GI Chapter 16: Domain?

“You seem rather healthy after having a tussle with Ursa,” the raven spoke in a heavy, dignified tone, its feathery wings flapping in the air.

Oz was indeed delighted to see Orion without much of a scratch. But it would be a lie to say Oz didn’t expect a tragic outcome when he set out to search for Orion, previously.

‘Mein Fräulein’s stories have spoiled me.’

Oz opened his beak and exhaled a breath, a very humanlike gesture that should’ve been impossible to replicate for a bird, giving birth to a tiny Electro orb buzzing in the air before dissipating. Oz had developed his own version of a sigh to alleviate his concerns and anxiety while being tagged with his hyperactive troublemaker of an owner.

“You expected me dead, didn’t you?” Orion asked with an amused smile. “By the way, what are you? A familiar?”

The raven was a deeper shade of violet, indicating its nature as an Electro elemental lifeform. It was over the size of a normal eagle with two feathers on its head shaped like demonic horns. Orion wouldn’t be surprised if the raven introduced itself as the King of Ravens. Despite all of that, Orion had an urge to touch the raven’s wings. He never had a bird as a pet. Now he wanted one so badly after seeing how unique and marvelous Oz, the raven, was!

“Is it dear sir’s first time seeing an elemental lifeform such as I?” Oz asked, curiously. “Surely you met someone similar during your great adventurers.”

Orion smiled wryly. “I registered at the Adventurers’ Guild today… Springvale was my first commission.”

Oz cawed in surprise. “You jest, Sir… Stop pulling my leg.”

“No, I’m telling the truth. I just got lucky.”

Oz stared at Orion, without speaking another note. Nobody knew what those beady eyes saw and the inner thoughts swirling in his mind.

Orion couldn’t help but sigh. “Oz.”

“My apologies, Sir. I won’t probe your secrets… I am Oz, mein Fräulein’s honorary servant.”

“Mein Fräulein? The words you just spoke, are they from the German language?”

He didn’t know that the German language existed in Teyvat. He resisted his urge to seek wisdom from the Ley Lines. He couldn’t rely on them for everything, or who knows what kind of curse he will obtain the next time he tries to indulge his curiosity.

“German?” Oz tilted its raven head. “No, good sir. Me and mein Fräulein were interested in the language of the Old Mondstadt. And so we studied every material we could find on it.”

Oz spoke of the Mondstadt that existed over 2600 years ago under the oppression of the God of Storm, Decarabian. The people of that era lived in a secure city where songs were forbidden and freedom was nonexistent. A majority of the fairy tales in the current Mondstadt were from the old Mondstadt.

“May I ask for your honored name?” Oz asked, shifting the topic as though trying not to spill Fischl’s secret love for stories. “Dear Sir.”

“Orion Blake.”

Oz’s polite language forced out the last name he seldomly used.

Oz nodded. “That is a name worthy of a valiant adventurer such as yourself. If I am allowed to ask, could you please elaborate on Ursa’s fate?”

“It fled,” Orion said with a sigh. “Just when I was this close to melting its brain.”

“The tormentor got its just desserts. We should head back to Springvale.  Your companion is anxiously waiting for you.”

Orion recalled Mona’s worried expression and nodded. Even in the battle, she had the guts to snap pics. He was going to get a copy of the picture later. A photo would make his room more personal, giving it a sense of belonging.

“How far are we from Springvale?”

“I can return in a couple of minutes… as for a normal human, twenty minutes should suffice.”

Ursa hadn’t taken him to the borders of another country, thankfully.

‘But, the dragon ride was so thrilling.’

The blood-pumping ride through the vast skies once again convinced him to take a dragon as his mount. What was life in another world without a dragon companion? The thought of flight gave birth to yet another idea in his ever curious mind.

‘Can I levitate if I nullify gravity around me?’

If the common laws of Teyvat were similar to Earth, he could fly without much concern. Except for two problems: the number of chants that could simultaneously work, and the cost of spiritual energy the whole process would demand.

“Lead the way, Oz.”

So, with a new traveling companion, Orion left the shade of the legendary tree of Monstadt. He stumbled into odd scarlet flowers. Bearing the shape of a wind wheel, the flowers spun lightly with the breeze.

Oz noticed Orion’s curious gaze towards the flowers. “Windwheel Aster, the beloved flowers of the wind. They are adored by children and adults alike. For the Mondstadters, it’s a symbol of their freedom. The visible winds if I must say.”

“Oh, interesting.”

Orion plucked one and tucked it in the upper pocket of his long coat. The flower would be visible to all those who met him from now on.

‘It smells nice.’

After walking for a minute, Orion found another interesting thing. A majestic stone gate was carved in a mountain. A glowing four-leafed engraving, lofty golden borders, and a triangle-shaped flower blooming in its center—it seemed as if the door was an entrance to some celestial place.

‘A Domain? They exist...?’

Inside the game, a domain took players to a mystical dimension with different puzzles and challenges. Gliding over an endless abyss was beyond easy in the game.

‘It’s nightmare fuel now.’

Just a few minutes of walk on the dirt-carved path gave him a glimpse of the Springvale village. The villagers were already working on fixing the houses and cleaning up the hilichurls’ corpses. Noelle was the front and center of the village, carrying out each task with utmost diligence. She hadn’t taken a single break even though she had gone to hell and back with Ursa and his minions. Yet, nobody offered her an ounce of rest or tried to lessen her burden in any way.

‘Why would someone do that?’

Orion and his selfish mind couldn’t comprehend the selflessness of such an individual. He had risked his life against Ursa for a more selfish reason. The horn in his pocket was his reward. The material from a living dragon would be priceless.

“Dear sir?” Oz called out, seeing Orion in a daze. “Your companion is over there.”

Mona was leisurely sitting on a chair under a wooden roof, near a few barren carts. Makoto was huddled on Mona’s lap.

The cat suddenly sprang up and turned her head in his direction. With a muted mewl, Makoto jumped down Mona’s lap and rushed at him. Makoto’s black fur buzzed with violet sparks as she showed agility far beyond the capacity of any ordinary animal. In the next moment, Makoto was already on his shoulder, licking his face with its dry tongue.

Orion blinked his eyes, wondering if he imagined everything.

‘Makoto can use the Electro element?’

Oz stared at Makoto. “This cat can… use the power of Electro. It’s the same… as me.”

“It’s not impossible…” Orion muttered, puzzled.

‘Is Makoto evolving with my power? Could my Void element be having some side effects on Makoto?’

As much as he liked badass beasts, he wanted Makoto to remain sane. The Void wasn’t a trivial power that could be wielded by anyone.

“Thanks for helping me, Oz,” Orion said with a polite smile. “Let’s meet again later.”

“The pleasure was all mine,” Oz said. “Mein Fräulein is a senior investigator at the Adventurers’ Guild. We can perhaps finish some commissions later… if it’s not a bother.”

“Your fra… your master, what’s her name?”

“Ah… Mein Fräulein’s given name is Fischl,” Oz answered. “I’ll return to her side.”

Oz flew towards his flamboyant mistress.