Genshin Impact: The Crit Archon

Aether then looked at Venti he pulled out Albion and put it next to Venti next. "Who are you really"

Venti looked at him chuckling. "Oh why do you think that"

Aether looked at him. "Who are you really Venti... Barbatos"

Ventis blinker and then let out a small chucklr. "What gave it away. In his mind he thought something else. 'The System does a lot more then I thought'.

Paimon looked at Ventis. "Paimon is sorry but what".

Venti leaned back slightly, his relaxed demeanor shifting into something more contemplative. "Ah, you caught me, Aether. It seems my cover isn't as secure as I thought."

Aether crossed his arms, his gaze steady. "You've always had an air of mystery about you, and the way you interact with the wind and nature… It was only a matter of time before I put the pieces together."

Paimon floated closer, her eyes wide with curiosity. "So, you really are Barbatos? The Anemo Archon? But why pretend to be just a bard?"

Venti chuckled softly, glancing at Paimon. "Well, let's just say that being a bard allows me to move freely among the people without drawing too much attention. It's easier to protect Mondstadt this way, rather than standing on a pedestal as a god."

Aether raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "But that doesn't explain why you let Stormterror wreak havoc. You could have intervened sooner."

Venti's expression turned serious, and he sighed, the weight of responsibility evident in his eyes. "Sometimes, Aether, letting things unfold naturally is necessary for growth. Stormterror, or Dvalin as he is known, has suffered greatly. I wanted him to find his way back to the light on his own."

"Easier said than done," Aether replied, his tone skeptical. "You can't just sit back and let destruction happen."

Venti nodded, acknowledging the truth in Aether's words. "You're right. But every archon has their own methods, and I believed in his potential for redemption. I wanted to give him a chance to remember who he truly is, not just what he has become."

Paimon scratched her head, trying to process everything. "So, you're saying you wanted Dvalin to find his own way without forcing him?"

"Exactly," Venti confirmed, a hint of pride in his voice. "It's not just about power; it's about understanding and compassion. Every being deserves a chance at redemption, even the most powerful among us."

Aether contemplated Venti's words, the weight of responsibility hanging in the air. "I can understand that, but what if it backfires? What if he destroys everything?"

Venti smiled, his eyes twinkling with wisdom. "That's a risk we all take, Aether. Growth often comes through struggle. Just as you have learned in your journey, sometimes you must confront the darkness to bring forth the light."

Paimon flew up excitedly. "So, what's next for us, oh great Barbatos? Should we throw a festival or something to celebrate?"

Venti laughed, the sound light and joyous. "Perhaps! But first, we must ensure Dvalin is truly safe and not being influenced by outside forces. We need to find the source of the energy we sealed and determine if it was an isolated incident or a sign of something bigger."

Aether nodded, feeling the determination rise within him again. "Right. We'll investigate further. But we also need to inform Jean and the others about what we've discovered."

"Agreed," Venti replied, the lightheartedness returning to his voice. "And who knows? Maybe I can write a song about our adventure! A tale of heroes and dragons, of the winds that guide us."

Paimon clapped her hands in delight. "That sounds amazing! Paimon can be the star!"

Aether chuckled at the enthusiasm of his friends, feeling a warmth spreading through him. "Alright, let's head back to Mondstadt. There's a lot to discuss and prepare for."

As they made their way back, the sun began to set over the horizon, casting a golden glow over Teyvat. Aether couldn't shake the feeling that greater challenges lay ahead, but with his friends by his side, he felt ready to face whatever came next.

Aether looked at Venti. "So what now, what do we do hell Dvalin"

Venti looked at them. "We get my Lyre from the church".

Few minutes later

Aether has used an Invisibility spell walking through the heavy guarded church of Mondstandt where the Lyre used by Venti was there..

Paimon also invisible looked at Aether. "Steal the lyre he said, it will be easy he said, faster then peper work he said"

Aether just sighed. "I told me telling A Num and saying that you Barbatos was bad idea, know he is band from all the church of Mondstandt"

Aether arrived to the place the Lyre was at as he was going take it, someone else took it was Fatui mage, as she desiperd with the lyre ans alarms blared up.

Aether's heart raced as the alarms blared, red lights flashing through the church. He quickly turned to Paimon, who was still floating beside him, her eyes wide with panic.

"Looks like we're not the only ones after the lyre!" Aether exclaimed, his mind racing as he formulated a plan. "We need to get out of here and follow that Fatui mage!"

Paimon nodded, her usual bravado returning. "Right! Let's go! We can't let her get away!"

As they dashed out of the room, Aether dispelled his invisibility spell, knowing they would need every ounce of speed and agility to catch up. They raced down the stone corridors of the church, their footsteps echoing off the walls as they navigated through the chaos unfolding around them.

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from a side room as a group of knights, alerted by the alarms, rushed in the opposite direction. Aether glanced at Paimon. "We can't let them see us!"

"Then let's take a shortcut!" Paimon suggested, pointing towards a window that opened onto a narrow ledge outside.

Without hesitating, Aether leaped through the window, landing on the ledge and quickly balancing himself. Paimon followed closely, her wings fluttering as she landed beside him.

"Now what?" Paimon asked, glancing down at the courtyard below, where knights were scrambling in response to the alarms.

"Follow that mage," Aether said, scanning the area for any sign of the Fatui. "If we can get a view from the rooftops, we might spot her."

With that, Aether carefully maneuvered along the ledge, searching for a way up to the rooftops. Spotting a nearby stack of crates, he quickly hopped across to them and then jumped onto the roof of the church.

Paimon flapped her wings and soared up beside him. "You're so good at this! Just like a real adventurer!"

Aether chuckled, adjusting his stance. "Thanks, but we're not done yet. We need to keep an eye on that mage."

As they scanned the streets of Mondstadt, they finally spotted the Fatui mage making her way down a narrow alley, clutching Venti's lyre tightly. Aether's eyes narrowed. "There she is! We need to follow her without being seen."

Paimon nodded, her expression serious. "Let's move!"

They quickly hopped from rooftop to rooftop, carefully keeping their distance while trying to remain undetected. As they pursued the mage, Aether felt a mix of excitement and anxiety. The streets of Mondstadt were vibrant and alive below them, but right now, his focus was solely on retrieving the lyre.

Suddenly, the mage stopped in front of a nondescript building. She glanced around, her eyes darting suspiciously. "Is anyone there?" she muttered, clearly on edge.

Aether signaled to Paimon to hold back as they crouched behind a chimney, peering down to see what the mage would do next.

"She's definitely up to something," Aether whispered. "Let's see what she's planning."

The Fatui mage hesitated before pulling out a small device from her pouch. With a flick of her wrist, a portal opened, swirling with dark energy. "I hope the Master appreciates this," she said, her voice laced with a mix of excitement and fear.

Aether's heart raced. "We have to act now! We can't let her escape with the lyre!"

"Right! But how?" Paimon whispered urgently.

"We'll have to create a distraction," Aether suggested. "I'll jump down and confront her while you keep the portal open. If we can get the lyre before she escapes, we'll be one step closer to helping Dvalin."

Paimon nodded, determination lighting her eyes. "Let's do this!"

With a deep breath, Aether prepared to leap from the rooftop. He needed to be quick and decisive, and with any luck, they would catch the Fatui mage off guard. He launched himself off the edge, landing directly in front of the mage just as she began to step into the portal.

"Stop right there!" Aether shouted, his hand gripping Albion tightly.

The mage froze, her eyes widening in surprise. "You! How did you find me?"

"Doesn't matter. Just give us back the lyre!" Aether demanded, stepping forward.

"Fools!" she hissed, a dark energy swirling around her. "You think you can just take it from me?"

Aether's grip on Albion tightened as he prepared for a fight. "You won't get away that easily!"

With a quick gesture, the mage unleashed a blast of elemental energy towards Aether, who barely dodged in time, rolling to the side and regaining his footing. The battle had begun, and he knew that every second counted. Paimon floated back, ready to assist as best she could.

"Stay on your guard, Aether! She's stronger than she looks!" Paimon called out, her eyes darting between the mage and Aether.

The mage smirked, confidence growing in her demeanor. "You'll regret crossing the Fatui! I won't let you ruin my plans!"

Aether's resolve hardened. "I won't let you take that lyre from us!" With a battle cry, he charged forward, ready to face the mage head-on.

Aether then notice a group of knights, Screaming dear, he saw he mage disper, as Aether went invisible, then he saw a lot of wind, as he got out his wind glider a d went into Diluc bar.

Diluc looked at Aether. "Aether it is a pleasure to see you again"

Aether looked at him. "Hide me now"

Diluc sighed. "The Beard ins on the 3rd floor"

Aether nodded, grateful for the quick response. "Thanks, Diluc. I'll be out of your hair in no time."

Without wasting another second, Aether dashed toward the stairs, the sound of chaos echoing outside. He couldn't let the knights or the Fatui find him, especially after losing the mage.

As he ascended the stairs, he could hear the faint murmurs of patrons and the clinking of glasses from the tavern below. He made his way to the third floor, pushing the door open carefully.

Inside, the room was dimly lit, filled with shadows and the faint scent of wine and aged wood. Aether quickly scanned the area, making sure it was empty before he stepped inside fully. He leaned against the wall, taking a moment to catch his breath.

Just then, the door creaked open again, and he heard a familiar voice. "You're in trouble again, aren't you?" It was Kaeya, his usual smirk on his face.

Aether sighed, rubbing his temples. "You don't know the half of it, Kaeya. A Fatui mage just stole Venti's lyre, and she's on the run. We have to catch her before she gets away."

Kaeya raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "Is that why you're hiding out in my brother's tavern? Seems a bit reckless, even for you."

"Do you have a better idea?" Aether shot back, his patience wearing thin. "If the knights find me, they'll start asking questions I can't answer."

Kaeya stepped inside, closing the door behind him. "Alright, I'll help you out. But we need to be quick about this." He glanced around the room, ensuring they were alone. "What's the plan?"

"We need to find that mage before she gets too far," Aether replied, his mind racing. "She was headed toward a portal. If she escapes, we may never see the lyre again."

"Then we'd better get moving," Kaeya said, his expression turning serious. "I can gather some knights and have them cover the main roads. You and Paimon can take the alleys to catch up to her."

Paimon, who had been floating nearby, piped up. "Sounds like a plan! But how do we know where she's headed?"

Aether took a deep breath, thinking back to what he had seen. "If she's working for the Fatui, she might be heading to one of their safehouses. I have a feeling she'll try to get out of Mondstadt as quickly as possible."

Kaeya nodded, a glint of determination in his eyes. "Then let's split up. I'll head back downstairs and round up the knights. You two take the alleys and see if you can track her down."

"Got it!" Aether replied, feeling a surge of hope. "Thanks, Kaeya."

Kaeya smirked again, his playful demeanor returning. "Just don't get caught again, alright? I'd rather not have to bail you out for the hundredth time."

With that, Kaeya slipped out of the room, leaving Aether and Paimon to plan their next move.

Aether turned to Paimon, who was already buzzing with energy. "Let's go, Aether! We have a Fatui to catch!"

"Right," Aether said, pulling out his wind glider once more. "Let's see if we can gain some height and spot her from above."

They made their way back down the stairs and out of the tavern. The night air was cool, filled with the distant sounds of shouting and chaos. Aether glanced toward the source of the noise, his heart racing.

"Stay close, Paimon," he said as they took to the rooftops, gliding silently over the streets of Mondstadt.

From their vantage point, they could see the knights forming a perimeter, but the mage had already gained a considerable lead. Aether felt a sense of urgency as they sailed through the air, searching for any sign of her.

"There!" Paimon pointed, her voice a mixture of excitement and alarm. "Look, she's heading toward the south gate!"

Aether nodded, his eyes narrowing. "We need to cut her off. Let's go!"

They swooped down, landing softly on the ground and darting toward the gate. As they approached, Aether spotted the mage ahead, her dark cloak billowing behind her as she ran. The portal shimmered faintly in the distance, nearly ready to open.

"Paimon, distract her!" Aether called, readying Albion in case things escalated.

"Got it!" Paimon zipped forward, her tiny form hovering in front of the mage. "Hey, you! You're not getting away that easily!"

The mage turned, surprise flashing across her face. "You again? You're persistent!"

"Yeah, and it's about to pay off!" Aether shouted, charging toward the mage, his weapon raised.

The mage smirked, unfurling her hands to summon a wave of elemental energy. "You think you can stop me?"

Aether felt a surge of adrenaline as he leaped into action. "Let's find out!"

With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a gust of wind toward the mage, forcing her to momentarily lose her footing. In that split second, Aether dashed forward, determined to reclaim Venti's lyre.

"Paimon, keep her distracted!" Aether yelled as he closed the distance.

"On it!" Paimon shouted, darting around the mage and causing her to spin in confusion.

The mage retaliated with a blast of energy, but Aether was already moving, dodging to the side and preparing to engage in close combat. He could see the lyre clutched tightly in her hands, and the thought of losing it fueled his determination.

"Stop right there!" he shouted, focusing his energy into a powerful strike.

The mage's eyes widened as Aether unleashed a whirlwind of wind magic, pushing her back against a wall. She stumbled but quickly regained her composure, glaring at him with defiance.

"You think you can intimidate me? I won't let you take it!" she hissed, summoning more dark energy around her.

"Just give it up!" Aether shouted back, refusing to back down.

The battle escalated, elemental forces clashing as they fought for control. Aether could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on him; the fate of Venti's lyre—and perhaps Dvalin—was at stake. He had to win.

To be continued

Hope people like this Ch and give me power stones