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The last demon falls as the mask made of karmic debt nearly collides with the ground and shatters to dust. Thankfully, Xiao has enough strength to will it away. Not so thankfully, he collapses to the ground with a groan.
Liyue has had a surplus of demons as of late. Normally such news would be alarming, but this is the time of year when the foolish Anemo Archon gives his entire nation the week to slack off. According to Morax, the mortals take this time to do things for themselves. This is confusing, for Mondstadt is meant to be the nation of freedom. The foolish Archon doesn’t even do a single thing for his people, so don’t they already have their whole lives to slack off? It’s ludicrous, and normally he would not make note of such human affairs, but this week makes Xiao as close to humans outside of Liyue as he will allow. With the lack of commissions in Mondstadt, there is more opportune time for corruption. The monsters of Mondstadt cross the border to Liyue, and, well...the rest of the story is fairly obvious.
Xiao’s duty is to protect Liyue; naturally, this event would give him an inkling of enjoyment. Having a general idea of when the week of laziness comes allows him to prepare for whatever consequences may occur, and he can normally take care of the extra mobs with ease. This time...there must have been a slight miscalculation.
His whole body aches. The screams of those lives he has taken throughout the years echo in his skull and reverberate. All the desperate pleas he has heard within his lifetime threaten to claw out of his throat. Xiao closes his eyes, but even that is a futile attempt at settling down his karmic debt. Instead of the comforting darkness, images of bloodshed flash his mind. After a few moments, even breathing becomes unbearable. Time to head back to the Inn, then.
Xiao manages to lift himself up from his position on the ground. Conjuring up a teleportation point feels like it would be too much effort, so he opts for staggering to Wangshu Inn. The last demon he had to slay wasn’t too far from the Inn, so he should be fine. He will be fine.
Normally at a time like this, Xiao would utter a single name. The Anemo Archon, despite being known as the weakest and laziest Archon in all of Teyvat (according to the ones closest to Barbatos, at least), is sadly the only one who can cure his immense karmic debt. He has given Xiao permission to call his name whenever he is in dire need--adding a wink and mentioning he would come if it was just for some wine if it was Xiao who called--but Barbatos is known for his long slumbers.
If Barbatos isn’t making a fool of himself in Mondstadt, he is apparently resting. It’s rather in character, given all the information about the Anemo Archon Morax was willing to spill. Only the upper beings in Celestia know whether or not Barbatos is awake.
Though, even if he was awake, it would still be unbefitting to call upon him. The festival is dedicated to the freedom he was able to achieve from his vague hardships. He’d probably be drinking up a storm while bellowing ballads from times of old. If Xiao was feeling better, just thinking about it would make a small noise he has suppressed for centuries bubble to the top of his throat.
Xiao is, in fact, not feeling any better.
The Inn is quiet during this time of day, so slipping in without garnering much suspicion was achievable. However, the stealth department was lacking. The Innkeeper’s partner, ever so diligent, was there to welcome him back. She can usually tell when he needs his alone time, so a single pointed look was enough to get her to clam up with a strained smile.
Xiao stumbles into his room, accidentally slamming the door in the process. His body aches in even more places than he thought was possible, the pounding in his skull is beating like a toddler’s ridiculous playing of a toy drum, the images his mind produces are becoming more clear and grotesque, and he needs to take off his armor.
Taking off his armor is as easy said as done. Maneuvering around his room is easier said than done. He manages to bump into a shelf meant for books--not having enough time to read, he just placed his vacant serenitea pot on one of the shelves--before placing his armor as neat as he could atop a bed stand. But instead of walking toward the bed, he stumbles in the opposite direction. He somehow manages to make his back face the wall, so at least some injuries were prevented.
But this state...it’s pathetic. He should have been more careful. Why wasn’t he being careful?
Multiple voices berate him, his chest feels like it is starting to rip apart, and the most logical thing to do would be-. “Barbatos…”
Was that weak, breathy voice really his? The last time he felt this powerless was the day he first heard Barbatos playing the Dihua Flute. Perhaps that is why he immediately turned to that name. It was familiarity in a predicament that is out of his control.
But in the end, the effort will still be futile. Xiao will have another near death incident due to his karmic debt, Morax will somehow figure it out and prevent the corruption from fully taking him in, and he will last another thousand years or so.
...As if. Morax doesn’t have the power to stop karmic debt. However, he is indebted to Liyue, so if he is to go out, at least it was at the hands of corruption. Dying because he was protecting his people is the best way to go; his death wouldn't be considered worthless.
Barbatos won’t bother to come, either. This is Liyue, not Mondstadt. The only ties they--Barbatos and he--have is their shared element. If Barbatos is asleep, his pleas will fall upon deaf ears. If Barbatos is awake, he would be busy mingling with his people. If the festival that goes on throughout this week is anything like Lantern Rite...Barbatos will have his hands full for sure, even if he were to slack off. He is even more of a people person than what Morax claims to be. What exactly did he have to gain from calling his vision’s Archon’s name? The likelihood of him actually appearing is-.
The wind picks up in his room. Xiao lets out an involuntary growl as his weary gaze drifts toward the mass of wind that slowly reveals Barbatos’s shape. Through his blurred vision, it is clear to see he has been busy. Barbatos’s human vessel’s hair is sticking every which way, and to make matters more confusing, he appears to have a pencil and paper in hand. When the ignorant Archon finally lays his frantic eyes upon him, he gasps. “Xiao! Are you all right?”
Does he look “all right”? Xiao attempts to send a glare toward him, but the effort is wasted energy. Barbatos takes notice and immediately starts to pat his cape after tossing his paper and pencil aside. There is no sound of falling wood, so Barbatos must have willed them away with his wind. “You,” he clears his throat, hoping the scratchiness will go away, “you didn’t have to come.”
He frowns before pulling out a familiar flute. “The winds insisted the matter at hand is urgent,” Xiao feels Barbatos’s eyes looking him up and down. He doesn’t have enough energy to scold him for being coddling. “You seem to be in pain; could you quit being so divergent?”
Xiao attempts to open his mouth to retort, but the action makes him wince instead. He can neither banter nor express rare sincerity in exchange for Barbatos’s presence. He can’t even meet Barbatos’s eyes without feeling like he should just succumb to his karmic debt right then and there, in the foolish Archon’s presence. This unfamiliar weak feeling makes him sick. However, Barbatos somehow knows him better than anybody else, so he gives Xiao a quick grin before dropping to his knees. He then places his hands on Xiao’s shoulders, making him attempt to flinch away. Pain courses through his body, but even that attempt of minimizing contact was worthless. Barbatos kept his ground, even going as far as to let his flute lie on his bare shoulder. The slight chill is a welcomed presence. “So sorry, but I have no time to play here. How about a scenery change that isn’t quite so near?”
He has no time to respond, nor did he even need to. In a blink of an eye, they are teleported to a place where the wind blows stronger, almost as if offering its strength to the two of them. They have to be in Mondstadt, then. Figures, with the festivities going on. The sudden sunlight blares into Xiao’s eyes, so he lets himself show slight weakness by leaning into Barbatos’s touch ever so slightly. He squeezes his shoulders in response before getting up.
“Now, a special song tailored just for you,” Barbatos begins softly, his gentle breath getting carried in the gentle breeze, “I hope it receives a good review.”
As soon as the Dihua flute’s first note resounded in the open area, Xiao’s tenseness started to ease; the gruesome images that plagued his mind started to dissipate; the pleas of forgiveness died in his throat; the screams of terror fled his mind. Instead, when closing his eyes, a field of some sort of flower is present. The soothing sound of the Dihua flute creates a pleasant atmosphere in his mind.
It’s almost freeing.
About halfway through the tune, Xiao opens his eyes. He takes note of Barbatos’s sudden gentle smile when they lock gazes. The notes never stuttered. In fact, the wind felt like it was dancing along with the continuous melody. Admittedly, the Anemo Archon has talent.
Having nothing better to do at present, Xiao kept his attention focused on Barbatos.
Despite his rowdy hair and outward appearance, Barbatos managed to personify peace when playing the flute. When his attention drifted from Xiao and back to his song, Barbatos’s eyes became half-lidded. His eyelashes gently fluttered against his cheek. Barbatos’s breath appears soft, as well. If Xiao didn’t know any better, he likely would have succumbed to the sudden drowsiness he is facing. The music Barbatos plays is calming. The flautist...admittedly provides a sense of calm, too.
There’s just something about the faux bard that makes Xiao feel at ease.
In what only felt like a few fleeting moments, Barbatos holds the final note. When he drops the flute to his side, they lock eyes once again. Xiao stills, not wanting to break whatever spell the two of them are under. Barbatos’s eyes narrow in fondness, and he opens his mouth to say-.
Ding-Ding-Ding.
The ringing of distant bells interrupt their stupor. Xiao hops up close to Barbatos and feels at his side. Where is his-? Ah, that’s right, his armor is back at the Inn...
Barbatos laughs, tickling the shell of his ear. “The wind is reminding me of the present,” he says softly, still in his Archon persona. “The past cannot last, you know?”
No, he does not know. Xiao gives him a blank stare.
“Ah! See, right there?” Barbatos points to his right with confidence. His smile is nearly contagious. “Mondstadt is right around here!”
He glances over to see what Barbatos was pointing at. Indeed, behind the space of two pine trees lies the nation of Mondstadt. It’s miles away; the only thing giving the slightest hint of the big city being Mondstadt is the famous windmills. The wind really must have been sending a message to their Archon.
Though far away, Xiao could still make out the various festivities going on around the nation. Balloons drifting off, dandelion seeds floating in the air, the normally dull nation becoming colorful due to the festivities…
Wait...where exactly are they? Xiao’s eyes flit over the area they have taken.
They stand atop a small cliff that is on a bigger one. (This is just an assumption, for although the sea is not visible, Xiao can hear it.) Looking up grants him the view of...a wormhole of sorts, a huge gust of wind permanently beneath it, tempting those who would dare enter. To the right are various pine trees and various rock formations. To the left, purple crystals with Electro energy periodically send small electric shocks into the ground.
Seems normal enough. Xiao nods to himself, turning to the left again. His eyes briefly catch the sight of a waypoint down below, past the cliff side they are on. He squints. Why did Barbatos take the time to teleport them atop a small cliff when there is a perfectly functioning waypoint near here? It’s nonsensical, but in many ways--he supposes--so is Barbatos. The antics are befitting of Mondstadt’s Archon.
“Enjoying the view?” Barbatos questions gently. The breeze somehow remains light, but there is a playful flare.
Xiao startles slightly, but just as quickly regains composure. What is Barbatos planning? “It’s all right.”
Barbatos giggles as Xiao turns around just in time to see the Dihua flute disappear into fragments, getting blown away by wind. “How are ya feeling, Xiao?”
“...better.”
“That’s great to hea-!”
In a bout of sudden irrationality, Xiao blurts out a curt, “I’m sorry.”
“Eh? Why are you apologizing?”
Xiao shifts his gaze down. “You’re busy, yet you still came to help me.” He looks back up. “I’m not even one of your people.”
Barbatos’s eyes widen a smidgen. Xiao tilts his head slightly. Is Barbatos really just that selfless? Or is there some other motive? If only there was a way to get into that head of his.
“Oh! Don’t worry about it, Liebling,” Barbatos grins. “It really is no problem!”
Selfless then? That doesn’t seem-. Wait, what? What did Barbatos just say?
Xiao isn’t well-versed in the language of those in Mondstadt. He is dedicated to Liyue, so he only ever learned their nation’s tongue. Because of Morax, he knows simple Mondstadt greetings and such, but that word is unfamiliar.
He squints as he observes Barbatos. He keeps the grin, carefree as ever, almost as if he didn’t slip a foreign word from his nation’s tongue into casual conversation. The word must have a positive connotation, then. At least, there was no hostility in his tone. In fact, Xiao would dare say Barbatos almost sounded...fond. How curious.
So curious, Xiao decides to get close to the people of another nation for just another second. Surely Morax wouldn’t mind. (He has tried to get him to be more social, lately…)
“Lie… Lee… What?” He can’t even pronounce it. How mortifying.
Barbatos’s smile becomes strained, and he begins to tense. Xiao tilts his head. Despite the fond tone, Barbatos is acting like it was a bad word to even utter. If he can remember correctly, Morax affectionately gave the look Barbatos holds the label of “getting caught with his hand in the apple basket.” What kind of sign could this possibly be?
“Eh?”
He’s confused. That’s almost…it doesn’t matter. Though the look he is giving Xiao gives him the confidence to blurt, “Barbatos, repeat that foreign word again."
His eyes widen more, and his whole body stills. The usually energetic Archon appears to be on pause. The only thing giving away that he is not some hyper realistic statue is his darting eyes. They land on anything and everything but his own. Peculiar. Even more so? If Xiao’s eyes aren’t betraying him, Barbatos’s cheeks are a slight rosy color. It’s almost...that word mortals use when describing an object of their-.
Barbatos clears his throat. “It’s Venti to you, uh! Um. Er…” The scene before him is almost comical. In all the handful of times Xiao has seen Barbatos--Venti?, he has never stuttered once. Even when he managed to get drunk, his words never slurred. The Archon is normally full of confidence. What could be the cause of his sudden stutter…? (Well, at least he can contribute to Morax and Hu Tao’s tea gossip dates (that he somehow got roped into).) “Ah! Liebling.”
Xiao squints even more, over-exaggerating his confusion. It managed to put a genuine grin back on Barbatos...Venti’s face, so it was worth the embarrassment. After a few moments of staring, Xiao slowly sighs in defeat. “Then the definition is-.”
Bar-Venti steps closer to put his pointer finger on Xiao’s lips. This efficiently shuts him up, and he wishes he could back away and teleport back to the Inn. Instead, he gives him a pointed look. “Ah-ah-ah! That’s enough questions for me!” Venti hops back as if he was Dendro and Xiao applicted the burn status upon him. He then obtains the paper and pencil from earlier…somehow...and waves them from side to side erratically. “Around this time of year, I’m busy with festivities! See?”
Xiao glances at the paper. Words written about the sensation of love, given by the mushy words inked into the page. Or, love poems. He raises an eyebrow while Venti giggles in response. "Something for a quick drink of wine,” Xiao nods at the piece of paper. “I see."
“Precisely so! It’s best to keep the people of Mondstadt on their toes.”
“...right.”
That explains his excessive rhyming, even in his Archon persona.
“Anyways, I better go!” he smiles again. “I recommend staying a bit to sight-see! Cape Oath is usually busy, so now would be the perfect time! It will allow you to brood in peace~”
Xiao ignores the blatant jab. Barbatos is too busy for any other distractions. “It’s empty now.”
“Brilliant observation.”
Unamused, he stares.
“Right! Ahem, uh,” Venti twirls around and flicks his cape. Before disappearing in an elegant wind tornado, he calls out, “Ciao, Xiao!”
He’s gone before Xiao could attempt to get another word in. But that’s all right. Barbatos needs to get back to embodying freedom. And he needs to get back to protecting Liyue’s borders from corrupted monsters.
...Yet his feet stay planted on the ground. Xiao stares at where Venti once stood, observing the area for a moment. What is he even doing? Venti won’t return. He was in a rush to leave. He already took enough out of his vision’s Archon’s precious time.
Xiao sighs before pivoting on his heel to trek back to Liyue. However, a sudden light breeze hits his cheek, urging him to look right. Mondstadt still stands proudly, covered in a slight fog due to how far away he is from the town. Now that the Archon has returned and is writing love poems, the city somehow gained a more vibrant hue and became more alive.
Despite his loyalty to Liyue, Xiao cannot help the small twitch in his lips as he jumps off the small cliff.
Perhaps...he could take up Venti’s offer. Go the long way around for once.
Xiao allows the small smile on his face to stay as he gets greeted by Venti at the entrance of Mondstadt’s gates.