"It's beautiful…"
Standing atop Starsnatch Cliff, surrounded by drifting clouds so close they felt within reach, Lumine gazed at the white mist with a gentle smile.
The wind curled softly around them, protecting them. A breeze brushed across their faces, clouds flowed like pale silk, and everything below lay fully in view.
"This is the best scenery in all of Mondstadt."
Farmas hopped down from Lumine's shoulder.
They were the first to reach Starsnatch Cliff—there wasn't another soul in sight.
Only wind-tousled grass and patches of pure white Cecilias.
"Ehe~ Lumine, Paimon! You're here early, huh?"
A young, airy voice floated over from behind Farmas.
It was Venti, with Jean and Diluc following behind.
"Oh, looks like everyone's here now."
As the group gathered together, Master Diluc nodded.
Venti quietly exchanged a look with Farmas.
"This place really is beautiful," Paimon said, stretching her hands into the drifting fog as if trying to grab it.
"Very fitting for a fated reunion, don't you think? All right then—let's begin."
A glowing lyre appeared in Venti's hands: the Holy Lyre der Himmel.
"Whatever the outcome… at least we've finally seen a glimmer of hope. For too long, all of Mondstadt has been under this shadow…" Jean said with steady resolve.
"All right, all right. Everyone spread out! The best bard in all Teyvat is about to pluck his strings!"
Standing at the cliff's edge, Venti let the breeze, smelling faintly of grass, ripple past him.
His long fingers brushed across the lyre's strings.
Clear, crystalline notes rang out.
A soothing melody drifted across Starsnatch Cliff, carried far and wide by the wind.
But slowly, the wind's tone began to change.
The breeze grew restless—then violent.
Even the soft clouds around them began swirling chaotically.
Farmas narrowed his eyes.
The winds… were accelerating.
Amid the beating of colossal wings, Dvalin's massive form rose from beneath the cliff—looming over them.
Venti's song abruptly ceased.
He looked up at Dvalin, eyes filled with memory.
"Long time no see, old friend."
"It's you… There is nothing left for us to talk about."
Dvalin's voice boomed so loudly that their ears rang.
"Is that so? Strange… Your eyes look as though they remember this song."
Venti spoke softly, hoping Dvalin would accept his aid—hoping to soothe his pain and bring him back to who he once was.
The Holy Lyre glowed, calming Dvalin's afflicted soul.
Only with the Lyre's power could Dvalin remain lucid long enough to face Venti.
Farmas watched quietly.
He already knew what would happen next.
Suddenly—an ice spike shot through the air.
Its target wasn't Venti—
It was the Lyre.
Venti dodged, but the Holy Lyre was struck and clattered to the ground.
Its teal radiance flickered and died.
The suppression vanished.
Corruption surged.
The poison in Dvalin's blood—twisting and agonizing him—fully erupted.
Everything happened too fast.
Floating beside Dvalin, an Abyss Mage appeared, cackling sharply.
"Ah! Tone-Deaf Bard!"
Paimon's eyes widened as she spotted blood dripping from Venti's wrist.
"Don't be deceived, pitiful dragon! He abandoned you long ago! And now he returns only to lie to you again!"
The Cryo Abyss Mage hovered above Dvalin's head, whispering poison into his ears.
"Barbatos…! Are these people with you—
Come to hunt me down?!"
Dvalin had spotted the fiery aura behind Venti—several figures standing unharmed in the raging winds.
"Hate them! Rage! You are already an enemy of Mondstadt—there is no turning back!"
The Abyss Mage fanned the flames even further.
"It's not like that! Dvalin, please—believe me! I came to save you—"
For once, the smooth-talking Venti was completely flustered.
He looked desperately toward Farmas for help.
"Hahaha! It's useless! This dragon will soon serve his true master! You can stay here and wallow in your helplessness!"
"Dvalin! Wait—!"
As Dvalin turned to fly away, Venti stepped forward—too far.
His foot found only empty air.
He slipped—
But before he could fall from the cliff, a strong armored hand caught him.
Farmas, now in human form.
"You don't think… you're all being a bit too arrogant?"
Farmas stomped the ground.
The ley lines responded.
Fire surged upward, consolidating into a molten-colored spear.
"It's you?! Warlord Farmas—
You… you're not dead?"
Dvalin's wings faltered, beating out of rhythm as he retreated tens of meters in shock.
Farmas twirled the spear once.
The inflowing power from the leylines made his smile stretch—wild, unrestrained.
"Heaven may have abandoned me…
But the earth has always been beneath my feet."
He leapt skyward.
Flames surged.
Wind fed the blaze—
A fire dragon roared forth from his spear.
"Scarlet Dragon!"
Its momentum was overwhelming.
Dvalin tried to dodge, but it was too late—
He could only shield himself with the full force of Anemo.
Flame met storm.
The two divine-level elemental forces collided—
A massive explosion of Swirl engulfed a radius of over a thousand meters.
"A thousand years, Dvalin. The mighty East Wind Dragon…
Is this all you've got?"
Forced apart by the blast, Farmas taunted as he charged again.
His spear carved massive fire-blades through the air—
Slash after slash—
Stab after stab—
Dvalin was reduced to desperately blocking with his claws.
"Use a little strength, will you?
Or I'll pluck you bald again."
Even mid-battle, Farmas found room to mock the dragon he once bullied.
"ROOOOAR!"
Dvalin spat a massive wind-charged bullet straight at him.
"Blazing Battlefield."
A towering flame shield encased Farmas.
The ley lines spiraled into a firestorm around his feet—
Within it, countless raging spirits seemed to wail.
A god and a dragon—
Squaring off across the sky.
"That… is that really Farmas?
That… that fire slime?" Paimon stammered, clinging to Lumine's shoulder.
"D-does he hold grudges?
I—I bullied him before… h-he won't remember that, right…?"
Everyone could barely stand against the shockwaves of their battle.
Only Diluc looked unsurprised.
"Warlord Farmas—
the Flame Archon of ancient Munata,
Founder of the War-Nation."
He revealed Farmas's true identity.
Only Venti looked truly worried.
He knew—
Farmas, burning at full power like this,
wouldn't be able to hold out for long.
~---------------------------
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