The two of them leaned against each other in the quiet of the Jade Chamber, watching the little ones play in the distance.
At first, Klee had been wary of Ruo-Ruo, given the candy-snatching incident. But with Su Han's gentle mediation, she slowly approached. Soon, Qiqi, the "borrowed" Sayu, and Diona (who had taken a leave of absence to run over) were all huddled together, a chaotic swirl of small legs and high-pitched chatter. Ruo-Ruo struggled to suppress her ancient, prickly nature, but under Su Han's encouraging gaze, the "Great Dragon King" finally relented and joined the game.
Su Han sent a message to Xiangling through the group chat, asking her to organize a grand bonfire party for the evening to celebrate Ruo-Ruo's arrival.
While the celebration was being planned, Venti was nowhere to be found on the Jade Chamber. He had practically glued himself to the World Tree, refusing to come down. He spent his days hugging his lyre, lounging on the massive branches. As he put it: "If I'd had a tree like this back then, I never would have bothered being an Archon. Just playing music and drinking wine in the canopy... that's the life!"
[The Healing of a Friend]
Though Venti loved the World Tree, he hadn't forgotten his oldest companion. Carrying potent medicinal herbs and fresh, life-giving twigs granted to him by the World Tree's consciousness, he soared toward the Stormterror's Lair.
"It's been a while since I visited... I hope he isn't just napping," Venti chuckled.
Ten minutes later, he descended into the ruins. Sensing a shift in the wind, Dvalin immediately unleashed a blast of concentrated gale. Venti dodged just in time, his heart skipping a beat.
"Whoa! Dvalin! It's me! Don't tell me you've been corrupted again?"
The ruins groaned as the massive dragon raised his head. Seeing the Wind God, Dvalin's eyes softened with apology. "Forgive me, Lord Barbatos. I thought it was an intruder. After being controlled so many times... I've learned to strike first and ask later."
Venti sighed, patting the dragon's snout. "I don't blame you, buddy. Look what I brought."
He presented the World Tree twigs. Dvalin leaned in, sensing the overwhelming vitality. He swallowed the offering, and almost instantly, his weary, scarred body began to pulse with light. His depleted life force was being replenished at a staggering rate. Dvalin let out a thunderous roar, spreading his wings and taking to the sky with a vigor he hadn't felt in centuries.
"Dvalin... come with me," Venti said as they soared together. "This place holds too many bitter memories for you. I've found a new home—a place where you'll be safe and surrounded by the purest energy in Teyvat."
Following Venti's lead, the Great Dragon circled the borders of Mondstadt, carefully avoiding the populated areas to ensure the citizens weren't spooked. They flew toward the open sea, toward the towering emerald silhouette of the World Tree.
As Dvalin approached the tree, he felt a strange pressure. "Is this the place? It feels... ancient. Formidable."
"Scary, right?" Venti laughed. "It grew by devouring three demon gods. It's the safest place in the world. Even Morax hangs out here."
They landed on a massive terrace just below the canopy. Dvalin stretched his enormous wings, finding that even his giant frame didn't feel cramped on the trunk. The warm, soothing air of the World Tree washed over him, and for the first time in an age, the dragon closed his eyes and drifted into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.
[The Funeral in Snezhnaya]
While Teyvat celebrated, the other side of the world was shrouded in aurora and grief.
In the heart of the Zapolyarny Palace, a group of elite soldiers carried a magnificent crystal coffin through the halls. The air was thick with falling snow and a heavy, oppressive silence.
The soldiers placed the coffin in the center of the grand hall and withdrew. They were merely tools; they had no place in the circle that was about to gather.
"Liyue, Mondstadt, and Inazuma... three nations have now declared us their enemy. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
A man with glasses—the Harbinger Pantalone (Regrator)—spoke coldly, his gaze fixed on the youth at the end of the table: Tartaglia (Childe).
"I wasn't the one who failed," Childe replied casually, leaning back. "Signora lost Mondstadt, and Scaramouche lost Inazuma. We didn't get a single Gnosis. It isn't just my fault. Besides... Scaramouche hasn't even bothered to return, has he?"
In the shadows, the "Captain," Capitano, spoke up. "Ever since that man—Su Han—appeared, the Fatui have faced nothing but setbacks. Even your Northland Bank is crumbling, Pantalone."
"Ninguang's economic warfare is effective, I'll admit that," Pantalone sneered. "If we don't fight back, Sumeru will be next. Have you seen the reports? That man has turned the Guyun Stone Forest into a graveyard to fuel a 'World Tree.' It's terrifying."
The "Jester" Pierro stood at the head of the coffin. "Enough. We are here to bury Lohefalter (Signora)—a hero who fell for the cause. We do not bicker at her grave."
Though Signora's methods were often cruel, she had been a pillar of their ranks. Her death marked a turning point. The Fatui were no longer the hunters; they were being hunted.
"The borders are closed," Capitano added. "Even our merchants are being expelled. But we still have eyes. That 'World Tree' is growing every day. It is an anomaly that threatens the very balance of this world."
The funeral proceeded under a sky of artificial ice, a somber acknowledgment that the Sovereign's rise had finally forced the Harbingers to face their own mortality.
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