013. Beneath the bard's melody

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In the morning light, Paimon, Aether, and you walked the familiar cobbled paths of Mondstadt, heading toward the grand cathedral that loomed against the blue sky.

It was a serene morning, with the crisp air carrying the scent of dandelions and the gentle murmur of the city beginning its day. Paimon floated alongside the two of you, her usual energy slightly dampened by the lingering fatigue from their fight with Stormterror.

"Do you think Venti and Jean will have anything good to say?" Paimon mused, glancing at Aether. "After all, we did just finish saving Mondstadt!"

Just as the cathedral spires came into view, a familiar voice called out behind you. "You guys are back! The honorary knight returns triumphant!"

You turned to see Amber jogging toward you, a wide smile on her face. Paimon perked up, beaming. "Yup, we're back from tussling with Dvalin!"

Amber's expression softened with admiration. "You just returned yesterday, right? Jean got back first, and she told us all about your heroic deeds." She sighed, wistful. "I wonder if I'll ever get an opportunity like that..."

You gave her a reassuring smile. "All thanks to your referral. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't even know where to start, you know?"

Amber shook her head quickly. "That doesn't come into it. You guys deserve all the credit for how you resolved this crisis." She looked up at the sky for a moment, as if remembering that first day. "When I brought you into the city that day, I was just doing my duty as an outrider."

Trusting his instincts, Aether replied, "It's not an opportunity you'd want too often..."

You mentally agreed to his words. Although the whole situation with stormterror was tiring nonetheless and everyone got out of it without too many injuries, you weren't so sure if the pyro user would be able to withstand it.

After all, not even you were able to in the end.

She let out a small laugh, nodding. "You're right, actually. Peace is hard-won, and we shouldn't take it for granted," her smile softened. "And this time, you're the one we should all be grateful to."

Paimon puffed up with pride, crossing her arms. "You're welcome! But have you been waiting for us here this whole time?"

Amber laughed. "Of course not! Just because I'm not out on the front line doesn't mean I don't have work to do... In fact, I'm dealing with the aftermath of the crisis as we speak."

"Aftermath?" Paimon tilted her head, curious. "Here? What happened in Mondstadt?"

You slightly tilted your head, squinting your eyes in concentration. "I suppose it's about the abyss order?"

Her eyes landed on you before she nodded, confirming your suspicion. "You're correct."

Amber's face grew serious. "While Master Jean was away, the monsters lurking nearby made a coordinated attack on the city. Fortunately, we weren't completely taken by surprise. I detected the hilichurls were moving closer to the city a while back."

𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑠 𝑂𝑐𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑚 ⎮ 𝐺𝑒𝑛𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑛 𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑡Where stories live. Discover now