I wrote this piece during my trip. It was when I received the news of my grandmother passing away. This chapter is dedicated to her. Her wisdom, and love.


The first thing that overwhelmed Amber was the smell. It wasn't a rancid smell, nor was it something entirely inviting. Everytime her nostrils flared, Amber felt as though she was marching into the jaws of a furious dragon. A heavy scent of ash and burning soot hung over the rooftops of the village as she and the caravan entered the central district of Autumnvale.

Here, the wooden lattices and platforms gave way for a solid bed of rock and cobblestone, marking where the oldest sections of the city had been literally carved into the face of the mountain. Amber wasn't even sure yet if she could mentally call the structure a mountain. Everytime she glanced up, her vision was either obscured by dark fog or distracted by a myriad of bustling details.

The moment the caravan arrived in the center of town, the village exploded with excitement. Humans of all walks of life stopped whatever they were doing to greet Tobias and his band of men cohorts. Women stopped sweeping storefronts. Old smiths and traders marched out to the entrances of blacksmiths and saw mills. Elder folks glanced from porches and patios while dozens of families peered from tall windows.

The buildings were wooden edifices held aloft by brass and bronze frameworks. Every structure had a chimney fused with a series of steam pipes, and there was not one single solitary second when a dense smog wasn't being funneled up into the atmosphere. Amber felt uneasy at first, but soon realized that she was breathing as easily in those streets as she would have been in the open air during any part of her journey. Before she had a chance to ponder about this, she was interrupted by loud shrieks and bursts of laughter.

She spun around in time to see girls, women, young boys, and all sorts of villagers running up to the group. One by one, members of the caravan dropped their equipment and took the time to embrace their loved ones. After several months of deliveries, the men were being reunited with their families. In spite of how gloomy the atmosphere of Autumnvale was, Amber couldn't help but feel that the spirits of the folks were remarkably bright.

Pausing under the grinding gears of a wooden windmill, she watched as Kris smiled and hugged a woman two decades older than him. After greeting his mother, he exchanged words with three folks who looked to be his siblings. A few spaces away, a young girl was rushing towards John. He grinned wide and spread his arms out for a hug. Upon a close sniff of the returning man, however, the young wife groaned and gave him a stern lecture while his comrades chuckled at his expense. As for Mike...

Amber squinted.

Mike stood by the wagons, dutifully unloading them one package at a time. While the rest of the caravan lost themselves in communing with their families, Mike didn't stop working for one second. He was the only wanderer who was still alone; no single man or woman rushed over to greet him. His young face hung in a solemn expression, and if he noticed Amber glancing at him through his peripheral vision, he made no show of it.

Amber had the impulse to walk over there, when she heard gasping and murmuring voices to her side. She spun to look. Immediately, a band of young boys and girls jumped back, startled. Their little faces peaked out from the sides of buildings and the wooden rails of catwalks. Amber slowly looked across the entirety of the suspended city, and in doing so she spotted more and more young folks half her age staring at her—some of the adults as well. Their eyes were plastered on her outfit, her bag, her Vision, and—most of all—her glider.

"I don't get it," Amber murmured aloud. "What's their deal?"

"You're the first Outrider they've ever seen," Tobias said, marching by.

"Oh yeah?" Amber blinked at him. "Since when?"

"Since ever, child," Tobias said, cleared his throat, and spoke loudly in a voice of humble address. "Grandfather Raymond! Your humble and loyal servant Tobias, at your service..."

Curious, Amber looked towards a large building at the far end of the central district. Everybody around her quieted down and marched out of the street to make room for an important elder figure being escorted towards the center of town.

"It has been many a year since your punctuality has surprised me, old friend," Raymond said to Tobias, his long, gray hair parting over a pair of sleepy, blue eyes. His frail features wobbled between the supporting frame of two young girls, yet he did his best to stand tall with pride and dignity. "Today you arrive with our keys to salvation, and already I feel as if I am witnessing the arrival of a young stranger. Tell me, have we gone back ten years without my knowing?"

"Hardly, Grandfather Raymond," Tobias said, still bowing.

"Please, friend, save such stiff reverence for the Hall of Communion," Raymond murmured. He walked slowly, shakily down the central street of Autumnvale, eyeing the reuniting men and family members. "I am happy to see that every soul has returned safely. If only last year's trip was so fortunate. Ezekiel was a resourceful young man. I still dream of his voice echoing across the Council Chambers."

Amber caught a glint of exhaustion within those blue eyes, staring into the forest they just came out of, and into the eastern mountains she journeyed from.

"We all do well to honor his memory, Raymond," Tobias said. "And I am sure he would be proud that we've suffered no casualties during this run. That said..." Tobias side-stepped and gestured towards the brave figure next to him. "Our safety is greatly owed to a most benevolent stranger. An Outrider from the east, and the land of wind."

"Uhhhhhh..." Amber was gazing at a swirling windmill overhead. She blinked and glanced at the two elders. "Oh. Wait, you're talking about me, aren't you? Ahem. Hi there."

"A stranger from the east you say..." Raymond remarked, wobbling slightly. The girls next to him came together to hold him up. He took a wheezing breath, stood up straight, and approached the traveler.

"I am one of the few who still remembers your kind. Long ago, several of your kind roamed the emerald mountains to the south of here. Alas, those hills have since lost their luster with the coming of the smog. And I have yet to see one for the past decade. I do say, missed those folks greatly."

"Yeah. It gets kind of boring without an Outrider around, doesn't it?" Amber said with a nod. "Story of my life." At a few coughing sounds and uncomfortable exhales, she bit her lip and blurted, "But! Thanks a lot for... uh... the thought... mmmm... sir."

"Hmmm..." Raymond gave a wrinkly smile. "She is a blessed one, alright. A fortunate soul under the gaze of the gods."

"She's a hero," Tobias insisted. "If it weren't for her unexpected arrival, we would have frozen overnight, taken an extraneous detour, and would have been devoured by a hydra—all in the span of twenty-four hours."

"All of these things, and she intervened?" Raymond remarked, bewildered and awed.

"Indeed, Grandfather Raymond. She's the sole reason that your men stand before you now, safe and alive."

"Eh... it was nothing," Amber stretched her limbs and stifled a yawn. "It was either hang out with these cool bros, or fly over a bunch of boring mountains."

A shimmer of light reflected into Raymond's eyes. He squinted, regarding the golden pendant around Amber's neck. "Hmmm... are you a Vision-wielder?"

Amber blinked at that. She eyed Raymond warily, as if he was soaring at her from a mile away. "Maaaaaaaybe..."

"What is your name, young one?"

"Amber, sir," she remarked, flipping her vibrant hair in the process. "Outrider Amber! At your service. I wouldn't suggest saying it yourself. Wouldn't want you having a heart attack or something." She smiled playfully.

Tobias rolled his eyes, then smiled at his superior. "Her neighborly assistance, however, comes at a price, provided an old soul doesn't mind paying with his ears."

"Hey! I'm an Outrider! I'm—like—totally non-profit!"

"If you knew exactly what contributions mean to the village of Autumnvale, young one," Raymond said, "Then perhaps you would be less jocular about the merit of such actions." He gazed at both Tobias and Amber at the same time. "Come. Sit with me. I would very much like to hear of this journey of yours and how such a remarkable traveler assisted in a time of need."

"Awwww really, you don't have to gush all over me and stuff," Amber said with a dismissive gesture. "I just did what any of you dudes would have done... uhm... if you had gliders. And the blessing of the wind. Or the favor of the gods… You know what? Nevermind. I don't need thanks. I helped because I thought you guys needed it."

"When the village's Grandfather extends an invitation," Tobias spoke to Amber, "He offers with the full extent of his heart. It would be a cold thing to refuse or ignore such a gesture."

"But, like I'm not exactly sit-around-and-talk-about-stuff material," Amber said in a slightly hesitant tone.

"We would also extend a hearty meal to the guest," Raymond confidently added.

"Oh! Food! Well, alright then!" Amber's gold eyes flicked as she marched past Raymond towards the large building at the end of the district. "Let's get started with the sitting-around and stuff, shall we?"

Raymond let loose a breathy chuckle and gazed Tobias's way. "Over six decades, and people from the east are still the same, no matter where they hail from."

"Is that a good thing?"

"It's a comforting familiarity, old friend. Something I haven't felt in a long time. Come. You, more than anybody, deserves a good rest."


"Mmmph... Barbatos!" Amber managed to say between deep bites of colorful fruit. "This fruit is good—mmfff..." She gulped and smirked over the round wooden table. "You gotta tell me: what do you put into the stuff?"

"Fruit," Raymond simply replied. He, Tobias, and the Outrider sat on a wooden balcony. The elder's house in Autumnvale overlooked a stretch of vertical rockface roaring with waterfalls. "We may not be as rich nor as jubilant as other settlements. I hope these offerings of simple fruit—any fruit—are to your liking."

"Sure as heck beats the same old bread I've been munching on for weeks at a time!" She smiled, her cheeks full inbetween savage gulps. "Hmmm... Still, though—I can't imagine you guys surviving entirely on meat and sweet fruits."

"I'm rather surprised you've been willing to sit with us in spite of the fact," Raymond said. He and Tobias had identical bowls with noodles and brown, stringy substances. "We've had some guests from the east before, and they didn't even want to talk to us after they found out the way of Ashengate."

"Ashen-what?" Amber made a face.

"It's what the local population calls the region Autumnvale is located in," Tobias explained. "If you—a traveler—are coming from Teyvat, then you're entering the eaternmost fringe of the landscape. It's a very narrow strip of hilly valleys and jagged mountains dividing the River of Song to the east from the deserts of the Wastes to the west."

"Sounds kind of boring." Amber gulped her meal, then smiled nervously. "No offense."

"You wouldn't be the first outsider to think so," Raymond remarked, his wrinkly face smiling gently . "Most folks from the southern coastal cities don't bother staying any longer than a day in Autumnvale. Aside from being a very remote town, this village caters only to local miners. There's very little opportunity for other folks in the region of Ashengate to move in here."

"Several generations of families have all lived and died along these mountainous slopes," Tobias said. "All working on the same task."

Amber finished her bowl of sweet fruits and sat back, gazing at them curiously. "And just what task is that?"

"The mountain that stretches above us." Tobias gestured beyond the balcony's edge. "It is no normal structure."

Amber smirked. "I kind of figured as much. It looks like no other mountain I've ever seen." She had seen the fangs of Sneznhaya and the Crown ring-mountain range beneath Celestia. Dragonspine was nothing compared to them, but this mountain above could be a contestant too.

Too bad, the thick fog above blocked her view.

"Nobody knows the reason why, but it provides a special type of ore that can't be found in any of the surrounding rock bodies," Tobias said. "The nature of the rock minerals found within makes it easily malleable and useful in creating various alloys."

"Over five centuries ago, our forebears stumbled upon this mountain to flee from a great catastrophe," Old Raymond explained in a hushed voice. His weary eyes glistened with aged respect and reverence at the thought. "We have been extracting minerals from it ever since. I have no doubt that the rock supply could support further descendants of ours for another three hundred years. We are all very fortunate to have such a happy, peaceful place to live. Only..." The elder winced, as if regretting ever having started such a thought.

Amber gazed at him, at Tobias. "The smog..." She murmured aloud. "That really isn't natural, is it? It's not like any smoke I've smelled before. And the way it keeps going—at this altitude and at this time of the year—it's pretty dang weird if you ask me." She rested both arms on the table. "Does anybody know just what is going on?"

"We've been far more concerned with getting the equipment we need to deal with the fog," Tobias said.

Amber squinted. "Just what kind of equipment is this—?"

Raymond suddenly spoke, "The inclement weather began twenty-odd years ago. At first, we thought it was a fire. Then, as all the forests remained in one piece below us, we feared that some thermal part of the mountain had been exposed by our mining. But there isn't a single hint of ash or heat or any other indication of a fiery origin to this anomaly. Regardless, that hasn't stopped the viscous soup from increasing, to the point that we find it hard to walk across our lofty town safely. What's more..."

"Yeah?" Amber asked.

Raymond sighed hard, his features shaking. "With the increase in smog... there have been... incidents."

Gold eyes narrowed. "What kind of incidents?"

"A new population of horrible and disgusting winged creatures," Tobias spoke up, gathering Amber's attention. "They were merely a nuisance at first, raiding supplies and gnawing away at wooden structures in the heart of town. But, as the years grew by, and the fog became thicker—so did the resolve of the avian abominations."

"Like... in what way?" Amber's jaw clenched. "What have they been doing?"

Raymond's face was long as he gazed through the table between them. "We've lost a dozen of our own kind in the last five years."

"No frickin' way..." Amber muttered, disbelief in her quiet tone. "They've been attacking villagers?"

"Quite violently at times," Tobias said sadly. "They're rather unpredictable."

"Have you tried—I dunno—fighting back?"

"We have so few tools at our disposal," Raymond spoke in a weary tone. "And we are far from the populous regions of other settlements. We can only survive on our own devices and mining equipment, and those are things equipped to break stones, not feathers."

"I can see the problem." Amber looked at Tobias. "So, is that what this equipment is? You've been loading up on weapons to take out these creatures?"

"Not exactly," Tobias said.

"Oh?"

"We've done our fair share of combating these monstrosities," the man said. "But no matter how many of them we eliminate, their numbers simply increase. In the time we've taken to deal with them, we discovered that they seem to thrive off of this strange fog. Luckily, we encountered a group of wandering Natlan warriors years ago who were establishing a mining colony far to the north of us, and they knew of a traveling group of mage profiteers selling all sorts of enchanted stones. Among the magical supply was a special crystal that could manipulate weather phenomena at a short range. After a careful experimentation, we found that these crystals could be used to drive away the fog. However, the magical effect wears down. We discovered this, and we knew we'd have to refill our stock if we were to keep the creatures at bay."

"So, I initiated a trade agreement with the Natlan warriors," Raymond said with the barest hint of a proud smile. "My good associate Tobias would lead a caravan to their colony in the north. In exchange for the rocks they got from the mage trade-folks, we'd give them samples of our mined resources. They'd give their mining resources to the unicorns who gave them the enchanted stones. So you can see, traveler, out here—in the middle of mountainous nowhere—we've established for ourselves a fine circle of coexistence. Just thirty years ago, such interaction would have been unheard of for Autumnvale residents."

"Still, it really stinks that you haven't found a solution to knock out these evil pests," Amber said in a blunt tone. "Mr Tobias, haven't you—like—at least tried to hang out at the warriors' colony long enough to see these mages up close and ask them face to face if they could—I dunno—send somebody up here to try and fight off the fog for good?"

"I've tried many times to meet unicorns and other magical folks," Tobias said with a nod. "I've been unsuccessful as of yet."

"Besides, we've learned long ago not to rely on the magic of unicorns," Raymond explained. "I once sent my son, Conrad, to the Sumeru capital down south, and nobody on the magical council was willing to help him. Unlike the land of wind, traveler, the practice of magic in Ashengate is far too often weighed in money, none of which we have in great abundance."

"But you do have these minerals that the minotaurs need," Amber said. "I guess you guys decided that you needed all the help you could get."

"It's not been an easy process," Raymond said solemnly. "With each soul we've lost over the years, I think hard about the decisions I've made. But I remain resolute. Autumnvale has never fallen to any outside power in over half a millennium. I'm not about to let a flock of surly monsters make us defend our home with any less gusto."

"Yeah... I can see that..." Amber remarked, nodding. Her gaze briefly focused on the waterfalls cascading outside.

"Still, traveler, enough of us," Raymond said with a gray grin. He leaned forward. "I would love to hear more about the land you hail from."

"Oh... Eh heh..." Amber fidgeted with her hands on the table's edge. "The east is not all it's cracked up to be."

"Humor an old man," Raymond remarked. "It's been a long time since I've seen one of your kind personally. These old bones make it hard to go far."

"It's getting night soon, and the moon will be out." Amber murmured aloud, her eyes tilting up towards the foggy expanse stretching along the height of the mountain. "I kind of have someplace to be."

"Stay in our village for a few days. We will give you supplies for whatever journey you have ahead."

"Wow, that's pretty darn nice of you," Amber said with a smile. "What would I owe you guys?"

Raymond merely smiled.

Amber rolled her eyes, groaned, and stood up. "Alright, you win. Mondstadt 101 it is. Still, I hope you don't mind if I flex my limbs a bit."

"Sounds perfectly fine." Raymond tried moving. Tobias had to help him up to his hands. "We can take a walk while we converse."


"And every winter, the Knights enlists the help of a completely different town to gather water for the coming storms," Amber said, walking at a slow drift along the path. "Cider Lake freezes solid in those rare yet harsh winters. Springvale's mysterious source seemed so magical, and we took advantage of that. Even in the harshest conditions, Mondstadt always finds a way to be sufficient without depending on external trade and whatnot."

"What a remarkable industry," Raymond remarked. His wobbling legs carried him slowly behind Amber as the two strolled alongside a wooden railing overlooking the gorge below Autumnvale. "If humans have been capable of anything, it's been in employing an outstanding methodology. I've known many a mage to have lived through life without using his or her magic once. Free folks, on the other hand, appear more than willing to utilize the full gifts that nature has given them."

"Yeah..." Amber stretched her arms and cracked her neck joints. "Ahhh... We are pretty awesome. Heh. Outriders serving the Knights would often ride out the storms and still continue their vigilance. My grandfather would always tell me stories of his exploits at Stormbearer mountains during the winters to send messages and aid to the storm watch. When I was really young, one of my dreams was to make that journey... to be among the few, proud Outriders to have made such a delivery."

"And did you, traveler?"

Amber exhaled. She gazed up at the dimming fog as night descended on the lofty, wooden town. "Turns out I ended up flying a much longer distance. About twelve times as long as the trip to the northern cliffs and back."

Raymond nodded, his gray hair fluttering in a mountain breeze. "Undoubtedly by now you would have earned the Knight's approval to perform the most honorable posts."

"Yeah. Maybe."

"Though I imagine your credentials are fabulous enough," Raymond said. He pointed an aged hand at her neck. "Seeing as how you bear one of the Treasure of the Gods."

Amber jerked suddenly. Slowly, she pivoted around and squinted down at him. "Treasures... of the...gods?"

"Come now, traveler," Raymond said with a knowing grin. "We live in a large world. Ashengate is not nearly as far from Mondstadt as you might think. I grew up being told of the fortunate souls that faced the dark forces of the Void, and were given the blessing of the gods. However, I'm old enough to remember the illustrations that came with that tale."

"You don't say..."

"I won't presume to question you over why you're wearing one, it is a tale of your own. But the fact that you're all this distance from the gaze of the gods leads me to wonder." His eyes narrowed, especially at the glowing Vision on her neck. "Has something terrible happened to the harmony of your homeland?"

"My homeland's fine," Amber uttered bluntly. Her lips briefly formed something akin to a frown. "What's the big deal about a stupid stone, anyways?" She really did try to avoid his stern blue eyes.

"If that be the case, then surely you could take it off. It looks terribly heavy."

Amber said nothing. She merely bit her lip.

At that time, a series of footsteps echoed across the wooden platforms a few feet away. Amber turned to see several men covered in soot, their limbs clad in black canvas and leather. Several sacks full of mining tools and luminescent stones hung from their saddlebags.

"Conrad!" Raymond exclaimed and slowly marched with remarkable enthusiasm towards the group. "You are back from your labors! What remarkable timing! Tobias' caravan has returned. What's more, we have a most splending guest in our presence."

Everybody, upon seeing Raymond, stopped and bowed their heads in reverence. All except one soul, that is. A young man with dark skin tone and with blonde hair merely grunted, "I have very little time for rejoicing or socializing, father. I have to make sure that the minerals carried from the mountain exceed last month's quota. We are, after all, falling behind in supplying the southern trade route. If we wish for next month's merchants to plan visiting us for next year, somebody is going to need to lose a lot of sleep to make that happen."

"Son, I understand that you are greatly pressed to finish your tasks," Raymond uttered. "But you must not forget that you are both my heir and my representative. It is the polite, Autumnvale way to pay respects to outsiders—"

"That's just it, father! Everybody is an outsider to us!" Conrad grunted, his sky-blue eyes brightly lit up. "But that doesn't have to be the case! If we went out and hired folks from the southern villages with the sole purpose of employing them in the mines, we would increase profit and trade all at once! We need to get our names known beyond the lengths of these jagged cliffs!"

"I respect your opinion, Conrad. But I don't think now is the time for—"

"It's never the time, father!" Conrad hissed, giving Amber a lethargic glance. "I don't care how many guests we have. There's work to be done, and on account of your stubbornness it falls on my shoulders and mine alone! Now if you'll excuse me, I need to check on today's progress..."

Conrad thundered away. His many associates fidgeted awkwardly before breaking up to mingle with their families and the returned caravan.

Raymond sighed and turned to look up at Amber. "I am truly, terribly sorry for that. My son and I do not see eye to eye like we used to. It bothers me that it has to show so openly, especially when I'm in the middle of conversing with a rare visitor such as you."

"Hey, don't sweat it, pops," Amber said, though she glanced nervously over her shoulder the entire time. "I hate to be rude too, but I was actually needing to go and... uhm... be alone for a little bit."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. This will be the first night that the moon's been full in weeks."

"What significance is that, pray tell?" Raymond blinked awkwardly. "Do Vision-users rely on the lunar cycle? I feel horrible for being so forgetful..."

Amber smiled and waved a hand. "It's okay. I'm sure we can pick up this conversation tomorrow." She felt the weight of the Vision around her neck and further murmured, "I'd like to learn more about your village and these nasty creatures you're tackling with."

"I wish I could provide you with something less macabre to discuss."

"Hey, we'll work on that too. Uhhhmm... So yeah! See ya!" Extending her arms, Amber called upon the wind once more. She ascended through the fog in a blur. Out of range of his eyesight, she gave a deep sigh, and climbed towards the top of the troposphere, letting the wind carry her up here.

It took several minutes of gliding, of bursting through the frigid heights above the mountain tops, but somewhere above the smog and mists Amber had found a smooth rock surface jutting out. She sat down on it, her body bathed in a pale, luminous glow. Taking deep breaths, she stared up at the full moon. The entire object shone in a perfect circle, stabbing her gold eyes through the dead fabric of night.

It had felt like only a few days since the last time she did this, but Amber knew better. No matter how much landscape had blurred beneath her, the moon remained stagnant, constantly shadowing her as her nights bled into weeks and then into months.

However, in spite of her hesitation, she had not skipped an appointment once. She was too loyal to do otherwise. So, with calm precision, she raised a hand to the ruby gem hanging from her neck and ran her fingers across the cold surface until it lit up with a dim glow.

The magical fire from within the necklace burned brighter, intensifying in variable degree to the amount of moonlight it was progressively absorbing. Soon, a vibrant beam of energy shot out of Amber's neckpiece, strobing in time with an ethereal voice that filled the cold space above the cloud with noise and enchantment.

"Amber. Do you hear me, young Outrider?"

Amber inhaled hard, then managed a tranquil smile as she spoke to the winds, "Sure thing, Your Excellency. What? Did you expect me to leave you hanging?"

She could sense the Raiden Shogun's voice tinge with morbid curiosity. "We do not understand. Have we committed a crime that deserves execution by a noose?"

"Ehh... heh heh. It's just an expression, Lady Shogun. Do you remember what I said last time about how you should be talking to your guards more?" That scary lady Sara is more likely willing, if Amber remembered clearly.

"Verily, we do recall. Albeit, as the Ruler of Inazuma and with the incident, I have dealt with many responsibilities as of late, which has made casual socialization most difficult."

"Awwww. Well, that sucks." Amber winced at her own words. "Ahem. Pardon me, Your Highness." She gulped and smirked into the glow of her Vision. "So... uh... like, how's Mondstadt... and stuff?"

"The land of Freedom is safe in your god's hand. Though it has taken many trials and tribulations, it seems that Barbatos finally returned to the people of Mondstadt. The people were joyous, but he was more occupied with meditation over the abyssal rift. No single soul has suffered since the day you departed for your journey."

"Well, that sure is super," Amber said. She gulped and added, "And the Knights? How's... How's the rest of them taking care of the place since I've been gone?"

"We are most sorry to confess that we are not familiar with the status of the already crippled force of the brave warriors. Regardless, Amber, you need not give into fear. Mondstadt remains as the jewel of the North. The sisters of the church even erected a new temple over the abyssal rift, with the express blessing of your god. So long as Barbatos upholds his duties and I remain vigilant, no harm shall come to your beloved home."

"Well, that's good to know..."

"Your questions are are well respected, though they suffer an unnecessary repetition from the last time we conversed. Tell us, Amber, what have you discovered in your journeys?"

"Ohhhh... Y'know..." Amber laid back and kicked at a few white fluffs of moonlit clouds on the edge. "Same old, same old."

"The entire world is old. Would you be more specific?"

"Well, if it'll humor you, then sure!" Amber stifled a yawn and droned, "Past the Emerald Valleys of Fontaine, there was a bunch of marshlands. Then there were mountains. Then there were more mountains. Then there were even more mountains..."

"Have you, by chance, encountered Stone Clefts of White Ash Peaks?"

Amber's brow furrowed as she scanned the left edge of a map in her mind. "Lemme guess... it's two tall clefts of mountainous stone jutting up into the clouds?"

"Affirmative. They are as old as time itself, rivaling even the Archon wars. We imagine they must be an astounding sight for a mortal's eyes such as your own."

"Oh. Heh. Yeah." Amber chuckled and waved a hand in the air. "I saw those rocks."

"You have?"

"Oh yeah. Several days ago."

"Remarkable. Then you must be well beyond the eastern ridges of Ashengate."

"Yeah, that's just what the folks call it around here."

"Have you met the local folks?"

"Yup. They eat meat, mine rocks, and live peacefully?"

"You are bound to discover several diverse cultures in your trek, young Amber. Be forewarned: several nations residing beyond the reach of the heavenly principles may very well be hostile."

"Yeah, well, these folks couldn't hurt a fly if they wanted to," Amber said in a muttering tone. "Heck, I had to do just about everything to keep them from dying along the way back home to their mountain village."

"Would you clarify?"

"It's a bunch of humans. Godless, and they can barely build a fire, cross a stream or fight off hydras on their own."

"You have engaged with hydras?" The Archon of thunder uttered, impressed. "They were sadly a result of my rage over the tragedy a long time ago. Were they as furious as my thunder?"

"Oh. Totally. I can see why they were fearsome. It was cool." Laying her back on the cold stone, her eyes gazed upon the glowing warmth of the moon.

Amber sensed a sort of calm within the voice of the totally-not-scary Raiden Shogun. "Your adventures are most intriguing, Outrider. We are proud to be bequeathed with your knowledge."

"Yeah, well, you're welcome and all that jazz. Say..." Amber stood up and held her hand over the glowing Vision as she spoke, "How's Barbara?"

"Barbara? The young deaconess of the Church?"

"Yeah," Amber uttered breathily, and closed her eyes with guilt. "I can't help but worry about her."

"We had visited her on several occasions, to check on Barbatos' progress. She appears to be doing well in her studies and work. Granted, she had stepped up to do more work on her family's legacy. We assume you would be happy to know that her entire family is prospering with her return to the Gunnhildr clan?"

Amber exhaled long and hard. She smiled gently into the moonlight. "Yeah. I'm happy to know that." She gulped and glanced down at the cloud. "What about her friends? And… Klee?"

"Oh? The talented child we saw burning a whole mountain down? Last I saw her, she was taken away by her mother. She was quite unruly, and filled with rage uncommon for a child her age. And the deaconess' new friends? I heard that a pair of young adventurers transferred here to my realm, since I had opened the borders once more."

"Oh-ho really?!" Amber snickered. "Bennett's gonna have a whole new realm to explore, and Fischl actually travelling to that place. Yeesh, what I wouldn't pay to see that." She laughed again, exhaled, and said, "And Master Diluc? Is he still in the city?"

"Indeed. On occasion, he volunteers to assist the sisters in maintaining a safe area within the rift. It would seem that he had become a very important figure in Mondstadt. Many mages visit the city just to speak with him. He seemed annoyed on my last visit."

"Well, that's kind of cool. I always figured he could do with some responsibilities after everything..." Amber murmured.

"He seemed well-versed in statesmanship. It would appear that he stepped up the role as the city's leader since the Grandmaster of the Knights have yet returned. Once the rest of the Knights return, Lord Ragnvindr might still assume responsibility."

Guilt clenched her heart. Amber's nostrils flared upon hearing that. In a low voice, she muttered, "You don't say." She knew why the normally stern man took up the role he despised.

Thunder roared in the distance, and Amber knew that it came from the Vision on her neck. "Would you like to request an audience with your god? He may have loathed the gift of scrying from the Visions, but he took up his duties once more, and is only willing to speak to you alone."

Quite deliberately, Amber changed the subject. "I've had another one of the fainting spells."

The voice was slightly slow to respond. "Have you recovered?"

"Well, yeah. It was over and done with in a blink, but it took me several hours before I could call the wind again."

"Have you been assaulted with any greater severity or frequency?"

"No. Not really." She bit her lip at the thought. "The sucky part is that it comes without any warning."

"Have you kept the Vision on your body at all times?"

"Oh. Yeah. Absolutely!"

"Then our enchantment maintains your soul and effort. I am pleased to hear of your good health. We can only hope that it lasts throughout the extent of the entire journey."

Amber fidgeted, glancing down at her hands resting atop the smooth stone. "It's... It's only gonna happen more often, isn't it?"

The voice replied swiftly, "Our estimation has not changed since your departure."

"Yeah. I guess it hasn't." She took a deep breath. "Well, so long as I keep the clouds beneath me half the time, I'll at least have something soft to fall on if worse comes to worst."

"We fear that humor is lost to us."

"Heh. Wouldn't be the first time, your highness." Amber openly yawned. "Unngh... I'd better go. I have—what—two more nights to talk to you, right?"

"That is correct. As long as the moon glows, the gods' sight will be with you."

It was actually creepy to learn that Visions could do that. Well, Amber did wonder why they were called "Visions" in the first place.

"I'll let you know how things go next evening. These silly folks have a bunch of crap to deal with, and I kind of wanna learn more."

"We are intrigued. Would you have a reason to tarry along the fringes of Ashengate?"

"Huh? Could you say that a tad bit more, your highness?"

"I only mean to remind you that there is a great deal of landscape left between where you are and the end of your journey. No single mortal truly comprehend the distance I mean to imply."

"Hey. I know! Really, I do," Amber uttered with a shrug. "I'm trying not to get too stressed. I'm just... y'know... wingin' it. Heheheh."

"If you insist. I wish you a pleasant sleep, Amber."

"Bah. Sleep is for royalty," Amber raspberries into the air, giggled, and swung her hand across the Vision glow in finality. "Stay frosty, your highness."

"But we doth not feel any cold—"

The glow of the necklace faded. Amber was once more alone with the cold whisper of the high altitude breeze. She exhaled long and hard. She shifted the weight of the bag on her waist, feeling the rolling weight of the items inside the canvas material.

She remembered something the Shogun had said, and a tranquil smile came to her face.

"'Carrying the legacy of the Gunnhildr clan.' Heh. Well that's not so bad."

Jean would be proud.

She stretched her neck, cracking the joints within. As she did so, she caught a break in the smog below her. The towering rock structure that Autumnvale clung to stood tall, majestic, and mysterious. The moonlight tried stabbing through the misty vapors surrounding the structure, but could barely pass through.

So Amber decided to take an extra step herself. Holding her breath, she flexed her limbs, dove off the jutting rock, and with the wind by her side, soared her way towards the top of the awkward mountain.


UPDATE NEXT FRIDAY.