Chapter 328: Supporting Phainon
Lumine smiled, entirely unsurprised by the Pyro Archon's hesitation. "Mavuika, you've misunderstood," she explained, her voice calm and steady. "This gift isn't exclusively for Natlan."
"We fully intend to deliver similar gifts to our divine friends across the other nations. Furina in Fontaine, Nahida in Sumeru, and Ei over in Inazuma—they'll all be receiving this."
"After witnessing the sheer scale of the Abyssal threat firsthand, we realized we needed a better way to help Teyvat accumulate strength. This is our way of preparing for potential future crises. We want to ensure that all our friends possess the independent power to confront the Abyss head-on!"
Paimon bobbed up and down in the air, nodding so vigorously her halo nearly wobbled off. She drifted a few inches closer to the Archon, crossing her tiny arms as she adopted a comically 'threatening' tone.
"Exactly! Think about it, Mavuika. If the other nations start cultivating and their strength completely skyrockets, while your Natlan stays stagnant, won't you fall behind?"
"What if there's another massive crisis and we desperately need your help, but you can't join the battle because you're not strong enough? What then! So, for the sake of Natlan's future, and so we can always fight side-by-side, you absolutely cannot refuse this!"
The little guide had effectively elevated a personal gift to the level of global strategy and multiversal future-proofing.
Mavuika fell silent. Her deep, fiery gaze swept over Lumine and Paimon, taking in their sincere, unwavering expressions, before dropping to the 'seeds' and ancient texts resting in their hands—items pulsing with infinite, world-altering possibilities.
As the God of Fire, her primary duty was the future of her people. Finally, she exhaled a long, deep breath. The tension in her shoulders eased as she solemnly extended her hands, accepting the weighty 'Immortal Fate'.
"I understand," Mavuika declared, her voice resonant and imbued with the absolute authority of an Archon. "Natlan accepts this generous gift. I swear by my name as the God of Fire that I will carefully use this power. I will forge it into a sharp sword to protect my people and strike down the Abyss."
A warm, genuine smile finally broke through her serious demeanor. "Natlan will always be your most steadfast friend and ally. Whenever or wherever you need us, we will offer our full assistance!"
Hearing Mavuika's oath lifted a tremendous weight from Lumine and Paimon's shoulders.
With their primary mission in the nation of war officially complete, they had no intention of lingering much longer. The current Natlan was rapidly transitioning into a bustling phase of complete revival and reconstruction. The streets were filled with the clamor of rebuilding. What the nation desperately needed right now were skilled artisans, tireless laborers, and sharp administrators—not two Travelers whose primary expertise lay in high-stakes adventure and combat.
Sure, Lumine could theoretically channel her Geo elemental power to rapidly construct stone houses for everyone. It would be incredibly efficient, but the rigid, blocky Geo constructs would clash horribly with Natlan's vibrant, tribal, and graffiti-painted indigenous architecture.
Conveniently, they decided to use the next couple of days of Natlan's reconstruction phase to temporarily bow out. It was the perfect window to return to Fontaine, Sumeru, and Inazuma to catch up with old friends they hadn't seen in a while.
Recently, thanks to a streak of good luck in the Chat Group's lottery system and various acquisitions from entirely different dimensions, they had amassed a hoard of novel, fascinating items. They were perfect gifts.
For Furina, they had prepared a selection of exquisitely crafted small cakes and a set of high-end, futuristic photography equipment.
For Nahida, Lumine had carefully curated a stack of books containing foreign knowledge and wisdom gathered from across the cosmos.
And then there was Paimon's ultimate secret weapon: a specially prepared batch of [Delicious Seasoning] destined for the Raiden Shogun. The little floating guide was brimming with absolute confidence, firmly believing that this magical condiment possessed the power to turn literal decay into culinary wonder. She was determined to thoroughly 'save' Ei's notoriously lethal cooking skills.
After exchanging warm, brief farewells with Mavuika and the rest of their Natlan companions, Lumine and Paimon activated a nearby Teleport Waypoint. In a flash of cerulean light, they began their journey back to Fontaine.
Meanwhile, lightyears away in the world of Amphoreus, the Astral Express trio was enjoying a rare moment of downtime.
Lounging in their temporary quarters at the luxurious Bath Palace, Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng were actively scrolling through the Chat Group. They were swapping stories and comparing recent gains with Belle, who was currently minding her video store back in New Eridu, and Hu Tao, who was likely slacking off at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
However, this peaceful, cross-dimensional banter was abruptly shattered by the sound of hurried, heavy footsteps echoing down the marble corridor.
The ornate doors swung open to reveal Mydei. His usually composed face was marred by a rare, intense look of urgency as he strode into the private room.
"I apologize for the intrusion," Mydei said, his voice low, tight, and clipped. "Phainon's Ember Trial has encountered a severe complication. The duration of his trial has already far exceeded the normal safety parameters. By all historical metrics, he should have completed the trial and mastered the power of the Ember of Strife by now."
He gripped the edge of a nearby table, his knuckles whitening. "But as of this moment, there has been absolutely no signal of success from within the trial space. We are deeply concerned that he has encountered a predicament he cannot handle alone."
He turned his earnest, pleading gaze toward the Astral Express Crew. "I need to ask for your assistance. I want to invite you to lend us your strength, enter the trial space, and bring Phainon out alive."
The moment Stelle heard that a friend was in mortal peril, the lazy, playful smirk vanished from her face, replaced by a cold, sharp focus. Without a second of hesitation, she summoned her holographic interface and rapidly typed out a message to the Chat Group.
[Stelle]: "@All Members, we have a Code Red emergency here in Amphoreus! Phainon's Ember Trial has gone completely off the rails, and we need to launch a rescue op immediately! Going dark, gotta go!"
Swiping the interface away, she shot to her feet, her baseball bat materializing in her grip with a soft hum of energy. She looked at March 7th and Dan Heng. "It's urgent. Let's move!"
March 7th and Dan Heng didn't need to be told twice. They nodded in unison, their expressions hardening into masks of absolute seriousness. Led by Mydei's swift pace, the trio sprinted out of the Bath Palace, rushing at top speed toward Amphoreus's core sacred ground—the Genesis Vortex.
By the time they arrived at the towering, energy-rich epicenter, a tense crowd had already formed. Aglaea, Castorice, Trinnon, and several other high-ranking Chrysos Heirs were gathered around the swirling anomaly, their faces painted with deep worry and grim determination.
"You've arrived," Aglaea greeted them with a curt, slight nod, entirely dispensing with unnecessary pleasantries.
"Mydei must have briefed you on the situation on your way here. An unknown variable has corrupted Phainon's trial. We are completely locked out; we cannot interfere or send aid from the outside using conventional means. The only viable option left is to send a physical extraction team into the trial space to locate him and pull him out."
With the clock ticking down, the group rapidly formulated a countermeasure. The trial space was an isolated pocket dimension governed by its own strict rules and physical carrying capacity limits. Simply throwing an army inside wasn't an option; in fact, more entrants could trigger a catastrophic failure.
"Dan Heng and I will go in," Stelle stated decisively, stepping forward. "With the two of us working in tandem, we have enough firepower and adaptability to handle almost any situation."
Dan Heng silently summoned his spear, Cloud-Piercer, and gave a firm nod of agreement.
"Wait, what about me?" March 7th asked, her voice spiking with anxiety. She gripped her bow tightly, desperate to jump in and help her friends.
Castorice turned to the archer, offering a gentle, placating sigh. "March, the spatial structure of the Ember Trial is incredibly precarious right now. Your two companions, plus Phainon who is already trapped inside, and Mydei who will guide them—that exact number hits the absolute maximum limit that the trial space can currently bear."
"If we introduce even one more person's energy signature, it is highly likely to destabilize the spatial structure entirely, causing it to collapse in on itself. If that happens, not only will we fail to save Phainon, but everyone inside will be crushed in the void."
Hearing the stark, terrifying reality of the physics involved, March 7th bit her lip. As unwilling as she was to be left behind, she understood the sheer gravity of the situation. She couldn't risk getting everyone killed just to satisfy her own desire to help.
She let out a frustrated huff, her shoulders slumping as she looked at Stelle and Dan Heng with a deeply aggrieved, worried expression. "Then... then you two better be careful in there! You have to promise to come back safely! I... I'll stay out here and help Aglaea monitor the energy spikes and transmit messages!"
Stelle offered a reassuring smile, reaching out to give March's shoulder a comforting pat. Her golden eyes conveyed a silent, confident promise. Dan Heng offered a respectful nod to both March and Aglaea, his posture relaxed but ready for immediate violence.
With the extraction team finalized and preparations complete, Mydei stepped forward. Channeling his power in sync with the combined, radiant energy of Aglaea and the other Chrysos Heirs, the air in the center of the Genesis Vortex began to warp and tear. A brief, highly unstable energy vortex ripped open, howling with immense pressure.
Stelle and Dan Heng exchanged one final, knowing glance. Without a single shred of hesitation, they stepped forward in perfect unison. Their figures were instantly swallowed by the scorching, chaotic light, vanishing into the perilous entrance of the Ember of Strife's trial space.
Left behind in the physical world, March 7th clenched her fists tightly against her chest. She stared intently at the violently swirling vortex as it slowly began to close, silently praying to the Aeons for their safe return.
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