Chapter Seven: The Demon of Dragonspine

Jade Chamber, Liyue
6:45

The Jade Chamber. Despite being absolutely destroyed after being used as an intercontinental ballistic missile to send the ancient god Osial back to slumber, it was rebuilt thanks to the people of Liyue and the Traveler. It was certainly an uplifting time for Liyue and its people.

In the halls of the palace, Ganyu wanders with documents in hand. She needed to deliver these documents for Ningguang to inspect, along with extra paperwork needed to check. The general secretary of the Qixing is never easy, but the half-qilin perseveres. As she was about to enter Ningguang's office, she hears concerned voices from inside. The calm tone of the Tianquan mixed with the more vocal voice of the Yuheng. Ganyu gently knocks on the door to check on them.

"Come in." The woman opens the door to see Ningguang and Keqing by the desk of the Tianquan. While both look as pristine as ever, their eyes spoke of different emotions. Concern...and fear. Ganyu lets herself enter and closes the door behind her.

"Am I interrupting?" She asks timidly. The light-haired lady sighed and shook her head. "It is quite alright, Ganyu." She answers. "We were discussing about a certain incident last night near Wangshu Inn."

The half-qilin widens her eyes with worry. "I-Incident?"

Keqing nods grimly. "Indeed. A group of informants, including some of our own..." She clenched her fists. "Brutally murdered. And the information that they held was stolen from us. Thankfully there is one survivor and Xiao was able to fight the killer, but he wasn't able to identify him."

Ganyu softly gasped. "By Rex Lapis..." The information that these informants held was very confidential – lists of names, activities and locations; along with field reports from the Liyue countryside, Mondstadt, even Inazuma. And to hear a fellow adeptus getting wounded? Xiao of all people? The gravity of the situation made Ganyu shudder for the first time in millennia. "W-Who would do such a thing?"

"That...is what we're trying to figure out." Ningguang responded. "We've already ceased any suspicious Fatui activity in the area after the Osial fiasco. So, whoever this is, we're only finding about just now."

Ganyu put a fist close to her lips, distressed. An unknown variable in Liyue hunting information? She couldn't help but make connections to a certain enigmatic individual in Mondstadt – The Red Devil Baroness. The half-qilin had theorized a day ago that this Red Devil Baroness was connected to the meteorites that landed in Mondstadt. Could this person who mercilessly slaughtered this group of informants the same person? It hurt her head more than the paperwork she was going to submit.

"Ganyu...? Are you alright?" Keqing asked, now worried for her friend and colleague. "We've never seen you this distressed before."

The secretary took a deep breath. "I have a theory...but I cannot tell if it's true. Do you remember the meteors that crashed into Mondstadt?"

Ningguang nodded. "Yes, I remember. However, it is in Mondstadt's borders, so it is not our business to meddle with."

"I know." Ganyu nodded. "But yesterday, I have heard of a new member of the Adventurer's Guild called the Red Devil Baroness. I thought it would just be a random adventurer with a gimmick, but something about her is...off. No mention of her real name, her past or any records of her. It's like as if she just appeared out of nowhere." She bit her index finger gingerly. "A-and I fear this person may be connected to the murder of those informants."

She looked over to Ningguang, who had closed her eyes in thought. After a moment, she turned to both Keqing and Ganyu. "Contact Mondstadt's Honorary Knight. He might have an idea about this person is. If they ever return to Liyue, I will be sure to put a bounty on his head. We must retrieve that information before it gets spread to anyone else."

Both the general secretary and the Yuheng bowed. "Yes, Lady Tianquan." Keqing went off to work immediately. Ganyu was about to leave when Ningguang stopped her. "Before you leave, Ganyu, there is something that I need."

"Anything." She responded. Ningguang nodded. "Call in Beidou. I need to have a word with her about this."

The half-adeptus nodded and left the office. As soon as she closed the door of the Tianquan's office, she clutched her chest in an attempt to calm herself down. Her worries were coming to fruition...

Starglow Cavern, Dragonspine, Mondstadt
7:09

The harsh weather of the mountain roared as the wolf returned to its den to rest. Tsar coughed as he took off his helmet, letting the cold air lick his sweaty face. The night before was...interesting to say the least. His tactic of using music to spook the enemy worked like magic and that thermite Firestar saved his ass from that one demon hunter. The operation went smoothly.

He lit the campfire and sat down, resting on his Ronin's inactive chassis. He took out his prize, a leather bag filled with documents. Getting a cigarette from his pocket, he lit it with the campfire and put in his mouth, breathing in the smoke it emitted. Tsar didn't start out as a smoker, but he found it to be calming whenever he was alone. Granted, it was not as great as Lily but...

Tsar blew out smoke as he sighed. Lily Frasier, a blonde woman that is arguably the best thing that has happened to him ever since he became part of the Apex Predators. She saved him once after nearly dying in a failed mission. While he recovered, they mingled and eventually they fell in love. She was pretty, kind and down-to-earth. When he mentioned Teucer to her, she squealed with delight – she always wished to have a little brother. Lily was perfect for him.

The ginger-haired Pilot huffed angrily, tossing the cigarette into the fire. If only it were that simple...

After Macchus 'hired' him to be his personal bodyguard/assassin, Lily was put under watch...with a sniper trained to her head. Although she was unaware of her angel of death, if he were to fail Macchus she'll die. And that pissed him off more than anything. He will find a way to free himself and free Lily. For now, he has to play good soldier.

As the snowstorm raged outside Starglow Cavern, he began to read the documents as the memories of last night played in his head.

[Several hours earlier...]

The rogue Pilot was crouched on top of a windmill, looking down on the city like a cloaked superhero. If that superhero is actually an assassin looking for ways to bring down society. The large violet eye glowed with malice, his small breaths turning to growling with the voice changer. Tsar was here for one purpose: information.

People say it's tactics and weapons that win wars, but what will be the point without information? As Sun Tzu says - "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles."

Tsar watched people through the scope of his Kraber Anti-Material Rifle. The citizens of Mondstadt went on their night routine, with many of them returning home. Some were still working, like the blacksmith. Others went to what appeared to be the tavern of the city. None of these were of much interest to the Pilot. Until he zoomed in to find a well-dressed man in an eyepatch talking to a woman, in an inconspicuous spot of the city.

Tsar put away his Kraber, standing up. The clouds covered the sky tonight, so it was dim enough for the Pilot to do his work effectively. He leaped off from the windmill and vanished into thin air. Or so he appeared. In reality, he had hopped from Teyvat into a separate dimension where no one could touch or harm him. This was the special feature of his tactical ability: Phase Shift.

He reappeared closer towards the two people talking, watching from the rooftop. He pressed a button on the side of his helmet, enhancing his radio, to eavesdrop on the conversation.

"...you realize the importance of this, yes?" Kaeya asked to make, prompting the woman to nod.

"Of course. I will make sure this news gets to the network." She answers. Vile was a reliable informant in Mondstadt, even if not part of the Knights. She noticed his stance and raised an eyebrow. "Are you alright, Mister Alberich? You're standing wobblily."

"Nothing to worry. I've had a...rough spar with the fellow captains." He answered with a chuckle.

Vile narrowed her eyes. "They're not usually that rough with you. Are you alright?"

Kaeya paused for a moment before sighing with a smirk. "Alright, you got me. I fought the adventurer – the Baroness."

The woman's eyes sparkled with interest. "Ooh, she must've got you really good." She chuckled. "It's a weird thing, no? A rookie adventurer taking on an Ascension Quest on her first day. I hear she used advanced equipment, some prototypes. Whatever a 'jump kit' is."

The Cavalry Captain nodded. "Yes. Well, perhaps she's an inventor of sorts." He shrugged. "Either way, let's not keep our informant friends waiting."

Vile nodded. "Right, right."

That was all that Tsar needed to hear about them. Any information would be a good start. He simply watched as the woman walked away, leaving the man alone. For a moment, the man looked up in his direction. Tsar grabbed the holster of his Wingman, expecting the man to run off to alert his comrades. Thankfully for him, he simply shrugged to himself and left.

What he didn't expect was the mention of a jump kit. Another Pilot was in Teyvat? Who? Were they friend or foe? Suddenly, the Baroness that this informant Vile mentioned seems more interesting to pursue.

Nevertheless, he quietly stalked Vile as she left the city gates. He hopped from rooftop to rooftop, using the darkness to his advantage. Once she was out of Mondstadt and walking down the main road out, Tsar used the shadows to follow Vile to wherever she may go.

All that Vile felt as she walked towards her destination was a chilling feeling that she was being watched...

Stone Gate, Bishui Plain, Liyue

Vile approached the group of people that she was supposed to meet with. Personnel from the underground network. The very same that has connections to all over Teyvat, including Diluc and Kaeya. They were all gathered around a small campfire, with a few Millelith escorts.

"Ah, welcome Vile." One of them greeted, an elderly man with a bushy beard. "You have the reports?"

The informant nodded. "Yes, Maestro." She held up a leather bag. "I have the reports, along with the copies of documents." The elderly man, Maestro, nodded. "Good, good. We just need to give the ones the Qixing requires."

One of the other members, a Mondstadtian woman named Mary, smiles. "So, how goes our Baroness?" She asks. As an underground network, they are knowledgeable in the current events of each nation. They have heard of the Red Devil Baroness and her accomplishments.

Vile shrugged. "The usual, Mary. I can't find a way to see underneath that mask." The woman who asked pouted in response. "I hear the adventurer was spending time with Captain Eula. Perhaps those two have a secret romance or something?"

"Possible." One of the other informants, a Liyue courier named Bianzhou, answered. "Eula has suffered after the death of Outrider Amber. Perhaps this is one of her healing processes?"

The other informants gave varying responses, from shrugs to nods of their heads. After a moment of silence, one of the younger informants of the group spoke up. "So...you guys are aware of the Monster of the Mountain?"

Maestro raised his eyebrow. "Monster of the Mountain? Could you elaborate? There are plenty of monsters on mountains."

The young informant, a teenage man, continued. "So, it started from the announcement from the Knights of Favonius that Dragonspine is closed off from all adventurers. It's been speculation that this was connected to the meteors that crashed on Mondstadt's borders. But it turns out, it was worse than initially thought. Apparently, Albedo's research team stationed there were slaughtered. Almost all of them."

The news definitely got attention from all, except for Vile who has heard the story before. Hanze widened his eyes. "G-Goodness. Slaughtered?"

Vile nodded. "It's true. I couldn't see the bodies since they were taken away, but it was brutal when one of the cleaners described."

The teen continued. "As such, there has been rumors that the Dragonspine crater carried some evil and has now taken over the mountain. And now they're calling it the Monster of the Mountain, watching your every step." He scoffed. "How unoriginal."

Mary chuckled. "Well, can't believe in every rumor. I'm pretty sure it's just some rogue monster that wandered into Dragonspine."

Bianzhou shook his head. "That's the thing, Mary. We've been known for finding out about rumors that became true. I mean, how were able to learn about the Fatui's exploits on Liyue and the Osial incident?"

Vile, meanwhile, suddenly shuddered. "It sounds a bit uncanny." She looked behind her, as if expected for someone to jump at her. "I couldn't help but think that I was being watched."

Maestro looked at her. "We can't be too cautious. But I believe that's just you having too much stress." He patted her shoulder. Vile gave a nervous chuckle. "Right..." She responded.

As if her nervousness wasn't enough, the campfire they made suddenly went out like a candle, prompting everyone to stand up. "What the-?" The teen exclaimed. "C-Campfires don't go out like that?"

"What's going on?" Bianzhou looked around, trying to adjust his eyes to the darkness. But it was too dim for the courier to see properly.

Suddenly, they heard a noise in the darkness. Unlike anything they have ever heard...

Now Playing: Deag Ranak – Mick Gordon (Doom Eternal OST)

Electronic synths were a foreign concept to a world like Teyvat, as no one had thought of using the vibration of electricity to create music yet. So to hear the sinister sounding electronics of Mick Gordon in the darkness terrified the informants. The noise came from behind them, prompting Maestro to draw his sword. "Who's there!" He calls out.

Nobody answers...

The synths intensify, sounding harsher and more evil and prompting everyone to get closer. It came from their front now. "Show yourself!" Maestro calls out again. This made Bianzhou to take his polearm and Mary her bow. Vile and the teen were left unarmed.

Nobody answers...

The synths increase in volume, coming from their left...no, their right. It was coming from all around them as whatever was stalking them got closer...Maestro grits his teeth, ready to swing. He sees a shadow to his left and shouts. "Hey!"

The synths suddenly stop, a dreaded silence followed. The shadow moved slowly, walking around them like a lion prowling its trapped prey. The informants grip their weapons tightly, ready for the moment the enemy strikes. Suddenly Maestro jerks, like something is breaking out of him.

"W-wait...Stay back!" He warned with wide eyes.

Now Playing: Doom Hunter – Mick Gordon (Doom Eternal OST)

The leader of the informant group suddenly explodes into a shower of gore, as the synths return with an angrier pitch and intensity, now in this eerie beat. Vile screamed in terror as everyone just witnessed their leader combust into bloody mist.

A tall figure with a masculine body, wearing some kind of wolf's coat as the darkness hid any details on him. The only thing that was visible was its face – a demonic face with one violet eye gazing at them with malice; and the sword he had in his right hand; the electricity glowing blue compared to the usual Electro purple.

Mary looked at where Maestro used to be, then back at their unknown attacker and charged. "Wait, Mary! Don't let hi-" Bianzhou warns, but the woman didn't listen, as she tried for a swipe at the attacker. The figure, unsurprisingly, sidestepped to dodge her attacks. Mary growled as she went for a stab. The unknown attacker parried the stab with his blade and twirled his arm around, turning the parry into a strike. The Mondstadtian screamed in agony as she was cut down, her left arm that held the sword - severed from her body.

"No!" Bianzhou roared, now his turn to attack. He went for a lunge with his polearm, but the figure caught it with his hands. The two men struggled for the polearm, as the teen and Vile watched with fright. "You two! Get to Wangshu Inn, NOW!" Bianzhou told the remaining two. The teen was too frightened to move, practically shaking in his boots. Vile grabbed him by the wrist. "Come on!" She yelled as they began to run.

Bianzhou continued to struggle with the attacker. 'He's strong!' He thought, as he looked at the purple orb staring back at him. The Liyue courier suddenly pushed the attacker away, letting go of his polearm in the process. The figure stumbled, which was what he needed. Bianzhou lunged, throwing a punch towards the purple orb.

To his surprise, it hurt his hand more than it hurt the attacker. He cried out in pain as his hand recoiled from the face, stinging from hitting hard metal. The attacker's head was moved to the side from the hit, but unharmed. It turns towards Bianzhou with an animalistic growl as the attacker's right arm suddenly shot through his body. Bianzhou coughed out blood, finding out that his right arm...was metal? His eyes rolled to the back of his head as the attacker pulled his arm off, his body leaving a thud as it hit the ground.

The attacker turned to see the two other informants running away and was about to pursue when he heard a wheeze. It turned to see the woman still alive, trying to crawl away. Mary had hoped she could try and go back to Mondstadt, at the very least she can die in her homeland. But her hopes were shattered as the crackle of the attacker's saber grew closer and closer. She can only sob as the blade entered her skull...

[…]

Vile panted as she saw Wangshu Inn just a few hundred meters out. She had no idea who that attacker was, and frankly she didn't want to find out. The god-awful noise that came from their attacker had faded out from distance. That...thing...no, demon sounds more appropriate slaughtered them all. Maestro, Mary, the Millelith escorts and no doubt Bianzhou all fell to him. She held back tears, realizing she was stalked and she led the monster to them. Now he knows of the existence of the underground network.

"H-he's real. O-Oh, Archons...he's real." The teen she was pulling along muttered, sobbing uncontrollably. He was slowing them down in his panic. "We're so dead!".

"Don't panic, Wangshu Inn is right there!" Vile said with fragile hope, pointing at the building. "The Qixing will be able to protect us from him. Just a few more. Let's go!" She pulled his arm to get him to keep moving, but a loud boom echoed across Bishui Plain.

What happened next felt like slow motion. Vile felt the arm she was pulling go slack and something warm and wet landed on her hand. She turned around to see what has happened and widened her eyes in terror to see that the teen's arm had been severed from his body by some unknown force. The teen cried out in agony as he fell over to the ground, clutching his wound. Vile screamed as well, the severed arm still gripping on her hand like something out of a horror movie.

"OH BARBATOS!" Vile cursed as she dropped the severed arm and ran towards the bleeding, screaming teen. "No, no, no! Stay with me!" She began to drag him, trying very hard not to faint from the amount of blood she was seeing. He was not responding, already passing out. He might be dead already.

"HELP!" She called out to the inn, hoping for someone, anyone, to hear her cries for help. She turned around to check on the teen, but she heard a terrible cry that alerted her to a sight that made her blood run cold.

Now Playing: The Causeway – Captain America: The Winter Soldier OST

The attacker approached them calmly, with an odd weapon in his hands. He pulled something on it and a piece of metal flung out, landing on the ground. He put the weapon away to draw his blade from its sheath, the blade crackling with electricity. Vile widened her eyes as she desperately dragged him towards safety, but he was gaining on her fast. The intense music that was playing from him did little to calm her down. She yelped in pain as she was pulled away from the bleeding teen and was lifted by her throat. Now that the attacker stood into the light, she gasped from shock.

That demonic face strongly resembled the 11th Harbinger's mask, if not the very same. What was he doing here? Wasn't he killed in an accident with the Abyss Order?

The hand put pressure on her neck and she choked, feeling her windpipe getting tighter. She tried to hit the arm in a futile attempt to make him let go, but found out she was hitting on metal. She was trapped and at the mercy of this demon. Then he spoke.

"Where are the others?" He spoke in a heavily warped low voice. It was definitely male, but the distortions hid the real voice. Vile was too afraid to speak, simply looking at him with wide eyes. Not getting an answer, he squeezed harder. "I will let you live if you tell me."

"I-I-I..." Vile wheezed out, gripped the metal arm. "I'd rather die than tell you!" She weakly spoke in defiance. The attacker growled as he readied his blade for a stab...

Only for a green blur to suddenly push against the demon, making him drop Vile and focus on the sudden appearance of the yaksha Xiao. She moved away as she watched the adeptus locked blades with the attacker. Sparks came from their locked blades as Anemo energy clashed the unknown electricity. Xiao swiftly used the other end of his polearm to hit the attacker away and dashed backwards to defend Vile.

"I won't let you touch her, demon." He growled. The attacker shrugged off the stun and took a stance with his blade.

He said nothing and simply lunged forward. Xiao readied for the attack and lunged to meet him. To Xiao and Vile's shock, he suddenly vanished mid-attack. So, Xiao swung his polearm to meet nothing.

"Where are you?!" He roared, turning around to look for the attacker in anger. "Fight me then, coward!"

A cry of pain alerted Xiao to turn behind him. The attacker had reappeared behind him and was holding Vile once again. "No!" Xiao yelled, as the attacker knocked out Vile with a hard knock to her head and took the leather bag she was carrying. He used his Elemental Skill to try and intercept him, but he himself was intercepted by something burning his skin. The yaksha reappeared and rolled away, grunting in pain to try and claw off whatever was burning him. It took a whole minute to make the burning stop, and by the time the burning did stop the attacker was already gone with the leather bag.

Xiao growled and hit the ground in frustration. He was getting slow, despite just helping defend Liyue from an ancient god. The pain in his chest was immense, and he looked down to see that it burnt his skin severely. Whatever that thing was, it was dangerous even to adepti. He went over to Vile to see that she was mostly fine, but unconscious. The yaksha sighed in relief, at least one of them was still alive. He carried her back to the inn, grunting as he fought the searing pain from the burn on his chest.

[Present Time...]

Tsar finished reading the stolen documents and went to get the prototype communicator from the inside of his Titan to report his findings. Better finish up talking to the bastard.

The hologram of Macchus appeared. "Tsar." He greeted. "I expect you called to report your findings?"

The Pilot nodded. "Yes sir." He began to report his initial findings of Teyvat – about the biomes of the Seven Nations, its resources and its military. Fontaine was the most technologically advanced out of the nations, Natlan has the biggest military and so on. He emphasized Mondstadt's lax security and its issue with the death of one of its best, Inazuma's current tyranny issue and Vision users. Then he filled the general in on Teyvat's pantheon and the Seven Archons that ruled over each nation.

All of this Macchus listened with a smile on his face.

"Wonderful." Macchus commented. "This world is perfect for an IMC takeover. If we could convince them to join us, we could have no problem with manpower as these...Vision users can be more capable than our typical riflemen." He thought for a moment. "As you described, the Tsarista of Snezhnaya is not fit with the current rule of the gods of Teyvat...she could be a good ally. Inazuma can be tricked, with their obsession with eternity. As with the Abyss Order too, though it might require some extra convincing."

Tsar grit his teeth. The thought of the person that granted his banishment from the Fatui and Snheznaya teaming up with the one person he hated the most was...expulsive. An unholy alliance so disgusting he gagged at the thought of it. "Yes." He lied through his teeth. "It would be a good decision, sir."

"I'm glad you agree." Macchus brushed some dust off his shoulder of his uniform. "Thank you for your report, Tsar. I will relay this to General Marder." There was a pause before he spoke again. "While you're still there, I'd like for you to visit Snheznaya and talk to the Tsarista regarding this." The General noticed Tsar practically quivering with anger and gave a mock gasp of surprise. "You have bad blood with her, don't you?"

He growled. No point in hiding it since Macchus will push him either way. "Yes, sir." The general chuckled.

"Don't worry about that. If she refuses to join, you are free to kill her." He spoke. Tsar nodded, not that it would matter anyway. "I will be the one to handle negotiations with the Abyss Order. There is a...friend of ours that is willing to talk." A muffled cry of pain came from the background, prompting Tsar to raise an eyebrow at it. Macchus only gave a shrug, with Tsar rolling his eyes in response. "What's your plan of all this?" The mercenary asked.

"Simple. Conflict." Macchus answered with a sadistic grin, one he didn't see ever since he told Tsar that he put a target on Lily's back. "If a nation starts a war, regardless of if they will win or not, it should keep them busy for a while until we are able to arrive and we can take over with little resistance." He nodded. "Anyway, I will be off. My little pet project still requires some extra work. Do not forget your next mission and LEAVE NO WITNESSES. This is supposed to be a covert operation. Dismissed."

"Yes sir." Tsar answered just as he cut off the connection. Almost immediately he threw the communicator back into the Ronin's cockpit, annoyed. The Pilot sighed before looking back at the documents. Snezhnaya will have to wait. He still has to look for the rest of that underground network first. If they were still active, it would make things harder for him to do anything without any of the nation's knowing. Granted, what he did in Liyue and Mondstadt already made them on high alert, and he could care less about what happens with them. But if any of the other nations find out about him, it would be a bit more difficult to work with.

So, he searches through the documents again in hopes of anything about the underground network. Unfortunately, he couldn't find much in the documents as most of the data was encrypted. They knew how to hide their data well. However, he does notice a name and an address in one of the documents signed.

"Diluc Ragnvindr,
Dawn Winery"

Looks like Tsar found his next target.

A/N: Tsar Chapter done. A short chapter compared to the others, but this is meant to serve what's happening with the mercenary while Amber is doing her own thing.

Nothing much to say here. We'll go back with Amber with the next chapter and then wrap this arc up so that we can get to the good stuff.

Constructive criticism is welcome, don't spread hate. The usual.

Thanks for reading!

- LNC3L0T