The morning sun cast a pale golden light over the Stormterror's Lair ruins, its rays filtering through the jagged remnants of ancient stone towers that stood like sentinels of a forgotten era. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of dew and the acrid tang of dark magic that clung to the ruins like a shroud. The ground was uneven, littered with broken cobblestones and patches of moss that had crept over the centuries-old debris, a testament to the passage of time since Old Mondstadt had fallen. The wind howled through the ruins, a mournful wail that seemed to echo the sorrow of the city's past, its gusts stirring up dust and leaves that danced in the air like restless spirits. The central tower loomed ahead, its massive structure surrounded by a swirling wind barrier, the Anemo energy crackling with a visible intensity that made it clear a direct assault would be impossible.
Xander stood at the edge of the ruins, his cloak billowing slightly in the breeze, the Shadowfang Blade at his side humming with a quiet power. The Power Blade, a spectral greatsword he'd recently acquired, had already proven its worth in the canyon, its raw strength a perfect complement to the Shadowfang Blade's precision. He had just called out to the figure he'd sensed following them, his voice carrying over the wind. "Hi, Lord Barbatos, our Wind God. After following us for so long, it's time to come out, right?"
The group froze, their eyes darting to a nearby stone pillar as a figure stepped out from behind it. Jean's hand tightened on her sword, her blue cape fluttering, her Anemo Vision glowing at her waist. Her blonde hair caught the sunlight, a few strands escaping her tight ponytail to frame her shocked face. Eula's icy blue eyes narrowed, her silver-blue hair shimmering like frost, her Cryo Vision glowing at her hip, her claymore strapped across her back. Ying's golden eyes flickered with curiosity, her blonde hair shimmering in the sunlight, her sword in hand. Paimon hovered beside her, her starry cape fluttering as she gasped, her tiny fists clenched in disbelief. "No way! No way! Could it really be Lord Barbatos, the Wind God, following us?!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of shock and excitement.
A figure emerged from behind the pillar, his green cape fluttering in the breeze, his twin braids swaying as he rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish grin. It was Venti, the bard they all knew, his teal eyes sparkling with mischief, his Anemo Vision glowing at his waist, the lyre slung across his back a telltale sign of his persona. "Ehe, it's just me, Venti the bard—not Barbatos, the Wind God!" he said, his tone light but tinged with embarrassment. He hadn't expected to be caught so easily, and he certainly hadn't anticipated Xander's keen perception.
Xander crossed his arms, a playful smirk tugging at his lips as he studied Venti. "I'm not kidding," he said, his tone calm but firm. "I have a… unique ability to sense high-level life forms. My perception is sharp, and I can detect the level of someone's life force. Ordinary disguises can't fool me. The sheer power of your Anemo energy—it's overwhelming, and it matches the aura of the Wind God statue in Mondstadt. I can't think of anyone else it could be but Barbatos himself."
Jean, Eula, Ying, and Paimon turned to Venti, their expressions a mix of suspicion and disbelief. The bard they knew—always drinking, singing, and slacking off—couldn't possibly be the revered Wind God of Mondstadt… could he? But as they studied him, the resemblance to the statue in Mondstadt's plaza became undeniable. The twin braids, the green cape, the carefree demeanor—it all lined up too perfectly.
Venti sighed, his grin turning sheepish as he raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright—I am your Wind God, Barbatos," he admitted, his tone a mix of resignation and amusement. "I didn't expect to be found out so easily. You've got quite the talent, Xander."
The group's reactions were immediate, a mix of shock and subtle disappointment. Jean and Eula bowed slightly, their voices overlapping as they spoke in unison. "I have met Lord Barbatos," they said, their tones reverent but tinged with a hint of uncertainty. As members of the Knights of Favonius, they had always held the Wind God in high esteem, but the revelation that their deity was an alcoholic poet who spent his days fishing and drinking left them questioning their faith.
Paimon's jaw dropped, her tiny body trembling with disbelief. "You mean… the bard who's always broke and begging for wine… is the Wind God?!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of shock and indignation. "This is too much! I thought Lord Barbatos would be… I don't know, more godly!"
Ying nodded, her golden eyes thoughtful as she spoke up. "I believe him," she said, her voice calm but firm. "Paimon, do you remember? Before we came to Mondstadt, we saw Venti in the Whispering Woods with Teucer. He was using his Anemo powers to calm the dragon, but we startled them, and Teucer flew off. That kind of power… it makes sense now."
Paimon's eyes widened as the memory clicked into place. "Oh, that's right!" she exclaimed, her tone a mix of realization and excitement. "Then he really is Lord Barbatos!"
Venti pouted, his expression a mix of mock offense and genuine hurt. "What's with those looks?" he asked, his tone a playful whine. "You were starting to believe me a moment ago, but now that I've admitted it, you're all skeptical again? That's just too sad! Is my image really that bad?"
Jean straightened, her expression softening as she addressed him. "It's not that, Lord Barbatos," she said, her voice gentle but firm. "It's just… unexpected. We've always revered you as the Wind God, but seeing you as… well, a bard who's always drinking and slacking off… it's a bit of a shock."
Eula nodded, her icy demeanor tempered by a hint of amusement. "I'll admit, I never imagined our god would be so… carefree," she said, her tone dry. "But I suppose freedom is your domain, after all. I'll… remember this revelation."
Venti scratched the back of his head, his grin turning sheepish. "Well, I've only recently woken up, and my strength hasn't fully recovered," he explained, his tone more serious now. "That's why I've been staying in the shadows, looking for opportunities to help my old friend, Teucer. The Abyss Order has corrupted him, and I've been trying to find a way to save him without drawing too much attention."
Paimon crossed her arms, her cheeks puffing out as she glared at him. "Hmph, then you'd better rely on us a lot!" she declared, her tone arrogant as she placed her hands on her hips. "After we save Teucer, you owe us a big meal—got it?"
Ying rolled her eyes, her expression a mix of amusement and exasperation as she glanced at her companion. "Paimon, do you really think he has the Mora to treat us to a meal?" she asked, her tone teasing. "He doesn't even have enough to buy himself a drink most of the time."
Venti laughed, his tone light as he shrugged. "She's got a point—I'm a free Wind God, you know! Why would I carry around something as mundane as Mora?" he said, his grin widening. In the back of his mind, he could almost hear Zhongli muttering, "Vulgar thing?" at the mention of Mora, a thought that only made him chuckle harder.
The atmosphere lightened, the group's initial shock giving way to a tentative camaraderie. But before they could continue their conversation, a powerful gust of wind swept through the ruins, the air crackling with Anemo energy as a deafening roar echoed from above. The group looked up, their expressions shifting to ones of alarm as Teucer, the Wind Dragon, descended from the sky, his massive form casting a shadow over the ruins. His scales, once a vibrant teal, were marred with streaks of purple, the Abyss Order's corruption evident in the dark energy that pulsed through his body. His eyes glowed with a malevolent light, his wings beating with a force that sent gusts of wind tearing through the ruins, uprooting trees and scattering debris.
"Teucer!" Venti called, his voice a mix of sorrow and determination as he stepped forward, his lyre in hand. "I know you're still in there—fight the Abyss Order's control! We're here to help you!"
The dragon let out another roar, the sound reverberating off the stone walls as he dove toward the group, his claws extended, the wind around him swirling into a vortex of destructive energy. Xander drew the Shadowfang Blade, the Power Blade materializing in his other hand with a shimmer of blue magic. "Looks like we've got a fight on our hands," he said, his tone calm but his eyes sharp with focus. "Let's free Teucer—but we'll need to be careful. He's not himself right now."
Jean nodded, her Anemo Vision glowing as she drew her sword. "Agreed—stay sharp, everyone!" she called, her voice a rallying cry as she summoned a gust of wind to counter Teucer's vortex, the two forces clashing in a burst of energy that sent shockwaves through the ruins.
Eula charged forward, her claymore shimmering with Cryo energy as she targeted the dragon's flank. "I'll draw his attention—strike when you see an opening!" she shouted, her tone sharp as she swung her blade, the icy aura creating a barrier of frost that slowed Teucer's movements.
Ying's Anemo powers swirled, her vortexes pulling at the dragon's wings as she struck with her sword, her movements precise and deadly. "We need to weaken him enough to break the Abyss Order's hold!" she shouted, her golden eyes blazing with determination as she dodged a swipe of Teucer's claws.
Venti strummed his lyre, the notes weaving a melody that summoned a gust of Anemo energy, the wind blades slicing through the dark energy that surrounded Teucer. "I'll try to purify the corruption—keep him distracted!" he called, his tone focused as his Anemo Vision glowed with a soft green light, the wind around him swirling with a gentle, healing energy.
Xander teleported into the fray, his dual blades a blur as he targeted the dragon's underbelly, the Shadowfang Blade's dimensional energy cutting through the corrupted scales, while the Power Blade's heavy strikes sent shockwaves through Teucer's body, the blue energy crackling with each blow. He dodged a blast of Anemo energy, the wind tearing at his cloak as he teleported again, striking at Teucer's wings to limit his mobility. "We've got to bring him down—Venti, how's the purification going?!" he shouted, his voice carrying over the chaos.
Venti's expression was strained, his fingers flying over the strings of his lyre as he channeled his Anemo powers. "It's working, but the corruption is deep—I need more time!" he called, his tone a mix of determination and frustration as he poured more energy into the melody, the wind around Teucer beginning to glow with a faint green light.
The battle raged on, the group working in tandem to weaken Teucer while Venti fought to purify the dragon's corruption. The ruins of Old Mondstadt became a battlefield, the ancient stones trembling under the force of the dragon's attacks, the wind howling as the clash of Anemo energies filled the air. But through it all, the group stood united, their resolve unshaken as they fought to save their friend and protect Mondstadt from the Abyss Order's schemes.
***
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