Accidental Arriviste || Genshin Impact

VIII: Magical Tree

After warping to the closest Statue of the Seven, you hold on to Aether to ease your queasiness, making sure not to throw up from the teleportation. The blond hands you a bottle of water, which you gladly take.

Paimon sighs beside you, "Y'know, Y/N, we're going to be doing a lot of teleporting. You'd better get used to it."

You shoot a glare at her as you uncap the bottle, "I know, but I still need..." You suddenly turn around and hunch down, praying for forgiveness to the Anemo Archon for throwing up near their statue. Somehow, a soft gust of wind tickles the back of your neck, sending shivers down your spine. Oh fuck, did they hear me?

After a minute of doing your best to alleviate the headache, you approach the humongous tree. As you guessed, the bard is standing in front of it, deep in thought. Only when Paimon calls for him does he turn around and wave back.

"Oh? What are you all doing here? Though I was just wondering if you would happen to follow me..."

Aether takes a step forward from your side, "I want to know more about the Anemo God."

Venti's left brow raises in curiosity, "You speak of the God of Anemo, Barbatos? He already disappeared from Mondstadt a long time ago. Liyue and Inazuma's respective gods of Geo and Electro are still present, but Mondstadt has seen many a moon since they last saw their own god."

He looks at you three, his voice lacing with suspicion, "Why do you wish to know about the God of Anemo? Does it have something to do with Dvalin?"

Paimon puts a hand on her forehead, "Oh... ah... it's because gods..."

Aether glances at Paimon and saves the conversation from escalating, "Yes, someone told me about Dvalin's past."

Nice save! You thought.

"Just how is it that everyone sees Stormterror? I'm quite curious. That said,'' The bard gleams, "There's no need to rush. I have not been back in a while, but it seems there are a few who are unhappy with my arrival." He points towards something behind you.

"What the fuck is that?" You curse as you take your weapon out.

"The wind... I can't... open my eyes..." Paimon shields her face from the creature that Venti pointed at, "What is a creature like that doing out here in such a calm place? You think it was going after that green guy?"

She turns towards you as the creature starts to spin, creating a whirlwind with itself, "Aether, Y/N... His relationship with the wind seems even deeper than your—!" You pull the faerie out as the monster spins towards you, "ACK! That was super close!"

You flick Paimon's forehead as you rush into battle to fend it off, "Be careful!"

-

You plop down on the tree root as Venti sighs, "Seems the dragon wasn't the only thing affected by this change in the wind. Now then," He turns to Aether who's dusting himself off of debris, "You were saying someone had told you about the dragon?"

With the bard listening intently, Aether explains what Lisa told you in the meeting room, "Is that so? Quite the scholar I must say, that Lisa. She's not wrong. The conflict has reached this point only because both sides resorted to the use of force. His hate, however," He dramatically pauses as he sits beside you, "Did not arise from the people not making tribute to The Four Winds nor was it born from his own nature, but instead came about as a product of his degradation."

You mumble, "Degra... dation?"

He nods, "The black blood flowing through his heart has been torturing him for years. That's what has allowed him to be led astray by the lies of the Abyss Mage."

"Abyss Mage? Never heard of such a name."

Venti smiles at you, "They are from the Abyss Order, an organization comprised of non-human beings. They despise humankind."

"I don't know where they come from. All I know is that they hold deep hatred against the human world." The green lad looks ahead at a nearby hilichurl camp, "Many hilichurls out in the wild take orders from them and act as their weapons. Before arriving here, I too was like Dvalin—cursed and left to waste. But now, before us stands the Symbol of Mondstadt's Hero, the place from which Mondstadt rose."

He stands up and offers his hand towards you, "The wind amongst the branches is good. I love the way it smells..." You gratefully accept and lift yourself up from the tree root. You miss the pout that formed on Aether's face as he watches from the bark, "Being here with you beneath this great tree feels like when the tear was purified earlier. Like the poison is leaving my body..."

He turns around to face the tree and looks up, closing his eyes, "Mmm... feels much better..."

Paimon tilts her head to the side, "So... how exactly did you get poisoned?"

Venti deadpans, "That would be because I tried to communicate with Dvalin earlier, but was..." He looks towards you three, "Interrupted... As a result, not only did I not manage to help Dvalin break his curse, but was also infected myself."

Aether suddenly thought that the grass beneath his feet looked interesting as you looked away from the caped boy's piercing gaze, "Oh... ah, that."

"Yes, it was you! So, to make up for it," He smirks, and you silently pray that whatever the consequence he decides for you isn't too grave, "You're all coming with me to the Cathedral!"

"The Mondstadt Cathedral? To do what, exactly?" Paimon inquires.

"To claim a certain 'Holy Lyre der Himmel'."