In this Consciousness Space, after Caribert's form dissipated, a voice intimately familiar to Lumine echoed from behind her.
"...So it is. I didn't make it in time to see Caribert one last time."
Lumine's pupils trembled violently as she spun around, finding Aether standing before her.
She stepped forward, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
"Aether..."
She reached out to touch him, but her hand passed right through his body.
Aether sighed, his form phasing through hers. "Caribert's consciousness has already faded. This place has become an unanchored space on the verge of collapse. Neither of us belongs here, which is why we can't touch each other."
He turned to face her. "If it were otherwise, I would have wanted to embrace you."
"Let's just talk for a while," Aether suggested, striding forward through the space. Lumine hurried to keep up. "Aether, I have questions for you."
Aether slowed his pace, waiting for Lumine to catch up before replying, "Ask away. If I can answer, I will."
"I want to know... what your goal is, and what exactly this 'Loom of Fate' is?" Lumine asked.
"My goal..."
Aether paused, found a suitable spot to sit down, and looked into Lumine's eyes. He finally relented under her unwavering gaze.
Aether: "I want to... use the Loom of Fate to rewrite Teyvat's Laws, exact revenge on the Heavenly Principles, and resurrect Khaenri'ah..."
Lumine: "..."
Aether's words shook Lumine to her core. Resurrecting Khaenri'ah and seeking vengeance against the Heavenly Principles?
After a moment's contemplation, she asked, "How do you plan to use the Loom of Fate to rewrite Teyvat's Laws? And how will you take revenge on the Heavenly Principles?"
Aether: "I haven't figured out how to activate it yet, but... I still have time..."
Lumine: "Do you hate the Heavenly Principles?"
Aether: "I suppose you could say that. Look at Caribert, for example. He was so pure, just like this Consciousness Space—simple and serene."
"Even when he was a Hilichurl, the sight of his own face in the mirror after removing his mask couldn't corrupt his spirit. Some people, even after they're gone from this world, can still heal others..."
"But who stripped him of his right to exist? Of course, this is just one example. My feelings toward the Heavenly Principles can't be expressed in mere words..."
Lumine fell silent, recalling everything Silaya had said. "Aether," she said, "you're using the Abyss's energy. You should know how dangerous that is. The Abyss is very likely to strike again, and they are the enemies we must prioritize now."
Aether: "I know. If Teyvat falls, there'll be no nation to restore, no vengeance to seek. The Abyss is also the enemy of our Chaos Order. When it comes to the Abyss, we stand together."
Realizing he'd misspoke, Aether quickly corrected himself. "No, I mean... From the beginning, your position and mine have always been the same."
Lumine: "If that's true, then why don't you travel with me?"
Aether didn't answer immediately. He gazed into the distance, lost in thought for several seconds, before slowly rising to his feet.
"At the end of my journey, I arrived at a place called 'The Sea of Flowers at the End.' Do you remember? Long, long ago, when we traveled together across the stars..."
"You said... you hoped to find a sea filled with those flowers somewhere in the universe. And that place, that sea of flowers, appeared right before my eyes."
"Do you think... that could be just a coincidence?"
Lumine: "Are you saying..."
Aether: "I miss you too, Lumine. But until the war ends, until I get that final answer... I don't know how to face myself, let alone you."
Lumine: "..."
Just then, the space began to shake violently. The time for this ownerless realm was running out.
The space slowly crumbled, and Lumine could no longer hear Aether's voice...
Lumine and Paimon awoke in Vimara Village. Lumine's memories of what had transpired in that strange space were already growing hazy.
Hum—
The Unrelenting Will Sword suddenly trembled violently, instantly clearing Lumine's mind.
The missing person from Vimara Village was Caribert, a figure who existed only in their memories. But now Caribert had vanished completely. As Lumine pondered how to explain this to the villagers, Bahram arrived.
Bahram shared the collective memory of the missing person, vaguely recalling that he had been taken away by his parents.
Lumine knew the truth was far different, but since everyone believed this version and felt it to be true, the actual truth seemed less important.
-
After leaving Sumeru, Lumine and Paimon returned to Fontaine.
This time, their main purpose in Fontaine was to bid farewell to their friends, as they were preparing to depart for Natlan.
At Romaritime Harbor, Navia, Furina, Neuvillette, Clorinde, and others had gathered.
Charlotte hurried over, only stopping to catch her breath when she saw Lumine and Paimon hadn't left yet.
"Charlotte, what are you doing here?"
Charlotte proudly held up her camera. "With Fontaine's most active Traveler about to set off, The Steambird couldn't miss this opportunity for a story!"
"Since everyone's here," Paimon suggested, "let's take a group photo to remember this!"
"Mm-hmm, a splendid idea!" Furina agreed enthusiastically.
No one objected, not even Neuvillette, who gave a slight nod of approval.
"Alright, everyone," Charlotte announced. "On the count of three, let's all say 'cheese'! Three, two, one... cheese!"
Click!
A group photo froze the moment, capturing everyone's joyful smiles.
Lumine and Paimon asked about Natlan, and their friends shared what they knew, piecing together a summary:
Natlan is the land of dragons. Due to its unique circumstances, few Natlan natives venture abroad. It's also a nation of war, where the Abyss's corruption is the most severe among the seven nations...
The mention of the Abyss ignited a nameless fury within Lumine.
Natlan must be reached. The Abyss must pay the price!
-
Player World
After a long hiatus without updates, Genshin Impact finally received its 5.0 version update: Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn.
The most mysterious nation, Natlan, was finally making its debut!
Players eagerly anticipated witnessing the so-called Land of Dragons and Land of War firsthand, eager to see if it would live up to their expectations.
The mere mention of "war" carried immense weight.
It was widely anticipated that Natlan's storyline would be epic in scale!
Chen Xiyao opened the newly added map and discovered that reaching Natlan required first teleporting to Sumeru, then traversing a long stretch of terrain from there.