Rostam brought me to the knights' office, and soon I found myself in Rostam's personal office, seated on the opposite side of his desk.
"Thank you for coming here, Lady Xinyue." He began, finally letting the cheery expression he'd been holding fall. "As you have seen, we have recently suffered a great defeat, and I fear things would've gone even worse had you not arrived." He sighed greatly, and it wasn't hard to see the eyebags hidden under a layer of makeup.
I shook my head. "It is no worry, Sir Rostam. All of Teyvat now suffers the same cataclysm. It would be a complete dishonor for me to do nothing."
He smiled grimly as he straightened. "You know what is happening, Lady Xinyue?"
I hummed in agreement. "Do you wish me to explain?"
He laughed weakly. "Would it matter to us?"
I opened my mouth, and then shut it close. It…wouldn't really matter, would it? At least not for these people. From what little I knew, Khaenri'ah was literally on the other side of Teyvat, and the conflict occurring there was between Celestia and the Abyss; not something the knights here had any business with. It was better for these people to focus on the immediate threat. No reason to let their worries fester.
Ignorance is bliss, after all.
"I suppose not." I eventually agreed. "Then what is it that you must ask of me, Sir?"
Rostam fell silent. His eyes roamed across me for a moment. Wary, worried—even afraid. "We have identified something." He began, his fists clenched. "A great beast, originating from Dragonspine. A large wolf-like beast, made entirely of some energy we couldn't decipher." He grit his teeth. "Our last expedition group was completely wiped out. Only one man survived, and he soon died from the corruption you helped treat."
I narrowed my eyes. A wolf-like monster, made entirely out of strange energy. It elicited that same familiar headache, which meant that it was something I likely knew about.
"A monster from the Abyss, then." I speculated. But if that was the case, then why was it all the way out here in Mondstadt? Actually, before everything else, what is Dragonspine? I've never heard of anything like that, and I couldn't ask Rostam about it without seeming suspicious.
"The Abyss?"
"A well of darkness and beasts." I explained shortly. Rostam nodded, clearly knowing that it wasn't something most people would know. "If the darkness I purified did indeed come from the Abyss, then it is understandable that your nuns struggled greatly to purify it." I smiled slightly. "Though I believe that is now a non-issue."
He smiled tiredly. "And I have you to thank for that."
I nodded. "So, if I am not wrong, you are asking for my aid in slaying that beast?"
His expressions pinched in shame, but he slowly nodded. "As much as it pains me, yes." He sighed. "I know full well that we're not a match against it." He scowled. "We could defeat it perhaps, but-"
"It will not be without sacrifices." I finished. He nodded wearily, and I hummed.
Well, there it was. This must be the so-called Fate that my System wanted me to rewrite. And since I was doing all this in service of saving the heart of the 'Crimson Witch', could she have been someone in the original expedition? Or maybe she was someone closely related to a knight who went to fight that monster?
Whatever the case, what I needed to do was clear. I couldn't let the knights journey to this Dragonspine to fight that Abyssal monster.
"I will undertake this mission." I said, and then winked. "After all, what is a Storyteller if not one who actively searches for their own Stories?"
His face went lax with relief. "That is the best news I've heard in years."
I blinked. "Years? Surely you jest."
He smiled back. It wasn't a nice smile. "I wish it was."
…oof. What the hell were you doing, Barbatos? Your people were suffering here, and even if Celestia had forcefully dragged you to Khaenri'ah, you should've still done something!
Actually, where the hell was Morax!? Mondstadt and Liyue were neighbors for heaven's sake; he should've called Barbatos out! Or maybe he was just too much of a blockhead to realize that anything was wrong.
Haiyah. What a mess.
Ugh. And my head was starting to hurt too.
"Before I leave however, I will take a few days to prepare myself." I smiled. "Do you have anything you need before then, Sir Rostam?"
He smiled. "That I might, Lady Xinyue."
.
.
.
Over the next few days, the people of Mondstadt became quite familiar with Lady Xinyue.
Not much was known about her, though from her clothes and her way of speech, some came to believe she was an adepti originating from Liyue. This was further supported by her powers and her incredible skill in both the sword and the bow. Some knights even reported that she was able to kill monsters that were tens of kilometers away.
But what truly endeared the people to the Lady was her gifts. Tons of fresh meat, barrels of water, a large supply of wood and stone. And the bottles of wine—especially the wine.
During her stay in Mondstadt, Lady Xinyue would often be found in the chapel dedicated to Lord Barbatos. There, she would help the sisters, either by sharing their burdens in healing the sick and injured, or by instructing them to increase their proficiency in healing others.
Naturally, the threat beyond the city's walls remained. And while many had seen how strong Lady Yinxue was, Sir Rostam explained to the people that she would need to gather all her strength for the journey she would soon undertake. To slay the powerful beast that had previously killed many of Mondstadt's loyal knights.
During her stay, Mondstadt regained the luster it had lost due to the cataclysm. Every night was filled with celebration, with the people feasting until their bellies were full and drinking bottles of wine with abandon. It wasn't rare to find the streets filled with hangover citizens once the next day arrived.
But those soon passed, and a few days after she arrived, Lady Xinyue would now take off towards Dragonspine. She stood atop the bridge connecting the city back to the rest of the region, with Sir Rostam by her side.
Nearly every citizen of Mondstadt was there to see her off. The knights had attempted to stop them, but seeing their excitement, Sir Rostam eventually allowed them to watch. It did cause the city gates and the half the bridge to be crowded by hundreds of people, but that was unavoidable.
"What a crowd." Lady Xinyue muttered with a small, amused smile.
Rostam laughed. "We've always been quite the excited bunch." He smiled. "And you've done a lot for us. It's our way of paying you back."
"Is that so?" She glanced up. The skies remained a terrifying red, as if the heavens themselves were wounded from the cataclysm that affected all of Teyvat.
For a moment, he again contemplated whether he should ask her about what was truly going on. After all, who could resist learning just what it was that was happening? With Lord Barbatos silent and the world seemingly breaking apart—it felt like the world was on its last legs.
But he refrained. He knew better than most that such mysteries were not meant for his ears. He might be the Deputy Master of the knights, but that meant little compared to the immortals and Archons that roamed the lands.
Some secrets were better left untouched. It was what Rosalyne taught him, and one he agreed with.
"Lady Xinyue." He began. She hummed as she turned to him, and he took a breath as he bowed. "Truly, on behalf of all of Mondstadt, I thank you for all the help you have provided." He smiled. "You are welcome-, no, it would be an honor if you were to visit us in the future."
Strangely, she went quiet for a moment, before she smiled. "Then perhaps I will come some time soon."
That was what she'd said, yet he couldn't help but feel like the opposite would be true. There was something in her voice—a certainty that such a promise could not be fulfilled. A sickly feeling filled him then, and a terrible premonition filled his mind. "Lady Xinyue-" But she shook her head before he could ask, and he could only sigh. "Are you sure?"
She pursed her lips for a moment, before she leaned close. "My presence in this world is fragile." She whispered. "I should not be here, but here I am. And I believe once I have dealt with that beast, I would have only a brief time before I fade." She smiled. "You need not worry. I understood this from the moment I stepped into these lands."
"That's…" He sighed. He could see that there would be nothing he could say to convince her otherwise.
It didn't make it feel any better.
"Well, I should take my leave now." She smiled. "My time in these lands has been fruitful, Sir Rostam. And I pray that the blessings of Lord Barbatos remain with you forevermore."
He nodded. "Safe travels to you as well."
She hummed, took a step back. And then a blast of wind rose around her as power stepped into the air. A bright halo appeared above her head, bright white wings flashed into existence behind her back, and her eyes glowed as blue as the morning sky as she turned towards the mountain of Dragonspine.
And with no more words, Lady Xinyue soared into the skies, her figure turning into a blur as she flew. Contrails were left behind as she flew, casting a line of clouds against the reddened skies above.
The people around him cheered as they watched her disappear, awed by the power and speed she had displayed. But Rostam could only stare as he watched her disappear.
Those white wings, those winds—and thinking more about it, comparing it to the statue at the center of the city-
"Lord Barbatos…?" He whispered.