Silver's PoV...
I woke up to the sound of light snoring. Looking down, I saw Lyra hugging me in her sleep. Gently, I pried her off me and got ready for today. Walking downstairs, I scarfed down some breakfast and gave Sam an acknowledging nod.
"Mornin' Sam. Everyone ready to roll?"
"Just about. We need a few more hours before we're ready to depart."
Throwing on my coat, I made for the door. "Got that. I'm gonna head on down first, prep the traders to get cleaned out. You know how it is." My staff and I shared a hearty laugh before I stepped out into the cold once more.
Looking around, I noticed how the snow had covered up all the footprints from yesterday like they didn't even exist. Letting out a sigh, I watched as my breath formed tiny droplets of water that were carried away upon the wind before I made my way down the mountain, sword clinking at my hip.
Once I was a comfortable distance from the Roost, I cupped my hands to my mouth and let out a shrill whistle that pierced the morning wind. I held the tune for several seconds before letting it die down and just as I was beginning to look up, Ginda slammed down before me, kicking all the snow around her high into the sky.
Letting out a chuckle, I brushed myself off and began to scratch her scales, my lips letting draconic slip just as easily as it did common. "How've you been, sister?"
"Wonderful. I was getting anxious about when our next flight would be."
I smiled as I climbed upon her back, absentmindedly running my hand over the emerald gem affixed to her neck by a black necklace. "As was I. Come now, I've gotta warn the traders about their imminent clean-out."
The two of us chuckled as Ginda took to the skies, the flap of her wings making hardly a sound. We drifted upon the winds for some time, enjoying the time we had together before the black dragon started angling her wings down, taking us into a shallow dive.
"I'm sorry, but I smell Dvalin on the wind. It isn't--"
I cut her off. "Don't worry, sister, I smell him too. C'mon, let's-- wait..." I let my words trail off as a blue beacon of light shot into the sky. "Ginda, take us as close to Starfell Lake as you can, something's going on down there."
"I'll try, but you do--"
"I know. Dvalin. Just get as close as you can and I'll walk the rest. Please. You know what this means to me."
Ginda just let out a sigh before molding the wind around us, masking our presence from the world. She managed to get half-way over the Whispering Woods before making a bee-line for the ground.
"He's here!"
Gritting my teeth, I hopped off Ginda's back. "Hide, now! I'll... I'll see--" I was cut off as Dvalin let out a roar and took to the skies with a burst of violent wind.
Climbing up a near-by tree, I lept through the forest and stopped as my eyes fell upon a golden-haired girl, dressed in exotic white clothing, and a strange, small, floating child by her side. They were standing before a strange red gem. I listened closely to their conversation.
The strange child held her chin as the two of them gazed at the gem. "Paimon's never seen a stone like this before, so Paimon can't tell what it is. All Paimon knows is that it's dangerous. Best we put it away for now." The golden-haired girl grabbed it and tucked it away while giving her travel companion a nod. "Okay, we've got it! Now let's get out of here."
"We head south from here, right Paimon?" The girl looked up at the floating child, who was apparently called Paimon. Weird how the child talks about herself in the third person, but then again, I was raised by dragons, so I'm not one to talk.
"That's right, Lumine! Southwards to Mondstadt!"
I followed the two through the woods before the voice of a familiar Outrider ordered them to stop. "Hey, you! Stop right there!" I watched as Amber leaped off a cliff and rolled to a stop before the two travelers. "May the Anemo God protect you, stranger! I am Amber, Outrider for the Knights of Favonious. You don't look like citizens of Mondstadt. Explain yourselves!"
Paimon spoke up as Lumine looked the sole Outrider up and down. "We're not looking for trouble."
"That's what all the troublemakers say."
I hopped down from my perch as Lumine introduced herself. "Hello, I'm Lumine."
Amber looked at her as I walked up behind the two travelers. "...Doesn't sound like a local name to me."
"Do they look like locals?" Lumine, Paimon, and Amber jumped as I spoke up.
"Gah! How'd you sneak up on Paimon?!"
"I used the trees." Paimon gave me a confused look. "Let 'em go, Amber. I was watching them for a bit and they don't look like they're up to no good."
Amber nodded. "I... see... Well, uh... This... mascot, Lumine was it? What's the deal with it?"
Lumine let out a smirk. "Emergency food." I couldn't help but laugh as Paimon let out a fit.
"Hey! That's even worse than being a mascot!"
Amber let out a smile as whatever remaining tension in the air vanished. "So to sum it up, you're traveling partners, right?" Lumine nodded. "Well look, there's been a large dragon sighted around Mondstadt recently. Much bigger than the usual six that occasionally poke their heads out, but those dragons tend to avoid us humans." Archons damnit, guys... "Best you get inside the city as soon as possible. And Silver?"
I turned my attention from Mondstadt in the distance to her. "Yeah?"
"If you're here for a supply run, you'd best get it over with as soon as possible. I don't want to see you getting hurt."
I smiled and ruffled her hair, causing her to pout. "Don't worry about it, my staff knows what they're doing."
"I thought I told you to stop doing that! We're not that far off in age, y'know!" She took a bit of time to fix her hair. "Ahem. Mondstadt's not far from here, I'll escort you there."
I opened my mouth to question her, but Paimon beat me to the punch. "Oh? Aren't you out here for some other reason?"
"I am. But not to worry, I can keep all three of you safe while doing that too."
I narrowed my eyes as Amber stood proud. "You've been tasked to deal with some hilichurl camps that've been getting too close to the city, haven't you?"
Amber's eyes widened. "How--?"
"Amber, it's written all over your face. And besides, you know I can handle myself out there, no need to worry yourself over me." She made a move to protest but I shot it down. "Amber, just let us help, okay?"
Lumine perked up, confused. "Wait, 'us'?"
Amber looked between Lumine and me. "I... I guess I can let you guys help. But--."
I smiled and booped Amber on the nose, catching her off-guard. "Relax, I won't let any of us get hurt, okay? Now c'mon Lumine, I wanna see what a unique traveler such as yourself can do."
Lumine let out a sigh as we began to move out. "I had a feeling you were volunteering me..."
We walked for a bit before Amber asked a very good question. "So, suspicious travelers," Really? They're still suspicious? "what are you doing in Mondstadt?"
I opened my mouth to shoot down what Amber said before freezing. "That's... a really good question. Why are you two in Mondstadt?"
Lumine tried to answer but failed immediately. "I--."
Thankfully, Paimon took over for her. "Lumine got separated from her brother during a really, really long journey." You're hiding something... "Paimon is her travel buddy, helping her to find her brother."
Amber's tone swiftly softened. "Oh, looking for your family... Huh."
I lightly bit my lip. "That's gotta be rough. Hope you find him soon."
Lumine's sour frown softened, if only a little. "Thank you."
Amber gave me a glance before talking to Lumine. "Okay! Let me finish my other stuff first, and then I can help you put up posters around the city..."
Spotting the Hilichurl camp, I stopped and drew my blade. "We're here. Hope you girls are ready for a fight!"
Letting out a smirk, Lumine summoned a sword to her hand and rushed forward with zero regard for her own safety. Letting out a groan, I drew my blade and shouted to Amber as I chased after the girl.
"Amber, covering fire!"
"On it!"
Stabbing a hilichurl that had snuck up on the careless girl in the eye, I let it fall to the ground with my blade lodged in its skull. Narrowing my eyes as two more rushed me, I flipped over one of their swings and formed the claws of an icy dragon around my left hand. Ducking under the sing of the second hilichurl, I ran the serrated teeth of my gauntlet through its neck before dealing a swift kick to the first hilichurl's head.
As it was still stunned, I drew my dagger from my back and drove it into the poor creature's neck, ending it before it could get a single sound out. Looking around, I saw that Amber and Lumine had taken out the rest of the camp (granted, it wasn't really that big. I've seen bigger up on Dragonspine) and as such, I walked over to my bloodied sword, still stuck in a hilichurl's skull.
Casually, I wiped clean the dagger I used to end that third hilichurl and tucked it away. After which, I placed my foot on the first dead hilichurl's chest and grasped my sword's handle, tugging hard. As I did so, I berated Lumine.
"Lumine, I know you're probably new to Mondstast and all, but that's no excuse for blindly rushing into a hilichurl camp. I mean, if it wasn't for me, you probably would have had a hilichurl club in the back of your head, and Archons knows what would have happened after that! So please, next time you're about to get into a fight: take a moment and plan your attack. I've heard and seen too many travelers and adventurers die because they were too gung-ho." I finally freed my blade from bone and began to wipe it off. "I'd hate to be the one to tell your brother you died because of some silly, preventable mistake." I looked over to see Lumine hanging her head in shame. Giving a glance to Amber, I walked over and gently lifted Lumine's chin. "However, that doesn't change the fact you're one hell of a fighter." Lumine took a few moments to process my words, but once she did, she mirrored my grin.
"Thanks, Silver."
"No problem. Getting back on topic, Amber! Any more camps around that you need to deal with?"
She walked up, hugging her Baron Bunny. "Nope! That's all the hilichurls dealt with, for now!"
Paimon started to hold her chin. "Now that you mention it, how is it the hilichurls ended up here? These creatures don't seem like the type to set up camp so close to cities like this."
I looked over at a hilichurl that Lumine had killed with the power of Anemo. "They're not. They usually keep their distance from humans, only occasionally going out to strike us. Why are they so aggressive recently?" Could it be because Dvalin's been getting more and more active recently?
Amber nodded. "It's because the dragon -- Stormterror --" I winced at the name the humans have given Dvalin, "has been around a lot more recently, our orchards have been destroyed and the local market has been affected as well." Great, prices are gonna be through the roof. "When the storms hit, we usually end up with at least a few injuries, so the Knights of Favonious have been tied up doing the best they can to defend the area."
Paimon placed her tiny fists on her tiny hips. "So these annoying creatures have been getting closer and closer to the city?"
"Exactly. That said, clearing this camp helped make the area a little bit safer. Come with me! A responsible knight must make sure to see you to the city safely."
I smiled. "Lead the way, Amber."
The four of us walked (well, Paimon floated) across the stone bridge that led to Mondstadt before stepping foot beyond the gate. Smiling to myself, I took in a deep breath and grinned.
"Mondstadt... It's good to be back."
I'm gonna be trying to get a good handful of chapters done before Christmas time, that way I can have a Christmas special release on said day! It'll take place in the Dragon Roost, and won't be canon to the timeline. Please look forward to it, everyone! (And tell me who your favorite Genshin Waifu is. Please.)