"I see that Klee wasn't exaggerating," Arkade spoke as the party of four passed through the central gate of Mondstadt. "It's a beautiful city."
Within the great and imposing stone walls, that which withstood time and wind, was a city brimming with life and music. Every street and corner, paved with fine cobblestone, was dotted by a house or building, yet it didn't seem cramped at all. So spacious and wide the city was, and there seemed to always be a breeze blowing.
Children played and chased each other, laughing and smiling without a care in the world.
Adults chattering and idling nearby, most of whom had a mug in their hands, talking about all kinds of things. Big and meaningless things, small and important things.
Vendors hawking their wares, not aggressively, but open and inviting as if everyone was a close friend.
And the music…
Anywhere he looked he could make out a figure of a musician or a bard, singing and strumming along to the listening ears of the people. Some of them were professional, belting out pleasant tunes with harmonious melodies. Others were amateurs, forgetting lyrics, waxing verse, and playing notes out of tune.
Yet… they were smiling and laughing all the same. Everyone was.
All of them, existing here and now, with each other. Taking comfort and familiarity and joy with just being alive.
It was a scene that screamed, no, sang of life in the present, with no regards to the past or future.
"...all of it's enough to bring a man to tears."
"As Grandmaster and as a Monstadter, it brings me great joy to hear that an outsider has such high praises for our fine city and nation," Jean said with an appreciative and kind smile. "Mondstadt has always embodied the principles of freedom and song, and we take pride in the fine arts that we've cultivated, along with the right to freely express them without fear or restriction."
"It's also a city of wine and alcohol, in case you didn't know," Albedo added, sounding more like a tour guide than an alchemist. "Personally, I only tend to drink during social gatherings, but if you're a connoisseur then this place will be like paradise for you."
"Ah, I do drink on occasion." Arkade nodded. "In fact, I actually brought some drinks and ingredients from Felven along with me. It might be nice to give Mondstadt a taste of something new."
Albedo and Jean shared a quick glance, and made a silent agreement to tell Kaeya last about that little tidbit. Or more preferably, not at all.
Kaeya already occasionally shirks his duties to lounge around Angel's Share. If he finds out that a foreigner brought wine and spirits from a distant land? They'd rather avoid such a thing if possible.
"So where is this Knights of Favonius Headquarters at?" Arkade asked. He had been told along the way that he would need to go there to get started on acquiring residency and business rights. It seemed that not only were the Knights Mondstadt's military force and police, they were also in charge of logistics and legal affairs.
"It's waaay over there!" Klee pointed into the distance. Arkade looked to where she was pointing, and saw a colossal castle-like structure in the distance. At the top was a flag that flowed freely in the wind; its insignia a pair of two swords interlaced with a pair of wings. "That's the super cool fortress all the knights live in. Klee lives there too."
Albedo nodded, smiling. "That's right, she does. Ah, that reminds me." Albedo turned towards the Acting Grandmaster. "Jean, I'm afraid I actually have something to discuss with Sucrose and Timaeus about a recent alchemical project. May I take my leave here and entrust Mister Arkade's arrival at Headquarters in your hands?"
Jean nodded. "Of course, Albedo. You can leave it to me. I hope you, Sucrose, and Timaeus succeed in your endeavors."
"Thank you, Grandmaster Jean. Come along Klee, let's go pay a visit to Sucrose and Timaeus." Albedo gestured for Klee to follow as the two went towards the Alchemical Workshop.
"Okay! Bye Jean! Bye Mister Arkade!" Klee waved the two goodbye as she trotted alongside Albedo to go to wherever these Sucrose and Timaeus are at. "Do you think Mister Timaeus is still mad that I accidentally blew up the shop last week?" Klee asked.
"...I'm sure he's forgotten all about it," Albedo responded, hesitantly. "It was fully repaired and restocked the same day it was destroyed, so he shouldn't be too mad… probably."
The pair walked off into the distance, leaving only Arkade and Jean by the entrance of the city gate.
"Are the two of them, perhaps, brother and sister?" Arkade asked. He knew the answer, but still felt it appropriate to ask. Klee, with her ears and eye color, obviously stood out and apart from Albedo.
As for Albedo himself, Arkade could tell that he was human, but the aura he gave off denoted him as being something more than that. Or perhaps… foreign would be the right word.
A human of a different origin?
Jean shook her head, but a soft and gentle smile was on her face as she watched the two set off. "Not by blood, no. But Klee's mother entrusted her care to us with Albedo as her primary guardian. After all the time they've spent together, they are definitely siblings in spirit."
Arkade hummed, content with the answer.
As expected of a city of freedom, to let a being like Albedo live and love like an ordinary person.
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The two of them walked through the city, and Jean occasionally pointed out local landmarks and hotspots to marvel at. They passed by a tavern that Jean called The Cat's Tail. It's owned by a woman named Margaret, and what made it stand out from the other dozens of taverns in the city of wine was that it allowed patrons to interact with the numerous cats within the establishment.
And also the main bartender was apparently a young girl named Diona Kätzlein, a pre-teen with feline ears and a tail that makes impeccable drink combinations despite hating alcohol.
Arkade thought it dubious that someone so young was working at such an establishment, but then again, perhaps Teyvat had its own laws regarding such things like child labor, with Klee being an obvious example and even younger than the bartender.
They also passed by Goth Grand Hotel, a luxurious and elegant looking inn owned by Ludwig Goth (Most people just call him Goth) that is, unfortunately, completely booked by the Fatui, causing most travelers to seek alternative accommodations.
"Fatui?" Arkade asked.
"They're from the northern nation Snezhnaya, which is ruled by the Tsaritsa, the Cryo Archon," Jean explained, a pensive look on her face. "They are the military, agents, and enforcers of her will and follow her every order. Their leaders, apart from her majesty, are the 11 Harbingers; the strongest of them all."
"You don't seem too happy to host them."
"They have a… dubious reputation throughout Teyvat. It's no secret that they operate with aggressive and underhanded methods like blackmail, espionage, and extortion. There was an incident four years back that ended with the death of a good man, who was the father of a…close friend of mine."
"Then why do business with them at all?"
"We unfortunately owe them for putting a stop to Ursa the Drake, who would have rampaged and caused untold destruction upon the land of Mondstadt. It was "The Doctor," the Eleventh Harbinger at the time who put a stop to it. Though I hear he is now the Second."
Arkade nodded, letting the information sink in. It seemed that the Fatui might cause some problems for him in the future if what Jean says about them is true. They seem the type that would try to strongarm him into doing business with his services and resources.
But that would be a problem for the future, and only if they acted on it. If they did, well…
Arkade is confident he can handle himself.
Then, they passed by the Favonius Cathedral.
It was a sight to behold.
A far cry from the carefree and casual air that dominated Mondstadt's streets and parlors. This building was grand and imposing and sacred with elegant, tall towers and arches that beheld beautiful stained glass mosaic windows that reflected light in an entrancing array of color and brightness.
Even outside the cathedral, he could hear the faint sounds of a choir singing. An unknown melody that sang of worship and purity.
"This cathedral… which god do the people of Mondstadt worship?" Arkade asked.
"That would be Barbatos, The Anemo Archon and God of Freedom," Jean responded, her voice soft and reverent. While most people speak of Barbatos casually, as Acting Grandmaster and guide for an outsider to her nation, she had to set an example. "He, along with the six other gods, became Archons after the conclusion of the Archon War 2,000 years ago."
That name struck a chord in Arkade.
"Barbatos… I know that name. Felven is home to many gods that fled the Archon War; There were those who escaped during its peak activity and those who left after its conclusion, unable to bend knee and become subservient to the victors. I actually know some of them, and they spoke tales of the Archons occasionally, including Barbatos."
Jean was surprised and intrigued, curious about what kind of tales other gods would spin about her own. "Really? What kind of tales?"
(On the balcony of Angel's Share, a certain bard in green sipped slowly from his mug, his ear turned and tuned in to the conversation)
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"Barbatos! Show yourself!"
Her name was Aura.
"I know you hear me, coward! The wind carries mine voice across its breeze, and I shan't be ignored!"
She was a god, but she was not a "God." She was not given a "Goetic Name" which would have extended her power, authority, and control over the Human Realm. No, even among Celestia and gods, there were the extraordinary…
"Face me! If you truly are deserving of the title Anemo Archon!"
…and the ordinary.
A gentle gust of wind passed by her, and Barbatos manifested himself. An androgynous figure, beautiful and flowing and free as air should be.
"Peace Aura, Mistress of Many Breezes. Here I stand before you, conjured by your sweet voice like that of a harpy. Enlighten me on this fine summer day that you deign to call my name."
Aura, like many of her kin, fought in the Archon War for a chance to obtain one of the Seven Seats, Anemo in her hope, and obtain a "Name" of her own. Alas, the war had come to an end, and she was one of the "defeated."
"I call you out, coward! You, who obtained victory by allying with Andrius and turning Decarabian's followers against him, even his lover, with promises of peace and prosperity! By obtaining a Seat among the Seven, along with the title of Archon, you made an oath to rule over your nation as its God, yet you traverse the lands with neither care nor cause! Such a cruel, feckless God you are, Barbatos!"
She might have been able to accept her loss if Barbatos was a present god that actively guided his nation and people, but seeing him wander freely and seemingly unconcerned about them drove her to the edge.
She fought long and hard for the chance to rule but lost, and now the victorious Anemo Archon was gallivanting across the land. Why would he do such a thing when he too fought in a war for a chance to rule, only to do… this?
She could not understand. Or perhaps… she refused to understand.
"I embody the ideal of freedom, and express it by leaving my nation and people to lead themselves. For how could a god extol such an ideal if he himself were to become ruler and demand of others, even if that demand is freedom itself? This is how I show my love to my followers."
A fair answer given by Barbatos. A reckless answer perceived by Aura.
"I challenge you Anemo Archon Barbatos! In my soul I know this truth: That I would better serve Mondstadt and its people in your place! By ancient custom, you must accept my duel!"
"Very well. State your conditions."
"In my victory, you shall relinquish the title of Anemo Archon to me and all that comes with it, including the name "Barbatos" as well as the Gnosis."
"And in my victory, you shall leave Teyvat and traverse across the Dark Sea with the rest of your defeated kin, never to return."
They agreed on the terms, the venue, and the date. Ten days had passed, and Aura was the first to arrive at the promised location…
Yet… Barbatos never arrived.
Angry and frustrated, Aura used her power of Anemo to scour the vast lands of Teyvat, manifesting as the wind and breeze. For days she searched, over and over, from the rocky cliffs of Liyue, to the verdant forests of Sumeru, to even the distant islands of Inazuma. She found neither hide nor hair of the supposedly victorious Anemo Archon.
At last, when she expended most of her power, Barbatos finally manifested before her. Unbeknownst to her, in her rage and fury, she failed to recognize a single dandelion seed that was carried by her winds, following her every gust and breeze. Indeed, that seed was none other than Barbatos in disguise.
And with a mere flick of his wrist…
…The Anemo Archon sent Aura hurdling across Teyvatian Waters and into The Dark Sea, never to return.
She had no idea how long she was flying nor how far. She only knew that she stopped when she hit something solid, and an explosion of pain racked her entire body. She crashed through a mountain and made a crater that, to this day, was preserved as a national landmark.
She had arrived in Felven.
When consciousness returned to her, she awoke to find herself being cared for by not only the mortal inhabitants of the island, but by fellow gods as well. She recognized some of them, those that left Teyvat either during or after the conclusion of the Archon War.
Then, realization dawned on her on what happened.
And she promptly cursed Barbatos with all her might.
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"...and that's the story Lady Aura tells anyone willing to listen on why she hates Barbatos so much."
"..."
Arkade and Jean were, at this point, sitting on a nearby bench by the cathedral. The man had finished regaling her with the tale of Barbatos' "victory" over Aura, while Jean was shocked and wide-eyed, holding a scandalized hand over her mouth.
Such a tale never existed in the songs or in the written annals of Mondstadt's history, and she could see why. Such an underhanded victory would no doubt sully the name Barbatos. She was tempted to call him a liar, but the story just seemed too detailed to be a lie, and Arkade didn't strike her as someone who would lie just for entertainment.
Besides that, what could he possibly gain from weaving a false story?
Jean eventually regained her composure. "Well, that is… quite the tale. One that I would highly advise not telling anyone else while you're inside this city. While many people casually worship Barbatos, the more fervent believers associated with the church may take offense to what you've said, even if it's true."
"Of course, of course. I meant no disrespect obviously," Arkade reassured the Grandmaster. "Still, I would like to meet Barbatos myself if it's possible. Lady Aura is usually a calm and composed goddess, so I'd like to see the one who could rile her up so heatedly."
Heatedly was definitely a word used to describe her. Arkade remembers the various dolls she made in Barbatos' image, torn apart or punctured with needles with various curses written on them.
Jean had a look of regret and pity on her face. "Oh, I don't think that will be possible. Barbatos is a wandering and free god who rarely shows himself so casually to the people. The tale you spoke of rings true in the sense that he does not actively interfere in Mondstadt's affairs or in the lives of its people, except during times of trouble."
"I see. That's a shame then."
At the balcony of Angel's Share, the same bard in green cringed and grimaced as Arkade finished his tale. It was not because the tale was blasphemous or insulting, but because the tale was absolutely, irrefutably true.
Yes, Barbatos was weak and nameless at the time when Andrius and Decarabian clashed with each other, allying with the former and rallying the discontent people of the Old Mondstadt. It wasn't until much later that he actually gained power to do more than just provide small miracles.
Yes, after taking the Seat of Anemo and title of Archon, he did in fact leave the people to their own devices and wander across Teyvat, exploring and learning about other nations, cultures, and people while only occasionally checking in on his own.
And… yes. He did bait Aura into accepting a duel he had no intention of actually fighting, and struck her down when she had exhausted herself. Back then, the wounds and damage Decarabian left still lingered on his soul, most notably the loss of his friend whose image he now embodies to honor and remember him by.
So when Aura challenged him for the right to the Throne of Anemo, he did not see her as a concerned goddess who wanted what was best for Mondstadt.
He just saw her as another Decarabian, and dealt with her by sending her off into The Dark Sea, never to return.
Looking back… it was incredibly cruel, underhanded, and unnecessary of him to do what he did, even if it was for the sake of protecting Mondstadt from what he perceived was a tyrant.
"...I'm sorry, Aura."
Barbatos, now Venti, whispered into the wind, hoping that his message might one day reach her. Considering that she was now in The Dark Sea, beyond the authority and reach of Celestia, it was unlikely.
…On second thought, maybe he ought to pay a visit to Arkade to get the message across.