36. The Symbol of Mondstadt's Hero

After my little dream sequence with my oh-so-helpful doppelganger, we set out to find the weir—I mean, mysterious bard known as Venti.

Paimon insisted she knew exactly where he was headed. The "Symbol of Mondstadt's Hero" is where we are heading.

"So, just making sure—are you absolutely certain that the place Venti's heading is that giant tree?" I asked, pointing off toward the horizon.

Paimon, who'd been happily floating along beside us, spun around with an irritated look on her face.

"For the last time, Paimon already said that she's sure! If you ask one more time, Paimon is gonna lose it!" She waved her tiny fist at me, trying to look threatening.

I had to bite back a smile. She reminded me of an angry kitten swatting at a bigger cat—adorable but not exactly intimidating.

But there was no way I'd say that out loud. I liked my hair the way it was, thank you very much.

Aether suddenly came to a stop, bringing an end to our banter. "We're here," he said simply, nodding ahead.

I followed his gaze and felt a small sense of awe settle over me. Even from this distance, the tree looked enormous.

Its branches stretched wide, casting a long shadow over the grassy hillside.

The leaves rustled gently in the breeze, and sunlight streamed through the gaps, creating patterns of light on the ground.

Just being near it had this... calming effect, like the world had quieted down just for a moment.

As we moved closer, Paimon shot forward, pointing eagerly. "Look! There he is, right under the tree!" she shouted. I followed her line of sight, and sure enough, there he was.

Venti stood beneath the tree, his cloak rippling gently in the wind, his back to us.

He looked like he belonged there, like the tree and the breeze were just extensions of him.

His posture was relaxed, and he had that serene air about him, the kind that made you feel like time had slowed down.

We walked closer, and just as we neared, he turned, his gaze landing right on us like he'd known we were coming all along.

As soon as he turned, that weird prickly feeling returned like the one I felt when I was close to the tear when it was corrupted.

I felt it creeping up my arms and across my skin. It wasn't painful—more like a strange tingle, the kind you get when you stand too close to something charged with static.

I could feel the Anemo energy here, dense and powerful, almost buzzing in the air.

But unlike the other times, it wasn't unsettling. It was... warm. Like a breeze on a summer evening.

It struck me as strange. I'd been to this tree before, even spent time here, but I'd never felt anything like this.

Yet with Venti here, the energy seemed to come alive. It made me wonder just who—or what—this bard really was.

Aether and Paimon seemed to feel it too, but they kept their focus on Venti, curiosity written across their faces. 

---

"Oh? What are you three doing here?" Venti's voice floated over to us, light and breezy. He flashed us that same easy smile, like he'd just bumped into old friends.

"Though I was starting to wonder if you'd catch up with me or not." He rested a hand on his chin, giving us a knowing, almost cheeky grin.

Paimon, clearly not in the mood for whatever game he was playing, zipped right up to his face, practically buzzing with irritation. "You! We chased you all over town, and then you just disappear without a word?! So rude!"

She crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks, letting out a huff loud enough to blow over a flower.

Venti's expression barely shifted—if anything, he looked like he was holding back a laugh.

"Is that so? Well, my deepest apologies for the trouble I've caused." He gave a little bow, but I swear his eyes were practically twinkling with amusement.

Yeah, sure, buddy. So sorry. He couldn't have looked less sincere if he tried.

As Aether and I caught up, Aether didn't waste time beating around the bush. "We want to know more about the Anemo Archon," he said, straight to the point.

For a split second, Venti's eyes widened, like we'd caught him off guard. But just as quickly, he smoothed it over with that laid-back smirk of his.

"Oh? The Anemo Archon, you say?" He tilted his head, like he was considering something.

"You seek knowledge of the wind god who's been absent from Mondstadt for so very long?"

He let out a thoughtful hum, gaze drifting up to the giant tree's branches.

"The gods of Liyue and Inazuma—Geo and Electro—still linger in their lands. But Mondstadt... it's been so long since the winds carried word of their own god. Almost like he vanished, swept away like a breeze."

His smile lingered, but there was a flash of something else there, something too quick to pin down.

I couldn't help but feel a shiver run down my spine, and not just from the wind that suddenly picked up.

He talked about the Anemo Archon like he knew him—like he was sharing a story he'd lived, not just heard. 

"Why are you so interested in the Anemo Archon?" Venti's eyes landed back on us. "Does it have something to do with Dvalin?"

Paimon flinched a little, and I could practically see her brain scrambling for an answer. "Oh, uhh... it's because... gods... errr—"

Aether stepped in smoothly, like he'd expected her to stumble. "Someone told us about Dvalin's past."

Venti's smile twitched—like a shadow slipping across his face—but then he was back to his usual, unbothered self.

"Interesting... How does everyone see Stormterror these days, I wonder?" He leaned back against the tree. "Well, there's no need to rush, is there? The winds always bring answers... eventually."

Before I could even think of a snarky reply, the wind picked up hard, swirling around us in a way that made my skin prickle.

But this wasn't the nice kind of breeze. It was sharp, cutting through the air like a warning.

The strange tingle I'd felt earlier turned into an uncomfortable buzz, like static electricity crawling over my skin.

Aether was instantly on guard, his hand on his sword, and Paimon was darting around, clearly trying to spot whatever was causing the shift.

I could feel my own instincts kicking in, my grip tightening on the hilt of my weapon as I scanned the area.

Venti, though—he just stood there, staring off into the distance like this was all an annoying inconvenience. He let out a small, almost annoyed sigh. "I haven't been back in a while..."

And before I could ask him what he meant by that, a glowing green shape cut through the swirling wind, its armored form spinning through the air with a harsh whirr.

An [Eye of the Storm], the wind howling around it like an angry beast as it barreled toward us.

Venti's expression didn't even flinch. If anything, he looked bored. "Seems there are some who aren't too pleased with my arrival."

I shot him a disbelieving look. Yeah, because that's a normal reaction when a monster decides to drop in for a surprise visit.

Seriously, who was this guy? For a bard, he was way too calm about everything.

Paimon's voice came out high-pitched with panic as she clung to Aether's shoulder, the wind nearly drowning her out.

"What's something like that doing here?!"

Aether unsheathed his sword, and I drew mine too, the blade feeling solid and familiar in my hand as the wind howled around us.

"Guess we're dealing with this first, then we can ask more questions," I muttered, casting one last glance at Venti, who still hadn't even bothered to draw a weapon. Did he even have one?

He caught my look, that smirk curling up at the edge of his lips, and he strummed his lyre like he had all the time in the world.

"Try not to get blown away," he quipped, his voice rising over the roaring wind.

I rolled my eyes, shifting into a stance. Yeah, yeah, real helpful, Venti. But there was no time to dwell on it—our unwanted guest wasn't going to wait around for a conversation.

---

The wind howled as the [Eye of the Storm] swept in, its spinning vortex whipping up dust and leaves around us. Aether and I locked eyes for a split second, exchanging a look that needed no words. We'd done this dance enough times to know our roles.

"Keep it busy! I'll circle around!" Aether shouted, darting to the side with that usual focus on his face.

I nodded, already moving. As the monster lunged towards me, I swung my sword with all my strength, using the flat of the blade to catch the air.

It wasn't perfect, but it worked—the gust that followed was strong enough to disrupt the creature's flight pattern, throwing it off balance as it tried to recover.

The [Eye of the Storm] wobbled mid-air, its spinning slowing just enough to give Aether an opening.

He dashed in, closing the distance with a burst of speed, and drove his blade into the creature's side.

Sparks flew as his sword clashed against its tough, elemental hide, but the impact sent the monster spinning away, its body tumbling through the air like a broken kite.

It recovered quickly, hovering just out of reach, the winds around it intensifying. I could feel the pressure pushing back against me, almost knocking me off my feet.

The [Eye of the Storm] whirled through the air, a living vortex of wind and fury. Aether and I moved instinctively, no time for a plan but years of fighting together guiding our steps. I shot him a quick look—he nodded back, that familiar determined set to his jaw. It was all the signal I needed.

"Alright, I'll keep it busy! You flank!" Aether called out, his voice barely cutting through the rush of wind.

I shifted my grip on my sword, readying myself. The creature's gusts battered against me, but I dug my heels into the ground, squaring off with it. Its winds sliced through the air, wild and chaotic, but I'd fought enough of these things to know their rhythm.

With a sudden swing, I sliced my blade horizontally, using the flat side to channel a surge of air. The gust disrupted the [Eye of the Storm]'s rotation, sending it veering off-course. It wobbled, trying to right itself, and that's when Aether darted in from the side.

He moved like lightning, his sword trailing a burst of energy as he drove it straight into the Eye's core. The creature let out a distorted, echoing howl, and Aether twisted his blade, forcing it back with a blast of Anemo energy. The monster staggered, but it wasn't down yet. It pushed back, winds flaring violently as it regained its footing in mid-air.

"Guess we'll need something more," I muttered, feeling the raw Anemo energy stir inside me—wild, unrefined, but there. I reached out to it, trying to focus. "Alright, time to see if I can make this work."

The wind gathered around me, swirling up from my feet and coiling around my legs. I braced myself, then kicked off the ground, propelling forward like a cannonball. The burst of air launched me straight toward the [Eye of the Storm]. My sword struck true, slicing across its form with enough force to drive it downward, slamming it into the earth.

The creature hit the ground with a crunch, sending up a cloud of dust and shattered rocks. Aether didn't waste a second—he charged in, summoning a spiral of wind around his blade before driving it down into the Eye's core. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the air, and the creature let out a final shriek before dissolving into a scattering of wind-blown particles.

As the dust settled, Aether and I straightened up, catching our breath. I rolled my shoulders, feeling a dull ache from the rough landing. "Not bad, huh?" I shot him a smirk. "Guess I'm starting to get the hang of this whole 'riding the wind' thing."

Aether shook his head, a small, wry smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah, but you're still reckless. Launching yourself headfirst... not exactly what I'd call finesse."

I grinned, twirling my sword before sliding it back into its sheath. "Hey, it got the job done, didn't it?"

Before he could reply, Venti's voice chimed in, sounding almost... delighted. "Now that was quite the show!"

He clapped his hands, the sound somehow carrying through the quiet that followed the battle. "Such coordination, such style! And that little Anemo trick, Tayden—impressive! You're starting to dance with the wind."

I shrugged, but I couldn't quite hide the hint of pride. "Yeah, well, still figuring it out. It's like trying to steer a ship in a storm half the time."

Venti's smile widened, but there was something almost... thoughtful behind it.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll master it soon enough. The wind has a way of guiding those who listen." His gaze lingered on me for a moment, then shifted back to Aether, his expression turning light again.

"Now then, I believe we had a little conversation to continue?"

---

Without any more distractions, we finally turned back to the conversation.

Venti stood over the spot where the [Eye of the Storm] had dissipated, looking down at the faint wisps of wind still swirling where it had been.

Then, without warning, he clapped his hands together, loud enough to make Paimon jump a few feet into the air.

She nearly tumbled backward before catching herself, puffing up with an annoyed glare. "Hey, don't just do that out of nowhere!"

Venti, of course, just gave her a cheeky smile, like he hadn't done anything remotely unusual.

He turned back to us, his expression brightening as if he'd flipped a switch. "Now then, you were saying someone had told you about the dragon?"

Aether and I shared a glance before I took the lead. "Yeah, there's this librarian, Lisa. She knows a lot about Mondstadt's history, all those ancient legends and stories. Honestly, it's kind of impressive how much she keeps in her head."

Aether nodded, picking up where I left off. "She told us everything about Dvalin—about the conflict between him and Mondstadt. How their feud has been dragging both sides down, and how Dvalin's anger is fueled by the people forgetting the Four Winds."

Venti tapped his chin thoughtfully, letting out a low hum. "Ah, I see. Quite the scholar, that Lisa. She's not wrong. The conflict between Dvalin and Mondstadt reached this point because both sides turned to force."

He paused, his gaze distant. "But his anger... no, it did not come from the people ceasing their offerings to the Four Winds. Nor is it rooted in his own nature. It came about as a product of his degration."

My mind flashed back to my first encounter with Stormterror.

His body twisted with rage, those jagged purple spikes jutting out from his back. I remembered the twisted look in his eyes, and that strange, unsettling sense that there was something rotting inside him.

"Wait a second... Degradation...," I muttered, cutting Venti off before he could go further. He raised an eyebrow but didn't seem offended.

"You mean those purple protrusions he has on his back? The spiky ones, like... like they're eating him from the inside?"

Venti's eyes widened a fraction, then softened with a sad sort of look. He nodded slowly. "Precisely. The black blood that flows through Dvalin's heart, it has been torturing him for centuries. A darkness that seeps into his very being, weakening his mind, leaving him vulnerable to manipulation."

He glanced at me, his gaze sharper now, as if he was weighing something in his mind. "I'm sure I don't need to explain what an Abyss Mage is, do I?"

I shook my head, feeling a flicker of unease. "Yeah, I've had a few run-ins with those guys. They're not exactly great at making friends."

Paimon floated closer, looking from me to Venti with growing curiosity. "Wait, are you saying those Abyss Mages... they're the ones making Dvalin all twisted up like that?"

Venti sighed, his expression darkening. "They have exploited his pain, whispering lies into his mind, turning his suffering against him."

He paused for a moment, then turned back to me with a look that felt like it pierced right through me. "When I met with Dvalin , I noticed that one of the clots—one of those wounds—had been destroyed."

He leaned in a little, meeting my eyes directly, and I felt a chill run through me. "You're the one who destroyed it, aren't you?"

I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling like I was under a spotlight. My mind raced through the possible outcomes here—was he going to be angry? Was this some kind of forbidden thing I'd done without knowing it? Aether looked at me with quiet support, but his eyes held a question too.

In the end, I figured honesty was the best policy. "Yeah, I did. First time I fought him, I managed to break through one of those clots. Is that... is that bad?"

Venti's stern expression melted into something I didn't expect—a genuine, grateful smile. "No, quite the opposite. You have eased a part of his suffering, and for that... I can't thank you enough."

His voice softer than I'd ever heard it. I blinked, caught completely off guard by the change in him.

"Oh. Uh, you're welcome, I guess?" I scratched the back of my head, feeling a little awkward under his intense gratitude.

Venti turned away from us then, looking up at the massive tree, his expression shifting to something almost wistful.

The leaves rustled gently in the breeze, their shadows playing across his face. For a moment, it felt like he wasn't really with us—like he was standing somewhere else, somewhere far away in memory.

"Before arriving here, I was like Dvalin. Cursed, left to waste away. But now, before us stands the Symbol of Mondstadt's Hero, the place from which Mondstadt first rose."

His voice took on a quiet reverence as he reached out, resting his hand against the rough bark of the ancient tree. His fingers traced its grooves like he was reading the story hidden in its rings.

I exchanged a glance with Aether, and even Paimon seemed caught up in the moment, her usual bluster subdued as she watched Venti.

"The wind amongst the branches is good," Venti continued, almost in a whisper. "I love the way it smells. Your presence here... along with this tree... it makes me feel like I did when that tear was being purified. Like the poison is leaving my body, if only for a moment."

I shifted uneasily, feeling like I was intruding on something deeply personal.

I hadn't seen Venti like this before. Sure, he had that playful side, but this... this felt like looking behind a mask. 

And in that moment, as he stood there, now im definitely sure that there was so much more to him than just a wandering bard. Something that had seen a lot more than he let on.

But before I could think of what to say, Venti let out a breath and turned back to us, that familiar smile returning to his face like it had never left.

"Well! It's quite the somber mood we've drifted into, isn't it?" He gave us a cheeky wink, like he was trying to lighten the moment.

Paimon floated closer, clearly still trying to process everything. "Wait, wait, so you do know Dvalin really well, don't you? How are you so close with him, huh?"

Venti just tapped the side of his nose, a playful glint in his eye. "Now that's a secret, little floating friend. Perhaps if you buy me a drink sometime, I might just share a few more tales."

Paimon puffed up indignantly, crossing her arms. "Paimon's not buying you anything until you give us some real answers!"

Paimon crossed her arms, giving Venti a scrutinizing look. "So... how exactly did you get poisoned, huh?"

Venti's easy smile faltered, becoming a little tight around the edges. His gaze slid over to Aether, who suddenly looked like he wanted to be anywhere else.

"Ah, well... that would be because I tried to communicate with Dvalin earlier. I wanted to reach out to him, help him break free from his curse."

He let out a dramatic sigh, one hand lifting to his forehead. "But, alas! I was interrupted! As a result, not only did I fail to break Dvalin's curse, but I was also... infected myself!"

Aether's eyes widened, and a look of recognition dawned on his face. He shifted his weight awkwardly, glancing between me and Venti, looking like he'd just remembered that he'd forgotten to turn off the stove at home.

"Oh, that was... because of me?" he asked, wincing a little, like he already knew the answer.

Venti's response was immediate and a bit too enthusiastic. "Yes, it was you!"

His eyes narrowed, and his finger jabbed through the air, landing directly on Aether's chest. For a guy who usually played everything off with a laugh, he looked surprisingly miffed.

Aether winced under the sudden accusation, scratching the back of his head and muttering a small, "Sorry..."

The apology didn't seem to do much—Venti still had that pouty look on his face, like a kid who'd been promised candy only to find out it was all out of stock.

Seeing Aether look so out of his depth, I had to fight the urge to chuckle. Paimon, meanwhile, floated between the two, glancing back and forth.

Venti straightened up, crossing his arms with an air of mock authority. "Well, Mister Aether," he began, "since you're the one who made my efforts go to waste, you're going to help me make it right!"

Aether raised an eyebrow, clearly not following where this was going. "Uh, how exactly am I supposed to do that?"

Venti's eyes gleamed, and a wide grin spread across his face.

He suddenly pointed off toward Mondstadt's towering spires, striking a pose like he was delivering some grand revalation. "By accompanying me to the Cathedral, of course!"

I blinked, glancing between Aether and Venti, then back at the distant silhouette of Mondstadt's cathedral.

"Okay... but why the Cathedral? Are we praying for forgiveness or something?" I asked, genuinely confused. "Or, I dunno, getting some holy water?"

Venti shook his head with a laugh, resting his hands on his hips like he was enjoying keeping us in suspense.

"No, no, we're going to claim a certain... Holy Lyre der Himmel!" He said it like it was supposed to mean something.

Paimon tilted her head, clearly just as lost as I was. "The Holy... Lyre der what-now?"

Venti let out a dramatic sigh, spinning on his heel to face us.

"It's an ancient instrument, one of the treasures of the Mondstadt Cathedral. Barbatos used it to split the mountains and the skies!" He waggled his fingers like he was playing an invisible harp.

Aether's expression shifted from confusion to realization, then back to confusion. "Wait... so you want to borrow this lyre to help Dvalin?"

"Precisely!" Venti beamed, clasping his hands together. "With the Holy Lyre der Himmel, I'll be able to play a song so pure, so magical, that it might just reach Dvalin's heart! And you, dear friends, are going to help me acquire it."

I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms. "And how do you plan on acquiring this very ancient and important artifact?"

Venti gave a playful shrug, his grin as wide as ever. "I'm sure we can persuade them... Somehow."

Aether rubbed his temples, like he was already imagining the headache this was going to cause.

"Somehow, I get the feeling this isn't going to be as simple as you're making it sound."

I sighed, feeling the beginnings of a headache myself. "Yeah, I've got a bad feeling about this. But, you're not going to take no for an answer, are you?"

Venti flashed me a wink, already starting to saunter off toward Mondstadt, his cape billowing behind him. "That's the spirit! Come on, friends, we have a holy lyre to acquire!"

And just like that, he was off, leaving Aether, Paimon, and me to share a collective look of resignation.

Paimon sighed dramatically, throwing her hands in the air. "Ugh, this is going to be so much trouble, I just know it!"

I couldn't help but laugh, even if it was a little tired. "Well, at least it won't be boring."

Aether shot me a wry smile, adjusting his sword strap as we followed after Venti. "No kidding. Come on, let's see what kind of mess we're getting ourselves into this time."

With that, we all set off toward Mondstadt's Cathedral, Venti's carefree hum drifting back to us on the breeze.

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Writing Venti was a bit harder than I expected. What do you think? Did I get his personality pretty good?

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