October 31 — Three Weeks Later
Despite multiple attempts, all efforts to contact air bases throughout Teyvat—and even Snezhnaya—had failed.
Until now.
After days of relentless trial and error, they'd finally found a working line.
Outside, the world was already unraveling into a warzone.
The last remnants of the Snezhnayan Radical Front had arrived, amassing near the Orbital Elevator. Desperation painted their movements. They were ready to fight to the bitter end.
Opposing them in force—Snezhnayan Conservative units. And they came in the hundreds.
Inside the command facility, Emilie leaned over the console and glanced at Albedo.
"What do you think of the message?"
Albedo read the text on screen:
"The Snezhnayan Radicals and Rebels have gathered around the Teyvat Orbital Elevator.
It's their source of energy.
Give warmongers an energy source, and they'll have the luxury to keep this war going."
He exhaled, then looked at Emilie. "Let me write something. Specifically for Furina."
Emilie stepped aside and gestured toward the terminal. "Have at it. I heard reports—they're stationed at Dymny Kordon Air Force Base. Let me broadcast this first."
Her fingers danced across the touchscreen as she routed the message to every functioning airbase in Teyvat. Then she punched in Dymny Kordon's address and slid the keyboard toward Albedo.
"All yours."
Albedo didn't hesitate. He cracked his knuckles, leaned forward, and began typing.
A moment later, the message was complete.
"Hey. All you dumbasses.
Including you, Captain Golden Crown.
If you want to end this goddamned war—get to the Orbital Elevator.
You'll see the future there."
Emilie blinked. "You sure you want to send that to Furina?"
Albedo nodded without flinching. "Yeah."
He tapped SEND.
Seconds passed.
Then replies started pouring in—faster than the screen could scroll.
"We're coming."
"Time to end this war. We're en route."
"The Armée de l'Air 405th Squadron is inbound."
"The Teyvat United Peacekeeping Union is mobilizing all active squadrons—including naval assets. We stand with you."
Emilie and Albedo locked eyes.
She cracked a smile. "This is it… the light at the end of this forsaken war."
Albedo gave a single nod. "Yep."
He turned on his heel. "I'll get the refugees ready. This place is about to become a battleground."
"Right," Emilie replied, turning back to the screen as dozens more Snezhnayan Conservative units confirmed their arrival.
Then another ping lit up the screen.
From: Dymny Kordon AFB
Teyvat Strategic Strike Group
We're coming too.
Emilie smiled faintly. "A coalition is formed."
She pushed away from the terminal, walking out into the corridor. Her boots echoed off the steel floor as she stepped into the elevator and hit the button for the Observation Deck.
The elevator hummed to life. Moments later, the doors opened with a soft chime.
Emilie stepped out, walking toward the reinforced glass.
Beyond the horizon, the skies were partly cloudy. Sunlight split between banks of drifting clouds.
A perfect day.
A perfect day for a dogfight.
Then she saw them.
Dark dots rising against the sky—hundreds of them. Their formation lights gleamed crimson.
She knew what that meant.
Drones.
Not piloted by men.
Not bound by fear or conscience.
These were autonomous Snezhnayan war machines, likely mixed in with whatever experimental drones had been built using Arlecchino's stolen flight data.
Emilie narrowed her eyes and smirked.
"Let the Coalition come. This ends today…"
She turned back and returned to the elevator.
Descending.
Back into the heart of the facility.
When the doors slid open, chaos was already in motion. Albedo stood at the center, barking orders with precision.
"Barricade the entrances! Get fallback points marked. Prepare the lobby for a firefight!"
He turned as Emilie stepped out.
"Emilie, I'll need your radio again when the Coalition arrives."
Without hesitation, she handed it over. "Of course."
Then—
The first signs of a dogfight.
Explosions thundered across the upper atmosphere. The roar of fighter jets reverberated throughout the Orbital Elevator, shaking the very walls.
Then—
Emilie looked down at her radio. It crackled to life.
"To all Snezhnayan Conservatives and all Teyvat aircraft! Mark your Conservative allies to avoid any friendly fire! Engage and destroy as many hostile aircraft as possible before our friends from the Teyvat Strategic Strike Group arrive!"
Replies followed immediately.
"This is the Snezhnayan Voynich Squadron. We're here to help our Teyvat friends! Let's fight those Loyalist rebels!"
Emilie sprinted for cover, ducking behind the lobby counter. Her breath came quick and shallow.
She drew her sidearm, steadying her hand. Preparing for the worst.
Forty-five minutes later...
Emilie stood at the Observation Floor, gazing through reinforced glass at the storm of war unfurling in the skies above.
The battlefield stretched across the horizon—Teyvat's beating heart under siege. The sun hung high, casting golden light over the ocean as the air erupted with violence.
Explosions rippled through the heavens.
Missiles streaked like falling stars.
Fighter jets danced in a lethal ballet, vortex trails spiraling behind them.
Tracers lit the sky, carving death through clouds.
The war had reached its climax.
Then she saw it—a chaotic chase unfolding just ahead.
A Snezhnayan Conservative Su-30 pursued a Loyalist Su-30, which itself was targeting a Fontainian F-35C Lightning II.
Emilie's breath caught.
She recognized the F-35 pilot immediately.
Lyney Snezhevich.
Former lead of Tidal Squadron. No longer.
Since Furina's court-martial and departure from Charybdis, Tidal Squadron had been dissolved—its remnants merged into Nocturne Squadron.
Now, Lyney flew as Lynette's wingman.
The Loyalist Su-30 fired two missiles and yanked into a hard left break.
The F-35 pilot broke left as well, dodging the potential crossfire.
But the Loyalist wasn't fast enough.
The twin missiles slammed into its fuselage, engulfing it in fire. The wreckage spiraled toward the ocean below.
A confirmed kill.
The F-35 tipped its wings in thanks toward the friendly Su-30.
The radio crackled again.
"Thanks! I owe you one!"
The Su-30 pilot chuckled.
"Don't sweat it. We're all in this together!"
The two jets broke off, diving back into the chaos above.
Then—Emilie saw them.
Ten aircraft, sweeping in from the coast of Mondstadt.
A tight, unmistakable formation.
She smirked. "Looks like the Teyvat Strategic Strike Group has arrived."
Then—
Albedo stepped beside her.
"Right."
Emilie narrowed her eyes.
"Wait... there's more behind them."
Five Snezhnayan Su-57s pulled into formation—flying escort.
The radio snapped to life again. A transmission from Teyvat Union Peacekeeping Force Headquarters.
"What do you know? It's the TSSG! Looks like our luck's turning around!"
"TSSG, assist in securing air superiority!"
"Your IFF systems are being updated—Snezhnayan Conservatives are marked as friendlies. All remaining Loyalists and Rebel aircraft remain hostile."
AWACS Visionaire confirmed:
"Update verified. Your HUDs should now reflect the changes."
Then—HQ again, this time with fire behind every word:
"Time to show them what you've got!"
A new voice joined the fray.
One Emilie knew instantly.
"Well, what do you know… everyone's here."
Furina.
"Time to end this. Everyone, break formation and spread out! Let's help our allies!"
Her Rafale M led the charge, joined by Primordial and Hearth Squadron.
They dove into the maelstrom.
The skies above erupted in a storm of contrails and missile trails.
Emilie and Albedo turned and sprinted toward the elevator. Albedo punched in both the Lobby and Underground Support Facility levels.
As the elevator stopped at the lobby, Albedo leaned out and shouted:
"Everyone! Get underground! Take the elevators! It's not safe up here—there's a war outside!"
Dozens rushed in. The four elevators filled to capacity and descended toward safety.
When they reached the underground floor, the refugees poured out, scattering through the underground lounge.
Emilie and Albedo stepped out, backing away from the doors.
Emilie unhooked her radio, listening in.
"To all forces gathered here today—regardless of your nation—this is the Teyvat Union Peacekeeping Force Headquarters."
"No. Forget that designation."
"We are the Coalition. Formed to take down the final Sepharis Bird—Celestia."
"Hold position until we're ready to strike together."
A new voice chimed in.
"This is Voynich Squadron. Heading toward the rendezvous point."
"AWACS Zaytun—we're re-entering your airspace."
Then—
"This is Hearth Squadron. We're engaging!"
A voice cried out over comms:
"Wait—that's The Knave! I thought she got shot down!"
Another responded.
"Doesn't matter. She's alive—and she's on our side now."
Emilie narrowed her eyes.
"The Knave... The ace pilot from the Khaenri'ahn War… She's here too. A part of the Coalition."
A smirk tugged at her lips.
"Fantastic. Two aces. Fighting to end a war."
Then—Albedo called out.
"Emilie! Over here—I found blueprints!"
She ran over to the table where he had spread the Orbital Elevator's schematics.
Leaning over the diagrams, Emilie asked:
"What's your plan?"
Albedo pointed at the Observation Floor.
"That's where the servers for the Sepharis Bird are housed. But with the dogfight raging overhead, it's too risky. We wait for the skies to clear."
Emilie nodded.
"Right. Even if we kill the main power to the elevator, there's still backup—solar panel batteries."
She tapped the blueprint.
"So one of us has to go up and destroy it manually."
Albedo nodded, extending a hand.
"Let's do it. Mind if I borrow your radio?"
Emilie handed it over.
"Go for it."
He keyed in.
"To all allied aircraft—this is Albedo. Listen carefully."
His voice cut through the static of war like a blade.
"First—destroy the Orbital Elevator's communication uplink with Celestia. Cut their command structure at the root."
"Second—disable the power grid. This will halt the production of autonomous drones and prevent any further escalation."
He paused.
"And finally—bring this war to an end. Anarchy has taken root. This conflict is pointless."
"This facility is filled with refugees from Zephyr's Island—people who've lost everything."
A beat of silence.
"So I ask you—take air superiority."
Then—
Furina keyed in.
"You heard him! Let's bring an end to this madness!"
A moment.
Then—
"This ends today."
Emilie froze.
That voice—she knew it.
"The Knave."
Albedo immediately signaled.
"Tsaritsa. Lune. Over here."
The two approached, eyes sharp and grim.
"Right. Here's the plan," Albedo began. "We're heading to the Observation Floor, then the server room."
He looked at each of them in turn.
"Note: the room is cold. Move fast—avoid frostbite or worse."
The Tsaritsa spoke, firm and unwavering.
"I'll smash it."
Emilie turned to her, eyes narrowing.
"You sure?"
A resolute nod.
"Yes. It's my way to redeem myself—and the Coalition."
Emilie nodded back.
"Alright then. Me, Albedo, and Lune will provide external cover. If anyone tries to break in, we'll stop them."
The Tsaritsa nodded again, though this time her voice faltered slightly.
"O-Okay…"
Suddenly, Emilie's radio crackled back to life.
"Wait... Gold Crown is on our side!? That's the best damn news I've heard in weeks!"
"Against Gold Crown? Hell no! Never again!"
Then, another voice joined the channel—calm, familiar.
"What do you know... a former penal member turned ace. Nice to see you again, Furina."
Furina scoffed on comms, the bite still in her tone.
"Justice. Never thought I'd hear you say that word."
Justice chuckled.
"Well, the penal unit's dead and buried. So this is the new me."
Emilie keyed in.
"Enough chatter. Let's move."
"Wilco," Albedo replied, then turned to Lune and the Tsaritsa. "On me. Let's go!"
The four bolted to the elevator. Albedo punched the panel—Observation Floor.
The elevator began its slow ascent.
Albedo keyed the radio again.
"The Teyvat Orbital Elevator isn't just a launch tower—it's the tallest communications array on the planet."
A pause.
"See those cables? They stretch into low orbit. They're integrated data lines—meaning this tower can broadcast across all of Teyvat, and half the damn globe."
Furina, watching the tower rise into the heavens from her cockpit, narrowed her eyes.
"Its radio signal blankets the entire continent..."
The implication hit like a missile.
Then, Eula's voice—Spindrift—cut in.
"So that's how the message got to us at Dymny Kordon Air Base."
"Correct," Albedo replied. "This tower will carry our final broadcast."
Ding.
The elevator stopped. The doors parted.
They ran.
Metal slammed behind them—clunk—locking them in.
They reached the sealed server room door. Emilie pounded her fist against it.
"Shit."
The Tsaritsa scanned the edges. Solid.
Albedo accidentally keyed his mic.
"We need to break in! This is the server room!"
Another voice over the net.
"Is that the Tsaritsa!?"
Albedo growled back, urgency rising.
"Try breaking in—now!"
He moved to the window.
What he saw froze him.
Contrails. Smoke. Fire. Debris falling from the heavens like ash.
Below—civilians, staring up at the inferno above them.
He spun to Lune, pointing.
"Get those refugees underground. NOW!"
"On it!" Lune sprinted. She hacked the elevator lock and descended.
But above—
Everything spiraled out of control.
AWACS Visionaire's voice crackled.
"Sepharis Bird inbound. It's launching projectiles!"
AWACS Justice chimed in.
"Bezglubok-class warheads. Blast radius is being fed to your radars now!"
BOOM.
A massive blue fireball lit the sky.
"HOLY SHIT! What the fuck was that!?"
"Justice! More incoming!?"
"Confirmed. Proceed with extreme caution!"
Emilie worked frantically at the server room lock.
Another explosion.
The tower shuddered. The floor weaved slightly.
They braced, avoiding any sudden moves that might send them crashing to the floor.
Then—
"We have reached Zero Hour."
Albedo looked at Emilie, voice steady.
"The Sepharis Bird is here."
Emilie cursed under her breath.
"Shit! If that APS activates, our Unison Attack won't do jack shit!"
She worked faster. Sweat on her brow.
The comms flared again.
"All units—prepare for the Unison Attack."
The countdown began.
"Five."
Pilots armed weapons. HUDs lit up—target brackets locked onto the Sepharis Bird: Celestia.
"Four."
Jet engines roared like beasts. Fingers hovered over triggers.
"Three."
Minds sharpened. Every second stretched like hours.
"Two."
A collective breath. No turning back now.
"One."
"FIRE!"
Emilie slammed her fist against the door.
"NO!!"
From land, sea, and sky—
Teyvat unleashed hell.
The navy opened up first—hundreds of missiles roared from VLS decks across the fleet, arcing skyward in synchronized precision.
From above, the Teyvat Strategic Strike Group joined in. Fighters screamed down from high altitude, deploying a maelstrom of HCAA missiles, LRAAMs, and bunker-busting ordnance.
It was beautiful.
It was coordinated.
It was… perfect.
Then—
That sound.
A deep mechanical whine.
The Sepharis Bird stirred.
From its spine, the APS activated. A pulse—crimson and pulsing—spread outward from the energy ring above its hull.
Then—
BOOM.
A dome of blinding blue energy expanded outward.
Missiles struck… and fizzled.
Harmless.
Explosions rippled across the energy shield—but Celestia remained unscathed.
"SHIT! IT DID NOTHING!"
"OUR MISSILES DIDN'T EVEN SCRATCH IT!"
Then—
AWACS Zaytun broke in.
"Bogeys incoming! Multiple hostiles inbound on radar!"
Furina's voice rang out like a gunshot.
"They're deploying MQ-101 drones! Don't let them reach Celestia!"
The response was instant.
"Roger!"
"Wilco!"
"Affirmative!"
Furina barked out orders, her tone deadly.
"Waltz and Primordial Squadrons—go straight for Celestia! I'll hit the main propellers. You disable the subsystems and anti-air defenses!"
"Wilco! Engaging!"
Jets broke formation and surged forward. Missiles streaked across the sky, contrails forming claw marks in the heavens.
Explosions flared across Celestia's hull—metal buckled, fire spewed from impact zones.
Albedo turned to Emilie again.
"How much longer!?"
Teeth clenched, Emilie answered.
"Not long now!"
Below, the naval battle descended into chaos.
"We're listing! Deploy the lifeboats!"
"ABANDON SHIP! ABANDON SHIP!"
"We've taken major damage! We have to evac!"
AWACS Zaytun's voice cut through the comms:
"HQ, our naval fleet is being decimated!"
Waltz Three—Wriothesley, callsign Wolfbite—keyed in.
"That firepower is INSANE! We—SHIT! I didn't see that one coming!"
Missiles and tracer rounds rained onto the Sepharis Bird. Its propulsion systems took the brunt of it.
Celestia veered violently, its flight path compromised.
Then—
The right propeller restarted.
Furina keyed in, alarmed.
"What the fuck!? That thing REPAIRED ITSELF!?"
Then—
Escalation.
The Sepharis Bird began to whirr.
Its energy ring flared to life—glowing red again.
Furina's voice sharpened:
"BREAK AWAY! APS IS REACTIVATING!"
The formation split apart.
A second later—
BOOM.
The shield detonated outward.
A shockwave ripped through the sky.
They barely dodged it.
Furina let out a shaky breath.
"Shit, that was too close. Everyone still here!?"
"Primordial Squadron all here!"
"Waltz Squadron complete!"
She exhaled hard.
"That shield has to go. Now."
Inside the Orbital Elevator—
The door slammed shut behind the Tsaritsa.
Emilie slammed her fist on the lock.
"DAMN IT! IT'S BEING OVERRIDDEN!"
Albedo snapped to her.
"What!? How!?"
Emilie hissed,
"Has to be the Sepharis Bird..."
Inside the sealed chamber, the Tsaritsa grabbed a crowbar from a supply cabinet.
Then—
She spotted it. A blinking red server node. A map of the Sepharis Bird glowed on its interface.
She shouted back,
"I found it!"
Then she swung.
Crack.
The server flickered—then died.
Albedo's voice barked over the intercom:
"SMASH IT! FINISH IT OFF!"
Outside—
Celestia unleashed hell.
Laser batteries roared to life.
Entire platoons were vaporized in a blink.
HQ's voice came through in horror:
"All aircraft—mission abort! We can't commence the second op anymore!"
Furina snarled.
"No shit!"
Then—Arlecchino cut in.
"Furina! Target the Orbital Driver Hooks! It'll expose the core!"
Furina's pulse spiked.
"Wilco! Just waiting on that damn APS to drop!"
BANG.
Furina's eyes widened.
Another BANG.
Collei's voice trembled.
"Go away…"
BANG.
Eula growled.
"DISAPPEAR!"
Then—
A final THUNDEROUS EXPLOSION.
The APS collapsed.
The Sepharis Bird's shield shattered.
For the first time—it was vulnerable.
Furina's voice went cold, resolved.
"It's time."
The red energy ring fizzled and died.
She keyed in:
"THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!"
"ALL UNITS—ENGAGE!"
Arlecchino came through, almost breathless:
"The MQ-101 drones—they're dropping! Falling out of the skies!"
Emilie rushed beside Albedo—and saw it.
The counterattack had begun.
Coalition aircraft swarmed like hornets.
Drones plummeted from the heavens in fiery streaks.
Then—
She spotted Furina's Rafale cutting through the chaos.
Right in front of her—an F-14 streaked ahead.
Two Phoenix missiles streaked toward Celestia's underbelly.
Direct hit.
"Laser destroyed! Go get 'em, Furina!"
Furina banked hard, pulling into a precision attack run.
The left Orbital Driver Hook loomed ahead.
Two HCAAs launched—
Direct hit.
Explosions rocked the superstructure. Debris spiraled downward.
The right propeller stalled.
The Sepharis Bird staggered, bleeding power.
Furina rolled right—another pass.
Two more missiles—
Direct hit.
One hook remained.
She circled back.
Impact.
Detonation.
The final tether snapped.
The Orbital Driver tore free, dragging debris as it plummeted.
The core was exposed.
Emilie whispered, breathless:
"This is it."
Inside the chamber—
The Tsaritsa pounded on the door.
"It's cold in here! When can I get out!?"
Emilie yelled back,
"IT'S ALMOST OVER! HANG IN THERE!"
Furina dove.
Her Rafale screamed toward the ocean.
Waves roared upward to meet her.
At the last instant, she yanked back hard.
Her wings kissed the water's surface—spray streaking behind her.
Then—
FULL AFTERBURNER.
The Rafale howled.
Clorinde shouted:
"Furina, pull out! You're too close!"
She didn't care.
"Give me tone. Give me tone!"
The warning tone screamed in her headset.
Almost there.
"COME ON!!!"
Then—Collei screamed—
"FURINA!!!"
Two HCAAs detached.
Impact.
A moment of silence.
Then—
A titanic explosion ripped the sky open.
Inferno.
Shockwave.
Raw annihilation.
The radio erupted—
"Whoa!"
"HOLY SHIT!"
"What the hell was that!?"
Then—
Out of the firestorm…
A blue streak tore through the inferno.
Furina's Rafale.
Vertical climb.
Unscathed.
Cheers exploded across the comms.
"ALRIGHT, FURINA!"
"THAT'S TEYVAT'S ACE RIGHT THERE!"
"THE BIRD IS GOING DOWN!"
Furina leveled off, wings slicing through the smoke.
Emilie jumped, punching the air.
"YES! FUCKING EY! THAT'S A FUCKING ACE RIGHT THERE!"
Eula's voice was quiet, distant.
"Even in death… that damn bird is still menacing."
Lyney, choking up, whispered,
"Furina… you did it."
Lynette followed, softer.
"The Sepharis Birds... they're no more."
Furina keyed her mic.
Steady. Powerful.
"Everyone—do you see this? This is what happens when we set our differences aside. When we trust one another."
"THIS is the result!"
"A joint operation that will put an end to war itself!"
Her voice lingered in the sky.
"The world won't change for the better... unless we trust one another."
Then—
A thunderous crash.
Celestia slammed into the ocean.
A towering column of water erupted.
Debris rained across the waves.
The monster was dead.
The sea claimed its carcass.
Silence returned.
The radio crackled—
"All Snezhnayan rebel soldiers! Surrender now, and we won't attack!"
A pause.
Then a broken voice replied:
"We're surrendering."
"It's not worth continuing this…"
At the Orbital Elevator, the doors opened.
The Tsaritsa stepped out, followed by Albedo.
They gazed through the window.
The skies stretched ahead. Blue. Still.
But peace never lasted long.
Albedo froze.
Two unknown aircraft soared in from the clouds.
Too fast. Too precise. Too… unnatural.
His voice dropped.
"Is that… the drones we saw at the factory?"
Then—
AWACS Zaytun's voice shattered the moment.
"ALERT! Two fast-moving bogeys—closing in FAST!"
Then—
Arlecchino.
Her voice cut in like a blade—sharp, urgent, deadly serious.
"EVERYONE, RETREAT! THOSE ARE ADFX-11 DRONES!"
Emilie, Albedo, and the Tsaritsa froze for a heartbeat, then stepped back instinctively.
Emilie shook her head, lips parted in disbelief.
"Shit, shit, shit... No..."
The radio exploded with chaos.
Wriothesley's voice—strained and panicked—blared through.
"Shit! I'm being chased!"
"These things are BAD NEWS! Furina, do something!"
Furina gritted her teeth, eyes scanning desperately, fingers white on the stick.
"I'm trying, but I can't get a lock!"
The ADFX-11 drones moved like specters—twisting, shifting, vanishing from targeting systems, slipping between radar and vision. Every attempt to pin them down failed.
Then—
Fire.
Twin missiles burst toward Wriothesley.
Furina yanked her jet around, heart thundering.
"Shit! One of them's turning on me!"
Wriothesley deployed countermeasures.
Flares bloomed behind him, flickering desperately against the sky.
He rolled inverted and dove.
For a moment, it looked like he'd shaken them.
But—
It was too late.
One missile found its mark.
The explosion ripped across his right wing, a burst of fire and pressure.
His voice cracked through the comms.
"Shit! I'm hit!"
Furina's breath caught. She saw the smoke trailing from his aircraft.
"Wriothesley, RETREAT! I'm on your wing!"
She snapped to the radio again.
"ALL UNITS, RETREAT! NOW! IT'S TOO RISKY!"
Then, cutting through the chaos—AWACS Zaytun's voice.
"Fontainian carrier spotted a few klicks west. It ran aground—abandoned—but it's the only cover you've got!"
Furina gritted her teeth, gripping the stick tighter.
There was no choice.
She slid in beside Wriothesley, his plane wobbling, altitude bleeding.
Then—
The rest of the sky seemed to rally behind them.
Primordial Squadron.
The remainder of Waltz.
Nocturne.
Hearth.
They banked west, streaking toward the stranded carrier—cutting through a sky filled with fire.
Explosions.
Dogfights.
The ADFX-11s slashed through the air, impossible to lock, inhumanly fast.
Perfect maneuvers—too perfect.
Because their AI was built from Arlecchino's flight data.
The enemy hadn't just automated combat.
They had recreated the art of death in the sky.
And now—they were the prey.
Albedo turned to Emilie, urgent.
"I need to get on that carrier. Furina needs me!"
He started running—but Emilie grabbed his arm.
"Albedo, why?!"
He exhaled sharply.
"Because Furina's Rafale... it's an experimental prototype. It's called the Evolution."
Emilie blinked.
"Is that why she can pull those moves I saw...?"
Albedo nodded once.
"Yeah. Upgraded flight computer. Advanced mods. But there's no time to explain—"
Emilie hesitated—then nodded.
"Right. Go. Save them."
Albedo nods. Gave Emilie her radio back, and rushed toward the elevator without another word.
Emilie rejoined the Tsaritsa.
The skies were falling apart.
The ADFX-11 drones tore through everything.
Planes disintegrated midair.
Fire. Smoke. Wreckage.
Falling like rain.
And Emilie stood there, knowing exactly what this meant.
She had seen this before.
She had believed the war was nearing its end.
But the truth?
It was only beginning.
Because one thing still remained.
One thing stood in their way.
The Following Day...
November 1st.
Early morning.
The aftermath was a grim, quiet horror.
Of the dozens of coalition aircraft that had surged into the skies the day before, none remained.
Their pilots—either dead, missing, or ejected—had taken refuge in the Teyvat Orbital Elevator.
That night, Emilie had shut down the elevator's electrical systems. The communications network inside was severed.
A timed shutdown.
But no one knew when the power would come back on.
Emilie sat in silence on the observation floor, the vast window before her fogged faintly by the chill air.
Her head was bowed low, the fatigue of the day—and of the war—settling deep into her bones.
Beside her, the Tsaritsa sat wordless, equally still. The two women shared the silence, the weight of loss and uncertainty suspended between them.
Emilie had barely slept. But it wasn't from adrenaline. It was familiarity.
She knew this feeling.
Nine years ago...
The Dawnfront War.
Early morning, December 31st.
The guns had fallen silent in the night. A ceasefire swept across both sides like a ghost, and by sunrise, the world was waking again.
In Mondstadt, the city slowly blinked back to life. Streetlights came on. The air was unnaturally still.
At the capital city's highway, four F-14A Tomcats stood lined up in the amber dawn—massive, black silhouettes beneath a cold sun.
The emblem of Emberhowl Air Command Squadron shimmered faintly on their tails.
Emilie had slept in her cockpit that morning. The first real sleep in days.
She awoke to a knock on the fuselage.
Mona.
Her wingman.
She thought it was a prank at first.
It wasn't.
The moment she joined the rest of the team, the nightmare returned.
The Judgement Fang Orbital Linear Gun—the JFOLG—was descending. Headed straight for Mondstadt.
They thought the war had ended the day before.
They were wrong.
On December 30th, they had launched a full assault on Imperatora Industries, deep in North Dornman—alongside dozens of aircraft from every corner of Teyvat and Natlan.
Emberhowl Squadron had delivered the killing blow.
They took out the control core of the JFOLG.
It should've been over.
But peace didn't come.
Because one final danger still loomed.
The Tsaritsa stirred beside her, finally breaking the silence.
"…Miss Emilie?"
Emilie lifted her head slightly, her voice quiet.
"Yes, ma'am?"
The Tsaritsa turned to her fully now, concern in her eyes.
"Are you… alright?"
Emilie sighed, resting her hands on her knees.
"I guess? I don't know…"
The Tsaritsa leaned in gently.
"Care to talk about it?"
Emilie looked down, then slowly nodded.
"I know this feeling," she said, voice low. "The feeling that a war's come to an end… when in reality, it hasn't. Not even close. There's still something out there. Still something waiting."
The Tsaritsa's expression darkened, brows drawing together.
"…Does this relate to the war… nine years ago?"
Emilie nodded again.
"Yeah."
She looked up at the ceiling, memories coming back in sharp detail.
"December 31st. The first good sleep I'd had in months. The day before, we'd launched everything we had at a munitions plant in North Dornman. F-14As, coalition airpower—we crushed it. Ended the threat. Or so we thought."
The Tsaritsa interjected quietly.
"Emberhowl… right?"
Emilie smiled faintly.
"Yeah. That was us."
She continued.
"After the op, we landed our birds on a highway. Did a quick debrief. Thought it was over. That the war had ended. Then Mona came banging on my cockpit. Thought she was just messing with me…"
Her voice grew hollow.
"…But when I got to the mess, I found out the JFOLG was descending. Coming right for Mondstadt."
The Tsaritsa looked away, voice barely a whisper.
"…I'm so sorry, Emilie."
Emilie shook her head, meeting her eyes again.
"Don't be. That's the past now. Just… memories resurfacing. That's all."
Then...
Emilie's radio crackled to life.
She lifted it to her ear.
"Let's finish this… once and for all."
"The elevator's power grid is down for who knows how long. So make this count."
"Commence operation."
"All aircraft, follow Waltz."
Her eyes widened.
"Furina..."
Emilie slowly stood up from her seat at the observation deck and moved toward the glass, heart pounding.
Outside, the sky was alive with motion.
Dozens of planes—once a fractured, desperate Coalition—now soared in unison.
But this wasn't the old Coalition.
This was something new.
An independent strike force, forged solely for this moment.
A single, final act.
Furina had named them: The Salon Solitaire.
And there, in the distance, the monsters appeared.
The two ADFX-11s.
They pulled up into formation—silent, predatory, artificial gods—and began engaging.
Furina's Rafale broke from her squadron, splitting wide.
The others followed suit, fanning out to surround and distract.
But Furina kept going.
Straight toward the drones.
Twin streaks of silver flashed past her, their afterburners burning cold blue.
Her instincts screamed.
She snapped the Rafale into a savage turn, the g-forces slamming into her chest like a sledgehammer.
The Drones had names.
ADFX-11 Pangu.
ADFX-11 Purusha.
Furina locked onto Pangu—got on its six.
But it wasn't fleeing.
It was baiting.
Then—it moved.
Laser cannons ignited in a cascade of searing red.
Blasts sliced through the air with precision so perfect it seemed preordained.
"Fucking hell!" Furina barked, yanking her Rafale into a violent break.
It wasn't just attacking.
It was playing with her.
Her radio crackled with voices:
"Damn! These fucking UAVs move fast!"
"No kidding! They're fucking predators!"
Then—
Arlecchino's voice. Cold. Rattled.
"...They're mimicking my moves… bit by bit… perfectly."
The transmission cut into Furina like a blade.
Her stomach twisted.
They're learning.
More radio chatter followed:
"Don't let that get to you! Just distract them! Furina needs an opening!"
"And don't get in the way of their fucking lasers!"
Furina gritted her teeth.
Too fast.
Too erratic.
Every time she got tone, it twisted away, folding physics in half like a joke.
Then—
Pangu broke skyward.
A vertical climb, almost contemptuous.
Furina followed, throttles firewalled.
The Rafale groaned, vibrating violently as it punched for the upper edge of the sky.
She fired.
Twin HCAA missiles.
Direct hits.
Explosions bloomed.
But—
They kept flying.
Then—
The radio shifted.
Static.
Not just interference.
A distortion.
Something wrong.
Something... unnatural.
A shriek not made by man or machine.
A tear in reality.
Emilie pulled her headset away, wincing.
"What the fucking hell?!"
And then—
Pangu nosed down.
A dive. Vertical.
It screamed past Furina's canopy.
She snapped into pursuit, muscles straining, stomach pressed to her spine.
But she couldn't match it.
The drone was built different.
And all around her—
Hell.
Purusha tore through pilots like paper.
"SHIT, SHIT, SHIT— I'M HIT! EJECTING!"
"I'M GOING DOWN!"
Flaming wrecks fell from the sky.
Parachutes bloomed like poppies.
It was slaughter.
And Furina had enough.
Emilie saw it happen from the observation deck.
Furina's flying changed.
Her Rafale... changed.
There was no hesitation now.
No limiters.
No fear.
The leash was off.
And then—
Pangu pulled into a 180-degree reversal.
It was baiting her again.
But this time—
She didn't fall for it.
She commanded it.
The Rafale twisted midair like a living, snarling beast.
Furina keyed her mic.
Her voice came through the radio, smooth—sharp—lethal.
"Let's play, motherfucker."
The sky burned.
Streaks of smoke and contrails laced the heavens, filled with the thunder of engines and the sharp crack of missile fire. Trails twisted through the clouds—a deadly ballet unfolding at supersonic speeds.
At the center of it all—Furina.
Her Dassault Rafale M tore through the sky, a vengeful streak hurtling toward her prey. Every nerve. Every instinct. Locked in.
The ADFX-11 Pangu moved like no enemy she'd ever faced. It didn't hesitate. It didn't falter. It twisted through the air with inhuman precision, laser cannons flaring as it banked into an impossible reversal.
The moment it moved—she matched it.
The Rafale bucked violently, its nose snapping sideways as Furina yanked it into a break-turn sharp enough to crush bones.
Then—
Twin HCAA missiles screamed off her hardpoints, spiraling through the sky toward the drone.
Pangu reacted, climbing in a desperate escape—
But the missiles adjusted.
Direct impact.
A fireball erupted above, flaming debris spiraling toward the abyss.
One down.
For the first time in what felt like hours—Furina exhaled.
Then—
"THAT'S WHAT I'M FUCKING TALKING ABOUT!"
Emilie slammed her fist in celebration.
"Atta girl, Furina!"
But—
Her eyes snapped to the second drone.
Purusha.
The bastard was still out there.
Furina's Rafale surged ahead. Acceleration slammed her into her seat, the airframe trembling under sheer force. Speed clawed at the edges of her vision as she closed in for the kill.
Collei's voice crackled over comms.
"I can't believe a drone can fly like that… but Furina—she's on a whole 'nother level."
Amber chimed in, awe and disbelief in her voice.
"She's the only pilot I've ever seen pull that many moves in seconds—just to take down a drone!"
Jean's voice was calm. Steady. Sure.
"That's not luck. That's dedication."
Emilie keyed her mic.
"She's an Ace. Teyvat's Ace."
Purusha pitched up—steep, vertical.
She didn't hesitate.
The Rafale snapped skyward, twin engines howling as it punched toward the thinning stratosphere. Airspeed bled. Gravity clawed. Still, she followed.
Then—
Purusha dropped.
A straight dive.
Furina dove with it.
Twin HCAAs shrieked off the rails, hunting with pinpoint accuracy.
Impact.
Another fireball tore the sky.
But—something broke off from the wreckage.
A smaller drone.
Emilie's eyes widened.
"Shit..."
Jean's voice hit like a blade.
"IT DROPPED THE SECOND DRONE!"
Arlecchino cut in, voice like steel.
"SHIT! THAT'S THE PREY DRONE! TAKE IT OUT FAST!"
Clorinde, grim:
"Wait... that's the same drone Furina took out at Zimogorov."
This thing—
It wasn't just a killer.
It was a thief.
If it escaped, it would steal every maneuver, every tactic Furina had used.
She could not let that happen.
The Rafale lunged.
The Prey Drone moved first.
It read her turn.
It anticipated her dive.
It countered her roll.
It was learning her.
Mavuika's voice trembled.
"It's... it's learning Furina's flying style!"
Arlecchino shouted:
"YES! THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING!"
Clorinde's voice urgent:
"FURINA! TAKE IT OUT BEFORE IT LEAKS YOUR DATA!"
Furina snarled.
"I'M FUCKING TRYING!"
Every move—mirrored.
Every dodge—countered.
Her own shadow.
Then—a mistake.
The drone climbed out of a dive.
Exposed.
Lock.
Tone.
"Fox Two!"
Twin Sidewinders lanced out.
One missed. One hit.
The drone staggered.
Still flying.
Ningguang's voice rang out:
"YEAH! THAT'S A HIT! IT'S DAMAGED!"
But Furina wasn't celebrating.
It was still alive.
And if it transmitted...
Everything would be lost.
Then.
Two more HCAAs screamed forward.
The drone juked.
Too late.
Direct hit.
The explosion tore the sky apart.
Furina slammed her fist against the canopy.
"YES!"
The radio exploded with celebration.
"WHOOOOO!"
"ALRIGHT, FURINA!"
"OUR TOP ACE SHOWING HOW IT'S DONE!"
Emilie pounded the observation window.
"Atta girl, Furina!"
The Tsaritsa bumped her shoulder.
"It's over. They did it."
Then.
The lights flickered on. A low hum filled the structure.
AWACS Visionaire keyed in.
"Looks like the elevator's power is back… We made it just in time. And fortunately—Waltz prevented any of her flight data from leaking."
Furina exhaled a long, shaky breath.
"Oh fuck... I'm glad that's over."
She watched the burning wreckage drift below.
This fight had been different.
It had pushed her.
And she'd pushed back—harder.
Then.
The Tsaritsa's eyes widened.
Her jaw dropped.
A silhouette streaked past her window.
She grabbed Emilie's radio.
"Emilie! I need your radio! Now!"
"Why?"
"This is the Tsaritsa! Can you hear me!? There's still one drone left! It threw its wings away—it's still flying!"
Furina shouted back.
A thud.
"FUCKING WHAT!?"
Arlecchino's voice was sharp:
"If that's true—it's heading for the underground signal repeaters!"
AWACS Visionaire, grim:
"Confirmed. One UAV remains."
A blur shot past Furina's canopy.
No wings. Just a missile with eyes.
Heading for the city.
"WALTZ ONE, ENGAGING!"
All Emilie could do now—
Was listen.
And wait.
"Waltz Two, following lead! She needs backup!"
Amber's voice, frantic:
"Clorinde, don't—!"
The Tsaritsa spoke, dead serious.
"It dove into the tunnel. It's heading for the repeaters underground."
Emilie snapped her fingers.
"That's it. It's going to transmit Furina and Arlecchino's data to the remaining UAV factories."
The Tsaritsa nodded.
"Right."
AWACS Visionaire's voice:
"Clorinde, status!?"
A pause.
"Alive."
Visionaire exhaled.
"Good."
Arlecchino cut in:
"Remember! It takes 30 seconds to transmit! Destroy the repeaters—then the drone!"
Furina grit her teeth.
"Wilco."
Emilie waited.
Then—
"Shit! I'm hit! Engine One's gone—but I'm still flying!"
Furina:
"Hold on, Clorinde! We're almost there!"
Emilie's eyes widened.
"Furina's wingman..."
Then—
Distant explosions.
She ran to the window of the central shaft.
All she saw were the wires of the orbital elevator—and one car, just below.
AWACS Visionaire:
"Furina, 10 seconds! Hurry!"
A final, distant explosion.
Her radio crackled again.
"Furina, we did it!"
Then—her tone shifted.
"You can escape. But… I can't."
Furina's voice, shaken.
"What—?"
Clorinde's voice calm.
"I'll land inside. Take the elevator up."
A beat.
"The shaft is your only way out."
Emilie waited—
Then—
The scream of twin M88 engines.
A flash of blue.
Furina climbed up the elevator shaft.
Her voice returned.
"Hey! I'm alive! Taking the elevator up—I'll keep you posted!"
Right on cue—
An elevator car dinged at their floor.
The doors slid open.
A woman in a flightsuit stepped out, walked to the observation deck.
Silence.
Then—
AWACS Visionaire gave the good news:
"Waltz One has returned to radar!"
The radio erupted.
"HELL YEAH!"
"THAT'S OUR FURINA!"
"SHE'S OUR DAMN HERO!"
A breathless chuckle escaped Emilie's lips.
Then—Jean.
"Where's Clorinde!?"
A pause.
"Hey. I'm here. Viewing deck. Watching Furina climb."
Amber sighed in exasperated relief.
"Clorinde, you fool."
Arlecchino followed.
"Hey, buddy… still alive?"
Furina's voice came through:
"For once, I'm actually glad to hear your voice, Arlecchino."
Emilie walked out to the observation deck.
She saw the woman—still in her flight suit.
Purple hair. Calm eyes.
They watched the Rafale ascend together.
The woman spoke.
"Look at that… Furina's climbing toward the stars."
Emilie nodded.
"Yeah... A hero of Teyvat if you ask me."
The woman looked at her.
"First Lieutenant Clorinde."
Emilie turned, smiled.
And she shook her hand.
"Emilie."
Clorinde nodded.
The two looked skyward again.
Then—
The radio crackled to life.
A familiar voice cut through the static.
"Hey, Waltz. You dumbass. Tell me something."
Emilie chuckled, her voice warm.
"Albedo."
Furina keyed her mic, calm and composed.
"What is it, Albedo?"
His voice came through, soft and curious.
"…What's the sky like up there?"
Furina exhaled gently.
"Beautiful… dark blue."
Then—
Another voice.
One that carried the weight of memory and legacy.
"This is Captain Mona Megistus of the spaceship Stellaris One."
Emilie's eyes widened.
"Mona…!"
Clorinde raised an eyebrow.
"Who?"
Emilie hushed her quickly.
"Shh. Listen closely."
Mona continued:
"The ocean of the stars is finally within our reach."
"To the pilot who gave us a place to dock… we are forever grateful."
"The universe lies ahead—awaiting discovery."
"And now, we have a gateway to ascend to it… over and over again."
Then—one final, resolute declaration:
"I salute the pilot… who gave us all a future."
Then—
Furina's Rafale dipped its nose downward, a steep vertical descent beginning from above.
Her radio sparked to life once more.
"All squadrons, form up! Leave the middle free for our hero!"
One by one, they gathered.
A massive Flying V formation took shape in the sky—a tribute.
As the Flying V ascended and banked away, Clorinde turned to Emilie.
"I'll see you around, Miss Emilie."
Emilie gave a small nod.
"Take care, Lieutenant."
Clorinde winked, threw her a thumbs up, then turned and walked off—toward the elevator, descending back to Earth.
And then—
There was Furina's Rafale again.
Pitching upward now. Rising. Chasing the Flying V formation.
Emilie closed her eyes, feeling the hum of the sky around her.
"…To the skies… of unknown…"