Two Years Later
August 28
Two whole years had passed since the Dawnfront War.
Teyvat and Natlan continued to rebuild—city by city, soul by soul. But amid the reconstruction came something new. Something bold.
A new symbol of peace.
The Teyvat Orbital Elevator.
Known among some citizens as The Lighthouse, it towered at the very heart of Teyvat—right where the borders of Mondstadt, Liyue, Fontaine, and Snezhnaya intersected.
A collaborative megastructure, constructed as a peacekeeping effort between Teyvat and Snezhnaya. Its primary purpose: to transmit solar energy harvested in the upper atmosphere and distribute it to power grids across both Teyvat and the former adversary.
Its main logistical hub? Zephyr's Island.
An island already home to Mondstadt's Mass Driver and the Zephyr Island Space Center. Now, it served as the nexus of the Elevator's operations.
And ever since the end of the war, another project had quietly continued in the background.
The Sepharis Bird Project—a classified initiative involving two Arsenal Airborne Carrier Ships: unmanned aerial warships.
Jointly developed by Sumeru and Natlan, construction had begun two years before the war, only to be halted when conflict erupted. The project nearly met its end during an SSTO (Single Stage to Orbit) operation that saw Wolfsbane Squadron of Petrichor Island defend a launch vehicle on October 2nd—an operation that had narrowly avoided catastrophe.
That SSTO's mission? Deliver a laser payload to the Skywarden orbital defense platform.
The two massive drones—now christened Karatel and Celestia—were nearing completion.
And soon, they would take to the skies.
It was a slow morning at Zephyr's Island.
Inside the passenger lounge of the helicopter hangars at Zephyr's Island International Airport, Emilie sat comfortably on a leather sofa, casually scrolling through her phone.
Beside her were her former squadmates: Ayaka, Mualani, and Mona.
They'd all been invited by President Imena to tour the completed structure of the Teyvat Orbital Elevator. A ceremonial visit—private, but symbolic.
Mona glanced sideways at Emilie, brushing her hair behind one ear.
"So... how's life been back home, Emilie?"
Emilie smiled, her eyes still fixed on her phone.
"It's been good. Business is actually booming."
Mona blinked in surprise. "Oh? Is it?"
Emilie nodded. "Word spreads fast about my perfume fragrances. People have made review videos, done breakdowns of each scent, the whole deal."
Mona leaned in. "R-Really!?"
Emilie instinctively leaned away. "Whoa there, Mona! You're a little close."
Mona blinked, straightened up with a nervous chuckle. "Oh! Uh... sorry."
Ayaka let out a small laugh. "Some things really don't change, huh? Right, Cap—… Shit, sorry. Emilie."
Emilie laughed. "You seriously still can't stop calling me that? It's been two years, Ayaka. Ease up!"
Ayaka grinned, shrugging. "Heh. I'm trying."
Emilie tilted her head. "So, what've you all been up to since then?"
Ayaka tapped her chin, thinking. "I've been learning Kendo. The way of the sword. It's an Inazuman martial art descended from traditional Kenjutsu."
Mualani piped up next. "I got into surfing, remember? Entered a few local competitions, did decently. Still improving, though."
Emilie turned to Mona, curious. "And you?"
Mona lifted a hand to her chest, proud. "Me? I earned my Master's in Astrology."
Emilie blinked. "Wait, wait, wait… Mona. Ayaka. How the hell did your identities not get exposed?"
Mona responded first. "President Imena had the university sign a confidentiality contract. My academic records are sealed by her administration until our names are officially cleared."
Ayaka nodded. "Same here. I trained privately at the Kamisato Estate, had my instructor sign an NDA. It was all very… quiet."
Emilie nodded slowly. "Huh. Makes sense."
The lounge fell silent for a moment.
Then Emilie broke it.
"You all heard about the Sepharis Birds, right?"
Mona turned to her. "What about them?"
Emilie looked around at her friends. "Remember two years ago—October—when we had to protect an SSTO launching from Zephyr's?"
The others nodded.
"Yeah, I remember," Ayaka said.
Emilie leaned forward. "Remember those two massive hangars by the edge of the Mass Driver? The ones we flew past?"
Another round of nods.
"Those were for the Sepharis Birds. And now I've heard… they're almost done."
Ayaka raised a brow. "What's their purpose, anyway?"
Mualani spoke up. "From what I read, they're airborne carrier ships for a new class of UAVs—the MQ-101s. Designed to defend Teyvat airspace. But where they'll be stationed? No one knows yet."
Right on cue, the lounge door opened. A man in a black suit stepped in.
"Miss Emilie? Miss Mona, Miss Ayaka, Miss Mualani? The helicopter is ready for departure."
Emilie stood up, brushing invisible dust off her pants. "Alright then. Let's make this day count, yeah?"
Mona chuckled. "Right. Of course."
She smirked as she added, "Captain Emilie."
Emilie bumped her shoulder. "Cut it out, Mona."
The four of them laughed as they stepped out onto the tarmac.
Waiting for them on the helipad was a grey UH-60 Blackhawk, rotors already spinning.
Emilie squinted against the wind, ducking slightly. "I recognize this chopper!"
Mualani shouted over the noise, "How so?! Looks like a regular bird to me!"
They boarded and strapped in. The pilot glanced back with a grin.
"Well, what do ya know! The Emberhowl Aces!"
Emilie laughed. "Hey! It's been a while! The Navy treating you alright?"
The pilot—none other than the former Sea Monster One pilot—nodded. "Treating me damn well. I fly for President Imena now—main pilot for her executive helicopter detail."
Emilie grinned. "This the same heli you used to rescue my sorry ass after our exile from Petrichor?"
The pilot shrugged. "President Imena picked this one personally."
Emilie snorted. "Riiiight. Well then—let's fly."
"Strap in tight!"
The doors slid shut with a hydraulic hiss. Moments later, the Blackhawk lifted off the helipad and banked northeast—toward the Orbital Elevator.
The flight took only fifteen minutes.
Emilie leaned forward as the landscape changed.
There it was.
The Teyvat Orbital Elevator.
The structure was colossal. A megatower extending from the coastline of Zephyr's Island, connected by a bridge that spanned the sea.
The main tower soared into the heavens—over 12,000 feet tall, dwarfing any building on Earth.
Emilie pressed her face to the window.
"Whoa… it's massive."
The pilot nodded. "Yep. Nearing completion. All that's left are the cable systems."
Mona blinked. "In English, please?"
The pilot chuckled. "Cables that'll stretch all the way to the exosphere, Miss Megistus. That's about 62,000 miles up."
Ayaka raised a finger. "When are those launching?"
The pilot glanced at his watch. "In a few hours. Launch window's at the Zephyr Island Space Center. It'll be the first cable transport launch."
The UH-60 began its descent, rotors slicing through the salty ocean air as it approached the massive helipad anchored to the outer ring of the orbital elevator facility.
"Well, here we are," the co-pilot called out over the headset. "Miss Imena will meet you at the heliport. Just hang on a bit longer now!"
The helicopter hovered momentarily, stabilizing in the crosswind, before making a gentle touchdown with a soft thud that rippled through the cabin floor. The rotor RPM decreased to a safer level.
Secret Service agents immediately rushed forward, flanking the Black Hawk as the side doors slid open. The four passengers—Emilie, Mona, Ayaka, and Mualani—stepped out one by one, ducking slightly as they cleared the rotor wash and moved beyond the danger zone.
Then they stood tall, turning toward the entrance platform.
Imena stood there, waving with a bright smile.
"Fellas! Welcome to the Teyvat Orbital Elevator!"
Emilie strode forward and extended her hand, voice warm with familiarity.
"Miss Imena! So nice to see you again!"
Imena took her hand firmly. "Nice to see you too, Emilie."
She greeted Mona, Ayaka, and Mualani next, shaking each of their hands in turn.
"Well then," she said, stepping back, "shall I give you the tour?"
Emilie gestured forward. "Of course. Lead the way, Madam President."
Imena nodded and turned, guiding them toward the structure's towering main entrance.
"This project is enormous. A symbol of peace for all the nations of Teyvat. Believe it or not, it's built over an asteroid impact site from 1984. We used the crater as the base and expanded the surrounding terrain to support the central structure."
Emilie raised an eyebrow. "With something this important, sitting out here in the middle of the ocean—between Mondstadt, Liyue, Fontaine, and Snezhnaya—how's it being protected?"
Imena gave a confident smile. "The Sepharis Birds."
Mona's curiosity sharpened. "Aren't those the massive unmanned carriers stationed at Zephyr's Island?"
Imena nodded. "Exactly. Two primary propellers, six sub-propellers, and a launch capacity of 80 MQ-101 drones. They're a joint development between Natlan and Sumeru. And their defensive capabilities are nothing short of spectacular—they're equipped with APS, or Active Protection Systems."
Mualani raised a hand slightly. "What's that, Miss Imena?"
Imena turned to her. "APS is a high-energy defense grid. When activated, a luminous energy halo forms above the Sepharis Bird's core. It then deploys a dome-like field of electrical energy designed to neutralize incoming threats—missiles, aircraft, you name it. It's comprehensive—full 360-degree coverage."
Emilie crossed her arms. "Has it actually been tested?"
Imena smirked. "Yes. We had a seized ADFX-01 and ADFX-02 Morgan locked up at the Windrise Air Base. Ran multiple tests—burst missiles, laser strikes—you name it. APS took them all."
Ayaka laughed softly. "How about an MIRV or a nuclear warhead?"
Imena chuckled. "That's where the system would definitely struggle. And really, Ayaka? You had to bring up nukes?"
They all laughed as they entered the main lobby. Cool air from the ventilation system swept over them, a welcome relief from the ocean heat.
Imena gestured around. "It's about 80% complete. We're just waiting for the final elevator units and comms systems. First transport capsule is scheduled to depart in a couple of hours."
She turned to them with a smirk. "Once the communication lines are fully operational, we'll launch the Sepharis Bird Karatel from Zephyr's Island."
Emilie tilted her head. "Not both?"
Imena shook her head. "No. Karatel is the prototype. It'll handle flight testing, aerial combat trials, and most importantly, defensive stress testing—APS, laser turrets, onboard repairs. Its engines can even self-repair mid-flight."
Her gaze hardened slightly.
"With Karatel and Celestia in the air, Teyvat owns the skies around this structure. But if someone else got control of them… it'd be catastrophic."
She opened her arms, inviting them to look around.
"Well? What do you think?"
Emilie scanned the massive interior, her eyes wide. "I'm impressed. Seriously. This isn't even finished, and it already holds the world record for tallest structure—twelve thousand feet and still rising. It's… incredible."
Mona nodded. "No kidding. Can it support spacecraft?"
Imena grinned. "More than that. It can dock them and bring them back down via the space elevator."
She walked toward a towering pane of reinforced glass. The others followed, gazing upward.
"These elevator shafts go all the way to the top. There you'll find two major areas: a viewing deck… and a space deck."
She pointed higher. "The space deck is where you suit up. From there, you'll be launched to the docking ring in the exosphere."
She turned and pointed down through a sealed, windowed floor.
"Below us is the underground complex. It houses the signal repeaters for the comms systems—powerful enough to broadcast across all of Teyvat and halfway into Snezhnaya. It also doubles as a shelter—reinforced for disaster relief or even wartime refuge."
Emilie tapped her chin, then wagged her finger at Imena. "Let's not talk about another war, Madam President. Let's hope this peace holds. Ten years at least. Preferably… forever."
Imena nodded, her voice quieter. "You got that right, Emilie."
Hours Later…
The sun hung low, casting golden rays across the ocean. The UH-60's engines roared back to life, turbines spinning up for takeoff.
Imena ducked low beneath the rotor wash, holding her hair down as she waved.
"Well! It's that time again! I'll see you all at the launch of Karatel!"
Emilie called back, "Yes, Madam President!"
They shook hands firmly.
Imena turned to Mona.
"Mona!"
Mona straightened up. "Yes, Madam President?!"
"I'll speak to the Teyvat Space Agency. See if they've got an opening for you in the Stellaris Space Program."
Mona lit up, nodding. "Thank you, Madam President. I really appreciate it!"
With the last farewells exchanged, the four boarded the helicopter. The doors slammed shut, and the bird lifted off, rising above the helipad before banking east.
Inside, Emilie leaned back in her seat and exhaled slowly.
"Man… this is one hell of a structure."
Mona nodded beside her. "A structure of peace."
Emilie chuckled. "Yeah… and I see why."
She turned toward the window, eyes watching the last rays of sunlight reflect off the elevator's central spine.
"Because up there, in the skies… there's so much still waiting to be explored."
Mona nodded softly.
"The sky's the limit, Emilie."
Emilie nodded back, a quiet smile forming.
"Exactly."
The helicopter banked away from the orbital tower, disappearing into the horizon as night began to fall over Zephyr's Island.
A structure of peace.
Of exploration.
Of unity.