Lumine soon exited Dawn Winery after her impromptu meeting with Vikram and Yumi. The overwhelming sensation of power that she felt from both of them was tough to ignore.
As she walked the streets of Mondstadt trying to clear her head, she suddenly felt a rush of wind beside her and began gripping her sword.
Lumine's instincts kicked in as something was off. She scanned the area, her sharp eyes catching a flicker of movement. From the shadows of the winery's archway, a figure stepped forward—a Fatui member, clad in dark, ominous armor adorned with an emblem of the Harbingers.
"Who are you?" Lumine asked.
His presence was unsettling, his lips curling into a smirk as he approached, his hands crackling with anemo energy.
"Just someone who is trying to do his job, Traveler. And you are going to help me." The Fatui said to her.
Lumine felt the rush of anemo energy, a familiar force that spoke of speed and agility. She had faced many challenges before, but the Fatui always brought a unique intensity to their confrontations. And with a swift movement, the Fatui agent soon launched himself at her, his anemo powers propelling him forward like a darting falcon. Lumine barely had time to react as he struck with a powerful wind slash, the air cutting through the space between them. She rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack, and regained her footing quickly.
"Nice dodge, but you will need more than that to defeat me, Traveler!"
Lumine could feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins as she focused. The Fatui were skilled, but she had a connection to the very elements they wielded. Drawing on her anemo abilities, she closed her eyes for a brief moment, centering herself.
She soon summoned a gust of wind and sent it straight at the Fatui member who tried to counter with his gust of wind two forces collided in an explosion of wind, sending debris flying and rattling the nearby windows of the winery.
"I don't care what you want, I won't let you harm anyone here in Mondstadt!"
The Fatui member winced in pain as he felt some of the debris hit him and draw blood as he and Lumine soon crossed swords again.
Soon he raised his hand, concentrating. A whirlwind formed at his feet, lifting him into the air. He launched himself at Lumine with a powerful thrust, aiming for a direct hit.
Lumine reacted instinctively, leaping to the side and channeling her anemo abilities to create a barrier around herself. The Fatui agent struck the ground where she had been standing, the impact causing the earth to tremble and creating a shockwave that knocked Lumine off balance.
But she soon regained her balance and summoned a powerful gust that lifted her up into the air. The wind wrapped around her like a protective cloak, granting her the speed she needed. She soared upward, her sword glinting in the last rays of sunlight as she closed the distance between them.
"Not so fast!"
He attempted to counter her with another gust of winds but Lumine was ready. With a swift motion, she slashed her sword through the air, sending a blade of wind slicing toward him. The attack struck true, forcing him to divert his focus and dodge to the side.
"Now!"
Gathering all her energy, she called upon the power of the wind to create a cyclone that spiraled around her, the force increasing with each second. It became a vortex, drawing the Fatui closer into its grasp.
The Fatui member attempted a brave as he drew closer to Lumine.
"You think this will be enough to stop me?"
But Lumine was relentless. The vortex intensified, and with a final thrust of her sword, she directed the swirling winds toward him, sending him crashing to the ground.
The impact resonated through the street, shaking the very foundations of Mondstadt. Dust and debris settled, and as the wind calmed, Lumine descended, landing gracefully beside the defeated Fatui agent.
As he laid sprawled on the ground, Lumine soon went up to him and placed her sword at his neck.
"You… are stronger than I thought. As expected from the infamous Traveler."
Lumine soon looked ready to kill him but when the Fatui agent said something that made her pause.
"You know I can help you, I happened to know that those two youths that you met recently in the Winery are in danger."
That made Lumine pause as she soon lowered her sword and the defeated Fatui got up.
"And you know this how?"
The Fatui member, Vestra soon dusted himself off and told her about how more corrupt members of the Fatui were planning on kidnapping Vikram and Yumi and bringing them to the Tsarita for some reason.
Lumine looked hesitant as she asked the obvious question.
"And why would you help me? You're one of them."
Vestra soon sighed and gave his answer.
"Because I'm tired of following orders that only lead to destruction. I want to make a difference, let me prove it to you. Spare me, and I will show you everything I know."
Lumine weighed her options. The streets of Mondstadt were quiet now, the shadows of the evening creeping in. She could see the sincerity in his eyes, a rare glimpse of a man torn between duty and morality.
"If you are lying-"
"I am not… just give me a chance to prove myself."
Lumine soon sheathed her sword as the tension lowered from her body.
"Alright then, you got yourself a deal."
A relieved smile broke across his face as he stood, brushing the dirt from his clothes.
"Trust me you won't regret this."
And As they stood in the fading light, the first stars began to twinkle above them, a symbol of hope amidst the chaos. There was the promise that hey would face the storm ahead, but Lumine couldn't shake the feeling that the winds of fates were just beginning to stir.
