8 New Energy - Entering Mondstadt City + [Omake 1]
"Hello There" -- Characters speaking
'General Kenobi' -- Character thoughts
"You are" 'a bold one' -- Invocations, Thoughts/Conversations in flashbacks
The Negotiator -- Titles
"Ah yes, the Negotiator" -- Xeroc speaking
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Within the heart of a large, fortress-like city, situated on a lone island surrounded by an enormous lake, a monumental building resembling a cathedral built in an architectural style of gothic origins, stood tall.
Its pristine design was a wonder to behold, as doors of oak stood guarding the entryway, and multiple sheets of stained glass had taken their place among the building's openings, acting as a gateway to illuminate the building and the people within, both physically and spiritually.
In front of the entrance of the cathedral was a stairway, connecting directly to a large area that was spherical in nature, serving as a gathering spot for the locals—the lone plaza of the city. But what attracted most people to this area was the large statue situated right in the middle of the plaza.
The statue was of a hooded figure covered in robes, with feathered wings sticking out of their back, as they were straightened out in full glory. The statue bore a face that was somewhat feminine, with their hair styled in two small braids that fell to their shoulders.
Their pose regal, their hands out-stretched; at first glance, it gave off the illusion that the statue was praying to something, but the inhabitants of the city knew better. To them, the pose represented the very essence of the city; Freedom, a new start, gifted to them by their deity.
Ringing throughout the plaza was a melody, soothing for the ears, originating from the base of the statue. The source of the melody being a harp, held by an androgynous, vertically-challenged figure dressed in green.
The figure beheld eyes with a salient shade of bright blue, their hair being prominently black with the ends styled into two braids, having the same hue as their irises. Their choice of clothing was... interesting to say the least.
A frilly white top with a corset, atop it a teal cape held together by a black-and-gold bow. Teal shorts with gold embroidery, and white stockings adorned with three gold diamond-shapes on each leg. To top if off, a beret-like hat with a beautiful white flower attached to its side, sat on their head.
The mysterious individual kept playing the harp, their fingers moving along multiple strings in succession, as the harmonious melody reached its climax, ending off at a high note.
All of a sudden, the wind billowed as the individual looked up, their gaze moving towards a certain direction, specifically being north-east. A slight smile adorned their face as they let out a small remark, before returning their attention back to the harp, this time playing a different melody.
"Interesting... it seems... the coming winds that drift across this land... will tell of a new tale."
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The time was around afternoon, as sunlight gleamed across the mysterious new land. The tranquility of a silent forest was broken, as the sound of a horse's galloping echoed along a dirt road among the trees.
"All my memories, gather 'round her~ Miner's lady, stranger to blue water~ Dark and dusty, painted on the sky~ Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye~"
The presence of music could be felt alongside the sound of galloping, as a mysterious voice sang aloud, alight with passion, accompanied by instruments.
"Country roads, take me home~ To the place I belong~ West Virginia, mountain mama~ Take me home, country roads~"
The dirt road seemed never-ending, progressing through forests, leading through deep, narrow gorges, before finally opening up to a breathtaking sight.
"I hear her voice in the mornin' hour, she calls me~ The radio reminds me of my home far away~ Drivin' down the road, I get a feelin'~ That I should've been home yesterday, yesterday~"
A multitude of cliffs surrounded two-thirds of a plains-like area, their pointed edges giving the illusion of angels standing guard, watching over the entrance of paradise.
"Country roads, take me home~ To the place I belong~ West Virginia, mountain mama~ Take me home, country roads~"
In the middle of the plains was a sizeable lake, probably a few meters deep, surrounding a small island with an enigmatic statue standing erect in the center of said island.
"Country roads, take me home~ To the place I belong~ West Virginia, mountain mama~ Take me home, country roads~"
As the horse kept pace, nearing the lake, his owner noticed something peculiar as he abruptly pulled the reins, bringing the horse to a stop as he left skid marks on the dirt road.
"Take me home, dow- "
"Woah! Careful...! Why'd we stop in the middle of the road?"
The owner of the horse, a man in red and black garbs, hopped off the horse as he tapped his thumb on the electronic device he held within his hand, cutting off the song that played on it.
He was followed by the passenger who sat behind him, a woman in a red robe who grumbled while getting off the horse.
"Stay here, boy."
Neigh.
Erden commanded Jamal to stay put, the horse releasing an accepting neigh as he walked away from the road, stopping short of the lake as he contentedly stood in one place.
"So... why did we stop here?"
As Calamitas inquired for the reason regarding their sudden stop, Erden relayed his reasoning, the statue being the recipient of his curiosity.
"That statue... I feel like I've seen it before somewhere. I was hoping to get a closer look... it might give us a clue as to where we are."
"In that case, I'll follow your lead."
Bending his knees, Erden made one mighty leap, easily crossing over the body of water as he landed directly on the island. Calamitas on the other hand, simply floated in the air as she made her way over to Erden.
As they both stepped closer, discerning the intricate design of the statue, they couldn't help but marvel at its uniqueness.
The bottom half of the statue was cylindrical in nature, with one side of the base having a large gold plate with a convoluted design being embedded into the statue.
On the other hand, the top half of the statue was occupied by the figure of a hooded person, their form covered in robes with wings coming out of their back. Their hands were outstretched, holding a sphere of stone, perhaps signifying an orb of some kind.
'I know I've seen this statue before... but where and when exactly?'
Erden stared closely while staying a few meters away so as not to touch the statue carelessly, observing it down to its minute details. He focused his gaze on the face hidden under the hood, hoping that it would jog his memory.
All of a sudden, both his and Calamitas' attention was drawn away from the statue towards the sound of hopping and plopping.
'A... slime?'
Moving their gazes in the direction of the plopping sound, they were greeted by the sight of an oval-shaped gelatinous creature, its body being twice as big as a regular basketball. Its skin was of a sky-blue color with a layer of frost sticking on top of it.
The slimy ball-like creature exuded cold air around it, as every time it touched the ground, it seemed to chill the earth around it, spreading ice from the point of contact to a few centimeters.
Right now, the creature was hopping on frozen water, courtesy of its icy body as it made its way towards the humanoid duo. Once it was within range, it tensed its body before making a big jump, only to be caught by Erden as he grabbed its body mid-air.
His hand began to freeze but he paid it no mind, instead inspecting every inch of the slime's body. Upon closer observation, he noticed several small chunks of ice jutting out from its front and sides, along with two white ellipses, that served as its eyes.
Feeling its life threatened, the slime slightly glowed with energy, as chunks of ice shaped like blades began to form in the air. They shot off towards Erden's head in an attempt to impale him, an attempt that failed miserably.
Without even looking away from it, Erden calmly moved his head sideways, avoiding the icicles as they struck the ground.
As he kept his eye on the slime, a distant memory surfaced within his mind, A memory from before his isekai adventure.
He was sitting on a rolling chair, the screen of a monitor facing him. On the screen, the imagery of a beach-like area was apparent as a blond male in an eccentric attire fought off a group of frost slimes.
Erden's eyes widened as a sudden realization hit him. He crushed the slime he held within his hand, making a pop sound as its body dissolved, leaving behind a viscous, liquid condensate.
He shook and clenched his hand, breaking off the layer of frost that had formed on it as he unfurled his wings, addressing Calamitas while preparing to take flight.
"There's something I need to confirm, so I'll be right back."
"'Kay, but I'll only wait for ten minutes. If you don't come back within that time, then I'll come search for you."
Erden didn't reply verbally, simply choosing to ruffle her hair a little bit as he took a few steps back, bending his knees before taking off into the air. Once he was at a high enough altitude, he discerned his surroundings, espying a walled-off city on a lone island in the distance.
BOOM!
He kicked the air, his boots firing off as he accelerated towards the distant city, breaking the sound barrier in the process.
Within a few minutes, he arrived within a few hundred meters of the city, observing from a high enough altitude so he wouldn't be noticed by the guards stationed on top of the city walls.
Looking over from a distance, most of the architecture seemed to be gothic in nature, with a hint of Fachwerk or timber-framing mixed into it, as majority of the buildings were reminiscent to those from olden Germany.
What stood out the most to Erden were the enormous cathedral at the highest point of the island, a bigger version of the statue he had just seen before, a giant castle-like building situated some distance away from the cathedral, and finally, the presence of multiple windmills scattered across the city, standing taller than most of the residential buildings.
The sight of the city brought him back to his conversation with Xeroc, when he gave Erden the details concerning to this new world.
"It does have a name, but it would be too easy and boring if I just gave it to you..."
"The world is comprised of mainly seven, known nations, each having their own unique cultures..."
'Seven... seven!'
The final piece had been placed, as Erden was able to confirm his location, and the identity of the world that he and Calamitas found themselves in.
'I'm in a waifu collection game!'
Even while being surprised from finding such a shocking discovery, not once did he make a sound, making sure that he did not alert any of the guards stationed on top of the walls.
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Back where the mysterious statue was, on an island in the middle of a lake, Calamitas sat on the grass near the statue, staring off into the lake as she idly watched various fishes swim by.
About nine minutes had passed by since Erden had left, and she didn't see any signs of him nearby. She stood up, wiping off any grass and dirt she saw on her robe as she be readied her magic, preparing to take flight.
Fortunately, just as she was about to ascend, Erden fell from the sky, using his wings and boots to slow his descent as he landed on his feet, generating a soft thump.
"So, what'd you find?"
"Well... for starters, I know what world we're in. The name of this land is called Teyvat."
"Teyvat...?"
Calamitas parroted the name of the peculiar new land, trying to remember if she had heard it before.
"Do you remember when I told you about the existence of fantasy novels and games from my world, with whole worlds and stories weaved into them?"
Comprehending his words, realization hit her, as an imaginary light bulb ignited over her head.
"Ah, now I remember! But... isn't Teyvat supposed to only be a fictional world?"
"Well... that's what I thought, too... but here we are."
Erden affirmed her question, his tone of voice hinting at his own bewilderment.
'Though, in hindsight, I probably should've predicted something like this happening, considering that the world of Terraria is eerily similar to the game, Terraria from my world.'
As Calamitas was mulling over the newly learned facts, her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps, as Erden walked over to the base of the statue.
She followed behind him, slightly curious but mostly cautious. Once he was a few centimeters away from the base, he placed his hand on the gold plate, and a moment later, the statue responded in kind.
Intricate carvings on the gold plate began to glow, swiftly turning into greenish-cyan lighting that traveled up the statue gathering into the stone sphere, before a dense, green bubble of elemental energy flew out of it, zooming directly into Erden's body, facing no resistance.
The change was instantaneous, as a completely new energy flowed through his body, coming into contact with the magical energy originating from Terraria. At first, there was slight repulsion, but then both energies melded together, creating a new blend of dense, mystical energy, containing qualities from both Mana and elemental energy.
Throughout the process, he felt slight discomfort as the mystical energies within his body underwent great change, enhancing the usage of his already overpowered magic. The change affected his entire body, down to his Mana core as it adapted to accompany the new energy.
'I think I'll call this... Elemental Mana.'
Once the entire process was finished, Erden removed his hand from the statue, extending it in an empty direction. Wind gathered around his palm, accelerating in a set path as it formed a curved blade.
After picking up enough speed, it shot off from his palm at an impressive speed. Within seconds, the wind blade crossed the lake, crashing into a lone tree nearby. Consequentially, a major part of the tree's trunk was carved outwards, causing it to fall over.
The sound of whistling garnered his attention, as he looked behind him to see his companion standing a few meters away, looking somewhat impressed as her lips were barely curved upwards, forming a ghost of a smirk.
"I barely felt any Mana from that one. Actually, speaking of Mana, what I felt from that wind blade felt kind of different. Like... there was something else mixed into the Mana."
"Well, that's because there was. This world mostly operates on elemental energy, that I absorbed when I touched that statue. The elemental energy combined with Mana to form a new kind of energy, with the properties of both. I call it Elemental Mana."
"Interesting... what else can you do with this... Elemental Mana?"
"Well... as its name suggests, it allows me to manipulate an element. Now, I don't have to worry about converting Mana into the wind element as I can just manipulate it directly using Elemental Mana."
A raised eyebrow was all he received in response to his vague answer, something he decided to expand upon.
"The reason I say 'an element,' is because this statue seems to only contain energy of the wind- Anemo element, as the natives call it."
As he finished his explanation, she asked another question, this time relating to both the energy and the statue.
"Do you know why the statue contains only... Anemo energy? Why not energies with affinities to other elements, like fire, or water?"
"That is simply because of the location. Right now, we are in the region of Mondstadt, whose patron deity is Ve- Barbatos, the god of Freedom... and the Archon of Anemo; hence, the statue solely containing Anemo energy."
"Understandable... welp, it's my turn now!"
Excited as she was, Calamitas sauntered over to the statue, placing her hand on the exact same spot on which Erden had placed his. Once again, the statue lit up as a ball of Anemo energy emerged from air, shooting directly into her body.
She felt an inexplicably uncomfortable sensation, as Anemo energy spread throughout her whole body, merging with the already existing magical energy. The newly formed Elemental Mana then assimilated itself into her Mana core.
As the process was finished, she let out a breathe she didn't even know she was holding, as the uncomfortable sensation finally disappeared. She could feel the Elemental Mana flowing through her body, going in and out of her Mana core.
She walked away from the statue, wanting to get a feel of how the new energy works. Just like Erden, she extended her hand with her palm facing forward in a direction without any obstacles.
With her line of sight clear and her target visible—a singular tree, standing erect nearby, away from a mass of trees, she began to release some of her Elemental Mana causing wind to congregate around her arm.
As it gathered in front of her palm, the wind gained a distinctly red hue and the area surrounding the blade of wind became blurry, due to the air gaining heat.
Surprised by the sudden change, she immediately let go of the wind blade, watching it travel a few meters before it dissipated completely over the lake.
"Okaayyy... let's not test that one out here. Lots of trees around, and I'm pretty sure I saw a few flickers of your Brimflames in that wind blade. We'd end up committing arson if that landed on any of these trees around here."
"...Yeah, you're right. Though, it's a bit disappointing."
Although her tone didn't express any sadness, her body was quite honest. Her face showed a moping expression, the small pout of her lips quite visible, her eyes cast downwards as she quietly kicked at the ground.
A chuckle almost escaped his lips before he clamped down on them. He did not want to attract her ire and then have her act like a petulant child for the rest of their ride to the city of Mondstadt. Instead, he patted her head, slightly ruffling her hair while assuring her to dispel away her sadness.
"Don't worry, I'm sure we'll find a proper place to test your new power. Right now, it's noon so we have plenty of time to head over to Mondstadt city and find a place to stay."
"...Umu. But this time, I'm riding in front."
Placated as she was, she was still quite sulky, so she hurriedly crossed over the lake, deciding to take the front of the saddle, wanting to be pampered by her companion for the rest of the ride.
"Good grief, what a high-maintenance girl... still, I wouldn't have it any other way."
Looking back towards the statue one more time, he too jumped over the lake as he walked towards Jamal, settling himself on the back of the saddle.
Once he was properly seated, Calamitas leaned backwards, the small of her back touching his abdomen as her upper back and shoulders rested against his chest. Despite their similar heights, his physique was bigger and built more robustly.
Erden grabbed the reins, pulling them slightly. In response, Jamal moved away from the lake, getting back on to the road as the horse, along with the duo, rode towards the distantly walled city.
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The sound of hoofs rang out as Jamal kept his pace. The road was surrounded by a mass of trees on both sides, followed by rocks of varying elevations.
The sky was cloudy as it was evening, the edges of the sun beginning to dip beyond the horizon. The sight of a bridge was apparent, connecting Mondstadt city to the rest of the region.
"Looks like we're close. Just a few more minutes and we'll get there."
"Finally! We've been riding for hours! My butt is starting to feel sore from all this sitting."
"Just bear with it. Also, I don't think I need to say this, but make sure you don't say anything about this world being a fictional one, or the fact that we are not from this land."
"You worry too much, I'm not gonna walk up to someone and give them an existential crisis."
To pass the time, the two of them made small talk, and sometimes listened to music, but most of the ride was spent in silence and tranquility, simply admiring the scenery around them.
After a few minutes, the area cleared up as their vision of the city became clear, the weathering walls of the city resembling battlements, stood tall as they did for centuries. Off to the side of the walls, a small wooden construct resembling a harbor existed, its presence inconspicuous.
Beyond the city walls, the only thing that was visible from their location was the sight of a wind mill, its sails slowly moving along the wind.
They kept moving, not stopping once, until they finally arrived on the bridge. Erden pulled the reins once again, a sign for Jamal to slow down to a walking pace.
Walking along the length of the bridge, they saw a young boy with pale skin, blue eyes, and short, dirty blond hair, his age probably around ten; he was standing on the sidewalk of the bridge, feeding the pigeons that took up the middle of the road.
As the horse approached them, the pigeons became startled, flying away from the menacingly black horse. This elicited a response from the young boy, a prominent frown marring his face.
"Hey! Why'd you do that?! You scared the pigeons away!"
"Do what? We're simply passing through this area, and you shouldn't be out on your own, kid. Sun's about to go down, and your parents would be worried about you."
As Erden mentioned the word "parents", the boy's eyes became downcast and misty with tears as his lips quivered, his voice cracking as he revealed a sad fact about his family.
"Only my Mommy will come looking for me, because she always knows where I am, but my Daddy... he left one day... and never came back..."
Hearing the boy's sad backstory, Erden's eyes softened, his face bearing an expression of sympathy.
'Sad... even in another world, there will always be dads who left to get the milk...'
Deciding to comfort the boy, he brought Jamal over to the sidewalk as he got off the horse. Walking over to the boy, he kneeled on one knee so that they were both face-to-face, due to the fact that at his full height, the boy's head only reached up to his abdomen.
"Hey kiddo, what's your name?"
"...Timmie."
Registering the boy's name in his mind, Erden remembered who the boy exactly was.
'Timmie...? Wait, the pigeons- oh shit, It's the Archon of Pigeons! He's also the kid who has a Ruin Guard as his stand!'
Inwardly, he was in quite the frenzy while he maintained a calm exterior.
"W-Well... Timmie, my name's Erden and I'm a magician. I have a very special magic trick that I can teach you. It might even bring back your dad, although it only has a fifty-percent chance of working. You wanna learn it?"
"T-Truly...? Will it really... bring my Daddy back to me...?"
"It's only fifty-percent. But hey! Fifty is better than nothing, right?!"
Erden's "kindness" brought about rays of hope that pierced through the clouds of sadness and uncertainty plaguing Timmie's mind. With renewed vigor, Timmie sought to learn the magic trick from Erden, determined to bring his Daddy back.
"Yes, I want to learn! Please teach me!"
Seeing Timmie's determined face, Erden let a smile show. He then leaned in close to his ear, as he began to teach Timmie a magic trick from his world, that millions of people employed throughout the globe, granting them the ability to find their fathers who left to get the milk.
Elated that he was finally going to learn a way to bring his Daddy home, he focused his entire attention on Erden, ready to engrave his words of wisdom, down to his very soul.
"Attaboy! Then, listen closely, Timmie. The magic trick is called..."
However, reality is often disappointing.
"...Win a lottery."
Calamitas, who was listening to their conversation, could do nothing but hold a deadpan expression as she felt exasperated with Erden's antics.
"..."
"...Eh?"
The clouds of sadness returned in full-effect with double the power, completely blotting out the rays of hope.
"I said, it's called 'win a lottery'."
"I heard that! But Mommy said that gambling is bad!"
"It is, when you do it irresponsibly. Anyways, as I was going to say, you just gotta win a lottery. Once you do, make sure you spread your name far and wide. Then, and only then, there will be a fifty-percent chance that your dad comes back with the mil- I mean, your dad finds you."
A deliberate coughing sound escaped from his lips; an attempt to hide his slip-up.
"But... I don't want to disobey Mommy. And you're not even sure that it will work!"
Knowing that he still wasn't convinced, Erden released a sigh as he adopted a serious expression. Timmie, who was beginning to get fed up with Erden, saw that he wasn't done speaking. Driven by curiosity, he did not leave, wondering what else the man had to say.
"Haahhh... listen Timmie, I may not be an Archon, or a god like Ve- Barbatos, but in my twenty-five years of living, I've heard and learned a lot of lessons; some good and some bad."
He stopped, and took a deep breathe while observing Timmie's face and body language. Seeing that he wouldn't be interrupted, he carried on with his speech.
"But there is one advice that has always helped me, and kept me moving forward. So let me impart it unto you... take the first step."
"...Huh?"
"Don't give up before even trying. Take the first step and try to get your foot in the door, because if you don't even take that first step, then how will you know if something has a chance of working or not?"
"I... don't?"
"Exactly! You'll never know if you don't even try! Do you think I always knew that I was going to succeed in whatever I did? No! I always doubted myself, afraid that I might end up disappointing those around me. But even so, I had to take that first step, because for me... it was the only way forward!"
Even though his words were having a small effect, Timmie was still scared of going against his Mommy's orders... but even more than that, he was doubtful, not in Erden, but in himself.
"Even if somehow, Mommy lets me gamble... how do I know that I won't fail?"
A pat on his head was all he received. Suddenly, small rays of light fell on his eyes, momentarily blinding him. As he opened his eyes, a breathtaking sight greeted his eyes.
Erden, his lips slightly curved and his head slightly tilted, his ponytail swaying in the breeze. Behind him, rays of light reflected on the lake water, as half of the sun was visible beyond the horizon.
However, what stood out the most to Timmie were his eyes. Eyes, that told of years of hardship, and had seen a lifetime worth of battles; and yet, those same eyes still held a sliver of benignity and humanity.
"You don't... because, it's a leap of faith, Timmie. That's all it is, a leap of faith."
A decisive answer was what he received. For a minute, Timmie kept quiet, his eyelids shut, as he thought over it. After the minute had passed, he finally opened them, a flicker of determination shining in his eyes.
"To be honest, I'm still not sure about this magic trick of yours... but at the very least, I will give it a try. And if this doesn't work, then I'll look for a different method. But I won't give up! I'll keep trying until Daddy returns home!"
"Yeah! That's the Shonen spirit! Go get'em boy!"
With Erden's encouragement as added fuel, Timmie began to leave, but not before asking one last question that occupied his mind rent-free, ever since he first saw Erden.
"By the way, mister... how did you get that scar on your eye?"
"Oh, this? Just something I got from a passing through Brazilian Samurai-Cyborg."
"...Cool."
His curiosity satisfied, Timmie ran towards the gate, greeting the guards as he went off to his Mommy to convince her to let him gamble.
"Heh, I have a feeling that kid will go far."
But unbeknownst to Erden, the spark he had lit within Timmie, would burn ablaze, turning into a raging ember. In the distant future, he would come to be known as the Bizarre Restless Gambler; the one who gambled it all, and his overwhelming intensity that led him to countless victories.
...Anyways, back to the present.
As he saw Timmie run off, Jamal came walking over, standing right beside him. Calamitas, who was still on sitting top of Jamal, looked at Erden with a blank face.
Erden just stared straight ahead as he too began to walk towards the entrance, Jamal following right behind him.
"You know... I kept quiet because I was curious about the magic trick you were going to teach him... but you really just made a joke out of his family situation."
All she got in response was a smug grin, as he just looked at her unabashedly. But looking at his expression and remembering the end of the conversation, it was hard for her to not smile and praise him.
"But at least you redeemed yourself at the end."
"Mm-hmm... and...?"
"Nope, that's all you're gonna be hearing for now."
"...What a killjoy."
Near the entrance of the city, they ceased any and all small-talk, as they approached the stationary guards dressed in knightly armor.
The attire of the guards consisted of brown leather shoulder pads with brass-accented white plate armor worn on top of prominently black clothing. There were wing-like designs decorating various parts of the attire while a sword hung from their belt on the left.
Once they were a few meters away, the guard on the right saluted; his left arm folded behind his back, while his right was balled into a fist, banging on his chest-plate before straightening it diagonally to his body.
He greeted the two of them, although his gaze would shift to Calamitas from time to time.
"Welcome to Mondstadt, windborne travelers! How may I be of assistance to you?"
"We are weary travelers from a land beyond. We were traveling through the region and heard tales and whispers of this renowned city, so we were hoping to find temporary residence, and also visit some of the sights this city has to offer."
"Then you have come to the right place! There are no words that can truly describe the beauty of this city. And as for temporary residence, normally I would recommend Goth's Grand Hotel... but recently it's been reserved indefinitely by... Fatui diplomats, so I am afraid that might not be an option."
Although the guard's attitude was mostly amiable, there was slight disdain in his tone, when he mentioned the Fatui.
"I see, that truly is a shame. In that case, are there any other places you know of, that might accommodate us?"
"Well, you can try the Dawn Breeze Inn. It is owned by the same person who owns the Goth Grand Hotel, so you will find that the rooms are reasonably priced."
"Then, we'll make sure to visit that place."
A brief lull fell over them, nobody saying anything for a few seconds. Both Calamitas and Erden noticed the guard fidgeting around, wanting to say something else. This time, Calamitas chose to speak, wondering about the reason for his fidgeting.
"Is... there something else you would like to say to us?"
Caught red-handed, he stilled for a moment, before releasing a small breath as he composed himself, while at the same time, inwardly admonishing himself for showing such unknightly conduct.
"It's nothing much... I just wanted to thank you for helping Timmie. Ever since his father went missing, the poor boy comes out to the bridge every day, feeding the pigeons. Everyday, he would go home with sadness evident on his face."
As Lawrence spoke, it was easy to tell by his face that he felt bad for the boy, waiting for his father who may not even be alive.
"...But today, when I saw him walk by earlier. There was no trace of any sadness or sorrow. The boy held a determined expression, something I hadn't seen before ever since I've met him. Whatever you said to him, must have affected him deeply. So, I simply wished to thank you for looking out for the boy."
"No need to thank me, Sir...?"
"Lawrence. I am Lawrence of the Knights of Favonius."
"...Sir Lawrence, right... kids like him should be running around, rolling themselves in dirt, while eating mushrooms that may or may not poison them severely."
Hearing Erden's avid description of an ideal childhood, he broke a sweat; bearing a nervous expression upon Erden's casual mention of a ten year old child eating a potentially poisonous mushroom for fun.
"Anyways, I appreciate your help, Lawrence. But the sun is starting to go down, and it's best that we find a place to stay. So, if you don't have anything else for us..."
"Ah of course! You are free to proceed on ahead. But I would like to say this once again: Welcome to Mondstadt, windborne travelers, and I hope that you enjoy your stay!"
He received nods from the duo, as Erden, along with Jamal walked on, with Calamitas not having moved an inch from her spot on the saddle. As they passed the entrance, they were greeted by the spectacular sight of the interior of the city.
There was a long elevated path right in front of the entrance, being prominently made up of stairways. Buildings lined along the stairways, existing on both sides of the path.
Off to the sides, there were two more streets, this time having stalls set up on the walkways. As the night was approaching, vendors were cleaning up their stalls as most were preparing to go home, whilst others headed off directly to one of the cities many pubs.
"So this is Mondstadt city, huh. It's a pretty sight for the eyes, so can't say I don't like it. Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go find the inn that Lawrence told us about!"
"Ay, ay, hold your horses... pun not intended. I get your excitement... but we may have a little problem on our hands."
"Haahhh... nothing is ever easy, is it? Well, go on, eleborate on what you meant by 'we have a little problem'?"
Looking through his Inventory, he couldn't find what he was looking for. With a sigh, he decided to educate Calamitas on another major fact about the land of Teyvat.
"The thing about this world is that, it doesn't use gold, platinum, silver, or copper as its currency. Instead, they use what is called 'Mora' as the main currency, accepted widespread by all nations and their citizens. Now, the problem is that..."
As he uttered the next few words, Calamitas couldn't help but facepalm, as she released an utterly guttural groan that came from the very depths of her soul.
"...In terms of Mora, we have no Mora."
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And, that is it for this chapter.
How did you guys feel about the first section of the chapter, starring everyone's favorite femboy? I thought about shortening it but then it felt like the scene would be lacking in "immersion" so I just left it as it is, without making any major changes to it.
Also, what about the pacing of the past and present chapters? Is it too slow? Or should I change it or keep it as it is?
Finally, about this chapter. I know that it was mostly dialogue and introduction of Teyvat's power system, and some of the NPCs from the game. But, next chapter, we will finally get started with the storyline of the game as there will be a very, very small timeskip, leading to the Traveler's (take a guess as to which twin it is) arrival in Mondstadt city.
Now, recently I have been suffering from a disease called Lobotomy Kaisen Brainrot Syndrome (LKBS), and the only way to cure it is to write it out, either on paper or electronically. So, without any further ado, the first Omake.
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[Omake #1 - Archon of Pigeons]
As Jamal walked along the length of the bridge carrying Erden and Calamitas, they saw a young boy with pale skin, blue eyes, and short, dirty blond hair, his age probably around ten; he was standing on the sidewalk of the bridge, feeding the pigeons that took up the middle of the road.
As the horse approached them, the pigeons became startled, flying away from the menacingly black horse. This elicited a response from the young boy, a prominent frown marring his face.
"Hey! Why'd you do that?! You scared the pigeons away!"
However, the duo paid the boy no mind, as Jamal simply kept on walking. Seeing such fatherless behavior, the boy's temper rose to new heights, awakening a raging power hidden within.
"They left again... just like Daddy. Will they even come back anymore? W-why... why is it always like this? Why... do they always leave me? ...Ah. I know now. It's because of people like you."
As the boy talked to the duo in an accusatory tone, the horse stopped walking as both Erden and Calamitas felt something amiss.
All of a sudden, they felt an intense pressure as the pigeons that flew away earlier, came back at full speed as they circled around the boy, cooing loudly.
"It's because of people like you, who always scare away the pigeons! No longer! I will not allow anyone else to disturb the pigeons!"
As soon as the boy finished speaking, he moved both his hands, intertwining the thumbs while keeping all eight fingers straight. Making a handsign resembling the wings of a bird, he intoned a chant to complete the spell.
"With this sacred treasure, I summon..."
The birds that circled above him, gathered in one place. Using their beaks, they grabbed on to other pigeons, forming chains that connected together, creating a giant construct between eight to ten meters tall.
"Coo-coo two wings, Ancient Guardian of Pigeons... Peckoraga!"
The chant was completed, and the Ruin Guard made up of countless pigeons came to life, as it took its first step towards Erden.
Erden on the other hand, was calm. He swiftly got off the horse, and began to calmly walk towards the boy. Once he was a few meters away, he displayed basic courtesy, asking for the boy's name.
"Hey kid, you got a name?"
"My name is Timmie. Remember it! Remember it as you suffer from countless pecking wounds, and every time you try to eat fowls."
"I see. Then first off, I want to apologize for ignoring you."
"Apologize all you want, but it wo-"
"And secondly... I would like to apologize again, for what I am about to do."
Hearing a second apology left Timmie confused, before his attention was brought back to Erden, as he finally chose to make a move.
There was no build-up, stance, or appearance of a weapon. With practiced ease, he joined his hands together, folding his thumb, index, and pinky fingers, while his middle and ring finger remained straightened out.
"Domain Expansion..."
From his feet, darkness emerged, spreading and reaching to where Timmie stood, pulling him in as a barrier was erected barring entry to the inside of the domain. Behind Erden, a giant kitchen top appeared in place, with countless knives and cleavers splayed around.
"...Malevolent Kitchen."
With a mental command, all the utensils shot off, striking Peckoraga in many different places. Even thought it tried to move and dodge, it stood no chance as it could not avoid the sure-hit effect of Erden's domain.
After a few seconds, the attack ended as the barrier dispersed, revealing the bridge on which they stood.
Seeing the aftermath, Timmie fell to his knees as his body was covered in the blood of his loyal pigeons. Bold tears fell from his eyes as the only thing he could do was watch as his loyal companions were slashed apart.
From a distance, Erden watched the scene with sadness, leaving behind a sympathetic remark as he walked off towards Jamal.
"I am not sure if this will serve as consolation... but stand proud, Timmie. You were strong."
