They had taken him away.
Barbatos had been taken away.
He was gone, once more.
It seemed to Rukkhadevata like she was in a never ending loop. They had been so close, yet so far...
The deity had taken Barbatos out of the room, to who knew where, while they were stuck to the thrones, unable to reach out to their elemental powers, forced to patiently wait for whatever would happen to them. Rukkhadevata could make a vague guess that it hadn't been long since they woke up in this room, and she wondered just for how much longer would they have to wait for something to happen.
Something else was also unsettling. When she was in the presence of the other archons, there would always be someone talking, or someone trying to lighten up the gloomy mood. Someone trying to cheer everyone up when they felt like abandoning. But now, no one was talking. All six of them were too busy replaying the last events in their head.
Who would have guessed... Who would have guessed that Barbatos was hiding between his people as an ordinary bard? Who would have guessed the Anemo vision they had seen hanging from his belt wasn't an authentic one? She felt stupid. As the God of Wisdom, she should have known that Barbatos wouldn't let them freely wander in his nation upon noticing their presence. She should have known that Barbatos would want to keep an eye on them.
And now that she thought about it, he did have an uncanny resemblance to the statue built in his honor, in the heart of the city. She had been oblivious to facts she clearly should have noticed. Why hadn't she been able to see the obvious when it had been glaring at her from the very start? What a joke...
But now that Rukkhadevata thought about it, she wondered how Venti - or Barbatos - saw them. What he thought of them. If things had been different... If they had just cared enough, if they had paid more attention, if they hadn't simply discarded Barbatos' feelings...
If they had tried to understand him, how would it have all turned out?
Certainly not here. Or at least, they would have been in the known of what he was planning, what he wanted to do.
Suddenly, Rukkhadevata startled. Here it was again! The sound! She had heard a sound! So she hadn't been going completely mad when the deity had been here...
She scanned her surroundings, looking at every corner, carefully analyzing each shadow. Nothing moved, nothing seemed out of the ordinary in this room. Her eyes kept dancing around. She knew she had heard something, twice even! If she could just identify where the sound had come from...
There! She heard it again! Rukkhadevata turned her eyes in the direction the sound had come from, on her left, carefully looking at the shadows there, wondering if something would emerge. If yes, what would it be? Would it be one of the three shades? Their path had crossed only once, but it had been enough for Rukkhadevata to know that they weren't any different from the deity that governed over them all. Cold, cruel, avid for power.
Those are the governors of Teyvat, those who rules over both mortals and archons, bending everything to their will, following the Heavenly Principles.
And Rukkhadevata had no intention of being taken by surprise by one of those beings. If anything, she would follow their every move until they made themselves known - no, until they exited the room.
She wasn't sure if the others had heard the sounds, noticed the faint movements in the shadows, but she preferred to stay silent, lest she pushed the one hiding to show themselves. If she could avoid the person coming to light, then she would take it. Although, it made her wonder. Why would one of the three Shades hide in the shadows and not let themselves known? They had no reason to hide in their own realm, did they?
Squinting her eyes, she noticed she couldn't see anything anymore. And she was pretty sure the shadow hadn't left; she would have noticed it. Could it be that the shadow had completely merged in the corners?
There was nothing there. The shadows didn't move anymore. Could she have really missed it...?
Just then, she saw movement again. A dark robe was the first thing she saw, and at this point, she knew everyone was seeing the same thing as she was. The black robe quickly turned into a black cloak, hood covering the face of the person who was now standing in front of them, seemingly looking at the floor, standing still.
The room was silent, archons waiting for the figure to move, or to say something. One thing they knew for sure was that this wasn't any of the Three Shades. Their frame was much different than the one they had in front of them. This person was much smaller, not as tall as they were.
And the Shades would never stay standing in front of them like this. They would be moving around the room, probably mocking them, or talking about some great plan. Or perhaps they would give them a new order, ask of them to do something that was deemed necessary to the Heavenly Principles and their sustainer.
"Who the heck are you?" Murata whispered, seeming to have come to the same conclusion as her.
The figure then nodded their head and moved. It seemed more like they were confirming something to themselves, rather than interacting with the archons.
The way they moved, it was strange. As if they didn't know what they should do, lost somewhere they never went. If Rukkhadevata had any doubt about this person not being one of the shades, it was now completely cleared.
The stranger stepped closer to the first throne on the right, Murata's. Then he summoned a sword, and they all visibly tensed, eyes wide.
"I don't want to hurt you!" The stranger's voice was soft, small, having obviously noticed their reactions. "But I don't have enough time to figure out how to get you out..." he explained. "Please don't move," he said while holding the sword closer to Murata's wrists.
It was obvious the stranger was a boy, a young one at that. Rukkhadevata wondered just how old he was, and why was a child in such a place. How did he even reach Celestia? How did he know of their whereabouts? This information served only to make her worry for the boy who's identity was still unknown to them.
Rukkhadevata wasn't oblivious to the fact that they were all watching the stranger's every move. They knew they couldn't stop him if he tried anything, stuck as they were, but they also couldn't let him move around with a sword without knowing what he was about to do. It was also undeniable that he was helping them. Rukkhadevata knew they all burned with questions for the stranger, herself being the first, but she also knew none of them would waste precious time on things they could keep for later.
Postponing this kind of questioning was almost always a very bad idea, however as of now they had no choice but to stay silent and plan their next move.
When the stranger finished cutting Murata's bounds, she instantly got up, startling the stranger who stumbled a bit and took a few steps back. The Pyro Archon massaged her wrists, grimacing. Extending her hand, she grinned when it glowed with Pyro energy. Then came Focalors' turn. Before turning to Makoto, the stranger looked at the empty seat, upon which floated the glowing Anemo symbol - Barbatos'. Venti's.
She found it odd, the way he simply stared, standing in front of it, shoulders tense. Not that she blamed him - she knew that if she were to be in his place, she too would feel extremely tense and out of place. Even as an Archon, she wanted nothing more but to get out.
Get out with Barbatos.
Once the boy reached her, no matter how much she tried to see under his hood, she couldn't make out a single of his face features, head down to avoid any part of his face being seen. She wondered why would he hide his face, it wasn't as if he was hiding from Celestia - if they knew he was here, then they certainly knew who he was. Although, he shouldn't shake the worry that engulfed her when she figured that no, they most probably didn't know because if they did, they would have done something about it already.
When finally free, she rubbed her sore wrists and noticed from the corner of her eyes Murata burning away Morax's ropes, the stranger turning to the Tsaritsa.
It was a relief to know that their power hadn't disappeared, that it was indeed only the effect of their now thankfully removed bounds.
"We have to get out", whispered Morax.
Rukkhadevata nodded gravely. "We have to get Barbatos first," she added. The five archons looked at her with resolution in their eyes, and she knew they too would refuse to get out without the Seventh member of what should have been a family. Their family.
"So he is here," mumbled the stranger.
Buer's head snapped in his direction. The first question that came to her mind was whether or not the boy was Mondstadtien. She cast a quick glance at the others and noticed they were all looking at each other.
Whatever that was about, she had to snap out of it. They didn't have much time. "Where to, now?" she asked.
Focalors was the one to respond. "We will have to trust our memories of that place."
Rukkhadevata barely restrained herself from mentioning the fact that they only ever came here once, and that their memories were fuzzy.
Nodding to each other, they made they way to the door. Focalors shifted into water, sliding on the floor. Buer noticed the way the stranger startled.
The Hydro Archon would lead the way, sneaking her way in front of them, the best between them at hiding. So she went, turning corners while they followed as silently as they could, watching each other's back. Celestia was almost empty. Besides them, there were only four other beings. The Three Shades, and her.
The corridors were eerie, grim. There was just something sinister and obscure about them. It made Rukkhadevata's hairs stand on end. It was unsettling. Suddenly, Focalors shifted back to her human form, blocking the way, shoulders tense. It made them all stop in their track, heart beating fast. Rukkhadevata wondered what was behind the wall they were about to pass. Could she have found someone? Archons she hoped not...
Makoto put a hand on Focalors' trembling shoulder, worry seeping though her voice, "What is it, Focalors?"
The God of Justice simply shook her head, eyes impossibly wide, pointing a shaking finger in front of her. Taken by curiosity, Rukkhadevata took some hesitant step forward, rounding the corner, before she too stopped dead in her track at the sight that presented itself to her. Beside her, she heard several gasps that she could perfectly understand. Never would she have imagined this was how they would reunite with him.
In the center of the room stood a giant tube, filled to the brim with some bubbly liquid she didn't trust, connected to the walls with multiple yellow strings. And in that tube, floated Barbatos' body, curled on himself, hugging his knees close to his chest, purple braids loose, expression emotionless, not betraying anything of what he must be feeling. It was horrible to see him like this, injured, bloodied, tainted.
What the hell led to this...?
Rukkhadevata bit on her lower lip, trying to restrain the traitorous tears that were threatening to spill. She couldn't tell how Barbatos was feeling. She didn't know what was going on and it was driving her mad.
From the corner of her eyes, she saw the stranger walk past her, heading straight to the tube, putting his hand on it, head looking up at Barbatos. Rukkhadevata simply watched, unable to take her eyes off of the sight. It was torture, and yet she couldn't bring herself to look away. She felt a warm hand slip in hers, squeezing it tight. Purple hair tickled her shoulder as Makoto put her head on it, hiding her face and seeking for reassurance Rukkhadevata would gladly provide.
"What did they do to him..." she whispered with a broken voice. Rukkhadevata felt her shoulder become wet from Makoto's tears. She didn't have it in herself to wipe them away.
She noticed the stranger's hand close in a fist as he abruptly turned around
"Where's the way out?" he asked, anger barely hidden in his voice. It seemed to set Murata off.
"What do you mean the way out?! We are not going out without him!" she screamed while pointing at the tube.
Makoto had to shush her, removing her head from Buer's shoulder in the process, fearing they would be heard. But they all agreed with the Pyro Archon. They couldn't get out without the Anemo Archon. They had come to Mondstadt in the hope to find him and right their wrongdoings, set things straight, give him the apology he deserved. And now that they had finally found - albeit not in the situation they had wished for - they wouldn't back out. Particularly not when Barbatos was in danger, affected by who knew what and in the hands of the worst possible beings in Teyvat.
It seemed, unfortunately, that the stranger did not agree with them. "Venti's been corrupted! We aren't strong enough to fight them! How do you want to do this without a plan?! We have to get out first!"
"And who the hell are you?!" Murata snapped.
Rukkhadevata felt Makoto grip her hand tighter while the latter put her other hand on Murata's shoulder, trying to calm down the Pyro Archon.
It was a tricky situation, and they had absolutely no idea of what exactly had happened for them to be stuck in it. Rukkhadevata wished more than ever she could talk with Barbatos, try to understand what had been going through his head. Buer was a mother herself, wasn't she? Ever since the Cataclysm, she had given to a little branch that had inherited her power and brightened her world. She should have understood what Barbatos had been going through when they had so foolishly chased him away.
As a mother, she could see her little branch in the place of the Anemo Archon, prey to corruption - something that could be even worse than erosion. Barbatos was being consumed by something far greater than himself, and she feared for what might become of him.
But she was not naïve. Rukkhadevata knew very well that some part of what the stranger was saying was true. They couldn't hope to win against Celestia all alone, when they were immensely stronger than them, in their own territory, and hold consequently advantage over them.
The archons? They had nothing.
"He's right," she sighed, begrudgingly admitting that they had to get out first. They had lost Barbatos to corruption - for now, her mind supplied - and there was no use to fight a battle they would loose. They didn't need to loose another companion. They needed all the power they could to get out of here alive.
Murata visibly clenched her teeth, but ultimately decided to stay silent. Rukkhadevata silently thanked her.
"Look at this," they heard Tsaritsa say, voice in a corner a bit further away from them. Everyone's head snapped in her direction. She was looking at some dusty parchment on the wall. Casting a quick look at the tube, Rukkhadevata turned to the Tsaritsa, making her way to the Cryo Archon.
The parchment was odd. It was indeed old, and dusty, but what made it strange was the drawing on it. A drawing that didn't make any sense to Buer. There was one tower in the middle, black and tall, proudly standing, on top of which was drawn one flashing light that threatened to turn off. On the ground where four identical stars, standing at the same level, two on each side of the tower, all brightly glowing, except that the fourth one was crossed.
"What does this even mean?" asked Morax who had come closer to them.
Buer wished she knew. It seemed important somehow, but she couldn't explain how. Nothing infuriated her more than not understanding something that was right in front of her and seemed so simple. Stars. Why were there stars drown?
Rukkhadevata heard a scream, then she heard the stranger shout.
Swiveling around, Rukkhadevata was met with one of the Three Shades, hand raised, having just launched an attack at Tsaritsa and her.
Luckily, Morax had been quick enough.
"This is none of your business, archons," the Shade seethed.
Murata was quick to send a ray of fire at the shade. Rukkhadevata quickly followed by adding dendro to the fire, creating an explosion. She didn't like this, but she also wanted to live.
She would fight, even if it meant fighting one of the Shades.
The Plume of Death, she noted.
Launching Hydro at what was left of the Dendro that reacted with Pyro, Focalors created little green cores that Makoto exploded by sending her own wave of Electro. Buer cast a quick, careful look at the tube in which Barbatos was held before returning her attention to the fight. She wondered what would happen if it were to get hit. Would it explode? She hoped not. She didn't dare to imagine what effect exploding the tube would have on the barely alive Anemo Archon.
Morax crystalized the Electro shards, protecting them with it just as Focalors and Tsaritsa sent a wave of Hydro and Cryo at the Shade who had just shaken off the remain of Murata's and Buer's explosion.
The Plume of Death didn't waste any time to respond to their succession of attack, sending her own, waves so powerful the walls rattled and the ground shook. Then the Shade amassed a ball of energy that she sent flying at them. The stranger was quick to retaliate with a wave of Anemo Energy that dispersed the particles, generating small explosions around the room instead of the one that was supposed to explode on the archons.
Buer stared, mouth still closed only thanks to her self control. Anemo energy? Had the mysterious stranger really used Barbatos' power to deflect the Shades'? So he had an Anemo vision hidden underneath his cape? It only raised more questions, Buer wanted to know who he was and how had he managed to get to Celestia.
It seemed even the Shade had gotten distracted by the strangers' power, going still, adjusting her position to stare at the hooded individual.
Voice even, no emotions threatening to spill, the stranger boldly asked, "What did you do to Venti?"
Venti.
The stranger knew of Barbatos' human name. This led her to think, did the stranger knew Venti the bard, or Venti the Archon?
She had a suspicion it was the latter.
"You..." the Shade started, eyebrow raised at the stranger, gleam in her eyes, "... have no idea of who he truly is, am I right?"
No one spoke, Rukkhadevata wasn't sure of what the Shade was insinuating by this. What did she mean by that? The Shade obviously knew the archons were aware of Venti being Barbatos, and it was made fairly obvious to the Dendro Archon that the stranger also knew - or else he probably wouldn't be here. Why would a mortal be here to rescue normal people he knew nothing about?
It seemed as if the Shade was referring to something else, something bigger than Venti's hidden identity as the Archon of Freedom - she tried not to think too much about the fact that the God of Freedom was anything but free. So what was it?
"Maybe the name 'Istaroth' would ring a bell?"
Rukkhadevata heard Makoto's breath hitch. Looking at her, her eyes immediately settled on the Electro Archon's wide eyes. Narrowing her own, Buer decided that was a matter for later. Sharing a quick look with Murata, they both sent a wave of their respective element, creating another explosion just as big as the first one. Using that opportunity, Makoto tried to zap the Shade, helped by a sudden water wave. The stranger swirled Tsaritsa's Cryo just as Morax shielded Focalors who went underground, sprinting to behind the Shade and reappearing there.
Tsaritsa and Rukkhadevata moved to the left, Makoto and Murata to the right, with Morax and the stranger directly facing the Shade.
Buer knew very well the power of an Archon was nothing in front of that of Celestial beings, but did that mean they had no hope of winning if they were to unite their power against only one? Being multiple, fighting only one of the four Celestial beings, could they make it out alive?
She hoped they could, hoped the Plume of Death wouldn't retaliate with a power they couldn't block. She looked at Barbatos' floating figure, feeling determined to win against the Shade . Rukkhadevata tried her best to convince herself Barbatos deserved way better than what was happening to him. And although they had miserably failed at finding him and apologizing to him like they vowed they would, she couldn't change anything to what had happened.
She could only console herself with the single thought that they all would give their best to save their missing family member.
The one they should have seen as a younger brother from the very start.
So that's why... she would give it her all to save him, she would pour all she had into every single fight until Barbatos was free again, until he was no longer in danger, until all of this was done and over with.
She must, she had no other choice.
Makoto sent electricity dancing in the air, the stranger sent waves of Anemo, swirling the Electro that reacted with the Tsaritsa's cold ice wave. Quickly, Focalors sent a torrent of water, followed by Rukkhadevata's vines, creating Dendro cores that Murata exploded.
The Plume of Death sent waves after waves of attacks, not seeing the shielded archons who kept jumping from place to place, avoiding the blasts, sometimes barely. They kept charging, one after the other.
Rukkhadevata got knocked to the back, body heavily hitting the ground, making her wince. Legs shaking, she got up almost instantly. Sweat dripped down Buer's face as she clenched her teeth, feeling her whole body ache.
They had to end this quickly. Behind the thick elemental layers, she noticed Focalors also getting hit, sent to the wall and dropping down. Rukkhadevata's heart beat faster when the Archon stayed on the ground, not getting up.
She must have hit her head...
Rukkhadevata kneeled and put her hands on the ground, palms down, as she let Dendro energy envelop her, floating all around her. Only once she felt enough Dendro energy had accumulated around her did she send long vines running on the ground, heading directly to the Shade.
She couldn't see what was happening inside the bubble of elemental energy they had created, so she had to concentrate if she wanted to hit her target.
"Morax," was all she needed to say before the Geo Archon caught on what she was doing.
Wasting no time, he positioned himself in front of her and channeled most of his energy in a big shield that would protect the both of them from getting thrown back and interrupted if they were to get him - which would most likely happen.
Sure she would be safe from interruption, Rukkhadevata closed her eyes and tried to feel what was around her.
She could read people's mind, an ability she rarely used to intrude. Instead, she used it to sense how many people were around her, and detect one's presence. She did what she did best: using her elemental sight, Rukkhadevata tried to pinpoint with as much accuracy as she could the Shade's whereabouts, guiding her vines. Once she felt she had gripped something solid, she silently rejoiced.
"I got her!"
Putting more energy in her vines, she ordered them to climb until she felt she had caught the both the Shade's legs and wrists.
And slowly, but surely, the others reduced their attacks, more able to focus on the defensive rather than the offensive. Rukkhadevata heard Morax groan in pain. Fearing he got hit, she screamed at Murata to finish the job.
"Murata!"
The Pyro Archon didn't need to be told twice. Immediately understanding what she had to do, she sent her fire to the vines that were now almost completely covering the stubbornly still struggling Shade.
The vines immediately took fire, burning. Screams erupted around the room, and all Rukkhadevata could do to try to block them out was squeeze her eyes tighter. She hated it. She hated killing. But she also knew they had no choice.
When the screams lessened, albeit still present, Rukkhadevata allowed herself to open her eyes, grateful she couldn't see the burning Shade, completely covered by her vines and Murata's fire.
Then, Makoto summoned a sword, crackling with Electro energy so dense they filled the entire room, electrifying the air.
With finality, Makoto's eyes and hair glowed as she walked up to the burning vines. Raising her sword in the air, she almost immediately brought it down. It felt as if she teleported to the other side of the room. Rukkhadevata had to cover her eyes from the sheer intensity that emanated from the attack she had used.
When she opened her eyes, the screams had completely died down.
Rukkhadevata noticed four things.
The first was the way Makoto stopped glowing, tiredly dropping on her knees as Murata rushed to her side, her sword disappearing.
The second was Tsaritsa tending to Focalors' wound. She seemed to only have lightly hit her head, Rukkhadevata was glad it wasn't anything worse.
The third was the stranger's hood who had come down, revealing a tuff of blond hair and a very, very young face. While more worried about him than before, Rukkhadevata decided to let it go for now.
The fourth and most important thing was the pile of ash that fell on the floor.
She couldn't bring herself to feel sad about the Shade they had just killed.
A single, silver thing glowed on the floor, on top of the ashes, liberating a soft ball of light that went through the wall and disappeared. Taken by curiosity, Rukkhadevata got closer, kneeling in front of the small pile, carefully picking up the object.
It was a key.
Morax spoke, then. "Take a look at this."
Rukkhadevata tucked the key safely away and went to help Tsaritsa support Focalors while Murata and the stranger tended to Makoto. All six of them, they made their way to Morax who was closely looking at the parchment.
"A star went out," he pointed out, showing them said star.
Rukkhadevata frowned, looking back at the pile of ash. The star had been glowing just a few minutes ago, but when they had defeated the shade... it had extinguished. Rukkhadevata looked back at the stars, her gaze flickering up to the one barely glowing. Did that mean that the stars went out when the one they represented died? So each star represented a Shade...
But then, why were there four stars instead of three? Was there someone they didn't take into consideration? Could it be the crossed one?
And the big one, the one that was barely glowing, did that represent the higher up? Did that represent her? But last they saw her - barely a few hours ago - she had been just fine, didn't seem like dying...
Rukkhadevata suddenly remembered Makoto had gasped when the Plume of Death had mentioned a certain 'Istaroth'. Looking at the Electro Archon, Buer immediately noticed the conflicted expression on Makoto's face, so she couldn't help but ask, not unkindly.
"What do you know, Makoto?"
Said Archon looked at her briefly, biting her lip, before looking back at the parchment and sighing.
"I'll tell you, but not here."
The stranger nodded. "We have to get out before someone else catches us here."
Rukkhadevata accepted the answers and decided it was indeed better to get out before something else happened. They were already lucky enough they had survived this long.
"But what do we do for Ven-" Murata paused, closing her eyes briefly, a pained expression crossing her face before she opened them again. "-Barbatos?"
While everyone noticed the slip up, no one mentioned it.
"We have no choice but to leave him here. We will come back eventually," Tsaritsa said, her voice grave.
It was probably one of the hardest things Rukkhadevata ever had to do, but she also knew she couldn't do anything about it.
Then Makoto said, "We should go to Watatsumi Island."
And while that did raise some eyebrows, they all silently agreed that she surely had a reason to take them there. Thus they got out of the room, carrying an injured and unconscious Hydro Archon, shooting one last glance at Barbatos' floating figure.
They didn't have anyone to guide them anymore, but they had to make it quick. Rukkhadevata seriously doubted the two remaining Shades and that God hadn't heard the ruckus. The quicker they got out, the better it would be to anyone.
They ended up stumbling on a wall with a lock.
As they were about to turn around, Rukkhadevata got the key out of her pocket, staring in turn at it and the door, before inserting it in the lock.
Rukkhadevata gasped when the lock turned and the wall shifted to a white, bright portal.
"Should we trust this?" she asked.
"Do we have another choice?" asked then Murata.
Rukkhadevata guessed not. Praying she would land in Watatsumi Island, she walked into the light.
.
.
.
He was cold.
Very, very cold.
And in pain. Archons he was in so much pain...
Everything around him was dark. He didn't know where he was, nor did he remember what had happened.
Venti felt like the world could end and he wouldn't notice.
He ached from everywhere.
He was lonely.
He wished Dvalin could wrap him in his wings, wished Carmen could sing to him, wished Kairos could engulf him in a warm hug and whisper sweet nothing in his ears, reassure him everything would be alright.
He couldn't even remember why he felt so much pain.
Why did he feel so heavy?
He just wanted to get home...
~~~~~~~~~~~~
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