[Location: Starsnatch Cliff]
[Time: 23:45 PM]
The wind howled differently here. It wasn't the gentle breeze of the city; it was sharp, carrying the chill of the ocean and the weight of old memories.
We stood at the edge of the cliff. The stars above were brilliant, unblocked by the fog that usually shrouded this area.
Jean, the Acting Grand Master, had joined us. She looked at me—a wolf-sized dragon with metallic scales and eyes that shimmered with intelligence—with a mix of awe and professional wariness.
"So," Jean said, her hand resting on her sword hilt. "This is the 'Honorary Knight's' companion. I heard reports from the cleanup crew at the domain. They said you... consumed a Mitachurl's shield?"
"It needed more salt," I projected into their minds.
Jean blinked, startled by the telepathy. "I see. Talkative, too."
"Focus, everyone," Diluc interrupted, his arms crossed. "The wind is picking up. He's coming."
Venti stepped forward to the very edge. He held the Holy Lyre der Himmel gently. His playful demeanor was gone, replaced by the ancient melancholy of a god who had outlived too many friends.
"Dvalin..." Venti whispered. "Let us wash away your pain."
He began to play. The melody was haunting—a song of freedom, of old hunts, of a dragon and a bard soaring through the skies before the world grew complicated.
[Great Sage]
"He's here," I growled, digging my claws into the soil to anchor myself.
A massive shadow blotted out the stars. Dvalin. The Stormterror.
He was magnificent and terrifying. His azure scales were marred by glowing purple veins of corruption. He didn't land; he hovered, his wings generating gale-force winds that threatened to blow us off the cliff.
"ROAAAAR!"
The roar wasn't just sound; it was a physical impact.
Venti didn't flinch. He kept playing. "It's alright... It's alright, Dvalin. I'm here."
For a moment, the dragon's eyes cleared. The red rage faded to a confused blue. He leaned in, drawn to the music. It was working.
[Great Sage]
"TRAP!" I roared.
I launched myself forward, activating [Shadow Motion] to bridge the gap between the cliff and the hovering dragon.
But I was a fraction of a second too late.
An icy blast struck the Holy Lyre.
CRACK.
Venti stumbled back, the melody shattered.
"Do not be fooled, Dragon!" a shrill, mocking voice echoed. An Abyss Mage (Cryo) materialized on Dvalin's back, surrounded by a shimmering shield. "He has come to kill you! Look! He brought the Knights to finish the job!"
Dvalin saw Jean. He saw Diluc. He saw me, a rival predator, mid-air.
The confusion in his eyes snapped back to hate.
"BETRAYAL!" Dvalin screamed.
The wind pressure multiplied instantly. It wasn't just wind anymore; it was a shockwave.
I was mid-jump. The blast hit me like a solid wall.
"Gah!"
I was swatting out of the air like a fly, slamming hard into the cliff face.
[System Alert]
"Dvalin, no!" Venti cried out, reaching a hand forward. "They are here to help!"
"LIES!" The dragon shrieked. "You have turned against me! You have forgotten me! If you want war, Barbatos... THEN WAR YOU SHALL HAVE!"
Dvalin spun in the air, his tail whipping around. He grabbed the Abyss Mage (who was cackling maniacally) and ascended sharply into the clouds, leaving a sonic boom that knocked everyone to their knees.
[Location: Starsnatch Cliff – Moments Later]
Silence returned, heavy and painful.
The Holy Lyre lay on the grass, damaged but not destroyed. Venti stared at the sky, his hand still reaching out.
Jean sheathed her sword, her face grim. "We failed."
"No," Diluc said, his voice cold. "We were sabotaged."
I pulled myself out of the crater I had made in the rocks. Dust and pebbles fell from my mane. My body didn't hurt, but my pride was shattered.
I was too slow.
I was a Dragon. I had [Great Sage]. I had [Predator]. And yet, a floating furball with a stick had played us all.
"That Abyss Mage..." My voice was a low, vibrating rumble that made the ground shake. "I'm going to eat him. Slowly. I'm going to peel that shield off layer by layer."
Aether walked over and placed a hand on my flank. "Raiden. You tried. You saw it before any of us."
"Not fast enough," I snapped. "I need to be faster. Stronger."
[System Alert]
Venti turned to us. The sadness was still there, but his eyes were hard now. The eyes of an Archon.
"Dvalin has returned to his lair," Venti said. "The ancient ruins of Decarabian's city. Stormterror's Lair."
"It's surrounded by a massive wind barrier," Jean noted. "No human can pass through."
Venti looked at me. Then he looked at Aether.
"Humans cannot," Venti agreed. "But a Descender... and a Dragon who defies the laws of Teyvat? I think we can crash the party."
Diluc adjusted his gloves. "I'll mobilize the Dawn Winery's intel network. If we're going into that storm, we go prepared."
"I don't care about preparation," I hissed, smoke curling from my nostrils. "Just point me to the Mage. I have an empty stomach and a lot of anger."
Jean looked at the determination in the group. She nodded.
"I will mobilize the Knights to protect the city in case Dvalin attacks again," Jean said. "But officially... this is a covert operation. The Acting Grand Master isn't here. Just Jean."
Aether drew his sword. "Then let's go. To Stormterror's Lair."
[Great Sage]
Secondary Objective: Consume the Abyss Mage.
Evolution Progress: 18%.>
I looked at the horizon where the dark storm clouds were gathering.
"Hey, Bard," I called out to Venti.
Venti looked back.
"Next time you play that harp... make sure it's a battle song."
Venti managed a small, sharp smile. "Deal."