"Watch out!"
Amber swiftly drew her bow from behind, elemental energy gathering in her hand as she conjured an arrow out of thin air.
Tch. Unlimited arrows, huh? Elemental power really is cheating.
Gong Qu didn't spare a single thought for the bow he'd gifted to Sebas the gatekeeper. His right arm cradled Klee, while his left hand pulled out a dragonbone sword.
Boom! Boom!
Amber shattered a few surprise water projectiles mid-air, but there were three Abyss Mages on the opposing side. Over a dozen water arrows slipped through the gaps in Amber's suppressive fire, streaking toward them like deadly rain.
Without hesitation, Gong Qu plunged the dragonbone sword into the ground.
Dendro Ultimate — Frenzied Flora: Modified Version!
A sharp, spine-tingling sound tore through the earth as countless vines erupted and twisted together, forming a living, breathing shield of greenery.
Thunk-thunk-thunk!
The water arrows slammed into the shield, exploding into patches of grassy spores. A few vines were severed, but the wall held strong.
"So strong!" Amber gasped, with no time to admire it further.
The three Abyss Mages, unfazed by the failed ambush, immediately resumed alternating spells in seamless succession. Suspicious orbs and water spheres launched in volleys—a full-scale bombardment.
"Baron Bunny, go!"
Amber hurled a plush bunny into the middle of the mages with a practiced arc.
Then she rolled to the side and fired a flaming arrow right at the toy.
BOOM!
The explosion roared, flames sweeping outward—but were halted by three shimmering azure domes. Elemental shields.
Amber grimaced. "This isn't going to be easy. My elemental burst only works at close range, and those shields are tough to crack from a distance. Traveler, can you cover me?"
"No need for all that. Klee, toss out a few Boom Booms."
"Okay! Klee to the rescue!"
Still nestled comfortably in Gong Qu's arms, Klee pulled a few adorable-looking bombs from her small backpack.
Gong Qu re-channeled Dendro energy into the dragonbone sword, which caused the plant shield to expand, transforming into a full-blown fortress.
Then he took one of Klee's bombs and lobbed it in a perfect arc over the barricade, landing it right at the mages' feet.
KA-BOOM!
A thunderous detonation shook the air—far louder than Amber's Baron Bunny blast.
One explosion followed another in relentless succession. The ground trembled for over a minute as the barrage continued.
Finally, when Gong Qu reached for another, his hand met empty air.
"Klee, out of Boom Booms?"
Gong Qu couldn't help but admit—something about those explosions was really satisfying.
Klee pouted. "Klee wants to play too!"
Amber sweat-dropped. "Klee, we're fighting bad guys. This isn't playtime. Besides, you're too small to throw that far."
Klee drooped. "Okay…"
Gong Qu ruffled her hair with a chuckle. "Don't worry, Klee. Once things settle down, I'll take you to my secret base. There's a huge lake there. You can bomb as many fish as you like—and Jean won't be able to stop you."
"Really?!"
"Of course! When have I ever lied to you?"
"Then… pinky promise!"
Seeing her hold up her little finger, eyes sparkling, Gong Qu couldn't help but think back to Lumine's warning about keeping Alice in check.
It's just a pinky promise… surely Lady Alice won't obliterate me over this… right?
With a slightly uneasy smile, Gong Qu still linked his pinky with Klee's.
"It's a promise! We'll go bomb fish together!"
"Mhm! Yay! I love you, big bro! Mwah~"
Without warning, Klee planted a kiss on his cheek, her face still carrying the scent of milk. She nuzzled against his neck like a giddy little bunny.
Looking over at Amber, Gong Qu caught a weird mix of surprise, envy, and something he couldn't quite place in her gaze.
This trip to Teyvat is getting more and more out of hand…
"Klee, earlier you said the Abyss Mages are targeting the Knights. Do you remember what they were talking about?"
"Mhm! Yesterday, I, um, accidentally left the city and saw two fluffies behind Dawn Winery. They were saying something about defeating the Knights and welcoming some kind of princess, but I don't really remember the rest…"
"Defeat the Knights… and bring back the Abyss Princess?"
"Yeah yeah yeah! That's it! Eh? Big bro, how'd you know?"
Gong Qu just smiled and patted her head, choosing not to answer.
The Abyss Princess, huh?
Was this the whim of some rogue Abyss Herald… or was it the will of that riddle-spouting Abyss Prince, Kong?
He turned to Amber. "Klee's information is important. It means there might be more than one group of Abyss Mages attacking Jean—and they might even bring out Abyss Heralds."
"You take Klee back—I'll go help them!" ×2
They spoke in unison.
Then exchanged a grin.
"Fine, let's go together. I'll send Klee to play in the Serenitea Pot for now."
Seeing their serious faces, Klee didn't argue this time. She lowered her head, clearly disappointed.
"Klee, be good. The battlefield isn't safe for kids. Leave this to us big brothers and sisters, okay? You can go play with Yuan."
"Yuan?"
"The Teapot Spirit who guards my Serenitea Pot. She's a big, round sparrow."
"A big sparrow!"
Soon after, with Yuan still in stunned silence, Klee was safely handed off, and Gong Qu rejoined Amber.
"Oh right, Amber—try this bow."
He handed her a new weapon, enchanted to the brim with every buff except unlimited ammo.
"A wooden bow?"
"Don't underestimate it. Sure, it's not the most durable, but its power should surprise you."
Amber took it skeptically.
"Oof… it's heavy."
"Get used to the weight on the road. I think it'll grow on you."
Deep in Whispering Woods…
Acting Grand Master Jean of the Knights of Favonius swung her sword, the Falcon of the West, decapitating a Hilichurl Shaman in one clean arc.
No time to breathe—another Hilichurl Berserker charged like thunder, weapon raised high.
"Icebound!"
A large blue greatsword slammed in from the flank, its force enough to knock the berserker off balance, exposing a wide opening.
"Hah!"
Jean moved in with perfect timing, elemental energy coursing through her blade. Wind-enhanced, her piercing strike drove straight through the enemy, dropping it in a single blow.
"Thanks, Eula!"
"Hmph. Stay sharp, daughter of the Gunnhildr clan."
Back-to-back, the two women eyed the growing horde around them.
"How's Kaeya holding up?"
"Not great. Without the high-grade artifacts Gong Qu gave you, he's in trouble. But he was worried about leaving you solo, so he sent me."
Jean chose not to question whether Kaeya really had the authority to send Eula. That could wait.
"There was no sign of the Abyss for so long… why now, all of a sudden?"
"Obviously—because it's time to bring our princess home!"
From behind a Hilichurl Berserker, an Abyss Mage wrapped in an icy shield stepped into view.
"Abyss Mage! What are you doing here?!"
"Hehehe… We've been watching the Princess for a long time. After losing her companions, she teeters on the edge of the Abyss. But you… you are the obstacle in her path. Remove you, and she'll return to us willingly."
"And when that happens, under our Prince and Princess, the Abyss will bring eternal night to Teyvat!"
Before Jean could even respond to the mage's cryptic declarations, a shout rang out from afar:
"Bullseye!"
Followed by the whistle of an arrow, radiating raw, terrifying Pyro energy.