XVI

Well… this is awkward.

The six of you were standing around in a weak circle under the soft lights of the Angel’s Share. Diluc had his arms crossed, a frown on his smooth face, Venti was unusually serious, Aether and Paimon were quiet, and Jean just looked so confused. You were standing at the head of this circle, hands on your hips as you tried not to die from suffocation.

You sighed, trying not to fold into yourself as five pairs of eyes locked onto your form. How did you get into this situation?

-

“If you’d care to listen,” you started hesitantly. “I have seen how Dvalin can be beaten with minimal injury to Mond and the people fighting.”

Venti squeezed your hand before letting it drop, walking back towards Vanessa’s tree and leaning against it. It looked like something was pressing on his shoulders and they drooped, along with his eyes. They fluttered shut with exhaustion and a frown settled on his youthful face.

“I wish I could simply use the lyre to help him.” Venti slid down the tree, resting his back on the trunk and curled his knees to his chest. “He’s so gentle, so kind. We would fly together. The wind through our wings and the clouds that gather in the sky, soaking up the glorious sun. The tranquility, I want him to feel it again, I don’t want him to be in any pain.”

You saddled up next to Venti, leaning down your head to an almost uncomfortable level to rest your head on his shoulder. “I’m sorry.” You whispered. “If I knew of another way, I would tell you, but in my visions, Dvalin has only been defensive with passive methods to help him. Believe me when I say he will appreciate what we do afterwards, when his mind is clear.”

Venti sighed. “So what was your idea?”

You took a deep breath. “We’ll have to go to Dvalin’s lair in Old Mond. We won't have a base advantage, considering we'll be on his terf, but it'll be away from anybody that could be potentially hurt." You paused, trying to gather all the thoughts in your head. You were really jumping the gun with this, but you couldn't care less. "I think we should ask for assistance from Diluc, Jean, and Aether."

Venti hummed. "Why them?"

You tilted your head. "The way to break the Abyss Order's control over Dvalin is to destroy the infected blood spines on his back. Diluc is proficient with a claymore which will hopefully have enough power behind it to break the spines, Jean is an amazing healer, which is necessary in any battle, and Aether has the ability to purify corruption. He might be able to use his purification to weaken the spines and make them easier to break. Obviously you'll be there because Dvalin is your friend and your powerful winds would be able to get rid of any shields Dvalin tries to put up."

"And you?"

You furrowed your eyebrows. "Me?" Of course you thought about fighting Dvalin and being a badass hero, but you hadn't considered yourself skilled enough to do that yet. Sure, you fought Andrius, but that was a spar if anything and he wasn't trying to kill you, with Dvalin, you'd be fighting for your life. Plus, you didn't think Venti would want you to tag along. Perhaps he'd see the upsides of the people you just proposed to be there and help him fight, but he said himself that there wasn’t anything particularly special that could help, so what was there for you to do?

"Yes you." He giggled. "Have you not included yourself in that plan of yours?"

"No." You admitted.

“Well I would like you to be there. If I recall, you’ve also been training in the art of the claymore. Two is better than one, especially in this case.” Venti looked up at you with a warm smile on his face, contrasting his cold demeanor from not too long ago.

Though you wanted to argue you weren’t good enough with the claymore to match Diluc, the look in your friend’s eyes stopped the protest immediately. You fiddled with Venti’s fingers, doing your best to avoid the teal stare of the wind god that was boring into your temples. You sighed. “I guess. I’d be happy to help.”

The corners of Venti’s smile reached his eyes, scrunching them up in a way that made him look so endearing. “Wonderful. But how do you suppose we get everyone together to ask for their assistance?”

You rubbed your forehead, you forgot about that part. “I’ll just ask everyone to meet at the Angel’s Share and ask Diluc if we could all stay after closing for a little bit to discuss everything.” You frowned as you remembered one more thing you needed to mention. “Are you okay with them knowing you’re the Ameno Archon? Because they might figure it out if you don’t tell them.”

“I suppose so. You’re bringing them along, so you trust them, yes?” You nodded and he grabbed the hand of yours that was fiddling with his own. “Then I’m choosing to put my trust in you, don’t let me down.”

You took a shaky breath, tears almost reaching your eyes due to the sentiment. “I won’t.”

“Then it sounds like a plan!” Venti’s enthusiastic giggles were a nice change from his previous nature, the sound filling you with content and optimism. But his smile fell for a moment once more and he turned to you somberly. “For Dvalin, and for Mond, I pray this works.”

-

Now here you were, standing in the Angel’s Share with the very people you planned on taking with you, asking for their help in the first place. After you had talked to Venti, you had continued on your day with Kaeya to do the temple bust. When you talked with Aether you had asked him to meet you here the next day and when you had gone to Jean to report about the temple clearing, you had hung back a bit to ask her as well. They both agreed, albeit, rather confused about the whole situation. Then you had asked Diluc, close to closing time of the tavern in the late hours of the night, you requested Diluc to let you have a couple people in after hours and for him to join the discussion. He also agreed reluctantly, not wanting to clean the glasses of a few stragglers, but you assured him that wasn’t the case.

Everyone was looking at you, your sigh having brought attention to yourself. “So, I wanted you all to come here so I could ask you something.” You shuffled your feet, feeling like you were in middle school presenting a powerpoint.

“Why are you acting so awkward?” Diluc asked bluntly, his arms crossed and face close to annoyance.

“Because it’s a really big something Diluc!”

“Is it something detrimental to Mond?”

You took a deep breath, hyping yourself up. “I have a plan to stop Stormterror and I need all of your help.” It was nearly rushed out of your mouth, but given that Diluc and Jean were looking at you with wide eyes, and Aether and Paimon with confusion, your message was coherent enough. Venti was the only one who wasn’t confused, if anything he seemed amused by your nerves.

“A plan?” Jean’s jaw had dropped with shock. “You have a plan to stop Stormterror?”

“Mhm.”

“Why do you need us specifically?” Diluc’s eyebrow was arch as he looked at you critically.

You went through the same thought process you did with Venti, pointing out everyone’s strengths and how they would help in the battle. The more you went on, the more Diluc and Jean looked down for it, determination littering their faces. Aether, however, still seemed unconvinced.

“This purification ability, you're sure it’s going to work?”

You shook your head. “No, it’s just speculation, which is why I wanted to ask you, all of you really, instead of trying to force or guilt you to do this. This plan is not guaranteed to work, and it’s alright if you don’t want to do it. I won’t blame you if you want to be on your way to Liyue to try and find your sister Aether.”

Aether was quiet for a moment, as was everyone else. They all looked to be in deep speculation, carefully considering their options. Diluc was the first to turn to you and gave you an assuring nod. Despite how you said you didn’t want them doing this if they didn’t want to, a weight was lifted from your chest when he gave you his approval, his help. It made your gut churn with the same warmth you noticed when Kaeya trusted you to watch his back and he watched yours. Jean nodded as well, a firm smile on her face and a ready-to-go posture. You smiled back at her.

Aether was the last, taking the most time to review his decision, and like you said, you didn’t blame him. Like many in your old world had raised, Aether was not required to help the archon’s with their country’s drama and often got roped into it out of the kindness of his heart, even if he didn’t want to do it. It was especially outrageous to many players when almost nothing was ever given in return for the help. It was why you wanted to give him an out. You didn’t want the information you gave him to seem like something that was meant to be paid back and you didn’t want him burning out from the stress of his unfortunate circumstances.

However it seems Aether’s kindness still knows no bounds and he too confirms his assistance to save Dvalin and Mond.

-

The six of you, well five considering Paimon’s floating, stood outside of Dvalin’s domain. Harsh winds whipped around from how high you all were in the ruins of Old Mond. It was a beautiful view and you felt saddened that the first time you got to see it was for such a terrible situation.

Your weapons were weighty. You had decided to bring all of them, just in case, even though you were mainly going to use your claymore. It felt reassuring to have the weight of the bow on your back.

As you were all going through the plan one more time (Venti breaks the wind shields, Jean stands back and heals, helping when necessary, Diluc, Aether, and you attack the spines), your eyes flickered to the corner of the room. Ariel was standing there looking very displeased with you, but as you had explained long ago, these were the adventures you wanted to go on, the life you wanted to experience in this magnificent world. Though you had your doubts about your skill, there was no quelling the excitement bubbling in your stomach.

Ariel had decided to watch from afar after you had asked him not to interfere with the battle unless it was an absolute emergency. You knew Ariel could be overprotective, and with such a dangerous threat, you knew he would no doubt rush to you at the first sign of trouble, even if it was minor.

You gave a quick incline of your head, which to anyone else would simply look like a tilt of the head, but you knew Ariel caught the silent reassurance from you, and his eye roll and nod back said anything, you think he got the message.

“Is everybody ready?” Venti’s carefree smile was gone and in its place was a determined, stoney look.

Everybody confirmed their readiness and into the domain you went.

-

The wind was much more wicked in his domain than the ones in the ruins. The winds that surrounded the ruins were a caressing lullaby to the swirling vortex that now surrounded you. It was both impressive and terrifying, but you blocked those thoughts from your mind. You were here to save Dvalin, keep on task.

You were soon interrupted by a blast of air hurtling your entire group away from the vortex. A vicious tornado had formed, simultaneously blowing you back and pulling you in, but before it could do either, it dispelled, leaving the great dragon’s beating wings instead.

You snapped your hands over your ears when Dvalin let out a distressing shriek, practically shaking his own domain. From where you were, you could see the black and purple spines glittering mockingly on Dvalin’s back, a gross show of control over the poor creature, but you just as quickly noticed the air cuddling Dvalin’s form, a protective stance against the invaders.

You realized that was his shield. “Venti!” You called over the terrible winds. His head snapped to you, listening and waiting. “His shield is up now! He’s probably going to attack us soon so get his shield off as soon as possible! Hopefully it will disorient him enough to get on his back!” Venti nodded and no sooner had you spoken did Dvalin come rushing towards you all like a bull seeing red.

His claws sunk into the platform you were standing on, snapping his jaws at all of you. You dodged his deadly attacks, sometimes just missing his razor sharp jaws that would slice you in two no problem. From the corner of your eye you saw the others doing the same.

Venti’s arrows glided seamlessly through the turbulent winds, striking the windshield on multiple points until it shattered into what looked like teal glass shards. Dvalin cried out as his shield broke, laying his head down on the platform in pain, the perfect opportunity for you, Diluc, and Aether.

The three of you bolted towards the dragon’s slender neck despite already being somewhat tired from the dodging. Before you even called out, as if he had read your very mind, Venti made three small wind currents under all of your feet, allowing all of you to land easily on his neck.

You spotted the three spines a little further down his neck and scrambled to get there, with a slightly aggressive ‘let’s go’ to the other two with you. The three of you stopped at the first spine, Aether placing his hand against it, closing his eyes in concentration while you and Diluc held your claymores at the ready.

A beaminging light emitted from Aether’s palm and seeped into the swirling black and purple growth. Cracks formed along it and Aether stumbled back, sweat dripping from his brow. You and Diluc took that as your cue, swinging your claymores until the spine finally shattered, emitting a blast of energy that shocked you, a slight tremble in your hands that you did your best to shake away.

Not wasting any time, the three of you made your way to the next spine, unfortunately only getting through the purification process before Dvalin overcame his disorientation and shook himself free of you. The three of you fell, being cushioned by some wind instead of hitting the stone ground.

You all rushed back to Jean and Venti, with Jean healing the aftershocks in you and Diluc’s hands and Aether’s exhaustion. The five of you snapped towards Dvalin after he let out another piercing roar, reestablishing the shield.

You grabbed Venti’s hand. “One more time!” You squeezed his hand. “We almost had him, just one more time!”

Venti squeezed back, his eyes narrowing in determination. He readied his bow once more and the rest of you prepared to do more dodging, and dodging you did. It seemed Dvalin had learned from his mistake, somewhat, and made his shield even stronger, which made it take longer for Venti to break it. By the time he did your legs and throat were burning, a lightheadedness from breathing to harshly fogging up your mind.

It didn’t fog up enough apparently because you found yourself and the other two being lifted by familiar wind onto the back on Dvalin’s neck once more. You and Diluc destroyed the second spine quickly, the damage from Aether’s purification not healing in the slightest. The third and last spine was also quick work, the three of you now in a zone, not paying attention to anything other than the task at hand.

The final strike from your claymore shattered the spine, sending Dvalin into a haze of pain. His head whipped around causing all three of you to land hard on the stone, Venti probably distracted by his friend’s cries. Pain traveled along your back, stars clouding your eyes and the wind knocked from your chest for a second too long. You were sure the same happened to the other three when a worried Jean rushed over and surrounded you in her healing winds.

Cracks and grumbles caught your attention, the stone of the other curled platforms breaking apart. Your own platform shaking precariously. In the distance you thought you heard Paimon cry out that the place was falling to pieces, but all you could focus on was the dark pit of the vortex getting closer and closer.