Genshin - The Voracious Vanquisher

The group didn't need to wait long before their new outlander arrived, cradling a big cyan egg within her dainty hands. There were new faces here, ones that weren't present before, but that was of little import.

"…" None said a word, all focused on the egg laying in her hand.

She didn't pay it any mind, walking up to the golden-haired grandmaster and holding up the egg. "How confident are you in this city's ideal?"

Jean sputtered, transitioning between a flurry of emotions. She glanced at Venti, who subtly nodded with a bright smile. This didn't go unnoticed to the others, but the egg was truly too captivating to tell.

"Thank you. Mondstadt will be a warm home for our new friend." She replied confidently, taking the egg. It pulsed with frosty anemo energy. She recognized the feelings. Within it, she felt a combination of what she believed were Dvalin, Venti, Decarabian, and even the traveler's powers. Their various flavors of anemo were mixing within the little bundle of life she now carried. "… yes, a warm home indeed." She couldn't help but whisper.

"Is this…?" Lisa couldn't help but caress the egg now resting in her superior's hands. It was smooth to the touch, radiating a cold, but gentle aura. "… it's certainly anemo but it's different compared to Jean's."

"Let Paimon see!" the pixie demanded, pushing herself over the group. Aether followed closely behind.

"… couldn't she have just flown over?" Illya asked. No one answered.

Unlike the others, Diluc and Kaeya stayed behind with Illya. Neither was in any hurry to examine the egg. There would be plenty of time.

 "I don't believe I've had the pleasure." Kaeya said, kissing her hand in greeting. "Kaeya, the most dashing amongst the knights of Favonius."

She retracted her hand without a fuss, unphased. It wasn't an uncommon greeting in the worlds she's visited. "And I am Illya Leere Siegfried, wandering monster hunter. Good to meet you."

"You must be a real catch to get Diluc off your back, what with your… abnormal presence."

"She's proven trustworthy enough. Who would've thought the abyss could have such positive effects?"

"Agreed, though I'm sure it's not so easy to command such miracles. Just like our golden friend over there, it's best not to try copying such miraculous feats." Kaeya wisely commented.

"Yes, they are from beyond our world after all. It's best not to get greedy. Thank you, Illya, for your help."

She shook her head. "It was nothing. Like you all, I was just doing my part."

"Oh, it was more than nothing. But I get it. Why don't we buy you a drink? Our red headed friend here has the best place in town." Kaeya smoothly offered.

"That's more than acceptable. I would be proud to host everyone here at the Angel's Share." Diluc proudly stated.

"Really!?" The windy archon appeared instantly, startling the group. "No take backs! Don't play with me."

"Hmph… Of course. I'm not stingy enough to be cheap on a night like this."

"Oh, yeah!"

Illya looked back at the Kaeya with furrowed brows. "He must really like alcohol."

The buccaneer shrugged. "Can't say; he's a new face in Mondstadt too. But~ I did hear that he's spent his nights exclusively at the angel's share and the Cat's Tail."

She just gave him a smoldering stare. "Those are both bars, aren't they?" Her tone made it clear that they were more statements than questions.

"That's right. He's an avid drinker. Spends his nights hopping bars even… at least by what I've managed to dig up."

"Makes sense… wait… how did you know that? Didn't you say he's a newer face?" Illya asked, confused.

"I get around, make it a point to know all the faces in Mondstadt, especially those who frequent the bars. Mondstadt has a few eyes that keep it safe, if you know what I mean."

"Not really, but I can guess. Based on Jean's explanation of your government, I can roughly guess what goes into running it. Between worlds, especially ones with humans, civilizations run more similarly than you'd expect."

"Fascinating… I'd love to hear your stories."

Illya nodded. "Sure. I don't have a problem with that. Between Aether and me, I'm sure you'll hear quite a bit about our travels."

Kaeya let out a cheshire grin. "I'll hold you to that."

With the egg, the group watched as Venti rested his hand on its cool shell. Unlike Jean, he felt into the swirl of anemo with much greater finesse and depth. Beyond the four strongest influences, he felt the elemental energies of everyone that'd stood against Dvalin's wrath, small vestiges of the corrupted dragon – Durin, and shed a tear at the familiar traces of old friends who passed during that fateful battle all those years ago.

"Why're you crying, tone deaf bard?" Paimon asked worriedly.

With a sad smile, Venti wiped his eyes. "It's nothing. Just… I felt some old friends in here. More than what Jean felt, this egg holds far more. It's like a tapestry of memories of that time, a quilt of the most potent influences that lingered on Dvalin, Decarabian, the traveler, and… even me."

"Really? So, what does that mean for the baby inside?"

"I don't know and that's the best part. Whatever's inside will be something completely new, a life truly free from the shackles of its fate."

"Do you have a name in mind?" Lisa asked.

"Maybe Deca-" "No." Paimon started but was interrupted by Venti.

"Paimon and you too, traveler." Venti said, grabbing their attention and the others nearby. "Be careful of the names you give people. Teyvat has its own laws; I'm sure you've heard this saying. They both nodded. Well, names have weight here. To name someone after another is to align their fate with the originals'. For someone to have their own fate, they must have their own name, separate from all others."

"Really? I've never heard of this." Jean muttered.

"That's because it's not well known." Lisa explained. "There've been studies on this at the academia regarding Natlantian traditions, but as all subjects related to fate, it's an obscure field."

"Huh… I've never been to a world where a name's mattered that much. Care to share?" Aether asked.

"Meh, I don't know too much. Heard it from Alice and her friends."

"Oh, Alice? Yes, that makes sense." Lisa said, satisfied with the answer.

"Who's Alice?" Aether asked.

"She's a world traveler like you. She's capable of, well… practically anything she puts her mind to. Bit of an oddball that one." Jean answered.

"Is she here in Mondstadt!? We gotta meet her!" Paimon asked excitedly.

"Paimon, how could she be here. Wouldn't we have met her if she had, what with the Dvalin disaster?" the traveler rebutted.

"Oh… that makes sense. Paimon doubts someone who can do all that would've just sat there and watched the sky fall."

Jean and Lisa nodded in agreement, though – unheard by the group – Venti gave a nervous chuckle, not entirely sure about that. Would Alice help? Maybe. But… he highly doubted it. That wasn't her role, after all.

-

Illya watched on with confusion as the head priestess of the church kneeled in despair after Aether, Jean, and Venti returned a broken lyre to her trembling hands. She cried out for punishment to her god… who was the one who returned it to her. Clearly, the girl – who looked suspiciously like their acting grandmaster – hadn't been briefed on Venti's secret.

A little odd. You'd think the head priestess of his faithful followers would be aware of his existence and present form. Then again, meeting your heroes or gods, in this case, wasn't always a positive experience. Maybe he sought to keep her anonymous to maintain her fervent following. After all, the most believable salesman is one who believes their own marketing; priests worked on the same principle.

It was only when Venti hurriedly led them out that she was broken from her thoughts. Jean stayed back, likely to deal with the matter once the illusion their archon cast on the lyre wore off. Illya wasn't in a hurry, leaning on the door as the group went passed. More so than the group's shenanigans, she was more interested in how Jean would soothe the deaconess's nerves.

More than she'd like to admit, she did love watching drama unfold.

Seconds after the others had left the building though, a chill came over her senses, a sign of impending danger. Her eyes narrowed as the presence of poorly concealed assassins weighed on the edge of her heightened senses.

'No rest for the righteous…'

---

"Hurry up! Let's go!" Paimon pleaded as she pulled her arm.

"Careful!" she warned, but she was too late; the invisible specters had made their move. Two figures burst forth from the shadows, striking at the leading Venti.

Before their strikes could land though, an anemo infused strike from Aether blasted them away. Standing in their way was the blond outlander, who chased after their assailants with his dull blade. Before he could reach them though, they vanished into the ground, sinking like melting ice cream into their shadows.

The three's brows furrowed at the strange assault. Before they could relax though, a blast of cold air assaulted them from behind. A beautiful woman sauntered forth, flanked by two shadowed masked, purple-robed mages. She was sensual, donning an extravagant ruby fur-lined coat over a white and black dress. Each step oozed sexual appeal, which would've been mesmerizing had she not marred it with her condescending sneer.

She swaggered over to venti with unmatched confidence, watching as the traveler's and Venti's legs froze in ice. They couldn't move. No matter how they struggled, they couldn't escape her grasp.

"Hehe, going through the streets… looking for leftovers?" The woman jeered, her steps unfaltering. She grabbed Venti's chin, inspecting his face as if he were a cheap jewel. "Mondstadt calls this a god?"

"Urh… Resident rodent beats… urgh… invasive vermin." Venti confidently uttered through the pain of being held down.

She slapped him. "Don't you dare… speak back to me… insolent bard."

Venti's breaths became increasingly labored as he drew forth from anemo. Currents blasted off of him like a twister and yet… they didn't make much of a difference. His resistance was futile against the absolute permafrost he'd been encased with.

"Look at you. Absentee archon of Mondstadt… how impotent you've become."

"That smirk you wear looks out of place." Venti jeered. "Did you steal it from your master's face?"

The woman's smirk died, replaced with cold contempt. She waved her hand, blasting him backwards with a wave of cold winds (cryo). She dashed forward in a burst of motion, reaching her gloved hands to his heart, when-

It was instant. A black flash was all anyone registered and after…

"AAAAHHH!!!!" The woman let out a scream, taking distance behind her guards as she struggled to control her elemental energies. It'd been too sudden, too painful, cutting through all her defenses with ease.

Blood pooled beneath Venti's feet, all stemming from the arm she'd threatened to breach his chest with. Lumine and Paimon gasped in surprise. Venti's was similar though there was the slightest trace of disappointment beneath the façade; no one caught it though.

There she stood, the other invader from another world. Unphased by the fatui agent's command over frost, she stood there with unfeeling resolve resting a bloodstained buster sword on her shoulder. Her eyes were like frozen pools, lacking the fiery contempt the lady had shown for the nation's archon.

"Who are you!" she snarled in pain, finally getting her bearings. "Do you know who I am!!??"

"Does it matter?" Illya asked genuinely without a hint of concern. "You walked into what I assume for you is a foreign nation, assault their god whose powers are weakened from just recently saving their nation, and try to assassinate him before the very church that worships him…? Am I missing something?"

Bugs oozing electro energies swarmed behind her, spinning in a lightning-filled whirlwind as to take Illya from several sides. Yet, she reached forth, creating a miniature black hole that sucked them in without resistance. They were too weak, merely flies with a little power. They were meant to battle through pure numbers, taking on warriors who lacked wide-range attacks and yet… the black hole she carried in her hand was their natural nemesis.

"That's impossible… someone like you shouldn't…" The woman gasped in fright, her eyes looking as if they've seen a ghost.

Illya smirked, having received 'confirmation' from her silence. "That's it then… you're bold, I'll give you that."

Despite her eagerness to continue, she refused to make the same mistake that Aether did. She didn't immediately pursue her quarry. There were too many unknowns, and this was an ambush. Venti was their target, so protecting him made the most sense. She glanced at shivering bard whose face sat in a tired sigh as if a scheme had fallen through the cracks. She didn't notice though; half her focus was on their assailants. In her eyes, he just seemed tired and worn.

"Do you want them captured or dead?"

Venti hesitated, unsure of what steps to take. Fortunately, he didn't need to respond. A blazing bird descended from the heavens followed by a cryo-infused greatsword from the side. The cathedral doors burst open, revealing a furious Jean. All parties had arrived… the knights and company were here; reinforcements were here.

And yet… the assailant had long vanished in a puff of fiery smoke and ash that contrasted heavily against the chilling cryo she'd been using. The other two agents were bound on the ground, subdued by a sneaky Kaeya who'd attacked from the back.

Jean's eyes blazed with fire. Their god had been assaulted, possibly almost assassinated. They even dared commit the act before his cathedral and statue… peaceful as they were, the knights would not stand for this! Mondstadt would not stand for this!

Memories resurfaced of slights they'd let slip out of gratitude and procedure, of cases that they didn't pursue out of respect for the Fatui's great slaying of their age-old enemy, and even fear of the political instability it could cause. Human experiments, abductions, and so much more. They let so much slide out of fear… and now the cancer's become malignant.

This is her fault for being weak.

"All knights, the Fatui have spat on our generosity! Proceed with Operation Tempest! Cleanse the city of their filth, now!" Her sharp words startled many.

They looked at the blond-haired traveler and Venti, unsure of why an attack on their person would warrant the immediate purge of all fatui agents from Mondstadt. At most, it should've been a manageable political incident. But the few key members weren't surprised. That was their god who'd literally just saved them. There was no recourse; this was war.

Next Chapter - Attention: Barbatos Assassinated!