In a vast place where the story and witnesses have been forgotten, there is a giant statue monument that stands tall even though it looks like it has been standing for a long time. Doctor closed his eyes behind his visor and listened to the sound of rain hitting the leaves, enduring his inner torment. The fowlbeast hissed in the distance...
"Answer my question or die." The owner of the voice was none other than an adult man with a sturdy build. He had short pink hair with horns like a demon. He wore armor like royalty. And that explained the aura of authority like a king that came from the man.
This is Theresis, the royal of Kazdel and the chief general of the Military Commission who recently launched an usurpation of the throne. Currently, the man in the armor of royalty was pointing his sword at the Doctor and staring at him with a sneer and being wary of his every move.
"Please ask." The Doctor responded calmly without looking at him.
"Did you betray the Tower of Babel?" The man interrogated.
"I never belonged to the Tower of Babel, but I never gave up fighting for them either." He said calmly without burden.
"Why did you come to see me?"
"To ask for something."
"I will not speak with nameless beings...or ghosts." Theresis giving his reason. "Who are you?" He asked.
". Doctor ." Said the person now known as Doctor introducing himself.
" ..." Theresis whispered under his breath after realizing and recognizing who he was talking to.
Theresis put down his weapon, and the rain slipped through the ravine at the corner of her eyes and fell to the earth. He did not look at the person who invited him to the secret appointment, but instead raised his gaze and looked at the huge statue named "Hero". It was a statue commemorating the twins who founded the mobile city of Kazdel. More than a hundred years later, his stone statue still stands beside her holding a sword. No matter the natural disasters or wind and rain, it has not collapsed.
"Soon after she crushed the rebellion that sought to destroy the fledgling city, the people of Kazdel invited us to witness the unveiling of these two statues." Theresis tell the story. "Hero." He said in the old Sarqaz language.
"For generations they will watch over the borders we have drawn with our own hands, warning our enemies and welcoming our friends." Theresis continued. "I swear to her under her statue that my sword would cut away all her enemies." He said in a deep voice that showed determination in heart and the seriousness of his words.
The Doctor looks at Theresa's statue, not taking his eyes off her for a moment. "The Military Council is her enemy." The Doctor finally begins to speak.
Theresis shakes his head. "No, no part of Kazdel was ever truly her enemy, I was her enemy." Denied Theresis without looking at the mysterious man. "What about you?" He asked.
Doctor did not answer immediately or move from his position. Theresis looks at the man whose face is hidden in a hood, the man's clothes are stained, the drops of water gathered at the corners of his coat dripping rhythmically downwards. The drops rippled in ring after ring in the shallow puddle at their feet.
Seeing that this one who entitled as Doctor didn't reply, Theresis added. "Most of the Sarkaz who were supposed to remember this place had died a long time ago. Very few could find this place." Theresis finally looked at the Doctor. "And yet you came here on foot. Did you walk a long way?"
"A very long way." Doctor simply said.
"You cracked the witchcraft code written by Manfred's proud team." Theresis stated.
"That happened a while ago. I just never told anyone. Even Theresa believes that I didn't 'start this work' until recently. As a result, I have the majority of the Military Commission's operational plans. And I created this opportunity to meet with you alone." Doctor said lightly as if it was a normal thing to do in his spare time.
"You're sure I won't kill a strategist who is a great threat to us." Even though Theresis said that, there was no threatening tone from him. No, he knew from the start that there was nothing he could do to end this 'ghost' from the past.
"I'm sure the motion I'm proposing to you is more valuable than my life. That is the technology that can control the Originium." Hearing what Doctor came to offer piqued Theresis' interest. "How far can you go under Victoria's pressure? How do you intend to change the status quo of the Sarkaz... and this land in general?" Doctor said, making clear of his offer. "I can give you the answer to that." He finished his words.
"You sure talk a lot." Theresis comments as he heard a lot about this man, so this is quite unexpected. "So, what do you need from me, ghost?" The royal Sarqaz asked.
"...Destroy the Tower of Babel, disperse her followers, and get Theresa to join your plans." The Doctor began to explain his means. "Let Sarkaz be united under Kazdel, ruled by a Military Council." He finished his words.
The Doctor envisioned many times the emotions he felt when he uttered the words, 'Destroy the Tower of Babel'. But when the Doctor actually threw the words from his mouth, what he felt was relieved.
Theresis did not answer immediately and just stared silently at the Doctor who neither moved a muscle nor showed the slightest bit of emotion. The Sarqaz was like that not only because he was speechless but also confused by this man's train of thought.
"It is not on the charity of our enemies that she and I have led Kazdel to where we are now." Theresis said. "It is true that only the complete defeat of one of our two sides can truly stop this war, but you should not be the one to propose that idea." Theresis added. "Go on. Keep going and tell me what you are asking for, ghost of the previous era." He allowed the Doctor to speak.
"...You know, indeed it is not surprising. Theresa has been hand in hand with you for nearly two hundred years, as you can certainly guess." Doctor admits.
"I speak about... The expansion of Originium." He began to explain what he meant. "Theresis, the struggles of the Tower of Babel are only prolonging the lingering existence of this land. Whether one resists or accepts it, Originium will eventually, in one form or another, take civilization into its embrace." He said at length to give a bigger visual.
"Have you... seen the sky?" Doctor asked suddenly, making Theresis raise an eyebrow. "Outside, that day, beyond the twin moons, was our home, our resting place." Doctor continued while pointing in the direction in question. "But now, I am the only one left, conversing with you." He said somberly before lowering his hand.
"When the Sarkaz continue to seek the remains of dead gods to fight against foreign enemies, do you ever wonder for a moment..." Doctor held his words and slowly looked at Theresis who could have sworn he saw something from under that man's hood. Something... malicious.
"How did the gods die in the first place?"
(Flashback end)
After going through the previous madness, the group resumed their journey to Mondstadt. While waiting to arrive, they chatted a bit on the way while discussing interesting topics to pass the time. What started out as their favorite foods somehow went the wrong way to...
"What do you mean I should 'shout out my moves and techniques'?" Lumine asked in surprise at the suggestion from one of her traveling companions.
"Come on, Lumine! That would be cool!" Paimon said enthusiastically to push her idea.
"No, no, NO! why would I want to do something as embarrassing and cringe as that?" Lumine firmly refused.
"But it has its own benefits if you think about it. Ever heard of Kotodama? Something about 'mystical powers dwell in words and names' which can influence our environment, body, mind, and soul. Or Kiai, a method in shotokan karate in order to concentrate energy. Maybe this can help your fighting ability to improve." Doctor gave his reasons.
It sounds strange but in reality there is a logical explanation. Scientifically, shouting out moves has complex psychological and physiological effects that can affect the outcome of a fight by up to 70%. If there is something that can increase the chances of success in something, then Doctor will take the opportunity.
Lumine scratched her head with a conflicted expression. "Even if you give me that explanation and numbers, wouldn't it be better if I just focused on the fight?" Lumine reasoned.
"You don't have to shout the name of the move every time you're going to attack! Just when you're going to do a certain attack or the strongest move." Doctor explained.
"Yeah! Like ultimate moves!" Paimon said while demonstrating a strange kung fu move that would offend a real kung fu master.
"But still... are there still people who shout or say the name of their moves nowadays?" Lumine asked.
"Well if you want to know, I know a few people who-"
"Hey, you! Stop right there!" Before Doctor could finish his sentence, a loud voice interrupted him.
The group looked towards the source of the voice and saw a brunette young woman with red bunny ears like ribbon jumped off the ledge, then landed with a smooth roll and stood up before them.
As the young woman stood up, the group could clearly see the figure in front of them. She has long, dark brown hair, gold eyes and fair skin. She wears a jumper-like suit composed of dark leather shorts, a red hoodie-like top, red stockings, and white thigh-high boots embellished with gold linings and symbols.
Her accessories include a leather belt with two small bags, gloves, a small belt on her right thigh, and gold-framed goggles. Her most distinguishing feature that caught the group's eyes was the headband with the large red bow that rests on her head, resembling the shape of bunny ears.
The girl faced them and started talking. "May the Anemo God protect you, stranger!" Greet the girl to the group before continuing. "I am Amber, Outrider for the Knights of Favonius." The girl, now known as Amber, introduced herself before making a formal knight salute. "You don't look like citizens of Mondstadt. Explain yourselves!" She said firmly.
"We're not looking for trouble." Paimon said, waving her hands.
"That's what all the troublemakers say." Amber countered with a suspicious tone and narrowed her eyes at the group while crossing her arms in front of her chest.
Thinking that things could get worse if they took the wrong approach, Lumine took the initiative to make a good first impression. "Hello, I'm Lumine." Lumine said introducing herself.
Amber blinked and raised one of her eyebrows "...Doesn't sound like a local name to me." She said in a confused tone.
'Because I'm not a local from literally anywhere.' She wanted to say that, but Lumine knew better than to keep it to herself.
Amber then looked at Paimon "And this... mascot, what's the deal with it?" Amber asked about Paimon as if looking at a new type of specimen.
"Emergency food." Lumine said without skipping a beat, and it made Doctor amused.
It was actually a nonsense joke in this group. Actually, it was the Doctor who made this joke as he was still in 0 sanity moment. As you remember, Paimon was caught by the fishing rod that was supposed to catch fish as their 'food'. Of course they didn't eat her and let her live to be their friend and companion... at least until an emergency call happened. And that's where this joke came from.
However for Paimon, feel offended. "Hey! That's even worse than being a mascot!" Paimon said annoyedly while stomping her feet into the air before then hitting Lumine's head, who snickered.
Doctor just shook his head before facing Amber while pointing at himself. "And I'm just an adult who accompanies them. You may call me Doctor." The Doctor said introducing himself then holding out his hand to offer a handshake.
Amber then looked at the Doctor with one eyebrow raised. "A Doctor?" She said confusedly while looking at herself from bottom to top. "With that get-up?" She asked.
He shrugged. "This is actually my work uniform for field operations which is equipped with multiple functions and full protection since my rank requires safety." The Doctor explained. "And it's just Doctor, by the way." He said ending his explanation.
The outfit that Doctor was wearing was actually an upgrade from his old uniform. Kal'tsit gathered all the remaining materials from 'Pre-Civilization' and put all her energy and knowledge into creating this uniform. And the result is a non-newtonian carbon outfit that is stronger than graphene. It can protect the Doctor from various physical attacks, chemicals, energy and radiation, and can even absorb them to be used as additional strength. And last but not least, natural sanitation that can eliminate germs and odors automatically.
And this mask is actually also specially made by Closure and technicians. Not only can it be used as head protection and protect identity, but it is also equipped with many features such as communication devices, oxygen providers, hacking systems, gadgets, voice clones, lens adjustments, air filters and many more. It is even equipped with an AI that comes from a copy of PRTS even though it is not as sentient as what his 'comrade' made.
Pretty cool, huh? Unfortunately he can't access all the electronic devices he owns. This is because most of the electronic devices he brought were damaged during his move from Terra to Teyvat. There are still some electronic devices that have survived, but the number is limited. He wants to fix all his devices, but he doesn't have the time, tools or materials. So for now, he just relies on the passive and built-in features of the equipment he carries.
"I... see." Amber said awkwardly since she didn't know how to react to that and took Doctor's hand to shake.
The Doctor notices the young woman has some kind of red trinket attached on the left side of her belt with a fire symbol. And a bow hanging on her back. He concludes that Amber is a pyro-bow user.
From the hand muscles he felt when shaking hands, he estimated that Amber could shoot arrows as far as 743 meters. However, from her eyes he concluded that her shooting accuracy only reached 380 meters. A bit kind of energetic, meaning a lot of stamina. But the quality is still not really great enough for you to call yourself a professional. In his world, she probably can become a 3 or 4 star operator.
After finishing shaking hands, Amber looked back at the group. "So to sum it up, you're traveling partners, right?" Amber summarized.
"Yep! A few months in the wild and taking shelter in several small villages, we plan to go to Mondstadt as our next destination." The Doctor explained the situation and their plans.
"Well look, I don't mean to be rude or push you guys, but there's been a large dragon sighted around Mondstadt recently. Best to get inside the city as soon as possible." Amber warned them. "It's not far from here, I'll escort you there." She continued, offering herself as a travel escort.
"Huh? Aren't you out here for some other reason?" Paimon asked. As far as Paimon knew, a knight who was out like Amber was on her own duty. It was a bit confusing why she would bother to guide strangers while she also had other duties.
"Yeah, and why do we even need an escort? We can handle ourselves just fine and the city isn't far. I can even see it from here." Lumine argued while pointing towards Mondstadt which was already visible not far from where they were.
"First of all, I am. But not to worry, I can keep you safe while doing that too." Amber assured with a confident tone. "And secondly, I'm still not sure if I can trust you... 'two and a half' just yet!" She continued, ignoring the little fairy who shouted 'HEY!' realizing that she was being counted as half.
"Why so suspicious?" Lumine asked, starting to feel a little irritated.
"Yeah, don't you realize you're being rude to these guests? We haven't even done anything, we haven't even set foot in Mondstadt." Doctor said. He knew that sometimes the authorities have security protocols for visitors from outside the area to prevent unwanted things. However, it should still be accompanied by norms of politeness and ethics.
Realizing her mistake, Amber's expression changed to one of embarrassment. "Oh, ahh... I'm sorry. Probably not something I should say as a knight." She cleared her throat a little to clear her throat then adjusted her posture. "I give you my apologies, uh... strange yet... respectable travelers." Her weird formal apology yet strangely sincere.
"That sounded so fake!" Paimon shook her head, clearly unsatisfy.
"Do you have something against the type of language usage prescribed by the Knights of Favonius Handbook!?" She placed her hands on her hips and looked at the little creature irritated.
'Goodness, her act reminds me of Fang.' Doctor thought as he remembered the blue haired Kuranta who was very disciplined in formal rules when she first joined.
They started walking towards the city. The group traveled in silence for a few minutes before Amber broke it. "So, suspicious travelers, what are you doing in Mondstadt?" she asked curiously.
"Lumine got separated from her brother during a really, really long journey. Paimon is her travel buddy, helping her to find her brother." Paimon explained the situation and was answered with a simple nod from Lumine.
Doctor realized that they had to be able to keep their origins a secret but still be able to blend in with this world. So he suggested giving himself and Lumine a made-up background story considering they literally didn't exist in this world. And just in case someone could guess or sense their secret, the background story was based on their own real events. but slightly changed to be more general and adjust to the culture of this world.
"Oh, looking for your family... Huh." Amber said in a somber tone, feeling sympathy for the Traveler's situation. "Ah... Okay! Let me finish my other stuff first, and then I can help you put up posters around the city..." Amber suggested.
"Thank you." Lumine said with a smile, appreciating Amber's kind gesture.
"What about you, Doc? What's your story?" Amber turned her attention to the Doctor.
"I was a Doctor with particular skill from an independent pharmaceutical company. While on a humanitarian mission, a kind of 'catastrophe' happened, leaving me stranded in the middle of nowhere. Shortly after that, I found Lumine and Paimon." The Doctor said without losing a beat.
It wasn't a lie. In Terra, he did have a Doctor's degree in neurology in addition to the 'other degree' he had in the past. Rhodes Island was indeed a small but independent company and had its own power with humanitarian goals. And 'catastrophe' was the word Doctor chose to describe how he ended up in this world and found Lumine and Paimon. For the details he will not tell because, just call him paranoid, but this is just in case someone can read his mind.
"Ah, I see... a senior. I appreciate your contribution and dedication." Amber said with new respect to the man.
"Thank you."
"By the way, what exactly is it you need to finish doing first?" Paimon suddenly curiously asked after a while Amber did not show any signs of doing any task.
"It's simple. You'll understand in a bit." Amber mysteriously replied back.
The group silently walked on their way following Amber. After a while, they arrived at the foot of a hill. From a distance, they saw something moving. Some kind of creatures.
Paimon squinted her eyes slightly to get a better look before her eyes widened in realization. "Ah! A hilichurl!" Paimon startedles.
"Quick! Get it!" Amber shouted before she took out her bow and aimed it at the hilichurl. Amber pulled the string and a fire arrow suddenly manifested. After making sure of her aim, Amber released the string, releasing the fire arrow that shot towards the hilichurl, hitting it in the chest.
Amber let out a sigh of relief before lowering her bow down. "These monsters have been getting too close to the city recently." Amber explained before walking towards a large rock with the group following behind her. "My task this time is to clear out their camp." She continued as she climbed up the rock, followed by the trio and a hilichurl camp was visible in the distance with 15 regular hilichurls, 8 hilichurl shooters and 12 mitacurls.
"This... is going to be a bit difficult. I should have brought Kaeya with me, but it's going to take some time to call for reinforcements." Amber muttered with a frown when she saw quite a lot of hilichurls and mitacurls roaming around.
"I can help." Lumine offered and then summoned her sword. She realized that Amber could only focus on long-range combat as a bow user. With Lumine being a sword user, she could be a close-range vanguard.
Amber turned her attention to Lumine. "Really? I appreciate that. But still fighting them will be difficult. Possible but difficult." Amber said before looking at Paimon and Doctor. "Can you guys help?" Amber asked.
"Does Paimon seem like she can make a meaningful contribution to you?" Paimon asked deadpanned. "But I'm sure Doctor here can help you. He's the smartest and usually the one who makes plans." Paimon said while lifting Doctor's arm.
Several months together made the three of them understand each other's strengths and weaknesses. And for Doctor, even though he was never seen fighting and he himself admitted that he couldn't, he was the smartest in this group. He was the fastest at capturing information, drawing conclusions, and even designing plans. Coupled with his experience as a leader of an organization, he became the brain for most of the decision making for this group.
"Really? Can you help?" Amber asked the Doctor.
Doctor put a finger to his chin, adopting a thinking pose. "Hmm... I do have some plans that are sure to work. Let's start with the easiest one. But before that Amber, what are your abilities?" The Doctor asked the Outrider.
Amber closed her eyes to think for a moment. "Well... as you know, I'm an archer with Pyro Vision who can only focus on long-range combat. I can be good at medium range, but I'll be defenseless. My ultimate move is 'Fiery Rain', which allows me to multiply the number of my fire arrows in the air. It's up to 60 fire arrows, and most of the time I use it to rain down on my opponents." Amber said while counting on her fingers, listing her abilities one by one.
"Wait, you actually named your technique." Lumine asked in surprise.
"Well, yeah." Amber said something like that was indeed a common thing. "you didn't?" Amber asked back as if Lumine was the weird one here.
'Are you serious!?' Lumine screamed in her mind.
"Do you have some kind of particular skill that can be used to attract attention?" Doctor asked again.
"Attract attention?" Amber was confused before remembering something. "Oh! I think I have the item that you mean." Amber said while reaching into one of her small bags and taking out a medium-sized red ball and showing it to the Doctor. "In addition to being able to attract attention, if I infuse my Pyro Vision power into 'Baron Bunny'," Amber held the red ball tightly and a red aura began to cover her palm before entering the ball. "It can be used as an unexpected attack even though it's not that strong." Amber said after explaining.
Lumine and Paimon looked at each other. 'Baron Bunny?' They thought in confusion. However, Doctor just nodded, understanding what Amber meant.
"That's even better. First, I want you to throw it towards the crowd of hilichurls and mitacurls." The Doctor's instructions were answered with a nod from Amber.
"Alright," Amber pulled her red ball back before throwing it hard into the middle of the crowd of hilichurls and mitacurls. "Go! Go! Baron Bunny!" Amber said excitedly.
As the red ball hit the ground, a thick cloud of smoke appeared. And after a while, the smoke began to thin out. From the cloud of smoke where the red ball landed, a silhouette was visible. and when all the smoke had cleared, it was seen that the figure was... some kind of doll, resembling Amber in chibi form which is now dancing.
"What... is that?" Paimon said slowly, confused with the bizarre sight in front of her.
"Baron Bunny! The plushie that I made and my reliable second hand!" said Amber with a proud face.
"Can something like that attract the attention of hilichurls and mitacurls?" Lumine asked Amber hesitantly.
"Umm... Lumine." Paimon's voice caught her attention. "Look again." Paimon simply said and pointed at the dancing doll being attacked by the hilichurls and mitacurls.
"It works!?" Lumine said in disbelief.
"You don't know? Hilichurls and Mitachurls have limited vision. They use their other senses to detect food and danger. If they sense unidentified fast movement, they will instinctively consider it a threat. And by sensing the size of the plushie, they are more confident to attack it." Doctor explained.
As someone with no super power in this world, and no bunch of operators to protect him, he needs some way or other to defend himself. One of his ways is gathering data and knowledge. In their journey, Doctor always takes note of every creature's and nature behavior that he encounters. Coupled with Paimon's explanation and some world guides that he read, he can find and expose information that he can use.
"So you're saying that those hilichurls and mitachurls think that dancing doll... menacing?" Lumine drew a conclusion to the event before her.
"And it doesn't stop there." Amber hung up her words making them look back at the hilichurls and mitachurls attacking the plushie.
When one of the hilichurls hit the plushie's head, instantly the plushie's entire body turned bright red before exploding with a strong burning explosion, making the hilichurls and mitachurls fly away.
"Holy-! It can explode too!?" Lumine said in surprise and wide-eyed.
"Of course. When Baron Bunny takes enough damage or when the timer expires, it will unleash an explosion of Pyro." Amber explained while looking at the field that was now engulfed in flames.
"That's good and all, but..." Paimon watched the hilichurls and mitacurls began to get up while covering in flame. "Paimon thinks it's not enough to take them down." Then from a distance she saw that the hilichurls shooters began to aim their crossbow at them. "And our location is already known!"
"Welp! No need more hiding, I guess?" Doctor said casually as he climbed up and stood on the large rock that had been their hiding spot. "Amber, use your arrows and cover us from those hilichurls shooters. Don't let them shoot anything at us. And if possible, knock them down from those towers." Doctor said giving instructions.
"Huh? Oh, right!" Amber climbed up and stood beside Doctor, summoning her bow and aiming at the hilichurls shooter.
"Lumine, a little bit twister, please." The Doctor gestured to the Traveler.
"On it!" Lumine summoned her sword then jumped before spinning in the air, creating a small tornado towards the hilichurls and mitacurls that were trying to get up.
When the tornado touched the fire around the field, with the elemental reaction, the tornado turned into a fire tornado that then sucked some hilichurls into it.
"I see. He wants to take advantage of the elemental reaction from the combination of Pyro and Anemo then trap them in a fire tornado created by Lumine's technique. Like with those Pyro slimes before!" Paimon said in understanding. However she noticed that some of the hilichurls and all mitachurls are trying to resist to not get sucked into the twister. "But it is still not enough to take them down!" Paimon continued with a worried tone.
"Don't worry, Paimon." The Doctor assured the little fairy as his hand reached into something he hid behind his waist, under his jacket. "Everything is going according to my plan." He said while taking out the item from behind his waist.
It was a medium-sized black crossbow made of some kind of pure metal. It has a pretty solid design that shows its sturdiness. At the front end of the crossbow there is a bladed bayonet and a scope above the arrow track.
He took one of the arrows from the quiver attached to the crossbow, which the tip of the arrow was made of electro crystal. Put the arrow into the arrow track, pulled the string, then aimed using the scope towards the fire tornado. When the aim was locked, Doctor pulled the trigger, shooting the arrow which when it touched the fire tornado, caused an overload reaction inside the tornado that hit all the melee hilichurls and mitacurls before finally exploding with great force.
They quickly shield themselves to protect themselves from the light along with the wind, smoke and floating objects caused by the explosion. After it subsided, the smoke around the area began to thin out revealing the hilichurls and mitacurls lying on the ground and a large crater in the middle of them.
"Don't let your guard down, it's not over yet." Doctor said as he saw the hilichurls and mitacurls slowly began to get up. "While they are still weakened. Lumine, finish them." Doctor gave the command.
"Got it." Lumine simply said as she rushed towards the group of weakened hilichurls and mitacurls to finish them off.
"If you finish with your thing, mind a little hand here?" Amber said heavily and sweating as she had a hard time to deal with the mitachurls shooter alone.
"Sure thing, Amber." Doctor said as he then took one normal arrow from the quiver. Reloading the crossbow and aim at the hilichurls shooter before shooting them at the chest. He repeated this over and over again until after a while, Doctor and Amber finally managed to defeat the hilichurls shooters.
"phew, nothing to it." Amber said as she caught her breath then sheathed her arrow again. She then looked at how Lumine dodged mitachurls fist, parried hilichurls attack, and slashed their weak points in a fighting style she never saw before that looked strong yet beautiful.
After a while, Lumine finally defeated all the hilichurls and mitacurls on the ground. She took a deep breath before sheathing her sword.
After watching her fight, Amber couldn't help to comment. "I must say... you surprised me a little with your moves there..." praised Amber who was impressed with the Traveler's fighting skills. "Thanks for the backup. How'd it feel?" Amber thanked before asking how she was doing.
Lumine looked at her palm with a frown. "Those things are tougher than they look..." even if Lumine admitted it, there was something bothering this Outlander. Usually she could defeat such enemies easily. But she still found it difficult to defeat those hilichurls and mitachurls even when they were weakened.
If it weren't for her fighting style and the Anemo power she gained, she might have been injured. This showed that all her powers were completely gone and her strength could be compared to ordinary mortals. Lumine could only sigh, realizing and feelig that she now has to start everything from level 1.
Amber then turned her attention to Doctor, or more precisely to the crossbow he was holding. "And that crossbow, that's awesome! The only ones I've seen in real life are those belonging to hilichurls shooters but I've never seen a crossbow like this!" Amber said in excitement. "Can I touch it?" Amber asked with pleading eyes.
Doctor nodded. "Sure. Just be careful not to get bitten by it." Doctor jokingly said before handing her the crossbow.
When Amber received the crossbow, she examined it thoroughly. "Sturdy and modern design," she then tapped the crossbow lightly. "Strong and quality material, yet light at the same time," She muttered as she weighed the crossbow using her hand. "Extra ornaments that allow for powerful attacks at close, medium and long range," she noticed other components of the crossbow in the form of a bayonet and scope. "Even I can tell that this is high quality! Where did you get this?" She asked as she handed back the crossbow.
"This was actually customized and modified by my coworkers back home." Doctor simply said before putting the crossbow back behind his waist.
This crossbow had been brought by Doctor before coming to Teyvat. This weapon was created from the contributions and assistance of his operators to prevent unwanted things if one day, Doctor was in a situation without an operator.
The body of the crossbow was made of tungsten forged multiple times by Vulcan. The body design was taken from Schwarz's crossbow in medium size. bayonet given by Tachanka. scope bought by Jessica. quiver handmade by Blue Poison and strengthened with witchcraft from Lava.
The Outrider raised an eyebrow. "A pharmaceutical company is also developing weapons?" She said in confusion.
"There are always dangers across the world, Amber. With how much valuable we carry, and how important it is for our workers to focus on the mission, we must be prepared to deal with any eventuality to protect ourselves." The Doctor said as he had experienced risky situations in his work.
Lumine, who had been listening to their conversation, looked at the Doctor. He rarely told anyone about himself and this was the first time Lumine had learned what his job was like besides being a humanitarian. She understood that an organization like Doctor's needed protection. But a medical company with a military force and technology technicians? What kind of situation was happening in his world that prompted such measures?
Amber nodded in understanding. "You also seem pretty skillful and creative in using it. Coupled with the special arrows you have, you can adjust to the conditions. It's quite impressive!" Amber said, praising Doctor's style.
Well, of course, Doctor is usually more of a brain than a brawny person. And as he said before, he mostly leaves the brawn to his operators, while he makes plans and gives commands. But in order to use this weapon, he had to take notes from the sniper operators, and spend more time training with Sideroca.
And for his arrows, the Doctor kept a lot of regular arrows. But he had also prepared some special arrows that he made using materials he found on his travels. Not only from minerals like the Electro Crystal, but also from plants like the Flaming Flower Stamen, and animals like the poison from pufferfish. It took a little more time to prepare than regular arrows, but the results were worth the effort.
Paimon looked at the now-disorganized field before putting her hand to her chin. "But something feels strange, how did the Hilichurl and Mitachurl get here?" Paimon asked. "These creatures don't seem like the type to set up camp so close to a city like this." Paimon continued, aware of the creature's strange behavior.
"Exactly," Amber agreed. "Usually they are far away in the wild. However, since the Stormterror dragon appeared recently, our orchards have been destroyed and the local market has also been affected." Amber explained, making the Party now know that the dragon they encountered was probably this Stormterror.
"When the storms hit, we usually end up with at least a few people injured, so the Knights of Favonius have been tied down to do their best to defend the area." Amber finished her explanation of Mondstadt's current situation.
"So these annoying creatures are getting closer to the city?" Paimon asked.
"Exactly." Amber nodded. "In a way, clearing out this camp has helped make the area a little safer." Amber said before letting out a sigh of relief.
From Amber's words, the Doctor now understood that the effects of Stormterror were far-reaching. With its presence feeling like a natural disaster, it was the natural instinct of every wild creature to become restless and try to move in search of a safer place. And this also affected humans in terms of economy considering the changing natural conditions. Plus the residents who crossed paths with the wild creatures seeking shelter also affected security.
"Well, that's a story for another person. Come with me! A responsible knight should make sure to get you to the city safely." Amber started again inviting the group to Mondstadt.
"Oh, wait, Amber! Before we go, let me do something important." Doctor said as he stepped away.
Amber raised an eyebrow, confused by the Doctor's intentions. Before then her expression changed to an awkward one when she saw Doctor taking food from the food storage inside the camp. "Really, Doc?" Amber said unimpressed as sweat dropped from her forehead.
"These are spoils of war." Doctor simply said. "Lumine! Paimon! Help me carry all of these!" Doctor said before continuing to loot the food storage again.
"Coming, Doc!" Paimon called back then floated toward Doctor.
Amber shook her head. "Are they for real?" Amber said with a sigh.
Lumine placed her palm on Amber's shoulder. "You will get used to it." Lumine said before joining both Doctor and Paimon, leaving Amber who could only watch their antics.
(Timeskip)
After finishing their business, the group continued their journey back to Mondstadt by following Amber. After a while, the dirt road changed to a stone brick bridge as they neared the gate entrance of the city. After they passed the entrance, a panorama of the inside of the city of Mondstadt was seen. Showing old-style houses, windmills, fountains, and a statue of Barbatos in front of a Cathedral.
Amber stood in front of the group. "Let me officially introduce the city of wind, dandelions, and freedom." Amber said proudly with a wide smile. "Travelers under the protection of the Knights of Favonius, Welcome to Mondstadt!" Amber ended her speech before gesturing to the beauty of the city.
Lumine was amazed by the panorama she witnessed from the city. Although the size of this city is relatively small, she was amazed by the contents of this city. The antique architectural style of each building gave a natural impression that was calm and elegant. Coupled with the style combining nature with urban atmosphere, it gave a feeling that truly illustrates the freedom of this city.
The Doctor took notice of people passing by. Bunch of people without visible Oripathy and animal features made the Doctor feel a strange feeling of nostalgia, reminding him of the people of his civilization. But even so, he still can't feel connected with those people no matter how similar they are in look.
"Finally, no more having to camp outdoors!" Paimon was the first to respond happily. Don't get her wrong, camping outdoors was cool and all, but it can be tiresome. Paimon missed civilization where she didn't have to be wary of wild animals, take shelter from the rain, or avoid annoying mosquitoes.
However Lumine notices the aura given by the people of Mondstadt. "But... the city folk don't look too cheery." Lumine comments on how gloomy the atmosphere of the people is.
Amber nodded, confirmed it. "Everyone's been put out of place by Stormterror recently." Amber explained somberly and couldn't sugarcoat the crisis they were experiencing, but then became optimistic again. "But everything will turn out fine as long as Jean's with us!"
"Jean?" Doctor questioned the foreign name he had just heard.
"Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius. Jean, Defender of Mondstadt. With Jean on our side, surely even the vicious Stormterror will be no match for us." Amber answered confidently.
"Hmm..." Doctor muttered to himself as he needed to take a note for this important figure.
'Sounds like someone pretty impressive...I hope she knows something about the God of Anemo.' Lumine thought.
"Before I take you guys to the Knights of Favonius Headquarters, I have a present for you, Lumine. It's a reward for helping me clear out that camp." Amber said.
"He-Hey! Why doesn't Paimon get a reward?" Paimon complained and pouted.
"Yeah, and what about me? I'm helping too." The Doctor protested.
"Ahh... Because this reward is useless to you, Paimon." Amber said nervously to not hurt the little fairy's feelings. She then glanced at Doctor. "And even if I gave it to you, Doctor. I'm not sure it would suit you." Amber said to the man. "But I'll treat you guys to a traditional Mondstadt delicacy, Sticky Honey Roast." She offered.
Paimon wiggled in the air excitedly. "Sticky Honey Roast!" She said dreamly.
"Well, I hope this is worth it." Doctor said, accepting the offer. If there's anything else that can catch his attention besides new knowledge, then it is good culinary delights.
"Come with me, we'll head to the city's ahh... high ground." Amber said Lumine suddenly snorted which made Amber turn to her. "Something's wrong?" Asked Amber who was confused about what she said which was considered hilarious by the Traveler.
"Nothing." Lumine simply said and tried not to crack a giggle as she remembered a certain franchise.
Amber leads the way as they walk through the city. "This used to be a bustling street... But with so many Stormterror attacks recently, the usual crowds are nowhere to be seen." Amber explains about the city on their way before she points at one of the buildings. "Except for the local tavern near the city wall over there. They haven't been affected. If anything, their business is better than ever."
'The city maintains their name and reputation in a very strange way.' Lumine mused in thought.
Doctor was busy looking around until his eyes fell on a booth that piqued his curiosity. "Hey, Amber. What is that?" Doctor asked the Outrider while pointing to the booth in question.
"Huh?" Amber looked in the direction the Doctor was pointing. "Oh, that? That's the Crafting Bench for public use. Those who have interest in alchemy or just need to make something with alchemy are permitted to use it. It's not as good as the one in Sumeru, but it's still working wonderfully." Amber explained.
Doctor put his finger to his chin and made a thinking pose. 'This could be useful.' The Doctor thought.
One of the differences between Terra and Teyvat is that Terra is very poor in natural resources. If it weren't for Originium, Terra's civilization might not have developed as rapidly as it is now and would still be in the Silver Age. Although alternative energy has been discovered, it still can't replace the greater role of Originium. In fact, this is one of the factors why he and his civilization only made a few projects on Terra, because even the materials had to be brought from outside.
However, Teyvat are rich for resources. Not only from minerals, but also natural energy that flows freely. If he learns to use that Crafting Bench, he might be able to make something that can help him on his journey, or even return home.
Curious, the Doctor asked again. "Do you have any experience with alchemy?" Doctor asked in order to get more information.
Hearing that question, Amber scratched her head while putting on an apologetic face. "Sorry, Doctor. But my knowledge is only limited to book titles." She said, ending with an awkward laugh. "But if you need questions, you can ask Timaeus. He's kind of great even though he's pessimistic about his own abilities. If you're lucky, you can meet Sucrose. She's much better at alchemy. But not as great as Albedo, the Chief Alchemist if you want further explanation." Amber suggested.
'Great... another name to take notes.' The Doctor thought and sighed inwardly.
Lumine, who had been listening to their conversation, raised an eyebrow in surprise. Alchemy practiced on the street? That sounds uncommon even for her. In her travels through worlds, alchemy was always a secretive art. Hearing it as a normal part of daily life just like hearing someone with three stomachs is common knowledge.
After walking for a while, eventually, they reached the high ground, a wide-open area in front of a grand building.
"So," Amber started. "The present I want to give you is... A Wind Glider!" Amber said as she pulled out the said object, a pair of collapsable wings and showed it to them.
"Outriders use them to ride the wind, and the people of Mondstadt love using them too." Amber explained a little bit about it. "I brought you here to give it to you so you can experience it right away!" She continued excitedly.
"Wow, you're really excited about these wind gliders, huh?" Paimon teased, making Amber smile shyly.
"Well that's because the wind is the heart and soul of Mondstadt!" Amber said excitedly back.
"I see. So this is the reason why you said it would be useless for Paimon. There's no point if Paimon can just float." Doctor commented.
Amber nodded. "That's right. And the reason why I didn't give you one is because I only have one pair of Wind Gliders left. And even that won't fit on your back because the glider adjusts to my body size, which is almost the same size as Lumine's." Amber explained.
"But, hey! We can get you one Wind Glider after this! I know a place where you can order a customized Wind Glider. What do you think?" Amber offered.
"Nah, I'm good. I'd rather make my own version of Wind Glider." Doctor refused. With his intelligence and the knowledge he managed to recover, along with all the materials Doctor had collected on the journey, he did plan to make his own items. And if he wanted a Wind Glider, he would make it better, stronger and more efficient.
Amber shrugged. "Alrighty then, enough talk! Let's give it a whirl! It's easy to use, but you still need to pay attention to my instructions." Amber said before standing behind Lumine to attach the Wind Glider to her back.
"Well, you girls do your things. I'll be waiting at the plaza while asking directions for the inn." Doctor said as he walked away.
"Be careful on the road!" Amber said as she waved before trying to attach the Wind Glider again. "Okay. In terms of gliding, the first thing you should feel is the wind blowing against you. Let the feeling of freedom brought by the wind penetrate your heart and without you realizing it your brain will instinctively guide you to glide like a baby bird in their first try to fly. Do you get it?" Amber explained while attaching the Wind Glider.
After a few seconds of silence, Lumine turned her head back to look at Amber. "No... in fact, I can't make sense of anything you say." Lumine said with sweatdropped.
This gonna take some time
(Meanwhile with Doctor)
During his walk, the Doctor wandered around Mondstadt while looking at the scenery presented in the city. He admitted, seeing the architecture they made reminded him of old Kazdel. However with a more peaceful, beautiful and terror-free version. Kind of ironic for a city of freedom to be compared with a country that wanted to bound everything in rule and order. However, this made him curious if the entire universe always had their parallel version, equivalent of themselves.
Asking the locals he passed, he arrived at an inn called 'Goth Grand Hotel'. Seems like a nice place to rest, he thought. But as soon as he was about to enter...
"Hey, you! Stop!" His steps were interrupted by a voice that stopped him. He turned towards the source of the voice and found a man in gray clothes with red patterns and a mask on his face. "The Goth Grand Hotel has been reserved for the Fatui delegation alone. No access for unauthorized persons!" The person said again in a stern tone.
A few seconds of silence before Doctor responded. "You have a weird mask." Doctor commented.
"Wha-! at least I have some face to show!" The person snapped in an annoyed tone before shaking his head. "Nevermind that. I know what you're trying to do. Distract me from my duties by provoking my emotions? Hah! Nice try, but no! Because the Loyal Luke never abandons his post!" The person now known as Luke declared.
"O...kay?" Doctor slowly said. "Listen, I'm just an outsider who wants to book a place. It's impossible for all the rooms to have been reserved." Doctor explained his point.
"Bah! Do you think I care?" The man retorted. "And if you ask, yes. The Fatui have booked all the rooms for this hotel for... a diplomatic delegation with Mondstadt! Yes... that's right!" The man said who was clearly hiding something as he tried to correct his words.
'Fatui, huh? This is my first encounter with these people. Probably an organization outside of Mondstadt with their own political power. But the vibe they are giving didn't sit well with me.' Doctor thought then he decided to try to dig deeper. "And what makes 'Fatui' to be in Mondstadt?" Doctor asked politely.
"Why to handle the Stormterror issue, of course!" He said smugly. "Haven't you heard? The Mondstadt Grandmaster, Varka, took the Elite forces of the Knights about half a year ago on an expedition. Leaving behind the current forces with skeleton crews. This is a great opportunity for Fatui! When Mondstadt is on the back foot, we Fatui will make our move... Then, whether it's pretext for stationing troops or gaining diplomatic sway..."
realizing he had said too much, Luke quickly shut up. "Bah, I've said too much! You heard nothing. and if you did it, wasn't from me, you understand?" he said in a threatening tone but failed miserably.
The Doctor raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. Geez you blame me for your mouth?" The Doctor said jokingly but in his mind he was thinking hard.
'So the security of this city has weakened after this 'Varka' took the elite forces. No wonder some people will use this opportunity to try to exert their influence. Coupled with the Stormterror disaster that occurred, it could be used politically by outsiders to infiltrate the city's government system.' Doctor thought before he thought of something. "And what makes you think Fatui can handle this issue? Are you strong enough for this task?" The Doctor asked the Fatui member.
"Well, I... no." He admitted. "To be honest, if only we were really that strong, we probably wouldn't have had a problem getting here from Snezhnaya." He said honestly. "But the Excellency knows the best! Once Signora arrives in Mondstadt, even ten such dragons would prove to be no challenge for her. As one of the Harbingers herself, even with just the flick of her finger she could..." he explained proudly.
But realizing he had let it slip again, he shut his mouth again. "Ah, uh, never mind... You didn't hear anything from me!" He tried to be firm but again, failed miserably.
"In any case, I'm sure it won't be too long before these Mondstadters come crying to Fatui, begging for us to step in." He said confidently.
"Yeah, sure. Keep telling yourself that, buddy." The Doctor said casually but in his head, he was thinking hard again.
'So those guys come from this place called 'Snezhnaya', probably on the scale of a country. And this 'Excellency' is probably the supreme leader. And this 'Harbingers' seems to be a term used to refer to some kind of head-executive. And this Signora is part of the Harbingers.' The Doctor thought, taking notes. He was lucky that this Fatui member's mouth was so easy to slip.
"Well, look... Luke was it?" Doctor placed his hand on Luke's shoulder. "It's nice to talk to you, but I really need to rest. How about a deal? You give me two rooms... wait, no. Just one room and I'll pay you double, how's that?" Doctor said before patting his shoulder.
"Really?" Luke started to get interested. "Well then... wait, no!" Luke pushed Doctor's hand away. "You think money can sway me from the duty that is entrusted to me by the Excellency themselves? Well, you're wrong!" He said firmly holding on to his mandate.
"Okay, I get it. You're pretty loyal, that's kind of impressive." Doctor said, honestly impressed by this guy's loyalty despite his clumsy mouth. "I'll find another place to rest, then. Have a nice day!" The Doctor said before walking away towards the plaza.
Luke grunted "Scram and never come back!" He shouted before entering the hotel, not realizing that when Doctor patted his shoulder, Doctor had secretly attached a transmitter to the back of his collar.
Doctor could see a red dot flashing on his visor screen which was Luke's location. This was an additional feature that Closure had installed into his mask before he was transported to this world. Fortunately, this feature and tool was one of few that was not damaged in his transfer to this world.
The Doctor dismissed the location tracker and sighed, realizing that even in a world more peaceful like this, he still can't put his guard down.
As Doctor arrived at the plaza, he took a deep breath to feel the fresh air and the bright sun. This city has not been contaminated by pollution and it seems like the ozone layer around this land has not thinned too much. The atmosphere given by this place is really cool, he can even smell dandelions.
"WOHOO!"
The joyful voice made Doctor turn his head and see Lumine who was gliding down with the Wind Glider given by Amber with Paimon holding on to her head. When she arrived at the plaza area, Lumine saw Doctor then dived to turn towards him. She landed smoothly then closed her Wind Glider again.
Paimon released her grip from Lumine's head. "Wow, Lumine. You look like you're having a lot of fun with your new Wind Glider." Paimon commented seeing how happy Lumine was.
The girl laughed shyly while scratching her head. "I can't help it. It's been a while since I felt such feeling of wind around me." She said with a nostalgic tone.
Doctor nodded. "So, how does it feel to glide with that glider?" Doctor asked the Outlander.
Lumine looked at the Doctor with a sparkling smile. "It's amazing! Sure it's a warped, lesser version of flying that I know, but I'm happy nonetheless." She said cheerfully.
Not long after that, Amber was also seen gliding towards them. She landed in front of the group smoothly. "That was amazing, Lumine! You're a natural at this. Usually it takes at least a week to master the Wind Glider. I almost thought that you originally could fly." Amber praised the Traveler, unnoticed the tense face with cold sweat from the said person.
The Outrider then turned her attention to Doctor. "So how was it, Doc? You found a place for you to rest?" Amber asked.
Doctor shrugged. "I tried? I found this Goth Grand Hotel, but was intercepted by this man with a mask and said that the hotel was already reserved for the Fatui delegation." Doctor explained.
Hearing the name Fatui, Amber's face turned into a frown. "Fatui, huh? Those guys just can't stop making a scene." Amber mutters before sighing.
"Fatui?" Lumine is confused because it's the first time she's heard this name.
"They are a faction from Snezhnaya. They are widely feared and despised due to their deceitful and conniving reputation. They say they came for negotiation and diplomacy but what happens is most of the terms they call 'negotiation', 80% are more beneficial to them." Amber explains and with mockingly when she refers to 'negotiation'.
"If they are that problematic, why didn't Mondstadt just shoo them away?" Paimon asked
"It's not that easy. Not only do they have strong forces with various roles, the Founder was actually the Cryo Archon herself, the Tsaritsa who is also the ruler of Snezhnaya. All the actions that the Fatui did were in her name. Even the high leaders had to think twice before rejecting them." Amber explained again.
Now the Doctor understood why the Fatui dared to put their influence in Mondstadt. The founder and director of the organization is the Cryo Archon and the ruler of Snezhnaya. This indicates how powerful their political power is.
If what Amber said was true, it means that the Fatui carried out direct duties from this Tsaritsa like a messenger. Expelling the Fatui without a legal reason is the same as opposing an international agreement. This could trigger a political war between the two countries, and of course Mondstadt would suffer great losses.
Amber shook her head. "Let's forget about that. If you want to find a place to stay, I know one inn around here that is not reserved by Fatui. It's not as grand as Goth Grand Hotel, but it's comfortable and cheap." Amber suggested.
"If they can provide a bed, then it sounds good for Paimon." Paimon nodded in approval. Paimon is a simple creature.
Lumine reached into their money bag and saw that it was almost empty. They might be able to stay for a while while looking for part-time work here to fill their supplies. Lumine nodded, also approving.
"Then follow me!" Amber said cheerfully and walked leading the guests to the inn they were looking for, which was also followed by the group from behind. But suddenly...
WHOOOSH
Doctor suddenly stopped walking as he felt a familiar gust of wind. A gust that felt like a fierce storm was falling from the sky. The same wind that was blown by the dragon they met in the forest.
Paimon noticed Doctor who stayed still before stopping too. "What's wrong, Doc?" Paimon asked, stopping the other two in their tracks.
"...the wind..." as soon as the Doctor said that, the entire city quickly began to be covered by thick black clouds accompanied by increasingly strong winds. "Amber! Warn the residents to evacuate immediately!"
A mighty roaring is heard in the distance, it was the Stormterror comes soaring from over the edge of the cliff, right in the direction of the city. "Now!" Doctor warns again.
Understanding the danger that is approaching. Without waiting, Amber immediately warns the people. "Everyone! Take shelter to a safe place immediately!" Amber shouts.
The dragon makes a couple of laps around the city, weaving through the buildings. People who see this leave what they are doing before running and screaming in terror looking for a safe place. Amber helps the residents for evacuation.
"Quick! This way!" Amber's instructions in securing the residents to a safe place, with Lumine and the Doctor helping. Paimon floating higher to make sure the possibility of residents still left behind.
After the last person has been secured, Amber rejoins the group. "That's the last of them." Amber says giving information.
Paimon comes down from the air and floats between them. "There are no more residents in the surrounding area." Paimon says after checking every corner of the city.
They watch the Stormterror fly past them with the wind around them starting to get crazier. "Then it's our turn to save ourselves." Lumine said before they started running for cover.
The Stormterror then came to a stop above the city and roared, summoning multiple huge tornadoes from the sky. The group ran as fast as they could to avoid the tornadoes.
However, Doctor was caught in the suction of one of the tornadoes, causing him to be stuck. "WHOOOAAAA!" Doctor screamed as he began to float from his feet.
Hearing Doctor's scream, they stopped running and saw the Doctor who got picked up by the wind. "Doctor!" They called out.
Paimon took the initiative to pull Doctor's hoodie, trying to get him back to the ground. However, because of her small body and the wind getting stronger, her efforts were in vain.
Lumine quickly grabbed Paimon's small body and tried to pull Doctor down. Amber helped by holding Lumine's shoulders and pulling with all her might.
However, the wind got stronger and they started to lift. A few seconds later, Amber's hand accidentally slipped from Lumine's shoulder, causing the three of them to be pulled into the sky by the tornado's wind.
"Lumine! Paimon! Doctor!" Amber calls out their names as she watches from below their apparitions disappear behind the black clouds.
(Meanwhile in the sky)
The group that was thrown into the sky is now spinning in the air. They hold each other so that they don't get separated in the air. After a while, they stop spinning and going up before gravity starts pulling them towards the land which is very high from where they are.
"We're all gonna die! Paimon hasn't tasted Sticky Honey Roast and Paimon will die before knowing how it tastes like!" Paimon screaming in terror and despair.
"Snap out of it, Paimon! We haven't died yet! And I have no plan for it either! We still have a chance to survive this landing!" The Doctor said to the white haired girl.
"Just like he said, there's still hope. Paimon, get behind my shoulder and hold on tight there." Lumine instructed. Paimon nodded before then climbing toward Lumine's shoulder and holding on tightly to her head.
"there will be a little shaking." Lumine warned before wrapping her arms around Doctor's shoulders and opening her Wind Glider. The air resistance from the Glider made them jolt slightly but it was no problem, as their fall had slowed to a safe speed.
"Phew! Good quick thinking, Lumine! Paimon thinks she's almost seeing the great-grandfather of Teyvat, almost." Paimon praised the Outlander and sighed in relief.
The said person didn't immediately respond as she watched the city now being torn apart by several tornadoes and with the Stormterror roaming overhead, bringing more destruction. "This is horrible..." Lumine muttered under her breath with a solemn expression.
Doctor said nothing as he also watched the scene. He was right that this being is like a storm with its own consciousness, judging by the power the dragon was displaying. He didn't know how to react, because compared to the horror of the catastrophe on Terra, this was nothing.
After a few moments of silence, Doctor felt something strange about the wind around them. It wasn't from the Stormterror and it wasn't from the atmosphere. It actually felt like someone was lifting you. "Hey, do you girls feel something weird with the wind?" Doctor asked the two of them.
The Traveler raised an eyebrow before thinking of something. "Now that you mention it, I carried you both with just a Wind Glider but I didn't feel any change in weight at all." Lumine said, who as someone who once had wings, carrying an extra person should have given the Glider some extra force.
Hearing their comments, Paimon looked around and noticed something. "Huh? Isn't it like we're staying in the same place and didn't move anywhere?" Paimon asked in surprise.
And true to her word, they realized that they were still floating freely in the air without changing altitude even with the passing of time. Normally they were supposed to be floating down due to gravity. In other words, instead of falling like a raindrop, they were hovering above like a cloud. What is going on here?
"I'm preventing your fall with the power of a thousand winds"
Lumine blinked as she felt like she heard someone talking. "Did you guys hear something?" Lumine asked in confusion.
"Huh?" Paimon blinked too. "No, Paimon didn't. Did you say something earlier, Doc?" Paimon asked the man.
"Girls, we are like in the second or third atmosphere, there are only the three of us up here, plus the dragon. Who else is around that can talk to us. And I'm speechless to make a sound." Even though Doctor said that, he still thought critically about what had just happened.
A moment later, Lumine felt a surge of power in her. She recognized this power, it was Anemo but the amount was much greater. Unlike before when she could feel the wind, she felt like she was part of the wind.
"Now, concentrate. See yourself grasping the wind. Harness its energy."
"Who... who said that!?" Paimon asked in confusion as she also heard the voice.
Hearing Paimon's words, the Doctor realized something. What Lumine and Paimon heard was not a whisper but telepathy. And the reason why he didn't hear it was because the helmet mask he was wearing had a feature to block any kind of mental attack that could disturb his concentration.
Putting that aside, if the voice they heard had something to do with the increase in power that happened to Lumine, that meant whoever this person was had the largest Anemo capacity they had ever seen throughout their exploration in Teyvat.
Lumine closed her eyes, concentrated, and began to feel the wind that was one with her. She opened her eyes and tried her new power. She quickly sped towards the dragon with a strong wind pushing her behind. Just like the voice said, it felt like she was supported by a thousand winds.
As they began to approach the Stormterror, Lumine controlled their speed to maintain their distance. "Alright, we're here. Now what?" Paimon asked, confused about what to do after coming this far.
"We might be able to use this power to somehow deal with that dragon. But... my hands are full right now." Lumine said, gesturing to her arms that hold on Doctor.
Responding to that, Doctor had an idea. "Oh, wait!" He took the crossbow from behind his waist, pulled the string, and aimed it at the dragon. "Lumine, concentrate your power on my crossbow!" Doctor gave the command.
Lumine nodded and concentrated her power on Doctor's crossbow. Instantly, an Anemo symbol appeared on the tip of the crossbow and a green arrow was created with a strong wind swirling around it.
'Such strong wind power! If this was just a regular crossbow, it might have been torn apart already.' Doctor thought after seeing the power channeled in his crossbow.
Doctor aimed at Stormterror then pulled the trigger of the crossbow, launching an arrow towards the dragon. The arrow hit Stormterror who let out a thunderous roar before it flew faster. "It's working! Get me close, Lumine, so I can get a shot!" Doctor instructed before pulling the string again for reloading another Anemo arrow.
They kept following the Stormterror and kept their distance. They were having a hard time because not only did they have to shoot the dragon, they had to avoid the wind shots that it returned.
The dragon didn't seem to be in pain when it was shot, but it seemed to lose its strength instead. Realizing this, Stormterror made a sharp turn to avoid the group's shots.
"Follow the da*n dragon, Lumine!" Doctor shouted as he watched Stormterror maneuver sharply past them.
"I'm trying!" Lumine screamed back as she used all her might to follow the turn and follow the dragon again and shoot the dragon again in a fierce battle above the cloud.
As the Doctor shot another Anemo arrow and hit Stormterror, it let out another roar. The dragon flew off high and retreated. The group watched the dragon move away and disappear from their sight and the power that supported Lumine earlier also disappeared, making them start floating down to the ground.
It took quite a while for them to get close to the ground. Lumine directed them to glide back towards the city. There she saw Amber who was still waiting for them in the plaza and waved at them, and decided to glide over there.
As they finally landed, Amber rushed toward them and gave a big embrace. "Oh thank Barbatos, you all are saved!" She said in a relieved tone before releasing her embrace and scanning over them to check for any potential injuries. "A-are you guys hurt?" Amber confirmed hesitantly due to her worry. As the group shook their heads in response, she let out a sigh of relief.
Suddenly, a slow clapping sound caught their attention. Looking towards the source of the sound, they saw a man approaching them while clapping his hands. He's a tall man with a slim build and dark complexion. His visible eye is sharp and slanted, periwinkle with long eyelashes and the diamond-shaped pupil. He has navy-blue hair with streaks of lighter blue, which he keeps pulled back in a long ponytail that reaches his waist. He has a black eyepatch on the right side.
He wears a white, collared, cleavage-revealing blouse with forearm-length sleeves that have dark blue folded cuffs. Above that, he wears what appears to be a light blue vest or jacket, and a cape adorned with a fur collar. He wears dark, tight-fitted trousers, and knee-length boots. For accessories, he wears fingerless gloves with spikes on the wrists and marked with the same diamond shape as his eyes. He also wears a loose brown belt from which his Vision hangs, as well as a rope which may be meant for a scabbard to carry his sword. He has a single earring on his left ear, which has some kind of blue gem on a metal frame shaped like a teardrop with a spike at the bottom. The same gems are found hanging off of two straps at his ankles. His outfit has many more small details, such as a blue band around his forearms to keep his cuffs folded, a chain across his chest that seems to be attached to the ends of his collars, and unexplained straps, belts or bands.
"You've actually got the power to go up against the dragon..." he said, sounding quite impressed and interested. "Are you a new ally..." he paused for a moment before he stared at the strangers with serious eyes. "...or a new storm?" He said mysteriously before joining them.
"Kaeya, you came at the right time! The Stormterror is attacking Mondstadt itself! We must-"
"Hold on, Amber." The man who is now known as Kaeya, interrupts the young woman's panic. "Did you perhaps forget to introduce us?" He reminded in a calm tone.
"Oh... right." Amber remembered before clearing her throat a little. "This is Kaeya, our Cavalry Captain." Amber introduces the man. "These two are travelers from afar, Lumine and Paimon." She continued introducing the two of them.
'From afar? Is that all we know of them?' Kaeya questioned in his thoughts.
The young woman then gestures to the man in black hoodie. "And this one is the... adult who accompanies them, who is also a doctor, called... Doctor?" Amber said, confused about how to arrange words to introduce the Doctor.
The Cavalry Captain raised his brow. "Doctor who?" Kaeya asked, confused as to why the man only introduced his title.
"Just... Doctor, that's it." He said with a sigh, knowing well that it seemed like he had to correct everyone when he introduced himself.
'Another person we don't know anything about. A doctor... with that get up?' Kaeya analyzed in his mind while he took a glance of Doctor's outfit from bottom to top. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you." Kaeya said politely before handing over hand to shake.
Knowing the intention of this Cavalry Captain, the Doctor humored him by extending his hand. "It's nice to meet you too." Doctor said politely before shaking hands with Kaeya.
While shaking hands, the Doctor analyzed the potential abilities of the Cavalry Captain. 'Strong trained grip, meaning he has been practicing sword techniques for quite some time. But from his movements, he is more of a tricker. The Vision he is wearing means he is a Cryo user. I can't be sure how skilled his elemental abilities are based on strength and creativity in using Vision. But as of now, I predict he is equivalent to a 4 to 5 star operator." Doctor thought made a calculation.
Kaeya showed a friendly face when shaking hands. He hid a serious face when he secretly glanced at the hand that he shook before returning to his friendly face.
After introducing himself, The Cavalry Captain then stared at the Outrider, asking for more explanation. "Long story short..." Amber began to explain, giving a short recap on what's happened up until now.
After listening to her explanation, Kaeya put his finger to his chin while making a thinking face. "I see." He said after understanding their story. "Welcome to Mondstadt, though you haven't arrived at the best of times, I'm afraid." He greeted with a little statement. "I understand the anguish of being separated from family." He nodded in understanding.
"I'm not really sure why you're looking for the Anemo God...But everyone has their secrets, right?" Kaeya said casually before chuckling at Lumine's awkward face. "Haha, relax! I won't press you for more." He assured the secretly Outlanders. "First and foremost, on behalf of the Knights of Favonius, I would like to extend our thanks to you for your help just now." With formality, Kaeya expressed his gratitude.
"Well, we couldn't just leave the situation to fester." Lumine said honestly before then clapping her palms together. "So... ah... where's the reward?" She asks with a toothy grin, making Amber who watched it stare at her with an unimpressed face.
"Ahh... how about a traditional Mondstadt delicacy, Sticky Honey Roast?" Kaeya offered.
"Oh! I just heard about that one!" Lumine said with sparkling eyes.
"Your fight to defend the city against the dragon just now was witnessed by no small number of citizens." Kaeya was right. The battle they fought was very flashy and had a big impact that it attracted the attention of many people and of course, their interest. "The Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius is also very interested in meeting you, and formally invites you three to our headquarters. Come with me." Kaeya informed them before inviting them to follow him to the intended place.
(On their way)
Kaeya is a very calculating person. It's understandable if you know his duty or moreover, look at his past. So you can understand how much distrust he harbors towards these three newcomers.
He knows Amber, and he knows that Amber is a good girl who does her best for Mondstadt. Unfortunately, she was still a rookie, an amateur who was still naive to the world. Kaeya was also sure that Amber must have missed many important details in the report she called 'story'.
She was also easily trusting to people she had just met, second to Noelle. She could have been used by others to leak Mondstadt's secrets without her realizing it, and that was what Kaeya suspected. These people came at the right time or by chance, and he would investigate.
The Cavalry Captain secretly took a glance behind. He caught the Outrider talking to the two newcomer girls. From Amber's words, the Stormterror, one of the Four Winds, which even if the current troops from Mondstadt were deployed, would not necessarily be able to beat back the dragon. And this girl was able to do such a feat with her extraordinary Anemo power even though Amber said she had difficulty facing the group of Hilichurls and Mitachurls at first? Either she was hiding her power or someone gave her a boost.
Plus the origin of this girl is very confusing. Her clothes do not show where she came from. Even the name 'Lumine' feels foreign to hear or say for him. Amber only said she was a traveler from far away who wanted to meet the Anemo God. Who knows where and what her objective is with all the strangeness she showed, but Kaeya will find out her secret.
Then the little flying girl, there is nothing meaningful to note from her except as a guide for that group. Never seen a race like this before. He can't be sure if she has a foreign power that can disrupt the stability of Mondstadt.
Both girls are mysterious, but not as mysterious as the adult man behind them. In fact, you could say this guy is much more mysterious than the two girls. Kaeya stopped glancing back so that his gaze would not be suspected by the said man. But he still thought about his impression when he met this man.
Doctor as they call him, the brain of this group they say. For someone with such title, carrying a powerful weapon that has never been seen and quite skilled at using it despite claiming not to be able to fight. Indeed, when he shook hands with him, he did not feel the hand of a fighter. But that could be because of the clothes he was wearing, and this lead to the next point.
His clothes were very covered, and he mean 'VERY'. Although Amber said that this was a kind of protective clothing that could protect him from various injuries, it was as if he was an important official whose safety and identity had to be protected. There were no gaps or open parts, as if the clothes were armor in the form of clothes.
The mask had a visor that reflected the reflection of the person who saw it. indicating that the visor's view was only one direction. up close, Kaeya couldn't even hear this man's breathing.
His gloves made him leave no fingerprints. And the strange thing that Kaeya mentioned earlier was that he did not feel the slightest body heat from Doctor. Not even a pulse was felt. As if he didn't even want to tell if he was a living creature or a dead person.
Kaeya didn't know if this had anything to do with the clothes he was wearing. But those girls didn't seem to realize that the Doctor had been walking without making a sound with every step. Even when dry leaves fell in his way, there were no crisp sounds from dry leaves being stepped on.
But the most striking thing about this Doctor, that even made someone like Kaeya inferior, was the aura he gave off. The aura of someone who had gone through countless hardships, battles, tragedies, chaos, and madness. The aura of someone who saw everything as if it were beneath him. The aura of someone who was relentless in silently and ominously, watching and calculating everything.
All those quirkiness this 'Doctor' showed... as if he was some kind of 'Ghost'.
And cut!
There's too much decision making to do for just one chapter so it's still connected with the real lore and characters personality. and I've lost count of how many times I've written the name 'Amber' in this chapter!
Sorry I can't make epic fight scenes because I only rely on gameplay and cutscenes. I put my focus on drama, adventure and mystery. Hope it didn't turn out cringe, but what do you think?
Once again, if you find any mistakes such as grammar, incorrect word usage, missing paragraph, or if you have any suggestions, please let me know.
See ya!