~•~•~
Lyra waits inside Jean's office together with Lisa. "so... where are Jean, Aether and Paimon?", Lisa asks .
Lyra scoffs. "Aether and I saw her conversing with someone from the fatui. They decided to wait until they were done conversing while I headed up to the statue. I have personal reasons for why I don't want to be caught up with those Snezhnayan diplomats." Lisa laughs.
"that is understandable. Jean was probably just telling them to leave the Stormterror situation to her and the rest of the knights. We don't want one of our four winds killed." – "reasonable." The two girls look up as they hear the door open.
Jean, Aether and Paimon head inside. "I hope you two haven't been waiting for too long." Lisa shakes her head. "no, we have not." – "alright. Now... Aether, you wanted to show us?" he nods and takes out the crystal the trio found in the woods.
Jean inspects it carefully. "It's a crystal embedded with some kind of power... Lisa, are you able to analyse it?" – "Let me take a look..." she goes closer to the crystal. "Hmm... I can see impurities in the crystal, but upon further inspection... no, I'm sorry, I can't make a proper analysis at the moment. Give me some time. I'll take a look through the library's restricted section."
Jean nods. "Right. I'll leave the research to you then, Lisa." – "Understood. I'll notify you all if I make any progress. Though I wouldn't go getting your hopes up. They are incredibly ancient texts, not to mentio- Ouch!"
The crystal zaps Lisa as she was about to take it. "Gosh, that hurt! The impurities in the crystal... it hurts when I get close..." – "I see... it appears to react to visions..." the group looks at Lyra as she continues.
"the impurities and the elemental energy we embody repel each other." Lisa then speaks up. "It's strange, though. Aether has elemental abilities as well but doesn't seem to be affected in the same way." The trio stays silent.
"Anyway, the crystal would be better left in the hands of my cutie. It will just be a pain if left with us – both literally and metaphorically." Aether looks at her embarrassed. "Cutie?" Jean ignores this and speaks up.
"... Fascinating. Do you know anything about what makes you special?" Lyra speaks up before Aether could say anything. "No, though it is something we are going to look into during our adventures." Jean nods.
"I do not know what to make of it either. Well, then, Lyra, Aether... the knights of Favonius have another favour to ask of you two. Please accept the title of honorary knight... and the gratitude of the acting grand master." – "honorary knight.... of Favonius?!", Paimon exclaims.
Jean nods. "We ask for your continued assistance in finding some answers." – "We will gladly continue to help you, right Aether?", Lyra says and gets a nod from Aether.
Jean smiles, then her smile falters. "Stormterror's rage... and strange crystals... I know Mondstadt's peace hangs in the balance. May the wind open your eyes to the truth. We'll meet back here if you find anything."
~•~•~
Once the trio exits the HQ, Paimon speaks up. "there's something you didn't tell them. The dragon and the crystal weren't the only things we saw." Aether sighs.
"I'd like to investigate this without the knights help first." – "So, you do remember him, that green guy", Paimon says. "I talked to him a little earlier. That was at the statue. I believe he should be still there." , Lyra states. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!", Paimon exclaims.
They head up to the statue. "there he is!", Paimon remarks. The trio approach him. "Hello Venti.", Lyra greets the Green bard. Venti looks up.
"Oh, hello, Lyra. So, these are the other two who scared away Dvalin.", Venti observes. Paimon looks at him confused. "Dvalin? Who is that?" Lyra sighs.
"that is Stormterror's real name, if you didn't listen before." – "huh?... oh, right. Most people seem to call him 'Stormterror'. Why do you call him that... are you two close or something?" Lyra adverts her eyes.
"Oh, so close.... Good day, outlander. Seems we meet again. I am Venti the bard, three-time winner of the 'most popular bard of Mondstadt'. So, what do you need from me?" Before Paimon could say anything, Lyra chimes in.
"it's about Dvalin. Aether, could you show him the crystal?" he nods, and he takes out a pure blue crystal. "oh! Isn't this-", the bard gets cut off by Paimon. "what?! The crystal has been purified?!"
"not sure how this happened...", Aether mutters. "Dvalin, he... the anguish he feels... has brought him to tears." – "tears?" Venti takes out a corrupted tear and hands it to Aether. It purifies immediately.
"interesting... there is more to your powers than we first thought, huh Aether?", Lyra says with a small smirk on her face.
"Someone like you is going to end up getting written into a bard's poem. Oh, heroes so bright, should they stand in the light. Though stand in the shade, and you'll be met by a blade... Alas... I've really not the time to compose a melody for you at this moment. Anyway, even if Dvalin is not taken down, his life will still wither away with the breeze... he'll burn himself out in the flames of anger..." Lyra sighs. "poor Dvalin...", Lyra mutters.
"thank you for that, and you for purifying the teardrop crystal. But I have my own plans for what is to follow." This perks Paimon's interest. "Oh? And what plan would that be?" – "Seeing this tear has brought to mind a friend so dear?" – "friend?", Paimon asks.
"Is it Willow...?", Lyra mutters, only barely audible to the others. "heh-heh, one must be going." Venti starts running off. "Hey! Where're you running off to?!" – "to the 'symbol of Mondstadt's hero'. Bye-bye~" with that, he disappears.
"what could that be?!", Paimon complains. "you know... his voice seems familiar...", Aether states. "Familiar? Paimon doesn't know... you're alone on that one."
"no, he has a point. Venti's voice is similar to the one we heard up in the sky when we fought off Dvalin.", Lyra notes. "really? Anyway, what is this 'symbol of Mondstadt's hero'?" – "that is easy. The tree in Windrise. It is connected to Lady Vanessa, the founder and first grand master of the knights of Favonius." – "then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
~•~•~
Once they arrive at the tree in Windrise, they see Venti standing in front of the tree. He turns to the trio as he feels their presence.
"Oh? What are you doing here? Though I was just wondering if you would happen to follow me..." – "I want to know more about the anemo god." Lyra stifles a small laughter in success. 'I know he is Barbatos... though I believe Aether should figure this out on his own.' Venti notices this but decides to ignore it at the moment.
"you speak of the god of anemo, Barbatos? He already disappeared from Mondstadt a long time ago. Liyue and Inazuma's respective gods of geo and electro are still present, but Mondstadt has seen many a moon since they last saw their own god. Why do you wish to know about the god of anemo? Does it have something to do with Dvalin?" – "partially, yes.", Lyra says.
Aether nods. "yes, Lyra and someone else told me about Dvalin's past." – "oh? You know more about Mondstadt's history than most Mondstadters themselves. Though just how is it that everyone sees Stormterror? I'm quite curious. That said, there's no need to rush... I have not been back in a while; it seems there are a few who are unhappy with my arrival." They turn to see anemo slimes.
They take out their weapons and beat them quickly. "seems like the dragon wasn't the only thing affected by this change in wind... now then, you were saying someone else than just Lyra had told you about the dragon?"
Aether then proceeds to tell Venti what Lisa and Lyra had told him. "is that so? Quite the scholar I must say that Lisa. She's not wrong the conflict has reached this point, only because both sides have resorted to the use of force. His hate, however, did not arise from the people not making a tribute to the four winds. Nor was it born from his own nature, but instead came about as a product of his degradation."
Paimon looks at his confused. "degra...dation?" – "the black blood flowing through his heart has been torturing him for years. That's what has allowed him to be led astray by the lies of the Abyss Mage." Lyra's breath hitches while Aether looks confused.
"Abyss mage?!", Lyra hisses out. "Abyss mage? Never heard such a name." Aether mutters. Lyra turns to him to explain. "they are from the abyss order, an organisation comprised of non-human beings. They despise mankind."
Venti nods and continues explaining for Lyra. "though I don't know where they come from. All I know is that they hold deep hatred towards the human world. Many hillichurls out in the wild take orders from them and act as their weapons. Before arriving here, I too was like Dvalin, cursed and left to waste. But now, before us stands the symbol of Mondstadt's hero, the place from which Mondstadt rose. The wind amongst the branches is good, I love the way it smells. Being here with you beneath this great tree feels like when the tear was purified earlier. Like the poison is leaving my body... Mmmmm... feels much better."
"So... how exactly did you get poisoned?", Paimon questions. "Ahh... that would be because I tried to communicate with Dvalin earlier, but was... interrupted... as a result, not only did I not manage to help Dvalin break his curse, but instead, was also infected myself!" Lyra sighs. "we still don't know what made Aether's clothing light up like that..." – "either way, it was you. So, to make up for it, travellers, you're coming with me to the cathedral!"
Aether looks at him suspiciously. "the Mondstadt cathedral? To do what exactly?" – "to claim a certain 'holy lyre der Himmel'." Venti starts explaining what the holy lyre der Himmel is.
Lyra merely sighs to herself as she blends out their conversation. 'I know that they won't give us the lyre... I know what to do..'
"as much as I'd love to join you, I still have something I have to take care of myself. I am still a traveller independent from the other two. I have responsibilities in the adventurers guild.", she lies seamlessly. The others nod without a second thought and she leaves the group behind.
~•~•~