The fall of the Archons

Welcome to Mondstadt!

It's... nice to welcome outlanders into the walls of Mondstadt after so long... from orders I had received, all cities had been required to improve their security. More guards at the gates, more eyes out over meadows and the woodlands, keeping watch of ruins and any potential treasure hoarders getting their hands on things that could reveal the truth... the constant threat of the Abyss order... It was a lot to take in... but I'm not about to call Mondstadt the City of Freedom just to keep the gates locked up tight... I wanted to get a name for this place... not just  have it down on the map as a pretty tourist destination. I wanted to allow it to thrive in the trading industry! Wine exportation across the globe, not just the continent... steel, coal, fish... the possibilities are endless! If we only worked hard enough to make this happen... maybe over the next 30-50 years...

I hadn't done all that much to help with progress or development as of recently... it had been more of a laid back approach, which I swore I would keep after the destruction of Khaenri'ah... I didn't want to see yet another beautiful continent destroyed over the abuse of power... I wasn't going to be that Archon... Instead I would rather keep my position on this bar stool, minding my own business, The Angels Share was, probably my favourite place to come and relax, beside the meadows of course. Not only do I enjoy the nice, bustling atmosphere of the tavern, but nobody can say no to free drinks. Unless it's a drink that you don't really like all that much...

I say free drinks, though I'm certain my tab is just increasing in size steadily... I do perform at the tavern for free, however, in order to pay off any drinks that I have had that evening, maybe even to pay for the drinks that Kaeya and Rosaria have had too. Though for some reason, that never really seems to to able to cut it... Not like I'm going to start complaining though... Master Diluc's company is always greatly appreciated. Even if he does seem like he doesn't want to be around me sometimes. He's sweet, he allows me to drink there through payment of performance, and always listens to the stories that I tell. Whether they're about the Archon war, or maybe even some of the things that I have picked up during my, pretty pathetic reign over Mondstadt.

This, grumpy excuse for a bartender is one of the few people who are aware of my little secret... and it's not really like being the Anemo Archon themselves isn't a big deal, a drunken slip of the tongue, I will admit. But he's been fairly good at keeping that secret for me, especially when I still continue to slip up with things like that to this day. The amount of knights that could be in the know at this point, is a little worrying to be completely honest. Which is why, Angels Share and the winery are really the only place I tend to have a drink... and with Lisa at the Favonius headquarters if she really offers.

Not many of the knights are all that fond of me, or my presence around the headquarters, To be honest, if I saw a drunkard bard walking around, I would be both a mix of confused and a little concerned. The headquarters of the Knights of Favonius is supposed to be one of, if not the most secure place in Mondstadt. It would be a little sad to see someone such as myself walking around. Jean. The acting grandmaster of the Knights of Favonius, is also aware of my little secret. Of course, which is why I work so closely with them... just in case, you never know what could happen around here. They take care of everything that, well, I don't have to. When I say I wanted a laid back approach, I really meant it. If Hillichurls, smiles, or whopperflowers get too close to the city gates, they sort it out, and pretty well at that.

Outrider Amber, is probably the best at dealing with the Hillichurls. Kaeya is more of a one to deal with the, larger slimes at most. Klee? Klee sorts out treasure hoarders... most of the time. If not shes helping Amber destroy the Hillichurl camps, more so focusing on the Metachurls whilst Amber takes on the others. Lisa, likes to keep tabs on most, if not all enemies which have been recorded close to, or around Mondstadt, including the area of Wolvendon and Springdale. They keep themselves to themselves, but whilst I'm over the rule of the continent, I plan on doing a good job with it. Founding the Knights of Favonius was, indeed very smart, even if I do say so myself. It allows me to keep watch over everything that is going on, without really having to leave the city walls. Although, when there is an issue that needs resolving on my half, I can imagine the laughs the guards have when they see a bard running across the bridge of Cider Lake with a Skyward Harp in hand.

The only things I tend to deal with, are issues involving the Fatui, or the Abyss order. I have been a little uneasy around the city as of late, with the absurd amount of Fatui members I've seen around and about... It's not that they aren't welcomed in Mondstadt, of course they are, as long as they aren't causing any trouble. From my knowledge, seeing the Fatui around is never really a good sign, but then again, some people could say that about the Knights of Favonius.  They work well in their field, they're good at protecting who they need to protect, and that's what makes them special. It's what makes people prone to fear them... but only if you're aware that you've done something wrong. I on the other hand, have a little more of a reason to fear the Fatui. and I can tell you in two words.

La Signora.

She, is indeed, the most feared member of the Fatui, by the Archons at least. We all know what she is here for, and all of us dread the day that it happens. We've been holding off the potential of her being able to find out, of course, to the best of our ability. But with the eyes and ears of the Fatui all around Mondstadt at this point, it was proving a little bit hard... We were unsure of where they were, in some cases we were even a little worried about who they were, whether people we had trusted for years on end had been informatives, or worse... I was dreading the day that we would inevitably find this out... but until them, all we could do was wait, and carry on protecting the city to the best of our abilities....

Or in my case... sipping on a nice glass of Dandelion Wine, just wondering what had been going on with Dvalin... or Stormterror as he is more commonly known. It's sad, to see someone that I had grown up with suffering so much, I just needed to figure out what was going on with him... With all the Fatui activity that had been going on as of recently, I had a feeling it had been something to do with them... But the Fatui don't have enough control over the elements to hurt Dvalin in the way he has been... The only other answer would be the Abyss.... But why would they even feel the need to get involved with this?...

As I was thinking over all the possible answers, yet another glass of wine slipped across the other side of the bar, as my now empty glass was taken away. This, this was what I loved about the Angels Share. Immaculate service, always served with a beautiful smile... Diluc sighed a little, keeping his voice down as he polished a seperate glass, almost seductively if you will...

"Don't stress too much. Barbatos... it'll only make matters worse..."

Okay okay, maybe I had said too much. But with the work Diluc does against the Abyss order, I couldn't really keep something this important to myself. I wish I could, but his help may prove useful, and I could do with a helping hand right now. Especially if it was Diluc's hand...

"I'm sure that things will improve, if not now, over time. Dvalin poses no threat to us as of currently. I understand that it's, not the most pleasant thing to see him suffering, but as long as we are continuously working on it, to ensure that nothing gets worse... things will be okay"
He leant against the bar with a small sigh, putting the glass down once he had finished polishing it, placing his hand on top of my own, in a supporting way.
"Please, try not to worry about it too much... if you start worrying, we have little to no hope.. stay strong Barbatos, this may not be as bad as we think..."

I gave a small nod in response, just taking a sip of my wine... Diluc was usually right about things like this... I just hope he was right about this one...

(???)

It has, been a while since I remember entering the gates of Mondstat... I know I've been here before, I'm most familiar with the smell... whether that be the oh so popular food, or the clear air, I'm not sure... but I do know that this would be easier than I first expected. Having little to no knowledge of who we are looking for, is the thrill of the chase. I've been sent on this mission by Signora, not only to help her secure what is needed most, but to bring my name back up to the top. Since the destruction of Khaenri'ah, I haven't been able to prove myself worthy. My previous quest was drawn to an early end, but this one, won't end so easily. By gaining the trust of the Archons, and allowing others to have trust in me, I will easily be able to bring the reign of the Archons to an end... They took what was most important to me, and I will not rest until I get it back...

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Word Count: 1733 <3
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