A lost friend's journey

Chapter 4

But what was most intriguing, and most probably causing this deep fear in the wind, was the strange, beating read thing that stood proudly at the end of the cave. Venti furrowed his brows, feeling a drop of sweat between his shoulders despite the cold he could still feel. Something eerie emanated from the thing in waves, so much that Venti felt the need to put an arm in front of his face to shield himself from the substance that spread all across the cave. He could feel the poison in the air, almost smell it. A strong, intoxicating and dangerous substance that got even the snow to melt, replaced by blood tainted grass and appearing on the surface in the form of those small chunks of red crystals Venti kept passing by. He needed to investigate this as soon as possible, maybe even get rid of it. Taking a step forward, he almost immediately noticed the fang on the ground, his mind quickly labeling it as one of Durin's.

Looking forward once again, he kept his gaze locked on the beating red bulb. As soon as Venti was near enough, he could feel the power emanating from that thing intensifying, making him shut his eyes for a brief moment. Yes, if he had any doubt before, he definitely had no more now. There was no mistaking this dark energy. Venti immediately understood with dread what it was, gulping with the realization that Durin's heart was still beating. And he now knew for certain that he definitely had to find a way to get rid of it, and quickly. The sooner it was out of the way, the better.

His own heart beating faster than it was when he first stepped on Dragonspine today, he sent a wave of anemo energy in the air, hoping to dissipate the heaviness in the air. Unfortunately, while the wind did help a bit, the corrupted particles in the air almost immediately regained their original space. Venti gulped while shortly nodding his head, assessing the situation. So he needed more than mere winds. He had to get rid of the root of the problem first then. Turning back around, Venti looked at the beating organ, feeling the unnerving heat wash over him in amplified waves. Impulsively, Venti reached a hand to put it on the still beating heart. Had the traveler not interrupted him when Dvalin had been corrupted, he could have helped the dragon. Perhaps, it would also be the case with Durin. By purifying it, he may be able to destroy it more easily than if it was still corrupted. As soon as his fingers touched the red bulb, he retracted his hand as if burnt, yelping, shielding it, looking at the still alive organ with wide eyes. Then he felt a searing pain in his heart that made him kneel, clenching his eyes shut and gritting his teeth, clutching his chest over where his heart was. Although the pain he felt was brief, it left him breathless for a few seconds during which he could still feel it. The aftermath of it, like knives digging into his skin, burning him, twisting. He felt like he was combusting, and the heavy atmosphere around him only helped in amplifying this maddening effect.

When he finally regained composure, he looked down at his left hand so fast he almost got himself whiplash. Where his fingers had touched the heart, they were now a bit red. He clenched his fist a few times to test it, but the pain was already gone, a phantom. He turned his wide eyes towards Durin's heart.

What had happened just now?

It must have been due to him trying to touch it right? But then why didn't the same thing happen when he had touched Dvalin, back when he was trying to help him? It was the same corrupted blood, so he should have felt the same thing back then, no?

Venti got back up on shaky legs, constantly looking at the beating heart. Durin was a creature that he did not fully understand. Venti believed he had someone living in Mondstadt that was like the cursed dragon. He also believed that if the time was to come, he would have to eliminate him. But seeing traces of Durin... it complicated things greatly. Also, he absolutely couldn't tell Dvalin what he felt when he touched the heart, he didn't need to preoccupy his friend with that. Now he knew for future references not to touch it anymore, or at least not without precautions. What was the alchemist's name again? Albedo, was it? He would have to look into him later, eventually, and evaluate if he was a threat to Mondstadt. But that... that would have to come after whatever it was that Dainsleif was planning.