This is one of the highest points in Mondstadt.
Like a giant rock reaching for the sky, standing quietly in the embrace of the wind.
The afterglow of the sunset dyed the entire cliff top with a layer of gold.
The clouds on the horizon were like burning flames.
Flowing slowly under the blowing of the wind, setting off the mysterious island not mapped in the distance, full of the charm of adventure and the unknown.
On the cliff top, Cecilia flowers swayed in the wind.
The pure white petals were like the brilliance of the starry sky, trembling gently in the wind, emitting a faint and cold fragrance, making people seem to hear the chanting of the wind.
The breeze blew, carrying the chill of the high altitude, penetrating the clothes, bringing a trace of coldness, but making people intoxicated in this peaceful and beautiful scenery.
Paimon's eyes lit up, flapping her wings and turning a circle in the air, exclaiming, "Wow! This place is too beautiful!"
"We can see so far—the whole Mondstadt is in sight!"
Paimon couldn't help spinning a few times in the air, feeling the freedom of this height and the embrace of the wind.
"Starsnatch Cliff is indeed a refreshing place."
Jean spoke softly.
Her gaze fell on the Cecilia flowers around her, recalling some ancient legends of Mondstadt.
The flowers here had witnessed countless meetings and partings, and also buried the traces of the Anemo Archon.
Thinking of this, Jean glanced thoughtfully at Venti.
Diluc stood by the cliff, looking into the distance, lost in thought.
The setting sun illuminated his profile, making it deeper.
"Matches the theme of reunion with fate, right?"
Venti smiled gently. "Then, let's prepare to start."
Hearing Venti's words, Jean nodded. "En. Regardless of the result, at least we have seen a turning point."
"During this time, the whole city of Mondstadt has borne too much."
Thinking of what Stormterror caused, Jean sighed lightly.
Whether it was Stormterror attacking the inner circle of Mondstadt, or the Fatui pressing step by step, as the Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius, she was under great pressure.
"But in the end, the ones solving the problem are a Traveler, an Adventurer, and a Bard."
Beside them, Diluc shook his head gently. "Heh. The Knights can barely be considered to have worked hard."
"Alright, alright."
At this time, Venti spoke with a smile.
Then he leaped lightly to the top of the cliff, standing on the edge closest to the sky.
Opening his arms to the high-altitude wind, his clothes and cloak fluttered in the wind, as if he had merged with the wind.
"Everyone stand back a bit—"
Venti turned his head and said with a smile.
His emerald eyes revealed a bit of playfulness and mystery: "The best bard in the mortal world is about to pluck his strings."
After Venti finished speaking, he gently stroked the Holy Lyre.
The power of Anemo elements gathered slowly from all directions.
The strings trembled slightly under the plucking of the wind, playing the first melodious melody.
At this moment, the wind seemed to quiet down, listening to this song belonging to it.
As Venti's fingertips plucked the strings gently, the melodious melody spread along the fluctuations of Anemo elements.
The lyre sound was like the song of a nightingale, or the whisper in the wind, gentle and distant, echoing in every inch of the air of Starsnatch Cliff.
In an instant, the wind between heaven and earth seemed to stop.
Only the melody wandered in the air.
But immediately after, the Anemo elements from all directions suddenly became restless, as if summoned.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Air currents churned, gales howled, grass and trees swayed, and winds gathered in the air.
The fluctuation of Anemo elements became stronger and stronger.
Finally, a terrifying tornado condensed under Starsnatch Cliff, rushing straight into the sky from the bottom of the cliff!
BOOM—!
ROAR!
Accompanied by a shocking roar, a huge shadow rose into the sky.
The figure of Stormterror Dvalin emerged under the firmament!
Its huge wings flapped gently, bringing up a violent wind pressure, blowing down the flowers and plants on the cliff top, forcing everyone to raise their hands to block the gale.
Stormterror looked down at the people on Starsnatch Cliff from above.
Those deep pupils flashed with cold light, killing intent undiminished, deafening voice echoing in the sky:
"It's you..."
Its voice was low and violent, containing storm-like anger and unwillingness.
"At this point... there is nothing to talk about!"
Stormterror's tone was full of hostility, dragon wings trembling, gale howling again.
But facing such might, Venti did not panic at all.
He just stood quietly on Starsnatch Cliff, looking gently at Dvalin circling in the air, a faint smile on his lips.
"Is that so~?"
Venti murmured softly, his voice gentle, as if melting into the wind.
"Did I see it wrong?"
Venti raised his eyes slowly, his emerald eyes reflecting Stormterror's huge body.
"Your eyes... seem to be recalling this song."
Venti's words drifted in the wind, falling into Stormterror's ears. The originally manic airflow stagnated slightly.
A trace of struggle flashed in Dvalin's vertical pupils.
It looked at Venti standing on the cliff top. That familiar melody was clearly so far away, yet it seemed to pierce the fog in its heart.
Deep in memory, a blurred figure emerged. That was the existence it once trusted most... and its long-sleeping past.
At this time, the gale howled, and the lyre sound never stopped.
In this moment where wind and melody intertwined, the memories belonging to the Wind Dragon seemed to be gently plucked...
"They can really communicate..."
Seeing this scene, light appeared in Jean's eyes.
If there was a 50-60% guess before.
Now, she was 100% sure.
Venti the bard was the Anemo Archon!
Swish!
The melodious melody of the Holy Lyre had not yet dissipated, when a dazzling Cryo beam suddenly tore through the dusk sky.
Like a sharp blade cutting through the air, it whistled in when everyone was caught off guard.
BANG—!
The Cryo power accurately hit the Holy Lyre in Venti's hand.
The strings froze instantly. The body of the lyre, originally flowing with Anemo aura, suddenly became covered with a layer of frost.
The original shining luster faded completely, becoming extremely dim, losing its former spirituality.
With a crisp sound, the Holy Lyre fell weakly from Venti's hand.
Rolling a few times on the hard rock.
Finally lying quietly on the ground, like a shattered holy relic.
The lyre sound stopped abruptly, and the sound of the wind around Starsnatch Cliff seemed to fall silent along with it.
This sudden change made Jean and the others change their expressions greatly.
"What?"
"The Holy Lyre..."
Paimon covered her mouth, eyes wide and round.
Lumine subconsciously clenched the sword in her hand.
Jean's face turned cold instantly.
And Diluc's brow furrowed deeper, his gaze sharp as a knife.
Venti was stunned for a moment, then sighed, looking helplessly at a certain place in mid-air.
"Hehehe..."
In the next second, a cold laughter floated in the wind, mixed with biting chill.
"Don't be fooled by him, poor dragon..."
The cold voice rang out leisurely. Accompanied by a twisted elemental fluctuation, a figure slowly emerged.
It was a Cryo Abyss Mage.
His figure hid in the pale blue elemental power, slowly emerging from behind Stormterror.
The wide blue and white robe fluttered slightly in the wind. The frost staff in his hand flickered with faint cold light, as if still retaining the residue of the frost ray just cast.
Under the black mask, two points of faint blue light beat like ghost fires, staring coldly and mockingly at Venti and the Holy Lyre.
"He abandoned you long ago..."
The Abyss Mage's voice was like the cracking sound of melting glaciers, carrying a whisper that made people shudder, word by word, slowly entering the ears of the Wind Dragon.
"Look now..."
"He comes to deceive you again..."
His tone was deliberately dragged out, full of bewitchment. Those faint blue eyes stared at the Wind Dragon through the mask, as if able to see through the deepest pain in its heart.
Stormterror's pupils contracted slightly. The trace of familiarity and struggle originally revealed by Venti's lyre sound was instantly covered by shadows.
"Barbatos!"
Stormterror roared violently. Its huge dragon wings shook abruptly, setting off a violent gale.
Wind blades swept out, like countless sharp blades, sweeping toward everyone on the ground!
"Careful!"
Jean reacted instantly. Anemo power gathered in her hands, turning into a barrier blocking in front of everyone.
Lumine drew her sword immediately, assuming a fighting stance.
Diluc ignited flames around him, staring dead at Stormterror and the Cryo Abyss Mage.
"Hate, rage."
Seeing this, the Cryo Abyss Mage laughed loudly. "You have become enemies with Mondstadt, there is no turning back."
Hearing this, Stormterror looked at Jean and the others, looking ferociously at Venti: "These people, are they here with you—to hunt me?!"
"Barbatos!"
Stormterror roared violently again. Its huge dragon wings shook again, setting off a violent gale.
The gale howled, blowing Paimon to grab Lumine's hair hurriedly.
"It's not like that."
Facing the gale, Venti looked at Stormterror and shook his head.
And the Cryo Abyss Mage jumped directly onto Stormterror's back, sneering repeatedly: "This dragon should go serve its true master..."
"You guys just stay here."
"However, there is also that kid."
Saying this, the Cryo Abyss Mage looked at Kael: "The one who can make explosions appear with strange destruction energy. The Abyss needs you."
Kael: "????"
Seeing the Cryo Abyss Mage suddenly looking at him, Kael's eyelid twitched wildly.
Fck, I'm being targeted by the Abyss?*
At this time, the frost staff in the Cryo Abyss Mage's hand flashed with cold light, pointing at him.
"The Abyss needs you."
"Stay here obediently!"
As the Abyss Mage's cold whisper fell, the chill in the air intensified abruptly.
Cryo elements gathered rapidly with Kael as the center, as if to freeze him completely.
A faint blue frost barrier spread from the top of the staff, instantly turning into a cage-like ice crystal domain, suppressing Kael.
Watching the Abyss Mage attack directly, Kael looked speechless.
His body vanished instantly, the whole person seemingly turning into nothingness, disappearing from everyone's vision.
"—What?!"
The Cryo Abyss Mage's pupils contracted violently.
He clearly perceived that his frost spell lost its target instantly.
No explosion, no elemental fluctuation. The other party seemed to disappear into thin air.
What ability is this?!
Not only the Cryo Abyss Mage, but even Jean and the others who hurried forward to help looked at the place where Kael disappeared in shock.
They had seen Kael use this mysterious invisibility ability before.
But to evade the Abyss Mage's attack so easily...
This was simply too weird!
The Cryo Abyss Mage sneered, looking at the completely out-of-control Stormterror, his tone playful: "Fine... I'll catch you next time."
He didn't bother to waste time. He jumped directly onto Stormterror's back, pressed one hand on the dragon scales, chanted in a low voice, and the cold air around him became more intense.
"This dragon should go serve its true master..."
"You guys just stay here—"
"Lament your powerlessness!"
"Roar—!!"
Stormterror's wings spread abruptly. The gale howled, taking its huge body straight into the clouds.
Everyone was suppressed by the sudden storm and couldn't open their eyes.
The ground of Starsnatch Cliff was cut with marks by wind blades. Grass and trees fell, dust scattered.
Jean gritted her teeth, wanting to use Anemo power to stop it, but it was obviously too late.
Venti picked up the Holy Lyre on the ground in the first moment, clutching his chest with an uncomfortable expression.
"Damn it...!!"
Everyone watched helplessly as Stormterror was about to disappear into the clouds, but at this moment—
BANG—!
A dazzling energy bullet tore through the air, piercing the sky with lightning speed!
Kael had appeared on the edge of Starsnatch Cliff at some point.
Holding a Bronya's G-Style Bayonet Lever Rifle emitting strange light in his hand, the muzzle still emitting faint special energy.
His eyes narrowed slightly, locking onto the Counter Mark on the Cryo Abyss Mage on Stormterror's back, a sneer curling his lips imperceptibly.
Bronya's Rifle could lock onto targets accurately.
And it was a weapon containing the power of the Path of Preservation, possessing indestructible characteristics.
The fired bullets carried Preservation power, could convert any power into bullets, and the fired bullets would explode.
Just when he turned invisible, he directly used Clara's Path Skill [I Also Want To Help] to enhance this thing.
In the Abyss Mage's view, Stormterror was completely under his control.
But he never expected...
Because he attacked Kael, a Counter Mark had appeared on his body.
In Kael's vision, he could clearly feel the location of the Counter Mark.
And under the active trigger of Seele's Path Skill [Phantom], attacking the enemy immediately entered a buffed state (Ambush).
Facing the Abyss Mage, Kael unceremoniously took out Bronya's Rifle.
He hadn't attacked the Abyss yet.
The Abyss actually targeted him.
With his current ability, the long-range attack that could deal the best damage was undoubtedly Bronya's G-Style Bayonet Lever Rifle.
After getting this thing, he hadn't used it or taken it out.
Now was the perfect time to test its power.
BANG—!
In the next second, a dazzling white light erupted on Stormterror's back.
The scorching bullet energy tore the space directly, accompanied by a thunderous boom, slamming fiercely into the Cryo Abyss Mage!
"What?!"
The Cryo Abyss Mage shook violently.
The terrifying Cryo elemental shield surfacing on his body was instantly bound by an incomparably terrifying force.
He could feel that energy was not ordinary elemental power, but a deeper power, locking him down.
He tried to struggle, tried to cast more Cryo power to resist, but it was completely invalid!
Even if he wanted to mobilize the power of the Abyss through the staff, that power was already tearing his soul and eroding his body.
"What power is this?! Impossible!!"
The Abyss Mage looked down at his body. The surface of the robe originally covered with frost had completely shattered, annihilated into nothingness by the terrifying power.
At the same time, an incredible power erupted from his body. The body seemed to be ignited instantly.
BOOM!
An explosive shockwave tore the space directly, blowing the Cryo Abyss Mage on Stormterror's back into countless pitch-black fragments.
It looked like debris.
But under the howling of the wind in the sky, these fragments were instantly blown away, disappearing completely between heaven and earth.
"Roar—!!"
Losing the control of the Abyss Mage, Stormterror let out a painful roar. Its huge body struggled violently in the sky.
But in the end, with the last trace of residual anger, it flapped its wings and rushed into the sky.