Life and death
I pushed the last terrified citizen into the relative safety of a sheltered doorway, my lungs burning, but the image of Dvalin's destructive power etched into my mind. I turned back towards the plaza, my eyes scanning for Lumine and Amber.
Then I saw it. A colossal tornado, spun from Dvalin's corrupted wind, ripped through the very spot where Lumine had been standing. Before I could even shout a warning, she was caught in its violent embrace, flung upwards, a helpless ragdoll spiraling into the furious sky.
A primal surge of rage and fear erupted within me. My new companions, the first people I'd truly connected with in months, and one of them was in grave danger. My mind narrowed, focusing solely on the enormous dragon.
"LUMINE!" I roared, my voice raw with fury, unheard amidst the gale.
My spear was in my hand, then my bow. I didn't care about strategy, about conserving stamina, about measuring my attacks. This was different. This was pure, unadulterated offense. I notched an arrow, channeling every ounce of my Archer Combat Mastery into it, and unleashed a Charged Shot aimed directly at Dvalin's colossal form.
WHUMP!
The arrow, supercharged with my fury, hit the dragon's scales with a resounding thud. It barely seemed to register on the beast, a mere pinprick against its immense hide, but the act of striking, of fighting back, felt like a release.
I didn't stop. I immediately followed with a Multi-Shot, a volley of arrows launched with blinding speed, targeting any part of the dragon I could reach. Each arrow was a desperate plea, a furious demand. My Lancer Combat Mastery yearned for melee, but Dvalin was too high, too untouchable. My bow was my only weapon now.
Dvalin roared, a sound that seemed to mock my futile efforts, and continued its destructive assault on the city, seemingly unaware of the single enraged figure below unleashing a storm of arrows. But I wouldn't stop. Lumine was up there, caught in that monstrous wind, and I would do everything in my power to bring that dragon down.
Seeing the futility of shooting from street level, my eyes quickly darted to the nearest substantial structure – a tall, sturdy building that seemed to have withstood Dvalin's initial rampage. It was a tavern or a guild hall, something with a decent height.
Without a second thought, I sprinted towards it, my powerful Strength and Dexterity making short work of the climb. I scaled the outer wall with a brutal efficiency, finding purchase on decorative ledges and sturdy window frames, pulling myself up hand over hand, ignoring the debris and the wind tearing around me. My Combat Reflexes instinctively guided my movements, making every grab and pull precise.
In mere seconds, I reached the rooftop. The wind was even more ferocious up here, threatening to tear me from my perch, but the view was unobstructed. Dvalin, still wreaking havoc, was now in much clearer range.
My bow was already in hand, another arrow notched. My fury intensified, fueling my every movement. I aimed for the corrupted aura that seemed to cling to Dvalin's very being, a visible manifestation of its dark power. This time, I channeled every ounce of energy into a Charged Shot, holding the draw for a full, agonizing second.
THWOOM!
The arrow shot forth, a streak of pure force, and slammed into Dvalin's wing with a concussive impact. The dragon let out a pained shriek, a sound of genuine distress that was swallowed by the wind, and briefly faltered in its flight pattern. It wasn't enough to bring it down, but it was a direct hit that clearly caused it pain.
You have dealt critical damage!
My eyes narrowed. It felt like I could hurt it. I immediately followed up with a rapid-fire Multi-Shot, sending a volley of arrows like a desperate, angry rain against the immense beast. Each impact elicited smaller, but still audible, cries from the dragon.
The hits were landing, but the sheer scale of Dvalin meant my arrows were more akin to angry bee stings than fatal blows. It was causing pain, yes, making the dragon flinch, but it wasn't enough to stop its rampage, and more importantly, it wasn't enough to get Lumine out of that terrifying vortex.
My gaze snapped from Dvalin to one of the giant tornados that periodically ripped through the city, swirling with destructive energy. It was a chaotic, dangerous, yet incredibly powerful column of wind – a direct conduit to the sky, a way to reach the dragon. It was insane. It was suicidal.
But Lumine was still caught up there.
A desperate, reckless plan formed in my mind. If I couldn't bring the dragon down to me, I'd go up to it.
"Here goes nothing!" I yelled, more to myself than anyone, my voice swallowed by the howling winds.
I sprinted towards the base of the nearest colossal tornado, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm against my ribs. The wind immediately intensified, trying to push me back, to tear me apart. My Strength and Constitution screamed in protest, but I forced my way forward, leaning into the invisible wall of force. Debris, large chunks of wood and stone, spun violently within the vortex, threatening to pulverize me.
My Combat Reflexes flared, sharpening my perception to an almost supernatural degree. I dodged a splintered plank, ducked under a careening rooftop tile. The roaring wind became a tangible force, pushing, lifting, pulling. I braced myself, then, with a final, desperate surge fueled by pure adrenaline and the image of Lumine, I leaped directly into the eye of the storm.
The world became a dizzying, terrifying blur. I was flung upwards with incredible velocity, spinning wildly within the funnel of wind. The G-forces pressed down, threatening to black me out, but I fought through it, my muscles straining, my senses overwhelmed. The sheer power was unimaginable.
Then, just as quickly as I was snatched up, the vortex flung me outwards. I was no longer on the rooftop, no longer in the streets. I was airborne, soaring through the sky, directly towards Dvalin. The monstrous dragon, unaware of the minuscule, enraged human now rocketing towards it, continued its assault on Mondstadt.
I oriented myself in mid-air, spear already in hand, my target clear. This was my chance. This was the fight.
I was soaring, a tiny missile of fury launched by the very winds Dvalin commanded. My spear was already gripped tight, the familiar weight a comfort. But getting close was one thing; actually landing on a colossal, actively hostile dragon in mid-air was another entirely.
The wind glider, still attached, billowed behind me, providing some measure of control. My Archer Combat Mastery, which had incidentally improved my understanding of aerial movement, and my naturally high Dexterity allowed me to angle my body, fighting the chaotic updrafts and downdrafts. Dvalin, in its destructive focus, still hadn't noticed the speck rapidly approaching its flank.
I aimed for its colossal back, a vast landscape of corrupted scales. As I drew nearer, the sheer scale of the dragon became even more apparent. Its hide was mottled with patches of dark energy, pulsing faintly. The wind created by its own massive wingbeats was a hurricane, threatening to rip me away and send me plummeting.
I adjusted my glide, using every trick Amber had taught me, combined with my own honed reflexes. I rode a sudden gust upwards, then dove sharply, narrowly avoiding a massive, twitching tail. The air shimmered with residual elemental energy, making steering even more erratic.
Finally, with a burst of adrenaline and a desperate prayer, I performed a controlled descent onto Dvalin's back. It wasn't graceful. My feet scraped loudly against its rough, uneven scales, threatening to send me tumbling. I dug my fingers into the crevices between two large plates of its hide, my muscles screaming from the impact and the effort of clinging on. The powerful wind rushing over its body tried to peel me off like a fly.
With immense difficulty, gritting my teeth against the strain, I managed to secure my footing, my boots finding purchase on the gritty, corrupted scales. I was on its back. I was airborne. And now, the fight was personal.
Clinging precariously to Dvalin's massive, scaly back, the wind of its flight threatening to tear me off, I wasted no time. My eyes immediately locked onto the areas where the dark, corrupted energy seemed most concentrated, pulsing like angry veins beneath its hide. These weren't just scales; they felt like festering wounds on a living being.
My spear was already in my hand, gripped tight. I braced myself against the incredible wind resistance and the rhythmic, jarring movements of Dvalin's flight. With a grunt of effort, I lunged forward, unleashing a furious Multi-Thrust directly into one of the pulsing, corrupted spots.
CLANG! CRACK! RIP!
My spear, backed by my immense Strength and Lancer Combat Mastery, tore through the corrupted scales. A sickening crack echoed, and dark, viscous liquid, more like tar than blood, oozed from the wound. Dvalin let out a thunderous shriek, a sound of agony and disbelief, its entire body convulsing. The sudden violent tremor nearly sent me flying, and I dug my boots in harder, fingers scraping for purchase.
The dragon thrashed wildly, bucking and rolling in the sky, clearly trying to dislodge the irritating speck on its back. The wind became even more turbulent, throwing me from side to side. I clung on for dear life, my grip aching, every muscle screaming, but I refused to let go.
Whenever Dvalin stabilized for even a second, I attacked again. I jammed my spear into another corrupted patch, twisting it, pouring all my strength into each thrust. The dragon screamed again, its roars now laced with genuine pain, not just fury. It pitched violently, attempting barrel rolls, diving and soaring erratically.
Dvalin roared, a sound of pure agony and rage. My relentless assault on its corrupted scales was clearly taking its toll. With a furious, desperate shudder that sent ripples across its immense form, it performed a violent, corkscrewing roll. I clung on for dear life, my knuckles white, but the sheer force of the maneuver, combined with the chaotic winds, was too much. My grip, already strained to its limits, finally gave way.
I was flung off Dvalin's back, sent tumbling through the turbulent sky. The world spun wildly, the ground rushing up towards me with terrifying speed. I instinctively deployed my glider, its fabric snapping open, trying to catch the ferocious winds.
But Dvalin wasn't finished. It let out another shriek, its dark eyes locking onto my plummeting form. A blast of corrupted Anemo energy, sharp as a blade, tore through the air.
WHOOSH!
The attack wasn't aimed at me, but at my lifeline. The corrupted wind ripped through my glider's fabric with a violent tear. The support vanished instantly. My stomach lurched, and I plummeted, utterly helpless, the ground accelerating rapidly towards me.
Just as the world began to blur into a terrifying rush, a surge of familiar energy swept past me. A flash of light, and then, a figure appeared, soaring through the air with impossible speed. It was Lumine, her form silhouetted against the sky, her hand outstretched.
She moved with an elegance that defied the chaos of the wind, her own elemental power perhaps aiding her. Just as I braced for impact, she caught me, her grip surprisingly strong. The momentum of my fall was immense, but she managed to absorb it, slowing our descent with a graceful aerial maneuver, directing us away from the city and towards a softer landing on the outskirts.
We hit the ground with a controlled impact, rolling to absorb the last of the force. My body ached from the brutal fall, but I was alive. I scrambled to my feet, looking at Lumine, who quickly stood beside me, her expression a mix of relief and concern.
"Are you alright, Lance?!" Paimon shrieked, zipping down to hover anxiously between us.
"That was too close!" Lumine added a slight tremor in her voice. "You can't just throw yourself at a dragon like that!"
I took a shaky breath, still processing the near-fatal fall. "I had to," I rasped, looking back at Dvalin, still wreaking havoc in the distance. My attacks had clearly wounded it, but it wasn't enough. "It was the only way to get close."
The ground shuddered violently, a ripple of fear spreading through the already terrified citizens as Dvalin's roars intensified. My breath hitched as I watched the colossal dragon, still wounded and enraged from my desperate attack, descend from the sky. It wasn't flying away; it was landing.
With a deafening crash that shook the very foundations of Mondstadt, Dvalin touched down right in front of us, its immense body easily dwarfing the buildings. Its corrupted aura pulsed malevolently, and its eyes, burning with a destructive fury, fixed on us.
It wasn't interested in a strategic fight; it was pure, unbridled devastation. Dvalin let out another terrifying roar, then swept its massive head, its jagged maw tearing through the side of a nearby building. Timber splintered, stone crumbled, and a fountain of dust and debris erupted. Then, with a swing of its tail, it obliterated another structure, sending a cascade of rubble into the street.
The very air crackled with raw, destructive energy. Dvalin was unleashing its full wrath, attacking and destroying everything in its path, completely engulfing the area in chaos. This wasn't a fight we could run from, not here. We were directly in its path, and the city was being torn apart around us.
"This is bad! Really bad!" Paimon shrieked, zipping frantically.
Lumine's face was grim, her hand already glowing with elemental energy. My spear felt heavy in my hand, but my eyes were locked on the monstrous threat. We were face to face with an enraged dragon, and it was clear it intended to leave nothing but ruin in its wake.
As Dvalin continued its furious rampage, tearing through the very heart of Mondstadt, Lumine and I exchanged a grim, resolute look. There was no escape, no time to hesitate. This was it.
"Paimon, stay clear!" Lumine yelled, her voice firm despite the chaos. She surged forward, her sword materializing in her hand, glowing with Anemo energy.
I was right beside her, my spear held ready. My Strength and Dexterity were pushed to their limits, my Combat Reflexes working overtime to process the dragon's massive, earth-shattering movements. This was a direct, head-on confrontation with a creature of immense power.
Dvalin's first attack was a sweeping claw. It moved with surprising speed despite its size. Lumine dashed forward, a blur of motion, her Anemo powers allowing her to briefly phase through its attack, then countered with a swift, elemental slash across its leg. A faint green light flared as her sword connected.
I aimed for the same leg. My spear thrust forward, activating Multi-Thrust, driving repeatedly into the dragon's tough hide, targeting the corrupted patches I'd identified from its back. Each strike resonated with the power of my Lancer Combat Mastery, trying to exploit any weakness.
CLANG! THUD!
Dvalin roared, a sound of frustrated pain. It tried to stomp on me, but my Dash skill saved me, narrowly rolling clear of its colossal foot that pulverized the ground where I'd been standing.
The dragon then let out a torrent of corrupted wind, a concentrated blast of dark energy. "Down!" Lumine yelled, throwing up a shield of Anemo that shimmered briefly before the sheer force of the attack shattered it, forcing both of us to dive for cover behind a crumbling wall. The impact of the wind blast demolished the building behind us.
We quickly regrouped. This was a battle of attrition, combined with finding specific weaknesses. Lumine, with her agility and elemental power, became a vital harasser. She'd weave in, land a few swift strikes, perhaps summoning a small Anemo vortex to momentarily stun or redirect Dvalin, then dash out before its retaliatory strikes.
My role was brute force and sustained damage. Every time Dvalin was distracted or momentarily staggered by Lumine's attacks, I would dart in. My spear became a relentless flurry of thrusts and slashes, targeting its legs, its exposed underbelly when it lifted, and especially those corrupted patches that still pulsed on its body. I activated Precise Shot in my mind even in melee, channeling critical damage into each powerful Thrust.
Dvalin was enraged. It unleashed more wind blasts, swiped with its claws, and tried to crush us with its immense weight. The ground around us was becoming a wasteland of shattered stone and splintered wood. Several times, the force of its attacks knocked me off my feet, and I had to rely on my high Constitution to absorb the impact and quickly regain my stance. Lumine, too, was pushed to her limits, relying on her quick reflexes and the nimble movements afforded by her elemental abilities.
"Its energy is still too volatile!" Lumine called out, narrowly dodging a tail swipe. "We need to clear the corruption!"
I understood. My earlier attacks from its back had caused pain, but hadn't fully cleansed it. This direct confrontation was a chance to focus. I spotted a particularly dark, festering patch on its front leg.
"Go for the leg!" I roared back, pushing through the burning pain in my muscles. With a final, desperate burst, I channeled all my remaining strength into a powerful Dash Burst, closing the distance to Dvalin's leg. My spear plunged deep into the corrupted area, grinding and tearing. Lumine was right beside me, pouring her own Anemo energy into the same spot.
The dragon roared, not just in pain, but in agony. The corruption on its leg flared, then visibly receded, fading back slightly. It wasn't gone, but it was weakened. Dvalin staggered, its monumental weight shifting, its attack pattern becoming less coordinated.
We were battered, exhausted, and the city around us lay in ruins, but the tide had turned. We had wounded the dragon, and together, we were pushing it back.
Dvalin, weakened and reeling from our combined assault, let out a frustrated, desperate roar. It seemed to gather all its remaining corrupted energy for one final, devastating strike. Its massive head whipped around with shocking speed, its eyes locking onto Lumine, who was momentarily exposed after unleashing a powerful Anemo burst. She was caught off guard, too focused on the fading corruption, her back to the monstrous head.
My heart leaped into my throat. "LUMINE! LOOK OUT!" I roared, my voice raw.
There was no time to think, only to act. With every ounce of my remaining Strength and Dexterity, I launched myself forward in a desperate Dash Burst. I reached her just as Dvalin's corrupted maw lunged. With a mighty shove, I slammed my shoulder into Lumine, sending her sprawling, out of the direct path of the dragon's attack.
The next second was a blur of excruciating pain. Dvalin's corrupted breath, or perhaps a glancing blow from its immense snout, connected with my chest. A searing, blinding agony exploded through me. I felt myself flung backwards with unimaginable force, a mere ragdoll tossed into the air.
The world spun violently. The sounds of battle, the screams, the roar of the wind, all faded into a muffled, distorted hum. My vision swam, darkening rapidly at the edges. My body hit something hard – a wall, a pile of rubble – with a sickening crunch. Pain, sharp and overwhelming, surged through every nerve.
Then, nothing. Utter darkness. I fell into an abyss of unconsciousness.
As Dvalin's colossal shadow loomed, Lumine's face hardened with grim determination, her elemental power flaring as she prepared to re-engage the corrupted dragon. My sacrifice had bought her mere seconds, but it was enough to ignite a fierce resolve within her.
Just as she braced herself to leap back into the fray, a sound, faint at first, drifted through the chaos. It was music. Not the harsh clang of battle or the roar of the wind, but a delicate, almost ethereal melody carried on the very gusts that had wreaked such havoc. It was a lyre, played with an otherworldly grace.
And for some reason, the music seemed to reach Dvalin. The dragon's furious roars faltered, its destructive rampage slowing. The corrupted energy around it pulsed less violently. It shifted its massive head, its glowing eyes seeming to search the sky, as if mesmerized by the unseen tune. Slowly, almost imperceptibly at first, its immense form began to rise, ascending away from the ravaged city.
With one last, mournful cry that echoed with pain rather than rage, Dvalin turned and flew away, disappearing into the darkening sky, leaving behind a devastated Mondstadt and a stunned silence.
The immediate danger had passed. Lumine didn't waste a second. Her gaze immediately snapped to where I had fallen, lying motionless amidst the rubble. Her usual swift movements were imbued with a desperate urgency as she rushed to my side.
"Lance! Lance, can you hear me?" she whispered, her voice laced with anxiety as she knelt beside me. My body was a painful tableau of twisted limbs and raw impacts. She gently checked for a pulse, a wave of relief washing over her when she found one, albeit faint.
With a strength born of desperation, Lumine carefully helped me to my feet, half-carrying, half-dragging my unconscious form. Paimon, fluttering anxiously, did what she could, though her tiny hands were of little use. With every painful, slow step, Lumine guided us through the rubble-strewn streets, past weeping citizens and dazed Knights of Favonius, towards the nearest sanctuary. Our destination was clear: the infirmary.