Hello!

Venti arrived at Sternenlicht in the early morning, when the Sun was rising over the Great Lake behind the city. It threw pastel colors across the water and reflected the puffy clouds in the sky. It would be a beautiful day to the festivals and tours with Aether. Lumine would not be there, for a reason that had been thoroughly explained to him but still didn't make sense. All that mattered was that he got Aether all to himself. He wouldn't have to worry about Lumine teasing the two of them if they seemed too "lovey dovey" to her. All in all, it was a perfect day.

;

Aether met him at the gates and led him through the city. They stopped at restaurants and museums. Aether was able to give Venti a personal history of almost every item in the building. The citizens of Sternenlicht were extremely welcoming to him, and Aether seemed to be shining in the sun. They went to the docks to feed the ducks, and eventually Aether goaded Venti into flying with him.

Once they were in the sky, Aether turned to him. "Are you glad you came? Just let me know if we can do anything to make your time here more enjoyable. Lumine would be horrified if she came home and learned I hadn't done enough to provide for you."

Venti was touched. Even if it was driven by terror of his sister, Aether cared enough to offer more to Venti. "No, everything has been wonderful so far my dear, you're doing perfectly with hosting."

They flew in silence for a few more hours. They glided through the skies, riding updrafts and speeding through gusts. When it came to dusk, Aether restarted shifting between forms, like he had once done with his sister in Liyue. He went from his human form to a Phoenix, golden and flaming in the night sky. He exploded into a deer, and galloped across the sky. It was amazing, and Venti felt himself falling for this gentle god as the night went on. Aether shimmered to appear in his true form. That of a long coiling dragon, a Tarakona in his native tongue. Aether twisted around him, and suddenly Venti wasn't flying anymore. He was standing on golden scales slowly shifting under him. Logically he knew how high up he was, but it didn't register in his mind.

He had never truly realized how large Aether's body was when flying among the great mountains of Liyue, but above Sternenlicht in the wide open sky, he could see just how tiny he was in comparison. Even MORAX would be small against this giant starborn deity. This is when he realized exactly why Aether didn't go around as a dragon, he was literally bigger than the entire city he lived in.

He could crush it in a moment. (This is not foreshadowing, Aether is not going to stomp on his city)

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When Aether introduced him to the mayor of Sternenlicht the man seemed a little scared. He was short, but not as short as either of the two, and beginning to bald on the top of his head. He quickly provided Aether with whatever he wanted(Venti wasn't paying attention), and seemed to want to collapse with relief when Aether thanked him and turned around.

They were relaxing in Aether and Lumine's house playing a strange game with cards and a great importance of the letter fifteen when a booming voice came from outside. Venti recognized it, he had never thought he would hear it again. He dreaded what news it brought.

Aether's eyes widened, the loud voice hard on his sensitive ears, and flew out the window. Venti hopped out behind him. They rose into the air where the voice had come from.

;

A woman with long white hair and a red embroidered dress was waiting for them. And behind her… all six other archons. This did not bode well for the two of them. Aether flew closer to the woman- the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, and spoke with her. Venti was too far away from her to listen so he looked to Rex Lapis. The dragon's expression was tense, he expected something bad to happen as well.

So of course, when Aether suddenly launched back and drew his sword Venti was not surprised. He was, however, quite disappointed. He would never wish to fight against his fellow Archons, however, it wasn't even a question whether or not he would fight Aether. He would take the consequences if he lived through this and lost, he would never forgive himself if he turned on Aether. Venti suspected that Rex Lapis might cause a bit of mischief as well, he had become very close friends with Lumine over the years.

This was the second time Venti would see Aether fight, this the only time he fought to kill. His intent made obvious by the sharp teeth and great coiling lengths suddenly twisting in the sky.

Aether was a huge target, but the Sustainer seemed to be having difficulty hitting him, she through attack after attack at him, and not one hit. Venti smirked and turned to the Archons. It would be tough to face them all at once, but he could do it. Dendro first.

The Dendro Archon was a solemn woman, with chin length white hair and dark pink eyes. She wore a long dark grey cloth twisted around her upper body as a shirt, with seemingly thousands of little tassels and charms dangling from her hair. In some cases they weren't even near her head, hanging down to her mid back. They jingled pleasantly when she moved, he had always liked them. She wore black leggings with a knee length armored skirt over them. The skirt was a dark maroon color and lined with intricate braids set with tassels. She wore no shoes and was always accompanied by a few birds. She possessed large golden wings that radiated a soft warmth. Venti would miss her.

The Dendro Archon hefted her claymore and took a deep breath. Venti nocked an arrow to his bow. He had always enjoyed Nym's company. She lowered her head. Venti could see the sorrow on her face. She had always considered Venti a kindred spirit of the sky. He lifted his bow, and took aim. A tangle of thorns cut at his legs, he ignored them. He drew the bowstring back. Nym made eye contact with him, and he knew she would never truly fight him. He took a deep breath. Nym smiled, and he felt her blessing. She forgave him.

He released.

He brought the bow down slowly and felt tears beginning to run down his face. He would remember her.

But there would be time for mourning later. There were still five Archons to take care of, Rex Lapis being unable to truly attack to his true potential.

The Shogun was next. A quick study revealed that this was indeed the Archon herself and not one of her copies. She summoned her spear, and Venti knew this fight would not be easy. He summoned a gale to flow her away, but she ducked her head through it and sliced the air in front of her. Venti was quick to catch a upward draft and avoid the blow, but she kept coming. He fired shot after shot, but she dodged all of them. Venti began to accept the end when a perfectly timed lash of Rex Lapis' tail knocked her out of the sky. It would be a while before she could get back up. Venti grinned. There was nothing to show that his buddy had even noticed what happened from where he was weaving through the sky near Aether. It was almost as if it had been a clumsy mistake from the large dragon. But Venti knew better.

He took out the Hydro with a well aimed shot whilst they were distracted. There was no telling whether they would get back up.

It felt almost as if they were winning, and Venti began to feel hope kindle in his chest.

Stupid.

Of course they couldn't win, they were outnumbered 6(.5?) to 2. A pained roar marked Aether's fall as he was encased in one of the cubic prisons of the Sustainer. In a desperate act with the seconds he had left, Aether formed a shimmering barrier around Sternenlicht. No hostile entity would be a belt to pierce it, not with the power of a panicked god behind it. The Pyro and Cryo Archons turned to him, and he knew his defeat. Rex Lapis' tail wrapped around him and flung him into the sky. He flew so fast that he couldn't tell which way was up. By the time be finally righted himself, he no longer knew which direction Sternenlicht was in. He allowed himself to drift to the ground, and crumpled into a ball, wrapping his wings around himself to form a cocoon.

;

An unknown amount if time passed, and Venti heard footsteps approaching. He knew who it was.

Zhongli smiled sadly at Venti as he bent down to his level. He wrapped his arms around Venti, and they cried together. Both of them mourning Aether's loss. Zhongli told him that he doubted Aether was dead, but neither of them had any clue where he may be. His friend held him as he drifted, losing the will to be awake without Aether there to keep him company.

Zhongli felt his friend fall into one of his long slumbers and sat there a bit longer. When the sun began to rise and herald the dawn he lifted Venti and carried him to a nearby mountaintop. There were no humans anywhere near here and Venti would be close to the winds. He was safe.

The day began, and the sun rose on a city bereft of it's gods. Sternenlicht was not destroyed, but it would be forgotten to time as the Archons were kept from sending their people to the grand city of trade in the desert.

;

Aether was stolen

Lumine would return to Teyvat five centuries later

Venti would sleep for four hundred and fifty years

The city of Mondstadt went through turmoil, but came out triumphantly with new laws and a few less nobles

Liyue remained dependably productive

On the day Celestia declared Sternenlicht too powerful and tried to destroy it, the people of Teyvat felt a great power. This was the defiance of a dragon nearly as old as existence itself. The Sustainer may have beaten Aether, but she would never be able to destroy the city he held dear.

The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles had made a mistake, one she would pay for dearly when the Tao Hiriwa returned. Lumine had never been one to put up with anyone threatening her brother. The Sustainer was in for a real beat-down.

It was the only mistake the Sustainer has ever made. The first and last, one might say.

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Hope you liked it :)