Note. This could (I think) be read without reading the prior oneshot.
You wandered through the ruins of an old, lost, and abandoned city, it was once in the centre of a giant lake, but nowadays the place they called Cider Lake had long been drained of whatever cider was once there, and was replaced with an overgrowing and open cavern splitting the landscape into slopes.
A giant forest grew inside its reach, deterring anyone who dared looked for the wind powered city lost deep inside. That was where, the once grand city of freedom was now buried deep within the cavern's vast forest.
You had to cut through countless vines and trees to even get here.
So, you decided that since it was such a long journey here, and very exhausting to boot. You would take your time and rest for a bit. Maybe one of these buildings were stable enough for you to take a breather in, especially with this sun.
Your head gazed upward toward the sky, your forearm guarding your eyes as you looked at the awning sun, bringing the land heat and the energy things like trees needed to survive.
Once upon a time, you wished to see what the sun looked like up-close. Per your imagination, you would always think of yourself soaring through the stars and surfing through the milky way, as you journeyed through the land of galaxy printed skies, with the stars as your guide.
You'd even imagined an imaginary friend who would go on these journeys with you, you called him... Right, what did you call him? It's been so long, you don't remember.
'Hug~' You groaned, as you bended into your knees and breathed heavily through burning breaths. Today was too hot.
You swatted off some sweat that had built on your forehead. Then searched in your bag for the water flask you brought, and took a hefty chug and tossed it back into your ramshackle brown sack, which was the only bag you had that could carry everything you needed.
Your eyes strolled through the city's buildings, this seemed to be some sort of store area, as the place you entered appeared to have once been a gate. It must've been stunning when it was still standing, You imagined it in your head.
In your imagination you saw: Children running through the streets, dandelions at the entry's garden of sorts, and a little boy who fed the pigeons all day on the bridge into the city.
Since it was once on a lake you concluded there must have been a bridge of some sorts. Maybe that's what those bricks were, you thought back to your journey here. You'd seen countless fallen grey, and cracked bricks looking sort of like a path in the dirt, they led you straight to this gate.
But anyways, now that you were out of your imagination. You only saw, bursting with weeds, and broken-down flowerbeds. Grass overgrowing all over the once solid ground of bricks in patches, while the aged buildings that had corroded with time looked as if they were wailing with the sun's heat.
Then for an instant, you swore you felt a breeze, which had long stopped blowing since... the fall of the Anemo Archon, and the fall of Celestia who could no longer appoint a new God.
You turned to the way you felt the slight sliver of wind and the saw the light of Anemo peeking from down an alleyway looking place. Vines grew across the buildings that were left, and attached to the trees that now guarded this place in place of the stone walls that once were this city's driving force of protection.
You started to run after the light, not truly knowing why. You saw to your side as you started to chase after the teal light, rags of cloth and crates once filled with something, now left to rot.
Maybe this was once a market place of sorts, you contemplated as you looked at what you thought to be broken stalls.
You imagined; a man selling fruits and a young maiden madly in love with a dark duke sort of person, the maiden sold flowers alongside a little girl. Who was the one actually running the flower store? You didn't know, perhaps the little girl did.
You heard a sort of nagging in your head; it was a woman's voice who'd always nag the man selling fruits, her voice became clear in your head. They were together, perhaps.
You had no idea where this sudden stoke of imagination came from, it was like something, or someone was whispering it into your ear. The being would tell the stories in such a way that was reminiscent of reciting a poem.
Whoever it was, had a beautiful voice, you'd like to know the face of whom ever possessed it. It sounded as soft as a zephyr of wind, but also heavy like a storm, and as mellow as a tornado's swirls (if that makes sense).
But, the more you thought about it, the voice, was more like a star's then any wind you'd ever known. Whatever that meant, you had no idea.
After the voice relayed its message to you, you heard the sound of wind chimes. You felt suddenly lighter than air, as if you were soaring through the skies. But it didn't feel like this came from the same being as the one that spoke through your ear, no this was a different being's power.
You felt the heat from your forehead -beaded with sweat- diminish even though it should have been increasing with your running.
It was like you had received a blessing from the heavens, that granted you higher movement speed with less effort, and it also had a cooling attribute which was casted on you.
You'd easily maneuverer around a corner. Then you spotted the light pass through the door of a tavern looking building.
You paused for a moment. Looking at the building in which the teal light had entered. It was almost completely unscathed, only a few cracks and lots of vines which made it look as aged as everything else near it.
But none of the walls were broken through or collapsed in on themselves like the rest of the buildings around. It was strange.
Then on the ground, you saw a hanging sign bored that had fallen long before you had arrived, and that was now strewn about in the grass that sprouted from beneath the brick roads.
You walked over to it, and bent down and saw a peculiar shape -looking like a wine glass almost- but all the colour was drained from its coat, so you flipped it over. The words were still legible though slightly faint. It read "Angel share tavern".
So, this building was a tavern! You confirmed as you looked up at the wooden structure. Then you realised there was a balcony, which Cecilia flowers had started to bloom on, sprouting on the railing and on the walls. They looked almost like they were calling to the heavens as the sun hit them perfectly -creating white halos around their white petals- and looking as if they were glowing.
You raised an eyebrow at the white flowers that somehow flourished in this abandoned city.
Then as a white dove, with what looked like glowing teal eyes scurried off the balcony rail, it knocked one of the flowers off with its stem. The still intact flower floated down to the ground falling near your feet.
What are these doing here, you plucked up the one that had fallen on the ground.
Don't these only grow in places where the wind is strong, like cliffsides? So, what in the world are they doing growing in someplace like this? you deliberated over as you rubbed your chin.
And another thing, didn't they all die out when the wind stopped blowing... You looked down at the impossible, petite creamy-white flower you clasped in your hands.
It really was beautiful; you caressed the petals gently not wanting to harm the small flower. You'd always thought it was a pity they had died out.
This was your first time seeing one, that wasn't in a book. And it felt like a dream come true. This flower, though you'd never seen a real one, had a special meaning to you, that no one else understood.
You felt as if, a friend once held these flowers in high regard, so you too, put them in high regard.
You knew that alchemists had been able to recreate them though slightly different -they made it so the flowers didn't need strong winds to grow- and they were even able to preserve a single one which they believed was the last remaining, naturally grown one of its kind.
(But the ones made with alchemy, never possessed the same beauty you would see in books and the like, the way old poetry would describe them, was enthralling to you. And you never quite got over that fact).
But it seemed, they were wrong, and the flowers they'd thought were gone were just hiding under the nose of the world waiting to be found on a Tavern's balcony.
You chuckled, knowing no one would believe you if you said you found a real bonafide natural Cecilia.
So, you stuffed the one you'd plucked from the ground into your sack, putting it safely into a box of herbs you had collected earlier.
You didn't want to harm the flowers' home, so you decided you wouldn't pluck a single one from the ones thriving on the balcony.
Now, with your mind back on what you'd seen before, the Anemo energy thing that had ran into this tavern. You walked right up to the door.
You steadied yourself, as you held the door's handle with a heavy grip.
'Woo~' you exhaled as you cracked the door open, it easily jerked awake. Its hinges somehow still attached despite the state of the city.
*Creek~* the door craned as it opened, you rested it against the inside walls, ensuring it was left open for light.
But once you entered you saw no need for the door, because somehow, the insides were completely intact and bursting with warm light coming from the candle chandelier.
'W-What?' you let out, as your hand remained suck on the door's handle, not sure if it wanted to accept what it saw as real.
'There's no way... Nothing could've survived this well all these years!' your disbelief was as implausible as the theory of starborn travellers coming from another world to Teyvat.
'Well, that's pretty rude. Don't you think?' a boy's voice called, you didn't recognise it, yet it sounded familiar.
You swiped your head to where you heard the boy.
Except, it wasn't a boy. It instead was the Anemo energy you had followed into here.
But this time, it was sharper and refined, and in the shape of a human.
You couldn't make out any fine details on the figure of Anemo, but you could tell it bore a cape and cap. It arms seemed to be behind its back as it locked- eyes? With you, (it didn't really have anything that stood out as eyes on its face).
'What- What are you?' you questioned as you stepped toward the Anemo figure, it almost felt like a constantly blowing breeze was emanating from its body.
'Hehe. That's a secret~' his pretty raspy voice, was now replaced with a cheeky -yet still endearing- tone.
You thought over in your head on what this elemental creature would answer to, and you came up with only one question.
'Then, what's your name?' you gestured your hand to the elemental creatur- no scratch that, let's say, Anemo spirit, yep that works much better.
The Anemo spirit thought for a while as you saw it blend more into itself, presumably rubbing his chin, if it even had one.
'Venti the bard! From Mondstadt the nation of freedom,' the Anemo spirit -now known as Venti the bard- introduced himself proudly as he stood with his hands on his hips.
'I see...' you spoke out, as you laced your fingers over your chin. Perhaps this Venti, is a ghost or remnant of his past's spirit... After all, no one these days introduces themselves as Mondstadtians, you finished rubbing your chin, and throw a friendly smile his way.
His eyes looked like they narrowed, though it was rather hard to tell with all his facial features blending into one teal mass.
He scurried off before you could get another word in. He'd transferred back into a Anemo sphere except looking sort of like a dove this time, he swiped himself to the stairs as glowing teal feathers left a trail behind him, and he flew up them in the same speed as a strong gale.
It was like he was guiding you somewhere.
But you did not forthright follow him right away.
You wanted to see how this tavern- Angel share it was called if you recall, could be in such mint condition after all these years.
You swiped your fingertips across the wooden counter, which was the first thing you'd see when you entered. Its surface was clean of any dust, and you found yourself wanting a drink, but you quickly slapped yourself in the face for that.
I mean you're still too young to be drinking!
(Though sometimes, it felt like you were older than what your age labelled you as).
You looked behind the counter, in your imagination you could see; A red-haired man minding the counter as three drunkards begged him for more drinks.
One was a sister, she didn't really look the part though.
The other was a man with long blue hair and brownish toned skin, he looked the slyest of the three as he clutched his leg on his knee as he sat.
And the last drunkard... Was a short, raven-haired boy whose hair also had a gradient in it, leading into black to teal from his two braids on either side of his face.
He bore a bluish-green cap and cape. He looked strikingly similar to the boy, made up of Anemo you just saw a moment ago; Venti.
'Ugh-' you clenched your head. Where were these...memories? Flashes? Coming from! You needed answers, this was no longer just about imagining or thinking that there was a voice inside your head.
No, it was real, it had to be.
And that boy, is the only one who had the answers.
You raced up the stairs, not caring if they suddenly collapsed or broke down on you, (you knew they wouldn't, for some reason). The Anemo spirit; Venti's remnant of wind lingered in the air as it pushed you forward.
You reached the second floor in seconds, turning to the side you saw the door to the balcony, and he was waiting in front of it.
You couldn't tell what his expression told, you could only tell that he was waving, and just that you wanted to ask him so many things.
As you beheld him with your gaze, you saw you could see the first floor from the second. Then another memory, Vision thingy? came to you.
You saw... A six-fingered lad, playing alongside Venti, they looked like they were having so much fun as everyone around them cheered for their little duet.
It was so rowdy, but so cosy and warm. You heard and saw men singing alongside them on the stools, as the red-haired bartender smiled as he wiped a glass alongside another man also minding the counter, the other man's almond hair tied into a ponytail, as he sported a beard.
You then saw... the sister and blue-haired man sitting together in a corner, while they bumped their beer jugs together.
It was a happy night, except you felt there was something missing in it...
A blonde, traveller, she was a girl, in white... Never mind! whatever! You shook it off, thinking you must be going more crazy than before.
When your vision flashed back to reality, Venti was gone.
You slowly approached the balcony door, in which he was guarding before. You took the handle in your grasp, and pushed.
When you opened the door, a few of the Cecilia petals were harmed as they flew into the air. You internally apologised to the plant as you bowed your head to the flowers.
You walked deeper onto the balcony's flooring, and saw a oak table. On that table, was a giant beer mug, and a scratched up and scarred piece of parchment. You advanced toward the piece of paper, and picked it up.
The entire balcony smelled of Cecilias yet you found this piece of parchment leaked their fragrance more than any of the flowers nearby.
You sniffed it. Yep, there was definitely a strong perfume used on this... You nodded to yourself.
You looked at it for a second, and realized it was a poem, then you looked for a title, it didn't have one, but it was signed. In cursive and nicely lettered words, the name; Venti, was seen.
You choked back on your hitched breath. But slowly recovered, as you started to read the poem aloud.
Let this drunkard God wail on this sober night.
Oh let his heart beat loud.
Very loud, let his breath escape.
Evening time, is mourning time for this lonely bard.
"I love you" is so selfishly melded into this God's chest,
a regret.
The god's heart longing,
o' these feelings of the longing god,
will they ever cease, and reach closure.
This God's unrequited love.
Burns him out. And ignited him on the path of self-destruction.
Oh,
but gift of alcohol,
let thou bard drift under the watchful eye of your comfort.
He knows she's gone, yet found himself writing in his sleep,
half drunk, half asleep, but fully in-tune with his heart's surge.
The bard wrote his truest feelings, about here-
-Where his heart lies.
Where his love skies from. Here in his chest.
He denies his feelings
using the last poem he shall ever pen, as his goodbye,
to her.
Though, she's gone,
and won't ever see,
what's written on this page.
Her harmonious voice,
that played with his heartstrings,
which he'd wrote many melodious songs about.
How it was smoother than the wind,
and as sweet as a Sweet flower,
and sounded, like stars singing in the night.
This bard, could listen to her forever.
An old, broken, tired lyre
awoken,
that was him
he needed to rest
but for his people
he awoke,
to cure their suffering.
She sought to reunite with her brother,
But still fought to help him
save his people.
She brought that old lyre's
charm out
after all his slumbering.
She wore a white dress,
as pure as her.
To him, she was
his Windblume.
But even as they grew close,
this stubborn old God
could not let go the notion of "freedom".
He kept thinking, that he
was just getting his hopes too high.
But the burn in his heart
was much harder to bear
then he expected.
Feeling as if he'd weigh her down with his selfish love.
Even knowing she'd accept it wholeheartedly;
he knew that would come at a cost.
The hero that she was
the entire time,
was built on her desire to find her brother,
it wasn't for him
to take advantage of.
He wouldn't bring himself to break her resolve.
So, he flushed all his feelings,
down the nozzle and hushed his aching heart,
with his addiction growing to the bottle,
bestowing him, another reason
to drink, till sick.
My dear, luminescent flower, starborn traveller.
I must tell you; I love you
Cause otherwise it wouldn't be fair,
to you,
and to me.
I know that now,
but this tone-deaf-bard's stubbornness
stopped me from giving you a proper goodbye.
That reminds me.
As the Anemo Archon.
That I will tell you now,
my proper goodbye.
I shall send my winds,
beyond Teyvat, in hopes of reaching you.
With my confession as my goodbye.
Though that may cost
quite a lot
my strength might depart,
from me for a while.
This God, might have to slumber,
for a while longer,
so, until you arrive
I will wait.
If you've arrived, while I'm still asleep,
please do wait.
And,
I know you have many places to go,
worlds to wander, a brother to care for.
Because he, is your home
And I am just a fool, who should have let go.
But, I'll be waiting.
Like the fool I am-
-for you.
It ends there.
You felt your chest ache, you collapsed onto your knees, gripping the table's ledge. You cried into your hand, choking on your tears, but being careful not to crumple or wet the parchment.
Why...? Why do I feel so sad... I don't even know this boy... yet I feel as if I've come too late, once again... You couldn't figure out why you'd suddenly started crying, just why! You wanted to know, or did you already know?
These words, were written so long ago, yet they felt like a recent punch straight to the gut to you. It was if you'd known him, was with him, knew him. But you didn't, so why did it feel like you did.
Do stars die when they cry? Or do they die, when their world dies... The being whispered into your ear, their beautiful voice tainted with regret and sorrow.
You don't know the answer to either of their questions, just that you... you- want to cry.
'Why... why am I crying...?' You asked the air with no wind- Ah, a breeze lifted past you. You looked up, tears blurring you vision, but you saw the teal boy made of Anemo energy.
It was Venti. You rubbed your eyes, and for real, there he was. His facial features clearer, still fully teal, but clearer. You could see he was smiling, for what? You'd just read his gut-wrenching tragic love; how could he be smiling?!
You lifted from your knees. On eye level with him now, you tried to speak, but the words weren't there, just sorrow, and a terrible feeling, as if you'd failed him somehow.
Like you didn't make it in time, somehow...
'You know why,' he commented on your previous question to no one but you, on why tears had started to flow in your eyes.
'Huh?' you hummed. 'What do you mean?' you asked, a buzzing in your head as you thought of what his words meant.
'You know. Don't you remember?' he said with a question put in this time. He leaned in with his hands behind his back, his braids fell to the side he lent on, as his cape followed suit.
Remember, you remember...? 'I think...' You try to remember, but the images just aren't forming yet. Your closed eyes clenched, as your temple caved in.
'Never mind. Don't worry about that for now then,' He brushed it off. 'Instead, think of why you came here,' He wanted to hear your reason for coming here? yes, your reason...
Yea... Why had you come? Did you remember?
'I... don't. I don't know why I came, it just... something felt like this place was pullin- no calling me here,' you let out finally, as you looked at your hands. Feeling lost, but also found?
He looked sorry, as his gaze went down. 'Hehe... sorry about that, I was the one who called you here.' He scrubbed the back of his skull as he looked down shamefully.
'Why?' You asked as you drew eye-contact with Venti. The wind seemed to have started blowing again, but that was impossible right? This world's breeze was long gone, wasn't it?
But in his poem, it did say he was a God. Right?
Was he the Anemo Archon? You thought over the words he used in his poem in your head, as you looked acutely at him. His face never changing until he spoke.
'Because, I wanted to see you- no. I wanted to see your soul again, that's what I was calling; your soul,' He explained as he drew his hand to his chest, his gaze softened on you.
His gaze went all around you, then stopped at your face, which was probably a mix between, confusion and regret. Your lip whimpered, and your teeth gritted into each other. A cold sweat ran down your back, as you engraved him into your imagination- memory.
And you felt your chest become heavy, why was it so painstaking to look at him. You needn't know yet, but you felt things resurfacing, things that were forgotten beneath this layer of your identity.
'My soul? Why would you call my soul?' you inquired as you lent forward toward him. You brought your hand to your chest as you voiced your question.
'I wanted, to see you- it, one last time,' he smiled, then it fell into limbo, then his mouth spread to speak then locked shut.
Bards don't usually struggle this much on their words, do they? You'd believed before, but seems even poets can get tongue-tied and clogged up words.
He went silent, searching inside for what to say. You waited; this gave you time to sort your own thoughts out too.
. . .
Venti's mouth opened. Your gaze alerted you of this, and you went back to closely watching him get the words out.
'Sorry, I'm being pretty selfish again... Lumine.' This time a weak smile came to his lips as he gestured toward you as he finally made clear eye-contact with you after a long period of stumbling over his words.
Oh. Something clicked. You really were too late. You recalled everything.
The name he called you, it wasn't your name, but it was, it had been your name centuries ago. You'd been Lumine, you had a brother, and you travelled worlds together.
You were a starborn traveller. You... were a star.
Venti's eyes closed as he winced. He seemed to think perhaps this was pushing it. After all, making someone recall their past life, isn't something you'd normally want to do.
But it was fine. You were happy to remember. Though it might ruin the life you have now, if it meant you could see and talk with Venti again as Lumine, it was okay.
'Venti... I remember...' You closed your eyes as you smiled toward Venti, showing your hand to him as if you were revealing your cards.
He smiled, and said, 'I see.' He sighed with a downcast look and with his head slumping, but quickly returned your smile.
Your eyes crunched into each other, blurring what you saw to puddles of colours all mashed together like some of paint collage.
'I... came too late, by the time your winds reached us, it was too late. I came back, but found Mondstadt... gone, with you...' You fell to your knees, tears flowing from their sockets in your eyes.
You're seeing him again, for the first time in centuries. And the first thing you do is cry, what's wrong with you! he waited... He waited... for you.
Venti scurried down next to you on the floor. 'Don't cry, my warrior.' he pulled you in for an embrace, hugging you tight with all his might. He ruffled your hair, and drew circles on the back of your neck. He wasn't warm nor cold, he was like a breeze, faint, and fleeting.
You scrambled to take hold of him as well. Not needing warmth, just needing him.
'I- I- it was my fault; you used all your power! And- and...' You struggled with the words. Why couldn't you have his talent with words at moments like this, when it was really needed.
'Shhh~' he put his finger to your lip, a reassuring smile on his face. 'Don't worry, I only slept for around, one-hundred years, but I awoke perfectly fine, it wasn't you. You weren't the reason Mondstadt fell, it was... just it's time,' He reassured you, as he squeezed you tightly in his arms.
You were comforted by his words, but just because you felt relieved, he didn't die because of using all his powers because of you. You realized, that meant he waited the rest of his years for you.
Isn't that even worse... you couldn't stop crying, as you kept sniffling and wiping tears away with your fists.
His breeze was soothing you as it wrapped around you along with his Anemo body.
How come...? How come you're the one comforting me, when I should be the one consoling you! You cried in your head, as you nuzzled your face into his shoulder.
Then the voice came back again, saying; I hope, it isn't too painful, to regain our memories. The beautiful voice whispered, as it drifted away and merged with you. Like a completed puzzle, you finally felt like you.
You reached a conclusion, to those memories, visions whatever you called them before. They weren't someone else's memories or someone else's stories, they were yours. All yours. The moments you shared with the people of Mondstadt, those long nights at Angel share, they were all your moments with your friends.
You'd been the one whispering them into your ear.
That voice, was Lumine's, and that meant, it was yours.
So many eons had passed, since you came back here when you were still Lumine, everything was different. You remembered how defeated you felt when you saw Mondstadt in ruins.
You-
'You know-' Venti spoke out, his voiced sounded faded, like a bird's song, it could only go on for so long.
He was fading away, and slowly ascending into the sky.
You listened intently on what he was going to say, cutting yourself off from thinking, while fearing that whatever he was about to say, may be the last thing you ever hear him say.
You enthralled yourself with his scent of Cecilias and wine, you engraved his voice into your veins, not wanting to waste a single moment, you could already feel his Anemo body diminishing as you gripped his shoulder harder. Tears that wouldn't go away, stayed inside the waterline of your eyes.
'-I didn't expect you to stay here long after you found out I was gone. I suppose that's why your soul's still here in Teyvat, you lived the rest of your life-span here.' He paused, swallowing deep, then continuing. 'But... for what reason?' He asked, looking straight into your eyes, as he caressed your cheek with his hand.
You just smiled, and said the same words he said to you when you'd cried over his poem. 'You know why.'
You knew he knew the answer, it was quite obvious. You nested your head on his chest, falling into him as he in surprise fumbled to position his arms around you again.
His eyes widened, but then he simply laughed. 'Right, I guess this is my payback for earlier when I did that to you, who'd still hadn't remembered, Ehe...' He scratched the back of his head as he awkwardly chuckled.
You heard the Anemo energy escaping him as you huddled deeper into his chest.
His voice was sounding distant, his elemental body was waning away.
You and him stopped talking, feeling enough was said. Now you and him, are waiting. Waiting for his body to disappear, you already felt and heard it happening with his voice and body. You couldn't bear to open your eyes; you don't want to see him go again.
Not again...
'Hey, I remembered. I have to tell you something,' He remarked suddenly as he pulled out of the hug, but still gripping your shoulders with his tender touch.
He looked deep into your eyes, but you couldn't do the same with him, seeing only the teal sockets of eyes that once were so reminiscent of your homeland's skies.
His facial features contorted into a bittersweet smile, as he brushed the hair out of your face. He patted and stroked your head for a while until he could speak again. He struggled in silence for a bit before continuing.
'I... love you. Every you, it doesn't matter to me, that you're not the same Lumine as before, I still love you,' he finished, and closed his eyes, and brought his forehead up against yours, as he held your cheeks in his grasp.
He drew circles on your skin, and kissed your forehead right as he said this; 'Goodbye, my windblume,' he breathed into your ear.
Then he brought his lips to yours for one final parting send-off. His lips were soft against yours; it was like kissing a lost breeze, or a fallen dove.
Now this. This was the last thing you would ever hear him say, even though it wasn't certain you were right, you knew you were. And as you were about to speak and say "I love you too." His braids flew up into the sky, from the sudden wind current that had appeared underneath you and him, it was his final gust before it took him to the heavens.
His lips, they were tender, almost like the wind you and him would in the past always glide in together, as you entangled your hands as you flew through the skies of past Mondstadt.
And just as you were about to stroke his cheek with your hand, you watched him, fly away. Leaving only feathers and longing behind.
His body shattered and dispersed into tiny, teal particles. They flew to the sky, and scattered across the four winds.
And you, looked for something to hold onto.
Anything.
But-
he was gone.
But not without his proper goodbye he mentioned in his poem, he'd said it, but you hadn't been able to.
And that was fine, you gave a proper goodbye the day you left Teyvat and grieved all those years over his death, before eventually parting from this world as well.
It was he, who suffered all that time, because he wasn't able to give a proper goodbye the first time around. Now, you've both said, everything needed, and every that was and ever was, to be.
This fate isn't cruel, it's yours;
Lumine.
The end.
***
Epilogue: Always second chance.
(Author's note: WOW an epilogue of an epilogue, how fun~)
It'd been a year since you watched Venti evaporate into the wind. And a lot has happened in that time. The winds came back, no one could figure out why, but you had a hunch.
You stared at the Cecilia you had taken back from old-Mondstadt (regular Mondstadt), you preserved it in special jar you asked an alchemist to make for you, it still looked as healthy and alive as the day you found it.
You propped your elbow onto the dresser you seated it on, as you leaned into it and stared at your reflection through the glass, while also staring at the flower's white petals intently as you stroked your finger across the glass.
'Huh~' you huffed, and straightened your back as you went back to packing for your picnic you were going to have at old-old Mondstadt, the one previously known as Stormterror's lair.
Why were you going there? well, you felt like reliving her past for today. Yep, you've started to call your past life as Lumine as "her" instead of another version of you. After all, it's best not to dwell on the past.
For today, you are Lumine, but for tomorrow you are you.
You took hold of the golden knob of your oak door, pausing to check your belongings for a second time before leaving.
'Mm-hm!' you hummed as you nodded your head. 'Everything's there,' you smiled as you spoke aloud to yourself.
***
After you finally reached old-old Mondstadt, you breathe deep, reliving your senses as Lumine when you first entered this Place with Venti's help. You chuckled, thinking of Paimon and Venti's bickering.
You identify around for a suitable spot to set up shop with your picnic, luckily you know all the best spots where monsters don't congregate around.
You gazed up at the large castle like structure, which wind barriers had fallen a long-long time ago, then you bobbed your head as you started heading toward it.
You made it up the structure of Stormterror's liar, finding yourself face to face with a tattered stature of the seven, you bowed as you stopped for a moment. A bittersweet, and tangle smile on your features as you turned away and continued to walk up the structure.
Then as you advanced upward to the centre area with the magic circle looking things where a blue beam sprouted from. You looked around, seeing the no longer functioning Ruin guard still there, then looking behind it, to the ledge Venti stood at when he told you about the meaning of the Windblume.
But instead of seeing an empty ledge facing the landscape, you saw a boy, sat at the ledge, singing on his lyre, as his raven braids swayed through the once gone wind.
He bore a brown newsboy styled hat, with a white alchemically-made Cecilia slipped in it, for his top he wore a creamy-white flowing blouse that tucked into his dark olive-green shorts.
His voice's melodies and raspy-ness played throughout the wind, as he struck the chords of his lyre. It was his voice, the voice you deep inside, wished to hear again.
You froze.
Took your hand over your mouth, as you stopped yourself from shouting.
Your heart banged in your ear. You knew what you wanted to do, you wanted so much to run to him, and give him a hug.
But you fought back, you weren't Lumine, this wasn't the past.
You knew it was him, there's no mistaking that. But, how could you dare intervene in his new life. Maybe, if you didn't remember, didn't know, about your past lives together. You could have the right to say "hello".
And if the world decided for you two, to cross paths when you didn't recall your past life, maybe then it was right to say it was fate.
But you did, you remembered. It would be tampering with his fate, you knew.
So, you turned away, with the melody of his lyre lingering in the back of your head, it was a familiar tune, one she'd heard Venti play many times.
You didn't waver nor did she. Perhaps, she too felt this was right. You and her, were both in agreement, this was the correct course of action.
Yet it stung, for both you and her.
This fate isn't cruel.
Yet it has to be.
For you, and your past.
Because, no matter how much you tried to separate her and you, you'll always be, intimately overlapped with each other. Because a star, doesn't leave behind its trail, it creates a new one each time it falls.
And she was that trail, you didn't leave behind.
'Um excuse me! Please catch that!' a boy's voice called with an urgently in his tone as you heard him fumble over his steps, his voice was one that you knew well from his singing moments ago.
You saw a flying hat come from behind you, swiping near you on your side. On instinct you reached out and grabbed it on your tippy-toes, you almost tumbled over and the food in your basket almost fell out.
'Woo~' You huffed, as you stepped down off your toes.
'Wow! Great catch!' he said as you heard him draw up behind you. his voice was now right behind you.
You didn't know whether to turn or not, a part of you wanted to. But what if that started something, you couldn't undo?
Don't worry, it'll be okay, it seems the world has decided this for us. You heard her voice call, and you knew she was right.
You breathed in heavy, steadying your stance, while flicking your hair out of the way, wanting to look presentable for your first ever meeting, as you turned to face the raven-haired boy.
'Here.' You handed him his hat back.
He took it from your hands, and tugged it messily back onto his raven locks.
'Thanks!' he smiled brightly as he adjusted his hat. And once he'd got it on just right, he cleared his throat and bowed.
Your eyes widened as you watched him bend before you.
'Let's go gliding again, Lumine!' he proclaimed as he held his palm to you. You jerked in surprise, but then calmly placed yours in his when he coughed again, telling you with it to not leave him hanging.
You smiled, I guess it didn't matter whether or not I spoke to him, he remembers too, you breathed in, readying your vocal cords, and confidence as you stood straight and asked.
'What's your new name? mine's...'
Now this isn't cruel,
It's just fate, and a new beginning in different bodies.
This was your always, second chance.
-Author's footnote
Okay! This can be read as a Reader x Venti fic or as a Lumine x Venti ship-fic, which ever you prefer🤷♀️.
(I personally intended for Venlumi, but that's just me).
This one's long, and pretty sad as well. So, get your tissues out and start the crying (or not).
(By the way, this ending was brought to you by my sister! the only reason you got this happy ending is because she coerced me into it, so ah... I was actually just going to just leave it as Lumine/you leaving, and bidding a final farewell, as she let go of the past. So... be happy. I guess?)
Anyways,
Author Shea signing off!
Word count: 6936 (on Word)