Chapter 22: Meeting The Bard

We were outside of the headquarters when Paimon realized something

“Hey, There's something we didn't tell them. The dragon and the crystal weren't the only things we saw.”

“You mean the boy who talked to Stormterror?” Lumine said

“Yeah, So you do remember him, that green guy. He looked just like that guy down there!”

“What a coincidence, it is him.” Lumine was surprised

“What! Come on, let’s follow him before he gets away.” Paimon said urgently

I guess we are going to meet Venti soon. We followed him until we lost him around a corner

“That green guy disappeared!” Paimon said

“Let me try to find him, there should be traces of him. He could not have gotten far.” Lumine said

“Oh yeah, use your elemental sight Lumine.”

Lumine’s eyes glowed full of elemental energy. ‘This must be the elemental sight’ I thought. The elemental sight lets the person see the elemental trails around them, and since Venti is the Anemo Archon he should leave trails

“There he went that way.” Lumine pointed to the direction where Venti went. Lumine leading the way we ended up back at the plaza where the giant statue of Barbatos was. We saw Venti playing a lyre in front of a crowd. 

Venti wears a frilly white top with a corset for the midsection, along with teal shorts with gold embroidery, a matching teal cape held together by a deep blue and gold bow. He also wears white stockings with three gold diamond shapes along each leg and a beret-like hat with a Cecilia, which is his favorite flower. He wears an Anemo Vision on his left hip attached to a belt, with a wing ornament attached to the right of the vision, pom-pom's hang underneath the vision with feathers. His hair is braided on both sides, with the top half being black and the bottom being blue.

We tried to get closer to see what he would do. As we were in the front Venti started his performance

“What is to be sung transpired in days of yore,

When the divine archons still walked the earth.

A dragon cast his curious gaze on the world below

As he parted from the heavens that gave his birth.

The dragon sought truth amongst common folk,

But mortal trifles only fogged his mind.

The windborne bard strummed his strings dolce

And the Holy Lyre answered his questions kind.

The dragon was but a child full of wonder,

And soared the heavens free from care.

The bard's songs invited him to sing along,

For he yearned to let all perceive him fair.

Enchanting legends the bard and dragon were,

But the tides of despair soon engulfed the land;

The lion fang perished and the falcon flag slept.

As a vile dragon approached Mondstadt in lone stand,

Over the Cathedral loomed death and his friends.

Of the people's agony the bard soon sang.

The soaring dragon heeded his grave calls,

And amidst the windstorms a brutal war sprang.

Blood of venom sent the sky dragon into slumber,

Only to awake to be expelled in abhor.

"Why do people in this age loathe me so?"

But the Holy Lyre replied no more.

Wrath and woe, vigor and venom,

Poured from the dragon's bitter eyes.

The dragon's curse sprawled in silence,

But the Lyre could no longer soothe his cries.”

When Venti finished his performance the crowd cheered and gave a round of applause. Venti bowed to express his gratitude and shortly after the crowd dispersed. When Lumine, Paimon, and I were the only ones left Venti noticed us

“Wait, you guys are…  Oh, that's right! You're the ones that scared Dvalin away.”

“Dvalin? Who's that?” Paimon asked confused

“That's Stormterror's real name. Lisa told me when we were in the Temple.” I said to clarify

“Huh? ...Oh, right. Most people seem to call him "Stormterror. Why do you call him that... are you two meant to be close or something?"

“Oh, so close…” Venti said shrugging his shoulders

“Hey, guys. Paimon thinks this guy has a screw loose…”

“Uh… hi?”

“Good day, to you two outlander. Seems we meet again.”

“I'm sorry, you are...?” Lumine asked

“I'm Venti the bard. Three-time winner of the "Most Popular Bard of Mondstadt," to be precise. So, what do you need from me?”

“Given you recognize us, Paimon doesn't believe we need to explain any further. Of course, it's about Stormterror.” Paimon said with a sarcastic tone

“Storm...?”

“Hey! Cut it with the amnesia act! Lumine, show it to him.”

Lumine showed the crystal to Venti but instead of a red crystal that was corrupted it was colored blue meaning it was purified

“Oh! Isn't this—”

“What!? The crystal has been purified!? When?” Paimon was shocked not knowing when it was purified

“The last time I checked, it was full of impurities,” Lumine said confused

“Dvalin, he… The anguish he feels... has brought him to tears…”

“Tears...?” Paimon said tilting her head

“He was once such a gentle child. Now so full of rage and suffering…  I also came across a Teardrop Crystal. Can you purify it?

Venti pulled out his own crystal but it was corrupted. He gave it to Lumine to see if she could purify it. When it was with Lumine the purifying process began and after a few moments the crystal was now blue, the purification was a success. The game never told how the traveler was able to do this or it was hidden deep within the game's lore but seeing in front of me I call this plot convenience bullshit

“You... really do have some wonderful abilities…” Venti was amazed

“Someone like you is going to end up getting written into a bard's poem. Oh, a hero so bright, should she‍ stand in the light. Though stand in the shade, and you'll be met by a blade… Alas... I've really not the time to compose a melody for you at this moment. Anyway, even if Dvalin is not taken down, his life will still wither away in the breeze… He'll burn himself out in the flames of anger…”

“I also feel sorry for Dvalin.” Lumine was feeling sympathetic

“Thank you for that, and you for purifying the Teardrop Crystal. But I have my own plans for what is to follow.”

“Is there anything we can do to help?”

“I really must thank you for purifying the Teardrop Crystal, it has helped me greatly. But I've already come to devise my own plan.”

“You know more hands make quick work, you want to help Dvalin and so do we. There is no need to be stubborn and as you can see with Lumine here, she is going to be vital in making Dvalin come to his senses.”

“Hmm…” Venti was deep in thought when we offered our help

“I’m sorry, I don’t want to complicate others into the problem. I must go now”

“Hey! Where're you running off to!?” Paimon interrupted 

“To the "Symbol of Mondstadt's Hero." Bye-bye~” Venti sprinted off before disappearing in the corner

“What are we going to do now?” Lumine asked

“We are going after him, he knows more than we do about what is happening.”

“He said he is going to the "Symbol of Mondstadt's Hero." where is that?”

“He is going to Windrise the giant tree outside of the city.”

“Then what are we waiting for let’s go!” Paimon said as pumped herself up