Meraki

Part 1 Chapter 1: That Bard in Green

Aether dragged Sying out of headquarters until they were far enough so no one would overhear them.

"There's something you didn't tell them. The dragon and crystal weren't the only things we saw." Sying reminded him.

"I'd like to investigate it on my own first." Aether answered, referring to the bard from before. The boy leaned on the balcony. He noticed someone running on the street below them and spoke. "He looked like that guy down there! The exact same shade of green, what a coincidence."

"It's the same guy." Sying sighed, shaking his head. He grabbed the Traveler's hand and followed the bard. "Tch. We lost him."

"I'll use my elemental sight." Aether reassured the adeptus. Sying followed him until they saw the bard in front of a large crowd near the Barbatos statue. Aether moved up to the front, while Sying stayed in the back due to his height. The bard had his eyes closed as he strummed the strings of his lyre. He had started his performance.

"What is to be sung transpired in days of yore, when the divine Archons still walked the earth. A dragon cast his curious gaze on the world below, as he parted from the heavens that gave his birth. The dragon sought truth amongst common folk, but mortal trifles only fogged his mind. The windborne bard strummed his strings dolce and the Holy Lyre answered his questions kind. The dragon was but a child of wonder and soared the heavens free from care. The bard's songs invited him to sing along, for he yearned to let all perceive him fair. Enchanting legends the bard and dragon were, but the tides of despair soon engulfed the land. The lion fang perished and the falcon flag slept as a vile dragon approached Mondstadt in lone stand. Over the Cathedral loomed death and his friends, of the people's agony the bard soon sang. The soaring dragon heeded his grave calls and amidst the windstorms, a brutal war sprang. Blood of venom sent the sky dragon into slumber, only to awake to be expelled in abhor. "Why do people this age loathe me so?" But the Holy Lyre replied no more. Wrath and woe, vigor and venom, poured from the dragon's bitter eyes. The dragon's curse sprawled in silence, but the Lyre could no longer soothe his cries." The bard told the crowd. Since the performance had finished, the crowd dispersed, leaving the trio of travelers with the bard in green. The bard made eye contact with Sying and shivered slightly.

"Wait, you guys are..." The bard looked at them carefully. "Oh, that's right! You're the ones that scared Dvalin away." The guy in green recalled, massaging his shoulders.

"Dvalin? Who's that?" Aether asked.

"That's Stormterror's real name." Sying replied.

"Huh? Oh, right. Most people seem to call him Stormterror." Aether recalled, before turning her attention to the bard. "Why do you call him that? Are you two meant to be close or something?"

"Oh, so close." The green guy laughed. Sying crossed his arms and let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry, you are?" Aether apologized.

"I'm Venti the bard. Three-time winner of the "Most Popular Bard of Mondstadt" to be precise. So, what do you need from me?" Venti wondered.

"Given you recognize us, we don't believe we need to explain any further. Of course it's about Stormterror." Sying declared.

"Storm?" Venti joked, faking a look of confusion.

"Cut the amnesia act. Aether, show it to him." Aether pulled the crimson crystal out of his pocket, but for some reason the crystal was no longer red. It was a sparkling blue instead. Venti's eyes widened in recognition.

"Oh! Isn't this-" Venti was cut off by the Traveler.

"What!? The crystal has been purified!? When?" Aether screeched.