"Then we move out first."
Amber, Kaeya, and Lisa left Knights of Favonius Headquarters without hesitation.
The one staying behind in Mondstadt was Acting Grand Master Jean.
Keeping the Fatui delegation in check took more than strength—it took authority. And that was something only Jean could provide.
Before they separated, Jean turned to Kaito.
"You're familiar with the Temples of the Four Winds, aren't you?"
"Yeah. I know where they are," Kaito said with a nod.
He hadn't cared much about their exact locations before, but during the aerial battle with Stormterror he'd seen three distinct points of light in the distance—and committed them to memory.
"Amber's safety is in your hands," Jean said, serious.
"Leave it to me."
Kaito waved it off like it was nothing.
Lumine glanced back once more at Jean—leaning against her desk, deep in thought—then stepped out alongside Kaito.
Walking side by side, she tilted her head up slightly.
"Kaito… what exactly are the Temples of the Four Winds?"
Her voice was soft and clear—pleasant to listen to.
"Yeah, yeah!" Paimon added, floating up and perching on his head. "They keep saying it like it's some kind of secret code."
"Not a code," Kaito said, plucking Paimon off his hair. "It's literal. The Four Winds are Mondstadt's old protectors: the Wolf of the North, the Falcon of the West, the Lion of the South, and the Dragon of the East."
"The protectors?" Paimon frowned. "Then why can Stormterror use their power to wreck Mondstadt?"
"Do you remember the word Jean and Lisa used earlier?" Kaito asked.
"The word… um…" Paimon froze—clearly not built for deep thinking.
"…Abandoned," Lumine offered.
"Exactly." Kaito nodded. "If they're abandoned, nobody's guarding them. That means anyone can take advantage."
"Oh." Lumine's gaze sharpened. "So we're heading there now?"
Kaito glanced at her. "Are you tired?"
"I'm okay."
"…Do you want to change first?"
His eyes flicked to the tears in her skirt—the ones she'd made while bandaging his hands.
Lumine's ears, half-hidden in her hair, turned red instantly.
She tugged the fabric to cover the worst of it and shook her head.
"We're going into ruins anyway. I'll change after."
Out in the wild, scuffs and wear were normal. When it was just her and Paimon, she never thought twice.
But with Kaito nearby…
she felt oddly self-conscious.
"Alright. Let's go."
Kaito returned briefly to Good Hunter, grabbed a spare Wind Glider, then jumped out the window and regrouped with them. Together, they headed for the city gates.
Mondstadt was still under dark clouds and violent wind. Leaves and debris whipped through the streets. The bridge was empty—even Timmie and his pigeons were gone.
But once they traveled a short distance outside the city, the sky brightened again.
Looking back, Mondstadt still sat beneath a churning mass of Anemo.
It felt like two different worlds stacked on top of each other.
In the distance, Amber was already waiting at the entrance of a ruin.
A blazing red sigil was carved into the massive stone door.
"Kaito! Lumine! Over here!" Amber hopped and waved. "I've already done a quick recon!"
"How is it?" Kaito asked.
"This is the Temple of the Falcon of the West Wind," Amber reported. "Inside should just be some hilichurls and slimes."
"There are monsters inside temples?" Lumine asked, surprised.
"Well, it is abandoned," Paimon said proudly, repeating what she'd just learned.
"That's manageable," Lumine said.
She'd already fought slimes in the wild—and cleared a hilichurl camp with Amber before entering Mondstadt.
"Can you feel it?" Amber's tone sharpened. "The wind here isn't right. Stormterror's power is still clinging to this place."
"We should move. Now."
"Yeah."
Kaito placed his hand on the door.
Anemo surged.
The crimson sigil was swallowed by flowing wind. The door slid open, revealing a mechanical corridor—blocked by another sealed gate.
A control console sat in the corner.
Kaito stepped up and channeled elemental energy into it.
Rumble—
The heavy gate unlocked.
They moved inside.
"There!" Amber pointed toward a platform high above. "That's the deepest part of the temple!"
"Whoa… that's high," Paimon muttered. "How are we supposed to get up there?"
"Let's get closer first," Amber said, calm. "If this was once a real temple, there'll be a route."
She drew her bow.
Flames gathered along the arrowhead.
Whoosh—
The arrow struck a wall of dried thorn vines blocking the path. Fire spread instantly, reducing them to ash.
"Let's go."
Amber took point.
More thorn barriers appeared along the way. Each time, Amber burned them away, leaving the air warm and faintly tinged with lingering Pyro energy.
At a corner, she suddenly crouched.
"Down. Quiet."
Below the platform, three hilichurls were patrolling—clubs in one hand, shields in the other. They hadn't noticed the group yet.
Kaito glanced once.
Information surfaced almost automatically.
Lv.9. Lv.9. Lv.10.
Then he checked their side:
Lumine — Lv.2
Amber — Lv.3
Kaito — Lv.9
A level gap didn't mean the fight was unwinnable.
It meant they had to fight smart.
Amber was already moving.
Without a word, she quietly placed Baron Bunny on the ground.
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