Genshin - The Voracious Vanquisher

Aether couldn't help but step back at the deep, voracious aura he felt. He doubted it was something the newcomer was intentionally releasing. It was too… quiet to be some form of intimidation, more like the depths of an ocean rather than a raging current. Maybe it was subtle posturing, a silent show of force to gain ground? It wouldn't be the first time in his diverse experience. Some worlds took that as the norm annoyingly enough. He didn't know, but one thing he did was that she, unlike himself, wasn't sealed by the unknown god. She didn't feel devoid of power, nor did he feel the blessing of anemo. Instead…

Master Diluc quickly took the vanguard, taking a subtle defense posture. He didn't draw his sword, but it was clear that he was prepared to at a moment's notice. "That power… it feels like the abyss." His words were curt but told him everything he needed to know.

Jean reacted immediately, similarly taking a defensive posture at his side. "Indeed. Her aura is like a deeper… hungrier version of that abyss mages. I can feel the surrounding anemo being consumed. She's like a whirlpool, subtly drawing in the surroundings into an inescapable void."

"Venti." she asked, not taking her eyes off the approaching aura. "We would appreciate your wisdom."

Diluc silently agreed with Jean's question. In any other situation, he likely would've subdued the approaching outlander on sight… or at least tried to. Such a deep abyssal aura appearing in proximity to a dragon he knew was being actively manipulated by abyssal mages was… extremely suspicious. It was only the confirmation by his deity of her recent arrival in their world that he stayed his hand.

He didn't miss the oddity of how 'coincidental' it was that their deity was available while all these seemingly unrelated events were happening.

"Woah. Woah." Venti lightheardly chided, making calming gestures. "She seemed peaceful enough. She did stop when I asked; I doubt those pygmies would've done the same."

"Hmm… Paimon doesn't know about this." Paimon muttered to no one in particular.

"I wonder… despite both being outlanders, why does her power feel so different to the traveler's?" Diluc asked himself.

"My powers were sealed by an unknown god when I arrived in Teyvat. The little I have now was actually gained from the statue of the seven near Mondstadt."

"Really? I wonder if all outlanders can do that." Jean mused. "It's an impressive power."

"An unknown god…" Venti muttered, deep in thought. He did have a good idea of who it could be and why they would do so, but he would keep his silence. After all, Aether's journey had just begun; it'd be a shame to spoil the fun by revealing the juicy details so early. What a boring story that'd be.

"What about you, traveler? As a seasoned world traveler yourself, surely you have an idea." Paimon asked.

Aether shook his head. "My memory's fuzzy after that day…" he muttered, getting lost in thought for a moment before breaking out. "…so I can't say for certain. Even then, I remember that my sister and I didn't stay in the worlds we visited for too long, so I can't say."

Diluc frowned, finding his explanation a bit strange before focusing on the approaching figure.

"Look alive; she's here." Their archon announced.

The girl was of similar height to Jean, wearing a strange black armored dress that shimmered like the stars. It was reminiscent of Fontainian clothing, particularly a dark reflection of some of the dresses made by the Chioriya Boutique just with black gauntlets and grieves. She had fair skin, light lavender long hair that shimmered like moonlight, and eyes like deep sapphire, accented by a subtle violet hue.

Whereas Aether could only be identified as an outlander by his unusual outfit and lack of vision, she truly carried an otherworldly feel about her. Whether her outfit, which swayed as if alive, her voracious abyssal aura, or the subtle whirlpool she passively created that drew in the surrounding anemo, everything about her screamed otherworldly.

"Hiya, welcome to Teyvat!" Venti introduced, taking the lead to bypass his 'guards'.

"Is that what this world's called?" she asked with a soothing voice, her tone like sweet nectar that sent shivers down their spines. It was a pleasant, but unsettling feeling. It was like ice cold fingers crawling up your shoulder. It should've been sweet, but it came off as a bit unsettling.

"That's right! You've landed in Mondstadt, the nation of wind and freedom. I'm Venti, a humble bard." He looked toward Jean, silently prompting her to continue.

None missed the raised eyebrow she gave the bard. 

"I am Jean, the Dandelion Knight and acting grandmaster of the knights of Favonius. We're the administrators and protectors of Mondstadt."

"So, you're this nation's king?" she asked, eliciting sharp aversion from Jean.

"Of course not. I'm just the acting head of its protectors." She strongly replied.

"That makes laws."

"Yes." Jean replied confidently.

"That enforces laws."

"That's true too..." Jean's body language closed up as her tone lost the strength it'd previously carried.

"That adjudicates the laws." She continued, uncaring of Jean's increasing discomfort.

"That's…" her voice was weak now, unable to resolve the growing dissonance between her own mental picture and the reality this outlander was painting with her own words.

"Leads a military organization to do so."

"…"

Seeing Jean's increasing discomfort, Diluc stepped in. "Diluc, of Mondstadt. To help clarify the misunderstanding, Mondstadt has a sordid history with rulers and tyranny in general. While the Knights of Favonius function in a similar capacity, the order presides with a different spirit or at least, they intended to. Admittedly though, this is mostly due to our Archon's philosophy that permeates every aspect of our culture."

"Archon?"

"Their god." Aether answered from behind. "This world has seven nations, each ruled by a god.

"Anemo – Wind, Geo – Earth, Electro – Lightning, Dendro - Life, Hydro – Water, Pyro – Fire, and Cryo – Ice.

"From what I've learned, each archon has their own philosophy that influences their nation's culture. Mondstadt is the nation of wind and freedom, so the Knights are more 'protectors of the realm' rather than rulers, even if the functional difference isn't significant."

"Oh, OK. Not the weirdest system I've seen…" she muttered, glad she didn't need to interpret riddles and indoctrinated babble to understand the general situation. "Are you from a different world too?"

"That's right." He replied with a growing eagerness. Suddenly, the loneliness of his situation dissipated a bit, realizing that there was another in a similar situation to his own.

"A world ruled by gods…" she nodded to herself. "Not the first time. Hopefully this one goes better than the last." She muttered to herself. Looking up, she turned to Paimon. "And you're from another world too?"

"Nuh uh; Paimon's home grown… I think. Anyways, I'm the traveler's number one tour guide."

"And emergency food."

"And emergency- Hey!" Paimon shouted, fruitlessly stomping the air. "Paimon is not!"

"Hehe~" the group broke out into laughter.

'Odd… why did she call him 'the traveler? Such an impersonal way of referring to someone you're close to. Meh, maybe it's a local custom or something.' She mused.

As they settled down, the girl turned back to Venti. "Are you this Anemo Archon then? Your elemental energy is… much heavier than anyone here."

The group's eyes widened in shock, especially Diluc and Jean who needed Venti to reveal himself to uncover said identity.

"How'd you know?" Paimon eagerly asked, prompting Aether to slap his forehead embarrassedly.

Aether gave Venti an apologetic shrug, to which Venti chucklingly waived it off.

"I was wondering the same. I have elemental sight, and Venti doesn't look any different than me."

"I can feel it." She replied, receiving blank looks in turn. Sighing, she continued, "I have a strong affinity for space-time; that includes gravity. As a part of that, I can feel the weight of someone's power and its effects on their surroundings. So, while Venti isn't actively showing it, that power still exists within his current place in space-time. He can't hide that. In a figurative sense, to me, Venti feels like a planet, while Diluc and Jean feel like small moons orbiting his power."

"That'd be so convenient!" Aether enviously exclaimed, understanding the premise. As a world hopper himself, he had a passable grasp of basic astrophysics.

Paimon, Jean, and Venti looked at each other, wondering if they were just as lost. Their world didn't have these concepts; it simply worked differently, not that they had a frame of reference to know that. Ultimately, they chalked it up to outlander knowledge and let it drop. Paimon though, resolved to pester Aether about it later until he explained it to her.

Eventually, after discussions, Illya looked back at Venti, "So… archon, huh?"

"Hehe~ keep it a secret please." Venti pleaded, embarrassingly scratching his head.

"Are you not their god?"

It was Paimon who stepped up to explain, "Uhh... the Archons embody their principles first and apply them second. Venti as the Anemo Archon – Barbatos - is the God of Freedom. So… he's free and so are the people of Mondstadt."

"Free, huh…?" The girl muttered before looking back at Venti. "Well, as you've all been so sincere, courtesy demands I introduce myself as well."

"Yes, please do. Your… aura is unpleasantly similar to the abyss heralds who frequently cause trouble across our world. Had our archon not confirmed your recent descension, we would've likely detained you on sight as an accomplice to the recent chain of events we're pursuing." Diluc explained, finally glad to have gotten to the main point.

"Please understand. We're just being cautious." Jean added, trying to soothe any nerves Diluc may've frayed with his blunt demands.

"Hmph" Diluc grunted, disproving of Jean's unnecessary placations.

Fortunately, if the outlander took any offense, she didn't show it.

"It's fine. It's not my first time in this situation." She gave a curt bow. "My name is Illya Leere Siegfried, traveling knight roaming the cosmos, hunting fun quarry near and far. My surname derives from a hero of my world who slew a powerful dragon that plagued our nation. When he slew it, he bathed in its blood and became part dragon in turn, turning him into a great warrior beyond measure. I received the name when I repeated the process with a great leviathan that threatened our world.

"It was a great whale-like beast that swam through dimensions like the ocean, swallowing the primordial life essence of entire worlds as sustenance. When I slew it, I bathed in its blood and, in my half-dead stupor influenced by the newfound voracity granted by the blood, I ate its flesh in turn. Inside-out, picked the bones clean even. That would probably explain the unpleasant nature of my aura. I've taken on many of its traits."

"What a ferocious appetite…" Venti muttered, disturbed by the effects such a beast would have on their star. He was sure they could manage, but they'd need authority they just didn't have. Without the full power over their respective elements and a sizeable quantity of faith, he wasn't confident in dealing with a beast of that scale. He doubted even the first hydro archon, the stand in heart of their planet's primordial sea could've done much. Maybe only that old blockhead…

"Interesting. What a fascinating ability, to gain great power by bathing in the blood of great beasts..." Jean commented.

"All worlds have their laws. My world enforces the authority of conquest on all living beings of great power within its sphere. Despite being foreign to our world, those laws bound the beast the moment I slew it within our atmosphere." Illya further explained.

'Interesting… it's like fate and prophesies in Teyvat… Even outlanders can't escape their snare.' Venti pondered.

"It is a rather fantastic account." Diluc affirmed, refraining from showing his decision to deny or believe. "Is that why you tried to slay Dvalin, because dragons are hostile in your world?"

'Despite his blunt edge, he is rather politically savvy. Between his refined posture and language, his sharp wit, and the equality with which he converses with Mondstadt's grandmaster and god, he too must have an impressive background.' Illya thought.

Illya shook her head. "First off, the dragon attacked me first; I'd just gotten there. Dragons are different from world to world. In some, they're benevolent sages; in others, they're destruction incarnate. As it attacked indiscriminately and rent the land without consideration, I just assumed it was the latter."

"Then that makes this simple then!" Venti happily exclaimed before his expression turned grave. "Dvalin is actually one of Mondstadt's four winds. They're the guardians that protect our wonderful, free nation. Why, I have a song just for-"

Before he could reiterate the same long-winded babble he used on them, Aether interjected, "He was corrupted during a tragic conflict that happened many years ago, forcing Venti to put him to sleep. A group of little pygmies they call abyss mages awakened him and are magically driving him crazy. We're trying to save him."

"Yeah, we were really worried when we heard about you almost killing him." Paimon helpfully added, selectively ignoring the affronted look from the anemo archon.

Jean and Diluc couldn't help but shake their heads at the antics before them. For their own reasons, they each had mixed feelings. Not so much for this new traveler, but for the casual behavior of their god. Learning that a silly, drunk bard was their vaunted god was a stark revelation. Unlike any of the others here, they had to quietly wrestle with every church sermon they'd grown up on. It was easier for Diluc, considering his more worldly perspective, but it was still a challenge. Knowing that your god loves merriment and seeing him indulging in it without regard to status or basic decorum were two different things.

"Is this something you need help with? It's easy enough for me. I can tell he lacks the rationality to put up much of a fight."

"Hehe~, hear that Jean?" Paimon chuckled mischievously. "He can't put up much of a fight."

"Well, the knights have been performing rather poorly lately." Diluc unhelpfully chimed in.

Ignoring her red-haired companion, Jean turned to Paimon, 'coughing' into her gloved fist. "Shouldn't you be concerned? I mean… the traveler and Illya are both outlanders. The difference in power is a little…"

"Hey! It's not his fault he ran into some evil god!" Paimon strongly retorted, not realizing she was being played. She exaggeratedly pointed at the cyan glow on Aether's outfit. "See, he's already getting new powers. The traveler will be back up to speed before you know it."

Illya tuned them out, turning back to Venti. "So, what's your plan?"

"Why, I'm glad you asked." Vanti happily replied. "Did you get a good look at Dvalin's back when you faced it?"

She tried to recall what he may've meant. She didn't get too much of an opportunity to observe him in detail due to the whirlwind of devastation he caused in his wake combined with the suddenness of it all. That said, there was something she found unusual.

"You mean the two abyssal crystals jutting out of its back? I'd thought they were just a unique part of the dragon, but… now knowing he's been corrupted…"

"That's right! Those are crystalized clots of corrupted blood. Those are what the abyss is using to mess with his mind. If we can just shatter those, I'll finally be able to get through to him."

"How can I help?"

"How fast can you fly?" Venti asked, assuming she could based on the blood bathing feats she'd previously explained.

Illya shook her head with a mild, self-depreciating smile. "I can 'swim' freely and maneuver smoothly, but compared to a dragon of wind, I'm not even close to fast enough. It's why I didn't fly in our last encounter. It didn't seem like a wise move."

"Then you'll need to go ahead of us. I… don't think my blessing will work on you with the way you've been absorbing the anemo energy. Meet us at the vortex above the place you arrived at. We'll chase him down to that point. I can clear a path up for you when we arrive. I may not be capable of carrying you directly like the traveler, but I can control the winds blocking your path."

"Couldn't you just push him with a gust of wind, tone deaf bard?" Paimon asked.

Venti shook his head embarrassedly. "Multi-tasking is harder than it looks. As amazing as I am, I can only do so much at a time."

On the side, Aether explained to Paimon. "He's probably also doing a lot that we can't see. He only told us he was carrying us, but when I thought about it again… I realized a few things. For example, I'm not very skilled in flying via anemo or by glider; I just started. I was used to a completely different way before my powers were sealed. And yet, I was somehow able to avoid almost all Dvalin's wind blasts mid-air. Illya's words reminded of how strange it was that I did all that against what Mondstadt knew as the king of the skies."

"Huh, Paimon didn't think about it too much. The Tone Deaf Bard's pretty cool, huh?"

"That he is." Aether confirmed, not seeing the bard in question silently preening under their praise.