The dawn on the eastern horizon had just etched a thin, reddish-orange line, attempting to chase away the remnants of the night's darkness. Outside the steel caravan imprisoning the Elves, over a dozen Evilus mercenaries were joking around. They gulped down the remaining liquor from their leather flasks, warmed their bodies near the campfire, and discussed how many millions of Valis they would pocket after delivering this rare "merchandise" to the underground headquarters in Orario.
Not a single one of them realized that the scenario of despair designed by their goddess, Alecto, had been burned to ashes.
BOOOM!
An ear-splitting explosion shattered the silence of the dawn. Not an explosion from gunpowder or fire magic, but an explosion of compressed air pressure. The thick steel door at the back of the caravan—which was locked with a magic seal and a chain as thick as an adult's arm—was ripped from its hinges, thrown dozens of meters into the air before slamming into a tree, toppling it.
The Evilus soldiers jerked in shock. Some of them choked on their liquor, while others immediately drew their weapons, staring at the billowing dust rising from the gaping caravan door.
"What happened?! Who used magic?!" roared one of the guards in a panic.
From behind the curtain of dust and rust fragments, two figures stepped out slowly.
Dina, the White Elf with her golden-blonde hair now fluttering in an invisible wind vortex, glared sharply with a pair of bright green eyes. Beside her, Vena the Dark Elf stepped with the elegance of a predator that had just slipped its leash. Her tanned skin looked exotic under the dawn light, contrasting with her silvery-white hair dancing in the air. Vena's deep red eyes blazed with determination.
In the palm of each of their right hands, a turquoise gem framed in elegant metal—the Anemo-Calyx—glowed brightly, channeling waves of emerald-green energy that enveloped their bodies like an armor of wind.
Inside the now-open caravan, the Elf captives stared at the two girls with wide-open eyes. The Elf woman who had spat on Vena yesterday now sat trembling, tears streaming down her dirty cheeks. The cynical stares and racial pride they had exalted all this time were completely shattered. Last night, they had seen for themselves how the village's strongest warriors were slaughtered like cattle by these vile humans. Elven pride proved to be nothing but ridiculous nonsense in the face of death.
And now, the two girls they had considered a disgrace, whom they had cast out to the edge of the village... were standing as their only beacon of salvation.
"Those long-eared brats are loose!" shouted one of the mercenaries. "Kill them! We don't need disobedient slaves!"
Three frontline soldiers lunged forward with drawn swords.
Vena turned to her sister. Dina only nodded slowly. Both channeled their thoughts into the Anemo-Calyx.
Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, Vena vanished from her position. The foremost soldier only saw a flash of turquoise light before feeling a tremendously hard kick slam into his chest. His ribs shattered. The soldier was thrown into the air like a ragdoll.
The other two soldiers were startled, but before they could swing their swords, Dina swung her hand from ten paces away. The air around her compressed, forming two wind sickle blades that shot out at the speed of sound.
Sring! Squelch!
Weapons, leather armor, and flesh were torn in one smooth slash. The two soldiers collapsed to the ground, bathed in blood.
Dina stared at her own hands, trembling slightly at the sight of the red puddle on the grass. This was her first time killing. However, when she remembered how these men had tortured her sister and slaughtered her people, that hesitation evaporated. The blessing from the god of wind and freedom was not designed for hesitation.
"Don't underestimate them! They're using strange magic items!"
Panic began to strike the Evilus troops. However, Dina and Vena gave them no chance to organize their formation. The two moved like a deadly dance. Dina acted as mid-range artillery, firing wind spears that pierced steel shields. Meanwhile, Vena, with the innate agility of a Dark Elf now amplified by the Anemo element, darted through the enemy ranks, using air currents to accelerate her movements and deflect opponent attacks.
Their current strength, if measured by Orario's system, was equivalent to high-class Level 3 adventurers. In less than five minutes, over a dozen Evilus soldiers lay lifeless.
"Enough!"
A booming roar split the battlefield. Its shockwave made the surrounding trees tremble.
A giant man stepped forward from behind the remnants of the troops. It was Morgath, the mercenary leader sent directly by Alecto. He was nearly two and a half meters tall, his muscles bulging beneath thick black metal armor, and in his hand he gripped a double-bitted battle axe.
Morgath's eyes burned with the glint of madness. A dark red aura emanated from his body. He was a Level 4 adventurer, a veteran who had tasted hundreds of bloody battles.
"You think you're great because you found those little magic toys, you forest whores?!" growled Morgath, spitting on the ground. "I will tear your bodies apart and let our goddess drink the despair from your screams!"
Morgath bent his knees, then launched himself forward. The ground he stood on shattered to pieces.
"Vena, watch out!" screamed Dina.
Vena tried to dodge, but the area of Morgath's axe attack was too wide.
BAM!
The axe handle slammed into a pillar of wind that Vena had hastily created as a shield. Although the shield withstood the sharpness, the pushing force still penetrated. Vena was thrown backward, rolling on the ground until she hit a tree root. Fresh blood trickled from the corner of her lips.
"Vena!" Dina panicked. She gathered the Anemo element, formed a miniature tornado, and hurled it toward Morgath.
The Evilus leader smirked. He swung his axe with full force. BOOM! The tornado was split in two by pure physical strength.
"Your power won't be able to defeat killer instinct, brat!" mocked Morgath. He leaped, targeting Dina.
Dina tried to retreat, but her zero combat experience made her misstep. She tripped. Morgath's giant axe swung down to cleave the White Elf's body in two.
In that critical second, a strong gust of wind slammed into Dina's side, throwing her out of the path of death. Morgath's axe struck the ground, creating a crater a meter deep.
Vena stood panting ten paces away, her hand outstretched toward her sister—she had just used her ability to save Dina.
"You guys are very amateur," chuckled Morgath. "Your magic power is indeed strong, equal to Level 3. But your footing is a mess. Your eyes can't read my muscle movements. You're just two village girls who happen to be holding sharp swords. You will die today."
Dina got back up with difficulty. What Morgath said was true. They had only touched the Anemo-Calyx a few minutes ago. They had no fighting techniques, and their survival instincts were limited to running from threats.
However, there was one thing Morgath didn't understand. Something that had bound Dina and Vena far stronger than any training and battle.
The bond of sisterhood and absolute trust. During decades of living in exile, they had survived by covering for each other's weaknesses. Dina knew Vena's habits; Vena understood the rhythm of Dina's breathing. They didn't need words.
Dina nodded. Vena wiped the blood from her lip, and the Anemo-Calyx in her hand glowed even brighter.
"We will not die today, Sister," whispered Vena.
"This wind..." Dina stared at her turquoise crystal. "...will guide us."
Morgath roared, lunging with a deadly horizontal sweep. This time, Dina and Vena didn't dodge away. They moved in a cross pattern!
Dina created an upward wind vortex (updraft) right beneath Vena's feet. The Dark Elf utilized it, leaping high over Morgath's axe blade, while Dina slid underneath it using a thin cushion of air.
"Cheap tricks!" cursed Morgath. He twisted his body, ready to cleave Vena, who was floating in the air.
However, Dina had already positioned herself right behind Morgath. With high-precision control, Dina shot chains of wind that wrapped around both of her enemy's wrists and his giant axe.
"Pull!" screamed Dina.
The wind chains tightened, holding back Morgath's axe swing for just two precious seconds.
Those two seconds were everything. In mid-air, Vena gathered all the energy of the Anemo-Calyx to the tips of her feet. Gravity pulled her down, accelerated by the wind magic from behind her back. She plummeted like a turquoise comet spear. The speed talent of a Dark Elf combined perfectly with the freedom of the wind.
Morgath looked up, his eyes widening. This combined attack, born of absolute coordination, had pushed their destructive power to Level 4!
"Die, monster!" shouted Vena.
SMASH!
Vena's kick landed squarely on Morgath's chest plate. The black metal armor caved inward before finally shattering into pieces. A turquoise storm pierced the veteran's chest, shredding his vital organs in an instant.
At the same time, Dina pulled her wind chains with a deadly yank, slicing Morgath's wrists clean off, ensuring the man would never be able to hold his weapon again.
Morgath froze. His mouth opened wide, vomiting blood. He stared at the gaping hole in his chest, then looked at the two Elf girls before him with absolute disbelief before collapsing lifelessly.
The remaining Evilus soldiers who were still hiding stared at their leader's corpse in horror. Their mentality was broken. They dropped their weapons and fled into the forest, leaving behind their pride and their mission.
The battle was over. The silence of dawn took over once again.
............................................................................................
High above on one of the branches of a giant oak tree, small fading turquoise light particles closely observed the entire fight.
It was Venti's wisp.
The consciousness of the wind god from afar watched how the two girls adapted, fought, and overcame obstacles with the power he had given them. A tired but satisfied smile was etched in Venti's mind at his resting place.
The Anemo-Calyx. His secret masterpiece that he had been creating since he was still in Teyvat, long before he set foot in this world.
As a reincarnator from Earth, Venti possessed modern knowledge of closed systems and reverse engineering. During his time in Teyvat, he researched how Visions worked, and analyzed the powerful but toxic synthetic Delusions created by the Fatui. With the help of Istaroth, The Mother Of Time, Venti dissected the spiritual structure of a Vision and discarded the parts that tied its user to the "Will of Heaven" of Celestia.
The result was the Anemo-Calyx.
It was named Calyx—the foundational petal of a flower that protects the young bud—inspired by his beloved Cecilia flower. In his home world, a Vision was an "eye of god," a tool to monitor humans. But the Anemo-Calyx was designed purely as a protector of the soul (Mind). This device wrapped its user's soul with the wind element, preventing their minds from being brainwashed, manipulated, or forced to submit by the will of any god.
This was the first time he had bestowed his crafted Calyx in the world of DanMachi.
Use your new wings well, little girls, Venti thought as his wisp form faded completely into the air. His task as a guide was finished, and his main body could now return to a deep sleep.
On the blood-soaked ground, Dina walked unsteadily toward Vena. Her younger sister immediately threw herself into her arms, sobbing uncontrollably, releasing the pent-up tension.
"We did it, Sister... we're safe..." sobbed Vena.
"Yes, Vena. We are free," Dina returned the hug just as tightly, stroking her sister's silver hair, which now felt soft under the morning breeze's greeting.
The sound of hesitant footsteps stopped them. An old Elf man—the village elder who used to be the harshest in banishing them to the edge of the forest—stepped out of the caravan with the other surviving residents. He bowed his head, falling to his knees on the dirty ground.
"Dina... Vena... forgive us," said the old man with a trembling voice full of regret and shame. "You are the true warriors. This village... will always be open to you from now on. We owe you both our lives."
Dina looked at the old man, then looked at her sister. An offer to be accepted back by their people. However, instead of feeling satisfied, Dina and Vena realized something far greater.
Dina shook her head slowly, but the look in her eyes no longer radiated anger.
"We forgive you," said Dina calmly. "However, just going back to living peacefully in this village is not enough."
The old man looked up, confused.
Vena stepped forward, grasping her sister's hand. The Dark Elf gazed far to the north, past the dense forest, toward the waters separating them from Hjaðningavíg Island.
"As long as the Eternal War on that island continues... the hatred between White Elves and Dark Elves will never die," Vena continued, her voice filled with resolve. "There will be more children exiled, tortured, and suffering like us. The root of our race's suffering is not these humans, but our own arrogance on that battlefield."
Dina's bright green eyes flashed sharply. "With the wind of freedom that has saved us today, we will not run and hide anymore. We will lead this village, rebuild our strength... and ultimately, we will stop the bloody war in Hjaðningavíg."
The Elves gasped. Stopping the Eternal War? That meant these two young girls intended to challenge the two absolute existences that ruled the battlefield: Hedin Selland, the great White Elf King, and Hogni Ragnar, the blood-soaked Dark Elf King.
Yet, looking at the turquoise glow of the Anemo-Calyx in the two sisters' hands, the villagers knew that it was not nonsense. The wheel of fate had turned. The wind of a new revolution had just been born on the outskirts of the forest, ready to strike and destroy the tradition of hatred that had taken root for hundreds of years.