It was a nice bright day, with the sun high in the sky, the chirping of birds and welcoming winds blowing through the streets of Mondstadt. A nice day for a stroll around the city, indeed. Which Jean was currently doing, as she finally had a break from all of her work.
…
Upon reaching the upper half of the city, Jean was pleasurably surprised to hear a familiar singing voice, one that always strangely invigorated her. Before she could register anything, her feet automatically moved to the voice's source, only stopping when she was before the Anemo Archon's statue.
Venti, the one who won the "best bard of Mondstadt" award three times in a row (And not without warranty, she had to admit. His voice was beautiful, his songs captivating and somehow there was an air of familiarity about him, as if she knew him for a long time...) was standing at the bottom of it, singing one of his songs.
It was a new song, which sounded oddly familiar to her, as if...
...
Wait...
-That's classified information…! -She blurted aloud, too shocked to stop herself. -...How could he possibly know about Dvalin's situation...?
There was something strange about it all, so she decided to listen to the song until the end and then ask him how he came to know this information. But not a few moments later...
-Acting Grandmaster, I am glad to have finally found you! We have an urgent situation! -A guard came rushing up to her, looking out of breath. -Stormterror was signed in the vicinity of Springvale! -Those were urgent news for sure, ones that required they proceed with caution...-Before we could assert the situation, Hopkins and his follower Jotun decided to take matters into their own hands!
Of course they did, they were too brash and full of themselves for their own good.
First the situation with the wolves of Wolvendom and almost getting killed by Andrius of the four winds. And now this...
-...What did they do...? -Jean asked him, suddenly having a feeling of foreboding, but the guard looked ashamed instead of answering her. -What_Did_Those_Idiots_Do?
-...They proceeded to shoot him with arrows! We tried to stop them, but they won't listen! -The guard finally answered, looking like he was just slapped. Jean felt the start of a bad headache. -So, we had no choice but to fight back the agitated dragon, while I was sent here to relay the news and ask for reinforcements! -The headache was worsening now. -I ran to the headquarters first to inform you of this, but you weren't there! As I searched for you, I met Outrider Amber, Cavalry captain Kaeya, Librarian Lisa and Coordinator Hertha, who decided to go to Springvale with a squad of knights! And they asked Deaconess Barbara to come with them, as a battle healer! -Things were getting worse and worse by the second. If Hopkins and his men didn't die by the end of it, she was going to kill them herself...! -What should we do now, Acting Grandmaster? How should we proceed?
...
But before Jean could reply to the guard, she heard a clanking sound...
-...I-is this the truth...? - A shocked voice was suddenly heard, as Jean moved her head to look at the source of it and was shocked to see that Venti was just standing there and looking completely devastated, the lyre fallen at his feet. -...I-is there really a clash between Dvalin and the Knights of Favonius in Springvale...?
Jean didn't know what to tell him.
How did he even hear their discussion from this far away and in the middle of singing, no less...?
-...N-no...! D-Dvalin…! A-and all those innocent citizens...! -Venti said in anguish, looking so broken it was hard to watch. Jean could swear that she suddenly felt a pang in her heart, though she had no idea why. -...W-why now...?! W-when I am still thinking about what to do to save him…?
For some strange reason, Jean felt like she had to do anything she possibly could so he could smile again.
It was a strange feeling, but for some reason, it didn't feel wrong.
-...Venti, are you feeling al...? -Jean started asking in concern, before pausing in shock, as she noticed that he was floating now. -...V-Venti...Y-you...- She looked up at the statue, then back to Venti and wondered how she didn't notice it sooner. How come none of them noticed the resemblance...? -... A-are you actually...?!
If he actually was their Anemo Archon, Barbatos, it would explain the strangeness which felt so right.
The familiarity, his songs' effect on her and why she was feeling so bad for him right now.
-.. .B-because I wasn't around...B-because I didn't notice it sooner...T-they all…! T-they are all going to...! -Venti continued, too far in his own thoughts to hear anyone or to see their now shocked expressions. It seems like they also noticed and came to the same conclusion as Jean. -.. .NO, I CAN'T LET IT HAPPEN! I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO FORGIVE MYSELF!
He suddenly yelled out, before teleporting away in a gust of wind, which added to the shock of the people around.
…
Only the lyre which he played before remained where he just stood, as it suddenly turned into the Vision he usually wore.
*So it was a fake after all, one he probably used to avoid suspicion.
-...J-just now...-One of the people said in shock. -...W-was that...?
-...T-the bard...V-Venti...-Another one said in shock. -...H-he was Lord Barbatos all along?
-...It's an unpredicted development. -Sayid said, as he inspected Venti's fake "Vision". -...It truly looks like a real one.
-...Even I didn't know about this...-Vile quietly said, sounding surprised. -...And I am an informant...
-Lord Barbatos was among us after all. -Grace thoughtfully said, looking at where Venti stood moments ago in concern. -But this situation. It does not bode well...
Jean had to agree with her, the situation in Springvale sounded really bad. Then finding out that Venti was Barbatos and him leaving in such a way...
...
"I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO FORGIVE MYSELF!"
...
This was really bad!
-Gather everyone you can and send them to Springvale post haste! -Jean instructed the guard, sounding frantic. -I am going there now!
She yelled before rushing off to Springvale, not waiting for a reply.
Things were going from bad to worse!
...
First Dvalin appearing near Springvale,
Then Hopkins and his men aggravating the situation,
Then a squad of the Knights of Favonius going to fight him...
...
And now Venti... Who was actually Barbatos all along,
Hearing about the whole thing...
...
"I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO FORGIVE MYSELF!"
...
She had to get to Springvale and fast!
Before something even worse happens!
The first thing Jean noticed when reaching Springvale was that it was destroyed.
The second thing she noticed was that there was no wind at all, as if someone snuffed it all out.
The third thing she noticed was that someone was running up to her really fast, someone familiar, it was...
-...S-sister! I-it's horrible! I heard that "Stormterror" appeared and was sent here with a few guards escorting me, to heal anyone who got hurt...! -Barbara was frantically telling her, rushing up to her. -B-but when I finally got here...A-almost everyone were already dead! A-and then Venti…! Venti is Lord Barbatos and he looks like he is going to do something dangerous! -She was looking even worse now, almost horrified. -H-he is just sitting there, inside of a hurricane no one is able to break no matter how hard we try and keeps mumbling to himself about how everything that happened is all his fault! Please, sister, can you do something before...?!
"I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO FORGIVE MYSELF!"
...
Without waiting for Barbara to finish speaking, Jean dashed towards the middle of the village, seeing the destroyed buildings and dead bodies along the way.
*There were so many dead, friends, acquaintances, coworkers and just innocent people who got dragged into the situation, ultimately dying before their time.
…
The Acting Grandmaster could see Dvalin's dead body lying on top of what was a windmill some time ago, most of the debris laying inside of the spring.
On the way to it, near the spring was a big hurricane, with Lisa and Godwin standing by it, unable to come near. They moved their heads to look at Jean as she reached them, their eyes pleading with her to do something before it gets even worse. As she got closer she saw Venti sitting right inside of the hurricane, the Anemo circle at his feet, looking completely devastated.
-.. .T-they are all dead...T-they died...B-because of me...B-because I wasn't here to stop it…! -He was mumbling in anguish, the hurricane swaying in tune to his currently unstable emotions. -.. .I-if only I awoke sooner…! I-if only I noticed Dvalin's plight and helped him sooner…! I-if only I found out about this earlier and came here sooner…! I-it could all have been avoided!
-Barba...Venti...-Jean told him, trying to sound reassuring, as she slowly walked up to him. -...Are you...?
- So, everyone knows about it now...- Venti interrupted her, suddenly sounding so hollow. -... No wonder, with the hurricane and the Anemo circle. ..-He laughed, a broken laugh devoid of any positive emotions. -.. .What a useless Archon I turned out to be...Couldn't even save anyone...And now...They...
He was mourning, it was as clear as day.
And he was blaming himself for everything, just like Barbara informed her...
...
It really looked like he was going to do something drastic if...
-They are dead.. .-Venti suddenly said, interrupting her thoughts, his voice unreadable. -.. .Dvalin, Amber, Kaeya, Hertha, Allan, Draff, Hopkins, Huffman, Miles, Brook, Olaf, Guy, Pepe, Marla, Finch, Myweiss, Jotun, Bruce.. .-He started naming all of those who died, sounding more and more broken after each name. Jean was feeling really bad for him the whole time. Those who died as well, she only realized how many there were after he began counting them. -.. .All of them...ALL OF THEM ARE DEAD! ALL EIGHTEEN OF THEM!
Eighteen,
So many people at once.
*No wonder he looked so broken...
...
Jean felt herself break at the realization of how many have died,
Many of them friends, acquaintances and colleagues...
-I just inspected their bodies, Acting Grandmaster. And...-A familiar voice was suddenly heard and Jean turned around to see that it was Noelle, some other people standing near her. It seems like she, together with Sucrose, Grace and Susie followed her to Springvale. -...They don't feel like they are dead...
That made Jean pause in confusion...
...
They weren't truly dead...?
How could it possibly...?!
- Their souls are still here... -Venti suddenly said, as if answering her unsaid question. -. ..There is no way I am letting them move on like this!
That explained why there was no wind, as it was believed that the souls of the dead can only move on with the wind.
...
Barbatos...Venti...He...
He snuffed out all the winds in Springvale so their souls will remain here...
...
Was the Anemo circle at his feet used for that...?
-I have to correct this wrong...-Venti suddenly said in an unreadable voice as he shakily stood up, the hurricane gone but replaced with a strange wind barrier, before turning into his Archon form. It would have usually been a majestic sight, but Jean had a really bad feeling about this. Especially since he made a wind barrier around himself, seemingly so no one will intervene. -...Only then, can I repay for my sins...-His hair tips started glowing and the Anemo circle widened under his feet, until it covered the village's whole area. -Even if I use my own life to do it...!
-VENTI, NO! DON'T DO THIS! -Jean heard herself yell, joined by many other sudden yells she couldn't quite register in her current mental state. He was planning to bring everyone back to life. He could probably do it too. But reviving so many at once, including a dragon...-...Y-YOU ARE GOING TO...!
- A new Anemo Archon will show up after I disappear.. .-Barbatos interrupted her, his voice unreadable, as wind started to gather around the area and the wounds on the dead bodies started to patch up, slowly bringing them back to life . -... Besides, five of the original seven are already gone, so it's about time that I follow them...
Jean couldn't believe what she was hearing!
...
Because a new Anemo Archon will show up,
And five of the original seven were already gone...
...
" Have to correct this wrong "...?!
" Repay for my sins "...?!
" Use my own life to do it "...?!
...
*She knew he was under a lot of emotional stress right now,
But to think in such a horrible way...
...
HE THOUGHT THAT DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS WAS OKAY?!
DID HE REALLY THINK THAT NO ONE WILL BE SAD ABOUT HIS DEATH, JUST FORGET ABOUT HIM AND MOVE ON?!
DID HE SUDDENLY FORGET THAT HE IS THEIR ANEMO ARCHON, WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN WORSHIPING EVEN SINCE MONDSTADT WAS ESTABLISHED?!
...
WHAT DID HE THINK THE CATHEDRAL WAS FOR?! OR THAT HUGE STATUE STANDING BEFORE IT?! OR THE FACT THAT PEOPLE WERE STILL PRAYING TO HIM?! OR THE AIR OF FAMILIARITY THAT SHE WAS SURE SHE WASN'T THE ONLY ONE WHO ALWAYS FELT AROUND HIM?! OR EVERYONE'S CURRENTLY HORRIFIED EXPRESSIONS AT THE REALIZATION OF WHAT HE IS ABOUT TO DO AND WHAT IT WILL COST HIM?!
...
IT WAS JUST...! IT WAS JUST...!
...
...
Why was he doing this to them...?
Did he not know how important he was to them all...?
Did he not know how devastated everyone would be if he disappeared…?
...
Why?
...
Just...
...
...
Why...?
-...L-lord Barbatos…! S-stop it, please...! -Jean heard Barbara cry by her side, it seems like her sister followed her here as well, though Jean was too preoccupied to notice her sooner. -Y-you are going to...! Y-you are going to...! A-and then what about us...?! W-what would we...?!
Jean could see that her sister was already taking it hard,
She was actually breaking down...
...
And she wasn't the only one...
...
All of the people who died were going to live...
…
This would have usually warranted a celebration,
But instead, everyone looked at the scene with dread...
...
Venti...Barbatos...
Their stupid Archon, who though himself useless and that it was fine if he was gone...!
...
He...
...
He looked more and more transparent with each passing second,
Slowly but surely disappearing from the world...
A few minutes have probably passed, but it felt like ages.
It was an agonizing amount of time for everyone watching, just standing there unable to intervene.
...
As their Archon was using his own life in order to revive everyone who died...
...
Looking so transparent now, that you had to squint to see him clearly,
With a look of unbearable pain etched onto his face...
...
He was pushing himself,
Really hard...
...
It was agonizing to watch,
Though Jean didn't have any choice in the matter...
...
Before long she could register hearing the dead people waking up,
Hopkins asking what happened and why "the stupid dragon" is still alive...
...
Barbara slapped him, hard, more than once,
As she told him about how everything is his fault,
And that she will make sure he pays for his sins in full.
...
She could also register Grace telling him that if Barbara won't be able to do it, then she will.
...
They should probably leave him and Jotun in Wolvendom with Andrius once this is over,
Without any weapons or any way to defend themselves against the Wolf of the North's rage...
*And his fury would be great, once he hears what they did...
...
They deserved it, for starting this horrible chain of events,
And indirectly killing their own Archon...
...
...
Their Archon...
...
Venti turned out to be Barbatos,
And she still wondered how no one noticed it before...
...
Were his personalities as "Venti" and as "Barbatos" really so different...?
Or were they all just blind to the truth of his real identity...?
...
...
As "Barbatos" she knew of him through books and epics, as well as words of the people around her. A benevolent and wise god, who would guide anyone who wished for it, just like he guided Mondstadt in its beginnings. One they devotedly believe in, even with his long absences, knowing why he decided to leave the nation right after establishing it. If only the people of other nations knew of it as well, instead of mocking Mondstadt for being a nation without rule, that their god "abandoned".
...
As "Venti" she saw him a lot of times on her strolls through the city. He was full of life (And sometimes mischief...Could it have been him who faked those documents during the "Treachery against the wind" situation so long ago?), experiencing as much freedom as he could, by singing songs, drinking Dandelion wine, freely wandering the city's streets and alleys and just having a great time. He was also welcoming and seemed to love lively places.
...
Both of them, "Venti" and "Barbatos", loved Mondstadt and its people very much,
Wanting its citizens to experience the freedom to choose their own way in life.
...
They were like two aspects of his personality, similar at their core.
...
Jean had many questions to ask him about,
But she feared that she won't be able to do so now...
...
She didn't want to accept it,
But what if he was really going to...?
- Everyone is alive now.. .-She suddenly heard Barbatos weakly say, as the Anemo circle and the wind barrier disappeared, and he started to weakly fall down to the ground below. -... I am glad...
- BARBATOS! YOU FOOL! -Dvalin yelled in shock and horror, catching him with his right front paw, at the realization of what just happened. - WHY DID YOU DO THAT FOR?!
-...You all died...Because I...Wasn't around...When it really mattered... -Barbatos weakly said, sounding so ashamed that it was hard to watch. -.. .I just paid...For this...Grave mistake... -He smiled lightly, looking at everyone around him, before looking at Dvalin again. -.. .I am...Sorry...For...Every...Thing...
Then he suddenly fell limp, eyes still open with their light gone, the teal colored light in his hair tips and body markings dimming as well.
-.. .BARBATOS...YOU...! - Dvalin slowly said in shock, which then quickly turned to horror. -... Y-you really...! Y-you moron...! Y-you stupid airhead...! -He looked like he was at a loss for words. -.. .How could you...?! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!
Was it just Jean's imagination, or did he look like he was on the verge of tears...?
He...He couldn't be...! He couldn't really be...!
-...Barbatos...Venti...Stop fooling around, playing dead...! -Jean pleaded as she crouched by and started shaking him over and over, but there was no reaction from him at all, as his body was just moving limply with the shaking. -... It's not even funny. You are scaring everyone...!
Which was a big understatement, as everyone were horrified, the horrifying feeling growing the more time passed. Some even looked worse than others, like her sister, Barbara. She looked like she was barely keeping herself from falling unconscious, a truly heartbroken look on her face.
-...I will check on him...-A familiar voice was suddenly heard, as Jean notices Kaeya crouching on the other side, taking their former Archon in his arms. She couldn't help but note how dead he looked...His head tilting backwards, his other hand and wings limp, his expression hollow, eyes blank and looking at nothing...No. If he was dead, he would have disappeared by now, right...? -...This place won't do. We have to go somewhere higher.
She heard Kaeya suddenly say, as he closed their former Archon's eyes with one hand, stood up and started going south of the trail and up the stairs. As she follows Kaeya with the others, she couldn't help but notice how quiet and depressed looking Dvalin was, as he is still sitting on the same spot, looking at his right front paw and crying.
-...Acting Grandmaster...-Kaeya suddenly tells her, in an eerily quiet voice. -...Can you check your Vision...?
Jean is not sure why he asked her to do that,
But she complies nonetheless…
*Feeling that she should.
-...It's…! It's grayed out...! -She said in complete shock, as she saw the state of it. -...B-but that only happens when the user is dead!
Why would it be grayed out if she's still alive?
...
Unless...
...
No!
...
It can't be…!
...
It can't…!
...
He can't really be...!
-So, it goes both ways. -Kaeya suddenly says, interrupting Jean's thoughts, and making her blood run cold. -...Just as I speculated...
The rest of the walk goes in complete, somber silence, everyone quietly following Kaeya and not knowing what to say or even think anymore.
…
Jean notices that more of the "revived" join them as they pass by, first looking shocked, then horrified and then resolute, as if accepting the situation, even if reluctantly.
…
They soon arrive at the waterfall of the Windwail Highland, and even though the view is nice and the water is clear, they continue walking. They turn right, passing the lone house, walking by the trail for some time, until they turn right again and up the hill.
Upon reaching the top of the hill, Kaeya suddenly stops.
-...This place will do. It's not the highest area, but you can still see a big enough part of Mondstadt from here. Our beautiful city right before us, the way to Wolvendom to the left, Springvale to our right, with the other parts of the land stretching far and wide…-He quietly says, as he gently puts Barbatos down, before moving a few feet back with his head bowed. Jean notices that the Archon looks even more transparent now, almost nonexistent. -...For someone who really loves the land and its people, it would have been a truly breathtaking sight...
It seems like it was really "the right place", for not a few moments later, Barbatos disappeared in a small gust of wind...
...
To the complete horror of everyone around...
...
...
They reluctantly accepted that he was dead now...
...
But disappearing like that, without even leaving a body behind...?
* Like he never existed to begin with...
...
No, something of him remained...
...
A strange chess piece appeared where he lay before,
Just silently floating above the grass...
...
...
But what just happened,
It was still hard to accept...
-N-no…! -Jean suddenly heard her sister's shaky voice, followed with a thud, as she turned around to find her fall unconscious. She could also see the people around her in different stages of grief, as she suddenly couldn't see clearly and felt wetness on her face, finding out that she was crying herself. Spotting that the blue lights of the statues of the seven at Windrise, Dawn Winery and Starfell lake have dimmed down, didn't help matters either. They just made the gravity of the situation even worse.
...
Barba...Ven...
*Jean found herself unable to even think of any of his names...
...
He said that a new Anemo Archon will show up after he...
...
But, how much time would pass until they "get over" what just happened...?
Would all of them be able to "get over" it or would it remain as a traumatic experience for some...?
...
Some of them, if not most, would probably have nightmares about it for a long time...
...
And also the Cathedral...
...
And the statue standing right before it...
...
And...
...
...
And Jean wished she could turn back time to the start of the day...
...
And instead of doing work like always,
She would have ran to Springvale at full speed,
And stopped this whole situation from ever happening...
