Once upon a time, in the distant land of Teyvat, there was a village called Mondstadt. It was a small town full of happy, carefree people whose laughter and music never left the air; where no one has ever been unhappy. However, Amy had a different opinion. She found the walls that surrounded her village very attractive, and many of them lived with no regard for the outside world. She admired the older adventurers in her village with their scars and wounds and the endless tales of the lands beyond. Ever since she was a little girl, Amy had loved hearing their stories and couldn't help but be amazed at the incredible world they were seeing.
One day, after hearing their stories, Amy told the adventurers that when she grew up, she wanted to be like them. Cyrus, the most seasoned adventurer of them all, just laughed and ruffled her hair as he said, "It's great to have dreams, but it's even better to make them come true." Work hard, little girl, and then you can see the world for yourself.”
Hope blossomed in the girl's chest and she took the adventurer's words to heart. From that day on she began to study harder and read every book that was available in her small library. Of all the stories she read, Amy's favorite was "Princess Fischl's Flower"; The beautiful and courageous princess quickly became her role model. Despite the quizzical looks of the townsfolk, she declared herself a princess, leaving behind the "Amy" she had only imagined and becoming "Fischl" who had the power to make her dreams come true.
The seasons passed and the little girl was no more. In her place is a proud adventuress with as many stories to tell as Cyrus. At last Fischl saw the world beyond the stone walls of Mondstadt, even more glorious than the ballads and stories made it out to be. Still, there were whispers behind her back. Some still see her as Amy - the girl who should stay at home to help her parents with their everyday life. There were few in the village who understood Fischl's passion for adventure: Bennett, the son of the oldest adventurers and the heir to their knowledge, and Paimon, sister of the Knights of Honor of the Knights of Favonius, whose names were known in all seven lands.
Fischl asked her about the great deeds of the travelers, to which Paimon only sang praises. She had seen everything: from the great battle with the dragon of the east, to the magnificent knights' headquarters in the capital, to the landscapes of distant lands like Inazuma and Sumeru. The brothers met people others could only dream of, such as Master Jean from the Knights of Favonius and Ningguang, Tianquan from Liyue Qixing. Fischl was jealous of Paimon, travelers who saw the world as big as possible. A thousand book stories could never compare to a real adventure, and Fischl looked forward to the voyages themselves. What wouldn't she trade for just to learn about the lives of the notorious travelers, even if it were just for a day?
"Paimon followed them into the wolf forest too! There was snow everywhere, beyond what the eye could see!” Paimon spoke proudly, waving his little hands wildly. "They wanted to find the Boreas Temple, but were summoned by the Knights of Favonius, so we had to go back early. A pity! Paimon thinks there's treasure in there!"
Paimon continued, but Fischl no longer paid attention to his words. Of course she knew about Wolvendom Forest. It was a place not even seasoned adventurers dared to explore, as it was home to several ferocious beasts and, most notoriously, the wolf pack rumored to be under the protection of Lupus Boreas, a powerful ancient god. She had read many books about him when she was younger, but no two stories told the same story. However, they all mentioned a beautiful marble temple hidden among the trees. It must have been a wondrous place that got even the toughest of travelers in trouble. Suddenly a thought came to her mind. Would she be as admired as she was if she found out? It was said that the Temple of Boreas revealed itself only to the noblest of hearts, and whose heart could be more sincere than that of a princess? The words were out before she could think.
"It's decided! With my faithful servant Oz at my side, I must descend into the treacherous land and discover the secret the gods themselves have so carefully hidden!”
"This is insane, even by Paimon standards! You definitely shouldn't think about that! The forest that is Wolvendom dangerous ! On a good day, even Cyrus doesn't go there alone!”
Paimon's warnings fell on deaf ears, because once a princess makes up her mind, there's nothing she can do about it. Fischl wasted no time preparing for his long journey. The day of his departure was beautiful, an omen that any adventurer would interpret as luck. During his multi-day journey there were many sights to see, such as the waterfalls outside of Springvale and the expansive green fields of Windrise, each more stunning than the last. It was easy to miss the older adventurers' warnings and memories. After a week's journey, Fischl reached his final resting place before Wolvendom Forest: a small hunter's town. People were friendly and welcoming and when she mentioned her destination she just seemed amused and not scared like everyone else she had met before. The city threw a party full of music and food that night - just like Mondstadt. The tiredness that Fischl felt from his long journeys disappeared. When the music finally faded away, the moon was already high in the summer night sky. Fischl fell asleep peacefully that night, ignoring the howling in the distance.
The next morning the village was shrouded in a snow-white mist. The wind was cold and sharp and didn't bring the unbearable summer heat with it, although cornflowers bloomed on the cobbled streets. Unlike Fischl, none of the villagers seemed surprised when they found themselves on the path that led into the forest. The weather grew colder and colder as they advanced into the forest, until not even the warmth of the sun could be felt through the thick leaves overhead. Every trace of summer in the land of Lupus Boreas has been completely erased. They only stopped when the stone path was invisible and covered by layers of snow.
"We can take you as far as that, princess." The headhunter said with a tired smile. "There's also new territory, but I hope you find what you're looking for."
They said goodbye and the hunters left, leaving Fischl alone in the snowy forest. Only then did she realize how difficult it would be to find the Temple of Boreas. The ground was marked in white and it was almost impossible to tell which way was which. She was guided only by stories from children's books and the need to prove her worth in the eyes of the villagers. Still, she squeezed with a beaming smile. Fischl had been on the road for many, many hours and still only the endless expanse of snow could be seen. She marked the branches with a purple cloth to make sure they didn't spin in circles, but the Wolvendom Forest was larger than the adventurer had anticipated. There were no maps to follow, making the journey all the more difficult, even with Oz's keen eyesight leading the way. The deeper she went, the more intangible the labyrinth became. Fischl's footsteps were buried under a new layer of snow.
When she finally stopped to rest, the sky had already turned black. Fischl sighed as she lay beside the warm fire she had lit and gazed at the millions of stars above. She hadn't expected an easy adventure, but there was no denying that the Wolvendom Forest was unforgiving even for seasoned adventurers. Fischl sighed. She knew it was difficult, that the very idea of taking such a journey was madness, but how could she refuse? The Temple of Boreas was nothing more than a myth, and once the Temple was found she would gain nothing but admiration. When it got dark again, Fischl continued his journey. She wandered for days and only rested when night fell, and the temple was still nowhere to be found. As she was about to rest for the night, a low moan caught her attention. It sounded like an animal had been caught, and the thought of it made her frown. As Fischl followed the sound, he soon found a wolf cub whose hind leg was caught in a tangle of vines. Traces were already forming where the vines wrapped around his leg, and the pup howled again. Fischl winced, it hurt him even to look at him. She crouched down and carefully untied the knot just enough for the pup to escape. When Fischl finished, his fingers were red and full of tiny spikes. The wolf licked his fingers in thanks. She wanted to smile, to be proud, but suddenly she felt dizzy and held her head tight. The tiredness and lack of food of the last few days were finally getting to her. The last thing Fischl remembered before succumbing to the darkness was the glow of red eyes.
xxx
Fischl was awakened by the smell of roasting meat, its scent overwhelming and sweet. It was hot, she realized, far hotter than the single fire she lit each night. There was music too. Fischl still had blurred vision from lying and tried to sit up, but she couldn't, but suddenly an arm went around her shoulders, helping her to keep her balance.
"You're awake. Razor was worried.
The voice belonged to a boy no older than her, and his red eyes shone with delight as he walked away. Fischl was now a little more attentive than before and managed to look around. By a large fire was a group of people sharing roasts among themselves. Some danced and sang in a language they didn't quite understand. The boy next to her grinned, baring his sharp fangs.
“Lupical is celebrating the return of Razor. Lost in the forest, trapped in broken vines.” Her face flushed with embarrassment. "Thanks very much. For saving Razor.”
Fischl recalls rescuing an injured wolf cub but never a human. Her gaze wandered to his legs, one of which was marked with red lines. Only then did she understand the meaning of her words. She jumped up, the movement drawing the attention of the entire pack.
"You're a wolf!" she said, more surprised than anything. She was always told that animals could never be human. "How can that be... I was told..."
"My dear human child, there are many things that you have yet to discover."
A new voice echoed through the area and Fischl turned to find its owner. A brown-skinned man sat on a throne of ice and snow, strands of blue hair cascading over his shoulders. Her eyes, a striking sapphire hue, demanded attention and attention. As he spoke, the noises fell silent, and even Fischl was forced to listen.
"You are really brave to go into my forest without worrying. Don't you heed the warnings, child? Don't you know how dangerous Wolvendom is?
your forest? There was an excitement that Fischl had never felt before. She didn't realize that she had taken a step forward. If this is his forest, then...
"Are you Lupus Boreas, wolf of the north?"
"That's me, although nobody else calls me that. The name I use now is Andrius. You don't seem afraid of me. He waved his clawed hand in amusement. "Contrary to rumours, I don't bite. I also don't harm people without being provoked. You saved a member of my pack, so I want nothing more than to repay this debt.
"Then…! I want to see the Temple of Boreas, the place said to be open only to the purest of souls!”
The silence was loud, but not enough to shake Fischl's confidence. Only when Andrius started to laugh did her smile disappear. The listening wolves trembled as if hearing something unpleasant, and she could hear Razor growling softly nearby.
"The Temple of Boreas? Is that the kind of story people tell these days? I can't fulfill your wish because there is no such place!
"But..!"
"No rush. Take the time to think because it is not every day that you receive a blessing from a god. First, enjoy the festival! After all, you are an honored guest.”
When Fischl looked at the roast beef, she lost her appetite. Andrius' words preoccupied her too much to think of anything else. What did he mean by "The Temple of Boreas does not exist"? Were the books all wrong? If they didn't exist, then... What would your journey be for? In the end there was nothing left to prove. There was nothing to discover, nothing to deserve respect... She could barely perceive the feast taking place. When night fell and many of the pack went hunting, she was left alone. Razor sat down next to her.
"Forgiveness." he whispered. "Andrius, very rude. More promotions. I don't want to make you sad.
"It's okay, my dear friend. I had little hope from the start. Everything is a little disappointed.
"Want to sleep? Warming by the fire. The pack doesn't come back until morning.
What else could she do but sleep? Fischl allowed Razor to make her a makeshift bed out of leaves and fur. At least it was better than the hard forest floor. The flame danced silently and enchantingly through the darkness. Fischl blinked, suddenly sleepy. She could hear the smile in Razor's voice as he whispered, "Goodnight," and it was the last thing she remembered before succumbing to the darkness.
xxx
She was awakened again, this time in a place as white and peaceful as snow. Fischl slowly rubbed his eyes, somehow he didn't feel dizzy like one would after waking up from a deep sleep. When Fischl looked around, he found that she was not alone.
There was a woman dressed in sky-colored hanfu. Atop its head rested two reddish-black horns entwined with blue tendrils. She looked at Fischl with kind eyes, like a loving sister of her brother. She wasn't mortal, that much was clear. Fischl couldn't be more surprised. After meeting a god, there is nothing unbelievable anymore.
"Who are you? Where am I?"
"Here is my domain... the land of dreams. Only here can I speak to you freely.” The stranger, his eyes sparkling like the sunset, smiled. "Would you like to see the Boreas Temple?"
"I do. But... it doesn't exist."
The stranger shook her head. With a wave of her hand, she pulled Wolvendom Forest out of the snow. Birds flocked to the flowering trees while guppies swam in crystal clear ponds. Every branch, every creature was wrapped in a golden cord. With every picture drawn, every new life grew and merged until everything was connected by a golden glow, as if by magic.
"Can you see it? The temple does not exist in its form, but it is real. It's the forest. The world of wolves.” It is your temple. The fruit of your thousand years of cultivation… You are already invited to witness it.”
„…!“
So that's it. The door, which only opens to the purest of hearts, was already unlocked before she knew it, all the while waiting for her to enter. Fischl felt completely stupid, but a smile spread across his lips. Clear. After all, you could only enter a house after being invited.
"Now I understand! The fame and recognition I crave has always been myself.”
"It's something that takes a long time to grasp, isn't it?" The woman nodded, apparently satisfied. "I hope this can help you decide what you want. After all, a blessing from the gods is as rare as it comes.
…
"Come on, you can't just leave it like that! Lord, that is not fair!”
“Autumn is right! Mr. Oz, tell us more!”
The children screamed angrily. The man looking at her just laughed.
"I'm afraid that's all we have time for today, kids. Your parents would worry if you came back late.
"But, Mr. Oz...!"
"I promise to continue tomorrow. And if we had time, I would read you Child of the Wild.
The promise was enough to satisfy the children, and one by one they passed through the large wooden doors. As the last of them disappeared around the corners, Oz smiled and ended the night. Children have been visiting the library every day since it opened. With their endless curiosity and boundless energy, they never failed to make you smile. His eyes went back to the view out the window. The sun was already setting and that meant her master and companions would be returning soon. Librarian by day and butler by night, he thought, after all it was a routine he really loved.
As he turned, the last rays of the setting sun streamed through the window and caught the silver edges of the book he had been reading to the children from a few hours ago. It was old, the leather upholstery was covered in scars and scratches, but there was no doubt that it was very popular. Large, bold lettering is engraved on the front.
Blessings of Lupus Boreas.