____________________
(Stone Gate, Bishui Plain, Liyue)
"Hang in there old man, we're almost there, we're almost home." Came the nervous and somewhat frantic assurance of a young adventurer in green, as he and his two other companions tried to assure a figure laying in a makeshift bed inside a wagon bound for Mondstadt.
The group was part of an eight-man adventurer team from Mondstadt who about 9 months ago decided to embark on an expedition to the westernmost nation of Teyvat, the land of war, Natlan.
More specifically, they journeyed to its most elusive area, The Mare Jivari, a realm west of the island of Tenochtzitoc.
They came seeking fame and riches, the same ones told by the Great Adventurer Stanley, yet instead of glory what they received was a horrible and grueling experience that took the lives of four of their companions, while leaving their most senior member in a state of ruin.
By some miracle the remainder of the group managed to survived that desolated windless realm, however, their most senior member, Doug, a veteran adventurer with more than 40 years of experience, was laid low by a surge of abyssal corruption....while protecting an infant who they found among the dead bodies of what appeared to be a group of natlanese adventurers.
Doug was now in a life and death situation.
Healers from both the Masters of the Night-Wind and even some doctors from Port Ormos all tried their best to heal or at least stabilize Doug's condition but to no avail.
The abyssal corruption inflicted upon him while shielding the infant child was so deep that it rendered several of his organs barely functioning while the rot slowly creeps towards his heart.
Sensing his inevitable end, Doug urged his fellow surviving teammates to give up on their fruitless search for a cure or remedy and instead told them that he wanted to go home before the rot overtakes him.
It was his final request, to see the skies of Mondstadt for one last time. And it was a request that the rest of the team solemnly complied.
After leaving Port Ormos and arriving at Liyue Harbor by sea, the group immediately rented a transport wagon bound for Mondstadt.
Doug's condition continued to deteriorate by the day. The group sent a runner ahead of them to inform Cyrus, the newly promoted branch manager of Mondstadt's Adventurers' Guild about the situation.
Their fellow member, a young woman named Janice took care of the infant that they had brought from Mare Jivari, though Doug, even in his weakened state tried to constantly keep an eye out for the boy.
"Only a few days more, Doug, only a few days more and we'll all be home....so please hold on. Hold on for just a little longer." Tears flowed down the face of a young adventurer as he held Doug's scared and weakened hand.
____________________
The months following the renovation and reopening of the Gunnhildr Estate settled into a gentle, stable rhythm for the Gunnhildr family.
The mansion was no longer just a building; it was now a home, filled with the sounds of life, laughter, lullabies and a little girl's happy footsteps.
In those few months, Artoria had found her stride. She moved through her dual roles and responsibilities with an inherent grace that was astonishing to behold.
In the mornings, she was the Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius. A figure of unyielding strength, authority and tactical brilliance.
She would regularly preside over meetings in the now-spartan halls of the Knights with her emerald eyes dissecting every map and intelligence report with a speed that left her subordinates in awe.
Though the Dawn Marches were now regularly led by assigned officers from each of the rotating companies, Artoria would from time to time participate, leading her knights as a silent, immutable standard that the entire Order strove to meet.
In the afternoons, she would visit and inspect the various companies in their respective barracks. She would observe their work, their training and would often offer some needed suggestions that were always sharp, insightful, and encouraging.
She became particularly fond of the Eighth Company who were filled with the researchers and mages of the Order. The pudgy, but sharp-witted (and somewhat sleep-deprived) alchemist Captain of the company, Muscovado, would follow her around like a duckling as she offered casual suggestions and tips concerning alchemical formulations and reactions, especially with the ones he and the rest of his team had been struggling with for weeks!
Artoria had also recently learned that Muscovado's wife had recently given birth to a baby girl, a chubby, cheerful infant named Sucrose, and Artoria made a point to visit the little family, bringing with her a basket of golden-tinged apples from the orchard for the new mother and her newborn child.
By late afternoon, however, the Grand Master would shed her knightly mantle.
The moment she stepped back through the gates of the Gunnhildr Estate, she would simply return to her cherished role as a mother. The weight of responsibility and leadership bestowed upon her by the people of Mondstadt would lift from her shoulders and be replaced by the far lighter and far more profound weight of motherhood.
These were her favorite hours. The time where she could spend time with her precious daughters.
She would sit with Jean in the sunset-dappled library, helping her little girl learn difficult words in the language books Melisa had brought them.
Jean was always a bright child, with a voracious curiosity that Artoria nurtured with endless patience. Her daughter would often ask a series of questions about the history of Mondstadt, the knights and the world at large. And Artoria, ever the proud and nurturing mother would answer her, weaving lessons of honor, logic, and kindness into every lessons.
And then there was her little baby girl, Barbara.
The adorable baby, was a whirlwind of joyful energy.
Her first word, which came just a few days after they've moved into the mansion had been "Mama" and it had remained one of Artoria's most favorite moments. So much so that she conjured up a recording camera from out of the Grail just to record that most precious of events!
Barbara, as expected of any infant of her age, was extremely attached to her mother.
The little baby would often totter after Artoria through the halls with her little hands clutching at the fabric of her dress while she babbled a stream of happy nonsense.
Artoria, unsurprisingly, would often fall victim to her youngest's cutesy act which would often end up with her scooping up her precious little infant and peppering her with kisses and snuggles which would cause the baby to squeal in delight!
This was her heaven...
Her joy...
Her world.
Her two daughters meant everything to her. They were the two suns that illuminated her life.
The immense otherworldly divine power that slumbered within her, the power that can level mountains, shape continents and challenge the heavens themselves....felt so distant and unimportant.
The only power that truly mattered for her was the power to coax a laugh and a smile from her daughters.
To soothe their nightmares away and to build a world where they could grow up safe and happy.
Such was a mother's wish.
And soon, another member would be added to that most solemn and precious of wishes.
____________________
Months after the ascension of a certain blonde Grand Master, Mondstadt's had been undergoing slow but steady growth.
A miraculous recovery from six years of downward economic spiral.
The nation had always been agrarian. Its economy rests on the hard work of farmers in the countryside, and especially on the yields of the vast vineyards that produced the country's number one export, wine.
But under Artoria's guidance, the economy began to grow and diversify.
The Knights, once a stagnant force, were now the city's largest employer and were now dishing out effective public works projects.
The newly minted Tenth Company, under its veteran leadership, was not just training recruits but were also directing and managing building projects.
The were also on hand with maintaining the city's infrastructure, repairing roads, reinforcing bridges, and clearing out monster nests in tandem with the other companies, particularly the Sixth and the First, with a methodical efficiency that made the countryside much safer than it had been in generations.
The sudden influx of Mora from her cultivated Golden Delicious apples exports, was fueling a sort of renaissance for the nation of freedom.
Artoria had established a semi-private merchant's guild which became a subsidiary of the Knights' logistics branch, to handle the export of the apples and other locally made produce, as well as the import of goods that the nation and the city needed.
It was a move that had initially puzzled some people, leading them to question 'why would a military order involve itself in trade?'
But the results were undeniable.
More demands for their farm-grown produce and increasing mercantile trade boosted the once crumbling economy.
Taxes were lowered and the prices of goods and rent were slowly decreasing. It was a breeze of fresh air for the nation of freedom.
Artoria has also tapped other notable individuals that can contribute to the steady growth of the nation.
One such individual was Crepus Ragnvindr, head and patriarch of the Ragnvindr Clan (one of the four noble clans of Mondstadt alongside the Gunnhildr Clan) and owner of Mondstadt's largest vineyard and winery, the Dawn Winery.
He had become an unexpected but invaluable ally. The man, who had inspirations of becoming a knight ever since his youth yet been barred from the Order by Randolf's petty machinations, possessed a mind as sharp as any blade and a shrewd business acumen that was unmatched in all of Mondstadt.
Recognizing his valuable talent, Artoria had bestowed upon him the title of Honorary Knight and assigned him to the Office of the Secretary, working directly under her secretary, Melisa Minci.
It was a partnership that had worked wonders. Crepus, with his extensive network of contacts and his deep understanding of finance, had taken the fledgling merchant guild and transformed it into the economic engine of the nation!
In the last few months, he was able to establish fair trade practices with Liyue, negotiated shipping routes, and even began experimenting with producing other varieties of wines infused with the now famous Golden Delicious apples!
The Dawn Winery and the rest of Mondstadt's wine industry, which was already prestigious, was entering a new golden age under his strategic guidance. Artoria had given him the authority and the resources; in return, he was giving Mondstadt a measure of prosperity never before seen in its history.
Crepus was a grateful man, now fiercely loyal to the newly installed Grand Master who had seen his potential where others had seen only a wealthy and shrewd noble.
He had also brought his family into this new circle of influence. His fiery, red-haired son, Diluc, a boy with an energetic demeanor and a fierce desire to become a Knight, was often seen sparring with the squires of the Tenth Company. The young boy's raw talent and strength was undeniable.
There was also his other son, Kaeya, a quiet, blue-haired boy with an analytical gaze and a mysterious past. He had a peculiar interest in Captain Zhencha Yuan's Outriders, often peppering the stoic captain with questions about tracking and surveillance, much to Zhencha's amused bewilderment!
Things were slowly turning out for the better.
The city and the nation was slowly changing. The streets were cleaner, the citizens were more cheerful, and a tangible sense of hope hung in the air, as sweet as the scent of apples from the Gunnhildr orchard.
But it was the people, the very soul of Mondstadt, that had been transformed most profoundly with their hearts now filled with a new found sense of hope towards a better future that was waiting just over the horizon.
The Knights were no longer feared nor ignored; they were respected, admired, and were considered an integral part of the community once more. They were no longer just Randolf's glorified bodyguards; they were Artoria's shield, a promise of safety and justice for all.
This was the world Artoria was slowly building. Not through conquest or divine miracles, but through hard work, sound leadership, and a relentless focus on the well-being of her people.
It was a quiet and steady revolution. A testament to the fact that true leadership was not about power, but rather it was about service.
______________________
Artoria had always been curious about theAdventurers' Guild.
During her time as a player in her old world, not a single day would pass by without her visiting Katherine and cashing-in her daily commissions for the reward of those sweet sweet Primogems to feed her ever constant hunger for more wishes!
Yes, she had a sort of gacha (gambling) addiction back then, but she was no whale!
NO SIR!
She just regularly spent 'some' cash every 45 days or so for a dozen Blessings of the Welkin Moon, the Battle Pass complete with the Gnostic Hymn, and occasionally some gorgeous Character Outfits, like those of Nilou's Breeze of Saaba or Shenhe's Frostflower Dew!
Yep, she's DEFINITELY NOT A WHALE...probably a dolphin perhaps?
Anyways we're getting off the topic, now back to the Adventurers' Guild.
Artoria had always considered the guild as a sort of primary quest hub. The place where the player would go to get some materials or do some extra quests, Mora and whatnot.
That was before, back when she was still on Earth.
Now, in this reality, the Adventurers' Guild was far more than a side organization with a suspiciously bionic receptionistas a mascot.
It is a place where brave men and women from all walks of life would go and make business!
The guild would not only post commissions that require adventurers to go on perilous journeys and risk their lives, all for the sake of Mora, thrill and glory, no, it is also a place where intel can be exchanged or bought. A place where even the most illiterate of people can go and find a decent living.
It is a place where legends were occasionally born and where normal regular day heroes tend to gather, do business or just simply hang out with one another.
Recently due to the steady progress experienced by Mondstadt, the Adventurers' Guild had become a sort of partner to the Knights of Favonius.
There had been recently an increasing amount of paper work brought to her desk pertaining to joint commissions and joint patrols involving the Guild.
Sometimes, the Guild would offer their own members when the Knights, particularly the Tenth and the Sixth companies, needed additional manpower for their various construction projects.
Her curiosity about the guild grew each passing day which is why today, Artoria had decided to see the Guild for herself.
She had also decided to bring along her little girls, Jean and Barbara, with her.
For what reason you may ask other than casual sightseeing?
In order to teach Jean about the other heroes that prowl around Mondstadt. Heroes who do not wear the knights' armor but have personal resolve as tough as any armor!
She wanted her eldest daughter to know the other men and women that contribute to the state of their nation.
For this occasion, Artoria dressed simply, forgoing her formal Grandmaster's regalia for a practical blue tunic and dark trousers. Her golden hair was tied not in the usual intricate bun but back in a loose ponytail.
She looked less like a noble leader and more like a capable, well-traveled mercenary, a guise that allowed her to simply blend to the crowd!
Jean, her sturdy, bright-eyed five-year-old daughter, walked beside her. Her small right hand clasped firmly with Artoria's, and a wooden sword (the one carved by Artoria herself) was seen attached to a small cute sapphire belt on her waist.
Barbara, her chubby-cheeked baby, was strapped securely in a comfortable carrier on her back. The baby's adorable little head peeking over her mother's shoulder as her round blue eyes widened with curiosity at the sight of the bustling city streets! On top of that, the adorable baby girl would occasionally babble some childish nonsense all the while trying to gum on her mother's hair.
"Mama, where are we going today?" Jean asked for the third time since they've departed from their home. Her innocent voice was like that of a cheerful song.
"Again my darling little lion, we're going to the Adventurers' Guild." Artoria replied with a patient and gentle tone.
"It's a place where very brave people work. People who go on long journeys to help others in need."
"Like you and the Knights, Mama?"
Artoria smiled while gently squeezing her daughter's hand.
"In a way, yes. But they are... a different kind of heroes, more mundane yet equally important and brave like any knight."
After a short walk from the Knights of Favonius Headquarters, they've arrived at Mondstadt's Adventurers' Guild Headquarters. The entire building was a sturdy, stoned-framed structure, larger than it looked from the outside, with a perpetually open door that welcomed a constant stream of people going in and out of the building.
High above the door post was the Guild's emblem, a sign depicting an eight pointed star enclosed on a circle with four points in each cardinal direction.
Below the guild sign, just above the main doorway lies the motto of the Guild, casted in iron. These were the words that resonated in the hearts of every Genshin player, and made Artoria a bit tearful from nostalgia.
'AD ASTRA ABYSSOSQUE'
"Add...extra, applesauce?" Jean tried to pronounce the words innocently but got it all wrong, which made Artoria giggle in laughter.
"No sweetie, it's 'Ad-Astra-Abyssosque' not 'add extra applesauce'." Artoria gently corrected her daughter while wiping some of the tears from her eyes.
Jean, still pondering on how to properly pronounce the words, looked at her mama and asked "What does Ad...Astra..Abby...sauce mean Mama?"
'Close enough', Artoria thought while looking at her ever curious daughter.
"Ad Astra Abyssosque means 'To the Stars and the Abyss'. It is the motto of the Adventurers' Guild and it captures the very essence of what it means to be an adventurer as they boldly venture "up to the stars, down to the abyss."
Artoria carefully explained to her daughter the meaning of those words. Words that encompassed the very spirit of adventure...or so their motto would have you believe.
In truth, the Adventurers' Guild takes on a wide variety of jobs ranging from finding kittens to exploring domains, all the while getting paid for their efforts.
The guild's motto was composed of honest words, slightly romanticized to gather appeal, but a person cannot afford to gaze at the stars or the abyss with an empty stomach or a roof over his or her head!
As they stepped inside, the atmosphere suddenly changed. Gone was the fresh scent of dandelions carried by the breeze, instead the air was thick with the smell of old leather, spilled ale, and even the faint, metallic tang of blood.
The large common room of the guild was filled with a cacophony of voices.
A boisterous group of Liyue merchants haggling over a map in one corner...
A grizzled adventurer boasting loudly about a Hilichurl camp he'd single-handedly wiped out...
And a quiet Sumeru scholar meticulously examining a strange, glowing plant at a side table.
Artoria's keen eyes took it all in. This area was not accessible in-game, yet here she is at the very center of the Adventurers' Guild, and it looked more like a small crowded marketplace than an official meeting place as far as she's concerned!
But that's not all, she also saw several patched-up armors laying at the side, a few wooden racks showcasing well-worn weapons, and even a freshly made batch of those iconic green and white uniforms that most adventurers wear.
The entire room was filled with a myriad of faces etched with a mix of weariness, excitement, and the hardened resolve of those who stared danger in the eye for a living.
This was the true heart of Mondstadt's frontier spirit!
"Wow." Jean whispered in wonder as her eyes widened, trying to take in all the extraordinary sights and sounds before her.
Artoria looked around and spotted the person she was looking for at the counter.
He is a burly blonde man with green eyes and a mustache. He has a monocle on his right eye and wears the standard green uniform of the Adventurer's Guild with leather gloves, a red bowtie, a green cape collar with a ruffled trim, and two belt bags.
The guild's logo, an eight-pointed star, was printed on the right and back flaps of the cape collar.
The man's was Cyrus, the guild's newly appointed branch manager for Mondstadt.
A fun loving man with a shrewd mind and a deep respect for the adventurers who served under him.
He was seen sorting through a pile of commissions, though Artoria did notice that something feels off about him that day.
She came to know that the man was usually jolly, especially after the couple of times he came into her office carrying proposals for joint ventures between the Guild and the Knights. But now, Cyrus' expression was somewhat dimmed, especially on the way that he would often glance towards the doorway, as if he was waiting for something.
Artoria, curious to know of what's been bothering him, decided to approach him with her daughters in tow.
When Cyrus noticed her approach, his eyes lit up as he saw her walk towards him, and his contemplative smile faltered for a second, replaced by a flicker of genuine surprise. He knew exactly who she was, despite the simple attire.
"Grand Master!" He boomed, his voice drawing the attention of the entire room.
The boisterous chatter around the hall immediately died down, replaced by a sudden, respectful silence.
"Grand Master Gunnhildr, to what do we owe the honor?"
Artoria offered a small, placating smile.
"No ceremony today, Master Cyrus. I am here merely as a... curious observer and to show my daughter what true working folk service looks like."
Her gaze softened as she looked down at Jean, and the room's tension eased.
To the occupants of the room, they saw not the Grand Master, but a mother with her child. The quiet conversation slowly resumed.
Cyrus smiled knowingly, his patented jovial smile returning to his face.
"Ah I see, so the 'Queen' had decided to start teaching the young princess about the ways of governance! Quite a bit early and bold if you ask me my Lady!" Cyrus let out a hearty laugh towards his jest which made Artoria smile, while causing Jean to become a bit embarrassed.
"But joking aside my Lady, I've always believed that it is a good idea to start teaching children while they're still young so that the lessons wouldn't just be remembered but also be instilled in their hearts!" Cyrus made a gesture by placing his palm on his chest.
"And if you're looking for the best down to earth and honest teachers in all of Teyvat, then look no further than us, the Adventurers' Guild! We may not be as theoretical as those in Akademiya but we sure as hell are more practical with our approach!" Cyrus boasted which caused the majority of adventurers inside the guild to let out a loud roar of approval.
Artoria giggled at the positive response of the guild.
These were men and women who would occasionally risk everything and stare death in the face, and yet they sure know how to live their lives to the fullest with a bit of merriment!
As she was about to ask Cyrus about the basics of the guild's operations, her enhanced senses picked up on a sort of quarrel on the back of the common room. A young adventurer, barely more than a teen, was arguing fiercely with an older, more seasoned adventurer.
"I'm telling you, I saw it! A Cryo Whopperflower, big as a house, near the ruins at the base of Dragonspine! The reward on the board was for a standard one, but this one was a mutant! It needs to be reclassified!" The boy insisted, his face flushed with frustration.
The older man however simply scoffed.
"A whopperflower is a whopperflower, kid. You probably got scared and your eyes played tricks on you. Take the standard reward and be glad you're alive. Don't waste our time with fairy tales."
"But it's true!" The boy pleaded with a cracking voice.
Artoria watched with a familiar pang of sympathy in her heart. She had seen this before, the dismissal of the young by the old, the rigid bureaucracy that refused to believe what it couldn't easily categorize.
She was about to act, but before she could intervene, she suddenly felt an unfamiliar spike of energy getting closer and closer to the guild.
The energy felt otherworldly. It was small, almost unnoticeable yet...it was dark and corrupting. It lingers on, contained and hasn't spread, but is somewhat devouring whoever or whatever was holding it.
Artoria slightly narrowed her eyes as she looked towards the direction of the open door of the Guild's headquarters.
Cyrus too noticed the sudden shift in the Grand Master's gaze, and before he could ask her, he heard a frantic call for help.
Suddenly a panicked voice was heard, as a young adventurer came running inside the guild.
"CYRUS COME QUICK! They're already here along with Doug! and we're losing him!" A female adventurer screamed with tears in her eyes.
The entire common room froze.
Cyrus's jovial expression vanished in an instant, replaced by a mask of grim urgency.
He vaulted over the counter and sprinted outside the headquarters' towards the courtyard, with Artoria and a few other concerned adventurers following close behind.
Outside, they saw a group of three adventurers, two of which were carrying a hammock with a passenger laid inside, while another, a young woman was holding what appears to be an infant in swaddling clothes.
There was also what appears to be a healer walking besides the hammock.
When the group in question came nearer, everyone who was present saw a grim sight before them. Inside the hammock is an old man.
His body was a roadmap of scars from a life lived on the edge, with swats of bandages wrapped around his torso.
His breathing was shallow and ragged, and his skin was pale, save for the several dark, violet-tinged veins that were slowly creeping up his face, arms and across his chest.
The healer, who appears to possess an Anemo vision, was desperately trying to channel her energy into him but to no avail. It was like trying to douse a fire with a thimble of water.
The rot that she was fighting was alien, dark, corrupted...it was the Mark of the Abyss.
Cyrus almost froze at the sight of the downed person before him.
This person was one of the few people he looked up too when he was still a novice adventurer.
He was a well known veteran amongst the adventurers of Mondstadt who not only fought monsters for so many years but had inspired others including himself to pursue the path of the adventurer.
"Doug... what happened out there?" Cyrus asked, his voice trembling with emotion.
The old man, the veteran adventurer named Doug, slowly forced his eyes open. They were clouded with pain, but still held a flicker of desperate resolve.
"WHAT ARE YOU ALL STANDING THERE FOR?! Get something, a mattress or even a bed and bring it here now!" Cyrus shouted in desperation.
He remembered the letter that he had received a few days ago, pertaining to the tragedy that had befallen Doug's adventurers' group. It also contained what appeared to be Doug's final request that he....he...that he wanted to see the skies of Mondstadt...for the last time.
Initially he wanted to bring Doug straight into the guild's infirmary, yet he knows that it will only bring disservice to the well known veteran who was currently fighting for his life.
A few moments later, a group of adventurers came out from the headquarters' carrying a bed that they took from the infirmary. They carefully placed it in the courtyard in front of the guild's headquarters and helped gently place the severely injured veteran over it.
Cyrus, and so many others were now openly crying.
He knew...every adventurer knew the risk of their occupation.
He had seen his fair share of tragedies.
He had lost a few of his friends during some perilous commissions in the past, yet to see one of the guild's most senior and most experienced laid so low was a sight that even his sturdy heart couldn't handle!
As he wept, he felt a gentle and reassuring touch in his left shoulder, it was from the Grand Master, Artoria Pendragon 'Gunnhildr'. He saw her compassionate emerald eyes convey a sense of comfort amidst the grief stricken atmosphere of the guild.
"What happened here Master Cyrus." Artoria asked with a voice that carried a bit of authority yet was gentle and kind
"The man before us is a veteran adventurer named Doug, my Lady." Cyrus tried to explain to Artoria, his voice thickened with emotions.
"He is a well-known adventurer in this part of Mondstadt with more than forty years of experience under his belt. However, nine months ago, long before you came to our city, he and his group of seven other adventurers decided to embark on what was supposed to be Doug's retirement adventure. Their destination, Natlan's Mare Jivari."
Artoria's eyes widened a bit. Memories of her past as a gamer came flooding in her mind.
'Mare Jivari', that's the windless realm off the coast of Natlan. The realm that housed a gigantic abyssal monster known as the Bakunawa.
The very same place that Barbatos chucked away from this world's timeline hundreds of years ago in order to prevent the abyss from further spreading to the rest of Teyvat.
Yet, distortion around the area would occasionally cause the opening of some rifts, especially around the island of Tenochtzitoc, which can lead people into that desolate wasteland.
Adventurers from all around Teyvat had been coming towards Tenochtzitoc for years in order to get the rare opportunity of visiting Mare Jivari, which had become a sort of proving ground for experienced adventurers far and wide.....yet, only a few managed to come back alive.
The situation must have been the same for this Doug fellow in front of her. The unknown energy that she sensed earlier was no doubt the abyssal energy seeping inside the body of the ruined veteran.
She can sense it....most of Doug's organs have already begun failing because of the abyssal rot. The bulging purple veins around the poor old man's face and arms were riddled with abyssal corruption that was slowly eating him from the inside...
She has to do something.
She's a goddess. Clearly she can do something that could at least ease his pain, and hopefully even save this person of whom she had just met yet was clearly well loved by the entire guild.
She began to slowly approach the fallen figure, intending to subtly use her own divine powers in order to get rid of the abyssal filth that had been plaguing him. Yet as she stepped closer, Doug's eyes slowly turned towards her as if sensing her presence.
His once blurry vision cleared away for just a moment and he saw a being of radiance walking towards him. Her very aura was calming the very corruption of the abyss inside him.
A spark of recognition, or perhaps just instinct honed from decades of experience made him focus on her.
This is no ordinary woman, and he can sense her intention towards him.
He had seen some deities during his decades of adventures and this radiant woman before him carried the same aura as them, yet purer and more potent.
Is...is she...Barbatos? Had the Anemo Archon, the god of whom he had prayed for so long, finally came to bid him farewell?
When Artoria was already at arms length, she knelt beside him. She was about to touch him and infuse some of her energy to him, but Doug suddenly grasped her hand with what remaining strength he had.
She could feel the unyielding resolve of this veteran adventurer from his grip alone, the longing and desperation that he carried.....but it felt selfless, like none of those emotions were directed to himself.
"No....my Lady....do not waste...your time on some old fool...like me." Doug could barely gasp the words out in his mouth.
They were low, almost silent, yet Artoria could hear them. She saw tears pulling out of the old adventurer's eyes as she gently held his sickly hand with both of her hands
"I...I've lived a...full life..my lady, and I regretted none of it. I sense...your kindness, your intention...towards me, and I'm truly...grateful to have been blessed by the presence...of someone...like you." Doug then tightened his hold a bit.
"Yet, it should not be me....who you must bestow your sacred blessings my Lady... I...I've already accepted...my inevitable death....and I gladly welcome it. But he....he has just started his journey....too young...still a child. He...he still has...a whole life ahead of him." Doug, with great effort pointed his other hand towards his fellow adventurer Janice who was currently holding a sleeping infant.
"Natlan... Mare Jivare." The old adventurer rasped, each word a struggle.
"Windless realm... so much ash... Found him... a baby boy."
His trembling hand gestured to the small child in the embrace of his fellow teammate. Sensing Doug's gaze, Janice went closer until she stood beside Artoria.
Artoria, for her part, was now able to see who the child Doug had been referring to.
Wrapped in tattered, ash-stained blankets, was an infant. He couldn't have been more than a year old, with a shock of snow-white hair and eyes the color of new spring grass, wide and unnervingly calm despite the scene unfolding around him.
The child was the picture of health, a stark, impossible contrast to the dying man beside him. Yet Artoria can also sense something wrong inside of him.
Something subtle yet wrong deeply hidden within the boy.
"His parents... all dead," Doug continued, a tear tracing a path through the grime on his cheek.
"Tecpatl's Flintblades... a good team... sacrificed themselves... so he could live." His voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, for Artoria's ears alone.
"Protected him... with their souls... I saw it...yet not enough. Saw some corruption seeping...into him." He coughed, a wet, terrible sound.
"Got out... but the abyss... it followed. So many... fought my way back... had to bring him here... to the wind...to you
..to safety." Doug then coughed loudly as blood began coming out from his mouth as his breathing kept getting worse and worse.
The healer let out a frustrated sob.
"It's no use, Cyrus! The corruption is too deep. It's not just physical; it's clinging to his very soul!"
Doug's gaze locked with Artoria's, in a final, desperate plea from a dying man to the being whom he dared to recognize as his god.
"He's a miracle... a miracle born in a cursed place... Please...my Archon, have pity in your heart....watch over him...a child... abandoned....by the world itself."
Doug then gave out his last. His head lolled to the side, the last breath leaving his body in a soft sigh.
The entire courtyard fell into a heavy silence.
The healer slumped back, defeated. The other adventurers stood in stunned grief.
Doug, the living legend among them. A man who had survived more than four decades in places that would kill any lesser man in five minutes. To see him brought down, not by a monster's fang, but by a creeping, insidious darkness, was a sobering reminder of the dangers they all faced.
Jean, who had been peeking from behind her mother's leg, crept forward. She looked at the still form of the old adventurer, then at the quiet baby being held by a female adventurer who was quietly crying beside the bed.
Even after witnessing the massacre of her own household months ago, her five-year-old mind struggled to understand the finality of death. But she understood loss. She understood the lonely ache of a child without a parent.
Artoria remained silent.
Somewhat overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events.
She only planned to take Jean and Barbara to the Adventures's guild for a sort of field trip, yet she never expected such drama to unfold before her eyes!
She saw the finality of the words of the grizzled old adventurer who died right in front of her.
She didn't even know who he was.
In the memories of her previous life, there wasn't even an npc or a person named Doug.
The reality of her new life had once again washed over her. This was no longer a game, a game that she had used to play in her times of stress.
This was now a reality.
A reality that was full of life, love and even tragedies such as this.
She then turned her gaze towards the baby being held by the teammate of the recently deceased adventurer. The baby who now was curiously looking at her with his bright green eyes as if nothing happened.
'Abandoned by the world itself...' The final words of the dying man repeated in her mind. She could see the sorrow that the old man felt for the child. She once felt that as well, a long time ago, when she was still a King in her past life.
The feeling of being abandoned by the world, of being forced to sacrifice her own humanity and happiness for the sake of something other than her own.
A King that abandoned her own life, her own child for the sake of her kingdom. A regret that she will forever carry for all eternity.
She could still feel the phantom pain of her own mistakes, the cold weight of her crown.
She had chosen her kingdom over her child, a choice that had haunted her across so many lifetimes and had even echoed in her life on Earth, when she had also chosen her work, over the pleas of her child.
A decision that led to her poor daughter's untimely demise.
Here, now, once again, was a chance to make a different choice. A chance to save not just a child, but a piece of herself.
Artoria let go of Doug's hand and gently placed them over the old man's chest. She then turned her attention towards the young woman beside her who was now looking at her with tears of grief still in her eyes.
She extended her arms towards her in a gesture that most parents should know.
"May I?" Artoria's words were gentle and the young adventurer carefully offered her the infant cradled in her arms.
Artoria gently took the infant from the young woman's arms like she was handling the most precious jewelry in the world. Her gaze was soft as she looked down at the small baby boy.
The baby, seemingly unafraid and curious, reached out a small hand, his chubby fingers closing around her thumb with a surprising strength.
"He is safe now." Artoria said, her voice a low, soothing murmur that seemed to push the shadow of grief around the guild's assembly.
It was not a platitude; it was a statement of absolute fact.
She looked up at Cyrus, her emerald eyes holding a gravity that made the guild master stand straighter.
"Master Cyrus, this man, Doug, gave his life for this child. His final wish was that this child be safe. His final act was one of pure, selfless heroism!"
"He will be given the funeral worthy of a hero. The Knights of Favonius and the Adventurers' Guild will bear his body, and we will bury him in the cemetery of all Mondstadt's past heroes, with full honors!"
Cyrus, a man who dealt in contracts and commissions, could only nod, his throat too tight to speak.
The Grand Master's words had transformed the old renowned adventurer into a national legend in his final moments.
An Honor rarely confirmed to any Adventurer.
Artoria's attention then turned back towards the infant.
"As for this child." She continued. Her voice softening, becoming the gentle and firm tone of a mother making a declaration.
"He will not be a ward of the guild nor will he be passed from one hand to another hand. He will not grow up as an orphan, as another statistic in a cruel world."
She gently pressed the baby towards her, holding him against her chest with a natural, practiced ease. The child, now nestled against her, seemed to sigh in contentment.
"He is a miracle born in a cursed land. A survivor. A beacon of hope against the darkness. He deserves a name worthy of that. A name that will celebrate his fortune, his unbelievable luck to have survived such an ordeal and to be found."
She looked from the calm baby to her own daughters, who were watching her with rapt attention.
Jean was looking up to her with eyes wide, not from sadness, but from awe. The little girl saw the baby not as a stranger but another precious person being brought into their home.
It will be the start of a new chapter in her mother's legend.
Barbara peeked behind her mother's shoulder and began to gently babble, as if announcing the arrival of a new friend...a new sibling.
Artoria smiled at her daughters response. She knew what name to give this nameless child.
She had drawn from her previous life the memory of a white haired adventurer who was constantly plagued by so much badluck that people would often tend to avoid him. Yet even in the face of such rejection and tragedy that boy would always keep his chin up and face another day with a smile.
She remembered how she and the rest of the community had crowned him as the game's 'True Pyro Archon' because of his utilities and skills. But she also remembered the very bright and blazing fire that the boy possessed, a heart so bright that it can pierce through the darkness of the world!
And that boy....that very special boy from that game is the same baby she now tenderly carries in her arms!
"Bennett. His name will be Bennett!"
She had to stifle a giggle. The irony of it all! The Bennett she knew from her past life was theunluckiest boy in all of Teyvat.
'And this Bennett'. She thought as she looked down at the peacefully sleeping child.
Is the luckiest boy in the world! To have survived such a tragedy and to have been found by a man who would sacrifice his own life to bring him to safety!
"He will be my son." She announced to everyone who was present with her voice leaving no room for debate.
"He will be a brother to my daughters Jean and Barbara. He will be a Gunnhildr. And he will be raised with all the love, protection, and happiness that I can give him. THIS I SWEAR!"
The declaration hung in the air was final and absolute. The adventurers of the guild, who had seen countless deaths and tragedies, were witnessing something else entirely.
They were seeing a miracle of a different sort.
They were seeing hope being born from despair, not just in the form of a child, but in the form of a leader who would not let a single soul be abandoned!
Artoria then turned her attention towards Doug's remains, and in one graceful move, she solemnly knelt before the recently deceased Veteran Adventurer. Her head bowed down in solemn reverence while she gently cradled her newly named son in her arms.
Her action stunned everyone who was present. To see the proud Grand Master, the highest authority of the Knights, the Matriarch of one of Mondstadt's oldest clans, and the de facto leader of their nation kneeling before a common adventurer as if he was a king!
Her act was a powerful and poignant tribute to the old man. It was a statement that his sacrifice was not in vain, that his final act of heroism had been witnessed and would be honored by the highest authority in the land.
With her head bowed low in a moment of silent respect, Artoria whispered a prayer so ancient and pure that the very air in the courtyard seemed to shimmer.
It was a prayer not directed to any gods of Teyvat but rather specifically for an individual soul.
A prayer for a hero's spirit to find its way to a peaceful resting place.
A prayer that carried the weight of a goddess's own sorrow and gratitude.
A prayer that will inadvertently open the gates of a NEWBORN WORLD hidden within a divine heart and placed upon the shadows of another.
Unknown to all, even to the creator herself, the great wheels of Fate began to turn once more.
When Artoria finally stood up, the entire assembly's atmosphere had changed. The grief was still there, but it was now tempered with a profound sense of reverence and hope.
The adventurers looked at the baby, Bennett not as an unfortunate survivor, but as a symbol of the old man's legacy. A living testament to his courage.
Artoria then turned around and looked at Cyrus with a soft yet firm gaze.
"Master Cyrus, I will take my leave. Please inform me of the arrangements for our hero's funeral."
Cyrus, still reeling from the events, had found his voice. His emotions of grief and gratefulness echoed in his tone.
"As you command my Lady. I'll see that preparations for Doug's funeral be made and I'll inform you of the specific details as soon as they are ready."
Artoria gave Cyrus a nod then turned to leave, but not before Jean tugged at her sleeve.
"Mama." She whispered, her voice filled with child-like innocence and wisdom.
"He will not be lonely anymore. He has us now!"
Artoria's heart swelled with a love so great that it almost caused it to explode. She knelt down and kissed her eldest daughter's forehead.
"Yes, my dear sweetheart." She said, with her voice thick with motherly love.
"He's not lonely anymore."
And with that, Artoria Pendragon 'Gunnhildr', Grandmaster of the Knights of Favonius, Matriarch of the Gunnhildr clan, and now mother of three, left the Adventurers' Guild, with a new tiny, and very lucky member of her family cradled safely in her arms.
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The return to the Gunnhildr estate was a quiet affair.
The weight of the day's events, the sorrow for the fallen, and the responsibility for the new life all coalesced into a solemn, introspective mood.
The Knights standing guard at the gates straightened their backs when they saw their Grand Master approach. Their eyes widening at the sight of the sleeping infant in her arms.
Their gazes held no questions, only a deep, unwavering loyalty and a readiness to accept whatever their leader brought them.
Elspeth, ever-vigilant and devout, met them at the door. Her eyes, filled with simple wisdom and kindness, first fell upon Artoria's face, then on the bundle of joy nesting or her 'Archon's' arms. A soft understanding smile soon touched her lips.
"A long day, my Lady." She said, her voice a gentle balm. It was not a question.
"A very long one indeed, Elspeth." Artoria replied with her own smile, tired but genuine.
"A very long one."
The warm, welcoming interior of her home was a world away from the grim reality of the guild.
The scent of baking bread and blooming flowers from the garden filled the air, a testament to the life and care that now suffused this once-gloomy place.
Jean, who had been uncharacteristically quiet on the walk home, now looked up at her mother with her blue eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and a burgeoning sense of responsibility.
"Mama, where will my baby brother sleep? He can't sleep in the basket!"
"We will have a new cradle made for him my dear." Artoria said with a calm and reassuring voice.
"A beautiful one, made from the wood of an apple tree. He will have his own bed, right next to yours and Barbara's. But until then, he will sleep beside me."
Artoria began to look at the sleeping baby boy who was now her own.
'He's so small.' She thought to herself, as a wave of fierce, protective maternal instinct washed over her.
He felt different from Jean and Barbara. There was a sense of resilience in him, a quiet strength that belied in his tiny form.
He was a child who had unknowingly stared into the abyss and had not been consumed.
He had fought and survived before he could even walk.
And she saw in his soul the beginning of a fire. A fire she too once had, the same unyielding flame that represents the will to live, the same determination to protect something precious.
In him, she saw herself. Through his bright green eyes, she saw the endless, untamed wilderness of Natlan, the land of war and pyro, yet within it, a spark of hope and a new dawn.
He will need a mother.
He will need a mother who can understand the scars that the world can leave on a person, even small ones.
And she will be that mother!
She will be his shield, his sword and his sanctuary. She will teach him that even in the darkest of times, there will always be light, hope and reason to keep on fighting.
She will teach him that his luck, the 'miraculous luck' that brought him to her, was not a curse, but a gift. A gift to be cherished, a gift to be used to bring hope to the world.
Bennett, as if sensing his new mother's thoughts, began to stir from his peaceful slumber.
The little baby boy slowly opened his bright green eyes and when he caught sight of Artoria gently looking down at him with the most loving of smiles that made him all warm and fuzzy, Bennett, for the first time since his arrival in Mondstadt, began to giggle and smile, happily waving his small chubby hands towards Artoria's face.
Artoria was so overcome with a profound sense of maternal joy, the same joy that she felt when both Jean and Barbara decided to see her as their own mother for the first time.
Genuine tears of love began to flow out in her emerald eyes as she stared at her adorable little son.
She smiled at him with a smile that only a mother can give and she said.
"Smile for me my Darling, let Mama see it for the first time."
(End of Chapter)
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[Mare Jivari]
- The Mare Jivari was an area once located in the westernmost part of Tenochtzitoc, Natlan. It became known as the Mare Jivari after a large-scale battle involving the heroes Sanhaj Kompore and Tenoch against the titanic monster known as the Bakunawa during the cataclysm.
- Though it was defeated, the Bakunawa still retained the potential to be revitalized. The immense power possessed by the monster was capable of corrupting the passage of time itself. Thus, to prevent this corruption from further spreading and infecting other regions of Teyvat, Barbatos blew the entire Mare Jivari off the timeline before he started his hibernation hundreds of years ago.
- Yet, distortions brought about by this process cause the occasional appearance of portals around the island of Tenochtzitoc which can inadvertently lead people, mostly adventurers, to lands of Mare Jivari itself.
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[Doug von Schmidt]
- Veteran adventurer of Mondstadt who was 65 years old at the time of his death, and carried about more than forty years of experience under his belt.
- He is well known throughout his peers for being kind, reliable and selfless in his actions. He became an adventurer at the age of 23 in order to earn some living, yet it quickly became a passion, a calling for him to seek out new frontiers and to help those in need.
- He was offered the position of Mondstadt's Adventurers' Guild Branch Manager multiple times because of his experience, yet turned down each single one, preferring the thrill of adventure than the being cooped up inside of an office all day.
- He was the one to recommend Cyrus, an adventurer that he once took as his student, to the position of Branch manager.
- Part of the reason why he decided to go to Mare Jivari was to know what truly happened to his dear friend Stanley.
- His funeral, which was held 7 days after his death, was one of the grandest ever held in Mondstadt's recent history and the largest ever given to an adventurer. The funeral procession was seen by the entire populace of the city and its grandeur was comparable to those held for deceased grand masters of the Knights of Favonius, with all notable individuals of Mondstadt present. He was buried in the cemetery behind Mondstadt's Cathedral in the block that was reserved for the internment of heroes and grandmasters.
- Artoria renamed the entire plaza across the Adventurers' Guild Headquarters as Doug's Square, in honor of him.
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