A deafening explosion ripped through the air above Mondstadt like a thunderclap, shaking the city's windows until they rattled and sending splinters of wood cascading from the eaves.
The once-sleeping city jolted awake. Lights flickered on in homes one after another, their orange glow spilling onto the streets but failing to pierce the suffocating panic that permeated the air.
Residents crowded behind windows, peering out with bewildered eyes, their unease etched across their faces.
Before anyone could grasp the situation, fully armed Favonius Knights came thundering down the streets.
The clanging of their armor, urgent and heavy, struck at everyone's hearts like hammer blows. Their frantic shouts cut through the night's silence, their voices hoarse with urgency.
"Everyone, don't panic! Immediately seek refuge at the Cathedral!"
"Repeat: all residents immediately seek refuge at the Cathedral!"
Though bewildered, the citizens couldn't miss the signs of grave danger in the knights' tense jaws and the way their knuckles whitened as they gripped their weapons.
Without questioning, they hurried to gather their families, guiding the elderly and children toward the Cathedral as directed by the knights.
On the street, the sounds of footsteps, children's cries, and elderly coughs mingled, yet an eerie silence prevailed.
No one spoke; only suppressed anxiety permeated the air.
Lydia, Lumine, and Paimon were making their way from the cemetery to the plaza, walking shoulder to shoulder toward the Knights' headquarters.
The moment the explosion rang out, all three froze in their tracks.
Lumine could feel Lydia's grip on her wrist tighten violently, the chill radiating from her fingertips sending a jolt of fear through her.
"It's coming from the city gate!" Lydia's voice trembled imperceptibly as she pulled Lumine toward the city's edge.
They had barely taken a few steps when they saw two knights hurrying toward the Cathedral, carrying a stretcher.
The injured knight on the stretcher had a bloodstained sleeve peeking out—the unmistakable crimson uniform of Amber, the Outrider of Mondstadt.
Unfrozen black-purple poisonous mist clung to the fabric, condensing into tiny ice crystals upon contact with the air.
Lydia's pupils contracted to pinpricks, her heart clenching as if gripped by an invisible hand, making it difficult to breathe.
"Amber!" Lydia's voice cracked, trembling with a fear she hadn't even realized she possessed.
She wrenched herself free from Lumine's grasp and lunged forward, gripping the stretcher's edge with both hands, her nails digging into the wood.
"What happened to Amber? What about the others?"
Cold sweat streamed down the Favonius Knight's forehead, the droplets sliding down his cheek to splash against his armor in tiny, glistening droplets.
His voice was hurried and grave as he avoided meeting Lydia's gaze. "We found her at the city gates. The reconnaissance team was ambushed in the Whispering Woods...!"
Lydia didn't press for details, merely stumbling along beside the stretcher, her snow-white hair whipped into disarray by the wind, veiling the panic in her eyes.
Her gaze remained fixed on Amber's pale profile, watching the familiar red of her clothes soak crimson with blood, her heart feeling like it was being repeatedly hammered with a blunt instrument.
Lumine and Paimon hurried after her, their hearts heavy as they watched Lydia's slightly trembling back.
Lumine reached out to pat Lydia's shoulder, but the moment her fingers brushed the corner of her robe, Lydia stiffened. Lumine quietly withdrew her hand and quickened her pace, her footsteps barely audible as she walked beside her.
They sprinted all the way to the Cathedral, where Barbara was already waiting at the entrance.
Her face still bore the weariness of being abruptly awakened, with faint dark circles under her eyes and even a lingering hint of drowsiness on her eyelashes.
But the moment she saw Amber on the stretcher, her fatigue vanished instantly. Her eyes widened sharply, pupils contracting, and the relaxed corners of her mouth tightened sharply as she rushed forward.
"Quick! Get her inside the Cathedral!"
In the Cathedral's healing room, a soft, Hydro Element glow enveloped Amber.
Fine beads of sweat trickled down Barbara's forehead, tracing paths down her cheeks to drip onto her clothes, leaving small, damp stains.
Her brow was furrowed deeply, lips pressed into a thin line, her gaze fixed intently on Amber's chest.
The Hydro Element gradually seeped into Amber's body, but whenever it neared her chest cavity, the glow dimmed slightly.
There, a stubborn, dark purple aura coiled around Amber's internal organs, fiercely resisting the healing power.
Lydia and Lumine stood guard nearby, barely daring to breathe.
Lydia's hands were clenched so tightly that her fingernails dug deep into her palms, leaving red marks that bled slightly without her noticing.
Her gaze remained fixed on Amber, watching her occasional grimaces of pain and the slight twitching of her fingers. Instinctively, Lydia's own fists tightened.
When Amber set out, she had a team of three...
But now, only Amber lay on the stretcher.
Those vibrant figures, the promises they had made—all had vanished in the Whispering Woods.
"Lucy and the others..." Lydia's voice was barely a whisper, yet it trembled uncontrollably. She turned to the Favonius Knight guarding the door, a flicker of desperate hope still clinging to her gaze. "Are they behind us? Did they return to the Knights ahead of us?"
The knight lowered his head further, his shoulders slumping slightly, his voice as heavy as a stone. "Miss Lydia, we... only received Amber at the city gates..."
The single word "alone" struck Lydia's heart like a dull knife.
She staggered back, her back slamming against the cold wall with a dull thud, barely managing to steady herself.
"So... they were all killed by monsters, weren't they?" Lydia's voice was barely a whisper.
She bit down hard on her lower lip, her teeth nearly drawing blood, yet her shoulders still trembled uncontrollably.
Those who had wanted to celebrate her birthday together, those who saw her as "Mondstadt's little angel," had all fallen beneath the monster's blade.
Barbara's healing motions paused momentarily, the Hydro Element glow dimming slightly.
She glanced up at Lydia's retreating figure, her eyes filled with heartache. Her lips moved as if she wanted to offer comfort, but no words came.
After what felt like an eternity, Barbara finally stopped.
She wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, which was now damp with perspiration. Her expression darkened further, her brow furrowed into a tight knot.
"I've temporarily suppressed the cold and poison, but they're still corroding her internal organs, like a festering sore clinging to the bone."
"I can only delay Amber's condition temporarily, but it's merely treating the symptoms, not the cause. If we don't find an antidote, Amber... Amber might..."
A heavy silence settled over the Cathedral.
After an immeasurable stretch, Amber slowly opened her eyes.
Her vision was blurred, as if veiled in white mist. She nodded weakly at Lumine, her eyes heavy with exhaustion.
Her gaze finally landed on Lydia, and she forced a smile that was more painful to watch than tears.
The smile was faint, barely a flicker at the corners of her lips, yet it seemed to drain all her remaining strength. It twisted the heart like a vise.
"Lydia... you're here..."
"Amber! How are you feeling? Do you want some water?"
Lydia rushed forward, gently taking Amber's icy hand in both of hers. The chilling coldness that radiated from her fingertips made Lydia's heart clench.
Amber didn't answer. Instead, she mustered all her strength to raise her other hand.
The hand trembled slightly as it clutched a small, softly glowing blue plush—the miniature Baron Bunny she had stayed up two nights to make.
With trembling fingers, she pressed the plush into Lydia's hand, a relieved smile spreading across her face.
"H... Happy birthday!"
"This is... a gift for you..."
Then, as if remembering something crucial, her gaze suddenly sharpened. She spoke with desperate urgency, each word weakening her breath and turning her lips pale: "The one who attacked us... has a pulsing red heart on its left chest... and the Eye of the Cryo Archon on its right chest... It's bizarre! You must... be careful..."
The moment the words left her lips, Amber's head lolled to the side, she slipped into unconsciousness once more. Yet her hand remained tightly clenched to Lydia's sleeve, like a child afraid of getting lost, entrusting her last lingering attachment.
Barbara rushed forward to examine Amber. As soon as she touched Amber's wrist, her expression darkened. "The poison and frost are spreading again. Her pulse is growing weaker."
"Monsters..." Lydia murmured, staring at Baron Bunny in her hand.
The first time she met Amber, her initial awkwardness, Amber's cheerful laughter during their joint investigation, the warmth of Amber's palm when she offered her a Sunsettia...
Memories flashed through her mind like lightning. A spark of anger ignited in her heart, burning through her limbs and turning her breath scalding hot.
Lydia abruptly stood up, her grip on Baron Bunny tightening until her knuckles turned white, the joints even reddening slightly.
Just then, Festering Desire, which had recently been rewrapped in burlap, began to tremble violently. The "humming" sound resonated clearly through the quiet Cathedral.
Tendrils of black Abyssal aura seeped through the burlap's seams, carrying a bone-chilling cold. They condensed into tiny ice crystals that pattered softly on the floor.
Before Lumine could react, a crisp shatter rang out. The burlap shattered under the surging aura, revealing Festering Desire's dark, unadorned blade.
The Abyss black mist coiling around the blade was denser than ever before. Faint, tortured roars could be heard from within, sending shivers down one's spine.
Lumine tensed, instinctively pulling Paimon behind her and drawing the Dull Blade. Anemo energy coalesced around the blade, forming a faint cyan aura.
"Lydia! Calm down!" she urged, seeing Lydia's fury for the first time.
The girl's snow-white hair drifted slightly, her eyes burning with icy killing intent. Gone was her usual gentle demeanor, replaced by a chilling resolve.
Just as the Abyssal aura threatened to engulf Amber, Lydia's Vision at her waist suddenly erupted with blinding white light!
Gentle Anemo energy surged forth like a tidal wave, instantly enveloping Festering Desire. The swirling black mist recoiled as if encountering its nemesis, rapidly retreating back into the blade, leaving only faint black patterns etched across its surface.
Lydia took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling steadily as the murderous glint faded from her eyes.
She retrieved Festering Desire from her back, gripping the hilt tightly. The white light of her Vision reflected in her gaze. "Amber can't suffer," she declared. "Lucy, Tom, and Jack can't have died in vain either."
"That twisted monster... it will pay the price!"
Watching this scene, Barbara's eyes filled with confusion, her brow furrowing slightly. She was about to ask about "Festering Desire" when a second explosion suddenly shook the Cathedral!
Boom—!
This explosion was even more violent than the last, causing the Cathedral walls to tremble slightly. Fine cracks spiderwebbed across the stained-glass windows, and shards cascaded to the floor with a clatter.
Outside, a knight's urgent shouts pierced the walls: "Monsters are attacking the city! They're breaching the gates!"
Lydia's head snapped up. The glow of her Vision reignited, a resolute white light blazing in her eyes.
Without hesitation, she turned and strode purposefully toward the Cathedral exit, her steps steady and resolute: "Lumine, we're going to the gates."
Lumine watched Lydia's retreating figure, offering no objection. Instead, she tightened her grip on the Dull Blade and hurried after her, her voice ringing with unwavering resolve: "I'm coming too! I'll go with you."
Barbara stood rooted to the spot, watching their backs disappear through the Cathedral doors. She glanced down at the unconscious Amber and gently covered her hand with her own.
"Amber, you have to hold on. Lydia and Lumine will save you... Mondstadt will be alright..."