She looked up in the direction of the sound, her gaze fixed on the horizon with a solemn expression, a ripple stirring in her heart.
"This… explosion?"
Eula murmured softly, her delicate brows slightly furrowed.
She had initially thought it was ordinary thunder or some natural phenomenon.
But the sound was too dense, and the impact was extremely terrifying; it was clearly not something an ordinary explosion could cause.
Moreover, the sound came from the direction of Starfell Lake.
That was always a peaceful place!
She withdrew her gaze and pondered for a moment.
As the captain of the Knights of Favonius's "Guerrilla Squad," one of her duties was to patrol for unusual activities within Mondstadt, especially regarding the Abyss Order.
And the continuous explosions happening now absolutely could not be accidents caused by ordinary residents.
The power even gave her a subtle sense of danger.
"What exactly is happening over at Starfell Lake?"
Eula's voice was low, and she slightly raised her hand, her fingertips gently touching the cape on her shoulder.
Her blue and white Knights of Favonius uniform shone brightly in the sunlight, and her Vision on her chest flickered with a cold gleam at this moment, as if responding to her inner alarm.
Then, Eula took a deep breath and quickened her pace, her long legs carrying her towards the direction of the explosions.
Her high-heeled boots made crisp sounds on the gravel Path, and the cold, beautiful face beneath her cape grew increasingly solemn.
"These explosions… so dense, this is definitely not a minor matter."
As Eula walked, she quickly analyzed the possible situations in her mind.
Is it a monster uprising?
Or did someone trigger an uncontrollable explosion?
Or is the Abyss Order up to some new scheme?
Regardless of the situation, she had to reach the scene as quickly as possible to investigate, to prevent the situation from worsening.
As her pace quickened, Eula's gaze unconsciously swept over her surroundings.
The mountain Path beneath Starsnatch Cliff was steep and narrow, with towering cliffs and dense jungle on both sides.
And the distant explosions became clearer, even accompanied by faint vibrations that reached her feet.
"If explosions of this magnitude continue, not only Starfell Lake, but even the nearby ecosystem will be affected."
Eula's mood grew even more solemn, and her hand instinctively reached for the hilt of her sword at her waist.
As a Knights of Favonius, she knew that every moment of delay could lead to irreversible consequences.
The lingering echoes of the explosions were carried on the wind, making her cape flutter slightly.
Eula's gaze was firm, her steps faster, the silver spurs on her boots gleaming coldly in the sunlight, making a faint clinking sound.
Although she had not yet fully arrived at Starfell Lake, she had already prepared for the worst.
No matter who caused this commotion, she would not stand by idly.
"I hope I'm not too late."
Eula said in a low voice, a cold light flashing in her eyes.
Soon, as Eula hurried along, the full view of Starfell Lake gradually came into her sight.
However, the scene before her made her pause, a hint of solemnity appearing in her eyes.
She saw that the once mirror-calm surface of Starfell Lake was now scarred.
Traces of splashing water were clearly visible.
A large area of the surrounding grass had been flattened by the blast's shockwaves.
Some places even emitted faint wisps of smoke.
The rock surfaces by the lake were covered with fine cracks, as if they had just experienced an earthquake-like upheaval.
Eula slowly approached Starfell Lake, her hand instinctively resting on the hilt of her sword at her waist, her eyes filled with increased vigilance.
She took a deep breath and lowered her head, carefully observing the traces on the ground.
The grass beneath her feet had been blown away, the soil overturned, emitting a scorched smell.
Some fish carcasses floated in the lake water, clearly stunned or even directly killed by the immense impact.
What concerned Eula the most was the strange aura in the air.
"What kind of power is this…"
Eula murmured softly, her brows slightly furrowed, as she reached out and touched a rock that still bore traces of the explosion.
The surface of the rock was slightly hot, and the residual power it contained made her feel uneasy.
"This is… Pyro power?"
Eula felt a clear residual Pyro in the air.
The scorching aura made her instantly conclude that whoever or whatever caused this destruction must be related to Pyro.
But the next moment, her brows furrowed even tighter.
Besides the residual Pyro, she could also feel an even more violent, more destructive aura.
This aura was like destruction itself, cold and merciless, more uncontrollable than the Pyro she was familiar with, as if it wanted to devour everything, destroy everything.
This energy even made Eula feel a dangerous sense of oppression.
"This is not ordinary Pyro power."
Eula looked up, her gaze growing even more solemn: "What exactly… is this energy?"
Eula looked around, trying to find more clues.
But everything before her only made one thing clear.
A shocking explosion had just occurred here.
And it was definitely not something that ordinary monsters or humans could easily create.
Both the extent of the destruction and the residual aura indicated this.
"I must inform Acting Grand Master Jean as soon as possible."
Eula made a decision immediately.
Without further hesitation, she took a small whistle from her waist.
This was one of the signature tools of the Knights of Favonius Guerrilla Squad, used to summon trained messenger hawks to deliver urgent intelligence.
Eula looked up and blew the whistle towards the sky.
A clear whistle echoed in the air.
Before long, an elegantly built grey eagle flew from a distant mountain peak, its wings tracing a graceful arc in the air, finally landing steadily on Eula's arm.
"Send a message to Mondstadt, to Acting Grand Master Jean."
Eula's voice was calm and decisive. She took out a short note from her pocket and quickly wrote down her findings:
"Traces of a terrifying explosion have been found near Starfell Lake, suspected to be unknown energy residue. Preliminary assessment indicates it is more dangerous than Pyro and requires urgent attention. — Eula."
After writing, she tied the note to the eagle's leg, then gently raised her arm. The eagle flapped its wings and soared into the sky, swiftly flying towards Mondstadt.
After watching it disappear into the distance, Eula turned her head, her gaze once again falling upon Starfell Lake.
"Since the scent of the explosion lingers here, it means whatever caused this destruction is likely nearby."
Eula muttered to herself, a resolute glint in her eyes: "I cannot allow such a danger to lurk on the borders of Mondstadt. I must uncover its source."
She then adjusted her shawl slightly and slowly walked towards the lake shore.
The air by the lake still carried a scorched smell, and the violent energy fluctuations were faintly discernible, causing unease.
Eula meticulously inspected every suspicious trace, not even missing a single footprint in the mud or a Ripple on the water's surface.
"For the next few days, I will patrol here."
Eula murmured, her tone calm and decisive.
Although the area around Starfell Lake seemed to have returned to tranquility, she knew that the danger here was far from over.
And as a member of the Knights of Favonius, she would never allow such a threat to hide within the lands of Mondstadt.
While Eula was thinking this.
On the other side.