____________________
"Folk tales and myths, they've lasted for a reason. We tell them over and over because we keep finding truths in them, and we keep finding life in them."
The book, titled 'The Ancient Tales Carved in Stone', was a popular collection of folktales and legends from Liyue, bound in gold-colored leather embroidered with silk. It was a fairly expensive piece of literature, a four-volume set costing a staggering 60,000 Mora per copy, but Crepus had secured an exclusive pristine set for her personal use years ago before they've even decided to go to Liyue.
Artoria, her mind now shifting from the logistics of leadership to the culture of the nation she was visiting, had decided to spend the evening preparing her children—not with lessons of state, but with the stories of the land they were about to see.
"Long ago," she began, her voice a calm, steady melody in the quiet room.
"During the era where the three queens of the nightsky still dance with their true love, the morning star, the land that will be called Liyue, was blessed with an abundance of life."
Her children, all of them, were seated on a vast, plush rug of shimmering silver thread that covered most of the floor in their designated palatial chamber within the Tower of Beginnings. Even Lisa, her little niece was there, her notebook resting on her lap, her expression one of intense concentration.
"Among the creatures that dwelt in vast forests and on steep mountains, there were a group of beings that took the form of animals, yet were far from ordinary."
She paused, letting the words hang in the air. Venti was trying to braid a strand of Barbara's hair, but had stopped, caught by the story. Benny, who had been attempting to see how many pillows he could stack on top of the sleeping Dvalin, was now listening intently.
"These were the Xiānshòu, otherwise known as the Illuminated Beasts, creatures with supernatural abilities. Legends tell that they were once simple animals themselves, but they were chosen and blessed by the enigmatic Lord of Geo once he descended into the land after raising Mt. Tianheng. With his blessings, these once simple creatures were 'illuminated,' gaining self-awareness and the ability to harness the elements through their inner third eye."
Her eyes scanned the book as she read, her mind connecting these tales to the fragmented memories of the game she once played. They were more than stories now. They were history.
"From Deers, Cranes, Suannis, the Illuminated Beasts manifested themselves in different forms and sizes.
Some soared through the clouds, flying close to the firmament. Others dwelt in the mountains, preferring peace and solitude above all else.
Yet, many still chose to follow The Sovereign Lord of the Rock, the one who had uplifted them from a simple existence within the earth, and had gave them the means to mold their fates.
They followed their Lord who was like a shephard to the burgeoning humankind, and they in turn helped humanity through their wisdom and guidance. These Illuminated Beasts were hailed as heroes by many, and were bound by contract to the Lord of Geo, to protect the land and its people, hence they were elevated above the rest, and were called the Xian, or the Adepti."
Jean, sitting up straight, her hands folded in her lap, looked like a perfect student. "Like the knights of the Round Table, Mama?" she asked. "They bound themselves by oath to serve."
"A very astute comparison, my dear daughter," Artoria praised, a proud smile touching her lips. "Very much like them but far more ancient, mysterious and powerful."
She turned a page, the gentle rustle of the expensive paper was the only other sound in the room apart from the soft breaths of the listeners.
"As many years passed by, the Adepti helped cultivate the land under the guidance of the Lord of Geo. When the Prime of the Adepti himself, along with his fellow god, the Lady of the Dust, established the first settlement within the Guili Plains, many of the adepti chose to stay among the humans, choosing to continue to impart their wisdom for the betterment of the burgeoning city."
She read on, her voice painting pictures of a bygone era.
"'The Perfected Lord who Retains the Clouds,' sought to alleviate the sufferings of mankind by inventing simple contraptions to aid them in their labor.
'The Perfected Lord Who Sings Songs' brought merriment to the people through her songs, detailing the beauty found in everyday life.
'The Perfected Lord who Guides the Waters and Shapes the Mountains,' bent the rivers and taught the people how to harness the waters in order to better grow their crops. Thus, the art of irrigation was first introduced to mankind."
"Even other gods joined the adepti and the Lord of Geo," she continued, her gaze lifting from the page to ensure her audience was still with her.
"The Stove God, born from a spark between stones, taught the people of the plains many secrets pertaining to cooking and the art of harnessing the flames."
Benny, whose head had begun to droop, snapped back up at the mention of cooking. "A god of cooking? Does he know how to make apple tarts, Mama?"
A soft chuckle rippled through the room. "I am certain he would make a tart of exceptional quality, my little adventurer."
"As centuries passed," Artoria read on, her tone shifting subtly, "the small assembly in the plains of Guili grew larger and larger. It was an era of peace and plenty, and everyone was happy and safe under the gaze of the Lord of Geo and the Lady of the Dust."
She paused again, her thumb stroking the page. The next part of the story was the one that always gave her pause, the moment when the idyll shattered, a pattern she had seen repeated in the history of every nation, every world.
"However, all good things must come to an end. The heavens themselves threw down the mandate of the seven celestial thrones, and the once prosperous land of mountains and cliffs was engulfed in an almost never-ending war. War waged by the gods amongst themselves."
Her children, sensing the change in her tone, grew still. The playful energy in the room evaporated, replaced by a quiet seriousness.
"Some Illuminated Beasts and Adepti chose sides that directly opposed the Lord of Geo, such as Fujin of the North and her companions, the Herb Lord and the Beastlord of the Sunken Jade Realm. All three served the Lady of the Vale, one of the Geo Lord's greatest opponents."
She looked up, catching the thoughtful expression on Jean's face. Her eldest daughter was old enough to understand the weight of these words, the tragedy of kin fighting kin.
"Most of the gods during that time coveted the thrones, and performed unspeakable horrors just to achieve their goals. They would enslave both mortals and Illuminated Beasts alike, sparing no one as long as they could attain the sought after prize under heaven."
"Those were dark times for humanity," Artoria's voice became softer, imbued with a genuine empathy for the long-dead souls she described.
"Existence was a struggle, and many perished due to the war itself and the famine it brought. Some would be driven mad by desperation and even greed, with one peculiar group of people even finishing off their own deity, thinking that they could covet her power for their own by slaying her."
Lisa made a small, distressed noise, her pen pausing over her notebook. The young academic was more affected by the cruelty of mortals than the clashes of gods.
"Through countless deaths, both mortal and immortal alike," Artoria continued, "the land became tainted by a dark miasma. The gods who fell in battle were not fully slain, for their divine essence continued to live on, lingering with the feeling of grief and vengeance at their last moments. This poison polluted the land, tainting those who lived there with the corrupting influence of Karma."
She could feel the weight of that ancient sorrow, even now, through the pages of a book. It was a story etched not just in stone, but into the very soul of Liyue.
"In this war, the Lord of Geo rallied his forces. Chief amongst them were his five generals, the Yaksha. Together, they waged war against the other gods, not for the sake of the Heavenly Thrones, but for those whom they cared for. They won many battles, yet they too lost so many."
Her eyes drifted to the miniature dragon, who was now fast asleep, a tiny, soft snore escaping him. Dvalin, too, had known such war, such loss.
"The Lady of the Dust, a close companion of the Geo Lord, was one of the first to be slain, while trying to protect her city and her people. Several adepti had also fallen, friends and lovers alike, causing anguish among the Lord of Geo's ranks."
A profound silence had fallen over the room. The story was no longer a simple legend for the children; it was a eulogy for a fallen age, a tragedy that resonated even in their divine sanctuary.
"Yet, the Sovereign Lord of the Rock persisted," Artoria's voice regained its strength, a current of unyielding resolve running through it.
"He battled serpentine titans, hurled down spears of rock and stone upon the Overlord of the Vortex, toppled the Lady of the Vale, and so many more."
"After the dust settled, the Lord of Geo, Prime of the Adepti, Rex Lapis, stood as the victor and claimed one of the seven thrones of heaven, establishing the nation now called Liyue. Though weary from the long war, he and his companions guided the survivors south, establishing the prosperous Liyue Harbor."
She closed the book gently, the thud of the leather cover a final, solemn note. She looked upon her audience who were now slowly inching ever closer to Morpheus's realm.
"The Lord of Geo would then go on to establish the ruling laws of the land, created the Qixing, the Millelith, and secured the borders of his realm. From age to age, year after year, he, who ruled all of Liyue, would descend for one day to bring forth the prophecy of the upcoming year, a day of great celebration for his entire nation."
Artoria looked up from the closed book and down at her listeners, only to find them all fast asleep. The long, often somber history had worked better than any lullaby. Jean, Barbara, Bennett, Venti, and even Lisa were all snuggled up along the plush rug, a sea of pillows surrounding them, their breathing soft and even in the peaceful quiet of their mother's realm.
A soft, genuinely fond smile touched Artoria's lips. She had hoped to kindle in them an appreciation for the deep history of Liyue, but perhaps the most important lesson for them tonight was the comfort and safety they found in each other's presence, a peace that their predecessors in that ancient land had fought and died to attain.
She carefully rose from her velvet couch, moving with a divine silence that did not disturb a single slumbering child.
She bent down, her movements were impossibly gentle, and pulled a soft, emerald-green blanket over them all, tucking it around their small forms. She paused, her hand lingering on Barbara's head, then smoothed a stray lock of Jean's blonde hair. Her gaze softened as she looked at Bennett, who was hugging the sleeping Dvalin like a teddy bear, and at Venti, who had a small, blissful smile on his face, likely dreaming of endless apple tarts and juices.
They were her most priceless treasures. She'll give anything, even her own life and divinity just to keep them safe.
Walking to one of the grand balconies, she leaned against the cool marble railing and looked out at the night sky of her inner world. A perfect, silver moon hung in the void, illuminating the impossible landscapes of Avalon with a soft, ethereal glow. Time here flowed in tandem with that of Teyvat, and the quiet of the night was a shared experience.
Her thoughts, however, were not on the serene perfection of her realm, but on the harsh and brutal history she had just read.
The legends spoke of heroes and gods, but the subtext was one of staggering loss. The uncounted lives extinguished. The grief that had befallen each of the survivors, and the burden they had to carry in the war's aftermath.
The loss of Guizhong, the so-called "Lady of the Dust," Haagentus, must have been devastating to Rex Lapis.
She remembered the intense community speculation from her past life on various forums, the countless theories about the true depth of their relationship. Many had insisted they were lovers, two halves of a whole. One who was weak yet cunning and brilliant, while the other strong yet lacked the careful grace of the other. Both gods of the same realm, who had created a paradise together.
Whether those theories held true in this reality didn't matter. The text made it clear they were inseparable companions, and Guizhong's death had clearly fractured something fundamental within Rex Lapis, fueling his desire to end the war at any cost.
And yet, that very war had brewed its own, more insidious disaster. For every victory, for every foe slain by the Yaksha, their divine essence continued to plague the land and affecting anyone who comes in contact with it. None more so than the very warriors who served as Rex Lapis's spears, the Yakshas.
One by one, each had succumbed to the madness of karma. Only one remained, to continue on this lonely vigil that must surely felt like a curse.
"Xiao," Artoria murmured, the name a soft sigh in the silent air.
The last of the Yaksha. A being who had suffered greatly even before he had pledged himself to the Geo Archon's cause. A being who had been a slave to a ruthless god before entering Rex Lapis' service, he was once a demon, and finally, a reluctant hero bound by a contract that promised the security and safety of Liyue, yet nothing but eternal struggle for his part.
Liyue was so different from Mondstadt.
Their histories were different, their very souls were different. Mondstadt's war against Decarabian had been terrible, but it was a singular event. The Archon War in Liyue had been a long, grinding crucible of suffering that had fundamentally altered the land and its people for many millennia. She was not just traveling to a neighboring nation; she was stepping into the echo of a primordial cataclysm.
Her reverie was interrupted by a soft, crystalline chime. Her scrying glass, a perfectly smooth disk of obsidian resting on a nearby pedestal, came to life. The face of Captain Yuan appeared, his features sharp and clear against the moonlit plains outside.
"Grandmaster," his old, steady voice echoed through the chamber, filtered by the magic of the device.
"My apologies for the interruption. I did not wish to disturb your evening, but I felt this warranted your immediate attention."
Artoria turned from the balcony, her expression shifting from contemplative to alert in an instant. "What is it, Captain?"
"We're only a few more miles away from TheGale Fort," Yuan reported, his professional tone unwavering. "The men are in good spirits, and the way is clear."
A small smile touched Artoria's lips.
The Gale Fort. A small but vital stronghold that she had established 3 years ago to guard Mondstadt's southern border.
"Good. Inform the rest of our entourage that we'll spend the rest of the night in the fort before we move on towards the Stone Gate tomorrow early morning. It will do the knights good to have a proper roof over their heads for a night."
"Understood, my Grandmaster," Yuan acknowledged.
"Wait, Captain," Artoria added. "Inform me once we arrive at the fort. I plan to greet the commanding officer assigned there myself."
A flicker of something—respect, perhaps even pride—crossed Yuan's face on the scrying glass.
"Of course, my Archon. I will have it prepared." He had, along with the others, fully embraced the truth of her divinity, and the honorifics came more naturally now.
"Carry on, Captain."
The obsidian disk went dark, reflecting only the serene, moonlit interior of the Tower of Beginnings. Artoria stood there for a moment, the silence of her realm a stark contrast to the world outside.
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow they would cross the Stone Gate. She would temporarily leave the borders of her home, the land she had come to rule and cherish, and set foot in a land of stone and ancient contracts.
She couldn't help but feel a thrum of excitement, a warrior's anticipation for the unknown. Yet, it was tempered by a different kind of anxiety. A diplomat's concern. What would she find in Liyue? What challenges would the Qixing present? And what would it mean for her and her people when two worlds, one of wind and freedom and the other of stone and order, finally met?
"For Mondstadt," she murmured to herself, the words a familiar, solemn vow of her house. "As always."
____________________
They arrived at Gale Fort in less than an hour. The journey through the last few miles of Mondstadt was smooth and uneventful, the rhythmic clop of hooves and creak of wagon wheels a steady percussion in the cool night air.
The fort itself was a sturdy, practical structure of timber and stone, nestled against a low hillside just next to the Stone Gate. Torches blazed from its ramparts, casting a warm, welcoming glow over the surrounding area. It was a symbol of protection, a bastion of Mondstadt's strength at the very edge of its domain.
The gates swung open as they approached, and the Knights stationed there stood at attention, their disciplined rows a testament to the order Artoria had painstakingly restored for the past five years.
They were led by a knight with sharp, intelligent eyes and a no-nonsense demeanor. Lieutenant Phonia of the Seventh Company, she was currently assigned by her commanding officer, Captain Gertrude who is currently stationed at Dorman Fort near Dorman Port along with the rest of the Company, to hold and safe guard this bastion along with 300 other knights. She saluted smartly as Artoria disembarked from her carriage, her posture rigid with respect.
"Grandmaster," Phonia's voice was clear and clipped. "On behalf of the Seventh Company, I welcome you and your retinue to the Gale Fort. Your quarters have been prepared, and the men are honored by your presence."
Artoria returned the salute with a casual grace that still managed to convey absolute authority.
"At ease, Lieutenant. We are grateful for your hospitality." She gestured to Captain Yuan and to Crepus and Melisa, who had stepped out of the carriage, choosing to join her for this initial exchange.
"A warm meal and a place to rest are all we require. The journey has been long."
Phonia nodded briskly. "Of course, Grandmaster. The mess is prepared. If you and your advisors would follow me, we can discuss any matters of importance while the rest of your retinue settles in."
The inside of the fort was functional and clean, smelling of pine, oil, and well-tended leather. In Phonia's office, a simple but hearty meal of stew, fresh bread, and cool apple cider was laid out. As they ate, Artoria got straight to the point.
"Lieutenant, while I appreciate the meal, I am more interested in the state of the border. Have you noted any significant activities that might pose a risk to our diplomatic mission as we approach the Stone Gate?"
Phonia put down her spoon, her expression grew a bit serious.
"I am glad you asked, Grandmaster. There has been a….troubling situation. For the past several weeks, a band of Treasure Hoarders has grown increasingly bold, relentlessly raiding passing merchants along the entire stretch of the Stone Gate. Though initial accounts only pinned their number by no less than 50, they appear to no longer act as just petty thieves; they appeared to be organized and ruthless. They've been using the steep terrain of the Stone Gate to their advantage, ambushing merchant caravans and even simple travelers with growing frequency."
She took a sip of cider before continuing. "The situation has escalated to the point where the local Millelith brigade has proposed a joint operation. We are ready to deploy a hundred of our own knights to finally eradicate these brigands, but we are still waiting for reinforcements from Liyue Harbor on their end. The delay is… frustrating."
Artoria listened to the lieutenant's report, her gaze unfocused as her divine senses stretched out, tasting the winds that blew down from the Stone Gate. She could feel it, a sense of simmering violence, of avarice, of desperation and of greed.
Phonia, sensing the Grandmaster's rapt attention, pressed on. "Grandmaster, I must insist. Let me detail fifty of my finest knights to supplement your honor guard. The pass is treacherous, and a force that size could be hiding in plain sight. It would be a grave dereliction of my duty to allow you to proceed without adequate protection!"
Artoria met her earnest gaze. She could see the genuine concern in Phonia's eyes, a knight's unwavering commitment to her duty. Artoria personally believed such a group would be less than an inconvenience to her, but it would be foolish to dismiss a tactical assessment from a competent officer on the ground, and it would be a morale booster for Phonia's men.
"Very well, Lieutenant," Artoria conceded with a slight nod. "Your foresight is appreciated. We will accept your detachment. Have them ready to move out at dawn."
Phonia's relief was palpable. "Thank you, Grandmaster. You will not regret it."
After the meal, Artoria retired back to her quarters inside her realm of Avalon, a room with a high vaulted ceiling with Avalon's radiant moon shining through the majestic glass windows.
At the center was a large circular bed with all her children, including her little 'niece' Lisa, comfortably laid fast asleep. The sight of her precious children gave comfort to her heart as she prepared to spent the rest of the night in quiet contemplation, her mind sifting through different possibilities.
The information from Phonia gnawed at her. The scale of the problem felt larger than a simple band of brigands. This was not the chaos brought forth by random criminals; it was organized. And where there was organized greed, there was often a greater intelligence pulling the strings.
It may be just the Hoarders themselves concocting some foul nefarious plot yet her thoughts also drifted to the far icy North, to the snowy lands of Snezhnaya.
Was this a Fatui probing attack, a test of her strength and her convoy's security? It was a classic gambit: create a problem, then observe how your rival solves it.
Whatever it is, she needed to prepare for she would not be caught off guard, especially with her children riding along with her in this trip.
____________________
The following morning, the air around the Gale Fort was crisp and sharp, smelling of damp earth and the promise of upcoming autumn.
The caravan had further swelled. The additional fifty knights from the Seventh Company, their armor gleaming in the pale morning light, had been integrated into the procession. They bolstered the honor guard's numbers, adding an extra layer of visible steel to the already formidable display of Mondstadt's military might.
Artoria chose not to retreat into the sanctuary of Avalon for this leg of the journey.
She wanted to see, to feel the transition with her own senses. She rode at the very head of the column, astride Dun Stallion, one of her two divine steeds. The magnificent warhorse was a creature of mythological beauty, its coat like polished silver, its eyes like molten gold. It stood a head taller than the other horses, its muscles rippling under the gleaming silver battle armor that covered its flanks and chest. On such a steed, Artoria was not just a Grandmaster; she was a warrior queen, a living embodiment of Mondstadt's renewed strength and pride.
Captain Yuan and her squire, Varka, rode just behind her, their faces set with disciplined focus. Varka, in particular, was vibrating with a barely contained energy. His eyes scanned the towering cliffs just ahead of them with the eagerness of a young hawk, seeing not danger, but the promise of adventure. He was finally seeing the world beyond Mondstadt's borders, a dream he had nursed since he was a boy running wild in the woods of Springvale.
As they moved forward along the road connects two nations, the landscape began its dramatic transformation.
The gentle, rolling hills of Mondstadt, softened by constant winds, gave way to the rugged, imposing grandeur of the Stone Gate. The very character of the earth changed. The soil became more rocky, the grass sparser. Towering karst formations began to rise on either side of the path, like the petrified bones of ancient gods. They were enormous, sheer cliffs of limestone and granite, sculpted by millennia of wind and water into fantastical shapes. The pass itself was not a narrow corridor, but a wide, winding valley floor between these titanic sentinels, dotted with clear, babbling streams and patches of marshland that glistened in the morning sun.
They crossed the border at a simple, unadorned wooden sign hammered into the ground. It read, in both the Common script and the elegant characters of Liyue,
'Welcome to the nation of Liyue, Land of Geo. May Your Path Be Untroubled.'
There were no guards, no formal checkpoint. It was an open invitation, a gesture of confidence from one nation to another.
They had been riding for nearly two hours into the pass when Artoria's senses, honed by her divine nature, began to tingle. It was not a single thing, but a collection of subtle wrongness. A faint vibration in the rock that had nothing to do with their passing. A cluster of shadows on a high ledge that did not move like natural rock. The scent of too many unwashed bodies, oil, and steel carried on a cross-current wind that should have been empty.
Her mind processed the information instantly. She discreetly expanded her awareness, her divine consciousness washing over the terrain ahead like an invisible tide. She counted the signatures.
One hundred and twenty human figures.
They were scattered throughout the cliffs and trees ahead, their positions chosen for maximum tactical advantage—high ground, concealed approaches, killing grounds. They were armed and waiting.
This was not the "small hit and run group" Phonia had reported. This was an army.
Her expression did not change, but a cold, familiar calm settled over her. Her very core, her very essence began to bubble with the familiar signatures of those she considered too terrible to unleash. This was the precursor to battle. She had felt it a thousand times before, in a dozen different worlds.
She raised her right hand, a single, elegant gesture. The entire procession, a thousand tons of horseflesh, steel, and wood, ground to a perfectly synchronized halt behind her. The silence that fell was sudden and absolute.
"Grandmaster?" Captain Yuan's voice was laced with concern, his hand instinctively moving towards the hilt of his blade.
"We have company," Artoria's voice was even, carrying clearly to those nearest her. "A large number of them, probably over a hundred. They are preparing an ambush."
The knights of the honor guard immediately began to muster, their training kicking in. Men whispered commands, horses were calmed, shields were brought to the ready. Varka's face went from eager excitement to grim determination as he gripped his own sword. The fifty Seventh Company knights with them looked a bit pale, their confidence was shaken a bit by the sheer scale of the threat their Grandmaster had so calmly identified.
Artoria raised her hand again, silencing the stirrings of battle readiness. "Stand fast. All of you."
She turned her head slightly, her gaze catching Yuan's. "Captain, muster your men, but hold your position. Varka, stay by Captain Yuan's side." Artoria then began to move forward, alone.
"But, Grandmaster," Yuan began to protest. "They are over a hundred strong! You cannot face them alone!"
A small, chilling smile touched Artoria's lips as her eyes momentarily turned pale gold.
"It has been some time since I had a properworkout. And these... miscreants... have chosen the wrong road to ply their trade. Let me handle this little infestation."
The honor guard stared, utterly stunned. They had sworn oaths to protect her even with their lives, the revelation of her divinity only reinforcing that fervent duty. To be told to stand aside while their Archon faced an army alone was a profound violation of their every instinct.
The Seventh Company knights were practically vibrating with the need to charge forward and prove their worth.
But one look from Artoria was enough. It was not a glare, but a simple, level gaze that contained within it the crushing weight of mountains and the undeniable force of a storm. They froze, their arguments dying on their lips.
"Guard the carriages," she commanded, her final word on the matter. She turned back to the path ahead.
"Watch, and you will understand the true meaning of strength in this world." Her voice had somewhat contained a sliver of arrogance that was not usually present in her kind and regal demeanor.
Inside her very soul, the King of Storms, the Tainted King and the rest of her Alterselves were practically vibrating in anticipation, a primal bloodlust that Artoria kept on a tight leash. It was one thing to face a god in battle, it was another to cleave through arrogant mortals who thought to threaten what was hers!
She gently nudged Dun Stallion with her heels. The magnificent steed let out a soft snort and began to trot, then to a full gallop, not a frantic charge, but a smooth, inexorable advance towards the waiting kill zone. The rhythmic thunder of its hooves on the packed earth was the only sound, a solitary drumbeat in the unnerving silence of a potential killing field that would soon be smeared with blood.
***
Meanwhile, concealed amongst the wind-sculpted crags and sparse hardy pines of the Stone Gate, the leader of this grand ambush was growing impatient.
Lin Ying, a woman whose reputation in Chenyu Vale was whispered with a mixture of fear and admiration, adjusted the black silk mask covering the lower half of her face. Her knuckles were white where she gripped the hilt of her jeweled dao.
She was a legend among Treasure Hoarders, a prodigy of theft and murder who had climbed to the top by being cleverer and more ruthless than any of her peers. Her current scheme, she believed, was her masterpiece.
For two months, she had covertly united disparate bands of Hoarders from all across Chenyu Vale and the Bishui Plain, using the promise of the greatest heist in history to bind them to her will. Their intelligence report months ago had been a gift: the Grandmaster of the Knights of Favonius, the fabled beauty who had revitalized the nation of Mondstadt, was planning to travel to Liyue for a diplomatic summit. Her caravan would be laden with riches and gold, and she, the Grandmaster herself would be a prize beyond measure.
Lin Ying's plan was audacious: ambush the diplomatic caravan, seize the Grandmaster, and hold her for an unimaginable ransom, or better yet, force the Knights of Favonius to their knees! She was sure the Order wouldn't do anything rash especially when there's a knife placed close in their beloved Grandmaster's dainty little neck!
The idea of turning Mondstadt, the City of Freedom, into a Haven for the Treasure Hoarders everywhere was a heady, intoxicating dream. If her plan.comes into fruition, her very fame would be legendary amongst all the Treasure Hoarders in Teyvat and might as well eclipse the fame of their organization's fabled founder, the famed Reed Miller from Nod-Krai, father of the Treasure Hoarders!
And now, her prize is literally riding towards her, all alone in a silver platter!
"What the hell is she doing?" Lin Ying snarled to her lieutenant, a burly man with a scarred face named Qiang. "She's coming right for us, alone! That fool! So much for the so called 'Lioness of Mondstadt!"
Qiang, peering through a gap in the rocks, shrugged. "Maybe she's overconfident. The knights are far behind. This is easier than we thought boss. Give the signal boss Lin Ying. Let's end this!"
Lin Ying's lips curled into a cruel smile. It was too perfect. This naive, foreign leader was practically throwing herself at their feet. She raised her arm, ready to give the order for the hundred-plus men hidden in the rocks to spring the trap.
She never got the chance.
A blur of motion streaked from the lone rider. It wasn't an arrow. It was a sword. A plain, unadorned shortsword, likely borrowed from one of her own knights.
It flew through the air with impossible speed and accuracy, not towards Lin Ying, but at the man standing right beside her, Qiang. The blade embedded itself with a sickening thud through the man's throat, throwing his whole body backwards and pinning him to the cliff face behind him. His eyes widened in shock, a gurgle escaping his lips as blood from his mouth and almost severed throat sprayed across the rocks!
The collective gasp of the hidden Hoarders was lost in the sudden roar of wind.
The rider, the beautiful Grandmaster, had dismounted. Her mount, the towering silver stallion, stood its ground like a statue forged from moonlight and rage. And Artoria…
Artoria was no longer just a rider. She was a whirlwind of death!
In each of her hands, she now held a simple, common shortsword, blades that looked crude and insignificant in her grasp. Her face, her immaculate and gorgeous face now sported probably the most sinister smile anyone in the Treasure Hoarder group had ever saw!
She then moved like a ghost. One moment she was fifty yards away, the next she was in the midst of the forward-most group of her ambushers. There was no telegraphed charge, no grand, heroic leap. She simply… appeared. Her movements were a fluid, impossible ballet of violence.
A Hoarder lunged, thinking to overwhelm her with brute force. Artoria pivoted on her heel, the motion so smooth it seemed she was gliding. Her left blade came up in a shallow arc, deflecting the clumsy swing. Her right blade, in the same seamless motion, slit the man's throat. Before he had even begun to fall, she was moving past him.
She became a vortex of whirling steel. Her twin swords were extensions of her very will, carving arcs of destruction through the terrified ranks of the unfortunate Treasure Hoarders.
She didn't just cut; she disemboweled them, she disarmed them, she disabled them!
A man screamed as a sword flickered out, removing the fingers from his sword hand. Another was lifted off his feet by a kick that shattered his ribcage and liquefied his organs. The very air around her seemed to twist and churn, no longer the gentle breeze of the pass but a localized hurricane that tore through the ranks of Hoarders, ripping weapons from their grasp and sending men tumbling from the cliffs and splattering them on the ground!
She ran vertically up a sheer rock face to dislodge a group of archers, her movements defying all laws of gravity and physics!
She landed lightly amidst them, and in the span of three breaths, five men lay dead or dying. She leaped from that ledge, thirty feet to the ground, landing in a crouch that didn't even bend the grass, her swords already lashing out to eviscerate two more men who charged at her.
It was not a battle. It was an execution. It was a wholesale slaughter!
To the knights watching from a distance, it was both a terrifying and awe-inspiring spectacle.
They saw their Grandmaster, their goddess, as a figure of blinding speed and grace, a pale gold light occasionally flaring around her as she moved. She was the eye of a storm, a serene, composed center of absolute carnage! Blood sprayed in every direction, yet not a single drop stained her white, blue and gold tunic. The wind, her very element, served as her shield, parting the crimson spray before it could touch her.
Dun Stallion, her noble steed, was not idle. He became a living battering ram, a creature of divine fury. He trampled the fallen, his massive hooves crushing bone and steel with equal ease. He charged a group of Hoarders trying to flank his mistress, and they scattered like leaves before a storm, the ones too slow to escape being gored or kicked into submission.
Captain Yuan watched, his face a mask of stoic reverence. He had seen her perform miracles, had sworn himself to her as a goddess, but this was something else. This was a glimpse of the primordial power she held in check, the righteous fury of a deity protecting her own. His faith, already absolute, was forged into something unbreakable.
Varka, his young face pale, stared with wide eyes. The stories, the rumors—they didn't do it justice. He had witnessed his master in action before, easily dispatching a small group of a dozen bandits behind Springvale, but this, this was something else! This was not the strength of a great knight; this was the myth made real. Does his master have a vision? He hadn't seen one in her throughout all the years she had taught him. Maybe she hid it somewhere inside her clothes? Regardless, he was not just following a leader; he was walking in the shadow of a living legend, and he swore to himself, in that blood-soaked moment, that he would become someone worthy of calling her his master!
The honor guards knelt. As one, the sixty-five knights who knew her secret dropped to their knees, not in fear, but in utmost worship and reverence! They were witnessing their Archon's will made manifest, a divine judgment upon the wicked. There was no doubt, no hesitation, only the profound, humbling certainty of their place in her divine service!
The fifty knights of the Seventh Company were frozen, their jaws agape, their minds unable to process the carnage. They had heard the whispers, the tales of the Grandmaster's impossible strength, but they had dismissed them as exaggeration, as patriotic folklore. Now, watching her single-handedly dismantle an army of over a hundred men with ease, they finally understood. The rumors were an understatement!
The illusion of control over the decimated ranks of the Treasure Hoarders shattered. The organized assault devolved into panicked chaos. The Stragglers, their bravado burned away by sheer primal terror, began to flee in droves! They scrambled over rocks, pushed each other down. Their exit to the south, towards Liyue was blocked by the rampaging beast of a horse that is currently goring several of their comrades to death, a fresh pile of corpses was slowly pilling up around the beast becoming a small hill!
And so they ran with all their might towards the only source of safety they could see, towards the north, towards the knights of Mondstadt.
They ran as fast as they can until they fell to their knees in the mud before the stunned honor guards, weeping, begging and screaming.
"Save us! Save us from that monster!"
Captain Yuan's face hardened in anger. He strode forward, his heavy gauntlet connecting with the face of the whimpering Hoarder who had dared to call their goddess, their most beloved Archon a monster! There was a sickening crunch that followed his punch. The man then collapsed to the ground, silenced and dead.
"Tie them up!" Yuan roared, his voice like the crack of a whip. "All of them!"
Back in the heart of the slaughter, Artoria finished the last idiot foolish enough to hide in a thicket of thorn bushes. She then turned, both of her swords now dripping with crimson blood from the carnage, and her golden eyes, no longer burning with the cold fire of her Alter selves, but with a calm, chilling authority, fell upon the one person who had remained frozen in place throughout the entire, one-sided battle.
Lin Ying. The leader.
She was a pathetic sight. The legendary terror of Chenyu Vale was now utterly cowering on the ground, her expensive silk robes soaked in her own piss, her body trembling uncontrollably. She had soiled herself, a final, humiliating surrender of all dignity.
Artoria stood before her, the blood dripping from her two blades forming a small pool on the dusty ground. She did not speak, she simply waited. The silence was more terrifying than any roar.
"Are you their leader?" Artoria's voice was so cold and brutally quiet, devoid of any other emotions.
Lin Ying could only nod, a frantic, jerky motion.
Artoria knelt, bringing her face level with the trembling bandit queen. She didn't raise her swords. Instead, she gently placed the tip of one blade against Lin Ying's cheek. The sharp point of the cold steel against her skin was enough for Lin Ying to whimper. Artoria slowly and deliberately, slid the blade downwards, leaving a shallow, stinging cut.
As the line of blood appeared, Artoria's eyes flashed gold again. It was not the terrifying, overwhelming power of the Alter's, but something more insidious. A power of command, of absolute divine dominion. She didn't need to shout. Her very words became a compulsion, etching themselves directly onto Lin Ying's very soul.
"Speak," she commanded, her voice was a velvet whisper that cut deeper than any steel.
"Tell me everything. Who sent you? What was your purpose? What were your plans?"
Lin Ying broke. The pain in her cheek was nothing compared to the unbearable fear that now held her in its grip!
She began to talk, her words were a torrent of confessions. She spoke of the heist, of the plan to hold the Grandmaster hostage, of the dream of turning Mondstadt into a Treasure Hoarder's paradise. She named names, detailed supply routes, and revealed caches of hidden loot. She gave up everything, her entire organization, in a desperate, babbling stream of consciousness, hoping that her obedience might somehow spare her miserable life!
Artoria listened impassively, absorbing the information. When the woman finally went silent, with her throat raw and her mind broken, Artoria stood up. She looked down at the wretched creature at her feet. Death would be a mercy, a release this creature did not deserve.
"Death is too good for you," Artoria said, her voice returning to its normal, calm register.
"You desire wealth, you desire to hold things in your grasp. So you shall live, but you shall never hold anything of consequence ever again!"
With surgical precision, a speed too fast for the eye to follow, her blades moved. Four swift, clean cuts. Not through bone or vital organs, but through the tendons of Lin Ying's wrists and ankles. A series of sharp, wet snaps echoed in the sudden silence. Lin Ying screamed, a high, piercing shriek of agony as her hands and feet flopped uselessly, severed from her control.
She would live. She would be a beggar, acripple, dependent on the charity of those she once preyed upon. She would never hold a weapon, never clasp anything heavier than a book, never even wipe the drool from her own chin without assistance. It was a fate worse than death. It was a life of absolute helplessness!
Artoria cleaned her blades on the grass, the pristine green blades miraculously remaining unstained by the blood. She sheathed them, then reached down and, with a grip that was both gentle and unyielding, hoisted the sobbing, broken form of Lin Ying over her shoulder like a sack of rice.
She walked back towards her knights, who were still kneeling in the aftermath of her divine wrath. Her approach broke the spell. They rose as one, their faces a mixture of awe, terror, and profound devotion.
Not a single drop of blood had stained her clothing or her skin. She stood before them, serene and immaculate, the brutal spectacle of moments ago erased by her unblemished presence, as if she had simply been on a pleasant stroll.
The sight of her, carrying the notorious Lin Ying like a trophy, and the sobbing survivors huddled in chains behind her, was a vision of absolute, terrifying authority.
"Half the survivors," she said to Yuan, her tone all business, "are to be sent back to Mondstadt. They will be imprisoned and tried for their crimes. The other half, including this one," she nudged Lin Ying with her shoulder, "will be delivered to the Millelith. A gift from the Knights of Favonius, a gesture of goodwill in clearing up a regional problem." She paused, her gaze sweeping over the stunned Seventh Company knights. "They will serve as a warning."
After a swift thirty minutes of reorganization, Artoria gave her orders.
Twenty-five men from the Seventh Company, along with fifteen chained prisoners, were dispatched back towards the Gale Fort, their task to reinforce the fort and assist Phonia in hunting down any remaining stragglers on the Mondstadt side of the pass using the info extracted from Lin Ying. The remaining twenty-five knights stayed behind, grimly beginning the somber task of cleaning the battlefield and burying the dead, a necessary chore to prevent disease and dishonor and to clear up the road. Artoria promised her men that she'll urged the Millileth to send reinforcement to aid them in their clearing operation once she arrived at their base by the end of the Stone Gate.
With that out of the way, the main caravan pressed onward. The prisoners, including the crippled Lin Ying, were dragged in chains behind the supply carts, their moans a counterpoint to the rhythmic clatter of the procession. They were guarded by 20 stern honor guards, 10 on each side, flanking the prisoners.
Artoria took her place at the head once more, riding Dun Stallion as if nothing of consequence had happened. But for the knights who rode with her, the world had irrevocably changed. They were no longer just the honor guard of the Grandmaster of the Knights of Favonius. They were the sworn guardians of the Anemo Archon, bearers of a secret that burned brighter than the sun and carried a weight heavier than the mountains they now entered.
Artoria, for her part, now the clarity of her usual self returning once more, felt a miniscule pang of regret for the necessity of her brutal demonstration. She had not relished the slaughter, she viewed it mostly as a chore, but she understood its purpose. It was a lesson written in blood and fear, a message to any who would test the resolve of Mondstadt. She had shown them not just the face of a diplomat, but the fist of a goddess.
Thankfully her children didn't get to witness her slaughter. She had carefully severed any connection between her inner realm and the outside world before the battle had began. She didn't want to traumatize her precious innocent children with the brutal reality of her power!
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Two more hours of riding through the valley pass, finally brought them to the end of the Stone Gate.
The imposing, narrow pass opened up into a vast, breathtaking panorama: the rolling plains and distant mountains of Liyue proper.
At the terminus of the pass stood a formidable wooden fort, a bastion of the Geo Archon's authority. This was the Northern Gatehouse, and it was manned not by knights, but by the Millelith.
Squads of Millelith soldiers stood in disciplined formations, their yellow leather armor and black lacquered scale plates were a stark contrast to the blues and silver steel of the Knights of Favonius.
They were broad-shouldered, stoic-looking men, their halberds and spears held at a precise, uniform angle. This was the military of Liyue, the enforcers of Rex Lapis's will. They numbered at the hundreds probably because the reinforcement force from Liyue Harbor that Phonia had awaited had already arrived…perhaps too late to join the now canceled joint operation.
At their head stood an officer, a man in his late thirties with a weathered face and eyes that missed nothing. His posture was ramrod straight, a picture of military professionalism. As Artoria's caravan approached, he stepped forward, raising a single, gauntleted fist in a crisp salute.
He was not prepared for the sight that greeted him.
He had heard the rumors, of course. Whispers of the "Lioness of Mondstadt," the peerless beauty who had revitalized her nation. He had expected a noblewoman, perhaps a bit haughty, perhaps a bit charming. He did not expect to be struck with the force of a mountain.
She was a vision of what could only be describe as the personification of beauty itself! She's not just gorgeous, but all radiant. An aura of profound authority and ancient wisdom clung to her, a presence that dwarfed even the fort itself!
Riding a stallion that looked like it had been carved from moonlight, she was the very image of a sovereign from the age of myths!
He felt a familiar, deep-seated awe, the same instinctual respect he felt whenever he was in the presence of the Qixing, or even when catching a rare glimpse of the Adepti or even their Sovereign Lord when he descends every year during the Rite of Descension!
This was no mere Grandmaster of a foreign Order. This was something else entirely.
He swallowed hard, forcing his military discipline to reassert itself over his astonishment. The rest of his troops were similarly affected, a ripple of murmurs and widened eyes spreading throughout their otherwise perfect ranks.
He cleared his throat. "On behalf of the Liyue Qixing and the Millelith of Northern Liyue, I am Officer Yinjun. We welcome you, Grandmaster Artoria Pendragon Gunnhildr of Mondstadt, to the Sovereign nation of Liyue, the Land of Geo!"
Artoria guided Dun Stallion to a halt and dismounted with a fluid, impossible grace that seemed to defy gravity itself. She landed on the packed earth without a sound, her movements as natural and effortless as a falling leaf. The sheer elegance of the motion was as disarming as her presence.
"Officer Yinjun," she replied, her voice a calm, melodic counterpoint to the wind whistling through the Stone Gate.
"Your diligence is noted. We are grateful for your reception."
Yinjun felt a bead of sweat trickle down his temple. He had to consciously force himself to meet her gaze. Her eyes, the color of the Jade found in the highest peak of Mount Tianheng, held a depth that made him feel like he was being judged, not as an officer, but as a man.
"The honor is ours, Grandmaster," he managed, his voice a bit tighter than he intended. "Your journey was... uneventful, I trust?"
Artoria's lips curved into a faint, knowing smile. It was not a mocking smile, but one that suggested she was aware of a secret he was not. "It was quite... eventful, Officer. We had a small pest problem to attend to."
She gestured with a slight tilt of her head towards the rear of the caravan.
Yinjun followed her gaze. His eyes widened in disbelief!
A group of twenty of her knights was escorting a miserable collection of prisoners in chains, and chief among them was a figure he recognized instantly from the wanted posters plastered all over Liyue Harbor.
"By Rex Lapis," he breathed, the words a hoarse whisper. "Is that... Lin Ying?"
The infamous Treasure Hoarder Queen of Chenyu Vale, a thorn in the side of the Millelith for years, was a disheveled, broken-looking woman being half-dragged along the ground. Her reputation for ruthlessness and cunning was legendary, yet here she was, utterly defeated and humbled, a trophy in this foreign procession.
Captain Yuan, once a native of Liyue who had ridden forward to stand beside Artoria, spoke up, his voice imbued with a cold pride.
"It is. Her and the remnants of her army. They made the mistake of attempting to ambush the Grandmaster's caravan."
Yinjun stared, his mind struggling to reconcile the report with the reality. An ambush? An army? He looked at the serene Grandmaster, then back at the battered prisoners, his professional skepticism warring with the evidence before him.
"An... army? But our reports suggested a band of no more than fifty brigands. For a force that large to organize... and to be defeated by a traveling party..." He couldn't finish the sentence. It defied all logic!
The prisoners themselves seemed to confirm the impossible.
At the sight of the Millelith uniforms, a fresh wave of terror washed over them. They began to weep and babble, their words a jumbled mess.
"Don't let her take us back!"
"She's a monster! A demoness in beautiful human skin!"
"We'll take the executioner's block! Anything but her!"
Their frantic cries sent a chill down the collective spines of the Millelith soldiers who were. These were hardened criminals, yet they were terrified of this elegant gorgeous woman standing before them?!
What in the name of the Geo Archon had happened in that pass?!
Yinjun's shock melted away, replaced by a deep, profound respect, and a sliver of primal fear. He looked at Artoria again, and this time, he saw not just a foreign dignitary, but a power of a magnitude he could scarcely comprehend. He immediately understood that this was not a simple visit from a neighbor. This was an event of cosmic significance.
He bowed, a deep, formal bow from the waist, a gesture of respect he reserved for the Qixing themselves. "Grandmaster Gunnhildr, you have done Liyue a great service. A debt is owed."
"The safety of the road is a benefit to all who travel it," Artoria replied, her tone magnanimous.
"Now, I would ask a small favor from you, Officer Yinjun. We have left... a significant amount of debris in the Stone Gate. I would be grateful if you could dispatch some of your men to retrieve or bury our fallen adversaries. It is not fitting to leave them to the elements."
"Of course, Grandmaster," Yinjun replied immediately, snapping to attention. "Consider it done."
He turned and barked an order, dispatching forty of his men with shovels and stretchers back into the pass. They moved with a swift, practiced efficiency, their faces grim as they headed to clean up a battle they had not known was fought. Those men, would later spread rumors about the angel of death underneath the serene looking grandmaster from Mondstadt.
With that matter settled, Yinjun personally escorted Artoria and her advisors to a raised wooden walkway on the fort's battlement.
From there, the full splendor of Liyue unfolded before them. The vast, green expanse of Bishui Plain stretched out like a rumpled carpet of emerald, dotted with the sparkling blue ribbons of rivers.
In the far distance, the mighty peaks of Jueyun Karst pierced through the clouds, their tops wreathed in mist, looking like the jagged teeth of some sleeping celestial dragon. The air was different here, heavier, filled with the scent of damp earth, distant spice, and a hint of something ancient and powerful, the very breath of the element of stone, geo.
"It is beautiful, is it not?" Yinjun said, a note of pride in his voice. "This is the land the Geo Archon himself had carved out for us with his own hands."
"It is a land of great strength and history," Artoria agreed, her gaze taking in every detail. After days of travel, they were finally here.
"Liyue."
(End of Chapter)
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The Stone Gate
- The Stone Gate is the northern most region of the Bishui Plain and is the convergence point for the roads leading towards Mondstadt (northeast), Wuwang Hill and Qingce Village (northwest), and Dihua Marsh and Liyue Harbor (south).
- The area is dotted with countless towering Karst Land formations that create a sort of gate in the Northern most territory of Liyue.
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Dun Stallion
- Along with Llamrei, Dun Stallion is one of the two fabled legendary horses that served as steeds for Artoria. Namely, Dun Stallion served Artoria's Lancer aspect while Llamrei served her Alter counterpart.
- Dun Stallion is no longer just a simple war horse but is now a valiant phantasmal beast similar to Fou. It can gallop faster than any horse or any creature for that matter, both mechanical and biological. It can gallop not only through the land but also in both the air and sea, and can reach the staggering speed of Mach 2 if push comes to shove.
- Truly a noble steed worthy of a goddess!
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[Artoria's Skills]
(Parameters)
- Strength: EX
- Endurance: EX (Upgraded upon her ascension to Archonhood)
- Agility: A++ (Upgraded upon her ascension to Archonhood)
- Mana: EX
- Luck: A+ (Upgraded upon her ascension to Archonhood)
- NP (Noble Phantasm): EX
(Unique Skills)
Since becoming a goddess with the amalgamation of all her variations and aspects, Artoria was able to access new abilities.
A). Marble Phantasm (Avalon)
B). Divine Arms Mastery
- The ascended version of the skill Eternal Arms Mastery.
- Since she's the literal amalgamation of all her forms, Artoria's mastership of combat arts has reached the point of being said to be unrivaled.
- She has achieved a complete merging of mind, body and technique that makes it possible for her to make use of full fighting skills of all her forms.
- With this skill, she could even use a simple fork, stick or even the bodies of her enemies into fierce weapons of combat.
C). Soul Sharing
D). The Sea of Souls
E). ???
F). ???
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The Millileth
- The Millelith is a military force stationed around Liyue that serves as the country's standing army, reporting to the Liyue Qixing. Alongside patrolling the lands of Liyue, the Millelith also conduct undercover infiltration against criminal organizationsnto weaken and/or apprehend them.
- The name Millelith derives from Latin mille "thousand" and Greek lithos "stone."
- The Millelith was originally called the Millelith Brigade, which served Rex Lapis in the Archon War. Local elders would take oaths of allegiance to Morax, and select soldiers amongst their people. These ancient Millelith also apparently had superhuman strength (at least by current standards).
- The Millileth prefer to use polearms and halberds instead of swords. In battle, they often use the sheer size of their forces to overwhelm the enemy. Each unit has both offensive and defensive capabilities, and can also divide into smaller formations as required. This allows them to adapt to difficult terrain and provides tactical flexibility.
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