Back then, Dvalin had torn the throat from the toxic dragon Durin. The poisoned blood—laden with a vile curse—had splashed into Dvalin's body, condemning him to centuries of torment.
"You despicable humans!" Dvalin roared.
"You've lost your faith. Even I have been forgotten by you, little by little. I will never trust humans again!"
Another stubborn one.
On the brink of death, yet still obsessing over whether the world remembered him.
"Enough."
Severin's presence erupted like a crashing waterfall.
The entire Stormterror's Lair shook violently as his aura surged forth.
Dvalin's colossal body froze in midair, completely immobilized.
Half an hour later, the purification was complete.
The curse dissolved, and Dvalin regained his freedom of movement. He stared at the human before him with unmistakable reverence.
"Prince of Snezhnaya," Dvalin said solemnly.
"You saved my life. What is your wish?"
"My wish," Severin replied calmly,
"is to oppose the Heavenly Principles."
Dvalin's eyes widened in shock. He fell silent.
Having lived through the Khaenri'ah calamity, he understood better than most how terrifying the Heavenly Principles truly were.
"I admit you are powerful," Dvalin said at last.
"Your divine strength rivals that of Barbatos. But the Heavenly Principles… cannot be defeated."
"Is that so?"
Hearing the same conclusion once again, Severin let out a faint, contemptuous smile.
There was no point in arguing.
"I intend to cultivate here," he said.
"To comprehend the true essence of the Anemo element."
"…Cultivating a third element?" Dvalin exclaimed.
"Prince of Snezhnaya—please, climb onto my back!"
This time, he used a title of utmost respect.
In Dvalin's eyes, the human before him had suddenly grown towering and awe-inspiring.
He lifted Severin skyward, soaring into the clouds.
Free of the curse's agony, Dvalin flew unrestrained, reveling in the open sky.
"Good heavens… Dvalin has become the Prince of Snezhnaya's mount."
The sight left Amber utterly stunned.
If word of this reached Mondstadt, it would spark an uproar.
Half a day passed in the blink of an eye.
Dvalin returned Severin to the ground and spoke with amazement.
"Prince of Snezhnaya, you carry a secret of unimaginable magnitude. Aside from the Heavenly Principles themselves, no one should be able to cultivate multiple elements simultaneously. You are the first I have ever seen."
Hearing the Wind Dragon's praise, Severin shook his head.
"I've only grasped the rudiments of Anemo—barely an entry level. Fully comprehending and wielding it will take a very long time."
As he spoke, small whirlwinds formed and danced around his body.
"I'm starting to believe what you said earlier," Dvalin admitted.
"Snezhnaya's rebellion against the Heavenly Principles… may not be hopeless after all. Prince of Snezhnaya, my help is limited—why not seek assistance from Lord Barbatos?"
That question struck at the heart of the matter.
"He knew I was coming and hid himself long ago," Severin replied flatly.
"Mondstadt is vast. Trying to find one trace among the Thousand Winds is like searching for a needle in the sea. So I intend to force him to come out and meet me."
Before arriving in Mondstadt, Severin had attempted to contact Barbatos through divine power.
There was no response.
Which told him everything he needed to know.
Barbatos had no intention of handing over his Gnosis.
That was why Severin had left the delegation and acted alone.
He preferred courtesy before force—but if the other party refused to acknowledge him, he would not hesitate to abandon restraint.
"Barbatos really should take responsibility for once…"
Dvalin sighed, uttering the line as if it were second nature.
"Prince of Snezhnaya, you saved me because you want me to help find Barbatos, don't you?"
"I'm afraid I can't. I haven't seen him in decades."
"I don't need you to do anything," Severin said calmly.
"No matter what happens in the outside world, I only ask that you remain here and stay out of it."
Dvalin nodded slowly, then asked,
"Where to next? I can take you."
"Take me to meet the North Wind."
Severin leapt onto Dvalin's back once more and extended a hand toward Amber.
"I know you're worried about my safety, Miss Amber. Care to join us?"
Seeing the teasing smile on his face, Amber snorted softly, grabbed his hand, and jumped onto the dragon's back.
With a powerful beat of his wings, Dvalin carried them off into the distance.
Back at Stormterror's Lair, the Fatui adviser Anastasia struggled to lift her head.
Her knees ached terribly from kneeling for so long.
"Adviser," one of her subordinates said in confusion,
"His Highness said the failure was understandable. He won't punish us."
"That's because His Highness is benevolent," Anastasia replied quietly.
"If any other Harbinger had come instead, we would have been severely punished today."
The subordinates, unfamiliar with the true nature of the Eleven Harbingers, didn't fully grasp the difference.
"So… the Prince really is reasonable."
They sighed in relief.
"Having His Highness as our Prince," Anastasia murmured, gazing at the sky,
"is Snezhnaya's greatest fortune."
Even though Dvalin's massive form was long gone from sight, reverence still filled her eyes.
"Adviser, the Stormterror's Lair mission is complete. What's our next step?"
"His Highness transmitted orders before leaving," Anastasia said coldly.
"We are to depart immediately for Jueyun Port to receive a shipment and escort it safely into Mondstadt."
"Isn't escorting cargo something another squad could handle? The route only has hilichurls and slimes—nothing dangerous."
Anastasia's voice dropped.
"That is no ordinary cargo. It's military hardware from the homeland.
To be precise—an entire shipload of weapons and ammunition."
"…Adviser," a subordinate gasped,
"are we attacking Mondstadt?"
Severin had not explained the full plan. Anastasia dared neither confirm nor deny.
"His Highness said he intends to play a game of chess with Barbatos," she said slowly.
"And this shipment… is his first killing move."
For Amber, riding a dragon for the first time was exhilarating—and terrifying.
It was far faster than gliding with wind wings. Several times, she nearly lost her grip, saved only by Severin steadying her.
"No need to force yourself, Miss Amber," Severin said gently.
"You may be a flying champion, but this is still the Wind Dragon. If you don't mind, you can lean on my shoulder."
"…Then I'll trouble you, Your Highness."
She clutched his solid shoulder.
Severin stood like a rooted pine upon Dvalin's back, unmoving, giving her an overwhelming sense of security.
For some reason, Dvalin's speed kept increasing.
Amber couldn't withstand it. For the final stretch, she wrapped her arms around Severin from behind.
It seemed Dvalin's opinion of the Knights of Favonius remained… rather low.
Severin keenly sensed the dragon's mood.
"We've arrived," Dvalin announced.
"Wolvendom."
He set them down and turned his head.
"Not going to meet your old friend?"
"As one of Mondstadt's Four Winds, and a servant of Barbatos, we once fought side by side," Dvalin said quietly.
"But Barbatos has vanished. The Four Winds have faded into legend. There's no need to reunite."
Severin waved a hand lightly.
"Dvalin, those words are better spoken to Barbatos himself."
"I will remember our agreement, Prince of Snezhnaya."
With that, Dvalin took to the skies once more, returning to Stormterror's Lair.
The flush faded slightly from Amber's face as confusion surfaced.
"Why wouldn't he meet the North Wind?" she asked.
"After surviving such an ordeal, reuniting with an old friend should be joyful."
"Miss Amber," Severin replied calmly,
"not every story has a happy ending."
He continued,
"Barbatos turned a blind eye to Dvalin's curse, and the people of Mondstadt forgot him as well. His resentment runs deep. To him, the past is not comfort—it is pain."
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