World Quest II - The scent of White Flowers in the Moonlight
9th of the 12th Cycle
They returned to Mondstadt before the winter snows got too heavy.
It was quite the stark contrast, for in the Stormbearer Mountains the winter was cruel and dangerous. Blizzards were a common experience, and if you weren't careful the snow could swallow you whole.
But in the south, the winter was much more tame. The snow was manageable, and easily cleared from the paths unlike in the north where there could be several metres of it. The knights explained that the Stormbearer Mountains acted like a natural barrier against the boreal winds. Aether couldn't imagine what the states north of the mountains were experiencing right now.
As he walked up the main avenue, he noticed a sizable building to his left - the Adventurer's Guild. Perhaps it was once a thriving business, but due to its roots in Snezhnaya less and less people have been frequenting the place. The Guild doesn't actually have any affiliations with Snezhnaya, other than being founded there, but it was a bad stigma to have nonetheless in this time and place.
Many adventurers have forwarded complaints to the Knights, stating that due to lack of commissions they are at risk of losing their livelihoods. Grand Master Jean, efficient as ever, raised a commission board outside the Knights' Headquarters. It made sense, for adventurers came with a plethora of useful skills. Some were veteran warriors, others were treasure hunters, some simply had survival skills. All were useful, and if the Knight's couldn't recruit them outright they could still be put to work for other tasks.
Aether had no doubt that half of the commissions on the board came from the Knights themselves - it was a good way to free up manpower.
Tearing his gaze away, he continued to wander through the streets of Mondstadt aimlessly. He had planned to leave before the snows blocked the road south, but it turned out that Mona had a current engagement. Some sort of winter seminar. Perhaps he would've left without her in the past, but she was the Hierophant now, and thus a valuable counter to whatever Paimon wanted with him.
So he resolved to stay until the spring thaw next year.
Now he was strolling through the streets of Mondstadt, exploring the alleyways and simply trying to burn some time. Aether could admire the construction and architecture in the city, most buildings have jettied floors - and with the many monolithic windmills that meant the streets of the city were well shaded at all times of day. Factor in the perpetual light breeze wafting through the thoroughfares, and it was no surprise the city was always cool and temperate, even in the deepest throes of summer.
As he walked past an alleyway, he noticed a strange silhouette inside. A man, he saw, leaning against the wall. It was just after noon, and the Sun was still high in the Sky - and while the street he was on wasn't well populated there were still people using it. Thoughts ran through his head, was the man drunk? This was Mondstadt after all, and the stigma of daytime drinking did not quite exist here.
Aether peered into the alley, and noticed the man's chest wasn't moving. He had a bad feeling about this one. Against his better judgement, he decided to take a closer look. Creeping into the dark backstreet, he put one hand on the pommel of his sabre. The same standard production cavalry sabre the knights' used - generously gifted to him for his help up north.
As he stretched out one hand for the man's neck to check for a pulse, the air grew cold. The hairs on the back of neck rose sharply- and in a single lightning quick action he drew his sword and spun around. He felt his blade impact a projectile and send it careening into the wall. Adrenaline still pumping, his eyes darted around, but there was no one there.
Staying alert, he slowly moved towards the projectile embedded in the wall, keeping his eyes pinned on the entrance. Nothing. He sheathed his sword and let the adrenaline bleed out, feigning relaxation. A closer inspection revealed the projectile to be a throwing knife, which he tugged out of the wall and brought to his eye. Fine steel, no outstanding inscriptions or carvings, likely a standard production model to be made in bulk.
But there was something off about - a constant stream of mist wafting from the blade. Gingerly, he put his flesh finger to the blade, and found it bitingly cold. Withdrawing his finger, he noticed his entire left hand already felt numb. A magical poison then, applied to the blade to cause paralysis, numbness, or worse.
He put the knife away and returned to the man, still staying alert. If the perpetrator throws another knife, he will be more aware and notice from which direction it came.
Putting two fingers to the man's neck, he noticed the man's flesh was terribly cold. And there was no pulse, the man was already dead. Aether inspected the body for a cause of death, but there was nothing on the front. Turning the corpse around, he noticed something shiny on the man's back - a knife. The same model of throwing knife used against him.
It seems he had interrupted an assassination.
The flesh around the knife was black and smelt of rot - symptoms of frostbite. So the poison was fatal, and the man's internal organs were likely all frozen over.
Searching the body, he found a small rolled up parchment in his coat pocket. He unfurled it and scanned it.
"Ah fuck." He muttered, "Church Executors, huh? Seems like you chose the wrong city to spy on, buddy."
He patted the dead man's shoulder. Seems like this Fontainean spy hasn't learned the same lesson the Snezhnayans did.
Aether rose to his feet, tucking the note into a pocket. As he turned to leave the alley, he felt someone drop down behind him. He suppressed a smile.
"Hand it over."
He spun on his feet to meet the perpetrator, a female - and as expected, she was dressed in a sister's habit and scapular, only it was made of thick leather to act as armour. The woman's skin was unhealthily pale, with a tired face and dead eyes. On her fingers were claw-like metal finger guards, and gripped in them was another knife.
Aether slightly shifted his feet, settling into a simple guard stance. He was at a disadvantage, his only weapon on hand was a cavalry sabre - long, curved, and with a single sharp edge. The perfect weapon for fighting on horseback, and a less than perfect weapon for fighting in a cramped alley. While he could make some basic daggers with his abilities, he wasn't very good with them, and would likely make a fool of himself.
He drew his sabre, testing out different guards to ensure it wouldn't hit the walls when he swung it. The Executor didn't move.
"What if I say no?"
"Then I must make you."
"You're a Church Executor, yes? Then you must know me, there is no way you are going to be able to win in a fight against me."
"You are still human, all humans can die."
"It's bad to assume, you know?"
"...You are such a pain. What do you want?"
That was… easier than expected. Was this a trick? Was she stalling for reinforcements? Aether expanded his senses… and felt nothing. Either the Executors' were incredibly good at masking their presence, which was a possibility, or the woman was fucking with him.
"Hurry up, I don't want to work overtime." She told him, slight irritation colouring her voice.
Or perhaps, he mused, she was just as tired as she looked. He decided to fuck with her instead.
"I will hand it over, if you help me find my sister."
"Done." She responded dryly.
What? Either the Church had ties to the Abyss, or the Executor in front of him was just saying that to appease him. He stared into her eyes, she stared back. Alright, he thought, whatever. It'd be better for his health to just let the Church do whatever they do unimpeded.
"Here." He grabbed the note and handed it over.
Taking it, the Executor read it with an impassive face. After tucking it away, she told him,
"Meet me here tomorrow by the evening bell."
Then turned on her heel and trudged off.
"Wait, you need to explain these things, miss!"
She stopped, and despite speaking quietly the street was silent enough that he could hear her would issue.
"An… outsider has entered Mondstadt. A potential spy, and also a potential lead for your sister. You'll be my backup."
"Alright then." Not like he had anything else to do, "I'm Aether, looking forward to working with you."
"...Rosaria."
And with that, Rosaria went on her way. As she left, Aether spotted a Cryo Vision embedded into her scapular on her back. Well, that explains the poison…
Wait, what about the body? Aether spun around to face the alley, but the only thing inside was a particularly large mound of snow where the body once was. He poked it, and found that the knife was no longer there. He reached into his coat pocket, where he kept the knife from the wall, and found that the only thing inside was snow.
How thorough.
10th of the 11th Cycle
"Even disregarding that this man could be a lead to my sister, what makes you think he's a spy anyway? Thousands of foreigners visit Mondstadt daily."
"You'll see for yourself."
They were right outside the Angel's Share, the largest tavern in Mondstadt. Well, describing the establishment as a tavern was doing a disservice to the place. The Angel's Share was massive, a veritable mansion in fact. On the first floor was the tavern, on the higher floors were guest rooms, as the place also serves as an inn. But that's not all, for the building was also the Ragvindr Clan's second home in Mondstadt, the main home was in the upper districts of the city.
The evening bell had just rung, which meant it was the end of the day for most in the city. And the end of the day only meant one thing for Mondstadters - alcohol, lots and lots of alcohol. At this time, just about every tavern in the city is flooded with patrons, and the Angel's Share is no exception. A constant stream of people flowed in and out of the tavern, of both men and women. Because unlike the other nations of Teyvat, in the Land of Wind alcohol was quite literally a god's gift to man. As such, there are no stigmas against women drinking, in fact on holidays and festivals children get to drink as well.
"Bottom floor, on the far right. He's sitting at the southeastern corner. Blonde hair, eyepatch, foreign clothing. You can't miss him. Talk to him as you wish, I'll be at the counter."
They walked into the building, and the moment Rosaria stepped into the warm glow of the tavern voices suddenly hushed. Because the Church Executors were an open secret, somewhat of a blight on the nation's ideal of freedom. Before, most could ignore them because the Executors weren't really out there, but after the Night of Knives?
The Church Executors quickly became the most notorious organisation in the city as state sanctioned assassins. For more mundane cases like arrests you will likely see knights carrying out the order, but the appearance of an Executor usually meant that someone was going to die.
The room watched with bated breath as Rosaria strode to the counter, and ordered their finest red wine. The bartender shakily brought out the bottle, but years of experience serving the strangest of customers allowed him to quickly regain control and swiftly pour the lady a glass.
Aether didn't linger, leaving Rosaria alone. The lady's information was correct, there was a strange man sitting alone at the corner of the tavern, looking all mysterious like. And he was, for Aether could tell the man was immortal, yet not a god.
He came looking for copper, and ended up striking gold.
"Are you purposely being suspicious, or is that just a feature of your kind? Nice to meet you, I'm Aether."
He sat down opposite the man without asking for permission.
"My kind? And what is 'my kind' exactly?" The man's voice was smooth, his tone giving nothing away of either his thoughts or age.
"An immortal of course, one that is no deity nor daemon."
"I could… say the same for you."
"Ah… but I'm a deity, see?" Aether pricked his flesh finger with a sharpened blade of starlight. A stream of gold blood drizzled out.
"..."
"Look there," Aether nodded in the direction of the bar behind him, "that's a Church Executor, you know? You've attracted some unwanted attention, with your… obstinate mysteriousness.'
"What do you want?" The man finally asked.
"Good question. I'd like to know your name, for one. But I'd also like to know if you've seen my sister."
"Dainsleif. As for your sister… perhaps we can come to an agreement."
"Wonderful. What are your terms?"
"A three question exchange, one pass for each of us. Agreeable?"
"Yes, your question?"
"Who do you believe rules the Land of Wind?"
"The Favonian Order." It was a simple enough question, next he asked, "What is the name of the last person you made a promise to?"
"...Pass. Who do you believe will rule the Land of Rock after the Geo Archon's passing?"
"The Liyue Qixing," Another simple question, "What is your purpose here in the Land of Wind."
"I am hunting down an Abyss Herald." Dainsleif paused, then asked, "Who do you believe to be more important in the eyes of the gods, the Vision Holders, or the Visionless?"
"None." Aether answered easily, "As for my last question… where do you hail from?"
"The fallen Kingdom of Khaenri'ah."
Aether had everything he needed. He slapped his legs and rose, "Let's go hunt your Abyss Herald, then. Don't worry, I won't charge you for my help."
"...Pardon?"
"Oh, and the Executor is coming along too. Gotta keep an eye on you, see? Besides, hunting Abyssal monsters is something you do with state sanction."
When Dainsleif didn't move, Aether acted a frustrated sigh.
"Get up, old man. Don't you have an Abyssal to hunt?" Aether grabbed the man and lifted him up with ease, throwing him onto his feet. Dainsleif staggered in surprise.
"You are older than I am." He stated matter-of-factly.
"Doesn't change the fact that you're an old man. And unlike you, I kept my youth.'
"..."
The man seemed to just give up on dealing with him and began to walk out of the building. As Aether passed the bar, he found Rosaria nursing a cup of red wine.
"Come on, we have an Abyss Herald to hunt."
That seemed to wake the woman up. She downed her glass in a single go.
"An Abyss Herald…?" She muttered.
They left the tavern and found Dainsleif waiting outside.
"According to the leads I have, the Abyss Order has infiltrated the Temple of the Falcon. Let's meet-"
"Unlikely," Rosaria interrupted him, "the Church holds the Temple, just a season ago they were still accepting pilgrims. We aren't incompetent, outsider, several of our best Inquisitors are stationed there. Your 'leads' are either outdated, or your sources are making a fool of you."
"...Then we should head to Wolvendom, they may be within the territory of that old wolf."
That seemed agreeable to Rosaria. Aether clapped his hands.
"Then let's waste no time. Everyone knows the night is the best time for travelling anyway."
His two companions stared at him like he was an idiot.
"...It was a joke."
25th of the 11th Cycle
"See that, floating above the flames? It's an Abyssal spell."
Aether could believe it. The spell was carved into the air with an old rune-like script. The purple markings warped lightly in the air above the bonfire.
"There are two lines, as you can see." Dainsleif continued, "The first line keeps the fire burning even now, in winter. This draws hilichurls, wolves, and the like to it's warmth. The second line warps the minds of the more weak-willed."
"This is a trap, then. The Abyss Order's way of recruiting." Aether finished.
"Tch. This is nothing new, they've been trying this since the dragon got its senses back. We knew this would happen in winter." Rosaria said, "What in seven hells are the Inquisitors in Springvale doing? They were supposed to deal with this."
"..."
"Should I report this…?" She muttered, "No- but then I'll have to do more paperwork. Ah I'll deal with those lazy fucks myself."
Rosaria snapped her fingers, and the fire sputtered out.
"These are basic Abyssal scripts, it is unlikely an Abyss Herald in the region." Dainsleif muttered to himself, "But it is worth investigating nonetheless."
"You two can hang around here, I'm returning to Springvale. What's the next location, outsider?"
"Old Mondstadt."
"I'll see you there."
4th of the 12th Cycle
"Hah… Abyss Mages. I should really get the Church to set up an Inquisition in the cursed place."
"Do you have the authority to do that?"
"When I joined the Church, the Inquisition and the Enforcers already existed. They just needed a little push to form the Executors, that little push was me."
"Didn't realise the Church was so… bloody."
"Another word for freedom is anarchy. The Church toes the line to ensure freedom exists, but anarchy doesn't. Do you think it's ideals keeping the people in line? No… it's fear, fear and blood. The people know that if they play nice, so will the Church."
"Well, damn."
"Indeed, it seems Mondstadt is united in fear of the Church, rather than belief in the Anemo Archon."
"Not just Mondstadt, the Knights rule in Mondstadt but their authority beyond its borders is minimal. But the Church, the Church has its claws all over the Land of Wind, Mondstadt is simply it's main base of operations." The Executor sighed, "The people are united in their belief of the Anemo Archon, we are simply the ones ensuring they continue to believe in him."
"I suppose generations of indoctrination does that."
"That's right. Now come, let us purge this land of the Abyss' foul taint."
Rosaria gripped the spear strapped to her back and swung it into an offensive stance. Six feet long, a shaft of ash, and a wickedly sharp point of castle-forged steel. The metal glinted grey-blue in the moonlight, a light mist hung around the blade.
The Church Executor dashed forwards with lightning speed.
"REPENT!"
A great lance of ice fell from the Sky, impacting with enough force to shatter stone. It was shaped like a cross, with thorny vines twisting around it and blue winter roses blooming from its stems.
Aether drew his sword, and followed her lead.
"..."
"Spit it out, Traveller."
"Something- someone, is watching us." He replied, "From up there."
"Then let us be thorough, and check the place."
The three of them trodded through knee-high snow to the base of the cliff. Despite craning his head to the limit, he could not see the top at the base. Rosaria stepped forwards, pressing her hands together in prayer, a rosary wrapped around her fingers.
"Aurai, merciful winds, blessed breeze," She prayed, "By my borrowed blood I call upon you, a contract made, a debt incurred. Witness my will, observe my devotion, and lend me your aid. Fly high, here and wherever- and let us partake in your might."
As she uttered the final words, a current of wind erupted from beneath their feet, blasting them into the air. Rosaria rode the torrent as if it was second nature, while he and Dainsleif floundered before getting the hang of it.
When they reached the top, Rosaria floated off and landed on the cliff edge with ease. Dainsleif angled himself to slide off the wind and landed in a roll. Aether tried to awkwardly 'swim' off the current, before realising he was getting nowhere and deciding to just materialise his wings to give himself a little push.
He landed in a crouch.
As he rose, he found the area deserted - nothing of interest was around… except footprints. A thick layer of snow covered the ground, and imprinted into it was a trail of gargantuan footprints, rectangular in shape. From what he could tell, the perpetrator was bipedal, must be several metres tall, and incredibly heavy - for the creature also created indents in the dirt beneath the snow.
Rosaria moved towards them after thanking the wind spirit that helped them. She inspected the footprints with a sharp eye.
"A ruin guard, must be."
Dainsleif shook them from their thoughts, beckoning them over.
"Look here, human footprints."
Aether stared at them. He closed his eyes and felt the world around him, coming to a conclusion.
"Abyssal taint." He spoke.
"So you've come to the same conclusion as I." Rosaria agreed with him, "Whatever person was here is more powerful than any Abyss Herald."
They followed the footsteps for a while, before realising they wouldn't get far. A fresh layer of snow was already covering up the footprints, not to mention the snow was getting thicker as well.
"What a waste of time." Rosaria uttered, and quite frankly, Aether had to agree.
Something caught his eye, a flower, still blooming in the throes of winter. He trudged over to it, and plucked it - a pure white flower, camouflaged in the snow. Five petals, one stigma, and a very familiar sight.
Dainsleif stared at him with an unreadable expression.
"Rosaria, do the winds carry messages?"
"Yes, you need a Windblume to hear your message, a wind spirit to carry it, and suitable payment."
"Oh boreal winds, here my call, accept my offerings, and carry my message."
The winds picked up. Aether drew on his power and crystalised it into a glittering blue gem. From where he hailed, it is known as a Genesis Crystal. A single Genesis Crystal contained enough energy to birth a new star, with the right instruments. But on Teyvat, it was nothing more than a pretty trinket.
He threw the gem into the air, and the winds catched it and whisked it away. Then, he spoke to the flower, his Windblume.
"You cannot run away from me forever, sister."