Location: Angel's Share Tavern, Mondstadt
Current Form: Human
Status: Craving alcohol, analyzing the brooding redhead
The Angel's Share was warm, smelling of oak, hops, and damp wood. It was the perfect place to hide from the Knights' bureaucracy.
Raiden sat at the bar, swirling a glass of grape juice. Next to him, Venti was already three bottles deep into Dandelion Wine, hiccuping a tune that sounded vaguely like "Der Ring des Nibelungen."
Behind the counter stood Diluc Ragnvindr. The Uncrowned King of Mondstadt did not look amused. He was polishing a glass with enough intensity to turn the glass into sand.
"So," Diluc said, his voice low and void of emotion. "You are the consultant everyone is whispering about. The one with the horns."
"And you are the bartender who owns the entire winery," Raiden replied, taking a sip. "This juice is excellent. Though, it lacks... kick."
"We don't serve hard liquor to minors," Diluc stated, eyeing Raiden's youthful face.
Raiden chuckled, his silver eyes glowing briefly. "Master Diluc, I am older than this tavern. I'm older than the stone foundation this city sits on. But I appreciate your adherence to the law."
Diluc slammed the glass down. The noise silenced the tavern for a moment.
"Cut the act," Diluc whispered, leaning over the counter. "I saw the reports from Dragonspine. I saw the readings from the Guild. You aren't human. You aren't an Adeptus. You are a walking catastrophic event waiting to happen. Why are you in my city?"
Venti giggled, resting his head on the counter. "He's here for the freedom, Master Diluc! And the food! Hic!"
Raiden smiled, leaning in until he was nose-to-nose with the Darknight Hero. "I'm here because the Abyss Order is annoying me. And because I hate wasted potential. Speaking of which..."
Raiden tapped the counter.
"Your 'Darknight Hero' costume is tacky. You should add a cape. Dragons love capes."
Diluc's eyes widened imperceptibly. Before he could respond, the floorboards trembled.
BOOM.
A roar tore through the night, shattering the windows of the tavern. Wind—violent, corrupted, and smelling of ozone—swept into the room, knocking bottles off the shelves.
"Stormterror," Diluc growled, grabbing a claymore from behind the bar (which Raiden noted was a terrible place to hide a weapon).
"Finally," Raiden stood up, his coat flapping in the sudden gale. "I was getting bored."
The city was in chaos. Tornadoes tore through the streets, tossing market stalls like toys. High above, a massive blue dragon circled, screaming in pain and rage.
Dvalin.
Jean and the Knights were on the streets, trying to evacuate civilians. Aether was already in the air, using a wind glider to dodge debris.
"Great Sage," Raiden commanded, stepping out of the tavern. "Combat Mode."
"Affirmative. Activating [Flight Magic]. Inhibitors released to 20%."
Raiden didn't use a glider. He stepped onto the air, black mana coalescing under his boots to form solid platforms. With a sonic boom, he launched himself into the sky.
Dvalin sensed him immediately. The corrupted dragon turned, his six wings beating furiously.
"TRAITOR!" Dvalin roared, his voice distorted by the Abyss. "YOU SMELL OF US, YET YOU STAND WITH THEM!"
Dvalin opened his maw. A beam of concentrated Anemo energy, laced with purple corruption, fired directly at Raiden.
"Rude," Raiden muttered.
He didn't dodge. He raised his left hand.
[Predator: Gluttony Field].
A massive, swirling vortex of black darkness appeared in front of Raiden's palm. The Anemo beam hit the vortex and... disappeared. It was swallowed whole.
"Notice. Massive Anemo energy ingested. Mana reserves overflowing."
"Return to sender!" Raiden shouted.
He synthesized the energy, mixed it with his own [Black Flame], and fired a sphere of dark fire back. It struck Dvalin's flank—not to kill, but to knock the breath out of him.
Dvalin shrieked, faltering in the air.
"Aether! Now!" Raiden broadcasted his voice.
The Traveler, seeing the opening, dove from the clouds. He fired rapid-fire wind bullets at the corrupted crystal on Dvalin's back.
The crystal cracked, oozing purple sludge. Dvalin thrashed wildly, his pain turning into a berserk rage. He prepared to dive-bomb the statue of Barbatos.
"Oh no, you don't," Raiden hissed. "That statue is a historic landmark. And my favorite sitting spot."
Raiden's form shimmered. He didn't fully transform (too much collateral damage), but he partially manifested his true nature. Massive, spectral wings of obsidian energy erupted from his back, spanning fifty meters.
He teleported—[Spatial Movement]—appearing directly on top of Dvalin's neck.
The size difference was significant (Dvalin was massive), but Raiden's mass was denser. He slammed Dvalin downward, steering the crash away from the houses and toward the lake outside the city.
SPLASH.
A tsunami of water rose as the two dragons hit Cider Lake.
They surfaced. Raiden was pinning Dvalin's neck down with his bare hands, his human form looking tiny against the dragon's scales, but his strength was absolute.
"GET OFF ME! THE PAIN! THE POISON!" Dvalin screamed.
"Hold still, you big baby!" Raiden yelled back. "I'm trying to help you!"
He looked at the purple, festering spike on Dvalin's neck. It was concentrated Abyssal poison, festering for centuries.
"This is going to taste awful," Raiden grimaced.
"Great Sage. Isolate taste receptors."
"Notice. Taste receptors cannot be fully disabled for Abyssal energy. It will taste like 'Rotten Eggs and Static Electricity'."
"Wonderful."
Raiden clamped his hand onto the corruption spike.
[Unique Skill: Gluttony].
The black mist poured from Raiden's arm, wrapping around the spike. It didn't break it; it ate the corruption itself. It sucked the purple poison out of Dvalin's veins like a vacuum.
Dvalin thrashed, howling—not in pain, but in shock. The maddening voices in his head were being silenced, devoured by the smaller creature on his back.
Raiden gagged. "Ugh! It's spicy! Why is the Abyss always spicy?!"
"Notice. Corruption level decreasing. 80%... 60%... 40%."
Suddenly, a bolt of Ice struck Raiden from the shore.
An Abyss Mage (Cryo) stood on the bank, waving a staff. "Do not interfere with the Prince's pet! The corruption is eternal!"
"I'm eating here!" Raiden roared, his eyes glowing red.
He didn't let go of Dvalin. Instead, he opened his mouth and fired a [Lightning Breath] beam at the Mage. The Mage and the five meters of land around him were vaporized instantly.
Dvalin, sensing his corruption dropping but terrified by the entity on his back, managed to buck Raiden off.
The great dragon took to the sky, his flight erratic but no longer aiming for the city.
"WHO... WHAT ARE YOU?" Dvalin echoed, flying toward the Stormterror's Lair ruins.
Raiden floated above the lake, wiping purple sludge off his mouth. "I'm the guy who just saved your life. You're welcome!"
He watched Dvalin disappear into the storm clouds.
"Notice. Corruption sample analyzed. [Abyssal Resistance] evolved to [Abyssal Nullification]. You can now walk in the Abyss without suffering environmental damage."
Raiden hovered down to the bridge, where Jean, Diluc, Kaeya, and Aether were waiting. They looked... stunned.
Jean's sword was lowered. Kaeya had forgotten to smirk. Diluc was staring at Raiden's spectral wings as they faded away.
"You..." Jean started, breathless. "You pinned a dragon. With your hands."
Raiden landed, straightening his coat. He spat a glob of purple goo onto the pavement, which sizzled and dissolved.
"He tastes terrible," Raiden complained, wiping his tongue with his sleeve. "Next time, season your dragons with salt."
Aether landed next to him, putting away his glider. "That was... amazing. You ate the poison?"
"I have a strong stomach," Raiden patted his belly. "Also, I think I leveled up."
Diluc sheathed his claymore with a heavy clank. He walked up to Raiden. The tension was thick.
"Raiden Ragnvaldr," Diluc said.
"Master Diluc?"
Diluc extended a hand. "Drinks are on the house tonight. But you are answering every single one of my questions."
Raiden grinned, shaking the hand. "Deal. But only if you serve something stronger than grape juice."