Genshin Impact: Awakening in the Darkness

"Mondstadt is just ahead."

Mondstadt's scout knight Amber led a long-haired blond man and a floating white creature into the city. The blond man's attire clearly indicated he was from out of town, though it was unclear whether he was traveling or for some other reason.

"Now, allow me to formally introduce you, travelers protected by the Knights of Favonius, the idyllic city of wind and dandelions, the city of freedom—welcome to Mondstadt!"

"Finally, we don't have to sleep in the wilderness anymore."

The little white fairy was very happy, but after scanning her surroundings, she sensed that something was amiss.

"However, everyone in the city... doesn't seem to be in very good spirits."

"It's because the whole city's been worried about Stormterror lately," Amber confided to Paimon. "But with Jean around, everything will be fine!"

"Jane?" Paimon clearly didn't recognize her, but Amber wasn't annoyed. Instead, she happily introduced her: "Jane, Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius. Guardian of Mondstadt."

"With Qin by our side, we will surely be able to defeat even a calamity of the magnitude of the Stormterror."

(He looks like an important person...) the traveler thought.

In a corner unnoticed by them, a cool-looking man dressed in what was clearly an ancient Liyue robe closed the book in his hands. A small golden bird perched on his shoulder, its face buried in its wings, clearly asleep.

"Yet another outsider."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"So, the promised gift is—"

"Wings of the Wind!"

Amber produced a pair of wings and enthusiastically explained, "Scout Knights use them to move through the air, and the citizens of Mondstadt also love using them. I specifically called you here so you could experience its benefits firsthand!"

"That's the tone of someone enthusiastically recommending it."

Paimon felt a strange sense of anticipation.

“Because ‘wind’ is the soul of Mondstadt.” Amber couldn’t wait to let Sora try out the Wind Wings.

"Alright, let's quickly test the performance of the Wind Wings. Although it's very simple to operate, you must follow my instructions."

After equipping the Sky Wings, Sky flew a circle in the sky as Amber instructed. For a beginner, the first test flight was quite good.

Just then, the weather suddenly changed. The previously sunny weather turned into a storm with strong winds.

"What the heavens..." Amber was blinded by the wind before she could finish speaking; she knew the Wind Demon Dragon was coming. Realizing what was happening, she immediately prepared to take Sora and Paimon to a safe place to take refuge.

As he ran, he looked up at the sky and saw the same dragon he and Paimon had seen in the forest. Before he could think any further, the Stormterror unleashed a hurricane that swept across Mondstadt, intending to destroy the place.

Kong was unfortunately swept high into the sky by the hurricane. He spread his newly acquired Wind Wings, trying his best to maintain his balance, but in the hurricane, it was difficult to protect himself or fight back. On the ground, Amber and Paimon could only stomp their feet in anxiety and worry.

But when Paimon suddenly noticed that Sky was staying high in the sky without falling, he couldn't help but wonder: "Can the Wings of Wind stay in the sky for so long?"

High in the air, he felt a current supporting him from falling, and a voice rang in his ear:

It was I who guided you through a thousand years of flowing winds, ensuring you wouldn't fall...

Now imagine you can stop this wisp of wind and let it break through the clouds...

(Who is it?)

Kong didn't think too much about it. He did as the voice said, then gathered the wind element and launched it. Beams of attack rushed towards the Wind Terror Dragon not far away.

Until it is driven out of Mondstadt.

Kong flew back to the ground unharmed. Amber checked him thoroughly and was surprised to find that he had not been injured at all.

Just then, a dark-skinned man wearing an eye patch walked towards them, clapping his hands: "To possess the power to fight dragons, are you our guest... or the new storm?"

At this moment, in a tavern—

"It's still windy outside, aren't you going to tidy up?" The man in the ancient robe, wearing a single pair of glasses, looked at the list in his hand. He spoke to the person drinking behind him while checking the items.

"Phew, it still tastes just like this!"

Clearly, some people pretended not to hear.

"Then, I'll do it myself..."

"No! Grandpa Qingyue, please spare his life!"

Clearly, the two people talking here are Xuan Qing, who has completed his transformation and is now a businessman, and Wendy, who has recently awakened.

"...You know that because of this, many caravans have reported to me that Mondstadt wine merchants have started to inflate prices. Do they really not take our Liyue contract seriously?" Xuanqing's blue and purple eyes were fixed on the juice in the swirling glass. Although it was a rhetorical question, it carried a hint of threat.

"Well, I've found some help, so I wouldn't mind if Grandpa Qingyue wanted to help. But it's best if you don't bother with such a difficult and dangerous mission as challenging Stormterror," Wendy said ingratiatingly.

(If you were to go, the only reason Dvalin could survive a hit from you is because his scales are thick enough, or because there's a bit of luck involved, like you being seriously injured and not yet healed...)

Wendy's words conveyed the same message: you can get involved, but please don't lay a hand on me!

"Chirp! Chirp chirp!" (I want to go!)

"Hmm? Yue, interested?" Xuan Qing gently rubbed the head of the little bird that had just woken up, but these words made Wendy wary again.

"Alright, I won't intervene unless absolutely necessary."

Wendy finally breathed a sigh of relief, since once this person agreed, it was equivalent to Morax agreeing to a contract that couldn't be changed.

"Tell me first, what is the background of that traveler..."

"Well, I'm not really sure about that either, but the most obvious thing is that he comes from outside..."

While Wendy was explaining to Xuanqing, the travelers on the other side had already connected with the Knights of Favonius and were preparing to head to the three ruins to stop the source of the raging storm.

When they finished exploring the last ruin with the witch Lisa of Mondstadt, they obtained several pieces of information:

First, in this world, those who possess strong desires will be granted power by the gods, which is called the "Eye of God".

Secondly, the East Wind Dragon, the South Wind Lion, the North Wind Wolf, and the West Wind Eagle are the guardians of the four winds of Mondstadt and the servants of the wind god Barbatos. Dvalin, also known as the Eastern Dragon, was originally a servant of the wind god.

Third, Dvalin attacked Mondstadt because of his hatred for Mondstadt.

However, these three pieces of information puzzled Kong. His own family and people were going against him. Logically, the wind god should have come out to stop them, but he hadn't appeared yet. What was the reason for this?

Kong, filled with questions, walked back to Mondstadt with Paimon. In the temple they had left behind, unusual monsters appeared; if Xuanqing were here, he would have recognized them immediately.

A cursed abyssal monster.

The blindfolded man, Kaeya, the cavalry captain of the Mondstadt, was discovered while cleaning this temple.

“I was wondering how the Hilichurls, with their intelligence, could have come up with a premeditated ambush,” Kaeya said, looking toward the hidden corner. “So it turns out you were the ones pulling the strings behind the scenes.”

At this moment, the monsters of the abyss—no, they should be the abyss mages of the Abyss Order—were muttering incomprehensible words as they prepared to attack Kaeya.

A man wielding a flaming greatsword suddenly entered the Abyss Mage's line of sight. Before the Abyss Mage could react, the man slashed him to the ground.

"The Knights are really inefficient."

Hearing the man's words, Kaiya laughed and clapped her hands: "It's alright. Now that you've been dragged into this, things have become even more interesting."

Meanwhile, after listening to Wendy's general explanation, Xuan Qing stroked his chin and pondered, "Travelers from another world, floating white creatures, the Abyss Order, and... heh, this is getting interesting."