Ellin's rampage

The sunset's last rays bathed the land of Mondstadt in gold.

Fischl slumped on the ground with her back against a large tree.

In the battle just now, she had made full use of an archer's advantages in woodland guerrilla warfare.

Fighting with everything she had, she had killed more than a dozen Hilichurls with her arrows, and even shot down a Hilichurl Berserker.

But... that was as far as she could go.

Human strength had its limits.

Once the adrenaline wore off, overwhelming pain struck, nearly making her pass out.

The wound on her back would not stop bleeding. After losing blood for so long, her face was now paper-white, and she struggled to breathe.

To fight so fiercely with such severe injuries, she had already drawn on every last bit of her potential.

She no longer had the strength to stand.

And even if she did, it would have been useless.

During the battle, the Abyss Mage and the Hilichurl Berserkers had destroyed a vast swath of the surrounding woodland.

There was nowhere left for her to hide. The large tree she leaned against was the only one in the area that had not been destroyed.

She had reached the end of the road.

Having lost so much blood, she instinctively gulped for air. But a Hilichurl Berserker's punch had broken several of her ribs during the battle, and every deep breath sent terrible pain through her chest.

Pain! Exhaustion! Suffocation! Despair! They flooded her mind alongside overwhelming drowsiness, threatening to swallow her whole.

Her eyelids felt heavier and heavier, but she fought to keep them open. She knew that once she closed her eyes, she might never see the light again.

Now, she seemed to see herself as a child, reading alone in the library. She saw the times people had mocked and ridiculed her, and herself on her fourteenth birthday, her eyes red from crying.

She also saw the moment Oz had come to her side along with her Vision.

They say that just before you die, the memories of your whole life flash before your eyes...

Looks like... I really am going to die.

Memories still flashed rapidly before Fischl's eyes, but she no longer had the heart to watch. Looking back on her life, almost all she found was loneliness.

So these sixteen years of my life... have been this miserable...

A bitter smile touched Fischl's lips.

The memories continued, but then a light suddenly appeared within those dim scenes that reflected her lonely heart.

Looking closer, Fischl saw a white-haired girl enter her life, lighting up her loneliness.

Sixteen years of loneliness, six days of happiness.

But those six days of happiness were enough to heal a lifetime of loneliness.

Ellin, I'm so glad... I met you.

On Fischl's deathly pale face, the bitter smile quietly became one of happiness.

The memories kept playing...

In one scene, the girl in raven-feather attire sat beside the white-haired girl on a cliff in the Windrise Foothills.

"By the way, Ellin, can you tell me what your title, 'Immortal Venerable Who Answers Cries, Vanquishes Demons, and Delivers from Calamity,' means?"

The girl in raven-feather attire asked the white-haired girl beside her.

"'Immortal Venerable Who Answers Cries, Vanquishes Demons, and Delivers from Calamity' means just what it says. I have a magical ability. Whenever you're in danger, Fischl, you only need to call my name, and I'll sense it. Then I'll follow your call and come to your side to protect you!"

The white-haired girl answered earnestly, smiling.

"What? You don't believe me?"

"But whether you believe me or not, if you're ever in danger, Fischl, I'll do everything I can to protect you!"

"That's... my promise to you!"

"A promise... a promise?"

Fischl's eyes had already lost focus, but she still struggled to open her mouth.

"Ellin... Ellin... Ellin..."

She called Ellin's name again and again, until she was too weak to make a sound.

Crack!

The procession of memories ended...

An even greater exhaustion washed over her, and she could no longer hold on.

"I'm sorry, Ellin. I can't stay by your side any longer... I hope you'll be happy."

After those final words, overwhelming exhaustion swallowed Fischl, and her eyes slowly closed.

But just before they shut completely, she thought she dimly saw a white figure appear before her.

"Ellin..."

With a reassured smile, Fischl closed her eyes.

Boom!!

The white figure leaped from a boulder and landed heavily, throwing up a great cloud of dust.

It was Ellin!

She stood between the Abyss Mage and Fischl, blocking the Abyss Mage and the Hilichurl Berserkers from coming any closer to Fischl.

"My lady!!!"

The moment Oz saw Fischl, he let out an agonized cry.

Ellin also turned to look at Fischl, and her pupils abruptly contracted!

Fischl's eyes were closed. She was filthy all over, her clothes and black stockings torn to shreds. She had even lost a shoe while running.

Blood from her back had stained the tree trunk she leaned against. Her blond hair was disheveled, and several trails of blood ran from her forehead to her chin.

It was hard to imagine just how brutal a battle she had endured.

At the sight of Fischl in that state, Ellin lowered her head and sank into a profound silence...

A deathly stillness fell over the scene, but Ellin's fists were clenched so tightly that her veins bulged. It was clearly the calm before the storm.

After an unknown stretch of time, Ellin spoke.

"Oz, Feng'er, work together and take Fischl back to Mondstadt for emergency treatment. With her injuries, we can't afford to waste a single moment!"

Ellin's voice shook violently. Anyone could tell that she was like a volcano on the verge of eruption, holding back a towering rage!

"Yes, Master!"

"Miss Ellin, please be careful!"

Feng'er and Oz answered, then each gripped one of Fischl's arms in their claws and flew toward Mondstadt with all their might.

"Hehehe! Trying to leave? Not so fast!"

The Abyss Mage grinned viciously and waved its staff, sending a fireball hurtling toward Oz.

But just then, a thick ice shield suddenly appeared in the fireball's path, blocking the Abyss Mage's attack for Oz.

"What?"

"Was that you?" Startled, the Abyss Mage looked toward Ellin, only to meet her gaze.

Ellin had raised her head. Her eyes were completely bloodshot, looking crimson!

Her beautiful face was now twisted with rage, veins bulging beneath her skin!

Rage! Uncontrollable rage!

Killing intent! Killing intent that chilled the marrow!

The Abyss Mage trembled slightly. It could tell that the white-haired girl before it had gone berserk with fury!