The journey beyond the mountains began under a bleeding dawn. The peaks, sharp and merciless, faded into the distance as Hine walked beside the Silent Soul. She glanced back once, her breath catching in the cold air, watching the jagged cliffs that had nearly claimed her life more times than she could count. The shard pulsed faintly in her pocket, as if urging her forward.
The land changed almost imperceptibly at first. Snow thinned along the ground, giving way to patches of dark stone and frozen soil. The wind, once biting and cruel, grew softer, carrying the faint scent of pine and earth. It was as though the world was slowly exhaling, releasing them from the suffocating grasp of the mountain range.
"Is it always like this," Hine murmured, breaking the long silence, "when you leave one part of Teyvat for another? The world feels... alive."
The Silent Soul walked ahead, his presence quiet but undeniable, his steps never faltering. "Teyvat shifts where it wills. Paths open and close. Landscapes change, as if the land remembers those who walk upon it. You are feeling its pulse."
Hine touched the shard through her cloak, feeling its warmth against her palm. She wanted to ask if the shard was the reason she felt connected to every step of the terrain, but the words stayed trapped behind her teeth. Questions could wait. For now, survival demanded her silence.
By midday, the world had changed again. The jagged rocks softened into rolling plains, grass shimmering like frost in the pale sunlight. The horizon stretched endlessly, painted in hues of soft lavender and gold. Hine stopped for a moment, stunned by the sudden openness.
"It feels like the sky is bigger here," she whispered.
The Silent Soul turned his head, his sharp gaze tracing the horizon. "The sky here is unbound. Few tread these lands. They belong to neither life nor death, and so they shift freely. This is where the forgotten come to rest."
Hine shivered, though the air was no longer cold. "Forgotten by whom?"
"By everyone," he said simply.
The ground underfoot turned warm as the sun climbed higher. The soft hum of unseen life surrounded them... the whisper of grass against her legs, the rustle of invisible creatures darting beneath the soil. Every sense sharpened, as though the land itself was alive and aware of their presence.
By the time evening fell, the plains had transformed into something entirely different. The air grew cool again, and the light dimmed until the sky exploded with stars. Endless plains stretched out beneath the velvet night, their silvery glow reflecting the light like a frozen ocean. Hine stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening as she tilted her head back to take in the sky.
"It's beautiful," she breathed.
For the first time, she thought she saw something flicker in the Silent Soul's gaze... something softer, almost human.
"It is called the Star-lit Expanse," he said. "A place that remembers time before time. It stretches farther than any map can tell. Travelers speak of walking for days, only to find themselves standing where they began."
Hine turned to him, confusion knitting her brow. "Then how do we cross it?"
"You do not cross the Expanse," he replied, his voice quiet but steady. "It allows you through. Or it does not."
Hine frowned at that, her jaw tightening. "Then we'll make it allow us. We have to."
His gaze lingered on her for a long moment before he said, "The land listens, but it does not bend to will. Not even mine."
Despite the heaviness of his tone, Hine stepped forward, testing the ground. The grass was soft beneath her boots, and the shard at her chest glowed faintly, matching the rhythm of her heartbeat. She wondered if the land could sense it, if it knew what she carried.
As they walked, silence stretched between them, broken only by the whisper of the wind. Hours passed, and the plains seemed to ripple under the light of the stars, shifting subtly as if the world itself was breathing. The horizon never seemed to draw closer, no matter how far they walked.
"This place," Hine said softly, "it feels endless."
"It is," the Silent Soul answered. "Endless and unforgiving. But it is also a place of clarity. The noise of the world falls away here. Only truth remains."
His words lingered in the air like smoke, settling heavy in her chest. She clutched the shard tightly and kept walking, her legs aching but her resolve unshaken.
By the second day, exhaustion gnawed at her muscles. Her lips were dry, her throat parched, but she refused to slow her pace. The Silent Soul watched her silently, his presence steady but distant, a constant shadow at her side.
When they finally stopped, the ground beneath them had shifted again. The star-lit plains faded into a field of glowing flowers, their petals shimmering like liquid moonlight. Hine sank to her knees, unable to tear her eyes away from the surreal beauty around her.
"What is this place?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
"The Plains of Lumeris," the Silent Soul said. His voice was quieter now, almost reverent. "A sanctuary for those who wander too far. Few ever see it."
Hine reached out to touch one of the flowers, her fingertips brushing against a petal that dissolved into a cascade of light, scattering like embers into the night. She felt something stir inside her... awe, yes, but also an ache she could not name.
"Why show me this?" she asked, her voice trembling.
He regarded her silently for a moment, then said, "Because the path ahead will not always offer beauty. Remember this. Remember that Teyvat can be more than pain and ruin."
She swallowed hard, her throat tightening. "Do you think I'll make it? To the Rulers, I mean."
There was no hesitation in his reply. "Yes. But only if you understand the cost. Every step forward will demand more of you. And not all debts can be repaid."
The wind stirred the glowing petals around them, carrying them into the air like drifting stars. Hine closed her eyes, feeling their warmth against her skin. For a brief moment, it was easy to believe that everything... the endless journey, the danger, the unknown that lay ahead... was worth it.
When she opened her eyes, the Silent Soul was watching her. His expression was unreadable, but there was something there, something that almost felt like... belief.
And in that silent exchange, Hine felt the first flicker of hope.