Stormterror's Lair.
Time to wake up...
Dvalin...
As she neared Stormterror's Lair, Wendy, floating in the air, mused.
However, the mission's requirements brought a slight frown to Wendy's face.
Although Dvalin's strength was insignificant before her, the mission's completion wasn't solely dependent on power.
She hoped its muddled mind would mistake her for someone else...
And this time, I even have the Anemo Archon's Gnosis...
With that thought, Wendy continued flying towards the depths of Stormterror's Lair.
Deep within the ruins.
Again... that power...
Dvalin, abruptly opening its eyes as it roused from slumber, gazed in a certain direction.
It sensed it: the figure that had confronted it above Mondstadt had reappeared. Or rather, she had come here for it.
For some reason, that figure bore a strong resemblance to Barbatos. But it knew, it could not possibly be Him. Neither the unfamiliar aura nor the peculiar power had anything to do with Barbatos. What's more, the power of that figure was beyond anything Barbatos could compare to.
Yet... that figure hadn't attacked it then... it seemed to merely want to drive it away from the skies above Mondstadt...
Why was that...?
And... what was her purpose in coming here this time?
Wait... why... is there a familiar aura...?
Suddenly, Dvalin slowly rose to its feet, sensing a familiar aura.
Although the aura it currently perceived was mostly unfamiliar, even chaotic, for some reason, there was a trace of familiarity within it.
An illusion...?
Because its mind was often in a muddled state these days, Dvalin couldn't help but wonder if it was experiencing a delusion.
She's here...
Under Dvalin's gaze, a figure swiftly arrived above the ground where it stood.
"We meet again, Dvalin."
Hovering in mid-air and looking down at Dvalin below, Wendy spoke with a detached tone.
"This Dvalin can't seriously have just woken up, can it...?"
Looking at Dvalin on the ground, Wendy couldn't help but think.
But none of that mattered now; she had to make Dvalin believe she was the Anemo Archon.
Although it would be difficult, she absolutely had to complete it.
"Who are you?"
Dvalin appeared extremely wary.
"Me? Your old friend, of course. What, have you forgotten me?"
Slowly descending in front of Dvalin, Wendy feigned a hint of surprise.
"Old friend? No... I don't know you."
"Of course, you know me."
Facing Dvalin's denial, Wendy emphasized once more that it did know her.
On her... there truly is a familiar aura...
But... she definitely isn't Barbatos...
Though it said nothing more, Dvalin still felt it didn't know the person before it, and certainly didn't believe she was Barbatos. There was just one thing it couldn't understand: why did the person before it possess an aura it found familiar? And if its muddled mind wasn't mistaken, that was the Anemo Archon's power.
She's not talking...
Wendy had been waiting for Dvalin's reply, but Dvalin remained silent.
Never mind... If you won't speak, I will...
"Come, Dvalin, let us gain even greater power together."
As she spoke, with a faint smile on her face, strange patterns gradually appeared on Wendy's limbs.
This power?!
Suddenly sensing a power even more sinister than the Abyss rapidly emerging from the girl before it, Dvalin was utterly astonished. The battle five hundred years ago had forced it to confront the horrors of the Abyss, but the power now emanating from the girl before it was even more terrifying than the Abyss itself.
"Who... exactly are you?"
Even more wary than before, Dvalin even prepared for battle.
"Don't you feel that Mondstadt betrayed you? Then..."
Wendy paused, then extended a hand towards Dvalin and continued, "Come, let us raze it to the ground together!"
"You still haven't answered my question."
Ignoring Wendy's demand, Dvalin continued to inquire about her identity.
It currently had no desire to dwell on any betrayal by the people of Mondstadt; it merely wanted to know the other party's true identity.
"My identity, you ask..."
Appearing to ponder something, Wendy's hand suddenly produced the Anemo Archon's Gnosis.
She held it between two fingers before her eyes and continued, "How about this for an answer, Dvalin?"
Wendy was currently employing a method to make Dvalin believe she was the Anemo Archon, rather than directly stating it herself.
In any case, she wouldn't directly declare herself the Anemo Archon; she wanted Dvalin to come to that conclusion on its own, as that would yield a better result.
The Gnosis?!
At this, Dvalin finally understood where that sense of familiarity originated.
Possessing the Gnosis...
And such a similar appearance...
Even her powers are related to Anemo...
What in the world... is going on???
Dvalin was perplexed.
Now, it genuinely couldn't tell if the person before it was truly Barbatos. They could be said to be very similar, yet also completely unalike; Dvalin truly couldn't distinguish.
"Why dwell on those trivial things of the past? The current me is no longer the me of before."
Although Dvalin could barely show any expression, Wendy knew it was extremely shocked, so she spoke with feigned mystery once more.
"Dvalin, can't you just believe I'm the Anemo Archon already..."
"I still have a mission to complete..."
On the surface, Wendy appeared completely at ease, even somewhat sinister, but in reality, she was growing impatient.
If Dvalin started to believe she was the Anemo Archon, she would immediately give it a beating to show it the Anemo Archon's power.
"What... exactly did you go through?"
As Wendy waited, Dvalin slowly posed the question.
"It finally believes me, then..."
Hearing Dvalin's question, Wendy felt a surge of excitement.
However, to be safe, she decided to probe a little more before making her move.
"What I went through? Is that really important?"
Instead of answering Dvalin's question, Wendy countered with one of her own.
"Hmm... Venti's here?"
"Is it because he sensed my power?"
Suddenly, Wendy sensed Venti approaching.
"Looks like I'll just have to try first..."
Having no choice, Wendy decided to beat Dvalin first and deal with the rest later.
______
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