The Masked Stranger
The moment the crowd surged forward to celebrate Lumine, Orion slipped away, vanishing into the labyrinth of Mondstadt's alleyways. His pulse hammered in his throat, the System's warning still ringing in his skull.
[AVOID AT ALL COSTS.]
A soft chime echoed in his mind, followed by Zero's voice—no longer teasing, but eerily calm.
[Equip this.]
An artifact materialized in his hands: a silver pendant, its surface etched with intricate, shifting runes.
[「Veil of the Nameless」]
- Conceals the wearer's aura, appearance, and presence from all recognition.
- Only those bearing a matching artifact can perceive your true identity.
- Warning: Emotional resonance may still linger.
Orion didn't hesitate. He clasped the pendant around his neck, and the world seemed to blur for a split second—a veil settling over him like a second skin.
"Now… to the Knights' headquarters."
---
Across the plaza, Kaeya leaned against a pillar, his usual smirk in place as he appraised Lumine.
"So, our dragon-slaying hero has a purpose beyond glory?" he drawled. "What brings you to Mondstadt?"
Lumine met his gaze evenly. "I'm looking for my brother."
Paimon floated nervously beside her. "Yeah! And we're definitely not here to cause trouble!"
Kaeya chuckled. "Relax, little one. We're all friends here." His eye flickered with something unreadable. "Though… you're not the only traveler who's arrived recently."
Lumine's grip tightened around her sword. "The other one. Who is he?"
Amber opened her mouth to answer—
"Amber. Lumine." Jean's voice cut through the chatter as she approached, her presence commanding immediate attention. "The Acting Grand Master requests your presence. Now."
Lumine's question went unanswered.
---
Orion arrived at the Knights' headquarters just as Jean's meeting began. The artifact's power hummed against his skin, rendering him just another face in the crowd—unremarkable, forgettable.
Then she walked in.
Lumine.
Even now, with the artifact dulling her perception, she was radiant. The way the light caught her golden hair, the quiet strength in her stride—it sent a pang through his chest so sharp he nearly gasped.
"I loved you before I even knew you."
The thought was absurd, irrational… and yet it ached.
As if sensing his gaze, Lumine's steps faltered. She turned, her eyes scanning the room until they landed on him—and for a heartbeat, something flickered in her expression. Confusion. Longing.
"Have we met before?" she asked softly.
The room seemed to freeze.
Orion's mouth went dry. Every fiber of his being screamed to tell her—to rip the pendant off and say, "It's me. I know you. I've always known you."
But the System's presence coiled around his throat like a noose.
He forced a smile. "Have we?"
The lie tasted like ash.
Lumine's brow furrowed, her hand drifting unconsciously to her chest. "I… don't know. But it feels like I'm forgetting something important."
Paimon tilted her head. "Huh? Lumine, you okay?"
Before she could answer, Jean cleared her throat. "If we're all ready?"
The moment shattered.
As Lumine turned away, Orion's fingers dug into his palms hard enough to draw blood.
"This is torture."
---
Zero's Whisper
[You did well, Master.] Zero's voice was almost… gentle. [The artifact can hide your face, but not your heart. That pain? That's the price of survival.]
Orion closed his eyes.
"What's the point of surviving if I have to live like this?"
[To change the ending.]
A beat of silence.
[Aether's choice doomed him. Yours doesn't have to.]
---
"Wait—Aether? You know Aether, Zero?"
Orion demanded in his mind, the question sharp with urgency.
Silence.
Then—a crackle of static, a distortion in the System's voice.
[WARNING: UNEXPECTED EVENT DETECTED.]
[RESETTING ZERO'S PERSONALITY AND MEMORY PARAMETERS.]
[ADVISORY: EXERCISE CAUTION IN FUTURE INQUIRIES.]
Orion's blood ran cold. "What the hell was that?!"
Before he could press further, Jean's voice pulled him back to reality.
---
The Acting Grand Master had just finished assigning missions to Lumine, Lisa, Kaeya, and Amber—mirroring the original story's events. But when her gaze landed on Orion, she hesitated.
Her brow furrowed slightly, as if trying to place him. The artifact's power made him unremarkable, yet… something about him tugged at her instincts.
"Traveler," she finally said, choosing her words carefully, "I'd like you to monitor the Statues of the Seven near Windrise. Report any abnormalities."
Orion bowed slightly. "Understood, Master Jean."
The moment the words left his lips, Jean's breath hitched. A fleeting, inexplicable ache pierced her chest—dejavu in its purest form. She blinked, shaking it off.
"Dismissed."
---
The great oak tree of Windrise stood as it always had, its leaves whispering secrets to the wind. At its base, lounging against the roots with a bottle of wine in hand, was Venti.
"Welcome, old friend," the bard said without opening his eyes. "Took you long enough."
Orion stiffened. "Barbatos?"
Venti's lips curled into a smile. "Oh? So you do remember me." He patted the grass beside him. "Come, sit! It's been, what, a thousand years?"
"Have we… met before?" Orion asked cautiously, lowering himself onto the grass.
Venti laughed, taking a swig of wine. "Yes! You, me, and Vanessa—we used to drink under this very tree. You'd always challenge her to arm-wrestling matches. Lost every time." His smile softened. "Then one day, you vanished. No note, no goodbye. Just… gone."
Orion's chest tightened. "Vanessa? The founder of the Knights of Favonius? How—?"
Venti's gaze sharpened, all mirth gone. "You really don't remember, do you?"
"I…" Orion's voice faltered. The artifact around his neck grew heavy.
Venti sighed, strumming his lyre. "Well, no matter. The winds remember for you." He plucked a single note—a sound that resonated deep in Orion's bones. "Tell me, 'Traveler'—why do you hide from her?"
"Lumine?"
"She's your key," Venti murmured. "And your lock. But the longer you wear that pendant, the more you erase yourself from history."
A gust of wind tore through the branches above, scattering leaves like emerald snow. When it cleared, Venti was gone—leaving only a single feather in his place.
Anemo Archon's blessing.
A warning.
---
[WARNING: DIVINE INTERFERENCE DETECTED.]
[COUNTERMEASURES ENGAGED.]
[ZERO MEMORY RESTORATION: 12%.]
Zero's voice flickered back, fractured but familiar.
[Master… Aether… was…] Static. […your brother.]
The world spun.
"What."
[He chose… the Abyss.]
[You were supposed to… replace him.]
[But you… ran.]
Then—silence.
Orion clutched his head, agony lancing through his temples.
Fragments surged forward:
- A throne of shadows.
- A golden-haired figure reaching for him.
- A voice screaming, "DON'T LET THEM WIN—"
And then, nothing.
---