Chapter Text
He is Barbatos. He is Venti. He could either be Archon or Bard, friend or foe. He slayed gods and flattened mountains, played the lyre and pulled pranks on the Geo Archon himself. He could be anything he wanted - if he worked for it.
But now?
Looking down at the bright eyed scarlet of the Spark Knight, he laments his fate. Of course he knew who this child was. Born from the Strongest Witch, Alice, blessed by a vision at a young age and with a penchant for explosives. The terror of aquatic life in the City of Freedom, also heralded as Mondstadt’s strongest.
Spark Knight Klee.
Venti doesn’t dislike children - far from it, actually. He adored children, seeing them like the wind sprites that roam around Mondstadt. Free, lively, and innocent. Just like any other adult, Venti had this strange surge of protectiveness in him. To protect children from the horrors of this world, like a baby bird to its Mother. Nurture them, love them, until they have the courage to sprout their own wings and chase their dreams.
But Klee? She has long sprouted her wings, evident by the pyro vision that gleams brightly on her backpack. Venti has heard of her, of course. Acting Grandmaster Jean often had to deal with Klee’s antics. The child meant no harm, It’s just that … She’s a pyromaniac. And a child of Alice. And a child of Barbatos. Combined with her bombs and all the reckless glee of a child raised in Mondstadt, with a terrifying accuracy of her bomb throwing as well as her genius mind, you have Klee, The Spark Knight of Mondstadt.
“Mister Tone Deaf Bard! Hello, Klee heard from Albedo Gege that Mister Tone Deaf Bard was going to play with Klee today!” She exclaims happily, voice booming as she bounces on her feet. Venti feels a surge of fondness wash over him at Klee - Though she can be a handful, Venti isn’t one to chain people, much less, children.
( Barbatos may also have a motive. When the day comes, where the outlander of the stars wages war against the heavenly thrones, Klee could be very well their winning asset. )
“No need to call me Mister Tone Deaf Bard, little spark. Just call me Venti, ‘kay? Only Paimon calls me that horrid nickname!” Venti exclaims, placing his hands on his hips. He even controlled the wind to make sure his hair was gently floating, a proud smile on his face. Klee looks up to him with bright scarlet eyes, an awed look on her face as she clasps the straps of her backpack. Then, she grins.
“Venti Gege !”
Oh. Oh. That was adorable. Venti thinks he’s seen a lot of cute things, but that was honestly one of the cutest things he’s ever seen or heard.
The bard grins, and holds out his hand. Klee wastes no time bounding up next to him, her much smaller hand coming up to hold his. “Venti Gege , what are we going to do today?” Klee asks him with excitement clear in her childish voice. The bard leads Klee out to Mondstadt, down the cobble path that winds outside of the city. He pretends to think, and apparently Klee thought he was being extremely serious, so she also squinted and pouted.
It makes him laugh, shaking his head. “Well, Little Spark!” He announces, grinning. “Would you like to tour Old Mondstadt, hm? There’s a lot of hidden treasure there!” He makes sure to add a sing-song voice, and is rewarded by the excited twinkle in Klee’s eyes. “Really?! Can we?! Klee’s always wanted to go there! But Master Jean told Klee not to because Klee might make it go boom boom …” The excitement in her voice dwindles, a sad frown forming on her face.
Well, Venti can’t have that now, can he?
Klee’s squeal rings in Mondstadt’s languid atmosphere, her eyes widening in surprise when she realizes she was on Venti’s back, and they were floating! Anemo propels them upwards, making her gasp in wonder.
“Waaah ~ Venti Gege! We’re so high up!” She squeals, arms tight around the Archon as she marvels at the City that was below them. Said Archon was grinning, an airy laugh escaping him. “Hold on tight, little spark! We’re going to Old Mondstadt, but Venti style!” The cheer Klee gave him was full of happiness and excitement, as the pair traversed through the wind, courtesy of Venti.
Venti sees the towering castle of Decarabian, now merely a ruin from the glory it once had. The land of Old Mondstadt is merely a ruin now, abandoned yet still hauntingly beautiful. Many from Mondstadt steers clear away from it since the Dragon of the East resides within, but Venti was no ordinary citizen. He knows the land of Old Mondstadt like the back of his palm, knew of the treasure that resides, the bow of Amos that he hid in the middle.
Perhaps it was out of nostalgia that Venti brought Klee in the land where a God was slain.
The anemo that propels them upward weakens, until they are slowly descending. Klee is not afraid - and even laughs brighter. Children of the Wind are never afraid of heights, and even enjoy free falling. Klee is no exception to this.
Venti’s shoes touched cobble, his cape fluttering around him as he landed. The teal in his hair glows momentarily, before returning to its previous shade. Klee jumps from behind him, stretching. Venti reaches out a hand to steady her when she almost falls, a chortle leaving his lips. The child looks around the ruins, a look of awe present on her face. Venti watches with amusement as Klee tentatively takes a step forward, and another, before she is running around the area with delighted giggles. He keeps an eye on her, letting her crouch and touch the wind wheel asters with sounds of excitement leaving her.
Klee soon grows bored running around and looking at the flowers, bounding up to Venti who sat on a rock while playing his lyre. “Venti Gege ! Can we take a look around? Pleaaase?” She bounces, giving Venti the cutest puppy eyes he’s ever seen in his whole life. The bard laughs, pinching Klee’s cheek whilst she whines. “Of course, little spark! Come on, let’s have a little adventure?” He affirms, holding his hand out. As beloved as Klee was to him, he didn’t particularly trust her on running around the area. She might explode something after all, and he didn’t want to deal with Dvalin thinking there was an attack on his home.
The two journeyed through Old Mondstadt and any enemy that comes across them is decimated by Venti’s anemo and Klee’s bombs. He marvels at Klee’s strength when she threw a bomb at a hilichurl, who was coincidentally next to an explosive barrel, setting off a chain of fiery reactions that had the little girl cheering loudly.
He knew Klee was going to be extremely powerful when she grows up - If she was already powerful enough to even consider dragons in Liyue her playtime, what more when she’s finally a matured allogene?
( Barbatos adds an ‘If’. If Klee lives long enough to grow, If she doesn’t get caught up in the mess of the Archons and Celestia. If the Chalk Prince doesn’t lose control and cause destruction around him, his little sister included. Venti files away that thought. )
“Venti Gege! Look!” Klee’s excited voice pulls him away from his thoughts, his gaze following her little finger. The child was pointing at the tower of Decarabian, bouncing. Her scarlet eyes are bright and wide with innocence and curiosity, and he soon feels Klee tug at his cape. He already knew what she was going to say before it even left her.
“Can Klee and Venti Gege go there? It looks like the castles in the story books Miss Lisa reads to Klee!” She exclaims, a bright smile on her face. Venti feels hesitation creep within him, aquamarine eyes turning to look back at the crumbling tower of Decarabian. The slain God was long gone, yet his spirit still wandered in the tower. Would it be a bad idea to step in? Mondstadt had no spirits or deceased Gods wandering around the nation as Barbatos and the Thousand Winds themselves guide them to the afterlife, but the wrath of bygone Gods are not easy to move on. Especially since Decarabian was killed by humans.
( Mondstadt is a nation whose history is bathed in blood. The nation whose humans are capable of killing Gods. Deicide , the act of killing a divine being. When the outlander wages war against Celestia and the Abyss, it will be known that Mondstadt will be the first to be targeted. The arrogance of mankind does not only pertain to the technology of a civilization long gone, it also refers to the humans whose ancestors killed a god. )
Venti takes a look at Klee’s pleading face, and sighs. The affirming nod he gives makes Klee cheer loudly, and he feels happiness settle in his heart. Though he will be cautious, he will certainly not let his wary mood dampen Klee’s excitement. “Well, come on, little spark! To the castle we go!” Venti cheers alongside the elven child, making her grin. He lets Klee run ahead of him, her energy requiring her to do so or else she’ll get restless.
He whispers to the wind to warn him of any danger, and to look out for the explosive child he was looking after for now. He is greeted by the wind curling against his cheek in return, before it disappears yet again. He helps Klee up on the broken platforms, letting out a snicker when she almost face planted because of a rock. Klee pouts at him, face scrunching which made him laugh. Being with the young Knight was a refreshing feeling, and Venti almost forgot to be wary when stepping inside Decarabian’s domain.
“Venti Gege, Klee heard an old god used to reside here.” Klee whispers, hand holding Venti as she looks around. The hilichurls that used to frequent this place were long gone, courtesy of the winds Venti controlled. Venti carries Klee to the higher platforms, before following her. “That’s right. His name was Decarabian, the God of Storms.” He stated, smiling softly when Klee stopped by his Statue hands clasping together and praying.
‘Dear Mister Barbatos, thank you for making Klee and Venti Gege safe. Please let Klee’s bombs blow up in the right direction and only blow up bad guys. Oh, and please don’t forget to bless Venti Gege with more windy powers so Klee can fly again.’
Venti laughs brightly when he hears the child’s prayers, fondness curling on his heart. There was just something in Klee that made him treasure the child even if he just met her today. She was just adorable, so nice, and curious about everything.
( Barbatos hopes her curiosity only stops there. For if you were too curious in a land ruled by Gods, that curiosity will be your undoing. )
Klee bounds up next to him again, hands finding Venti as the bard led her to the middle of the tower. “Why did the old god go bye bye?” Klee asks him curiously, and Venti lets a melancholy smile form on his face. “Decarabian wasn’t a cruel god per say … He loved his people, but enclosed them. His people were very mad about it and they decided to overthrow him. Because they wanted to see clear blue skies, to see the birds take flight, and to witness the land beyond the enclosed nation.” Venti says softly, taking a look around the crumbling tower. Once, this was a tower of a God. Now, it was only a shadow of what it once was. Klee frowns, looking down. “That’s very sad. Maybe that old god should have asked for permission! Whenever Klee wants to do something, Master Jean said Klee should always ask for permission! Sometimes, Klee forgets to.” Her tone ended up sheepish in the end, cheerful laughter escaping her. Venti sighs, squeezing her tiny hand. “Well, that old god didn’t ask for permission. And his people were very mad so they decided to become brave and to stop his very bad doings.” Venti feels childish with how he worded it, but he didn’t want to traumatize Klee by saying ‘Oh, they decided to kill the God and lost many comrades in the way.’
Klee nodded, a sad look in her eyes. “Klee hopes that Mister Decarabian is happy now. Klee would be sad if that happened to Klee but Klee thinks she would understand it.” Her words caused Venti to stop, aquamarine eyes swiveling to look at innocent scarlet. “...Understand?” He clarifies. “That’s right! Because Klee did something bad and hurt everyone around her so that means everyone would get mad and stop Klee, right? Klee would be very hurt but Klee understands. Because that’s the consequences of Klee’s actions, right?”
How childish. How naive.
How utterly Klee.
Decarabian did not understand. His wrath upon finding out that even his lover had betrayed him made him conjure up a storm powerful enough to wipe out the army. He is divinity so he shouldn’t have been beaten by humans, much less a boy who sang. Yet he was beaten, his wrathful scream tinged with agony ringing as the storm that caged Mondstadt disappeared, and the city of freedom was greeted with clear blue skies.
Venti smiles softly, picking Klee up. The little girl relaxed in his arms, letting out a small yawn. She would be tired by now, an afternoon spent exploring Old Mondstadt and fighting the hilichurls. He was pretty sure he had to tell Jean about it, since they would send Knights to clear out the enemies. Who knew it would only take a bard and an explosive girl to clear out the enemies? Well, except the Ruin Guards. Those were for the traveler to take care of, as it seems like they made it their hobby to fight incredibly dangerous things for fun.
“You’re right, little Klee. But the old god was very stubborn.” He agrees, taking another look at the tower. Klee hums sleepily, legs wrapped around him like a koala and arms loosely around his neck. Her elven ears twitches as she yawns, eyes fluttering close. Venti smiles, protectiveness and fondness swirling within him as he lets the wind gather around the two. It whipped around the surrounding areas, thwarted the weeds that stuck in between the cracks of cobble, but it did not touch him or the slumbering child on his arms.
When he opens his eyes, he is in front of the Grandmaster. Jean takes a look at Venti and the slumbering Klee on his arms, and smiles softly. “Thank you for taking care of her, Venti. No one else could so …” She sighs, standing up from her seat. Exhaustion is apparent on her face, the weight of Mondstadt on her shoulders. Venti feels bad - knowing he could do something for her but not having the courage to do so. He feared his mantle of a God, of the responsibilities that came with it. But Jean, courageous and selfless Jean, was not one to fear.
Venti smiles - shaking his head. “It is alright, Dandelion Knight. My little adventure with Klee proved to be fruitful as well.” His words caused Jean to pause, her eyes narrowing in the slightest.
Venti always knew there will be a day where he will need to descend from his persona and grace his people with his presence. The enemies from before were human, and he was no God that enjoyed slaughtering humans, innocent or not.
However, the enemies that prowl in Mondstadt today are not something humans should face alone. He knows of the Tsaritsa’s plan, of the evil lurking in the Abyss. He knows of the Abyss that is targeting his old friends, of the war against Celestia coming close. He knows of the burden a certain Chalk Prince carried, of the lies that made a Cavalry Captain feel heavy.
Mondstadt needed their Archon.
He takes a look at the slumbering Klee, and smiles.
“Perhaps it is time I descend as well, little Spark.” He murmurs softly, hand gently rubbing her back. Klee hums sleepily, shifting as she relaxes against his arms. “Klee was a joy to be around. We cleared the camps in Old Mondstadt. I will take her back to her room, and come back later, Jean.” He looks outside, at the window of her office.
“Taking care of Klee made me realize some very important things."