The wind that morning was less gentle than usual.
It moved through Mondstadt's streets in uneven currents, tugging lightly at banners. She felt it before she heard the whispers a pressure, low and distant, like a breath held for too long. Her chest tightened, the fracture beneath her skin stirring faintly, not flaring, listening.
>>"The wind..."<< Paimon murmured nearby and then perked up.
>>"Lumine, remember? We're supposed to meet Amber today for the gliding license. And if the wind's getting stronger, you should be extra careful!"<<
Lumine nodded, slowing her steps as she looked around to reorient herself, already adjusting their path toward the meeting point Amber had mentioned the day before.
The plaza slowly gave way to open ground as they made their way toward the city gates and the wind followed them, no longer playful, but a bit restless tugging at cloaks and hair alike.
Amber was already waiting near the first gliding area, hands on her hips and her bow resting at her back.
>>"Hey! You made it!"<< she called out, waving energetically while jumping.
>>"Right on time too. It's Perfect day for a gliding exam! Provided the weather doesn't get worse, of course"<<
Paimon squinted up at the sky.
>>"Perfect? Paimon thinks the wind looks kinda angry... "<<
Amber laughed.
>>"That's just Mondstadt weather. A little wind never hurt anyone."<<
Then she glanced at Lumine, Paimon and then her, Amber's is smile softening.
>>"Though... you should probably stay close, okay? Strong currents can be tricky and I'm glad that you are fit again."<<
Amber glides along the first practice track with the trio while she explains everything, Lumine keeping an eye on her companion and Amber keeping an eye on both of them out of the corner of her eye. Paimon can fly, so she worried less about her.
After they landed at the point, Amber accompanied them to the next practice course. The wind grew stronger there, rolling in uneven waves she slowed, her steps faltering and Lumine noticed that and waited for her. The pressure returned, not sharp, not violent but it feels just wrong again.
The fracture beneath her skin stirred again, responding to something far above. The air bent strangely around her, Lumine noticed her reaction at speaks and gets closer to asked quietly.
>>"Are you alright? I'm a little worried about you."<<
She nodded, though her fingers curled tightly at her side.
>>"The wind feels... heavier, please be careful..."<<
Amber cleared her throat, clapping her hands together.
>>"Okay! Let's get started before it gets any worse, You two still have two tracks ahead of you."<<
She launched the into the explanation with practiced ease.
>>"As you surely noticed on the first track Gliding is simple trust the wind, don't fight it, and always keep your balance."<<
Together they glide down the 2 track again.
>>"See? Easy!"<< Amber grinned.
But before Lumine and her companion could respond
The wind screamed.
A violent current tore through the air, knocking dust and loose stones into the sky. The ground trembled beneath their feet. She gasped, dropping to one knee as the pressure surged, no longer distant.
>>"That's...!"<< Amber started but cannot complete her words a roar split the heavens and subreport they.
High above, clouds twisted violently, forming a massive vortex.
A shadow passed through it vast wings, glowing eyes.
It is Stormterror.
Paimon screamed. >>"Th-That's a dragon!"<<
Amber's expression hardened instantly, her cheerful demeanor gone and she shouted.
>>"Everyone, get down! Now!"<<
A blast of wind slammed into them, Lumine shielded Paimon instinctively, while Amber planted her feet, bracing herself.
But the Nameless companion was unprotected, Lumine saw her Nameless companion fell on her knees the fracture flare violently not with power, but with pain.
The world pressed down on her, forcing her flat against the ground as Stormterror's cry echoed across Mondstadt.
The Sky Breaks Open, the wind screamed.
It was no longer something that carried voices or songs it was a weapon and Lumine barely had time to react before the air itself buckled and forming translucent walls of Anemo that snapped into place around Mondstadt and above them, Stormterror's silhouette tore through the clouds.
Paimon clutched at Lumine's shoulder, a bit shaking and afraid of blown away.
>>"L-Lumine! The city, we have to do something!"
Amber was already shouting orders, her voice sharp and steady despite the chaos.
>>"Knights! Protect the civilians! Get everyone inside! Fast!"<<
Lumine moved instinctively, pulling Paimon with her and then she noticed Noxira.
She was pressed down and had dropped to one knee, one hand braced against the stone as if the Air, Sky or Anemo power itself were trying to crush her. The air around her warped strangely, bending away and snapping back like a stretched string her breath came shallow it is not fear it is Recognition.
Stormterror circled once more, Lumine tried to reach her doged obstacles and jumped after her, reached her hand after her and she returned it but before she could reach her, she was blown into sky with the Stormterror and vanished into the clouds, she looked up at Lumine and Paimon who clinged to Lumine.
She know Lumine tried to reach her and she know that she is know fighting up there, she wants to help Lumine and stand up but she can't she gasped, fingers digging into the stone. Lumine fighted against Stormterror, lightflashes from Anemo energy was seen and after a while Lumine came back and Stormterror escaped, he flew away and she feeld as if she'd just woken from drowning after Stormterror left but fainted from this pressure and Lumine find her Companion in the care of Jean and Lisa.
The other Knights of Favonius help the civilians Jean stood at the center of it all but stayed nearby, issuing orders, listening, deciding. When her eyes landed on Lumine, they sharpened with resolve.
>>"You fought well and you stayed calm. Mondstadt needs that right now."<<
Jean said in a gentle but authoritative voice she was fully in leader mode, but her gaze shifted briefly to her, to Lumines companion on the ground not in suspicion but assessment.
>>"In my office. We have to talk."<< Jean led them into her office and Lisa leaned against a table nearby, arms crossed, eyes half-lidded. She had been watching her since they entered.
>>"Interesting... she reacted after Stormterror arrivel and when he left."<<
Jean turned and glanced briefly to her.
>>"And what does that mean? She fainted"<<
Lisa smiled faintly, but there was no humor in it.
>>"It means the dragon wasn't the cause. Just the trigger and she Now experiencing memories, that's my assumption."<<
While she was unconscious Lumine looked worried at her Jean and Lisa exchanged worried glances, but what they don't know. Lisa was right, she experienced memories and while she does that they discussed plans but also talked about her because she doesn't just lies there, she twitched, whines turns restless.
They spoke about the tear Lumine found before she met her, it was corrupted a crystalline fragment humming with corrupted Anemo energy.
The humming from the energy reaches her too, the fracture in her face pulsed but nobody see it. Lumine observed and listen to what they all assume. What she feels in her unconscioussnes is not pain but pressure. A sensation like something trying to align her and failing, the world tilted in her memoried for a moment, the ruins around her weren't ruins they were different.
Stone spires under a sky too pale to be Teyvat's a battlefield suspended in silence a woman's voice calm, distant, disappointed.
>>"You were never meant to stay whole."<<
She flinched her breath hitches and tears are forming in her eyes but Lisa caught it instantly.
>>" Jean look, Someone isn't as cold and collected as you'd think. Poor, sweet thing."<<
Jean looked at her and frowns and assumed thoughtfully.
>>"Do you think it's because of the tear?<<
Lisa circled it slowly and when she wanted to touch it, she was rejected and pulls her hand away.
>>"Ouch ! Abyssal corruption.... It is Refined and Deliberate. It reacts to her presence..."<<
Jean frowned thoughtfully.
>>"Can it be cleaned ?"<<
Lisa she thoughtfully places her hand on her chin.
>>"Definitely not by me but... perhaps..."<<
Lisa's eyes flicked to Lumine and her Companion.
The Tear pulsed harder when it comes near the companion from Lumine and she tensed and whines, the fracture in her face glowed.
Lisa's smile vanished instantly.
>>"It reacts when she's near... but it doesn't recognize her and it... hurts her ? had a extrem affect"<<
Jean stiffened and looked at her with mixed feelings.
>>"Lisa please explain..."<<
Lisa It explains it directly.
>>"Well... Whatever broke her it wasn't the Abyss. But it left a scar that the Abyss notices."<<
The fracture beneath her skin burned not painfully, but insistently she experienced another flash not a battlefield this time she heard a name she had once answered to without thinking and again heard she the melancholy melody. A woman hold both her Hands her fingers interwine and then the vision blurred but she heard she whispered, barely audible:
>>"Noxira..."<<
Everyone turned their gaze instantly to her sharply because they heard her mumble, when she woke up and pressed a hand to her chest, breathing hard.
>>"My name..."<<
She is breathing heavily and calm slowly down.
>>"It's...Noxira, my name is Noxira"<<
Lisa's eyes softened just a little.
>>"Well then..."<<
She said quietly and charmingly.
>>"Welcome back, my dear."<<
Lumine stepped forward with Paimon and Lumine was about to say something but Paimon he interrupts her, full of excitement.
>>"Finally Paimon can speak to you now properly!"<<
Lumine still smiled gentle and added.
>>"I'm glad to have finally gotten to know you properly, Noxira."<<
Limone she noticed the tears that were still on her face and pointed them out, but Noxira only wiped one side away, whereupon Lumine laughed slightly and gently wiped them away.
She looked up at Lumine who still smiled and helped Noxira slowly on her feet, Noxira nods gratefully and squeezed her hand gentle as a silent 'thank you' Lumine nodded shortly.
Lisa can't supress a smirk at the sight and interrupted carefully.
>>"The tear, my dear."<<
Lumine nodded and takes the tear, the Tear reacted violently then stilled. Anemo responded to her call naturally, cleanly and the corruption peeled away like mist under sunlight. Noxira watched, transfixed, she feels no pain and no pressure just... absence. The tear's workings are gone, simply vanished and the Tear dulled, purified and for the first time since waking in the ruins, Noxira felt the fracture quiet.
Not healed but acknowledged. Venti was not there but someone else, the observer again near and unseen his gaze landed on Noxira and murmured.
>>"Names are anchors and she's just found hers"<<