LIYUE HARBOR - OUTSKIRTS
The impact site was visible from miles away.
Where the Jade Chamber had fallen, a massive crater had been carved into the earth on the outskirts of Liyue Harbor. Dust still hung in the air like a shroud, and debris—jade tiles, golden fixtures, shattered furniture—spread in a radius that suggested the palace had practically exploded on impact.
Within an hour, half of Liyue had gathered at the site.
Millelith soldiers established a perimeter, keeping gawkers back while emergency crews searched the rubble for survivors. Merchants whispered among themselves, calculating the economic impact. Children stared wide-eyed at the destruction, already crafting stories they'd tell for years.
And standing at the edge of the crater, surveying the devastation with unreadable expressions: the adepti.
Xiao had arrived first, appearing in a blur of teal and black, his yaksha instincts responding to the massive surge of cursed energy that had preceded the fall. He stood motionless as a statue, arms crossed, mask materialized on his face—a sign of how serious he considered the situation.
Cloud Retainer descended next, her crane form impossibly graceful as she landed and transformed into her human shape. "One has observed many calamities in one's millennia of existence," she announced to no one in particular. "But to see the Tianquan's palace fall twice within a single year suggests incompetence that borders on cosmic."
"Or exceptional bad luck," Mountain Shaper rumbled, approaching in his stag form. "The cursed energy residue here is... unprecedented. This was no natural disaster. This was sympathetic magic of the highest order."
"Sympathy curse," Xiao confirmed quietly. "I can still taste it in the air. Two souls bound across distance. Pain shared. Power amplified." His eyes tracked to where Ningguang was being tended by healers. "Someone touched the artifact. Deliberately."
"Lady Ningguang touched it," Ganyu said, approaching the adepti with a respectful bow despite her own injuries. "After being warned not to. She wanted to understand the curse mechanism. She... learned the hard way."
"Where is the child?" Xiao's voice was sharp. "The one carrying the artifact?"
"Safe. Being escorted to lodging in the harbor. She'll depart for Inazuma as soon as Captain Beidou returns from her current route." Ganyu's expression was troubled. "The necklace cannot be removed. The curse must be broken in Inazuma, with the other bound individual. Lady Ningguang has agreed to facilitate this."
"After her palace fell on her head," Cloud Retainer observed dryly. "One supposes that would motivate anyone to expedite a cursed child's departure."
"The child isn't cursed," Xiao corrected. "The artifact is cursed. The child is merely unfortunate enough to carry it." He vanished in a burst of wind, reappearing at the crater's center. The cursed energy was strongest here—he could feel it like oil on his skin, corrupting and wrong. "This wasn't just a sympathy trigger. The curse fed on the Chamber's enchantments. Drained them. Corrupted them. Like a parasite."
"Fascinating and terrible," Mountain Shaper mused. "What entity would craft such a thing?"
"Yae Miko," Ganyu said quietly. "According to our intelligence. The Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine. She gave the necklaces to the child and her friend as gifts."
The adepti exchanged glances.
"Kitsune mischief," Cloud Retainer said with something approaching respect. "One must admire the audacity, even as one deplores the methodology. To bind two children with a curse disguised as a blessing... it takes a certain creative cruelty."
"It takes a monster," Xiao said flatly. "When this is resolved, I may have words with the Guuji."
"One suspects she would enjoy that conversation immensely," Cloud Retainer replied. "Kitsune thrive on confrontation."
Below, in the crater, rescue crews were pulling the last survivors from the rubble. Remarkably, no one had died—between the protective enchantments activating at the last moment and pure luck, everyone had survived with only injuries.
Including Ningguang, who was currently being lectured by Baizhu while refusing to sit down despite visible burns and a suspected broken rib.
"I'm fine," she was saying, her voice hoarse but authoritative. "The city requires leadership. I can recuperate while working."
"You can recuperate while resting," Baizhu corrected firmly. "Or you can collapse in the middle of a council meeting and require far more extensive treatment. Your choice, Tianquan."
A commotion at the perimeter. The crowd parted as new arrivals approached—a woman with blue hair and striking appearance, moving with predatory grace, followed by a silver-haired woman in traditional attire who radiated controlled power.
Yelan and Shenhe. Two of Liyue's most capable operatives, drawn by the disaster.
"Report," Yelan said without preamble, flashing credentials that made the Millelith captain straighten immediately. "What's the situation?"
"Cursed artifact triggered inside the Jade Chamber," the captain explained quickly. "Catastrophic magical feedback. Chamber's enchantments failed. Structure fell from three thousand feet. One child from Mondstadt at the center of the incident. Currently in protective custody pending departure to Inazuma."
"Mondstadt child," Shenhe repeated, her voice soft but cold. "With a cursed artifact. That sounds remarkably similar to the incident in Guili Plains three days ago. Same child?"
"Confirmed," Ganyu said, approaching. "Klee of the Knights of Favonius. She's carrying a sympathy curse that links her to someone in Inazuma. Every trigger causes escalating damage. Lady Ningguang has arranged her immediate transport out of Liyue."
"Smart," Yelan said. "Get the problem out of your territory before it causes more damage. Very Ningguang." She looked at the crater. "Though I have to admire the kid's consistency. Two major incidents in three days. That's almost impressive."
"She doesn't mean to cause harm," Ganyu protested. "She's trying to reach Inazuma to break the curse. She's just—"
"A walking disaster," Yelan finished. "Which isn't a judgment, just an observation. Where is she now?"
"Guest lodging near the docks. Under light guard for her own protection."
"I'll check on her. Make sure she's actually safe and not about to trigger another catastrophe." Yelan turned to leave, then paused. "Oh, and Ningguang? When you're done being stubborn about medical treatment, you might want to prepare statements for the Qixing. They're going to have questions about why you dropped your palace on Liyue for the second time in a year."
Ningguang's smile was sharp despite her pain. "I'm looking forward to the conversation. It will give me an opportunity to emphasize the importance of proper risk assessment when dealing with unknown magical artifacts."
"Which you failed to do yourself," Keqing pointed out, limping over. She looked like she'd been through a war—her clothes torn, bruises forming, but her expression still sharp. "You were warned not to touch it. You touched it anyway. That's not risk assessment. That's arrogance."
"It was calculated curiosity," Ningguang corrected. "And yes, the calculation was wrong. I've paid for that mistake. Now I'm ensuring it benefits us—the child leaves Liyue with our assistance, we gain diplomatic credit with Mondstadt, and we eliminate a threat from our territory. Net positive outcome."
"Your palace is in pieces."
"Palaces can be rebuilt. Political capital and regional stability cannot." Ningguang finally allowed Baizhu to guide her toward a medical tent. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll submit to medical tyranny so I can return to actual work."
As she left, Keqing turned to Ganyu. "Has anyone contacted Mondstadt? They need to know their missing knight has been found."
"Messages sent via express courier," Ganyu confirmed. "Though given the distance, even express delivery will take days. By the time Acting Grand Master Jean receives the news, Klee will likely already be en route to Inazuma."
"Probably for the best," Keqing muttered. "Less time for the Knights to interfere with what needs to happen."
Above the crater, Xiao disappeared in another burst of wind, his duty to assess the threat complete. Cloud Retainer and Mountain Shaper departed shortly after, returning to their domains, their curiosity satisfied.
And throughout Liyue Harbor, the story spread—how the Jade Chamber fell again, how a child from Mondstadt carried a cursed necklace, how even the Tianquan's wealth and power couldn't protect her from the consequences of arrogance.
Some would call it a cautionary tale. Others would call it bad luck. And a few would recognize it for what it truly was: a desperate child's journey intersecting with forces beyond anyone's control, leaving destruction in its wake.
NORTHERN ROAD - EN ROUTE TO LIYUE
Jean rode at the head of the column, her horse's hooves eating up the miles between Mondstadt and Stone Gate.
Behind her: Amber on foot (she moved faster that way), Eula on horseback, and a dozen knight soldiers equipped for rapid deployment. They'd left Mondstadt within hours of learning Klee's probable location, and Jean had pushed them hard ever since.
Three days. Three days since Klee had run away. Three days of not knowing if she was alive, hurt, or worse.
But now they had information. Fragmentary reports from Liyue's Millelith about an incident in Guili Plains. A child matching Klee's description. Red lightning. One casualty.
Jean's jaw was tight enough to ache. One casualty. Someone had died because of the curse. Because of Klee's desperate attempt to reach Inazuma alone.
I should have known, Jean thought for the thousandth time.
"Master Jean!" A scout was galloping toward them from ahead. "News from Liyue!"
Jean raised her hand, signaling the column to halt. "Report."
The scout was breathless, his horse lathered from hard riding. "Major incident at Liyue Harbor. The Jade Chamber—Tianquan Ningguang's palace—has fallen. Catastrophic destruction. Cursed artifact involved. Witnesses report red lightning similar to the Guili Plains incident."
Jean's blood ran cold. "Klee?"
"Confirmed alive. In custody of the Qixing. Being held at the harbor pending... pending arrangements for transport to Inazuma."
"Transport?" Eula moved her horse closer. "They're sending her to Inazuma? On whose authority?"
"Lady Ningguang's, apparently. She's arranged passage with Captain Beidou. Claims it's the safest solution for all parties."
Jean's expression could have frozen wine. "Safest for Liyue, perhaps. They want the cursed child out of their territory before she causes more damage." She turned to her knights. "Double pace. We ride straight through to Liyue Harbor. I will not have foreign nationals making decisions about one of my knights without my input."
"Master Jean," Amber said carefully. "If the Jade Chamber actually fell... that's a major incident. Ningguang doesn't make decisions like that lightly. Maybe we should—"
"Should what? Trust that the Qixing have Klee's best interests at heart?" Jean's voice was sharp. "They have Liyue's interests at heart. Which involves removing a dangerous element from their territory as quickly as possible. That's pragmatism, not protection."
"But Klee does need to get to Inazuma," Eula pointed out. "If the curse requires both bearers to be present to break it, then reaching Yoimiya is essential. Perhaps Ningguang is actually helping."
"Then she can help with proper coordination with Mondstadt's military," Jean said flatly. "Not by unilaterally deciding to ship an eight-year-old across the ocean. Now ride. That's an order."
They rode.
---
WANGSHU INN - LATE AFTERNOON
Jean had reluctantly agreed to a brief stop at Wangshu Inn. The horses needed water, the soldiers needed rest, and pushing straight through would leave them too exhausted to be effective when they reached Liyue Harbor.
But she made it clear: thirty minutes. No more.
While the soldiers tended to horses and equipment, Jean climbed to the inn's main level, intending to ask Verr Goldet about recent travelers. Any information about Klee's passage through the area could be useful.
She found the innkeeper at her usual post, but Verr Goldet's expression was troubled.
"Acting Grand Master Jean," she greeted. "I heard you were en route to Liyue. Looking for your missing knight?"
"Yes. Has she been through here?"
"Two days ago. She slept in a guest room after... well, after apparently sleeping in Smiley Yanxiao's kitchen first." Verr Goldet's lips quirked despite the seriousness. "He fed her breakfast and sent her on her way. She seemed determined. Exhausted but determined."
Two days ago. Before the Guili Plains incident. Before the Jade Chamber.
"Did she seem injured? Afraid?"
"Tired. Dirty. But not hurt at that time." Verr Goldet hesitated. "There's news from the harbor. About the Jade Chamber. I assume you've heard?"
"Fragmentary reports," Jean confirmed. "I'm heading there now to retrieve Klee and coordinate her safe return to Mondstadt."
"You might want to hear this first." Verr Goldet pulled out a news bulletin—one of the rapid-circulation flyers that spread through Liyue's information network. "Arrived by courier an hour ago. The Jade Chamber didn't just fall. It was destroyed by cursed artifact discharge. Specifically, a sympathy curse. And according to witnesses—" She pointed to a section. "—Lady Ningguang deliberately triggered it by touching the artifact against the bearer's warnings."
Jean read the bulletin quickly, her expression darkening with each line.
Ningguang touched Klee's necklace. Triggered the curse. The magical feedback destroyed the Chamber's enchantments. The entire palace fell three thousand feet and crashed into the outskirts of Liyue Harbor. Casualties: none killed, multiple injured including the Tianquan herself.
"She touched it," Jean said quietly. "Ningguang actually touched it after being warned. What kind of—" She stopped, anger and something else—maybe grudging understanding—warring in her expression. "She wanted to understand it. To see what it could do. To assess the threat level personally."
"And learned the hard way," Verr Goldet said. "But according to the bulletin, she's now expediting Klee's departure. Captain Beidou's ship The Alcor arrives tomorrow morning. Klee will be on it when it leaves for Inazuma tomorrow evening."
Tomorrow evening. Less than twenty-four hours.
If Jean pushed hard, if they rode through the night, they might reach Liyue Harbor by early morning. Might intercept Klee before she boarded. Might be able to take custody and bring her home to Mondstadt where she'd be safe and supervised and—
And suffering. Still cursed. Still in pain. Still separated from the person she needed to reach to break the curse.
"Master Jean?" Eula had climbed the stairs, catching the end of the conversation. "What are your orders?"
Jean looked at the bulletin. At the description of the Jade Chamber's fall. At the note that Ningguang had personally arranged Klee's transport to Inazuma "to facilitate curse resolution and ensure regional stability."
"We ride through the night," Jean decided. "Minimal rest stops. We will reach Liyue Harbor before The Alcor departs. I will speak with Ningguang personally. And I will make the decision about Klee's next steps—not foreign officials who view her as a threat to be exported."
"Understood." Eula didn't argue, though her expression suggested she had thoughts about the plan.
They returned to the soldiers, gave orders, and remounted. Within fifteen minutes, they were riding south again, pushing toward Liyue Harbor and whatever confrontation waited there.
Behind them, Verr Goldet watched them go and shook her head. "The stubbornness of those who care too much," she murmured. "I hope the child appreciates what she's put everyone through."
But Klee, sleeping in a guest house by Liyue's docks, wouldn't know about Jean's approach until it was too late.
LIYUE HARBOR - GUEST HOUSE - EVENING
Klee woke to darkness and the sound of the ocean.
She was in a proper bed this time—soft mattress, clean sheets, a pillow that didn't smell like medicinal herbs. Through the window, she could see the harbor below, ships bobbing at their moorings, lanterns reflecting off water.
Her body still ached from the curse trigger, but the pain was distant now. Manageable. Baizhu had treated her injuries before Ganyu brought her here, giving her more of that terrible-tasting medicine and strict instructions to rest.
Dodoco sat on the table beside her bed, button eyes reflecting lamplight.
"We did it," Klee whispered to him. "We made it to Liyue Harbor. Tomorrow we get on the ship. Tomorrow we start the last part of the journey."
Tomorrow she'd be one step closer to Yoimiya.
The thought made her chest tight with anticipation and fear and something else she couldn't quite name.
What will I say when I see her? Klee wondered. Sorry I made us both suffer? Sorry I destroyed the Jade Chamber trying to reach you? Sorry I'm a walking disaster who ruins everything?
The necklace pulsed warm against her chest, steady and present. She touched it through her nightshirt, feeling its heat.
Are you there, Yoimiya? Can you feel me thinking about you? Are you okay?
No answer. The necklace wasn't telepathic—it only transmitted pain. But sometimes Klee swore she could feel something. A presence. A warmth that had nothing to do with the crystal itself.
Maybe that was just wishful thinking.
A knock at her door. Gentle but firm.
"Come in?" Klee called.
The door opened to reveal a woman Klee hadn't met before—blue hair, striking appearance, moving with the confidence of someone very dangerous trying not to show it.
"Klee," the woman greeted. "I'm Yelan. Intelligence specialist for the Qixing. I'm here to check on you and brief you about tomorrow."
"Oh. Okay." Klee sat up, suddenly feeling very small in the big bed. "Is Lady Ningguang okay? I heard she got really hurt when the Chamber fell."
"Broken rib, various burns, bruised pride." Yelan leaned against the doorframe. "She survived much worse. And for what it's worth, She blames herself for poor risk assessment."
"I warned her not to touch it."
"You did. She touched it anyway. That's on her." Yelan's expression was unreadable. "But here's the situation: The Alcor arrives early tomorrow morning. Captain Beidou runs a tight ship—you'll be safe with her crew. The journey to Inazuma takes approximately three days depending on weather. You'll arrive at Ritou Port, where customs will try to delay you."
"How do I get past them?"
"Lady Ningguang is providing a letter of diplomatic introduction. It won't make you immune to Inazuman law, but it will get you through customs faster. After that, you're on your own to find..." Yelan consulted a note. "Yoimiya of Naganohara Fireworks. Hanamizaka district, Inazuma City."
"I know where she is," Klee said quietly. "I'll find her."
"I'm sure you will. You've made it this far through determination and luck. Probably more luck than determination, but still." Yelan straightened. "Get sleep. Tomorrow's going to be a long day. And Klee?"
"Yes?"
"Whatever this curse is, whatever connection you have with this girl in Inazuma... I hope it's worth what you've sacrificed to reach her. Because you've left a trail of destruction across Liyue. People will remember that."
"I know." Klee's voice was small. "I didn't mean to. I tried to be careful. But the curse—"
"Doesn't care about intentions," Yelan finished. "I know. Magic rarely does. Just... be careful. And when you reach Inazuma, break that curse fast. Before it kills someone who matters."
She left, closing the door with a soft click.
Klee lay back down, staring at the ceiling, Yelan's words echoing in her mind.
People will remember that.
---
LIYUE HARBOR - DOCKS - NEXT MORNING
The Alcor cut through the morning mist like a knife, its distinctive black sails unfurled, its figurehead—a fearsome sea serpent—gleaming in the early light.
Captain Beidou stood at the helm, one hand on the wheel, the other shading her eyes as she surveyed her home port. It had been a profitable run to Inazuma and back—trade goods, passengers, a few "unofficial" items that the customs officials didn't need to know about.
"Home sweet home!" she called out to her crew. "Let's make this docking clean! I want supplies loaded and ready to depart by evening! We've got a special passenger this trip!"
Beside her, Kazuha lowered his hand from where he'd been testing the wind. "The air feels troubled," he said quietly. "Charged. Like before a storm. But the sky is clear."
"Your poet's instincts acting up again?" Beidou grinned. "I swear, Kazuha, you sense things that aren't there half the time."
"And the other half, I sense things before they arrive." Kazuha's expression was troubled. "Something significant is happening in Liyue. Something that will affect our journey."
"Well, whatever it is, we'll handle it!" Beidou's confidence was unshakeable. "We always do!"
Below deck, Xinyan was tuning her guitar, preparing for what she hoped would be a calm voyage. The last trip had featured a storm, three sea serpent encounters, and a near-mutiny when someone suggested her music was "too loud." This time, she was hoping for boring.
The Alcor docked smoothly, ropes secured, gangplank lowered. Beidou descended to the dock, immediately spotting Ganyu waiting with a small figure beside her.
"Captain Beidou," Ganyu greeted formally. "Lady Ningguang sends her regards and a request for your services."
"Ningguang, huh?" Beidou looked past Ganyu to the child—small, wearing a red outfit, clutching a stuffed toy, with eyes that had seen too much for someone so young. "This the special passenger?"
"This is Klee of the Knights of Favonius." Ganyu placed a hand on Klee's shoulder. "She requires immediate passage to Inazuma. Lady Ningguang has provided compensation—" She handed over a substantial pouch of Mora. "—and stressed the urgency of the situation."
"Urgent, huh?" Beidou crouched down to Klee's level. "What's in Inazuma that's so important you need to get there fast, kid?"
"My friend," Klee said simply. "Yoimiya. I need to see her. It's really, really important."
"Yoimiya!" Beidou's expression brightened. "I know her! Naganohara Fireworks! We've done business—she supplies some festivals with her work. Good kid. Passionate about her craft." She looked at Ganyu. "This about that curse everyone's talking about? The one that dropped the Jade Chamber?"
"Yes," Ganyu confirmed quietly. "Klee carries a sympathy curse that links her to Yoimiya. The curse triggers cause escalating destruction. She needs to reach Inazuma to break it, and she needs to do so without close contact with others—the necklace she wears is the trigger point."
"So I'm transporting a cursed kid who could accidentally blow up my ship if someone touches her jewelry." Beidou stood, considering. "That's... definitely one of the weirder jobs I've taken. But I've dealt with worse. Alright, kid, you're coming with us. But rules: you stay in your cabin as much as possible. You don't go near the crew unless necessary. And if that necklace starts glowing funny, you yell immediately. Deal?"
"Deal!" Klee's face lit up. "Thank you, Captain Beidou!"
"Don't thank me yet. It's three days on the ocean. Gets boring. Gets rough if weather turns. Hope you don't get seasick." Beidou turned to her crew. "KAZUHA! XINYAN! Get down here! We've got a VIP passenger!"
Kazuha descended the gangplank gracefully, followed by Xinyan carrying her guitar. They approached the group, and Kazuha's eyes immediately fixed on Klee's necklace.
Or more specifically, on the necklace chain visible at her collar.
His expression shifted—subtle, but Beidou knew him well enough to recognize concern.
"Kazuha?" she asked. "You okay?"
"The necklace," he said quietly. "May I see it? I won't touch. Just observe."
Klee hesitated, then pulled the crystal out from under her shirt, holding it carefully away from her body so Kazuha could examine it without risk of contact.
The heart-shaped crystal glowed faintly red in the morning light, those internal sparks dancing. Kazuha leaned closer, his expression growing more troubled with each second.
"This is... sophisticated magic," he murmured. "Beyond anything I've encountered. The binding is strong—two souls linked across impossible distance. But there's something else. The curse wants to break. It's designed to push you toward resolution."
"That's what Lady Ningguang said," Klee confirmed. "She said there's a transformation clause. That if Yoimiya and I can... accept the connection? Then the curse breaks and becomes something good instead."
"Accept the connection," Kazuha repeated. "With complete honesty and vulnerability. That's the mechanism. The curse is a test. A trial. Forcing you to acknowledge what you might otherwise deny." His gaze met Klee's. "Whatever bond you and Yoimiya share, this curse is forcing you to confront it fully. To either embrace it or be destroyed by it."
"I just want to save my friend," Klee said quietly.
"I know. And that desire is why you'll succeed." Kazuha straightened. "Captain, I'll monitor the necklace during the voyage. If I sense the curse building toward another trigger, I'll warn everyone immediately."
"Good man." Beidou clapped him on the shoulder. "Alright, kid, welcome aboard The Alcor. We leave in—" She checked the sun's position. "—six hours. Get settled. Eat something. Rest. It's going to be a long journey."
Ganyu hugged Klee carefully, avoiding the necklace. "Be safe. Be brave. And when you reach Yoimiya, break that curse and never let anyone put you in danger like this again."
"I will. Thank you for helping me."
Ganyu watched as Beidou escorted Klee up the gangplank, followed by Kazuha and Xinyan. The small figure disappeared onto the ship, one step closer to her destination.
"Safe travels," Ganyu whispered. Then she turned and walked back toward the city, her duty fulfilled.
On The Alcor, Klee stood at the railing, looking out at Liyue Harbor—massive, beautiful, scarred by her passage but still standing. In six hours, the ship would depart. In three days, she'd reach Inazuma.
And then, finally, she'd see Yoimiya again.
The necklace pulsed against her chest, warm and alive, counting down the final miles.
I'm coming, she thought toward Inazuma. Hold on just a little longer. I'm coming.