The group moved through the dense forest of Teyvat, their footsteps muffled by the thick layer of moss and fallen leaves beneath them. The air was thick with the scent of earth and nature, and every now and then, a faint breeze would carry the sound of distant waterfalls, adding a peaceful backdrop to the unfamiliar world around them.
Lumine led the way with practiced ease, her steps fluid and purposeful, while Noah, Kiana, and Elysia followed closely behind. Despite the tension that lingered in the air, there was an undeniable sense of unity between them—a shared purpose driving them forward.
The forest seemed endless, a labyrinth of towering trees and winding paths, but Lumine didn't seem lost. Her golden eyes, sharp and calculating, never wavered from the trail ahead.
Eventually, she glanced over her shoulder at the trio. "Since we'll be walking for a while… perhaps a proper introduction to this world would help."
She turned, slowing her pace just slightly as she spoke. "Teyvat is a land governed by elemental forces—Anemo, Geo, Electro, Dendro, Hydro, Pyro, and Cryo. These elements are granted through Visions, and each of the seven nations is tied to one of them."
"There are seven nations?" Kiana asked, wide-eyed.
"Yes," Lumine said. "Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, Sumeru, Fontaine, Natlan, and Snezhnaya. Each ruled by an Archon, a god who embodies an ideal. The Anemo Archon governs Mondstadt, the land of freedom. That's where we're headed."
As they continued forward, the terrain began to shift. Trees gave way to an open ridge, where stone paths wove between ancient moss-covered ruins. At the heart of the clearing stood a towering statue—elegant, serene, and glowing faintly with wind-elemental energy. The wind, once still, danced softly around it.
Kiana blinked. "Whoa. What is that?"
Lumine paused, stepping toward it. "That's a Statue of The Seven," she explained. "Each nation has them—dedicated to their respective Archons. This one belongs to Barbatos, the Anemo Archon. Travelers use them to resonate with the land… to receive power."
Elysia brushed her fingers along the base. "It's beautiful. It feels… alive."
Kiana eagerly stepped forward and touched the statue. A gentle breeze curled around her fingers, but no change occurred. Elysia did the same—calm, graceful—and the air responded with a shimmer of recognition, though it passed without incident.
Noah approached last. Just as he was about to reach out, the Force surged around him.
He paused, eyes narrowing. The Force whispered—not a warning, but a nudge.
"…huh." Noah halted just short of the statue, his hand hovering near its surface. Then he looked back at the quiet blonde standing nearby.
"Lumine, please touch it," he said, nodding toward her. His voice was steady, but firm. "It feels like this moment includes you too."
Lumine blinked. "Me? Why?"
"The Force—my power. It reacts to what is hidden beneath the surface," Noah explained. "It's telling me this is meant for you."
Skeptical, but curious, Lumine stepped forward. Her hand hovered over the statue's surface, uncertain—then made contact.
The wind roared.
A surge of emerald light spiraled around her, flaring outward. Her eyes widened as the Anemo element flowed into her—resonating with something buried deep within. She staggered back, glowing with a faint aura.
The others looked on in stunned silence.
Kiana gasped. "Lumine… you just—did you just unlock a power?"
Elysia's expression shifted, astonished. "It responded to you… why?"
Noah stepped forward calmly, hands clasped behind his back. "Because she was meant to. The Force is an energy that surrounds and connects everything—it nudges, whispers, reveals. I felt it drawing her to this moment."
Kiana tilted her head. "So… you're like a seer or something?"
He smiled slightly. "Something like that. I am Jedi. A sort of guardian of balance."
Lumine looked down at her hands as the green light faded. She flexed her fingers slowly. "This… this is Anemo. The wind." Her voice trembled slightly, caught between awe and uncertainty. She turned her palm upward, watching the lingering shimmer of green swirl above her skin. A quiet breath escaped her lips as if something inside her had just awakened—something ancient and familiar, yet new. "I… I didn't expect this."
Noah nodded. "Then let the wind guide us forward."
And with new power awakened and quiet wonder in their hearts, they pressed on.
Toward Mondstadt. Toward destiny.
But before they could reach the forest's edge, the wind shifted—no longer a soft breeze, but a sharp gust carrying the scent of ash and rust. Noah's steps slowed. His hand drifted toward his saber.
"They're close," he said.
From the shadows between the trees emerged several twisted creatures—half-born of Abyss, their bodies stitched with corruption, dragging weapons warped by dark energy. They screeched in unison and lunged.
Noah stepped forward instantly, saber flaring to life with a brilliant blue arc. "Stay behind me!"
But Lumine raised a hand.
"No," she said quietly. "Let me try."
The wind responded.
Anemo shimmer pulsed around her as she moved instinctively, almost as if she'd known this power all along. She swept her hand outward, and a sudden gust spiraled into a focused burst, slamming one of the creatures back against a tree. Another leapt, and she twisted her body, using the rising wind to vault and strike from above.
Kiana stared in amazement. "She's… already fighting like that?!"
Elysia loosed an arrow beside her, watching Lumine with thoughtful awe. "It's not just instinct. It's like the wind knows her too."
Noah parried a strike from the side and drove the saber into the creature's core. "She's not just resonating. She's awakening."
Together, they pushed forward. Lumine spun in the center of the clearing, the wind answering her call with sharper precision. The last Abyssal beast shrieked before it was hurled skyward in a vortex of green light.
Silence returned. Leaves drifted gently back to the forest floor.
Lumine stood in the center, breath steady but eyes wide.
"That… was me," she whispered.
Noah lowered his saber. "And that's only the beginning."
Kiana stepped closer to Lumine, her eyes wide with admiration. "That was amazing! You were like—woosh! And bam!" She mimed the swirling wind attack, beaming. "I can't believe that power just came to you like that."
Elysia gave a soft chuckle, twirling an arrow between her fingers. "It suits her. That freedom in her movement… it's like she's danced with the wind her whole life."
Lumine, still catching her breath, offered a hesitant smile. "I didn't think I could do that. It just… happened."
Noah watched her for a moment, then nodded. "That's the nature of the Force—and perhaps, of this world's elements too. They find those who are ready, even before they realize it themselves."
Kiana tilted her head. "Then does that mean we might get powers too?"
Elysia laughed lightly. "Wouldn't that be fun? The wind might be taken, but there are six more to go."
Lumine glanced at them all—curious, cautious, but a little less alone. "I don't know what lies ahead… but I'm glad you're here."
Noah looked toward the forest path winding forward, the air still humming faintly with residual Anemo energy. "Come on," he said. "Mondstadt waits."