Venti put away the "Holy Lyre der Himmel" and explained to Paimon with a smile, "Because this place is actually the ruins of Old Mondstadt."
"Old Mondstadt?" Paimon scratched her head, looking at Venti in confusion. "Why would Mondstadt have an 'old' version? Lumine, do you know why?"
Lumine shook her head as well, looking just as puzzled as she waited for Venti's explanation.
Seeing the curious looks on Paimon and Lumine's faces, Venti chuckled. "I'll tell you once everything here is settled," he said. "For now, the most important thing is to find Dvalin and cleanse the Abyss corruption from him."
"Oh, right! You're right!" Paimon suddenly realized, scratching her head in embarrassment.
"Everyone, be careful!" Jean tightened her grip on the Favonius Sword, her brows knitted as she stared ahead. Not far away, a group of Hilichurl were already charging toward them under the command of an Abyss Mage.
"Ahhh! They're coming, Lumine!" Paimon covered her eyes and ducked behind Lumine.
Lumine drew her Traveler's Handy Sword.
Diluc also readied his weapon and said in a low voice, "Leave these enemies to us. Lord Venti, Lady Lora, the Dragon of the East Wind is in your hands!"
Lora nodded slightly. "Let's go, Venti."
Venti spread his arms, and the Holy Lyre der Himmel floated up into his grasp.
A gentle breeze swept through the region of Old Mondstadt, just like it had years ago—when they raised their banner and brought down the tower.
Venti looked toward the tower, long since decayed and crumbling. Taking a deep breath, he said softly, "Let's go."
The ceaseless winds of Mondstadt lifted Venti and Lora into the air.
Carrying them past the Abyss Mages and Hilichurl below, the wind bore them swiftly toward the ruined tower at the heart of Stormterror's Lair. Around the tower loomed an even more fearsome wall of raging storms.
Using the Holy Lyre der Himmel, Venti broke the seal surrounding the tower. As the howling winds faded, an ancient, moss-covered spire revealed itself before Lora.
She and Venti landed on the tower's uppermost level, where a sigil glowing with a sky-blue light shimmered quietly.
"What is this…?" Lora frowned.
"It's a domain," Venti answered without hesitation.
"Dvalin's?" Lora turned to Venti, questioning him.
Venti fell silent for a moment, then shook his head. "I can't sense Dvalin's presence. It shouldn't be something he created. If that's the case… then there's only one possibility."
"The 'Prince' of the Abyss Order—Lumine's brother," Lora said, already knowing who he meant.
Venti sighed. "Whoever it is, we're at the final step now. No matter what, we have to heal Dvalin. Lora… your body—"
He looked at her with concern, worried she might not be able to withstand what was coming.
"Don't underestimate me," Lora said with a smile.
Though her power had not fully recovered, it was enough. As for Aether, who still had an unfinished war with the "Heavenly Principles," he would not completely tear things apart with the "Archons" at this moment.
"Then let's set off," Venti said. He raised his hand and touched the entrance to the domain. In an instant, a tremendous force of suction burst forth, pulling both him and Lora inside.
After a bout of dizziness, they found themselves no longer atop the tower, but standing on a strange platform.
The tiles beneath their feet were square and neatly arranged like a chessboard, while massive boulders and whirling sand drifted chaotically in the air around them.
Aether stood at the center of the board. At his side were unfamiliar Abyss Heralds and a group of Abyss Mages.
Sensing the arrival of Lora and Venti, Aether turned around. The Abyss Heralds and Abyss Mages followed their "Prince," turning as one to face the two who had entered this space.
"So you still came, Anemo Archon, Hydro Archon," Aether said, gazing at them as he let out a sigh.
"You yourselves are dissatisfied with the order set by the 'Heavenly Principles,' always searching for a way to break it. Then why interfere with my actions? In a sense, I'm doing what you want to do but dare not."
"Breaking the order at the cost of harming our companions is not something we need," Lora said, shaking her head as she firmly rejected his words.
"I can understand the Anemo Archon, but I thought that after receiving the prophecy from the 'Heavenly Principles,' you would understand me better," Aether said, looking directly at Lora.
"Egeria, don't you want to overturn the order of the 'Heavenly Principles' and let your people survive the prophecy?"
"You're right," Lora replied calmly.
"I do want to overturn the order of the Heavenly Principles and save everyone when the prophecy arrives. But unlike you, I won't use that as an excuse to harm others." Her gaze hardened. "What you did to Dvalin disgusts me."
"So there's nothing left to discuss?" Aether asked, his expression growing cold and emotionless.
"Hm? Did we ever negotiate to begin with?"
Lora raised an eyebrow, her hand already closing around the "Judgment of the Raging Sea."
Born alongside Egeria from the Primordial Sea and having witnessed the founding of Fontaine, this weapon once symbolized the supreme justice and fairness of Fontaine's laws.
Now, responding to its master's unwavering resolve, it radiated a brilliant azure glow.
Aether frowned slightly as he looked at the "Judgment of the Raging Sea" in Lora's hand. To the Abyss Order, among the Seven Archons, the ones truly worthy of attention were the Anemo, Geo, Hydro, and Dendro deities.
The Anemo Archon shared deep ties with "Istaroth";
The Geo Archon came from beyond the heavens and had forged a contract with the "Heavenly Principles";
The Dendro Archon governed Irminsul and safeguarded Teyvat's fate;
And the Hydro Archon was born from the Primordial Sea itself—the heart of that sea, the source of all life, possessing the power of creation.
Within the Abyss Order, these four gods were valued second only to the "Heavenly Principles."
And now, two of them stood right before him.
At Aether's back, the Abyss Mages and Abyss Heralds charged toward Lora and Venti.
Venti grasped the "Skyward Harp," drew the bowstring, and loosed an arrow.
"Wind's Grand Ode" flew forth, whipping up a violent gale. An eye of the storm formed in midair, its immense pull dragging the Abyss Mages together.
Even the Abyss Heralds were forced to halt, struggling against the powerful suction pouring out from the storm's core.
Lora swung the "Judgment of the Raging Sea," forming nine enormous swords of condensed Hydro energy around the eye of the storm. In the next instant, they plunged straight toward its center.
The nine great blades obliterated every last Hydro Abyss Mage in a single strike, pronouncing their death.
The Abyss Heralds were blasted away by the violent surge of power as well, crashing down across the platform.
This was no game. The might of Lora and Venti, as Archons, was beyond question.