The path along the shore was starting to narrow, the soft sand giving way to packed earth and tufts of windblown grass. The waves faded to a distant hush as they moved inland. Gwen kept pace beside Aether, still trying to process that she was walking with two characters she had once only seen on a glowing computer screen.
Aether suddenly glanced her way. His voice was quiet, but direct.
"Do you know any combat skills? Sword, or maybe… magic?"
Gwen hesitated, rubbing the back of her neck. "Uh… nope. Unless you count knowing how to wield a huge frying pan. The only thing I'm good at is cooking."
Paimon's eyes lit up instantly. She zipped around Gwen's head like an excited bumblebee. "Okay, then, Paimon has a list! Paimon wants sticky honey roast, sweet madame, fisherman's toast, maybe some jade parcels—ooh! And almond tofu! And—"
Gwen laughed despite herself. "Whoa, slow down, little lady. One dish at a time!" But she gotta admit, the idea of cooking in an actual fantasy world is kinda exciting. "Real fresh ingredients, open flames, no broken oven timers—"
"And no rent to pay!" Paimon added helpfully.
Gwen smirked. "You don't know how right you are."
As they talked, the grassy path curved toward a sparkling expanse of water. In the middle stood a towering statue of a hooded person — serene, graceful, and cradling a crystal orb in her outstretched hands. The sunlight made the stone gleam, and the air felt somehow lighter here.
"That's the Statue of The Seven," Paimon said, drifting higher in the air. "Come on, we'll go touch it!"
Before Gwen could ask why they'd want to touch a giant statue, Aether was already stepping into the shallows and swimming. The water was surprisingly clear, the sandy bottom visible beneath. Gwen sighed and followed him in.
The water rose to her knees… then her waist. Cold at first, it warmed quickly, the sunlight shimmering through it in rippling gold patterns. Paimon floated easily overhead while Gwen and Aether swam the last stretch to the statue's base.
Up close, the statue was even more awe-inspiring. The stone figure's eyes seemed to gaze far beyond the horizon, and the air around them carried a faint hum, like distant music. Aether stepped forward and placed his hand against the base of the statue. Gwen lingered a step back, unsure if she was supposed to do the same.
That's when it happened.
A swirl of greenish light burst from the statue's core, spiraling like a miniature cyclone before diving into Aether's chest. His eyes flashed faintly, and for a moment, the wind itself seemed to bend toward him.
Gwen took a step back, nearly slipping on the wet stone. "What the hell—?"
Paimon clasped her tiny hands together, grinning. "Oh! That's the Blessing of Anemo! Now Aether can use wind powers!"
Gwen stared at her, still blinking. "Just… like that?"
"Yup! The Statue of The Seven connects you to the Archon's power. Pretty handy, huh?" Paimon said proudly.
Before Gwen could wrap her head around the idea of "just touch the statue and boom, magic," Aether was already wading back into the water. Gwen followed, splashing awkwardly as they swam to the other side of the shore.
Once on dry land, Paimon hovered ahead and pointed excitedly toward the horizon. "That way! Mondstadt's just past the valley!"
The land ahead stretched into rolling hills dotted with wildflowers, with a distant city barely visible through the haze. Gwen was about to comment on how pretty it looked when the sky suddenly darkened.
A shadow swept over them.
The sound came first — a deep, thrumming roar of wind and wingbeats. Gwen's heart leapt into her throat as she looked up to see a massive blue dragon soaring overhead. Its body was long and sinuous, shimmering scales catching the light as it banked through the air. Four great wings beat rhythmically, and its tail cut a graceful arc behind it.
The creature didn't attack. It didn't even glance their way. Instead, it flew across the valley, dipping low before disappearing into the forest ahead.
Paimon's voice was urgent now. "That's a dragon! He's heading toward the forest!"
Aether's eyes narrowed, his body tensing. Without a word, he broke into a run.
"Wait—what?!" Gwen blurted, before realizing Paimon had already zipped after him.
Panic clawed at her chest. She looked toward the direction they'd run — into the unknown, into dragon territory. The thought of being alone here, in a world with monsters and no Wi-Fi, made her blood run cold.
"Oh no, nope, nope—!" She clutched her satchel tighter and bolted after them. "You two are not ditching me out here!"
The trees ahead loomed taller with every step, shadows stretching over the path as the air grew cooler. Somewhere beyond those trees, the dragon had landed… and Gwen had a sinking feeling her quiet cooking trip in Teyvat was about to get a lot more intense.
The deeper they ran into the forest, the more the air seemed to change. Gone was the salt-scented breeze of the shore; here, the wind carried the earthy scent of damp moss and pine.
Gwen's lungs burned, and not just from running. Stormterror. She knew that dragon just by the appearance, knew it was important to the game's story — but the details felt frustratingly out of reach. The harder she tried to remember the Genshin plot, the foggier it became, as though her memories were pages blurred by spilled ink.
Okay, Gwen, you remember Mondstadt… a dragon… some bard guy… and… ugh, why can't I remember the rest?
Aether suddenly slowed, raising a hand to signal them to stop. Paimon hovered closer to him, her wide eyes fixed ahead. Gwen crept up behind them, clutching the strap of her satchel like it was a lifeline.
They were at the edge of a clearing. Through a gap in the trees, Gwen caught sight of a massive shape — Stormterror — perched on a moss-covered ruin, his wings folding and unfolding in slow, restless movements. But the dragon wasn't alone.
Someone stood before him. A young man with teal hair that swayed gently in the breeze, dressed in white and navy with a flowing cape. His voice was calm, melodic, and almost soothing as he spoke to the beast. Gwen couldn't hear every word, but there was an intimacy to the way he spoke — like he knew the dragon personally.
Paimon whispered, "Who's… talking to the dragon?"
Gwen's breath caught. She knew that face. Even through the blur of half-remembered game cutscenes, she recognized him instantly. "That's… Venti," she murmured, her voice low. "He's—" She stopped herself before blurting out the Anemo Archon. She wasn't sure if she should be spoiling anything in front of them.
And well, neither of them didn't even heard her.
Then, without warning, Aether shifted his stance and stepped forward. A branch snapped under his foot.
Venti's head snapped around, his teal eyes narrowing. "Who's there?!" His voice cut through the forest, sharper now, the easy tone replaced by something wary.
Stormterror reacted instantly, his massive head lifting, pupils narrowing to slits. The dragon let out a deep, earth-shaking roar that rattled Gwen's bones. The wind surged violently through the clearing, whipping her hair into her face and nearly knocking Paimon out of the air.
"Ahhh—! Paimon doesn't like this!" Paimon squeaked, clinging to Aether's shoulder.
Gwen's heart pounded so hard she could barely hear over the rush of wind. Every instinct screamed run, but her legs felt locked in place. She couldn't tell if Stormterror had seen them… or simply didn't care.
Then, just as suddenly, the dragon spread his enormous wings, kicked off from the ruin, and took to the skies. The force of the downdraft made Gwen stumble back a step, shielding her face from the blast of wind. The treetops bent as the dragon's silhouette shrank against the evening sky before disappearing entirely.
When she lowered her arm, the clearing was empty. Stormterror was gone. And so was the teal-haired man.
Gwen let out the breath she'd been holding. "Where… did he go?"
Paimon spun in the air, scanning the trees. "Huh?! He's gone! That guy!"
Aether's gaze lingered on the ruins, his expression unreadable. Gwen rubbed her arms against the lingering chill in the air.
"Huh? That's that over there?" Paimon points in the direction where the dragon and Venti. "Let's check it out!"