Roxas was stopped right near the Mondstadt-Liyue border as the wind picked up and a familiar blue dragon landed in front of him.
"Dvalin?"
"YES...I AM HE. IT IS A GREAT PLEASURE TO BE IN YOUR PRESENCE AGAIN, ROXAS." Dvalin's face formed almost a smile. "THERE IS SOMETHING BARBATOS REQUESTED OF ME...THAT REQUEST WAS TO GRANT YOU A PIECE OF MY POWER."
"What do you mean?" asked Roxas.
"WITHOUT YOUR...WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? THE FLYING MECHANICAL VEHICLE UPON WHICH YOU RODE DURING OUR...SKIRMISH?"
"Oh, that? That's my Naught Glider."
"YES...WITHOUT YOUR...'NAUGHT GLIDER'...YOU ARE INCAPABLE OF EVEN GLIDING, LET ALONE FLIGHT. AS SUCH...BARBATOS AND I REACHED AN AGREEMENT THAT YOU ARE DESERVING OF...A MORE SUITABLE REWARD THAN APPLAUSE AND A KNIGHTLY TITLE. AS SUCH, I WISH TO GRANT YOU THE POWER TO SOAR AMONG THE HIGH WINDS."
"You're giving me the ability to fly?"
"CORRECT...HOWEVER, THIS POWER IS NOT WITHOUT ITS WEAKNESSES. IT CAN ONLY BE USED ONCE IN DAYLIGHT...AND ONCE AFTER DARK...USE IT WISELY. FURTHERMORE...THERE IS SOMETHING YOU ARE ABLE TO DO...YOU MAY TEMPORARILY BESTOW THE POWER OF YOUR FLIGHT UPON ANY FEW INDIVIDUALS OF YOUR CHOICE. HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT PERMANENT, AND FOR THEM TO FLY AGAIN, YOU WILL NEED TO GRANT THEM THE POWER...AND YOU MAY ONLY DO SO WHEN YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY USED IT. FINALLY...ONCE YOU BEGIN TO FLY, YOU MAY FLY FOR AS LONG AS YOU WISH...BUT WHEN YOU LAND, YOU CANNOT FLY AGAIN UNTIL THE POWER OF FLIGHT HAS RETURNED TO YOU. THAT IS ALL...ROXAS."
"Thank you, Dvalin." Roxas bowed in reverence. "I won't let your gift go to waste."
Dvalin let out a soft exhalation of breath onto Roxas, bathing the former Nobody in a warm, yet pleasant breeze. Roxas's body glowed briefly with Anemo energy.
"YOU HAVE BEEN GRANTED THE POWER TO SOAR AMONG THE WIND AND THE BIRDS," said Dvalin. "NOW...FAREWELL, ROXAS...I PRAY THAT YOU MAY FLY WITH ME WHEN YOU RETURN."
"I'll hold myself to that."
Dvalin swept out his wings and exploded into the skies above.
"Well, we made it," said Roxas. "This is the only chance all year for us to meet the Geo Archon. Hey, Paimon, what's his name?"
"The Geo Archon?" Paimon thought for a moment. "Oh! He's called Morax. Teyvatian Mora is named after him because he creates every single one! But it's seen as impolite for people from outside of Liyue to call him Morax, so we should call him Rex Lapis like most people do."
"Oh, it's you again! Roxas, was it?"
A familiar girl with antlers and orange hair approached Roxas and Paimon.
"Hi, Yanfei," said Roxas. "Good to see you."
"Likewise," replied Yanfei. "I take it you're here to see the Rite of Descension?"
Roxas nodded. "Yeah. But I'm still pretty new to Liyue, so I don't know where it's happening."
"It's at Yujing Terrace," Yanfei informed. "It's not far from here. Just look around and you'll know when you see it."
"Will do." Roxas started to head off. "Thanks, Yanfei!"
"Wait!" Yanfei stopped him. "Before you go running off, I wanna let you in on a little secret about the Rite of Descension."
"What's the secret?" asked Roxas.
"Up at Yujing Terrace, there are these little mini-shrines where people can make wishes. And the best time to wish at one is on the day the Rite of Descension happens. So if there's anything you wanna wish for, you're in the right place at the right time!"
"Oh, cool!"
"Well, don't let me keep you waiting." Yanfei placed her hands on her hips. "You've only got so much time before Rex Lapis shows up, after all."
"Got it, I'll be going, then."
"Take care!"
"Those must be the wishing stations Yanfei was talking about." Roxas noticed a miniature shrine, one of four that surrounded a lavishly set table in the center of Yujing Terrace. He approached the shrine and contemplated his wish.
"Oh, you're here for a bit of that Adepti luck, too, huh?"
Roxas turned to see a cheerful Liyueren woman at the wishing shrine with him. "Smart thinking," the woman commended. "Making a wish on the day of the Rite of Descension means it's sure to come true. Ehe...it's nice to see a foreign visitor who knows his stuff."
"Oh, I didn't know about the whole wishing thing until just earlier," said Roxas.
"Even so, I think it's nice that you're willing to embrace an old Liyueren tradition." The woman smiled. "Sorry if I sound a little arrogant, I'm just really...what's the word?"
"Patriotic?"
"Yes, that's it," said the woman. "Well, I won't keep you any longer. I've made my wish here, so go ahead and make yours."
Roxas nodded. He lowered his head and closed his eyes, placing a hand over his heart. I wish that my friends back home will stay safe while I'm gone.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you," said the woman, "you have to actually say your wish out loud. I...probably should've let you know beforehand."
"No, it's okay," said Roxas.
"But if you don't feel comfortable with me listening, I'll move somewhere else," the woman offered.
"You don't have to," said Roxas. "But you can if you want."
The woman stayed. Roxas shrugged. He didn't really want to tell her to leave.
For a second time, he put a hand on his heart and bowed his head with his eyes closed. "I wish that my friends will stay safe back home while I'm gone."
The wishing shrine glowed with orange light.
"That glow means Rex Lapis and the Adepti have received your wish," said the woman. "I...I hope you don't mind that I heard what it was."
"Oh, I don't mind at all." Roxas smiled at her.
"Oh, good," said the woman. "Because I wanted to say that...it was noble of you to make a wish for the sake of your friends."
"Why shouldn't I?" said Roxas. "They...mean a lot to me."
"Out of curiosity," said the woman, "where exactly is your home?"
"Oh, it's...let's just say it's pretty far off the map...if you know what I mean."
"Oh." The woman formed a look of understanding. "I know what you mean. If you don't mind me asking, what is your home like?"
"I live in a place called Twilight Town," said Roxas. "There's not much special about it other than the eternal sunset. And no matter how long you spend there...it just doesn't get any less amazing."
"It sounds positively divine," said the woman. "Were it possible for me to leave Teyvat, I would visit Twilight Town."
"Hey, ma'am?" Roxas asked. "If you don't mind me asking, what's your name?"
"Oh, I'm Changshun, a local merchant. And you are?" Changshun offered a handshake.
"Roxas." He accepted the gesture, motioning to his faerie companion. "And this is my companion, Paimon."
"Hi!"
"It's nice to meet you, Roxas and Paimon," the woman greeted warmly. "And in case no one has said this to you yet...welcome to Liyue."
"Thank you." Roxas turned to leave. "We'll leave you to it, then."
"Farewell, Roxas."
Roxas approached the next wishing shrine. There stood a man in what looked like something one would wear to brace against the snow.
"Hey, is this your first time in Liyue?" he asked, his voice resounding in a strange accent that Roxas found oddly charming.
"My second, but the first wasn't long," Roxas replied.
"Ah, okay," replied the man with the accent. "I've worked in Liyue for a while now, but this is my first time at the Rite of Descension." He pointed. "Ah, look! Over there. That's Lady Ningguang, of the Liyue Qixing. They're Liyue's governing body when Rex Lapis isn't around. Only those who have executive authority in Liyue can preside over the Rite of Descension. Oh, and here's a bit of trivia for you: most of the Adepti appear in the form of divine beasts."
"People keep saying that word," said Roxas. "'Adepti.' Just what are they?"
"Oh, they're exactly what I called them: divine beasts," replied the man. "They have several mysterious abilities and powers, to the point where they're one step away from being gods. Not only that, but a small few people here in Liyue are either Adepti themselves or carry Adepti blood. Kind of...half-blood Adepti, so to speak."
Maybe that's why Yanfei has antlers, Roxas thought.
The man continued, "It's said that Rex Lapis himself takes the form of an Adeptus, specifically a cross between two of Liyue's most powerful creatures from ancient times. Oh, but I'm interrupting your wish, aren't I? Sorry about that."
"No worries," said Roxas. "I'm Roxas, by the way."
"Call me Ivanovich," said the man, shaking Roxas's hand before leaving.
Roxas closed his eyes, bowed his head, and placed a hand on his heart once again. "I wish that Rex Lapis will be willing to listen to my warning and be able to keep his Gnosis."
The wishing shrine glowed.
"Oh, Roxas, you're here again," said Ivanovich. "Just in time. I managed to get in front of the crowds and saved you a spot so you could see this up close, too."
"Oh, thanks." Roxas fell into place beside the Snezhnayan merchant.
The woman in the white dress - Ningguang - stepped forward, flanked by two women Roxas assumed were her retainers. "The hour has come," she said. "The Rite of Descension will now begin."
With a small courtly bow, her two retainers stepped away. Ningguang made a sweeping motion with her arms, channeling a few rocks from her Geo Vision. The rocks revolved around her until she pointed to the slightly larger wishing shrine atop the lavish table. The rocks flew through the air and briefly orbited the shrine before they were absorbed into it.
A burst of orange light came from the shrine, shooting a beam of energy into the air. The beam pierced a large cloud directly above.
The cloud darkened. Orange lightning crackled as a dark-scaled dragon plummeted from the sky and crushed the table on Yujing Terrace. The audience stumbled back.
The dragon lay motionless atop the destroyed table amid a thin blanket of dust.
Roxas leaned towards Ivanovich. "Is that supposed to happen?"
"Judging by the situation, probably not."
Ningguang stepped closer to the motionless dragon, assessing the situation.
She got up.
"Rex Lapis has been killed! Seal the exits!"
Liyueren soldiers - Millelith, Roxas believed they were called - ran in with spears at the ready.
"What's going on!?" said Paimon.
"Rex Lapis is...dead." Roxas clenched a fist. Maybe the Fatui got to him before my second wish could...
"Seems like the Millileth are interrogating the people who got close." Paimon pointed to Ivanovich, who was being questioned by a pair of angry-looking Millileth. "Paimon's freaking out...! There's a killer among us!"
"I highly doubt anyone in the audience could've done it," said Roxas. "Which means it was either a Fatui Harbinger, the Tsaritsa herself, or...maybe the Qixing did it and they're trying to pin the blame on someone else."
"Wait, we got close," Paimon realized. "That means they might suspect us! We gotta get outta here!"
Roxas nodded. "If they don't even trust a bunch of ordinary locals, they definitely won't trust an outlander with a pair of Keyblades. We need to escape."
"But there's a bunch of soldiers outside the gates," Paimon pointed out.
"Then we can't let them catch us."
Roxas managed to reach a section of Yujing Terrace's surrounding wall without drawing attention to himself. He jumped up, grabbed a ledge, and climbed over the wall. He ducked behind a rock to avoid the sight of a Millileth soldier who was way too close for comfort.
Luckily, the Millileth who'd almost caught Roxas seemingly hadn't had his morning coffee, so Roxas remained undetected.
He'd just reached the bottom of a set of stairs when he found himself stepping on some pieces of shattered jade. The sound was enough to alert one Millileth to his presence. Soon, the entire brigade was after him.
"They're here! Arrest them!"
Roxas rushed to another flight of stairs, sliding down the railing for extra speed and jumping to push off a nearby tree for additional momentum in the opposite direction.
He was about to set off down the path, only for more Millileth to intercept him. "End of the line!"
"No openings? I'll make one!" Roxas summoned Oathkeeper and Oblivion.
A third voice joined in with a Snezhnayan accent. "Taken care of. Hold still, key boy."
Three arrows made of powerfully compressed water flew at the Millileth blocking Roxas's escape and disarmed them. An archer with ginger hair leaped from the tree with a bow in hand.
He gripped the handle of his bow, almost pulling it apart as it disappeared, replaced by two machetes made of compressed water. The ginger rushed forward and cleaved through the Millileth with his elemental blades, leaving the soldiers with lacerations that were, to say the least, less than manageable.
The Snezhnayan water bender turned to Roxas. "Follow me."
"Paimon's...hah...Paimon's exhausted..."
"Just how do you get tired?" Roxas sighed. "You don't run, you float."
Paimon scoffed. "So insensitive! You have no idea just how tiring floating arou-wait!" She turned to the ginger. "Who are you?"
"Call me Childe," said the ginger.
"Oh, Childe?" Roxas laughed. "What, you want mama to read you a bedtime story?"
"No, no, it's just an alias of sorts," Childe replied. "Anyway, I don't suppose you've met a woman named Signora, have you? In Mondstadt, perhaps? She was with this strange man named Braig."
"Wait a second..." Roxas did the mental math. "Signora...Braig...Childe...and that accent..."
Roxas summoned his Keyblades. "You didn't even try to hide that you're a Harbinger, didn't you?"
"Oh, you can put away the Keyblades," said Childe. "I'm not looking for a fight. Well...not now, at least. I guess Signora gave you a pretty bad first impression, eh?" He scoffed, crossing his arms. "Don't worry, I can't stand her, either. And that Braig guy...he's even worse."
"Oh, don't I know it," said Roxas.
"What, Signora or Braig?"
"Both!" replied Roxas.
"Right," said Childe, "but let's forget about them for now, shall we? I want to help you."
"Like you can fool me." Roxas pointed Oblivion at him. "Get out of my sight before I get tired of your accent."
Childe put his hands up, laughing a little. "Whoa, there! Low blow, much? I promise you, I'm not a bad guy...well, okay, maybe I am, but I don't want any trouble. Would it kill you to put away the Keyblades?"
Roxas sighed, dismissing Oathkeeper and Oblivion. "Wait, how do you know about the Keyblade?"
"Lots of people do," said Childe. "The tale of the Keyblade War is a popular legend in Teyvat. Heh, I tell my little brother Teucer all sorts of bedtime stories about Keyblade wielders. Most people don't believe it's true, though. But I do. And now I've got living proof right here."
Roxas lowered his guard, remaining mentally alert in case Childe tried something.
Childe breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you. I heard about your deeds in Mondstadt, so I couldn't help but notice you during the proceedings earlier. And since I had my eye on you the whole time, I know you're innocent."
Roxas nodded. "I doubt any ordinary person could kill a god. And normally, I'd suspect you, since Harbingers are really powerful, but something tells me you're innocent. I mean, you came in and helped me escape. Why would any guilty party give up a chance to be let off scot-free while another person gets arrested and charged with the crime?"
"Good observation," said Childe. "But even so, given I'm a Fatui envoy, and a Harbinger at that...there's no way they'd trust my word. The Liyue Qixing has always been...suspicious of us."
"And rightfully so," Roxas deadpanned.
"Hahaha," Childe laughed, "well, I can't say I disagree with that. Anyway, it'd be best if you keep your distance from strangers for the time being. I'm already used to it at this stage. But, if you wanna be able to fully clear your name, meet me at the Northland Bank. Staying out in the open is a big no-no. After all, there's an old Liyueren saying...'The walls have ears.'"
Roxas had to ascend a surprising amount of stairs to get to the bank Childe had mentioned.
"This place was opened by Snezhnaya to conduct business in Liyue," Childe informed Roxas and Paimon upon their arrival. "Liyue may be the most financially wealthy nation in Teyvat, Snezhnaya's got a good deal of cash under its belt, too."
"Yeah, well, less wealthy nations definitely don't seem like they'd have so-called diplomats that go into other nations and act like they own the place," Paimon huffed.
Childe laughed again. "Well, you got me there. Here, this should help you."
He handed Roxas some kind of fancy yellow talisman. It looked like it had seen a lot of wear and tear.
"What is it?" asked Roxas.
Childe shrugged. "Not sure. Sometimes money can only buy stuff, and not a name for oneself. All I know is that it's a sigil of sorts. It's said to keep the 'mighty and illuminated' Adepti from harming you. Since you have it, you should seek out the Adepti and see if they'll help you."
"Where can I find them?"
"Head north from the harbor," Childe pointed off into the distance, "then go west from Guili Plains. You should eventually reach the stone forest of Jueyun Karst. The people of Liyue believe it to be the home of the Adepti. Offerings are made to the Adepti at its borders, and no one dares to venture in."
"Ya know, I'd hate to admit it," said Roxas, "but you just might be right."
"But why would we go looking for the Adepti?" asked Paimon.
Childe laughed again (Roxas found it strangely endearing). "Oh, my little comrade," he said, rolling the R in 'comrade', "there are plenty of reasons mortals seek out the Adepti. Money, health, perhaps love...but you, comrade...I have a feeling you'll go in the name of justice."
"To clear my name, yeah."
"Yep," said Childe. "The Qixing will have already dispatched the Millileth to search for the assassin. But, like you said earlier...how could a mere mortal kill a god that can sweep aside entire armies without breaking a sweat? After all, Rex Lapis never gave up his power as an Archon." He sighed. "This sort of behavior is totally uncalled for on their part. Odd..."
"How much do you wanna bet the Qixing did it and they're trying to frame someone?" Roxas asked Paimon.
"Ha! Your thinking is even more radical than mine!" Childe laughed. "But anyway, the Northland Bank can't stall the Millileth for long, but if you seek out the Adepti and tell them what happened, they should be able to clear you of any false accusations. Look for the Adepti and make sure you find them before the Qixing's messengers do. That way, you can give them your version of events - what actually happened."
Roxas nodded. "Got it."
He leaped over the side of the bridge he and Childe were standing on, propelling himself like a cannonball with a burst of Flowmotion. Roxas was off like a missile before anyone could notice him.
"Whoa...so that's why it's called a stone forest."
Roxas took a breath of awe at the sight of Jueyun Karst. Pillars of rock towered above the clouds, piercing the sky like spears. Roxas soared overhead on his Naught Glider, deciding to forgo using his gift of flight for the time being.
"Down there!" Paimon pointed to something below them. "Paimon thinks that's where you can find one of the Adepti!"
Roxas swooped low, jumping off his Naught Glider and landing with a somersault.
"It's empty," said Roxas. "Um...anyone here?"
"AND WHO MIGHT WE BE?" answered a stern, booming voice. "THOSE WHO DARE ENTER JUEYUN KARST?"
Roxas quickly whipped out the sigil Childe had given him. Before him stood a deer with antlers and hooves glowing orange.
The beast's expression softened. "A SIGIL OF PERMISSION...MANY A MOON HAS PASSED SINCE ONE WAS LAST IN THE PRESENCE OF SUCH AN ITEM. HE BEFORE YOU IS THE MIGHTY AND ILLUMINATED ADEPTUS, MOON CARVER. SPEAK, CLOAKED TRAVELER. WHAT BUSINESS HAVE YOU HERE?"
"So..."
Before Roxas could start, a voice cut him off.
"The assassin! He dared to flee here, to Jueyun Karst!"
Roxas turned to see a platoon of Millileth arriving.
"Sir..." one of the Millileth cautioned his superior, "we've already stepped too far into Jueyun Karst ourselves."
The leader tried to refute. "We-ngh, no choice. Apprehending the assassin is priority number one. We must press on!"
"...DISTURBING OUR BORDERS." Moon Carver sighed. "TRAVELER...SEE THAT THEY ARE GONE. ONE WILL NOT WELCOME THESE...INTERLOPERS."
BGM: Fields of Honor - Kingdom Hearts 2.5 ReMix
Roxas summoned Oathkeeper and Oblivion. "Oh, these guys are in for it now."
"Take him alive!" the Millileth commander shouted.
"Not if I can help it!" Roxas charged, cutting down a few of the Millileth right out of the proverbial gate.
The Millileth were sort of clumped into a huddled group. An idea popped into Roxas's head. He dismissed Oathkeeper, swapping Oblivion's keychain with the one he'd received from Noelle. Dutiful Rose took form in Oblivion's place.
Roxas hefted the heavier Keyblade. Time to tear a page from Diluc's book.
He cast a form of Firaga on Dutiful Rose, coating the Keyblade in flames. "Feel the heat!"
Roxas charged forth with Dutiful Rose lit ablaze. The fire-imbued Keyblade launched soldier after soldier either into the side of the mountain or off the side, into the lake below.
"He's too strong!" the commander exclaimed. "Men, fall back! I repeat, fall back!"
"Leaving so soon?" Roxas quipped. He removed Dutiful Rose's keychain, calling upon Oblivion as he equipped Oathkeeper.
Roxas closed his eyes, thinking of a close friend. He opened his eyes, a smirk forming on his face. "Friends are power!" he shouted. "Got it memorized!?"
With bursts of light and darkness, Oathkeeper and Oblivion changed shape, taking the form of a pair of chakrams. Fire burned from the chakrams as Roxas surrounded the area with a wall of flame.
"We can't escape!" the commander cried.
Roxas charged, chakrams at the ready. He summoned a pillar of flame to knock the remaining Millileth into the air. He jumped up to meet them, launching them off the mountain and into the lake with a burst of fire.
The wall of flame disappeared as Oathkeeper and Oblivion reverted to their Keyblade forms. A few Millileth stragglers remained, barely staggering to their feet after having been knocked into the nearby rocks. Roxas turned to them. "Out of respect for the Adeptus before you, I'll let you go peacefully. Now leave before I change my mind."
The remaining Millileth hurried out of Jueyun Karst.
End BGM
"NEVER BEFORE HAS ONE SEEN SUCH IMPRESSIVE FEATS OF MARTIAL PROWESS," Moon Carver commended. "YOU ARE NO MERE OUTLANDER. BUT ONE DIGRESSES. STATE YOUR PURPOSE, NOW THAT THE INTERLOPERS ARE NO LONGER PRESENT."
"Okay," said Roxas. "So, long story short...Rex Lapis...he's been killed. And they think it was someone from the audience at the Rite of Descension. And...that includes me."
"PREPOSTEROUS..." said Moon Carver. "UTTERLY PREPOSTEROUS! THE LIYUE QIXING...HOW DISAPPOINTING THEIR REACTION HAS BEEN. HOW COULD SOMEONE - ANYONE - ASSASSINATE REX LAPIS DURING THE RITE OF DESCENSION AND ALLOW SUSPICION TO BE PLACED UPON THE ATTENDEES!?"
Moon Carver sighed. "KEY-BEARING TRAVELER...OF THE UNJUST ACCUSATIONS FORCED UPON YOU, ONE HAS BECOME AWARE. THE MIND KNOWS ITS ANSWER, THOUGH ONE MUST CONFER WITH ONE'S FELLOWS, LEST THE MIND BE...MISGUIDED."
Roxas bowed in reverence. "Thank you, mighty and illuminated Moon Carver. I am in your debt."
"ONE MERELY WISHES TO LET THE TRUTH BECOME KNOWN," said Moon Carver. "KEY-BEARER...BEFORE YOU DEPART...ONE WISHES TO KNOW YOUR NAME."
"Roxas."
"ROXAS..." Moon Carver pondered for a moment. "ONE RECALLS THE NAME. ROXAS...YOU ARE HE WHO WISHED FOR THE SAFETY OF HIS FRIENDS, ARE YOU NOT?"
"Y-Yes, mighty and illuminated one," Roxas replied. "I am...not of this world, and my friends are still at home."
Moon Carver almost seemed to smile. "IT IS NOT COMMON FOR ONE TO RECEIVE A WISH FOR THE CARE OF SOMEONE OTHER THAN THEY WHO IMPART THE WISH. YOU ARE...AN ENIGMA, ROXAS. UNFORTUNATELY, ONE CANNOT INFLUENCE THE AFFAIRS OF THOSE RESIDING IN OTHER WORLDS, BUT WERE THAT POSSIBLE, ONE WOULD DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO ENSURE YOUR FRIENDS ARE SAFE AND COMFORTABLE."
"I appreciate your words, mighty and illuminated Moon Carver," said Roxas.
"YOU ARE A NOBLE YOUNG MAN, ROXAS," Moon Carver complimented. "BUT ONE HAS ANOTHER TASK FOR YOU. GO WITH YOUR SIGIL OF PERMISSION. CARRY WITH YOU A MESSAGE."
"Of course, mighty and illuminated Moon Carver," said Roxas. "But, if I might ask, who do you wish for me to send the message to?"
"ONE'S FELLOW ADEPTI," replied Moon Carver. "MOUNTAIN SHAPER AND CLOUD RETAINER. THEY CAN BE FOUND HERE. NAUGHT BUT FATE WILL DECIDE IF YOU SHALL MEET THEM. NAUGHT BUT FATE. MOREOVER, THERE EXISTS A...CONQUEROR OF DEMONS. A GUARDIAN YAKSHA. IF YOU GO TO WANGSHU INN...THERE YOU SHALL FIND HIM. XIAO IS HIS NAME. BUT SEEK FIRST MOUNTAIN SHAPER AND CLOUD RETAINER."
"Of course," said Roxas. "I will not fail you, mighty and illuminated Moon Carver."
In a quite literal blink of an eye, Moon Carver disappeared.