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Qingce village, a place where only the old crowd stayed. A quiet environment suited for a warm reunion of old friends who have lost contact. Yet, the reaction Aether was hoping for was different from the two oldest archons’ expressions.
“Barbatos?” Zhongli called out as soon as he saw the bard dressed in green. It’s been so long. Almost 500 years since he saw those aqua green orbs that he loved.
“What is the meaning of this traveler?”
Aether just wanted to have a nice meal with them, and maybe find answers from them together. But, he couldn’t help but wonder how contrasting both of their reactions were but turned his attention to the Venti who asked a question.
Venti looked at the other archon, his face unreadable. While Zhongli only looked back at him, a longing, evident in his expression.
Aether was about to speak when he was cut off.
“I have pressing matters to attend to, Aether.” The anemo archon’s voice was laced with suppressed anger that the traveler was thrown off.
Zhongli placed a hand on his shoulder, a pained smile plastered on his face. He shook his head no, stopping him from going after the younger archon.
“B-but why?” Paimon asks.
“We — No, he may be reminded of things that should be forgotten.” The Geo archon sighs loudly, “It’s not something a mortal should know. But, I give you my gratitude for what you wanted to do. I will also excuse myself.”
He turns his back to leave but stopped for a moment, facing the traveler.
“I advise you this Aether, do not try to do anything that would upset him again. Remember that he is still the successor of the tyrant, Decarabian.”
Zhongli walked away leaving the two upset and clueless. The former geo archon sighed, he never expected to meet him, his old lover.
His aqua eyes shone brightly than when they last saw them. His slender body now covered in a bard’s clothes. He still kept his soft hair braided by his shoulders. Zhongli misses it, he misses all of it.
He’s glad to see him doing well yet he hated how this reunion reminded both of them of their dark past. How Venti looked when they first met, and how he looked at him in their last.
A cold breeze touches his face, he looked up, relishing the feeling.
For some reason, it leaves a bittersweet taste in his mouth.
Archon War
Barbatos was a speck of the wind before he became an archon. One war was all it took for him to take power. And now, he went to another war to protect what he earned. His people, his land. He would not be able to give freedom to his people when their own soil is painted with blood.
And so, he fought. He fought with all his might to do what he needed to do. He met other archons who helped him and the geo archon who taught him love. War is not a suitable environment for love yet Lord Morax was patient, caring, and devoted.
A year of war became a hundred years of war. Barbatos sometimes loses his senses, but it was Rex Lapis who always takes him back. It was the geo archon who guided him, standing by his side, he became his strength. Morax’s touch was his hope, his breathing was his salvation, his heart was his.
The young archon knew, as long as he’ll stay by his side, he will be assured of a better future. And so, he fought.
Flying across the mountains, Barbatos could not believe what the wind has whispered to him and rushed to where his lover was. It may be bad that he left his post but he could not believe what he heard. The war is almost over so why?
“Y-you killed her?!”
The news of the death of the beloved goddess of dust shocked him to the core. What more is when the winds whispered that it was the geo archon who took the life of their friend.
“Barbatos that’s not what you think.” Morax stood up, he looked like he was expecting him.
“Don’t lie to me! Guizhong was a friend! She is OUR friend!”
“I — I did not...” His voice falters and the other took a step back, horrified by the truth.
“How could you?” Barbatos’ voice was weak, broken, and hurt. “She vowed to help us, she helped you. She did everything she could to protect us, to lead us. So why?”
“I did what I could Barbatos, there was no other choice.”
“THERE ARE! You just did not think of it, because you’re selfish and arrogant.” The tears of the smaller archon flowed from his face, how could his lover betray him? He flinched when Morax tried to reach him out again.
The Geo archon’s looks at his lover with wide eyes, Barbatos never look at him like that. Barbatos never fears him. But the anemo archon flinched, moreover stepped back and looking at him like he was a... murderer.
“No, no. No Barbatos you can’t.” The older archon grabbed his hand. “You know it’s what she would want. I promised her… Once she’s tainted then…”
“Kill her in cold blood?” The anemo archon exhaled, it was getting hard to breathe, “We could have done something if you told me. Morax, we can’t — I can’t lose another friend.”
His legs gave out and the geo archon catches him on time. The sobbing bard only held to the sinner who did not shed any tear. It confuses him, how the older archon does not grieve to any fallen comrade. Perhaps it’s the hundred years of losing people, he got tired of grieving.
But this is all new for him. Losing his friend was his first and until now it pains him. And now Guizhong? The gentle goddess taught him that being the weakest does not mean that he can’t fight. She was a friend and irreplaceable one at that.
“I’m so sorry my love. I did what I could, but when I found her, the taint was too much even for her.” Barbatos’ sobbing was getting louder.
“I was too late. I’m sorry.”
Even without Guizhong, the archons won every battle that the enemies have started. Protecting and losing people is nothing but a part of the process to win the war. The priority was to stop the war completely.
Morax looked at the person beside him, and his face turns gloomy. He realizes that the archon war changed his beloved. His smiles become weary, the light glow from his eyes has become dimmer, the songs he sang are only for those who have fallen.
The Geo archon has many mistakes in his life, but it was Barbatos’ change that he regretted the most. He should’ve not made him join the war.
He was observing the anemo archon that he didn’t realize that one of his adeptus step foot into the mountain they were in.
“The enemies have yielded, my Lord.” Alatus, the boy he took in, bowed in respect.
“About time. Send the signal to the West and imprison all those who still breathe. We will seal them.”
“As you command.” Alatus disappeared along with the other Adeptus and the Geo Archon sighed as the younger archon kneeled down, exhausted.
“It’s over. Finally over.” Barbatos sighed, no energy left in his body.
“Yes it is my wind , come now.”
They were both drenched in blood and sweat but they didn’t care, what they need is rest. He took Barbatos’ bow from his hand and carried him out of the mountain, to their home.
They didn’t talk the whole time Morax was washing them. Not even when he prepared his meals, the younger god needed to eat once in a while as he took a different form, close to a human’s. He observed his wind moving in a trance-like motion, not once complimenting or teasing him.
To see him without his carefree attitude, was painful for the lord of Liyue.
“Barbatos.” The younger archon looked at him, and he can see the sadness in his eyes. “It’s over now. We won. I’ll handle everything from now on. Prioritize your rest.”
“We should’ve done so much more than this Morax. We lost so much.” His hair glowed, indicating that the archon was overwhelmed with emotion, Morax cannot see.
“We did not win. We just ended it.”
With the war ending, everything should have returned to normal. The original seven’s friendship has just gotten strong, with an agreement to maintain and protect the peace. But the memories of the war will keep on haunting those who have been involved.
After the war, the Anemo archon began to dream of the war. From the people, he killed to the blood he spilled. He would wake up in tears as he remembers how his hands were tainted red from those he cannot save.
And this night is one of such.
“My wind, breathe with me.” Morax’s soothing voice filled Barbatos’ ears. With a hand on his back, he drew small circles to calm his lover down.
“I — I saw Guizhong calling for me, Morax. She was asking for help.” He hiccuped through his words as he embraced the geo archon.
“She was asking me to kill her.” The hiccups turn to a sob, and in the end, tears streamed from the archon’s face once more. “It’s too painful.”
“Shh, I understand my wind. I understand.”
“You do?” the anemo archon raises his head to face his lover, “Then, I will do that.”
“Barbatos,” The older archon sighed, “You know what would happen if you free your people from your reign.”
“I need to free myself from this nightmare too,” His voice was stern, “My people already knew that my ways are different from Deacarabian. I gave them freedom and they gave mine.”
“But you will be weakened.”
Barbatos only meekly smiled and muttered he needed that sleep. Nor implementing the law of worshipping an archon would take a toll on that archon making them weak. Since the roots of their power are from their people, it is given that fewer worshippers result in a weak prowess.
But for Barbatos, it would be advantageous. Since he would need to sleep to recover and to make up for the loss of power. And for him, it is what he needed the most.
Morax did not want to argue, even though he doesn’t want his beloved to go. With a sigh, he kisses Barbatos’ forehead and silently agreed.
Khaenri’ah’s Destruction
He would sleep a hundred years at a time and stays awake for fifty. He regained his cheerful attitude but Morax knew he will never be the same Barbatos he knew when he first met him.
The nightmares still persist but it has lessened over time. But memory is still a memory, he still ought to remember them once in a while. He kept himself busy every time he wakes, from disguising himself as a mere bard to plainly spending time with Morax.
Helping his people every generation has helped his recovery greatly. Helping ease his mind and Morax knew this but why does his lover betray him?
“How could you?” The winds are restless, turbulent winds form in the seas, the people of Liyue and Mondstadt knew that the Anemo Archon is mad.
Morax signed the treaty, to not interfere with Celestia destroying the godless city, Khaenri’ah. That means he wouldn’t do anything nor move even if innocent lives were slaughtered once more.
What more was he forged Barbatos’ sign when the latter showed pity to the county’s people. And when he started to move even with his warning, he signed the contract without his knowledge. With this, the anemo archon was forced to stop his rebellion.
“I have to do it! For you. For your safety.”
“For me or for your selfish desire to keep me alive?” He fumes, “Those people need us! They need someone who could help them and we can!”
“You know what would happen if you challenge the Celestia, Barbatos!” He grimaced as he remembers the fate of the last Dendro Archon, “We already lost Agares! We don’t stand a chance, not even you.”
“I know but we have to try. Those people didn’t do anything wrong but build whatever their hearts want. They had the freedom to use it, yet they only used it for their advancement. They never harmed other people!”
“It’s still a no, Barbatos. I don’t want to make you join another battle lest endanger you.”
“Then what about those innocent people? Children who might not even know what is happening or why they were being cursed and even killed!”
Morax only looked at him, not answering as he too felt the heaviness of the situation. He sighed, not wanting to prolong this conversation.
“I did this because I love you, my wind.”
“Is that the love you have for me?” Barbatos huffs, exasperated, “If loving you means suffering the cries of those people, the guilt of those I cannot save then… Then I will choose not to.”
“Wha- What do you mean, Barbatos?”
“I don’t want to see you again, Morax.”
“My wind — ” The Geo Archon grabbed his hand, a futile attempt to stop him from leaving while the geo archon only looked at him. A mix of disappointment and tiredness on his face.
“You have no right to call me like that again. You took away my choice, my freedom, to fight and protect those people. And now, every time I will see you, I would be reminded of those who pleaded and were not heard.” He tugged away from his arm,
“Do not show yourself before me again.”
The anemo archon watch as his fellow archon leaves the place. His sturdy and wide back slouched, and he didn’t even need to think what he was feeling.
When their eyes met earlier, his senses were filled with their past. The earthly scent that he loved, his gentle touch that he missed, and his eyes with nothing but fondness for him. All of it, Venti misses all of it.
Yet along with those memories, flashes of his bloodied hands and the screams of help flooded his mind. He can never forget, how can he ever forget?
He went down of the tree he was sitting. Closing his eyes, he relishes the warmness of the earth on his feet.
For some reason, it leaves a bittersweet taste in his mouth.