Genshin Impact: Awakening in the Darkness

This time, since it was already broad daylight and not suitable to continue their secret plot in the gift of the angels, Diluc suggested that they go to his own Dawn Winery to discuss the matter.

Paimon: "Hoo-hoo! Dvalin Protection Society! Assemble again!" She quickly noticed someone was missing: "Qingyue, isn't he coming?"

Diluc: "I sent someone to that manor on the border to deliver a letter to him. At this time... he should be here soon."

Wendy: "Then, hurry up and take out the crystals you've collected."

Kong didn't dare to be careless and put all the crystals they had collected into his hands. This time, the crystals were a deeper color than the previous few drops.

Wendy: "Ah... the crystals seem to be even more murky... Dvalin... what kind of torment are you enduring... Anyway, purify these crystals first. Foreign traveler, I beg you."

Kong didn't refuse, and the group watched quietly as the crystal, which carried an ominous power, returned to its pure color.

Wendy: "That's enough teardrops. So, next... as usual, drip them onto the Sky Harp."

A burst of white light erupted as the clear teardrops touched the strings, and a gentle breeze swept across everyone's faces, wiping away their weariness.

Paimon: "Success!"

Qin: "It feels completely different from before."

Wendy: "The wind element... it's overflowing with energy. That should be fine. Thanks to you, Sora."

"So, where should we summon Stormterror?" Jean pondered. "It's definitely out of the question in Mondstadt; failure there would cause irreparable damage. And right here at this winery, obviously..."

Diluc: "Oh. Losing the winery isn't an irreparable loss, but it's best to avoid it."

Qin:......

“Sea breezes or winds from high places can carry a poet’s song further,” Wendy interjected at the opportune moment. “If the air is dry, stuffy, and oppressive, not only poets, but even dragons would be angry.”

“I see. Sea breeze or wind from high places, is that right?” Paimon and Kong began to think about which places in the Mondstadt region they had recently visited met these criteria.

"How was Star-Picking Cliff?" Xuan Qing arrived late with Xuan Yue and said, "Sorry, I had to take care of some loose ends on the way, so we're late."

"Chirp chirp chirp." (Hello everyone.)

"Hello, Xuan Yue, it's nice to see you again. Looks like you've had a good rest!" Paimeng greeted Xuan Yue from the air.

Diluc: "Looks like we need to speed things up!"

Kong: "Qingyue is an ordinary person. Will there be any danger if we go together?"

Wendy: "Kong, how did you come to the conclusion that Grandpa Qingyue is an ordinary person?"

Paimon replied, "Doesn't Grandpa Qingyue lack the Divine Eye?"

Indeed, Xuanqing did not show any trace of wearing the Eye of God in any of his outfits, which explains why Kong and Paimon came to this conclusion.

Xuan Qing silently took out a Liyue-style ice-type Eye of God from his chest pocket: "It's no wonder you have this perception. I usually keep my Eye of God in a relatively hidden place to paralyze the enemy. It's not very useful in business, so I usually don't display it."

"I didn't expect it to be an ice-type Eye of God! Now we won't be afraid of fire-type abyss mages!" Paimon remembered what Diluc had mentioned in the ruins: he and Jean were fine dealing with enemies of other elements, but they would have a hard time dealing with fire-type abyss monsters.

Qin: "Then let's all get ready and meet at Star-Picking Cliff. Please take this seriously and don't be late."

Paimon: "Yes, Commander!"

Qin suddenly realized what she had said and felt a little ashamed: "Ah... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"Haha, it's alright, it's just a good way to lighten the mood." After Wendy helped Jean out of the awkward situation, the group headed to Star-Picking Cliff according to different routes.

"Xuanqing, remember what you promised me..." Wendy and Xuanqing tucked down slightly, trying not to attract attention.

"Remember, I won't intervene unless there's an emergency. But are you sure this performance will still conceal your identity?"

"There's no escaping this, anyway, not many people know, so let them know."

"I'm worried that you'll expose my identity as well."

"Hey~"

Xuan Qing sighed. Oh well, so be it. This is Mondstadt, and Jean and Diluc don't seem like the type to give away information easily.

After they all gathered at Stargazing Cliff, Wendy took the Sky Harp from the Traveler: "Well then, it's time to get started."

"Yes, no matter the outcome, at least we've seen a turning point. Mondstadt has carried too much burden during this time..." Jean sighed deeply; Mondstadt had truly endured a difficult period.

Diluc: "In the end, it was the Traveler and a singer who solved the problem, and the helper was a Liyue person. Ha. The Knights can barely be considered to have done some hard work."

"Alright, alright. Everyone, stand back a bit. The world's finest bard is about to begin plucking his strings."

Wendy walked to the edge of the cliff and began to play her guitar.

The familiar song began, and a loud noise came from below the cliff. Dvalin flew to the group.

"It's you... There's nothing left to talk about now..."

"Really? Or am I seeing things? Your eyes seem to be recalling this piece..." she said softly, looking into Dvalin's eyes.

"Humph…"

The people behind were secretly watching the scene.

Qin: "They really can communicate..."

Xuanqing sensed danger at this moment, and suddenly a beam of ice elemental attack shot out from the shadows toward Wendy, who was in conversation.

"Not good!" Xuan Qing didn't care about anything else. He instantly appeared in front of Wendy, and Shao Yin appeared in his hand, blocking the attack.

"Ah! Qingyue! A street singer!" Paimon exclaimed. Seeing the situation was not right, the others immediately stepped forward and surrounded Wendy and Xuanqing.

At this moment, the culprit revealed himself: "Don't be fooled by him, poor dragon... he abandoned you long ago..." The abyss mage bewitched the dragon, resonating with the abyss power within him: "Look, now he's going to deceive you again..."

"Barbatos..." the dragon murmured his name.

"Hate, be angry. You have already become an enemy of Mondstadt, there is no turning back." The abyss mage continued to incite.

Dvalin's anger was ignited, and he soared into the sky: "These people, are they with you—to hunt me down?!"

"not like this!"

The Abyss Mage, watching this scene, was exceptionally pleased: "This dragon should go and serve its true master. You all can just lament your powerlessness here... Hahahaha!" The Abyss Mage rode the giant dragon and flew into the distance.

“Wait… ugh!” Xuan Qing was about to chase after him when Wendy grabbed his sleeve. “Dvalin is bewitched by the Abyss. If you go now, you’ll just be falling into the enemy’s lair.”

Seeing this, Xuanqing could only sheathe his sword. After all, Wendy's words probably meant there was still room for reconciliation.

Qin: "Lord Ba-Wendy, you should also protect yourself."

"Haha... Actually, you didn't just guess my identity now, did you, Jean? Anyway, thank you for continuing to call me by that name." Wendy didn't seem to care that she had revealed her identity.

"How's the Sky Harp? Can it still be played?... Or, can it be repaired with Dragon's Tear?" Diluc's words reminded everyone to look at the damaged Sky Harp.

"Hmm... if it's this bad... there might not be any way to fix it."

Xuanqing: "There's an old saying in Liyue: 'Once is enough, twice is enough, but three times is not enough.' Even if it's repaired, I'm afraid we won't be able to summon Dvalin back."

Kong: "But we can't just let the Abyss Mage go like this."

Diluc: "That's right. If we can't defeat the source of the corruption, we can't alleviate Dvalin's suffering."

Jean: "Then, I'll summon the scout knights to track them down..."

Diluc: "No need. Not long ago, I personally killed one of its kind in the temple ruins guarded by the Four Winds."

Paimon: "Huh?! When was that...?"

Diluc: "If you want to track down those monsters, you can use my intelligence network and methods."

Paimon: "Diluc...although he hates the Knights of Favonius, he will protect Mondstadt in his own way."

Wendy: "Paymon's tone suddenly became so doting..."

Diluc: "Hmph. Anyway, wait for my news."

Diluc: "I want them to understand that no matter how lawless the Abyss Order may be—there are some things that cannot be done in Mondstadt."

Wendy: "Qingyue, don't you have anything to say?"

Xuanqing: "It's come to this... I've already sent people to confuse the situation with Zhidong, but I've received accurate information that they are indeed looking for the Wind God. Someone will be coming to investigate this area soon. Venti, come back to the manor with me. Diluc and Jean are public figures in Mondstadt, they won't dare to do anything to you. Traveler, you are very skilled, they don't have your identity information, they won't dare to easily attack you."

Diluc: "Yes, we'll meet again at Dawn Winery later. I'll let you know as soon as I have any news."

Wendy: "...Dvalin..."

Xuan Qing: (If you want, I can bring Dvalin back to you right now.)

Wendy: (Something that moves? The kind that can live a long time?)

Xuan Qing: (...half-dead...right?)

Wendy: (...)

—At this moment, in the Wind Dragon Ruins—

A blonde woman stood on the cliff, watching the giant dragon flying high in the sky, without saying a word.

“Your Highness,” the Abyss Mage bowed to her, “your servant has brought you another victory… [Princess].”