Two Years Later — August 28
Two full years had passed since the Dawnfront War.
Teyvat and Natlan continued to rebuild—city by city, soul by soul. Yet amid the reconstruction came something new. Something bold.
A symbol of peace.
The Teyvat Orbital Elevator.
Nicknamed The Lighthouse by civilians, it towered at the heart of the continent—right where the borders of Mondstadt, Liyue, Fontaine, and Snezhnaya converged.
A collaborative megastructure, the Elevator stood as a peacekeeping effort between Teyvat and its former adversary. Its primary purpose: to transmit solar energy harvested from the upper atmosphere and channel it to power grids across both nations.
Its logistical hub lay on Zephyr's Island—already home to Mondstadt's Mass Driver and the Zephyr Island Space Center. Now, it served as the nerve center of the Elevator's operations.
And ever since the war ended, another project had quietly persisted behind closed hangar doors.
The Sepharis Bird Project.
A classified joint initiative between Sumeru and Natlan, it involved the construction of two Arsenal Airborne Carrier Ships—unmanned aerial warships. Work had begun two years before the war, only to be suspended when conflict broke out. The project nearly died altogether during the SSTO (Single Stage to Orbit) operation in which Wolfsbane Squadron of Petrichor Island defended a launch vehicle on October 2nd—an engagement that nearly ended in catastrophe.
That mission's purpose: to deliver a laser payload to the Skywarden orbital defense platform.
Now, the two massive drones—christened Karatel and Celestia—were nearing completion. And soon, they would take to the skies.
It was a quiet morning on Zephyr's Island.
Inside the passenger lounge of the helicopter hangars at Zephyr's Island International Airport, Emilie sat comfortably on a leather sofa, scrolling absently through her phone.
Beside her were her former squadmates: Ayaka, Mualani, and Mona.
They'd been invited by President Imena to attend a private ceremonial tour of the completed Orbital Elevator—a symbolic gesture marking two years of peace.
Mona brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and glanced over.
"So... how's life been back home, Emilie?"
Emilie smiled, eyes still fixed on her screen.
"It's been good. Business is actually booming."
Mona blinked. "Oh? Is it?"
Emilie nodded. "Word spreads fast about my perfume line. People have been making review videos, breakdowns of each scent—the whole nine yards."
Mona leaned in, eyes wide. "R-Really!?"
Emilie instinctively leaned away. "Whoa there, Mona—you're way too close."
Mona jerked back, cheeks flushing. "Oh! Uh... sorry."
Ayaka chuckled softly. "Some things never change, huh? Right, Cap—... oh, damn. Emilie."
Emilie laughed. "You still can't stop calling me that? It's been two years, Ayaka. Ease up."
Ayaka grinned, shrugging. "Heh. I'm trying."
Emilie tilted her head. "So, what've you all been up to since then?"
Ayaka tapped her chin. "I've been learning Kendo—the way of the sword. It's an Inazuman martial art descended from traditional Kenjutsu."
Mualani chimed in next. "I got into surfing, remember? Entered a few local competitions. Did decently. Still learning, though."
Emilie turned to Mona, curious. "And you?"
Mona lifted a hand to her chest, beaming. "Me? I earned my Master's in Astrology."
Emilie blinked. "Wait, wait, wait—Mona, Ayaka. How the hell did your identities not get exposed?"
Mona spoke first. "President Imena had the university sign a confidentiality contract. My records are sealed by her administration until our names are officially cleared."
Ayaka nodded. "Same here. I trained privately at the Kamisato Estate. My instructor signed an NDA. It's all been… quiet."
Emilie nodded slowly. "Huh. Makes sense."
Silence lingered for a beat—comfortable, reflective.
Then Emilie spoke again.
"You've all heard about the Sepharis Birds, right?"
Mona turned. "What about them?"
Emilie glanced around. "Remember two years ago—October—when we protected that SSTO launch at Zephyr's?"
The others nodded.
"Yeah," Ayaka said. "I remember."
Emilie leaned forward. "Remember those two massive hangars near the Mass Driver? The ones we flew past?"
More nods.
"Those were for the Sepharis Birds," she said. "And word is—they're almost done."
Ayaka raised an eyebrow. "What's their purpose, exactly?"
Mualani answered before Emilie could. "From what I read, they're airborne carrier ships for a new class of UAVs—the MQ-101s. Designed to defend Teyvat airspace. But no one knows where they'll be stationed."
Right on cue, the lounge door opened. A man in a black suit stepped in.
"Miss Emilie? Miss Mona, Miss Ayaka, Miss Mualani? The helicopter is ready for departure."
Emilie stood, brushing invisible dust from her pants. "Alright then. Let's make this day count, yeah?"
Mona chuckled. "Right. Of course."
She grinned slyly. "Captain Emilie."
Emilie bumped her shoulder. "Cut it out, Mona."
The four of them laughed as they stepped out onto the tarmac.
Waiting for them on the helipad was a grey UH-60 Blackhawk, its rotors already spinning in the bright morning light.
Emilie squinted against the downdraft, ducking as the Blackhawk's rotors whipped the air.
"I recognize this chopper!"
Mualani shouted back over the noise, "How so?! Looks like a regular bird to me!"
They climbed aboard and buckled in. The pilot turned with a grin under his headset.
"Well, what do you know—the Emberhowl Aces themselves!"
Emilie laughed. "Hey! It's been a while! The Navy treating you alright?"
The pilot—none other than the former Sea Monster One pilot—nodded. "Treating me damn well. I fly for President Imena now—main pilot on her executive transport detail."
Emilie smirked. "This the same heli you used to rescue my sorry ass after our exile from Petrichor?"
The pilot shrugged. "President Imena picked this one personally."
Emilie snorted. "Riiight. Well then—let's fly."
"Strap in tight!"
The doors slid shut with a sharp hydraulic hiss. Seconds later, the UH-60 lifted smoothly from the pad, banking northeast toward the shimmering horizon—toward the Orbital Elevator.
The flight took only fifteen minutes.
Emilie leaned forward as the landscape unfurled beneath them.
And then—there it was.
The Teyvat Orbital Elevator.
The structure was colossal. A megatower rising from Zephyr's Island's coastline, connected by a reinforced causeway that stretched across the sea like a silver ribbon.
Its central spire pierced the sky—twelve thousand feet high, vanishing into the blue haze above the cloudline.
Emilie pressed closer to the window.
"Whoa… it's massive."
The pilot nodded proudly. "Yeah. Nearing completion. All that's left are the cable systems."
Mona blinked. "In English, please?"
The pilot chuckled. "Cables that'll stretch all the way up to the exosphere, Miss Megistus. Roughly sixty-two thousand miles."
Ayaka raised a finger. "When are those launching?"
The pilot checked his wristwatch. "In a few hours. Launch window opens at the Zephyr Island Space Center. First cable transport deployment."
Outside, the Blackhawk began its descent—rotors cutting through the briny coastal air as the facility loomed ahead, a sprawling complex of glass, steel, and concrete built into the sea itself.
"Alright, here we are," the co-pilot called over the intercom. "Miss Imena will meet you at the heliport. Hold steady—we'll be on deck in a moment."
The helicopter hovered in the crosswind, stabilizing expertly before setting down on the helipad. The landing skids touched with a solid, controlled thud that rippled through the cabin floor.
The engine pitch softened as the rotor RPM wound down.
Secret Service agents rushed forward the instant the Blackhawk's skids touched down, forming a protective cordon around the fuselage. The side doors slid open with a mechanical hiss, and one by one Emilie, Mona, Ayaka, and Mualani stepped out—ducking under the downdraft before clearing the rotor wash.
Once outside, they straightened, turning toward the entrance platform.
Imena was waiting there, waving brightly.
"Fellas! Welcome to the Teyvat Orbital Elevator!"
Emilie strode forward and offered her hand, her tone warm with familiarity.
"Miss Imena! It's so nice to see you again."
Imena clasped her hand firmly. "Nice to see you too, Emilie."
She shook hands with Mona, Ayaka, and Mualani in turn, her smile genuine.
"Well then," she said, stepping back, "shall I give you the tour?"
Emilie gestured ahead. "Of course. Lead the way, Madam President."
Imena nodded and turned, guiding them toward the towering main entrance.
"This project is enormous," she began. "A symbol of peace for all the nations of Teyvat. Believe it or not, it's built over an asteroid impact site from 1984. We used the crater as a foundation and expanded the terrain around it to support the structure."
Emilie raised an eyebrow. "With something this important, sitting out here between Mondstadt, Liyue, Fontaine, and Snezhnaya—how's it being protected?"
Imena smiled knowingly. "The Sepharis Birds."
Mona's curiosity sharpened. "Those are the massive unmanned carriers stationed at Zephyr's Island, right?"
Imena nodded. "Exactly. Two main propellers, six sub-propellers, and a launch capacity of eighty MQ-101 drones. A joint Natlan–Sumeru project. Their defensive suite is state-of-the-art—they're fitted with APS: Active Protection Systems."
Mualani tilted her head. "What's that, Miss Imena?"
"APS is a high-energy defense grid," Imena explained, slowing her pace. "When activated, it forms a luminous halo above the Sepharis Bird's core, generating a full-dome electrical field that neutralizes incoming threats—missiles, aircraft, you name it. Full 360-degree coverage."
Emilie crossed her arms. "Has it actually been tested?"
Imena's smirk turned faintly proud. "Yes. We used the seized ADFX-01 and ADFX-02 Morgans stored at Windrise Air Base. Ran every trial imaginable—burst missiles, laser strikes—the APS absorbed them all."
Ayaka chuckled softly. "How about an MIRV or a nuclear warhead?"
Imena laughed. "That's where it would definitely struggle. And really, Ayaka? You had to bring up nukes?"
Their laughter echoed briefly through the lobby as they entered. Cool, filtered air swept over them—a welcome relief from the ocean heat.
Imena gestured around at the massive atrium. "We're about eighty percent complete. Just waiting for the final elevator units and communications uplinks. The first transport capsule departs in a few hours."
She turned with a half-smile. "Once the comm lines are fully operational, we'll launch the Sepharis Bird Karatel from Zephyr's Island."
Emilie tilted her head. "Not both?"
Imena shook her head. "No. Karatel is the prototype. It'll handle flight and combat testing—APS validation, laser turret calibration, self-repair systems. Its engines can regenerate structural integrity mid-flight."
Her voice dropped slightly, tone firm.
"With Karatel and Celestia airborne, Teyvat will command the skies around this tower. But if someone ever seized control of them… it would be catastrophic."
She spread her arms toward the view. "Well? What do you think?"
Emilie looked around, awe in her eyes. "I'm impressed. This isn't even finished, and it already breaks every record. Twelve thousand feet and counting… It's incredible."
Mona nodded. "No kidding. Can it support spacecraft?"
Imena smiled. "More than that. It can dock them—and bring them back down via the elevator."
She led them to a vast panel of reinforced glass. Beyond it, the tower's interior stretched skyward into infinity.
"These shafts run all the way to the top. Up there, you'll find two major levels: the viewing deck… and the space deck."
She pointed upward. "The space deck is where astronauts suit up. From there, they're launched to the orbital docking ring."
Then she pointed down through a glass section of the floor.
"Below us lies the underground complex—housing comms repeaters powerful enough to broadcast across Teyvat and halfway into Snezhnaya. It also doubles as a hardened shelter, built for disaster relief or wartime refuge."
Emilie tapped her chin, then wagged a finger. "Let's not talk about another war, Madam President. Let's hope this peace holds—ten years at least. Preferably… forever."
Imena's expression softened. "You've got that right, Emilie."
Hours Later…
The sun hung low, drenching the sea in gold. The UH-60's turbines spooled up again, the rhythmic hum filling the air.
Imena ducked beneath the rotor wash, clutching her hair as she waved.
"Well! It's that time again! I'll see you all at Karatel's launch!"
Emilie called back, "Yes, Madam President!"
They clasped hands firmly one last time.
Imena turned to Mona. "Mona!"
Mona straightened. "Yes, Madam President?!"
"I'll talk to the Teyvat Space Agency—see if there's an opening for you in the Stellaris Space Program."
Mona's face lit up. "Thank you, Madam President. I really appreciate it!"
With their final goodbyes exchanged, the four boarded the helicopter. The doors sealed shut, and the Blackhawk lifted off—rising over the platform before banking east into the fading light.
Inside, Emilie leaned back in her seat and exhaled slowly.
"Man… this is one hell of a structure."
Mona nodded beside her. "A structure of peace."
Emilie smiled faintly. "Yeah… and I see why."
She turned toward the window, eyes following the glint of sunlight off the elevator's spine.
"Because up there, in the skies… there's still so much waiting to be explored."
Mona's voice softened. "The sky's the limit, Emilie."
Emilie met her gaze and nodded.
"Exactly."
The Blackhawk banked away from the colossal tower, fading into the distance as dusk settled over Zephyr's Island.
A structure of peace.
Of exploration.
Of unity.