Saphir chose to disembark at Liyue Harbor and travel toward Mondstadt via Stone Gate—a route that conveniently passed by the legendary Dawn Winery. She had always been curious about that famed winery's elusive owner. If luck was on her side, maybe she'd even run into him—and if she was really lucky, score a few bottles of his wine.
After nearly half a month of being tossed about on a slow merchant vessel, they finally crossed into Liyue's waters.
"Lady Dark Shepherd, we've entered Liyue. Ahead lies Guyun Stone Forest—we should reach Liyue Harbor within a day," came the voice of a Fatui soldier from outside her cabin.
Saphir opened her eyes and got out of bed. She'd been trying to rest, but the nausea clinging to her body made it impossible. She hadn't expected herself to get seasick—luckily she'd managed to hide it from the crew. If the others had noticed, she'd have never lived it down.
The moment she stepped out, the guards standing outside immediately dropped to one knee. Years of service under Fatui Harbingers had taught them well: never assume any Harbinger was sane. One misstep could mean demotion—or death.
Saphir ignored them. She was in no mood to bother with protocol. All she wanted now was some fresh air before she hurled again.
As she stepped onto the deck, her eyes landed on the majestic peaks of Guyun Stone Forest rising into the clouds. The sight made her pause in awe.
"They say Morax subdued a great demon here, using a spear forged of pure geo. The weapon fell from the heavens like a meteor, its shaft piercing the sea floor and its tail wrapped in drifting clouds. That's how Guyun Stone Forest came to be," she mused aloud.
One of the Fatui Debt Collectors near her responded, "With all due respect, my lady, that sounds like something out of a Liyue storyteller's fantasy. Morax might've fought a demon here, sure—but to say that entire mountain is his spear? It's a bit much."
Saphir chuckled softly. "Never underestimate the Geo Archon's might. He is Morax, after all."
"Yes, ma'am!" the Debt Collector responded with a quick kneel, realizing he might've spoken out of turn.
"Get up. I'm not going to punish you for honest doubt. Has Tartaglia been informed of my arrival?"
"Yes, Lady Dark Shepherd. We've sent word. He should've received it by now."
The ship Saphir traveled on was a cargo vessel, much slower than the swift ship Tartaglia had taken. Even if they'd left port at the same time, she would've arrived nearly ten days later. And in reality, he'd departed a full day before her. He was likely already making moves in Liyue.
Saphir turned her gaze toward the towering rock formations of Guyun Stone Forest. She could feel a sinister energy emanating from beneath that enormous stone spire—presumably the sealed demon Morax had once defeated. Even now, after so long sealed away, its power still leaked out, affecting the surrounding terrain.
Her eyes narrowed.
To suppress such a being so decisively… Morax's strength was not to be trifled with.
"Lady Dark Shepherd, unknown ships approaching!" came the lookout's urgent shout.
Saphir turned her gaze to starboard. A fleet was closing in fast from their right side—no signal flags, no indication of slowing down.
Clear hostility.
"Pirates?" she muttered to herself. "Someone dares to attack a Fatui fleet? Bold move."
Her men were just as alarmed. "It must be the Crux Fleet, ma'am. Their captain is Beidou—calls herself the Dragon King. Rumor has it she once slew a sea beast named Haishan singlehandedly. A terrifying woman."
Saphir nodded slowly. With someone like that at the helm, an attack on the Fatui wasn't surprising. On the open sea, who could stop her? They'd raid, loot the cargo, sink the ships, and disappear without a trace—even the Fatui couldn't retaliate if they couldn't prove who was responsible.
"Pass the word. Full alert. We're under-armed for naval combat—do not engage first," Saphir ordered calmly, eyes sharp and clear.
"But ma'am, if they launch an assault…"
The soldier fell silent mid-sentence—of course. With a Harbinger onboard, what did they have to fear?
Soon, the flagship of the enemy fleet, the Death Omen Star, pulled alongside Saphir's ship.
From her position on deck, Saphir saw their leader—tall, imposing, dressed in a martial outfit that exuded heroic spirit. Her long hair fluttered in the wind, and the massive Blackcliff claymore slung over her shoulder radiated an overwhelming pressure. What caught Saphir's attention most, though, was the woman's eyepatch.
Why do pirates always wear eyepatches? Is losing an eye some kind of rite of passage? She found it strangely suspicious.
"Boss! Definitely Fatui. I see Debt Collectors onboard," came a voice from behind the woman.
Beidou planted her greatsword onto the deck with a heavy thud, staring Saphir down.
"Fatui, huh? What are you doing all the way out here in Guyun Stone Forest?" Her voice was bold and direct, her gaze sharp. She could already tell that this wasn't just any Fatui officer. Judging from the demeanor of those around her, this woman must be someone high-ranking—likely even one of the Harbingers.
Saphir responded with a faint smile.
"If I recall correctly, our nation and Liyue just signed a joint agreement to explore the Chasm. You could say we're in the middle of a diplomatic honeymoon. Captain Beidou, making such a show of force—aren't you worried about damaging bilateral relations?
If our cooperation falls through because of your actions… I wonder if the Geo Archon himself will demonstrate what it means to 'choke on stone.'"
Saphir had never lost a war of words—but she'd met her match in Beidou, a woman as cunning as she was shameless.
Beidou was surprised that this elegant woman knew her name, but didn't let it show. She laughed heartily.
"Ha! You flatter me. I'm just a humble sea captain—I hardly influence diplomacy. Besides, this is the open ocean. Storms can come at any time, and ships can sink without warning.
If anything happens to your little fleet… well, don't blame us Liyueans for not rolling out the red carpet."
Her grip on her claymore tightened.
That was no longer banter—that was a threat.
Saphir sighed inwardly. So the first half was a disclaimer—"I don't represent Liyue officially." The second half was a blatant warning. She didn't believe for a second that the Crux Fleet was unaffiliated. This so-called independent group had to be working behind the scenes with Liyue's authorities. Someone like Ningguang, the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing, would never allow a rogue naval power to operate this close to the harbor.
The situation was one spark away from full-blown combat.
Saphir raised an eyebrow.
Beidou's Vision began to glow.
The next moment, her claymore was already in motion—crackling with lightning, arcing downward in a devastating cleave aimed straight at Saphir's skull.
It was a killing blow.
But what happened next left Beidou stunned.
Her claymore froze mid-air—three inches above Saphir's head—as if it had struck an invisible wall.
—
[Holy Light's Ward]
Creates a divine barrier around allies within a certain radius. The light reduces incoming damage and grants immunity to stagger effects.
—
"Dragon King… Is that all you've got?"
Bathed in the flickering glow of electro light, Saphir's calm smile took on an unsettling edge.
Beidou's heart sank.
She realized then—she'd made a terrible mistake.