39. In The Shadows

The night had gone still and quiet by the time we finally ducked inside the Angel's Share Tavern.

As soon as we stepped through the door, Diluc's hawk-like gaze found us from behind the bar, narrowing as he took us in.

His eyes lingered on me, more than once, as though he wasn't entirely convinced of who he was looking at.

Venti strolled right up to him, all smiles, waving a cheery hello. "Ah, Master Diluc! We find ourselves in need of a discreet seat. Would you mind pointing us to your most inconspicuous corner?"

Diluc's eyes flicked to Venti, and his expression morphed into something far from friendly. He gave us a brief look that felt like a mix of reluctance and outright irritation, but finally jerked his head toward the stairs. "Second floor. Far corner," he muttered.

His tone made it clear that we should consider ourselves lucky he hadn't just tossed us back out.

Aether gave him a quick nod of thanks, and we slipped upstairs. Up here, the lights were dimmer, the shadows thicker, and the noise from the main floor was nothing but a faint hum. Perfect. 

We slid into a corner booth against the wall, out of sight and—hopefully—out of mind. Paimon floated onto the tabletop, glancing around nervously.

"Okay, safe for now…" she muttered, trying to sound confident but only managing to look more on edge than ever. "But if those knights show up here, we're toast!"

Just as I was about to reassure her, the tavern door swung open with a loud creak, and heavy footsteps echoed through the room. We went dead silent, pressing ourselves closer to the shadows. 

A trio of knights entered, their gaze immediately sweeping the room before they headed straight for the bar. Their leader, a tall knight with a stern face, dipped his head to Diluc.

"Master Diluc," he began, keeping his voice low but laced with tension. "Apologies for disturbing you so late, but we're here on an urgent matter. We're investigating a stolen artifact. Have you seen a woman, around twenty, dark hair—or a bard dressed in green, carrying a lyre?"

I held my breath, feeling my heart beat in my ears as Diluc's gaze slowly traveled over the lead knight, then over the others behind him. He didn't answer right away. Instead, he let a beat pass, his gaze sharp and assessing.

Finally, he let out a soft scoff, arms crossing over his chest. "So now the Knights are interrogating everyone in Mondstadt?" His tone was so casual, so smooth, that for a second even I almost believed he had no idea we were here.

The lead knight stiffened, clearly picking up on the undertone, but he stayed focused, unwavering. "Only due to the situation at hand, Master Diluc. The Holy Lyre der Himmel was stolen from the Cathedral just moments ago. We've been informed that the thieves may have taken refuge in the city, and… we were told you're familiar with unusual visitors."

Diluc's eyes narrowed, his casual stance morphing into something a bit sharper, like he was sizing them up. There was a flicker of what looked a lot like irritation, but he was keeping it tightly leashed. "You've been informed, have you?" he replied, voice flat as a blade. "Rumors, whispers—apparently that's what Mondstadt's 'protectors' rely on now?"

The knight's jaw clenched, though he maintained his composure. "Master Diluc, our only intention is to retrieve the Lyre. If you have any information, please…"

The knight's voice trailed off as Diluc's stare bore into him. I don't know how he did it, but he managed to make standing there in silence feel more dangerous than any weapon. "I haven't seen anyone here tonight who meets that description."

It wasn't the answer the knights wanted, but it was clear that pushing further wouldn't get them anywhere. After a tense pause, the lead knight gave a nod. "Thank you for your time," he muttered before turning on his heel. 

With brisk, echoing footsteps, the knights filed out the door, leaving the tavern to sink back into its comforting murmur of low voices and clinking glasses.

The door shut behind them and Diluc stood in silence for a while. Probably to make sure that the knights were far away before doing anything else.

 Diluc's eyes turned up to the second floor, sharp and suspicious. "Alright," he called, his tone cutting through the calm like a knife. "You can come down now."

We exchanged a few nervous glances before slipping out of the booth and making our way back down the stairs. 

I tried to match Aether's calm, collected pace, but inside, every nerve was buzzing with the adrenaline from narrowly escaping.

Diluc's gaze followed us down, his expression unreadable until his eyes landed on me, at which point his frown deepened, his brow furrowing. 

He looked me over carefully, and I felt myself freeze under his sharp gaze. I knew what he was thinking; he didn't know who the hell I was, and it was obvious that he didn't trust this new, unfamiliar face.

"I don't believe we've met," he said, his voice perfectly calm, but there was an edge to it that made me want to keep my guard up. "Care to explain who you are?"

I hesitated, resisting the urge to fidget. "I'm… a friend of Aether's," I said, trying to keep my voice casual. "Just here to help out."

Diluc's gaze didn't budge, and I could feel him practically peeling apart my answer with his eyes. "Convenient timing," he remarked dryly, arms crossed. 

"And somehow, you've managed to stay out of sight until the Holy Lyre mysteriously disappears." His gaze swung to Aether, and there was a clear accusation in his tone.

"And you—the Honorary Knight, getting tangled up in something like this? What about your other friend, Tayden? Isn't he supposed to watch over you? Where is he?"

I was considering telling him who I actually was but things are super tense right now and I have no clue how to bring it up. Diluc is pretty intense..

Aether met Diluc's glare head-on, his voice calm but with a hint of urgency. "Diluc, I know how this looks, but you have to understand—this isn't what it seems. We had a reason to take the Lyre. Dvalin's life, and Mondstadt's safety, are at stake."

"Is that so?" Diluc raised a brow, clearly unimpressed. "Then by all means, enlighten me. Why would you take one of Mondstadt's most treasured relics?"

Venti, who had been quiet up to this point, stepped forward with a soft smile, though his usual playful edge was nowhere to be found. "We didnt take it, well we were about to but came across some.. Difficulties. The reason we tried to take the Holy Lyre Is for Dvalin," he said, voice quiet.

"He's suffering, trapped in a corruption that's been forced upon him. The Lyre could help break his bonds… help him find peace."

Diluc's gaze sharpened, his eyes narrowing as he took in Venti's words, but the skepticism was clear on his face. "And you expect me to believe that you're stealing for Dvalin's sake? You, a bard, would risk your life to save the dragon who's been attacking Mondstadt?"

"We're telling the truth!" Paimon piped up. "Dvalin's not the villain here—he's being controlled by something awful. If we don't act soon, it'll only get worse, and that puts everyone in Mondstadt in danger."

Diluc's gaze shifted over each of us, and I could see he was wrestling with whether or not to believe us. 

Finally, his eyes landed back on Venti, and he frowned, as if seeing something there he didn't quite understand. "So, you're telling me that the dragon—the one currently terrorizing the city—is actually a victim?"

Aether nodded. "Yes. His actions aren't his own. He's being twisted by the Abyss. He's losing himself to it, and if we don't help him soon, he'll be lost completely."

There was a long pause as Diluc processed this, his arms still crossed, expression still tight and guarded. I could tell he was far from convinced.

He was silent for a beat longer, then looked back to Venti with a sceptical edge. "I've heard excuses before, especially from people claiming to 'protect Mondstadt.' And here you are, involving yourself with Mondstadt's relics and legends as though you own them."

Venti's smile faded, and for the first time, there was a weight in his gaze that I hadn't seen before. "Diluc," he began, voice low, serious. "We had the Lyre in our hands, but the Fatui were waiting for us. They took it before we even had a chance to act. We don't know what the Fatui's plans are but it certainly can't be good to let them have the lyre."

Diluc's eyes flashed, a hint of something hardening in his expression. "The Fatui, is it?" he said with a bitter note. "How convenient."

Venti, unfazed, raised his lyre, letting his fingers hover over the strings. "I don't expect you to take my word," he said, his voice softer now. "So let me show you."

Suddenly wind started blowing inside the tavern. Diluc got alarmed and got in a battle ready stance before hearing Venti start strumming his lyre.

He began to play, a gentle, sorrowful melody that filled the room, each note rippling with an almost tangible energy.

I felt a strange pull, like the music itself was weaving images into my mind. The tavern walls faded, and we were somewhere else entirely.

We stood in an open field beneath a stormy sky. In the distance, silhouetted against dark clouds, was a massive, struggling form—Dvalin.

But this wasn't the dragon I'd seen before. Dark tendrils of corruption clung to him, coiled around his wings, his talons, shackling his movements like chains.

His roars echoed in the air, not with fury, but with agony. His eyes, once fierce and bright, were dull, clouded by a pain I couldn't even begin to understand.

The vision dissolved as the song ended, leaving us back in the quiet tavern, but the weight of what we'd seen lingered. The final echoes of Dvalin's anguished cries rang in the silence, heavy and somber.

Venti lowered his lyre, meeting Diluc's gaze with determination. "Dvalin needs help, and Mondstadt deserves to be safe from whatever forces are using him."

Diluc was silent, his gaze hard but thoughtful. Finally, he sighed, his arms unfolding as he gave us a sharp, level look.

"Fine. I'll help you." He paused, his tone cold. "But if anything goes wrong, any of it… you'll all answer to me. Understood?"

Venti inclined his head, relief flickering briefly over his face. "Understood. Thank you, Diluc."

Diluc crossed his arms again, eyeing us each in turn as he spoke. "If the Fatui really do have the Lyre, I'll need to reach out to my contacts.. Come back tomorrow night. I'll have information by then."

Aether nodded, clearly relieved. Paimon, on the other hand, looked like she'd been holding her breath the entire time.

She let out a sigh, muttering, "Fine by Paimon, but what do we do until then?"

Diluc didn't so much as blink. "Aether, Paimon.. you two can go about as usual. The knights didn't seem to know what either of you look like, so you're in the clear."

He then turned his gaze back to Venti and me, raising an eyebrow. "But you two? It's better if you stay here to keep out of sight."

I couldn't help but smirk. "Relax, I can blend in pretty well."

Thank you for body manipulation!

Diluc's expression stayed deadpan, his skepticism clear. "Stick to that," he said, then shifted his gaze to Venti, who was plucking lazily at his lyre.

"And you. I'm going to need details—real details."

Venti just grinned, flashing him an easy smile. "Happy to share, as long as the wine keeps flowing. I've got plenty of stories."

---

With everything settled, Aether, Paimon, and I slipped back out into the night. Diluc, surprisingly, had tossed me a spare cloak, thick and dark enough to keep me covered from prying eyes.

Knights patrolled every corner we turned. Each time a flash of armor caught my eye, I felt my shoulders tense, my heartbeat loud in my ears. Every step felt slower, heavier, and Paimon stayed quiet, hovering close to Aether with her face set in worry.

We moved carefully, weaving through shadowed alleys and avoiding the main roads until my little building finally came into view.

I climbed the stairs, fingers shaking slightly as I fumbled with my keys, the weight of the day making me feel strangely clumsy.

Then I dropped them.

I shot a glance over my shoulder, heart racing as I crouched to pick them up, desperately hoping no one had noticed.

After a deep breath, I finally unlocked the door and we all stumbled inside, Paimon darting through first, Aether right behind her.

As soon as the lock clicked shut, we all exhaled, the tension visibly draining out of each of us. Aether flopped down on my couch, and Paimon landed beside him, looking as exhausted as I felt.

"Whew!" Paimon huffed, rubbing her forehead dramatically. "That was way too close for comfort! Paimon's heart is still racing…"

I sank into the armchair across from them, the rough fabric a welcome contrast to the rush of cold sweat that had haunted me on our walk back. "Tell me about it," I muttered, leaning forward, elbows on my knees. "I don't think I've been that tense in… ever."

Aether let out a small laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "We're really lucky we didn't get caught. I don't think I'd be ready to see Jean's face if we had been dragged in."

Paimon perked up at that, looking between us with wide eyes. "Or Eula's! Can you imagine? She'd probably throw Tayden into the lake! Then she'd pummel him into the ground!"

"Please don't remind me," I groaned, shooting Paimon a weary look. "Just thinking about the look on Eula's face is enough to keep me lying low for the rest of the week."

Aether smirked, "Well, we made it this far. Still… I wasn't expecting the Fatui to be there. And definitely didn't expect them to be so organized."

I shook my head. "The Fatui always manage to turn up like a bad omen. It's like they have eyes everywhere."

Paimon crossed her arms, deep in thought. "But why the Holy Lyre? Do they want to control Dvalin somehow? That sounds like the exact kind of creepy thing they'd do…"

Aether's brow creased as he nodded. "They have their own motives, always hiding behind some scheme or another." He paused, glancing over at me. "But you did well back there, Tayden. You, uh… I guess I should say 'you kept your cool' "

I chuckled, my earlier stress loosening with his words. "Thanks, I'll admit, I was running on pure adrenaline the whole time. But you and Paimon were right there with me."

Paimon grinned, puffing up with pride. "Of course Paimon was! Who do you think keeps you two from wandering off cliffs all the time?"

Aether chuckled, giving her a playful nudge. "Maybe more often than we'd like to admit."

Silence settled over us for a moment. After such an intense experience, we all needed some time to just chill out…

Paimon spoke up again, breaking my thoughts. "Do you guys think Diluc will actually help us? I mean, he said he would, but he's… Paimon doesn't really know what to make of him."

Aether leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "He doesn't trust us, or maybe it's more that he doesn't trust what we're doing. But he knows that the Fatui are involved now. That changes things."

"True," I replied, nodding. "Even if he doesn't fully believe us, Im sure he cares about Mondstadt more than what he wants us to believe. The Fatui being mixed up in this only makes him more determined. Let's just hope that Venti can use his godly wisdom to explain everything to Diluc" 

Paimon and Aether chuckled at that. Even though I'm still somewhat weary of Venti now that I know that he's actually a freaking god.

Picturing Diluc try to talk to him seriously while he's just drunk out of his mind is a hilarious image indeed.

…

"Alright," Paimon finally yawned, rubbing her eyes. "This adventuring has exhausted Paimon. Are we going to wait here until tomorrow?"

I glanced at Aether, raising a brow. "You're welcome to stay, if you don't mind some pretty questionable accommodations."

Aether grinned. "Sounds perfect."

"Alright then, let yourself get comfortable. I need to focus on switching back into my normal form. Hope I don't accidentally blow my arm off." I left the living room as I heard Paimon ask Aether to make her food. 

Hopefully tomorrow will bring some good news.