Chapter 7: Collei

"Collei? Is she someone important to you?" Ember heard another person's name for the first time from Galara's mouth.

"Yes, Collei has always taken care of us. She is the oldest among us and the most successful experiment." Galara reminisced, recalling how Klee had been her only light in the dark days.

"Is that so? She sounds like a good kid. Haha, looks like I can't stay idle after all," Ember sighed.

"T-then... does Brother Ember want to save Sister Collei?" Hope flickered in Galara's eyes. With Brother Ember's help, they could definitely save Sister Klee!

"Of course! Since you've called me brother, I must help our little sister!" Ember confidently patted his chest.

This time, it's the duty of the Sun Knight to answer the call!

"But we'll act at night. In the meantime, you have to describe to me what Collei looks like," Ember said to Galara.

"Okay!" Galara nodded heavily. With the sun by her side now, she naturally wanted Collei to feel the warmth of the sun too.

...

At night, with the Mora in hand, everything became much easier.

Ember quickly rented a spacious house and made all the necessary preparations.

However, while waiting for nightfall, Galara was restless, pacing back and forth. If it weren't for Ember's comforting words, she might have run off to search for Collei on her own.

"The time has come. I'm setting off!" Ember looked at the sky and realized it was the perfect time for... ahem, rescuing someone.

"Okay, Ember, be careful," Galara said, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at Ember.

[Is she trying to soften me up?] Ember had known for a while that Galara wanted to go out with him, but she would probably use the power of the demon residue in her body again.

Ember didn't mention it, and Galara tactfully didn't ask.

But now this girl seemed to be playing some tricks. Too bad Ember didn't fall for soft tactics.

"How did you know I can't stand seeing others cry? Come on, get up here, and no using your powers!" Ember didn't hesitate much. He crouched down and said to Galara.

For him, bringing along an ordinary person in battle wasn't much of a burden. His martial skills had already surpassed the imagination of ordinary people.

Although he had been burned once again in the world of magic rings, what he lost was only power, not experience.

"Hehe, I knew it. Brother Ember is the best. Don't worry, I'm familiar with Sister Collei. I can recognize her from afar." Galara smiled and climbed onto Ember's back, continuously praising herself. It seemed she didn't want to be seen as a burden.

"Alright, hold on tight, let's go!" Ember gave a light shout, and then their figures disappeared into thin air.

"Hmm, it seems my magic hasn't rusted much." After muttering to himself, Ember quickly jumped onto the roof like a nimble cat.

Become Invisible—A dark magic from the Night's Bane of Serelia. After casting, it's hard to recognize the caster's silhouette, a magic used by Serelian assassins.

But this time, Ember used it to save someone.

At the same time, Ember also employed Assassin's Stride, making his footsteps almost silent.

Carrying Galara on his back, Ember's somewhat bulky figure displayed extraordinary agility on the rooftops of Mondstadt. He continuously searched for the girl releasing black flames.

...

"Hiss... Ha..." Collei exhaled a stale breath as she wandered aimlessly through the city.

Her wounds brought her more pain against the backdrop of loneliness.

Like Galara in the past, she was wrapped in bandages all over her body, wearing a tattered cloak.

However, many of her bandages had been burnt, revealing the festering and pus-filled skin underneath—this was the price of using black flames.

Because of this, people always mistook her for having some unknown contagious disease, rejecting her entry into the city or even resorting to insults and attacks.

Even in Mondstadt, known for its freedom and tolerance, she had sneaked in amidst the chaos caused by the black fire case.

Naturally, after entering the city, she had nowhere to go.

Unconsciously, Klee walked to the front of Mondstadt Windblume Plaza.

Looking up at the huge Anemo God statue in front of her, a vague anger surged in her heart, gradually turning from murmurs into roars:

"Fatui, Anemo Archon! Gods!!!"

"Ah!" Collei painfully half-knelt on the ground, the demonic residue inside her body starting to agitate again. Looking at the huge statue in front of her, she felt an even stronger sense of contempt.

"Hehe, so powerful, divine beings, why? Why?!"

"You're so powerful, why do you have to ruin my life!!!"

Collei couldn't control the agitation inside her anymore, and large swaths of black flames spread out from her body, rushing towards the distant giant statue.

"Sister Collei!"

"Wait!"

Two voices of girls sounded at the same time. Ember, following the sound, saw not only him and Galara, but also a girl with brown hair, dressed in a striking red outfit.

"G-Galara!!!" Seeing the greatly changed appearance of Galara, Klee quickly recognized her, and her twisted face, distorted by hatred, regained a hint of clarity.

"N-No... don't come near me! Quick... quick, run!" Seeing Galara and Amber running towards her, Collei immediately shouted.

Collei didn't want to harm anyone, but she couldn't control herself now.

Seeing the black flames about to touch Galara and the other girl, Collei 's face couldn't help but show some despair.

But soon, a shocking scene appeared!

The surging black flames, which had been rushing like hungry tigers, immediately stopped as if they had encountered a natural enemy, swiftly retreating back into Collei 's body.

Collei could feel that the demonic residue inside her was afraid! At this moment, they were trembling in fear, shrinking deep inside her, like a docile lamb.

"Black flames? Not quite up to par."

"Do you want me to teach you the real black flames? The kind that can slay gods." Ember extinguished the small cluster of black flames on his fingertips and said to the stunned Collei.

"Sister Collei, you've really made it to Mondstadt! I knew it, you would definitely make it out!" Galara surrounded the still dazed Collei, immediately bombarding her with questions.

"Ah... ah! Haha, lucky, it's you, Galara. Why... why do you look different?" It took Collei a while to come back to her senses.

She pinched Galara's face and touched her hair. She remembered that Galara's symptoms were much more severe.

"Hehe, Brother Ember saved me." Galara smiled foolishly. If it weren't for Ember, she would have been caught and taken back by the fatui.

Upon hearing this,

Collei turned to look, only to see Ember squatting beside Amber, staring fixedly at the vision around her waist.

"Is this the Vision?" Ember stared at the ruby-like Vision around Amber's waist and asked curiously.

"Of course!" Amber raised her head proudly. This Vision was her pride and joy.

"By the way, sir, how long are you going to stare?" Feeling Ember's still intense gaze, Amber couldn't help but remind him.

Obviously, being so powerful, how could he not have the Vision! Ember must be teasing her, Amber thought to herself.

"Oh, sorry." Ember stood up, having carefully examined the Vision just now, he felt he could try it out now.

[Let me show you what intelligence level 99 looks like!] Ember was full of confidence, completely forgetting that he was like this when he cooked.

"Are we done talking?" Ember walked to Galara and Klee's side, only to find both of them looking at him.

"Brother Ember, can you cure Sister Collei?"

"Is what you just said true?"

Two different people naturally asked different questions.

"Of course, no problem, but shouldn't we leave? People will be here soon!" Ember patted his chest and gave the two a confident reply.

Then he crouched down, and Galara skillfully climbed onto his back.

Standing up, Ember looked at Collei, who was somewhat silent. He said to Galara, "Hold on tight, I won't hold you up anymore."

At Galara's words, as if reminded of something, her legs immediately clamped tighter around Ember's body, and her arms hugged his neck tightly.

"Hehe, Brother Ember, don't worry, I won't fall." Then she looked somewhat expectantly at Ember and Collei.

"Hey! Hey! What are you doing!"

Ember ignored Collei 's protests and directly lifted her up in a princess carry.

"What else can I do? Let's go home!" After speaking, Ember rushed out.

"Go home?" Collei stopped struggling. She felt the continuous flow of warmth from Ember's chest and became somewhat absent-minded.

It seemed like she had found the sun.

(End of this chapter)