A While Before
Collei and her master, Tighnari, were on their usual patrol when they stumbled upon a building situated between the roads of Gandharva Ville and Sumeru City.
To their surprise, Cyno was already there, his spear drawn. "Hello, Cyno," Tighnari greeted.
"Oh, Tighnari and Collei. It's good to see you both. Judging by your expressions, you must have also discovered this building," Cyno replied, his usual jokes replaced by a sense of seriousness.
Tighnari and Collei nodded in confirmation. "Yes. It seems we're facing something unknown here. Have you checked the area?" Tighnari asked.
"Yeah, and aside from the building itself, there's nothing unusual on its exterior. Our only options are to either wait for the owner to come out or to go in and investigate ourselves," Cyno explained.
"Isn't that dangerous? The person who established this place overnight must be quite powerful," Collei questioned.
"There's no doubt about it. Still, for the safety of the people here, I must investigate," Cyno insisted.
"I'll come with you," Tighnari said firmly.
"I-I'll also come with both of you," she added hesitantly.
Cyno raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you can handle it, Collei? Your condition isn't exactly the best."
"Don't worry, I've already taken the medicine Master Tighnari prescribed for me," she reassured him.
"Very well. Just make sure to take it easy. Wait for my signal, and have your weapons ready. We never know what we might encounter in there," Cyno instructed.
As the trio waited for Cyno's signal, he gently pushed open the door, mindful of making any noise, and shivered slightly as a cold breeze brushed against his skin. He signalled for the others to follow him, and together they cautiously entered the building.
Instead of a small shack or a dungeon, they discovered a large space filled with rows upon rows of odd-looking devices, all neatly lined up.
"Welcome."
A voice immediately prompted Cyno and Tighnari to spring into action, eliciting a small 'eep' from Collei.
Not one to take any chances, Cyno raised his spear at the source of the voice, while Tighnari aimed his crossbow.
Instead of encountering Eremites or monsters, they were surprised to find a draconic-looking boy behind the bar counter. He appeared unfazed by the weapons pointed at him, and the two bolts aimed his way.
"You! State your intentions here, or you will face my wrath," Cyno commanded.
"Relax. I mean no harm to anyone. I am merely the owner of this establishment," The boy replied.
Though this was enough to somewhat calm down Cyno, he still held his spear with a firm grip. "Very well, but I still have questions. Ensure you answer them properly."
As Cyno questioned the mysterious owner, with Tighnari by his side, Collei took the opportunity to look around the vast area. Her attention was particularly drawn to the devices on the desk. They appeared more advanced than any ruin guard she had seen, although most of them seemed to be deactivated. Almost all of them.
Collei's eyes widened when she spotted Amber sitting at the furthest desk, a gadget on her head, while she focused on one of the devices on the desk.
"Amber?" Collei whispered.
Apparently, her whisper was not as quiet as she intended; Tighnari's ears perked up at the sound, which in turn caught Cyno's attention just as he was about to ask another question.
"Amber? Is that you?" Collei called out again, this time successfully getting Amber's attention.
"Collei? Cyno?"
"Amber!"
.....
"I guess bringing Collei is the right "Col-eh?" "
Tighnari just sighed at his friend's 'joke'.
"Get it, Collei, call..."
"..."
"Snickers."
Cyno and Tighnari turned around to look at the boy snickering at the pun.
"You actually like my jokes?" Cyno was surprised that someone found some humour in one of his jokes. Usually, others always gave him a deadpan look.
"Yeah. That was quite funny, I must admit."
Where to anyone else there is no change in his serious expression, Tighnari could tell that Cyno's expression slightly softened.
"Moving on. I'm sure you have a few questions left to ask of me?"
"That's right, we'll just let those two be for now." Said Tighnari.
.....
As Cyno and Tighnari were busy questioning the owner, Collei was busy chatting up with her friend.
"Amber! It's been a while since we saw each other. Why didn't you say anything about coming to Sumeru?"
"Good to see you again, Collei. You even got taller. And what do you mean? I am pretty sure I haven't left Mondstadt."
Collei, confused, asked, "Really? Then how come we're in this place at the same time?"
"Because the doors are a portal to this place." The voice of Tighnari interjected between the two, answering Collei's question. "Hello there. You must be Amber the Outrider. Collei speaks highly of you."
"You must be Collei's Master, Tighnari. Thank you for looking after Collei, and thank you too, Cyno," Amber expressed her gratitude.
Cyno nods in acknowledgement. "As to what Tighnari means. From the information that Aiden here has given me, there are 9 buildings similar to the one we've seen outside. From Nod-Krai to Mondstadt. Inazuma has two, one for Narukami Island and one for Watatsumi Island, while there is one reserved for Nod-Krai. All of them leading here." He clarified further.
"But how did all of them c-c-connected to this place?" Asked Collei.
"Easy. The doors corresponded to each of the respective nations in which they're situated. The building outside is merely an empty shell. Only the doors are real." Answered Cyno.
"Wow, I can't believe this exists! Can they take other people to different nations?" Amber asked, her eyes wide.
Cyno shakes his head, "Unfortunately, no. Aiden here has said that only he can travel through these doors without restriction. Others who enter will only be able to leave from the door through which they come in."
"And I plan on keeping it that way for the time being," Aiden interjected. He then looked at Collei, which made the green-haired girl feel shy. "Collei right? You are suffering from Eleazar, yes?"
"H-how do you know?" Collei nervously said, causing Tighnari and Cyno to visibly tense up at the owner.
Aiden only laughed it off. "I know a lot more than you think," He then looked at her with a smirk. "Do you feel different when you entered here?"
Collei examined herself for a second before realization kicked in. "My condition! How?" While the darkened scales are still there, she doesn't feel as fatigued or clumsy as before. She even feels more energetic.
"While you are here, this place can help relieve illness, whether chronic or not, and alleviate pain. Oh, and you will also not be harmed while in here, too." Explained Aiden.
"Does this mean that Collei is cured of her Eleazar?" Tighnari asked, his tone hopeful.
Aiden shakes his head. "No. The moment she steps outside this place, her symptoms will come back. All this place can provide is a temporary relief from her condition while she's here."
Tighnari closes his eyes in resignation. "I see... What a shame then."
"Don't worry. If her condition ever gets any worse, you can let her stay here a while. Free of charge." Aiden offered, smiling at Tighnari.
"Really!" Collei excitedly shouts.
"Yep. And similarly, you can also bring in others who are sick, whether from Eleazar or other illnesses; it doesn't matter. Just make sure to bring in a doctor as well if you can."
Tighnari gives Aiden a smile of gratitude.
"Now, one final question. How can we know if this 'game' is a genuine product?" Cyno asked.
"Of course, you can play on one of these for 500 Mora an hour. If you aren't convinced yet to give this game a try, then feel free to grab a chair and watch Amber here play it. Here, let me switch the audio device so all of you can hear it." Aiden then set about fiddling with the computer.
Amber called out to Collei, "Collei, come sit next to me. I'm about to continue."
Cyno observed the screen with interest while Tighnari had his notepad out.
After Aiden had left, Amber continued where she left off. She jumped from the cliff, forgetting that the Traveler didn't have a wing glider.
The second the Traveler's feet touch the ground, the green bar along with the number on it quickly drains to zero, with the Traveler's body falling to the ground.
"Maybe... I wasn't meant for this world..."
"Gasp."
Collei and Amber had the sameexact reaction. To see a person die in front of them, even if fictional, is very disturbing.
The screen turns white with a hint being given about falling from a great height before it transitions back to the Traveler at the Teleport Waypoints, fine, albeit with some health missing.
"Cough." A fake cough from Tighnari brought Amber and Collei out of their shock. "You should probably continue."
"Ah, yes." Amber rubs her head in embarrassment.
When they finally reach the ledge again, Amber goes to the right this time. Reaching the lake, Amber has to do a bit of swimming, learning that it also drains stamina.
When they got to the statue, a short cutscene played, which intrigued the group as the statue lit up before a wisp of energy flew to the Traveler, briefly flashing the symbol for Anemo. It was then followed by the screen revealing a portion of the map of Mondstadt.
It was then revealed by Paimon that the Traveler had acquired the power of Anemo by simply touching the statue, with the theory being that the Traveler isn't from Teyvat. Paimon then gives a bit of a rundown about Mondstadt, along with their next objective. Reach Mondstadt. Before that, though, a few Pyro Slimes appeared with the game teaching them how to use Elemental Burst, which summons a vortex that sucks up all the slime into the water.
"So, what do you think of this so far?"
"It's very interesting," Cyno replied. "Although the area seems small compared to the actual place, there's a lot of detail and care put into recreating it as accurately as possible."
As Amber made her way to Mondstadt, a deafening roar shook the very ground itself as the screen pointed at the very familiar sight to Amber.
"Is that the dragon that I heard has been terrorizing Mondstadt?" Asked Tighnari.
"Yes. Stormterror."
Amber felt very invested in this story all of a sudden. Maybe this game held the answer to defeating Stormterror. The Fatui diplomats have been very bold in suggesting the Fatui's help in eliminating Stormterror, which has caused no small headache to Jean.
Without missing a beat, Amber made her way into the heart of the forest, where they spotted Stormterror heading.
Another cutscene played when they reached the forest, this time making Amber and the others confused by what they were seeing.
"...Don't be afraid."
"...It's alright now, I'm back."
A bard whom Amber had seen a few times performing in front of the statue of Barbatos at the cathedral is seemingly comforting Stormterror.
Forget asking about how the owner seemingly managed to recreate the bard when she was sure they both had never seen each other. If this game were to be believed, the bard is not a mere bard at all.
A burst of Anemo flared from the Traveler, startling the bard and causing Stormterror to fly off and the bard to vanish in a burst of wind.
Cyno had his hand up to his chin. This game is proving to be more and more interesting the longer it goes on. He knew that if this game was even remotely accurate to reality, the students and researchers from the Akademiya would be swarming this place. Not only that, the machine that Amber is using is far more advanced than perhaps even the Akasha Terminals.
Tighnari, meanwhile, is intrigued by Amber picking up the Teardrop Crystals from where Stormterror was. It looked very similar to The Withering in the forest. Perhaps indicating that the two are connected in some way.
After the Traveler's little encounter, Amber made her way to Mondstadt. That is when another cutscene started. This time, shocking her to the core.
"Hey, you! Stop right there!"
A very, very familiar voice shouted at the Traveler. It was then followed by her, in the game, jumping in front of them.
"May the Anemo God protect you, stranger!"
"I am Amber, Outrider for the Knights of Favonius."
"Amber, look! It's you!" Collei excitedly points at the screen.
Amber checked herself in the game. From her face to her outfit and her manner of speech, every tiny detail of her was replicated perfectly.
"Umm... Amber?" Collei's concerned voice snaps Amber out of her shock. Looking around, she found only the concerned faces of everyone.
Shaking her head, she continued playing the game.
Continuing the conversation between the two, Amber was slightly embarrassed by how she was addressing them. Yeah, that was definitely how she would've acted.
The game did make her chuckle by addressing Paimon as an 'emergency food'.
After finishing the conversation, a part of her, along with Baron Bunny, was displayed.
Obtained New Character
Amber 4 Stars
The game then gave her a tutorial on how to play an archer.
Amber felt weird seeing herself on the screen, let alone playing as herself. The game even has her throwing Baron Bunny to distract and damage enemies as one of her abilities.
After dispatching a camp full of Hilichurl, Amber then made her way to Mondstadt.
Passing the bridge she was at just a moment ago, scaring Timmie's pigeons in the process, she walked past Swan and Lawrence. It was weird seeing the two after she herself had conversed with them earlier. Nevertheless, she made her way inside Mondstadt City.
A short cutscene played, showing everyone Mondstadt's iconic places along with its people walking about, some of which Amber recognized.
After it's done, they then go to the front of the statue for Amber to gift the Traveler a Wind Glider. The game proceeded to teach her how to use the Wind Glider.
"Please be careful, Amber," Collei said gently, her concern evident in her voice.
"Don't worry, Collei. I'm sure it will be a "breeze".
"..." Amber, Tighnari, and Collei only looked at Cyno with an unamused expression.
"G..."
"Please shut up, Cyno."
Reaching the target, the sky around Mondstadt darkened as Stormterror made itself known. Summoning tornadoes that sucked up the Traveler to the sky.
"Huh? How are you staying afloat like this with just a Wind Glider?" Paimon asked.
"I'm preventing your fall with the power of a thousand winds."
"Now, concentrate. See yourself grasping the wind. Harness its energy."
A mysterious voice told Amber to proceed to attack Stormterror with what seemed to be concentrated wind.
When its health reached low enough, Stormterror finally broke away from the fight. The Traveler glides down to the ground before being greeted by Amber and Kaeya.
With a bit of light interrogation and some assurances from in-game Amber, they made their way to the Knights of Favonious Headquarters.
A cutscene plays showing Jean pacing in her room, along with Lisa at the side.
"Hey, Cyno. Isn't she a senior of yours?"
"You're right. We studied under the same sage."
A little bit of conversation revealed that Lisa had uncovered the source of Stormterror's power at the abandoned Four Winds' Temples.
Accepting to help, the cutscene ends, unlocking something called "Wish".
Just as she was about to continue, a hand brought her out of concentration. "Maybe we should take a break for a bit." The voice of Tighnari suggested. Looking at a nearby clock, 30 minutes have passed by.
It was then that the group realized that the place had a lot more people in it than before.
They spotted someone who seemed to be a reporter from The Steambird, along with two people, a tall man and a woman, from Fontaine, sitting at one of the computers. The man had the most intense expression as he stared at the screen.
"My dear Iudex, please do not scare the other customers away."
"My apologies, Lady Furina."
Another computer was occupied by the Liyuen lady during the intro, along with a purple-haired woman beside her.
She also notices a couple of people from where she guessed is Natlan chatting amongst each other.
There was also a kid with pink hair, along with a maid standing behind her at one of the computers.
The owner, meanwhile, is busy stopping two people from Inazuma from fighting each other.
"Hey, hey now. Remember our agreement, this place is a neutral area." Aiden said to the two.
It seems this place will become a lot livelier in the future.
e.