Rising Winds Festival Pt. 16

Five days later. One day before Friday. Aether just finished another 9 hour training session. It was now evening and Aether was sitting up in a tree looking into a distance.

He has gotten stronger again. Gaining new, efficient and still improving abilities.

Aether realized that he isn't using his fire element to the fullest potential. He decided to learn how to absorb fire on the ground and the heat around him and inside him. Now, Aether can absorb and store heat into his newly dubbed heat reserves. It was a sub reserve just located right beside his pyro reserves. The reserve is small obviously but it's getting bigger the more Aether trains with it.

His punches infused with the heat can give you a small scale third degree burns. Although small scale it is painful as fuck because the epidermis and dermis will be destroyed and it may also damage the underlying bones, muscles, and tendons.

This is because of the power of Aether's pyro reserves and nature itself. The reserves had gotten stronger.

Paimon in Aether's mind feels like she's in the desert. The heat reserves contributed a lot to that so she now stays outside and explores Mondstadt herself. People don't mind her as they know her as the small traveling partner of the Aether.

As Aether keeps condensing his pyro reserves, the fire he can create is getting darker and darker. He can create solid fire now and implement it in his fire armor technique. He did not forget to add heat in it as well.

Now, a dark red oval shape barrier surrounds him whenever Aether uses the fire armor technique. It is hot as the desert and you will faint if you stand beside it too long.

He is working on a healing fire ability and it's starting to work.

He also noticed one day that some changes to his body are happening even more now, even his eye color is getting darker. Aether also swore he saw some streaks of red and green hair scattered around his hair. He hoped that it doesn't get out of control and changes his whole hair color. Lumine won't even recognize him anymore.

[Dark red eye color pic]

[Dark green eye color pic]

[Both at the same time pic]

Now Aether is looking at the statue. Then he saw someone of interest to him. Venti was under the Barbatos Statue with a crowd of people surrounding him. He disappeared in a blur leaving some ashes behind.

He arrived in tbe crowd. He pushed away some people to get in the front. He started playing the lyre and iterated a story. It was about how Barbatos met Dvalin and become bests friends with him. Then how he got corrupted by an Abyss Mage into Stormterror. And finally said that we should all not falter and must unite as one.

The people clapped their hands in amazement at the beauty of the story. Even the knights that were patrolling around the plaza were clapping as well. They left with hopeful smiles plastered on their faces. Aether was the only one left standing there. He respected the god in disguise even more. "A story is able to do that? Damn." Aether muttered. Venti looked at him curiously. Aether looked at him with those dark red eyes of his.

"So? Did you enjoy my story? " Venti asked while smiling and putting his lyre away.

"Of course I did. My emotions were affected by it. You told it like you've witnessed the whole thing yourself how could I not enjoy it. " Aether said praising Venti. Venti tripped a little bit when walking to a small box to put his lyre in it.

" I-I thank you for that compliment. But I can assure you that I did not witness the whole thing. I would have to be immortal to do that." Venti said swaying a little bit.

" Hey.... you sound familiar.... where did I hear your voice before? " Aether said slowly. Venti started shaking a little bit.

" Huh? Y-you must be mistaken Dragon Slayer. I don't know you. " Venti lied through his teeth.

" Hmmmmm. You sound like Barbatos who boosted my Anemo element. And now that I think about it, you look like him as well. There are no differences between you and that Statue over there. " Aether said smirking a little bit.

" Whaaaaaaaattt???? I don't look like Barbatos? And I didn't give anyone any powers. You must be really mistaken right now. " Venti said picking upehis box.

" You know you suck at lying right? Barbatos? Even Klee is better at lying than you." Aether said deadpanning at him. Venti, or now Barbatos jumped a little bit and looked down.

" This.... is the first in a long time that someone has recognized me." Venti said smiling sadly.

"If you're thinking about what I think you're thinking. Ain't no way I'm revealing your secret. If you want to go into hiding, then you do you. Who am I to judge how a god thinks?" Aether said now standing beside him. Barbatos sighed.

"Thank you, Aether. You are a good friend as they say. " Venti said smiling.

"Who's they? I don't have that many friends." Aether asked raising his eyebrow.

" Captain Kaeya. He always tells bartender Charles how great of a friend you are when he is at the bar. " Venti replied walking away.

" It's good that he thinks that about me. " Aether muttered. He saw Venti walking away.

" Where are you going? We aren't done talking yet. " Aether said. Venti looked back at him.

" The big tree. " Was all he said before people walked by him. When they walked away Barbatos was gone like the wind.

" Cool. He's like an assassin. " Aether muttered and disappeared in a blur leaving ashes behind.

He arrived in front of the Anemo God's statue. Barbatos was sitting on the ground.

" That was fast. " He said before getting up.

" I want to know more about you. If you will. " Aether said seriously.

" What are you talking about? I am not Barbatos, I am just a normal bard. " Barbatos still denied.

" You're not playing me. Let me say it in a different way. I wish to know more about the Anemo Archon. I want to know what kind of person he is. I would like to know about the other gods as well. " Aether said. Barbatos sighed.

" Well. Since you're asking nicely I will tell you. Mondstadt has seen many a moon since they last saw their Archon. The Electro and Geo Archon are still present and ruling their respective nations. But why do you want to know more about the Anemo Archon? Does it have something to do with Dvalin? " Venti asked curiously.

" He is no longer Dvalin. He is an evil monster who kills innocent people in a city he vowed to protect. That's what people think. Personally I think he's just lost and emotionally hurt. " Aether said seriously.

" So that's how they view Dvalin. Curious. That said there's no need to rush..." Venti then looked up.

" I have not been back in a while. It seems there are a few who are unhappy with my arrival. " Venti said. Aether turned and looked at what was behind him. He saw a big green floating orb with wind flowing around it. He unsheathed his two samurai swords.

"Never fought this one before. Let's see how strong it is." Aether muttered while his eyes got a dark red.

"Why does the air feel so hot all of a sudden?" Venti muttered looking at Aether's aura which is a dark red with a little bit of dark green in it.

"Let's see how strong a 'Dragon Slayer' is?" Barbatos muttered while smirking.

To be continued...