Sunset at Gandharva Ville is a time of warmth and reunion. We join the trickle of patrols walking back to the village. Light chatter fills the road, as fellow forest watchers greet each other and discuss their day's work.
As we near the village, a dusk bird flies towards Tighnari, who promptly catches it out of the sky. He urgently unties a piece of paper from the bird's foot and unfurls it.
"What's the matter?" I ask, worried.
Tighnari looks up from the note. "It's from Haypasia. You do remember her, yes? The scholar you were following before you passed out."
"I could never forget," I say. "Is she in trouble?" While her incense caused us all that trouble in the first place, I would never wish harm upon her.
Tighnari looks back at the message and frowns. "She's forgotten her food again."
"Huh?" Paimon flies over and squints at the message. "All Paimon sees are three squiggly lines."
"It says that she has been meditating for nearly three days. She must be ravenous," Tighnari says.
"How can you tell from just three lines?" I ask. Is this some Sumeru script unbeknownst to us?
Tighnari sighs. "Last time she drew five lines, and by the time we found her–" Tighnari clears his throat. "I would rather not revisit that memory." He rummages through his backpack and retrieves a parcel wrapped in wax paper. Extending it towards me, he says, "would you two mind delivering these emergency rations to her?"
"Wait!" Paimon shouts, flying between me and the food. "You want us to deliver the rations to her?" Paimon asks. "Isn't her cave still filled with that incense? What about Lumine?" Good catch there, Paimon.
"See for yourself," Tighnari says. He stuffs the food back into a pocket and fishes out an embroidered pouch. Tossing it at me, he instructs, "take a whiff." Paimon gasps, but I catch the pouch and tentatively lift it to my nose. It's a light, refreshing aroma, like flowers at night. Though I can detect hints of spices, their scent is far from overwhelming. "I'm fine," I say, relieved. "No drowsiness at all."
"Huh? Really? Not even a little?" Paimon flies over for a sniff herself. "Seems to be the same thing as before. How did you know she would be okay this time, Tighnari?"
"Back when we were clearing out the Withering zone, I observed that she could adeptly manipulate Dendro energy," Tighnari replies. "I knew then that she would be fine." He pauses, then ventures, "Lumine, if you don't mind my asking – what I told you about Irminsul, was that at all similar to the visions you saw while you were unconscious?"
"They weren't hallucinations, were they?" I say.
Tighnari shakes his head. "No, they were not. What you saw was not an illusion or a hallucination. However, I won't apologize for deceiving you, because what you saw was significant, not only to the nation of Sumeru, but to the entirety of Teyvat." With grave seriousness, he continues, "my forefathers were favored by Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, and they took an oath to protect this nation together with her. That duty has now fallen to me, and it was a part of my responsibilities to ascertain whether you could be entrusted with the fate of Sumeru."
"What do you think of us now?" I ask.
"After seeing you in action with my own eyes," Tighnari says, "I no longer feel the need to hide any secrets from you."
"No more secrets," I agree. "So what exactly did I see?"
"It was all real," Tighnari says. "When you passed out, your consciousness had connected directly with Irminsul. What you witnessed were memories from within Irminsul itself."
The voice that whispered, forget me, forget me – whose memory was that?
"I could tell you more," Tighnari continues, "but it would be better if you ask Haypasia herself. Her focus on meditation and use of Spirit Borneol are all directed at establishing a connection with Irminsul, just as you managed to do."
Paimon lets out a little huff. "Why would that woman help us? She completely ignored us last time!"
A slight smile melts away Tighnari's stern expression. "When you ran into her last time, she was in a special phase of her training," says Tighnari. "She could not risk communicating with others, lest she lose her mind. Normally she's very friendly." Reaching into his pocket, he swaps the Spirit Borneol pouch and the wrapped food once again. "So, will you take this to her? I've included a meal for Haypasia, some useful ingredients, and a letter of introduction. Show it to her, and she will answer any questions you may have."
"Thank you," I say, accepting the parcel. I stow it away, outside of sight.
"No, I should be thanking you," Tighnari says. "You've both been very helpful these last few days. Please take good care of Haypasia."
"Of course. Take good care of Collei too," I say. I silently add a prayer to the Dendro Archon that we will see her again before we set off for Sumeru City.
"I need to prepare her medicine now," Tighnari says. "Nilotpala lotuses are significantly more effective while fresh. Rest assured that she will recover quickly." At that, Tighnari turns away and heads back towards the village.
"Let's go see how Haypasia is doing," I tell Paimon. We walk back down the path towards the waterfall. A short while later, we are standing at the mouth of the hidden cave. The thick air of the rainforest has given way to the open roar of water. Haypasia's secret sanctuary lies beyond. Brushing away the vines, Paimon and I step into her abode. Spirit Borneol still lingers in the air, but just as with Tighnari’s pouch, the scent is aromatic and soothing. The spices are still present, but I feel no ill effect.
This time, I have the chance to take a closer look at this ascetic home. A small lamp illuminates the space in a warm shade of yellow. Beside it are the ashes of a small fire, some cooking supplies, and a shelf with various tools and dried plants. In the far corner lies a small cot, covered in a blanket of leaves. It appears that Haypasia has not slept on it for some time.
"Haypasia?" Paimon calls out. Her shrill voice echoes deeper into the cave, but there is no response.
"She might have gone out to forage for food," I say. "Let's look around." As we walk farther in, I hear a clatter coming from behind a patch of shrubs. "Over here!" I say, running towards the sound. Paimon follows close behind. We see a familiar shadow flit across the cave wall – small, round, and seemingly leafy – before it disappears in a flash.
"There you are!" Paimon suddenly exclaims. I turn around, and there she is. Haypasia is sprawled among the undergrowth, moaning incoherently. Her scholar's robes are dirty, but she looks otherwise well. I might have missed her among the thick bushes here, if we haven't been following that strange creature.
"Hun– gry..." she croaks. "Water." Seeming to sense our presence, she lifts a hand towards us. Then her arm drops, and she continues moaning.
Paimon and I exchange glances. "She looks famished," Paimon says.
"Somehow she has more energy than I expected," I reply. "Maybe we should fetch some water first?” We head back towards the mouth of the cave.
As we step back outside, however, a sudden wall of fog raises up around us. Where giant cream poppies stood just moments before is now a thick sea of gray.
"Why is it so foggy all of a sudden?" Paimon exclaims. She flies up to check the skies and returns with a puzzled look. "The fog extends all the way up. Weird."
"Relax," I say. "There must be a logical explanation for all this." Though given all of Sumeru's mysteries and surprises, I'm starting to doubt my common sense. We keep walking forward. Eventually, the squelchy, riverbank grass yields to firmer ground underfoot. The humid air seems to grow thinner. Then just as suddenly as it had appeared, the fog condenses into wispy strands and disappears.
A circular tree hollow rises above us, wrapped in vines and adorned with bell-shaped flowers. In its center is a glowing door, tinted like amber. I place my hand on its smooth surface. Tendrils of light spread from my hand, dissolving the barrier like water spreading across a dry stone. When the light finally fades, an open cavern emerges ahead. Surrounded on all sides by what look like lily pads as tall as ancient pines, a circular platform floats on a large pond. The environment feels very pure, almost too perfect, and a growing sense of dread finds its way into my gut as I stand here waiting for something to happen.
"It appears that we meet again," a chilly voice says out of thin air.
"What's going on?!" Paimon yelps. She flies behind my back. I recognize the darkness in this voice. He – or whatever this creature is – comes from the Abyss. "What are you plotting here?" I call out into the emptiness.
"Here?" The voice cackles. "Plotting? You need not worry about such matters that do not concern you." The air crackles, and a stark figure appears at the center of this lush space. A black mask covers his face, and two glowing orbs of Electro exist where his eyes should be. This is the Abyss Herald who calls himself Violet Lightning.
I dash forward and jump onto the platform, wobbling from my sudden momentum. "Give me back my brother," I growl.
"Your brother?" The Herald laughs metallically. "Your brother? Oh pitiful child, are you really so ignorant? Or are you just living in complete denial?"
"What are you talking about?" I snap back. I plunge forward with my sword raised, but before I can narrow our gap, he raises his arm and envelops me in a shimmering net of Electro. Gasping, I feel my energy draining away. My muscles go limp, and my lungs seem to stop pumping oxygen through my body. With a clatter, my sword falls onto the pearlescent ground.
"Though you may have managed to avert countless crises before, your good fortune was bound to end sooner or later," the Abyss Herald says. "It is time you realize how weak and powerless you really are."
"What's wrong?!" Paimon screams. "You've faced others like him before. What's wrong this time?"
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"My journey will not end here," I whisper. It cannot. It will not.
The Abyss Herald replies with another laugh. "Your journey is meaningless. The bonds of love and family, which drive you to find your sibling, are utterly gone." He snarls. "But don't you fret. Today will be your last." He closes his gloved fingers. The net tightens around me in an explosion of violet, and my vision goes black.
----------------------------------------
When I open my eyes, I'm laying on the floor of a mossy cave, and the sound of crashing water fills the air. I sit up and rub my eyes. What happened?
"Hey!" Paimon shouts in my face. "Now is not the time for a nap!" She points to a water skin, apparently full. "While I was busy fetching water for Haypasia, you were enjoying some beauty sleep!"
"Sorry," I mutter, confused. I feel like I just woke up from an important dream, but I cannot recall what I saw.
"And you dropped her food too!" Paimon continues. She flutters down to the parcel that Tighnari gave us. The twine had unraveled, leaving the contents all over the ground.
"Oh no!" I exclaim, bending down to clean up the wasted food. "I zoned out for a second there." I pick out the letter from spoiled remains and wipe it against the earth. What a shame, about all that food.
Paimon looks at me suspiciously. "Are you sure you're okay? That's not like you," she says. I shrug in response. "We can talk about this later," I say. "Let's make sure Haypasia is all right."
We head over to where Haypasia lay on the floor, and to our surprise, an array of fresh fruit has appeared by her side. In addition to common fruits like apples and sunsettias, I see some Sumeru specialties I don't recognize. There is one fruit composed of symmetric pink-orange lobes, with the texture of an olive and the aroma of a peach. Another is round and green, resting upon a rosette of crinkly leaves.
"Ugh," Haypasia grunts, rolling over. "Who's there? Tighnari, is that you?" She opens her eyes a slit and yelps at the sight of us. In a panic, she backs up against the wall and throws up her arms in defense.
"It's okay!" Paimon flies over, waving her hands around. "Tighnari sent us with food and water."
"Tighnari sent you?" Haypasia asks cautiously. Our words seem to register themselves slowly into her head. She pushes herself into a sitting position and dusts off her robes.
"Yes, he asked us to bring you this letter," I say, holding the stained parchment out towards her.
With some hesitation, Haypasia takes the letter and reads it silently. After a moment, she looks up and says, "I apologize for all the trouble I've caused you. Thank you for coming so quickly to save me. You even brought all this fruit." She pores over the selection and picks out the pink-orange one. Without bothering to clean it, she stuffs it into her mouth. Within bites, the fruit is gone. “Mm! I love Zaytun peaches.”
What a complete change of demeanor. "Well, actually, we didn't bring the fruit," I say, "it was already here when we arrived."
"Oh really?" Haypasia says. She reaches over for another and mulls over the thought briefly. "I understand now. All the fruit was likely from my, uh, neighbor. He must have come by and saw me like this."
"Your neighbor?" I say, eyes narrowing. Who would live with her here, in the middle of a waterfall? "You mean that round, cabbage-like creature?"
"Oh," Haypasia says, taken aback. "You can see them too?" She stops chewing, half-eaten fruit in hand.
"I mean, I saw one in your cave, and before I knew it, I had fallen into a strange dream," I say. “I thought I was fetching water, but I ended up… elsewhere.” I look at Paimon meaningfully. “I even saw an Abyss Herald in that dream, and you were there too.”
"Is that what happened?" Paimon asks, tilting her head. "That sounds a bit too crazy to believe."
"No, I believe her," Haypasia says quickly. "I actually experienced something very similar, the first time I met my timid little neighbor."
"Why did they drag me into that dream world?" I say. Even thinking about that dream makes me queasy.
"You need not worry; they mean you no harm," Haypasia says, seeing my expression. "They only put you to sleep to buy themselves a little time to scurry away. I don’t think they can control the actual contents of your dreams though."
"So what exactly are they?" I ask. In our brief time in Sumeru, we've seen them more frequently than by coincidence.
"Collei told us that Sumeru fairy tales often mention these little nature spirits," Paimon says. "Did they appear in your childhood stories?"
Haypasia laughs nervously, then says, "Yes, I've heard local children refer to them as the Aranara. I'm from the city though, so I never heard of such things when I was a child. Perhaps this is because I had a very strict upbringing, and my parents would seldom allow me to play with other children."
"The Aranara," I repeat. "Is that what they call themselves?"
Haypasia smiles and shrugs. "I'm not sure. They have never spoken to me. I only know that they have some sort of deeper connection with the Dendro Archon. The first time I saw them was also the first time my consciousness was able to form a connection with Irminsul," she recalls dreamily. "Even after I opened my eyes and stopped meditating, my heart was still pounding and my mind was racing with all the knowledge that I had touched. At that very moment, I suddenly noticed a small figure at the opening of the cave." She finishes her tale with a satisfied expression.
"What happened next?" Paimon asks. "How did you become friends?"
"Well then I had a dream, and by the time I woke up, they were gone," she replies. "They eventually came back though."
"You must have startled them."
Haypasia nods. "They appear to be shy little creatures. I've noticed on several occasions that as they're playing under the trees, they'll suddenly tense up and scamper away for no apparent reason. Shortly after they do this, Tighnari always shows up here."
I laugh. "Seems Tighnari has not yet earned their trust, but they've taken a real liking to you. I bet it won't be long before your neighbor starts talking to you and becomes your close friend."
"Thank you," says Haypasia. "I hope that day comes soon." She looks out the entrance of her cave and blinks at the frail remnants of sunlight. "Before I forget, Tighnari mentioned in his letter that you have questions for me regarding Irminsul."
I nod, and I am about to recount my vision from the other day, but a squelching noise cuts through the serene sounds of the natural world. Haypasia takes in a sharp breath and blushes. Clutching her stomach, she starts laughing. "Sorry about that. I guess these fruits weren't quite enough for me."
Paimon glances sideways at me. "Well if somebody hadn't dropped–"
"I'll make you something to eat," I say quickly. "What would you like?"
"Well, I've never tried any dishes from other nations before. Actually, it’s been so long since I've had any decent meal," Haypasia says wistfully. "Tighnari came to visit me a while ago, and I guess I haven't eaten since."
“Paimon and Lumine will cook you some yummy soup!” Paimon says.
"Really?" Haypasia's eyes seem to sparkle. "Let me kindle a flame for you." She walks over to the pile of twigs and fetches a flint from the shelf. Sparks fly as she expertly coaxes a fire to life. Then she takes a pot from the shelf and puts it on her makeshift stove. Paimon pours in some water, and I throw in a few cubes of dried vegetables and herbs from our travel stores. Soon enough, the soup is boiling, and the savory aroma of tomatoes and radishes fills our cave.
"That smells delectable!" Haypasia exclaims. She retrieves a ladle and two bowls out of nowhere to serve the food. "I'm truly thankful whenever I can enjoy a proper meal like this. Cooking really isn't my forte," she admits, beaming at us. "So, tell me what you know about Irminsul."
Over sips of piping hot soup, I recount my vision of the cavernous space, filled by a single tree. I tell her about the voice as well, endlessly repeating those three words.
After drinking the bowl dry and helping herself to seconds, Haypasia wipes her mouth and sets down her bowl. "Even though Tighnari's letter mentioned all of this," she says finally, "it's hard to believe that you were able to connect with Irminsul after smelling Spirit Borneol for the first time." She pauses, then adds, "it took me nearly three years before I could do so, and everyone at the Akademiya lauded me as a genius."
"I didn't choose to," I say. "So why does this incense allow people to connect to Irminsul?" The whole affair feels a little too psychic.
"The ingredients used to make Spirit Borneol primarily consist of plants created by Greater Lord Rukkhadevata. These special ingredients are conducive to heightening our senses to the Dendro Archon's power," Haypasia replies. She gestures to the extinguished censer. "Since the root of the Dendro Archon's power lies within Irminsul, we can occasionally tap into her powers to peer into the depths of the earth."
I nod without saying a word. "I think I understand."
"Naturally," says Haypasia, smiling. "Anyone who can establish a connection with Irminsul on their first ever attempt must be a person of great understanding."
"That's all fine and dandy," says Paimon, "but Paimon wants to know, why was she sensitive to those plants for so long?"
"That must be due to her body's unique constitution," says Haypasia. "Stimulated by the incense, she could perceive the Dendro Archon's power, and she experienced a sensory overload. Hence, the adverse reactions."
"But Paimon's question still stands," I say. "Why I stop being sensitive to those spices, and what's special about my constitution?" None of this makes any rational sense.
"Over time, your body has become accustomed to those components, so you no longer experience those ill effects," she explains matter-of-factly. "Technically, your body should still be sensitive to the powers of the Dendro Archon, but unless you are using intentional meditation techniques, the scent of Spirit Borneol should no longer trigger such reactions."
I don't feel like my question was answered, but whatever the explanation, I'm fine with not knowing as long as Spirit Borneol doesn't cause any more issues. I can settle for "the plants were created by the Dendro Archon, so they connect you back to the Dendro Archon."
"I must admit," Haypasia adds, "I am quite envious of your abilities. Even if it meant suffering from pounding headaches for the rest of my life, I'd consider it worthwhile so long as I could connect with Irminsul at will."
"You're really serious about this whole thing, aren't you?" Paimon says, expressing only a fraction of the skepticism I feel.
"As a member of the Rtawahist Darshan at the Akademiya, my main area of research is the stars and their connection to the fate of living beings," says Haypasia, "but there is still much we don't know, especially regarding the mysteries that lie in the starry skies." Now she's starting to sound like our friend Mona, from Mondstadt, except Mona's divinations are surprisingly accurate.
"If only my perception were limitless," Haypasia says wistfully. "Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee that my every attempt to attune with Irminsul will be successful, or that doing so will leave my consciousness intact. Sages have said that Irminsul contains divine knowledge, and touching such knowledge without the proper preparations and abilities will only lead to one's mind caving in on itself."
"How do you prepare yourself?" I ask.
"By meditating," says Haypasia. "We sit in complete darkness, far away from the distractions of the world, until our minds are calm, and our bodies are still. This is the only way we can receive the guidance of Irminsul and minimize the risk to our minds."
"Wow, that sounds really dangerous," says Paimon. "Are you ever afraid?"
"Of course I am!" Haypasia admits. "Especially on nights that are pitch black with no moonlight, and dead silent without even the sound of insects. However, I've been feeling better as of late. I don't get as scared anymore knowing that I have a little neighbor living nearby." She chuckles. "What's strangest of all though, is that the Aranara are clearly an envoy of the God of Wisdom herself, but they have the curious power to make people dream."
"What's so strange about that?" I ask. "It doesn't sound out of place for a divine being, does it?" We've encountered stranger powers in the past. After all, Barbatos could lop off entire mountain peaks into the sea, and he was considered weakest of the Seven.
"Why haven't you heard?" Haypasia says incredulously. "Only children dream in Sumeru. Adults never do." My mind flashes back to that nightmare from earlier, that chaotic mess, and I envy the people of Sumeru.
As if in understanding, Haypasia says, "dreams are the seeds of delusion, so the sages believe that our inability to dream is a blessing from Greater Lord Rukkhadevata."
"So you don't dream, ever?" I say. Most dreams of mine are pleasant enough, and I wouldn't want to give them up for a lifelong dedication to erudition.
"I was born into a family of scholars in Sumeru City, and ever since I was a child, my parents have told me that I'll know I've grown up once I stop dreaming," she explains. " I studied hard, enrolled as a student in the Akademiya, and went on to become a researcher. Sure enough, I never dreamed again. However..." she pauses, as if unsure to continue.
"What is it?" Paimon chirps.
"Don't speak of this when you travel to Sumeru City, or people will think you're crazy," Haypasia warns in a hushed tone, "but on the day I scared that little creature, I suddenly had my first dream in forever. It was incredible. I don't exactly remember what I saw, but I clearly recall the feeling – I felt like I was a child again."
"That's beautiful," I say.
"As someone who cannot dream, I do not suffer from nightmares. Yet lately, I feel that I'm somehow missing something without dreams." She looks wistfully towards the sky, as if the answer lies among the very stars she studies. "It's hard to explain," she says finally.
"I'm happy for you," I say, not wanting to ruin the moment. Aware of the time however, I add, "anyways, what do you know about the memory I experienced through Irminsul?"
"I'm sorry to say I don't have any more answers for you right now," says Haypasia, sighing. "If only I could ascend past the Satyavada phase and begin the Paripurna phase. Maybe I would have more answers for you then."
"No worries," I say. Looking outside, I see that the dusk has given way to night. "We should head back to Gandharva Ville before it's too late," I say to Paimon.
"Of course," Haypasia says, standing up. "I don't want to keep you. Please come visit me again, if you are ever in this area. May the Archon guide you."