If I had planned it right, there should be enough time to research my abilities via trial and error, get answers on my dream, and return to campus in time for the review meeting with the guys. A quick refresher nap had me energized and ready to go after stepping off the teleport waypoint in the town square. I didn't have the luxury of window shopping around right now, so I went straight into the forest.

There were two potential spots I could test this out: the abandoned hilichurl camp and the Seelie clearing. Given that the Seelie clearing was the entrance to that creepy Domain, the hilichurl camp it was. After venturing into this forest so many times, I recognized the route we took before and followed the familiar growth until I reached a beat-up-looking bush.

I pushed myself through, tugging my bag forward when it got caught, and stumbled straight into the camp. Dusting off my clothes, I surveyed the desolate area. It's been quite some time since discovering this place, and another person is bound to come across it eventually. As secluded as it was, I still needed to stay alert for spies—and monsters.

In hindsight, it would have been a good idea to bring someone along with me, but the risk was low enough that I didn't want to waste their time. This whole rock-containing-memories thing was just a theory—a hunch based on a forgotten dream. My goal wasn't exactly tangible. If I succeeded, great. If I didn't, I'd deal with the frustration like a sneeze that hovered but never arrived.

I tossed my bag to the ground and stretched my limbs. Wiggling my arms to loosen my muscles, I dipped into the reservoir of Geo energy that settled at my feet, bringing it up and forming a glowing ball of energy in my hand. Aiming it a good distance away, I released the energy, and the ground shook when it made an impact.

Okay, now what?

I walked up to the boulder, circled it, and even climbed on top of it. There was nothing about the boulder that looked helpful in uncovering deep memories. Using Elemental Sight went as expected, and I huffed a sigh before stepping away to examine it from a distance.

It was just a rock.

Sure, most rocks were a muted color and weren't embellished with a Geo symbol or extravagant glowing fractures. There was also that crystal levitating from within—not exactly a common occurrence. It wouldn't hurt to check out.

Bracing one hand on the smooth exterior of the boulder, I squeezed my other hand through one of the fractures and reached inside. It wasn't very long before my fingertips made contact with the crystal, and I gasped on contact. The crystal buzzed with energy that thrummed along my arm, and I sensed the Geo energy being reabsorbed back into my body.

In the blink of an eye, the boulder vanished and I felt re-energized. That was new…but not what I wanted.

Trying again, I summoned another boulder and focused my mind. I had more confidence this would work. Knowing that the Geo energy could return to me, and believing in Professor Morax's words were both key factors to remembering the dream.

What had I forgotten?

I reached into the fracture and honed in on that thought. May this crystal core give back more than just energy…

My palm flattened on the crystal, and the world flashed gold.

Shadows, fog, and river.

Running…swimming…

The Abyss Herald.

Aether.

Aether with elemental powers.

Aether all grown up.

Aether reaching out to me—trying to find me.

Fog again.

Eyes snapping open, I gasped loudly and stared at the night sky overhead. I remembered everything. Why I was so sad before…it all made sense. Aether was that pull I felt—the reason why I was so desperate to remember. How could I forget my own brother? And why was I lying in the grass?

With a groan, I stood and pressed a hand on my forehead to soothe the slight throb. I must have fallen back and hit my head on the ground when my mind flashed to the memory of that dream. Had I been out for long? The sky was definitely darker than before…

Archons, I needed to get to the meeting.

I still reeled with the recovery of information and needed to sort through why I would forget about Aether. I had originally thought Celestia Academy erased my memory on purpose to mask the Champion's identity, but this was my brother. Aether and Celestia…that connection could wait a little while longer.

Knowing the guys, just five minutes of me missing was a well-justified reason to be overly concerned. I needed to get back on campus before a search party was sent out.

I paused outside of the student council room's door to catch my breath. After teleporting back to campus and running all the way here, I hoped I wasn't too late. Taking a deep breath to prepare for what was to come after this, I turned the knob and walked in.

"Oh, good. You're here," Childe said. He looked up at me with his hands held out. Each hand formed a different gesture, and the oddity distracted me enough to throw off my thoughts. "Now you can finally tell Diluc here that my move is entirely valid."

Diluc rolled his eyes. "It is not. You're only allowed to choose one."

"I have two hands, and I prefer to make use of both. You can't talk yourself out of losing this round—it's only the first one."

"And our last."

What were they talking about? I shifted my attention to the clock on the wall and saw, to my surprise, I was right on time. They all must have gotten here early—Thoma and Kaeya looked mildly amused as they watched the interaction between Childe and Diluc unfold. What that interaction was exactly…I had no clue.

Instead of standing at the entrance confused, I quickly sat in the seat by Thoma. "I'm sorry, what's going on?"

"They're playing rock-paper-scissors," Thoma said. "According to Diluc, you two play games together often. Childe wanted to have a go."

Diluc leaned back into his seat. "And he has proven to be rather bad at them. This isn't a debate. You can throw either rock, paper, or scissors—hence the name."

With a sigh, Childe dropped his hands. "Dual wielding is a fighting style I excel at. Since it works so well on the battlefield, it only makes sense for me to adapt this skill to other situations. I'm not quitting just yet. This game can be settled after the meeting is over."

"Right." Diluc looked like he'd rather eat glass, but it's surprising he was up for a game with Childe in the first place.

I properly settled into my seat and rummaged through the bag at my side. We would need the interview notebook for everyone to read and discuss. Instead of the notebook, Huffman's gift for Amber somehow floated to the top of everything. I sighed and pushed it back down. When would he give me the okay to pass it on? I needed to bother him about it later. Taking an extravagant necklace back with me over winter break seemed like a hassle. I'd be more likely to lose it overseas than on this island.

My search for the interview notebook continued, but then I felt a gentle rustle in my hair.

"There's some grass," Thoma said. "How'd that end up there?"

"A bit of exploring." Exploring my power. "Is there a lot?"

I looked up as he pulled away with a few blades of grass pinched in his fingertips. Well, that was a bit embarrassing. At least I avoided getting dirt smudged everywhere.

Kaeya cleared his throat, and we both looked to where he pointed at the board. There was an agenda written down that I didn't notice before. Right. It was important to get down to business and not fuss over appearances or struggle to find…ah, there it was.

I placed the notebook in front of me, and Kaeya began the agenda. First up was the suspicious activity that pointed to Signora—a theory that we didn't even bring up to him yet. Kaeya must have figured it out on his own. After that were the interviews and the Domain.

What I just learned about Aether…I would bring it up after this Signora part.

"Last week, Lumine and I noticed a certain trespasser had gone through my room in search of something. We had no clue what Cicin was after at the time, and it was hardly our biggest concern with everything else going on. Still, it would be unwise not to investigate, and I found something quite interesting in the mailroom."

Kaeya revealed a plain envelope and slid it across the table. It slowed to rest in the center of our seating arrangement, and I read the careful handwriting addressed to none other than Signora.

My eyebrows shot up. "You read confidential mail? I thought that was against the rules."

Kaeya didn't need to say anything at all. A single brow lifted alongside his smirk, and I got the message. If it meant getting information, Kaeya would bend and break the rules all he could—as long as the staff didn't find out. Besides, it was Cicin who breached his privacy first.

"The contents of that envelope consist of two things. The first is a report from both Cici and Cicin to Signora on their activities. They made it painfully clear that orders have been followed and successfully executed—or so they believe. The second document is my Vision Studies homework."

"Your homework?" I frowned. "Is that what Cicin took from your room? Why would Signora want that?"

Childe reached forward and swiped the envelope. He looked mildly annoyed, and I barely caught the mutterance of Signora's name under his breath followed by a few choice words. His eyes darted back and forth as he read the report, eyes narrowing.

"Signora was looking for incriminating evidence," he said. "Her expulsion was ages ago, yet she won't let go of her grudge. She wants to take us down with her."

Thoma's voice came out strained. "All of us?"

"It's hard to say based on this report alone. Cici and Cicin were only in charge of Kaeya's case. Here, take a look." Childe slid both sheets over, and I skimmed through what the Twin Mages drafted while Thoma read over my shoulder.

La Signora,

We have completed the task you assigned to us. After double and triple checking to make sure Kaeya Alberich would not be in his room at a specific time of night, Cicin retrieved a very suspicious document that Celestia Academy would want confiscated. There were many other stolen documents that Kaeya Alberich should not have in his possession, so it will be no issue for us to make a claim to Celestia and have him promptly investigated. The odds of his expulsion are ninety-nine percent. We await your signal to take action after you have confirmed that the evidence included in this envelope is satisfactory.

Your Most Loyal Fatuus,

Cici

Cicin

The other sheet was a diagram of Dendro reactions—hardly anything to be suspicious of. I gave the documents for Diluc to review.

"I prepared my room with an illusion potion in advance," Kaeya said. "Cicin believed my Vision Studies homework to be something entirely different. With my innocence guaranteed this way, getting expelled is the least of my worries. After tonight, I'll toss the envelope into the delivery pile, and once Signora learns of their incompetence…she may just give up."

I sighed, shaking my head. "Or not. Signora has more than just Cici and Cicin working on this revenge plan. The other day, I overheard them talking about two other students that are involved. Vlad and some other guy."

"They must be assigned to different targets," Diluc frowned. "Have they bothered you?"

"Yes and no." I pointed to Childe. "Vlad was after him, and I may have gotten in the way of that. It was thanks to me that his true colors were revealed, so there's no chance Vlad can get close enough to spill any of Childe's secrets."

Childe openly scoffed. "He didn't have a chance from the very beginning."

"What did he do?" Diluc asked calmly, but I saw through the mask.

"He won't do it again," Thoma replied in my stead. "With a bit of teamwork, he might be too humiliated to even try."

Diluc looked conflicted over whether to be satisfied with that answer, but he didn't press any further. When I brought up Vlad in the tavern, Diluc already knew who he was. After Diluc heard what Signora had done to me, she caught on fire and had to dive into the ocean after his attack. Being shoved by Childe in the cafeteria was the least of Vlad's worries.

Kaeya leaned his elbows on the table. "You said there was someone else working with Signora? If the Twin Mages were after me, and Vlad with Childe, then you're likely to be the other target."

A reasonable deduction, but that didn't mean I had to like it.

"We don't know who he is," I said. "I haven't noticed anything strange with other students, either. It's not like I've done anything that could lead to expulsion, so there's less of a threat for me. Identifying three out of the four conspirers should be enough to completely derail Signora's plan."

Kaeya nodded slowly, and I could tell he was still mulling it over. "You're probably right, but I don't like the idea of someone out to get you. There are other reasons for a student to discontinue their enrollment."

He had a point.

"Since they communicate through mail, I'll keep an eye out for deliveries from Snezhnaya. If Signora makes contact again, we can secure that final name," Kaeya said.

Working in the mailroom was more convenient than I thought. In my brief time helping Kaeya sort letters, I guess it was interesting in a way. There had been Albert's creepy fan letters to Barbara, a child's letter for Albedo, and even…those fancy envelopes. Crimson with a silver script.

"I saw them," I said with wide eyes. "When Signora sent out the order, I delivered each envelope to their mail slots. There was one for Cici, Cicin, Vlad, and…"

Who else?

My brows furrowed as I tried to remember. It had stuck out to me at the time, too.

"I can't remember," I mumbled in defeat.

Kaeya shrugged, but his shoulders were tense. "It's been some time since then. You don't have to force yourself to remember, Lumine. We'll find out whenever Signora writes again."

Waiting for Signora wasn't ideal, though. Maybe that boulder trick would work for something like this.

"I'll get back to you on it," I insisted. "In the meantime, we just need to make sure Signora's followers don't get close to exposing any of your actual misdeeds."

Both Kaeya and Childe undoubtedly had broken enough rules for expulsion to be considered.

"Thoma is probably the only one of us in the clear," Diluc added. "Since I confronted Signora at the docks on the night of her departure, I believe there may be a spot for me on her hit list."

Childe chuckled. "If by confronted, you mean violently attacked, then yes. I would have to agree."

"Is everything settled with this matter?" Diluc ignored him.

I nodded, seeing there was nothing else to bring to the table. Everyone else mirrored the action, and it's crazy that Signora's plan to have her enemies expelled was only our introductory topic.

The interviews were a lot to unpack, but we couldn't get started until everyone read them all. The notebook Kaeya had given me was bound by metal clasps, and I could conveniently remove each sheet and pass the interviews around the table.

Kaeya and I already knew the contents, and I was curious to learn what the others thought of our work. To keep myself busy, I got up and moved to the chalkboard. Listing the key points from each interview would help to form a full summary.

I began with Keqing's interview. The light clicks of chalk on the board and the rustling of interviews being passed around filled the room. A shadow passed next to me—Kaeya. He found another piece of chalk and added a summarization for Kokomi and Gorou's interview. Together, we filled the board with highlights.

The interviews had been pushed to the center of the table once I returned to my seat. Diluc, Childe, and Thoma wore matching looks of contemplation. Reading all five interviews at once had to be a lot to take in, but now we could discuss it together.

"I remember Ayato well," Diluc said. "If he and his sister partnered together, it must have taken someone extraordinary to break through their teamwork. Wielding both Hydro and Pyro at the same time certainly classifies as extraordinary. This isn't dissimilar to Lumine's ability."

Childe rubbed his jaw. "Pause for a minute on that. Keqing brings up a good point with her Delusion remark."

I'd been eager to learn more about this. "What can you tell us about them? I know Signora mentioned you had a Delusion yourself."

"I do, but I don't make a habit of using it. A Delusion is a device similar to a Vision, granting its user the ability to manipulate elements, but that's where the similarities end. Delusions are man-made and more powerful."

"Stronger than a Vision?" I gaped.

"Power comes at a cost. Delusions can drain the lifeforce of its user and potentially backfire—causing irreparable harm," he shrugged. "Hence why I mostly rely on my Hydro Vision."

"Why would someone take that risk for a school event?" Thoma asked. "If Delusions are so dangerous to their user, the Champion wouldn't have had an easy time using one in the Grand Tournament."

"I don't think it was a Delusion," Childe said after a moment. "There are few who are allowed to use one, let alone own one. I would have heard of a missing Delusion holder by now, so our Champion likely used Pyro through different means."

Diluc reached forward to reread Keqing's interview. "She was very insistent that they had no Vision."

I examined the interviews spread out across the table. Spotting Beidou's, I picked it up and reconfirmed what I already knew from her response.

"I think Keqing met Enjou—same as Beidou," I said.

Childe frowned. "Enjou? You mean the Abyss Lector that harasses your dreams?"

"The description she gave checks out. Down to the glasses, hair, and annoying personality—it fits Enjou perfectly. Beidou even said he was looking for someone. Who else could that someone have been if not the Champion?"

"Enjou burned through the Grand Tournament's construction after talking to Beidou," Thoma added. "Do you think that's why Kokomi and Gorou's plan didn't work out? Kokomi claimed it was a miscalculation, but I can imagine how Enjou's appearance would have altered the course of the trials."

That was a connection I didn't think to make. It had seemed odd that Kokomi's careful strategizing didn't work out in the end.

Kaeya held out a hand. "Wait, there's something that doesn't match up. Lumine, can you pass me the interviews for Beidou and Keqing?"

I collected Keqing's interview from Diluc and handed both to Kaeya. His head angled from side to side as he compared both sets of notes held out in front of him. Silence fell as we waited for him to reveal an answer.

"There." Kaeya placed the interviews on the table. "Keqing referred to the person as 'they,' but Beidou used 'he.' Furthermore, just like Ayaka, Keqing couldn't provide any detail on who the Pyro user was while Beidou claimed she could single out his face from a crowd. We know the Champion's identity has been completely wiped from our memories."

How did he pick up on that detail so fast?

"Keqing met the Champion. Beidou met Enjou," Diluc simplified.

"Correct."

If that was the case, then the Champion really could use Pyro with no Vision.

"My point still stands," Diluc said. "The Champion and Lumine can manipulate the elements without a Vision conduit. While he has Pyro and Hydro, she has Anemo and Geo."

"That's why we're both valid Sources for the Abyss Order to use," I sighed.

I really wished this wasn't the case, but it made sense. Though we still didn't know how I was able to do what I did, there were at least two other people in this world who might have a clue. The first was the Champion himself, and the second was my brother.

I'd seen Aether using Pyro and Cryo to attack the Abyss Herald. Now, all I needed to do was reveal this bombshell to everyone.

I took a steadying breath.

"Okay, I have something to say about a dream I had last night."

An immediate concern was the first reaction to show on all four faces, and I couldn't blame them. After the mention of so many Abyss-related dreams, I'd also be wary of the subject. I didn't give them time to ask questions. I simply dived straight in, telling the story with full clarity. By the time I finished, their concern had melted into different expressions. I sensed their doubt the strongest.

"If I had dreamt this a year ago, I wouldn't have thought much of it. The pieces line up a little too well for this dream to not exist as part of our reality," I said. "Aether had said things that made too much sense. He knew about Enjou, and it seemed like he knew even more than I did. More than anything, I saw him grown-up. Never, in all of the dreams I had of him, have I seen Aether older than a child."

Sorrow tinged my last sentence, and I tried to keep a straight face.

"The coincidence is strong. Me with Anemo and Geo. The Champion with Pyro and Hydro. Aether with Pyro and Cryo. What I can't understand is why I couldn't remember a single detail about that dream. It was only with Professor Morax's suggestion that the idea even popped into my head to interact with Geo. Because it was him who helped me, I think Celestia Academy was involved. Just like they made students forget the Champion, they made me forget my brother." My jaw clenched. "Even though it was for less than a day, I'll never forgive them for that."

At some point, my hands had begun to shake. Whether from anger at Celestia or the height of expressing my thoughts, I clasped them together to maintain composure.

Thoma was the first to respond. Being the closest to me, he placed a gentle hand over my clenched fists. "I'm happy you were able to see your brother again. I know you've been looking forward to reuniting for a long time, and I'm sorry it only lasted for a moment."

That did it. My eyes stung, and I fought off tears.

"What business does the Academy have in meddling with a memory like that?" Childe grumbled. "It's cruel—regardless if they had a valid reason."

"There is no valid reason," Diluc said. "It was unethical to erase our memories of the Champion in the first place, but it's even more of a moral crime to do so with one's family member. We should be wary of all faculty and staff, but I can appreciate Professor Morax's kindness in helping you restore that memory."

"Yeah," I sniffled. "That was nice of him."

Kaeya pulled out a notebook and began to write. "It's strange. Why would they make you forget Aether? You've never forgotten your dreams of him before, correct?"

I nodded.

"Celestia Academy has some type of interest in your brother, and the Champion is the only other person they've exerted the same attention," he stated. "I agree with you, Lumine. There's a connection between the three of you."

Nobody questioned it.

"Or should I say the two of you?"

What?

Childe sat straighter. "You think Aether can use three elements? Pyro, Cryo, and Hydro. He could be the Champion."

"Aether?" My voice cracked. "But I didn't see him use Hydro at all."

In our fight against the Abyss Herald, Aether had clearly frozen the monster with Cryo and melted its helmet with Pyro energy. Even before that, he dried off the river water from my body with Pyro. Not once was there a display of Hydro…because there wasn't a need for it.

The Abyss Herald itself fought with Hydro, and Hydro was useless against its Hydro shield.

"You really think that he…Aether was the Champion?" I gaped. "That still doesn't make sense. Why did I only forget him just now? What about the other times I dreamt of him while in my dorm room?"

"Did he show any elemental powers before?" Kaeya asked.

"No."

"And he never appeared as if he'd aged."

I nodded. "Until now, the dreams I had were only weird as far as normal dreams went. It was only last night that felt real. It had to be real."

"I think it was real, Lumine." Kaeya continued to write. "And it's because this was your first encounter with Aether after he became Champion that Celestia took that memory away. Before, he was just your twin brother. Now, he's the Source that the Abyss Order seeks to claim."

Aether had attended Celestia Academy.

He was here just last year.

I blinked once. Twice. Nothing could pull my thoughts away from those two facts. He'd been a student just like me…who would have guessed?

The faculty and staff knew.

"Katheryne!" I gasped softly. "I went to her office at the start of the school year, and she told me Aether was doing well. She knew where he was this whole time—in whatever hideout Celestia Academy sent him off to."

After that conversation, I'd hoped to find any mention of him in the school records, but there was nothing. He'd been erased.

"Wasn't she the head secretary that took off after the monster attack?" Childe recalled. "With your brother as the Champion, she might have left to check in on him."

"I would refrain from jumping to conclusions," Diluc said. "But that's an idea worth keeping in mind."

The chance to see my brother again slipped past me two times. If only I'd been accepted a year earlier. If only Katheryne took me with her. She probably had to follow strict rules to conceal anything and everything related to Aether, but Katheryne still let me know he was okay. For that, I couldn't be upset. This was out of her control.

Diluc wasn't done talking. "While this revelation is helpful, it also brings another concern. The Academy, without a doubt, is aware that Lumine is related to Aether. As twins, it's almost expected that they exhibit the same powers."

Which meant I was just one misstep away—a slip-up exposing my Anemo or Geo—from confirming that I was also a Source. The Academy had to have been keeping a close eye on me this whole time, waiting for the moment I revealed a hint of my power. Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing. Getting exposed would take me to Aether.

"You need to be more careful with where and when you practice." Diluc looked at me. "I'm worried they'll catch on, and there's no telling how long we'd be apart after that happens."

My gut twisted. How could I think about abandoning everyone here so easily? My goal should be bringing Aether back, not hiding away with him forever. In order to achieve that goal, we had to properly deal with the Abyss Order for good.

"It's crazy to think we went to school with Lumine's twin brother," Childe grinned. "He's impressed me purely by winning the Grand Tournament. Extraordinary talent—it runs in the family. Do you think I made a good impression?"

Diluc replied with a sardonic smile. "You mean back when you presented as Tartaglia and terrorized half the school? I bet he was charmed."

The banter put a smile on my face, but a soft tap on my wrist pulled my focus to Thoma. He motioned for me to spread my fingers, and I complied. To my surprise, he revealed something circular and green, slipping it onto my finger. It was the blades of grass he'd picked from my hair earlier. Thoma had turned them into a ring, and it fit perfectly.

I was speechless.

"It looks better here than scattered in your hair," he whispered with a smile.

Never have I ever felt so strongly over grass. Was there a way I could preserve the ring's greenery for eternity?

"I see we've gotten quite comfortable." Kaeya weaved emphasis into his voice, but it took a moment for me to fully turn back to the meeting. "How did the Domain research go?"

Thoma brought his Domain notes out, and I did the same. While flipping to the correct page, my eyes kept straying back to the ring he made for me. Thoma gave the report on what we learned on the Domains across Teyvat, touching on how they provided rewards, held deep history with local cultures, and contained the same Irminsul tree.

"The Domain on this island would also give rewards from a tree," Thoma surmised. "As for the history of its existence—there wasn't any information in the library on that."

I fiddled with the ring on my finger. "Actually, Childe and I discovered something…disturbing not too long ago. Do you have the photos?"

"Right here." Childe laid a stack of photos flat on the table and spread them for us to see. "These were taken of the cave walls hidden in the darkness. With the Kamera flash and Lumine's direction, we were able to catch these etched lines in addition to that cave mural Kaeya has an older photo of."

I gave them a moment to look on their own before reaching over to overlap the photos in such a way that it aligned with a scary possibility.

"We think these etched lines are a representation of the shadows coming from the Abyss," I explained. "See how the Abyss is below Celestia Academy in the mural? The shadows don't stop there. They spread all across the cave walls—a lot like how Irminsul roots connect to each other across Teyvat."

"That would mean the Abyss is the main Irminsul tree," Thoma murmured. "The rewards that these trees give…"

I nodded. "They're a lot like the rewards given to Celestia in the Tournaments from millennia ago, back with the Academy was still in partnership with the Abyss Order. These Domains are generally gateways to subspaces, but given the nature of Celestia Academy's history, the Domain on this island might be a gateway to the Abyss itself."

Childe shuffled the photos back together. "It's a good thing we weren't able to open those doors when we tried. Throwing caution to the wind is my usual strategy, but being close to that Domain reminded me of unpleasant times."

"I felt it too," I said. "That's no normal Domain. If any Abyssal monster was going to come after me, that's the most dangerous place on this island."

"This is a problem." Kaeya pressed his lips together.

Diluc rose halfway out of his seat. "It needs to be destroyed."

Total destruction hadn't crossed my mind. Sealing it off with some sort of spell would do the trick, wouldn't it? Then again, it wasn't like we had direct access to that kind of power. Requesting the Academy to take care of it would only make us look suspicious. They'd ask questions about how we came to find the Domain, why we were in the forest, and what sort of training I did out there.

Brute force may be our only option, but there was an issue.

"How are we supposed to do that?" I asked. "There's no record of a Domain being demolished, and none of us have the resources to do so. Destroying a Domain even half that size would still be difficult."

"I agree, a greatsword won't be enough," Diluc admitted.

Not even a strong overload elemental reaction could crumble a structure that has stood for thousands of years with no wear.

Childe sighed. "There is a way."

"Not with a bow, there isn't." I shook my head.

"Not a bow. Not a Vision." Resigned determination was set in his eyes. "I could destroy that Domain in my Foul Legacy form."

I'd never heard of that before.

"Does that have anything to do with your Delusion?" I asked warily. "You said Delusions can drain your life force or cause irreparable harm. I don't want that for you."

"Relax, Foul Legacy has nothing to do with my Delusion. While I'm able to use both a Vision and a Delusion while in that state, it should be strong enough on its own to demolish that Domain."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

This was a lot simpler than I thought.

Diluc's displeasure melted into approval. "In that case, you should do so immediately. The sooner the Domain is gone, the sooner we can assure Lumine's safety."

"After finals."

"Pardon?" Diluc narrowed his eyes.

"The Abyss Order's threat doesn't apply until winter break is over. I'll do the Foul Legacy transformation once finals are done and over with. That way, I can give my body enough time to recuperate over the break."

I frowned. "What do you mean 'recuperate'?"

"Foul Legacy puts a great strain on my body, so it's best saved for crucial moments. Don't worry, I don't need to transform for long to destroy a single Domain." He pretended like it was no big deal, but I still had my doubts. "Diluc's right about keeping you out of harm's way, but once Celestia Academy realizes the Abyss Order has no direct link to the island anymore, chances are high that Aether can return. Don't you want that?"

He got me.

"I do."

"Then it's settled. We knock out finals, and then I knock down the Domain. Easy as Moon Pie."

That was a poor comparison. As far as recipes went, Moon Pie required a lot of ingredients and perfect technique—Xiangling told me so herself. I trusted that Childe knew his limits, and he'd face my reprimands in addition to a sore body if he pushed himself too far.

Still, knowing the Domain wouldn't be a problem anymore lifted a weight off my chest. There was still the remaining Signora sympathizer to deal with, and I itched to go to sleep immediately in hopes of dreaming of Aether—real Aether—again. For now, I could only take things one day at a time.

It just so happened that these upcoming days were less of a life-or-death situation and more of a pass-or-fail.

i was originally going to title this chapter "first comes rock," but there's far too much plot packed in here for my silly little hxh reference

super hyped for the 3.1 content after watching the livestream yesterday! EVEN MORE hyped for the genshin anime!