Night fell at the Fatui encampment, and a campfire crackled beside The Captain. He stood there, gazing at the brightly lit Stadium of the Sacred Flame in the distance.
Angie approached and stood beside him. "Sir, what's our next move?"
"In two days, I'll battle the Pyro Archon Mavuika," The Captain replied, "with the goal of seizing the Gnosis in her possession."
"What are your chances of victory, Sir?" Angie asked.
"Unknown," The Captain admitted. "Mavuika is incredibly powerful. If I can defeat her directly, our subsequent plans will proceed much more smoothly."
"I'll go with you," Angie declared.
Though she knew The Captain's strength well—he was formidable—their opponent was none other than Natlan's Pyro Archon.
The Captain offered no objection, tacitly accepting her offer.
After a long silence, the Captain suddenly spoke again, "The Tsaritsa has already informed me of your situation. Here in Natlan, we are almost constantly at war with the Abyss. Compared to other nations, the Abyss's influence is far more rampant here."
"You're not the only one here, but during operations, especially when we clash directly with the Abyss, I want you to stay within my line of sight as much as possible."
Angie: "Understood. I'll make sure to do that."
The Captain: "Very well. It's late. You should get some rest."
Angie turned to leave, but after a few steps, she paused. "Sir, I can sense that coming to Natlan has unsettled you. If there's anything I can do to help, please don't hesitate to ask."
With that, Angie departed, returning to her quarters.
Left alone, the Captain gently placed his right hand over his chest. Since arriving in Natlan, the Heroes had become more active than usual.
Just wait a little longer. The time is near...
-
After failing to find the Pyro Archon at the Arena, Lumine and Paimon abandoned their plan to exchange information and accompanied Mualani to the People of the Springs.
This place truly lived up to its reputation as a hot spring paradise. Lumine and Paimon even soaked in the springs with Mualani, washing away all the fatigue from their journey.
Mualani introduced them to the customs and traditions of the People of the Springs and shared stories from her childhood.
She made a point of mentioning Aunt Atea, who had always been kind to her. Injured in a battle with the Abyss long ago, Atea hadn't been able to enjoy the hot springs in years.
The good news was that Ishkab had been treating Atea recently. Ishkab's medical skills were remarkable, and it was estimated that Atea would soon be able to soak in the hot springs again.
The group discovered an abandoned hot spring in a mountain cave. After repairing it, they planned to present it as a gift to Atea.
They also prepared a party, but since it was already late, they decided to invite Atea tomorrow instead.
Mualani arranged for Lumine and Paimon to rest in guest rooms. That night, the two were jolted awake.
Paimon opened her bleary eyes. "Snore... Huh? Why is it so noisy outside...?"
"Traveler, Paimon, wake up!" Mualani's voice called from the doorway.
The two stepped out of the room and saw a horde of Abyss Monsters.
Mualani: "The Abyss has attacked our tribe! The patrol teams are engaged in fierce combat with the monsters. Follow me—I'll take you to safety first!"
Just then, a desperate cry for help erupted from the thickest concentration of monsters: "Mualani—come help! We can't hold out much longer here!"
Lumine's expression turned cold as she drew Unrelenting Will, its blade shimmering with four distinct colors.
"The Abyss, huh... Mualani, you don't need to worry about me. Leave it to me!"
Wings unfurled behind Lumine, propelling her into the air. "Paimon, go back inside and hide!"
Paimon: "So many! Lumine, please be careful!"
Mualani stared in astonishment at Lumine, never having imagined she could fly.
With a series of swift slashes, Lumine cleaved the Abyss Monsters in half, quickly clearing the area.
Lumine: "Mualani, handle the cleanup here. I'm going to assist elsewhere."
Without waiting for Mualani's stunned response, Lumine darted off to another battlefield like a shooting star.
Only after Lumine had completely vanished did Mualani swallow hard, stammering, "U-understood!"
As expected of a Traveler who roams across nations—she's incredibly strong!
Lumine soared through the skies above the People of the Springs, striking down Abyss Monsters wherever she found them. These common creatures posed no threat to her skill.
While in Fontaine, Lumine had collected a significant number of Primogems, further enhancing her strength. Moreover, with the Unrelenting Will Sword in hand, slaying Abyss Monsters was now as effortless as slicing through melons.
"Abyss Gate!"
Flying at a high altitude, Lumine quickly spotted the Abyss Gate. By now, she could handle these gates with ease. She swiftly descended and completely destroyed the Abyss Gate.
As she flew past the hot spring they had prepared for Atea earlier, Lumine sensed something amiss. She descended lower and discovered Atea struggling in battle against Abyss Monsters.
Without hesitation, Lumine joined the fray and swiftly dispatched the remaining monsters.
"Are you alright, Atea?"
"Y-yes... I'm fine..." Atea replied, still catching her breath.
Atea had only just arrived at the spring herself. She pointed to a nearby cave. "There's an Abyss Realm Gate inside, Traveler..."
Before Atea could finish, Lumine had already charged into the cave. Barely a moment later, she emerged, looking satisfied.
"It's taken care of. I need to head to other areas immediately. Be careful."
"But..."
Atea cautiously entered the cave and found the Abyss Realm Gate had vanished, replaced by jagged sword marks scarring the cave walls.
"Hiss—"
Atea gasped sharply, her pupils trembling in disbelief.
-
Lumine moved with incredible speed, swiftly clearing out the Abyss Monsters. Yet, she remained vigilant, soaring through the sky in rapid loops, her sharp eyes scanning every possible hiding spot.
Only when she was absolutely certain that the Abyss Monsters had been completely eradicated did Lumine land in the Fountain Plaza, where the People of the Springs had gathered.
Mualani and the others were all present, and Atea had also arrived.
Lumine landed near the crowd, retracted her wings and longsword, and approached Mualani and Paimon.
The People of the Springs warriors instinctively parted to make way for her, their eyes filled with reverence. Lumine, still wearing a stern expression, radiated an aura of overwhelming power.
"Lumine, are you alright?" Paimon asked.
Lumine shook her head.
"Traveler," Mualani said, "I never imagined you were this strong! It's amazing! I can't believe I didn't know all this time. Thank you so much! Because of your timely intervention, our initial count shows only a small number of injuries—no fatalities!"
Lumine finally relaxed her cold demeanor, her expression softening. "It was our duty," she said. "We must never show leniency toward the Abyss!"
The Abyss had always been Natlan's greatest threat, but Lumine could confidently say that her hatred for it surpassed even that of Mualani and the others.