Volume 5 – Chapter 20(A Bard)

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Author Note:

[ ] = When Twilight is speaking.

{ } = When talking through Telepathy.

' ' = When thinking in your mind.

<<  >> = When talking with your Pokémon or Tamed Beast.

--- --- = When describing a certain period of time OR Another place.

** ** = Point Of View i.e., POV

/// /// = In Call

" " = System and when talking to it.

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After following the trails for a few minutes, they reached the plaza in front of the Favonius Cathedral.

Paimon: Pwah! Paimon is exhausted!

Lumine: But you float.

Paimon: Paimon told you before, Paimon still gets exhausted!

Shrugging her shoulders, Lumine started looking around till she saw a crowd of people in front of the statue of Anemo Archon.

Getting curious, she approached them. When she got closer, she saw the same guy in green playing a harp.

Lumine: So, he is a bard. Huh.

Paimon: Bard? A Bard that can talk to a dragon. Paimon never thought Paimon would say something like that today.

Lumine: This world really is full of wonder.

Paimon: Paimon agreed.

Lumine: Let's go see his performance for now. We'll talk to him once he's done.

Paimon: Ok.

Next, Lumine and Paimon blended into the crowd as the Bard started his performance.

*

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*

What is to be sung transpired in days of yore, When the divine archons still walked the earth. A dragon cast his curious gaze at the world below.

As he parted from the heavens that gave his birth, the dragon sought truth amongst common folk.

But mortal trifles only fogged his mind.

The windburn bard strummed his strings dolce, and the Holy Lyre answered his questions kindly.

The dragon but a child full of wonder, soared into the heavens free from care.

The bard's songs invited him to sing along, for he yearned to let all perceive him fairly.

Enchanting legends the bard and dragon were, but the tides of despair soon engulfed the land.

The lion fang perished, and the falcon flag slept, as a vile dragon approached Mondstadt in lone stand.

Over the Cathedral loomed death and his friends. Of the people's agony the bard soon sang.

The soaring dragon heeded his grave calls, and amidst the windstorms a brutal war sprang.

Blood of venom sent the Sky dragon into slumber, only to awaken to be expelled in abhor.

"Why do people in this age loathe me so?"

But the Holy Lyre replied no more.

Wrath and woe, vigor and venom, poured from the dragons's bitter eyes.

The dragon's curse sprawled in silence.

But the Lyre could no longer soothe his cries.

*

*

*

The crowd applauded the performance before dispersing. Once they did, Lumine and Paimon approached the guy.

Seeing them, the bard seemed to have recalled them right away.

???: Wait, you guys are the ones that scared Dvalin away.

Paimon: Dvalin? Who's that?

Lumine: It's Stormterror's real name.

Paimon: Oh, right. Paimon forgot that since most people seem to call him "Stormterror" now. So, why do you call him that? Are you two close or something?

???: Not just close but very close.

Sighing Paimon looked at Lumine.

Paimon: Hey, Lumine. Paimon thinks this guy has a screw loose.

Lumine: ......I don't think so tough.

Paimon: Eh? Don't tell Paimon that Lumine thinks that there is some truth in his words.

Lumine: I…guess.

Paimon: Why!?

Lumine: Maybe...a feeling or something.

Paimon: ...

'Lumine: After travelling with Mr. Erste for all those years, I can now somehow tell whether the person is lying or not. And the expression he showed along with emotions that flashed through his eyes while remember "Stormterror" were genuine.'

???: At least someone understands.

Lumine: Uh...…Hello.

???: Good day, outlander. Nice to see you again. I'm Venti the bard. Three-time winner of the "Most Popular Bard of Mondstadt', to be precise.

Lumin: Is...there such a…thing?

Venti: Of Course, it is! Now, what do you need from me?

Paimon: Since you recognize us, Paimon doesn't believe we need to explain any further. Of course it's about Stormterror!

Scratching his head in confusion, he asked.

Venti: Storm…who?

Paimon: Hey! Cut out that amnesia act now! We have something to show you! Lumine, the crystal.

Nodding her head, Lumine took out that corrupted crystal from her inventory and showed it to Venti.

Though before she could say anything a dumbfounded expression appeared on her face, the same was the case with Paimon.

Venti: Huh! That's...

The crystal was no longer red in color. In fact, it was now light blue in color, that's the reason why Lumines and Paimon flabbergasted.

Paimon: Wait a minute! The crystal has been purified!? How!? And when!?

Lumine: I… don't know. Just a few minutes ago, it was full of impurities.

'Lumine: Is Mr. Erste responsible for it?'

While Lumine was in her thoughts, Venti looked closely at the crystal.

Venti: Dvalin…the anguish he feels has brought him to tears.

Paimon: Tears?

Instead of answering, Venti took out another red teardrop which was full of impurities.

Venti: He was once such a gentle child. Now so full of rage and suffering---

Paimon: Stay away from that crystal!!

Venti: Eh!?

Paimon: Lumine, we need to hurriedly take him to Mr. Herrscher so that he gets rid of the curse Venti must have gotten.

Lumine: Um.

Venti: Huh? What, Curse?

Paimon: We will explain on the way! Let's hurry otherwise, you will soon lose your Vision!

Venti: Lose my Vision! What does that mean!?

They didn't say anything else and started asking about Primis around. And since he was not that easy to forget at this point, courtesy of Yuuya, they soon found out that people saw him making his way outside.

By the time, they were about to rush towards the direction that the Knight at the entrance of City pointed at, they got stopped by someone.

Yuuya: Lumine! Paimon! Where are you both going!? Can I join?

Hearing this voice, Lumine expression turned gloomy as she asked in a cold tone.

Lumine: What does it have to do with you where we are going?

At first, Lumine had a favorable impression of Yuuya thinking of him as a kind and good person.

However, the moment he tried to degrade Primis, all of that impression disappeared with a puff.

Noticing Lumine's icy gaze and the way she was treating him, Yuuya got embarrassed and was feeling angry. Still, he hid it inside and addressed them with a forced smile.

Yuuya: I apologize for my previous behavior, Lumine. I regret it. So, can you please give me a chance to repent myself?

Saying this, Yuuya started looking down in sorrow. As if he was really sorry for his actions.

Seeing this, everyone became silent.

A few seconds later, Paimon decided to break the ice.

Paimon: Paimon thinks we should give him a chance, Lumine.

Venti: You should, outlander. Fights between friends are a common part of your lives. It happens occasionally. Hence, you should learn to forgive each other, or you both will get hurt.

Yuuya: Thank you for your kind words, man. I am Yuuya, an Adventurer. Nice to meet you.

Venti: I am Venti, a bard. The pleasure is mine.

Paimon: So...

Lumine: First, he is not my friend. Second...

Giving him the same cold stare, she continued.

Lumine: You can join. But if in the way you say a single bad word about Mr. Er---

Yuuya: You can leave me behind or even punish me.

She didn't continue and ran towards Primis' direction while ignoring Yuuya who had started talking with Venti and Paimon.

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Primis and Makoto had been following the curse all this time without pause. It had flown across a few areas of Mondstadt like Windrise, Springvale, Wolvendom, and Dawn Winery by now.

Makoto thought it was flying around in a circle so that it could succeed in getting rid of its tail. She also told her theory to Primis.

Though Primis shook his head in denial and explained.

Primis: It's not. It's just following the trail of its source. In other words, the person or being responsible for the curse had passed through these areas.

Makoto: My Lord, doesn't that mean that person left the curse in all these places too?

Primis: Um. There's such a possibility.

Makoto: Then shouldn't we purify those areas?

Primis: No. Once we get rid of the source, the curse will disappear along with it.

Hearing this, Makoto gave a sigh of relief.

Makoto: Good to hear that.

However her happiness was short-lived as all of sudden, the curse flying in front let out bright light before disappearing before their eyes.

This made them pause on their tracks.

Makoto: Where did it go!?

Said Makoto as she started looking around but to no vail.

Primis: Nowhere. Its source detected the curse before it could find him/her and erase it.

Makoto: So, we are back to...square one.

Primis: Not really. Let's go.

Makoto: Does Lord where he/she is hiding?

Primis: Yeah.

Makoto: Where?

Turning his head in a certain direction Primis spoke.

Primis: The place where the vile dragon fell......…Dragonspine.

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*A/N: Please throw some power stones.

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