Gu Sanqiu tightened his grip on Aether and Paimon as he leapt into the domain. Anticipating the all-too-common trope of being scattered upon entry, he used Geo constructs infused with Anemo chains to tether the three of them together firmly.
"Hey, hey, this thing is super uncomfortable!" Paimon complained, clutching her stomach. "I just ate! Don't make me throw it all up!"
"Relax," Gu Sanqiu replied. "Honestly, I have no idea what's inside here. We're taking a gamble."
He was betting that these two were too important for Venti to put them in genuine danger. If this had been Liyue, a domain like this wouldn't be tackled recklessly. Specialists would study it for days, possibly weeks, before sending in Millelith soldiers or Adventurers' Guild members to clear the area.
In more urgent cases, or if the domain appeared in a critical location, Liyue would call on Adepti. If this rift had emerged back in Liyue, Xiao would already be standing next to him.
But this was Mondstadt. High-level combatants were few and far between, and calling on Dvalin to handle a domain near Durin's resting place? That was just asking for a catastrophic snowstorm.
A sudden flash of light ahead made Gu Sanqiu squint. Without hesitation, he raised a Geo shield around the three of them.
"Listen carefully. No matter what happens, don't let go unless I say it's safe. Even if it hurts, endure it."
Aether nodded seriously, his hands already gathering Anemo energy as he prepared for potential threats.
The moment they emerged from the rift, a violent gust of wind slammed into them. The three of them were tossed around like leaves caught in a mischievous breeze.
"Stop!" Gu Sanqiu shouted, releasing a burst of Anemo energy that clashed against the winds, stabilizing their positions.
"Alright, I'm letting you go now. Don't wander off."
The space around them was a vast expanse of crimson hues. There was no visible ground, only endless red swirling below them.
"This place is... bizarre. There's nothing here but red," Gu Sanqiu muttered.
Boom!
A deafening roar echoed from the distance. Paimon's face went pale as she darted behind Aether.
"Something big is coming!" she cried. "Aether! Sanqiu! Be careful!"
From the crimson void, a massive dragon with black and red scales emerged, its colossal wings slicing through the air as it charged toward them.
When Gu Sanqiu saw the dragon's face, his expression darkened.
"Durin!"
There was no time to think. Durin didn't even roar. It simply folded its wings and dove toward them like a massive black-and-red missile.
"[Unyielding Fortress]!"
Gu Sanqiu's Geo shield reformed, and with a burst of Anemo energy, he propelled the three of them upward, narrowly dodging Durin's devastating charge.
"How the hell is this thing alive again?! If I'd known, I'd have dragged that goddamn alchemist along!"
Gu Sanqiu shoved Aether and Paimon away to a safer distance before focusing his elemental energy.
"Take this!"
A colossal arm forged from Geo energy appeared behind him, its fist raised high like an invisible giant preparing to strike. With a resounding crash, it came down on Durin's head.
"Sanqiu!" Aether shouted, watching as the enormous blow staggered the dragon momentarily.
"Take care of yourselves!" Gu Sanqiu barked back. "I'll deal with this idiot!"
With a cold laugh, Gu Sanqiu activated his Delusion, summoning flames in his left hand while wielding the gale force of Anemo in his right. The Geo shield around him began to morph, shifting into golden armor that encased his body.
"So, you're Durin, huh? If that thing outside had fully recovered, I might've worried about you. But you're just leftover resentment! No way you're beating me!"
The fusion of Anemo and Pyro energy etched a swirling array of runes into the massive Geo fist. Flames and wind intertwined, painting the construct with streaks of fiery crimson.
"This move's inspired by the big guy's elemental cage!"
Gu Sanqiu roared, conjuring thick Geo panels to pin Durin in place for a brief moment. The glowing fist, imbued with overwhelming energy, slammed down.
"[Mountain-Shaking Flame Gale Strike]!"
The punch connected squarely with Durin's head, sending the massive dragon plummeting dozens of meters before it recovered. Its wings beat furiously, shaking the crimson space around them, while its scales began to glow with burns in hues of blue and red.
Back near Aether and Paimon, the tiny floating companion tugged at her friend's arm.
"Hey, Aether! Don't even think about joining in! The shockwaves alone could wipe you out! Let's not make things harder for Sanqiu, okay?"
Ding~
A melodic tune reached their ears, accompanied by Venti's carefree laughter.
"Yoohoo~! Little Aether! You've met the big bad beastie by now, haven't you? How's the view?"
"Wha—Venti?!" Paimon exclaimed. "Help! Durin's fighting Sanqiu! Come save him already!"
"Huh? He's fighting it? That battle-crazed maniac! Didn't I tell him not to go wild?" Venti sighed dramatically. "Well, Aether, how about lending Sanqiu a hand? I can help you out."
"You've got to be kidding!" Paimon snapped. "There's no way Aether can handle that thing!"
"Hehe~ This fight might be something only Aether can truly solve. I can command the winds to assist you, you know," Venti said smugly. "Unlike my dear nephew's brutish gale, my winds are graceful and precise. I'll make sure you don't get hurt."
"I'll do it."
Aether's expression hardened as he made up his mind. His instincts told him that Venti wouldn't suggest such a thing without a reason.
Somehow… I feel like this is something only I can do.