Again
As they stood on the cliff, the wind whipping at their clothes, Venti raised the Holy Lyre der Himmel. The instrument, though simple in appearance, seemed to pulse with a faint, inner light. Venti closed his eyes, took a deep breath of the wild wind, and began to play.
The melody that flowed from the lyre was unlike anything I had ever heard. It wasn't just music; it was a force of nature, a song of pure, unadulterated Anemo energy. The notes swirled around them, creating a gentle, yet powerful, vortex of wind that echoed through the highlands. The sound was both soothing and commanding, ancient and timeless. It resonated with the very soul of Mondstadt, a song of freedom, of longing, and of hope.
As the final notes faded into the wind, a colossal shadow fell over the cliff. Dvalin appeared, soaring through the sky with a speed that belied its immense size. It was a magnificent, yet terrifying, sight. The dragon's scales shimmered with corrupted energy, and its eyes glowed with a tormented light. It roared, a sound that shook the very ground beneath their feet, but this time, there was a hint of confusion, of pain, in its voice. The music seemed to have reached it, stirring something deep within its corrupted heart.
As Dvalin's vast shadow enveloped the cliff, its tormented roar filled the air. Venti, however, held his ground, his gaze unwavering as he looked up at the colossal dragon.
"Dvalin," Venti called out, his voice now imbued with a deep, resonant authority that transcended his youthful appearance. It was the voice of the Anemo Archon, Barbatos. "My old friend. It is I, Barbatos. Can you not hear the winds that sing of our past? Can you not feel the freedom of Mondstadt, which you once vowed to protect?"
Dvalin's massive head tilted, its corrupted eyes seeming to struggle for focus. A guttural, distorted voice, like stones grinding together, rumbled from its immense form, echoing across the cliff.
"Barbatos... The deceiver... You abandoned me... You abandoned Mondstadt!" The words were laced with pain and a deep-seated bitterness. "These winds... they burn! They are not freedom, they are betrayal!"
Venti's expression softened, a profound sadness in his eyes. "No, old friend. It was I who erred, for a time. But never did I abandon you, nor Mondstadt. The corruption you bear... it twists your perception. It lies to you. It whispers of false betrayal."
"Lies...?! The people... they fear me! They call me Stormterror!" Dvalin's voice rose in a pained crescendo, the corrupted wind around it intensifying. "They threw stones... They drove me away! You... you let them!"
"They did not understand your pain, Dvalin, nor the truth of your sacrifice!" Venti pleaded, his voice rising, trying to pierce through the layers of Abyss corruption. "The very winds you breathe, the sky you soar through... they are part of you. They are part of us. The song of freedom... it still calls to you."
The dragon thrashed, its huge body convulsing. "No... only pain... only rage... You abandoned me... You let me suffer..." Its voice became more fragmented, broken by tormented groans, a clear battle raging within its own mind.
Just as Venti's voice reached its most earnest plea, and Dvalin seemed to waver, a sudden, piercing chill, far colder than the Anemo Archon's gentle breeze, ripped through the air. A blinding blast of corrupted cold energy, impossibly fast and utterly unexpected, shot out from seemingly nowhere, a trajectory of pure ice aimed directly at Venti.
There was no time to react. The beam slammed into the Holy Lyre der Himmel in Venti's hands.
A deafening CRACK echoed, followed by a sickening SHATTER. The ancient lyre, which moments ago had hummed with divine power, exploded into a thousand glittering, frozen fragments that scattered into the wind. Its inner light extinguished instantly, leaving only slivers of splintered wood and crystallized strings.
"Foolish Archon! Did you truly believe your pathetic song could sever the bonds of corruption? Dvalin belongs to the Abyss now!" the Mage cackled, its voice grating.
The Abyss Mage then turned its gaze towards the still-hovering Dvalin, its voice shifting, taking on a sinister, manipulative timbre. "Look, Dvalin!" the Mage shrieked, its voice echoing with false concern. "Did you not feel the Archon's treachery? He tried to silence you! To kill you with his hateful song! And these humans, these Knights, and their 'Shield of Mondstadt'..." The Mage's glowing eyes seemed to fixate on me and Lumine. "...They are his puppets! They merely aid him in your demise! They wish to extinguish your life, just as they extinguished your honor!"
Dvalin's pained confusion twisted into a renewed, terrifying rage. Its eyes, which had briefly shown a flicker of the past, now burned with raw, corrupted fury. The Abyss Mage's words, twisting Venti's attempts at purification into murderous intent, seemed to reinforce all of Dvalin's deep-seated resentment and pain. It let out a deafening, heartbroken roar that vibrated through the very ground, no longer just pain, but absolute, targeted hatred. Its colossal gaze fixed not on the Abyss Mage, but on Venti, and then on us.
Jean, Diluc, and Lumine all instinctively braced for impact, their faces grim. The Abyss Mage had succeeded. Dvalin, manipulated and enraged by the Abyss Mage's Cryo-infused lies, was now fully set against us.
Dvalin's furious roar ripped through the air, shaking the very cliff beneath our feet. Its corrupted eyes, burning with newly stoked hatred, fixed on us, the perceived betrayers. The immense dragon gathered its strength, and with a guttural shriek, unleashed a torrent of corrupted Anemo energy – a focused, destructive blast of dark wind that tore straight towards our position.
The very air howled, solidifying into a physical force of pure destruction. This wasn't just a threat; it was a killing blow, aimed at wiping us all from the precipice.
The Abyss Mage, having ignited Dvalin's rage, merely let out another cackling laugh. With a shimmer of dark Cryo energy, it began to retreat, phasing backward into the shadows of the rocks, its mission accomplished.
"Scatter!" Jean yelled, her voice cutting through the roar of the wind, her own elemental energy flaring as she prepared a defensive stance.
Diluc, grim-faced, moved with surprising speed, his claymore already drawn, preparing to meet the impact. Lumine, her features a mix of shock and resolve, pushed Paimon to the side, then braced herself, her sword glowing.
Dvalin's furious roar ripped through the air, shaking the very cliff beneath our feet. Its corrupted eyes, burning with newly stoked hatred, fixed on us, the perceived betrayers. The immense dragon gathered its strength, and with a guttural shriek, it began to charge a devastating blast of corrupted Anemo energy. The air around it warped, thick with destructive power.
The Abyss Mage, having ignited Dvalin's rage, merely let out another cackling laugh. With a shimmer of dark Cryo energy, it began to retreat, phasing backward into the shadows of the rocks, its mission accomplished.
"Scatter!" Jean yelled, her voice cutting through the roar of the wind, her own elemental energy flaring as she prepared a defensive stance. Diluc's claymore was drawn, Lumine's sword glowed, and I braced myself, my instincts screaming.
But before any of us could fully react, before the corrupted blast could fully unleash, Dvalin's immense form suddenly faltered. Its head whipped back, its roar turning into a pained, guttural sound, as if its own power was too much for its tormented form. Then, with an abrupt, powerful beat of its wings, it ascended sharply into the sky, no longer focused on us.
Its massive shadow swept over us one last time, and then, with incredible speed, Dvalin veered away, disappearing into the distant clouds, its enraged cries echoing briefly before fading into the vast silence of the highlands.
We stood there, weapons drawn, muscles tensed, staring at the empty sky. The attack had been aborted. Dvalin, manipulated and enraged, had flown off, leaving behind a group of stunned heroes on the wind-swept cliff.
The immediate, palpable tension on the cliff slowly dissipated as the roar of Dvalin faded into the distance. Weapons were slowly lowered, shoulders relaxed from their defensive hunch, and the group collectively let out a ragged breath. The threat was gone, for now.
Paimon zipped down to hover anxiously between Lumine and me. "Phew! Paimon thought that was it! Why did Dvalin just fly away?"
Jean sighed, running a hand through her hair, her expression a mix of relief and profound frustration. "Because of the Abyss Mage," she stated, her voice grim. "It successfully twisted Dvalin's perception. Its manipulation seems to have given Dvalin a new, destructive impulse, rather than just fear."
All eyes turned to Venti, who was still cradling his hands, looking at the invisible remnants of the Holy Lyre der Himmel. His usual whimsical aura was replaced by a quiet sorrow. "The Holy Lyre... it is shattered. My direct link to Dvalin, severed. Its corruption runs deeper than I had anticipated, and its true manipulators are far more insidious."
Diluc, who had been stoically observing the empty sky, finally spoke. "So, the bard's plan is now useless. The dragon is still out there, possibly more enraged than ever, and now there's an Abyss Mage pulling its strings." He looked at Jean. "What is the plan, Grand Master? We cannot simply wait for it to return and finish laying waste to Mondstadt."
Jean looked at each of us in turn, her gaze thoughtful and determined. "Indeed. The situation has become far more complicated. Our immediate goal must be two-fold: First, we need to locate Dvalin. He cannot be allowed to continue his rampage, especially now that he's being actively manipulated. Second, we need to understand the Abyss Order's involvement and, if possible, sever their connection to Dvalin."
"But without the Holy Lyre, how do we purify him?" Lumine asked, her brow furrowed. "That was the only way, wasn't it?"
Venti shook his head slowly. "Not the only way, dear Traveler. The song of purification would have been the gentlest. But Dvalin's corruption can still be fought. It flows from tainted tears, tears he has shed throughout his torment. If those can be purified..." He trailed off, a spark of an idea in his eyes.
"So, we need to find his lair," I interjected, recalling my recent fight with the Regisvine and the lessons learned about exploiting weaknesses. "And deal with those corrupted tears, and likely any Abyss Order forces guarding them."
Diluc nodded, a rare sign of agreement. "A direct assault. I approve of that much. But finding Dvalin's lair... it's a moving target, even for a creature of that size."
"Perhaps not entirely moving," Venti mused, looking out at the vast expanse of Teyvat. "There are places... ancient realms connected to him. I can guide you, or at least point you in the right direction."
Jean clapped her hands together, a decisive sound. "Then it's settled. Our next actions are clear: we will locate Dvalin's lair, investigate the Abyss Order's manipulation, and seek a way to cleanse the corruption directly. This will require all of our combined strengths and unique abilities. Are we agreed?"
With their new, albeit grim, plan decided, the group descended from the windswept cliff and made their way back to Mondstadt. The walk was quieter than before, filled with the weight of their shattered hope and the renewed danger Dvalin posed.
They re-entered the city gates, the familiar warmth of Mondstadt a stark contrast to the chilling encounter they had just faced. Once inside, they paused, a silent understanding passing between them.
"I will return to the Knights' Headquarters," Jean stated, her voice resolute. "I need to brief the captains, assess the city's defenses, and prepare for any further attacks. We must also coordinate with the reconnaissance teams to begin searching for any unusual activity related to the Abyss Order within Mondstadt or its immediate vicinity."
Diluc gave a curt nod. "I will follow up on any leads regarding the Abyss Order from my own channels. They operate in the shadows, and that's where I find them." He gave Venti a pointed look. "Do try not to get into any more trouble, bard."
Venti offered a weak, melancholic smile, still processing the loss of his lyre. "My sorrow is deep, yet my resolve is firm. I will continue to seek out Dvalin's true location. Perhaps with Lumine and Lance's aid, we can enter his domain directly."
Lumine looked at me, a silent question in her eyes. I nodded. My enhanced strength and abilities had been pushed to their limits, but I felt ready for whatever came next.
"Then it's settled," Jean concluded. "We'll reconvene once we have more information. Stay vigilant, everyone."