Wasn't planning on writing a venti chapter, but it happened anyway
Sometime later after their introduction to Teyvat, and with the help of the Knights of Favonius, a bard, and a ginger, the dragon was saved, rather than slain, the Hillichurls dealt with, and definitely not slaughtered en masse, and the Traveller became a household name among the people of Mondstadt. After this and some fetch quests to endear themselves to the citizens, the twins were dignified with the title of Honorary Knight of Favonius.
(We'll see if this title is more useful than the one from our last world…)
['Thane' indeed. Though I don't foresee us needing to get out of trouble with the law… Unless your plans get us thrown in jail.]
(That won't happen.)
[Wouldn't surprise me if it did.]
(Always adhere to the Harkness test, brother.)
[… You're so weird, sis.]
They were currently standing in the middle of the opulent and grand Cathedral of Mondstadt, having handed off the Holy Lyre de Whatever to Saint Barbara. AGM 'mom jeans' Jean went to go talk with her sister, so the Traveller, currently being piloted by Aether, followed Venti to the exit.
The Archon disguised as a bard was still smiling mischievously after his glamor trick with the lyre, an expression which Aether noticed he wore quite often.
"Venti, now that things have settled, I have some questions for you."
"Alright, but we should probably go somewhere more secluded."
The two had just exited the doors of the grandiose building, when there was a sudden burst of ice from the side, almost sweeping them off their feet.
"Well, the rat of Mondstadt finally appears…"
A tall, white haired woman strode towards the two, a pair of Fatui electro mages trailing behind her.
"Uhh… Who are you?" Aether asked.
"Traveller, that's the Fatui Harbinger, Signora," Venti mock-whispered towards him, as the bard appeared to struggle, trying to break out of the ice incasing his legs.
"Oh." Aether ignored the ice around his own feet, instead sizing the newcomer up.
[She wears arrogance like a cloak.]
(She kinda hot though.)
[Hmm… Seems more cold to me.]
(…)
"What do you want, Signora?" Venti asked.
"You know what I want, you miserable bard." She stopped just in front of the Archon, grabbing his chin and forcing him to look up at her. "Hmm… Still cowering from your own people, I see."
Venti scoffed, not making any move to escape her grasp. "Ah, but at least my people are happy; unlike those living under the Fatui," he replied with a smirk.
Signora slapped him, leaving a red mark on his face.
Aether took a step forward, the ice around him shattering like glass. The Fatui woman glanced at him, before snapping her fingers.
Two burly, hooded men stepped out from the shadows, grabbing the Traveller's arms and forcing him to his knees.
"Huh?" Aether did little to resist, deciding not to draw his sword just yet. Some kind of silent magic was cast over him, doing far more to hold him down then the Fauti agents.
(Interesting… Can you tell who cast it?)
[No… It's coming from her direction though.]
Signora kicked Venti, sending him rolling across the ground. The harbinger lazily walked over, kneeling down next to him. With an exaggerated gesture, she punched into his chest, emitting a blast of cryo in the process.
[I'm ready.]
(Wait… She hasn't gotten what she came for yet.)
Signora pulled something back out, an object shaped like a chess piece, absolutely radiating with divine power.
"What is that?" Aether asked, his sister's voice coming out less angry than he thought it would.
"This, welp, is a gnosis. An instrument of authority granted by Celestia." Her voice quieted, as she appeared to talk to herself. "And may it prove their undoing…"
She looked down at the blonde with her chin tilted up, an impressive sight thanks to her height.
"Perhaps a pathetic little runt like you might covet such an object. Too bad you'll never get the chance." She sneered, her visible eye inflamed with near tangible hatred.
Aether ignored her, looking over at the bard keeled over on the ground. "Are you alright, Venti?"
"Y-yeah–" came the soft reply, before it was cut off by Signora kicking him again.
"Shut up, you stupid piece of trash!"
The Harbinger turned to her agents, snapping orders at them.
(I'm starting to get a little angry myself.)
[I'm not surprised. This has gone on long enough.]
(Let me take over.)
[… Alright.]
[Just… Don't scare them, please.]
Control over her body returned to Lumine, and she could immediately feel both the physical pressure of the two brutes holding her down, and the magical pressure, weighing down on her body and mind like a dense stormcloud.
There were fews things that she truly hated; being trapped was one of them.
The Traveller clenched her fists, drawing on the power of Anemo. After a half second of this, she moved.
Her elbows snapped backwards, throwing off the magical barrier set on her, and at the same time slamming into the chests of her two captors. The Fatui agents sputtered, their breaths stolen by the blow and letting loose their grip on her just enough…
Lumine pulled her sword from nonexistence, drawing it through the middle of the left one's torso and then swinging it around in a bloody arc, swiftly decapitating the other before he could even blink. Their bodies fell on either side of her, silent and still.
It took a few moments, after the blood in the air had splattered across the ground, before Signora finally realized what had happened. Venti as well, turned to gape at her from where he was lying, his eyes wide.
"W-what!?" The harbinger took a few steps backwards, traces of fear highlighting her features.
Lumine slowly stood up, her sword held carelessly at her side as she stared down her opponent.
"Give it back." The blonde held her free hand out, palm open.
"Ne-"
The traveler flicked her wrist, pulling on the gnosis with the power of the wind. Startled, Signora refused to let it go, holding on with both hands as her heels began to drag along the floor.
"A-attack her!"
The two mages began to rapid fire bolts of electricity. Lumine casually swatted the projectiles away with her sword, the gesture as normal as if she were simply waving at a passerby. Beside her, there was a sudden swell of Anemo energy.
Finally, Venti had decided to help out, summoning a monstrous gale that swept the Fatui mages up into the air, their screams fading as they were carried away.
Their rapidly diminishing forms brought a dark smile to Lumine's face. She bore down on the harbinger, relishing in the sheer panic oozing from her target, like melted snow dribbling down a mountain.
"You–you little shit!" Signora panted, furious. She released one hand from the gnosis, using it to send a massive ice spear rocketing towards Lumine. The Traveller jerked her head to the side, the projectile missing by less than an inch.
Lumine narrowed her eyes, her short hair billowing from the near miss. Instead of using Anemo to pull, she suddenly pushed, causing Signora's wrist to bend backwards with an audible snap. The white-haired woman screamed as the gnosis fell from her broken hand, flying into Lumine's waiting grasp.
"… Was that so hard?" She asked with a flat tone.
Signora staggered backwards, clutching her swollen, useless hand.
T-t-this isn't over!" She yelled, her voice hoarse.
The Traveller stared at her, unblinking.
"For your sake, you'd better hope that it is."
The harbinger took several more shaky steps back, before she reached up to her neck, grabbing something hidden there. She disappeared in a flash of blue light, having activated some kind of emergency teleport system.
The air was once again filled with stillness, the only sound that of blood dripping on the ground from the Traveller's blade.
[Well… I suppose you could call that restraint.]
"... Wow. I've never seen the Fatui run away like that…" Venti, who was still kneeling on the ground, looked away from where Signora had disappeared, staring at Lumine.
"You're different, Traveller."
"So I'm told." The blonde walked over, sheathing her sword back into its dimension as she held out the gnosis. "Here's your thing."
"Oh right, that…"
Just then, the doors to the cathedral flew open, revealing Jean with her sword drawn, backed by several knights and sisters wielding an assortment of weapons.
"What is going… On…" The AGM's voice trailed off as she took in the scene outside. "Here…" Her wide eyes swept over the bodies of the Fatui, before landing on the Traveller and Venti.
"What does it look like?" Lumine answered flippantly, while she discreetly pocketed the gnosis.
"Oh my gosh! Are you okay?!" Barbara charged past her sister, grasping Lumine by the shoulders. Her curled hair fluttered around her, as she nearly shook the Traveller out of concern. The older blonde put one hand on the deaconess's cheek, causing her to instantly freeze.
"Relax, Barbara. We're fine now."
Barbara stared at her with wide eyes, before shaking off her daze and stepping back a few feet.
"I–I'm glad to hear that," she said after clearing her throat, missing her sister rolling her eyes behind her.
Venti, who had gotten to his feet and dissolved the remaining ice with a wave of his hand, walked over to the AGM.
"Jean, the Traveller and I were accosted by La Signora, and several of her agents. Fearing for my life, the Traveller responded in kind, and unfortunately things lead to what you see now…"
The dandelion knight nodded, one hand on her chin as she took a moment to think over her archon's words.
"Well, that's certainly just cause to kick the Fatui out of Mondstadt." Jean nearly spat, a thread of viscous satisfaction gracing her features before it was quickly wiped away.
"Good riddance," Barbara muttered, her unexpected vehemence missed by nearly everyone else. The rest of the sisters, who had put away their weapons, could be heard commenting on the news, most of them decrying the Fatui.
"Oh yeah, and there's probably two more bodies outside the city somewhere…" Venti added sheepishly. Lumine glanced at him, raising a single eyebrow.
Jean nodded as she focused on the bard before her. Her voice returned to its normal, steady tone, brimming with gentle reassurance. "Understood: we'll take care of them. Are you alright, Venti?"
"I'll be fine, Acting Grand Master Jean," he answered with a small smile.
The fashionably dressed knight bowed her head, taking her leave to start cleaning up the diplomatic mess they'd made. The clergy of the church had already started working on cleaning up the blood and bodies.
Noelle could be heard in the distance, lamenting how long it would take to scrub the blood out of the stone.
[Guess they haven't discovered the wonders of bleach yet.]
A gentle breeze had picked up, carrying away the smell of iron and sulfur. By unvoiced agreement, Venti and the Traveller wandered away from the scene, standing beneath the statue of the Anemo Archon. Lumine reached out one hand to lean against the statue; her golden eyes had started to faintly glow.
Venti tensed, sensing the serious tone in the air.
The Traveller's voice was low as she questioned him. "Alright kid. Question time."
The bard raised an eyebrow, but gestured for her to continue.
"Do you know anything about the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, who's powers take the form of red-black cubes?"
There was a slight tightening around Venti's eyes, his expression otherwise unchanged. The wind was suddenly gusting around them, sending his braids fluttering.
"I… I couldn't say."
Lumine crossed her arms. Scattered leaves flew around them.
"Fine. Do you know anything about two souls sharing one body?"
"Two souls sharing… What?"
"You heard me. My brother and I were attacked by the goddess that you 'know nothing about', and woke up trapped together."
The Traveller stepped closer, her shadow encompassing him. Her voice dropped to less than a whisper, only audible to those with exceptional hearing.
"So tell me, Lord Barbatos… How the fuck do I get my brother's body back?"
The wind recessed, now a barely discernible breeze.
Venti stood still, his gaze on her unwavering. If he'd looked anywhere besides the Traveller, he would've noticed the now visible distortion in the air.
"Traveller, I am truly sorry, but I've honestly never heard of such a thing."
The wind was silent. Birds circled overhead, the seconds ticking by in silence.
Lumine stared at him; her burning gaze reaching far beyond the physical.
"... Alright, Venti. I believe you."
The bard let out a huge sigh, releasing a breath that'd he'd been holding for a while.
With the tension in the air suddenly disbanded, all that was left was a pervasive feeling of awkwardness. The two immortals stared off to opposite sides, Venti shuffling his foot. The Traveller uncrossed her arms, suppressing a yawn.
"Oh, I almost forgot," Lumine said, pulling out the Anemo gnosis and holding it out in her palm.
Venti picked it up, examining it for a few moments with his other hand on his chin. The bard then held it up next to Lumine, as if he were comparing the two.
"Hmm…"
[I've never seen him so focused.]
(I'm… A little worried.)
Lumine re-crossed her arms. "Venti… I don't like that look."
"It's the only one I've got." The bard replied with a shrug and a smile. He then gestured for the Traveller to hold out her hand again, which she did so with a look of suspicion.
[sus]
The Anemo Archon dropped the gnosis back into her palm. "Here, you keep it. I hardly need it these days. And more importantly, I have a feeling you can put it to better use than me."
[What?]
"Uhh…" Lumine stared at the device, surprised at her own loss for words. "Okay… But like, seriously?"
"I've known you long enough. I trust you."
[People in Teyvat must have a weird definition of trust. Considering you just, you know, threatened him.]
(… I don't think he saw it like that.)
Lumine's hand closed around her new found power-up, meeting the waiting gaze of the person who'd gifted it.
Green-blue eyes met gold, the colors of the earth swirling together in a menagerie of countless memories. Experiences from ages long ago passed through their shared gaze. Friendships forged, bonds made and broken; the two immortals shared a moment of melancholic reminiscence, light and wind sweeping away the laments of the past.
"I see…" Lumine spoke softly.
Venti's eyes were glistening, reflecting the waning light of the setting sun. The Traveller absorbed the gnosis, its power filling her veins, leaving both her hands free. She took a step forward, towards the former wind spirit opposite her.
Lumine wrapped the bard in a gentle hug, which he returned after a brief moment of confusion.
"... It never gets easier, does it?" Venti asked, his voice faint and far away.
"I'm afraid it doesn't, my little friend..."
"I see…"
"But that doesn't mean you should stop trying."
After a long, solemn moment, the two separated. The Traveller's words resonated in the air, hanging around them like the pink-tinted clouds above.
Venti wiped his face on his sleeve, before looking back at her.
His smile had returned.
Lumine smirked, reaching out and giving one of his braids an affectionate tug. "I've met a lot of people with power similar or greater than yours, Venti." She waved a hand, gesturing around them to the city of stone and wine.
"But few of them have done as good a job as you. Peace can be a fickle thing; and Mondstadt has it in abundance." She clasped a hand on his shoulder. "You should be proud of yourself."
"Haha, thank you, Traveller," the bard replied, acting like his outward age again. "I know you'll put your own power to good use!" He added, eyes twinkling with mischief.
Lumine put her hands on her hips, thinking over what possessing the Anemo gnosis could imply. She jolted as the same question popped into her and her brother's mind, before turning to her companion with a look of mild concern.
"Wait does this mean I'm the new Anemo Archon-"
"No backsies, hehe!"
The bard was gone, surprisingly fast despite his short legs.
"Venti!"
The Traveller quickly gave pursuit, using the wind to provide a speed boost. And thus their chase continued through the city streets; the citizens of Mondstadt watched curiously, oblivious as ever to the true identity of their beloved Archon.
mom says it's my turn piloting the meat suit