~ Prologue ~

Chapter 3 – A Sudden Encounter

Dirt, leaves, and grass crunched beneath the feet of two travellers that meandered on the pathway within the dense patch of forestry as nigh-muted sounds of falling leaves continued to flutter through the air and thus fall to the ground, somewhat making the setting oddly peaceful.

However, the group comprised of Tanjiro, Aether, and Paimon had wary expressions on their faces as they kept their wits about them, for they took heed of the massive creature that just landed in the woods mere moments earlier—and as any sane person would do, it was wise to be on one's guard.

"Do you guys hear that?"

They stopped in their tracks when Paimon murmured her words out as their eyes slowly darted to their surroundings with careful intent a second later – and true to the fairy's words, their ears picked up a rumbling sound.

Precisely, a low, guttural growl.

"Up ahead," Aether whispered, glancing waveringly at his companions. "Stay close."

Sharing a nod of agreement between the three of them, they stealthily motioned forward - and with swift movements, they hid behind the nearest tree, subsequently pressing their backs against it and daringly peeked around the edge of the tree bark.

"Over there," whispered Paimon.

When Tanjiro sneaked a look on the corner of the tree, it was there he fully discerned the humongous creature where it had varying gradients of cerulean across its skin and scales, its eyes emitting a blue flame kind of effect—and such a creature was crouching before a green-clad stranger.

"Don't be afraid," soothed the green-clad boy. "It's all right. I have returned."

The trio from behind the tree watched the scene unfold in front of them, their faces morphing in silent fascination.

"Is he talking… to the dragon?" Paimon whispered.

The answer came not in a form of words, but rather in an ethereal hum that emanated from Aether's chest, in which it flickered in a hue of bright teal without warning.

In the next moment, as if being snapped away from a trance-like state, a snarl escaped the dragon's throat, shortly developing into a vicious roar that forced the green-clothed boy to jump back when the beast nearly grazed him with its razor-sharp claws.

"Who's there!?"

Tanjiro met his emerald gaze only briefly before the azure dragon flared its wings intimidatingly, shaking the wind and trees in the vicinity as a result. Using both forearms to shield his face from the blustery wind, he managed to steal a glimpse of the mysterious stranger slowly walking backward and disappearing from the scene in a swirl of cerulean feathers.

The monstrous creature propelled itself off the ground with its gigantic wings before roaring once more and flying off in a fit of rage, the harsh air soon calming down from the dragon's absence.

"Well, that was close," the snow-haired fairy began. "Paimon almost got blown away!" She flitted her attention to the crimson-eyed boy next to her thereafter, lips curling into a grateful smile. "Good thing I held on your jacket, Tanjiro. Thanks."

Tanjiro mirrored her friendly grin. "It's no problem."

"Seemed like we walked in on something important there," Aether noted.

"Looks like it," Paimon agreed. "Whatever just happened, it definitely has something to do with that green weirdo who was talking to the dragon."

"Is… talking to dragons considered normal here?" Tanjiro posed.

The pixie breathed a disapproving sigh. "Of course not."

Tanjiro then settled his gaze on where the blue beast was initially. "It looked like something startled the dragon." A short silence befell his mouth before he swivelled over to his gold-haired companion. "Any idea what happened, Aether?"

Aether only shook his head in response, equally confused as he look at his teal-shaded chest. "Something did happen, but I'm not sure what."

Strange as it was, the only thing they could deduce at the moment was the fact his newfound powers caused some kind of unknown reaction on the spot.

"Hm? What's that?"

The fairy's voice broke Tanjiro and Aether from their own musing, their heads turning to their floating companion, and then to the direction of where she was looking; their eyes shortly fixating on a glimmering crimson object hovering in the distance.

"There's a shiny red thing on the big rock over there…" Paimon mused, twirling around to face the two. "Let's go take a closer look, but let's be careful."

Keeping that in mind, they inched closer to the gleaming gem, and once they were near it, the jewel seemingly gave off a baleful aura as each of them were occupied in their own thoughts, more so when a certain burgundy-haired boy had a grim expression on his face.

'This scent…' Tanjiro contemplated, the scarlet object reflecting in his eyes. 'Such pain and anguish…'

"Paimon's never seen a stone like this before." The sprite leaned her head to the side thoughtfully as she continued. "All Paimon knows is that it's dangerous. Best we put it away for now."

After a brief moment, it was Aether who picked up the gem with an open palm, letting it float on his hand for a few little seconds before curling his fingers inward - and making it vanish into nothingness after opening his palm again.

Magic proved to be such a foreign concept for Tanjiro to fully comprehend from time to time; it was unpredictable in many aspects to the point his mind still couldn't wrap around the way his braided friend can summon his sword and make it disappear on a whim.

Even Aether wasn't able to give a proper explanation, saying it was just something natural to him.

Once the crystal had been safely stowed away, Paimon spoke again. "All right, we've got it! Now, let's get out of here."

Afterward, the trio of outlanders resumed on the pathway, continuing their small chat about their little rendezvous from earlier.

"What do you think they were doing?" Tanjiro brought up.

"No idea." Aether's shoulders lifted in a shrug. "Still… I can't believe dragons exist in this world."

"Yeah, Paimon gets why you're worried."

"Have you encountered any dragons before, Aether?" Tanjiro questioned.

"In some worlds, yeah." The braided boy nodded casually. "But then again, they're the kind of creatures you don't wanna run into."

"Paimon's with you on that one."

Before the conversation could go any longer, the three passed through a clearing, one that allowed them to leave the forest and scan the open area – where some kind of town sat on an island in the middle of a translucent lake.

"There it is." Paimon gestured a hand at the cluster of buildings on the far side connected by a stone bridge. "Mondstadt."

The three came to a stop as they stared at the city with clear wonder on their faces – and when they paced a few steps onward, the sound of footfalls was immediately heard from somewhere, accompanied by a voice that boomed in the air.

"Hey! Stop right there!"

The trio froze in their tracks, prompting them to look behind, only to find no one – but as soon as they looked forward, a figure leaped into the air from an elevated terrain on the side, in which it landed in front of them and rolled forward, albeit skipping a few feet.

Tanjiro, Aether, and Paimon exchanged looks of bewilderment for a second, and when the unfamiliar person spun to face them, a young girl with honey-coloured eyes and long, brown hair met their gaze, one who was garbed in a red hoodie-like top with red-and-white stockings laced in gold linings and accents. Gloves covered her dainty hands and a red headband was neatly fashioned in a large bow on her head along with a pair of gold-laced goggles—and dangling from her leather belt was a vermillion trinket with two red feathers attached below.

Tanjiro stared at the spherical crystal in silent thought. 'A Vision…'

During his travels in Teyvat, their fairy friend elucidated what those ornamental orbs were; a special item that allowed its chosen user to control elemental energy based on the element granted to them, and if memory served him correctly from what Paimon had discussed with him, what hung from the girl's waist was a Pyro vision.

"May the Anemo God protect you, strangers!" the girl greeted formally as she straightened her posture, lifting a hand up on her chest and then laying it back down to her side in one quick motion, presumably expressing a greeting of sorts. "I am Amber, Outrider for the Knights of Favonius."

Before any of the three could have the chance to speak, she pressed on with her words. "You three don't look like citizens of Mondstadt," the girl stated dubiously. "Explain yourselves!"

Paimon shook her head, waving her hands in front of her. "W-We're not looking for trouble. Honest!"

The young girl was seemingly unconvinced. "That's what troublemakers always say."

"T-Troublemakers? We're not—"

"Hi," a third voice suddenly intervened. "My name is Aether," the gold-haired boy introduced, placing a hand on his chest - and casting a sideways glance to the person opposite the sprite.

Within mere seconds, Tanjiro caught on cue. "O-Oh, Tanjiro Kamado." He bowed his head and flashed a friendly smile to the brunette-haired girl once he lifted his head. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Amber."

"Hmm… Doesn't sound like local names to me." She crossed her arms and frowned a bit, strictly eyeing him - before her eyes drifted down and focused on the bladed weapon on his hip.

"Wait a minute…" The girl knitted her eyebrows, a few seconds of silence taking place before the words rolled past her tongue. "Are you… from Inazuma?"

Tanjiro stared blankly at her, visibly stunned at the unexpected question. "I-Ina… zuma?"

"That sword you got there. From what I've read in a few books, some people in Inazuma carry those kinds of swords around."

Rivulets of sweat started to trail down Tanjiro's forehead, his heartbeat thundering inside his chest. "I… d-don't—"

"…And from what I've heard, the nation's currently on lockdown too," Amber revealed, cutting him off from his babbling. "How'd you get out?"

Breathing became difficult, the barrage of questions confounding Tanjiro more and more as he couldn't assemble his thoughts properly. His palm found its way on his head while he scrambled to say anything comprehensible.

"Sorry, but Tanjiro would rather not say."

Amber swivelled her head to the person who spoke out. "Oh, why's that?"

There was not a sliver of hesitation in Aether's voice. "Because he's not comfortable in sharing what he went through."

'Aether…' Tanjiro vocalized in his head as he could only gape at his blond companion, whose countenance remained resolute regardless of the stated lie. To be frank, it was a partial lie in itself, but that was beside the point.

"A-Ah, is… is that so?" The petite girl rubbed the back of her head apologetically, shifting back to the boy she somewhat interrogated. "Really sorry about that, Tanjiro. I… didn't mean to ask you from out of the blue like that."

"I-It's all right…" Tanjiro waved his hands inoffensively, lips curling into a weak smile in hopes of relieving her worries. "You didn't know, Miss Amber."

The conversation fell into temporary silence – before the Favonius girl raised her head once more and fixated her attention on the hovering figure next to him. "And this… uh… mascot, what's the deal with it?"

Tanjiro took note of where the girl's attention was fixated on, his gaze flickering over to the sprite, before going back to the brunette-haired girl. "Oh, she's our—"

"Emergency food."

"H-Hey!" the fairy chastised, glowering at the blond traveler rooted on her left. "How many times will Paimon tell you to not call her that?!"

"Probably a lot," Aether quipped, a smirk taking form on his features. "I sometimes forget."

Paimon gritted her teeth, folding her arms in irritation. "Why, you little…"

Tanjiro, who was watching quietly from the side, only shook his head lightly and sighed. Clearly, it wasn't the first he would see them bicker playfully with each other and it wouldn't be the last too. These kinds of circumstances would more or less occur, and at times, he had to step in and defuse the situation by lightly scolding them if things went too far.

Although Tanjiro didn't want to admit it out loud, seeing them as such from every so often would evoke a pleasant smile on his face, doubly so when the memories started to flood his mind; those of which that reminded him of fleeting moments where he and his siblings would engage in similar bouts.

"Summing it all up, you three are like… traveling partners, right?" Amber inquired.

At that, Aether bobbed his head, half-ignoring the grumpy fairy next to him. "Yeah, you could say that."

"Well, look…" Expelling a small sigh, Amber placed a hand on her hip. "There's been sightings of a large dragon flying around Mondstadt recently. Best you three get inside the city pronto," she said. However, she blinked twice, as if contemplating her previous words, and after a few seconds, she added, "Huh, you know what? As a matter of fact, you three can come with me. I can escort all of you there."

"Oh?" Paimon turned to her, forgetting the small argument she was in seconds ago as she slightly tipped her head on one side. "Aren't you out here for some other reason?"

"I am. But not to worry, I can keep you three safe while doing that too," the girl reassured, casting a wary eye on each of them. "After all, I'm still not sure if I can trust you three just yet!"

"A bit rude to address guests like that, don't you think?" came Aether's retort.

"Oh, ahhh…" Amber seemed to retract her statement, scratching the back of her head sheepishly. "Probably not something I should say as a knight. Apologies, uh… strange yet... respectable travelers."

"That sounded so fake!" Paimon huffed out.

"Hey! Do you have something against the type of language usage prescribed by the Knights of Favonius Handbook!?" The Outrider argued before letting out an exasperated breath. "Forget it, just follow me."

Moments later, they resumed on their way as Tanjiro, Aether, and Paimon tailed behind the young girl at a leisurely pace.

"So, suspicious travelers…" Amber started to say. "What brings you to Mondstadt?"

"Well, for starters, Aether got separated from his sister during a really long journey," Paimon explained. "Paimon and Tanjiro are his travel buddies, and we're trying to help him look for his sister."

"Right," Tanjiro added. "We're hoping we could gather some clues about his sister's whereabouts here if there are any."

A long, thoughtful hum reverberated in Amber's throat. "Looking for his family, huh?"

Silence enveloped the air before an energetic voice broke through it. "I got it!" The brunette girl twirled around with a beaming expression. "Let me finish my other stuff first, and then I can help put up posters around the city."

"We appreciate the help, but…" Paimon trailed off, raising an eyebrow. "What exactly do you need to finish doing first?"

Amber just grinned. "It's simple. You'll see in a bit."

Perplexed by her statement, the trio nonetheless followed her without a question—and for reasons unknown, she sauntered further uphill, away from the city. In a span of a couple of seconds, something moved atop the elevated terrain.

"Ah!" Paimon let out a surprised sound, pointing at the moving masked figure. "A hilichurl!"

Amber was swift to give chase. "Quick, after it!"

It was an order that Tanjiro, Aether, and Paimon acknowledged when they bolted forward and pursued their target, and when the masked goblin perceived their presence, it uttered a worded 'YA!' in shock – only to be silenced after a flaming arrow whistled through the air and pierced through its mask, causing it to fall to the ground with an audible thump.

After they approached the unmoving body, a voice spoke afterward, belonging to none other than the brown-haired Outrider – who was also the one who summoned her bow right out of thin air.

"These monsters are getting closer and closer to the city recently," Amber said. "My job is to clear out their nearby camp."

"…Like the one over there?"

Tanjiro, Amber, and Paimon perked their heads towards Aether, and then to the direction of where his eyes honed on; a small encampment of sorts was structured much further away with a disorderly wooden blockade, no less inhabited by a mass of hilichurls and mitachurls that were idly sitting on the ground while two sat on a tumbledown wooden tower.

The brunette-haired Outrider let out a long, pensive hum as she surveyed the area. "Looks like a bit of work to handle," she mumbled, taking only a short while before she turned her focus to the two boys with a chipper smile. "All right, tell you what. Consider this an opportunity 'cause I'll let you both help me just this once."

Tanjiro blinked. "…Help?"

"Mhm!" Amber hummed light-heartedly. "Both of you seem like strong fighters to me. Why don't you show me that your sword is more than just a decoration?"

Paimon folded her arms together, lips quirking up to a smirk. "Good thing you noticed because these two aren't pushovers from Paimon's experience, heh."

Unsure, Tanjiro looked to his yellow-haired friend for aid – only to find a confident smile on Aether's face as a sword shimmered in his hand. The small nod sent his way was enough of a clear message, doubly so when Tanjiro nodded back and unsheathed his blade, the sharp sound of steel whistling through the air as he gently lowered it on his side; relaxed, but nevertheless prepared.

With determination seeping on his features, a firm smile tugged on his lips as Tanjiro faced the young girl and said, "Lead the way, Miss Amber."

Amber simply returned a smirk. "Heh, you two better not slow me down."

"Ya!"

Every hilichurl and mitachurl heeded the loud cry from one of their own as they fixated their full attention towards a certain direction - and seeing three aggressors approach their camp with such haste only caught them off-guard.

Multiple blazing arrows zipped through the air and struck the hilichurls posted on the wooden tower, their bodies going limp; allowing two boys to bolt ahead without a second to spare.

Channeling the might of Anemo, Aether rushed forward like a gust of wind, leaping into the air with a spin and bringing down an Anemo-powered slash onto three unprepared hilichurls as they slumped to the earth. He then mustered a wind vortex in his palm and shot his arm forward that staggered a number of the bone-masked creatures temporarily—and in that instant, that opening was capitalized on by a certain marked boy that vaulted over him.

"Water Breathing!"

With a sharp inhale, Tanjiro jumped over his braided companion and lunged forward, swinging his katana that fell one hilichurl, and then another, and another with consecutive cuts while simultaneously twisting his body in a flowing pattern.

"Third Form: Flowing Dance!"

As the bodies thumped against the dirt, there was no time to rest just yet. Movement from his peripherals prompted him to sway his eyes as an ax-wielding mitachurl met him; one that was already prepared to bring its weapon down in an overhead arc.

However, Tanjiro nimbly evaded the head-on assault, side-stepping and gaining some space for himself as the edge of ax-head slammed heavily into the dirt. The brawny brute seemingly realized its target had averted away, and before it could react, Tanjiro was already moving as his blade whistled sharply in an uppercut-like slash, preluding the powerless mitachurl to drop with a dull thud.

Tanjiro brought his gaze over to the noise on the side, seeing how Aether finished off a few numbers of hilichurls on his own while harnessing his Anemo abilities against them. When the seemingly last goblin humanoid had fallen, the blond then looked his way with a tiny grin on his face. Their stare-off however did not last long when a chorus of heavy footfalls reached their ears and forced them to hone their attention towards the sound.

Paimon merely emphasized it. "Reinforcements!"

Right on cue, an angry mob of hilichurls was advancing from afar; the majority of them equipped with wooden clubs and shields, all but prepared to vent out their feisty temper on their attackers.

Tanjiro was swift to assume a fighting stance, but before he could do anything more, a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder, the familiarity of said hand making him drift his gaze to the side.

"Aether…"

"Stand back, Tanjiro."

Bemused at the request, Tanjiro nonetheless complied, stepping a few feet back and letting his gold-haired friend handle the floor.

Expelling a steady breath, Aether concentrated and dredged up the power within him as traces of Anemo began to course around his being, his teal chest thrumming with an ethereal glow in response to his will. Wisps of wind energy gathered around his blade, and in that moment, he crouched on one knee before hopping up with a full turn and swiping his weapon across the air.

"Go with the wind!"

The firm command was brought forth at once as a medium-sized tornado coalesced and rotated violently towards the group of incoming hilichurls. The powerful force pulled them in and lifted them up into the revolving column of air, rendering them helpless to resist the forceful current.

All of a sudden, several burning arrows whooshed through the air and came into contact with the spinning vortex, thus causing the tornado to swirl in a lethal combination of Anemo and Pyro.

The two boys jerked their heads responsible for the assisting attack, only for their eyes to broaden when a smirking Amber conveyed a playful salute in return. Extending a thankful nod to her, the whirlwind finally dispersed after a matter of seconds, eventually scattering the hilichurls as they burned to nothing but ashes from the scorching aftermath.

"Heads up, you two! There's more incoming!" Amber announced spiritedly, sharpening her eyes to another horde of hilichurls from afield, albeit fewer than the last.

Paimon grimaced. "Ugh! These things just don't when to give up."

Tanjiro and Aether brandished their blades and met the rushing hilichurls halfway, unleashing their respective techniques in tandem that greatly overwhelmed the masked goblins later on.

It didn't take long for them to subdue the remaining goblin creatures. Despite having a fierce spirit in battle, they possessed a rather simple-minded thought of fighting instead of retreating, one which rather ended pitifully for them.

"All right! That's the last of 'em." Taking one final glance around her surroundings to clarify, Amber then faced her companions with a fond smile. "Though I gotta be honest, you two surprised me with your moves there. Thanks for the backup."

"Happy to help," Aether responded kindly, throwing his sword aside as it disappeared. "They're not that strong, but they sure compensate for numbers."

"How did the hilichurls end up here anyway?" Paimon questioned queerly. "These creatures don't appear to be the kind to set up a camp so close to a city."

"My exact thoughts," Amber concurred. "It's more normal for them to be much further out in the wilderness, but because Stormterror has been around a lot more frequently, our orchards have been destroyed and the local market has been affected as well. When the storms would hit, we usually end up with at least a few injuries, so the Knights of Favonius have been tied up doing the best they can to scout and defend the area."

"In that sense, these hilichurls have been getting closer and closer to the city, right?" Paimon asked worryingly.

Amber nodded responsively. "Clearing this camp should help make this area a little bit safer."

"If that's the case…" Tanjiro mused out. "We should keep a close eye on where these hilichurls might appear next."

"You got that right!" The girl offered a thumbs-up before beckoning them with a hand. "Anyway, now that's over, follow me! A responsible knight must ensure you three are escorted safely into the city."

With the small issue resolved, the group of four strolled across the lengthy stone bridge with banner-covered lamp posts, steadily approaching the arching entrance where massive curtain stone walls with numerous paned windows stretched far on each side, enclosing the city inside. Above the stone arch was a lion-carved crest and on the fortified towers were rectangular banners drooped on each of them—and poised on the front gate were two knights that promptly ceased them a moment later.

"Halt!" one of the guards asserted, specifically the one with brown hair. "Outrider Amber, may I ask who these people are?"

"They're with me, Swan. No need to worry."

While Amber carried her conversation with the guard, Tanjiro quietly observed the man garbed in a steel uniform. Wearing a black long-sleeve shirt and brown pants, white plate armor was worn on top of them, along with other pieces of armor located at the shoulders, forearms, and knees. The breastplate was embellished with a peculiar symbol and a sheathed sword hung from his belt on his left hip.

"They're… distant travellers, you say?" another guard named Lawrence queried lightly, somehow projecting a jab of skepticism as he looked to each individual apart from the Favonius Outrider.

Amber hummed in reply. "I just found them passing through Whispering Woods and I'm here to guide them through the city."

A moment of silence passed before the man named Swan breathed out a long sigh. "Well, if you haven't noticed already, we're experiencing abnormal weather patterns and sightings of Stormterror as of late," he said. "Everyone is advised to take shelter during these times."

Amber dipped her head in understanding. "Oh, we know. I just finished dispatching a hilichurl camp nearby with a little help, so we're just about to do that."

"Ah… well…" The Favonious Knight straightened his posture, sending a firm nod their way. "May Barbatos and his gentle wind protect all of you!"

Bidding the two guards adieu, they passed through the stone arch entrance, coming to a full stop in the middle of a street lined with cobblestone. Once in the city itself, Tanjiro, Aether, and Paimon took the sights in with an awed look; several timber-framed buildings laden with tan walls, window panes, and red-tiled roofs, counting the traces of green foliage beneath the eaves in addition. A few stalls and markets dotted the street, but most were barren, most likely due to the current predicament the city was in.

"Let me officially introduce you to the city of wind, dandelions, and freedom!" Amber exclaimed with enthusiasm rich in her voice. "Under the protection of the Knights of Favonius — Welcome to Mondstadt, travelers!"

Paimon sighed with relief. "Finally, no more having to sleep outdoors!"

Tanjiro strongly shared the pixie's sentiments quite well. There were instances where they were ambushed and stalked upon in the dead of night; the recurring confrontations of hilichurls, wild plant flowers, slimes, and even bandits were becoming a major inconvenience every now and then.

Hopefully, such nuisances could be avoided this time around.

"But… the city folk don't look all too cheery," Paimon observed, glancing around the surrounding district.

"Well, everyone's been put out of place by Stormterror recently," Amber elaborated. "But everything will turn out fine as long as Jean's with us!"

"…Jean?" Aether parroted.

"Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius — Jean, Defender of Mondstadt!" Amber cheerily expressed. "With Jean on our side, I believe even the vicious Stormterror will be no match for us."

'Sounds like a reputable and amazing person,' Tanjiro pondered.

"Oh, but before I take you guys to the Knights of Favonius Headquarters, I have a present for both of you," she said, her honey eyes flickering between the two boys. "It's for helping me take out that hilichurl camp earlier."

"W-What!?" Paimon squawked. "Why doesn't Paimon get a reward?"

That quirked an eyebrow from Aether. "I think you're forgetting who did the heavy-lifting here."

"Hey! Paimon gave moral support," she countered. "That should at least count for something!"

A small giggle escaped Amber's lips. "It's because this reward is useless to someone like you, Paimon." This only earned a petulant pout from the white-haired sprite – but the young Outrider was quick to continue. "But I'll make sure to treat you to a traditional Mondstadt delicacy — Sticky Honey Roast."

"Sticky Honey Roast!" The pixie reiterated rather enthusiastically, her spirits lifted in essence.

"But before that, come with me. We'll head to the city's high ground first."

Proceeding on their way, they walked up the wide stone stairs further forward, ambling by multi-story structures on both sides as they reached an area of what looked like a district of business shops with a fountain built in the center.

"This place used to be bustling…" Amber spoke dimly. "But with so many Stormterror attacks lately, the usual crowds are nowhere to be seen."

True to her word, Tanjiro took note of how the area was relatively deserted, save for a few vendors in their respective establishments and citizens strolling here and there – with said people also throwing him and his group mixed expressions of confusion and suspicion, to which he avoided making eye contact lest he stared at them for too long.

"Except for the local tavern near the city wall," Amber resumed. "They haven't been affected at all. If anything, their business is better than ever."

"Looks like people still find ways to get drunk in the middle of a crisis," Paimon remarked dryly, eliciting a snort from the brown-haired girl.

"I can't say I disagree on that one."

Sometime later, they found themselves further into the city, roaming by various buildings and establishments, many of which profusely boggled Tanjiro as he was unable to fathom such structures. Being raised on a snowy mountain nearly all his life had left him clueless of what modern civilization looked like, more so when he woke up in Teyvat and came into the realization that this world had magic and a common language; the latter instructed to him by their vibrant and knowledgeable fairy guide.

In spite of possessing sufficient understanding of it now, with clear clarity, he still remembered those times when he struggled to fully grasp the foreign symbols themselves, both in reading and writing.

Much later, for whatever reason, Amber told them to continue on without her as she intended to grab, quote on quote, 'something' from someplace. Giving simple directions to their intended destination, she promptly took off afterward without another word, confusing the three travellers left behind all the more.

After ascending another flight of stone stairs, Tanjiro, Aether, and Paimon finally arrived at another plaza situated at the highest point of the city—and there, a towering statue was erected in the middle, overlooking the lower area of the city.

Tanjiro studied the stone statue intently, one that tremendously resembled the one around a lake near the woods earlier; hands outstretched forward as if making an offering, wings that spanned on each side, and an all too familiar figure that was clothed in a long robe. His ears then perceived the distant clanging of metal that chimed pleasantly in a rhythmic pattern, bringing his attention over to the grandiose edifice behind the sculpture, the sheer architecture making his eyes widen marginally.

"…W-What is that?" came Tanjiro's idle mutter, tilting his head slightly.

"That's a cathedral," a high-pitched voice answered.

Startled by the unexpected response, Tanjiro swerved over to the source, eyes fixating on the pixie. A sense of interest donned on his visage afterward. "…Cathedral? What's that?"

"Basically, it's a place where people go to pray and worship," Paimon elucidated. "Since the people of Mondstadt greatly revere the God of Anemo, they probably built such a big place to commemorate him."

Tanjiro made an understanding sound, shifting his head to the so-called cathedral momentarily, and then back to the lofty stone sculpture. Meeting a deity face to face was oddly an encounter he silently anticipated ever since their goal was to find the Seven presiding over their respective nations.

"Hey, you three!"

Another voice echoed through the air as they landed their eyes on the source of the sound. There was Amber in the distance running towards their direction, expression bright as ever – but as she was approaching them, her hands were placed behind her back for some unknown reason, stirring a bit of curiosity within them.

"Sorry for… leaving so suddenly…" For a scant few seconds, Amber inhaled and exhaled steadily until she finally managed to compose herself. "I didn't make you three wait too long, did I?"

"No worries. You weren't gone that long," Paimon reassured. "By the way, did you manage to get whatever you're looking for? The way you rushed out earlier looked like it was something really important."

"As a matter of fact, I did. Good thing I had a spare one, too."

A puzzled look made way on Aether's expression. "Spare?"

"Yup!" Amber chirped. "Remember about the present I promised you two earlier?" she asked, eliciting a concurrent nod from the two boys.

Seeing this, Amber smiled kindly and continued. "So, the present I want you two to have is…"

After pausing for what seemed like a dramatic effect, she then shot her arms forward from behind, presenting some kind of cosmetic on each hand that looked like a pair of… wings?

"Ta-dah! A wind glider!"

Tanjiro's mouth contorted into an O-shape as he examined the unique object in silent wonderment. Indeed, it was sewn in a way to bear the resemblance of a bird's wings, but he had never seen as such modeled in human sizes before.

"We Outriders use them to ride the wind, and the people of Mondstadt love using them too," Amber eagerly explained. "I brought a pair for both of you so you can experience the feeling right away!"

Blinking once, Tanjiro graciously took the gift and bowed his head. "Thank you, Miss Amber. I'll make sure to take care of this."

"No problem, but… ahh… let's lay off the 'Miss' thing," Amber requested, smiling awkwardly at him. "Don't wanna feel old just yet, so just call me by my name, 'kay?"

Tanjiro's face flushed, scratching the back of his head. "O-Oh, sorry."

A chime-like laugh responded in turn. "Don't worry about it. We're cool," the girl replied, briskly adding, "Here, let me put on your wind glider for you."

Somewhat surprised and reluctant by the generous proposition, Tanjiro welcomed it nonetheless as he proceeded to give the feathery garments to the girl and turned around, his back now fully facing her; though that was only to mask the light blush rushing to his face, to which Aether and Paimon delighted in seeing from off to the side, a muted snicker passing under their breaths.

Within moments, Tanjiro felt something fasten in place behind him on the nape of his green-and-black haori. He then felt a pair of hands clap his shoulders a few times, accompanied by the ever-so familiar voice of the Favonius girl.

"There, perfect fit!" came Amber's exuberant voice as she stepped a few feet back.

"You're really excited about these wind gliders, huh," Paimon commented.

"Well, that's because the wind is the heart and soul of Mondstadt!" the brown-haired girl declared. "The Anemo Archon has blessed us with lands of carefree winds, so it'd be a shame not to make the most out of it."

Spinning around in place and peeking behind each side of his shoulder, Tanjiro attempted to behold the new item of clothing for himself, but from whatever angle he tried to look at, it eventually proved to be pointless in trying to see it in its entirety. Conceding with a half-hearted sigh, he turned his attention back to the young Outrider, who just finished securing the wind glider behind his blond friend's shoulders.

"…And there!" Amber chirped, clapping Aether on the back. "Now, you're ready."

"Ready for… what exactly?" the blond male pressed, raising an eyebrow in her direction and sounding genuinely perplexed.

Amber exhaled a weary sigh and shook her head. "Did you honestly forget why we're in the fountain plaza in the first place? I thought you three already got the idea."

"W-Wait a second…" Paimon trailed off, before slowly articulating her words. "You don't mean that—"

"We're going to glide from here."

Anxiety pooled inside Tanjiro's stomach as if a myriad of butterflies immediately started swirling around, eyes bulging and jaw dropping. "…Eh?"

"W-What?!" Paimon blurted out. "They're doing this now? But they haven't had proper training on how to use these gliders yet. You know, at least, from a safe height and all."

"Over here, I'll show you." The Favonius Outrider meandered over to the plaza perimeter, thus mounting one of the stone platforms and pivoting around to face the trio. "We'll start from here, and then we drift over to—"

"Let me stop you right there," Aether interrupted brusquely. "Is it really safe to glide from this altitude from the get-go? I thought jumping off a tree would've been a good start, but this is just…"

"Suicide?" Paimon finished in a deadpan tone. "Looks like it."

"D-Don't worry! It'll be fine." Amber tried to sound optimistic - which only intensified the growing concern of the trio. "You just need to pay close attention to my instructions, and I promise, you'll find it easy once you get the hang of it."

The air was filled with an uncomfortable silence as Tanjiro looked to Aether for aid, only to find an equally disconcerting expression looking back at him. When his gaze flickered to the brunette-haired Outrider, his heart sank when he saw a despondent look marring her delicate features. Glancing to the ground in frustration, Tanjiro pursed his lips as his visage twisted into deep thought. Was this really a viable way to show that actions speak louder than words? Maybe, but if the situation was this hazardous from the beginning, then it was really a cause for concern.

Silence reigned for a few more dozen seconds – until a voice shattered through the quietness. "…Let's do it."

Heads trace over to the source. Amber's eyes widened. "Tanjiro?"

"I… Uhh…" The burgundy-haired male hesitated, only to continue after he inhaled through his nose and exhaled through the mouth. "I… trust Amber on this. This may look dangerous, but… we just need to place our faith in her. I believe she will be able to instruct us well and ensure we do not get hurt in the process."

The girl seemed to preen at his statement, her face lighting up in a tender smile that caused Tanjiro's heart to flutter. Shortly after, another voice piped into the conversation.

"Call me crazy…" A sigh of resignation slipped past Aether's breath. "But if Tanjiro said its fine, then I'm willing to give this a shot."

"Count Paimon in, too!" the pixie buoyantly chimed in.

"You're already flying, Paimon."

"And that's why you boys need to watch Paimon closely as well, hehe~"

"Okay then, let's give them a whirl!" Amber exclaimed spiritedly, gesticulating the trio over to her and pointing her index finger down to a particular direction. "See that water fountain down there? The goal is simple: Glide down to the plaza and stick the landing."

"Huh…" Aether breathed, peeking over the stone ledge and observing their flight course; one that plainly appeared to be a straightforward route. "This doesn't look too difficult."

"Well, it depends on whether or not you trip on the way down." A playful yet melodic chuckle emanated from the Outrider, subsequently clapping her hands together. "Okay! I was thinking of going in pairs, so in case our fly buddy messes up midway, the other can help steer them back in the right direction."

Finding the statement valid, Tanjiro gradually swivelled his head to the left, as if sensing someone's gaze. Unsurprisingly, his golden-haired friend seemingly shared the same idea as they traded a knowing smile with each other.

"Whaddaya say, Tanjiro?"

The unanticipated voice captured the aforementioned boy's full attention, as Tanjiro instantly stiffened in place, his heartbeat quickening at the mere sight of Amber looking down at him from the stone platform with a gorgeous grin on her features.

"Wanna team up with me?" she posed the question, putting her gloved hands on her hips - and sending him a subtle wink; whether that was intentional or not, it only swelled the shade of scarlet spreading across his cheeks.

Tempting as it was, Tanjiro was instead rendered incapable of forming coherent words, sheepishly averting his gaze away and stammering thereafter while rubbing the back of his head. "A-Ah… er… well, I… uh…"

Torn between choosing his best friend or the cheery girl in red was probably one of the most difficult decisions he had to make in his life.

"I think it'd be better if you show us a demonstration first, Amber."

Tanjiro perked his head over to the familiar voice, inwardly indebted for the save his golden-haired companion provided for him.

"I was thinking if you went ahead and show how gliding is done, Tanjiro and I can get a clear grasp when we use them," Aether rationalized. "On another note, helping others mid-flight might only increase the risk for both gliders, so this is something we have to do on our own."

It took a few moments to comprehend his reasoning, and when it did, a bright smile tugged on the corner of Amber's lips. "Not a bad idea! If you two saw me using the wind glider first, then both of you can try it for yourselves." She then turned to the blond traveler. "And you're right, Aether. Even if all of us went and glide at the same time, the chances we bump into each other and lose balance are highly likely and that is something we can't afford to take."

The two boys collectively dipped their heads in understanding at her explanation, allowing Amber to carry on. "Here are a few key points to remember…" Lifting a hand, the brown-haired girl raised one finger. "Keep your balance while gliding…" she said, lifting another digit. "Pay attention to where you're going..." A third finger was finally raised. "…And don't drink and glide, you hear?"

"Drink and glide, huh…" Paimon idly intoned. "Sounds like only a complete idiot would do."

"We'll make sure to keep your instructions in mind, Amber," affirmed Tanjiro.

"Good to hear." The Outrider turned around and planted one foot in front while the other behind. "Now, make use of your terrain for the proper take-off, and…" She trailed off as she bent her knees halfway, inhaling deeply – and proclaiming her next words.

"Here I go!"

She kicked off the stone platform - and unfurled her wind glider mere seconds later, stretching her arms at both sides and leaning her body forward.

Tanjiro, Aether, and Paimon watched carefully as the Favonius girl drifted downward through the air, the soft breeze carrying her gently without fail.

"I'll see you three at the lower plaza!" Her voice resonated in the air, sufficient enough for the trio to acknowledge as she managed to steal a glimpse behind her shoulder, before refocusing her sights ahead so as to ascertain her safety.

"And there she goes…" Paimon drawled, still fixated on her retreating figure. "Boy, these wind gliders sure seem fun," she noted, shifting to her travel buddies. "Let's test those wings out, shall we?"

Tanjiro found no reason to decline, craning his neck to the side with a keen smile. "Are you ready to go, Aether?"

"Yeah, I'm down…" confirmed the blond boy. However, he folded his arms and looked at the marked boy, a teasing glint apparent in his yellow eyes. "By the way, you sound eager just now, Tanjiro. Did you really want to go after her that much?"

Tanjiro froze in place, stunned at the sudden statement like a deer in headlights. "H-Huh?"

"Stop acting so innocent." A cheeky smirk curved on Aether's mouth. "You wanted to go with her earlier, don't you? If I hadn't stepped in like that, then maybe—"

"Wh-What?! N-No!" Tanjiro spluttered, raising his hands in a placating gesture as his cheeks reddened amply. "That… that wasn't my intention at all! I swear! The only reason was—"

Aether chuckled, nudging him lightly. "Relax, relax. I'm just messing with 'ya."

On the other hand, Tanjiro released a deep exhale, one that sounded more like a sob at this point.

Paimon couldn't help but expel a rough sigh of her own. "Sheesh, you're gonna give Tanjiro a heart attack here before he even gets to try on his wind glider."

"I know, I know…" With a shake of his head, Aether paced forward and mounted the stone platform their escort flew off from moments ago. He then reached his hand out to the maroon-haired boy, a soft grin gracing his visage. "Come on. We have some gliding to do."

Tanjiro puffed out a breath and returned a weak smile as he firmly latched onto the extended hand, allowing the braided boy to yank him up with ease. Once they were both standing on the perimeter itself, their eyes loomed over the steep drop, to which they couldn't help but swallow the thick lump in their throats apprehensively.

"Okay, here's the plan…" Forcing himself to tear his gaze away from the ledge, Aether met a pair of deep ruby eyes. "I'll go first and then you follow behind, Tanjiro. Like I said earlier, if we collide in mid-air, it'll only risk us both in the process."

Tanjiro hummed in understanding. "Understood."

"I could fly back then, and this… gliding idea more or less shares the same principle," Aether revealed. "We just have to maintain our equilibrium and its smooth sailing from there on out."

"Don't worry…" Paimon piped in. "If any of you ever head in the wrong direction, Paimon will make sure to steer you on the right way," she reassured.

"Much appreciated, Paimon." The blond nodded his thanks – before recasting his attention on their flying route. At the lower plaza, the small form of the Favonius Outrider waved cheerfully at them, prompting a grin to appear on his face – and a word to slip by him.

"Ready…"

Breathing in a deep, purposeful breath, Tanjiro steeled his features and spread his feet width apart.

"Set…"

Placing one foot in front and the other behind, Tanjiro slightly bent his body and knees midway, fists tightened and posture firm; the same pose adopted by his braided friend beside him.

"Jump!"

After the next second, Aether leaped upward and fanned his arms out to each side, the airy breeze allowing his wind glider to unfurl behind him in one spontaneous motion – although not before glancing over his shoulder, and announcing one name.

"Tanjiro!"

The aforementioned boy braced his nerves and complied, launching himself up and spreading his arms in a T-pose position, the oxygen in his throat clenched for an instant as the absence of solid ground made him purse his lips anxiously together—and as if his prayers were somehow heard, the wings unrolled from behind, thus enabling him to soar through the air almost like a bird unbound by any restraints.

'I-I'm gliding! I'm really gliding!' This time, Tanjiro couldn't help but chuckle proudly to himself as he trailed behind the gliding figure of Aether just a dozen feet away. Both his hair and checkered jacket swayed lightly against the fresh breeze while he leaned his upper body forward; though, it did little to abate the tiny shred of uneasiness at the back of his mind, making his limbs shudder from the inexperience.

"You're doing great, Tanjiro…" Paimon was flying right beside him, patting him on the shoulder while trying her best to assuage any insecurities. "Just stay calm and you'll be fine."

Taking the fairy's advice into practice, Tanjiro breathed in and out of his mouth steadily to stabilize his quickening heartbeat, aiding his concentration thanks to the countless meditative exercises he had done in the Butterfly Mansion back then.

A number of seconds elapsed as they neared their landing area, passing by tall buildings left and right – before they eventually landed at the fountain plaza.

"Not bad," complimented Amber. "Not bad at all. I was a bit worried the entire time, but man, you two managed to pull it off nicely," she said, flickering her attention to the gold-haired boy. "Especially you, Aether. You looked like you were in your element back there."

"To be fair, I had some experience," Aether divulged.

Amber's eyes broadened imperceptibly. "Is that so? Well, color me impressed then. You just might be the competitor I'm looking for in the next Wind Gliding Championship."

"Wind… Gliding… Championship?" Paimon repeated each word slowly. "What's that?"

"To put it simply, it's a contest about who can glide the fastest," Amber elaborated, a smug smile plastered on her lips. "Heh, you're talking to the three-time winner of said competition here."

"Sign me up then." Resting a hand on his hip, a confident smirk morphed on Aether. "Because it'll be a breeze beating you there."

Amber chuckled derisively. "Sounds like someone's got a mouth on them," she said, crossing her forearms. "You're so on, pal."

Matching smirks were exchanged as their eyes burned with competitiveness – paying no heed to the two individuals on the side.

"They're really taking this seriously, aren't they?" Paimon murmured, eliciting a hum of agreement from Tanjiro.

The stare-off was a short one, as the Favonius girl shifted her attention to the haori-wearing boy afterward. "Speaking of which, there were a few hiccups when you landed there, Tanjiro."

The boy in question broadened his eyes a few sizes. "R-Really?"

"You nearly tripped on the way down, and before that, you were even wobbling a bit while gliding," the petite girl pointed out. "Make sure to always keep your balance before and during landing, okay? Remember to retract your glider at a safe height as much as possible or you can say goodbye to those legs of yours."

Tanjiro scratched his cheek, his gaze falling down. "I'll… make sure to take your pointers to heart next time."

"I'm sure you will." A melodic giggle arose from Amber. "But even though it was your first time using a wind glider, you still surprised me from how well you managed to calm yourself. Good job."

Tanjiro dipped his head slightly. "…T-Thanks."

"Just wait 'til we get to wind currents and Anemo slimes." A knowing smile then swept across Amber's face. "That'll be something you three wanna look forward to."

Before Tanjiro could forward a few of his questions, his nose twitched subtly, catching a sharp whiff in the air—and that was only punctuated more when the winds started to grow in intensity by the second, the vast, blue expanse above instantly shrouded with ominous grey clouds.

"The sky…" Amber's voice dropped into a quiet murmur, but still enough to be heard as she gazed at the misty sky.

A primal roar then rumbled in the atmosphere, prompting heads from the plaza to swivel to the reverberating sound – which signaled the monstrous flying creature encircling the city, sending harsh winds around with every flap of its colossal wings.

Tanjiro narrowed his crimson eyes at the gigantic flying figure, grimacing as he endured the whipping winds. 'Is that…'

His assumptions swiftly came true when someone shouted its name amidst the rough winds.

"Stormterror!" one of the citizens in the city yelled. "It's Stormterror!"

AN: Hello! I sincerely hope everyone is faring well in these trying times, and it may not be much, but here we are again with another lengthy chapter for all of you.

I planned to publish this chapter as much as I can back a few days ago as my birthday surprise, but I got side-tracked with school stuff and a special celebration, so there's that. Anyway, a lot of good stuff happened recently and this update is one of them.

This is not really a surprise in itself—but the trio finally arrived at Mondstadt and met the one-and-only Outrider. As I am writing this, I nearly forgot to include a scene where Amber asked Tanjiro if he came from Inazuma because I can already predict most of you to bombard me of why this didn't happen.

Luckily, my boy Aether came in clutch to cover for Tanjiro.

Furthermore, until now, when I was writing that wind gliding scene, it continued to bother me on how wind gliders really function. Do they magically appear when you jump off a cliff or something? And do they just disappear on your back when you stop gliding? I tried to visualize that mechanic through words as best I can, so I hope I pulled that off enough.

To wrap this up, my immense gratitude goes out to those who favourited, followed, and commented on this story as of late – including words of encouragement and suggestions too. Believe me, I go through every comment and it brings a bright smile to my face to see a lot of people are enjoying this. Thank you all so much for the support you have given me and I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this chapter and your predictions on future updates as well!

I have a lot planned, so be on the lookout!

If any of you spotted grammatical errors, feel free to point them out. When I'm writing a long chapter such as this, those minor errors slip my mind.

Lastly, this story is also available in AO3 (Archive of Our Own). I have a knack for adding in-game screenshots to certain scenes, which AO3 allows, so all of you can envisage what Tanjiro, Aether, and Paimon are seeing.

See 'ya!