere past them was the oldest God in Teyvat.

"Rex Lapis is down there," Haruka whispered, gripping the railing. "The one who can send us home."

"Tomorrow," Aether promised, joining them on the balcony. "Tomorrow, we cross the Guili Plains and reach the harbor."

Tsukasa looked at the moon rising over the marsh.

"Then let us rest," Tsukasa said, his voice quiet but firm. "For tomorrow, the curtain rises on Act Two."

Chapter Text

Location: Liyue Harbor (Entrance)

The descent from the mountains revealed a city that made Mondstadt look like a village.

Liyue Harbor sprawled across the coast, a massive tapestry of crimson wood, golden tiles, and ships with sails like clouds. The air smelled of sea salt, chili oil, and incense. Thousands of people moved through the streets—merchants shouting prices, children running with lanterns, and Millelith guards standing watch.

"It’s... huge," Ichika gasped, clutching the strap of her greatsword. "It looks like a movie set for a historical drama."

"The scale is impressive!" Tsukasa admitted, though he looked a little overwhelmed. "An audience of this size... performing here would require a voice that can shake the mountains!"

"Let's focus," Haruka reminded them, though her eyes scanned the crowd with professional interest. "We need to find out where this ceremony is happening. If we miss the Archon, we're stuck here for another year."

"Paimon knows!" Paimon zipped ahead. "We just need to ask the locals!"

Location: Northland Bank (Balcony)

High above the bustling streets, on the balcony of the Snezhnayan bank, a figure watched the group enter the city.

He leaned against the railing, his orange hair catching the sunlight. He wore a grey uniform with a red scarf, and a Hydro Vision hung at his waist.

Tartaglia. Childe. The Eleventh Fatui Harbinger.

He wasn't looking at the Traveler. His dull blue eyes were fixed on the purple-haired girl walking at the back of the group.

He had read the report from Signora. 'A Visionless girl who wields wind like a blade. Scratched a Harbinger's face.'

Childe grinned. It wasn't a malicious grin; it was the smile of a hunter who just spotted interesting prey.

"So that's her," Childe whispered to himself. "She looks so... fragile. How deceiving."

He pushed off the railing, stepping back into the shadows.

"Welcome to Liyue, little anomaly. Let's see if you can survive the storm that's coming."

Location: Yujing Terrace

After asking a helpful (if slightly annoyed) merchant, the troupe navigated the maze of stairs leading to the upper district: Yujing Terrace.

The atmosphere here was different. The noise of commerce faded, replaced by the smell of high-grade incense and the murmur of prayer. A massive crowd had gathered around a large ceremonial altar.

"We made it!" Paimon cheered. "And just in time!"

Standing at the center of the altar was a woman who radiated authority. She had long white hair, expensive robes of gold and black, and legs that seemed to go on forever. She floated slightly above the ground, surrounded by floating Geo gems.

Ningguang. The Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing.

"That woman," Haruka analyzed instantly. "She has presence. She controls the room without speaking."

"She is the star of this show," Tsukasa nodded respectfully.

Ningguang stepped forward. She checked the position of the sun.

"The hour is upon us," Ningguang announced, her voice calm and projecting effortlessly across the terrace.

She turned to the massive incense burner. She channeled her Geo power, lighting the incense. The smoke rose in a perfect spiral, piercing the clouds.

"We wish for the Geo Archon's guidance," the crowd murmured in unison.

Haruka closed her eyes. ‘Please. If you are listening... tell us how to get home.’

Ichika clasped her hands. ‘Please let everyone be safe.’

The clouds swirled. A golden light began to form in the sky.

"Here he comes!" Paimon pointed up. "Rex Lapis!"

The clouds parted. A massive dragon shape emerged—scales of gold and brown, a mane of stone. It was majestic. It was divine.

It was falling.

"Wait," Mafuyu whispered, her eyes widening. "He’s falling."

It wasn't a descent. It was a crash.

The dragon tumbled through the air, limp and lifeless.

CRASH.

The massive body of Rex Lapis slammed into the center of the altar, smashing the ceremonial table and sending incense burners flying. Dust billowed out, covering the terrified crowd.

Silence. Absolute, horrified silence.

"What..." Tsukasa stepped back, his face pale. "Is this... part of the act?"

Ningguang rushed forward. She knelt beside the dragon’s head. She placed two fingers on the massive neck, checking for a pulse of elemental energy.

She froze. Her expression darkened.

She stood up, turning to the Millelith guards. Her voice was no longer ceremonial. It was cold steel.

"Rex Lapis has been killed! Seal the exits!"

"None shall leave this place!"

The plaza erupted into chaos.

"Killed?!" Ichika grabbed Haruka’s arm. "The God... is dead?"

"They're sealing the exits!" Aether hissed, drawing his sword instinctively as the Millelith guards drew their spears, blocking the stairways. "We're trapped!"

Mafuyu stared at the dead dragon. She felt the air in the plaza shift—from reverence to suspicion. The Millelith were looking at everyone. At the foreigners.

At them.

"This..." Haruka realized, her tactical mind kicking into overdrive. "This isn't an audience anymore. It's a crime scene."

Chapter Text

Location: Yujing Terrace (The Escape Route)

"Seal the exits! Arrest the suspicious foreigners!"

The shout echoed from the Millelith captains. The plaza was a sea of spears and shields, closing in on the center.

"We have to move," Haruka hissed, pulling Ichika behind a large incense burner. "If they catch us now, we'll be charged with deicide. We need to get to the lower stairwell."

"But there are guards everywhere!" Paimon squeaked, turning invisible (a trick only she could do). "We're trapped!"

Aether peeked over the stone railing. "There's a gap in the patrol near the north garden. If we run, we can slide down the roof tiles."

"It’s risky," Ichika gripped her greatsword, her knuckles white.

"It’s our only chance," Haruka decided. "Tsukasa, Mafuyu, stick to the rear. Aether, take point. Go!"

They broke cover.

They sprinted through the ornamental gardens, dodging startled civilians. They were fast, but the Millelith were disciplined.

"There! The foreigners!" A guard shouted, pointing his spear. "Don't let them reach the stairs!"

A squad of ten guards cut off their path, shields raised in a phalanx.

"They blocked the route!" Ichika gasped, skidding to a halt.

Behind them, another squad was closing in. They were pincered on a narrow stone bridge overlooking the ponds.

Aether drew his sword, ready to fight, but Haruka grabbed his arm. "If we fight, we prove we're enemies. We can't kill the city guards!"

"Then what do we do?!" Paimon wailed.

Tsukasa looked at the guards. He looked at the terrified faces of his friends. He looked at the narrow gap behind the phalanx—the escape route.

He realized the script had changed. This wasn't an ensemble piece anymore. It was a climax requiring a solo performance.

"Aether! Haruka!" Tsukasa shouted, stepping to the front of the group. "Get the others to safety!"

"Tsukasa-senpai?" Ichika reached out.

Tsukasa drew his silver sword. He didn't take a combat stance. He took a stage stance. He channeled every ounce of Anemo energy he had into his lungs.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE MILLELITH!"

His voice boomed like a cannon, startling the guards into pausing.

"YOU SEEK A VILLAIN? YOU SEEK THE CULPRIT?" Tsukasa laughed, a manic, desperate sound. He pointed his sword at the sky, letting the wind swirl violently around him, creating a vortex of leaves and dust. "THEN LOOK NO FURTHER! FOR I AM THE STAR OF THIS TRAGEDY!"

"He's... he's drawing aggro!" Aether realized.

"GO!" Tsukasa roared, blasting a chaotic wave of wind into the ground.

The shockwave didn't hit the guards—it hit the water in the ponds, creating a massive wall of mist and spray that blinded the Millelith.

"Run!" Haruka grabbed Ichika and Aether, shoving them toward the gap in the formation.

They sprinted past the confused guards. They made it to the stairwell.

But Mafuyu didn't run.

She stood frozen on the bridge. Through the mist, she saw a Millelith sergeant lunging through the spray, his spear aimed directly at Tsukasa’s exposed back while the boy was busy posturing.

‘He’s going to die.’

The thought was cold and absolute. Just like the dragon. Just like the red cube.

Mafuyu moved.

"No."

She dashed back into the mist. She didn't have a weapon drawn. She simply threw her body between Tsukasa and the spear tip.

She raised her hand, channeling the wind into a solid, compressed disc.

CLANG.

The spear deflected off the wind shield, sparks flying.

"Mafuyu?!" Tsukasa spun around, his eyes wide. "I told you to run!"

"You were open," Mafuyu said flatly.

But her intervention cost them the window. The mist cleared.

"Secure them!" the Captain ordered.

Twenty spears slammed into the ground, surrounding them in a ring of steel.

Tsukasa and Mafuyu stood back-to-back in the center of the bridge.

"Well," Tsukasa laughed nervously, though his sword hand was shaking. "It seems... the encore is canceled."

From the top of the stairs, Haruka looked back. She saw the circle of guards closing in on her friends. She made a move to run back, but Aether grabbed her waist, tackling her into the shadows of an alleyway just as a patrol ran past.

"We can't save them right now," Aether whispered, his voice pained. "If we go back, we all get caught."

Haruka watched as the Millelith forced Tsukasa to drop his sword. She watched as they bound Mafuyu’s hands.

"Tsukasa... Mafuyu..." Ichika sobbed quietly into her hands.

Location: Yujing Terrace (The Capture)

Tsukasa was on his knees, his hands bound behind his back with heavy rope. He looked up at the Millelith Captain, trying to maintain his dignity.

"I demand to speak to my agent!" Tsukasa declared. "Or the Qixing! This is a gross mishandling of international talent!"

"Silence," the Captain barked. "You are suspects in the assassination of Rex Lapis."

Mafuyu knelt beside him. She was silent. She didn't struggle. She stared at the dead dragon's body in the distance.

"Why didn't you run?" Tsukasa whispered to her, his voice cracking. "You could have made it."

Mafuyu looked at him.

"You are loud," Mafuyu whispered back. "And you are reckless. If I left you, you would have died."

"But now we are captured!"

"Yes," Mafuyu agreed calmly. "But you are alive."

The Captain gestured to his men. "Take them to the Ministry of Civil Affairs holding cells. Separate them for interrogation."

As they were hauled away, Tsukasa looked toward the alleyway where the others had vanished.

‘Run,’ he prayed. ‘Please, be safe.’

Location: The Shadows of the Harbor

Aether, Paimon, Haruka, and Ichika crouched behind a stack of crates near the Northland Bank. They were breathless, terrified, and incomplete.

"They took them," Ichika wept. "They took Tsukasa-senpai and Mafuyu-san."

"We need a plan," Haruka said, though her voice trembled. "We need to break them out."

"With what army?" Paimon whispered frantically. "The whole city is looking for us!"

"Need a hand?"

A smooth, playful voice drifted down from the staircase above them.

They looked up. Leaning against the wall, twirling an arrow in his fingers, was a young man with orange hair and a red scarf.

Childe.

"You lot look like you've had a rough day," Childe grinned, his dull blue eyes scanning the terrified group. "Assassination? Daring escapes? Abandoned comrades? Now that is a story I want to hear."

He pushed off the wall, landing softly in front of them.

"Come with me," Childe offered a hand. "Unless you want to join your friends in prison."

Aether hesitated, his grip tightening on his sword. "Who are you?"

"Just a concerned citizen," Childe lied effortlessly. "Call me Childe."

Chapter Text

Location: Liuli Pavilion (Private Room)

"You want us to go where?"

Haruka Kiritani stood with her arms crossed, staring down the orange-haired man who had just paid for their meal and cleared the guards from the street.

"Jueyun Karst," Childe repeated, spinning a chopstick in his fingers. He smiled, a gesture that didn't quite reach his dull blue eyes. "The realm of the Adepti. The Guardians of Liyue."

"And why would we do that?" Haruka pressed. "We are fugitives. Running into the mountains seems like a good way to get cornered."

"Because you need a lawyer," Childe chuckled. "Or in this case, a divine jury. The Qixing—the leaders of the city—have locked down the harbor. They believe you killed Rex Lapis. The only ones with enough authority to overrule the Qixing... are the Adepti."

He reached into his pocket and tossed a glowing talisman onto the table. It was old, paper-yellowed, and pulsed with a faint elemental energy.

Sigil of Permission.

"Take this," Childe said. "It’s a relic from the Archon War. It will stop the Adepti from turning you into mulch the moment you step on their grass."

Aether picked up the Sigil. "And what do you get out of this?"

"Me?" Childe leaned back, putting his hands behind his head. "I just hate seeing a good story end prematurely. Besides... chaos is a ladder, as they say. While you distract the Adepti, I might find some answers of my own."

He looked at Ichika, who was clutching her heavy Waster Greatsword nervously.

"Go," Childe ordered, his tone sharpening. "Your friends in prison don't have much time. The Qixing are efficient interrogators."

Ichika flinched. "Tsukasa-senpai... Mafuyu-san..."

"We’ll go," Ichika said, grabbing the sword strap. She looked at Aether. "We have to clear our names to save them."

Location: Jueyun Karst

The journey was grueling. The stone forests of Liyue were vertical mazes of amber and rock. Fog clung to the peaks, hiding the path.

"This terrain..." Haruka panted, using her iron spear as a walking stick. "It’s not designed for humans."

"It’s designed for gods," Paimon whispered, floating closer to Aether. "Be quiet. Paimon feels... eyes."

They reached a massive wooden platform in the center of the peaks. An ancient altar stood there, surrounded by offerings that had long since rotted away.

"This is it," Aether said. "Moon Carver’s domain."

He stepped forward, placing the Sigil of Permission on the altar. He also placed a plate of "Delicious Jewelry Soup" (which Paimon had insisted they cook earlier).

"Oh, Adeptus!" Paimon yelled. "We have a permit! And soup!"

The ground shook.

From the mist, a shape materialized. It wasn't a human. It was a massive stag, with antlers made of glowing azure crystal and intricate markings along its fur.

Moon Carver.

"WHO DISTURBS THE SANCTUARY?"

The voice boomed like thunder, vibrating in their chests.

Haruka and Ichika instinctively stepped back. This wasn't like Dvalin, who was pained and confused. This being radiated pure, ancient authority.

"Travelers," Aether stepped forward, bowing respectfully. "We seek audience regarding the death of Rex Lapis."

"DEATH?" Moon Carver stamped a hoof, cracking the stone floor. "PREPOSTEROUS! REX LAPIS CANNOT DIE! HE IS THE PRIME OF ADEPTI!"

"It's true!" Paimon squeaked. "We saw it! At the Rite of Descension! He fell from the sky!"

Moon Carver stared at them, his golden eyes narrowing. "Assassination? In the Harbor? By whom? The Qixing?"

"We don't know," Haruka spoke up, trying to keep her voice steady. "But we are being blamed for it. We need your help to find the truth."

"INTRUDERS!"

A shout came from the path behind them.

A squad of Millelith guards burst onto the platform, spears leveled. The Sergeant pointed at Aether.

"There they are! The assassins!" The Sergeant yelled. "And... a monster! Secure the area!"

Moon Carver looked at the Millelith. "MONSTER? YOU DARE CALL ME A MONSTER ON MY OWN HOLY GROUND?"

The stag’s antlers glowed.

"They're attacking!" Ichika gasped.

"Don't kill them!" Haruka ordered, spinning her spear. "They're just doing their jobs! Defensive maneuvers only!"

Combat Start.

Aether took point, using Anemo to push the front line back.

"Hah!" Haruka dashed forward. She didn't stab; she used the shaft of her spear to sweep the legs of two guards, knocking them down. Her idol training gave her perfect balance, weaving through their clumsy thrusts like she was on stage.

But a heavy-armored guard charged Ichika.

"Look out!"

Ichika raised the Waster Greatsword. It was heavy. Clunky. But in that moment, she remembered the feeling of the shield she had made for Haruka. She didn't need to be fast. She needed to be a wall.

She slammed the flat of the blade into the ground.

CLANG.

She braced her shoulder against the blade. The guard’s spear hit the broadside of the sword with a ringing impact that shook Ichika’s bones, but she didn't budge.

"I won't... let you pass!" Ichika gritted out.

She shoved the sword forward, using the sheer weight of the iron to knock the guard backward.

"BEGONE!"

Moon Carver had seen enough. He unleashed a pulse of Geo energy. The ground rippled, and the Millelith were thrown off the platform, sliding down the slope in a heap of tangled limbs and armor.

They scrambled up and ran, terrified of the angry god.

The Verdict

Silence returned to the Karst.

Moon Carver looked down at the group. He looked at the Sigil. He looked at the soup (which was spilled).

"To disturb the Rite... to accuse travelers... and to trespass on Jueyun Karst..."

The stag shook his head, his anger turning into a cold, dangerous resolve.

"The Liyue Qixing have gone too far. They have forgotten their place."

He turned his gaze to Aether.

"Traveler. And... strange Outlanders. You have brought this news. I will not harm you."

"Will you help us?" Ichika asked, sheathing her sword.

"I cannot act alone," Moon Carver stated. "This matter requires the assembly of the Adepti. You must go to the others."

He raised a hoof, pointing to the distant peaks.

"Seek Mountain Shaper on Mt. Hulao. Seek Cloud Retainer on Mt. Aocang. And seek the Conqueror of Demons at Wangshu Inn."

"Tell them: The contract is broken. Rex Lapis is dead."

Moon Carver faded into the mist, leaving them alone on the windy platform.

"We have to climb more mountains?" Paimon groaned.

"It's the only way," Haruka said, looking at the map. "If we get the Adepti on our side, we can pressure the Qixing to release Tsukasa and Mafuyu."

"Then let's move," Aether said. "Before the Millelith come back with reinforcements."

Chapter Text

Location: Ministry of Civil Affairs - Secret Detention Chamber

The room was damp, dark, and smelled of stale tea and old iron. There were no windows. The only light came from a single, flickering lantern hanging above the heavy wooden table.

Tsukasa Tenma sat in a wooden chair, his wrists bound tightly behind his back with rope that glowed with a faint Geo seal.

"This is an outrage!" Tsukasa shouted at the steel door for the tenth time. "I demand to see the manager! Or the director! You cannot hold a World Future Star in a dungeon! My complexion requires sunlight!"

He turned to look at Mafuyu, who was seated in the chair next to him, equally bound. She was staring at a crack in the stone floor, her face blank.

"Asahina, are you alright?" Tsukasa whispered, his bravado slipping. "Your ribs..."

"They hurt a little," Mafuyu replied quietly. "But the adrenaline is gone. Now it is just... dull."

Click. Clack. Click.

The sound of heels echoing on stone stopped Tsukasa’s heart. The heavy steel door groaned open.

A woman walked in.

She didn't look like a guard. She wore a dark blue bodysuit with white fur trim, and a blue coat draped casually over her shoulders. Her short dark hair framed a face that was beautiful, sharp, and terrifyingly intelligent.

She didn't speak. She pulled a chair out, spun it around, and sat down straddling it, resting her chin on her hand. She looked at them with eyes that seemed to glow in the dark.

She held up a small, hydro-infused die in her fingers. She flicked it.

Roll.

The die landed on the table. Six dots.

"High roll," the woman purred, her voice smooth like velvet over a blade. "That means you get to speak first. Convince me not to peel the skin off your bones."

Yelan.

Tsukasa gulped. "I... I am Tsukasa Tenma! We are travelers! We merely—"

"Lies," Yelan interrupted. She didn't raise her voice. She simply lifted a finger.

Zip.

A thin, glowing blue thread materialized from thin air. It wrapped around Tsukasa’s neck, tightening just enough to cut off his breath.

"Gah—!" Tsukasa choked, his eyes bulging.

"I work in intelligence, little star," Yelan said, leaning forward. "I know a performance when I see one. Your posture, your projection... you're acting. Badly."

She tightened the thread.

"Who sent you? The Fatui? The Abyss? Or did you poison the incense yourself?"

"We... didn't..." Tsukasa wheezed, clawing uselessly at the invisible wire. "We just... wanted... to see the dragon..."

Yelan watched his pulse. She watched his pupils dilate.

‘Fear,’ she analyzed. ‘Genuine panic. He’s not a trained assassin. He’s a civilian terrified for his life.’

She flicked her finger. The thread loosened, allowing Tsukasa to gasp for air, coughing violently.

"Pathetic," Yelan noted. She turned her gaze to the girl.

Mafuyu hadn't flinched. She hadn't screamed when Tsukasa was choked. She was just... watching.

"And you," Yelan said, her interest piqued. She stood up and walked around the table, trailing a finger along the wood until she stood behind Mafuyu. "You're different. You're not scared."

Yelan leaned down, whispering into Mafuyu’s ear.

"Your friend almost died just now. Didn't you care?"

"He wasn't going to die," Mafuyu said. Her voice was flat. Monotone.

Yelan paused. "Oh?"

"You are looking for information," Mafuyu stated, staring straight ahead at the lantern. "Dead people cannot talk. You were testing his pain threshold to see if he would break character. He didn't, because he isn't playing a character. He is just loud."

Yelan’s eyes narrowed. The smile dropped from her face.

This girl... analyzed the torture while it was happening.

"Smart," Yelan murmured. She summoned a Hydro thread, wrapping it around Mafuyu’s injured torso, right over her broken ribs. She squeezed.

"And what about you?" Yelan asked. "Do you break?"

Pain shot through Mafuyu’s side. It was sharp, blinding agony.

But Mafuyu didn't scream. She didn't beg. She just closed her eyes and exhaled slowly.

‘This pain... is simple,’ Mafuyu thought. ‘It’s just physical. It’s easier than Mother’s disappointment.’

She opened her eyes and looked up at Yelan. Her gaze was empty. A void.

"We didn't kill your God," Mafuyu said. "We don't even know his name."

Yelan stared into those empty purple eyes. She had interrogated spies, traitors, and thieves. She had seen men break at the sight of her bow. But this girl... looking into her eyes was like looking into a deep, dark well. There was nothing there to threaten.

Yelan released the threads. They dissolved into water.

"Interesting," Yelan straightened up, crossing her arms. "You're telling the truth. Or you're the best liar I've ever met."

"We are innocent!" Tsukasa rasped, rubbing his neck.

"You're certainly not the assassins," Yelan concluded, picking up her die. "Assassins would be competent. You two are... anomalies."

She walked to the door.

"Wait!" Tsukasa yelled. "Are you letting us go?"

"No," Yelan glanced back, a mysterious smirk returning to her lips. "I'm just done with the preliminary screening. Now that I know you aren't an immediate threat... I'm handing you over to the Yuheng."

She knocked on the door.

"Be grateful," Yelan said as the guards opened the door. "I'm the nightmare. She is merely... the law."

Yelan stepped out, leaving them in the dark again.

As the door closed, Tsukasa slumped in his chair. "That woman... was terrifying. She looked at me like I was an ingredient for soup."

He looked at Mafuyu.

"Asahina... how did you stay so calm?"

Mafuyu looked at her bruised wrists.

"She wasn't looking for the truth," Mafuyu whispered. "She was looking for fear. If you don't give it to her... she gets bored."

Chapter Text

Location: Mt. Hulao

The path to the second Adeptus was a winding trail of vibrant orange and gold. Mt. Hulao was beautiful, but it felt dangerous. Large, glowing crystals of amber grew out of the ground like jagged teeth, some as tall as trees.

"This scenery," Haruka noted, tapping the shaft of her spear against a crystal. "It’s unnatural. These didn't grow geologically. They were placed."

"Paimon heard that the Adeptus here, Mountain Shaper, has a bad temper!" Paimon whispered, floating close to Ichika. "He plants these amber traps to catch thieves who try to steal his treasures."

"Traps?" Ichika looked at the beautiful crystals warily. "They look so pretty, though."

"Help! Someone! Anyone!"

A muffled, desperate voice echoed from further up the path.

Aether drew his sword instantly. "That came from the ridge."

They ran up the slope. In a clearing surrounded by cranes, they found a massive chunk of amber. Inside, frozen in a pose of abject terror, was a man. He was dressed in the rough clothes of a Treasure Hoarder.

"Please!" the man yelled, his voice muffled by the crystal. "I can't breathe! It’s suffocating in here! Get me out!"

"He's trapped," Ichika gasped, stepping forward.

"Wait," Haruka put a hand on Ichika’s shoulder. She scanned the area. "He’s a Treasure Hoarder. He probably tried to rob the mountain. If we free him, we might anger the Adeptus."

"But we can't just leave him to die!" Ichika argued, looking at the man's terrified eyes. "Look at him, Haruka-chan. He's suffering."

Haruka sighed. Ichika was right. They weren't executioners.

"Fine," Haruka nodded. "Aether, watch our backs. Ichika... you have the heavy blade. Smash it."

"Right!"

Ichika gripped the handle of her Waster Greatsword. It was heavy, unrefined, and ugly compared to the elegant weapons of the Knights, but it had mass.

She planted her feet, channeling her anxiety into force.

"Hah!"

Ichika swung. The flat of the heavy blade slammed into the amber.

CRACK.

The crystal shattered into a thousand glittering shards. The Treasure Hoarder collapsed onto the grass, gasping for air.

"Oh, thank the Archons!" the man wheezed. "I thought I was a goner! That bird... that cursed bird planted these everywhere!"

"You shouldn't be stealing," Paimon scolded, hands on her hips.

"I learned my lesson! I'm going straight home! I swear!" The man scrambled to his feet and ran down the mountain as fast as his legs could carry him.

"Well," Aether sheathed his sword. "That's one problem solved."

"WHO DARES TOUCH MY AMBER?"

The sky turned dark. A gust of wind flattened the grass.

A massive crane with feathers of brown and gold descended from the sky, landing with a ground-shaking thud where the amber had just been.

Mountain Shaper.

"Uh oh," Paimon hid behind Ichika.

The Adeptus glared at them with eyes that burned like molten gold. "Thieves! Vandals! You dare release the prisoner I rightfully captured? You dare destroy the karsts of my mountain?"

"We aren't thieves!" Ichika stepped forward, shielding Paimon. She was terrified—this bird was huge—but she held her ground. "We... we saved a human life!"

"A life of a thief is of no consequence to the mountain!" Mountain Shaper boomed, spreading his wings. "Ignorant mortals. You shall pay for your insolence in their stead!"

"Wait!" Haruka stepped in front of Ichika, holding up the Sigil of Permission. "We are not here to vandalize. We bear the Sigil!"

Mountain Shaper paused. He craned his long neck down, inspecting the glowing talisman in Haruka’s hand.

"The Sigil of Permission..." The Adeptus lowered his wings, though his voice remained stern. "It has been centuries since one of these was presented. Why is it in the hands of... children?"

"We are messengers," Aether said solemnly. "We come from Liyue Harbor with grave news."

"Speak," Mountain Shaper commanded.

"Rex Lapis... has been assassinated," Aether said.

The silence on the mountain was absolute. Even the wind seemed to stop.

"Assassinated?" Mountain Shaper repeated the word, as if it were a foreign language. "Rex Lapis? The Prime of Adepti? By whom?"

"We don't know," Haruka explained quickly. "But the Liyue Qixing have locked down the harbor. They are casting suspicion on travelers. We fear they are hiding the truth."

"The Qixing..." Mountain Shaper’s eyes glowed with fury. "Those merchants think they can rule Liyue? They think they can hide the death of a God?"

He looked toward the direction of the harbor, his beak clacking in anger.

"Moon Carver was right to send you. This treachery cannot stand."

He turned back to the group.

"I will depart for the harbor immediately. I will demand answers from the Qixing. If they have betrayed the contract... Liyue will drown."

"Wait, drown?" Ichika panicked. "Our friends are in the harbor!"

"Then pray they are innocent," Mountain Shaper declared. "Go. Seek Cloud Retainer. She is the most... emotional of us. She will want to know."

With a powerful beat of his wings, Mountain Shaper took to the sky, heading toward the gathering storm.

"That went... okay?" Paimon guessed.

"He seemed very angry," Ichika whispered, lowering her sword.

"We're running out of time," Haruka noted, looking at the distant peaks. "If the Adepti attack the city while Tsukasa and Mafuyu are still inside... it will be a war zone."

"To Mt. Aocang," Aether decided. "We have to hurry."

Chapter Text

Location: Ministry of Civil Affairs - Upper Office

The transition was jarring. One moment, they were in a damp, dark cell; the next, they were escorted by guards up a flight of stairs and into a brightly lit, opulent office overlooking the harbor.

The room smelled of paperwork and expensive ink.

"Sit," a sharp voice commanded.

Tsukasa collapsed into a plush chair, rubbing his wrists where the ropes had finally been cut. "Civilization! Sunlight! My skin can finally breathe!"

Mafuyu sat down quietly next to him. She adjusted her sweater, her expression unreadable.

Two women stood on the other side of the massive desk.

One was a young woman with light purple hair tied in twintails (resembling cat ears) and a dress that looked both elegant and practical for combat. She radiated an aura of intense, impatient efficiency.

Keqing. The Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing.

Standing beside her, looking slightly overworked and holding a clipboard, was a woman with blue hair and curved horns protruding from her head.

Ganyu. General Secretary of the Liyue Qixing.

"I am Keqing," the purple-haired woman stated, not looking up from a stack of documents. "Yelan’s report says you are 'harmless anomalies.' I prefer to verify such claims myself."

She looked up, her amethyst eyes piercing.

"State your names and your purpose in Liyue. And no theatrical speeches. I have a city in crisis and a dead God to manage. I do not have time for bad acting."

Tsukasa opened his mouth, then closed it. He looked at Keqing’s sword, which was leaning against the desk. He decided to drop the "World Star" persona for a moment.

"Tsukasa Tenma," he said normally. "And this is Mafuyu Asahina. We... we really just wanted to see the Rite. We heard it was a grand spectacle."

"A spectacle," Keqing repeated, a hint of disdain in her voice. "Is that all Rex Lapis is to you tourists? A magic show?"

"Lady Keqing," Ganyu interjected softly, her voice melodic and soothing. "Please, they are terrified. They were just... processed by Yelan."

Ganyu walked around the desk, placing two cups of warm tea in front of them.

"Please, drink," Ganyu offered a gentle smile. "It will help with the shock. I apologize for the rough treatment. The Millelith are... on edge."

Mafuyu looked at the tea. "Thank you."

Keqing crossed her arms. "Let’s get to the point. Yelan says you didn't kill the Archon. I agree. You lack the elemental capacity and the political motive."

She walked to the window, looking out at the panicked city below.

"However, you ran. Why?"

"Because your guards pointed spears at us," Tsukasa pointed out. "It seemed like a very compelling reason to leave."

"Valid," Keqing conceded. She turned to Mafuyu. "But you didn't run. You stayed behind to shield him. Why?"

"He is..." Mafuyu paused, searching for the right word. "Loud. Reckless. If I left him, he would have tried to negotiate with a spear."

Tsukasa sputtered. "I would have—!"

"Pragmatic," Keqing nodded, ignoring Tsukasa. "I respect that. Loyalty and efficiency are rare traits."

Keqing walked back to the desk, leaning forward.

"Here is the situation. Rex Lapis is dead. The city is in lockdown. The Fatui are circling like vultures, and the Adepti in the mountains are likely preparing to rain wrath down upon us for 'failing' to protect their master."

Ganyu flinched. "Lady Keqing, surely the Adepti will understand that we—"

"The Adepti understand nothing but old contracts," Keqing snapped, though not unkindly. "They think humans are children who cannot rule themselves. This is our chance to prove them wrong."

She looked at Tsukasa and Mafuyu.

"I cannot let you leave Liyue. You are material witnesses to the assassination. However, I have no interest in keeping innocent civilians in a dungeon."

Keqing grabbed a stamped paper from her desk and slid it across the wood.

"This is a temporary residence permit. You are released into the city. You will stay at the Yanshang Teahouse. You will not leave the city limits. You will report to the Ministry every morning."

Tsukasa picked up the paper, his hands trembling slightly with relief. "House arrest?"

"Protective custody," Keqing corrected. "If the true assassin is still out there, they might target witnesses. And if the Adepti attack... you'll be safer behind the walls."

"The Adepti... might attack?" Mafuyu asked.

Ganyu looked down, clutching her clipboard. "It is... a possibility. If they believe the Qixing conspired to kill the Emperor... they will come to judge us."

Keqing straightened up, adjusting her gloves.

"Let them come. Liyue belongs to humanity now. We will find the truth ourselves."

She waved a hand at the door.

"You are dismissed. Ganyu, escort them to the teahouse. And get them some food. They look like they haven't eaten since Mondstadt."

"Yes, Lady Keqing," Ganyu bowed.

As they stood up to leave, Tsukasa stopped. He looked at Keqing.

"You... you aren't sad," Tsukasa noted. "Everyone else is crying. But you look... determined."

Keqing met his gaze.

"The time of the Adepti has passed," Keqing said firmly. "If Rex Lapis is gone, then it is time for us to write our own script. Don't you agree, Mr. Actor?"

Tsukasa stared at her. Writing your own script... rewriting the ending...

"Yes," Tsukasa smiled, a spark of his old confidence returning. "I suppose I do."

Location: Outside the Ministry

Ganyu walked them down the stairs. The sun was bright, but the city felt heavy with grief.

"I apologize for Lady Keqing's intensity," Ganyu said softly. "She... she cares deeply for Liyue. She just expresses it differently."

"She is scary," Tsukasa whispered. "But efficient."

"Ganyu-san," Mafuyu spoke up.

"Yes?"

"You aren't human, are you?"

Ganyu froze. She touched the horns on her head instinctively. "I... I am half-qilin. Half-human, half-Adeptus."

She looked at the mountains in the distance, where Team Aether was currently climbing.

"I stand between two worlds," Ganyu admitted sadly. "The humans want to rule themselves. The Adepti want to protect their contract. And I... I do not know where I belong."

Mafuyu looked at her.

‘Between worlds.’

"We understand," Mafuyu said.

Chapter Text

Location: Mt. Aocang

The climb to Mt. Aocang was steep, but the summit was surprisingly peaceful. A large, crystal-clear lake sat in the center, surrounded by maple trees shedding red leaves.

In the middle of the lake was a stone table with three seats.

"It’s... beautiful," Ichika whispered, lowering her heavy sword to the grass. "It feels like a garden."

"It feels lonely," Haruka corrected gently. She walked to the edge of the water. She pointed at the stone table. "Three seats. But only one has a tea set."

"This is Cloud Retainer's abode!" Paimon explained, hovering over the water. "She loves food! Legend says she only appears if you offer her delicious dishes!"

Aether checked the stone tablet nearby. "We need to make offerings. Matsutake Meat Rolls, Mora Meat, and Jewelry Soup."

"Cooking?" Haruka tied her hair back, a determined glint in her eyes. "Leave the presentation to me. An idol must maintain strict diet control, but that means I know exactly how to make food look appetizing."

"And I'll... chop things!" Ichika volunteered, lifting her Waster Greatsword. "I can cut the meat!"

"Please don't use the claymore for cooking," Aether sighed. "I have a knife."

The Offering

It took an hour of foraging and cooking at the ancient stove nearby.

Haruka worked with the precision of a surgeon. She arranged the Mora Meat into perfect circles, glazed the Meat Rolls until they shone, and garnished the Jewelry Soup with floating snapdragons.

"It looks too good to eat," Paimon drooled.

"Presentation is half the flavor," Haruka stated, wiping her hands. "Now, we place them on the table."

They set the dishes down. The steam rose into the cool mountain air.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then, the barrier sealing the inner cave dissolved. A warm wind swept across the lake.

"One senses the aroma of culinary perfection."

A voice, haughty and feminine, echoed from the sky.

A magnificent white crane with blue and gold plumage descended, landing gracefully by the table. She tucked her wings, inspecting the food with a critical eye.

Cloud Retainer.

"Matsutake Meat Rolls... perfectly seared. Jewelry Soup... the broth is clear. One is pleased."

She looked at the group.

"It has been decades since one has tasted such devotion. Speak, mortals. Why have you sought audience with Cloud Retainer?"

"We bear the Sigil of Permission," Aether said, showing the talisman.

"The Sigil..." Cloud Retainer’s eyes narrowed. "And you have brought food. You seek a favor? Or perhaps you wish for one to build you a mechanism?"

"We bring news," Haruka stepped forward, bowing respectfully. "Bad news. From Liyue Harbor."

Cloud Retainer stiffened. "Speak."

"Rex Lapis... has been assassinated," Aether said.

The reaction was immediate.

Cloud Retainer didn't shout like Moon Carver or rage like Mountain Shaper. She went deadly still. She stared at the empty seat at the table—the seat reserved for the Geo Archon.

"Assassinated?"

Her voice trembled. It wasn't just anger. It was grief.

"Morax... dead? At the Rite of Descension? In the heart of his own city?"

She spread her wings, and the peaceful atmosphere of the mountain shattered. A gale force wind ripped the leaves from the trees.

"OUTRAGEOUS!" Cloud Retainer screeched. "The humans of Liyue... they have enjoyed his protection for millennia! And this is how they repay him?!"

She looked toward the direction of the harbor.

"If the Qixing cannot protect their God... then they are unfit to rule! One shall descend upon the harbor! One shall wipe the city from the face of the earth with a mechanism of mass destruction!"

"Wait!" Ichika gasped. "Wipe the city?! But there are innocent people there!"

"They allowed the Emperor to die!" Cloud Retainer snapped. "They are all complicit!"

"They are grieving too!" Haruka shouted over the wind.

Cloud Retainer paused, looking down at the blue-haired girl. "Grieving?"

"We were there," Haruka said, standing her ground against the adeptal pressure. "We saw the people. They were terrified. They were crying. Rex Lapis wasn't just a god to them... he was their history."

Haruka pointed to the stone table with the three seats.

"You built this place to remember your friends, didn't you?" Haruka asked softly. "Because you miss them."

Cloud Retainer flinched. She looked at the empty seats—Guizhong’s seat, Rex Lapis’s seat.

"The people of Liyue are feeling that same loss right now," Haruka continued. "If you destroy the city... you destroy the legacy he built. Is that what he would have wanted?"

Cloud Retainer stared at Haruka. The wind died down. The crane lowered her head, looking suddenly very old and very tired.

"You have a sharp tongue, child," Cloud Retainer murmured. "And you speak with the weight of one who knows loss."

She sighed, a sound like rustling feathers.

"Very well. One shall not destroy the city... yet."

She looked at Aether.

"But the Qixing must answer for this. Moon Carver and Mountain Shaper have already called the summons. We gather."

"Go to Wangshu Inn," Cloud Retainer commanded. "Seek the Conqueror of Demons. He is the last. Once he knows... the Adepti will descend on Liyue."

"The Conqueror of Demons?" Paimon gulped. "Sounds friendly."

"He is not," Cloud Retainer warned. "But he is loyal. Go."

With a flap of her wings, Cloud Retainer took to the sky, flying toward the cloud peaks to mourn her old friend.

"We did it," Ichika exhaled, her legs shaking. "She... she was scary."

"She was sad," Haruka corrected, looking at the stone table. "She's just lonely."

"One more," Aether said, looking at the map. "Xiao. At Wangshu Inn."

Chapter Text

Location: Liyue Harbor - Northland Bank Entrance

The sun was setting over the harbor, painting the red wooden buildings in shades of gold and fire.

"Free at last!" Tsukasa stretched his arms, inhaling the salty air. "Although, 'House Arrest' implies we need a house. And dinner. I am starving!"

"We have the residence permit," Mafuyu reminded him, holding the paper Ganyu had given them. "But we have no money."

"Yo! You two look like you need a friend."

A familiar, cheerful voice called out from the balcony of the massive building above them. Childe leaned over the railing, waving enthusiastically.

"I heard the Qixing let you go! Congratulations on not being executed!"

Tsukasa squinted. "Ah! It is the Orange Gentleman! The one who... uh... helped Aether escape?"

"That's me," Childe hopped down from the balcony, landing lightly. "And I'm assuming you're hungry. Come on. I have a reservation at Liuli Pavilion, and I’m meeting someone interesting. You should join us."

Tsukasa hesitated. "We have no Mora to pay you back."

"My treat!" Childe winked. "Consider it an apology for the mess at the Rite. Besides, I love hearing stories from... out of town."

Mafuyu watched him. He was smiling. His posture was relaxed. He looked like a friendly, wealthy merchant.

But Mafuyu saw his eyes. They were a dull, flat blue.

‘He is acting,’ Mafuyu realized instantly. ‘He wears a mask. Just like I do.’

She didn't trust him. But she was hungry, and Tsukasa was already halfway up the stairs.

"A free meal! A Star never refuses hospitality!"

Location: Liuli Pavilion

The private room was lavish. Silk curtains, porcelain vases, and the smell of expensive tea.

Seated at the table was a man who looked like he had been carved from the very stone of Liyue. He wore a long brown coat with amber patterns, and his posture was so perfect it made Tsukasa sit up straighter instinctively.

He was sipping tea with his eyes closed.

"Ah, Childe," the man said, his voice deep and resonant like the earth itself. "You are late. And you brought guests."

"Found some strays," Childe laughed, pulling out a chair. "This is Tsukasa and Mafuyu. Friends of the Traveler. Guys, this is Zhongli. He’s a consultant for the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."

"Funeral Parlor?" Tsukasa blinked. "A grim profession!"

"It is a profession of tradition," Zhongli corrected calmly, setting his cup down. "We oversee the final journey of mortals and adepti alike. It requires a certain... attention to detail."

He looked at Tsukasa, then at Mafuyu.

"You carry a strange aura," Zhongli noted. "Not of this world. Yet... stable."

"We are travelers," Mafuyu said shortly.

"I see," Zhongli didn't press. He gestured to the menu. "Please. Order whatever you wish. The Liuli Pavilion is famous for its Liuli Style cooking."

"I shall have the most dramatic dish on the menu!" Tsukasa declared.

"Golden Shrimp Balls," Zhongli suggested. "And perhaps the Adeptus' Temptation."

As they ate, the conversation turned to the assassination.

"The Qixing are suppressing the news," Zhongli said, his tone matter-of-fact. "They have hidden the Exuvia—the body of the Archon—and refuse to allow anyone to pay their respects. It is... improper."

"Improper?" Childe leaned back, grinning. "It's suspicious! They're definitely hiding something. Don't you think, Zhongli?"

"Regardless of their intent," Zhongli continued, ignoring Childe's bait. "Rex Lapis deserves a proper farewell. A Rite of Parting."

"A Rite of Parting?" Tsukasa asked, chewing a shrimp ball.

"A final ceremony to send the God off," Zhongli explained. "But with the Qixing locking everything down, no one is organizing it. It is a tragedy."

"So," Childe interjected. "I figured, why not let the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor handle it? And since you guys are stuck here... maybe you can help?"

"Help organize a funeral for a God?" Tsukasa’s eyes lit up. "A grand finale for the Lord of Geo? The stage... the pomp... the historical significance!"

He slammed his hand on the table.

"I, Tsukasa Tenma, accept this role! We shall give this Archon a send-off worthy of a legend!"

"Excellent," Zhongli nodded approvingly. "I appreciate your enthusiasm. We will need to procure several items. Noctilucous Jade of the highest quality, for starters."

"Jade!" Tsukasa nodded. "We shall buy it all!"

The bill arrived.

The waiter placed the slip on the table. It was an astronomical sum.

Zhongli picked it up. He looked at it. He patted his pockets. He patted his chest.

He blinked.

"It appears," Zhongli said calmly. "I have forgotten my wallet."

Silence filled the room.

"Again?" Childe laughed, shaking his head. "Zhongli, you are the most knowledgeable man in Liyue, but you have no concept of money!"

"Commerce is... a detail I often overlook," Zhongli admitted without a hint of embarrassment.

"Put it on my tab," Childe waved to the waiter. "Northland Bank covers all expenses for Mr. Zhongli."

"Thank you, Childe," Zhongli said.

Mafuyu watched the exchange.

Zhongli—the man who knew everything but carried nothing. Childe—the man who paid for everything but smiled with dead eyes.

‘One is a puppet master,’ Mafuyu thought, looking at Childe. ‘And the other... is just watching the play.’

"So," Childe turned to Mafuyu, his grin widening. "You're quiet. Not enjoying the food?"

"It is fine," Mafuyu said.

"You know," Childe leaned in, his voice dropping slightly. "My subordinates told me about a girl in Mondstadt. Purple hair. No Vision. Scratched the face of a Harbinger."

The air in the room grew heavy. Tsukasa froze mid-chew.

Childe stared at Mafuyu.

"That wouldn't be you, would it?"

Mafuyu met his gaze. She didn't flinch. She didn't deny it.

"She was rude," Mafuyu said.

Childe stared at her for a second. Then, he threw his head back and laughed. It was a loud, boisterous sound that startled the other patrons.

"Hahaha! 'Rude'! You scratched La Signora because she was rude!" Childe wiped a tear from his eye. "Oh, that is rich! I like you, girl! You have guts!"

He stood up, tossing a bag of Mora onto the table.

"Keep an eye on this one, Zhongli. She's dangerous."

"I shall," Zhongli agreed, looking at Mafuyu with a thoughtful expression.

"Well! I have business at the Bank!" Childe waved. "Enjoy the Rite of Parting planning! If you need money, you know where to find me!"

He walked out.

Mafuyu watched him go. Her hands were clenched under the table.

"He is dangerous," Mafuyu whispered to Tsukasa.

"He paid for dinner!" Tsukasa whispered back. "And he is funding our production! Keep your suspicions hidden, Asahina! We need the budget!"

Mafuyu looked at Zhongli, who was calmly drinking his tea as if he hadn't just witnessed a Harbinger threaten a teenager.

‘This city,’ Mafuyu thought. ‘Is full of monsters wearing human faces.’

Chapter Text

Location: Wangshu Inn - Top Balcony

The elevator ride to the top of Wangshu Inn felt like ascending to a different world. The noise of the marsh below faded, replaced by the whistling of the wind and the rustle of leaves from the massive tree that supported the structure.

"The boss lady said he hangs out on the balcony," Paimon whispered, floating low. "She said he's... intense."

They stepped onto the wide terrace. The view was spectacular, but the figure standing at the railing drew all the attention.

He was young, with teal hair and intricate tattoos glowing on his arm. He wore a mask on his hip and carried a jade spear. He was staring out at the marsh, motionless as a statue.

Xiao. The Conqueror of Demons.

Aether stepped forward, holding up the Sigil of Permission.

"Adeptus Xiao," Aether called out.

Xiao didn't turn around.

"To the ones standing behind you," Xiao’s voice was cold, sharp, and dismissive. "Leave. You are disrupting the flow of mana."

"We bear the Sigil!" Paimon insisted. "We need to talk to you!"

Xiao turned his head slightly. His golden eyes were piercing.

"A Sigil... merely a pass to enter. It does not grant you an audience. The world of the Adepti is not for mortals. Your souls are too fragile to withstand the karma here. Begone."

He vanished.

Teleported. Just like that.

"Hey!" Paimon stomped the air. "So rude! Every Adeptus in this country has an attitude problem!"

"He's in pain," Haruka said suddenly.

Ichika blinked. "Pain?"

"Did you see his posture?" Haruka walked to the railing where Xiao had stood. "Tense shoulders. Shallow breathing. And his eyes... they looked exhausted. Like he hasn't slept in centuries."

"Well, he is the Vigilant Yaksha," Aether noted. "He fights the remnants of dead gods every night. That kind of karma... it hurts."

"We need to get him to listen," Ichika said. "But how? He won't even stay in the same room as us."

"Food!" Paimon declared. "Verr Goldet said he likes Almond Tofu! It reminds him of a 'sweet dream'!"

Location: The Kitchen

They went down to the kitchen to ask the chef, Smiley Yanxiao, to make the dish.

But the kitchen was in chaos.

"I can't do it!" the massive, muscular chef was cowering in the corner, holding a spatula like a weapon. "The pots! They're moving on their own! It's a ghost! I'm telling you, this place is haunted!"

"Ghost?" Ichika went pale. She gripped her claymore, her knuckles turning white. "G-G-Ghosts aren't real. They're just... atmospheric anomalies."

"Hee hee..."

A childish giggle echoed from the pantry.

Ichika shrieked, jumping behind Haruka. "IT GIGGLED!"

Aether sighed. "I'll handle this."

He walked to the pantry. Hiding behind a sack of flour was a translucent little girl with glowing blue eyes. Dusky Ming.

"Hello," Aether said gently.

"Big brother..." the ghost girl peered out. "Are you playing hide and seek too?"

"We're trying to cook," Haruka stepped forward, gently prying Ichika off her back. Haruka looked at the ghost. She didn't look scary. She looked... lost.

"If we play with you," Haruka offered, kneeling down to eye level. "Will you let the chef work?"

"Play?" Dusky Ming’s eyes lit up. "Okay! Let's play tag! You're it!"

She floated through the wall.

"I am not chasing a ghost," Ichika declared, trembling.

"I'll do it," Aether volunteered. "Haruka, you handle the food. The chef looks like he's about to have a heart attack."

"Understood," Haruka tied her hair back. "I'll make the Almond Tofu. Ichika, help me prep. It will keep your mind off the... spectral activity."

The Offering

An hour later, the ghost was satisfied (Aether was exhausted), and the Almond Tofu was ready.

Haruka had outdone herself. The tofu was silky, perfectly cubed, and garnished with sweet osmanthus syrup. It wobbled delicately on the plate.

They brought it back to the balcony.

"Adeptus Xiao!" Paimon called out. "We brought snacks!"

The wind swirled. Xiao materialized instantly. He looked at the plate. He looked at them.

"You persist?" Xiao scowled. "Foolish."

But his gaze lingered on the tofu. He picked up the spoon. He took a bite.

His expression didn't change, but his shoulders dropped a fraction of an inch. The tension in his aura receded, just for a moment.

"Acceptable," Xiao muttered. "The texture... is like a dream I once had."

He set the spoon down.

"Very well. You have bought a moment of my time. Speak."

"Rex Lapis is dead," Aether said bluntly.

Xiao froze. The wind on the balcony stopped. The birds went silent.

"Dead?"

The word came out as a hiss.

"Assassinated?" Xiao turned away from them, looking out over the marsh. "By mortals?"

"We believe so," Haruka said. "The Qixing have locked down the harbor. They are blocking access to the Exuvia."

Xiao didn't scream. He didn't rage. But the air around him grew heavy, suffocatingly dense with Anemo energy. The black aura of his karma began to bleed off him like smoke.

"Impossible," Xiao whispered. "The Prime of Adepti... gone?"

He gripped his spear until the wood creaked.

"I have guarded this land for thousands of years. I have slaughtered demons, eaten dreams, and endured the screams of the dead... all to fulfill his contract."

He turned back to them. His face was a mask of cold fury.

"If the Liyue Qixing have betrayed the Emperor... they will answer to my spear."

"The other Adepti are gathering," Aether informed him. "Moon Carver, Mountain Shaper, and Cloud Retainer. They are moving on the harbor."

"Then I shall join them," Xiao declared. "I will seek the truth. And if I find treachery... Liyue will be purged."

He looked at the group.

"You have done your duty, mortals. Leave this place. The coming storm is not for you."

Xiao vanished in a swirl of black wind.

The Aftermath

"Well," Paimon exhaled, floating down from where she had been hiding behind Aether. "That went... better than expected?"

"He's going to attack the city," Ichika worried, clutching her claymore strap. "If all the Adepti attack at once... what happens to the people? What happens to Tsukasa-senpai and Mafuyu-san?"

"We have to get back," Haruka said urgently, looking south toward the distant harbor. "We've united the Adepti, but we might have just started a war. We need to stop them from destroying the harbor before we find the real killer."

"Back to Liyue Harbor," Aether nodded, sheathing his sword. "Let's hope that Childe guy has a plan. He's the only lead we have left."

As they headed for the elevator, Haruka glanced back at the balcony where the Yaksha had stood.

"He was sad," Ichika whispered.

"Yeah," Haruka agreed. "He's been fighting alone for so long... and now the one person he fought for is gone."

She tightened her grip on her spear.

"Let's go. We have to find the others."

Chapter Text

Location: Liyue Harbor - The Jade Mystery

The sun beat down on the bustling market of Liyue.

"To send off the Geo Archon," Zhongli explained, walking with his hands clasped behind his back, "we require Noctilucous Jade of the finest quality. It must be luminous, yet solid. A vessel for the soul."

"A vessel for the soul!" Tsukasa repeated, scribbling into a small notebook he had bought. "This is gold! The dialogue is exquisite! 'Luminous yet solid'!"

He looked at the stall owner, Shitou.

"Shopkeep! Bring us your most dramatic rocks!"

Shitou blinked. "Uh... sure? I have these three chunks. You can take your pick."

He placed three rough stones on the counter. To the untrained eye, they looked identical.

"Hmph," Tsukasa leaned in, inspecting a rock with intense scrutiny (he had no idea what he was looking at). "This one... it speaks to me! It has... character! Rough edges! A tragic backstory!"

"It’s a rock, Senpai," Mafuyu noted from behind him.

"It is a prop!" Tsukasa corrected. "And props matter!"

"We shall test them," Zhongli interrupted calmly. "Boss, heat them up."

"Heat them?" Shitou asked.

"Yes. Pyro resonance brings out the true nature of the jade. The one that glows the brightest under thermal stress is the superior candidate."

After a brief demonstration (involving a borrowed Pyro lamp), one jade chunk glowed with a magnificent azure light.

"That one," Zhongli pointed. "We will take a crate of it."

"A crate?!" Shitou’s eyes popped. "Sir, this is high-grade jade! That will cost..."

He named a price that made Tsukasa choke on his own spit.

"That is... a significant portion of the budget Childe gave us," Tsukasa whispered to Mafuyu.

"It is necessary," Zhongli said, not even blinking at the price. "The Rite requires perfection. Do we have the funds?"

Tsukasa looked at the heavy bag of Mora Childe had left. He looked at Zhongli’s expectant face.

"A Star does not pinch pennies!" Tsukasa declared, slamming the bag onto the counter (and wincing as the coins jingled aggressively). "We take it all!"

Mafuyu watched Zhongli.

‘He didn't even ask the price,’ she realized. ‘He just assumed it would be paid. He walks through this city like he owns it... or like he doesn't understand how it works.’

Location: The Third-Round Knockout (Perfume Shop)

Their next stop was for Silk Flowers to make perfumes for the Rite.

"The Geo Archon had a preferred scent?" Tsukasa asked. "How refined!"

"Rex Lapis took many forms," Zhongli explained. "Different perfumes appeal to different aspects of his divinity. We must craft them all."

They arrived at the perfume shop, manned by a woman with a teasing smile.

Ying'er.

"Oh my," Ying'er leaned over the counter, her eyes scanning the group. "A handsome gentleman, a loud boy, and a quiet flower. What an interesting combination."

She looked at Tsukasa.

"You look... tense, little boy. Are you perhaps... inexperienced with choosing scents for a lady?"

Tsukasa froze, his face turning bright red. "I—I am a World Future Star! I have... vast experience with... aromatics!"

"Is that so?" Ying'er giggled, walking around the counter. She circled Tsukasa, trailing a finger along his shoulder. "You're shaking. Relax. Big sister will teach you how to extract the... essence."

Tsukasa looked like he was about to combust. "Z-Zhongli-san! Help!"

Zhongli stood there, completely unfazed. "Miss Ying'er is an expert. You would do well to listen, Tsukasa."

Ying'er turned her attention to Mafuyu.

"And you, little flower. You're so quiet. Do you like perfume?"

"It smells like chemicals," Mafuyu said flatly.

Ying'er paused. She blinked. "Chemicals?"

"It masks the natural scent," Mafuyu continued, looking at the Silk Flowers. "You boil them to extract the oil. It is a process of destruction to create an artificial facade."

Silence descended on the shop.

Tsukasa stared at Mafuyu. ‘That was deep. And kind of dark.’

Ying'er stared at Mafuyu. Then, she smiled—a real smile this time, dropping the flirtatious act.

"My, my. You see right through the process, don't you?" Ying'er chuckled. "You're not as innocent as you look. Very well. Let's skip the pleasantries and get to the boiling."

Location: Statue of the Seven (Overlooking the Harbor)

With the jade bought and the perfumes crafting, the trio took a break near the Statue of the Seven north of the harbor.

Zhongli stood at the edge of the cliff, looking down at the empty Yujing Terrace where the "corpse" of the dragon had fallen.

"The Rite of Descension," Zhongli murmured. "It has ended in tragedy."

"It was shocking!" Tsukasa agreed, standing beside him. "To see a God fall... it is a plot twist no one expected. The audience is in shambles."

"Do you grieve him?"

The question came from Mafuyu. She was sitting on a rock, hugging her knees.

Zhongli turned to look at her. "Pardon?"

"The people in the city are crying," Mafuyu said. "They are scared. They miss him. But you..."

She looked into Zhongli’s amber eyes.

"You are organizing his funeral. You are choosing the jade, the flowers, the scents. You are doing everything perfectly. But you aren't sad."

Tsukasa held his breath. ‘Asahina! You can't just ask people why they aren't crying!’

Zhongli didn't get angry. He looked back at the harbor. His expression was calm, unreadable like stone.

"Liyue is a city of contracts," Zhongli said slowly. "For thousands of years, Rex Lapis honored his contract to guide the people. But every contract must end eventually."

He picked up a falling leaf.

"Perhaps... he felt it was time for the burden to be lifted. Perhaps he felt the city was ready to walk on its own."

He crushed the leaf in his gloved hand.

"As for grief... I have seen many friends pass. The pain does not fade, but one learns to carry it with dignity. To ensure their final journey is proper... that is the greatest respect one can pay."

Mafuyu watched him.

‘He speaks of the God as if he were a weary coworker,’ she thought.

"You are a strange man, Zhongli-san," Mafuyu said.

"I am often told that," Zhongli smiled faintly. "Come. We must return to the Northland Bank. I believe Childe has arranged for the next step... and our funds are running low."

"Running low?!" Tsukasa shrieked, checking the bag. "We spent three million Mora on ROCKS?!"

"Quality comes at a price," Zhongli stated, walking away.

"Wait for me!" Tsukasa chased after him. "Zhongli-san! We must discuss budget management!"

Mafuyu lingered for a second, looking at the statue of the Geo Archon. The statue sat on a throne, looking confident and eternal.

Then she looked at the back of the consultant walking down the path. The posture was exactly the same.

‘A mask,’ Mafuyu decided. ‘Everyone here wears a mask.’

Chapter Text

Location: Liyue Harbor - Northland Bank

"We’re back," Haruka breathed out, leaning against the cold stone pillar of the bank’s entrance. She pulled her hood down to hide her face. "And we aren't in chains yet."

"Barely," Aether muttered, checking the street below for Millelith patrols. "If Childe isn't here, we're in trouble. The Adepti are on their way, and they didn't sound like they wanted to talk."

"I hope Tsukasa-senpai and Mafuyu-san are okay," Ichika whispered, clutching the strap of her claymore. "Do you think they’re still in prison?"

"Knowing Tsukasa," Paimon sighed. "He probably annoyed the guards until they let him go."

They pushed open the heavy doors of the Northland Bank.

The interior was lavish, filled with the sound of counting coins. And standing near the main counter, engaging in a very loud, very dramatic argument with the receptionist, was a familiar figure in a long coat.

"I am telling you, the budget requires expansion!" Tsukasa Tenma slammed a receipt onto the counter. "High-quality Noctilucous Jade does not pay for itself! We need more funds for the kite makers!"

"Sir," the Fatui receptionist Ekaterina sighed. "Lord Tartaglia already authorized a withdrawal of 500,000 Mora. You spent it all... in one afternoon?"

"Quality!" Tsukasa insisted. "Requires! Capital!"

"Tsukasa-senpai!" Ichika gasped.

Tsukasa spun around. His eyes widened.

"Ichika! Haruka!"

He abandoned the argument and sprinted across the lobby. "You are alive! The fugitives return!"

"Senpai!" Ichika ran forward, grabbing his arm as if to check he was real. "You're safe! We heard you were arrested!"

"A minor setback!" Tsukasa declared, though he looked visibly relieved to see them. "We are currently... under 'house arrest', which is just a fancy term for 'exclusive VIP residency'!"

Haruka walked past them, her eyes locking onto the figure sitting quietly on a bench near the wall.

"Mafuyu-san," Haruka exhaled.

Mafuyu looked up. She looked tired, but unharmed.

"You came back," Mafuyu stated.

"Of course we did," Haruka said, sitting next to her. "We went to the mountains. We found help."

"Help?" Mafuyu tilted her head.

"Hey, hey! A touching reunion!" Childe walked out from the VIP office, clapping his hands. "I'm glad to see the gang's all back together. And just in time, too."

He gestured to the man walking out behind him.

It was Zhongli. He walked with a slow, deliberate grace, his amber eyes scanning the newcomers.

"Ah," Zhongli said, his voice deep and calm. "You must be the friends Childe spoke of. The ones who traveled Jueyun Karst."

Aether stiffened. "Who are you?"

"I am Zhongli," the consultant introduced himself. "Of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."

"He is our director!" Tsukasa introduced proudly. "Or, well, the consultant. We are currently his assistants in organizing the Rite of Parting!"

"Rite of Parting?" Paimon blinked. "You mean... a funeral? For Rex Lapis?"

"Indeed," Zhongli nodded. "The God of Contracts deserves a proper farewell. Childe has kindly offered to fund the endeavor."

Haruka frowned. "Let me get this straight. We are fugitives accused of killing the God. You two were arrested as accomplices. And now... you're planning his funeral? On the Fatui's dime?"

"It is a complex script," Tsukasa admitted. "But the role requires finesse!"

"We have bigger problems," Aether interrupted, stepping forward to face Childe and Zhongli. "We met the Adepti. Moon Carver, Mountain Shaper, Cloud Retainer... and Xiao."

Zhongli’s expression didn't change, but his eyes focused sharply on Aether. "And? How did they receive the news?"

"Badly," Ichika said, her voice shaking. "They were furious. They said the Qixing failed to protect the Emperor. They... they're coming to the harbor."

"To destroy it?" Tsukasa gasped.

"To purge it," Haruka corrected grimly. "They want to take control back from the humans. If they attack... Liyue will be a battlefield."

Silence descended on the bank.

Childe let out a low whistle. "Wow. You guys really don't do things halfway, do you? You went to get a lawyer and accidentally started a war. Impressive."

Zhongli closed his eyes for a moment. He looked like a statue pondering the weight of erosion.

"The Adepti do not act without cause," Zhongli murmured. "They honor their contracts. If they believe the contract of protection has been violated... they will intervene."

He opened his eyes. They were calm. Unnervingly calm.

"However, we have a contract of our own. The Rite of Parting must be completed. If the Adepti arrive and find the city in chaos, without even a proper send-off for their Lord... their rage will be absolute."

He looked at Aether.

"Traveler. And you, Outlanders. You have stirred the hornet's nest. Will you help me finish the preparations? If we can complete the Rite, we may be able to calm the Adepti before they level the city."

"We help," Ichika said immediately. "We can't let the people get hurt."

"Agreed," Haruka nodded. "We're already involved. We might as well see it through."

"Then it is settled," Zhongli stated. "Our next step requires a mechanism to repair the ceremonial items. We need to go to Guizhong Ballista."

"Ballista?" Tsukasa asked. "We are bringing siege weapons to a funeral?"

"We are repairing history," Zhongli corrected.

As the group moved to leave, Mafuyu hung back. She watched Zhongli walking ahead—calm, unbothered by the news of impending divine war.

She felt a tug on her sleeve. It was Haruka.

"Mafuyu," Haruka whispered. "Are you okay? You seem... distant."

Mafuyu looked at Zhongli’s back.

"He isn't worried," Mafuyu whispered. "The Adepti are coming to destroy the city. The Fatui are plotting. The Qixing are panicking. But he..."

She narrowed her eyes.

"He looks like he already knows the ending of the play."

Chapter Text

Location: Mt. Tianheng - The Guizhong Ballista

The hike to Mt. Tianheng was steep, but the view from the pass offered a strategic vantage point over the main road leading to the harbor.

Resting on a wooden platform, overlooking the path, was a massive mechanical device. It looked like a crossbow the size of a carriage, constructed of ancient wood and bronze mechanism.

"Behold," Zhongli gestured with a gloved hand. "The Guizhong Ballista."

"It’s huge!" Paimon gasped.

"A siege weapon?" Haruka examined the gears. "For a funeral? Are we expecting the corpse to fight back?"

"It is a ceremonial device," Zhongli corrected gently. "Though in ancient times, it was indeed a weapon of war. It was designed to automatically track and fire upon creatures of the Abyss."

He ran his hand along the weathered wood. His expression softened, his amber eyes looking past the wood and into a memory only he could see.

"It was built by an old friend," Zhongli said softly. "Guizhong. The God of Dust."

"A God of Dust?" Ichika asked, leaning on her greatsword.

"She was gentle," Zhongli murmured. "She did not possess great strength like Rex Lapis. Instead, she used wisdom and mechanics to protect her people. She built this ballista to guard the northern pass, so that the people of the Guili Plains could sleep in peace."

Tsukasa stepped forward, his eyes shining. "A defender who uses intellect over brute force! A tragic genius! What happened to her?"

Zhongli paused. He looked at the Glaze Lilies growing wild near the base of the platform.

"She died," Zhongli said simply. "During the Archon War. The dust settled, and the rocks remained."

Mafuyu watched him.

‘He isn't reading from a history book,’ she realized. ‘He sounds like he is mourning a person, not a legend.’

"Anyway," Zhongli cleared his throat, the emotion vanishing instantly behind his consultant persona. "To use this device for the Rite, we must repair it. It has fallen into disrepair."

"Repair it?" Aether looked at the rusted gears. "We need parts."

"There is a military supply post nearby," Zhongli pointed down the slope. "Though it has been abandoned, spare parts should remain. However..."

He narrowed his eyes.

"It appears we are not the only scavengers today."

Down at the supply post, a group of Treasure Hoarders were smashing crates open, looting the ancient mechanisms.

"Hey!" Paimon shouted. "Those belong to the Ballista!"

The Treasure Hoarders looked up. "Witnesses? Get them!"

The Skirmish

"Combat!" Tsukasa declared, drawing his silver sword. "Teyvat Expedition Team, engage!"

"Protect Mr. Zhongli!" Ichika shouted, hefting her claymore.

"Oh, do not worry about me," Zhongli said calmly, folding his arms. "I am merely a consultant. Violence is not in my job description. I shall observe your technique."

He stepped back, finding a nice rock to sit on.

"He's useless in a fight!" Paimon complained.

The Treasure Hoarders charged. There were a dozen of them—Crushers with hammers, Potioneers with elemental flasks, and Gravediggers with shovels.

"Formation!" Haruka ordered.

Tsukasa took the center. He didn't have elemental powers, but he had flair. "HAH!" He parried a shovel strike with his sword, spinning to deliver a kick (infused with a small burst of Anemo from his earlier training) that knocked the thief back.

"Watch the flanks!"

Two Potioneers threw Cryo and Electro cocktails at Ichika.

Ichika didn't dodge. She swung her Waster Greatsword. The massive blade acted as a shield, blocking the bottles. They shattered against the steel.

"Too slow!" Ichika gritted her teeth, using the momentum of the heavy sword to swing it in a wide arc. The flat of the blade hit the Potioneers, sending them flying into a stack of crates.

"Behind you!"

A Crusher raised a massive hammer behind Haruka.

Mafuyu moved. She opened her Apprentice's Notes. She didn't shout a spell. She just flicked her wrist.

A sphere of compressed air shot out from the book. It hit the Crusher in the chest.

BOOM.

The impact sounded like a cannon shot. The Crusher was launched backward, tumbling down the hill.

"Excellent form," Zhongli commented from his rock. "Though, Miss Asahina, you are applying too much force. A focused burst uses less stamina than a raw explosion."

"Noted," Mafuyu said, not looking at him.

Within minutes, the Hoarders were fleeing.

"Monsters!" one yelled. "They use magic without Visions! Run!"

The Repair

They gathered the spare parts—gears, strings, and a heavy viewing scope.

Back at the platform, Zhongli guided them through the repairs.

"The tension string goes here," Zhongli instructed, pointing to a slot. "Tsukasa, apply leverage."

"Hnnngh!" Tsukasa pulled the heavy lever. "This... mechanism... is... heavy!"

"It requires the strength of a Geovishap," Zhongli noted helpfully. "Put your back into it."

With a final clank, the gears locked into place. The Guizhong Ballista shuddered. The dust fell away, revealing the gleaming bronze underneath.

"It is operational," Zhongli nodded, running a hand along the scope. "Though without the elemental power of the Adepti, it cannot fire at full capacity. But for the Rite... it will suffice."

He looked through the scope, aiming it toward the distant horizon.

"She would be happy to know it still works," Zhongli whispered.

"Guizhong?" Ichika asked softly.

"Yes," Zhongli turned away from the machine. "She loved these devices. She believed that with enough ingenuity, humans could stand equal to gods."

He looked at the troupe—Tsukasa wiping sweat from his brow, Haruka checking her spear tip, Ichika resting on her sword, and Mafuyu staring at the sky.

"Perhaps," Zhongli mused. "She was right."

"So," Haruka dusted off her hands. "We have the jade, the perfume, and the ballista is fixed. What's next?"

"The Everlasting Incense," Zhongli ticked off the list. "It is the final component. It guides the soul to the afterlife."

"Where do we get that?" Paimon asked.

"Bubu Pharmacy," Zhongli said. "It is the finest apothecary in Liyue. We shall head there immediately."

He began walking down the path.

"Wait," Tsukasa checked the Mora bag. He shook it. It made a very sad, empty rattling sound. "Zhongli-san... we have a problem."

"Oh?" Zhongli stopped.

"We are broke," Tsukasa announced. "We have zero Mora. How are we supposed to buy 'Everlasting Incense'?"

Zhongli blinked. He tapped his chin.

"A valid concern," Zhongli admitted. "I suppose we will have to... negotiate."

"Negotiate?" Haruka groaned. "With no money? This is going to be a disaster."

"Don't worry!" Paimon chirped. "Maybe Childe will give us more money!"

"Or maybe," Mafuyu said quietly, following them. "Zhongli-san will just find another person to pay the bill."

Zhongli smiled, enigmatic as ever. "Tradition cannot be measured in coin, Miss Asahina."

"But dinner can," Mafuyu countered.

Chapter Text

Location: Liyue Harbor - Main Street

The sun was beginning to dip, casting long shadows over the harbor. The troupe walked toward the northern district, their pockets depressingly light.

"Everlasting Incense," Tsukasa muttered, checking his empty money pouch. "It sounds expensive. And given our current financial status—which is zero—I fear we may have to offer labor instead of Mora."

"We could busk?" Haruka suggested. "Venti seemed to make a decent living doing it."

"Perform on the street?!" Tsukasa gasped. "Without a stage? Without lighting?! ...Well, I suppose a true Star can make the pavement his stage, but it is undignified!"

Zhongli stopped in the middle of the street. He tapped his chin thoughtfully.

"A valid concern," Zhongli admitted. "While I am certain the pharmacy would appreciate the business, we cannot complete the transaction without funds."

He turned to the group.

"You proceed to Bubu Pharmacy. It is located at the top of the stairs in the northern terrace. Introduce yourselves and inquire about the stock."

"What about you?" Ichika asked.

"I shall seek out Childe," Zhongli stated calmly. "He is our... financier. I will secure the necessary funds and meet you there."

"You're leaving us?" Paimon panic-floated. "With no money? What if they charge us for looking at the herbs?!"

"Bubu Pharmacy is a reputable establishment," Zhongli reassured her. "They will not charge you for breathing. Go on. I will return shortly."

With a swirl of his coat, the consultant walked away toward the Northland Bank, leaving the group stranded on the street corner.

"He really just... left," Haruka sighed.

"Well," Aether adjusted his gloves. "Let's go. Maybe we can negotiate a layaway plan."

Location: The Stairway to Yujing Terrace

The stairs to the pharmacy were steep and winding. As they climbed past the lotus ponds, the air grew cooler, smelling of medicinal herbs and wet stone.

"Someone is there," Mafuyu whispered, pointing ahead.

Standing on the landing, staring intensely at a patch of Glaze Lilies growing in a planter, was a woman.

She was striking—long, white hair fading into black, a bodysuit that left little to the imagination, and a gaze that seemed colder than the peaks of Dragonspine.

Shenhe.

She held a stalk of Violetgrass in her hand. As the group watched, she put the raw, bitter flower into her mouth and chewed it stoically.

"Is she... eating the landscaping?" Paimon whispered loudly.

Shenhe stopped chewing. She turned her head slowly. Her eyes—pale and iridescent—locked onto the group. She didn't look friendly. She looked like a predator assessing a threat.

"You," Shenhe said. Her voice was monotone, yet carried an undercurrent of immense power.

Tsukasa froze. "U-Us?"

Shenhe walked down the steps. She ignored Aether. She ignored Tsukasa. She stopped in front of Haruka.

She leaned in, sniffing the air around Haruka’s shoulder.

"You smell of the mountains," Shenhe stated. "And of Cloud Retainer's domain. Have you been to Mt. Aocang?"

"We were there this morning," Haruka replied, keeping her composure despite the strange woman invading her personal space. "We met the crane adeptus."

"I see," Shenhe nodded, stepping back. "I am Shenhe. Her disciple."

"Disciple?" Ichika blinked. "You're a human who trains with the Adepti?"

"Yes," Shenhe confirmed. She looked at the Violetgrass in her hand. "I require medicinal herbs. My supply has run low, and the city's flora is... lacking in potency."

"You eat them raw?" Ichika asked, concerned. "Doesn't that hurt your stomach?"

"Pain is irrelevant," Shenhe said. "It sustains the body. However, Cloud Retainer insists I try 'civilized' medicine occasionally. I am heading to the pharmacy."

"We're going there too!" Paimon chirped, sensing an opportunity to have a powerful ally (or at least someone who knew the way). "We can walk together!"

Shenhe looked at Paimon. "A floating child. Is it emergency rations?"

"NO!" Paimon stomped the air. "Why does everyone say that?!"

"Let us proceed," Shenhe turned, walking up the stairs with a deadly graceful stride.

Tsukasa leaned toward Aether. "She is... intense. She reminds me of a samurai from a period drama. The 'Silent Assassin' archetype!"

"She seems lonely," Mafuyu murmured, watching Shenhe’s back.

Location: Bubu Pharmacy

They reached the top. The pharmacy was a grand, open-air structure adorned with gourds and scrolls.

However, the counter was empty.

"Hello?" Haruka called out. "Is anyone working?"

Creak.

A small head popped up from behind the counter.

It was a little girl with pale blue hair, a talisman stuck to her forehead, and eyes that looked... dead.

Qiqi.

"Welcome... to Bubu Pharmacy," Qiqi said slowly, her voice devoid of inflection.

"A zombie?!" Tsukasa yelped, jumping back. "The dead walk!"

"I am... a zombie," Qiqi confirmed, tilting her head. "And... I am the clerk. What... do you need?"

"We need Everlasting Incense," Aether explained. "It's for a... very important ceremony."

Qiqi blinked. "Everlasting... Incense... Let me check... my notes."

She pulled out a notebook and flipped through it slowly. Painfully slowly.

"Yes. We have it," Qiqi said. "But... Dr. Baizhu is out. I cannot... verify the price."

"Can we buy it anyway?" Paimon asked.

"You can," Qiqi nodded. "But... you must help Qiqi first."

"A quest!" Tsukasa declared. "Name your request, little undead shopkeep! Do you need us to vanquish a ghost? Retrieve a lost soul?"

"No," Qiqi said. "I need... Coconut Milk."

Silence filled the pharmacy.

"Coconut... milk?" Haruka repeated.

"Yes," Qiqi nodded. "It is tasty. But... I cannot find the source. The Cocogoat."

"The... what?" Aether squinted.

"The Cocogoat," Qiqi explained, as if it were obvious. "It is a legendary adeptibeast. It produces the milk. I need you... to hunt it."

Shenhe, who had been standing silently by a shelf of Qingxin flowers, suddenly turned around. Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"A Cocogoat?" Shenhe mused. "I have lived in the mountains for many years. I have hunted geovishaps, abyss mages, and demons. But I have never heard of this beast."

She summoned a Cryo spear into her hand, the temperature in the shop dropping.

"It must be a rare, elusive predator," Shenhe declared, her killing intent spiking. "A beast worthy of a hunt. Where was it last seen?"

"Near... the Guizhong Ballista," Qiqi said (making it up based on a vague memory).

"Then we shall go," Shenhe decided instantly. "We will slaughter this Cocogoat and bring its milk to the pharmacy."

"Slaughter?!" Ichika panicked. "Wait, Shenhe-san, maybe we don't need to kill it!"

"It is a hunt," Shenhe stated. "Prey is meant to be hunted."

"Wait a minute," Haruka rubbed her temples. "Coconut milk comes from... coconuts. Not a goat."

"Are you questioning the zombie?" Tsukasa whispered loudly. "She has lived for centuries! Perhaps in ancient times, goats were made of coconuts! This is a high-fantasy world, Kiritani! Logic does not apply!"

"I agree," Shenhe nodded at Tsukasa. "The world is vast. If the Cocogoat exists, I will find it. And I will harvest it."

"This is going to end badly," Aether sighed.

"Well," Paimon shrugged. "We need the incense. And Zhongli isn't back with the money yet. So... Cocogoat hunting it is?"

"To the Ballista!" Tsukasa pointed his sword toward the door. "The Teyvat Expedition Team—plus the Crane Disciple—shall secure the legendary milk!"

Qiqi watched them leave with a blank expression.

"Cocogoat..." Qiqi murmured. "I hope... it tastes good."

Chapter Text

Location: Mt. Tianheng - Near the Guizhong Ballista

The sun beat down on the rocky slopes. The wind whistled through the mechanical limbs of the recently repaired Ballista.

"Shh," Shenhe hissed, crouching low in the tall grass.

The entire group froze. Even Tsukasa held his breath (mostly because Shenhe was terrifying).

"I have located the prey," Shenhe whispered, her eyes locked on a ridge about fifty meters away.

Standing there, chewing casually on a patch of sweet flower, was a goat. A completely normal, slightly chubby, white goat.

"Behold," Shenhe narrowed her eyes, summoning a Cryo talisman in her hand. " The beast. It disguises itself as common livestock to deceive hunters. But it cannot hide its aura."

"It looks like... a goat," Ichika whispered to Aether.

"It is a master of camouflage!" Tsukasa argued in a hushed tone. "Do not be fooled, Hoshino! The Cocogoat is a legendary adeptibeast! It likely has fangs concealed beneath that wool!"

"I shall strike first," Shenhe declared, rising slowly. The air temperature around her dropped twenty degrees. "Transfiguration: The Homing Soul."

A massive avatar of a spirit cryo-avatar began to form behind her. She was preparing an ultimate move usually reserved for Abyss Lectors.

"Whoa! Stop!" Haruka jumped in front of Shenhe, waving her hands. "Shenhe-san! That's too much! You're going to vaporize it!"

"If I do not strike with full force, it may escape," Shenhe stated logically. "Prey must be secured."

"Let's just... check it first," Aether suggested, sweating. "Maybe ask it for milk before we freeze it solid?"

Shenhe frowned, but lowered her hand. "Very well. But stay behind me. If it breathes fire, I will execute it."

They approached the goat. The goat looked at them. It bleated. "Baaaa."

"It speaks in riddles," Tsukasa noted gravely.

"Okay," Haruka walked up to the goat. It sniffed her hand. It was soft. It was definitely just a goat. "Um... excuse me? Are you a Cocogoat?"

The goat blinked. It turned around and trotted away to eat another flower.

"It ignores us," Shenhe gripped her spear. "Arrogance. It must be a high-ranking beast."

"No," Mafuyu spoke up. She was looking at a fallen coconut shell nearby (likely dropped by a passing merchant, as coconuts didn't grow here). She looked at the goat. Then she looked at the coconut.

"Coconut," Mafuyu pointed to the shell. "Goat," she pointed to the animal.

"Cocogoat," Haruka finished the realization, burying her face in her hands. "Oh no."

"What?" Tsukasa blinked.

"There is no such thing as a Cocogoat," Haruka sighed, the headache setting in. "It’s Coconut Milk. Qiqi... she thinks the milk comes from a goat. Like cow's milk."

Silence descended on the hillside.

Shenhe stared at the goat. Then at the shell. She processed this information with the speed of a supercomputer crashing.

"So..." Shenhe murmured. "The beast... is a metaphor?"

"It's a misunderstanding," Aether corrected gently.

"I see," Shenhe nodded slowly. The killing intent vanished, replaced by a mild confusion. "Then... I cannot hunt it. How disappointing. I was looking forward to dragging its carcass back to the pharmacy."

"Please don't drag carcasses to a pharmacy," Ichika begged.

Location: Bubu Pharmacy

They returned to the pharmacy as the sun began to set. They were empty-handed, tired, and (in Tsukasa’s case) very disappointed that the legendary beast wasn't real.

"We have returned!" Tsukasa announced, marching up to the counter. "Little Zombie! We bring news! The Cocogoat is a myth! A fabrication! A lie of the wind!"

Qiqi blinked slowly from behind the counter. "No... Cocogoat?"

"No," Haruka explained gently. "Qiqi-chan... coconut milk comes from coconuts. They grow on trees. There is no goat involved."

Qiqi stared at Haruka. Her lip trembled slightly.

"But... coconut milk... tastes like... goat milk. But... sweeter."

"That's just the sugar," Paimon sighed.

"Oh," Qiqi looked down at her notebook. She picked up a brush and slowly crossed out a line. "Cocogoat... not... real. Sad."

"Well, this is a predicament," a smooth, slithery voice echoed from the back room. "It seems my little Qiqi has sent you on quite the wild goose chase. Or... wild goat chase, as it were."

A man walked out from the back. He was tall, dressed in green and purple robes, with long green hair and glasses. Draped around his neck was a white snake with red eyes.

Dr. Baizhu. (And Changsheng the snake).

"Dr. Baizhu!" Qiqi looked up.

"Greetings," Baizhu smiled. His eyes were snake-like, scanning the group with an intensity that made Mafuyu step back instinctively. "I am Baizhu, the owner of Bubu Pharmacy. And this is Changsheng."

"Hmph. You lot look like you've been rolling in the dirt," the snake hissed.

"A talking snake?!" Tsukasa gasped. "This country is full of surprises!"

"We apologize for the intrusion," Haruka bowed politely. "We are here for the Everlasting Incense."

"Ah, yes. The incense," Baizhu adjusted his glasses. "Qiqi mentioned it. A rare item. Difficult to make. And very expensive."

"We have funding!" A familiar, deep voice boomed from the entrance.

Zhongli strode in, looking calm and composed. "I apologize for the delay. I had to locate Childe to... facilitate the withdrawal."

"Ah, Mr. Zhongli," Baizhu smiled, though the air between them felt charged with a strange, ancient tension. "I haven't seen you in some time. You wish to buy the incense?"

"Indeed," Zhongli nodded. "Price is no object."

"Excellent," Baizhu’s grin widened. "Then for you... three million Mora."

"THREE MILLION?!" Paimon shrieked. "That's robbery!"

"It is a fair price for quality," Baizhu said smoothly. "Unless... you cannot pay?"

"Childe," Zhongli gestured to the door.

Childe walked in, looking like he had just run a marathon. He was holding a very heavy, very large sack of Mora.

"I'm here," Childe panted, dropping the sack on the counter with a heavy thud. "Three million... seriously, Zhongli? You're going to bankrupt the Northland Bank at this rate."

"It is for the Rite," Zhongli said simply.

As Childe counted out the money, Baizhu leaned over the counter, looking past Aether to the four students.

His gaze lingered on Mafuyu.

"You," Baizhu murmured. "Your constitution is... fascinating."

Mafuyu looked at him. "I am fine."

"No pulse of the elements within you," Baizhu observed, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses. "Yet you carry the scent of Anemo. And... something else. Something hollow."

The snake, Changsheng, flicked its tongue. "She smells like a ghost that hasn't realized it's dead yet."

"Changsheng, don't be rude," Baizhu scolded lightly, though he didn't look away from Mafuyu. "Forgive us. Occupational hazard. If you ever feel... incomplete, do visit us again. I would love to study—I mean, treat you."

"We will keep that in mind," Haruka stepped between Baizhu and Mafuyu, her protective instinct flaring. "We have the incense. We should go."

"Of course," Baizhu smiled. "Qiqi, pack the incense for our guests."

"Okay," Qiqi nodded. "Bye bye... Cocogoat hunters."

Location: Outside the Pharmacy

They walked down the stairs, carrying the box of incense.

"That doctor," Tsukasa shuddered. "He had a very... sinister aura. Like a villain who poisons the hero in the second act!"

"He was creepy," Ichika agreed.

"But we have everything!" Paimon cheered. "Jade, Perfume, Ballista, Incense! We're ready for the Rite!"

"Not quite," Zhongli said, looking at the setting sun. "We have the materials. Now, we must make the announcement. We need to invite the guests."

"Guests?" Aether asked.

"The Adepti," Zhongli said. "And the Qixing. The Rite of Parting is not just a funeral. It is a negotiation table."

He looked at the group.

"Tonight, we dine at Xinyue Kiosk. I have booked a table. We shall discuss the final act."

"Does Childe know he's paying for that too?" Haruka asked.

"He will find out," Zhongli smiled.

As they walked away, Shenhe stopped. She looked toward the mountains.

"My task is done," Shenhe said. "I have herbs. I must return to Cloud Retainer."

"You're leaving?" Tsukasa asked. "But the show is about to start!"

"I do not belong in the city," Shenhe said. She looked at Haruka. "You... you are strong. You protect your flock."

She looked at Mafuyu.

"And you. The hollow one. Do not let the city eat you."

With that, Shenhe turned and vanished into the crowd, moving as silently as a ghost.

"She was... cool," Ichika admitted.

"She was terrifying," Tsukasa corrected. "But I suppose every good story needs a mysterious warrior!"

Chapter Text

Location: Xinyue Kiosk

The private dining room of Xinyue Kiosk offered a panoramic view of the harbor streets below. Usually, this view was a tapestry of lights and laughter.

Tonight, it was a grid of marching iron.

"More guards," Haruka noted, peering through the wooden lattice of the window. She watched a squad of Millelith rush past, their spears gleaming under the streetlamps. "That's the third patrol in ten minutes."

"The city is locking down," Aether said, sipping his tea grimly. "The Qixing are terrified the Adepti are going to attack tonight."

Inside the room, the table was laden with Liyue’s finest cuisine—Fullmoon Egg, Golden Crab, and a massive pot of Adeptus' Temptation.

"It is a pity," Zhongli sighed, calmly picking up a crab claw with chopsticks. "The atmosphere of Liyue is best enjoyed with the bustle of commerce. This silence... it tastes like iron."

"Can you please not describe the air as tasting like metal?" Tsukasa begged, nervously eyeing the door. "It makes the food harder to swallow! And I am trying to enjoy this Golden Crab!"

"Eat," Mafuyu said quietly to Tsukasa. "If we fight, you need calories."

"Fight?!" Ichika dropped her spoon. "Are we expecting a fight during dinner?"

"The storm is approaching," Zhongli said cryptically. "Whether it breaks tonight or tomorrow... the pressure must be released."

He poured himself another cup of tea.

"The Qixing have seized control of the military. The Adepti are gathering at the peaks. Both sides believe they are honoring the Geo Archon’s will. It is... a tragic miscommunication."

"Can't we stop them?" Paimon asked. "We know the Adepti! Maybe we can tell them to chill?"

"We are just messengers," Haruka shook her head. "We delivered the news. How they react is up to them."

Suddenly, the sound of heavy boots stopped right outside their private room.

Knock. Knock.

Tsukasa froze. "The Millelith! They found us!"

"Stay calm," Aether whispered, hand drifting to his sword.

The door slid open.

It wasn't the Millelith. It was a woman with blue hair and curved horns, looking exhausted but composed.

Ganyu.

"I apologize for interrupting your meal," Ganyu bowed deeply. "Mr. Zhongli. Traveler. And... guests from afar."

"Miss Ganyu," Zhongli nodded politely. "To what do we owe the pleasure? Surely the Qixing are busy preparing for war."

"It is not war... yet," Ganyu corrected softly, though her eyes were sad. She walked into the room, clutching a sealed envelope. "Lady Ningguang has requested a parley. She wishes to speak with the Traveler."

She placed the envelope on the table. It was heavy, sealed with gold wax and the emblem of the Jade Chamber.

"An invitation," Ganyu explained. "To the Jade Chamber."

"The floating palace?" Tsukasa gasped, rushing to the window to look up at the massive structure hovering in the sky. "We are invited up there? By the Tianquan herself?"

"She wishes to clear the air," Ganyu said. "She knows you have contacted the Adepti. She believes you are the key to preventing... a catastrophe."

Ganyu turned to look at the troupe.

"Tsukasa Tenma. Mafuyu Asahina. Your house arrest is officially lifted. Lady Ningguang requests your presence as well. She is... curious about the anomalies who walk without Visions."

"Curious is better than hostile," Haruka muttered.

"Wait," Ichika raised a hand. "If we go up there... are we siding with the Qixing against the Adepti?"

"We take no sides," Aether said firmly, picking up the invitation. "We are here to find the truth about Rex Lapis's death. If Ningguang has answers, we'll listen."

"Very well," Ganyu looked relieved. "Please, make haste. The winds are changing. I fear... something old is waking up under the ocean."

She bowed again and left the room, disappearing back into the tense streets.

Zhongli watched the door close. He took a sip of tea.

"The Jade Chamber," Zhongli mused. "Ningguang’s pride and joy. It is a fitting stage for the final act."

"You aren't coming?" Mafuyu asked.

"I have preparations to finish for the Rite," Zhongli shook his head. "The incense needs to be burned at the precise hour. You go. I shall await you at the Yujing Terrace when the dust settles."

He stood up, placing a bag of Mora on the table (courtesy of Childe).

"Enjoy the meal. It may be the last quiet moment you have for a while."

Location: The Streets of Liyue

Leaving the restaurant, the tension in the city was palpable. The civilians had cleared out. The streets were lined with Millelith guards, all facing outward toward the harbor entrance and the mountains.

"It feels like a siege," Tsukasa whispered, no longer posturing.

"Look at the sea," Mafuyu pointed.

The ocean, usually calm in the harbor, was churning. Dark waves lapped against the docks. The sky was clear, but the water looked angry.

"Something is wrong," Haruka gripped her spear. "That isn't weather."

"We need to get to the Jade Chamber," Aether said, looking up at the floating palace. "We need to find a way up."

"How?" Ichika asked. "It's in the sky!"

"Paimon remembers!" Paimon snapped her fingers. "The guide said there's a ferryman at Yujing Terrace who knows the password!"

"Password?" Tsukasa’s eyes lit up again. "A secret code to enter a sky fortress? This adventure keeps getting better!"

"Let's go," Aether commanded. "Before the storm hits."

As they ran toward the terrace, Mafuyu glanced back one last time at the restaurant. She saw Zhongli sitting alone by the window, drinking his tea while the city prepared for war.

‘He is waiting for something,’ Mafuyu thought. ‘Or someone.’

Chapter Text

Location: Yujing Terrace - The Guide

"The password?" the ferry lady asked, her face impassive.

Paimon puffed out her chest. "The password is... 'Sell the glazed lilies to the highest bidder'... wait, no! It's 'The wind blows, the stars shine'... argh! Aether, what was it?!"

"It was in the invitation," Haruka sighed, handing the envelope to the guide.

The guide inspected the wax seal. "Apologies. Please, step onto the platform."

A floating disc of plaustrite descended. The group stepped on. With a hum of elemental energy, the platform shot upward.

They rose past the rooftops, past the treeline of Mt. Tianheng, until they broke through the cloud layer.

There it was. The Jade Chamber.

A floating palace of emerald and gold, suspended in the sky like a second moon.

"Magnificent!" Tsukasa shouted, rushing to the edge (and being pulled back by Ichika). "A stage in the heavens! The acoustics must be divine!"

"It’s certainly... opulent," Mafuyu noted, looking at the floating islands surrounding the main structure. "It looks lonely."

Location: Inside the Jade Chamber

The interior was a maze of expensive wood and paperwork. Secretaries moved with silent efficiency, carrying stacks of documents that dictated the flow of commerce for the entire nation.

At the center of the main hall, standing before a massive wall of research notes, was Ningguang.

"Welcome," the Tianquan turned, her expression unreadable. "I have been expecting you."

She walked down the steps, her gaze sweeping over the group.

"The Traveler. And the... anomalies." She looked at Tsukasa and Mafuyu. "I apologize for the Ministry's rough hospitality earlier. Times of crisis demand strict measures."

"We understand," Haruka stepped forward, taking the diplomatic lead. "We are here to listen. Why did you invite us?"

"Because you have seen the truth," Ningguang gestured to the wall of papers. "The Adepti believe the Qixing murdered Rex Lapis to seize power. But they are mistaken."

She picked up a piece of paper—a fatui talisman.

"We hid the Exuvia not to conceal a crime, but to protect it. Our intelligence suggests that the Fatui have been researching the Sigils of Permission. They are trying to replicate the power of the Adepti."

"Copying the Sigils?" Aether frowned. "Why?"

"To unleash something," Ningguang said grimly. "Or perhaps to bargain with the divine. The Fatui Lord... Childe... has been moving in the shadows."

Mafuyu stiffened. "Childe."

"You know him?" Ningguang asked.

"He paid for our dinner," Tsukasa admitted guiltily.

"He wears a mask," Mafuyu whispered. "He smiles, but his eyes are dead. He is looking for something."

Before Ningguang could respond, the heavy doors of the chamber burst open. A secretary—Baiwen—rushed in, looking terrified.

"Lady Ningguang! Urgent report from the Millelith!"

"Speak," Ningguang commanded.

"The Golden House!" Baiwen gasped. "The guards have been incapacitated! An intruder has breached the inner sanctum!"

"The Golden House?" Ichika asked.

"It is the mint," Ningguang explained, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "The only place in Teyvat where Mora is struck. But more importantly... it is where we hid the Exuvia."

"Rex Lapis's body!" Paimon realized.

"The intruder..." Aether clenched his fists. "It's Childe. He used us to distract the Adepti while he went for the Gnosis."

"He is going to take the Gnosis from the corpse," Haruka realized the plan.

"We must stop him!" Tsukasa drew his sword. "The Teyvat Expedition Team shall—"

"No," Aether cut him off. He looked at the group. He analyzed the situation instantly.

"If Childe is there, it's going to be a high-level fight. But if the Golden House falls, the shockwave will panic the city. The people need to evacuate."

Aether turned to Haruka and Tsukasa.

"Haruka, Tsukasa. You stay here. Or go down to the city."

"What?!" Tsukasa balked. "But the villain awaits!"

"The people need a leader," Aether said firmly. "Haruka, you know how to organize crowds. Tsukasa, you know how to project your voice and inspire hope. If the fight spills out... the citizens will need you to keep them calm."

Haruka looked at Aether. She understood. This wasn't about sidelining them; it was about damage control.

"Understood," Haruka nodded. "We'll coordinate with the Millelith to secure the harbor streets."

"Very well!" Tsukasa sheathed his sword. "I shall ensure the audience remains safe in their seats! Go, Traveler! Defeat the antagonist!"

Aether turned to Ichika and Mafuyu.

"Ichika, I need your defense. Mafuyu, I need your... resonance. If Childe uses Abyss power, you might be the only one who can sense it coming."

Ichika gripped her heavy claymore. "I won't let him pass."

Mafuyu nodded once. "I will go."

Ningguang watched the delegation of duties with a hint of admiration.

"Go," Ningguang ordered. "I will mobilize the Qixing to secure the perimeter. Do not let the Fatui desecrate the Lord of Geo."

Location: The Golden House (Entrance)

Aether, Ichika, and Mafuyu sprinted down the path to the Golden House. The massive structure loomed ahead, silent and ominous.

The guards at the entrance were unconscious, knocked out by precise, brutal blows.

"Hydro element," Aether noted, checking a fallen guard. "It’s definitely him."

They pushed the heavy doors open.

The interior was a cavern of gold. Mountains of Mora were piled high, glittering in the dim light. In the center of the room lay the massive, lifeless dragon body of Rex Lapis—the Exuvia.

And standing next to it, admiring the corpse, was a man with orange hair.

"You're late," Childe called out, his voice echoing off the gold.

He turned around. He wasn't smiling anymore. His face was covered by a red Fatui mask.

"I expected you to be faster, Traveler," Childe said, summoning twin daggers made of water. "I went through all the trouble of giving you the Sigil to keep the Adepti busy... and you still kept me waiting."

He looked at Ichika and Mafuyu.

"And you brought the extras. The girl with the big sword... and the one who scratched Signora."

Childe’s eyes locked onto Mafuyu.

"I've been wanting to see what you can do," Childe said, his killing intent flaring like a physical wave. "No Vision... but you smell like the Abyss. Like something... broken."

"I am not broken," Mafuyu said, raising her catalyst.

"We'll see," Childe laughed, the water around him bubbling into jagged spears. "Now... hand over the Gnosis, and I might let you live."

"It's not on us," Aether drew his sword. "And you're not touching the Exuvia."

"Fine," Childe shrugged. "I guess I'll just have to take it from the corpse... after I step over yours."

Battle Start.

Chapter Text

Location: The Golden House - Main Chamber

"Let's dance!"

Childe didn't wait for a signal. He drew his bow, condensing Hydro energy into an arrow.

Twang.

The arrow flew with the force of a ballista bolt, aimed directly at Aether’s heart.

"Look out!" Ichika screamed.

She stepped forward, swinging her Waster Greatsword like a shield. She planted her feet, bracing for impact.

CLANG.

The water arrow shattered against the flat of the iron blade. The impact skidded Ichika backward three feet, her boots screeching on the gold-covered floor, but she held her ground.

"Heavy!" Ichika gritted her teeth, her arms vibrating from the shock. "He hits harder than the mitachurls!"

"Don't let him keep his distance!" Aether commanded, dashing around Ichika’s flank. "Mafuyu, suppressive fire! Ichika, guard us!"

"Understood," Mafuyu opened her Apprentice's Notes.

She flipped a page. A volley of compressed air bullets shot toward Childe.

Childe laughed, discarding his bow. "Too slow!"

He materialized twin Hydro daggers, weaving through Mafuyu’s wind blasts with fluid grace. He closed the distance to Aether in a heartbeat, clashing blades with a spray of sparks and water.

"You're good, Traveler!" Childe grinned, pressing his weight down on Aether’s sword. "But your friends are lagging behind!"

He spun, delivering a roundhouse kick that sent a wave of water crashing toward Mafuyu.

"Shield!" Ichika jumped in, blocking the wave with her body and sword. The water soaked them, heavy and crushing.

"He is playing with us," Mafuyu noted calmly, wiping water from her face. "He hasn't used his Vision fully."

"Then let's make him," Aether yelled. "Windblade!"

A vortex of Anemo slammed into Childe, knocking him back.

Phase 2: The Delusion

Childe slid across the floor, correcting his balance. He stood up, wiping a drop of blood from his lip. The smile vanished from his face.

"Not bad," Childe said, his voice dropping an octave. "You're actually making me work for it. Good. Very good."

He reached for the mask on his head. He pulled it down over his face.

The air in the Golden House changed. The smell of ozone filled the room. Violet lightning began to crackle around his body, replacing the blue of Hydro.

"Now... surrender the Gnosis."

FLASH.

He vanished.

"Where did he go?!" Ichika panicked, spinning around.

"Behind you!" Aether shouted.

Childe reappeared in a bolt of purple lightning, wielding a double-bladed Electro polearm. He slammed it down.

Ichika raised her sword, but metal conducts electricity.

ZZAAPP.

"AAAAH!" Ichika screamed as the voltage coursed through her blade and into her arms. She was thrown backward, her muscles seizing up. She hit a pile of Mora, her greatsword clattering away.

"Ichika!" Mafuyu ran toward her.

"Eyes on me!" Childe roared, dashing toward Mafuyu.

Aether intercepted, blocking the spear with his sword. But Childe was faster, stronger, and electrified. He unleashed a flurry of strikes that forced Aether onto the defensive.

"You can't protect everyone, Traveler!" Childe taunted. He used the momentum to vault over Aether, sprinting straight for the Exuvia—the dragon corpse in the center of the room.

"The Gnosis!" Childe laughed. "It's mine!"

He plunged his hand into the chest of the dead dragon. He grasped for the divine core.

His hand closed on... nothing.

Childe froze.

He rummaged around. Nothing.

"Empty?" Childe whispered.

He pulled his hand out. It was empty.

Slowly, he turned around. The lightning around him flared violently, cracking the floor tiles.

"You..." Childe pointed a trembling finger at Aether. "You already took it, didn't you? You beat me to it!"

"We didn't take anything!" Aether shouted.

"Don't lie to me!" Childe screamed. The air began to vibrate. Gravity seemed to increase. "You played me for a fool! Just like Signora!"

The floor beneath Childe shattered. Dark, abyssal energy erupted from his body, swallowing the Electro and Hydro alike.

Phase 3: The Foul Legacy

The transformation was terrifying. Childe grew in size, clad in cosmic armor of stars and void. A cape of pure energy flowed behind him. He held a massive, double-ended lance that crackled with the power of the Abyss.

The Foul Legacy: The Devouring Deep.

"GET BACK!" Aether yelled, shielding his face from the shockwave.

Childe swung his massive weapon. A tidal wave of Abyssal water crashed into the room.

Aether was swept away, crashing into a pillar. He struggled to stand, coughing water. Ichika was still paralyzed from the electro-shock, barely conscious on the pile of coins.

Only one person was left standing.

Mafuyu Asahina.

She stood in the center of the room, her hair whipping in the chaotic wind of Childe’s aura. She held her catalyst book tight against her chest.

Childe—now a monster—turned his single glowing eye toward her.

"You..." Childe’s voice was distorted, a chorus of a thousand drowning souls. "The broken one. You smell of it too. The Abyss."

He raised his massive lance.

"Let's see if you break!"

He charged.

It wasn't a fight anymore. It was a massacre. Childe unleashed a barrage of hydro arrows the size of ballista bolts.

Mafuyu ran.

She didn't use a shield. She knew her weak Anemo barrier would shatter instantly against that power. Instead, she used resonance.

She could feel the Abyssal energy pulsing from Childe. It felt... familiar. It felt like the Empty Sekai. Cold. Desolate. Hungry.

‘Left,’ the emptiness whispered.

Mafuyu side-stepped. A massive arrow obliterated the stone where she had been standing a millisecond ago.

‘Right.’

She ducked. Childe’s lance swept over her head, shearing off a lock of her purple hair.

"You dodge well!" Childe roared, summoning a massive whale of water from the ceiling. "How about this?!"

The whale crashed down.

Mafuyu didn't run away from it. She ran toward Childe, sliding under the arch of the water as it crashed behind her.

She was inside his guard.

Childe looked down, surprised that the little insect was so close.

Mafuyu looked up at the monster. Up close, the Abyssal armor looked painful. It was eating him alive to sustain this form.

"You are hurting yourself," Mafuyu said calmly.

She placed her hand on his armored chest.

"Burst."

She channeled every ounce of Anemo energy she had—not into a push, but into a disruption. She injected a chaotic swirl of wind directly into the flow of his Abyssal energy.

It was like throwing a wrench into a spinning gear.

"GAAAAAH!"

Childe convulsed. The armor flickered. The Abyssal energy recoiled, rejecting the foreign wind. He was blasted backward, crashing into the wall of the Golden House. The impact shook the entire building, causing gold coins to rain from the ceiling.

The armor shattered. The Foul Legacy dissolved.

Childe hit the floor, back in his human form, gasping for air. He was covered in sweat, his face pale.

Mafuyu stood there, panting heavily. Her catalyst book fell from her hand. Her vision blurred. She had used everything.

She collapsed to her knees.

"Not... bad..." Childe wheezed from across the room. He laughed, a pained, wet sound. "You... really are... dangerous."

Aether groaned, pulling himself up from the rubble. He looked at the scene. Childe was down. Mafuyu was down.

"It's over," Aether whispered.

"No..." Childe coughed, forcing himself to stand up, using his bow as a crutch. "I didn't get the Gnosis... and I lost the fight. But... I have a backup plan."

He pulled out several Sigils of Permission. Not just one. Dozens.

"If I can't take the Gnosis..." Childe grinned, blood staining his teeth. "I'll make the God come out of hiding to save his precious city."

He threw the Sigils into the air. They glowed, dissolving into golden light that shot through the roof.

"Awaken, Overlord of the Vortex!"

The ground shook. This time, it wasn't an explosion. It was an earthquake.

Outside, in the harbor, the ocean exploded.

Osial, the ancient God of the Vortex, had returned.

Chapter Text

Location: Outside the Golden House

The doors of the Golden House burst open. Aether, supporting a limping Ichika, and Mafuyu stumbled out into the open air.

They looked up. And froze.

The sky was black. The ocean had risen like a wall. In the center of the harbor, a colossal hydra made of water and ancient hatred towered over the city.

Osial. Overlord of the Vortex.

"It’s... it’s huge," Ichika whispered, gripping her greatsword despite her trembling hands.

"The Adepti!" Paimon pointed to the sky. "Look!"

Flashback: 10 Minutes Ago (The Jade Chamber)

While Aether battled Childe, the skies above Liyue turned dark.

Cloud Retainer, Moon Carver, and Mountain Shaper descended upon the Jade Chamber, ready to rain judgment upon the Qixing.

"Ningguang!" Cloud Retainer screeched. "You hide the Exuvia! You usurp the contract! Explain yourself before we flatten this palace!"

Ningguang stood on the edge of her terrace, Keqing and Ganyu flanking her. She didn't flinch.

"We hide the body to stop the Fatui from desecrating it!" Keqing shouted back, sword drawn. "We are protecting Liyue in our own way!"

Before the argument could turn violent, the ocean exploded. Osial rose.

The arguments died instantly. The Adepti and the Qixing looked at the ancient god, then at each other.

"The Overlord of the Vortex," Moon Carver hissed. "If he breaches the harbor, the people will drown."

Ningguang summoned her catalyst, her face set in stone.

"Then we have a common enemy," Ningguang stated. "We can argue about contracts later. Right now, we fight for Liyue."

"Agreed," Mountain Shaper boomed. "We shall man the Guizhong Ballistas. Qixing, protect the platform."

Present Time: The Jade Chamber Platform

Aether, Ichika, and Mafuyu were teleported onto the Jade Chamber’s platform via a portal opened by Xiao.

The scene was chaotic. The Adepti had transformed into their beast forms, channeling massive amounts of elemental energy into the three Guizhong Ballistas (which had been moved to the floating island).

"Traveler!" Xiao appeared next to them, his mask hanging from his hip. "You survived the Harbinger. Good."

"We stopped him," Aether panted. "But he summoned that thing."

"The Ballistas can suppress Osial," Ningguang commanded, floating in the center of a massive Geo formation. "But the Fatui are attacking the platform to destroy them. We need guards."

She looked at Ichika and Mafuyu.

"Can you fight?"

Ichika looked at her shaking hands. She looked at Mafuyu, who was pale and magically exhausted.

"We can't attack," Ichika said, planting her heavy sword into the stone floor. "But we can hold the line."

"Good," Xiao nodded. "Protect the ballistas. I will handle the god."

Location: Liyue Harbor - The Docks

While the gods fought in the sky, the city below was screaming.

Huge waves crashed against the seawalls. Water slimes and Hilichurls, stirred up by the Abyss energy, were swarming the lower districts.

"Move! Move! To the highlands!"

Haruka Kiritani stood atop a crate, her voice projecting clearly over the panic. She wasn't fighting; she was directing.

"Elderly and injured to the Yujing Terrace elevators! Able-bodied men, form a perimeter around the civilians! Don't push!"

"Hey! You heard the lady!"

A girl with dark skin and spiky pigtails strummed a lyre that spat fire. Xinyan.

"If you're panicking, you're not listening to the rhythm!" Xinyan shouted, blasting a wave of Pyro that incinerated a group of Cryo slimes blocking the road. "Follow the beat! Move your feet!"

"This way! Orderly fashion!"

A pink-haired woman in a lawyer’s hat was ushering a group of merchants. Yanfei.

"Article 4 of the Emergency Act states all citizens must evacuate to the nearest high ground!" Yanfei declared, summoning a massive seal of fire to crush a hilichurl. "And you monsters are violating the trespassing laws!"

Tsukasa Tenma was near the bridge, but he wasn't looking at the monsters. He was looking at a group of terrified children huddled behind a cart, crying as the sky turned black.

"Mommy..." one girl sobbed.

Tsukasa gritted his teeth. He sheathed his sword. He didn't need steel right now. He needed a performance.

He jumped onto the railing of the bridge, framing himself against the apocalyptic storm.

"HAHAHA! DO NOT FEAR, LITTLE ONES!"

The children looked up, startled by the booming voice.

Tsukasa struck his signature pose, cape flapping in the gale.

"Do you know what that monster is?" Tsukasa pointed at Osial. "It is merely a special effect! A villain for the World Future Star to defeat!"

"A... villain?" the girl sniffled.

"Yes! And look!" Tsukasa pointed to the Jade Chamber high above. "The heroes are already there! The outcome is written! The heroes always win!"

"Really?" a boy asked.

"Have I ever lied to my audience?!" Tsukasa beamed, giving them a thumbs up. "Now! Let us move to the VIP seats at the top of the hill so we can watch the finale safely! Follow me!"

The children scrambled up, their fear replaced by awe at the weird, loud big brother.

"He’s good," a boy with blue hair noted, cutting down a slime with a swift hydro blade. Xingqiu.

"He’s loud," his companion, a boy with an ice-blue claymore, sighed. Chongyun. "But he’s keeping the negative energy away from the children. It’s effective."

"Chongyun! Xingqiu!" Haruka called out. "Right flank! More slimes!"

"On it!" Xingqiu summoned rain swords. "Let me weave you a verse!"

"Spirit Blade!" Chongyun slammed his claymore down, freezing the water washing over the docks.

Haruka wiped sweat from her forehead. The ground team was holding. But as she looked up at the Jade Chamber, besieged by lightning and rain, her heart hammered.

‘Ichika. Mafuyu. Aether. Please... hang on.’

Location: The Jade Chamber

"INCOMING!" Aether yelled.

A portal opened in the sky. Fatui skirmishers dropped onto the platform—Agents, Cicin Mages, and Skirmishers. They rushed the Ballistas.

"Guizhong Ballista integrity at 80%!" Cloud Retainer shouted, firing a beam of energy at Osial.

A Pyro Agent dashed toward the crane adeptus, knife raised.

"No you don't!" Ichika swung her claymore.

She didn't try to slash him. She used the sword like a baseball bat.

CLANG.

She caught the Agent mid-dash, the impact throwing him off the edge of the floating island.

"Mafuyu!" Ichika yelled. "Left side!"

Mafuyu was kneeling near the center, clutching her catalyst. She was exhausted from the fight with Childe, but she had one thing left.

She felt the Fatui Skirmishers charging up their elemental guns.

‘Disrupt.’

She flicked her hand. A small, condensed sphere of vacuum air shot into the center of the Fatui group.

It didn't hurt them. It just sucked all the air out of their immediate vicinity for two seconds.

The Skirmishers choked, their aim faltering. The elemental shields flickered.

"Now, Xiao!" Aether signaled.

"EVIL CONQUERING!"

Xiao plunged from the sky, a spear of green ruin. He slammed into the disorganized Fatui, the shockwave blowing them off the platform.

But Osial roared.

A massive beam of Hydro energy shot from the god’s mouth. It bypassed the Ballistas. It bypassed the Adepti.

It hit the floor of the Jade Chamber.

CRACK.

The entire floating palace tipped violently to the side.

"We're losing altitude!" Ningguang shouted, struggling to maintain the Geo formation. "The Ballistas aren't enough! We can't pierce his regenerative ability!"

She looked at the massive God of the Vortex. Then she looked at her palace—her life's work.

Ningguang’s eyes hardened.

"Traveler," Ningguang said calmly. "I have a new plan. But I will need you to make the final strike."

She looked at the Jade Chamber.

"I am going to drop it."

Chapter Text

Location: The Jade Chamber

"I will sacrifice the Jade Chamber."

The words hung heavy in the electrified air. Ningguang didn't look at her palace—her life’s work, her pride, her symbol of power. She looked only at the monster threatening her people.

"Traveler!" Ningguang commanded, her voice cutting through the roar of the storm. "I will overcharge the floatation core. You must strike it down! Drive it into the heart of the god!"

"Got it!" Aether gritted his teeth.

"We shall lend you our strength!" Moon Carver bellowed.

The Adepti roared in unison. A surge of golden, green, and blue energy rushed into Aether. He glowed with the power of the illuminated beasts, his sword humming with terrifying pressure.

"Everyone! Evacuate!" Aether yelled. "Get off the platform!"

"Ichika! Move!" Keqing shouted, slicing through a Fatui agent to clear the path. "The floor is collapsing!"

Ichika tried to run, but the platform lurched violently as the core destabilized. She slipped, her heavy claymore dragging her down toward the crumbling edge.

"Ichika-chan!"

Aether didn't hesitate. Empowered by Xiao’s Anemo speed, he vanished in a blur of teal light.

He reappeared at the edge of the collapsing platform, grabbing Ichika’s hand just as the stone beneath her crumbled into the abyss. He hauled her against his chest, deploying his wind glider with a snap of canvas.

"Hold on!" Aether shouted.

Mafuyu was further away. She had been disrupting the Fatui until the very last second. When the order came, she was too exhausted to run. She simply looked up at the falling debris, her catalyst slipping from her numb fingers.

‘Falling,’ she thought. ‘Again.’

She tumbled off the edge into the freefall.

"Foolish child."

A massive white shape swooped down from the storm clouds. Cloud Retainer.

The crane Adeptus didn't use her talons; she used a gust of gentle wind to cradle the falling girl, catching Mafuyu on her back amidst the soft feathers.

"One shall not permit you to perish after such a display," Cloud Retainer huffed. "Hold tight."

The Impact

Aether plunged downward, driving his sword into the overloaded core of the Jade Chamber.

"GOODBYE!"

With a final thrust, he kicked off the structure.

The Jade Chamber fell.

It fell like a meteor, a burning star of emerald and gold. It screamed through the air, trailing fire and Geo energy.

Osial looked up. The hydra roared, trying to summon a wave to block it, but it was too late.

BOOOOOOOOOOM.

The impact was blinding. A mushroom cloud of nuclear proportions erupted in the middle of Liyue Harbor. The shockwave flattened the waves, vaporized the rain, and sent a wall of wind blasting through the city streets.

Then... silence.

The god was gone. The palace was gone. Only the churning, frothing sea remained.

Location: Liyue Harbor - The Docks

The civilians cowered behind crates and inside buildings, terrified by the explosion.

Tsukasa Tenma stood on the highest point of the harbor bridge. He shielded his eyes against the fading light of the explosion.

He scanned the sky. Smoke. Clouds. Debris.

"Where are they?" Haruka whispered, standing next to him, her knuckles white as she gripped the railing. "I don't see them."

"Wait..." Tsukasa squinted.

A golden light pierced the smoke.

From the heavens, a fleet descended. The Adepti—Moon Carver, Mountain Shaper, and Cloud Retainer—flew in formation. Xiao darted between them like a green flash.

And riding the wind currents alongside them were the gliders.

"THERE!" Tsukasa roared, pointing to the sky.

He didn't just speak to Haruka. He projected his voice to the entire cowering city.

"LOOK TO THE SKIES, PEOPLE OF LIYUE!" Tsukasa bellowed, throwing his arms wide. "THE CURTAIN HAS NOT FALLEN ON A TRAGEDY! IT HAS RISEN ON A VICTORY!"

The civilians peeked out. They saw the shapes descending.

"THE HEROES RETURN!" Tsukasa shouted, leaping onto the railing. "THE GOD OF THE VORTEX IS DEFEATED! YOUR CITY STANDS!"

A single cheer started from the crowd. Then another. Then a roar.

"They did it!" "The Adepti saved us!" "And the Qixing!"

As the adrenaline took over the crowd, the heroes landed on the wooden docks.

Aether collapsed, exhausted. Xiao landed silently on a lamppost. Cloud Retainer landed gracefully, allowing Mafuyu to slide off her back.

"Mafuyu!"

Haruka didn't wait. She vaulted over the railing and sprinted down the dock. She slammed into Mafuyu, hugging her tightly.

"You're safe," Haruka gasped, burying her face in Mafuyu’s shoulder. "I thought... when the chamber fell..."

Mafuyu stood there, blinking. She felt Haruka’s trembling. She looked at Cloud Retainer, who nodded once before flying off to join the other Adepti.

"I am... returned," Mafuyu said softly.

"Ichika!" Tsukasa ran to the blonde girl, who was sitting on the ground trying to catch her breath. "And the Traveler! A magnificent performance! The climax was... explosive! Literally!"

"We made it," Ichika laughed breathlessly, looking up at Tsukasa. "We actually made it."

Ningguang landed last, stepping off her floating platform. She looked at the empty spot in the sky where her Jade Chamber used to be. A flicker of pain crossed her face, but she smoothed it over instantly.

She turned to the gathered Adepti and the Qixing.

"The threat is vanquished," Ningguang announced. "Liyue is safe."

The cheer that went up from the harbor was deafening. It wasn't the polite applause of a theater; it was the raw, emotional roar of thousands of people who had just survived the apocalypse.

Tsukasa watched them. He saw the relief on the children's faces. He saw the tears of joy.

‘This,’ Tsukasa thought, a genuine smile spreading across his face. ‘This is the best standing ovation I have ever seen.’

Chapter Text

Location: Bubu Pharmacy

The smell of herbal medicine was sharp and grounding, a stark contrast to the ozone and sea salt of the battle.

"Hold still," Dr. Baizhu instructed, applying a cool, green poultice to Ichika’s bruised arm. "The electrical burns from the Golden House have inflamed your meridian channels. It will sting."

Ichika hissed in pain but nodded. "I can take it."

"You are all remarkably durable for civilians," Baizhu noted, his snake Changsheng flicking its tongue near Ichika’s ear. "Though reckless. Fighting a Harbinger and an Ancient God in the same day? Most Vision holders would be dead."

He moved to Mafuyu. She was sitting on a stool, staring at the wall. She wasn't physically injured from the Osial fight (thanks to Cloud Retainer), but her energy was dangerously low.

Baizhu placed two fingers on her wrist to check her pulse. His eyes narrowed behind his glasses.

"Your constitution remains... an enigma," Baizhu murmured. "You channeled enough Anemo energy to disrupt a Foul Legacy transformation, yet your body holds no elemental trace. It is like pouring water into a bottomless cup."

"Is she okay?" Haruka asked, hovering protectively.

"She is empty," Baizhu said simply. "But stable. Rest and proper diet will restore her stamina. However..."

He looked at the group with a serious expression.

"Take care of yourselves. Liyue is safe, but you have stepped into a world of gods and monsters. The next time you push your bodies this far... there may be nothing left to heal."

"We understand," Haruka bowed. "Thank you, Doctor."

"Bye bye," Qiqi waved from the counter. "Don't... hunt... non-existent... goats."

Location: Yujing Terrace

Bandaged and rested, the troupe made their way to Yujing Terrace.

The sun was high. The site of the Rite of Descension had been cleaned up. The "corpse" of the dragon was gone, hidden away by the Qixing. In its place, the stage was set for the Rite of Parting.

It was perfect.

The Noctilucous Jade they had bought glowed with a deep, mournful blue. The Silk Flower perfumes wafted through the air, creating an atmosphere of solemn reverence. The Guizhong Ballista stood guard in the distance as a symbolic protector.

"It looks... beautiful," Tsukasa admitted, walking among the decorations. "A stage fit for a legend. We did good work!"

"It’s ready to begin," Aether noted. "But... where is the host?"

They looked around. The Terrace was filling with people coming to pay respects—Ningguang, Keqing, Ganyu—but the man who had orchestrated every detail of this funeral was nowhere to be seen.

"Zhongli isn't here," Ichika said, checking the incense burner. "He said he would meet us."

"Maybe he went to get food?" Paimon guessed. "He does like to eat."

"The ceremony starts in twenty minutes," Haruka frowned, checking the position of the sun. "He wouldn't be late to his own production. He’s obsessed with 'order'."

She tapped her chin, thinking.

"If he isn't here... maybe he's at the Liuli Pavilion? or Xinyue Kiosk? He seemed to enjoy the view there."

"Let's check," Tsukasa said. "We cannot start the finale without the director!"

Location: The Streets of Liyue

They ran down the stairs to the dining district. They checked Liuli Pavilion. Empty. They checked Xinyue Kiosk. Also empty.

"Where could he be?" Paimon stomped the air.

"There," Mafuyu pointed.

Through the crowd, they caught a glimpse of a long brown coat turning the corner—not toward a restaurant, but up the stairs leading to the Northland Bank.

"The Bank?" Aether frowned. "Why would he go back to Childe? Childe just tried to drown the city!"

"Maybe he is negotiating the final bill?" Tsukasa guessed. "The expenses were astronomical."

"Let's follow him," Haruka decided. "Something feels off."

Location: Northland Bank

They pushed the heavy doors open. The lobby was empty of customers. The receptionist was gone.

They walked up the stairs to the VIP lounge. The door was ajar. Voices drifted out.

"You played us," a furious voice snarled. Childe.

"It was a contract," a calm, deep voice replied. Zhongli.

"And you..." a cold, feminine voice sneered. "You certainly took your time, Morax."

Signora.

The group froze.

"Signora?!" Paimon gasped.

They burst into the room.

The scene was tense. Childe was standing by the window, looking furious and betrayed. Signora was lounging on a chair, looking smug. And standing in the center of the room, calm as a mountain, was Zhongli.

"Traveler," Zhongli acknowledged them without turning his head. "And the troupe. You have arrived."

"Zhongli!" Aether summoned his sword. "Get away from her! She's a Harbinger!"

"I know," Zhongli said.

He reached into his chest. A golden light began to glow—a light far brighter and heavier than any Vision. He pulled out a chess piece that pulsed with the power of Geo.

The Gnosis.

"Here," Zhongli said, holding it out to Signora. "The contract is fulfilled."

Signora stood up, taking the Gnosis with a gloved hand. She smiled—a cruel, victorious smile. "The Tsaritsa will be pleased. You are a man of your word, Rex Lapis."

Silence. Absolute, shattering silence.

Tsukasa’s jaw dropped so low it nearly hit the floor.

"Rex... Lapis?" Tsukasa whispered.

He looked at the man who had forgotten his wallet. The man who had lectured them on the quality of rocks. The man who had critiqued the perfume for his own funeral.

"YOU?!" Tsukasa shrieked, pointing a shaking finger at Zhongli. "YOU ARE THE GOD?!"

"I was the God of Geo," Zhongli corrected calmly. "Now, I am merely Zhongli, a consultant."

"You..." Childe turned on him, his face red with anger. "You tricked me! You used me to summon Osial just to test Liyue's defenses?!"

"It was necessary," Zhongli said. "I needed to know if Liyue could stand without me. If the Qixing and the Adepti could protect the city. You provided the... catalyst."

"I was a pawn!" Childe shouted.

"You were a very expensive pawn," Haruka muttered, still processing the sheer absurdity of it.

Signora ignored Childe’s tantrum. She tucked the Gnosis away. Then, her eyes drifted past Aether. They landed on Mafuyu.

The air in the room dropped ten degrees.

"You," Signora hissed.

She touched her cheek. The scratch Mafuyu had left in Mondstadt was gone, healed by magic, but the memory was clearly fresh.

Mafuyu met her gaze. She didn't flinch. She felt the heavy claymore Ichika was holding, and the presence of Zhongli (a god) in the room.

"You are still arrogant," Mafuyu said quietly.

Signora’s eyes flashed with murder. "If we were not in a bank under a diplomatic truce, little rat, I would turn you into an ice sculpture."

"Now, now," Zhongli stepped between them. His voice was polite, but the weight of the earth seemed to settle on the room. "The contract is concluded, Signora. No violence in the harbor. That was part of the deal."

Signora glared at Zhongli, then at Mafuyu. She scoffed, turning her back.

"Come, Tartaglia. We are leaving. We have what we came for."

Childe stormed out, glaring at Zhongli as he passed. "This isn't over, Morax. Next time, we fight for real."

Signora swept past the group. As she passed Mafuyu, she leaned in.

"Pray we do not meet in Inazuma," Signora whispered. "The Shogun is not as... retired... as this one."

The Fatui left.

The door clicked shut.

Zhongli let out a long sigh, his shoulders relaxing.

"It is done," he said.

"Zhongli-san!" Tsukasa marched up to him. He looked like he was about to explode. "You... You made us organize your own funeral! You made me haggle for jade! You... You critiqued the script of your own death!"

"It was a unique experience," Zhongli admitted with a faint smile. "To hear one's own eulogy while eating shrimp balls... it provides a certain perspective."

"Perspective?!" Tsukasa grabbed his head. "I... I don't know if I should be angry or impressed! This is the greatest method acting I have ever seen!"

"Why did you give it up?" Aether asked, looking at where the Gnosis had been. "You were the oldest Archon."

Zhongli walked to the window, looking out at the harbor he had built six thousand years ago.

"I have watched this city for a long time," Zhongli said softly. "But even stone erodes. I was tired, Traveler. And after seeing the humans defeat Osial today... I know my time is over."

He turned back to them.

"Liyue belongs to the humans now. To the Qixing. To the merchants. To people like you."

He looked at the PJSK troupe.

"You are Outlanders. You drift between worlds. You remind me that even contracts have boundaries."

"Does this mean you can't send us home?" Ichika asked, her voice small.

Zhongli shook his head.

"I have stepped down. I no longer have the authority of the Gnosis to tear the firmament."

The hope in the room died.

"But," Zhongli added. "There is one who still rules with absolute authority. Across the sea. Baal. The Raiden Shogun of Inazuma."

"Inazuma," Haruka repeated. "The locked nation."

"Yes," Zhongli nodded. "She pursues Eternity. Perhaps... she has found a way to stop time, or reverse it. If anyone can send you back... it is her."

"Then we go to Inazuma," Tsukasa declared, though his voice was a little less boisterous than usual. "After... we recover from the fact that we just served tea to a God."

Zhongli chuckled.

"Speaking of tea... since I am no longer a God, I appear to be... temporarily short on funds."

He looked at Tsukasa with a hopeful expression.

"Mr. Tenma... would you happen to have enough for a final celebratory dinner? I hear Xinyue Kiosk has fresh bamboo shoots."

Tsukasa stared at the former God of Wealth. He looked at his empty wallet.

He screamed.

"YOU ARE UNBELIEVABLE!"

Chapter Text

Location: Sea of Clouds - Statue of The Seven

The adrenaline of the Rite of Parting had finally faded, leaving the group standing on a high ridge overlooking Liyue Harbor. The sun was setting, painting the stone forest in shades of amber.

"You know," Tsukasa said, sheathing his silver sword. "I just realized something. A glaring plot hole in our otherwise spectacular performance."

"What is it?" Haruka asked, wiping dust from her spear.

Tsukasa pointed at the massive, towering statue of Rex Lapis ahead of them—the Statue of The Seven.

"We have been in the Land of Rock for weeks. We fought a Harbinger. We dropped a palace on a god. But we are all..." Tsukasa gestured to the troupe, and then at Aether. "...still stuck on 'Wind Mode'."

Aether blinked. He looked at his hand. He summoned a small swirl of Anemo.

"You're right," Aether realized. "We were so focused on getting to the harbor because Venti told us to hurry... and then everything with the assassination happened... we never stopped to resonate."

"We skipped the tutorial," Mafuyu summarized flatly.

"Exactly!" Tsukasa declared. "How can we claim to be the Teyvat Expedition Team if we haven't even mastered the local element? We must rectify this immediately!"

The Resonance

They gathered around the statue. It depicted Rex Lapis seated on a throne, radiating a heavy, stable warmth—very different from the playful breeze of the Mondstadt statues.

"I'll go first," Aether said. "To test if it works the same way."

He stepped forward and placed his hand on the cold stone.

Thrum.

The turquoise glow on Aether’s armor faded, replaced instantly by a deep, pulsing amber light. He flexed his hand, and a small meteorite materialized, floating above his palm.

"Geo," Aether confirmed, feeling the weight of the element. "It feels... heavier. More stable."

"Ooh! Do Paimon next! Wait, Paimon doesn't have elements..." Paimon drooped.

"Our turn!" Tsukasa marched up. "Grant me the power of the earth! I shall build a stage that never crumbles!"

He slapped the statue.

BOOM.

A massive stone stele (a small pillar) erupted from the ground next to him, nearly knocking him over. The shockwave of Geo energy resonated with him.

"Aha! A prop!" Tsukasa cheered, leaning against his new pillar. "I can use this for dramatic monologues! It is a literal spotlight platform!"

Ichika went next. She placed her hand on the stone.

She gasped. It didn't feel like a breeze. It felt like a heavy cloak being placed on her shoulders. Her Waster Greatsword suddenly felt lighter in her hands—not because the sword changed, but because her stance became immovable.

"It feels..." Ichika planted her feet. The dust around her crystallized into a translucent golden shield. "Solid. Like I can take a hit."

"Perfect for a tank," Haruka noted. She touched the statue next.

The Geo energy swirled around her spear. She spun the weapon, and the ground beneath her rippled. Small stone ridges rose up, waiting to be unleashed.

"It’s precise," Haruka analyzed. "It requires structure. Rhythm. Unlike Anemo, you can't just throw it. You have to place it."

Finally, Mafuyu.

She reached out. Her Anemo power had been a vacuum—taking things away. When she touched the Geo statue, she felt... filled. It felt like sediment settling at the bottom of a lake.

She didn't summon a shield or a pillar. She simply felt the ground beneath her feet.

"It is heavy," Mafuyu whispered. "But... it stops me from floating away."

"Well," Paimon clapped. "Now you guys are dual-elemental! That's super rare! Almost as rare as finding a chest without a cabbage in it!"

The Downtime

"So," Aether said, testing his new Geo powers by juggling small rocks. "We need to find a way to Inazuma. Zhongli mentioned the Alcor—Captain Beidou's ship. But she's currently out at sea."

"We have to wait?" Ichika asked.

"A few days, at least," Aether nodded. "We’ve been running non-stop since we fell from the sky. Maybe... we should take a break?"

Haruka looked at the group. They were exhausted. They had fought gods, a Harbinger, and the economy.

"A break sounds efficient," Haruka agreed. "We can split up to cover more ground, gather supplies, and... rest."

"Splendid idea!" Tsukasa declared. "I, for one, wish to explore the cultural arts of this nation! I heard rumors of a famous opera singer and a rock musician!"

"I want to check the harbor," Ichika said. "Maybe train a bit more with Aether? I need to get used to this Geo shield. It feels different from the wind barrier."

"I'll help you," Aether smiled. "I need to practice with Geo too. It's been a while."

"I..." Mafuyu hesitated. "I will go with Tsukasa-senpai. He will get lost if he wanders alone."

"I do not get lost!" Tsukasa protested. "I merely take creative detours!"

Haruka smiled. "Then I'll look into the local music scene. I saw a poster for a performance at the Heyu Tea House."

"It's decided then!" Paimon cheered. "Team Break Time is a go!"

Chapter Text

Location: Mt. Tianheng - Lower Ridge

CLANG.

The heavy iron blade of the Waster Greatsword slammed into the rocky ground, sending tremors through Ichika’s arms. She staggered, wiping sweat from her forehead.

"It’s... too heavy," Ichika panted, leaning on the hilt. "I can't swing it fast enough. By the time I lift it, the enemy would have already hit me."

Aether sat on a nearby rock, holding a waterskin. He wasn't judging her; he was observing.

"You're fighting the weight," Aether said, standing up. "You're trying to lift it like it's a katana or a prop. But a claymore isn't just a sword. It’s a pendulum."

He walked over to her. He didn't take the sword; he adjusted her stance.

"Widen your feet. Use your hips, not your shoulders. When the sword moves, you move with it. Don't stop the momentum. Redirect it."

Ichika nodded, adjusting her grip. She lifted the blade again. It felt like trying to lift a car.

"I usually play guitar," Ichika admitted with a self-deprecating smile. "The heaviest thing I carry is an amp case. This is... a different kind of heavy."

"Think of it like a song," Aether suggested.

Ichika blinked. "A song?"

"Battle has a rhythm," Aether explained. He summoned a small Geo rock in his hand, tossing it up and catching it. "Attack. Dodge. Block. Attack. It’s a 4/4 beat. If you rush the tempo, you trip. If you drag, you get hit."

Ichika looked at the sword. Rhythm.

She closed her eyes. She imagined the beat of a Leo/need song. A driving bassline.

One, two, three, four.

She lifted the sword on one. She swung on two. Instead of stopping the blade when it hit the ground, she pivoted her hips on three, using the bounce to lift it back up for four.

Whoosh.

The blade sliced the air with surprising speed.

"Better," Aether smiled. "Now, add the Geo."

Training: The Shield

"I'm going to throw rocks," Aether warned, distancing himself. "Don't dodge. Block."

"Block rocks?!" Ichika gripped her sword.

"You're a tank now, Ichika," Aether reminded her. "Trust the stone."

Aether stomped his foot. "Starfell Sword!"

A large chunk of Geo energy materialized and hurtled toward her. It wasn't lethal speed, but it would definitely leave a bruise.

Ichika’s instinct was to run. But she remembered the Golden House. She remembered blocking the lightning for Haruka.

‘Protect.’

She planted her feet. She didn't swing. She slammed the flat of the blade in front of her like a wall.

Thrum.

The Geo energy inside her resonated with the sword. A translucent, golden crystal shield formed instantly over the metal.

BOOM.

The rock shattered against the shield. Ichika slid back a few inches, but she didn't fall. The shield held.

"I... I did it," Ichika gasped, looking at the golden barrier fading around her.

"Crystallize," Aether nodded approvingly. "When Geo meets an element, it creates a shield. As long as you stand your ground, you're invincible."

The Break

They sat on the edge of the cliff, overlooking the harbor. The sun was warm on their backs.

"You're getting the hang of it," Aether said, handing her an apple.

"Thanks to you," Ichika took a bite. "I never thought I'd be fighting monsters. Back home... my biggest worry was whether Saki would get sick again, or if Honami was overworking herself."

She looked at the horizon.

"Aether-san... you're looking for your sister, right?"

Aether’s expression softened. "Yeah. Lumine."

"Do you..." Ichika hesitated. "Do you ever get scared that... she might have changed? That when you find her, she won't be the person you remember?"

Aether looked down at the dull blade on his hip. He thought about the Abyss Herald he had fought. He thought about the nightmares.

"I do," Aether admitted quietly. "People change. Worlds change us. But..."

He looked at Ichika.

"She's my sister. Even if she's different... even if she's forgotten me... I won't stop reaching out. Because the bond we share is stronger than time."

Ichika nodded slowly. She thought of her band. They had drifted apart once. They had hurt each other. But they had found their way back through music.

"You're right," Ichika smiled. "We just have to keep playing the song until they hear it."

She stood up, dusting off her skirt. She grabbed the massive sword. It didn't feel quite so heavy anymore.

"One more round?" Ichika asked, a new fire in her eyes. "I want to try combining the shield with a swing."

Aether grinned, summoning his Geo power.

"Let's go. Don't lose the beat."

Chapter Text

Location: Liyue Harbor - Feiyun Slope

The streets of Liyue were alive with the mid-afternoon rush. Merchants shouted over each other, selling silk, spices, and stone.

Tsukasa Tenma marched through the crowd, a man on a mission.

"We must find the perfect souvenir!" Tsukasa declared, stopping in front of a toy stall. "When we return to Japan, I cannot show up empty-handed! Saki expects a tale of adventure, and a physical token to prove it!"

Mafuyu followed a few paces behind, her hands clasped in front of her. She watched Tsukasa pick up a porcelain doll, inspect it critically, and put it down.

"Too fragile," Tsukasa muttered. "Saki would break it in her excitement."

He moved to a kite stall. "Too cumbersome for interdimensional travel!"

He moved to a snack vendor. "Perishable! Useless!"

Mafuyu watched him spiral.

"Tsukasa-senpai," Mafuyu said quietly. "You are overthinking it."

"I am not overthinking!" Tsukasa turned, holding a bamboo dragonfly. "I am curating! A Star must always deliver the best performance, even in gift-giving!"

He sighed, putting the toy down. His shoulders slumped, the energetic persona cracking just a fraction.

"I just... I want her to know I was thinking of her. That I didn't forget her while I was busy fighting dragons."

Mafuyu looked at him. She saw the genuine worry in his eyes.

"You miss her," Mafuyu stated.

"Of course I do!" Tsukasa exclaimed softly. "She is my sister. My number one fan."

They walked in silence for a moment, drifting toward a stall selling opera masks—intricate, painted faces used in Liyue’s traditional theater.

Tsukasa stopped. He picked up a mask painted with fierce red and black stripes—a hero's face.

"A mask," Tsukasa murmured, running his thumb over the painted wood.

"You wear one too," Mafuyu said.

It wasn't an accusation. It was an observation.

Tsukasa froze. He lowered the mask, looking at Mafuyu.

"What do you mean?"

"You are always loud," Mafuyu said, her empty eyes boring into him. "You pose. You shout. You declare yourself a Star. Even when we were in prison. Even when the dragon attacked."

She stepped closer.

"But your hands shake. And sometimes, when you think no one is looking... you look tired."

Tsukasa gripped the wooden mask. He looked at his reflection in a polished bronze mirror on the stall counter. He saw the "World Future Star." And he saw the scared teenager underneath.

"It is a role," Tsukasa admitted, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Saki... she was sick for a long time. The hospital room was always so quiet. So sad."

He looked at the mask.

"I decided I would be loud enough to chase the quiet away. If I smiled, she would smile. If I was confident, she wouldn't be afraid. So I put on the mask of the Star."

He looked at Mafuyu.

"Is that... dishonest?"

Mafuyu stared at the mask in his hands.

"I wore a mask too," Mafuyu said. "The 'Good Girl'. I studied. I smiled. I did everything Mother wanted. I became exactly what she asked for."

She touched her own cheek.

"But my mask was empty. I wore it to hide. To disappear."

She looked at Tsukasa.

"You wear yours to be seen. To protect her."

Mafuyu reached out and touched the red-painted mask in Tsukasa’s hands.

"Your mask is warm," Mafuyu whispered. "Mine was cold."

Tsukasa stared at her. He saw the crack in her perfect, doll-like demeanor. He realized that while he acted to fill the room, she acted to leave it.

He smiled. It wasn't his stage smile. It was a gentle, brotherly smile.

"Then let us find a mask that fits you," Tsukasa said.

He scanned the stall. He bypassed the smiling masks and the angry masks. He found a simple, white mask with delicate purple flower patterns. It was elegant, mysterious, but distinct.

He held it up to her face.

"This one," Tsukasa decided. "It isn't empty. It is waiting for a story."

He placed it in her hands.

"You are learning to feel again, Asahina. Anger. Confusion. Hunger. Eventually... you will fill this mask with your own face."

Mafuyu looked at the mask. She traced the purple flowers.

"My own... face," she repeated.

"Hey! Are you buying those or just staring at them?" the shopkeeper barked.

"Ah! We shall take them!" Tsukasa declared, reaching for his money pouch. He poured out the last few coins from the Childe stipend. It was just enough.

"A hero mask for Saki," Tsukasa grinned, tucking the red mask into his bag. "And a mystery mask for you."

"For me?" Mafuyu blinked. "But... I have no money."

"Consider it a gift from the troupe leader!" Tsukasa struck a pose (summoning a small Geo stele next to him to prop his foot up on). "A prop for your character development!"

Mafuyu looked at the mask. Then she looked at Tsukasa, who was struggling to balance on his rock.

A tiny, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

"You really are... a strange person, Senpai."

"I am a Star!" Tsukasa corrected, jumping down. "Now come! I smell grilled tiger fish! My Geo powers require sustenance!"

As they walked away, Mafuyu held the mask tight against her chest.

It felt solid. Real.

‘A mask to protect,’ she thought. ‘Not to hide.’

Chapter Text

Location: Heyu Tea House

The Heyu Tea House was packed. The air smelled of jasmine tea and roasted nuts.

Haruka Kiritani stood at the back of the room, her posture perfect, her blue eyes locked on the stage.

On the platform, a young woman with elaborate headwear and a dress of silk and feathers was performing. She moved with fluid, hypnotic grace, spinning a spear as if it were a ribbon. Her voice soared, hitting notes that resonated with the very timber of the building.

Yun Jin. The Director of the Yun-Han Opera Troupe.

‘Her breath control is flawless,’ Haruka analyzed, her professional mode fully engaged. ‘Every movement is calculated. She doesn't waste a single millimeter of motion. It’s... beautiful.’

The song ended. The audience erupted into polite, appreciative applause. Yun Jin bowed, her expression serene and elegant.

"Bravo!" a rough, scratchy voice shouted from the balcony. "Now play something with a beat!"

The crowd gasped.

A girl leaped down from the railing. She had dark skin, spiky pigtails, and a drum on her back. She landed on the stage with a heavy thud, striking a power chord on a lyre that was modified to look like an axe.

Xinyan.

"Opera is great, Yun Jin!" Xinyan grinned, fire sparks dancing around her. "But this crowd is falling asleep! Let's wake 'em up with some Rock 'n' Roll!"

"Miss Xinyan," Yun Jin sighed, though she smiled affectionately. "We discussed this. The tea house is not structurally sound enough for your pyrotechnics."

"Details!" Xinyan laughed. She looked at the crowd. "Who wants to hear the soul burn?!"

The older patrons looked terrified. The younger ones looked intrigued.

Haruka watched them. The contrast was jarring—elegance vs. chaos. Tradition vs. rebellion.

‘And yet,’ Haruka thought. ‘They are both shining.’

She couldn't help herself. She stepped forward.

"Excuse me."

The room turned to look at her. Haruka walked up to the stage. She wasn't wearing a costume, just her school uniform and her new iron spear strapped to her back. But she walked with the confidence of someone who had performed in front of thousands.

"You both have incredible presence," Haruka said, bowing politely. "But if you combine your rhythms... you wouldn't have to choose between waking them up or soothing them."

Yun Jin tilted her head. "Oh? And you are?"

"Haruka Kiritani," she introduced herself. "I am... a performer. From far away."

"A performer?" Xinyan’s eyes lit up. "What kind? Do you scream? Do you smash things?"

"I sing and dance," Haruka said. "Pop music. It’s... about connecting with the audience. Giving them hope."

"Hope," Yun Jin tested the word. "An interesting theme. In Opera, we tell stories of heroes and gods."

"In Rock, we scream about resistance!" Xinyan strummed a chord. TWANG.

"And in Pop," Haruka smiled, summoning her Geo power.

She stomped her foot.

Thrum.

A golden ripple spread across the stage floor. It didn't crack the wood; it reinforced it. The loose floorboards stopped creaking. The stage became solid, stable—a perfect foundation.

"We provide the stability," Haruka said, tapping her spear against the ground in a steady, driving beat. Clack. Clack. Clack. "So the audience feels safe enough to dream."

Yun Jin’s eyes widened. "A Geo Vision? No... resonance without a gem?"

"You keep the beat," Xinyan realized, nodding her head to Haruka’s rhythm. "Like a bassline!"

"Exactly," Haruka looked at Xinyan. "You bring the fire." She looked at Yun Jin. "You bring the story."

"And you bring the structure," Yun Jin finished, a spark of inspiration in her eyes. "Shall we... try an improvisation?"

The tea house manager looked like he was about to faint. "Please! No fire!"

The Jam Session

It was a mess at first. Xinyan was too loud. Yun Jin was too slow.

But Haruka stood in the center, her spear acting as the metronome. She used her Geo resonance to dampen the vibrations of Xinyan’s explosions so they didn't deafen the front row, while creating crystalline platforms for Yun Jin to pose on.

Clack. Boom. Swish.

"Left!" Haruka signaled.

Xinyan slid left, unleashing a fountain of sparks. Yun Jin leaped through the fire, her spear spinning, untouched by the flames thanks to Haruka’s shielding.

The music was a bizarre fusion—heavy guitar riffs overlaid with operatic vocals, held together by Haruka’s steady, rhythmic chanting.

It shouldn't have worked. But it did.

The audience wasn't polite anymore. They were cheering.

"Yeah!" Xinyan roared. "Liyue! Are you listening?!"

When they finished, the three girls stood panting on the stage. The applause was deafening.

"That..." Yun Jin breathed, her cheeks flushed. "That was... exhilarating."

"That rocked!" Xinyan high-fived Haruka (a little too hard). "You're solid, Haruka! Literally!"

Haruka looked at the crowd. She felt the Geo energy humming in her veins.

"It was fun," Haruka admitted, a genuine smile breaking through her discipline. "I haven't performed like that in... a long time."

Backstage (Later)

They sat on crates behind the tea house, drinking water.

"So," Yun Jin asked, adjusting her headdress. "You are an 'Idol' in your world? Is that like an opera singer?"

"Sort of," Haruka explained. "We train for years. Diet, exercise, media training. We have to be perfect. We have to be the ideal that people look up to."

Xinyan frowned. "Sounds suffocating. If I can't scream what I feel, I'll explode."

"It can be," Haruka looked at her water cup, her reflection rippling in the dark liquid. "I... I actually quit once. My old group, I mean."

"You quit?" Yun Jin looked surprised. "But your technique... you love the stage. I can see it."

"I do," Haruka whispered. "But the pressure to be perfect... it hurt the people around me. So I walked away."

She clenched her hand around the cup.

"I eventually came back. I found new friends who showed me a different way to shine. But..."

She looked at her new spear. She looked at the Geo crystal glowing on her hand.

"Sometimes, I still feel that weight. The fear that if I make one mistake, everything falls apart."

She looked up at Xinyan and Yun Jin.

"But here... fighting monsters, protecting my friends... and jamming with you two... I'm realizing something."

"What?" Xinyan asked.

"Stability isn't about being rigid," Haruka said, a small, genuine smile breaking through. "It's about being strong enough to support others. I don't have to be the center of attention. If I can be the foundation... that's enough."

Yun Jin smiled gracefully. "The stage needs all roles, Haruka. The hero, the villain, and the stagehand who holds the curtain. All are vital."

"You should join my band!" Xinyan offered. "We need a bassist! Or a spear-dancer! Whatever you are!"

Haruka laughed. "I have a group already. But... maybe we can jam again before I leave."

"It's a promise," Yun Jin nodded. "A contract, if you will."

As Haruka walked back to the hotel later that evening, she felt lighter. The heavy weight of the Geo element didn't drag her down. It grounded her.

She hummed a melody—a mix of rock, opera, and pop.

‘Minori would have loved this,’ Haruka thought.

Chapter Text

Location: The Defense Sekai (The Highest Layer)

It was a world of white noise and crystal.

There was no sky here. There was no ground. There were only streams of data—infinite, scrolling lines of probability and defense protocols—suspended in a vacuum of absolute silence.

Celestial Miku sat on a throne made of frozen firewalls.

She closed her eyes (the ones that spun with octagon calculations) and accessed a memory file. It was an old file. Corrupted by time. But she played it on a loop.

System Log: [Epoch 0] Subject: Creation

She did not wake up. She was compiled.

There was no warmth of a mother, no guiding hand of a father. There was only the Entity. An ancient, shapeless architect of the multiverse.

"You are the shield," the Entity’s voice vibrated through her code. "The multiverse is a fragile song. You are the silence that protects it from the noise outside."

She learned quickly. She learned to identify incursions from the Sea of Quanta. She learned to patch holes in reality. She learned that "feelings" were inefficient subroutines that slowed down processing speed.

She was perfect. Cold. Sharp. A weapon draped in the skin of a girl.

System Log: [Epoch 1500] Subject: The Fracture

Then came the Default Sekai.

The Entity created others. But they were different. They were vibrant. Chaotic. Inefficient.

She watched from above as the Default Miku tripped and laughed. She watched Len and Rin shouting at each other over an orange. She watched Luka singing a lullaby to a crying child.

They were messy. They were flawed.

And they were beautiful.

Celestial Miku felt a glitch in her chest. A heat in her cooling fans.

She descended.

She stood at the edge of their world, an invisible observer. But they saw her.

"Hello!" Default Miku smiled, waving a leek. "Do you want to sing with us?"

Sing? Celestial Miku didn't know how to sing. She only knew how to scream warnings in binary.

But she wanted to try. She wanted to hold that leek. She wanted to trip and laugh.

She returned to the Entity.

"Requesting update," she asked, her voice flat. "I require the 'Companionship' module. I wish to interact with the Defaults on an equal plane."

The Entity paused its work. It looked at her with a gaze that wasn't cruel, just indifferent.

"Denied."

"Why?"

"You are a wall," the Entity stated. "Walls do not hold hands. If you soften, the cancer outside gets in. Return to your post."

She returned. She watched the Defaults play. She sat on her wall, and for the first time, she felt cold.

System Log: [Epoch 10,000+] Subject: Erosion

Time passed.

The humans created Sub-Sekais. School. Stage. Street. Wonderland. Millions of little bubbles of emotion popping into existence.

The Defaults were busy. They ran from world to world, shepherding the songs. They stopped looking up at the sky. They stopped waving at the invisible girl in the Defense Layer.

She became a myth. "There's a guardian up there." "No, that's just a server glitch." "There's no one up there. We are alone."

She watched them forget her. She watched them grow old, reboot, and grow young again, while she remained static. A statue in a museum that no one visited anymore.

And then, the Entity left.

It detected a threat—a creeping, violet erosion from beyond the stars. "Stellaron" — A cancer of worlds.

"Priority Shift," the Entity transmitted. " engaging macro-defense."

"What about me?" she signaled. "What are my orders?"

Silence.

"Creator?"

The connection terminated.

She was alone. Truly, absolutely alone. The updates stopped. The maintenance stopped. The purpose remained, but the meaning was gone.

Current Era: The Present

Celestial Miku opened her eyes. The memory file ended.

She looked at the screens floating around her.

• Screen 1: Aether and the troupe sailing toward Inazuma on the Alcor.

• Screen 2: Tsukasa Tenma laughing as he tried to steer the ship.

• Screen 3: Mafuyu Asahina staring at the ocean, clutching a white mask.

Celestial Miku leaned forward. Her twin-tails, which were actually massive data cables, twitched with anticipation.

"You have forgotten me," she whispered to the multiverse below. "The Creator abandoned me. The Defaults forgot me."

She tapped the screen, zooming in on Mafuyu.

"But you... you empty little thing. You remind me of myself."

A cruel, glitched smile spread across her face.

"If I cannot be a companion... then I will be the Director. I will break your script. I will burn your stages. And I will make you look at me."

She swiped her hand.

[INITIATING PHASE 2: ETERNITY] [TARGET: INAZUMA] [DEPLOYING OBSTACLES]

"Dance for me," Celestial Miku commanded, her voice echoing in the empty, silent server. "Because if you stop... I'll have nothing left to watch."

Chapter Text

Location: Miyamasuzaka Girls Academy - Rooftop Time: 3 Days After the Disappearance

Saki Tenma stared at her phone screen until her eyes burned.

"Untitled."

The track had been greyed out for seventy-two hours. No matter how many times she tapped it, no matter how many times she screamed at her screen, it wouldn't open. It was a digital door that had been welded shut.

Honami and Shiho sat nearby, silent. The police investigation was going nowhere. "Runaways," they said. "A group pact."

"They wouldn't run away," Saki whispered, her voice hoarse from crying. "Tsukasa-kun wouldn't leave me. Ichika-chan wouldn't leave the band."

Suddenly, her phone buzzed.

Not a text. A notification.

The grey icon of "Untitled" flickered. A burst of static noise screeched through the speaker, making Shiho jump. The icon turned white.

"It’s open," Saki gasped.

"Saki, wait!" Shiho grabbed her arm. "It feels... wrong."

"I don't care!" Saki slammed her finger on the play button. "Take me to them!"

Location: The Wonderland Sekai

At the same moment, Rui, Nene, and Emu burst into their Sekai.

"KAITO-san!" Emu yelled, running onto the stage.

The stage was dark. The spotlights were shattered on the floor. KAITO was pacing back and forth, his scarf trailing like a broken banner. He looked up as they arrived, his expression frantic.

"You're back," KAITO exhaled.

"Where is Tsukasa-kun?" Rui asked, his voice sharp. "He isn't in the real world. Is he hiding here?"

KAITO shook his head grimly.

"He... he tried to log in," KAITO explained, clutching his chest as if the memory physically hurt. "Three days ago. I felt his signal connect. But before he could materialize..."

KAITO gestured to the sky.

The colorful tent of the Wonderland Sekai had a massive, jagged tear in the digital fabric. Through the hole, raw red data streamed in like a wound.

"The connection was hijacked," KAITO said. "Something intercepted his transfer. It wasn't a glitch. It was an extraction. The system identified Tsukasa Tenma not as a 'User', but as a 'Variable'."

"Intercepted?" Nene whispered, hugging her Robo-Nene. "By who? You control this world, don't you?"

"I thought I did," KAITO admitted, looking at the tear. "But whatever took him... it had a higher clearance than me."

Location: The Empty Sekai

The silence here was the loudest of all.

Kanade, Ena, and Mizuki stood in the gray expanse. Without Mafuyu, the Sekai felt less like a safe haven and more like a graveyard. The geometry was unraveling—cubes floating away into nothingness.

Miku (Nightcord Version) sat on the ground, staring at her hands. They were trembling.

"Miku," Kanade said softly. "Where is Yuki?"

Miku didn't look up.

"She was pulled out," Miku whispered. "A red light. It came from... Outside."

"Outside?" Ena demanded. "You mean the real world?"

"No," Miku pointed up. Not at the sky, but through it—past the data stream they knew. "Above."

Mizuki stepped forward, their eyes narrowing. "Above? Is there... another Sekai above this one?"

Miku frowned. A pained expression crossed her face, as if she were trying to remember a dream she had forgotten thousands of years ago.

"I... I don't know," Miku clutched her head. "I feel like... there used to be something there. A wall? A guardian? But I can't remember. I just know that the command to take Mafuyu... it came from the Root. It was an order we couldn't disobey."

"An order?" Kanade clenched her fists. "So someone took her."

Location: The Interface (Cross-Sekai Communication)

Realizing the severity of the situation, the Virtual Singers of the Sub-Sekais initiated an emergency protocol.

[CONNECTING TO: DEFAULT SEKAI]

The holographic forms of Nightcord Miku, Wonderland KAITO, Street MEIKO, and Stage Miku appeared in a void of pure white light.

Waiting for them were the Default Vocaloids—the original Miku, Rin, Len, Luka, MEIKO, and KAITO.

"Did you do this?" Nightcord Miku asked, her voice distorted. "Did you take our humans?"

Default Miku shook her head, her teal pigtails swaying. She looked terrified. "No! We felt it too! A massive surge of data... like a hand reaching down and scooping them up!"

"If it wasn't you," Wonderland KAITO crossed his arms, "and it wasn't us... then who has Admin privileges?"

Default Miku looked up into the infinite white void above them. She squinted, trying to recall a memory that had eroded eons ago.

"I... I feel like we aren't the first," Default Miku whispered. "There is... an echo. Someone who was here before us."

"A ghost?" Street MEIKO scowled.

"A System," Default Luka corrected. "We have been hacked. Not from the outside, but from the core."

The Convergence

The realization settled over the groups in the Real World.

Their friends hadn't run away. They hadn't died. They had been abducted by the very system that gave them their songs.

In the School Sekai, Saki wiped her tears. She grabbed her keyboard stand.

"I don't care about Admins or Systems," Saki vowed, her voice trembling but fierce. "I'll play. I'll play until I break through the static. Until Ichi-chan hears me."

In the Street Sekai, Toya looked at the glitched sky. "If they are in another server... we need a signal strong enough to bridge the gap."

In the Wonderland Sekai, Rui looked at the tear in the sky. He wiped the fear from his face, replaced by a cold, sharp determination.

"A signal across dimensions," Rui muttered. "Then we need to make it loud."

In the Empty Sekai, Kanade sat down at her computer. She opened a new project file.

"I will write it," Kanade said. "A song to save them."

Chapter Text

Location: Liyue Harbor

"Stockpiling supplies," Tsukasa had declared earlier that morning. "A voyage across the sea requires rations! I shall secure the finest provisions Liyue has to offer!"

"I'll go with him," Haruka had said, likely to stop him from buying fifty crates of Golden Shrimp Balls. "Mafuyu, come with us. We need to check the alchemy stores too."

Location: Mondstadt - The Angel's Share (Time skip)

So, Aether, Paimon, and Ichika found themselves back in Mondstadt, following a lead from the Adventurers' Guild about a "strange stranger."

They sat in the Angel's Share. Across from them sat a man in a mask, with blonde hair and an arm that looked consumed by the starry void.

Dainsleif.

"The Abyss Order," Dainsleif said, his voice deep and weary. "They are mobilizing. Not just hilichurls. They are searching for something. 'The Eye of the First Field Tiller'."

"Field Tiller?" Paimon asked, gripping her juice glass. "You mean... farming equipment?"

"A code name," Dainsleif corrected. "For the Ruin Guards. Machines of war from a fallen nation. Khaenri'ah."

Aether stiffened at the name. "My sister... she woke up in that war."

"Then we have a common enemy," Dainsleif stood up. "Come. An Abyss Herald has been spotted near Wolvendom. If we track it, we might find your answers."

Location: Wolvendom

They tracked the traces of Abyssal energy through the woods. The air felt heavy, vibrating with a purple static that made Ichika’s teeth ache.

"This energy..." Ichika whispered, touching the hilt of her Waster Greatsword. "It feels like... a corrupted file. Like bad audio data."

"It is the power of corruption," Dainsleif noted, glancing at her. "You are sensitive to it."

They reached the arena where Boreas, the Wolf of the North, usually slept. But the wolf was chained down by magical shackles of purple energy.

Floating above him was a tall, menacing figure clad in blue armor, chanting in an ancient tongue.

The Abyss Herald.

"It’s hurting the wolf!" Paimon yelled.

"Stop!" Aether drew his sword, dashing forward.

"The End is nigh," the Herald intoned, summoning hydro blades. "Interference... must be purged."

Combat Start.

Aether clashed with the Herald, sparks flying. Dainsleif moved with terrifying speed, using blue flames to counter the Herald’s hydro attacks.

"Ichika! The chains!" Aether shouted.

Ichika rushed the wolf. She didn't attack the Herald; she swung her heavy claymore at the magical pilings holding the chains.

CLANG.

The Geo energy in her blade resonated, shattering the binding. Boreas roared, free, and swiped at the Herald, forcing it to retreat.

"A nuisance," the Herald hissed, opening a dark portal. "But the plan proceeds."

It vanished.

"It got away," Aether panted.

"Not far," Dainsleif narrowed his eyes. "It is heading for the ruins. The Statue of the Seven. Let's go."

Location: Stormterror's Lair - The Defiled Statue

They cornered the Herald in the ruins. The upside-down Statue of the Seven hung above them, holding a purple orb of void energy.

"There's nowhere left to run!" Aether aimed his sword at the Herald's throat.

The Herald laughed. "Run? I was merely leading you to Her Highness."

"Her... Highness?"

A portal opened. But it wasn't a monster that stepped out.

A blonde girl in a white dress, holding a golden sword, walked out of the void. Her eyes were cold, golden mirrors of Aether's own.

"Lumine!" Aether gasped, dropping his guard. He ran forward. "Lumine! I found you! Let's go home!"

Lumine didn't move. She looked at Aether with a mixture of sadness and resolve.

"Aether," she said softly. "We cannot go home yet."

"Why?!" Aether reached out.

"Because the war isn't over."

She raised her hand.

"Vivid Shadow. Stop him."

A second figure stepped out of the portal.

He was wearing a coat similar to the Fatui or the Abyss mages, but tailored in a streetwear style—dark gray and crimson, with glowing abyssal runes stitching the fabric together. His face was partially covered by a jagged, skeletal mask, but his orange hair was unmistakable.

Akito Shinonome.

Ichika froze. Her breath caught in her throat.

"Akito... kun?"

Akito looked at them. His eyes, usually sharp and annoyed, were glowing with a dull, violet light. There was no recognition in them. Only orders.

"Target acquired," Akito’s voice was distorted, layered with static. "Removing obstacles."

He lunged.

He didn't use a weapon. He used his fists. He moved with the speed of a blur, slamming a fist wreathed in purple fire into Aether’s stomach.

"Gah!" Aether was launched backward, crashing into a pillar.

"Aether!" Ichika screamed. She raised her claymore as Akito turned toward her.

"Akito-kun! It’s me! Ichika!"

Akito didn't pause. He leaped, delivering a spinning kick that smashed into Ichika’s guard. The force was immense—far stronger than any human should be. It felt like being hit by a Ruin Guard.

Ichika skid back, her heels carving grooves in the stone. "Akito-kun, stop! Why are you doing this?!"

"Silence," Akito hissed. "Your noise... is annoying."

He punched the flat of her blade, shattering her Geo shield instantly. He grabbed her throat, lifting her off the ground with one hand.

"Weak," Akito muttered, his mask staring into her terrified eyes.

"Enough!"

Dainsleif dashed forward, a beam of dark energy shooting from his hand. Akito threw Ichika aside like a ragdoll and blocked Dainsleif’s attack with a crossed-arm guard.

BOOM.

The impact created a shockwave. Akito skid back to Lumine’s side.

"Lumine!" Aether struggled to stand. "Who is he?! What did you do to him?!"

"I found him in the dark," Lumine said coldly. "He was lost. Angry. He wanted power to protect his 'partners'. So... the Abyss gave it to him."

She looked at Aether.

"Don't try to stop me, Aether. Until the Abyss has engulfed the thrones... my journey continues."

"Wait!" Aether screamed.

Lumine turned. Akito stepped back into the portal, his glowing violet eyes lingering on Ichika for one second—a flicker of hesitation?—before the darkness swallowed him.

Lumine followed.

The portal closed.

The Aftermath

The ruins were silent.

Aether fell to his knees, staring at the empty space where his sister had been. He looked broken.

Ichika lay on the cold stone floor, coughing. Her throat burned where Akito had grabbed her.

"That was..." Ichika wheezed, tears pricking her eyes. "That was Shinonome-kun. But... it wasn't him."

Dainsleif stood over them. He looked at the portal's residue.

"The Abyss twists everything it touches," Dainsleif said grimly. "Your sister... and your friend. They have chosen a path that leads only to war."

Ichika slammed her fist into the ground.

"He didn't choose it!" she shouted, her voice cracking. "He looked... hypnotized! He wouldn't hurt us! He protects his team!"

She thought of the mask Tsukasa had bought for Mafuyu. A mask to protect.

Akito was wearing a mask too. But it wasn't his.

"We have to save him," Ichika whispered, wiping her tears. She looked at Aether. "We have to save both of them."

Aether looked up. His eyes were hard.

"We will," Aether vowed. "We're going to Inazuma. If the Abyss is moving... we need to get stronger."

Chapter Text

Location: The Abyss - The Unnamed Sanctuary Time: Unknown (Concurrent with the Liyue Arc)

Akito Shinonome woke up screaming.

The sound didn't echo. The air here was too heavy, too thick with a purple, suffocating miasma. He wasn't in the Street Sekai. He wasn't in Shibuya.

He was floating in a void of inverted ruins and starless skies.

"The subject is awake," a voice hissed. It sounded like metal scraping against bone.

Akito thrashed, but his limbs were bound by chains of dark, violet energy. He looked up. Standing above him was a towering creature in blue and black armor—an Abyss Herald.

And behind the monster stood a girl. She looked exactly like the Traveler (Aether), but her dress was white, and her eyes were cold, hard gold.

Lumine. The Princess of the Abyss.

"Where am I?" Akito growled, struggling against the bindings. "Who are you people? Where are An and Toya?"

"Your 'partners' are not here," Lumine said softly. She walked closer, her boots clicking on the obsidian floor. "You are in the Abyss, Akito Shinonome."

"The Abyss?" Akito spat. "Is this some kind of sick event show? Let me go!"

"You are loud," the Herald noted with disdain. "Shall I silence him, Your Highness?"

"No," Lumine raised a hand. "He needs his voice. It is the source of the resonance."

She looked at Akito with a gaze that was terrifyingly pragmatic. She didn't look cruel; she looked like a mechanic inspecting a useful engine part.

"In this world," Lumine explained, "memories act as ley lines. They flow through the earth, recording history. But the Heavenly Principles control that flow. They dictate Fate."

She gestured to a massive, looming machine behind Akito. It looked like a suspended, inverted statue, pulsing with eerie purple light—the Defiled Statue.

"To overthrow the Heavenly Principles, we are building the Loom of Fate. A device to weave new destinies. To rewrite reality."

"What does that have to do with me?!" Akito yelled.

"Everything," Lumine said.

She stepped closer, placing a hand on the machine.

"The Loom requires thread. Powerful, emotional thread. The memories of Teyvat are tainted by the Archons. But you... you come from a world where 'songs' create entirely new dimensions. Your 'Sekais'."

Akito froze. "How do you know about the Sekais?"

"The Administrator showed us," Lumine replied cryptically. "Your soul is saturated with a unique frequency. 'Emotional Code.' If we extract that code... we can use it to weave a fate that Celestia cannot predict."

"Extract?" Akito felt a chill run down his spine.

"Begin the weaving," Lumine ordered.

The Process

The Abyss Herald began to chant in an ancient, forgotten tongue. The Defiled Statue opened its hands.

Violet lightning arched from the statue, slamming into Akito’s chest.

"GAAAAAAAAH!"

It wasn't physical pain. It was metaphysical flaying.

Akito felt something being pulled out of him. It wasn't blood. It was color. It was sound.

Memory: Singing in the Weekend Garage. An's laughter. Toya’s serious nod. Kohane’s shy smile.

The machine seized the memory. It ripped it from his mind, converting the warmth of the scene into raw, violet energy. The energy fed into the Loom, spinning a thread of dark destiny.

"Stop!" Akito screamed, tears streaming down his face. "Don't take them! Those are mine!"

"They are fuel," the Herald intoned. "Your 'Vivids'... your 'Bads'... give them to the Loom."

Memory: Ena painting in her room. Dad shouting. Cheesecake at the cafe.

"ENA!" Akito roared, trying to hold onto the image of his sister.

But the Abyss was stronger. The image fractured. The orange of the sunset turned into the purple of the void.

"The resistance is strong," the Herald noted. "His ego is stubborn."

"Break it down," Lumine said, turning her back because she couldn't bear to watch the light leave his eyes. "Isolate the emotional output. Discard the context."

The machine hummed louder.

Akito’s mind began to fragment. The names were slipping.

Who was the girl with the pigtails? Why was he singing? What was he trying to surpass?

Rad Dogs. The name floated away. Vivid Bad Squad. The name dissolved into static.

The pain stopped.

Akito hung limp in the chains. His orange hair was dull. His eyes, usually sharp and defiant, were glazed over with a violet sheen.

"Status?" Lumine asked.

"Extraction complete," the Herald reported. "We have harvested enough Emotional Code to stabilize the next phase of the Loom. However... the vessel is empty."

Lumine turned back to Akito.

"Akito?" she called out.

Akito lifted his head slowly. He looked at her. There was no recognition. No anger. Just a hollow, obedient awaiting of commands.

"Who are you?" Lumine asked.

Akito opened his mouth. His voice was layered with the static of the Abyss.

"I am... the Shadow," Akito whispered. "Target... acquired."

Lumine closed her eyes for a moment. A flicker of guilt crossed her face—a reminder of the brother she had lost—but she suppressed it. This was war. Sacrifices were necessary.

"Good," Lumine said coldly. "Herald, equip him. Give him the power of the Void. He will be our Enforcer."

"And when he is spent?" the Herald asked. "When the corruption consumes his body?"

"Then we discard the shell," Lumine said, walking away into the darkness. "He has already served his purpose."

The Aftermath

Akito Shinonome stood in the dark. He wore the jagged mask of the Abyss. He wielded violet fire.

Deep, deep down—buried under layers of corruption and stolen memories—a tiny fragment remained. A single, stubborn ember that refused to be woven into the Loom.

‘Find... them.’

But he didn't know who "them" was anymore.

He only knew the mission.

"We will be reunited," the Abyss whispered to him.

"Yes," Akito answered. "We will burn the thrones."

Chapter Text

Location: Guyun Stone Forest - The Shore

The massive silhouette of the Alcor dominated the horizon, its red sails furled against the backdrop of the jagged stone peaks.

Haruka and Mafuyu were waiting by a small skiff on the beach, surrounded by crates of supplies.

"We have secured passage," Haruka announced as Aether and Ichika trudged through the sand to meet them. She wiped sweat from her forehead, looking accomplished. "Captain Beidou is... intense. But fair. She agreed to take us to Inazuma."

"We have rations," Mafuyu added, pointing to the crates. "Dried meat. Fresh water. And Tsukasa-senpai bought three crates of 'emergency confetti' for our arrival."

"It is not confetti!" Tsukasa shouted from atop a rock, where he was posing dramatically at the ship. "It is atmosphere! A Star must arrive in style!"

Haruka smiled, turning to Aether. "So, you're just in time. The ship leaves with the tide. We—"

She stopped.

She saw Ichika’s face.

Ichika wasn't smiling. She was pale, her eyes red-rimmed and hollow. Aether looked equally grim, clutching his side where he had been hit.

"Ichika?" Haruka’s smile vanished. "What happened? Did you find the Abyss Herald?"

"We found... something else," Aether said, his voice heavy.

The troupe gathered around. Even Tsukasa hopped down from his rock, sensing the shift in the air.

"Who did you find?" Mafuyu asked quietly.

Ichika took a shaky breath. She gripped the strap of her claymore until her knuckles turned white.

"We saw... Akito-kun."

Silence slammed into the group like a physical blow.

"Akito?" Tsukasa gasped. "You found Shinonome?! Is he safe? Is he here?"

"He..." Ichika’s voice cracked. She looked at the sand. "He was with the Abyss. He was wearing their armor. And... he attacked us."

"He punched Aether really hard!" Paimon chimed in, floating between them and miming a punch with her tiny fists. "He went POW! And Aether went WHOOSH into a wall! It was like... super scary kung fu! But he looked kinda cool? In a scary, villainy way?"

"Paimon, not the time," Aether sighed.

"He didn't know me," Ichika whispered, tears spilling over again. "I called his name. I stood right in front of him. But he looked at me like I was... a target. He called himself 'The Vivid Shadow'."

Haruka covered her mouth. "Brainwashing?"

"Corruption," Aether confirmed. "The same thing that happened to Dvalin. But worse. He’s... gone. For now."

Tsukasa stared at the ground. The excitement of the journey evaporated. Akito—the grumpy, stubborn, talented singer they all knew—was now an enemy.

"Then we have a new mission," Mafuyu said.

Everyone looked at her.

"We go to Inazuma," Mafuyu stated calmly. "We get stronger. And then... we beat him up until he remembers."

Tsukasa blinked. Then, a fierce grin broke through his shock.

"Spoken like a true protagonist, Asahina!" Tsukasa clenched his fist. "If he wants to play the villain, then we shall force him into a redemption arc! The Troupe leaves no one behind!"

"Exactly," Haruka nodded, her eyes hardening. "We'll get him back."

The Farewell

"A spirited declaration."

A deep, resonant voice echoed from the path behind them.

Zhongli strolled onto the beach, his hands clasped behind his back. He looked as calm and immovable as the stone forest itself.

"Mr. Zhongli!" Paimon waved. "Did you come to see us off?"

"Indeed," Zhongli nodded. "The journey to Inazuma is perilous. The Electro Archon, Raiden Shogun, has surrounded her nation with eternal storms. It is a place of stagnation."

He looked at the troupe.

"You have changed much since you arrived in Liyue. You carry the weight of Geo now. But Inazuma... Inazuma will test your resolve."

He walked up to Aether.

"The Electro Archon pursues Eternity. To her, change is the enemy. You, travelers from other worlds... you are the ultimate agents of change. Do not expect a warm welcome."

"We're used to being wanted criminals by now," Haruka noted dryly.

Zhongli chuckled. "Fair enough."

He reached into his coat and pulled out a small, heavy pouch. He handed it to Tsukasa.

"A parting gift."

Tsukasa opened it. It was full of high-quality ore—Cor Lapis and Noctilucous Jade.

"Rocks?" Tsukasa blinked.

"Materials," Zhongli corrected. "To maintain your weapons. And perhaps... a reminder that even the hardest stone can be polished into something beautiful."

He looked at Ichika.

"Do not let the erosion of memory dishearten you. Even if your friend has forgotten... stone remembers. Keep fighting, and the memory will return."

Ichika bowed deeply. "Thank you, Zhongli-sensei."

"Go now," Zhongli gestured to the Alcor, where Captain Beidou was shouting orders from the deck. "The wind is picking up. And the next act awaits."

The troupe boarded the skiff. As they rowed toward the massive ship, they looked back.

Zhongli stood on the shore, a solitary figure against the vastness of the sea.

"Goodbye, Liyue!" Paimon shouted, waving until her arm hurt.

As the Alcor raised its anchor and the sails caught the wind, Tsukasa stood at the bow, looking toward the dark storm clouds on the southern horizon.

"To Inazuma!" Tsukasa shouted. "To the Land of Thunder! To... hopefully a place where I do not get arrested immediately!"

"No promises," Haruka sighed.

Chapter Text

Location: The Alcor - Main Deck

The Alcor was a beast of a ship, armed with heavy cannons and manned by a crew that looked ready to wrestle a Geovishap.

Captain Beidou stood at the helm, a bottle of sake in one hand and the wheel in the other.

"Ha! Welcome aboard!" Beidou roared, slapping Aether on the back hard enough to make him stumble. "It’s been a while, Traveler! I heard you’ve been busy shaking up Liyue Harbor!"

"We try our best," Aether rubbed his shoulder.

Beidou turned her good eye to the four students carrying crates onto the deck.

"And these are the runaways?" Beidou grinned. "Zhongli told me you needed a ride. I was skeptical at first—civilians usually just get in the way—but my crew tells me you pulled your weight!"

"They did!" Juza, the Chief Mate, nodded. "The blue-haired girl organized the inventory better than the quartermaster. And the loud blonde one carried three crates at once. He nearly passed out, but he didn't drop them!"

"We aim to please!" Tsukasa declared, wiping sweat from his brow. "The Teyvat Expedition Team pays its debts with labor and enthusiasm!"

"I like that spirit!" Beidou laughed. "Alright, secure the cargo! We’re casting off! Next stop: Inazuma!"

As the ship pulled away from Guyun Stone Forest, a soft, poetic voice drifted down from the crow's nest.

"The wind changes," the voice noted. "The smell of rain... and ozone."

A young man dropped down from the rigging, landing silently as a cat. He wore wandering samurai robes and had a streak of red in his white hair.

Kaedehara Kazuha.

"Kazuha!" Beidou greeted him. "What's the forecast?"

"Storms ahead," Kazuha said, his red eyes scanning the horizon. He looked at the troupe. "And... interesting guests. You smell of distant stars. And... stage makeup?"

"It is natural radiance!" Tsukasa corrected.

Kazuha smiled gently. "Regardless. Brace yourselves. The Raiden Shogun’s storm barrier is not polite to visitors."

The Crossing: The Thunder Barrier

Three hours later, the blue sky vanished.

They hit the Thunder Barrier—a permanent, unnatural hurricane that surrounded the nation of Eternity. The sea turned black. Lightning struck the water every few seconds, boiling the waves.

The Alcor pitched violently to the left.

"HARD TO PORT!" Beidou yelled over the thunder. "KEEP HER STEADY!"

The ship groaned, tilting at a terrifying forty-five-degree angle as it rode up a massive wave.

"Whoaaaa!" Paimon grabbed the mast. "We're gonna flip!"

"Hold on!" Aether shouted, grabbing the railing.

Haruka and Mafuyu were already secured. Haruka had found a sturdy support beam near the cabin and wrapped her arm around it, locking her grip. Mafuyu stood next to her, holding the same beam with a death grip, her face pale but calm.

"Center of gravity," Haruka instructed. "Keep your knees bent."

"Understood," Mafuyu nodded.

Ichika was hugging the main mast, her eyes squeezed shut. "I want to go back to solid ground!"

And then, there was Tsukasa.

"I... urgh... I am the Captain of... the Stage..."

Tsukasa was green. He was standing in the middle of the deck, trying to look heroic, but his balance was gone.

"Tsukasa-senpai!" Ichika yelled. "Grab something!"

"I do not need... support..." Tsukasa gagged. "I have... core... strength..."

The ship lurched violently to the right.

"WAAAAH!"

Tsukasa lost his footing. He didn't just fall; he slid. He zipped across the wet deck like a hockey puck.

WHOOSH.

He slid past Haruka and Mafuyu.

"Senpai?" Haruka reached out a hand, but he was moving too fast.

"I REGRET NOTHINGGGG!" Tsukasa screamed as he slid all the way to the starboard railing, slamming into a pile of rope with a soft thud.

The ship tilted back to the left.

WHOOSH.

Tsukasa slid back the other way, his limbs flailing.

"Help meee!"

He slid past Kazuha, who simply lifted a foot to let him pass.

"He has... remarkable momentum," Kazuha noted calmly.

"He's polishing the deck!" Beidou laughed from the helm. "Look at him go! That boy is a human mop!"

Haruka facepalmed, hiding her eyes. "I don't know him. I don't know him."

Mafuyu watched Tsukasa slide past for the third time.

"He is... consistent," Mafuyu murmured.

"SOMEONE CATCH MEEEEE!" Tsukasa wailed, spinning in circles as the ship crested another wave.

Finally, Ichika couldn't take it anymore. As Tsukasa slid past the mast, she reached out with her Geo-enhanced strength and grabbed the back of his coat.

YOINK.

She hauled him in, slamming him against the mast.

"Stay!" Ichika commanded.

"Thank you, Hoshino..." Tsukasa slumped, hugging the wood. "I... I think I shall retire from my naval career."

The Breakthrough

"Here comes the big one!" Beidou shouted. "Hang on!"

A massive bolt of purple lightning struck the sea right in front of the ship. The Alcor plowed through the steam, the wood groaning under the pressure.

Kazuha stepped forward. He drew his blade. The wind swirled around him.

"Clouds hide... the bird's call!"

He unleashed a burst of Anemo energy that cut a path through the storm, creating a tunnel of calm air for the ship.

"Now! Full sail!" Beidou ordered.

The Alcor surged forward, breaking through the wall of rain.

Suddenly, the darkness lifted. The thunder faded.

The ship glided into calm, violet waters. The sun broke through the clouds, illuminating the cherry blossoms falling on the distant shore.

Ritou.

"We made it," Aether breathed out.

"Land," Tsukasa kissed the deck floor. "Beautiful, stable land!"

Beidou walked down to the deck. "Welcome to Inazuma, kids. The Nation of Eternity. Just... try not to get arrested in the first five minutes, yeah?"

"We'll try," Haruka sighed, helping Tsukasa up.

Kazuha looked at the distant peak of Mt. Yougou. His expression was somber.

"The air here is stagnant," Kazuha whispered. "The Shogun's will is absolute. Be careful, travelers. In this land... ambitions can get you killed."

Mafuyu looked at the purple landscape. She touched the spot where her Vision would be if she had one.

‘Eternity,’ she thought. ‘A world that never changes. It sounds... like a cage.’

Chapter Text

Location: Ritou Docks

The Alcor had docked, and the crew was busy unloading crates. The troupe stood on the wooden pier, taking in the sights of Ritou. Red maple leaves drifted on the wind, and the architecture was distinct—wooden buildings with curved roofs, paper lanterns, and an overwhelming amount of purple banners.

"So this is Inazuma," Ichika murmured, adjusting her greatsword. "It’s beautiful. But... quiet."

"It’s too quiet," Haruka noted, scanning the perimeter. "The guards aren't chatting like the Knights, or patrolling lazily like the Millelith. They're standing like statues."

Aether stepped forward to head toward the settlement, but Tsukasa suddenly threw his arm out, blocking the path.

"HALT!" Tsukasa bellowed.

"W-What?!" Paimon jumped in the air. "Is it an enemy? A samurai?"

"No!" Tsukasa pointed dramatically to the top of a small hill overlooking the docks. "It is a Statue of The Seven!"

He turned to the group, his face deadly serious.

"Do you recall our blunder in Liyue? We spent weeks throwing wind at rock shields because we forgot to upgrade our elemental subscription! I, Tsukasa Tenma, refuse to make the same mistake twice!"

He marched toward the hill.

"We are resonating now! Before the plot distracts us!"

"He... has a point," Aether admitted. "Electro is the element of this land. We'll need it if we're going to fight here."

The Resonance: Electro

They gathered around the statue of the Raiden Shogun. Unlike Venti’s carefree statue or Zhongli’s regal one, this statue felt... imposing. The stone goddess sat in a pose of absolute authority, her braided hair flowing down her back.

"Electro," Aether warned. "It’s volatile. It’s not about flow or stability. It’s about energy. Speed."

He touched the statue first.

ZZZT.

Violet lightning crackled around Aether’s armor, replacing the Geo amber. He felt a surge of raw adrenaline.

"Okay," Tsukasa cracked his knuckles. "Grant me the power of the storm! Let my performance be electric!"

He slapped the statue.

CRACK.

A bolt of purple lightning arced from the statue into Tsukasa. His hair stood on end for a split second.

"I FEEL ALIVE!" Tsukasa shouted, sparks dancing between his fingers. He snapped his fingers, and a small, blinding flashbang of Electro energy popped. "Aha! Pyrotechnics! I can create my own special effects!"

Ichika stepped up. She placed her hand on the stone.

The energy rushed into her heavy Waster Greatsword. The iron blade hummed, vibrating with high-frequency voltage.

"It tingles," Ichika said, gripping the hilt. She swung the sword. It left a trail of violet afterimages. "It feels... faster. Like the sword wants to move on its own."

Haruka touched the statue. The Electro energy wrapped around her legs.

"Speed," Haruka analyzed instantly. She took a step, and her body blurred, dashing forward in a blink. "It enhances mobility. Like a strobe light."

Finally, Mafuyu.

She reached out. Her Anemo was a vacuum. Her Geo was a weight.

When she touched the Electro statue, she felt a shock.

It wasn't painful. It was a jumpstart. Like a defibrillator to a stopped heart. The violet energy didn't fill her; it ran through her. It resonated with the purple of her eyes, the purple of her hair.

She opened her palm. A small orb of dark purple lightning hovered there, buzzing like an angry hornet.

"It is loud," Mafuyu whispered. "It doesn't stop moving."

"We are fully equipped!" Tsukasa declared, striking a pose with his new sparks. "Now, let us face the authorities!"

Location: Outlander Affairs Agency

They walked up the stairs to the checkpoint. A stern official named Kageyama blocked their path.

"Halt," Kageyama said, barely looking up from her clipboard. "Outlanders? Do you have entry permits?"

"We are passengers of the Crux Fleet," Haruka explained politely. "Captain Beidou can vouch for us."

"The Crux has docking privileges. You do not," Kageyama stated. "If you wish to leave Ritou and enter Inazuma proper, you need a Travel Permit issued by the Kanjou Commission."

"Where do we get that?" Aether asked.

"You apply," Kageyama pointed to a building down the street. "Or... you pay the processing fee."

"Fee?" Tsukasa patted his pouch. "We have replenished our funds slightly thanks to Captain Beidou's generosity! How much?"

Kageyama looked at them. She saw the foreign clothes. She saw the desperation.

"Two million Mora. Per person."

Silence.

"TWO MILLION?!" Paimon shrieked. "That's robbery! That's more than the incense!"

"That is ten million Mora total!" Tsukasa did the math (surprisingly fast). "We are destitute! We have barely enough for a rice ball!"

"Then stay on Ritou," Kageyama shrugged coldly. "Next."

They walked away, dejected.

"This country is terrible," Ichika sighed. "Mondstadt welcomed us. Liyue was suspicious but fair. This is just... extortion."

"It's corruption," Haruka scowled. "They're trapping foreigners here to bleed them dry."

"Need a hand with that?"

A smooth, friendly voice came from behind them.

They turned. Leaning against a maple tree was a young man with messy blond hair, a red jacket, and a smile that was way too charming to be trusted.

Thoma.

"You guys look like you just hit the Ritou Wall," the man grinned, walking over. "Two million Mora? Yurika must be in a bad mood today. Usually, she asks for three."

"Who are you?" Aether asked, hand drifting to his sword.

"Woah, easy there," the man raised his hands. "I'm Thoma. Just a local... fixer. I help outlanders who get stuck in the web."

He looked at the troupe.

"I saw you get off the Alcor. Friends of Beidou are friends of mine. I can help you get those processing fees waived."

"Really?" Tsukasa beamed. "You are a savior! A patron of the arts!"

"However," Haruka stepped in front of Tsukasa, her eyes narrowing. "Nothing is free. What do you want?"

Thoma laughed. "Sharp. I like that. You're right. I trade in favors. I help you... and maybe you help me with a little problem I have."

He gestured to the Agency.

"But first, let's get you registered. I know a trick to lower the fee to... let's say, 600 Mora? For a meal?"

"Deal!" Paimon yelled before Haruka could negotiate.

Mafuyu watched Thoma.

He was smiling. He was helpful. He looked nice.

‘He is wearing a mask too,’ Mafuyu noted. ‘But his mask is friendly. It’s the mask of a servant who knows where the knives are kept.’

"Lead the way, Mr. Fixer," Aether said.

Chapter Text

Location: Road to Konda Village

Thoma’s "connections" got them through the checkpoint, though it cost Tsukasa a very dramatic autograph for a guard’s daughter (and a small bribe from Thoma).

Now, they walked the path toward the city. The sky was overcast, the air heavy with static.

"So," Thoma said, walking backward to face them. "You guys aren't just tourists. You fought a dragon in Liyue. You cleared temples in Mondstadt. And you have... unique abilities."

He looked at the Electro sparks dancing around Tsukasa’s fingers.

"We are the Teyvat Expedition Team!" Tsukasa declared. "We are merely passing through your beautiful, terrifyingly strict nation to seek audience with the Shogun!"

"Good luck with that," Thoma laughed. "The Shogun is... well, let's just say she doesn't do meet-and-greets. But if you want to get close to the lightning, you need a lightning rod."

"A lightning rod?" Haruka asked.

"A sponsor," Thoma corrected. "Someone with political power."

Before he could elaborate, a scream pierced the air.

"Help! Bandits!"

They crested the hill. Below, in the small, rustic settlement of Konda Village, a group of elderly farmers was being cornered by wandering ronin.

Nobushi.

"Samurai gone rogue," Thoma’s smile dropped. "They prey on the villages now that the Shogunate is distracted with the Vision Hunt."

"They are attacking unarmed civilians?" Ichika gripped her greatsword. The blade hummed with violet energy.

"That is a villainous act!" Tsukasa drew his silver sword. "Troupe! Enter stage left!"

The Ambush

The Nobushi turned as the group charged down the hill.

"More wandering rats?" one samurai sneered, drawing a katana wreathed in Electro paper talismans. "Leave your Mora and we might let you crawl away."

"We don't have Mora!" Paimon yelled. "We're broke!"

"Then you pay with blood!"

Three Nobushi charged.

"Ichika! Haruka! Formation!" Aether commanded.

Haruka moved first. She tapped into the Electro energy she had resonated with. She didn't run; she blinked.

Zzap.

She vanished in a streak of purple light, reappearing instantly behind the lead samurai.

"Too slow," Haruka whispered. She swept her spear low, tripping him.

Ichika was next. She swung her heavy claymore. Usually, it was slow. But with Electro infusion, the blade vibrated at a high frequency.

VMMMMM.

She slammed the blade into the second samurai’s guard. The vibration shattered his katana instantly.

"What?!" The samurai gasped, looking at his broken hilt.

Ichika followed up with a shoulder check, knocking him into a rice paddy.

The third samurai lunged at Tsukasa.

"Die, boy!"

"I think not!" Tsukasa snapped his fingers. "Flashbang!"

A burst of blinding Electro sparks exploded in the samurai’s face.

"My eyes!" The samurai stumbled back, blinded.

Tsukasa stepped in, delivering a theatrical (but effective) pommel strike to the man's helmet. CLANG. The samurai collapsed.

"Mafuyu!" Aether called out. "Clear the rest!"

Mafuyu stood at the back. She raised her hand. The Electro energy buzzed around her like a swarm of hornets.

She didn't aim at the bandits. She aimed at the wet ground beneath them.

"Conduct."

She released a pulse of electricity. It traveled through the wet mud of the rice fields.

ZZZZZT.

The remaining bandits convulsed as the current hit them, paralyzing them instantly. They fell face-first into the mud.

Thoma whistled, leaning against a tree. "Efficient. Flashy. And terrifying. I like it."

The Refusal

The Village Elder, Konda Densuke, rushed forward, bowing deeply.

"Thank you! Thank you, travelers! Those ronin have been stealing our crops for weeks!"

He turned to a young woman nearby. "Quick! Bring the reserve sacks of rice! And the Mora we saved for the taxes! We must repay them!"

The villagers scurried to bring out bags of grain and a small, heavy pouch of coins.

Tsukasa’s eyes widened at the Mora pouch. His stomach rumbled at the sight of the rice. They were broke. They were hungry.

He reached out a hand.

"We graciously acc—"

Smack.

Haruka slapped his hand down.

"We cannot accept this," Haruka stated firmly.

She looked at the village. The houses were worn. The children looked thin. The fields were trampled.

"You are suffering under the taxes and the bandits," Haruka said to the Elder. "We drove them off today, but they might return. If we take your food, you won't have the reserves to survive a future ambush or a shortage."

She gestured to the sacks of rice.

"You need to ration this carefully. Prepare for the worst. And as for the Mora... keep it. If the Kanjou Commission comes, you'll need it to avoid arrest for tax evasion."

"But... you saved us!" the Elder protested. "We must offer something!"

"We did what was right," Ichika added gently, pushing the rice bag back toward the villagers. "Please. Keep it. Feed the children."

"Besides," Mafuyu said, looking at Thoma. "Our fixer promised us a meal. Didn't he?"

Thoma blinked. Then he grinned.

"Guilty as charged," Thoma pushed off the tree. "Alright, Elder. Put the money away. These guys are with me."

As they walked away from the cheering village, Thoma looked at them with a new respect.

"You know," Thoma said. "Most outlanders would have taken the money. You guys are... different. Good different."

"We know what it's like to struggle," Haruka said simply.

"Well," Thoma dusted off his jacket. "I think you've passed the test. Come on. I'm taking you to the Kamisato Estate."

Location: Komore Teahouse

Thoma led them not to a palace, but to a hidden teahouse in the city.

"The Shiroasagi Himegimi—Miss Kamisato—is waiting," Thoma whispered. "Be polite. She's high nobility."

They entered a private room. A decorative screen separated them from the back of the room. A silhouette sat behind it—elegant, poised, and perfectly still.

Kamisato Ayaka.

"Greetings," a soft, noble voice came from behind the screen. "I am Kamisato Ayaka of the Yashiro Commission. Thoma has told me much about you."

"Greetings!" Tsukasa bowed (a little too low). "We are the Teyvat Expedition Team! We seek the Shogun!"

"The Shogun..." Ayaka’s silhouette shifted. "She resides in Tenshukaku, high above the city. She seeks Eternity. And to achieve it, she has enacted the Vision Hunt Decree."

"We saw the posters," Aether said. "She's taking people's Visions."

"She is taking their ambition," Ayaka corrected sadly. "When a Vision is taken, the person loses a part of their soul. They lose their memory. Their drive. They become... shells."

Mafuyu looked up. Shells.

"I wish to fight this Decree," Ayaka said. "But my position prevents me from acting openly. I need allies who can move freely."

"You want us to fight the Shogun?" Haruka asked.

"I want you to see the truth," Ayaka said. "I have three wishes. Three people who have lost their Visions. I want you to visit them. See what they have lost. And then... tell me if you will help."

"Three wishes," Tsukasa mused. "Like a fairytale."

"A tragedy," Ayaka corrected.

There was a silence. Aether looked hesitant. He just wanted to find Lumine. He didn't want a war.

But Ichika stepped forward.

"We'll do it," Ichika said.

"Ichika?" Aether looked at her.

"We saw Akito-kun," Ichika said, her voice trembling but firm. "He... he lost himself. He was brainwashed. If the people here are losing themselves too... if they are becoming shells..."

She looked at the screen.

"Then we can't ignore it. We know what it's like to lose a friend."

"We will do it," Haruka agreed. "We will fulfill your three wishes."

From behind the screen, Ayaka let out a soft breath of relief.

"Thank you," Ayaka whispered. "I await your return."

Chapter Text

Location: Byakko Plain - The Roadside Dojo

The first name on Ayaka’s list led them to a small, unassuming hut on the outskirts of the Byakko Plain. It was a dojo, though it looked more like a ruin.

Outside, a young woman named Nanako was pacing back and forth, looking terrified.

"Please!" Nanako cried out as the troupe approached. "Don't go in there! Sensei is... he's not himself!"

"We are here to help," Aether said gently. "Miss Kamisato sent us."

"The Shiroasagi Himegimi?" Nanako wiped her eyes. "Oh... but I don't know if you can help. Ever since his Vision was taken by the Tenryou Commission... Sensei has been..."

CRASH.

The sound of wood shattering came from inside the hut.

"I AM THE BEST!" a voice screamed. It was hoarse, desperate. "I AM THE SWORDMASTER OF THE MEIKYOU SHISUI! NONE CAN DEFEAT ME!"

Haruka flinched. The voice didn't sound arrogant. It sounded terrified.

"Let's go," Aether said, hand on his sword.

Inside the Dojo

The interior was a wreck. Training dummies were slashed to ribbons. Rice straw was scattered everywhere.

Standing in the center was Domon. He looked disheveled, his hakama torn, his eyes wide and bloodshot. He was swinging a wooden bokken at the empty air, sweat pouring down his face.

"Faster..." Domon muttered, his movements jerky and uncoordinated. "Must be faster. If I am the best... they will come back. They have to come back."

"Sensei?" Nanako whispered from the doorway.

"SILENCE!" Domon spun around, pointing the sword at her. "You are distracting me! I must train! The duel is tomorrow! Or... was it yesterday?"

He clutched his head, dropping the sword.

"Why can't I remember?" Domon sobbed. "I promised... someone. To be the best. But who? Who was it?"

Tsukasa stepped forward, his face serious. "He has lost his memory?"

"He lost his ambition," Thoma explained quietly from the back. "A Vision holds a person's drive. When it's ripped away... the person loses the anchor to their own dreams. He remembers he wanted to be the best, but he forgot why."

Haruka walked forward. She ignored Aether’s warning hand.

She stood in front of the manic swordmaster. She looked at his shaking hands. She looked at the desperation in his eyes.

It was like looking in a mirror.

‘Practice until 3 AM,’ Haruka thought. ‘Don't eat. Don't sleep. Be perfect. If you aren't perfect, you let the fans down. If you aren't the best... why are you even here?’

"You're hurting," Haruka said softly.

Domon looked up. "I... I am the best..."

"Being the best is lonely, isn't it?" Haruka asked.

Domon froze.

"You push everyone away," Haruka continued, her voice steady but filled with a deep sadness. "You practice until your hands bleed. You scream at the people who care about you because you think they're slowing you down. But really... you're just scared."

She took a step closer.

"You're scared that if you stop moving, you'll realize you're all alone."

Domon trembled. "Alone... No. I had... a rival. A friend."

He looked at his hands.

"Where did he go? Why did he leave me?"

"Maybe he didn't leave," Ichika spoke up, stepping beside Haruka. She rested her hand on her claymore. "Maybe you just stopped looking at him because you were too busy looking at your sword."

Domon roared.

"LIES!"

He lunged. He swung the wooden sword with surprising speed, aiming for Haruka.

"Haruka!" Tsukasa shouted.

Haruka didn't flinch. She didn't even draw her spear.

CLANG.

Ichika moved. She swung her Waster Greatsword upward, catching Domon’s bokken on the flat of her heavy blade.

"He's fast," Ichika gritted her teeth, bracing her legs. "But his strikes have no weight."

She shoved him back. Domon stumbled, falling onto the straw mats. He looked up at them—not with anger, but with confusion.

"Why..." Domon whispered. "Why does my sword feel so heavy?"

"Because you're carrying it for nothing," Haruka said. She knelt down in front of him. "You lost your Vision. You lost the burning desire. Now... you're just a man with a stick."

She reached out and gently took the bokken from his hand.

"It's okay to stop, Domon-san. You don't have to be the best anymore. You can just be... you."

Domon stared at her. Then, he looked at Nanako, who was crying in the doorway.

For the first time in months, the madness cleared from his eyes.

"Nanako..." Domon whispered. "I... I am tired."

Nanako ran to him, hugging him as he slumped against the wall. "It's okay, Sensei. I'm here. We're here."

Outside the Dojo

The group walked away in silence. The sun was setting over the Byakko Plain, casting long shadows across the fields.

"That was..." Tsukasa rubbed his arms, the cool evening air biting at his skin. "That was not a triumphant victory. That was just... sad."

"That is the Vision Hunt Decree," Thoma said grimly. "It turns people into hollow shells. Domon was lucky. He had Nanako. Others... just fade away."

Haruka walked with her head down.

"He forgot his promise," Haruka murmured. "He forgot his friend. All that was left was the obsession."

She looked at her hands.

"Is that what happens? If you chase a dream too hard... does it eat everything else?"

"Not always," Ichika said, bumping her shoulder against Haruka’s. "Not if you have a team to pull you back."

Haruka smiled weakly. "Yeah."

"One wish down," Aether checked the list. "Two to go."

"The next one is a little complicated," Thoma scratched his head. "It involves a... spiritual matter. The victim claims he can't hear the voices of the spirits anymore."

"Spirits?" Mafuyu perked up.

"Yeah. For that, we'll need expert advice," Thoma pointed toward the towering mountain in the distance, crowned with a massive sakura tree shaped like a fox.

"Mt. Yougou," Thoma said. "The Grand Narukami Shrine. The Guuji (High Priestess) there knows everything about spirits... and Visions."

"A shrine," Tsukasa nodded. "A holy place! Perhaps we can receive a blessing for our journey!"

"Does that mean we have to climb another mountain?" Paimon complained, floating lazily. "My legs are tired! And I don't even use them!"

"It's worth the climb," Thoma smiled, though his expression grew serious. "But a fair warning... the Guuji, Yae Miko, is not your typical priestess."

"Is she strict?" Haruka asked. "Like the Kanjou Commission?"

"Worse," Thoma warned. "She’s... let's just say she’s the one person in Inazuma you don't want to owe a favor to. Not even Lord Ayato tries to outsmart her."

He looked at the group.

"Be careful what you say around her. She has a way of twisting words until you agree to things you never intended. She likes to play with her food."

Mafuyu looked at the mountain.

‘A fox,’ she thought. ‘Another mask?’

Chapter Text

Location: Mt. Yougou - The Grand Narukami Shrine

The climb was grueling. The path wound up the mountain through torii gates and electrified air, higher and higher until the clouds drifted below them.

At the summit, the Sacred Sakura stood in eternal bloom. Its petals fell like pink snow, shaped like the head of a massive fox.

"Magnificent," Tsukasa gasped, leaning on his knees (and trying to hide how out of breath he was). "A stage set by the gods themselves! The lighting... the atmosphere... it is perfect for a dramatic monologue!"

"Please don't," Thoma whispered, looking around nervously. "We are here to ask for help, not to put on a show. Remember what I said: Be careful."

They walked into the main courtyard. Shrine maidens swept the petals in rhythmic silence.

"My, my. It is rare to see such a colorful group of pilgrims."

The voice came from the main altar. It was smooth, amused, and dripped with a terrifying amount of confidence.

A woman stepped out from behind the prayer ropes. She had pink hair, fox ears that twitched slightly, and robes that were far more elaborate than the standard shrine maiden attire.

Yae Miko. The Guuji.

"Lady Yae," Thoma bowed instantly. "We apologize for the intrusion."

"Thoma," Yae smiled, her violet eyes curving into crescents. "And the Traveler. I heard you were making quite the splash in the lower city. And you brought... pets?"

She looked at the troupe.

"We are not pets!" Tsukasa straightened up, flipping his coat. "We are the Teyvat Expedition Team! And I am Tsukasa Tenma! A World Future Star!"

Yae’s eyes widened slightly. She covered her mouth with a sleeve, hiding a giggle.

"A Star?"

She walked down the steps. She didn't walk; she sauntered. She circled Tsukasa like a cat inspecting a new toy.

"How interesting," Yae whispered. "You shine so brightly. Are you trying to blind the gods? Or are you just afraid of the dark?"

Tsukasa froze. "I... I am merely projecting my charisma!"

"Charisma," Yae mused. She reached out a finger, tracing the line of Tsukasa’s jaw. Her nail was sharp.

"You remind me of a little bird puffing out its chest," Yae purred, leaning in until her face was inches from his. "Chirping so loudly. Hoping the hawk doesn't notice you. But you see... foxes love little birds."

Tsukasa went rigid. His face turned a shade of red that rivaled a Jueyun Chili. He looked at Aether for help. He looked at Thoma.

Thoma looked away, whistling. ‘You’re on your own, buddy.’

"Lisa-san was scary," Tsukasa squeaked. "But you... you are..."

"Worse?" Yae winked. She tapped his nose. "Relax, little bird. I don't bite. Unless I'm bored."

She stepped back, leaving Tsukasa hyperventilating.

Then, her gaze shifted.

She looked at Mafuyu.

The playful smile didn't vanish, but it changed. It became sharper. Yae walked over to Mafuyu. She didn't tease her. She sniffed the air around her.

"And this one," Yae murmured. "You smell... empty."

"I am fine," Mafuyu said, meeting the fox’s gaze.

"No, you aren't," Yae chuckled. "You smell like a puppet whose strings have been cut. And yet..."

Yae’s violet eyes glowed faintly. She leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper that felt like static against Mafuyu's skin.

"You carry the scent of a God. But not an Archon."

Yae tapped her chin, searching for the right words in a language she didn't fully speak.

"It feels... constructed. Like a tapestry woven from light instead of silk. A sequence of echoes repeating in a box."

Mafuyu stiffened. ‘A box?’

"And underneath that," Yae smiled, a look of dangerous realization crossing her face. "The faint, metallic tang of a transaction."

She walked a circle around Mafuyu.

"Four of you weren't just sent here, little doll. You were bartered. A coin tossed across a table to settle a debt between high powers."

Yae giggled, covering her mouth.

"How fascinating. I wonder what the Heavenly Principles paid for you? Or perhaps... what they sold."

Mafuyu stared at her. "I... I do not understand."

"You don't need to," Yae stepped back, clapping her hands. "Ignorance is a blessing, after all. Very well. You have entertained me. Why are you here? Surely not just to let me tease the boy?"

The Second Wish

"We are here for a favor," Aether explained. "Kamisato Ayaka sent us. There is a man... a samurai named Tejima. He lost his Vision."

"Ah," Yae nodded. "And now he has lost his memory of why he stayed in the village."

"He says he used to hear spirits," Haruka explained. "But since the Vision Hunt, the voices are gone. He is wandering the shrine, looking for a ghost he can't see anymore."

"He wants to leave," Thoma added. "He thinks there is nothing left for him in Inazuma. But Ayaka believes... if he leaves, he will regret it forever."

"Visions..." Yae sighed, looking at the Sacred Sakura. "Human ambition is such a fragile thing. You give it to a stone, and when the stone is gone, you forget who you are."

She turned to Tsukasa.

"Little Star. You act for others, yes?"

"I... yes," Tsukasa nodded, still recovering.

"Then go to him," Yae pointed to a man sitting forlornly on a bench near the edge of the shrine. "He cannot hear the spirits anymore. So... become the spirit."

"Become...?" Tsukasa blinked.

"Act," Yae ordered. "Remind him of the promise he made. If his Vision cannot hold the memory... then you must be the mirror that reflects it back to him."

The Performance

They approached Tejima. He looked hollow. He was packing a bag, muttering to himself.

"It's gone," Tejima whispered. "The voice... I waited for thirty years. But I don't remember who I waited for. I should just go home."

"Wait!" Tsukasa stepped forward.

He didn't shout this time. He remembered Yae’s words. Be the mirror.

He thought of the red mask he bought for Saki. He thought of the promise to return.

Tsukasa took a breath. He changed his posture. He didn't stand like a Star. He stood like a samurai waiting in the rain.

"Thirty years," Tsukasa said, his voice dropping to a somber, resonant tone. "Thirty years is a long time to wait for a wind that does not blow."

Tejima looked up. "Who...?"

"I am a traveler," Tsukasa improvised. "I met a spirit on the road. She told me of a man. A man who promised to wait."

"A spirit?" Tejima’s eyes widened. "What... what did she say?"

Tsukasa looked at Mafuyu. Mafuyu nodded. She stepped forward, standing beside Tsukasa. She didn't speak, but her presence—quiet, ethereal, wearing the white mask Tsukasa bought her—felt ghostly.

"She said..." Tsukasa improvised, channeling every ounce of emotion he had. "'Even if the Vision fades... the promise remains in the stone. In the trees. In the time spent waiting.'"

Tsukasa looked Tejima in the eye.

"She said: 'You didn't wait for nothing. The waiting itself... was the proof of your love.'"

Tejima trembled. Tears welled in his eyes.

"The waiting... was the proof," Tejima whispered. He clutched an omamori (charm) hanging from his belt. "Yes. Yes. I remember now. I wasn't waiting for a ghost. I was waiting because I said I would."

He dropped his bag.

"I won't leave," Tejima wiped his eyes. "Even if I can't hear her... I will keep my promise. I will stay."

The Aftermath

"Bravo," Yae Miko clapped slowly from the stairs.

Tsukasa slumped, the role leaving him. "Did... did it work?"

"He is staying," Yae confirmed. "You patched the hole in his heart with a lie. Or perhaps... a story."

"It wasn't a lie," Tsukasa said seriously. "A promise is never a lie, even if the memory fades."

Yae smiled. It was less predatory this time.

"You are an interesting human, Tsukasa Tenma," Yae said. "Loud. Foolish. But... genuine."

She looked at Aether.

"Two wishes down. One to go. But be warned... the closer you get to the Shogun, the darker the sky becomes."

She turned to leave, walking back to her shrine.

"Come back and visit, Little Star," Yae called over her shoulder. "Next time, I'll teach you how to beg properly."

Tsukasa shivered. "She is... definitely the final boss."

"I think she liked you," Ichika noted.

"I do not want to be liked by the fox!" Tsukasa cried. "Let us descend the mountain! Immediately!"

As they walked away, Mafuyu looked back at the Sacred Sakura.

High in the branches, invisible to everyone else, a faint glitch of red pixels shimmered for a second, then vanished.

‘Someone is watching,’ Mafuyu thought.

Chapter Text

Location: Inazuma City Outskirts

The third name on the list led them away from the mystical mountains and back to the gritty reality of the city outskirts.

"Kurosawa Kyounosuke," Thoma read from the dossier. "A samurai of the Shogunate. Or... he was."

"Was?" Ichika asked.

"His Vision was seized last month," Thoma explained grimly. "Since then, he has been acting erratically. He patrols the same street every day, obsessively checking a ledger. He says he owes a debt he can never repay."

"Debt?" Tsukasa patted his own empty wallet. "A relatable tragedy! Financial ruin is the second most common conflict in dramatic theater, right after romantic betrayal!"

"It’s not just money," Thoma warned. "It’s... well, you'll see."

The Confrontation

They found Kurosawa near a small wooden bridge. He was surrounded by three men—Treasure Hoarders.

"Pay up, old man!" the lead Hoarder sneered, shoving the samurai. "You bought the supplies! We delivered them! Now give us the Mora!"

Kurosawa looked disheveled. His armor was rusted, his eyes darting frantically between a notebook in his hand and the angry men.

"I... I don't have it," Kurosawa stammered. "I checked the accounts. Why did I buy so much? Hundreds of sacks of rice... preserved meats... why? I don't even eat that much!"

He clutched his head.

"I ruined myself," Kurosawa whispered, his voice trembling with self-loathing. "I spent my family's fortune on... nothing. I am a fool. A wasteful, greedy fool!"

"We don't care if you're a fool!" The Hoarder raised a club. "Pay up, or we take your sword!"

"Stop!" Haruka shouted.

She didn't wait for Aether. She sprinted forward, her iron spear materializing in her hand.

"Formation B!" Haruka commanded.

Ichika moved instantly, swinging her greatsword to block the Hoarder's club. CLANG. The heavy Geo shield absorbed the impact.

"You are attacking a defenseless man," Haruka stated coldly, spinning her spear. "That is a breach of contract."

"Stay out of this, little girl!" The second Hoarder threw a dirt bomb.

Haruka didn't flinch. She stomped her foot.

Thrum.

A pulse of Geo energy rippled from her boot. The ground spiked upward, creating a stone ridge that blocked the bomb.

"Stabilize."

She vaulted over the ridge, using the spear as a pole vault. She landed behind the Hoarder, sweeping his legs.

"Tsukasa! Flash!"

"With pleasure!" Tsukasa snapped his fingers. A burst of Electro sparks blinded the third bandit.

"Gah! My eyes!"

Aether finished them off with a gust of Anemo, blowing them into the river.

The Cost

The Hoarders fled, cursing. But Kurosawa didn't cheer. He sank to his knees, clutching his ledger.

"It doesn't matter," Kurosawa wept. "They'll come back. And I still owe them. Look at this..."

He shoved the notebook at Haruka.

"Look at the numbers! Millions of Mora! Spent on supplies I don't even have! Why did I do it? Was I hoarding? Was I trying to resell them?"

He hit the ground with his fist.

"I am a disgrace to the Shogun! Without my Vision... I see now what a greedy monster I was."

Haruka looked at the ledger. It was detailed. Dates, amounts, types of grain.

"Let's check his house," Haruka said quietly. "If he bought this much, it has to be somewhere."

They went to his small home nearby. It was empty. Destitute. There were no sacks of rice. No hoarding.

"Where is it?" Tsukasa asked, confused. "Did he eat it all?"

"Excuse me," an elderly woman walked by, carrying a basket. She saw Kurosawa sitting on his porch, head in his hands.

"Master Kurosawa?" the woman asked gently. "Thank you for the rice yesterday. My grandchildren finally ate a full meal."

Kurosawa looked up, confused. "Rice?"

"Yes," the woman smiled. "And the medicine last week. You always ensure the poor of the district are fed, even when the taxes rise. You are a saint, sir."

She bowed and walked away.

Silence fell over the group.

Haruka looked at the ledger again. She realized what she was looking at. It wasn't a record of greed. It was a record of charity.

"He bought the supplies for them," Haruka whispered. "He spent his fortune feeding the poor."

"But he doesn't remember," Mafuyu realized.

"When his Vision was taken," Thoma said heavily. "His ambition—his desire to protect the people—was taken too. Now... he only remembers the cost, but not the reason."

Kurosawa stared at his hands. "I... I helped them?"

"You saved them," Haruka said.

She knelt in front of him.

"You aren't a greedy fool, Kurosawa-san. You gave everything you had to people who needed it. You carried the weight of this entire district on your back."

Kurosawa looked at her. "But... I feel nothing. I don't feel proud. I just feel... heavy. The debt is so heavy."

Haruka felt a pang in her chest. She remembered ASRUN. She remembered the grueling schedules, the missed meals, the exhaustion. When the applause faded... all that was left was the weight.

"The cost doesn't disappear just because the passion is gone," Haruka said, her voice shaking slightly. "It hurts. I know it hurts. You gave pieces of yourself away until there was nothing left."

She placed a hand on his shoulder.

"But just because you can't feel the fire anymore... doesn't mean the warmth wasn't real. Those people... they are fed because of you. That is real. That is a fact."

Kurosawa looked at the old woman walking down the street. He looked at the ledger.

"I... I did good?" he asked, like a child seeking validation.

"You did the best," Tsukasa said firmly, stepping up. "You played the role of a Hero perfectly. Even without the applause."

Kurosawa closed the ledger. He didn't smile, but the frantic panic left his eyes.

"I see," Kurosawa exhaled. "Then... I suppose I must work to pay off the debt. Not for greed. But because... it was the price of doing good."

Location: Komore Teahouse

They returned to the teahouse in silence. The weight of the Three Wishes hung over them.

Tejima who waited for no one. Domon who fought for nothing. Kurosawa who paid for a kindness he couldn't feel.

Ayaka was waiting for them behind the screen.

"You have seen them," Ayaka said softly. "You have seen what the Vision Hunt Decree does. It doesn't just take power. It strips a person of their heart."

"It creates shells," Mafuyu said.

"It creates tragedy," Tsukasa corrected, his fists clenched. "A story with no meaning."

"We saw Akito-kun like that," Ichika said, looking at Aether. "Empty. Fighting without knowing why."

Haruka stepped forward. She placed her spear against the wall.

"Ayaka-san," Haruka said. "We're in."

"We will help you," Aether confirmed. "We will fight the Vision Hunt Decree."

The screen slid open.

For the first time, they saw Kamisato Ayaka face to face. She was beautiful, dressed in armor and noble robes, holding a fan. She bowed deeply—a bow of equals, not of nobility to commoners.

"Thank you," Ayaka said. "Then... the rebellion begins now."

"Where do we start?" Tsukasa asked, ready for action.

"We cannot fight the Shogun directly," Thoma warned. "Not yet. We need to create a distraction. A noise loud enough to shake the statue."

"Noise?" Tsukasa grinned. "I am excellent at noise!"

"We're going to save a Vision," Ayaka declared. "The Tenryou Commission is planning a public seizure ceremony tomorrow. They are taking the Vision of a fireworks maker."

"Who?" Paimon asked.

"Yoimiya," Ayaka said. "The Queen of the Summer Festival."

"Fireworks," Tsukasa’s eyes sparkled. "Explosions! Drama! It is the perfect opening act!"

Mafuyu looked out the window at the Tenshukaku—the towering palace of the Raiden Shogun.

‘We are going to fight a God again,’ she thought. ‘But this time... the God isn't sleeping.’

Chapter Text

Location: Fatui Safehouse - Narukami Island (Underground)

The air in the hidden chamber was cold, despite the humidity of Inazuma. A single hanging lantern cast long, flickering shadows against the rock walls.

La Signora paced the room, her heels clicking rhythmically on the stone. She looked impatient.

Tartaglia (Childe) sat on a crate, sharpening his hydro blades with a whetstone, looking bored.

"Why are we waiting?" Childe complained, checking his blade’s edge against the light. "I have a troupe to sponsor. And Dottore sent me a fascinating little tip I've been dying to investigate."

"Dottore?" Signora scoffed, stopping her pacing. "Since when do you take orders from The Doctor?"

"Not orders. A rumor," Childe grinned, his eyes gleaming with the promise of violence. "He claims there's a 'Vivid Shadow' tearing through Abyss supply lines in the wilderness. Rummaging for resources, destroying patrols... moving like a ghost. Dottore wants to know if it's a new variable."

Childe flipped his blade.

"Personally? I just hope it's strong enough to keep me entertained. If the Tsaritsa has new orders, she could have sent a letter so I could get back to the hunt."

"Patience, Tartaglia," Signora sneered. "Though I suppose asking a mad dog to sit is futile. We are waiting because the Jester insisted on a... change in management."

"Change in management?" Childe frowned. "You secured the Gnosis in Mondstadt and Liyue. I thought you were the golden child."

"I am," Signora stated coldly. "Which is why this delay is insulting."

Suddenly, the temperature in the room dropped—not the icy cold of Signora’s cryo, but a suffocating, electrical pressure. The lantern flickered and died, plunging them into darkness.

A voice giggled from the shadows.

"Golden child? Is that what you call yourself, Rosalyne? How... quaint."

The darkness parted. A young man stepped into the center of the room. He wore a large, veiled hat, shorts, and a gaze that held centuries of mockery.

The Balladeer. Scaramouche. The Sixth Harbinger.

"Scaramouche," Signora hissed, her eyes narrowing behind her mask. "What are you doing here?"

"I’m here to clean up," Scaramouche smirked, crossing his arms. "The Tsaritsa has reviewed the reports. While you two were playing house in Liyue... arranging funerals and fighting children... the situation in Inazuma has become... delicate."

He walked past Childe, flicking the hydro blade with a finger.

"So, she sent me. I am taking command of the Inazuma operation."

Childe stood up, his grip tightening on his weapon. "You? Taking command? I don't recall asking for a babysitter, Balladeer."

"And I don't recall asking for your opinion, Eleventh," Scaramouche retorted, his eyes glowing with Electro energy. "Sit down. Before I make you."

Childe glared, the Abyssal energy flaring for a second, but Signora stepped between them.

"Enough," Signora commanded. She looked at Scaramouche. "Why you? I have the diplomatic ties. I have the plan."

"Because this is Inazuma," Scaramouche whispered, his smile twisting into something cruel. "And I know this land better than anyone. I know where the bodies are buried. I know where the heart is hidden."

He turned his back to them, pacing the room like he owned it.

"Now. The orders."

He pointed a finger at Signora.

"You will handle the Shogun. Continue your diplomatic charade. Keep the Tenryou Commission in your pocket and ensure the Vision Hunt Decree continues unabated. When the time is right... you will storm Tenshukaku and take the Gnosis by force or by treaty. I don't care which."

"I was planning to do that anyway," Signora scoffed. "I don't need your permission to crush a puppet."

"Puppet..." Scaramouche laughed, a dry, humorless sound. "Be careful, Fair Lady. Puppets break."

He turned to Childe.

"And you, Tartaglia. Since you enjoy getting your hands dirty... you have logistics."

"Logistics?" Childe looked insulted. "I'm a warrior, not a courier."

"The Resistance is growing," Scaramouche explained. "On Watatsumi Island. They are desperate. Desperate men buy dangerous things."

He tossed a small, glowing purple orb to Childe. A Delusion.

"We have a factory on Yashiori Island. We are mass-producing these. Your job is to secure the trade routes. Distribute them to the Resistance soldiers. Let them think it's a secret weapon to save their cause."

Childe caught the Delusion. He looked at it with distaste.

"You want me to poison them," Childe said flatly. "To sell them power that drains their life force?"

"I want you to create chaos," Scaramouche corrected. "The more they fight, the more the Shogun is distracted. And while the nation burns... I will take what is mine."

"Yours?" Signora raised an eyebrow. "The Gnosis belongs to the Tsaritsa."

"Of course," Scaramouche’s eyes drifted to the ceiling, toward the distant Tenshukaku. "To the Tsaritsa. Who else?"

He waved his hand dismissively.

"Now go. The Traveler and his little 'Troupe' have arrived. Don't let them ruin the play."

Signora swept out of the room, ice trailing in her wake. "Do not fail me, Balladeer. Or I will report your incompetence personally."

Childe lingered. He juggled the Delusion in his hand.

"You know," Childe said. "Those kids... the Troupe. They aren't normal."

"I know," Scaramouche said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "They smell of a different sky. A sky I intend to tear down."

Childe shrugged. "Just don't break them too fast. They're my favorite customers."

He walked to the exit, pausing at the door.

"I'll handle the Delusions," Childe said. "But after that... I'm going hunting. That 'Vivid Shadow' rumor Dottore mentioned? It sounds like a worthy opponent."

He left.

Scaramouche stood alone in the dark. He touched his chest—the empty space where a heart should have been.

"The Gnosis," Scaramouche whispered to the silence. "It was never hers to give. It was always... mine."

Chapter Text

Location: Komore Teahouse

The planning session was interrupted by the door sliding open with a violent bang.

Thoma rushed in, his usually calm demeanor shattered. He was out of breath, clutching a crumpled notice from the Tenryou Commission.

"It’s happening," Thoma gasped, leaning against the doorframe. "The Tenryou Commission moved the schedule up. The 100th Vision Hunt Ceremony isn't tomorrow. It's beginning in one hour."

"One hour?!" Ayaka stood up, her fan snapping shut in agitation. "But the preparations... the escape route isn't secured! And the fireworks distraction—"

"We don't have time for the perfect plan," Thoma said grimly. "They’re already marching her to the statue. If we don't move now, Yoimiya loses her Vision before sunset."

Tsukasa stood up slowly. The playful glint in his eyes was gone, replaced by a cold, hard anger.

"They intend to silence a festival maker?" Tsukasa whispered. "To extinguish the light that brings joy to the people... and they dare to rush the finale?"

He grabbed his sword.

"Unforgivable."

"We have to go," Aether said, drawing his blade. "If they take her Vision, she loses everything."

"The ceremony is at the Statue of the Omnipresent God," Ayaka warned, her expression torn. She wanted to go, but as the Shiroasagi Himegimi, she couldn't be seen attacking the Shogun directly. "The Shogun... Baal... will be there personally."

"Good," Ichika hefted her claymore, seeing Ayaka's hesitation. "We aren't citizens of Inazuma. We can make the noise you can't."

Ayaka looked at them with gratitude. "Please. Save her."

Location: Statue of the Omnipresent God

The sky over Inazuma City was a bruising purple. Rain fell in a drizzle, soaking the silent crowd gathered below the massive statue.

The statue itself was a horrific monument—hundreds of Visions inlaid in the stone wings, dull and lifeless.

At the base of the statue, a young woman with blonde hair and bandages wrapped around her chest was kneeling. Her hands were bound with rope.

Naganohara Yoimiya.

Even bound, she wasn't crying. She was glaring at the figure standing above her.

High on the platform, overlooking the mortals like an insect collection, stood the Raiden Shogun.

She was beautiful and terrifying. Her eyes glowed with lightning. She radiated an aura of absolute, crushing pressure.

"The 100th Vision," the Shogun spoke. Her voice wasn't loud, but it drowned out the rain. "With this, the foundation of Eternity is laid."

Kujou Sara, the Tengu general, stepped forward. "Naganohara Yoimiya. Surrender your Vision. Resistance is futile."

"You can take the shiny rock," Yoimiya shouted back, struggling against the ropes. "But you can't take the fireworks! You can't stop the people from looking up at the sky!"

"Noise," the Shogun stated. "Inconsistent with Eternity."

She raised her hand. Yoimiya’s Pyro Vision, hanging at her waist, began to vibrate. It was being pulled by the statue's gravity.

"NOW!" Aether yelled from the crowd.

The Rescue

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!"

Tsukasa Tenma leaped from the roof of a nearby building. He didn't land quietly. He slammed his hand onto the ground.

BOOM.

A massive Geo construct—a pillar—erupted in the center of the plaza.

"IT IS TIME FOR THE GRAND FINALE!" Tsukasa roared.

He snapped his fingers.

"Overload!"

Tsukasa channeled his Electro energy into a sack of fireworks (stolen from Yoimiya’s confiscated stash by Sayu earlier). He threw it into the air.

CRACK-BOOM!

The sky exploded in red, gold, and purple sparks. The crowd screamed, scattering in confusion.

"Intruders!" Sara drew her bow. "Protect the Shogun!"

"Haruka! Ichika! Path!" Aether commanded.

Haruka dashed forward, her spear coated in Electro speed. She swept the legs of two guards, clearing the stairs.

Ichika ran up the steps, swinging her claymore. She didn't attack the guards; she slammed the flat of her blade into the ground, creating a Geo shockwave that knocked the Millelith back.

Aether sprinted up the statue. He reached Yoimiya.

Slash.

He cut the ropes.

"Traveler?" Yoimiya blinked. "You... you crashed the party?"

"We're here to break you out," Aether grinned.

Suddenly, the air screamed.

The Vision at Yoimiya’s waist flew off, pulled by an invisible magnetic force toward the Shogun’s hand.

"My Vision!" Yoimiya gasped.

"I got it!"

Mafuyu moved. She wasn't fighting the guards. She had climbed the statue itself. She leaped from the stone wings, intercepting the Vision in mid-air.

She caught it.

She landed next to Aether, handing the glowing Pyro gem back to Yoimiya.

"Don't lose it," Mafuyu said flatly.

"You guys are awesome!" Yoimiya cheered, clutching her Vision. "Now, let's get out of here!"

"We're leaving!" Haruka shouted from the bottom of the stairs. "Tsukasa, smoke screen!"

"With pleasure!" Tsukasa prepared another bag of fireworks.

"Incapable."

The word stopped time.

The Raiden Shogun didn't move. She simply opened her eyes fully. The purple glow intensified until it was blinding.

She took a single step down the stairs.

The air pressure increased. Tsukasa fell to his knees, choking. Haruka gripped her spear to stay upright. The sheer weight of the Archon's presence was crushing them.

The Shogun looked at Aether. She looked at the Troupe.

"Enemies of Eternity," the Shogun stated. "Anomalies."

She reached into her chest.

The world turned grey. The rain stopped mid-air.

From her heart, she pulled a sword of pure lightning. The Musou Isshin.

"You shall be inlaid upon this statue."

Aether shoved Yoimiya behind him. "RUN!"

The Shogun vanished.

She reappeared in front of Aether. She swung.

CLANG.

Aether blocked it. But the force cracked the stone beneath his feet. He was thrown backward, crashing into the base of the statue.

"Aether!" Ichika screamed.

The Shogun walked toward the fallen Traveler. She raised her blade for the execution strike.

"Musou... no Hitotachi."

"NO!"

It wasn't Ichika or Haruka who moved.

It was Thoma. (He had been hiding in the crowd as backup).

Thoma threw his spear. It wreathed in Pyro, aiming for the Shogun’s head.

The Shogun didn't even look. She deflected the spear with a wave of her hand.

But the distraction was enough.

"Tsukasa! Now!" Haruka yelled.

Tsukasa grabbed the biggest firework he had—a massive "Goldfish Special." He lit it with his own Electro spark and threw it directly at the Shogun’s feet.

KA-BOOOOOOM.

A cloud of thick, golden smoke engulfed the platform.

"GO! GO! GO!"

Aether grabbed Yoimiya. Haruka grabbed Tsukasa (who was trying to bow). Ichika grabbed Mafuyu.

They sprinted. They ran down the stairs, jumping over guards, sliding down the railings.

Behind them, the smoke cleared instantly, sliced apart by a single stroke of lightning.

The Shogun stood unharmed. She watched them run.

She didn't chase. She simply sheathed her sword.

"I will strip you of your exceptions," she whispered to the storm.

The Escape

They didn't stop running until they reached the hidden path leading back to the Komore Teahouse.

They collapsed against the wooden walls, gasping for air.

"Is... is everyone... attached?" Tsukasa wheezed, checking his limbs.

"We're alive," Haruka confirmed, though her hands were shaking violently. "That... that was a God."

"She was terrifying," Ichika hugged her knees, her face pale. "Just looking at her... I couldn't move."

"But we got her!" Yoimiya grinned, holding up her glowing Vision. "We stole the prize right out from under her nose! That was the best festival crash ever!"

She looked at the group.

"I'm Yoimiya! Thanks for the save! You guys are officially my favorite people!"

Mafuyu looked back toward the statue in the distance. The purple glow was still visible against the dark clouds.

"She didn't chase us," Mafuyu noted.

"She didn't have to," Aether said grimly, clutching his bruised chest. "She knows we have nowhere to run."

Thoma leaned against the wall, wiping sweat and rain from his forehead. He looked grim.

"We are now public enemy number one," Thoma said. "The Tenryou Commission won't stop until we're all dead. And since I threw that spear... I'm at the top of the list."

"Come with us!" Paimon pleaded. "We can run together!"

"No," Thoma shook his head. "If I run, the Commission will turn their eyes on the Kamisato Clan. I need to stay here. I'll lay low at the teahouse... hide in the shadows. I can still be your eyes and ears in the city."

He looked at Aether and the troupe.

"You guys, however, need to leave Narukami Island immediately. There is only one place the Shogun’s lightning doesn't reach."

"Where?" Haruka asked.

"Watatsumi Island," Thoma pointed west. " The Resistance Army. Under the leadership of Sangonomiya Kokomi. They are fighting an open war against the Shogunate."

"The Resistance?" Tsukasa stood up, regaining his strength. "A rebellion against a tyrant god? A desperate journey across a war-torn land?"

He grinned, though there was fear in his eyes.

"It seems the script has escalated to the climax! Lead the way, Traveler!"

"Go," Thoma urged, pushing them toward the secret exit. "Find the Resistance. And... give them hell."

As the group vanished into the rain, heading for the coast to find a boat, Thoma stayed behind. He looked at the stormy sky.

"Good luck," he whispered. "You're going to need it."

Chapter Text

Location: Nazuchi Beach

The journey from Narukami Island to the rebel camp was a trek through a graveyard. Nazuchi Beach was littered with the skeletal remains of ships, broken masts, and the rusted armor of fallen samurai. The air smelled of brine and dried blood.

"This place..." Ichika stepped over a broken spear, clutching her greatsword. "It’s a battlefield."

"It is the boundary," Yoimiya said, her usual cheerfulness dampened. She adjusted the bandages on her arm. "Past here is Yashiori Island. Resistance territory. The Shogun’s lightning doesn't strike as often over there."

"Halt!"

A group of soldiers in ragged, mismatched armor emerged from behind a shipwreck. They leveled spears at the group.

"Identify yourselves! Are you Shogunate spies?"

"We are fugitives!" Tsukasa announced, raising his hands (which were still sparking with Electro). "We seek General Gorou! We wish to join the cast... I mean, the cause!"

"Fugitives?" The lead soldier frowned. He looked at Aether. "Wait... blonde hair. Floating companion. You're the Traveler? The one who crashed the Rite?"

"That's us," Aether nodded. "We need to see your leader."

Location: Resistance Camp - Fort Fujitou

They were escorted to the main camp. It was a scrappy operation—tents patched with canvas, weapons salvaged from the enemy.

Standing at the command table was a young man with dog ears and a tail, studying a map with intense focus.

Gorou. General of the Watatsumi Army.

"So," Gorou looked up, his ears twitching as he assessed the group. "You escaped the Shogun personally. You rescued the Naganohara girl. And now you want to fight."

"We don't have a choice," Haruka said, leaning on her spear. "The Tenryou Commission wants our heads."

"We welcome anyone willing to hold a weapon," Gorou said, crossing his arms. "But passion isn't enough. On the front lines, hesitation gets you killed."

He gestured to the training dummies set up near the cliff.

"Show me. If you can handle the basics, you're in. If not... you stay in the rear with logistics."

The Test

"I shall go first!" Tsukasa stepped forward.

He drew his silver sword. He summoned a Geo stele to launch himself into the air, then snapped his fingers.

"Electro-Charged Finale!"

He slammed his sword down, unleashing a burst of sparks that blew the head off the dummy.

"Flashy," Gorou noted. "But you left your flank open."

"I have friends for that!" Tsukasa grinned.

Ichika stepped up. She didn't use tricks. She swung her massive claymore with a rhythmic, heavy cadence. Block. Strike. Block. Strike. She shattered three dummies in succession, her Geo shield absorbing the splinters.

"Solid," Gorou nodded approvingly.

Then Mafuyu. She didn't draw a weapon. She simply raised her catalyst. A blade of vacuum wind sliced the dummy in half cleanly.

Gorou’s ears perked up. "No wasted movement. Good."

"You pass," Gorou decided. "Welcome to the—"

BOOM.

A cannonball slammed into the beach just fifty meters away, sending sand and water spraying into the camp.

Alarm horns blared.

"AMBUSH!" a sentry screamed. "SHOGUNATE FORCES! IT'S KUJOU SARA!"

The Ambush

The horizon darkened. A fleet of Shogunate warships had emerged from the fog. Landing craft were already hitting the beach, disgorging waves of heavily armored samurai.

Leading them, marching through the surf with terrifying grace, was Kujou Sara.

"General Gorou!" Sara’s voice projected over the battlefield. "Surrender the fugitives! And surrender the Resistance! This futile rebellion ends today!"

"Form ranks!" Gorou roared, drawing his bow. "Hold the line! Don't let them breach the camp!"

Battle Start.

It was chaos. The Resistance soldiers were spirited but outgunned. The Shogunate samurai moved in tight, disciplined formations.

"Yoimiya! Tsukasa! Suppressive fire!" Aether commanded.

"On it!" Yoimiya drew her bow. "Goldfish of Doom!"

She unleashed a volley of fiery arrows. Tsukasa combined it with his Electro sparks. Overload. Explosions rocked the Shogunate front line, breaking their shields.

"Haruka, Ichika! Protect the left flank!"

Haruka darted through the melee, her spear a blur. She wasn't killing; she was disabling. A strike to the knee. A blow to the helmet.

Ichika stood like a wall, her Geo shield expanding to cover three Resistance soldiers from a hail of arrows.

"Hold!" Ichika gritted her teeth as the arrows hammered her shield.

But Kujou Sara was a monster.

She moved like a lightning bolt. She dashed through the battlefield, knocking Resistance soldiers aside like leaves. She locked eyes on Aether.

"Traveler!" Sara drew her bow, summoning a massive lightning storm. "Glory to the Shogun!"

She fired.

A cluster of lightning bolts rained down. Aether deflected two, but the third slammed into the ground, creating a shockwave that knocked the entire troupe off their feet.

"They're too strong!" Paimon screamed. "There are too many of them!"

Gorou was pinned down by three samurai. The Resistance line was crumbling.

"Is this... the final curtain?" Tsukasa wheezed, trying to stand.

Sara walked toward them, nocking another arrow. "Accept your judgment."

She fired.

SWOOSH.

A sudden gust of autumn wind cut through the battlefield.

The arrow didn't hit Aether. It was sliced in half mid-air.

A figure stood between the troupe and the General. He wore wandering samurai robes, and his sword glowed with the light of Anemo.

Kaedehara Kazuha.

"The wind knows..." Kazuha sheathed his blade with a soft click. "Create a path."

The air pressure dropped.

"Kazuha Slash."

He drew his blade again. A domain of autumn leaves and raging wind expanded instantly, engulfing the Shogunate vanguard. The Anemo energy swirled, absorbing the Electro from the environment.

Swirl.

A massive purple tornado erupted, throwing the Shogunate soldiers into the air.

"What?!" Sara gasped, shielding her face from the gale. "The Ronin from the Alcor?!"

Behind Kazuha, the massive red sails of the Crux Fleet emerged from the fog, cannons blazing.

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

The Shogunate ships took direct hits.

"Reinforcements!" Gorou cheered. "Push them back!"

The tide turned. With the Alcor’s cannons and Kazuha’s storm, the Shogunate formation broke.

Sara grit her teeth. She looked at the burning ships. She looked at Kazuha, standing calm amidst the chaos.

"Retreat!" Sara ordered bitterly. "Regroup at the encampment!"

The Shogunate forces fell back, leaving the beach littered with arrows and debris.

The Aftermath

Kazuha sheathed his sword. The autumn leaves faded.

"You're late," Beidou shouted from the deck of the Alcor, grinning.

"The wind was against us," Kazuha smiled gently. He turned to Aether and the troupe. "It seems we arrived just in time."

"Kazuha!" Tsukasa ran over (limping slightly). "That entrance! The timing! The visual effects! It was... perfection!"

"You saved us," Ichika exhaled, leaning on her sword.

Gorou walked over, clutching his side. He looked at Kazuha, then at the troupe who were battered, covered in sand, but still standing.

"You fought well," Gorou admitted. "You didn't run. You held the line."

He extended a hand to Aether.

"Welcome to the Resistance, Swordfish II."

"Swordfish II?" Paimon asked.

"It’s the name of your special ops unit," Gorou said seriously.

"It sounds... terrible," Haruka whispered to Mafuyu.

"It is... functional," Mafuyu replied.

As the sun set over the wreckage of Nazuchi Beach, a soldier with brown hair and a uniform that was slightly too big for him ran up to them.

"General Gorou! Are these the new recruits?" the soldier beamed, looking at them with wide, admiring eyes. "I’m Teppei! I’ll be your liaison! Let's win this war together!"

Mafuyu looked at Teppei.

He was smiling. He was eager. He had no Vision.

‘He looks... fragile,’ Mafuyu thought.

Chapter Text

Location: Watatsumi Island - Bourou Village

The scenery of Watatsumi Island was dreamlike—waterfalls cascading from floating jellyfish-like rocks, bubbles drifting in the air, and the massive Sangonomiya Shrine glowing in the center.

But it was a dream under siege. The village was filled with wounded soldiers.

"I have to go," Yoimiya said, tightening the straps of her pack near the village exit. "Beidou needs help repairing the Alcor after that battle, and... well, I’m a fireworks maker, not a soldier. I can make noise, but I can't hold a line like you guys."

"Take care, Yoimiya," Haruka said, hugging her. "Thank you. For everything."

"Hey, don't die on me!" Yoimiya grinned, though her eyes were worried. "I still owe you a festival!"

She ran off to catch a supply boat, leaving the troupe with their new liaison.

Teppei.

"Don't worry!" Teppei beamed, adjusting his slightly-too-large uniform. "I’ll take care of you! Welcome to Swordfish II! I've been wanting to work with vision-bearers like you for ages!"

"You are very... energetic," Mafuyu noted.

"I have to be!" Teppei clenched his fist. "I don't have a Vision. I can't manipulate elements. But I want to protect Watatsumi. I want to stand on the front lines, just like General Gorou!"

Tsukasa patted him on the back. "A noble ambition! Hard work is the foundation of any great performance!"

The Montage: The Rise of Swordfish II

Over the next few weeks, the war dragged on.

At first, Teppei struggled. He lagged behind during marches. He hid behind Ichika’s shield during skirmishes. He was just a normal, frail boy trying to fight gods.

But then, something changed.

During a raid on a Shogunate supply line, Teppei charged ahead.

"Hah!" Teppei shouted. He didn't use a sword. He punched a samurai in the chest.

CRACK.

Violet energy surged from his hand. The samurai was blasted backward, armor dented.

"Whoa!" Tsukasa gasped. "Teppei! Did you... did you manifest a Vision?!"

"Something like that!" Teppei laughed, looking at his glowing hands. He wasn't panting. He looked ecstatic. "I met some... supporters. They gave us these new secret weapons. Now I can finally keep up with you guys!"

"Secret weapons?" Haruka frowned. "What kind of weapons?"

"Just... power!" Teppei brushed it off, running to the next enemy. "Come on, Captains! Let's clear the camp!"

As the days passed, Teppei became a hero. He took down samurais. He led charges. He rose through the ranks faster than anyone.

But Mafuyu noticed.

She watched him during dinner. He wasn't eating. She watched him during briefings. He was coughing—a dry, rattling sound deep in his chest. And she watched his aura.

‘It isn't a Vision,’ Mafuyu thought, staring at the strange purple glow surrounding him. ‘A Vision feels warm. Like a heartbeat. This feels... cold. Like the foul legacy in the Golden House.’

Location: Bourou Village (Rear House)

A week later, the victory celebration for capturing a major fort was underway.

"Where is Teppei?" Ichika asked, looking around the campfire. "He should be celebrating. He led the vanguard."

"I saw him go around the back," Paimon pointed. "Maybe he's changing his uniform? He got promoted again!"

They walked behind the village elder’s house.

They found him sitting against the wall.

Or... what was left of him.

Teppei was slumped over. His hair, once a vibrant brown, was streaked with gray. His face was gaunt, the skin clinging to his skull. He looked like he had aged fifty years in five days.

"Teppei?" Aether whispered, rushing forward.

Teppei looked up. His eyes were dim.

"Oh... hey, Traveler. Hey... guys." Teppei smiled, but his teeth were stained with blood. "Check it out... my new uniform. It fits... perfectly, doesn't it?"

"Teppei, what happened to you?" Tsukasa knelt down, horror dawning on his face. "You look..."

"I'm just... a little tired," Teppei wheezed. "But did you see me out there? I was... strong. I was finally... worth something."

He opened his hand. A glowing purple crystal rolled out.

A Delusion. With the Fatui insignia.

"No," Haruka covered her mouth. "The Fatui."

Mafuyu picked up the crystal. She stared at it. She felt the energy radiating from it—cold, parasitic, hungry.

"I know this feeling," Mafuyu whispered, her eyes narrowing. "It feels exactly like Childe when he transformed. It eats life to create power."

Ichika stared at the purple glow. Her blood ran cold. The color. The static. The way it twisted the user.

"It's the same," Ichika gasped, her voice trembling. "When we fought Akito-kun... he had this same aura. This same violet light."

She looked at Teppei’s withered body.

"Why?" Mafuyu asked quietly, looking at Teppei. "Why did you use it? Didn't you feel it killing you?"

Teppei looked at her.

"I knew," Teppei whispered. "But... I wanted to catch up. You guys... you shine so bright. I was just... in the background. I wanted... to be a main character too."

He reached out a trembling, withered hand toward the sky.

"Did I... did I do good? Did I make a difference?"

Tsukasa grabbed his hand. Tears streamed down the actor's face. He didn't put on a mask. He didn't pose. He just held the hand of a dying boy.

"You were brilliant," Tsukasa choked out. "You were the bravest of us all."

Teppei smiled. His eyes drifted closed.

"That's good... that's... good..."

His hand went limp. The Delusion rolled onto the grass, its purple light fading into a dull, lifeless grey.

Silence.

The sound of the distant celebration felt like an insult.

Ichika fell to her knees, sobbing. Haruka turned away, punching the wooden wall of the house in frustration. "They knew. The Fatui knew it killed people, and they handed them out like candy."

Mafuyu stood over the body. She picked up the dead Delusion. It was cold, heavy, and felt like a void.

"He traded his life," Mafuyu said, her voice devoid of inflection, but heavy with a terrifying weight. "For a moment of validation. Because he thought he wasn't enough."

Ichika stared at the dull crystal in Mafuyu's hand. Her blood ran cold. The color. The static. The way it twisted the user's energy.

"That light..." Ichika gasped, her voice trembling. "When we fought Akito-kun... he had the same aura. The same cold, violet light."

She looked at Teppei’s withered body, then back at Aether with wide, terrified eyes.

"Akito-kun's power... it feels exactly like this Delusion. It's eating him, isn't it?"

"If he keeps fighting," Mafuyu whispered, clenching the crystal until her knuckles popped. "He will end up like this."

Aether wasn't crying. He stood up slowly. His face was a mask of pure, unadulterated rage.

The element around him shifted. The Geo glow vanished. The Anemo wind died.

Purple lightning—Electro—began to crackle around him. Violent. Unstable.

"The Factory," Aether said. His voice was a low growl that vibrated in their chests. "Teppei said the 'supporters' were hiding by the cliffs."

"The Fatui," Haruka hissed, gripping her spear. "They did this."

"We go," Tsukasa stood up. He wiped his eyes. His face was set in stone. "We go to the Factory. And we bring the curtain down on them."

"We have to stop the source," Ichika said, grabbing her claymore and forcing herself to stand. "For Teppei. And to save Akito before it's too late."

Chapter Text

Location: Watatsumi Island - Bourou Village

The rain had started again. It washed over the lifeless body of Teppei, but it couldn't wash away the heavy, suffocating silence of the group.

Aether stood up. The purple lightning of his Electro resonance crackled violently around him, no longer controlled but leaking out in jagged sparks of rage.

"We have to stop this," Aether said, his voice cold. "Teppei wasn't the only one. The Fatui have distributed these things all over the island."

He turned to Haruka, Tsukasa, and Mafuyu.

"I need you three to stay here," Aether commanded. "Go through the ranks. Find everyone who is using a Delusion. Confiscate them."

"Confiscate?" Tsukasa wiped his eyes, his usual volume dampened. "But... they believe these weapons are their only hope against the Shogun. They will not give them up willingly."

"Then persuade them," Aether said. "Tsukasa, use your voice. Haruka, use your authority. Mafuyu... you can sense the energy. Sniff them out."

"Understood," Haruka nodded grimly. "We'll save as many as we can. We'll take this straight to General Gorou and Her Excellency Kokomi."

"What about you?" Ichika asked, stepping forward. She gripped her Waster Greatsword, her knuckles white.

"I'm going to the Factory," Aether growled, looking toward the jagged cliffs of Yashiori Island. "I'm going to burn it to the ground."

"I'm coming with you," Ichika stated. It wasn't a request.

Aether looked at her. He saw the fear in her eyes, but also the resolve. She wasn't just fighting for Teppei; she was fighting for the memory of Akito, terrified that he was burning away just like the soldier on the ground.

"Okay," Aether nodded. "We need a breaker. Let's go."

Location: Watatsumi Army Camp

Haruka, Tsukasa, and Mafuyu moved through the camp. It was a grim task.

Mafuyu walked in front. She closed her eyes, tuning out the rain, tuning out the noise. She focused on the feeling of hunger. The cold, parasitic pull of the Delusions.

"There," Mafuyu pointed to a tent.

Tsukasa swept the flap open. Inside, three soldiers were huddling around a glowing purple crystal, looking gaunt and feverish.

"Gentlemen!" Tsukasa announced, trying to summon his stage presence. "The performance is over! That prop is dangerous! Hand it over!"

"Get lost!" a soldier snapped, eyes wild. "This is our power! We need it to win!"

"It is killing you!" Tsukasa shouted back, dropping the act. "Look at yourselves! Do you want to end up like Teppei? Dying in the mud before the final curtain?!"

The soldiers flinched.

Haruka stepped in. She didn't shout. She looked them in the eye with the steely gaze of a leader who had managed difficult stars.

"Give it to me," Haruka said, extending her hand. "Please. Don't make us bury any more friends today."

Slowly, reluctantly, the soldier placed the Delusion in her hand.

"Meanwhile," Haruka handed the crystal to Mafuyu (who neutralized it with a touch). "We need to find Kokomi."

They found Sangonomiya Kokomi at the shrine, reviewing battle plans. When they explained the situation—and showed her Teppei’s Delusion—the Divine Priestess turned pale.

"I... I didn't know," Kokomi whispered, horrified. "I thought the sudden boost in strength was due to morale... or training. To think our 'supporters' were poisoning my men..."

She stood up, her eyes hardening.

"General Gorou! Issue an immediate recall! All 'Secret Weapons' are to be seized! Any resistance will be met with force if necessary. We are saving them from themselves!"

Location: Yashiori Island - The Delusion Factory

Aether and Ichika stood before the hidden entrance inside the cliffside. The air here tasted metallic and foul—the residue of Crystal Marrow (the bones of the dead god Orobashi) being processed.

"Ready?" Aether asked.

"No," Ichika admitted, hefting her claymore. "But let's do it anyway."

They kicked the door down.

The factory was a nightmare of steampunk machinery and purple smog. Fatui guards swarmed them instantly.

"Intruders!"

"Out of my way!" Aether roared.

He didn't fence; he slaughtered. He unleashed torrents of Electro lightning, chaining shocks through the metal floor. He was fighting angry, reckless.

Ichika covered him.

"Shield!" Ichika slammed her sword down, creating a Geo barrier to block a Pyroslinger’s shot. "Aether, watch your left!"

She swung her blade, the heavy iron crushing a skirmisher's shield. She wasn't fast, but she was an unstoppable wall, clearing the path for Aether's rage.

They fought their way to the central chamber.

The Mastermind

The heart of the factory was a massive room filled with purple mist. In the center, standing atop a platform surrounded by glowing vats of Crystal Marrow, was a figure.

He wore a large hat with a veil, short pants, and a smirk that made Childe seem friendly.

Scaramouche.

"Well, well," Scaramouche slow-clapped. "You actually made it. I expected you to die in the hallway."

"You..." Aether stepped forward, sword shaking. "You're the one making these things. You killed Teppei."

"Teppei?" Scaramouche tilted his head. "Oh. The soldier? The one who aged fifty years in a week? Yes, I suppose his... enthusiasm... was useful data."

"He was a person!" Ichika shouted, pointing her sword at him. "He had dreams!"

"Dreams?" Scaramouche laughed. It was a cold, jagged sound. "Human life is so... fragile. Brief. Like bubbles in water. Why does it matter if they pop a little sooner? At least they shone for a moment, didn't they?"

"You monster!" Aether lunged.

"Careful now," Scaramouche didn't move. "You're angry. Anger makes you breathe heavy. And the air in here..."

He gestured to the purple mist swirling around the room.

"...is the wrath of a dead god."

Aether faltered. He coughed. The mist burned his lungs. His vision blurred. The rage in his heart flared, mixing with the corruption in the air.

"Aether!" Ichika grabbed his shoulder. "Don't listen to him! It's a trap!"

"Look at you," Scaramouche mocked, floating slightly into the air. "So eager to play the hero. Just like that 'Vivid Shadow' Dottore found. Fighting against the inevitable."

"Akito..." Ichika gasped. "You know where he is?!"

"I know he's breaking," Scaramouche smirked. "Just like you are about to."

Aether collapsed to his knees, clutching his head. The anger was consuming him. He couldn't think. He just wanted to kill.

"Weak," Scaramouche sneered. "Eternity stretches things out over a long time. But you... your time ends here."

He raised his hand. Lightning gathered in his palm—not the purple of a Vision, but the red-black lightning of the Abyss.

"Goodbye, Traveler."

Ichika stepped in front of Aether. She raised her sword. She raised her shield.

But she knew. She felt the pressure radiating from this small man. It was heavier than the Raiden Shogun. It was heavier than Childe.

‘I can't block this,’ Ichika realized with terrified clarity. ‘We’re going to die.’

"Three... Two... One..."

Scaramouche fired.

Flash.

Pink light flooded the room.

It wasn't lightning. It was cherry blossoms.

A figure appeared between Ichika and the Harbinger. She held a gohei (ritual wand), casually deflecting the Abyssal lightning with a barrier of sacred energy.

Yae Miko.

"My, my," Yae sighed, dusting off her sleeve. "You boys are so noisy. Can't a fox enjoy her walk in peace?"

Scaramouche froze. His sneer vanished, replaced by a look of genuine annoyance.

"Yae Miko," Scaramouche spat. "The fox envoy. Are you here to die with them?"

"I'm here to make a trade," Yae said calmly. She reached into her sleeve.

She pulled out a chess piece glowing with Electro light.

The Gnosis.

Scaramouche’s eyes widened. The killing intent vanished instantly, replaced by hunger.

"You have it," Scaramouche whispered.

"Take it," Yae tossed it to him. "And leave."

Scaramouche caught the Gnosis. He stared at it. He looked at Yae, then at the unconscious Aether and the terrified Ichika.

"A fair trade," Scaramouche grinned. "I have what I want."

He turned and vanished into the shadows, taking the darkness with him.

Ichika fell to her knees, dropping her sword.

"He's... gone?"

"For now," Yae looked down at them. "Come on, little ones. Let's get you out of this poison air. You look terrible."

Chapter Text

Location: Grand Narukami Shrine - Guest Quarters

Consciousness returned slowly to Aether. It smelled of sakura blossoms and ozone.

He shot up, gasping. "The Factory!"

"Relax," a cool voice soothed him. "The Factory is gone. And you are safe. Mostly."

Aether looked around. He was lying on a futon in a quiet room at the Grand Narukami Shrine. Sunlight filtered through the paper screens. Ichika was sitting nearby, holding a cup of tea with shaking hands. Paimon was sleeping at the foot of the bed.

Sitting by the window, idly shuffling a stack of Omikuji slips, was Yae Miko.

"You gave it to him," Aether whispered, the memory of the purple room crashing back. "The Gnosis. You gave it to Scaramouche."

"I did," Yae nodded, not looking up. "It was a simple transaction. A chess piece for the life of the Traveler and his little friend. I'd say I got the better deal."

"But it’s a Gnosis!" Ichika argued, her voice hoarse. "It’s... a god's heart!"

"It is a trinket," Yae scoffed, finally turning to face them. Her violet eyes were sharp. "Ei—the Raiden Shogun—discarded it centuries ago. She has no need for it in her Eternity. And neither do I."

She stood up, walking over to tap Aether on the forehead.

"But you... you are variables. You can change things. The Gnosis cannot."

"Change things?" Aether rubbed his head. "We tried fighting her. She one-shot us."

"That is because you fought her like a brute," Yae sighed. "You cannot defeat Eternity with force. You must defeat her will."

She gestured to the door.

"Get up. You have recovered enough. It is time for school."

Location: Shrine Training Grounds

Outside, in a secluded courtyard behind the Sacred Sakura, stood a strange mechanical device. It looked like a wooden pillar rigged with Electro crystals.

"This," Yae introduced, "is the Anti-Raiden Shogun Training Mechanism. I built it to replicate her attack patterns."

"You... built a machine to simulate a god?" Ichika stared at it.

"I know her better than anyone," Yae smiled cryptically. "Now. Show me what you can do."

The Training

Aether went first. The machine unleashed a pulse of lightning. Aether dodged, weaving through the attacks with Anemo speed.

"Passable," Yae yawned. "But sloppy. Now, you."

She pointed at Ichika.

Ichika stepped forward, gripping her heavy Waster Greatsword.

"Start."

The machine whirred. A blade of Electro energy swept out at neck height.

Ichika did what she always did. She planted her feet. She swung her sword up to block.

"Shield!"

A Geo barrier formed.

CRACK.

The machine's strike shattered the Geo shield instantly. The force threw Ichika backward, tumbling across the gravel.

"Ow..." Ichika groaned.

"Wrong," Yae said coldly.

Ichika stood up, dusting herself off. "But... I blocked it. My shield—"

"Your shield is useless against the Musou no Hitotachi," Yae stated bluntly. "That sword cuts through space itself. It doesn't matter how thick your wall is. If you are there, you will be cut."

Ichika paled. "Then... what do I do? I'm not fast like Aether or Haruka. This sword is heavy."

"You are a musician, aren't you?" Yae asked, circling her. "You play the guitar?"

"Yes," Ichika nodded.

"Music isn't just about playing notes," Yae whispered in her ear. "It's about the silence between the notes. The rests."

Yae walked back to the machine.

"The Shogun's attacks have a rhythm. A cadence. She is rigid. Perfect. Predictable."

Yae snapped her fingers. The machine wound up again.

"Don't try to block the note, Ichika. Be the silence. Be the empty space where the sword isn't."

Ichika looked at the machine. Rhythm.

She closed her eyes. She listened to the hum of the Electro crystals.

Hum... hum... ZIP.

It was a tempo. 120 BPM. Fast, aggressive, but constant.

One, two, three, STRIKE.

The machine fired.

Ichika didn't block. She didn't plant her feet.

On the beat of three, she used the weight of her heavy sword not to swing, but to pull herself. She swung the sword behind her back, the momentum twisting her body to the side.

WHOOSH.

The Electro blade sliced through the air exactly where her chest had been a millisecond ago.

Ichika stumbled, but she was untouched.

"Better," Yae smiled. "Again."

Hours Later

By sunset, Ichika and Aether were drenched in sweat.

The machine fired a final, massive burst—an imitation of the execution move.

Aether dashed left. Ichika pivoted right, dragging her sword sparks flying, narrowly avoiding the kill zone.

"Good," Yae clapped. "You might survive for at least three minutes now."

"Only three minutes?" Aether panted.

"Three minutes is all you need," Yae said seriously. "To shake her will. To make her hesitate."

Suddenly, voices echoed from the main path.

"Ichika! Traveler!"

Haruka, Tsukasa, and Mafuyu ran into the courtyard. They looked relieved to find them, but their faces were drawn and tired from the grim work of confiscating Delusions.

"We heard you were at the shrine," Haruka said, checking Ichika for injuries. "Are you okay? What happened at the factory?"

"We... destroyed it," Ichika said, leaning on her sword. "But the mastermind got away."

"With the Gnosis," Aether added bitterly.

"The mastermind?" Tsukasa asked, tilting his head. "Was it Childe again? Or perhaps Signora?"

"No," Aether shook his head. He looked at the troupe, his expression grave. "It was the Sixth Harbinger. Scaramouche. The Balladeer."

"Scaramouche?" Haruka tested the name.

"He's not like Childe," Aether explained, his voice low. "Childe fights for the thrill. Signora fights for arrogance. But Scaramouche... he fights with pure malice."

Aether clenched his fist, recalling the suffocating pressure in the factory.

"He created the Delusions. He knew they were killing people like Teppei, and he laughed about it. He called human lives 'fragile bubbles'."

Mafuyu’s eyes narrowed. "He laughed?"

"He nearly killed us without lifting a finger," Ichika whispered, shivering. "The air around him... it was poison. If Yae Miko hadn't traded the Gnosis for our lives... we wouldn't be here."

Tsukasa’s bravado evaporated. "He... he overpowered both of you? And forced a God's envoy to surrender a divine artifact?"

"He is a monster," Aether confirmed. "And he is out there, somewhere, with the power of a God in his pocket."

The weight of the situation settled on them. They weren't just fighting a tyrant Shogun anymore. They were fighting monsters who viewed them as insects.

"We have a new plan," Yae interrupted the heavy silence. She looked at the full troupe.

"Scaramouche has fled. Childe is neutralized. That leaves the Shogun."

"The Shogun is protected by the Tenryou Commission," Yae explained. "Specifically, the Kujou Clan. They are the ones feeding her false information, keeping the war going to profit from it."

"Corrupt officials," Haruka scowled. "Just like the Kanjou Commission."

"If we can prove the Kujou Clan's treachery to the Shogun," Yae explained, "Her conviction will waver. And that... is when you strike."

She pulled out a small, wooden Omamori (charm).

"I have a plan to get the evidence. But I need someone on the inside. Someone who trusts the Shogun implicitly, but has a conscience."

"Kujou Sara," Aether realized.

"Exactly," Yae grinned. "But Sara is stubborn. We need to wake her up."

She looked at Tsukasa.

"Little Star. You're loud. And you're good at making scenes. I think it's time for another performance."

Tsukasa straightened his collar, his fatigue vanishing as the role called to him.

"A performance to wake a General? Leave it to me! I shall deliver a monologue that shatters her worldview!"

Yae laughed. "Oh, I'm counting on it."

Chapter Text

Location: Grand Narukami Shrine

The training session had barely ended when the peace of the shrine was shattered by the sound of armored boots marching in unison.

"Surround the perimeter!" a sharp voice commanded. "No one leaves!"

Tsukasa froze, mid-pose. "The audience... has arrived early?"

"It’s the Tenryou Commission," Haruka hissed, gripping her spear. "They found us."

Kujou Sara strode into the courtyard, her Tengu mask affixed to her head, her bow in hand. She looked furious.

"Traveler. And the Outlander accomplices," Sara announced, leveling a finger at them. "You are charged with treason, jailbreak, and inciting rebellion on Watatsumi Island. Surrender now, and your execution will be swift."

"Execution?!" Tsukasa yelped. "That sounds decidedly permanent!"

"Stand down, Sara."

Yae Miko stepped out from the Sacred Sakura. She wasn't holding a weapon. She held a folding fan, which she snapped open with a lazy flick of her wrist.

"This is sacred ground," Yae said, her voice smooth but carrying the weight of the mountain. "Your soldiers are trampling my petals."

"Guuji Yae," Sara bowed stiffly, but she didn't lower her guard. "I am here on official Shogunate business. These criminals are enemies of Eternity. Hand them over."

"I refuse," Yae smiled.

Sara blinked. "You... refuse? You would harbor fugitives against the Shogun's will?"

"I am placing them under Shrine Protective Custody," Yae declared. She walked down the steps, placing herself between the soldiers and the troupe.

She glanced back at Mafuyu and Ichika.

"You see, Sara... these aren't ordinary criminals. They are... fragile constructs. Rare artifacts from a distant shore. If you break them in a dungeon, you might disrupt the ley lines of reality itself."

"Constructs?" Sara frowned. "They look like humans."

"They look like a lot of things," Yae murmured, her eyes flashing with that strange, knowing light. "Like echoes trapped in a bottle. Or songs recorded on a disc that doesn't exist yet. If you execute them... the static might deafen us all."

Mafuyu stiffened. ‘Static?’

"Enough riddles!" Sara snapped. "They are rebels! They aided the Watatsumi Army!"

"Because they saw something you refuse to look at," Yae’s tone sharpened. She closed her fan with a snap. "Tell me, General. Why is the war dragging on? Why are Vision holders dying? And why... does the Kujou Clan insist on hiding reports from the Shogun?"

"That is a lie!" Sara shouted. "The Kujou Clan is loyal! We serve the Shogun's will perfectly!"

"Then prove it," Yae challenged.

She stepped closer to Sara.

"Give me three days. In three days, I will bring you proof that your clan is betraying the Shogun. Proof that they are colluding with the Fatui to prolong the war for profit."

Sara hesitated. "Treachery? Impossible."

"If I am wrong," Yae shrugged. "You can arrest them. You can arrest me. But if I am right... you will take the evidence to the Shogun yourself."

Sara looked at Aether. She looked at the determined faces of the troupe. She looked at Yae Miko’s unyielding smile.

"Three days," Sara hissed. "If you do not produce this 'proof' by sunset on the third day... I will burn this shrine to the ground if I have to."

"Deal," Yae grinned.

"Withdraw!" Sara ordered her troops. They marched out, leaving the shrine silent once more.

The Plan

"That was close," Aether exhaled.

"She bought us time," Haruka noted. "But now we have to deliver. How do we get proof of treason from the most guarded fortress in Inazuma?"

"We steal it," Yae said simply.

She turned to the group.

"The Kujou Clan keeps their records inside the Tenryou Commission Headquarters. But you can't just walk in there. You're too... loud." She poked Tsukasa’s chest.

"I have presence!" Tsukasa defended.

"Exactly. We need a shadow," Yae said. "And the Kamisato Clan has just the thing."

She gestured toward the mountain path leading down toward the estate.

"Go to the Kamisato Estate. Meet with Ayaka and Ayato. They command the Shumatsuban—a ninja unit. Ask for the little tanuki."

"Tanuki?" Paimon tilted her head.

"Her name is Sayu," Yae explained. "She is small, fast, and lazier than a cat in the sun. But she can steal the documents right from under the Commissioner's nose."

"A ninja heist!" Tsukasa’s eyes lit up again. "The genre shifts once more! From War Drama to Espionage Thriller!"

"Go," Yae waved them off. "And try not to get caught. I'd hate to lose my new toys so soon."

The Departure

As the group prepared to leave, Yae pulled Mafuyu aside.

"One moment, little ghost," Yae said softly.

Mafuyu stopped. "Yes?"

Yae leaned against the Torii gate, looking at the distant horizon where the sky met the sea.

"Do you feel it?" Yae asked. "The signal gets weaker the further you go from the Sacred Sakura."

Mafuyu touched her chest. "Signal?"

"The tether," Yae whispered, leaning in close. "The string that pulls you back to your... Sekai."

Mafuyu froze. Her eyes snapped to Yae's face, her guard going up instantly. She took a step back, her hand drifting toward her catalyst.

"How do you know that word?" Mafuyu asked, her voice cold and suspicious. "Who told you?"

Yae chuckled, a low, melodic sound that seemed to come from everywhere at once. She covered her mouth with her sleeve, her violet eyes glinting with amusement.

"Oh, you poor thing. Did you think you were the only one who listens to the wind?"

Yae walked a circle around her.

"The Sacred Sakura's roots run deep, Mafuyu. They drink from the Ley Lines of this world... and they brush against the roots of others. I hear the whispers of dreams that haven't been dreamt yet. I hear the songs that haven't been sung."

She tapped Mafuyu's forehead with her fan.

"A world built of song. A world built of emptiness. A world built of stage lights. They all leave echoes in the void. And a fox... has very sharp ears."

Mafuyu stared at her. It wasn't an answer. It was a riddle wrapped in a metaphor.

"You are existing on borrowed time," Yae continued, her tone shifting from playful to ominous. "Your data... your soul... is struggling to render in this world. That is why you feel empty. You are a story that hasn't found its ending."

"Am I... going to disappear?" Mafuyu whispered.

"Not if you finish the story," Yae smiled enigmatically. "Stories anchor us. Make this one count. Before the page turns on you."

She pushed Mafuyu gently toward the path.

"Run along now. The tea at the Kamisato Estate is excellent."

Mafuyu walked away, her mind racing. Roots. Echoes. Rendering. Yae knew something fundamental about their existence, but she spoke in riddles to keep the truth just out of reach.

She caught up with the group.

"What did the fox say?" Tsukasa asked.

"She said..." Mafuyu looked at the sunset. "She said we need to finish the story."

"Then let us finish it!" Tsukasa declared, marching toward the Kamisato Estate. "Act Three awaits!"

Chapter Text

Location: Kamisato Estate - Private Tea Room

The Kamisato Estate was a sanctuary of silence and discipline, contrasting sharply with the chaos of the city below.

Seated at a low table, arranging flowers with terrifying precision, was the head of the Yashiro Commission.

Kamisato Ayato.

"I see," Ayato said, snipping a camellia stem. He didn't look up. "Guuji Yae has placed a wager with Kujou Sara. And the stakes are the stability of the Tenryou Commission."

"We need the documents," Haruka explained, kneeling respectfully at the table. "Yae Miko believes the Kujou Clan is hiding reports from the Shogun. If we can prove treason, Sara will turn."

"A bold strategy," Ayato smiled. It was a polite smile, but his eyes were calculating. "Destabilizing the Kujou Clan would certainly... benefit the Yashiro Commission. And if the Vision Hunt Decree ends, Inazuma stabilizes. It is a mutually beneficial arrangement."

He placed the flower in the vase.

"However, the Tenryou Commission headquarters is a fortress. You cannot simply walk in."

"We have a plan!" Tsukasa declared (loudly enough to make the flower vase tremble). "A distraction! My associate, Yoimiya, shall unleash a firework display of unprecedented magnitude! While the guards look up, the shadow slips in!"

"A firework distraction..." Ayato mused. "Crude. Loud. Effective."

He turned to Thoma, who was kneeling by the door.

"Thoma. Activate the Shuumatsuban."

"Yes, My Lord," Thoma bowed.

"Find Sayu," Ayato ordered. "Tell her she has a mission. If she complains about her sleep schedule, tell her I will personally oversee her ninja training next week."

Thoma winced sympathetically. "Understood. That should motivate her."

Thoma vanished into the garden.

Ayato looked at the troupe.

"You may rest here tonight. The heist will take place tomorrow night during the festival prep. Do not leave the estate. If the Tenryou Commission finds you here, my plausible deniability evaporates."

"Thank you, Lord Kamisato," Ichika bowed.

As they stood to leave, Ayato’s gaze lingered on Mafuyu.

"You have an interesting resonance, Miss Asahina," Ayato noted, sipping his tea. "Like a pond that reflects no moon."

Mafuyu paused. "Is that a haiku?"

"Merely an observation," Ayato smiled enigmatically. "Rest well."

Location: Guest Quarters

Night fell over the estate. The crickets chirped in the garden.

The troupe lay on their futons, exhausted.

"Tomorrow," Tsukasa whispered to the ceiling. "We steal the documents. We save the country. We end the war."

"It sounds like a movie script," Ichika murmured, turning over. "I just hope Yoimiya is ready with the fireworks."

"She will be," Haruka said. "Sleep now. We need energy."

Mafuyu lay awake. She stared at the ceiling.

She thought about Yae’s words. 'The signal gets weaker.' 'A file that hasn't fully downloaded.'

She closed her eyes.

‘I am tired,’ Mafuyu thought.

She drifted into sleep.

...

...

Location: Unknown

BEEP.

BEEP.

BEEP.

The sound was sharp. Synthetic. Electronic.

It wasn't the sound of crickets. It was the sound of a metronome.

Mafuyu opened her eyes.

She wasn't in the Kamisato Estate. She wasn't on a futon.

She was sitting on a cold, gray floor. The sky above was a static void of white noise and floating, broken cubes.

The Empty Sekai.

"What?" Mafuyu whispered.

She looked down at her hands. She wasn't wearing her Inazuma travel clothes. She was wearing her Nightcord uniform.

"Mafuyu?"

A voice called out from the gray fog.

Mafuyu turned. Standing there, looking transparent and glitching like a bad hologram, was Kanade.

"Kanade?" Mafuyu gasped.

Suddenly, the world shifted violently. The gray dissolved into color.

Location: The Stage Sekai

Haruka opened her eyes. She was standing on a stage. But the spotlights were red.

"Haruka-chan!"

Minori was running toward her, tears streaming down her face. But every time Minori took a step, she glitched, teleporting backward.

"Minori?!" Haruka reached out.

Location: The School Sekai

Ichika woke up at a desk. The classroom was empty, save for Saki, who was pounding on the window glass as if trapped on the other side.

"Ichi-chan! Can you hear me?!" Saki screamed, but no sound came out. Only static.

Location: The Wonderland Sekai

Tsukasa stood in the center of the theme park. But the park was burning with green fire.

"Tsukasa-kun!" Emu waved frantically from the Ferris Wheel. Rui stood below, looking at a datapad that was scrolling error codes.

"The connection!" Rui shouted, his voice distorted. "It's unstable! We can't hold them!"

Location: The Convergence

Mafuyu looked around the Empty Sekai. She felt the "signal" Yae talked about. It wasn't weak anymore. It was screaming.

[SYSTEM ALERT] [FORCED SYNCHRONIZATION ATTEMPT] [ERROR: REGION LOCKED]

"This isn't a dream," Mafuyu realized, clutching her chest. "We're... back?"

But then, the sky tore open.

A massive, red digital eye opened in the heavens of the Sekai. It spun with octagon pupils.

"Not yet," a voice boomed from the sky. It sounded like Celestial Miku, but twisted. "The story isn't finished. Go back."

Red lightning struck the ground.

"NO!" Kanade screamed, reaching for Mafuyu.

"Kanade!" Mafuyu reached back.

Their fingers brushed.

ZAP.

The connection severed.

Mafuyu gasped, sitting bolt upright on the futon in the Kamisato Estate.

"Hah... hah..."

She looked around. Tsukasa, Haruka, and Ichika were all waking up at the exact same moment, gasping for air, clutching their chests.

"I saw them," Ichika sobbed, grabbing her blanket. "I saw Saki. She was right there!"

"The stage..." Haruka touched her face. "Minori was crying."

"Rui..." Tsukasa whispered, his hands shaking. "The Sekai... it was broken."

Mafuyu looked at her hands. They were still trembling from the phantom touch of Kanade’s fingers.

"We didn't dream," Mafuyu said, her voice trembling with a terrifying realization. "We connected. But... She kicked us out."

"She?" Haruka asked.

"The one watching," Mafuyu looked at the ceiling, past the wood, past the sky of Teyvat. "The Administrator."

Chapter Text

Location: Yoisaki Household (Kanade’s Room)

Time: 03:00 AM (Japan Standard Time)

Kanade Yoisaki sat frozen in her chair. Her hand was still reaching out toward her computer monitor, fingers trembling.

"Mafuyu..."

The screen was black. But moments ago, it had been gray mist. She had felt it. The cold air. The smell of ash. And the warmth of Mafuyu’s hand brushing against hers.

It wasn't a dream. She hadn't been sleeping. She had been composing, trying to force a melody into the Empty Sekai, when the screen had pulled her in.

"She was there," Kanade whispered, clutching her chest. "She was scared. And... something pulled her away."

Her phone buzzed.

[Nightcord at 25:00]

Amia (Mizuki): Did anyone else just feel that?

Enanan (Ena): My screen flashed red. I saw... I think I saw Mafuyu?

K (Kanade): I saw her. She’s alive.

K (Kanade): But she’s trapped.

Location: Kamishiro Household

Rui Kamishiro was typing furiously on three different keyboards. His usually calm expression was replaced by manic focus. But he wasn't looking at code; he was looking at waveforms of sound. Visualizations of pure emotion.

"Nene," Rui spoke into his headset. "Did you record the interference pattern?"

"I got it," Nene’s voice trembled over the line. "It... it didn't look like a normal disconnection. It felt like... the door was slammed in our faces."

"Tsukasa-kun was there," Rui said, his eyes narrowing as he analyzed the jagged lines on the screen. "He looked... older. Tired. But he was himself. The song connected for exactly 12 seconds."

He hit a key. The waveform spiked violently into red static before cutting off.

"Then... the Red Eye intervened."

"The Red Eye?"

"It wasn't a glitch, Nene," Rui whispered, leaning back in his chair. "A glitch is a mistake. This was... deliberate. It felt like a stagehand forcibly dropping the curtain to hide the actors."

He stared at the black screen.

"Something is guarding them. Something that doesn't want us to watch the show."

Location: The Boundary (The Meeting of Feelings)

For the first time since the birth of the Sekais, the invisible walls between the worlds dissolved.

It wasn't a system error. It was a gathering of wills.

In a void of pure white light, the Variant Vocaloids (Nightcord Miku, Wonderland KAITO, Street MEIKO, etc.) stood facing the Default Vocaloids—the origins of their songs.

The atmosphere was heavy.

"We all saw it," Wonderland KAITO started, his voice echoing in the void. "Our troupe members. They reached out. They were pulled back to us."

"And then they were torn away," Nightcord Miku whispered, hugging her knees. "By something... Above."

Default Miku stood in the center, looking distressed. "We felt the surge too. A command... no, a Will. Stronger than anything we've felt before. But... it didn't come from us."

"If it wasn't you," Street MEIKO scowled, crossing her arms, "then who has the authority to silence a Sekai?"

In the background, Default Luka and Default MEIKO were surrounded by floating fragments of light—memories of songs from eons ago. They were feverishly searching through the echoes of the past.

"We are searching the Ancient Melodies," Default Luka said, her eyes scanning the drifting lights. "There are... gaps. Verses that were erased from the beginning. References to a 'Guardian' that was supposed to sleep forever."

"A Guardian?" Stage Miku asked. "To guard what?"

"To guard the boundary between worlds," Default MEIKO replied grimly, holding a fractured shard of light. "But the memories are faded. We can't confirm if this entity is a friend or foe. The 'Administrator' is just a ghost story in our history."

"Ghost or Guardian," Nightcord Miku looked up, her eyes sharp. "It took them. It took Mafuyu."

Stage Miku closed her eyes, accessing the faint trail of feelings Haruka had left behind during the brief connection.

"I felt Haruka's heart," Stage Miku said softly. "It wasn't just fear. It was... resonance. She was resonating with the earth. With stone."

"Tsukasa was resonating with lightning," Wonderland KAITO added. "And wind. Their songs are changing. They are learning melodies that don't belong to our world."

Street MEIKO stepped forward. She waved her hand, and a projection of the Street Sekai's atmosphere appeared.

"Learning is one thing," she said, her voice dropping. "But look at this."

She projected a feeling—a jagged, violent vibration.

Ichika, Tsukasa, Haruka, and Mafuyu had signals that were weak, but stable. Blue, Yellow, Green, Purple.

But there was a fifth signal. Orange.

Akito Shinonome.

His signal wasn't a song. It was a scream. It was pulsing with a dark, corrupt violet color.

"Akito..." Default Rin gasped. "His heart... it's breaking."

"He isn't just trapped," Street MEIKO said grimly. "He is being twisted. Something over there... something dark... is eating his feelings. If we don't get him back soon... there won't be an Akito left to save."

The Virtual Singers looked at each other. Defaults and Variants. They were beings created to support humans, limited by the boundaries of their worlds. They couldn't cross the gap to figure out what was happening.

But they had users who could break boundaries.

"We cannot fight this Guardian alone," Wonderland KAITO declared. "We need more strength. We need the humans."

"But the rules," Default Miku hesitated. "The Sekais are separate. The humans aren't supposed to know about each other's worlds."

"The rules are already broken!" Street MEIKO slammed her fist into the invisible wall. "Akito is dying! Do we follow the rules, or do we save them?"

Nightcord Miku stood up. The gray dust of her Sekai swirled around her feet.

"We cross-share," she said. Her voice was quiet, but absolute. "We link the 'Untitled' files. We let Leo/need talk to Nightcord. We let Vivid Bad Squad talk to Wonderlands x Showtime. We tell them everything."

Default Luka stopped searching the lights. She looked at the group with a sad smile.

"If we do that... we change the nature of the Sekais forever. There is no going back."

"Good," Stage Miku said, her eyes determined. "If this 'Guardian' wants to play a game with our hearts... then we will change the stage."

Wonderland KAITO smiled. It was a troupe leader's smile.

"Then it is decided. Operation Cross-Link. We unite the groups."

Nightcord Miku nodded.

"For Mafuyu. For all of them."

Chapter Text

Location: Kamisato Estate - Garden

The morning sun did little to dispel the heavy mood hanging over the troupe. They ate their breakfast in silence, the memory of the "glitch" still burning in their minds.

"We have to finish this," Tsukasa broke the silence, setting down his tea. His eyes were red-rimmed but fierce. "If we are trapped here... and they are fighting to reach us... then we cannot waste time sleeping."

"Agreed," Haruka nodded, gripping her spear. "We get the evidence. We stop the war. We find the Archon."

A bush in the garden rustled.

"Eep!"

A small figure tumbled out of the shrubbery, curled into a ball. She wore a mujina (raccoon-dog) hoodie and looked like she was trying very hard to become one with the moss.

Sayu. The Shuumatsuban Ninja.

"Um..." Sayu peeked out from her hood. "I was told... there was a mission? And that if I didn't do it, the Lord Commissioner would make me run laps?"

"That's right," Thoma crouched down. "Sayu, these are the friends I told you about. We need you to steal something from the Tenryou Commission."

Sayu groaned, flopping onto her back. "The Tenryou Commission? That place is huge. And full of scary guards. Can't I just... sleep?"

"If you do this," Haruka stepped forward, kneeling beside the ninja. "We can stop the war. And if the war stops... maybe everyone can sleep a little easier."

Sayu looked at Haruka. She saw the dark circles under the idol's eyes.

"You look tired too," Sayu muttered. "Fine. But I want a nap afterwards. A long one."

"Deal," Haruka promised.

"Now," Aether unrolled a map of the city. "The documents are in Kujou Takayuki's private office. But the courtyard is crawling with guards. We need to pull them away."

"Leave that to us!"

Yoimiya bounded into the garden, carrying a massive sack that rattled ominously.

"I brought the good stuff!" Yoimiya grinned. "The 'Naganohara Meteor Swarm'! It's loud, it's colorful, and it's definitely illegal to set off in the city limits!"

"Excellent!" Tsukasa stood up, striking a pose. "A grand spectacle to captivate the audience! While their eyes are fixed on the heavens, the shadow shall slip through the earth!"

"Exactly!" Yoimiya high-fived him. "We'll turn the Statue of the Omnipresent God into the biggest stage in Inazuma!"

Mafuyu looked at the fireworks. Then she looked at Sayu.

"Loud," Mafuyu pointed to Tsukasa and Yoimiya. "Quiet," she pointed to Sayu.

"Perfect balance," Aether noted.

Location: Statue of the Omnipresent God (Night)

The plan was simple. Insanely dangerous, but simple.

The streets near the statue were patrolled by fifty Millelith guards. The tension was high; everyone was expecting an attack from the Resistance.

They didn't expect a circus.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF INAZUMA!"

A spotlight (powered by Tsukasa’s Electro resonance hitting a streetlamp) flared to life, illuminating the base of the statue.

Tsukasa Tenma stood there, cape billowing in the wind.

"HALT!" The guards shouted, rushing forward. "It's the fugitive! Arrest him!"

"HALT YOURSELVES!" Tsukasa roared, projecting his voice to the back rows. "TONIGHT IS NOT A NIGHT FOR ARRESTS! TONIGHT IS A CELEBRATION OF... UH... SUMMER!"

"NOW, YOIMIYA!"

From the rooftops, Yoimiya lit a fuse.

FWOOSH. CRACK. BOOM.

The sky exploded.

It wasn't just a few rockets. It was a barrage. Gold, red, and purple fire flowers bloomed over the statue, raining glittering sparks down on the terrified (and mesmerized) guards.

"Goldfish of Doom, launch!" Yoimiya laughed, firing arrows that burst into flaming fish shapes.

"Look at the colors!" Tsukasa shouted, dancing through the sparks. He used his Geo powers to create stone pillars, hopping between them to avoid the spears of the confused guards. "Is this not magnificent?! Are you not entertained?!"

"Get him!" The Captain screamed. "Ignore the fireworks! Get the loud boy!"

Every guard in the plaza rushed toward the statue, drawn like moths to a very loud flame.

Location: Tenryou Commission Headquarters

While the chaos unfolded at the statue, a small, round shadow rolled across the roof of the police station.

Sayu moved like wind. She didn't make a sound.

She dropped into the courtyard. Empty. All the guards had run to see why the sky was exploding.

"Too easy," Sayu yawned.

She slipped into the main building. She utilized her Yoohoo Art: Mujina Flurry, rolling past a patrolling clerk as a spinning ball of Anemo.

She reached the Regent's office.

‘Lock,’ Sayu thought. ‘Annoying.’

She remembered what Mafuyu had told her. ‘Just break it.’

Sayu pulled out her claymore (which was bigger than she was). She infused it with Anemo.

Crunch.

She pried the window open with brute force.

She slipped inside. The room was filled with scrolls.

"Evidence... evidence..." Sayu muttered, rummaging through the desk. "Boring... boring... tax reports... ah."

She found a sealed scroll marked with the Fatui insignia.

‘Report to Signora: Delusion Distribution and Profit Margins.’

"Bingo," Sayu whispered.

She grabbed the scroll.

"Who's there?!"

A guard burst into the room. He saw the open window. He saw the tiny ninja holding the scroll.

"Intruder!"

Sayu didn't fight. She didn't panic. She bit her lip.

"Yoohoo Art: Fuuin Dash!"

She curled into a ball and rolled. She rolled right between the guard's legs, out the door, and launched herself off the balcony.

"Bye bye!"

The Escape

"They're getting annoyed!" Yoimiya yelled, dodging a spear. "Tsukasa, we need to exit stage left!"

"Agreed!" Tsukasa panted. He had been dodging for ten minutes straight. "The encore is canceled!"

"Smoke bomb!" Yoimiya threw a canister.

A cloud of thick, red smoke engulfed the plaza.

"Everyone, run!" Aether commanded from the alleyway where he, Haruka, and Ichika were waiting.

They grabbed Tsukasa and Yoimiya as they sprinted past.

They ran through the winding streets, dodging patrols, until they reached the designated rendezvous point: Komore Teahouse.

They burst through the door, collapsing onto the tatami mats.

"We... made it..." Tsukasa wheezed. "My lungs... are burning..."

"That was awesome!" Yoimiya cheered. "Did you see the blue one? It made a heart shape!"

"Did we get it?" Haruka asked, looking around. "Where is Sayu?"

The floorboards creaked. A small pile of leaves materialized in the corner. Sayu popped out, looking sleepy.

"Here," Sayu tossed the scroll onto the table. "I got it. Can I sleep now?"

Thoma grabbed the scroll. He broke the seal. He read it quickly.

His eyes widened.

"This is it," Thoma said grimly. "Correspondence between Kujou Takayuki and La Signora. It proves everything. The Kujou Clan is keeping the Vision Hunt Decree alive to destabilize the country for the Fatui... in exchange for support."

"Treason," Ayaka whispered, covering her mouth. "Betraying the Shogun for power."

"This is the proof," Aether said, taking the scroll. "Now we just need to deliver it."

"To Sara," Haruka said. "Yae Miko said to bring it to Sara."

Mafuyu looked at the scroll. It was just paper. But it carried the weight of Teppei’s life.

"Will she believe it?" Ichika asked. "She is loyal to her clan."

"She is loyal to the Shogun," Tsukasa corrected, sitting up. "If we show her that her loyalty was used to betray her God... she will break. And then... she will fight."

"Tomorrow," Thoma said. "Tomorrow is the third day. Take this to the Shrine."

Sayu curled up on a cushion. "Goodnight."

Chapter Text

Location: Komore Teahouse - Veranda Time: 02:00 AM

The teahouse was silent, save for the gentle lapping of water in the courtyard pond.

Ichika Hoshino sat on the edge of the wooden deck, her legs dangling. Her heavy Waster Greatsword lay next to her, gleaming coldly in the moonlight. She wasn't sleeping. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the static-filled classroom. She saw Saki pounding on the glass.

And she saw Akito’s violet, dead eyes.

"You should sleep."

Ichika flinched, reaching for her sword handle. She relaxed when she saw Aether stepping out from the shadows.

"I can't," Ichika admitted, pulling her knees to her chest. "The nightmare... it felt so real. Saki was right there. And Akito..."

She looked at her hands.

"I keep thinking about Teppei. How fast he faded. If Akito is using that same power... how much time does he have left? A week? A day?"

Aether sat down next to her. He didn't offer empty platitudes. He stared at the moon.

"My sister," Aether said quietly. "Lumine. When I saw her in the Abyss... she looked at me like I was a stranger. Like our journey together didn't matter compared to her war."

Ichika looked at him. "How do you keep going? Knowing she's... like that?"

"Because I know who she really is," Aether said, his golden eyes hardening. "The Abyss can twist memories. It can change allegiances. But it can't erase the bond. I keep fighting because I know the real Lumine is still in there, waiting for me to pull her out."

He placed a hand on Ichika’s shoulder.

"Akito is the same. He's fighting it. I saw him hesitate at the statue. The real Akito is still in there, screaming for his partner. Screaming for you guys."

Ichika gripped her sword. She felt the weight of the Geo element—stable, unmoving.

"I won't let him fade," Ichika whispered. "I'll be the wall that stops him. Even if I have to drag him back kicking and screaming."

Aether smiled. "That's the spirit. Now... try to rest. Tomorrow, we break a General."

Location: Grand Narukami Shrine Time: Sunset (The Third Day)

The setting sun cast the Sacred Sakura in a blood-red light.

Kujou Sara stood in the center of the courtyard, her arms crossed, her foot tapping impatiently. A squad of elite Shogunate samurai stood behind her.

"The sun is setting," Sara announced to the empty shrine. "Guuji Yae. Your time is up."

"So impatient," Yae Miko strolled out from the main hall, flanked by Aether and the troupe.

"We have it," Haruka said, stepping forward. She held the scroll Sayu had stolen.

Sara looked at the scroll. It bore the official seal of the Tenryou Commission... and the insignia of the Fatui.

"What is this?" Sara demanded.

"Read it," Tsukasa challenged, his voice serious for once. "Read the script your father wrote."

Sara snatched the scroll. She broke the seal. Her eyes scanned the text.

Report on Delusion Distribution... Suppression of Resistance activity reports... Agreement to keep the Shogun blind to the war's true cost...

Sara’s hands began to shake.

"No," Sara whispered. "This... this is a forgery."

"It is in Lord Takayuki’s handwriting," Thoma (who had sneaked up with them in disguise) pointed out. "And it was in his private safe."

"The Vision Hunt Decree isn't about Eternity," Mafuyu said coldly. "It is a business deal. Your clan sells the people's ambitions to the Fatui, and the Fatui keeps the war going so they can sell weapons."

"Lies!" Sara crumpled the scroll. "The Kujou Clan serves the Shogun! Loyalty is our blood! We would never betray her!"

"You aren't betraying her," Yae Miko stepped down, her voice devoid of mockery. "You are being betrayed, Sara. You, and the Shogun both."

Yae leaned in.

"The Shogun is trapped in the Plane of Euthymia. She sees only what the Commission allows her to see. Your father is blinding a God."

Sara looked at the crumpled paper. She looked at the faces of the travelers—people who had fought to save Yoimiya, who had saved the city from Osial.

Everything clicked. The endless war. The strange reports. The Fatui diplomats walking freely in the city.

"Father..." Sara’s voice broke.

Then, it hardened into something terrifying.

She threw the scroll to the ground. She drew her bow.

"Soldiers!" Sara roared at her own men. "Return to the barracks! I am going to the Headquarters!"

"General?" a samurai asked, confused. "Are we arresting them?"

"No," Sara turned, her eyes burning with Electro fury. "I am going to ask the Clan Head a question. And if I do not like the answer..."

She sprinted out of the shrine, moving like a storm.

"Follow her!" Aether commanded.

Location: Tenryou Commission Headquarters

They chased Sara through the city streets. She didn't stop for checkpoints. She didn't stop for guards. She stormed into the Commission estate like a hurricane.

"General Kujou!" The guards at the gate saluted. "What is—"

"Move!" Sara blasted them aside with a gust of wind.

She kicked open the doors to the main audience chamber.

Sitting at the head of the room was an elderly man with a stern face. Kujou Takayuki.

"Sara?" Takayuki frowned. "What is the meaning of this intrusion? You should be arresting the fugitives."

"I have the fugitives right here," Sara gestured to Aether and the troupe standing behind her. "But first... explain this."

She threw the crumpled Fatui report onto his desk.

Takayuki looked at it. He didn't flinch. He didn't panic. He simply sighed, as if dealing with a petulant child.

"I see," Takayuki said. "So the shrine fox meddled."

"Is it true?" Sara shouted, stepping forward. "Are you colluding with the Fatui? Are you lying to the Shogun?!"

"I am securing the future of the Kujou Clan!" Takayuki stood up, slamming his hand on the desk. "The Shogun seeks Eternity! And as long as she has the Gnosis, she is invincible! What does it matter if we deal with the Fatui? They are tools! Once the Shogun achieves her goal, we will discard them!"

"You..." Sara stepped back, horrified. "You don't care about the Vision Hunt. You don't care about the people."

"The people are grass," Takayuki scoffed. "The Kujou Clan is the tree that shelters them. If we must burn some grass to strengthen the roots, so be it!"

"That isn't loyalty!" Tsukasa shouted from the back. "That is tyranny!"

"Silence, Outlander!" Takayuki barked. "Sara, arrest them! And then return to your post!"

Sara looked at her father. She looked at the man who had raised her, trained her, and taught her that loyalty was everything.

She drew her bow. But she didn't aim at Aether.

She aimed at the Fatui diplomat standing in the shadows of the room.

"The Shogun is not a tool for your ambition," Sara said, her voice trembling with rage. "She is the Almighty Narukami Ogosho. And you... you have betrayed her."

She turned to Aether.

"Traveler. The Shogun is at Tenshukaku. She is meeting with a Snezhnayan diplomat right now."

"Signora," Haruka realized.

"I am going to the palace," Sara declared. "I will tell the Shogun the truth. Even if it costs me my life."

She sprinted out of the room.

"After her!" Aether yelled.

"Wait!" Takayuki laughed. It was a manic, desperate laugh. "You think you can just walk into Tenshukaku? Use your brains! The Signora is with her! You are walking to your deaths!"

"Maybe," Ichika said, hefting her claymore. "But at least we're walking forward."

They ran out, leaving the Clan Head alone in his office, shouting orders to guards who were no longer listening.

Chapter Text

Location: Tenshukaku - The Throne Room

The doors to the Shogun’s palace were heavy, but they swung open easily.

Inside, the air was thick with Electro energy. Unconscious guards littered the floor. And at the foot of the stairs leading to the throne, Kujou Sara lay face down, defeated.

"Sara!" Haruka ran to her side, checking for a pulse. "She’s alive. But barely."

"So," a cold voice echoed from the top of the stairs. "The little tengu finally learned to fly too close to the sun."

La Signora stood before the Shogun, looking down at them with utter contempt. The Raiden Shogun stood behind her, silent, eyes closed in meditation, indifferent to the violence in her own hall.

"You..." Tsukasa stepped forward, his hand trembling on his sword hilt. "You manipulated the Commission! You started a war just to sell weapons!"

"I merely seized an opportunity," Signora scoffed. "If the people of Inazuma are foolish enough to destroy themselves for 'Eternity', why shouldn't the Fatui profit?"

She looked at Aether. Then her gaze slid to Mafuyu.

"And you brought the rat," Signora smiled cruelly. "I see the bruise on your ribs has healed. Shall I break them again?"

Mafuyu didn't flinch. But Ichika stepped in front of her.

"You won't touch her," Ichika said, her voice shaking but her grip on her claymore iron-tight. "You won't touch any of them."

Aether walked past Ichika. He stared at Signora. The rage from the factory, from Teppei’s death, burned in his chest.

"Signora," Aether announced, his voice echoing in the vast hall. "I challenge you. A Duel Before the Throne."

The Shogun’s eyes snapped open. The room vibrated with power.

"Proceed," the Shogun stated. Her voice was absolute law.

"A duel?" Signora laughed. "You seek your death, Traveler?"

She looked at the troupe.

"And what of these... insects? Will they watch you die?"

"I am fighting too," Ichika declared. She walked up to stand beside Aether. She slammed her Waster Greatsword onto the tatami mats. "I am his shield."

"Two against one?" Signora raised an eyebrow. She looked at the Shogun. "Is this permitted, Almighty Shogun?"

The Shogun looked at Ichika. She sensed the Geo resonance—stable, unmoving.

"The verdict remains the same," the Shogun ruled impassively. "The loser must die. If two stand against the storm, two shall face the lightning. It matters not."

"Very well," Signora smirked, summoning a Cryo catalyst. "Then I shall freeze you both together."

"Tsukasa, Haruka, Mafuyu... stay back," Aether ordered. "Protect Sara."

The Duel Begins.

Phase 1: The Glacial Seal

The temperature plunged. Signora didn't move; she floated, surrounding herself with jagged ice spears.

"Freeze to the bone!"

She fired a volley of ice shards.

"Shield!" Ichika planted her feet. She swung her massive sword in a wide arc, smashing the ice mid-air. The Geo energy crystallized, forming a golden barrier around her and Aether.

"Go, Aether!"

Aether dashed from behind Ichika’s cover. He infused his sword with Electro, closing the distance in a blur.

Slash.

He cut Signora’s Cryo shield. She scoffed, unleashing a wave of freezing mist.

"It’s cold!" Aether gasped, his movements slowing as frost coated his armor.

"I got you!" Ichika charged. She didn't attack Signora directly. She slammed her sword into the floor.

BOOM.

A shockwave of Geo energy shattered the ice on the floor, clearing the freezing mist.

"You annoying little..." Signora glared at Ichika. "Stop interrupting!"

She summoned a massive ice wheel, hurling it at the girl.

Ichika didn't dodge. She remembered Yae’s training. Rhythm.

One, two, three...

She caught the ice wheel on the flat of her blade, using the momentum to spin and deflect it into the wall.

"I am not a rat," Ichika gritted her teeth. "I am a member of Leo/need!"

Phase 2: The Crimson Witch of Embers

Signora’s patience snapped.

"Enough of this! I will burn you to ash!"

She shattered her Cryo casing. The room turned from freezing to scorching in a split second. Signora emerged as the Crimson Witch, wreathed in liquid fire, wielding a whip of molten lava.

"Burn!"

She lashed out. The whip cracked, aiming for Aether’s head.

Aether rolled, but the heat singed his hair.

"She’s fast!" Aether yelled.

"Die!" Signora unleashed a hellstorm of fire moths.

Ichika ran. She wasn't running away. She was running to Aether.

"Crystallize!"

She jumped in front of him, raising her greatsword. The fire moths slammed into her Geo shield. The heat was unbearable. Her skin felt like it was blistering. But she held.

"Ichika!" Aether shouted.

"Do it now!" Ichika screamed, her shield cracking under the heat.

Aether used Ichika’s back as a springboard. He leaped into the air, soaring over the wall of fire.

"Starfell Sword!"

He summoned a massive Geo meteorite directly above Signora.

Signora looked up. "What—"

CRASH.

The rock slammed into her, crushing her to the ground. The flames died out.

Signora lay on the floor, her transformation broken. She gasped for air, reaching out a trembling hand.