Disclaimer: I don't own nothing (double negative)

Bennett once again sat in front of a fire, enjoying some just-cooked rabbit meat. Unfortunately, the universe wasn't going to let him enjoy any longer. A flurry of footsteps alerted Bennett, and he grabbed his sword.

A hilichurl came from behind him, babbling and approaching with a club. Bennett quickly turned, but another had snuck up forward from him. Bennett jumped backward to avoid him. "For once can I just eat my food?" He grumbled, putting the meat between his teeth, pirate-style, and grabbing his sword.

He lunged forward, over the fire and stabbed the first monster. He dodged another club, and grabbed his torch, waving his sword to keep the monsters at bay, who circled him. A different figure approached, and Bennett whirled to meet him. It was the teramancer.

"The other girl, the archer, from the other night...where is she now?" He growled.

Bennett pretended to ponder on this. "The girl...which night are we talking about again? I don't have a great sense of time."

"Don't fool with me, scum." The person raised his staff. "I want to know where–"

Thwack. Thwack.

Two arrows, two hilichurls crumpled on the ground. A figure jumped down, landing behind the teramancer. "Surprise!"

Bennett quickly ran and tackled the teramancer, who was distracted by the ambush. A line of hilichurls charged to save their master, but Fischl drew an arrow, and it crackled with purple electricity. A charged arrow flew straight and cut straight through the line.

Bennett wished he had a vision. Though it would probably blow up in his face when he tried to use it. The teramancer roared, kicking Bennett off him. He raised his staff, but Fischl knocked him too the ground and pinned him down with her foot. "Looking for me?"

"As a matter a fact, I was." The teramancer wheezed.

"Good job. You found me." Fischl dryly said. "Now I'm going to ask some questions."

"I'm not going to tell you anything." He hissed. "The teramancers will soon rise and–"

Fischl whacked him across the head with her bow, and he fell unconscious. And also silent. "Wha–Fischl!"

"What? You heard him. He said he wasn't going to talk!" She smirked at him. "Or were you enjoying his little speech?"

Bennett sighed. "So what's the plan now, then."

Fischl hummed, musing on the thought. Looking at the teramancer, Fischl noted that it covered his whole body, with no defining features revealed. "I can disguise myself with his robes. Maybe I can infiltrate their base."

Bennett blinked. "Wait, you? No!" She raised an eyebrow at him, and Bennett was aware he was blushing. He kicked himself mentally for blurting that out, but ironically, Bennett didn't want Fischl to be put in danger. "I mean...uh, that was a guy. Might be a little weird if a girl shows up in place."

Fischl frowned. Bennett grinned and pointed to himself. "I can do it instead."

Fischl looked at him doubtfully. "Are you sure? I have a Vision if things go wrong. You don't."

"That might be bad for disguise though." Bennett pointed out. "Where're you going to hide that if you do infiltrate them?"

The girl sighed, relenting. "Alright, fine. Put on the robes."

Bennett pulled the robes off, noticing how ashy the robes were. "Ash...the robes are covered in ash, Fischl."

"Hmm..." She ran a finger across a sleeve, studying the ash. "Where would there be ash around here?"

"The only volcano not in Natlan:" Bennett put the robes on, dusting himself off. "Mt. Cuijue."


Bennett was feeling a little annoyed. Sure, when he put on the robes it looked super cool and fit well, but he quickly realized it was hot. And itchy. Voicing his complaints to Fischl, who just shook her head. "It'll only get worse inside the volcano."

"Great." Bennett nodded to her, and began descending into the volcano's cave. "Oh, and uh, take our prisoner back to the Springvale prison while i'm gone, ok?"

Fischl crossed her arms. "Springvale has a prison?"

"Uh, yeah it does." Bennett nodded.

"Are you sure?"

Bennett gulped. "Yes..."

"How do you know?" Fischl smirked at him.

Bennett turned away to hide his guilty face. "It just does, alright?" He was reluctant to admit to Fischl that he was a convict. An accidental convict, but still a convict. For some reason, he really cared what the girl thought about him. "Alright. Off I go!"

"Hey." Bennett turned back to Fischl, smiled, a real, genuine smile, not the usual smirks. "Good luck."

Bennett felt his heart accelerate. "Yeah. Thanks!"

He was going to need more than luck. He needed a miracle, and usually, he didn't even have just luck. Bennett took a deep breath, put on the hilichurl mask, pulled up the hood, and descended into the volcano.

It's more accurate to call it a volcanic cave than a volcano. Mt. Cuijue might have been a tall mountain centuries ago, but multiple eruptions and erosion reduced it to a crater, which eventually became a cave. It was indeed, hot and itchy as he approached the epicenter, lava pouring below and a tremor here and there, like the volcano was preparing for another eruption. It wasn't likely, since it had already been reduced to almost nothing, but with Bennett's luck, you could never be too sure.


Meanwhile, in an inn somewhere in Liyue, Ajax sat on the bed, watching his Vision. He had only had it for a little over a year by now, but at this point, it felt like a part of him. Ajax heard a creak below him, and he noticed the doors to the balcony were open.

Outside, Zhongli, arms crossed and his spear beside him, silently watched the scenery. "...You should be asleep, Ajax."

"So should you." Ajax sat down beside him.

Zhongli snorted slightly. "If only. A lifetime of battle, and using my Vision and Gnosis without considering the side effects...it does things to your health."

Ajax nodded, tucking his Vision in his pocket. He followed Zhongli's gaze toward the moon, and pondered on Zhongli's words. A lifetime of battle..."Zhongli? What was the Great War like?"

"They call it the Great War," Zhongli shook his head, smiling sadly. "But few things about it were great. Many lives were lost, and the conquered territories, Monstadt, Sumeru...we were almost brought to extinction."

Ajax remembered the history lessons. In fact, he could still see the affects the war had brought upon Monstadt, his home. It had caused thousands of deaths, and caused parent-less children and poverty widespread across his nation.

"Did you ever meet the Outlanders?"

"The twins..." Zhongli smiled fondly of the memory. "We fought together on occasions. Viator, Viatrix...the greatest elemental users I have ever known. You may have heard of their ability to control all seven elements, right?"

Ajax nodded. "Just like Lumine." He smiled at her name. It felt good saying it.

"Indeed. That was their special ability...but their true power, it came from their leadership. They were able to lead an army made up of all of Teyvat, so many diverse people and factions."

"And they were killed by the last Harbinger."

Zhongli shrugged. "No one really knows who killed who. But yes. Viatrix and the last Harbinger were killed...and Viator disappeared shortly after." He sighed sadly. "When a vision wielder dies, their Visions are left behind as husks. After the battle, neither one's Vision's were discovered, only the other ten harbinger visions were found. Though it was rumored the Outlanders didn't use visions..."

Ajax thought about that. Lumine didn't have a vision, yet she still could use the elements. But they never found the last Harbinger's? Was it stolen, or lost to the storms of Snezhnaya?

"As such, some questioned what truly happened at the peak. But most are just glad war is over."

Ajax looked at the stars. Every person had a constellation matching theirs, whether small or big, intricate or simple. Astrologists dedicated their life to study these constellations. He never found his, nor could any astrologist find it either. Was it another sign that he did not belong? Ajax was abandoned at the gates of Mondstadt as a young child, with no memory of his past, and the Knights of Favonius raised him. He had slowly been accepted over the years, but some still did not consider him one of them. Ajax had been treated...kind of like an alien for most of his life. "Zhongli? Do you know where I'm from?"

Zhongli heaved a big sigh. "You...your parents, they were both killed by the Fatui. And you were the only one...out of all your brothers and sisters that I could save."

Ajax nearly choked. He had siblings? And parents? Killed by the Fatui? Ajax stared at the ground.

"I couldn't raise you myself, with all my travels, so I looked for someone who would be willing to take a child." Zhongli continued, ashamed that it took him this long to reveal the truth to Ajax.

Ajax knew the rest of this story. "No one would take a foreign child. Apart for of course, Jean. She raised you, cared for you. And even though your were not from Monstadt, she raised you with her own, as her own. You always have a place to return to. Jean made sure of that."

Ajax turned away, trying not to let the tears fall.

"I know this may not have been what you wanted to hear...but perhaps the truth will help you...one day find peace."

"I understand." Ajax's voice hitched. "Thank you...for being honest."

It was going to be a long night


In the morning, Raptor jumped over a fence of a horse pen. "Hurry up, Razor! Before these animals blow our cover!"

Razor tried to jump over the fence as well, but it's a lot more difficult while carrying a giant rock. Raptor approached the horse, but it neighed and reared as he got close to it. Razor tilted his head, going for another horse.

Raptor managed to straddle the horse without it freaking out on him, but before he could get on, he caught a glint of light at the corner of his eye, and Raptor leapt off the horse. An electric blast flew past him and hit the fence, leaving a charred black mark. Raptor blinked at the mark, turning and glaring at his attacker. Not her again.

Keqing glared right back, readying another blast, firing it at Razor, who spun out of the way. The two took cover behind some hay bales. "Not this girl again! I told you we got lost in those woods on our way out! Some shortcut you had."

Razor mumbled, "Rain...hard...to find path."

"Whatever." Raptor turned to look, as Keqing unsheathed her sword and charged. He grabbed the stone from Raptor. "This time, you deal with the girl, I'll get the horses."

Razor nodded reluctantly, as Raptor ran off. As Keqing approached, Razor stepped out from his spot, unsheathing his claymore, which crackled with electricity. Keqing frowned, and with a flash, sent two electric slashes at him. Razor step sided one, and deflected the other. Keqing charged, sword leveled out. Razor narrowed his eyes, and braced for impact with his sword. But the impact came from behind, instead. Viola tackled Razor to the ground, and Razor futilely tried to kick her.

"Come on, Razor! Quit rolling around!" Raptor demanded, already on his horse.

Rolling away from Keqing strike, Razor quickly picked up his claymore and jumped onto Raptor's horse. "What? Not on my horse, idiot! Get your own!"

Just then, a girl came out of her house, confused on what all the noise was about. Noticing her horses being stolen, she whistled. "Anima! Over here!"

Immediately the horse responded to her call, throwing Raptor off and galloping toward her owner. Razor jumped back to avoid getting bitten by Viola, only to get cut by Keqing. "Forget the horses, Razor! Run!"

They fled, sprinting down the path. Keqing turned to the girl. "Keqing? What's this all about?"

"Hey, Kokomo." Keqing greeted her friend. "Sorry for the trouble."

She sheathed her sword and walked toward Kokomi. "I was hoping to catch them before the woods, but you got caught up in this."

"It's alright, Keqing." Kokomi airily waved it off. "Nobody's hurt, and they didn't get away with any of my horses."

Keqing shrugged. She still needed to keep chasing the thieves. It was getting dark soon, and if she didn't move soon, she'd lose them. "Over here, Anima!" Kokomi beckoned, and her horse walked over amiably. "It's been so long since you've come by, Keqing. Why don't you stay for a bit?"

The thought of resting and being with her friend made Keqing smile. But still...

"After you've rested, we can pursue them on horseback." Kokomi suggested.

That sealed the deal, and Keqing smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Kokomi. That would be much appreciated."

Thirty minutes later, Viola was tracking Raptor and Razor, and Keqing and Kokomi were leisurely following her on horseback. "So why are you chasing them, Keqing?"

"Well, they stole some dragon stone from Monstadt." Keqing explained. "When I found it in the woods, they came for it."

"That thing?" Kokomi blinked, surprised. "Wait, you don't know what that is?"

"What do you mean?"

"That's not just a dragon stone, Keqing!" Kokomi said. "That's a dragon egg! No wonder they were so determined to get it!"

Keqing looked down. "A dragon egg...?"

That explained somethings. It always felt weird, feeling protective of an inanimate object, but if it was a living creature, one heard to be extinct for centuries...

"Yeah! You know the stories!" Kokomi playfully nudged her. "The dragonspine warriors who used the guard Teyvat, rode on the back of mighty dragons. But that was years ago. Of course, both have vanished by now."

"Yeah..." Keqing nodded. She was still thinking about the egg. It might have been the last in the world. An endangered species, and those thieves...who knows what they would do with it.

"So, how did you manage to convince Mr. Yuheng to let you go on this hunt?"

"I didn't." Keqing turned away. "I just...left."

"Oh. About time." Kokomi shrugged. "I don't know how you manage to live with him."

"He may be strict grouch, but he's been looking after me since my parents died. I can't just forget that." Keqing reminded.

Viola hissed, catching their attention. They had arrived at the edge of a cliff. "Eagle Canyon." Kokomi sighed. "They're going to use ravine to stay out of Monstadt's borders. I can't take you any further, Keqing."

Nodding, she dismounted. "Thanks for the help, Kokomi. I'll have to pay you back someday."

"No need." Kokomi laughed. "You saved my horses from being stolen. This is the least I could do." She kicked the horses lightly, spurring them around. "Be safe on your hunt."

Keqing nodded, gestured to Viola, and started down the cliff.


Ajax and Zhongli finally reached Monstadt again. Just over the river, and they would be in the city once more. Ajax couldn't wait to see Lumine and tell her about the journey and what happened. She would probably listen all night, listening to his details.

"I recognize this area! We're almost there, aren't we?" Ajax turned to Zhongli.

"Correct." Zhongli gestured forward. "Your home is just ahead."

"This was quite the adventure, Zhongli." Ajax grinned. "Thank you for having me along."

Zhongli just chuckled. "I would hardly call this an adventure, young one. But, you are most welcome."

They continued on foot, just a little ways from home. But behind them, Spirit, trotting peacefully, suddenly jerked upright, neighing in worry. Zhongli frowned, turning around in confusion. Whenever a horse acted this way...not good.

He turned toward Ajax, who just reached the edge of the hill and the shallow river. And only then did Zhongli realize the faint smoke in the air. "Ajax, wait!" He ran toward the teen, but he had already stopped. Ajax had seen the scene, and when Zhongli reached there, both were in horror of the scene in front of them.

Monstadt in flames.

Dun. Dun. Duuuun.