Onde

8

“Come, the view is absolutely breathtaking!”
Lumine and Tartaglia joined Amber at the edge of the cliff. A wide valley was expanding in front of them, crossed by a clear river, and on the right was growing a giant tree. Under the warm sunrays everything seemed covered in gold.
“Wow, it’s majestic!” marvelled the girl.
“I must admit even in Snezhnaya we don’t have such trees.” joked his friend.
She threw him an amused glance and added:
“It’s because you don’t have the Adepti to bless your land. I hope they’ll help us find clues today; let’s fly to that sacred tree, and maybe we’ll have our answer.”
The three of them ran and jumped over the edge, then opened their glider and started flying. Lumine loved this feeling of freedom each time she let the wind carry her. She was like a bird; she could go wherever she wished. She glanced at her companions and with a smile they started racing towards their goal. As they were accelerating in the air the traveller laughed, enjoying the speed and risk. From time to time a powerful breeze carried them higher, lifting them as if they were as light as leaves. Amber arrived first, quickly followed by Lumine, and then Childe performed acrobatics before landing in front of them.
“Very awe-inspiring.” commented the traveller with friendly sarcasm.
“Quite as much as the amount of monsters in the area.” he answered in the same tone.
They looked around and noticed several camps and groups of creatures scattered in the valley. It looked as if they had been installed for a long time but the only place they avoided was the tree, as if an invisible wall prevented them from getting nearer than a hundred meters.
“Though I’ve never been there I don’t think their presence is usual. Something is definitely happening, and I’m sure it’s linked to my brother.”
“You’re quite right, Ojou-chan, and if we want to figure it out we can ask those slimes.”
He pointed out three Anemo creatures flying above the river. They were going around the tree’s preserved zone and carrying a box. As they passed before them the Harbinger took out his bow and said:
“Amber! The first to shoot them down wins the right to open the box!”
“That’s unfair!” protested Lumine. “I don’t have a bow.”
“Well you can still witness my archery skills.”
“I don’t care, and I won’t remain here letting you get all the fun.”
Thus, she activated her resonance and a strong breeze dragged the slimes to them.
“Now the rest of the monsters won’t notice if you kill them. But do it quickly or they’ll alert the others.”
Her friends fired two arrows each and hit the last slime at the same time. The traveller caught the box and opened it.
“There’s a message inside!”
“What does it say?”
“I don’t know, it’s hard to read.”
“Let me see.”
Amber took the paper and read aloud:
„Bald wird die Möglichkeit kommen. Lässt eure Stellungen und geht. Ziel ist im vorigen Zettel.“
“How come you decipher it so well?” asked Tartaglia.
“We had problems with monsters and secret messages in Mondstadt.”
“I see. And what does it mean?”
She translated and Lumine sighed:
“I’m glad we found this but in the end it doesn’t help much. Where could be the previous message?”
“My guess would be in one of those camps but it’ll take time to search this valley filled with monsters. Looks like an Adeptus didn’t do his work.”
“I wouldn’t speak so lightly in your stead.”
The three adventurers turned quickly. Up on a branch of the tree was seated a silhouette, its golden eyes glaring at them. Its back against the trunk, it seemed to have been there for some time, and a spear laid next to it.
“Impressive,” replied an unfazed Childe “and who might you be?”
A cold shadow passed in his gaze and he stood up.
“Who are you and what are you doing here, strangers?”
Lumine prevented Tartaglia from speaking and explained:
“We’re only travellers, and my friends help me looking for my brother. He might be linked to those monsters but I still don’t know why.”
“So he’s the one who let them come here.”
“You’ve seen him?”
Without answering he grabbed his spear and jumped. He landed nimbly before joining them and spoke:
“He disappeared days ago, before I had the chance to eliminate him.”
Hearing this, the girl shivered. He stared at her for one second and she noticed a slight change in his attitude.
“I have the message you’re looking for. Thanks for your friend I understand it better.”
“Could you let me see it, please?”
With a silent nod he handed her the paper. A rough plan was drafted on it with a cross next to the name ‘Lingju Pass’.
“So we’ll find him in the south, eventually.” remarked Tartaglia.
Lumine gave the stranger a look full of gratitude and said:
“Thank you so much, you’re truly helping us!”
He seemed puzzled but quickly regained his composure.
“You’d better solve his case quickly. Once I’m done with the monsters in this region, if it isn’t settled I’ll handle things myself.”
“You won’t do anything to her sibling.” threatened Childe.
“Don’t be so arrogant, human.”
“Please,” intervened Amber, “don’t start a fight. I’m sure everything will be okay in a few days. Right, Lumine?”
“Yes, I’ll do the impossible to save my brother. So please, just let me a bit of time and I promise you won’t have to defend your territory like this again.”
Her eyes full of hope, she tried to persuade the mysterious young man. He hesitated, then sighed:
“Fine. But don’t fail.”
“I swear I won’t. Thank you.”
She paused and mustered her courage to ask:
“If I may, what is your name?”
Again, he looked surprised but he answered:
“Xiao.”