Lydia pulled Lumine and Paimon by their wrists, running toward Dragonspine. She chattered nonstop the entire way, her eyes sparkling as if steeped in starlight.
"Let me tell you, on my birthday, I'm going to decorate Angel's Share with all the flowers Flora gives me! A wreath on every single lamp!"
"Barbara promised to sing the song I wrote! She even said I have a talent for being an 'idol' and that she'll introduce me to the 'Teyvat Idol Group' when Lady Alice returns to Mondstadt! Hmm... I don't know what an 'idol' is, but it sounds like fun!"
"..."
Her excitement grew with every word, her steps turning into joyful skips. She didn't even notice the snow beneath her feet growing deeper, each step sinking her halfway to her knees.
Lumine and Paimon followed beside her, responding to her every enthusiastic remark.
Paimon floated in the air, her short legs kicking occasionally as she added, "And we have to get Sara to make extra Sticky Honey Roast! Paimon tried it once, and I've been craving it ever since!"
At the mention of delicious food, Lydia's interest immediately piqued. "Right, right! Sara's cooking is the best!"
Lumine smiled and nodded, unable to get a word in edgewise between the two little foodies.
She was happy for Lydia's happiness, but the thought of Dragonspine's recent anomalies still stirred a faint, indescribable bitterness in her heart.
Soon, the three of them arrived near the Snow-Covered Path.
Lydia was the first to stop, pointing at the rocks at the foot of the mountain and cheering with delight. "Look! It's Scarlet Quartz and Starsilver!"
Under the sunlight, the Scarlet Quartz glowed with a warm red light, while the Starsilver shimmered with a cold silver brilliance. Embedded in the gray rock, they were instantly recognizable.
She excitedly rushed forward and drew the Festering Desire from her back.
Gripping the hilt with both hands, she swung the sword forcefully at the ore.
Thud!
The blade struck the rock with a dull thud, sending sparks flying half a foot high. Yet, only a tiny chip of ore broke off, leaving not even a deep scratch.
Lydia puffed out her cheeks, her fair face flushing red with exertion. She gritted her teeth and swung several more times, her arms beginning to tremble before the ore finally loosened slightly.
She panted, fine beads of sweat forming on her forehead, but she wasn't discouraged in the slightest. Instead, her smile grew even brighter.
Watching her stubborn yet adorable display, Lumine couldn't help but smile. She strode forward. "Let me help."
She drew the Dull Blade. With a light flick of her wrist, the blade sliced through the air with a faint whistle and struck the rock.
Crack!
The rock split cleanly in two along its grain. The ore tumbled from the fissure and landed in the snow with a crisp clatter.
"Amazing!" Lydia's eyes sparkled. She hurriedly gathered the fallen ore and pulled Lumine toward the next spot.
With Lumine's help, they quickly collected all the nearby ore.
Lydia cradled a pile of minerals, her snow-white hair dusted with snow and dirt. The cold wind had turned her cheeks red, making her look like a little snowball that had just rolled through the snow.
"Great! We've gathered a lot of materials! We can head back early to prepare for the birthday party!" Lydia beamed, her eyes curving into crescents.
Just as she was about to head deeper into the mountain, a deafening roar suddenly echoed from ahead.
A Hilichurl Frostarm Lawachurl appeared in their line of sight!
Lumine frowned. She had explored Dragonspine before, and the Snow-Covered Path usually only had scattered low-level monsters like Hilichurls.
High-level monsters like the Frostarm Lawachurl were typically found only near the Frostbearing Tree. Why would one suddenly appear here?
Moreover, this Frostarm Lawachurl's aura was far more berserk than any she had ever encountered.
Its body was three times larger than a normal Hilichurl Frostarm Lawachurl, encased in thick frost armor. Faint black mist coiled within the gaps of the armor, writhing like a living thing.
That's... an Abyssal aura!
"Lydia, watch out!" Lumine shouted urgently.
But Lydia was still looking down, counting the ore in her arms, and didn't react at all.
The Frostarm Lawachurl raised its massive arm, condensing a chunk of ice larger than Lydia herself in its palm. With a howling gale, it hurled the ice at her!
By the time Lydia realized what was happening, the block of ice was already overhead, its immense shadow blotting out the sun.
Her face turned deathly pale, her pupils shrinking to pinpricks as she instinctively squeezed her eyes shut.
The expected pain never came. Instead, Lydia heard a sharp crack beside her ear.
She snapped her eyes open to see Lumine standing before her, holding the Dull Blade aloft. The ice block had shattered against the blade, showering them both in icy shards that slipped into their collars, making them flinch from the sudden cold.
"ROAR!" Enraged that its prey had been saved, the Frostarm Lawachurl let out a furious roar. Its massive body leaped high into the air, its fist whistling through the air as it smashed down toward them.
Lumine's pupils constricted. Without a second to think, she grabbed Lydia and dove to the side.
BOOM!
With a deafening crash, the Hilichurl Frostarm Lawachurl's fist slammed into the snow, carving out a crater half a person deep. Snow and shattered rock sprayed everywhere, sending Paimon scrambling to hide behind Lumine.
"That was way too close!" Paimon's voice trembled with fear. "This monster feels completely different from the ones we've fought before!"
Lumine shielded Lydia behind her, her Dull Blade pointed at the Frostarm Lawachurl. Every muscle in her body was taut, like a fully drawn bowstring.
She lunged forward, slashing her blade toward a gap in the monster's armor.
CLANG!
The blade only left a shallow scratch on the armor. The Abyss black mist acted like a solid barrier, completely blocking her attack.
Lumine's heart sank. She quickly retreated to create distance.
Not just its speed and strength—even its defense has been enhanced by the Abyss!
Just as she was about to gather Anemo Power for another assault, sharp snarls erupted from the side—three Electro Rifthound Whelps and one Electro Rifthound burst out!
The Rifthound's fur crackled with Electro energy, its eyes locked onto Lumine. It seemed to possess a degree of intelligence; at its low growl, the three Whelps lunged for Lumine's limbs, trying to immobilize her.
Lumine had never encountered a Rifthound before and was caught completely off guard.
With agile movements, she dodged the first Whelp's attack, then brought her Dull Blade down hard on the second. Using the momentum, she executed a backflip, pulling Lydia and Paimon with her to create more distance.
Seeing the wound on the Whelp crackling with Electro energy, Lumine deliberately took a few steps forward, drawing the monsters' aggro entirely onto herself.
The Hilichurl Frostarm Lawachurl and the Rifthound Whelps roared and charged, instantly turning the tide of battle.
Where she had previously managed to suppress the Frostarm Lawachurl, she was now entangled by the three Whelps and forced onto the defensive, her blade barely deflecting attacks from all sides.
Even stranger, the Frostarm Lawachurl and the Whelps seemed to have coordinated their assault in advance. All their attacks targeted Lumine with pinpoint precision. Even when they accidentally struck each other, they held no grudges, relentlessly continuing their assault on her.
Surrounded, Lumine was overwhelmed and forced into a passive position.
Watching from behind, Lydia felt her heart pound like a trapped bird as Lumine was swarmed by the monsters. She gripped the hilt of the Festering Desire so tightly her knuckles turned white, but she didn't know how to help.
Without a Vision, rushing in would only make things worse.
Paimon was so terrified she couldn't even speak, hiding desperately behind Lydia.
Suddenly, the Rifthound that had been observing the battle let out a piercing shriek. The Electro energy around it surged violently as it tore open a dark purple spatial rift and leaped inside!
Lumine's heart tightened. Gripping her Dull Blade, she scanned her surroundings warily. The area fell eerily silent, with only the sound of the wind remaining—no trace of the monster.
Then, a faint sound of spatial distortion came from behind Lydia. A rift abruptly opened, and the Rifthound's claw, crackling with Electro, shot out, aiming straight for Lydia's back!
"Watch out!"
Lumine's pupils constricted. Ignoring the Frostarm Lawachurl's fist swinging toward her, she used the impact's force to propel herself toward Lydia, thrusting her Dull Blade behind her friend.
Clang!
The blade blocked the claw, but the Rifthound's strength far exceeded Lumine's expectations. The Dull Blade shattered instantly.
Shards flew through the air. Lumine's arm went numb from the shock, and she stumbled back several steps before regaining her balance, the web of her thumb throbbing with pain.
Before she could recover, heavy footsteps thundered behind her—the Hilichurl Frostarm Lawachurl was charging!
Its massive fist, shrouded in an impenetrable black mist, hurtled toward her back.
Instinctively, Lumine shoved Lydia aside. But she had no time to dodge herself and could only shut her eyes, bracing for the bone-shattering impact.
Yet, the expected pain never came.
Lumine snapped her eyes open to see an Anemo-infused arrow streaking in from behind her. It struck the Hilichurl Frostarm Lawachurl's fist with pinpoint accuracy, forcefully deflecting the blow.
The arrow landed at Lumine's feet, its gentle Anemo energy expanding to form a pale green barrier that shielded her from the flying debris.
Venti hovered in the air, having appeared from nowhere. His teal-gradient braids glowed faintly, and the usual playful smile was gone, replaced by a solemn expression. The Elegy for the End in his hands still shimmered with a soft Anemo glow.
"It seems I arrived just in time."