The potion sat on Albedo's workbench, glowing faintly in its crystalline vial.
Klee watched through the crack in her door as Albedo held it up to the lamplight, examining its clarity with a critical eye. Sucrose stood beside him, nervously adjusting her glasses.
"The luminescence is stable," Albedo murmured. "Molecular structure appears sound. Estimated duration: six hours, with a gradual decline in efficacy during the final thirty minutes."
"Should we test it?" Sucrose asked. "A small trial dose on a volunteer subject might—"
"No time. The Ludi Harpastum finale is tomorrow evening. Jean will be exposed during the public ceremonies." Albedo carefully stoppered the vial. "This will have to suffice. I'll deliver it to her in the morning with instructions for precise timing."
"And Klee?" Sucrose's voice dropped. "Should we tell the Acting Grand Master about—"
"No." Albedo's response was immediate. "Not yet. The potion provides temporary protection. If we can develop a more permanent solution before Jean learns the full extent of the situation..." He trailed off, setting the vial in a padded case. "We buy time. That's all we can do."
They continued discussing refinements and contingencies, but Klee had heard enough. She eased her door closed with careful silence and retreated to her bed.
The invincibility potion. A six-hour protection that would keep Jean safe during the festival.
But it wouldn't break the curse. Wouldn't save Yoimiya. Wouldn't stop the next trigger from being worse than the last.
Dodoco sat on her pillow, button eyes reflecting lamplight. Klee picked him up, hugging him close.
"You said I have to go alone," she whispered to the toy. "You said anyone who travels with me could trigger the curse. Could get hurt."
Dodoco, of course, didn't answer. He was just a stuffed toy. The voice in her dream had probably been her own mind trying to solve an impossible problem.
But that didn't make it wrong.
Klee looked at her small adventuring pack, already mentally cataloging what she'd need. Not much—she had to travel light. Bombs for protection. Food for energy. Water for survival. Money for... whatever money was for on long journeys.
And Dodoco. Always Dodoco.
The necklace pulsed warm against her chest, steady as a heartbeat. She touched it through her nightshirt, feeling the crystal's heat.
I'm coming, she thought toward Inazuma, toward Yoimiya, across all the impossible distance. I don't know if you can hear me. But I'm coming. I promise.
The crystal pulsed once, stronger than usual.
Maybe it was just her imagination.
Or maybe some part of Yoimiya heard her.
Midnight came with surprising quietness.
The Knights' headquarters settled into its usual nighttime rhythms—guards changing shifts with muffled footsteps, the distant sound of someone snoring (probably Lawrence down in the barracks), the creak of old wood adjusting to the cooling temperature.
Klee lay in bed fully dressed beneath her blankets, waiting for the sounds to fade into deeper silence. Her pack sat ready by the door: six bombs carefully wrapped in cloth, three days' worth of dried fruit and jerky Lisa had given her "for snacking," a full water flask, her entire savings of three weeks' allowance (two hundred Mora—not much, but something), a spare change of clothes, and Dodoco.
She'd also added the field journal Albedo had given her. Not because she planned to take notes, but because seeing his handwriting on the inside cover made her feel less alone.
Klee—Remember: observation is the foundation of understanding. Record everything. Question everything. Stay curious. Stay safe. —Albedo
Her throat tightened reading it. He'd written that weeks ago, never imagining she'd be reading it while preparing to run away.
I'm sorry, she thought. I'm sorry, Brother Albedo. But I have to do this.
The clock tower struck midnight—twelve deep bells that resonated through the stone building. Klee counted each one, waiting for silence to return.
Then she slipped out of bed.
Her letter to Albedo sat propped against Dodoco's usual spot on her pillow—she'd written it earlier, explaining everything, apologizing for everything, promising to come home safely. He'd find it in the morning when he came to check on her.
By then, she'd be long gone.
Moving with the careful stealth she'd learned from watching Kaeya (who claimed to have learned it from "diplomatic negotiations," which Klee suspected was a fancy way of saying "sneaking around"), she crossed to her desk and retrieved the small vial she'd hidden there.
The invincibility potion.
Well, not the invincibility potion—that one was locked in Albedo's lab for Jean. But Albedo had made a test batch earlier, a smaller dose to verify the formula worked. He'd left it on his workbench while discussing results with Sucrose.
And Klee had... borrowed it.
Not stolen. Borrowed. She'd leave him a note about it later. Eventually. Maybe.
The potion glowed faintly blue-white, like captured moonlight. According to Albedo's notes, it would provide approximately two hours of protection—enough to get her safely out of Mondstadt and past the most dangerous part of the journey.
Sorry, Master Jean, Klee thought as she tucked the vial into her pocket. But I need this more than you do right now.
She shouldered her pack, picked up Dodoco, and eased her door open.
The hallway stretched empty in both directions, lit only by widely-spaced oil lamps. The guard who usually watched the "solitary confinement" area at night—a rotating position that tonight fell to Swan—sat in his chair near the stairs, head tilted back, mouth open, deeply asleep.
Poor Swan. He'd been on double shifts all week because of illness going through the guard ranks. He probably hadn't meant to fall asleep on duty.
But his exhaustion was Klee's opportunity.
She crept past him, placing each foot with exaggerated care, barely breathing. The floorboards were old and creaky—she knew which ones to avoid from months of sneaking around after bedtime.
Past Swan. To the stairs. Down one level. Another guard here—also asleep, slumped against the wall. (Was everyone unusually tired tonight? Had Lisa maybe put something in the evening tea? No, that was silly. Probably.)
Main floor. The entrance hall was dark, moonlight streaming through high windows casting everything in silver and shadow. The mission board. The reception desk. The door to freedom.
Klee reached it, hand on the handle, and paused.
This was it. Once she went through this door, she was committed. No turning back. She'd be breaking so many rules that even Master Jean wouldn't know where to start with the punishment.
The necklace pulsed against her chest. Warm. Insistent. Alive.
Yoimiya needs me, Klee reminded herself. And I need her. This isn't running away. This is running toward.
She pulled the door open—wincing at the slight creak—slipped through, and eased it closed behind her.
The night air hit her face, cool and fresh. Above, stars scattered across the sky like someone had spilled a jar of diamonds. The moon hung fat and silver, lighting the plaza in front of the headquarters.
Klee pulled out the vial of invincibility potion, unstoppered it, and drank.
It tasted like lightning and peppermint—sharp, electric, tingling on her tongue. The effect was immediate: a sensation of solidity, of becoming more real, like her body had suddenly gained extra weight and substance. The world seemed slightly distant, filtered through an invisible barrier.
She touched her arm experimentally. Normal. But there was a faint shimmer in the air around her skin, barely visible unless you knew to look for it.
Two hours, she reminded herself. I have two hours of protection. I need to use them wisely.
The city gates stood at the far end of the main street, currently manned by Lawrence and another guard whose name Klee couldn't remember. They'd stop her if they saw her—a child alone at midnight was obviously suspicious.
But the potion didn't just make her hard to hurt. According to Albedo's notes, it also made the user difficult to notice—a side effect of the protective enchantment bending perception slightly.
Only one way to find out if that's true.
Klee walked straight down the middle of the street.
Not sneaking. Not hiding. Just walking, like she had every right to be there, Dodoco tucked under her arm and pack on her back.
She passed the Angel's Share—dark and closed. The fountain in the plaza—water burbling peacefully. Flora's flower stand—shuttered for the night.
The guards at the gate were talking quietly, their voices carrying in the still air.
"—heard there's going to be a special announcement tomorrow," the unfamiliar guard was saying. "Something about the Grand Master's expedition."
"Finally," Lawrence replied. "It's been what, six months? Seven? We could use—"
He stopped mid-sentence, head turning slightly. Looking right at Klee.
She froze, heart hammering. Stay calm. The potion is working. He can't really see you. Just keep walking.
Lawrence's gaze slid past her, unfocused, like she was a shadow his mind refused to process. He frowned slightly, shook his head, and returned his attention to his companion.
"—use the reinforcements," he finished, as if nothing had happened.
Klee exhaled slowly and kept walking.
Through the gate. Across the bridge that spanned the moat. Past the statute of Vennessa, the legendary hero watching over the city's entrance with her eternal stone vigil.
And then—
She was outside Mondstadt.
The road stretched ahead, pale in the moonlight, winding down through terraced hillsides toward the distant darkness that was Wolvendom to the north and the scattered lights of Springvale to the south.
Klee stopped on the far side of the bridge and turned back.
Mondstadt rose against the hillside, beautiful and familiar, its walls solid, its towers reaching toward the sky. The cathedral's spire caught the moonlight. Somewhere in the Knights' headquarters, Albedo was probably asleep at his workbench, research papers scattered around him. Master Jean was in her quarters, maybe reviewing paperwork even at this hour because she never truly rested. Amber was curled up in her bunk. Lisa was in her library. Everyone she loved, everyone she'd ever known, all together in that city of stone and wind.
And she was leaving them.
Tears pricked her eyes. Klee blinked them away fiercely. She was the Spark Knight. Spark Knights didn't cry. They exploded forward with determination and enthusiasm and—
The tears came anyway.
"I'm sorry," she whispered toward the city. "I'm sorry, everyone. But I have to do this. I have to save Yoimiya. And I have to do it alone."
The wind picked up, swirling around her like an embrace. The wind in Mondstadt always felt alive, touched by Barbatos' blessing. It tugged at her hat, ruffled her hair, whispered in a language she couldn't quite understand.
Klee closed her eyes and pressed her hands together. She wasn't usually very religious—Master Jean was much better at prayers and proper behavior—but right now, she needed all the help she could get.
"Lord Barbatos," she whispered. "I know I'm not supposed to be doing this. I know I'm breaking rules and running away and probably going to get in SO MUCH trouble. But please... please watch over me. And watch over Yoimiya. And help us both be brave enough to do what we need to do."
The wind answered with a sound like distant music, like someone laughing gently, like approval wrapped in mischief.
Freedom, the wind seemed to say. This is what freedom looks like. Scary and brave and necessary.
Klee opened her eyes, wiped her tears, and turned her back on Mondstadt.
The road stretched ahead into darkness.
She started walking.
Springvale appeared as a cluster of warm lights against the black landscape, smoke rising from chimneys where families kept fires burning against the night chill.
Klee skirted around the village, staying off the main road. Draff's tavern was still open—she could hear laughter and music from inside—and the last thing she needed was someone recognizing her and asking questions.
The invincibility potion was still active—she could feel its strange solidity—but she didn't want to test its perceptual effects against people who actually knew her. Draff had served her apple cider before. He'd definitely stop her.
So she took the long way around, through the fields and along the tree line, keeping Springvale's lights to her right and the dark bulk of Dragonspine's mountains to her left.
Dawn Winery rose in the distance, its distinctive architecture silhouetted against the stars. Diluc's estate, where the famous wine was made. Klee had visited once with Albedo—Diluc had been polite but distant, more interested in talking to her brother about alchemical applications to fermentation than in entertaining a child.
She didn't stop. Couldn't stop. The potion's effects would fade soon, and she needed to be as far from Mondstadt as possible when they did.
The road continued south, past vineyards and farms, past the occasional merchant camp (carefully avoided), past landmarks that were familiar from daytime travels but strange and slightly threatening in the moonlight.
Her legs were starting to ache. How long had she been walking? An hour? Two?
The eastern horizon was beginning to lighten—not sunrise yet, but the promise of it. That deep blue that came before dawn, when the world held its breath between night and day.
And ahead, where the road met the border between Mondstadt and Liyue: Stone Gate.
The massive natural stone arch rose against the lightning sky, ancient and imposing. It marked the official border between nations, watched over by guards from both sides—Mondstadt's Knights to the west, Liyue's Millelith to the east.
There would be no sneaking past them. Not even with the potion's perceptual effects, which she could feel fading now, the strange solidity dissolving back into normal vulnerability.
Klee stopped in the shadow of a large rock formation, studying the checkpoint.
Two Millelith guards stood at attention on the Liyue side, their distinctive armor gleaming in the pre-dawn light. They were checking papers for a merchant caravan that was trying to enter Liyue—examining documents, asking questions, being very official and thorough.
They're going to stop me, Klee realized. I'm a child, alone, with no travel papers. They'll definitely stop me. Probably send me back to Mondstadt. Probably alert the Knights.
Unless...
Klee looked at the terrain around the checkpoint. Stone Gate was a natural formation, but it wasn't the only way through the mountains. There were paths—smuggler routes, hunting trails, ways that people who didn't want to deal with official checkpoints might use.
She'd heard Amber mention them once, talking with Eula about patrol routes. Something about needing to watch for treasure hoarders using the northern pass.
If treasure hoarders could use those routes, so could a determined eight-year-old with bombs.
Klee adjusted her pack, gave Dodoco a reassuring squeeze, and started climbing.
The northern pass was less a "path" and more a "series of increasingly questionable decisions."
Klee scrambled up rocky slopes, squeezed through narrow gaps between boulders, and generally hoped she wasn't about to encounter the kinds of monsters that liked living in remote mountain areas.
The sun was rising properly now, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. Below and behind her, she could see Mondstadt's territory spreading out—the city itself barely visible in the distance, just a tiny cluster of shapes against the landscape.
I'm really doing this, she thought. I'm really running away.
Not running away. Running toward. Important difference.
The pass eventually led down the other side of the mountains, depositing her on a different section of road—still heading south, but now definitely in Liyue territory. The landscape had already changed subtly: the grass was a slightly different shade, the trees had different leaves, and in the distance she could see the distinctive terraced fields and waterways of Liyue's agricultural heartland.
Her stomach growled loudly, reminding her she hadn't eaten since yesterday evening. Klee found a flat rock, sat down, and dug into her pack for food.
Dried fruit. Jerky. Water that tasted faintly of the flask's metal but was blessedly cool.
The simple act of eating made her feel more real, more present. She'd done it. She'd escaped Mondstadt. She was in Liyue, on her way to Inazuma, following a plan that Dodoco had given her in a dream.
This is either very brave or very stupid, Klee thought. Possibly both.
The necklace pulsed warm against her chest, and she touched it through her shirt. Still there. Still connecting her to Yoimiya. Still reminding her why she was doing this impossible thing.
After finishing her meal, Klee consulted the mental map she'd been building from Albedo's geography lessons.
Stone Gate led to a crossroads. One path went to Qingce Village to the northwest—a peaceful farming community that wouldn't help her get to Inazuma. The other went southeast toward Bishui Plain and eventually to Dihua Marsh, which led to Wangshu Inn, which led to Liyue Harbor.
Liyue Harbor had ships. Ships went to Inazuma.
Southeast it was.
---
By midmorning, Klee was deeply regretting not bringing more water.
The sun was properly up now, beating down on the road with increasing intensity. Her legs ached from climbing over Stone Gate. Her pack felt heavier with each step. And the road seemed to stretch endlessly, always promising the next landmark was just around the bend.
She'd passed the crossroads—barely a proper intersection, just a worn path branching off toward Qingce Village—and continued toward Bishui Plain. The landscape was beautiful in a wild way: rolling hills, clusters of bamboo, occasional ruins from some ancient civilization, and absolutely zero shade.
Klee was contemplating whether fish-blasting a nearby pond for lunch would be too risky (probably yes) when she heard a cheerful voice.
"Oh! Hello there!"
Klee spun around, hand instinctively going to her bomb pouch.
A small figure was approaching up the path—a young girl, maybe a year or two older than Klee, with distinctive rabbit-ear hair decorations and a bright green outfit. She carried a basket full of what looked like freshly picked herbs and mushrooms.
"You're a long way from anywhere for a solo traveler!" the girl said cheerfully, seemingly unbothered by meeting a strange child alone on a remote road. "Are you lost? I'm Yaoyao! I'm a student of Madame Ping, and I'm gathering ingredients for tonight's dinner, and—oh! You look tired! Are you okay?"
The friendly barrage of words took Klee by surprise. "I'm... I'm fine! Just traveling. To... to Wangshu Inn."
"Wangshu Inn! That's still pretty far!" Yaoyao tilted her head, studying Klee with concern. "That's at least another few hours of walking. Are you traveling alone? That seems unsafe for someone so young."
"I'm on a mission," Klee said, drawing herself up to her full (admittedly not very impressive) height. "A very important mission. I'm the Spark Knight of the Knights of Favonius, and I have to get to Liyue Harbor."
"The Spark Knight!" Yaoyao's eyes went wide. "Wow! I've heard stories about Mondstadt's Knights! Are you really allowed to travel by yourself?"
The question was innocent, but it made Klee's stomach twist with guilt. "Um. Yes. Definitely. Very allowed. Super official mission."
Yaoyao didn't look entirely convinced, but she was too polite to push. "Well, if you're going to Wangshu Inn, you should probably take the lower road through Bishui Plain. It's longer but safer—fewer monsters. And there's a stream where you can refill your water! You look like you need it."
"That would be really helpful," Klee admitted. "Thank you!"
"No problem! Oh, and if you get to the inn and you're hungry, Smiley Yanxiao makes the best Almond Tofu. Tell him Yaoyao sent you—he might give you an extra serving!" Yaoyao beamed. "Safe travels, Spark Knight!"
She continued up the path toward Qingce Village, humming cheerfully, leaving Klee standing in the road feeling oddly emotional.
A stranger had helped her. Had been kind without asking for anything in return. Had pointed her toward water and food and safety.
Maybe this journey wouldn't be completely alone after all.
Bishui Plain lived up to Yaoyao's description: rolling grasslands dotted with ancient stone pillars and crossed by clear streams. Klee found the water source the girl had mentioned—a small creek that bubbled up from underground—and refilled her flask, drinking deeply before continuing.
The afternoon wore on. The sun tracked across the sky. Klee's shadow grew longer.
She passed through areas marked by old Liyue architecture—broken pillars that might have once been gates, stone platforms that could have held statues, the weathered remains of some ancient civilization. It was beautiful in a sad way, all these remnants of people who'd lived and built and then disappeared into history.
The monsters were surprisingly sparse. A few slimes—easily avoided. Some Hilichurls in the distance—she gave them wide berth. Whatever divine luck was watching over her seemed to be working overtime.
Or maybe it was Barbatos keeping his promise to watch over her.
By the time the sun was beginning its descent toward evening, a structure appeared on the horizon: tall, distinctive, impossible to mistake.
---
Wangshu Inn.
The multi-story building rose from the landscape like a watchtower, its distinctive architecture immediately recognizable. According to Albedo's lessons, it had been built as a waystation for travelers between Liyue Harbor and the northern territories, positioned strategically at the intersection of major trade routes.
It also reportedly had the best Almond Tofu in Liyue and was home to a mysterious vigilante yaksha, though Klee wasn't entirely sure if that last part was true or just a story merchants told.
Her legs were shaking with exhaustion by the time she reached the inn's base. A wooden elevator—pulled by a complex pulley system—waited to carry guests up to the main level. Klee stepped on, pulled the lever, and felt her stomach drop as she ascended.
The main floor opened into a spacious area: guest rooms along the sides, a central dining area, and a kitchen from which amazing smells were emanating. A few travelers sat at tables, eating dinner and talking quietly. A well-dressed woman stood at the reception desk, organizing papers.
"Welcome to Wangshu Inn," she said warmly, looking up. Then her expression shifted to surprise. "Oh my. Are you traveling alone, dear?"
"I'm on a mission," Klee said, trying to sound official and not exhausted. "I need a room for the night. Please."
The woman—her name tag read "Verr Goldet, Proprietor"—frowned slightly. "A room. I see. And do your parents know you're—"
"It's a very official mission," Klee interrupted, digging into her pack for her money pouch. "I can pay! I have Mora!"
She dumped her savings on the counter: two hundred Mora in various denominations.
Verr Goldet looked at the money, then at Klee's determined face, then at the money again. Something in her expression softened.
"I see. A very official mission." She didn't sound like she believed it, but she also didn't sound like she was going to call the Millelith. "A room is normally three hundred Mora per night, but..." She pushed some of the coins back toward Klee. "For official Knights of Favonius business, we offer a discounted rate. One hundred Mora."
"Really?" Klee's eyes went wide. "Thank you!"
"You're welcome. Room three, second floor. The key is here." Verr Goldet handed over a brass key. "Dinner is served in the dining area until sunset. And dear? Whatever mission you're on... be careful. The world is dangerous for small travelers."
"I will," Klee promised. "Thank you for being nice."
She took the key and climbed the stairs to the second floor, found room three, and unlocked the door.
The room was simple but clean: a bed, a washbasin, a small window overlooking the marsh. Klee dropped her pack, fell face-first onto the bed, and didn't move for a solid five minutes.
Her entire body hurt. Her feet had blisters. Her shoulders ached from the pack. Her legs felt like they were made of wet noodles.
But she'd done it.
One full day of travel. Mondstadt to Wangshu Inn.
The necklace pulsed against her chest, warm and steady. Klee touched it, closing her eyes.
I'm coming, Yoimiya. I'm still coming. Just... maybe after I sleep for a little while.