I swung my new swords through the air a few times.
My new Skyward Blade slices through the air so quickly. I wasn’t even trying to be intentionally fast with it, yet it seemed like every swing of the sword had it moving faster and faster as it sliced through the air.
No, it didn’t slice through the air; it was like the air parted for it, then wrapped around it and pushed it forward. With every swing, it gathered the air around it, causing it to move even faster.
This had the side effect of making it extremely sharp.
Even if that wasn’t its main strength, I was gleefully happy to discover this nonetheless. I could tell already that this was now my fastest sword among all my treasures. Granted, I wasn’t including my Divine Sword in that, but that was sort of cheating to try and compare them.
Mirage.
Greed.
Whisper.
Ascalon.
Sword of Destruction.
Dawnbreaker.
I had a lot of swords already, and I used them all consistently. They weren’t just merely treasures to my dragon-hoarding sensibilities. They were part of my power; they were important parts of me at this point.
I held each of them dearly.
Now, I had two more to add to that number.
Not just my new Skyward Blade. But now my Summit Shaper as well.
I set the Skyward Blade down before focusing on my much heavier Summit Shaper. As one would expect by the name, it was in fact fairly heavy. Not unbearably heavy or anything like that. But its general weight would make greatswords or even warhammers feel insecure.
It makes sense, considering its origin. And I wasn’t talking about its special ability either. The fact that it was forged by a god of Earth—or Geo Archon—as Venti said.
Venti’s sword was fast; it was free; it danced in the wind. Summit Shaper here. It was heavy, it was unyielding, it was firm. If I didn’t have supernatural levels of strength, I wouldn’t have been able to wield it properly with just one hand, despite it being a one-handed sword.
I increased the weight of the sword in my hand, just gradually at first, until I got a sense of it. It was more a mental calculation that translated to the sword’s weight. It wasn't like a direct vocal command or that I had to use measurements I was unfamiliar with.
A hundred pounds, two hundred, three hundred.
The sword continued to increase in weight in my grasp, and I couldn't help but smile as it passed a thousand pounds and my arms trembled.
I could lift a thousand pounds; it wasn’t difficult, but it was just a tad awkward to hold a sword properly at that weight. My arms weren’t used to the distribution in this way, but that was fine.
My intention wasn’t to physically wield it at this weight the entire time; I had plenty of plans to make use of this thing.
I noticed too it wasn’t simply increasing in weight. The kind of magical or divine ability the sword would require would be…astronomical. Rather, it was using the concept of gravity to imbue itself with 'weight.'
The difference was academic, but it was an important distinction to make.
“Sorry, I kind of got swept up in the excitement for a moment.” I noticed Artoria watching me silently.
She smiled warmly, pushing her hair behind her ear. “I am not offended. I enjoy seeing you happy.”
“Would you like to try them out?” I offered.
I was protective of things that were mine. But it was an entirely different story when it came to people I cared about.
Honestly, if she asked, I would give them all to her without a second thought.
She took them happily and started to swing them around herself. As a Master Swordsman, she could easily get a feel for them.
I looked over towards Venti and Aether.
Aether also had a new sword in his hand that he was happily swinging around. It didn’t look inferior to the two swords I had just gained, but I wouldn’t be able to tell unless I got my hands on it.
It looked almost decorative at first glance, but appearances can be deceiving.
Artoria looked pleased with my weapons too, and she grabbed my arm again as she handed them back to me. Her own greatsword was retrieved from the side of the church wall and returned to her back.
“Nice sword.” I gave Aether a thumbs up.
“Yeah, it’s a good sword.” He grinned. “Better than the one I was using before, that’s for sure.”
“Seems like you have experience, huh?”
He nodded. “I remember using a sword for most of my life. Though, I can’t remember the details about it.” He scratched his head.
“Memory loss then?” I hummed.
He shrugged. “I suppose. I think my memories will return after traveling around for a bit and looking for Lumine.”
Lumine was the name of his sister then.
“If you both are satisfied, I’ll put my stuff away now.” Venti called out as all the things he plopped on the ground were swept up by the wind and disappeared.
“You can probably take down the wind barrier around the area too.” I spoke up.
“Barrier? What Barrier? Paimon doesn’t see a barrier.” The Little Fairy looked around in confusion.
“Mr. I couldn’t stop her from stepping on me; put up a wind barrier to hide the commotion fairly early on," I revealed.
“Ehe~” He looked away.
“What is that thing on your waist?" Artoria pointed at a specific trinket hanging at his side. “I have noticed something similar on others, and it has given off a certain energy.”
“My Vision?” Venti reached for it, like a cat trying to grab its tail; he spun around in a circle until he caught it in his hand. “I keep forgetting you’re not from around here.” He chuckled.
“Oh, oh, I know!” Paimon spoke up. “It’s a vision. We learned that people get them when they do something amazing, and it lets them control the elements!” She looked very proud of herself.
Right, Aether isn’t from around here, so he must have learned this recently too?
It’s odd to meet someone else not from the world I’m visiting like this.
“Well, that’s not entirely wrong.” Venti smiled. “It’s not about accomplishing a big feat, but that sometimes happens. It’s bestowed upon people by Celestia; it’s a sort of recognition. Mine is fake; it’s just something I carry around so people don’t question why I can use Anemo. But it’s more like your ambition, your will crystallized and given shape. It corresponds to one of the Seven Elements. Anemo, Geo, Dendro, Electro, Cryo, Pyro, and Hydro.”
Huh.
I inspected it a bit more closely. “So it’s a status symbol?”
“A bit.” Venti didn’t deny it. “If you see someone of status or someone strong, it’s likely they have a vision. But they can appear on anyone. There are a few kids here that have their own visions; you already met Klee.”
I had a feeling he was giving just vague, general knowledge regarding it.
But yeah, I remember Klee had something similar.
I think that’s what she was using to make bombs?
It seems they’re more useful than simply controlling the elements in a basic sense.
Neat.
“But, well, it’s not only Visions that let you be strong.” He added on hastily.
“That’s right, I remember meeting several people who could do stuff without a vision.” Aether rubbed his chin. “Those Fatui could use elemental power without a vision too. Not to mention, I don’t need a vision."
“Those guys that just appeared?” I hummed. “That woman, did she have one of these Visions too?”
Venti shook his head. “Well, the Fatui have some technology that lets them use elemental power. I’ve seen machines that let them use various things. As for the Harbinger, she doesn’t have a Vision but has a Delusion."
“I feel like I felt the ominousness in your voice."
Venti chuckled again. “It’s something the Tsaritsa made. They’re similar to Visions in how they work, but they come with a price. Just be careful if you see someone with one; it means they’re strong.”
You know, this world is starting to sound really neat.
Lots of exploring and seeing to be had here.
I looked over at Aether. “You can use this Elemental Power too, huh?” I didn’t miss him saying that.
Aether nodded. “When I touched the statue of Barbatos when I first woke up here, I started being able to use Anemo.”
I looked at Venti, and he held his arms up.
“Hey, don’t look at me. It’s not like I blessed him or something. That’s all on him; I was just as surprised to see it too.” He quickly defended himself.
“So the people here use the power of the Elements in combat? That is good to know.” Artoria was pleased with this newfound information.
“You’ll fit right in with your sword.” Venti grinned. “That was pretty neat; I’ve never seen something like that before. I’ve met pretty much every type of wind in Teyvat, and the winds wrapped around your sword were a new experience for me!”
I could hear the twinge of excitement.
He did say he used to be a wind spirit or something like that.
Artoria smiled at the compliment.
I could imagine that it must have been strange for him considering that her Invisible Air was basically a Noble Phantasm and wasn’t a physical entity like he was probably more familiar with.
Either way.
“If you don’t mind me asking, where are you from?” Aether looked at me this time. It felt like he had this question on the tip of his tongue for awhile.
“Our world is called Earth. Though, it’s also called Terra or Gaia, depending on who you talk to. It’s all the same really.” I briefly explained. “It’s about the same: habitable for humans, gravity, oxygen, earth, and oceans.” I waved my hand through the air. “Why, does it ring any bells? Where are you from?”
"Um…" Aether scratched his cheek. “Sorry, I can’t remember. I have some bits and pieces, but they’re still hard to place together. I think I’ve been traveling for a really long time with my sister.”
I didn’t know if an Earth existed in this worldline.
That sucks that he’s having memory problems. Not really much I can do there; all the healing I know—even Avalon—isn't going to help with that.
“It’s okay, Traveler! Paimon is sure that you’ll remember everything soon!”
"Thanks, Paimon.” He smiled at her.
“Well, if you ever remember and want to go back, you can come find me. I can take you home if you need be.” I offered, feeling sympathetic to his situation.
Who knows how he arrived.
Was it from somewhere else out in the universe, or was it from another dimension?
Either way, I could help with both.
And to be honest, I was happy to try out my ship now that it could safely travel through space.
“Thanks, I appreciate it.” He said politely.
Well, that was for the future.
He seemed like a nice guy. I wasn’t exactly how old he was; at first glance, he looked rather young. But his presence sort of screamed that he was older. Some people just have that sort of vibe even if they don’t show it.
It’s clear he was more focused on finding his sister for now, wherever that may be.
If I found any clues while I was traveling with Artoria, well, I wouldn’t keep them to myself.
“I’m going to go talk to Jean and tell her what happened," Aether spoke up. “Do you want to come?”
“Eh, I should probably not…” Venti trailed off. “It’s enough that you’re going to talk to her.”
“You sound oddly guilty about something.” I pointed out.
“No, it’s just… awkward.” He cleared his throat. “She found out about my identity during the incident with Dvalin. I thought it was better that I stay away for now.”
A god who didn’t want others to worship him.
It was odd.
Rather, he wanted people to push ahead in their lives by themselves. A God of Freedom was kind of a contradictory existence, wasn’t it?
“It’s alright, I’ll tell Grandmaster Jean that you’re busy," Aether reassured him.
“Thanks, Traveler!” Venti gave him a thumbs up.
“Come on, Paimon, let’s go see Jean," Aether urged. “I’m sure she’s going to want to hear what happened. She did make me an honor knight; I should go help out.”
We watched the two of them leave.
“I thought you would ask him more questions. You seemed curious about him, and he seemed curious about you as well.” Artoria looked at me.
“His memory is all messed up, it seems. And we’re basically strangers; I think he felt too awkward trying to get answers or ask me a bunch of questions.” I shrugged. “I’m sure we’ll see each other around.”
“What are your plans now? Going to stay in Mondstadt? It may be wise to stay here for now; you never know how the Fatui will react after you get on their bad side.” Venti waved his hand, and I could see the invisible wind barrier around the plaza start to dissipate.
“Wanna see something neat?” He asked without giving me time to answer his question.
“Sure.” I answered without hesitation.
He took out a lyre, from where I don’t know.
He strummed it a few times and began to sing a song in a language I didn’t recognize. Rather, I don’t know if it was a verbal language, but it seemed to resonate more with the world around us.
The damage to the surroundings started to mend. The shattered stones, the ruptured earth, and the remnants of the fight had returned to normal as if they never happened.
“Whew, that always tired me now.” Venti swiped at sweat dripping down from his brow.
“Sorry, since when does control over wind let you reverse time?” I asked skeptically.
“Ehe~”
“Don’t eh! You realize you’re just proving my point, right? You let her.”
He looked away again. “Well, it’s not something I can do much anymore these days. But after drinking that wine you gave me, I feel a bit younger. Like I have a little bit of my old strength back.”
“Uh huh.”
“It’s true! I’m not making excuses!” He pouted. “Besides, that’s not really something I can do casually. Well, this was on a small scale, like a really small scale, you know? It’s just something I inherited from my mother. I was born a wind spirit, a single thread from the Thousand Winds of Time.”
I raised an eyebrow.
There’s still a lot I don't know about this place, which just makes it all the more interesting.
I realized, though.
He must not have many people he can freely talk to like this. Because if he reveals himself, his true self—the God of Freedom, Barbatos—people will treat him differently. He’ll no longer be the simple bard Venti. But I’m here, knowing his identity and giving him shit.
It must feel refreshing for him enough that he’s being rather cavalier and open about himself without reservations.
“All I’m saying is, I understand. I also have a certain type of woman I like.” I reassured him.
“How long are you going to keep holding that over me!?” He slumped his shoulders.
I think he was trying to distract me there for a moment.
“There’s no need to feel embarrassed.” Artoria spoke up. “Wilhelm shares the same proclivities as you.”
Venti nearly choked as Artoria said that so normally.
“I’m not ashamed.” I crossed my arms.
Venti just started laughing. “It’s nice to meet someone like you that doesn’t take themselves too seriously."
“Like me?” I asked.
He hummed, as if trying to find the right words. “Strong? I guess. Morax is so careful about how everyone sees him. And Ei, well…she's a whole other storm. I’m not really that close with the others.”
“There’s a time and place.” I understood what he was getting at. “What’s the point in living if I can’t enjoy living my life how I want to after getting strong?”
Artoria looked up at me and smiled warmly again, holding my arm tightly. “Despite his jests, he is responsible when he needs to be.”
Venti grinned in response. He seemed rather relaxed. “Are you going to stay around for now? I wasn’t kidding, you know. That woman was dangerous, if we really fought…. I would have to stop holding back to really beat her.”
I had the urge to bring up the fact that he just admitted to letting her step on him, but I held it back.
I know he was being considerate of me and Artoria, so I wanted to be nice.
“We’re pretty strong. Besides, we don’t really have any intention of getting involved in anything annoying.”
“In my experience, trouble has a way of finding people who are trying to avoid it.” He strummed his lyre as a gentle wind flowed through the city. “But I won’t tell you what to do; I just wanted to give you a warning. I don’t really know how strong you are, but it’s up to you on which path you take.”
“We have no clear destination in mind.” Artoria spoke up. “Simply traveling around is more than enough for me; I would like to experience the local cuisine.”
Venti perked up. "Mondstadt has great food! But you should also head over to Liyue too! Their seafood is great! If you want to go a bit further, there’s Fontaine; they also have amazing seafood too! They have crabs bigger than a person over there!”
Artoria’s eyes lit up, and she tugged on my sleeve while giving me the look.
“It seems we’ll have to visit these places. Can you tell us about the kingdoms or nations around here? I heard them mentioned once or twice, but we don't know anything.”
At some point, we left the cathedral square and made our way back into town.
“You’re talking to the right person! I’ve traveled nearly everywhere as a bard, playing in almost every city!”
“Almost?”
He cleared his throat. “I may have been chased out of a certain kingdom owned by a certain Cryo Archon some years ago…"
Ah, the Tsaritsa he mentioned.
“What’s the closest?”
“Well, the easiest destination would be Liyue. They’re our closest traders, and we have a really good relationship with them. Sumeru is…just about the same distance? But, uh…it’s a bit harder to travel to and from there. Deserts, jungles, that sort of thing.”
“So Liyue is the closest.” I rubbed my chin. “That wouldn’t make a bad next destination.”
“And from Liyue you can head over to Inazuma! It’s a string of islands south of here. Liyue has a port and has trade with them. Uh…I have heard some rumors about something going on over there, but I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
“It sounds like the beginnings of a plan.” Artoria nodded. “Is it okay to travel freely between kingdoms?”
“Oh yeah! Most places let you just come and go, unless you’re a criminal or something! But if you want to be on the safe side, you can join the Adventurer’s Guild!”
“What’s the Adventurer’s Guild?” I asked curiously.
“It’s a place where everyone who loves adventure gathers! There’s one in every major city! Anyone can post missions or quests for adventurers to take! Anything from fighting certain monsters to finding objects or collecting herbs! A lot of times, there are just quests to travel to places and report back!”
He sounded really excited as he explained that.
I had a feeling that he really likes this Adventurer’s Guild.
“I take it you’re a member?”
“Of course!” He puffed up his chest. “It’s a nice way to travel in case you ever get stopped. I can just flash my adventurer's badge, and people usually let me go.”
Yeah, that sounds about right.
“Come on, I’ll take you over there. It’s easy to join if you have another adventurer to vouch for you!” Venti grabbed my arm and all but pulled me as I too pulled Artoria along for the ride.
@***@
“Welcome to the Adventurer’s Guild. What can I do for you?”
We approached a booth, an open kiosk, a sit-ware. It was connected to the side of a larger building that had various signs placed around it.
A woman was on the other side looking very professional.
“Hello, we’d like to join the Adventurer’s Guild.” Artoria got straight to the point.
“I will need to collect your information. We have a one month period of evaluation for new members. You will be considered a junior member with limited benefits until the observation period is over.” The woman stated.
“Don’t worry, Katheryn! I’ll vouch for them; let them become full members.” Venti leaned on the counter.
“Adventurer Venti," Katheryn addressed him. “If you are vouching for them, as per Adventurer’s Code 4:29, the one-month period of observation can be waived. However, you will bare responsibility should a mishap occur.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine.” He waved off.
She reached under the counter and pulled out a couple clipboards for us to fill out.
Venti grabbed them. “Don’t worry, I got you.”
I was about to say something, but he seemed to have anticipated this.
“It’s just some basic information.” He hummed. “Sorry Katheryn, they aren’t from Mondstadt, so I’m going to help them fill it out since they don’t write the language very well here.”
“You may proceed.” She didn’t stop him.
I noticed something off about her.
It took me a moment to realize.
She wasn’t breathing.
Her chest wasn’t rising and falling, and when I focused, I don’t think she was taking in any breath at all. There could be several explanations for that, but I don’t think she was human.
Well, not like I had any room to talk, nor did I really care. No reason to poke at something that was none of my business.
Katheryn set two little plaques on the table next. “These will be your Adventurer badges. You are starting out at the lowest rank, and by completing quests, you can raise your standing. Your rank correlates to the level of quests you may accept or receive. Notable merits outside of assigned quests can be submitted to increase your rank as well.”
“It sounds well structured. Are all quests of a mundane nature? Or will there ever be a call to arms? I wish to understand the obligations that come with this new status.” Artoria asked.
“You may refuse any quest you wish. The Adventurer’s Guild will not enforce mandatory quests except in the event of a catastrophe that threatens the survival of the residing Adventurer’s Guild and nation.”
Artoria nodded.
It sounded reasonable.
‘We won’t force you to do anything unless it’s literally an apocalyptic event for the residing nation.’
And even then, it’s not like they could really force people. It was more; this is your only obligation to assist in an emergency.
“We work closely with the governing bodies of every nation, and they may submit quests through our notices. Such quests may involve combat or dangerous situations, which will be outlined before the quest can be taken.” She continued.
“I see, it is a viable system to manage the populace.” Artoria sounded rather impressed.
Better than having mercenaries running around or things like that. Especially with a population that can apparently gain magical powers out of nowhere.
I don’t know how many people had these 'visions,' but I imagine that not many of them like to be tied down.
Letting them be ‘free’ while also managing them in a structured way like this meant that everyone got what they wanted.
“There is also a small fee of 5,000 Mora per person to process the paperwork.” Katheryn noted.
I looked at Venti before sighing. “Artoria, do you still have it?”
“I should have enough left over.” She took out the Mora and counted the amount before putting it on the table.
“Thank you, I will be right back.” She took the clipboards and the money, then turned around and left the kiosk through the door behind her.
“I have a question.”
“Hmm?” Venti perked up.
“What exactly is Mora?” I questioned. “At first, I thought it was Gold, or some other type of precious metal, but that’s not it at all. It seemed more like a solidified type of energy than anything.”
"Well…that's a difficult question to answer.” He scratched his cheek. “Hmm, you can think of it like a catalyst. Rather than shiny metals or pieces of paper, Rex Lapis—Morax—wanted to create a currency that had meaning behind it. People work their whole lives for it; it’s used to keep roofs over their heads, feed them…it was to give that purpose.”
“It was created by the ‘Geo Archon’?” I remembered the name he said before.
Venti nodded. “Using his divine power and authority. All Mora originated from him in Liyue.”
“What do you mean by Catalyst?” Artoria asked.
"Well…it has more uses than just being currency. I hear it’s a great alchemy component. I’ve seen it used to empower weapons. And I’ve seen it be used to craft wondrous things. The possibilities are limitless.” He smiled. “I won’t say more than that; it’s for something to discover for yourselves.” He finished with a wink.
How interesting.
“That’s where the number comes from, huh? The higher the number, the more potent the energy inside. But how do you get a higher-numbered "coin"?
“Oh, you can just combine them with a bit of effort.” He held two Mora coins between his fingers with a flick of his hand. They each had a ‘1’ on them, and when he pushed them together, it changed into a 'two.' “But, uh…it’s a bit harder to separate them from most people. You usually need to go to a bank where they have specialists who can make change for bigger amounts.”
Huh.
Katheryn returned and grabbed the ‘badges’ she left. She took out a stamp and pressed it against the badges. “There, you are officially registered as a level 1 Guild member. Ad astra abyssosque! It’s our official motto; it means "to the stars and the abyss." It means that we don’t fear our destination and walk proudly forward into the unknown.”
“I like that.” Artoria tilted her head. “I look forward to cooperation.”
Kathryn politely smiled. “If you have any questions or concerns, I am available here to assist. Please enter the Guild Building if you wish to partake in our benefits. We have a Quest Board if you wish to browse, or you can come speak to me for specific quests. For your rank, the benefits are limited; however, we do offer healing supplies, weapon acquisition, and adventuring equipment at a steep discount for your first purchase.”
“Now’s the most important part! You need to get your Adventurer uniforms!” Venti grinned really wide for some reason.
@***@
I was wondering why Venti was so focused on this.
Why did he seem so assertive that this was absolutely necessary for us? The fact is, when we walked into the guild building, there wasn’t anyone wearing the ‘official uniform.' It wasn’t required; that much was obvious.
It was only when I finally saw it that I realized why no one else I saw inside was wearing it.
I think the reason Venti wanted me to wear it was entirely because of who I looked like.
At this point, though, fuck it.
I admired myself in the mirror.
It was hard to justify it, but I boasted about having no shame; I can’t back out now.
I left the changing room and stepped out to see Artoria was waiting for me.
She was now wearing a green dress. Like, dark forest green. With brown and red boots and some white undercloth that peeked out around the base of her skirt. And a cute little red tie that finished it off.
Honestly, she looked utterly adorable.
Her uniform looked significantly better than my version, that’s for sure.
Not much different than her normal style of clothing.
She even had a cute little hat.
But her nose immediately scrunched up when she saw me.
“Alright, tell me honestly. How do I look?" I said immediately.
She didn’t immediately respond; that pretty much said all I needed to know.
“When I stayed with Rin at first, after the war. We watched old movies to familiarize ourselves with the era. That extended when we moved back to my homeland. It became tradition for us to spend time each week to watch something together.”
“...yes?”
“We watched a few holiday movies.”
"..."
“I love you, Wilhelm. But you look like a Christmas elf."
“A handsome Christmas elf?"
She reached up and patted my cheek before taking my arm. “You’re my silly Christmas elf.”
“Do you want me to change?”
“Do you want to change?”
I adjusted my pants. “The pants are riding up a bit high, but I’m honestly kinda getting used to the look now.”
“I would not be upset if you continued to wear it. It is cultural clothing; it’s polite to respect the differences when we travel.” She kept her words polite.
Oh well, I’ll leave it on for now.
When in Rome, and all that.
She held my arm again as we left the building. May as well go get some food, I think. Then we can maybe do something else together, go finish seeing the sights. Go take a quest?
I do need to do work on my new swords to bind them to me like my others so I can mentally command them.
Likewise, I really want to go test them out.
But I’m in no rush.
“What…are you wearing?”
I stopped, as did Artoria. Because the voice was from someone we recognized.
Diluc was standing not far away, staring at us, mostly at me.
The absolutely horrified look on his face as he stared at my choice of clothing.
You know what?
I changed my mind; I love this uniform now.
And I’m fairly sure I heard another familiar laugh stretch out across the wind.
@***@
A/N
They join the adventurer's guild with plans to do some exploring and whatnot.
The overall plan is to go to Liyue and then to Inazuma from there. Perhaps Sumeru after that.
A few hours later on the release, but I’ve still been feeling fatigued, so I think it’s alright. This still counts as Sunday’s chapter. I guess it makes no difference if both releases concurrently are pushed back a day due to my pace. Either way, it’s the same chapters per week. But regardless, I gave myself a schedule and I’m trying my best to stick to it.