"Ok, let's head off to talk to Ella." Traveler says pulling me along. "Do you know where she is, Venti?"
"I don't know exactly, but we can let the wind guide us. I think close to Wolvendom." I say, letting the wind wash over me.
They nod, letting teleport us closer to Wolvendom. Ella is waiting for us near a particularly large hilichurl camp.
I hate these guys, despite how fascinating they are. They're like big aggressive children.
And I hate killing them more than anything, but they're so confrontational that a lot of the time I have no choice.
"I hope this goes well." I mutter to Traveler who sighs in agreement.
Quickly picking up their façade, Traveler smiles. "Hey Ella? What's going on?" They whisper, trying not to alert the hilichurls.
"Oh, hey Traveler. Did you see my commission? Hi, Venti." She whispers back.
She's been working on a flower crown while she waiting for us. It looks like she's been all over Mondstadt looking for those flowers. Or she went to Flora and Chloris.
There's Windwheel Asters, Cecilia's, and even some stems from the Volberry bushes. It reminds me of braiding flowers into Diluc's hair. Archons, I miss him.
I try not to seem sad when I greet Ella back, saying that we did see her commission.
"Need us to recite some poetry again, Ella?" Traveler asks, looking at the papers next to her.
She nods, handing the papers to us. She points to three of the many hilichurls who aren't sleeping.
Tip toeing over, we carefully study the paper.
I pull out my lyre just in case.
"Celi dada, mimi nunu!" The hilichurl greets. It doesnt sound threatening
So we greet back the same way. "Celi dada, mimi nunu."
The hilichurl dances a little bit, "Muhe ye!" I have no idea what this means but the other hilichurls start dancing too and oh shit.
A mitachurl starts running towards us, swinging its geo shield. Traveler grabs me and throws me to the ground before dodging themselves.
A hilichurl arrow flies so close to me that I can feel the wind whoosh.
I summon my bow, only to be shot at again. The arrow hits my bow and bounces off in a different direction. I don't look to see where it goes.
Without taking a moment to survey the damage to my bow, I shoot an anemo arrow at the hilichurl. The arrow splits into three different arrows, one of them hitting the hilichurl in the mask. The thing falls, hitting its head on the ground when it does. It doesn't get up.
Looking over to my friend, I see Traveler dodge the mitachurl again. Another one (this one with an axe) swings at Traveler's head. Without thinking I shoot another arrow.
It lodges itself into the mitachurl's thick skin.
A pyro slime hits me in the back, flinging me to the ground. My ears ring, it's like one of Klee's bombs going off to close to you.
I cough, the air knocked out of my lungs. Traveler calls to me, I think, but they're busy fighting off the two mitachurls. Standing up again, I sending my anemo to launch the hilichurls into the air.
They screech, falling to the ground with a sickening thump. I've always hated hurting them, but right now it's them or me, and I'm not leaving so easily.
Looking around I don't see anymore hilichurls, so I turn my attention to Traveler.
They have their palm out, anemo swirling around their finger tips. I send another arrow flying through the air, this time aimed for causing a small pocket of wind to do more damage.
With our combined effort the mitachurls fall, hitting the ground knees first.
Panting, Traveler and I look at each other.
Finally looking at my bow I almost cry. It's cracked down the middle longside. It's not a expensive bow, but Traveler painted it with blue-green swirls.
Just like my friend did on his (my) lyre. MY LYRE!
Looking to where I fell, I see my lyre broken to pieces.
That's when I start to cry, for a good twenty minutes Traveler holds me while I sob.
Picking up the pieces, I carefully place them in a handkerchief, and desummon the broken mess.
Traveler goes and explains what happened to Ella, while I just sit in the dirt.
Traveler gas to drag me to road when the ruin guard is. They let me take all of my frustration and anger out on the machine. An hour goes by when the thing finally falls. I'm sweaty and sad and all I can think about is Diluc holding me while I cry.
So I say goodbye to Traveler and head to the tavern. Before heading in I pull out my flute and play for a bit, trying to calm myself down.
Much to my dismay Charles is working. I get another bard to buy me a bottle of dandelion wine.
Now I just wait for Diluc to get back.
