Accidental Arriviste || Genshin Impact

XVI: The Aftermath

"... I wouldn't say the bard is 'alright', exactly. I found you lying unconscious outside the Cathedral and used my elemental powers to heal you. As for Y/N... I'm afraid they're still unconscious."

Barbara continues after seeing Aether sighs in relief at the view of your sleeping form, "That bard awakened first, but strangely, my healing powers had almost no effect on him." Her eyebrows furrow, disconcertingly, "This is the first time I've encountered such a patient. But he just said 'it's perfectly normal', and then he got up and left the Cathedral."

"He left? Already? Where'd he go?" Paimon asks.

Barbara cups her chin with her fingers, recalling the conversation she had, "The Symbol of Mondstadt's Hero, that's what he said. I wanted to stop him, but Jean—I mean, Master Jean said to let him leave. How strange." She murmurs the last sentence to herself.

I think Jean understands, Aether thinks to himself. He then stands up, albeit with the help of Paimon's tiny body, and thanks Barbara for nursing him back to health. She looks at Aether worriedly but nods anyway, letting him go. She turns to you and hums quietly.

The fairy whispers to Aether as the duo walk out of the Church, "Paimon remembers Venti healing under that tree before. It's probably due to the connection between Windrise and the Anemo Archon. Master Jean has figured it out as well, but we can't tell Barbara. We should also just return to Y/N when they wake up."

The golden boy nods, and the duo make their way to the tree, questions clouding their minds.

-

"The wind amongst the branches is good, I love the way it smells."

Noticing the duo's arrival, Venti keeps mumbling to himself, "I said the exact same thing the last time. Why do I only say these things when I'm down on my luck?"

Aether wastes no time and gets straight to the point, "What is a Gnosis?"

"Ah, so you noticed." He turns around and faces the two, "This isn't something I'm meant to discuss with ordinary people, but I suppose I can let you in on the secret."

Venti explains Visions and Gnoses. Essentially, Visions are magical foci that a selected number of people possess, and are used to channel elemental power. Anyone that wields a Vision can attain godhood and ascend to Celestia—such people are called allogenes. However, those that become archons use a different device—a stronger tool than a Vision that resonates directly to Celestia. This is what is known as a Gnosis. The 'Vision' on Venti's hip is merely a disguise to avoid suspicion whenever he uses his elemental power.

"So who was that nasty woman who sent Paimon flying and stole your Gnosis?"

Venti shifts uncomfortably, "Her name is Signora, the eighth of the harbingers. She and the rest of the harbingers have been given god-like executive authority by the Tsaritsa of Snezhnaya, and with it, strength surpassing that of other mortals."

Paimon softly gasps, "Tsaritsa of Snezhnaya? Isn't that..."

Confirming Paimon's suspicion, the archon nods, "Indeed. She is one of The Seven, the Tsaritsa who reigns from the Zapolyarny Palace, and the one person that the Fatui harbingers all answer to. The Seven don't always get along well, but still—I never thought that she would plot to steal another archon's Gnosis."

"What sort of a god is the Tsaritsa?"

Venti mulls over Aether's question, "How should I put this? Five hundred years ago, I knew her well. But I can't say the same is true now. You see, a certain catastrophe happened five hundred years ago, and after that, she cut off all ties with me. But we can save discussion of the Cryo Archon and the Fatui for another day."