Durin was a simple dragon.
It believed Rhinedottir's words—that it was bringing its "blessing" to that green land.
So it leaped into the sky, spread its wings, and flew toward Mondstadt.
Before leaving, Durin, not wanting its "mother" to be sad, comforted her.
"Mother, don't worry."
"When I find the singer, I will learn to sing from them."
"When I meet the dancing dragon, I will learn to dance from it."
"I will come back and take you to that beautiful world too."
Durin was a kind dragon.
Though it had a massive body and great power, it had never bullied any of the little beasts on the mountain.
After bidding Rhinedottir farewell, Durin flew north, toward Mondstadt, against the gentle wind.
But it did not know that the black blood in its veins was no blessing—it was a curse created by an alchemist.
In its blood, in its claws, on its skin, in every part of its body, the curse of poison had spread.
Any living thing that touched Durin would be poisoned.
The black dragon had become a true weapon of destruction.
Once it entered Mondstadt, it would bring death and disaster to that green land.
As Durin flew away, Rhinedottir stood on the mountain peak, watching its massive figure grow smaller in the distance, her face expressionless.
She murmured, "Durin, you are such a good child."
"Do not resent Mother. Take your poison and conquer that world for me."
A cruel smile curled her lips.
A gentle breeze stirred, and Rhinedottir vanished from where she stood.
...
Now, at Wangshu Inn in Liyue Harbor, Li Mo told the story on stage while the audience listened below, grinding their teeth at Rhinedottir, their hearts aching for Durin.
They wanted to pull her out of the story and beat her soundly.
When they heard Durin fly toward Mondstadt, they knew a great battle was about to begin.
"Durin, Dvalin—is this a battle of fate?"
"From what we know, Durin is doomed."
"Storyteller, I ask only one thing. Let Durin die quickly. Do not let it suffer."
"Though Durin is full of poison, it is truly kind. It has never hurt a single life."
"Regardless, it was Durin's arrival that brought disaster to Mondstadt. It must die."
No matter the truth, Durin's appearance had brought catastrophe to Mondstadt.
The audience knew Durin had to die.
Just as Li Mo took a sip of water and prepared to continue, a dragon's roar tore through the sky above Wangshu Inn, shaking the very building.
Everyone inside was alarmed.
"What was that?"
"A dragon's roar?"
"It's Dvalin! Summon the Conqueror of Demons—Dvalin is attacking!"
"Call the Qixing to defend Liyue!"
"Call the Conqueror of Demons to defeat Dvalin!"
Someone rushed in from outside, breathless, bringing news of Dvalin's appearance.
And through the windows, they could see a massive, blurry form in the sky.
A green dragon.
It was Dvalin, the Dragon of the East.
Everyone was dumbfounded.
Dvalin, who had brought disaster to Mondstadt, had come to Liyue—right as the storyteller was telling his tale.
If Rex Lapis were still alive, he could have subdued Dvalin easily.
But now, with his soul not yet at peace, someone dared to provoke Liyue.
"The Conqueror of Demons is nowhere to be found! Send someone to find him!"
"Call the adepti!"
"Lady Keqing, please drive away Dvalin!"
"Lady Shenhe, please drive away Dvalin!"
"Lord Barbatos, please subdue the evil dragon Dvalin!"
Once a guardian of Mondstadt, Dvalin was now seen as a dragon to be destroyed.
But the Conqueror of Demons could not be found, and summoning the adepti would take time.
Wangshu Inn was in danger.
They could only hope that the Qixing—and Barbatos, if he chose to act—would protect them.
In the moment of crisis, Keqing, Shenhe, Hu Tao, and even Qiqi rose to fight.
Barbatos also rose. As the Anemo Archon of Mondstadt, he could not let his former companion run rampant in Liyue.
But Zhongli caught his arm. "Sit down. You do not need to act."
Barbatos was startled. "What do you mean?"
"Dvalin is causing trouble in Liyue, and you're hiding? You won't let me act either?"
Dvalin had come from Mondstadt. Barbatos had both the right and the duty to stop him.
But Zhongli looked toward the stage and said quietly, "Because someone else is about to act."
Zhongli and the Raiden Shogun both looked at Li Mo.
Barbatos understood. They wanted to draw the storyteller out, to see his true strength.
"Fine. I'll stay out of it."
"But if Dvalin wrecks Liyue, don't come asking me to pay for it. I have no Mora."
Barbatos said this with complete self-assurance.
Zhongli: "…"
Raiden Shogun: "…"
Then all three turned to look at the stage.
As Zhongli had predicted, Li Mo stopped his storytelling at the sound of the dragon's roar.
He stepped down from the stage.
Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, he walked out of Wangshu Inn.
"What is the storyteller doing?"
"Is he going to protect Liyue? Fight Dvalin alone?"
"I know he's strong, but fighting Dvalin alone—only the Conqueror of Demons could do that."
"Hurry, let's see!"
The audience followed Li Mo out of the inn.
There, in the sky, was a great green dragon, soaring among the clouds.