A day after leaving Ishkab's dwelling, Lumine and Paimon traveled to the Children of Echoes to find Xilonen. Their purpose was to inquire about creating an Ancient Name for the Traveler.
This idea had been proposed by Mavuika. Though the Ode of Resurrection had temporarily lost its power, possessing an Ancient Name would serve as Mavuika's assurance of Lumine's continued existence.
Upon reaching the Children of Echoes' territory, the duo, accompanied by Kachina, located Xilonen.
When Lumine relayed Mavuika's request, Xilonen's expression darkened considerably.
"A-are you angry?" Kachina asked cautiously.
"Not exactly," Xilonen replied. "I'm used to it by now. I just need a moment to calm down. Her demands are always so unreasonable, which leads to frequent arguments..."
Xilonen vented about some of Mavuika's most outrageous demands, but after complaining, she began to seriously consider the matter.
Creating an Ancient Name for an outsider was undoubtedly an immensely difficult task—a fact Mavuika was well aware of. Yet she had still insisted on this request...
Creating an Ancient Name involves engraving someone's heroic deeds into history, transforming that person into the original hero associated with the Ancient Name.
While such heroic feats typically need to occur within Natlan, Lumine's recent experiences should have sufficed. However, one major obstacle remained:
Even within Natlan, the actions of Travelers from afar were not recorded.
Memories and experiences unacknowledged by the Great Spirit cannot become the raw material for an Ancient Name.
To forge an Ancient Name for Lumine, they had to overcome this seemingly impossible challenge: creating something from nothing!
After much discussion, the group decided to seek out Granny Itztli, the Black Jade Sage of the Masters of the Night-Wind, who was renowned for her mastery of the Great Spirit and her role as an advisor to the Night Kingdom.
Since they needed assistance, Xilonen prepared to write a letter, having only recently returned from the Masters of the Night-Wind herself.
Considering that the messenger should also be able to speak persuasively, Kachina recommended Kinich.
Xilonen: "You're right. Ishkab and her sister are both close to Citlali. Since Ishkab is still recovering from her injuries, Kinich would be the best choice. Let's do this: I'll write the letter first, and we can meet near the other statues later."
Not long after, near the Statue of The Seven.
Kinich was summoned, and Xilonen and the others explained the situation to him. Kinich readily agreed to help.
"Kinich, where's Ajaw?" Paimon asked.
"He stayed home to take care of my sister," Kinich replied. "Don't let his usual goofiness fool you—when it comes to caring for her, he's incredibly reliable."
Before they parted, Xilonen shared some crucial information:
"We've identified the person who rescued The Captain and his Adjutant from the Arena. He's also from the Masters of the Night-Wind and goes by the name Ororon. He lives alone in the wilderness and doesn't reside within the tribal settlements."
"That's why his initial disappearance went unnoticed by the tribe. It wasn't until Citlali noticed something was amiss—Ororon had been out of contact for far too long—that the tribe realized he was missing."
"Citlali knows him?" Paimon asked.
"Yes," Xilonen confirmed. "Ororon is an orphan who was raised jointly by the Masters of the Night-Wind's leader and several kind-hearted individuals. But I've heard he's been a bit odd since childhood."
Kinich added, "In that regard, Ororon and Citlali are quite similar. That's probably why they get along so well."
"We still don't know whether Ororon joined the Fatui willingly or under duress. Citlali is likely desperate to prove that Ororon's actions aren't a betrayal. We can use this as our entry point to talk to him."
Finally, Xilonen handed the letter to Kinich, asking him to deliver it.
The letter arranged a meeting at a specific location within the Stadium of the Sacred Flame in two days' time.
-
Meanwhile, on the other side, Angie led Ailina, Vanyeliya, and Ororon—a group of four—still wandering through the wilderness.
According to Angie's plan, they should have gone straight to Lumine and Paimon. They had always been on good terms, and even though The Captain had clashed with the Pyro Archon, Angie believed Lumine and Paimon wouldn't hold it against her.
However, Ororon had a different idea. Upon learning that the Traveler was currently with the Masters of the Night-Wind, he instinctively hesitated to approach them directly.
The reason? He likely knew he was now considered a "traitor" by some, and it would be unwise to openly appear among the Masters of the Night-Wind with the Fatui.
However, Angie suspected Ororon was simply afraid of the "Grandma Citlali" he had mentioned.
She didn't press him. The Captain had urged her to deliver the information quickly, but he had specifically instructed her to inform him after obtaining it. As for the time before securing the information... The Captain had granted her ample leeway.
Thus, on this day, the four of them arrived at Ororon's temporary residence—a mountain cave he had recently discovered and deemed suitable for short-term habitation within the territory of the Masters of the Night-Wind.
As soon as Angie arrived, she immediately sensed something was off. Her lips twitched slightly, and while Ororon wasn't paying attention, she pulled Ailina and Vanyeliya aside.
Ororon, completely oblivious, stepped forward and gently lifted the curtain.
He instinctively sighed in relief, believing he had returned to his temporary sanctuary.
But the sigh caught in his throat, choking him mid-exhale.
The cave was no longer the cold, desolate space he had left behind.
The fire in the hearth crackled warmly, radiating heat, and his treasured teapot sat bubbling merrily on a small stove, steam curling lazily upward.
And the person he least wanted to see right now—Citlali—sat regally in the only decent chair in the room, gracefully sipping a freshly brewed cup of black tea, as if she were the true mistress of this place.
"Well, well," Citlali said without looking up, her voice languid yet unmistakably authoritative. "Our little runaway, who vanished without a trace, has finally decided to come home?"
Ororon froze in place, his scalp prickling with dread. He instinctively tried to back away, but his feet felt nailed to the ground.
He opened his mouth, stammering meaningless syllables: "G-Grandma... How did you...?"
"How did I find you here?"
Citlali slowly lifted her gaze, her sharp eyes sweeping over his entire body before settling on his panic-stricken face. A faint, mocking smile curved her lips.
"You chose a decent hiding place. Pity you swiped that tin of premium tea last time. I'd specially smoked it with a unique blend of spices."
She set down her teacup with a crisp clatter, causing Ororon to flinch involuntarily.
"Now then, why don't you introduce me to your... friends behind you?"
Cold sweat drenched Ororon's back. Under Citlali's knowing gaze, he felt like a child caught red-handed for not doing his homework, utterly exposed with nowhere to hide.