Hi, sorry for being late. A little too late. Ran out of inspiration and motivation. But yes, I'm alive, as alive as I could be, I hope.
Anyway, enjoy the chapter. I set the author's note at the end of this chapter where I have a question for you.
Amber sprinted through the street. She had to see her grandfather. It had been five years since she last saw the dear old face, the long white beard, and the carefree sitting posture. After all those years, how could she not be itching to see him?
It is unbeknown to her if it was just her luck, but the run went smoothly. Fewer people were hanging around than usually seen. When the staircases and walls came up, the Outrider simply jumped and climbed them as if there were no rules. The wind flapped against her body, but she disregarded them entirely.
At last, when she reached the great statue before the Favonius cathedral, her legs decelerated and stopped. Her breath slowed down as she attempted to gain posture. A quick look around told her that the cathedral yard was empty. Sister Grace, who always led a prayer group before the Great Anemo Archon Statue, was nowhere to be seen. The kid Nora who played around every day, was not there either. Where is everyone?
Feeling that something wasn't normal, she placed her hand on her dagger again. The streets near the city gate were still with people. There should not be something wrong, right?
She hastened to the staircase that led to the cathedral. Something was clearly not right. The guards were not standing in their usual posts. Amber frowned as she approached the door to push it in.
When the Outrider stepped in, she found two sword tips pointing at her.
"Halt!" came a shout.
Greeting her were two knights. So the guards were stationed inside the cathedral this time. Sister Grace, Nora, and the people missing from the yard were also inside. The Outrider's intuition told her that something terrible had happened.
"What's going on here?" Amber addressed her confusion. Fortunately, the knights recognized her and withdrew their weapons.
"We are sorry for the trouble, outrider Amber." One of them apologized. The two knights then stood aside for the young woman to walk in, to which she simply nodded.
"I heard Olivier Wang is here." She wasted no time starting. "Where is he?"
Hearing that, both men looked at each other in silence.
"Outrider Amber," the knight on the left spoke up, "we understand that you are looking forward to seeing Captain Wang, but I'm afraid he isn't in the best shape."
The Outrider's throat went dry. He didn't do something to hospitalize himself, did he?
She quickly grabbed the knight's forearm and lowered her voice.
"Please tell me that he is alright."
Her eyes pleaded. It must have been so stifling for the guy from the way he tried to look away with his lips pursed. Amber could not blame him because she felt the same way too.
"Umm, he's… I…," he swallowed, "Amber, he was assaulted! We don't know who the assailant was because they escaped so quickly."
Amber's heart sank. Her eyelid shut down to let her brain reprocess what she had heard. As a result, she could not take in the rest of what he said.
So she asked the knight again if he could repeat all the details. And with a bit of hesitance, he repeated the story.
Her grandfather was assaulted somewhere, found by the knights, and brought to the cathedral. Every key detail of the story seemed so absurd that she was convinced for one second that he was telling a joke. Just a joke.
"Please don't scare me…" Amber rubbed her temple, "this can't be true. None of this makes any sense."
He gave back a pitiful look. It wasn't a joke. It really wasn't. Every single detail. They are true.
The knight gave her a comforting smile, "Don't worry, Outrider Amber. His condition is stable, but I still advise you to not make intense physical contact."
Hearing that, Amber released a loud sigh of relief. In fact, it was so loud that she imagined everyone in the cathedral to have heard it and turned to look at her. A sense of embarrassment flashed on her face as she coughed to distract herself.
"So, can I visit him now?" inquired Amber.
In response, the knight nodded.
—
Amber had no idea what she should say. Usually, Amber would love to talk to whoever she was accompanying, but this time she preferred silence. She had already waited five years to see Grandpa again, so waiting a few more minutes would not even matter. If anything, the waiting only made her emotions surge more.
The two knights finally stopped when they descended to the corridor where the patients' rooms lay.
"Follow this lane to room twenty-seven, and you will meet Captain Olivier Wang there." Said the knight.
Amber nodded and smiled at him. "Thank you very much."
In response, the knight saluted her and promptly left. With only herself left, she took a moment and gazed through the corridor. The floor that spread through the whole path was made from stone, as were the two walls. The two lines of doors were alternated by lights that lit the place up. When Amber was younger, she was told that the lights used elemental energy in place of fuel, not to set the basement on fire.
Letting out a breath, the Outrider started quickening her feet. The infirmary did not change much compared to how she remembered it. Though built into the ground, it was reasonably relaxing and not stuffy.
Amber was twelve when she went here the last time. She remembered having to spend a few days under the care of the nuns due to a sprained ankle. That time, she got a good scolding from sister Victoria about the consequences of climbing on street light poles. The sister's words probably stayed in Amber's head no longer than the duration which she stayed inside.
And Grandpa, although he defended her in public, still lectured her in private. He said that problems that could be solved privately did not need more publicity. She disagreed with that, personally.
To see her Grandpa back after five years of separation is something she had never thought of. After the initial resentment, she never questioned his motives again. His life, his choice. But why did he come back now? Where had he been all these years? What was his deal with his attackers? She really wanted to know all those things. She needed to know them. But…
Should I know?
She stopped and looked at the door next to her. Room seventeen. That made her pause for a moment. She was sure that she had run really fast. Shouldn't she have arrived at the correct room?
Leaving a breath, she dashed away. There were still so many questions. A feeling of dread still loomed over her head. The assassin had not been caught and was still roaming free out there. If anyone knew anything about them, it would be her grandfather.
The reunion was so close. Why did she not feel like looking forward to it?
—
Grandmaster Office. 5:06 PM.
Jean had been on pins and needles since the news came. Her hand clenched on the quill as her other hand repeatedly clicked on the desk. The pile of paper in front of her had not moved since then. This one was the worst of all the disasters that could have happened.
It was unbelievable. A veteran Knight. Assaulted. Right in the middle of the crowd. By a complete stranger.
She had already declared a city-wide state of emergency right after the assault. All the forces are mobilized to search for the assailant. Despite the efforts, no results ever came out of it. No, this is terrible. The only console to her was that it was only a few hours, so the knights might have been unable to search all corners.
Except… that consolation was more lukewarm than not. In a situation like this, every second is precious. One cannot afford to be slow at all.
A knock came on the door, causing her to jerk up a little.
"Come in," Jean exclaimed dryly.
A young woman in a purple robe walked in. She gasped quietly upon seeing Jean's face.
"Are you getting worked up over Olivier again?" She glared at her.
Jean went rigid. "Lisa, this is more serious than most problems we have encountered. Can you treat it with a little more respect?"
"You are not respecting yourself at all," the woman expressed.
Jean shook her head and sighed. What did "respecting" mean in Lisa's dictionary anyway? Well, she did know what it meant, but should that be treated lightly in this situation?
The Acting Grandmaster rolled her eyes. "I know you are worried for my well-being-"
"If you do, Jean," Lisa interrupted, "then do me a favor and go rest."
Jean opened her mouth as if to say something, but before she could utter a word, her colleague pointed at the pile of paper.
"This hasn't moved since I last came in," she glared at Jean again, "so don't even get started about productivity, because you are not being productive."
Jean looked away. She didn't feel like resting. One could not rest like this. When the criminal was still out there, how could she ignore it? But… sitting here would not do any good either. She still couldn't focus on her work. This was such a dilemma. She hated it.
Lisa placed her hand on the table and leaned against it, and as if she could read Jean's mind, she smiled.
"Captain Kaeya and Captain Albedo are conducting investigations throughout the city." her tone softened, "You can put your trust in them. If you ease yourself up a bit, the results will be back before you even notice it."
After being done, she tilted her head and looked at her colleague expectantly. Jean went silent at that gaze. Lisa's words made sense to her. She was not sure how she felt about it. But… she felt like she should rest?
Lisa blinked. "If you are still apprehensive about it, we can take a breather at Good Hunter."
Jean frowned a little before easing her face again.
"Sure, let's do just that."
—
Back at the clinic
Amber stood before the door that led to her destination. She heard talking noises behind the door. Someone must have arrived before her.
The urge to eavesdrop flashed in her. Just listening in a little would be fine, right?
It wasn't. Eavesdropping for personal purposes is bad. She told herself so as she managed to suppress that urge before it even had a chance.
Amber rolled her eyes and knocked on the door to signal the people inside. The talking went silent for a moment until a voice called out.
"Go in."
It was a familiar voice, but not her grandfather's. She immediately clicked the door open, not giving it a second thought.
As she entered, all she could focus on was the bed. And there she saw him. That figure was unmistakable. Olivier Wang sat peacefully on his bed, and next to the bed was Audrey Heiden.
Amber Wang stood in silence. She did not know what she should do next. Or what she should say. The person that she had been longing for was right there, ready for her to jump at and embrace. But she somehow couldn't move her legs.
There was a surprise in Olivier's eyes. Perhaps he was not expecting her arrival. But from his face, she could tell it was a good surprise for him.
"-Grandpa?" She hesitantly broke the silence as she took a step forward.
And with it, her emotional suspense broke as well. At that moment, she felt it. Her eyes were wet, her mouth was dry, and she could not control her pace moving forward.
"Amber?"
Olivier's words fell on deaf ears. Amber reached for his face, for his shoulder, and for his arms. He was real. He looked healthy. He was fine.
He was alright.
The old man before her was still alive. He was naught but a shadow of his heyday, but that didn't matter now that he was here. Amber could feel water streaming down her cheek. Although her tears were happier than not, there was still some bitterness in them. She did not notice that Audrey stepped back to make space for the family reunion.
"Amber…" Olivier repeated her name, "I'm sorry for leaving no messages. You must have been so upset."
Amber shook her head. "Grandpa, it's good that you are here."
"How many years was it again?" He contemplated. "Five. Ah well, my memory is so dull these days."
The young woman did not reply. She only cupped her hand on Olivier's forehead to check for the temperature. It was a little colder than her palm, though nothing too different.
There were no visible scars on his body, but there were evident bruises. The wounds must have been on his torso, which was covered up by the shirt. It seemed terrible, but it could have been so much worse.
"You are so grown already. Seems like the Knights didn't treat you poorly." He laughed hastily but still couldn't hide the crack in his voice. Old age was getting into him. He was at his peak when he left the Outrider company but likely stopped disciplined training for years. With this incident added, he was no longer fit for strenuous activities. Amber could tell that much, and it saddened her.
"Grandpa, where have you been?" Her eyes wrinkled with worry. "It has been so long."
Audrey coughed, which got both Olivier's and Amber's attention.
"Liyue. He went on a big vacation."
And then she snorted. It was as if she wanted to make it as loud as possible. No doubt, a feeling of resentment was apparent.
"Just ask him," she smirked.
Audrey's words and attitude befuddled Amber. She wondered what the cause of Audrey's anger was. Did Grandpa do something unforgivable to her?
Thinking so, she turned back at Olivier.
"What does she mean by that, Grandpa?"
"Since Audrey said that, I won't hide it from you any longer," sighed Olivier, "let me think of a way to say this…."
The man put his hand on his temple.
"Right, I got it. Amber, I need to ask you a question."
Amber nodded expectantly. "Yes, Grandpa, ask away."
"Do you know about the secret in our house?"
The question activated Amber's brain. Her eyes widened. Yes, yes, she knew about it. She found this out right the night before. What a convenience that he asked about it.
But this also reminded her of the seriousness of the content she discovered. There was an outsider here that she wasn't sure she could trust entirely. If she brought the letters up out of the blue, Audrey's reaction might be less friendly than Jean's. At that point, if what the books she discovered said were true, then the Order might very well try to silence her.
Amber nodded before speaking up, "Yes, I do. But-"
She paused.
"Shouldn't this be discussed among family members only?"
The girl glanced at Audrey, who she knew was glaring back. It made her uncomfortable.
It looked like Olivier understood the weight of the matter. It should be talked about in private first and foremost.
"Hey, Audrey," he turned to the other woman, "this is a family matter. You should leave for a little while before we discuss it. It won't be long."
The woman stood there to weigh the ups and downs, and finally sneered.
"Alright then, I'll just get going, honestly. And get that chair right next to you, don't just stand there."
Then she left just like that. No farewells, no dragging back, just a quick departure. Part of Amber felt relieved that Audrey was convinced that fast. It truly saved the two family members a load of work.
That was the easy part. Now… to the difficult part.
"So, Grandpa," Amber started, "I found your letter and the books…."
She paused to evaluate his reaction. He showed no sign of wanting to speak. Instead, he blinked at a fixed interval and locked his fingers together. Amber knew his gestures well. It meant that he wanted her to continue with the story. As she took note of the situation, the Outrider pulled the chair next to her to sit down.
"Now, I checked a few books, and two caught my attention. The second one is more important, so I'll bring it up first-"
Amber paused again. Olivier responded by nodding, with his demeanor remaining unchanged. This was one of the things Amber could not understand about her grandfather, but she never cared enough to be bothered. Nevertheless, the calmness turned out helpful for a conversation of this type.
"It was about how Barbatos lied to the people of Mondstadt and that the Lawrence clan was the victims who were overthrown for unjust reasons."
Amber swallowed. She was not done with everything she wanted to say, but the knight reckoned that it would be better to be safe.
"Continue, child. I know that book, and I think you have more to say than just that," demanded Olivier.
"Alright, then, I will not hold it back anymore," responded Amber.
And so, she began to recount what she had read. The content of the book was about how Barbatos forged shreds of evidence that the Lawrence clan would sell Mondstadt to Rex Lapis. How people believed it and decided to rise up in arms against their rule. The Lawrence soldiers, out of fear of revenge, also sided with the people of Mondstadt. And how a system built on such fraud could not be the system the people needed. In the end, she added her closing remarks.
"It was written by various Lawrence members. This was the factor that saved my belief that these events were fake. However," Amber squinted, "the key change here is you, Grandpa."
Her grandfather blinked out of curiosity. "Me?"
"Yes," her squint loosened as she said so, "I was so adamant against those arguments. That was until I realized this was in your collection, not anywhere else. Your letter about Eroch's betrayal only added more to my uneasy feelings."
Amber wasn't sure if she was being delusional or if there was sadness in Olivier's eyes. She hoped he was not upset. Despite being free and independent growing up, Amber had always been influenced by her grandfather's perception of her. She did not want to disappoint him in any way. No matter how firmly she believed that other people should not draw the path forward for her, she still could not bear the thought of being a shame for Grandpa.
"You are a very vigilant and dutiful knight, Amber," Olivier betrayed a sorrowful smile, "but I can't say the same for every member of the Knights."
"Huh?"
Amber was a little taken aback. On the one hand, she was glad that Olivier complimented her. On the other hand, he also had that chiding voice when mentioning the Knights, just like his words in the letter.
"Nevermind that." Olivier shook his head. "Back to the main point. Regarding your inquiry, there are indeed some truths to the book. The main events have been passed down for generations, but many details are modified by later authors to fit their political drives. The Lawrences were not innocent either."
"So that means…?"
He nodded, "Barbatos forged the evidence to incite rebellion among the people. But don't just look at it from one side; the Lawrence clan's cuffs and chains prompted Barbatos' actions in the first place."
So that was the truth behind the story. Barbatos had his reasons for doing such risky things.
"I see." She sighed. "It makes sense to me…."
"That's all I know about this matter," Olivier concluded.
"Hold up," Amber interrupted, "I wanna ask about the first book."
Olivier nodded in approval. "Alright, continue with what you have to say."
"Since this one is related to the present time, I will get straight to the point."
Amber placed her palms on her thighs. An awkward attempt to try to make herself look professional.
"What are your connections to Runeterra? The new world that was recently discovered. Well, more like they discovered us."
Her grandfather's eyes twinkled, then he smiled. The smile was in the same way she had been familiar with it since a young age. Amber could sense he was proud. But… what did he take pride in?
"You have a keen mind, being able to choose such important books and deduce such important points," said Olivier.
Amber shrugged and smiled back, "I only went by the noticeable ones. Sometimes I even considered that you deliberately made them stand out for me to see."
Hearing that, Olivier laughed. His laugh was as hearty as ever; however, Amber didn't have the heart to enjoy it; the laughter was somewhat restrained to her ears. It was barely perceivable, but it was enough to worry her.
"Oh, child, I can swear by my name that I didn't make them stand out. I keep many books related to Runeterra," he continued, "so the one book you found was just one of them."
"I did?" This time, it was Amber's turn to blink.
Her grandfather nodded. "Yes, and as for your question, I think it's time I tell you the truth…."
"The truth, you say?" Amber straightened her back in an attempt to show attention.
Slowly, Olivier recounted, "Indeed. Teyvat and Runeterra only know each other for about a year, so you might wonder how I, someone who left home five years ago, could have a book, or more precisely, many books related to Runeterra in his abandoned basement."
Amber nodded with strong anticipation. "Yes, yes."
Olivier nodded back, "Well, I used to tell you that I came from Liyue. That is only partially true."
Something subtle was there in his voice. Realization dawned on the Outrider as she shifted impatiently. She knew what Olivier was trying to say. The implication made absolutely no sense to her, and she disliked it. There was no way what she was thinking was true, but every sign she got from her grandfather told her the opposite.
"Amber, I came from a warrior clan in Runeterra."
That was nonsense. Amber anticipated it, but that was still utter nonsense. She didn't want to believe it.
She frowned upon processing that. How can Grandpa be from Runeterra?
"I used to fight for the Empire of Noxus, but then was dishonorably discharged when I attempted to save the life of an enemy squad…."
And his story went on. Amber paid a little more attention than she usually did. She could not catch every detail of the tale, but she made sure not to let any essential part slip out of her ears.
Olivier was a respected general in an army in Noxus. He rose to the position because of his bravery and capable leadership. Through times and challenges, he earned great fame and glory; his appearance struck fear and awe in any learned person. However, despite being a renowned warrior, he had a critical weakness in the harsh condition: he was too merciful towards his foes.
And so, in the aftermath of one battle, he spared the life of an enemy squad. After all, how could one squad turn the tides of the war? It couldn't, but after learning of this, the emperor discharged him from service. One may ask why he was punished for an action that didn't affect the ultimate outcome, but one must know that the emperor does not tolerate cowardice.
After that detail, Olivier sighed. "It wouldn't have gone this way if the other nobles didn't want to get rid of me. They pursued me and my family, which forced me to run away until there was only the ocean left. I had no choice but to set sail for whatever place was out there."
He went quiet for a moment. Amber understood what he needed to say. She already knew what came next.
"And you arrived in Liyue." She finished the story. They both already knew the events that took place after. There was no need for further explanation.
Thinking that, she exhaled heavily. "Your stories gave me more questions than answers, but I will not pry into it. I don't need to know them, but… there's something I must ask you."
"I have an inkling that the criminal who attacked you had some connections to this old… faction of yours. Now that Runeterra and Teyvat have opened contact, it's likely that whoever wanted you gone is gazing their eyes on our land. They might have already found out that you are here. Do you think that this is true?"
Before her deduction and question, Olivier fell silent. He nodded, signaling an agreement with her thoughts.
"You are right; I recognized their fighting style- cough-"
Her grandfather threw a violent coughing fit that she didn't expect to happen. She quickly held her hands against his back, trying to stop the fit but to no avail. She had no experience in cases like this.
The door suddenly opened, and a nun of the church walked in. The newcomer wasted no time rushing toward Olivier and giving him some pills. She then said to Amber. "The patient needs some silence and rest. If you may be so kind, please don't disturb him."
"But-"
"No buts, Outrider Amber. If you are worried about him, you should let him rest." The nun snapped back.
Hearing that, Amber bowed lightly. "Then I'll be on my way. See you later, Grandpa, sister Ursula."
—
One day later. 7:37 PM. Amber's House
Amber was sitting at her desk; her head was full of thoughts. The news came back that the attacker was not in Mondstadt anymore. They were sighted at Dornman Port that very same afternoon and made an escape before the Knights' orders arrived. The Outrider did not know if she should tell her analysis to anyone. Was it even a safe bet? She could be wrong. But she needed to act.
I recognized their fighting style.
She remembered Grandpa's words before she left. The assassin was a Runeterran; specifically, they were from wherever Grandpa was from.
But that was not the point here. In the wake of a new world being opened up to every people, the natural reaction of Mondstadt was to consider the possibilities of alliances instead of enmities. The attempted assassination of Olivier was a targeted action, not a mass attack. Following the logic mentioned, Amber could not blame the guards for this lack of attention.
But the Knights should have done better, though.
The intrusive thoughts that she tried to suppress now crept into her again. Varka should not have brought ninety-nine percent of his men away for a crappy war in the middle of nowhere. If he had left some of the elite units back in Mondstadt, they would've at least been able to help with the situation. And the guards that actually remained here, why did they love slacking off so much? Amber had reported many of them over and over again, but nothing changed. If only Jean wasn't so lenient with them….
No, no, no! Jean did her best in these challenging times; I can't put this on her.
Everything was so chaotic, and she didn't know what to do anymore. She wanted to do something about all this… but what to do?
No, she would refuse to continue escorting outlanders and call it "safeguarding" the people. She wanted to act independently, and to do so, she needed to be the vanguard that would arrest the criminal and bring them back. Even if she needed to chase them to the end of Runeterra.
Yes, to the end of Runeterra.
She had to put an end to this matter.
Thinking so, she sensed a burning passion surge within. A smile appeared on her face again. The girl quickly whipped out the parchment and unholstered the quill on the desk.
She started writing.
To Acting Grandmaster Jean Gunnhildr,
sorry for this abrupt letter. In the past few days, I have gone through many events that I couldn't anticipate. These events gave me time to ponder about which path I will choose for my future.
I have decided to chase after the criminal who attacked my grandfather. And to do this, I need to make a trip to Runeterra to find out the truth behind these people.
I am sorry for leaving in such a short notice. The whole situation is complicated, but I believe my grandfather knows more about it than be. Don't blame him for any of my actions because this is my decision alone.
To the entirety of the Order of the Knights of Favonius, I'm afraid I will no longer be able to be with you for a long time. I've come to this decision because I want to solve the problem where it started.
Don't wait for my good news because this will be a long struggle.
For Mondstadt, as always.
Outrider Amber Wang
She felt like she did well with the writing. That should be good. Other knights might say that this decision was too rash, but she believed she was going the right way. There was no way out now.
And now, to pack things up and depart. Everything should be quick. If Eula discovered this, she would be in for an icy vengeance.
A/N: Thank you for reading this fic. I do have a question for you regarding the future of the story.
I plan to make shorter but quicker updates. Do you think this is a good choice, or do you think the current length is just right? Note that even with the current length I will still try to update it faster.
After this chapter will be when Amber's adventure actually starts. She will go through several nations before arriving at where she needs to be. It will be an arduous road for her, and there's nothing to ascertain that she will succeed. But have faith, because she is a strong girl.