After a few moments later, they meet up with Diluc at the tavern. "The Abyss Order... Enemies of the human race. Even the underground networks rarely ca!e across any information on them. With that said, it was a bit of a hassle, but I managed to dig up a few clues." Diluc said. "Really? That quickly? You really are well connected, Master Diluc." Venti praised. "Come to think of it, Mr. Big Anemo Archon Barbatos– why exactly do you need to help of mere humans...?" Paimon asked, a bit suspicious. "Ahh.. how do i put it... "The Seven" as people now know them, were once known as 'The Seven Archons'. Each Archon presides over their own part of Teyvat. That is the role the archons play. Only in performing this duty can we attain power, but i don't like the idea of 'ruling' Mondstadt– and i don't feel Mondstadt would really like it either." Venti explained. "I mean yeah... What is a City of Freedom is; if a God controls them? That sounds like a scam. I don't mean to offend you by the way.." Mayoka spoke her mind. " 'Go forth and establish a city of freedom without rule'. We have not forgotten Barbatos' wish for Mondstadt." Jean said. "Jean... You're such a devotee! Maybe someone got a little too free and is just too lazy to care..." Paimon said... Sound a little like an Insult.
"Ahh.. however it may have come to be... I haven't been back to Mondstadt for an extended period of time. Without a doubt, I am now the weakest among The Seven!" Venti said. "And yet you sound almost proud." Aether said. "Aww you flatter me." Venti said. "Oh, such a humble god... Is it a blessing, or a curse? But we digress. Let's get back to the topic at hand: the common enemy of all mankind. We tracked the Abyss Mage to the vicinity of the winery" Diluc informed. "I cannot stress enough how important it is to not let it escape." Jean said. "Let's hunt it down!"
They went all the way to where the assailants were. But not only there were hilichurls and Abyss Mage there, the wild atma Mayoka explained were also there. "They owned the wild atmad already? Then this is a war between atma snd atma!" As Mayoka finished saying that, she summoned Noni and the Pegasus there. The Pegasus fky up to the sky, before come crashing down, dealing AoE damage to all the surrounding enemies Noni had gathered (woahh game demo XD). The other group handled the Abyss Mage and the hilichurls... Although Aether got froze there for a few times.
"Huh? What's this..? After the Abyss Mage was defeated, a certain energy dispersed from its body... It seems like the energy was being used to cut off the connection between me and Dvalin." Venti said and hummed before turning to Aether. "Aether, do you know of Stormterror's Lair?" Venti asked. "I think i heard the people of Mondstadt talked about it." Aether answered. "Of course. I believe the people of Mondstadt all know of it. After Dvalin woke up, he took the ancient ruins as his lair. As it was with the storms that previously cut Mondstadt off from the outside world, the entrance to the ruins is also sealed by a special barrier. But now, as the energy dispersed from the Abyss Mage, i was able to read tge rhythmic flow of how the barrier's magic was woven. Though i must admit, it sounds even more horrendous than a chorus of hilichurls, but... It should be enough to let us break through the storm barrier and reach Stormterror's Lair." Venti explained.
"Which means we're going to confront Dvalin? I'm fine with that... Jean is the one who wishes to avoid any direct confrontation." Diluc said and everyone turned to Jean. "No. When there are no other options left, it is my responsibility to alter our course of action. If slaying him is our only choice, I will gladly become the knight that leads the charge." Jean declared. 'now thats a huge turn for someone opposing to slay the dragon...' Mayoka thought. "Fortunately, we have yet to need to go that far." Venti said, confusing both Jean and Diluc. "By that, you mean..." Jean trailed off.
"I mean the Holy Lyre is not our trump card. Our real trump card? Aether and Mayoka of course." Venti said. "Aether and Mayoka?" Paimon asked. "Is it because i purified the Teardrop Crystal?" Aether asked. "Correct. But you have much more precious forte. The impurities in the tears, and the curse that binds Dvalin belong to the same maleficent power. Which means..." Venti got cut off by Paimon. "You Tone-Deaf Bard, don't you know how crazy this is? You've seen what Dvalin is like when he's ticked off! Aether will be swallowed whole before he even lift a finger! Besides, Mayoka didn't even have anything special that can help defeating Dvalin!" Paimon said. "Ah you're wrong about that last one. Mayoka can also help us on this quest!" Venti said. "Huh..? What do you mean..?" Mayoka asked, confused on how her atmas can help. "I sensed it. Those atma you bring have the same aura as Aether's purifying aura. Even so, i just felt a power more powerful than Dvalin within them. Maybe you can assist Aether on how to calm Dvalin down!" Venti explained.
"I see.. well then! Because you believed in me, I'll do my very best!" Mayoka smiled. "Hey... nice plan. Worth a shot." Diluc agreed. "I am with you, Honorary Knight! And you too, Honorary Seeker." Jean said. "Ho~! So we just need to fight monsters from the abyss... And a dragon! No pressure or anything." Paimon said.. though Mayoka cant tell if she really means it or she is just being sarcastic. "Humans aren't without their strengths. Let's go." Diluc said. "And so... The epic actions of brave heroes finally leads to this eleventh hour."
After a few hours of traveling, they are finally at the ruin. "It's a storm barrier! It looks so dangerous..." Paimon said. "Leave it to me. Although this wooden lyre is all i have... I dont need the lyre to break through this kind of storm barri– Ah, wait, what is that?" Venti cuts himself up as he noticed something far behind. The others looked at what Venti was looking at, and they saw some hilichurls and a few wild atma preparing to attack. "Enemy attack! Prepare yourselves!" Jean warned.
As Jean said that, everyone begin attacking the hilichurls while Mayoka was using her signature Atma; Noni to defeat the atmas. "Vivaha Panchami!" Mayoka said in her world's ancient language and a anemo atma appeared; giving the others a shield. "My anemo atma will provide you shield and some energy so you no need to worry about these enemies!" Mayoka said. "Wait.. whats going on? There shouldn't be any vicinity in Stormterror's Lair!" Jean said. After a few moments, everyone defeated the enemies.
"Ahh... The hilichurls usually do not venture into areas with high elemental concentrations. It puts a heavy burden on their bodies." Venti said, a little confused. "The Abyss Order must be manipulating them behind the scenes, yet they shouldn't have been able to determine that we would come. They're presumably spreading their forces to halt our plans." Diluc said. "Without further ado, I suppose i can fly faster if my only audience is the wind." As Venti said that, he played a small melody and destroyed the barrier.
"It actually opened! You're not entirely useless, Tone-Deaf Bard!" Paimon said. "This is it. We are entering Stormterror's Lair. Watch yourselves. Let's move." After Jean said that, the group of 6 moved to the top of the ruin tower.
"Hmm... I suppose we can make use of that wind current." Venti said. "Let's make a detour then. Heading up!" Paimon said.
"Let's make a detour then. Heading up!" Venti repeated in a mocking tone (i lost it in this part-)
As they walked through the stairs, a bunch of electro slimes, atmas and hilichurls blocked their way. Like earlier, Mayoka dealt with the atmas surrounding them with Noni and the Pegasus while the others deal with the slimes and hilichurls.
After that, everyone used the wind current to move up while Paimon floated across with Mayoka on the Pegasus following behind. After they got across, they went upstairs to the tower.
"Oh, we can't advance any further. The ruins seem to be guarded by ancient seals." Venti said. "Is this the work of Dvalin?" Paimon asked. "No, these ruins were once part of an ancient city. Dvalin just happened to be nesting in these ruins for now. These ruins even predate the existence of The Four Winds. Mondstadt is a city without a ruler. However, before it was, it was ruled over by a tyrant. Anyway... I'll sing you that story when we have a chance in the future." Venti said. "The markings on this seal... If my archaeological knowledge is not mistaken, this appears to be a light actuator. If we retrieve and reintegrate all the parts, we should be able to get it working." Diluc said.
"We should be close to completing the ceremony for this actuator. Let's put the last part back and see." Jean said.
After Jean said that, Aether went and put the last part and a huge halo was formed in the middle before it disappeared.
"Looks like we're right. There are three more halos circling the tower..." Venti trailed off. "Which means, there are 3 more corresponding light actuators to activate. I can see one from here. The rest must be scattered within the ruins around here. Let's go find them." Jean said. "Why did Dvalin pick a place with puzzles wnd seals as his lair? Doesn't he get annoyed coming back home?" Paimon asked. "He doesn't walk in, he flies in." Venti answered. "...You do have a point." Paimon answered and disappeared. "I'll lend you my pegasus to help you move faster and easier. I'll go and find the others." Mayoka smiled and hand over Aether her sun jewel rock. "Thanks." Aether said before summoning the pegasus and flies away to the light actuator with Mayoka running off to find another actuator.
After a few minutes of gathering, they finally returned to where the others are. "Im thinking about turning these adventures into songs after we're done..." Venti said. "Well, we are old partners now." Aether said. "Hopefully, this song will be sung for years to come by the people of Mondstadt, just like The Legend of Venessa." Venti said. "I have loved that song since i was small. How are you feeling today Aether and Mayoka?" Jean said and turned to the duo. "I am completely prepared and fully confident that we can do this." Jean continued. "Even Master Diluc accompanied us to the very end. Despite only being an accidentally involved... bystander." Paimon mocked. "You shared your secret with me, and I only returned your trust to the same extent. "So 'trust' is what drove Master Diluc here." Aether said. "As for Master Jean... "responsibility" perhaps?" Paimon questioned. "What about the Tone-Deaf Bard?" Paimon asked Venti. "It's 'freedom'." Venti answered. "Freedom..?" Paimon asked back. "When you first arrived at Mondstadt, did no-one tell you that Mondstadt is the City of Freedom?" Venti asked. "Amber..." Aether answered. "Hahaha... She really is a child of freedom. Mondstadt is a romantic city, without the reign of a king. And its citizens enjoy the most freedom amongst the seven nations. I hope the dragon that once protected Mondstadt will soon be free too... No one should've deceived him by telling him that Mondstadt betrayed him. And no one should have told him that it was his eternal duty to protect the city. He has the right and freedom to choose his own way of life." Venti said. "Venti... You're too kind..." Mayoka said, a little touched by Venti's kindness to Dvalin that he even gave him freedom to choose. "Well then Aether, may rhe thousands of years of wind that have blown through Mondstadt go with you. Just like the last time, i shall channel Anemo energy for you." Venti said. "I knew it! It was YOUR voice i heard!" Aether said. "Oh! No wonder Aether said his voice sounds familiar!" Paimon said. After that, Aether prepared and glide up to Stormterror with the wind.
"Look! There are 2 shiny spots on Dvalin's back! They appear to be poisonous blood clots that have coagulated on his wounds... The Abyss Order must have cursed the wounds. That's what's corrupting Dvalin's mind. To save Dvalin, we're going to have to get rid if those blood clots." Venti explained. "May Shinta, my Anemo atma, protect you on this fight!" Mayoka blessed.
Aether used the Anemo Projectiles and destroyed those blood clots on Dvalin's back.
"Dvalin, I'm sorry this is hurting you... Just hang on a little bit longer!" Venti said.
--------------to be continued--------------
2180 words woo hoo!
Also the next chapter might be the last chapter for Mondstadt before i focused on the extra quests. Im also planning to make a quick short story/small quest story for Mayoka :D. What do you guys think? Should i do it? Comment below here! Hehe~
Thank you for staying with me this far.
Despair, Out!