"So all the investigation leads to this… Entrance?"
Naofumi, along with a squad of Eula's unit, with a few other knights and captains, are all at Brightcrown Mountain. In other cases, a canyon near the ancient Mondstadt City where people once resided. Everyone stared at a small gap in a mountain that was letting out air like a wind tunnel.
"Doubting our skills Naofumi? I'll remember this grudge."
Eula spoke as she swore vengeance, and her unit lightly laughed as if they were expecting this. But not loud enough to receive a revenge of their own from their captain.
"It's not like I want to doubt you, and the others Eula, I just wanted to make sure we're in the right place."
A chuckle was heard beside them as Albedo approached both of them.
"It is understandable why you think of Naofumi. Whenever we find clues that lead us to the places where our targets are mostly hiding or reside, we always ensure that the locations are indeed the places our leads have led us to. Not every hideout is a fancy building."
Naofumi nodded as he looked at his status; it looked fine for a level 10, but he wondered if the stats from the shields he mastered would be enough for this raid. He has his shield equipped as it will definitely Eula, Kaeya, and Albedo with their improved stats thanks to the Companion series.
"So what's the plan?"
Naofumi asks as Eula quickly explains.
"We go in, the more experienced knights will take out any Abyss Mages and Hilichurls that charge at us. If we run into an area where there are two different directions then we split up to cover more ground.
"We will also leave a group of knights to stay out here in case any Hilichurls leave the cave and decide to venture around the area. We'll be able to clear out the cave with your skills and support. Can you handle the front lines?"
Naofumi didn't answer immediately, but after a moment of silence, he turned to Eula as he gave her the most confident smile he could give her. Eula nodded as she turned to her unit.
"Be ready! The Abyss Order will throw everything they have against us! For Mondstadt, let us show how our freedom empowers us!"
She roared as everyone did the same, so with the boost of confidence and the knowledge that there are three powerful Vision wielders, along with a foreigner with a special shield, they all went into the cave, and Naofumi was surprised at how the inside looked compared to the outside.
Then again, he was in another world, so the fabric of reality might be different here.
But it was a bit dark so a few knights lit up a torch as everyone began to walk through the cave. Naofumi was looking around to see if there was any sight of Abyss Mages or any Hilichurls. But so far there wasn't anything other than rotten vegetables and old rusty weapons forgotten on the ground.
Other than just those items as well as a few evidence that the Abyss Order were just here. Some fires were put out, whether recent or long ago, and the footsteps of Hilichurls.
The group continued to walk through the cave, and it was larger than Naofumi expected. Until he feels his shield vibrate again as he checks the dangers, only to see a few threats approaching them.
"Watch out everyone! A few enemies are approaching! Favonius Shield!"
Everyone immediately got ready while being boosted by the green barrier with others trying to get the extra boost. Suddenly, a horde of Hilichurls, along with four Mitachurls, appear from the end of what seems to be a way to an area within the cave.
"Knights attack!"
"Zweite Aura! Air Strike Shield! Gust Shield!!"
Naofumi empowered himself as he launched a huge shield toward the nearest Mitachurl which was knocked over along with Hilichurls as they got hurt by the sharp wind gusts. Naofumi would have tried his new Change Shield skill, but sadly, he still needs to master one last shield of the related series before equipping the Cryo Regisvine Shield.
He already imagined the shields he could have used if he had already mastered a shield.
"Freeze!"
"Shudder!"
"Air Blast Shield!"
Kaeya and Eula unleash their Elemental Skills, which cause great Cyro damage, as Naofumi uses his Anemo Elemental Skill to further increase the damage. The Hilichurls were soon defeated with good teamwork and skills.
Everyone was checking if anyone needed any medicine or needed to take a breather for a bit, but everyone was fine so they all decided to keep on moving. They reach the room where the Hilichurls came, as it seems the Hilichurls make a base, and there are still a few Hilichurls remaining.
So the whole group decided to finish off the remaining Hilichurls as they used the base as their resting point.
"Hmm… The last of them were easy to deal with, which is suspicious."
Albedo spoke as she inspected the fight from afar as he calculated the previous encounter with the Hilichurls. Normally, a wave of them would be a bit challenging to deal with, but Naofumi chalks it up because everyone is growing stronger thanks to him. Still, it is good to be cautious just in case.
"Captain Eula, we found something unusual!"
A young man ran to Eula as Naofumi noticed it was Mika. He has fair skin, blue eyes, and curled golden hair that sticks out in irregular tufts and is golden brown at the tips. A blue jacket with lapels and rolled up sleeves worn over a white hoodie with blue details and a yellow necktie decorated with white details and pinned at the top with a blue gem. Over this, he wears a large belt-like garment crossing over his torso along with a small brown buckled book bag decorated with a blue and yellow plume.
He wears a pair of cuffed white shorts with silver details, thick gray socks, oversized brown boots with spurs, and navy gloves with silver plating. His outfit is adorned with pins and other silver details, such as a large shield-like ornament on the right side of his chest with a blue feather attached to it. Two long pieces of fabric dangle from behind his jacket, decorated at the end with silver ornaments. His Cryo Vision is attached to a plate on his right glove.
Naofumi recalls how he met him, and Eula introduces him to Mika, as he saw how shy and distant he was, until Eula explains his accomplishments during his time as a knight. But over time, the two manage to have a conversation without Mika being all shy and respect Naofumi for his skills as a shielder when on the battlefield.
Naofumi even helped Mika with making a more calculating map when using the Map Shield, as Mika was able to fully design a map that shows not just the whole section of Starfall Valley, Galesong Hill, but also Dragonspine to see the spots, places, and everything was thanks to the special ability the Map Shield provided.
"Mika, report!"
"Captain, we found traces of Abyss Mages! It seems they were just here as if they had the Hilichurls stand by in case someone passed through here. It seems they were waiting for us!"
Eula frowns at this information as she looks at her troops then at Naofumi.
"Does your shield sense any danger ahead?"
Naofumi checks his status screen for a moment as he checks for any red dots on his mini map. But nothing seems to be nearby or close. Then again, he didn't have the large range of the Great Snowboar King Shield, which provided him with the danger alert ability medium. He shook his head as Eula wondered for a minute. Suddenly Albedo walked up to the three of them.
"You might not have a right shield to notice, but I'm feeling something dangerous in that pathway. Might be Abyssal power that the Abyss Order uses, whatever they are doing it is still happening."
This got Eula to immediately declare to everyone that they will keep going further in the cave. Everyone immediately prepared themselves as they awaited their captain's command, and everyone marched on forward.
The moment they entered another pathway, Naofumi suddenly felt that something was off and realized that Albedo's warning was something he should truly take notice of as he quickly made his way to the front.
Just in case an incoming attack were to happen, he would make sure to block it the best way he could. As well as casting Zweite Aura on himself just in case.
The feeling he was having was just getting stronger as Naofumi told everyone to be very careful, as this would be more difficult than what they had already dealt with. Some knights express their concerns, while some just stay quiet, but they acknowledge Naofumi's words as they, too, are feeling that something is off.
As if it were fated, Naofumi barely missed blocking an incoming attack that he felt was stronger than the Hydro Abyss Mage. Because after blocking the attack, what stood in a now wide room was a figure that looked like a humanoid version of a creature.
At first glance, Naofumi can tell it was very powerful and very dangerous, as the glowing blue on the orb on its chest said it was Hydro. Could it be part of the Abyss Order? Not only was it floating like an Abyss Mage, but it was more ominous. It seems that it didn't seem to notice a large group of knights who had just entered
Naofumi immediately noticed four Abyss Mages were beside the humanoid creature which meant the combined attacks must have been what he barely blocked. He noticed that it was a Hydro, Pyro, Electro, and Cryo Abyss Mage.
The fact that he was able to block the entire attack was something to take note of as Naofumi locked his eyes on the strange creature, as the Abyss Mages didn't attack further. As if the sudden attack had made everyone stop and just stare at what was in front of them.
Only silence filled the room as the creature picked up something and slowly turned to the group of knights.
"The Knights of Favonius, to think you all were able to reach this far. Impressive I must say."
The creature spoke as it had an echoing mix with a monstrous tone. Naofumi readied his shield in case of another combined attack and to use his Elemental Skill in hopes it could redirect the attack back to those Abyss Mages.
"Then again I wouldn't be surprised as…"
It narrowed its glance closely to the knights, mainly at Naofumi. In fact, it was staring directly at his shield, as it was memorizing the shape, size, and the green gem on it. Naofumi now wonders if his theory of the Abyss Order knowing him has definitely been 100% right.
But before he could do anything the creature spoke some kind of language to the Abyss Mages as all four of them immediately disappeared. The creature then looks back at them before speaking one last time.
"We got what we came here for, to think it was located here the whole time."
It then made a flick of its arm as a mysterious portal appeared behind it, large enough to fit the whole thing, and it left in an instant.
Silence was filled once again as Mika was the first to speak.
"What… Just happened?"
No one responded or knew what to say, but the fact that they had avoided a fight with four Abyss Mages and a creature that seemed to be allied with the mages, in which everyone immediately declared in their mind that it was part of the Abyss Order.
The whole group splits up to find out what the Abyss Order was doing here and what they have found in this cave. So far it just looked like an ordinary cave with nothing too important, until Naofumi found a spot that seemed to have once held something.
"Whatever the Abyss Order was looking for was on this display… But unless there is a note or something here that tells us what was here then I have no idea what they have got their hands on."
"Whatever it was, and because we are close to Old Mondstadt, it must have been a relic that belonged there."
Albedo spoke as it was the only theory he had so far. No one disagreed or said anything to replace his wording. No one knew this cave even existed or what it even had.
"Hey everyone, I think I found something."
Kaeya suddenly spoke as everyone noticed he was looking at the wall of the room, as Eula, Albedo, and Naofumi walked towards him, and they all looked at the wall Kaeya was staring at.
"Does anyone know what these words mean?"
Kaeya pointed at the wall as everyone noticed it had strange symbols on it as no one knew what they could mean, no one, except for Naofumi.
"Wait… Those are kanji!"
"Kanji?"
Eula asks Naofumi with confusion but wonders how he knew what the symbols were.
"Mondstadt is different compared to my homeland, your text of language is different from mine, kanji is part of the text language I know of, and also Inazuma. I can read what it says on the wall."
"Well, what does it say?"
Albedo asks as he wonders what the symbols now known as kanji mean. Naofumi looks at the wall as he notices some of the texts were either crossed out on purpose or by accident.
"Let's see… Old and new winds… Even long ago… Always changing… Celestia… Shades… God of Freedom… Always protecting… Connecting…? That's all it says in this part."
Naofumi finished as the three friends beside him took a moment to register what was translated to them. Naofumi then began speaking again.
"Place hand… Repeat…. Order by the Shield Hero I command the nature of healing. Heal the target's injury Fast Heal!"
He spoke of something new as he pointed the new spell at Eula, who was surrounded by a light green aura, as Eula herself jumped at the sudden thing Naofumi was doing.
"Naofumi! Is this some kind of… Wait… I'm suddenly feeling a bit better!"
Eula felt the warmth all over herself from the scratches and bruises she had on her body during the Hilichurls' attack. She had bandaged the spots where it was bleeding as well as drank a few healing potions Lisa made for this raid.
Now, suddenly, she felt that what was put on herself was healing on the inside instead of the outside. She even saw her HP recovering as she felt like she could keep on going.
"Naofumi, what did you just do?"
Albedo asks in astonishment as he can see that what was put on Eula had an incredible effect. Naofumi himself was surprised until he realized what exactly had happened.
"I've gained a healing spell! Fast Heal! It heals the damage anyone has received as it works like a healing potion. Which means whatever this cave was, it was meant for me. That the first message must have also been meant for me to read."
Which also means that whatever the Abyss Order took was meant for Naofumi and it could have been very important depending on what it was. The thought of it makes Naofumi even more worried.
"For the Shield Hero. Unless we can find out what was here then this is all we can find."
Albedo said as Naofumi looked back at the wall to try to find anything else. It turns out there was a third message, but nearly every word except for one was crossed out, making it very difficult to determine what was said on the wall.
But the word Naofumi was able to read made him so confused as he wondered why the word "Fake gods" was the only word that wasn't crossed out.
---
Meanwhile outside the cave and the top of Brightcrown Mountains.
"Your highness! We managed to obtain the very item we were searching for!"
The same creature that the knights have seen bowed to the person in front of it. A young woman with blond hair and clothing that looks like it doesn't belong in Mondstadt or any other nation. She stared in the direction of Mondstadt before looking back at it as she spoke.
"Present it!"
The creature didn't hesitate as it handed over a small glass bottle of red liquid. At first glance, it doesn't look much like some might believe it contained the blood of someone or something, but for the person, it meant something more.
"Your highness, if I may be bold to ask… Why do we need to find this small bottle? It could have been the blood of that carefree god or someone else."
The young woman didn't speak for a moment as she was holding on to the bottle, then suddenly she summoned a glass bottle of her own and poured ¾ of the liquid inside, leaving the remaining quarter inside.
She handed the first bottle back to the creature as she gave it an order.
"Make sure the Shield Hero finds this alone. This liquid will be very important for the new Shield Hero. There could be chances that those false gods will one day search here, the moment they realize the Shield Hero is truly missing from where he was supposed to be."
The creature stared at its highness with a surprised expression as it spoke.
"But, your highness isn't Teyvat inaccessible from the outside? How could those beings you told us about find their way here?"
The young woman didn't speak for a moment.
"I'll admit it is uncertain for them to find this world. But don't doubt them, and their forces. Even with one hero missing from their watches, they won't stop until they know where he is, and once they do find him, they'll bring Teyvat along with the other worlds they are messing with to the brink of destruction. For now, let us not bother them any longer and call them all back."
The creature nodded as it was handed the bottle and vanished again with its portal leaving the young woman alone. She watches the city of freedom in silence as she looks back on a particular world she visited so very long ago where she met a group of people fighting against the destruction orchestrated by the ones who call themselves gods.
"I wonder how disappointed you would have been towards me had you stayed alive until we met again Mamoru? Should you know what I have become? That I would someday come here and find traces of you once being here."
She spoke while holding the other bottle in her hand. She opened up her own portal and left with no traces that she was ever here.