Sword Cemetery
"There have been some strange movements from the hilichurl's tribes over the Dadaupa Gorge, could you investigate it, Allen?" Katheryne informed Allen of a quest.
"For something like that wouldn't Fischl be far better than me?" Allen inquired knowing that Fischl was better for investigating quests.
"Miss Fischl is currently unavailable, busy with a quest over the Brightcrown Mountains" Katheryne explained "Lately, there has been some rare demeanor from the hilichurls, ignoring their surroundings and wandering without any course and while is not a problem now, not having attacked anyone yet, we want to discover the reason behind for future dangers. That's why we put in movement most adventures, causing us to be quite shorthanded."
"We are aware that you are not used to the area, but due to the danger in it, we can't deploy anyone more." Katheryne explained.
"Okay, I got it. I don't have anything to do these days, so I'll give a look over it" Allen answered.
"Thanks for your hard work" Katheryne lowered her head and Allen left, preparing a few things for his travel before leaving the city of Mondstadt.
...
"So this is the Forgotten Sword Cemetery" As he needed to investigate the area, Allen looked over most emblematic of it, curious of how it was in the real world. The monument was two crossed big trunks with a little pool under them and multiple old swords pierced on the ground at the base.
The Sword Cemetery was said to be one of the places where the most important battles against the monsters of Khaenri'ah occurred 500 years ago in the Cataclysm.
"Of course, there's no chest or any seal" Allen walked over to the pool, freezing the water under him while looking at the old swords piercing the ground, reaching the middle island with a claymore that seemed more like a tablet.
"But it's certainly interesting" Allen analyzed the swords around "I can see the effects of the Abyss element over these swords, causing corrosion. But how could they have lasted so much time?" After 500 years, even normal swords would have crumbled staying in the open like that, even more with ones affected by the Abyss.
"There must be some secret here..." Allen put gripped the handle of the central sword, but nothing happened "Would destroying the three big hilichurls' tribes of the zone, cause anything like in the game? I really doubt it."
"It would be good to find some legendary sword or something like that, but even if it's like in the game, it was only a prototype, not worth it at all" Allen thought "Anyway, let's start some work."
...
Allen started investigating the big tribes, the Meaty in the north and the Sleeper in the south were certainly acting strangely.
Allen has seen some hilichurls in his travels and they most acted as a normal tribe, having their own traditions and living on their own based on hunting, but even raising livestock while communicating with each other. There were quite similar to humans but with lower intelligence and an average greater strength.
If it weren't for their violent nature to attack anything that approached, they would be able to easily coexist with humans.
However, these hilichurls were different. Some seemed to be very disoriented, walking around while ignoring everything causing them to crash and get injured by all types of obstacles. While there were others that were prostrating on the ground, seeming to be praying nonstop.
'Both tribes are acting similar, but the direction they move or pray is completely random.' Allen analyzed 'It could be something of the Gorge, but if this truly happens everywhere, it's quite improbable. But what could it be the reason behind it? I can't feel anything even when using elemental sight.'
'Would this be something like the animals sensing the danger of catastrophes before than humans?' Allen thought 'Could it be related to what Alice warned me?'
'Let's see if there's anything in the last tribe' Reaching the tribe at the east, the Eclipse, Allen was a little taken back but what he saw. Complete normality.
The Eclipse tribe was nothing like the other, the hilichurls behaving like always without any strange pattern.
'What could be the difference here? I'll investigate closer' Allen put on his hood, hiding his form while camouflaging using the vegetation while approaching the camp.
It would be very bad to be found out as it would cause them to charge against him, making him unable to investigate and making them wary for the near future while also being a dangerous situation. The tribes over the Gorge were quite large and strong, with all kinds of hilichurls and their evolutions in great numbers.
'Without using the Delusion, it would be impossible to win against such numbers, being difficult to even escape' Allen thought as he looked over the tribe.
There were some hilichurls on wooden towers guarding the entrance of the gorge, so Allen went from the more steep hill.
Hilichurls, samachurls, mitachurls... great numbers of them were all around, but apart from their numbers that were already known to be quite big, there was nothing strange.
'Nothing seems strange, maybe rather than searching for a cause for this normality, I better return to the other tribes and investigate them.' Just as Allen decided to go, he found something from the back of his view, quickly turning over the ceiling of the middle tent where a different monster was.
A short humanoid figure covered by a white mantle with a pointy-nose mask hiding its face and a wand over its hand.
'A Cryo Abyss Mage!' Allen instantly knew what it was thanks to the game, this being the first time to have seen in real 'What is the Abyss Order doing here? Would they be the cause of the strange behavior or exactly the opposite, being the cause of this tribe being normal?'
'And if it is here, would this be one of the spots connecting with the Abyss that Skirk told?'
Suddenly the Abyss Mage stood up and disappeared.
'Where has it gone?'
"What is a human doing here?" Allen turned around while drawing his sword, pointing it over the voice where the Abyss Mage stood looking at him.
Allen did not doubt, slashing him with his katana, the Amenoma Kageuchi. Allen decided this katana as his new sword as it effect helped with his Energy problem, passively absorbing from its surroundings and it was quite compatible with the Niwa swordsmanship that was focused on katanas.
*Clank* The Mage stopped his sword with its wand, but Allen did not stop, continuing his attacks.
*Clank* *Clank* The mage was quite effective in stopping his sword, but it did not stop the fact that it was quite slow and weak, Allen quickly finding an opening.
'There!' Allen thrust over the opening, directly over its shoulder.
"adawkdba!" *Cla* The Mage changed something and Allen's sword was stopped by a Cryo barrier, Allen jumping backward, creating space.
'It has to be a Cryo one' Allen clicked his tongue.
"A Cryo Vision like me" The Mage discovered, surprising Allen with its perception. As Allen hadn't used his Vision yet, keeping it hidden.
'Like me?' Allen fixed on the Mage and was able to find it, embedded on the top of its wand, a Cryo Vision.
"Since when the Abyss Order has a need for Vision?" Allen asked while thinking about his next move.
"There's no need, but I keep it as a reminder to not forget" The Abyss Mage answered "I don't want to fight you." It declared "Distrust, wariness, doubt and confidence, all of it with a spirit of a warrior. I don't want to face someone like you without anything to win with the victory. So leave now, I won't follow you."
'It seems to be telling the truth' Allen deducted by its behavior "I came here to investigate the strange movements of the hilichurls, do you have something to with it?"
"I might look like this, but as of now, I'm not part of the Abyss. I only care for this tribe" The Mage stated "About the others... Something is approaching again, recovering his strength. Something that would open the world to darkness" The Mage stated "But it's not something important for me."
"I've told you everything. Now return your steps and don't come again. Ahdadhwad!" The mage warned before disappearing.
'I'll need to investigate more profoundly the truth behind it, but it seems that here I won't find anything else' Allen decided to leave and return to Mondstadt, climbing the cliff again.
'Are all Abyss Mages like that? While it was physically weak, its technique was quite good, even without using elemental power' Allen was in his thought when his ears twitched, quickly turning around.
'Iaijutsu!' Allen draw his sword, imbuing it in Cryo as he slashed at great speed in front of him.
*CLANK* Metal met metal and Allen was pushed away more than 5 meters while tracing the ground with his feet.
'Fuck, what strength!' Allen could feel it in his hands that hurt. With a mere clash, the sudden enemy had shown how superior was their strength, winning the clash by far.
Allen clenched his sword and looked at the one who attacked him. A tall woman with perfect proportions, pale complexion and unevenly cut light blue hair who wield a big blue claymore. She had strange sectorial heterochromia in her eyes, that faded from dark purple to pale yellow.
"Hu! You dare to stop my strike!" The woman stated with a high air around her "Mark my words, I shall exact my revenge!"