"Crack!"
The short sword in Lumine's hand came down in a clean arc, striking the Wind Core.
And at that exact moment, a shard of ice shot toward her.
Lumine's eyes widened slightly, but she didn't dodge—she simply swung the sword again in a swift downward slash.
"Not good!"
Farmas reacted instantly. A red Pyro shield flared open, blocking the ice attack in front of Lumine.
Melt.
The attacker was a pale-blue Cryo Abyss Mage, drifting in midair on its ice shield.
"Gohus, Chiso Vonph."
(Deep, strange syllables—Abyssal.)
"A Slime… with intelligence? How curious. If His Highness learns of this, I wonder what reward I'll receive."
"His Highness… who?"
Lumine tensed and stepped back, but before she even finished speaking—
A Pyro blast shot from Farmas's mouth and flew straight toward the Abyss Mage.
A mere Cryo Abyss Mage—break its shield and the rest is just bullying.
"What—?!"
The Abyss Mage clearly hadn't expected Farmas to attack so decisively.
Wasn't there supposed to be a whole dialogue routine first!?
Questions like: Why am I here? What is my evil plan?
Very normal villain-teaser things?!
But before he could finish being stunned, Farmas's Pyro projectile had already reached him—shattering the Cryo shield in an instant.
The remaining blast struck the Abyss Mage directly.
"Aahhh!"
With a shrill scream, the Abyss Mage was blown backward.
Lumine dashed forward, wind curling around her feet. In a blink she was upon him—her short sword slashing downward with force.
Another scream. A deep gash opened across the mage's side.
Farmas hopped forward, landing directly before the Abyss Mage.
"W-wait! Don't you want to know why I'm here? Don't you want to know why Stormterror is out of control?!"
The Abyss Mage trembled and scrambled backward. Lumine followed, sword raised and pointed straight at him.
Farmas gave the mage a look as if staring at an idiot—then fired one more Pyro blast, finishing him off.
The Abyss Mage disintegrated into blue motes of light.
"Lumine, let's go back," Farmas said, hopping onto her shoulder and rubbing against her cheek.
"Mm."
Lumine smiled softly and stroked him.
"Paimon, let's head out."
Paimon floated over helplessly. "You two act way too fast! You're not even going to ask why an Abyss Mage showed up here?"
"What's the problem?"
Lumine blinked innocently. "Aren't Abyss Mages bad guys? If he's here, he's clearly plotting something. And it's obvious he came for Farmas and the temple. Of course we should stop him quickly."
"Uh…?"
Paimon spun once in the air, completely unsure how to respond.
Leaving the temple behind, they walked back toward Mondstadt.
With the West Wind temple's power source severed, the storm surrounding Mondstadt had shrunk dramatically when viewed from here.
Now only the other two temples' seals mattered.
After taking care of a few hilichurls and slimes on the way, the three of them gradually approached Mondstadt's gates.
The storm was now entirely gone.
The sky no longer dark—bright blue once more.
Clearly, the other two temples had also been dealt with.
"Finally… it's over."
Lumine lifted her head toward the blue sky and smiled in relief.
Farmas, however, was staring at a blue silhouette flickering past his vision.
"Well, well. Perfect timing."
A familiar voice came from behind. Lumine turned to see Kaeya.
But Kaeya looked a bit worse for wear. His clothes were slashed open in several places, a thin sheen of blood beneath, and shards of ice clinging to the fabric.
"Are you okay?"
Lumine asked, worry in her voice. He was smiling, but he absolutely did not look fine.
"It's nothing serious. I just got ambushed by two Abyss Mages on the way back."
"Though no one worships the Four Winds anymore… ancient winds don't disappear so easily."
"Looks like you were ambushed too."
A red-haired man approached—eyes the same crimson shade. Beside him walked Lisa, the Knights' librarian.
Farmas's eyes widened slightly.
A powerful, unwavering Pyro aura—this Pyro Vision bearer was definitely a warrior of firm conviction.
Diluc.
The moment Farmas recognized him, he shrank a little. They'd crossed paths once already. Slimes often looked alike… but who knew if Diluc could recognize him anyway?
"Seems you two were ambushed as well," Kaeya said with a wry smile.
"It's handled," Diluc said coolly. "It appears the Abyss Order is behind all this."
Kaeya fell silent. This was something they definitely needed to report to Acting Grand Master Jean.
"East Wind Dragon, South Wind Lion, North Wind Wolf, West Wind Eagle… They are the guardians of the Four Winds, blessed by the Anemo Archon, Barbatos.
Stormterror—that is the dragon's true name. Before people called him a monster, he was the East Wind Dragon. That's why he could only draw on three of the Four Winds—he was burning himself from the start."
Lisa looked toward the shining city of Mondstadt.
"But why would he go so far?" Lumine asked.
"…Hate, I suppose."
Farmas murmured.
Paimon floated up to him. "Hate…?"
Lisa glanced at the little Pyro Slime on Lumine's shoulder.
"Yes. Hatred for Mondstadt. Fueled by resentment, shaping power greater than the wind and turning him into a dragon of calamity…"
"But he was one of the Four Winds. Why would he hate the city he was meant to protect?"
Farmas thought instantly of Barbatos, the ever-slacking Anemo Archon.
If this were Munata, I'd have grabbed that bard long ago and made him pull a cart.
He kept those words to himself.
They continued listening to Lisa's explanation of events from centuries ago as they all walked toward the city.
On the way, Farmas kept sneaking glances at the Pyro Vision hanging at Diluc's hip.
If he could draw out even a trace of the divine Pyro power inside… he might be able to maintain human form for a while.
"Hm?"
As if sensing his gaze, Diluc turned his head—right as Farmas was staring.
"A sentient Slime?"
Diluc smiled very faintly. Farmas nearly jumped out of his gelatinous body.
Cough—don't be afraid, don't be afraid. I'm immune to Pyro. Immune.
Farmas quickly looked away.
Once back in Mondstadt, he absolutely had to find Barbatos and make that lazy wind god lend him a few Pyro Visions.
For the sake of becoming human!
"Jojo!"