Lumine ran up to Amber, slightly out of breath. "We're not late, are we?"
Amber smiled and shook her head. "Nope. I just got here too."
Lumine let out a small sigh of relief. She liked being on time, and the thought of showing up late because of a comic book store had made her nervous. Fortunately, flying had helped them beat the crowd.
Amber tilted her head, clearly confused. "But seriously—how did you come out of the sky like that?"
She wasn't surprised to see Paimon floating. That was normal. But seeing Lumine fly with no Wind Glider? That was completely unexpected.
Before Lumine could answer, Paimon jumped in, her voice full of excitement. "It's because Lumine ate the Wind-Wind Fruit! Now she can control wind—like, really control it!"
Amber blinked. "Wind-Wind Fruit? What's that?"
She had never heard of anything like it in all her time scouting Mondstadt. It didn't sound like a Vision, and it definitely wasn't something taught by the Knights.
Lumine raised one hand and summoned a small whirlwind at her feet. It lifted her gently into the air, her boots no longer touching the ground. "It looks like this," she said calmly.
Amber's jaw dropped. Her eyes widened, watching Lumine float effortlessly.
Even with her own Anemo Vision, she couldn't do anything close to that. Lumine was flying with pure wind, not just gliding or boosting her jumps. It looked like something out of a legend.
Amber crossed her arms. "Is that... some kind of power only Travelers can use?"
Lumine shook her head as she slowly lowered herself back to the ground. "No. I got it from a comic book shop right here in Mondstadt. It's called Galehaven Comics. We just came from there."
Amber blinked again. "Wait, seriously? You went to a comic book store and came out with wind powers?"
Lumine nodded. "Yeah. There's a guy there—Harlan Flint. He lets you read these special comics, and when you finish one, you get a reward. I got my power from One Piece: East Sea Saga."
Paimon waved her camera proudly. "And I got this from Cardcaptor Sakura! It's a real camera—endless memory, unlimited battery. Totally awesome!"
Amber scratched her head. "Okay, hold on. What exactly is a comic?"
"They're books with drawings," Lumine explained. "Panels with characters, action, dialogue. It's like reading a story, but with pictures on every page. These ones are extra special though. They give real-world rewards."
Amber raised an eyebrow. "And they're just hidden in some random alley?"
"Yeah," Paimon said. "It's tucked between two buildings. You'd walk past it unless you were looking."
Amber's expression turned from confusion to curiosity. "That actually sounds amazing. So... you read stories and get stronger?"
Lumine nodded. "Pretty much. But only one comic a day, so we can't stack up all the powers at once."
Amber looked thoughtful for a moment, then grinned. "Let's go. I want to see this place for myself."
Paimon grinned back. "Sure! We'll take you there."
Before they could leave, Paimon tilted her head. "Wait, Amber—you said you had a gift for Lumine, right?"
"Oh, right!" Amber said, suddenly remembering. She reached into her bag and pulled out a Wind Glider. "I was gonna give you this and show you how to fly. There's even a flight test. But, well… I guess you don't really need it anymore."
Lumine laughed. "Thanks, though. That's really thoughtful."
Amber shrugged. "No worries. I'll make up for it with a meal. How about carrot-fried pork with honey sauce? My treat."
"Double portions for me, please!" Paimon said, eyes sparkling.
They turned to head back toward Galehaven Comics, but the mood changed instantly.
The sky above them darkened fast. Thick clouds rolled in, covering the sun like a curtain. The warm light was replaced by a strange gray tone.
A strong wind howled through the streets—sharp and unnatural. Trees shook violently, and flags flapped like they were about to tear.
Then came the roar.
It was loud and deep, echoing through the city like a warning bell. Lumine's spine stiffened. That sound wasn't natural.
Amber's face changed instantly. Her smile was gone, replaced with sharp focus. "That's Stormterror."
She clenched her fists. "We need to report this to Jean—now."
Up in the sky, the dragon appeared. It wasn't a blur or a silhouette—it was fully visible, massive wings spread wide. It roared again and circled the statue of Barbatos, the Anemo Archon.
Then, with a twist of its body, it unleashed a black tornado down onto Mondstadt's streets.
The wind hit fast and hard. People screamed and scattered, running for cover as debris flew through the air.
Lumine narrowed her eyes. "We can't just stand here and let this happen."
Without waiting for a reply, she took off—rising into the air with wind at her back, aiming straight for the dragon.
Paimon gasped, then quickly floated after her. "Wait for me! This is perfect—I can film the whole thing for the Traveler's Journal!"
Amber watched from the ground, frozen for a second. Her friends had just flown into danger like it was nothing.
She gritted her teeth, frustration rising. "You guys never stop surprising me."
But there wasn't time to reflect. People needed help. Stormterror was attacking, and she had her duties as an Outrider. She turned and sprinted toward the Knights' headquarters to warn Jean.
Meanwhile, above the city, Lumine shot toward the dragon like an arrow. Wind wrapped around her like armor. This was her first real test with her new powers.
And she was ready to fight.