Wanmin restaurant was full that night. Not unusual for a day before a big festivity, but the number of people was above the average. A continuous flow of music led any wanderer towards the restaurant, accompanied by the alluring smell of quality food.

"Your bard friend is pretty good!" The Head Chef of the restaurant, Xiangling, said while sautéing a pan bigger than her.

Inside the kitchen, Xiangling moved left and right, deftly managing several plates at once. The astrologer Mona could only help by washing the infinite pile of dirty plates and bowls. For once, her vision was awfully useful at that, so she could take breaks once in a while.

"I guess so." Mona decided to idle with her scryglass, reading the fate of the Head Chef. "Mixing mint and Qingxin flower will ruin your night."

"Really? Huh. But I'm curious about the taste. The stars are really stingy with the descriptions… I wonder if stardust is spicy?"

"I'm more amazed at the fact that your fate is tied to food." The astrologer muttered. "The Trulla constellation represents charity and solidarity, a fate bounded by goodwill and the wretched poor. Yet a ladle is not only used in a canteen but experiments as well."

"So that means I should mix a Qingxin lizard, not the flower."

"That's not…" Mona helplessly watched how Xiangling pulled out a whole tar of dried lizards, throwing four or five into a pan. "Are you sure you do not need assistance?"

"Oh, yeah! Now that you mention it… Guoba! The sauté needs more heat!"

The orange panda appeared out of a barrel, waving at Mona before blowing fire into the stove. Her attempt at helping more was sorely thwarted by a familiar. They were so focused on the cooking that they never noticed that the music had stopped.

"People were already flooding here without my music." Venti appeared by the counter, sitting on one of the stools.

"You turned the flow into a stream! I've never had so much work! Dad's gonna be amazed at the money we'll earn today!" The chef was grateful, though the work seemed endless. "I almost have your meal as well! So you two can rest anyhow!"

"No rush!" Venti then motioned at Mona. "Come sit with your old pal."

"I suppose you are ancient…" She muttered, leaving the kitchen and sitting on the stool next to him.

"Hey, I heard that. I'm not that old. In fact, in this city, there are at least… well… one or two people older." He whispered, before clearing his throat.

"More like in the whole of Teyvat. Regardless, your music is quite soothing. I barely noticed the time flowing, even with all the clattering."

"I appreciate the words, my dear companion. Though we still need to deal with your Fatui issue, this almost feels like the crescendo of our travels, doesn't it?"

"Oh, right. My master didn't seem to mind when I explained our fight with those goons. She barely even checked the device. That old hag does it to mess with me, I am sure." Mona shifted in her seat. "Still. Even if we solve that issue, I can also try to help you get into Inazuma."

"I appreciate the offer. But like I told Ignatz, there's no reason for you to do it. And unlike him, you still feel chained by the help I've been providing to you." Venti doodled on the counter with his finger. "Which I've already told you, there's no need to pay me back for anything. Stone Gate was mostly you. The Fatui agents issue was a team effort. And you accepted the vow of silence I offered you after the Harbinger. If anything, I should be paying you back for the company."

"For someone so experienced, you're sometimes quite the fool, Venti. I'm saying it cause I feel like helping, just like you provided some assistance at Stone Gate. So cease your complaining." She rested her chin on her palm, observing how Xiangling worked.

"Fine, fine. My mouth is sealed. Do what your heart says." He slouched slightly before taking a deep breath. "Anyways, let's celebrate our successful arrival! No more boring topics that nobody wants to talk about."

"Honestly, after meeting with that old hag again, I'm not sure I want to talk about anything. I didn't want you to meet her because I was certain she'd attribute all I've done to you. Or maybe she'd completely ignore you. It's always one of the two." She tapped her fingers on the counter.

"Sounds like you have quite the story with her. Your master has to be quite good with astrology and divination for you to put up with those antics. I'd say you're already quite good with that scryglass of yours… Just ditch her and travel the world."

"Quite good is not enough for me. If I cannot tell your lies apart unless you want me to, then I have more room for improvement."

"Well, don't beat yourself over it. You're young and with great potential." Venti swung around on the stool and faced Mona. "But you know, I said no more boring topics."

"Gee, fine." Mona stared at the busy Xiangling again. "Have you ever eaten a lizard before? I have. And it wasn't pleasant."

"Ew, no thanks. I have eaten some horrible stuff though. My Inazuman friend once cooked me a meal. I'm still not sure how I came out alive of that one. But lizards? I don't think so."

"Then today's your lucky day!" Xiangling served two bowls of a stew with varied vegetables and a goo-like substance. "Eggplants, peppers, tomatoes and Qingxin lizard! I don't think I should have used dried ones, cause they turned up quite sticky."

As he observed the sticky mess that had become of the poor lizard, Venti started to subconsciously pray to himself. "C-Can we get something to drink too? Something strong, please… Oh right, you don't drink, right Mona?"

"I… I'll take the same as him," Mona answered, her eyes locked on the dish.

"Alright, with gusto!" Xiangling disappeared into the kitchen.

Venti clumsily took the chopsticks as he observed the slimy mass decorated with vegetables. He poked it with one of the sticks, testing if it was even possible to hold. The mass, much to his misfortune, seemed to hold up quite well.

"I'm blaming this on you. Why did you agree to work in exchange for this?" Mona whispered in a huss.

"Don't look at me! When she said 'experiment with food', I thought she'd mix rice with pasta! Not… whatever this is!"

Xiangling returned with two big cups of a caramel-coloured liquid. "Here you go, don't go too hard on it or it will numb your tongue!"

As both Mona and Venti expressed their dubious thanks, the Chef returned to her busy cooking tasks.

"L-Let's toast!" The bard took his drink and raised it. "Like say in Mondstadt, enjoy without hindrance! Cheers!"

With the clink of the glasses, they both took a sip of the odd drink. Though Venti enjoyed it, Mona wasn't so keen on it.

"Ew, what the hell is this? It tastes like fire." She held back the urge to scratch her throat.

"Hm? Too strong for a beginner, I suppose." Venti answered without much thought.

"Beginner? Please, I'm already going to surpass you."

They shared a nervous laugh, the smell of their plates reminding them of their scaly friend. The pair glanced at each other and counted down from three. In that instant, they took the slimy lizard and bit into it.

The gross texture, however, gave way to a sweet and sour taste that caught them off guard.

"It's actually good," Mona said between chews. "A bit spicy too."

"Yeah, spicy." Venti gulped down the mass and took a swing at his drink. "Very spicy!"

"H-Ha! It's not that bad…" She meekly answered as she took a long sip of her drink. "It somehow tastes better the second time."

"Yep! That's the spirit!" His joke wasn't met with laughter, so he added: "Get it? Cause alcohol?"

"I get it. It wasn't funny, Venti."

With their stomachs full, the duo wandered away from the busy street of Wanmin Restaurant. Though, for Venti, that was just the beginning of the night.

"I saw a nice place on the way here, let's go there." Venti took Mona's hand, leading her towards the city centre.

"It's a bit late, isn't it? We've been travelling the whole day." Mona insisted, but without much resistance.

"More reason to unwind! I got a bit of money from those nice lads in Wanmin restaurant, so we can drink more!"

"I guess for a day… Besides, screw that old hag. I'm coming back whenever I feel like it!" She proudly announced, motivated by the alcohol already in her blood. "As if I need someone to my boundaries, I'm free to do as I please! I'm already above her in many ways! So she's useless to me!"

Smelling blood in the water, Venti chose violence. "Yeah! Old people always act all know-it-all! Well, you know what?! Screw that bitch!"

"B-Bitch! Yeah, I said it! She's a bitch! Bitchy Witch!" Tasting the sweet epiphany of insults, the astrologer felt quite liberated. "Fuck the Hexenzirkel!"

"The what?" Taking the lead, Mona walked past Venti and pulled him away from Liyue's commercial street. "Wait, where are we going? Alcohol is that way."

"I want to show you something, it will be a moment!"

Letting Mona take the lead for once, Venti let himself follow the flow. When they started climbing the maze of stairs of Liyue, he thought that the astrologer was aimless. But then, after one final set of stairs, the view opened up. And after he saw Mona jump over to a nearby roof, he was fully on board with her ideas.

There, a full view of Liyue's night sky was almost completely visible. And deciding to take a rest from the streets, she laid down and stared at the stars. Thought hatless, she still loved the spot.

"You see the Triangulum constellation, right?"

Laying on the rooftop of Liyue centre, Mona happily started teaching Venti about the few constellations of the Liyue nightscape.

"Well, it is a triangle."

"Ancient people weren't that imaginative. But right above that one, see that bright star? Follow it eastwards. What do you see?" Mona was having much more fun that Venti, but the latter didn't mind.

As much as he tried, the city lights of Liyue made it hard to see. So he just guessed. "A stick figure?"

"Yeah! That's Andromeda. It represents honour and prowess. If your constellation is Andromeda, then you'll probably enjoy strategy and martial activities. But, it also means you'll work yourself to death." She briefly explained. "And next to it, there's… You can't see it. Shame. If we were in winter, you'd be able to see my constellation."

"Mine is… Almost got me there, but you can't know it. But since I'm nice," Venti searched the stars, but he didn't find the pattern. "Do you know where Altair is at? It's a star."

"Altair? Eh… Yes, there." It took a moment for Venti to see what she was pointing at.

"Okay, yeah! See that's Altair, then that's Deneb, and that's... Well, I think there should be another star around there. And it would be a triangle."

"Ah, the summer triangle? Altair, Vega and Deneb. It's not a constellation, but I commend your eagerness."

"See, a friend from Inazuma told me that I was Altair. And she was Vega. And her sister was Deneb." Venti reminisced for a moment, sitting up to stretch his back.

"W-What?" Mona also sat up, her eyes wide. "Do you know what that means, Venti?"

"Well, it was metaphorical. I'm not a star, so don't bite me." He laughed it off, but Mona didn't.

"Gee, this is why general knowledge is important. Ever heard of the myth? Altair and Vega were lovers, and they loved each other so much that they disregarded their duties. So they were separated, only being able to meet once a year."

"Well, I know. I was about to tell you that story as a fun fact… Why are you so flustered over it?" He scratched his head as Mona got closer to him.

"Well, why do you call her 'friend' then? Did it not work out?" She covered her mouth in realisation. "Wait, was it Baal? Is that why she hates you?"

Venti stood up, the roof tiles creaking slightly. "Oi, stop gossiping like a teenager. I'm the God of Freedom, not the God of Engagements, okay? And Baal doesn't hate me, stop saying that."

"Oh my god… was that Harbinger your son? Oh my god! Why didn't the stars tell me?!"

The bard pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. This was the reason he preferred to drink alone. He barely had a buzz while she was already giddy.

"Mona, please, stop with the baseless assumptions. You only had one drink. And I need more booze after this."

"Let's drink more then!" She stood up as well, wobbling for a moment before holding onto Venti.

In the commotion of another Tavern of Liyue, Venti and Mona continued with their one-sided celebration. After downing another shot of spirits, their mingling resumed.

"I can't believe you and Baal were lovers." Mona bumped his shoulder as if to emphasize her point. "And you had children?!"

"Where are you getting that from? I never said any of those things. We were just friends, and we didn't… well…" Venti was about to drink from his glass, only to see it empty. "No offsprings were created. Maybe I should create like, a liquor slime. I'll call it Bier. I'll drink it every night and then it will regenerate in the morning."

"Drinking your creations? That's creepy. But you really don't have any children? What a bore." Mona slightly slurred. "Rex Morax… wait, Rex Lapis has children. Why don't you?"

"The Adepti are more like, titles rather than children. Well, some were adopted, others moulded. That's a good theory though. Maybe he does have actual children. Cause, like, he was in love once. I didn't know him then but I think there may be some weird geo babies around…" Venti was tipsy, but not enough. Liyue's alcohol always tasted watered down.

"Tell me, tell me." She closed the gap between them.

"Oh, I rather not say it in his city. Nowadays he's not that much of a brute, but he would kick my ass if I told you." Besides, Venti knew Morax was around. Unsure of where, but he was close.

"Gee, boring! You don't want to talk about your lovers or the weird geo children." She pulled away and complained.

"Why don't we talk about your lovers?" Venti teased wrapping his arm around her. "Hmm? How many are there?"

She pushed him away. "Gross. There are none."

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

"What's that supposed to mean? I'm way too busy to even try." She checked the empty shot glass. "Another one! You still have money, right?"

Shots and more drinks after, the duo had hit an endurance roadblock. Or rather, the astrologer had.

"I think you've had enough," Venti said, barely holding Mona standing. "And that's coming from the Liquor God, so you better believe me."

The Liyue streets were mostly quiet. Late-night had swallowed most street lights, the few that remained flickering in the wind.

"Am… I'm fine," She slurred. "I just need to… need to sit down."

"Sure, star-girl."

He lead Mona towards a stone bench, illuminated by a lonesome streetlamp. The alcohol in their bodies made it hard to appreciate the chilly sea breeze that accompanied the spot.

"I guess you know your limit now." Venti thought out loud. "I've never had so many absinthe shots though. It felt like I was poisoning myself, I'm not sure how you're even standing."

"Cause you're… no match for me." She mumbled, resting her head on his shoulder. "So apologise to me, I deserve it."

"Apologise? For what? The hat thing?"

"No~! You called me a novice… I'm above expectations." Her head slid off his shoulder, though she recovered in time.

"Oh, uh, sure. You're better than I thought." He yawned, realising that he wasn't that drunk. He blamed Morax and his city's low-quality alcohol.

"That's not an apology. Gimme a kiss." Mona tried to peck at him. Though caught off-guard, Venti stopped her.

"No, thanks." He pushed her away, but she didn't let go.

"Wha? Now two. Gimme two." Once again, Venti placed his hand on her lips. She bit his fingers in response.

"Oi, stop it. You're drunk." He realised the irony of the situation as he pulled his hand away. "If you want me to kiss you, ask me tomorrow when you sober up."

She tried to wrap her arms around him. "My fae… fate is bounded to you. I deserve acknowledgement."

Venti once again stopped her, but this caused her to lose balance and almost fall back. He managed to hold her before that. "Hey, easy there. You can say the word acknowledgement but not fate? Now that's worthy of praise."

Taking advantage of Venti's hold, she hugged him and rested her head on his shoulder again. "Yeah… serves her right… Force her to praise me."

"Force who?"

"I didn't want to call her a bitch. You're evil, horrible… she'll never take me in again. A failure…" Her voice broke into sobbing. "Why doesn't she…acknow…me"

Her words became indistinguishable mutters, only stopped by stifled weeping. Whether she was complaining or asking for help, Venti understood a prayer when it was truthful.

Caressing her head softly, Barbatos spoke. "Calm down. Calm down and sleep, Mona Megistus."

As Mona's breaths became soft and long, Venti stared at the night sky again. With the city slumbering, the stars became more noticeable and beautiful. Maybe he should rest as well, even if he wasn't that drunk.

"I wouldn't have her drink in the first place." The deep voice of an unknown man snapped the bard out of his thoughts. Yet, the moment he saw the man's amber eyes, a wave of relief washed him over. "But it's good to see that you still have your manners, my friend."

"When have you seen me take advantage of someone drunk, Morax?"

"It's Zhongli this time. I gather by your current form that yours is Venti again?" The bard nodded, and Morax continued. "Though you have heart, to say that you don't take advantage of people would be quite the lie."

"Okay, well, I don't take advantage of people I like." He answered, averting his gaze. "Especially not… kisses or whatever."

Zhongli shook his head, crossing his arms. "It's been a long time. How was your trip?"

"I've had worse, I've had better." The bard adjusted his posture. "I may have a girl on top of me, but come on! It's been so long! Hug your old pal and let's continue the fun!"

"I rather not get closer to your alcoholic breath. And tomorrow's a busy day for me. Though I very much doubt I'd drink with you even if it wasn't. Especially in your state."

Zhongli moved in front of Venti, still maintaining some distance. The latter simply fidgeted in place, still hugging the slumbering astrologer. Morax, it seemed, had decided to make his current vessel quite similar to his usual Archon form. And that meant a form taller than the bard.

"Perhaps now you realise how annoying it is to deal with drunkards. Though, I suppose she's spared you from vomiting."

"It's not like I usually cry. I'm the fun type of drunk." Venti cracked a smile, but he couldn't maintain it for long. "For a moment I thought you kicked the bucket. You usually welcome me, you know?"

"I apologise. Your company prevented me from appearing. Especially since you already ran your mouth and revealed yourself. And to be quite honest, I rather not talk with you while you're inebriated. This meeting is a mere formality."

Zhongli hadn't moved from his spot, showing that he would like to maintain his distance. Both physically and emotionally. For the moment, at the very least.

"I suppose you're right," Venti answered, turning his head to the sky. Then, with a heavy heart, he turned to his old comrade. "You know, I've been feeling quite weird ever since I woke up. Mondstadt no longer remembers the Four Winds, Dvalin is still asleep and I'm scared of thinking about… what we did five hundred years ago. Maybe erosion is getting to me."

"I very much doubt that, my friend. You avoided the pain and entered stasis. It is quite normal to feel shackled by a wound you never let heal." Morax carefully chose his words, analysing his friend's reactions. "We should not talk about this now. Not when you have a potential hazard in your arms."

"True," Venti shifted his weight, trying to get Mona to lay down on the bench. But she responded by hugging him tighter. "Well, I'm not moving from here for a while."

With a soft cackle, Zhongli clasped his hands behind his back. "You never change, Venti. I believe you once said: I'm never getting attached to a mortal ever again. Yet here you are, like a bird protecting his hatchlings."

"That was probably a drunken thing. People don't think about somebody's lifespan when they make friends, you know that, right? I just… can't get over some deaths." Venti looked up at the sky again.

"We share a similar pain," Zhongli followed his eyes. "The night is quite beautiful. Are you perhaps remembering precious memories?"

"Maybe so, maybe…"

Tenshukaku lit up the night of Inazuma as a beacon of power. Barbatos flew to it like a moth, confident that he was invisible in the night sky. He approached the castle without much care, reaching the highest balcony of the keep. There, Baal observed Inazuma City, pondering over statecraft.

After a few interactions, the wisp could safely distinguish the two sisters. This time, he had no doubts about who waiting. Her gentle eyes. The serene smile. Her long and tied hair, though not as cared for as her sister.

Barbatos saw in Makoto an equal, somebody who respected his freedom. And for that, he respected her eternity. An eternity that wasn't distant and unshakeable, but malleable and hopeful like a morning breeze. Enjoy every moment of life to achieve true eternity.

"Hello, Makoto!" Barbatos, in his human form, floated towards the ambivalent figure.

"Oh, Venti. I almost thought you weren't coming tonight." Her posture relaxed, resting her arms on the handrail.

"I always keep a promise. I got into some trouble getting these. Cause I heard you like flower arrangements, so I brought you some local flora!" He sat on the handrail and materialised a bouquet. "To make up for the Shamisen instrument. It's quite fun to play!"

"Thank you very much, little wisp." She kindly took the flowers and started to identify them. "Don't tell me which one is which. I think I know all of them. The most obvious one is the Windwheel Asper. I never thought they actually moved like that."

"Well, I had to keep it alive by using a bit of my power. It's a very sensitive flower, so it will perish in strong currents or still winds." He pointed out.

"Is that the trouble you mentioned? That explains your tardiness. You're usually here before twilight." The pleasant scent of the flowers drew her thoughts somewhere else. "This is a Cala Lily. It smells a bit like cherry blossoms… Quite peculiar!"

Venti approached Makoto and caught a whiff of the Lily. "It does smell a bit like Inazuma, but I never put two and two together."

"That's because you only come to Tenshukaku. I'd take you for a stroll, but my shapeshifting abilities are quite meagre. They'd recognise me in an instant." Makoto continued with her flowers. "These are Dandelions, no doubt about it. They're so bright and yellow!"

"Dandelions are somewhat yummy. Since you like sour flavours, maybe it will compliment you too? You can chew it as a snack." Venti added with a half-smile.

"I'm not a goat, but I'll give it a taste when you're not looking," She lightly teased. "And the last one is a Cecilia. Easy to figure out when you wear it on your hair."

"Did you know that-" Venti started talking before Makoto finished the sentence for him.

"That Cecilia is your favourite flower? You like saying it a lot."

"Wow, evil! Now I'm going to get self-conscious every time I see them." He dramatically feigned shyness. Then, he looked inside the building to see nothing. "Oh, right. Where's Ei? I brought her something too."

"She's either taking a bath, sleeping, or both at the same time." She answered with a small giggle. "She used to train all night. If I don't tell Ei that taking a break is an assignment too, she'd never stop." Baal glanced up at the stars, taking a moment to remember. "Sasayuri's death affected her greatly. He was under her orders after all."

Venti glanced to the west, towards Yashiori island. Though he couldn't see it, the effects of a dead God could be felt even from so far away. "A divine punishment from Celestia, wasn't it? I mean Orabashi's punishment. If anybody is responsible, it's…"

Makoto placed a finger on his lips. "Nothing good will come out if you say those words. In that regard, you and Ei think the same. But that doesn't stop her from blaming herself. If I'm the pen, Ei is the sword that protects Inazuma. So whenever a violent death occurs, she blames herself for her lack of prevention. I fear what will happen if somebody close to her…"

"Let's not think about worse case scenarios. If someday things go awry and it all comes tumbling down, I'll drop anything I'm doing and come here. I don't care if it's Ei or you, wind is ceaseless."

"And eternal, is it not?" Makoto added, walking inside her bedroom. There, she placed the flowers into a receptacle. She spent a few moments adjusting each flower, placing one on the back, another one forward… Each flower had a spot in her mind. And she genuinely enjoyed taking her time wondering if it looked good. For Makoto, each moment was worth living. Even for silly things like fleeting flowers. "You didn't answer."

Venti was too busy observing her to reply. "Oh, sorry. I was looking at the stars?" He hastily made up, getting down from the handrail and facing her. "What did you ask?"

"Wind is eternal, don't you think?" Makoto asked once again, joining him against the wooden rail. "Unlike the ephemeral thunder and lightning, the wind is truly eternal. It never ceases even when you believe it to be gone. Whether sunny or cloudy, at land or sea, the wind is always there."

Barbatos wasn't the wind. That much he was sure of. But her words were embarrassing like she was referring to him. He couldn't comprehend why, but facing Makoto felt impossible at that moment.

"I dislike fighting but if you're in trouble, lightning will come to help you as well. Because Ei is not the stern caricature she presents herself as. She's a softie too. Like you, in a way." Makoto touched his shoulder, leaning into him slightly. "What's wrong? Do you believe differently?"

Both Makoto and Ei were taller than him. But at that moment, he felt even smaller.

"W-Well…" He was at a loss for words. "I mean, you can't really see the wind. It's so ever-present that you forget about it. But each lightning bolt is different. In their brief existence, your whole body turns to try and see that flash of sudden energy. And after a few seconds, with that image burnt into your brain, thunder appears and reminds you of how little you truly are. In the face of such a powerful entity, you're overwhelmed but exulted at the same time. A fine line of equilibrium between terror and admiration. And I think that… in that brief moment, you achieve a feeling not so easily replicated. Vulnerable but amazed. As if your soul and nature become one. True freedom in a sense, void of responsibility and pain. A moment that feels eternal. Until, well, it ends."

That was how he felt around Baal and Beelzebul. Overwhelmed by the latter, exulted by the former. But together, they were unlike any other God he had met. Perhaps that was eternity, or it wasn't anything at all. But those emotions were true.

"How many times have we met?" Makoto suddenly asked after a few seconds of silence. "Not counting our first meeting at Mondstadt, I can count four times."

"We've met more than once as Archons," Venti answered.

"I don't count those. It's not like we interacted much anyway." Makoto took Venti's hand and lead him inside her bedroom. It was lightly decorated, with a few cushions surrounding a short-legged table. "Come, sit."

It wasn't the first time he had entered her room. But it was the first time his heart was beating so hard after doing so. Why did it feel different? He just had to sit down, nothing weird with that.

Makoto sat down in front of him, her hair briefly weaving in the air. Then, she adjusted her kimono. Venti's eyes were stuck on Baal but he pulled them away, looking at a random point in the room.

"So few encounters and I think you understand Eternity better than many other people." Baal clasped her hands over the table. "People think of Eternity and think of consistency, stagnation and stillness. But for me, that's not it at all. Humans are a force of change, they change themselves and their environment. Stillness is anathema to humanity; to their very essence. Through time and space, perhaps that yearning for happiness will one day bloom and be achievable for all. Ephemeral like a lightning bolt, but intense like thunder. Free from the clutches of the skies."

"Maybe true freedom is eternal," Barbatos mentioned, his eyes meeting Baal's.

"Or perhaps true eternity is freedom."

They were both the same thing. That was his assessment. And that meant that Barbatos and Baal were connected in ideals. Like the nameless bard before, Barbatos felt that instant connection with the God of Thunder.

Had it not been for the walls that separated Venti from the outside, he would have flown away in a joy that he didn't fully comprehend. The ties he had not felt ever since the fall of Decarabian resurged in a way that he found himself lost in the conversation with Makoto.

How could it be that someone he barely knew had kindled the fire inside his heart with such ease? Perhaps Venti had felt that way ever since he first met her in that lonely tavern. But now he was sure that wasn't happenstance.

Makoto had to understand that those ideas: Eternity, Freedom, couldn't be contained in their nations. Everyone had a right to happiness. She understood from the beginning Barbatos never meant any harm to the other Archons, to other nations. That's why he had made up his mind. All those years of feeling empty… she was the piece he was missing. That unbridled joy he lost after the Revolution in Mondstadt. She enjoyed every moment, unbound and always open to new ideas. Makoto was truly free, unlike him.

She was the freedom to his revolution.

"I've never seen you so flustered before, is something wrong?" She suddenly asked.

His hands caressed his cheek for a moment as if that would fix his expression. "No, I'm fine! It's just that I had to run to get here, you know?" He smoothed out his clothes to prove the point. "Oh yeah, I... I brought Ei some Mondstadt cider. It's sweet but a bit sour too, so maybe you'll like it. It also doesn't have alcohol, so it's more like apple juice… Yeah."

"I'm sure she'll appreciate it. She still keeps that wine glass as a keepsake, did you know?" Makoto leaned in, resting her chin. Venti pulled away in response. "You're acting strange. Did I say something weird? I apologise if that's the case."

"No, no. It's just…" His words kept trailing off.

"Oh, I see. You're embarrassed about something, is that it?" Makoto correctly guessed. "Don't worry about it. You could say that I see the near future. And whatever you say, I won't get mad or anything, it's fine."

At that time, tunnel-vision had affected him. But at the time he was blinded by the lightning that was Baal and saw no holes in his assessment.

Makoto's smile assured his chances. And then, he said it. What he felt, that word he didn't fully understand yet was keen on comprehending.

Love.

"Are you sure you can allow leisure?" Morax's voice brought him back to reality. "The longer you take, the more lives will be lost."

"You ruined my thoughts. Argh, whatever. What makes you think I'm going there to save lives?" Venti raised his voice, not hiding his irritation. "Maybe in the long run, sure. But my goal is to show Inazuma that a better world is possible, and that's paid in blood."

Zhongli sighed, turning away from the bard. "Say what you want, but I know you better than anyone. Let's continue tomorrow over lunch. There's a lot we need to discuss."

"Yeah, whatever." Venti grabbed Mona's thighs and lifted her. He shifted his weight and, aided by his powers, started to walk towards no point in particular.

"You should stop avoiding the truth, Venti." Zhongli's tone didn't change, but the bard knew better. "Your memories will only swell and cause gangrene. And if it's too late, no amount of alcohol will save you."

"I know." The bard ignored his friend's warning. It was already too late to heed it.

What happened in Khaenri'ah was something he didn't dare to remember alone. No, not when Makoto… If Morax was with him, perhaps he'd be brave enough. But those thoughts were for tomorrow. Now he only needed to know where Mona lived, though he doubted she owned any type of home.

So he wandered around, his thoughts fresh of that night with Baal. The dizziness that accompanied him ever since he woke up again was disappearing. And with that, the memories he suppressed were starting to come back.