CHAPTER THREE: ARRIVAL
The trip to Mondstadt's gate had taken Ganyu only a couple hours, having to fight a few slimes and treasure hoarders that had taken her as a trespasser. It had only taken a couple of shots from her bow to conclude those encounters, and upon meeting the sight of Dawn Winery, she'd decided to stop and nourish her body with some nearby flowers that she had picked along the way.
Being part-Adeptus, her taste buds delighted the flavor of the vegetation, carrying a bitterness that qilin preferred in their usual diet. Three had been enough to savor her slight-hunger, so she had carried on along the main path that led to the outside of Mondstadt's borders, surprisingly not encountering any hilichurls along the way.
Upon seeing the windmills of the anemo capital, she had become relieved, not wishing to end more lives if she could avoid it. Crossing the bridge, she was met with a cautious greeting by the two guards standing opposite one another outside Mondstadt's entrance.
"May I please have your name?" asked one of the guards, following his usual protocol with new visitors.
"My name is Ganyu," Ganyu obliged. "I am one of the main members of Liyue's government, the Qixing, and have come regarding business with Acting Grandmaster, Jean Gunnhildr."
The guard didn't question her further, having been informed of Ganyu's arrival by Jean not long before.
"We've been expecting you, Ganyu of the Qixing. Please proceed to the Knights of Favonius Headquarters. Our calvary captain will escort you from there."
Ganyu nodded.
"Thank you."
Once she had clearance, Ganyu proceeded through the gate, unsure of where to go from there. Ganyu had never been outside of Liyue in her entire life, so Mondstadt was a whole new territory for her. The scent of several types of foods met her immediately upon stepping up the first set of steps, the majority being repulsive to her.
She knew the scents of meats of all varieties all too well, due to said produce being a common serving at the once-popular Wanmin Restaurant in Liyue Harbor. It had been a place that had sold and served mainly meat-based dishes, mostly being prepared and seasoned with spicy variants. Being a vegetarian, she couldn't stand the sight or scent of any meat, so she preferred to just keep her distance.
Doing her best to ignore the odor, she looked around for any sort of sign that could direct her to her next destination, but no such signs were present along the streets of the massive utopia. However, upon a glance to her left, there was one building she recognized well; the Adventurers Guild.
Considering that the occupant in the booth was very familiar with Mondstadt, surely they'd know the way to the headquarters. She walked up to the booth, to which the current member of said guild greeted her merrily with the slogan of the guild.
"Ad astra abyssosque!" spoke the lady. "Welcome to the Adventurers Guild! My name is Katheryne. How may I assist you?"
Ganyu decided not to look at this greeting as abnormal out of respect and just proceeded with what she came here for.
"Greetings!" Ganyu replied. "I just simply need directions to the headquarters of the Knights of Favonius. I'm new here and have come here on strict business with your Acting Grandmaster."
Katheryne nodded in complete understanding.
"I can see this is an urgent matter, so I won't waste any time," Katheryne assured, relieving Ganyu. "The directions to that place are a little tedious to follow, so I'm going to lead you to a fellow member of the guild and actual knight of the Knights of Favonius. Her name is Amber and she just returned from her duties for her lunch break, so she should be seated at Good Hunter just up the steps and to the left.
However, sometimes she likes to have a quick drink with her friend at the local tavern, Angel's Share, as well, so you may also find her there. The tavern is just down the steps, left of the gate, and if you follow that direction, you should run right into it."
Ganyu wasn't sure about the idea of having a drink while still having to work after the fact, but she couldn't really judge, so she just took it with a grain of salt.
"Alright, but how do I identify them?" Ganyu questioned.
"Oh, Amber's easy to spot. Just look for a girl in red with goggles atop her head. You can't miss her."
Ganyu just took it, hoping spotting her was as easy as Katheryne claimed it to be.
"Alright, thank you for the help!" Ganyu finished, waving goodbye to Katheryne.
"You're very welcome! Ad astra abyssosque!" Katheryne replied as Ganyu made her way up towards Good Hunter.
The scent she hated grew stronger as she neared it, looking around the seating area for a girl in red. To her relief, no such girl was seated, so she made her way back down the steps and followed the left path as she was instructed to do.
Sure enough, she eventually met the tavern, a lone man guarding the door. She walked up to him and greeted him in kind.
"Hello sir, I'm looking for someone named Amber," she informed. "Did she happen to enter the tavern?"
He could see that Ganyu wasn't looking for any negative business with the person in question, so he didn't give her any sort of negative retort.
"As a matter of fact, she did enter about five minutes ago," he replied. "May I ask exactly why you're looking for her?"
Ganyu nodded as an assurance that she had nothing to hide.
"I was referred to her by Katheryne of the Adventurers Guild as a guide to the Knights of Favonius Headquarters," she replied. "I'm here on business with the Acting Grandmaster, so it's critical I get there as quickly as possible."
The guard nodded in assurance.
"Very well. If I weren't posted here, I'd lead you myself, but duties are duties. Go on in, ma'am."
"Thank you very much, sir."
With that exchange concluded, Ganyu moved to the door and pushed it open.
Upon the very first whiff of the inside of the building, Ganyu felt slightly nauseous. An overwhelming smell of strong alcohol purged her nostrils and didn't let go, making her feel as if she were slightly drunk from the scent alone. After adapting to the odor, she was able to finally focus on finding her target. Moving past the main lobby, she looked around the seating area of the tavern's lower floor, finding a girl dressed in red that stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the crowd of drunkards.
Katheryne hadn't been joking when she had said Amber would be easy to spot.
She was seated with another lady that appeared elegant and of royal heritage, to which Ganyu guessed as the friend Katheryne had mentioned. She worked her way through the seated drunks and alcoholics carefully, eventually reaching the table her target was seated at.
"Excuse me," Ganyu greeted kindly. "I don't mean to interrupt your conversation, but I'm looking for Amber."
The red clad girl winced at the mention of her name, turning to Ganyu with a bright smile.
"That's me!" Amber greeted brightly. "What do you need from me?"
"My name is Ganyu, and I'm here regarding strict business with your Acting Grandmaster," she inquired. "I was referred to you for directions to your headquarters."
Amber nodded.
"Greetings Ganyu," Amber greeted kindly. "You already know my name, so I won't waste time. This is my friend and fellow Knight of Favonius, Eula."
"Salutations, fellow traveler," Eula greeted in an elegant manner.
"Looks like my assumption was correct," Ganyu thought to herself.
"Hello there," Ganyu greeted Eula, not wanting to be rude.
However, upon Eula's response, Ganyu was immediately dumbfounded.
"Hmph. One did not bow in their greeting to one of the Lawrence Clan. This simply cannot go unpunished! Mark my words! Vengeance will be mine!"
Ganyu was speechless at the remark. It seemed unnecessary and over the top, but upon Amber's interference, it was made quite clear that this was just part of Eula's personality.
"Hehe, Don't mind her. Eula is like this with everyone. Even her best friends."
Ganyu was still unable to speak anything on the matter, so she just moved on. However, Amber beat her to the punch.
"Jean did say something about a visitor coming to Mondstadt today, so I'm guessing that's you?"
Ganyu nodded.
"Alright, I'll be more than happy to take you to the Knights of Favonius Headquarters, but first, I need to finish my drink. I won't be long, and don't worry, this beverage isn't powerful enough to get me drunk after just one serving. Eula's on the other hand…that's a different story."
"What? I like my alcohol strong and bitter!" Eula commented. "Thou questions my alcohol preferences? Yet another thing to add to my list of reasons to seek vengeance on you!"
Amber responded with a sheepish giggle.
"Just take a seat at the front counter," Amber advised. "I shouldn't be any longer than five minutes."
Ganyu accepted the request, allowing her guide her privacy by walking up to the front counter and seating herself. Seconds after resting herself on the stool and crossing her legs, she was met with another greeting behind the counter.
"What'll it be?"
Looking up, she was met with the sight of a tall man dressed with mostly black clothing. His hair resembled fire, tied into a long ponytail and his hands dressed with black gloves.
"Oh, no thanks," she answered. "I don't drink."
The man's blank expression didn't shift or change at all.
"I know you don't, but you intrigued me enough to get my attention," he spoke. "I know most of the faces that come in here, and yours is new. However, the fact your not from around here isn't what intrigues me, it's your engagement with the two Knights of Favonius you just greeted over there."
Ganyu was intimidated, not sure whether to run or keep talking to this mysterious man.
"I was simply looking for someone I was referred to, that's all," Ganyu answered.
The man didn't shift in any way, showing that he wasn't impressed with her answer.
"Judging from your clothing, I believe you are from Liyue," he guessed. "Not to mention that you are definitely more special than the average human being, seeing your horns prove that you are half-Adeptus. Someone like you doesn't just come to Mondstadt for a drink or sightseeing; you're here for important reasons, aren't you?"
Ganyu knew that she couldn't fool this man at all, and she had no idea what to say or do. Her business was private, and she had no idea who this man was to spill any information regarding her reasons for being in Mondstadt.
"Look, my business is my own, and I'd appreciate that you not pry into my business any further," she demanded.
"You misunderstand me, stranger," the man answered. "I'm not looking to pry into your business, nor do I wish to force you to do anything you don't want to. All I'm wanting to do is help you figure out what answers you're seeking. However, if you want my assistance, you must keep our business out of the Knights of Favonius's ears."
Ganyu's curiosity peaked at that. Weren't the Knights of Favonius her allies?
"Why do you want to keep this conversation secret so bad?" she asked, actually curious why.
"Let's just say, I don't trust them," he answered. "I have many past interactions with the knights that I'd rather not speak of, but let's just say they didn't end well. I keep my distance from them, as much as anything they are unaware of out of their ears to avoid repeating past mistakes.
They aren't evil or threatening to Mondstadt, just reckless in situations that actually need to be spoken of. They'd rather sweep their mistakes under the rug than actually face the consequences."
His voice didn't give Ganyu any sort of alert that he was lying, and oddly reminded her of Ningguang's hasty recklessness in certain matters. It was practically like two peas in a pod.
She decided to listen more.
"In what ways can you help me?" she questioned.
The man finally shifted in his demeanor, meaning he was finally intrigued.
"If you want answers, meet me behind the tavern at midnight tonight," he answered. "Like I said, any word of this is to stay out of the knight's ears, otherwise our business will be no more."
Ganyu nodded in understanding.
"Alright, I'll see you tonight," she confirmed.
Upon her agreement with the bartender, an arm met her shoulder, turning to meet her practical tour guide.
"Ready to go, Ganyu?" Amber asked.
"Mhm," Ganyu answered simply, getting up from the stool and moving to the exit with Amber.
Upon exiting, she looked back one more time at her new business partner, only to see that he had gone elsewhere.
Jean jumped at the sound of her office door opening, entering Ganyu, Amber, and Kaeya one at a time. The sight of Ganyu assured her that her expected guest from afar had finally arrived, to which she got up from her desk and moved towards her new company of three.
Jean had been expecting the cavalry captain upon her guest's arrival, but Amber hadn't been expected at all. She had originally planned to speak with Amber on the following situation after discussing the terms of how it would be resolved, but seeing she was already here, she decided to just wave away the original plans.
"You must be the one who requested the Knights of Favonius's assistance in the letter sent from Wangshu Inn," Jean greeted. "It is an honor to welcome you to Mondstadt and the Knights of Favonius Headquarters. I am the current Acting Grandmaster, Jean."
"It is an honor to make your acquaintance, Grandmaster Jean," Ganyu replied. "I am Ganyu of the Qixing."
Jean nodded with a smile, proceeding to the business afoot.
"May I ask why you have reached out to us? The letter didn't explain everything fully, so I'm hoping that you can fill in the blanks."
"Of course," Ganyu started, recollecting everything Keqing had told her. "As of last night, Liyue Harbor was attacked and sunk into the ocean by the Fatui. However, this wasn't just any regular Fatui agents; they are able to absorb elemental energy that they are attacked with and use it temporarily as a weapon without the use of a vision."
All of the company in the room expressed looks of horror. It was clear that they hadn't been expecting news of this caliber, and having given the severity of the situation, Ganyu continued.
"That's not all though. The Tianquan was also murdered using this tactic, and the Yuheng was severely injured by another agent of this specific group. Therefore, the Yuheng and I are all that remain of the Qixing, and we fear that, even though the leader had said it was solely an act of vengeance, this isn't the last of the attacks.
Not to mention that the former guardians of Liyue, the Adepti, made no show or interfered with the attacks, along with the fact that the former god of Liyue is also missing. The fact that even gods and divine creatures of much wisdom and tactical knowledge are missing, and this threat may have something to do with it, raises a whole new level of danger.
We fear that the Fatui group we encountered are going to attack again, we just don't know where yet. That's why I'm here; as one of the remaining Qixing, I feel Teyvat is in danger, and we need help to stop them before they strike again. I ask that you help us to find a way to stop this group of agents, as much as whatever is coming next."
It was clear that Jean had been convinced, her arms folded and face expressing a look of extreme focus. A sight Ganyu was relieved to see in response to her requests for help.
"First and foremost, you need not have any fear of me not believing you," Jean assured. "Mondstadt has had its fair share of dealings with the Fatui, but never of what you are describing. This is a whole other level of savagery, and I am truly sorry that this happened to you and the Yuheng.
The fact that they would commit such genocide and potentially endanger gods doesn't spell out as what it was claimed to be by the leader. To me, it feels more like an attack meant to target the geo capital itself, as much as the one who governed it. Therefore, your assumption as that attack not being the last doesn't seem far from impossible, and if the intended target is major capitals of Teyvat and their leaders, we definitely have a threat on our hands."
Ganyu was relieved that she'd gotten the message across and had made her and Keqing's assumptions feasible. However, the question was what to do, and that wasn't easy to answer.
After a moment of thought, Jean continued.
"If we plan to stand any chance against this group, we need to know as much as possible about their strengths, tactics, and appearance, so we can be prepared to fight back. You and the Yuheng were the prime witnesses to these savages firsthand, so I need you to tell me any specific details these Fatui agents had that attacked your city."
Ganyu nodded, doing her best to remember what Keqing had specified. Ganyu may have had a close encounter with one of them, but the only thing she remembered specifically was what he did to Ningguang. Taking a breath, she started to explain everything.
"According to the Yuheng, she said that they had a symbol of an eye drawn out in red ink on the back of the hoods of their cloaks, some of them wore masks of the face of a raven, and their primary weapon was bombs of all sorts. It's how they initiated the attacks and how my colleague ended up with her near-fatal injury."
"Anything else?"
"I'm afraid not."
Jean nodded in understanding, absorbing all of the information she'd just been given. This was definitely not something she was prepared for, so it was natural for her to be taking her time to clarify the next step of action.
Upon concluding her plotting, Jean spoke her verdict.
"Alright, you have Mondstadt's support, Ganyu of the Qixing," Jean clarified, turning to Kaeya. "Kaeya, please prepare an escort for the Yuheng residing at the Wangshu Inn. I'll be sure to inform the Cathedral of her arrival, and I'll prepare a healing session for her."
"As you wish," Kaeya agreed, turning and leaving to carry out his orders.
"As for our security, seeing there's a potential threat among us, I want the gates closed before sunset," Jean ordered, eying Amber. "Double the guards posted atop the walls of the city, and have a notice sent out regarding our temporary regulations as soon as possible."
"Yes, Master Jean!" Amber accepted.
Jean turned lastly to Ganyu, a smile grazing her lips.
"As for you, Ganyu of the Qixing, I need you to stay in Mondstadt for now," Jean clarified. "I still have much to discuss with you regarding this whole situation, and I need you here for a while. Don't worry, we'll provide you with hospitality at no cost. You and your colleague both.
I'll also have some new clothes arranged for you as well, seeing I'm sure you don't want to be wearing the same thing every single day."
"Oh, Grandmaster Jean, you don't have to go through that trouble for my sake," Ganyu assured.
"It's no trouble at all, Ms. Ganyu," Jean replied. "There are plenty of spare clothes that the Knights of Favonius never wear, so it's not even a problem for our brigade. Our fellow nuns of the church will take care of washing your dirty laundry as well, so please don't worry about it. Leave the easy work to us."
Ganyu reluctantly nodded in agreement, knowing she couldn't win.
"Very good. We will get those arrangements sorted out shortly; for now, you are welcome to help out Amber if you wish, seeing Kaeya will have plenty of help in his duties. Mondstadt is a big city, so getting the word out will be an arduous task, and our fellow outrider could use all the help she can get."
"Sure," Ganyu accepted, turning to Amber. "After all, I do owe her a favor in return for leading me here in the first place."
"You don't owe me anything," Amber replied. "I just like to help people, especially if they need it for a good reason."
"As do I," Ganyu clarified, making it clear her mind was made up.
Amber smiled, signaling Ganyu to join her.
"Come along then," Amber ordered nicely. "We've got a lot of ground to cover, so it's best we start as soon as we possibly can."
Ganyu nodded, walking to Amber's position and turning to the door.
"Good luck you two," Jean finished, returning to her desk to prepare for her own set of tasks as Ganyu and Amber exited the room together.