Disclaimer: Nothing here is owned by me.

A great fleet assembled at the Harbor, made up of the finest warriors in all of Liyue, not to mention some from other countries, as well. This threat was well recognized by Teyvat now, and they banded together to stop it. The best scholars from Sumeru had supported this attack. Teramancers had the power of ancient arts on their side, somehow harnessing the power that only Abyss Mages were rumored to have.

Warriors stockpiled on swords, spears, bows, you name it. The armory was empty by the time all of them went through it. Supplies were loaded, barrels filled tossed onto the boat. Even primitive cannons were strapped to the ship, though they probably wouldn't be used.

Teyvat was preparing for all out war.

Meanwhile, Bennett was sitting on the port, legs dangling above the water. Fischl walked toward him, noticing the troubled look on his face. "You know, it worries me that you sit so close to the edge."

Bennett's face lit up at hearing her voice, and he scooted back. "Is that better?"

"Much." She smiled back, and sat down next to him. "So...you never told me you been to prison."

Bennett sheepishly grinned. "Yeah...It was an accident, or at least the majority of them were. I try not to share it often."

"What'd you do?"

"Well..." Bennett didn't know where to start. He tried to think of a more mild accident. The meeting house collapsing? Nah, too much. What about the wind picking up and blowing Springvale's best ship to no return? Eh, no. A lightning bolt coming down and burning down his neighbor's house, even though it was a sunny day? Definitely not.

"Did you kill someone?"

"What? No! Why are you smiling?" Bennett indignantly responded. "I just have a tendency to...get in trouble, with my horrible luck."

Fischl shrugged. "You do have bad luck, I have to say."

Bennett sighed. "When things calm down, I don't know what to do. Gorou knew what he wanted to be all his life, but I can't see myself working a normal job; the same repetition every day."

Bennett looked down. He probably didn't make any sense. She probably thought he was crazy. "I know what you mean."

"Hmm?!"

"Even before I hunted teramancers, I never really fitted in with society." Fischl admitted. "...I think–"

"Hey, Bennett!" Gorou ran up to them. "Sorry to interrupt, but we're ready to sail. That is, unless you'd rather swim."

Fischl shivered at the thought, and Bennett stood up. "Well...It was nice to know you, Fischl."

"Yeah." She smiled at him, twiddling her fingers nervously. "You too."

Bennett nodded sadly. "...Goodbye, Fischl."

She nodded as he left for the boat, frowning suddenly. "Why're you acting like you're not going to return from this? Be safe, I tell you!"

Bennett merely smiled and waved at her. He grabbed his sword and walked onto the boat, praying to whatever archon was watching to not let him accidentally burn it down. The ship lazily bobbed up and down, and Bennett could already see some soldiers getting slightly seasick. Wouldn't help if they arrived to the teramancers lair with a squad of puking, retching warriors.

General Gorou walked to the helm, noticing a soldier trembling slightly. The soldier noticed him, immediately saluting. "General Gorou, sir."

"At ease, soldier." Gorou leaned on the rails, staring at the setting sun. "As part cat, I can understand being fearful of the oceans. But I suspect this is not what troubles you, Teppei."

"No sir..." The warrior hesitated. "Defending against monster attacks and bandits is one thing, but this is entirely different."

Gorou nodded. "This is greater."

"These monsters are coordinated, armed, controlled by that freak they call Teralord." Teppei spat.

Gorou paused. "I've been serving Liyue since my father was General of Millelith. I was half your age, expected to become general after...my father." He turned to the warrior. "How long have you been in the military?"

"Only three years, sir."

"And those three years you've had more training than any of those teramancer scum." Gorou reminded. "When we find this teralord, i'll kill him myself, and the rest with fall. If you obey my orders, and remember your training, we will return triumphant and alive."

Teppei smiled. "Yes sir."

The small fleet set off, cutting through the water like a knife through water, making a smooth destination to the target. Bennett stood at the crest of the ship, keeping lookout, and also ready to jump in the water if his Vision started hyper reacting.

Meanwhile, Fischl watched the ships sail off, praying in her heart that her friend would return safely.


And while all this was happening, while this seemed like the biggest threat, another danger was brewing. Something only the top leaders, and the Masters of the Nations knew about, and really, made the Teramancer plot look like a sideshow.

A demolished battlefield, littered with corpses and rubble. Ash and smoke only remained, the remnants of the fire that once burned out of control. And slowly coming forward, a squad of calvary...Knights of Favonius, survivors of the massacre, here to retrieve they're dead. Taking the corpses that weren't burnt to crisps, they collected as many as they could, hauling them across the great city to the outside, pain still etched in the dead men's faces as a reminder of the painful death they went through.

Mourning went throughout the night, as the Mondstadtians worked to recover their dead and bury them, giving them the proper funeral rites. In a secluded setting, the rulers and their representatives discussed about this tragedy.

"Unbelievable." The representative for Sumeru shook his head. "This is unprecedented. One city from each nation, annihilated, razed, with few survivors. Slaughtered."

"Not just any city." The Tianquan of Liyue, Ningguang, added. "They were after the Gnosis. Our Gnosis was with Zhongli, but it didn't stop them from sending a message...we have lost our Master."

"His gnosis is now lost as well." The Kujou Clan of Inazuma's representative, Sara, said sadly. "Many times Zhongli has warned, but we ignored him. And because of his efforts, all the other Gnosis are safe from the Fatui...for now."

"Should we be so hasty?" Fontaine's twin rulers pointed out. "Are we sure this attack is of the Fatui? It could have been the teramancers, we've all heard the rumors."

Ningguang grimaced at the mention of teramancers. "A cult brewing in my own nation...the teramancer are causing huge problems in Liyue..."

"It's not them." The wise Sumeruan shook his head. "They were after the Gnosis, we've seen from Zhongli's body. And the dead found in Mondstadt, while burned, were definitely of Snezhnaya."

"Then what will we do?" The warrior from Natlan, who had came far away just for this conference, asked, bloodthirst already rising in her eyes.

"We have no choice." Ningguang shook her head. "As much as it pains me, we must concede with our previous judgement. We are too weak for attack. we risk too much."

Mumbles of disappointment, but no one contradicted her. Then, light footed steps drew the Masters attention to a young bard of sorts, his usual cheerful face now grim with sorrow. "Long has it been for us Masters to protect Teyvat. And at our most crucial moment, we failed. We buried innocents today, massacred by an enemy we no longer have the strength or courage to repel."

The masters and rulers looked down. "Master Venti speaks true." Kujou Sara bitterly said. "Inazuma has not been the most cooperative, but before the lockdown, the previous master escaped with the Electro Gnosis. I will fight the Fatui. Master Zhongli warned of a Fatui attack, and the attack came. Before moving them, he told us that the Fatui were atop Mt. Zapolyarny. As a fellow Master, it is my, no our, duty. We must go to Mt. Zapolyarny and wipe out the Fatui once and for all!"

"What you propose will bring our clans to war." Baizhu, the master of Sumeru warned.

"We face a greater danger if we let the Fatui thrive." Venti disagreed. "They defeated many powerful warriors in Mondstadt two days ago. A foolish choice to attack the epicenter, but they succeeded."

"It is absolutely crucial to keep the Cryo Gnosis safe." Natlan's ruler stressed. "Who knows what it could do...perhaps even bring the Tsarista back."

The whole room seemed to shudder at the thought. "I will accompany Master Sara. And make sure the Electro Gnosis does not fall into the Fatui hands." The representative for Sumeru raised his hand. "Our ruler is still in Sumeru, researching the Fatui. I will go in his stead. We will lead the army to victory."

"Teyvat will be going to war once more." Venti nodded. "We will send word to the rest of Teyvat, and gather allogenes willing to fight."

The room dispersed, and Kujou Sara walked out and stared at the stars. What had happened to the rest of Inazuma? Were they attacked? Hopefully not...could Yae Miko would be able to convince Raiden Shogun to send its warriors? She doubted it. Venti walked next to her. "Many years has it been since we wielded Visions for War."

Kujou Sara nodded. "You and I are in the same boat, are we not?"

Venti strummed his lyre, a melancholic tune that broke her heart. "I was unprepared for a battle. The Fatui overpowered me easily. I just barely escaped, and that was only when they were distracted realizing I didn't have the gnosis. Ah, Zhongli...you sly bastard."

"I will make right everything Inazuma has done wrong." Kujou Sara clenched her hand around the Electro Gnosis. "Starting with eliminating the Fatui."


Ajax stared into the Oceanid's hollow white eyes, unable to move away. It was like she sent him into a trance, locking his eyes in place. Staring into her eyes, Ajax gasped, and grasped his head.

Visions of flames, voices, and battle coursed through his head. He was too much in pain to make sense of them. Was that Lumine? Who was she fighting...agh! The Fatui...images of the past, present, and future assaulted his mind, and Ajax screeched like a dolphin (it makes sense cause he's underwater). And as suddenly as it happened, the pain faded, along with the images. Ajax looked up, and the Rhodeia of Loch floated away.

Seconds later, Ajax propelled out of the water into the sky, like he was thrown, and he would have broken his back if Kazuha didn't catch him with Anemo. "Ajax! Are you alright? What happened in the water?"

Ajax coughed, spitting out water. "I...I don't know. They suddenly just...let me go."

"Hmm. We still have to find a path across without angering them."

"Don't worry." Ajax stood up, shaking water out of his hair. "I have a feeling they won't bother us anymore."

Ajax summoned his power, and the water stiffened, as if it froze, even though it looked completely the same. Ajax tentatively stepped on the water, and it held. No oceanid's attacked, and he took another step. Still nothing. He beckoned Kazuha and Spirit to follow, and they reluctantly did, carefully putting one leg in front of the other. Ajax couldn't blame them. It still looked exactly the same, except with no ripples at all. Fish still swam below them, some scattering and others staring up in confusion.

The lake was conquered, and the mountain was next.


"This is the last one, Viola." Keqing sighed, their last piece of food, just another apple. "We just have to go hunting later."

She whined, but reluctantly continued tracking. Keqing followed her lynx, sword drawn. Viola suddenly stopped, tilting her head at something, and Keqing smiled in spite of herself. She probably found a bird or rodent to terrorize again. Then suddenly, a figure jumped out from behind the corner, swinging a knife at her cat.

Cat reflexes saved the lynx, and Viola took of running. "Viola!" Keqing unsheathed her sword and chased after them, turning a corner where she nearly got her throat slit. "Agh!"

She jumped back, barely avoiding the dagger. Raptor growled, incredibly pissed. "I've had enough of you, girl!"

He slashed at her, and she spun aside, returning the slash, which he parried aside, hitting her with his knee. Her sword clattered away, and Raptor charged. Keqing summoned her stiletto, hurling the weapon at Raptor, who slid under it and nearly took off her leg at the knee. She stumbled back, ducking and weaving to avoid becoming chopped sushi. Warping to her stiletto mark, Keqing kicked Raptor from behind and grabbed his arm, managing to disarm him. That didn't make him any less dangerous, however.

In a brief struggle, Raptor head butted her, then spun and threw her into the wall. He grabbed his dagger, charging to finish her, when he yelped and stumbled to a stop. Viola locked her jaws around his ankle, drawing another cry of pain. Raptor snarled, and struck the lynx, who gave pained cry. "Viola!"

The wildcat pulled, and they both fell down the ledge, a loud thump as they hit hard ground. Keqing forced herself up, yelping in pain at her leg, limping toward the edge. Cats always landed on their feet, right?

Not this time. Viola lay motionless on the hard cold stone, and Keqing ran toward her, ignoring Raptor grabbing the egg and jogging away. She ignored her sprained leg, all focus on her loyal cat, laying still. "Viola?"

"Don't leave, girl. Stay with me." She cradled the lynx, trying to find any source of life. Pulse, nothing. Movement, none. Heartbeat...

None.

Quiet sobbing echoed bounced off the walls. Keqing had sworn to never cry again, but the dam broke, and the tears fell. Lowering her deceased friend, Keqing drew her sword. She wiped her tears away, and summoned Electro energy.

He wasn't going getting away.

Raptor was running. He was close. He just needed to get close enough to the Treasure Hoarder base, then security would do the rest. He wanted nothing to do with this stupid egg any longer. The only thing stopping him from ditching the egg was the millions of Mora he could make. But by now Raptor was starting to think this may not be worth it.

"Gah!" A purple dagger embedded into his thigh, and Raptor crumpled, dropping to the egg. He reached for the weapon, but yelped as it shocked him. Growling he turned around to meet Keqing, ready for a fight.

It was over before he even realized it. Keqing vanished, reappearing right beside him, teleporting to her stiletto, and cut her sword across his side, opening a gash along his ribs.

Blood dripped down her blade as Raptor sank to his knees. He was losing blood, and he knew it. Raptor's time was over. Keqing walked over to him, a stone-cold face staring back down at Raptor's enraged face. She took her blade, cocked back, and swung.

The man fell to the ground, lifeless. Keqing nearly fell as well, her legs giving in to exhaustion and sorrow. Her revenge was obtained. Staggering, Keqing stabbed her sword into the dirt, drawing it back out to rid the blood. And finally, she picked up the dragon egg. Keqing finally took it back, but she felt hollow.

The price to pay for victory is expensive.

This one's a little shorter. Keqing's cat is dead. How sad. As a person who's lost a pet cat as well, it sucks to raise it from literally a kitten, and it being torn away in one night. That's the circle of life for ya.