Archon Quest: Custom Night [FNAF/Genshin]

Chapter 12: Everything is Okay. I'm Still Here.

...you owe me one, Barbatos. Venti. I know what you did, friend.

Kaeya's whisper danced through the wind, landing into the other's ear. The seemingly young boy shivered at the way he said 'friend', as if the word disgusted him. He felt the fear wash over his face before anyone mentioned to him that he was turning stark white. The boy gripped the edge of the counter, his eyes wide.

He knows. Kaeya is from Khaenri'ah? How does he know? How does he know? He's from Khaenri'ah. How does he—?

"Venti?" Diluc called from behind the counter, trying to catch the bard's attention, but he didn't respond. His eyes shook as he continued staring down at the table. The whisper returned with a vengeance:

Don't worry, I intend to use this information against you again some time in the future.

"Venti!" Diluc snapped in his face, and Venti shook away his thoughts.

"Ah, s-sorry, Master Diluc! I guess I got distracted, ehe."

The man raised an eyebrow, but continued, "Here's your drink."

"Thank you," Venti mumbled kindly, sipping on the drink in his hands. Dandelion Wine was his favorite, so why did it taste so dull?

Diluc noticed the change, too. By this time on a regular day, the drink in his hands would've already been scarfed into his stomach. Something was clearly wrong, but Diluc didn't have it in him to ask the god himself.

"Slow night, huh?" Venti joked shakily.

"You could say that," Diluc replied, surveying the tavern. Only two other patrons littered the dining area, already near passing out. He could only hope that they would be leaving soon.

Venti sighed, catching Diluc's attention. He turned his head towards the god, mildly interested in what could've scared an Archon so suddenly, especially on such an uneventful evening.

"Master Diluc, I'm sure you've done something you regret, right?"

He leaned his elbows on the counter, "I believe everyone has."

"But, I mean, have you ever hurt anyone? Someone you could've helped?" Venti asked, looking at himself in his glass.

Thoughts of his kid brother raced through Diluc's mind, and he tapped his foot uncomfortably, "I suppose I have."

Venti curled into himself, "I wish I could go back—it was all impulse. I hurt so many people. We hurt them."

"You don't mean..." Diluc trailed off.

"Khaenri'ah."

It was just one word, but to the two men, it felt like a death sentence to even remember its existence.

"You were there?" the man whispered.

Venti nodded, his wide eyes focused on a ticking clock that hung on the tavern's wall.

Diluc was at a loss for words. On the one hand, he refused to support the death of an innocent peoples. But, on the other hand, he wasn't there. He didn't know what happened. Was Venti...right?

The expression on the god's face said otherwise. Diluc sighed, "Barbatos. That was five hundred years ago. You've changed since then. I've seen you protect your people, I don't believe you would act so harshly now. You've redeemed yourself from your past mistakes."

"I protected my people. What about them? I haven't helped them. And now, without my Gnosis, what can I do? I should've realized earlier," he rested his head in his hands and gripped at his hair.