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Despite being the home of both the Archon of Anemo and the City of the Wind, Mondstadt was made of temperate weather and flowing, grassy hill tops. The sky so blue and tempting above was not easily accessible, as the country had no particularly tall mountains to speak of. By contrast, Liyue was a glider's dream. Some of the steepest climbs in all of Teyvat could be experienced in Liyue. Leaping from the top of one of those peaks could sustain flight for 500 meters, if not more. Not to mention the view, which was varied and yet always stunning. Fall kissed tree tops, shallow hot springs, flowing rivers. Traveling through Liyue was such a different experience than any Mondstadt born individual was accustomed to.
So naturally after spending the trip to Liyue Harbor slack jawed at the beautiful scenery, they were promptly implicated in a supposed assassination attempt on Rex Lapis himself.
It really did fit in with Venti's opinion of Liyue perfectly. Lovely country, gorgeous to venture through...horrid to stay in. The Geo Archon and he had never quite seen things eye to eye. Unsurprising given Rex Lapis' love for order and disdain for all things careless and "inefficient". So attending the Rite of Descension was already not high on the list of things Venti was looking forward to. Watching his age old acquaintance die from an unknown wound cast by a nameless foe and Lumine of all people being persecuted for it was just the cherry on top of this wretched debacle. Paimon and Lumine deciding to make a break for it definitely didn't help their cases at all, but it wasn't as though Venti could help them sweet talk their way out of it...they had purposefully split the group so as to not attract undue attention. Kaeya gave chase as soon as he was cleared of suspicion, which gave Venti the peace of mind he needed to investigate his suspicions.
While the body of the deity wasn't unconvincing, the circumstances and reactions of the Qixing officials were simply too out of character. Choosing to hide their beloved Archon's corpse away without any official announcement? Not allowing a shaman to verify the cause of death before moving said corpse? That was breaking so many traditions it made Venti's head spin. Either they were in on this plot the whole time...
...or Rex Lapis had just faked his own passing.
By the time he finally met up with Lumine and the others that evening, Venti was positive there was no way this stressful situation could get any worse. Until he saw Lumine chatting with a man who was quite obviously a Fatui Harbinger. A man of the same coven that had attacked him and stolen his Gnosis. A man who had, of the supposed goodness of his heart, helped Lumine escape and was funding her efforts to clear her name and discover the truth. With no talk of debt or repayment at all.
Because that wasn't the least bit fishy.
"Oh Childe is definitely up to something," Lumine agreed as they prepared for bed in the safe house the aforementioned Harbinger had secured for them. "Sadly, it's not as though we have a lot of other options right now. He has contacts, money and next steps for us to take. We need all three of those things or else this trip has been for nothing."
"And you fear not the fangs of the snake whose mouth you wander?"
Venti knew he was being a bit petulant, but was it really so unreasonable to be deeply uncomfortable with the idea of being indebted to a man certain to betray them later?
Lumine offered him only a shrug and a pat on the head. "Playing his game may relax his guard a bit. Ideally, we clear our names, find out the truth, and learn something useful about my situation. And should he show his hand to us, then we cut the head off the snake. We will just have to roll with whatever twists and punches the story throws at us, as always. A certain Anemo Archon urged me to enjoy the journey, so that's what I'm trying to do."
Rolling his eyes, Venti buried his head in his pillow to block out her quiet laughter.
Their tale was determined to keep it's audience held in rapt suspense, throwing them another curve ball rather quickly. Though...Venti surmised that the only person truly aware of the magnitude of that twist was him. Him and their new friend Zhongli of course. His self proclaimed role as a funeral parlor director was a flimsy one. Almost immediately he contradicted himself by citing historical ceremonies from 2000 years ago, which had actually not been practiced in Liyue for several centuries. It wasn't that his presence, alive and breathing, didn't give Venti some degree of peace of mind. It was just a tad painful watching him blunder his way through bartering for supplies while having even less mora on his person than Venti did most days.
Throughout it all, Venti really did have to appreciate Lumine and how well she had taken his advice to heart. Scaling the insurmountable heights of Qingyun Peak and collecting every plant and ore in her path? Typical Lumine. Using her culinary skills to perfect the art of making perfume? A bit out of her wheelhouse. Didn't stop her from delving into it wholeheartedly and prospering in her newfound skills. The pure joy of discovery really was a good look on her. It was hard to stew in his own angst when she went to such great lengths to include him in her ventures.
Like when they were instructed by one of the mighty adepti to journey to a platform in the sky to fetch some notes. A menial task. Taxing too for the minimal reimbursement. But when they finally scrambled up and into the sky-bound library? Being so far above the clouds, even Celestia seemed just out of reach instead of leagues away. The sun crested the horizon only moments after they found what they were sent to retrieve and not pausing to marvel at how the rays of dawn reflected along the clouds would have been a sin. That gentle light chasing away the dark and bathing them in yellows and reds was surely the most lovely sunrise Venti had ever witnessed.
Or...it would have been, if he had been looking at anything other than Lumine. The tip of her nose was red from the frigid air whipping around them. Her pretty white dress was stained from a mud bath given to her courtesy of a hydro Abyss Mage earlier. But her eyes...those golden depths sparkled with a spectrum of hues that put the sky's brilliance to shame. She turned to him, face alight with wonder and asked, "Isn't this amazing, Venti?"
"Mhm. Beautiful," he breathed, not referring to the view in the slightest.
Venti had considered kissing her then. It would have been such a picturesque scene. The type of heart melting, romantic imagery love ballads were made of. Yet, the moment passed, just as so many others had. He had no words for the cause of his hesitation. It was not logic that stayed his hand. Not since he had made the educated choice to let this maddening passion burn him even if it was ill advised. Nor was it a genuine fear of rejection. Something within him had not yet broken free of his thousands of years of restraint and solitude. It wouldn't take much to tip the balance. Naught but a push. Yet, if perfectly crafted moments like that one weren't enough of one, Venti could scarcely imagine what would be.
Their story, cruel and vicious thing that it was, provided him the answer to that unspoken question.
Childe's betrayal came to light with all the expected dramatic flare and just at the least opportune moment. What else would the Fatui want with Rex Lapis' body aside from his Gnosis? It was a bit of a funny situation. Especially the fact that Zhongli had leant them his strength while they chased down the Harbinger. Even played up the act of pretending to be concerned about the "corpse" hidden deeper in the domain. Lumine and Paimon were understandably thrilled to have his aid in this venture. After all, their current forces were comprised of Lumine, Barbara, Kaeya and himself. Perhaps Diluc could have gone toe to toe with a Harbinger and led them to victory, but he was back in Mondstadt and time wasn't on their side.
Still, something about this whole situation sat like a rock in Venti's stomach. Childe was a schemer. He hid his true thoughts and intentions behind pleasant smiles and faux friendliness. There was no way he hadn't determined the truth yet. Which meant that his flight deeper into the Exuvia wasn't him rushing to his prey.
It was him setting a trap.
If his old acquaintance knew that much, he certainly didn't seem concerned. Zhongli marched off after Childe immediately, leaving the rest of them to catch up. Before Lumine could follow, Venti leapt forward and captured her wrist in his hold. Bewildered by the anxiety Venti knew he wasn't able to mask, Lumine's voice seemed almost alarmed "Venti?"
It was hard to meet her eyes, let alone speak. Elegance failed him now as it did back when Vennessa, brash and brave and beautiful, walked straight into a death sentence with no fear in her heart. Oh fate, you wicked thing. Time marched forward tirelessly yet history couldn't help but repeat itself. Why did he always grow fond of the hero types again?
"I don't suppose I could convince you that it would be most prudent to cut our losses and flee this place?" Venti asked with a sheepish smile, already knowing the answer before her face hardened into resolved defiance.
"Not a chance."
"Mhm, mhm. Thought as much. And, purely for the sake of argument, if I were to imply that our upcoming bout were to be against death incarnate and that even with the might of hypothetically...one and a half Archons, we have little hope of emerging victorious...what say ye then?"
Quirking a brow in amusement, Lumine stopped fighting against his hold. "I would say that your calculations are flawed. Perhaps we need a reminder in how to count, Lord Barbados? I see before me a Captain of Ordo Favonius known for his clever tactics, the most skilled healer to emerge from the Church of Favonius in decades, one and a half Archons and a humble traveler who cares far too much for this country and it's people to give up now. Our foe may be fearsome but he is isolated and overconfident. Sometimes you can't fold a fine hand waiting for a better one. For who knows if one will ever come? Fortune favors the bold, as they say. So yes. We are going. Any further objections dear bard?"
Ah. Yes. That was why. Despite his lack of focus on his godliness, Venti did have an admiration for those whose faith was strong. Not necessarily in the Gods, but in themselves and their allies. That spark of rebellion was what had enraptured him time and time again. To face down certain death with only one's dreams and boldness to carry them through...that was the most human thing Venti could think of. And in this case, that dream was so selfless. That was the sort of cause Barbados supported with all his might. So too would he sponsor this fight.
Even if the stakes were higher in a much more personal sense...
Closing his eyes, Venti could only smile wryly in defeat. With one final squeeze of her wrist, he released her. "Only that dying now would surely squander such a brilliant speech. A warning though, as an Archon, do beware of trickery. This enemy is swift and strong, so do not overreach." Brandishing his bow with a wink, Venti held out a hand to his steadfast champion. "Now come, Traveler, let's go secure our victory."
Lumine's wide, grateful grin lightened the doom and gloom raging in his chest. Though as they walked hand in hand back to meet the others and face their opponent, Venti's mind could not forget the thrilled look on his boy's face as they conquered the Tower of Decarabian. And how his face had slackened in eternal slumber so shortly after.
Who do the Gods pray to for victory in their time of need? For protection of their loved ones? Perhaps that was why so few chose to love at all. As they waded into battle, as they had so many times before, Venti decided to take a page from the guidance of humanity, vowing to himself and his name that he would do whatever it took to see the dawn of the next day with these brave souls all still present at his side. The fear felt further away then...but never strayed too far.
Delusions were artificial visions, stores of horrifying power and capable of bringing ruin to all around them. Not just the wielder's foe, but also the user themselves. Electro and hydro together were a fearsome combination. And Childe was already gifted with such an adaptable vision that he ran circles around their party with ease. Watching that wicked power transform him into some shell, a puppet mastered by only the desire to fight and win...it was frightening. None of them hesitated more so than Kaeya, whose eyes had this far away quality to them, leaving him distracted and vulnerable through the rest of the fight. They didn't have time to wonder what was causing his preoccupation, but Venti had a pretty good guess.
The Tsaritsa's wicked delusions were meant to give "godlike" power to their users. Venti had to admit that the likeness was valid. Even against the five of them, being healed so frequently by Barbara's song, the beast Childe transformed into could easily overpower them. Every bone in his frustratingly weak body ached to steal Lumine away from this room, lest it become her final resting place. She and Zhongli were putting up one hell of a fight, but the more they wore down their opponent, the deadlier he became. Her dress was tattered, covered in a splattering of blood and drenched through with water. Barbara was doing her best but as soon as she and Zhongli's injuries had been healed, more wounds took their place. They needed to turn the tide. Anything could break the steady stalemate they were currently stuck in.
Sadly, Childe too was looking for such an opportunity.
And he found his first.
A simple side step. That was all it was. But with so much moisture in the air and on their clothes, that was enough for Kaeya's well meaning Frostgnaw to freeze Zhongli instead of their enemy. His mistake gave both Kaeya and Lumine pause, minds whirling with uncertainty about how best to proceed without the brunt of their offensive power. It was enough time for Childe to strike out at his next target. Not Lumine, who was his next most troublesome worry after Zhongli. Not Barbara, who kept them going. Not even Kaeya or the Geo Archon himself.
Childe's electro infused arrow was fired at Venti.
It made no sense. His contributions to this battle were near worthless against the Harbinger, whose raw power brushed away his gales like a pleasant breeze. Yet, as the arrow buried itself in his shoulder, Venti saw through the haze of pain at once why he had been targeted. Lumine, blessed girl with a heart of gold and a crippling amount of love for her allies, let her guard down. Just for a moment. And there was no hope of blocking the savage thrust of Childe's blade, which pierced her stomach.
Even the air around them seemed to fall still. Monstrous though he was in this form, Childe seemed just as shocked as the rest of them to watch the red spread quickly along Lumine's dress. Despite the ringing in his ears, Venti heard her shaky words as she slumped to her knees. "Maybe...I wasn't...meant for this world." The sound of her body meeting the wet ground echoed through the chamber.
To be perfectly honest, the rest was sort of foggy in Venti's memory.
He remembered stumbling back to his feet, gales howling in his ears, blocking out the distorted screams.
Then leveling his bow with the body being shredded by sharp winds, electrocuted, and frozen all at once. The magic gathering at the tip of that arrow was not meant to disarm or dismember. It was a potent type of Anemo energy that he had once used to cut a hurricane asunder and erode the tower of the tyrant. Unused for over 2000 years. The only thoughts swirling in his mind as he let that arrow loose were...
Not her.
Not here.
Not yet.
The toll on his body was immediate. It felt a bit like his insides were being boiled. The elemental energy of an Archon was not generated by their Gnosis, but it was how they regulated it. Unchecked, his power could create a typhoon the likes of which had not been witnessed since the God of Storms walked Teyvat. Anything around him would be ripped to pieces by the force...even his own body. Using even a fraction of that power without any way of preventing collateral damage to himself and already very weakened from his previous slumber and the attack by La Signora...let's just say it was stupid of him. Very, very stupid.
Zhongli did not restrain his wholehearted agreement with that appraisal.
"You fool," he hissed, attention split between Venti and the collapsed form of Childe, who had yet to so much as twitch. Had he killed him? With his delusion there to protect him, Venti very much doubted it. Though, he wasn't about to mourn the man if he had. "You could have brought this entire place down on our heads. Not to mention the long term effects such recklessness will have on you."
Venti coughed wetly, smirking through the pain as he climbed back upright onto shaky legs. "Spare me the lip for my sacrifice. T'would not have been necessary had you not been on ice."
It wasn't the most civil way to thank the Geo Archon for his assistance. Though, his plot to draw the Fatui's true nature out of hiding was in fact the reason for this conflict in the first place. Staggering over to where Barbara was working frantically over Lumine, he overheard her and Kaeya discussing a need to get her better treatment than the cold, unforgiving floor would provide.
"That pharmacy near the square should suffice. I can carry her," he offered.
Kaeya rolled his eye, heaving Lumine's limp body up and into the cradle of his arms before Venti could stop him. "Sorry, friend. You don't exactly inspire confidence at the moment. Just focus on not falling over between here and there, hmm? I'd rather not have to carry two people."
Journeying to Bubu pharmacy passed by in a blur. The pharmacist, Baizhu, remarked dryly that they were not a clinic, but led them to a backroom without much fuss anyway. With only one bed and very little other places to sit, Venti threw himself down in the corner of the mattress, pressed against the wall to leave room for Lumine. Barbara glared at him, but since he wasn't actively in the way and reviving Lumine was a far more pressing issue, no one forced him to move. Getting to hold her clammy hand as they worked furiously to save her was the only thing keeping Venti from passing out, though he did not expect anyone to pay him any mind.
They forced some foul concoction down her throat, all losing a bit of their tension when Lumine gave a faint gasp in retort. She was alive, at least. Tending to her wounds was an ordeal. The Dendro mage and his zombie were remarkably talented though, lucky for them. It took several nauseating hours of uncertainty, but Baizhu proudly declared that there would be no outstanding evidence of her brush with death, not even a scar. She was, however, in a bit of a medication induced coma. Just a precaution meant to help her heal. Most people came out of it on their own in a day or two. Barbara vowed to monitor her, just in case.
There was some other conversation occurring between the healers, but Venti had long since stopped listening. Curled up beside her on the bed, his fingers wrapped gently around her wrist, counting the spaces between each pulse. His eyes watched the slow rise and fall of her chest, still not entirely convinced the rhythmic motion would not halt. The only treatment for that particular fear would be those brilliant golden eyes he adored so much blinking open again.
"Venti," Barbara scolded from outside his line of sight. "You heard Baizhu. Lumine is going to be fine, so long as she gets some rest. She can't do that with you crowding her like this!"
"I'm not bothering her," he mumbled, voice devoid of its usual playful lilt.
"Be that as it may, I still don't want to risk you setting back her recovery. And honestly, she isn't the only one in need of some sleep. And a bath. Or at least getting out of those grimy clothes."
Exhaustion was a suffocating presence in Venti's mind, but it would not be so simple to ease this sort away. In truth, Venti was rather surprised his mortal form had yet to wither away into thin air. Though, without a Gnosis to stabilize his ethereal form, that would have been...disastrous. At best, he would disappear for a couple hundred years before waking once more. At worst, he would simply cease to be. His residual energy merging with the wind, from which it was born.
In short, a nap was not going to cut it here. But he would spare Barbara the gory details of that part.
"Venti," she hissed again, standing over them with her hands on her hips. It was rather strange for her to be without a smile for so long. Perhaps she was the one in need of some sleep.
"Barb," Kaeya cut in from the open door way. "Let him stay."
"I shall do no such thing. Lumine is my patient and she needs to recover. Smooshed against another person in a tiny sickbed does not for a speedy recovery make."
"Getting him to leave her will cause much more fuss and potentially harm than leaving them be. Truthfully I don't think you have the energy for that fight at the moment either."
"She's barely even decent," the blond huffed, voice losing its edge.
That was a valid argument. Baizhu had cut away her dress to reach her wounds. All that covered her now were bandages that ideally would have no use in a day's time and a thin sheet. Kaeya had stayed politely outside the room unless called on to fetch something. Venti simply did not associate the view with anything uncouth. Whatever human emotions and urges he had towards his darling Lumine, they certainly weren't at the forefront of his mind while she dangled over the edge of life and death.
Kaeya seemed to know that.
"Yes, and he is definitely lying there consumed by want rather than worry. Obviously." His sarcasm was more dulled than normal. He was tired too. "Everything important is covered anyway. Just let it go Barbara. We can revisit this argument after we've had some damn sleep, if you must."
The healer was quiet for a while, gaze heavy where it focused on Venti. Shifting his gaze over to her made his eyes ache (not a good sign). Venti knew Barbara was a sweet hearted girl with pride in her art and only good intentions. It did not please him to agitate her, at least not with this, but the only way he was leaving this spot was if he was dragged out. And Kaeya was right: none of them needed that sort of added stress.
"I want to listen to her breathe," he admitted, feeling a bit too raw for comfort, but wanting to give his friend some sort of explanation. Venti buried his face in the crook of Lumine's neck, taking comfort in how her smell had not been tainted by the scents of blood and medicine. "It's the only way I'll be able to turn my brain off long enough to rest. Please. Just until she wakes."
The conflict on her face morphed into sympathy immediately. All of the fight left her with a sigh and a weary nod. "Very well. But I reserve the right to kick you out if I think you're being a hindrance. Understood?"
"Yes."
"Good." Blowing out the single lantern in the room, the girl's voice drifted to him as she followed Kaeya out of the room. "Sleep well. I'll return in the morning."
The morning brought with it news. Things Venti should probably have found an interest in. Maybe one out of every three bits of information caught his attention. Zhongli had arrested Childe, who was still very much alive. The Fatui had been strangely silent. Lumine did not wake.
More of the same the next day. Childe had not said a peep. Barbara made Venti bathe and dressed Lumine more properly. Lumine did not wake.
Zhongli came to visit. Childe would apparently only speak to Lumine. Lumine did not wake.
Jean and Diluc arrived in Liyue Harbor to interrogate Childe. Without Lumine, they got nothing out of him. Lumine did not wake.
The Fatui had not called for the release of their Harbinger. Barbara checked Venti's pulse before Lumine's, muttering to herself that he looked a bit sickly. Lumine did not wake.
A hand in his hair roused him from his stupor the next morning. Something new. Not a touch he was accustomed to. When he cracked his dry eyes open, it was Jean he saw sitting in the chair beside the bed. Had he all his facilities, he would have laughed at her for looking at him with that worried expression. As if the tables had not been turned not too long ago when she worked herself into a fainting spell. It seemed like too much effort though, laughing. Also a bit rude. The hand in his hair was very nice. Venti leeched a bit of Anemo energy from her touch. It smelled like the dandelions in the fields outside his beloved city.
"You can't keep on like this, Venti," she said, voice soft and sad. "Even a being like you must maintain the body you're in. You need food. Water. Real sleep."
"M'fine."
"You're not. You told Barbara you would sleep if you were allowed to stay close to Lumine. Why haven't you?"
Huffing a sigh out through his nose, Venti hid his face in Lumi's neck again. His sanctuary. "I said I'd rest. Not that I'd sleep."
Jean hummed at the distinction. "Your body needs the sleep though. You're making yourself sick staying up so long. So allow me to ask again: why haven't you slept, Venti?"
That wasn't a question he wanted to answer. Not to anyone. Just like the topic of his Gnosis and how he came to be called Barbados, there were certain things he was not meant to share with mortals. Lumine has the sole exception. She was not of this world and more so, seemed like she might share his affliction of longevity. Yet, if there was anyone else deserving of his honesty, it was Jean. His identity wasn't a secret to her anymore. And she did so remind him of his dear Vennessa.
Maybe that was why the words tumbled from his lips.
"Lately when I close my eyes, I am struck with a fear I can't quite escape. It haunts me even in my dreams. How the world around me could shift and decay whilst I, trapped in the realm of nod, am powerless to stop it. My sole comfort this past year has been waking with Lumine and the others sleeping contently beside me. Proof that I had not simply vanished from the world like the morning dew."
Her surprise was almost tangible. "Would that happen? You falling asleep and not waking up...for years?"
"I laid down for a rest shortly after Vennessa ascended to the heavens and woke to find that Dvlain had been corrupted by the Abyss Order. What felt like hours had been a thousand years. My first question every morn is what year it is, not what's for breakfast. It is a hard habit to break...and unfortunately still very much necessary."
"Venti I'm sorry. I had no idea."
Venti hoped she could not see his bitter, rueful smile. It was unfitting upon his face. Woes of the realm of mortals were meant to be incapable of touching the ever childish and pleasant bard Venti. That was the guise he had constructed for himself. Even the mythic Barbados was said to be carefree and fickle in where he bestowed his wisdom. Heavy burdens such as loneliness and existential dread should have been beyond him, in all his forms.
Alas, the best remembered stories were rarely built on accuracy.
"Think nothing of it, Jean. I vowed that I would see this journey through to the end. For Lumine's sake, I will make it through."
"At this rate, I doubt your convictions will be enough to ward off the inevitable." Jean stood to leave, eyes full of a helplessness she wasn't used to. "For what it's worth, I don't think Lumine would be pleased to know you're torturing yourself just to help her."
Tracing a hand reverently across the sleeping face of his beloved friend, Venti's voice was naught but a hollow whisper. "I know."
Words danced on the tip of his traitorous tongue. How his long sleeps were born of him siphoning energy from Celestia to restore himself. Being the least connected to his people, the process took him far longer than the other Archons. Now, without his physical connection to the land of God's, would he ever be able to gain enough strength to reform? Or would the moment he slipped off into the seductive embrace of slumber be his curtain call to this world? Venti the Bard exeunt, stage left.
Luckily, he did not voice any of those things. Jean turned back the way she came and once again he was left to drift precariously between wakefulness and sleep.
The world was quiet when next he was roused. Even the night outside the window seemed hushed. No chirping bugs or lovestruck frogs. Liyue Harbor never truly slept, but it seemed so deceptively far away in the intimate bubble they were cradled in. At first, Venti wasn't even sure why he felt the need to snap to attention. A cautious stretch of his unused limbs sent his mind into high alert. The bed was empty. His frantic hands could still feel the warmth of her form in the indent where she once laid prone, but she was not in arm's reach. Jerking upright, Venti forced his foggy eyes to focus, seeking out any bit of movement in the dark room.
It didn't take him long to spot her. Barbara had insisted upon bandaging her rib cage, acting as a brace in case her bruised bones had yet to mend. That worn fabric now pooled on the ground around her feet. Back turned to him, she had rucked up the ill fitting dress she wore to examine herself in the full length mirror in the corner. Lumine ran her hands gingerly across her own abdomen. The air in the room was tense, stale, but didn't smell of salty tears. It was a small comfort.
"I thought I'd scar," she explained quietly, as though raising her voice would disturb the atmosphere.
Venti swallowed dryly. "Baizhu and Qiqi are truly skilled."
"Mm."
It was hard to tell what mental state she was in. Partially because this was uncharted territory in their acquaintance but also because it was hard to keep his mind focused on anything. How many days had he waited so patiently for her to rejoin the land of the living only for his body to fail him now? Ridiculous. Rubbing at his burning eyes, Venti heard Lumine pad closer to the bed. She made no effort to dress herself further, though there wasn't exactly an easy way to do that even if she wanted to. Barbara had taken both their normal clothes to be cleaned and mended. Venti lounged in only an oversized shirt and some small clothes. There had been no point in decency when the brunt of his activities for the day were limited to imitating a rock.
Cool hands crept up to cradle his face, coaxing a relieved sigh from him. Oh, how he had missed her touch. Tilting his head up so she could get a good look at him, Venti heard her click her tongue. It wasn't hard to guess why she was displeased. If Barb and Jean could be believed, his exhaustion and malnourishment showed upon his face. Admonishment from Lumine at least would actually stick, though he wasn't sure how much power he had to fix these issues himself anymore.
"You overdid it," she accused, pushing him to lay back against the sheets. Venti blinked up at her, confused as to how she came to that conclusion when all he had done for days was bum around. "Expending so much Anemo energy at once is dangerous without your Gnosis, isn't it? And trapping yourself inside away from the wind? No wonder you're so tired."
Straight to the heart of the matter as always. Unlike Paimon, Lumine had caught on to the finer details of Gnosi, Visions and Archons rather quickly. Still, it was strange having someone around that could identify energy deprivation at a glance. Strange and yet also reassuring.
Swinging a leg over his waist, Lumine straddled him without waiting for a response. Had his body not been so pitifully sluggish, he was sure his blood would have raced to places none too innocent. Lacking context their current position was pretty suggestive. Especially in their current state of undress. As things were though, thoughts of that nature were better reserved for when their bodies weren't both recovering from states of disuse.
A flood of Anemo magic seeped into him from where Lumine's hands were planted firmly on his chest. While his form lapped the gifted energy up gratefully, his mind rejected such an untimely offering. "Don't," he rasped, feebly trying to break the contact between them. "You're still healing."
"Hush." Even after having been in a coma for about a week, she was still much stronger than him. All his struggles were in vain. "I'm just giving you enough to get back to your feet."
Venti didn't have the heart to tell her that he might need the better part of a month and the type of gales not found here in Liyue for that to happen. Even this small bit of power was working wonders though. Like taking a drink of cold water after traversing the desert. Sadly, also like that scenario, he was already starved for more. His mind felt like his own again at least. That was a welcome development.
"Lumi, enough," he assured, sitting up and luxuriating in how clear his head felt. "I don't want to take too much from you."
Their faces were so close. And now with some semblance of his personality regained, he could acknowledge that his heart was a maelstrom of complicated, sticky emotions. All focused on Lumine. Untangling that knot of feelings would be agonizing, but the most common trend among all his current inclinations was that he really, truly, desperately wanted to hold her. How rare a treat to actively desire the lowest hanging fruit.
Before he could wrap his arms around her, Lumine was hopping off his lap and gathering the sheets in her arms. At Venti's dumbfounded stare, she snorted.
"What? I said I was just giving you enough energy to get to your feet. I meant it. Let's go."
"Go...where?"
"Windrise. Where else? I almost died and you look fit to keel over. I'd say the two of us are pretty down on our luck right now. Seems as good a time as any to regroup."
Warmth bloomed in his chest as he caught her meaning. The symbol of Mondstadt's hero. Where the wind coming through the branches smelled of safety and healed his aching heart. Twice she followed him there as he fled to lick his wounds. She wanted to take him home. To the place he said could purge him of impurities. Ducking his head, Venti hid his wet eyes beneath his bangs. How long had it been since anyone had sought not just his protection, but his happiness? Had anyone ever paid him such care?
The answer was a bit too depressing for how unstable his emotions were.
"Lumine," he whispered reverently, arm reaching out to catch hers and drag her nearer. "Take care to mind what it is you say. Some unknowing fool may get the wrong idea some day. And while your offer has brought me cheer, I'm afraid you are still needed here."
Leaning down, Lumine pressed her forehead to his. Looking at her wasn't very easy like this, but the intimacy brought solace to his heart. "As if I could go on without my trusty bard at my side. Matters have waited this long for me to recover, haven't they? What's a little while longer in the grand scheme of things?" One of her hands ran through his unkept hair, nails scratching pleasantly along his scalp. "I'm glad you have enough energy to speak in rhyme but I can tell you're barely keeping it together. If Windrise is too far, fine, but we must do something. What is necessary to restore you? What do you need?"
You, he wanted to answer. Only you, here alive, with me. Forever would be preferable but any time at all would do.
"Anemo energy," he said instead. "Plenty of it. And time. Both best acquired through communion with Celestia but alas that is a wrinkle too stubborn to unfold."
"How so? You told me once that Archons don't sleep like humans. That instead of resting as we do, your core connects to the realm of the Gods. Is that no longer true?"
Venti winced, cursing himself for being so foolishly forthright with her. It was oh so difficult to lie by omission when your audience knew the subject matter well.
"No, you speak true. I have just neglected a detail or two."
Arching an eyebrow, Lumine motioned for him to continue. Not looking particularly surprised. It would not do him well to try and deflect here. He was too wary of bottling everything up for so long anyway. If he had to be vulnerable, he might as well go for broke. He knew she would not misuse this information. Heaving a heavy sigh, Venti let loose another secret not meant for mortal ears.
"Our mortal forms and our souls are not inherently tied as humans' are. In times where we have been too injured to maintain a tangible body, we simply disperse and return to Celestia. Rest awhile and then rebuild ourselves on Teyvat when we are healed. While we always have the ability to journey forth to Celestia, returning is the more difficult part. It requires energy and a...connection. Some physical tether between us and the realm of man. That is one of the many functions of a Gnosis. Being that I am without one..."
Lumine connected the dots flawlessly, face contorted by dismay. "It would be a one way trip. You could go, but not return."
"That is my worry, yes."
Not for the first time, Venti found himself wondering why La Signora did not simply kill him after she had stolen his Gnosis away. He was weaker than her even with his magical focus. Finishing him off them would have been no struggle at all. It would save her the trouble of him appearing to reclaim what was rightfully his. Though, perhaps situations like these were precisely what she wanted. Mercy was a word missing from the vocabulary of a woman like that. A swift death was too kind, perhaps. Now, he toiled endlessly with his limited existence, driving himself mad with sleep deprivation and fearing that his next fight could be enough to cripple him for good. The Harbinger had left him with hope that he could still find a path forward...but a short window of time where that would be feasible. It was as clever and inspired an idea as it was cruel and despicable. Without some divine intervention, he was doomed to burn himself out. Not unlike his poor Dvalin.
"Then I'll tether you to me."
...or perhaps his salvation would not be so far away.
"Beg pardon?"
Wrapping the sheet around her shoulders, Lumine scooted closer to Venti on the small bed until they were huddled together. Between then, a small clustering of what appeared to be stars gathered in the girl's outstretched palm. Venti blinked against the sudden illumination, unable to look away from the splendor of this novelty. Giving Venti a wide, excited smile, Lumine waved her other hand over the celestial bodies and from the unorganized clutter of dots, the image of a girl emerged. Bowed over a sword with a flower in her hair, Venti couldn't help but giggle in surprise. This was all too clearly a picture of Lumine.
"This is my constellation, Viatrix. While you could not hope to see these stars in your own solar system, I was born under them. It is not a perfect science, but the stars which aligned at the exact time and date of my birth have powers associated with them. Powers that can predict my own. Not even two hours before the stars were assembled this way, they formed a different image." By flexing her fingers only slightly, the organization of the lights shifted, this time into the vestige of a boy. "Viator. Aether's constellation."
All sorts of tiny, excitable noises clawed at Venti's throat, begging to be unleashed. Such a personal gift was too precious to disturb, even with his childlike delight. "A marvel that only hours could change their alignment so. Are your powers different, despite being born under the same stars?"
"Mm, yes and no. We are capable of many of the same things. Flight, sword fighting, identifying, tracing and absorbing magical energies. We differ in our temperament and what comes easiest to us though. Aether could defeat even our father with his blade back when we were very small. Whereas I learned to fly before I could walk, which made my nursemaids quite frantic."
Venti's wide, joyous grin almost hurt after so much time spent without expression. "You've no idea how fitting an image that is. I remember your excitement when Amber gave you your glider. You belong in the sky, Lumine. More so than any star I've ever seen."
In the flickering lights scatter across her face, Venti could make out a flush upon her cheeks. An appetizing red, like an apple. Oh how he longed to chase that blush with his lips. A cool hand grabbed one of his own, flipping it palm side up. Warmth sparked through him from where they touched and the room around them grew brighter still as another mass of stars appeared in his own grasp.
"Carmen Dei. These stars appeared for only one moment above Teyvat. Unlike the other constellations, it is completely unique. Cannot be replicated no matter how many years pass. Or...at least that is what Mona told me."
The astrologer. Venti admired her magical prowess and wit. Their arts were similar, more so than she would like to admit. Both told tales on nothing more than guesses and patterns, both had some cultural significance in their origin....both left them pitifully lacking in mora.
Venti gazed at the image carved in the stars before him. A boy and a lyre. Had he been alive, would he fall under these same stars? Had Venti stolen that too, along with his appearance? Closing his eyes against the moisture gathering there, Venti shook off his melancholy.
"Fanciful though this is, I struggle to picture how it can help my predicament."
"Patience, dear bard. I'm getting to that." Lumine squeezed his hand, picking up on his train of thought. It really was scary sometimes how smart she was. And how well she knew him. "As I said, we can tether you to me. It's not going to be very elegant. Our constellations are similar but we've never tried to align them before. It takes a bit of practice."
"I don't suppose you mean that literally?"
"Semi-literally, actually. Aether and I got separated sometimes. Space is vast and things happen. Whenever we set off, we would align our constellations. It's sort of like... binding our magical energies? That way we can always find our way back together." Lumine's smile was warm, thinking of her brother and their travels. Not all of her memories of him were gone, but enough to frustrate her intensely. Venti was glad she at least knew a bit of her own culture. "It wears off after too much time spent apart. But the stronger the connection, the more durable the bond."
"Of all the connections between an Archon and their land, faith is the most potent. When our people carry us in their thoughts and hearts, it is as if we exist to them always. Your way seems even more tangible. I'm willing to give it a try! You'll have to guide me through how to enact such a bond, though."
Lumine fidgeted in place, seemingly sheepish all of the sudden. Whatever the reason for her silence, Venti did not press her. Even if the answer was that she recalled the nature of these tethers, yet not how to form one, he would not be upset. No force in Teyvat could guarantee his safety now. This was uncharted territory, for never had another Archon had the gall to assault one of their kin. Solving such a puzzle was not a burden that should fall solely on Lumine's thin shoulders. Venti nuzzled his head against her own, smiling at her encouragingly. Golden eyes searched his own for a moment, then with a shaky sigh, she spoke.
"This is hard to explain, but I will try my best. Magic, in other worlds, need not be focused through an object. Sometimes emotion can be the conduit. That seems to be true even on Teyvat. Visions manifest in times of great emotional turmoil, power explodes when feelings run high. The magical bond that forms a tether is built by two people both feeling a strong emotion. It can be anything, in theory. For Aether and I, it was...missing our home. And wanting to stay together. We simply remembered moments from our childhood and...well, we were just connected. I never had to think about it. It was an instinct."
"A snag in your plan then," Venti pointed out, smile wry. "I cannot even fathom what you refer to. And though we have shared memories...I am uncertain if our feelings towards those events would be similar."
Lumine nodded. "Yes. Constellations are sort of like fate. Being in the right place at the right time. So...for this to work, we would both need to experience the same thing. Something important, that would leave a lasting memory."
Something in her expression sent his heart pounding in his chest. It felt like she was looking straight through him. The air between them was ripe with... anticipation? Nervousness. It tasted sour with just a touch of sweetness. Laughing awkwardly, Venti mumbled, "You have something in mind, I imagine?"
Lumine let out a long breath through her nose, then leaned her face in towards his own. "I do."
Her breath brushed against his slackened lips. All at once he realized what she intended to do and turned his head to the side with a strangled gasp. Venti squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to see the rejection upon her face.
"Waste not such a precious thing for my sake. Surely you'd never forgive yourself later for such a careless mistake."
So selfish and kind, his darling Lumine. Willing to tether herself to a worthless, weakened god. Giving up a treasure like this though? Just to help him? Impossible. He would never allow it.
No matter how badly he wanted to.
The light from their projected constellations shifted, their radiance seemingly dimmed and centered over just their linked hands now. Soft fingertips caressed his face, like it was something to handle with care. That cautious touch gently angled his head back towards her own, though he stubbornly kept his eyes closed.
"Venti," she cooed, sounding amused. Unable to resist her call, he peeked a single eye open to regard her. All he saw was affection, perhaps a bit of exasperation. "To be so unsure and fearful is quite unlike you."
"Perhaps this is just the one thing I would never force you to do," he answered, voice a mere whisper.
Her smile turned a bit sly, "In case I wasn't clear enough, you have my consent."
"Yet to tie a star-borne traveler to an Archon is a folly I'd rather prevent."
Lumine paused at that, eyebrows furrowing. He stared deeply into her, begging with his gaze for her to not make this choice without thorough consideration. This offer, even though it need not have long term consequences inherently, was already too much of a temptation. Two and a half millennia had passed since taking the moniker "Barbados" and not once had he ever fallen for someone quite like this. His days were spent in carefree play, unshackled but alone. The tether between might fade away with time, but his feelings for her would not. Though it may heal his injured body in the short term, he knew his heart would shatter if she did this frivolously.
Her thumb brushed the edge of his jaw, tipping his face up to meet her eyes again.
"I don't view you as an Archon, if that's something you can believe. You're my beloved Venti, whose presence has always given my soul reprieve. If you don't want to, that's fine, but no need to make it so complex."
Had she any idea what she was doing to him? Finding the precise words to soothe him- and in verse no less! There was simply no way he could ever be more enamored. For the second time in less than a week, he gave into her whims, finding himself utterly unable to deny her. Eyes glittering with mirth and grin so wide and relieved that it almost hurt, Venti let down the hesitant walls he had clung to since she first purified one of Dvlain's tears right in front of him.
"On the contrary my dear, I want nothing more in this world, or the next."
"Then kiss me," she commanded, no longer in the mood for their rhyming game. Venti barked out a laugh as she tugged their faces closer together.
"Gladly."
Every love ballad he had ever chuckled at the cheesiness of suddenly made sense. Perhaps not the visuals of explosions behind ones' eyelids or the stars colliding, that was a bit out there.
The first tentative press of Lumine's lips to his was pleasant. Warm. But the way that gentle contact made their bodies melt into each other? That was addictive. Not unlike the rush of thrilling heat from his first sip of wine. The palm against his cheek guided their movements as they explored all the ways their mouths fit comfortably together. When her other hand crept forward into his hair, combing through it and sending shivers down his spine, Venti couldn't help but sigh happily. At the first curious touch of her tongue to his slackened lip, Venti rediscovered what it was to be drunk.
Their intoxication seemed mutual. Lumine ate up his encouraging noises, delving deeper into his mouth with such enthusiasm that she pushed him over and onto his back. The change in position gave them pause for the space of one heavy breath before she gave chase. Her body pressed against his hungrily, sending his dazed mind into a spiral. Lumine was everywhere, but it still wasn't enough. Venti reached up to encircle her waist, coaxing her hips to grind into his own. Their shared, startled moans tasted fantastic.
Indulging in that primal dance detached them from time and space, or so it felt. Hours could have passed as he explored the length of her tongue with his own and drew gasp after gasp from her lungs. Such things were beyond him. All he knew was Lumine, the feel of her silky hair between his fingers and the bite of her teeth against his bottom lip. An inferno built up in his gut, threatening to consume him. He wanted to give in, to take and take and burn away to ashes. The noises he stole from her throat rivaled the most gorgeous melodies past or present and he ached to learn how to play this brilliant new instrument. Press and prod and pluck until he had her crying out the most fantastic notes.
The sins of the flesh were truly all consuming, but his mind did snap back to him as Lumine's hands wandered down his stomach, to places that were far from chaste. Plenty of young men had made the same discoveries in the time since he started observing humanity and most regretted the path it led them down. So despite his intense yearning for everything his beloved had to offer, Venti grabbed her adventurous limbs, holding them gently in his. Lumine chuckled breathily into his mouth, accepting his silent plea to slow their pace.
Eventually, she collapsed beside him, tangling their limbs and cradling his face in her hold as they continued to softly kiss. Physical intimacy was such a marvel. Gone was the raging need from before, quelled and replaced with lazy affection. His body felt so much heavier, relaxed by how loved he felt. How cherished. They explored each other with an unhurried type of worship. The god in him appreciated such an offering dearly, though it was certainly one he would accept only from Lumine.
It took him a while to realize that they were falling into more and more periods of stillness. One kiss trailing off into a couple deep, slow breaths, then coming back together again. It was no wonder that his limbs answered his requests so sluggishly: he was falling asleep.
"Lumine," he called blearily, eyes already falling shut. Fear lingered in the corners of his mind, which fought valiantly but futilely against the siren call of slumber.
"Shh," she comforted, tucking his head in between her shoulder and neck. The nails scratching through his hair scattered his thoughts. "It worked, Venti. You can sleep now."
His mouth moved fruitlessly. He wanted to tell her so many things. Just in case. That he loved her, more than anyone had ever loved anything. That she had filled his days with splendor and excitement. That he would pay any price to return to her, as many times as it took. The only word that tumbled forth from his lips was a slurred, "Lumi."
Even her own words were hazy. But her warm presence brought him peace. "It's ok. I'll be right here when you wake up. I promise. Sleep well."
And so he did.
Their time in Liyue had been a mixed bag of experiences. Beautiful scenery, nefarious plots, otherworldly exploration, unexpected truths, valuable new allies. Even after the mess with Childe had been resolved and their next destination decided upon, there were still odds and ends that would need tending to.
Lumine deflected those requests with a pleasant smile, saying that she had more pressing matters to take care of. The road before them was surely wrought with danger and hardship. It would not do for them to rush into it without proper rest.
When Venti blinked his eyes open once more, he gazed up at the canopy of a familiar tree. The wind that came through the branches smelled of home and the Anemo energy in the air flowed through him like an old friend. Yawning so widely his jaw popped, a chuckle from beside him brought a lazy grin to his face. No wonder he was so comfortable. His head was pillowed by a soft lap. Playfully, he pursed his lips, hoping to be rewarded despite his childish request. Warmth bloomed in his chest when Lumine did not hesitate to lean down and kiss him firmly, though the angle was a bit strange since she was upside down. He loved it all the same.
"Good morning," she greeted, affection clear upon her beautiful face. The urge to coat it in happy kisses settled urgently in his mind. It felt nice to know that he no longer needed to repress that inclination.
"I'm back," he returned, sitting up to do just that. Lumine's pleased laughter echoed through the grassy hills of Windrise.
In a while they would need to pry their lips apart and seek out breakfast. Jean, Diluc and Kaeya would be expected them to come discuss their next moves too. Zhongli would likely have a six page manifesto written on the dangers of being stupid while also lacking a Gnosis for him to peruse at his leisure. They still hadn't found all of the geo oculi either. Venti found that he was in no particular rush. A wise Archon had indeed once said that the journey, not just the destination, had value. And his journey was going to include an obscene amount of making out with Lumine, if he had anything to say about it.
For everything else? Well...they had time.