"Why's Mondstadt so prone to dragon calamities?" Reisen Riou wondered aloud.
Of Teyvat's four major dragon calamities, two struck Mondstadt. The others were the Deep Sea Dragon Calamity and the Geo Dragon Calamity.
"No clue," Yae Miko replied, then squinted. "Wait, what's that?"
Stone Gate's path was overrun with monsters and Treasure Hoarders, so Reisen and his crew took the riskier but less monster-infested route: Mingyun Village, through Dragonspine, to Mondstadt's trade road.
It was the only major trade route still linking Liyue and Mondstadt.
A makeshift route, usually for mercenaries and adventurers, it was hastily expanded into a trade path after Stone Gate's blockade.
"Holy—! Dragons!" Reisen gaped at two dragons clashing in the sky—one cyan, one pitch-black.
The black dragon was clearly losing, not because the cyan dragon was stronger, but due to a tiny figure beside it.
"Should we help? That looks like Barbatos's kin, Twarin," Miko said, versed in Archon familiars.
"Sure, let's back 'em up. You good with aerial combat?" Reisen asked, curious.
Then, a ethereal, mystical voice echoed—though it sounded a bit shaky.
"Thunder God's kin… and, uh, this demon looks kinda familiar…" The voice faltered awkwardly. "The Thousand-Year Gales will bless you."
Reisen, feeling lighter, rolled his eyes. Kinda familiar demon? Rude.
No time for that. He flashed into a bolt of lightning, zipping toward the fray.
Landing on the cyan dragon's back, he drew his bow. "Thunderflash Barrage, Spear Array!"
A massive Electro spear shot out, striking the black dragon. Caught off guard, it opened its maw to roar and spew venom, but a storm of smaller thunder spears followed, shutting it up.
"Impressive archery, kid! Perfect Electro technique. Your creation?" the shaky voice asked.
"Lord Barbatos, focus on the fight," Reisen snapped at the slacking god.
"Do something useful, Barbatos," Twarin growled, swatting the black dragon hundreds of meters with its tail.
An attack came from below.
"Celestial Fox Manifestation!" Miko unleashed a barrage of divine thunderbolts, crackling with godly power, pummeling the black dragon Durin into a daze.
"That's Rhinedottir's alchemical creation, right? I could smell the alchemy from Mingyun Village," Barbatos said, finally drawing his bow for divine archery.
His shots lacked Reisen's flair but dealt far heavier damage.
"This thing's tough," Reisen said, loosing arrows for a quarter-hour. Durin's wound-healing was absurd.
It was why Twarin couldn't outlast it in a drawn-out fight.
If Durin was cheating with regeneration, Reisen wasn't playing fair either.
"Thunder Pellet Technique, Perfect Grand Barrier!"
"Much safer in here," Miko giggled, knowing Reisen's plan the moment he pulled the Thunder Pellet.
Twarin coughed up a gob of toxic blood, visibly relieved.
"This guy's a nightmare," Barbatos said, scratching his head. "Without my crown, I'm low on tricks."
His Gnosis had nearly drained in the Khaenri'ah war, and it hadn't recovered much since.
"Don't freak out," Reisen warned, pulling a trump card.
From his Vision's spatial pocket, he drew a jade tablet.
Electro surged.
"No Thoughts, No Mind." Raiden Ei's voice rang out, borrowing Reisen's Electro to unleash Musou no Hitotachi.
At a tenth of its full power, it still nearly cleaved Durin in half.
Feeling death's grip, Durin fled, dragging its broken body.
Twarin seized the chance, charging the wounded dragon, tearing and tumbling in a brutal clash.
The god and two demons, once on Twarin's back, now stood on Dragonspine.
"Phew, thanks a ton. Twarin and I couldn't have handled this mess alone," Barbatos said.
"Yawn, I'm beat," he added, stretching. "Here's a thank-you gift. Hope we meet again!"
As Durin's life faded, Barbatos handed each a lyre and flew off with Twarin.
Reisen plucked a string, dumbfounded. Just an ordinary instrument. Classic Barbatos.
"Forget them. Let's grab Durin's materials. Miko, do a soul-calming ritual so Durin can rest," Reisen said.
"This place's ley lines feel dead… no, wait, they're alive?" Miko murmured. "This soul's doomed to never rest here."
While Miko muttered, Reisen gleefully collected materials.
As an LV7 alchemist—master level—he assessed Durin. Though an alchemical creature, its techniques were mostly taboo.
Useless knowledge. So, he took what he could: dragon scales, hide, teeth, bones.
Durin's blood, though potent, was laced with its alchemical essence—highly active but toxically polluting.
Twarin had gone mad from the venom. Reisen had purged some earlier, saving it some pain.
He'd planned another purge, but Twarin and Barbatos bolted too fast.
Maybe that was fate.
Reisen felt a deeper grasp of Fate's Law.