Volume 5 – Chapter 22(Dragonspine II)
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Author Note:
[ ] = When Twilight is speaking.
{ } = When talking through Telepathy.
' ' = When thinking in your mind.
<< >> = When talking with your Pokémon or Tamed Beast.
--- --- = When describing a certain period of time OR Another place.
** ** = Point Of View i.e., POV
/// /// = In Call
" " = System and when talking to it.
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Eula and Amber were hurriedly tailing the unusual Hilichurl which had escaped into the depths of the Dragonspine.
As they went deeper and deeper, the temperature kept on dropping. Because of that, they had no choice but to use more of their elemental power to protect themselves.
Soon, they saw the Hilichurl huddling near an ice block. Without any hesitation, Amber shot her pryo arrow.
FWOOSH!!
As if it heard the sound of air splitting, Hilichurl turned and coincidently the arrow hit its cryo shield.
THUSSS!!
The ice shield melted and dripped on the ground.
When Hilichurl looked at its now empty hand, Eula jumped at it and swung her claymore down with her full strength.
SHIN!!
THUCH!!
In the next second, the Hilichurl was cut in two from head to its crotch and its two parts fell dying the snow with their blood.
THUD!!
THUD!!
Amber: Yay! We got it!
Becoming excited, Amber approached Eula. Though she noticed that Eula didn't seem as happy as her.
Amber: Is something wrong, Eula?
Frowning, Eula nodded.
Eula: It was too easy.
Amber: Easy?
Eula: Yes. When he fought it before, its attacks and movements were stronger and sharper. Whereas this time, it appeared more confused like our strikes came just out of nowhere. Or unexpected.
Hearing her reasoning, Amber realized what Eula was getting it.
Eula: Let me investigate something to confirm.
Crouching down, she checked the halves of the Hilichurl for a minute and stood up.
Eula: Exactly what I afraid of. This is not the Hilichurl that ambushed us. It's different or more like...…
Amber: The normal Hilichurl we killed so far.
Eula: Um. We both succeeded in landing one hit on it. Mine was the deep slashed on its chest and yours was its burnt mark.
Amber: But this Hilichurl had neither of them.
Eula: Yes.
At this, both of their expressions had turned grave.
Amber: It succeeded in fleeing from us.
Eula: It does.
Clenching her fist in frustration, she spoke.
Eula: Change of plans. Killing that Hilichurl is our Primary Objective now while looking for Tresure Hoarders is secondary. I will make a report of it to Acting Grandmaster after returning to the city.
Amber: Roger!
She did a military salute to Eula. Then as if she remembered something and looked back. But there was no one there.
Making a wry smile, she spoke.
Amber: Looks like we left Mr. Herrscher behind.
Sighing, Eula responded.
Eula: I forgot about him too. Anyway, since he came here this means he must have prepared the things for his survival here. Hence, we should focus on our objective.
Amber appeared worried but, in the end, she also agreed with Eula.
With this, they ventured deeper into this ice mountain.
Though they had no idea that Primis was no longer behind them. The place he was now was something they could never have imagined.
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Currently, Primis was on the very peak of Dragonspine.
Compared to the game, the temperature here dropped so much that only the Archons could stay in this environment. Not even the Adepti could handle this coldness let alone the Vision holders or normal Humans.
Primis could also sense minor power of laws here. While he was checking these laws, Makoto who was standing by his side and looking at everything with fascination.
One should know that as the Electro Archon, Makoto had to spend most of her time handing Inazuma affairs. Hence, she didn't have time to explore Teyvat. And after being 'asleep' for 500 years, everything was new to her.
Once Primis was done with what he was doing, he moved his head and looked down.
He saw Lumine, Yuuya, and Venti who had just reached the outskirts Dragonspine and were about to enter. He could also see Eula and Amber looking for that unusual Hilichurl. And he also saw that very Hilichurl who had entered a cave and was feasting on the corpse of the Treasure Hoarders who Eula and Amber came for.
By the time it was done, its wounds started to heal. Of course, Mask remained the same.
Looking at it, Primis couldn't help but show an amused smile.
Primis: How Interesting.
Makoto: Hmm? What do you mean, My Lord?
"I also want to know."
"Primis: Check that Hilichurl again and you will know."
Saying this, Primis raised his hand and grabbed the back side of Makoto's head and gently lowered it towards the cave.
In the next second, her beautiful purple eyes started shining before her gaze penetrated through all the obstructions and landed on the Hilichurl. And since Primis was helping her, she was also able to see what was going on.
After witnessing that Mikoto face turned slight pale as she took a step back unconsciously.
If not for Primis holding her then she would have fallen since there was no good standing spot behind.
Makoto: L-Lord...Just what is... that... thing?
She asked Primis nervously.
Still, Primis didn't give any appropriate answer.
Primis: You will know before long.
At this Makoto became silent and didn't ask further.
"Primis: Are you done?"
"...Yeah."
A new window appeared in front of Primis.
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??? I?e Shi?ld Hi?ichu?l Gu?rd(Mutation 39%) ??? ---> Level 78
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'Primis: As expected.'
With this, Primis closed the window.
He then noticed that Makoto was still looking at Hilichurl who had started eating the next corpse. Makoto really wanted to kill it to prevent future causalities.
But too bad without Primis' permission she can't do so.
Primis: Speaking of which, do you know about Dragonspine's history?
Snapping out of her thoughts, she looked at Primis.
Makoto: It's a place where the venomous dragon Durin fell by the hands of Dvalin, isn't it?
Primis: True. But I am talking about the time before.
Makoto: Before?
Primis: Yeah. Do you know once upon a time, Dragonspine had a deep relationship with Celestia itself.
Makoto: What!? Celestia!!!!
Primis: Yes. Let me tell you about it.
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Several thousand years ago, a group of refugees from a land of snow and strife came upon a lush, green mountain. They erected a monument on its peak and established a civilization there, naming it "Sal Vindagnyr".
They built their capital city and palace, the Entombed City - Ancient Palace, on the mountain.
Celestia is said to be right above that mountain.
As a result, the kingdom prospered, and the people enjoyed the blessings of Celestia.
That kingdom had a large white tree of great importance.
It was Irminsul. A silver-white tree which grows deep underground and is connected to the Ley Lines of the world itself.
That time, the chief priest Varuch's daughter, known simply as "the princess," was born beneath that tree.
The princess received certain blessings, which included the ability to foresee events in the future. She would often paint, and eventually started making frescoes. These frescoes contained depictions of what she foresaw.
One day, she had a prophetic dream of a black dragon filling the land with a cloud of scarlet poison, and she took it as an omen of doom.
Around the same time or afterward, the Skyfrost Nail fell from Celestia for unknown reasons. This caused the city to be shrouded by clouds and mist and causing snowstorms throughout the region.
A hero from another land, Imunlaukr, was living in this kingdom at the time, and was seemingly quite close with the princess. Hence, the princess gave him a greatsword made of Starsilver, the Snow-Tombed Starsilver, before he left to try and find a way to save the nation. She told him that she planned to dedicate her fourth fresco to him and that she'd wait for his return, but the snowstorm drowned out her words and Imunlaukr could not hear her.
Sometime after this point, the princess was working on a fresco when Varuch noticed that the trees were starting to wither. He decided to go up the mountain again to seek guidance, expecting his daughter to be finished with the second painting by then. He was certain that if the third painting was of thawing snow and ice, then everything would be fine.
However, it had been so long since she had seen blue sky and green grass that she wasn't sure how to paint what her father wanted, and was unable to finish the fresco, partially due to other circumstances.
During this time, the Skyfrost Nail mysteriously split in three pieces, a sight that was recorded in stone roughly halfway up the mountain. Afterward, these pieces seemingly fragmented further, releasing three orbs that froze the areas where they stopped: one deep in the Starglow Cavern, another in an underground chamber near the outskirts of the city, and the third shattered the white tree that was so important to that kingdom.
The princess noticed this and picked the most complete branch, taking it to a small nearby island to try to graft it onto another tree. However, the tree withered under the snowstorm and the princess died next to it.
The kingdom's scribe, Ukko, attempted to heal the ley lines, but they had withered already. Ukko then buried the princess and apparently went into Starglow Cavern, where they made another carving was found there.
Ukko eventually died, their last words a curse towards the heavens and towards Imunlaukr, whom they believed had abandoned Sal Vindagnyr, and hoping that the "new nation without gods" would eventually have what it took to stood against this world.
Sometime after the disaster, Hero returned from his fruitless search, only to discover that everyone had already died. This discovery left him disillusioned with Celestia, and he vowed to "help [them] pass the time with a song of iron and blood," leaving Sal Vindagnyr in search of a land full of war for him to fight in. He also abandoned the Snow-Tombed Starsilver in the Mural Room, a chamber which depicts three murals — although one of the three murals is a direct copy of another.
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*A/N: Please throw some power stones.
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