One by one, the warhorses went mad, throwing their riders and letting out terrified whinnies as if sensing something dreadful. They abandoned their masters, abandoned the carriage, and bolted headlong into the forest.
In that instant, even Diluc felt a foreboding presence, a sense of danger drawing near.
Diluc shouted, "Forget the horses! Everyone, prepare to fight!"
As a Knight Captain, the moment he sensed danger, he rallied the panicked servants, drew his sword, and readied for battle.
But the moment his blade left its sheath, a deafening roar echoed through the forest, freezing the servants in their tracks. They dropped their swords and stood trembling, staring in horror at the sky.
Diluc's heart also lurched. He looked up and saw a sight he would never forget.
A massive, dark purple dragon appeared in the sky, looking down upon the forest's fragile creatures with an air of invincibility. It opened its maw, and a sphere of crackling purple lightning gathered before being hurled downward.
With a deafening explosion, mud and debris were sent flying, pelting Diluc and the others.
Even Diluc, who had always been confident, now wore an expression of terror.
It was Ursa the Drake. The long-absent dragon had reappeared on Mondstadt's lands.
"Run! Father, Kaeya—everyone, run!"
Facing the terrifying dragon, even Diluc lost all confidence in battle. Not even a squad of Knights could stop Ursa's rampage. The only hope was to alert the Knights' higher-ups and gather all their strength to drive it out.
But it was already too late. The dragon had spotted them. With a deafening roar, it beat its massive wings and swooped toward them.
There was no escape.
For the first time, Diluc felt utterly helpless. It was Kaeya's shout that snapped everyone back to their senses. "What are you standing around for? Are you waiting to die? Pick up your weapons!"
Diluc raised his sword.
But the dragon's enormous wing slammed down, knocking the swords from the servants' hands. Even Diluc, a knight, was thrown to the ground by the sheer force.
The dragon was overwhelming—terrifyingly powerful. Against Diluc and Kaeya, who had only recently awakened their Visions and learned swordsmanship, Ursa was nearly invincible. A single blow had defeated the entire convoy, overturning the carriage.
Injured, Diluc shouted, "Father, are you alright?"
Kaeya, also wounded, forced himself up and ran toward the carriage. "Father!"
Terrified, they wanted to flee, but they couldn't abandon their father.
They lifted the carriage and found Crepus, also injured.
Diluc urgently asked, "Father, how are you?"
Kaeya said, "Father, Diluc, take Father and go. I'll hold off the dragon."
Everyone knew that unless the Knights arrived in time, they wouldn't escape. But still, they didn't give up. Kaeya was willing to sacrifice himself to buy his father and brother a chance to live.
Brave as he was, Kaeya was far too weak against Ursa. Even with his Vision and swordsmanship, he was nothing before the dragon.
Seeing Diluc hesitate, Kaeya shouted angrily, "Diluc, don't just stand there! Get Father out of here!"
As Kaeya yelled, the dragon swooped down again, claws and fangs bared.
Kaeya charged with his sword.
Seeing this, Diluc carried his wounded father and tried to escape.
But they were too slow. The dragon opened its maw, gathering purple energy and launching it at them.
There was no time to dodge.
With a deafening explosion, the dragon's claws and wings struck, devastating everything around them, sending up clouds of dust.
When the dust cleared, the servants were dead or wounded, their cries echoing through the forest. Kaeya had dropped his sword and fallen, his defiant gaze scanning the scene for Crepus and Diluc.
On the other side, Diluc had also failed to escape with his father. They lay on the ground, both grievously wounded.
When would the Knights arrive?
Diluc wanted to call for help, but the dragon gave him no time. It swooped down again, this time targeting Crepus.
Diluc grabbed his fallen sword and charged without hesitation. He couldn't let his father die. He would shield him with his own body.
Unsurprisingly, Diluc was sent crashing into a tree, blood staining the bark.
Seeing his injured sons and his wailing servants, Crepus finally made his decision. He reached into his chest and grasped the Delusion.
He was not a knight. But in this moment, he chose to act like one.