Chapter 36 — The Abyss Order's Plan
"Thank you for the suggestion." Jean's tone was calm, but Kael could hear the faint excitement beneath her composed exterior.
For days, the Acting Grand Master had been desperately searching for a breakthrough — a way to reclaim the lands overrun by monsters and corruption. The ley lines had become unstable, and the Knights of Favonius were stretched thinner than ever.
Even if she deployed every knight under her command, it would be like trying to empty a lake with a spoon.
But now… Kael's suggestion had lit a spark of hope.
Perhaps Klee's power — if used wisely — could tip the balance.
Even if Klee couldn't fight on the frontlines, her alchemical bombs could be repurposed. Not as tools of destruction, but as containment weapons to stabilize corrupted regions.
For the first time in days, Jean felt the faintest glimmer of relief.
Kael noticed her thoughtful silence and said nothing more.
Some truths, he knew, were better left unspoken. If he said too much, Jean might begin to wonder just how much he really knew.
---
The Archon of Wind Returns
After dinner, Jean escorted Kael home with a courteous smile before heading back to the Knights' headquarters. Piles of reports awaited her — damage assessments, civilian petitions, and expedition letters from Kaeya.
Her role was never-ending.
Kael, meanwhile, returned to the quiet comfort of Jean's modest home. The moment he stepped through the door, a cool breeze stirred the curtains, swirling into a small whirlwind before coalescing into a familiar form.
"You're finally here," Kael said, glancing toward the green figure now hovering lazily by the window. "You could've knocked, you know."
"Where's the fun in that?" Venti — or rather, Barbatos, the Anemo Archon — replied with a smirk. But for once, his carefree grin didn't reach his eyes.
Kael raised a brow. "Something happened?"
Venti's tone darkened. "The Abyss Order has stolen one of Mondstadt's Statues of The Seven. They're attempting to corrupt it with Abyssal energy."
Kael's expression hardened immediately. "That's not good. How bad is it?"
Venti sighed. "If left alone too long, the corruption could spread through the ley lines. The Statues don't just mark the Seven's presence — they regulate the world's flow of elemental energy. If a statue falls… the balance collapses."
---
A World on the Edge
Kael folded his arms, his gaze thoughtful.
Mondstadt's situation was already precarious. With the Knights of Favonius' main expedition led by Varka still away, and Dvalin's rampage having scarred the land, the ley lines had been left fractured and exposed.
Without the direct power of the Anemo Archon to maintain equilibrium, the city was slowly unraveling.
Even Zhongli had mentioned similar tremors beneath Liyue's Chasm, likely caused by the Abyss Order's interference.
Kael's thoughts drifted further east — toward the storm-wrapped isles of Inazuma.
If the Abyss had begun disturbing ley lines across the continent, then even the Sacred Sakura might be struggling to purify the spreading corruption.
If that sacred tree faltered, the island nation wouldn't merely suffer — it would implode.
And worse… Inazuma bordered the Dark Sea.
If Abyssal corruption breached that barrier, all of Teyvat could fall into shadow.
Kael exhaled slowly, his mind already racing ahead. It seems I'll have to visit Inazuma after Mondstadt is stabilized.
But that thought carried its own dangers.
Facing the Raiden Shogun, the God of Eternity, would be no easy task.
Even Zhongli, the God of War himself, had once told him:
> "If you were to fight Ei directly, your odds of victory would be… perhaps twenty-five percent."
Zhongli had not exaggerated.
Raiden Ei's martial prowess was legendary. She and her late twin sister, Raiden Makoto, were unparalleled — their dual existence both a mystery and a testament to divine power.
Kael frowned. He had no intention of confronting her — not yet.
If Ei ever realized that Celestia had fallen silent, and that the Heavenly Principles no longer watched over the world… her reaction could destabilize Inazuma entirely.
No. This required finesse, not force.
Perhaps it would be wiser to start with Yae Miko.
That cunning shrine maiden might be lazy, but she was far too clever to ignore the signs of impending disaster.
Let her worry about Ei for now, Kael thought. I'll handle the rest.
---
The Abyss' Target
"Did you recover the statue?" Kael asked.
Venti rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Not yet. The Abyss forces guarding it are… persistent. But your purification power still lingers in Mondstadt. Thanks to that, they can't fully corrupt the statue."
He tilted his head, eyes narrowing. "Though, between you and me… I think this is personal."
Kael arched an eyebrow. "Personal? You think they're targeting you?"
"Of course." Venti chuckled dryly. "First, they turned Dvalin against me. Now, they're defiling the statues that channel my power. Feels like they're forcing me back into the spotlight — as if they want Barbatos to reappear."
Kael frowned. "The Abyss Order…"
He ran a hand through his hair, his golden eyes narrowing in thought. "Their goals were never just destruction. They're probing — testing how far the world can stretch before it breaks."
His voice grew colder. "I'd love nothing more than to wipe them out entirely, but if they've grown strong enough to defy Celestia itself… then even I might not be ready yet."
Venti nodded gravely. "Exactly. That's why I've called for help."
Kael glanced at him. "Help?"
Venti's lips curved into a familiar, mischievous smile. "She should arrive soon. A gentle soul, blessed by Hydro — with a gift for cleansing corruption."
Kael smiled faintly. "Barbara, huh?"
Venti winked. "She's always had faith in her music and her prayers. That faith will resonate with the statue's core. She may not realize it yet, but the power of her song isn't just healing — it's divine resonance."
Kael nodded approvingly. "A good choice."
But his thoughts wandered elsewhere.
The more he learned about the Abyss Order, the clearer their ultimate aim became — to break Teyvat's balance by corrupting its faith.
And faith was something the Archons no longer controlled completely.
---
Celestia's Fractures
Kael's mind turned toward another enigma — one that had lingered since his arrival in this world.
Paimon.
The little floating creature had been dismissed by most as comic relief, but Kael knew better. The signs were too clear — her resistance to Abyssal energy, her divine speech patterns, and her mysterious connection to the Traveler.
Recent events in Fontaine had all but confirmed it: Paimon was connected to Celestia.
Some even whispered she might be one of the Four Shades — fragments of the Heavenly Principles themselves, cast into mortal form.
If that was true… then she might be his key to understanding what had truly happened to the former Celestia.
A small grin tugged at his lips.
"What a pity she's already following the Traveler," Kael murmured. "Otherwise, I'd have kept her by my side. She'd make a good companion."
He paused, his grin widening slightly. "Even if she does eat like a hilichurl."
Venti raised an eyebrow. "You do realize how that sounds, right?"
Kael chuckled. "Relax. I'm joking… mostly."
Then, under his breath, he added, "Still, if I ever run into the male Traveler, maybe I'll just borrow her for a while."
Venti sighed. "You're impossible."
Kael shrugged. "If it's Lumine instead… then I might reconsider."
Venti's laughter finally returned — light and musical. "Ah, and here I thought I was the mischievous one."
But his eyes remained sharp. Beneath the teasing, both gods could sense the storm gathering beyond Mondstadt's peaceful skies.
The Abyss was moving.
And soon, all of Teyvat would feel its shadow.