To the unknown Future

Chapter 16:

The Windblume Festival, a festival held in Mondstadt. It is a festival to improve the relationship between people. The festival is about offering Windblumes to the statue of Barbatos and to those that have a romantic intent.

It is a festival held in a week and there are many fun activities within Mondstadt.

Inside the City of Mondstadt, everything was lively and cheerful, with bards playing festive music, and food stalls and other businesses set up stalls to attract more customers. Everything was vibrant, filled with life and vitality.

On the statue of the Anemo Archon, there were flowers adorning his feet and numerous worshippers offer prayers and awe to him.

"The Anemo archon was said to be the weakest of the three Archons known in Teyvat, and yet people still follow and worship him, even though he doesn't do anything significantly noteworthy of their admiration. Oh, minus that one time with Dvalin's problem," Albedo said and looked outside the windows of the Headmaster's room inside the Knights of Favonius' Headquarters.

"That has some sound argument, however, since they had the freedom they wanted, not bound by laws and contracts, not restricted whatsoever, of course, they'll get drunk on that," Lisa said and closed the book that she was reading.

"Where's Venti? Why did he suddenly disappear before we visit the statue?" Albedo asked confused. Lisa looked out the window too before speaking,

"Something about his friend and his company coming to the Windblume Festival to enjoy themselves. Oh, not to mention, that girl will be coming back to help with our research, what's the name again... I think it's Uriel, right?" Lisa said and turned around to take another book from the bookshelves inside the room.

"Yes, that's the right name, What a peculiar name for a person. It not from Liyue, nor Mondstadt, definitely not from Inazuma, I wonder where her parents found that name," Albedo pondered before looking back to Lisa's direction.

"We'll know more about that person soon, I think they'll come here on the second day of the festival," Lisa said when the door suddenly opened and a person came inside. It was Venti.

"I can't believe him! Why did he give that idea to her family?! What blessing from the Anemo Archon?! What good luck?! I'm getting out of my wit's end here! Ugh! That old man!" the person in question came back to their side and was grumbling to himself.

"Venti, what happened to you?" Lisa asked with a raised brow, Venti sat down in the Headmaster's chair and frowned deeper.

"That old man Zhongli made up some farce to Uriel's family, saying that since Uriel has the vision of Anemo, getting blessings from the Statue of Barbatos might help her move forward. If that was true then she wouldn't have to wait for months to get completely healed!" Venti groaned and messed with his hair in frustration.

"Lisa said that they will come here on the second day? Well, what will happen if they do try to do that?" Albedo asked Venti as he walked towards his side.

"Isn't it obvious? It will be a futile attempt! As I said, I may be an archon but I cannot do the healing that was caused from an outside source!" Venti took a deep breath before calming himself, he cannot do anything here while sitting around. He wants to go to Liyue and talk some sense to Zhongli and stop Uriel's family but he cannot do it at all. They were adamant about coming and all he could do was maybe shoulder the blame of Uriel not getting any better and not taking care of his vision bearers.

-

On the other side, back on the grounds of Liyue. Zhongli was looking after Uriel and Xingqui while they were at their other estate near Mt. Tianheng. Zhongli was astonished by the rapid recovery of Uriel, but there was something amidst her. It was until Xingqui told him of her treatment that made him do the extreme and put his friend archon's name on the line.

"When her family heard that she was in this state, they thought that there must be an evil spirit inside of her and tried to do some purging ritual on her body but there was no effect. For many weeks they tried many methods, and they went around the mountains to look for cures, and only one method became effective: It was Uriel saving innocent people from hilichurls that made her respond to her environment and receive appreciation from them... because of this, They... renovated this estate and caught a lot of hilichurls for her to eliminate with a few children of the branches acting as baits," Xingqui have a complicated look on his face before sighing.

"True it was effective but Uriel was cold and distant now like there was a wall between her and the other people, something seems to be lacking to her, but I don't know how to help, and their branch family is too hard on pressing exorcism that is not my field of expertise, I can only stand here and stare at Uriel jiejie with worry," Xingqui finished telling Zhongli the events for the past few weeks.

Zhongli looked at Uriel who was helping him pick some Qingxin flowers in the mountain tops. Xingqui was below the mountain looking for starconch on the beach. Zhongli walked behind her and called her name, she looked his way and he can see the vacant look in her eyes, making him feel helpless and sorry at her state.

"Care to listen to one of the oldest tales in Teyvat?" Zhongli started and Uriel doesn't seem to mind. Zhongli pointed the direction towards Mondstadt and started to tell the tale.

"As you know, There are three Archons from Mondstadt, Liyue, and Inazuma. Mondstadt has the Anemo Archon and the representative of Freedom, Liyue has the Geo Archon of contracts, and the Inazuma has the Electro Archon of Eternity. They are the gods that rule over each nation and take care of the people walking their lands."

"The Anemo Archon is the God of Freedom in Mondstatd, he has been around after 3000 years ago. And the rise of the Anemo Archon came 2,600 years ago after overthrowing the Decarabian's demise or also known as the place of Old Mondstadt. He doesn't lead the people of Mondstadt and instead implores them to do things to their own freedom, thus the name of Mondstadt's City of Freedom." Zhongli said and took a peek at the girl from his peripheral vision. She was looking in the direction that he was pointing but there was nothing that he find that could move her.

"The Anemo Archon has reshaped Mondstadt and its surrounding environment for the last few years, he lives free from responsibility and he was not always in Mondstadt, like the wind that flows wherever it wants. However, like other Archons, he too faced many passing and memories from the passage of time. How the people grow old, how the scenery changed, it won't be too hard to assume that he too lived a painful past." Zhongli said and turned to look at Uriel.

"As one of his vision bearers, I'm sure the Geo Archon won't take any offense if you worship him," Zhongli said and stared at Uriel's eyes. Something stirred from deep inside her vacant eyes and he decided to expose a bit more of the knowledge he knows of.

"Next week will the Windblume Festival, a festival that is dedicated to the Anemo Archon, I heard that although the Windblume is any flower, Cecilia's are most popular in Mondstadt. For your complete recovery, would you like to take the chance to offer it up to his statue?" Zhongli asked. Uriel blinked twice and looked down at the Qingxin flowers on her hands.

"The Anemo Archon, the god of freedom and wind?" Uriel said in a low tone, her voice a bit raspy from months of not using it.

"Yes, indeed," Zhongli nodded his head. Uriel looked up to the sky and have her hand outstretched.

"The sky, does he have wings to fly?" Uriel asked again, and Zhongli nodded. He saw how she was slowly gaining more color and emotions on her face when it suddenly halted all at once and she put her outstretched hand back to the flowers she was holding with the other hand.

"That's just lore, I am one of his vision bearers, and yet not a single time did I feel the blessing of this Archon. Say no more, My belief in such deities was already extinguished," Uriel turned around and glided down to the direction of Xingqui on the beach. Zhongli pursed his lips and sighed. It seems that... His friend's form as an archon reminded her of something painful that it was too much for her to cope up with.