Honkai Impact 3rd X Genshin Impact Crossover: My adventures with the Valkyries

Chapter 17: Ambush Aftermath

(Windrise)

Toriyama flew us to Windrise at the Giant Tree where Venti was healing underneath it.

Venti: The wind amongst the branches is good, I love the way it smells...

Then he turned around to find us in his sight.

Venti: Haha, I said the exact same thing the last time. *sigh* Why do I only say these things when I'm down on my luck?

Patrick: We tried to save you but Signora's Cryo magic managed to overpower my Pyro magic and stabbed us and managed to beat us with her Fatui minions. But now you have to answer a question.

Aether: So... what is a Gnosis?

Kiana: Whatever that woman ripped out of you must have been a Gnosis.

Venti: Ah, so you noticed. *sigh* This isn't something I'm meant to discuss with ordinary people. But I suppose I can let you in on the secret. As you know, Visions are external magical foci that only a small minority of people possess. They use these Visions to channel elemental power. In truth, every wielder of a Vision is one who can attain godhood and ascend to Celestia. We call such people allogones.

Paimon: Allogenes? Paimon's never heard of them before.

Venti: Hehe, that's because this is secret that only archons are privy to. We don't need primitive tools like Visions. Instead, each archon has an international magical focus that resonates directly with Celestia itself... known as a Gnosis.

Aether: What about the thing hanging off your hip?

Venti: Eh-he. It's just a glowing glass ball I carry around to avoid suspicion.

Aether: I feel cheated... but I guess I'm used to that by now.

Patrick in mind: So do I. I could of came up with the idea of us having fake Visions like Venti but didn't remember much about this part from watching the beta tests.

Paimon: So who was that nasty woman who sent Paimon flying and stole your Gnosis?

Venti: Her name is Signora, No. 8 of the harbingers.

Patrick: While getting the Holy Lyre back from the Fatui we heard her name then Diluc told us about her. When we saw her we knew that it was her.

Bronya: She had a cold and evil stare like Cocolia, my old Matushka.

Venti: She and the rest of the harbingers have been given god-like executive authority by the Tsaritsa of Snezhnaya, and with it, strength surpassing that of other mortals.

Paimon: The Tsaritsa of Snezhnaya? Isn't that...

Venti: Indeed. She is one of The Seven, the Tsaritsa who reigns from the Zaplyarny Palace, and the one person that the Fatui Harbingers all answer to. The Seven don't always get along well, but still — I never thought that she would plot to steal another archon's Gnosis...

Aether: What sort of god is the Tsaritsa?

Venti: Ah... How should I put this? Five hundred years ago, I knew her well. But I can't say the same is true now. You see, a certain catastrophe happened five hundred years ago, and after that, she cut off all ties with me. But we can save discussion of the Cryo Archon and the Fatui for another day. If you all seek the rest of The Seven, many difficulties lie ahead of you still.

Patrick: If we ever meet Signora again, we'll be sure to get your Gnosis back.

Kiana: And make the Fatui pay for what they've done and prove to everyone in Teyvat that they're all criminals and villains.