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Chapter Text

The prophecy had been averted, everyone had survived, she should be elated but instead she felt hollow, over 500 years of pain and sacrifice amounted to her being put on trial and sentenced to death.

She couldn't muster up the energy to even care, infact she couldn't bother to feel anything, at least until a scent was carried on the air that she alone could name, the scent of dandelions accompanied by a laugh, and like a switch she was elated, she hadn't been forgotten, she wasted no time in moving out of her old room, even leaving most of the trinkets behind as they served no purpose then to remind her of the painful times.

The place she moved too while quaint was only a temporary home, though Neuvillette wasted no time in assigning her melusine escorts too keep guard of her even though she was no longer the archon, or even a judge that watched the trials, though that didn't stop the citizens of Fontaine learning that she was still alive and allowed to walk freely, they didn't do anything out in the open, but the melusines that watched over her were kept plenty busy.

Melusines weren't stupid, nor were they born yesterday, they knew perfectly well the looks that the pedestrians were giving Furina and like professionals, they made sure that the letters that were hand delivered to Furina's mail box were properly disposed of after one of the guard's intuition had him check a recent letter.

The contents of said letter are better left unsaid, the letters and any that were delivered by undesirables were promptly taken to the post office and destroyed, unfortunately this only emboldened those that wanted Furina to experience their vitriol, and now they were sending letters through the post office, or more direct methods, through her windows.

Furina didn't even need to open the letters to know that the people hated her and wanted her to hurt, or worst, but the hope that she'd eventually be taken far away from Fontaine kept her hope alive and well, no matter how the letters were received, wether because they were well hidden letters that somehow made it through the post office, or they were simply tossed through her window tied to a rock.

Her hope paid off after three weeks of hateful letters, glares and people trying to trip her or shove her, it was only because of the melusines watching her back that they didn't do more, though they were getting bolder each week, but on the first day of the fourth week, Fontaine would change forever, as would mondstadt.

"Furina, Furina, Come to me Furina," a singsong voice echoed in her mind, it was like a comfy song and she let it enchant her mind, she was still aware of herself, but the call told her where to go, which was right in front of the opera house.

The melusines assigned to watch over her immediately knew something was wrong with their ex-archon when she left, and didn't close the door, infact she walked like a zombie her gaze fixed on the horizon instead of the street in front of her.

Her path was sporadic as well, Everytime they thought she'd go down a rather busy street, she'd turn down a side alley, the two melusines guards despite not being well versed in regular human behavior knew this wasn't normal, so they split up, one accompanied Furina while the other went to alert Neuvillette.

 Eventually Furina reached the plaza and her breath caught, sitting there clear as day was Venti and someone who looked familiar though she couldn't place it, despite standing right there it looked as though no one saw them nor reacted to them.

She was proven right when a particularly frantic women seemingly walked right through Venti, who shook himself before meeting Furina's eyes, Furina broke into a run, hoping that the intangibility was a secret trick of the wind god and not a delirious dream of a broken dream and mind.

Her arms closed around the bard and just like that the spell was broken as people around them suddenly shouted in startled Surprise that people had suddenly appeared out of thin air.

"Hello Furina, I have come to fulfill a promise, though judging from the hug, you already knew why I was here," Venti lightly joke with Furina's arms still around him.

"Quiet you, let me have this moment, after all it isn't often that someone gets a hug from yours truly," Furina said with a smile on her lips.

"So this is the girl that you always talked about, she looks even better in person, maybe now I'll be spared from your ridiculous musings on the and I quote 'Gorgeous as a morning sunrise, Hydro archon', almost threw up hurricanes a few times because of you," A new voice said from behind Venti, the man was as big as the Ludex, though unlike the his judges attire, this man wore thick battle armour.

"You're Dvalin, the Anemo Dragon also know as one of the Cardinal winds, I didn't know you had a human form, your even larger then Neuvillette."

"I see that your quite the clever young lady, but yes I am Dvalin, I had to come see what chaos would unleash on Fontaine and protect him from my cousin, I doubt Neuvillette will let you leave quite so easily, despite his position, he's quite sentimental." 

Furina didn't comment on that because she knew that he was right, despite being "impartial" she could see when the outcomes of certain cases weighed on the dragon, and she knew that certain amenities were given when she had leaned a bit to far into her persona, so it came as no surprise when the crowd that surrounded the group parted and standing there was Neuvillette.

"Lady Furina, I heard that you were acting strange earlier this day, but it looks as though your back to your normal self, though I would like to know how you're so close to the Anemo archon and why he's in our nation uninvited," Neuvillette said with more then a little hint of jealousy.

Furina coughed in embarrassment, she was unwilling to tell Neuvillette that she and venti were having secret meetings at the fountain when she was having particularly hard days, or that being the Anemo god, she could tell the wind anything and Venti would hear it and therefore didn't even need to be there physically to give her peace of mind.

"Forgive me cousin for being brash, but I believe what Lady Furina does in her spare time and her closeness with Barbatos, is none of your concern," Dvalin spoke, putting himself between Venti and Furina.

"Cousin, I Don't believe i've ever met you stranger, how could you be a cousin of mine."

"Ah, your still relatively young and wouldn't recognize someone like me."

"Regardless stranger, Lady Furina suddenly meeting with the sovereign of another nation and be so openly physical with them is bound to start unnecessary rumors that are untrue for both the sovereign and Lady Furina so I believe it is my business, as to make sure any rumors are stopped before they gain momentum."

"I'm gonna have to apologize to you later for putting you on the spot Furina, but I believe you have something to tell Neuvillette, lest someone accuse the judge of jealousy."

"Yes, Im sorry for the sudden news, I meant to tell you earlier, but I never could find the right words, but my dear Neuvillette, I'm leaving Fontaine."

Dead silence came after, the crowd that was surrounding them even went dead silent, because the news was so sudden, many of the citizens wanted her gone, but to be personally taken by the sovereign of another nation and go willingly was a metaphorical back hand, they felt abandoned.

Taking the hint to leave, Venti and Dvalin combined their powers to retreat while the hydro dragon processed this news, though in their hasty exit they missed something huge, and a lesson sorely needed to be taught was in session.

Chapter Text

Furina opened her eyes and found her, Venti and Dvalin were in Windrise, and it was night time, she turned her eyes to venti who looked ragged and worn out.

"Ehe, Sorry it seems that it took a lot out of me to teleport you out of fontaine, though it felt as though the very land was trying to keep you there," Venti laughed that sounded more like wheezing.

"Oh you foolish man, you could have been seriously injured, how have you made it this far being this reckless," Furina huffed, checking all over venti as though he was some kind of fine china, he just smiled at her in response.

"I bid you farewell friend, and you to Lady Furina, do keep out of trouble you two, Venti is enough of a menace by himself, I bet you will only add to his chaos," Dvalin said as he took off running before jumping in to the air and turning to winds once more, though his laugh sound like roars as he disappeared.

Venti took Furina's hand and gently flew to the largest branch of the huge tree she just noticed was there, but she didn't resist, instead she leaned her back against Venti, both tired from the days events, and excited for the future that was too come.

"Hey Rina, can you..... sing for me?"

"Sure Venti, I can do that for you."

Furina began to hum, She wasn't sure what song it was, but Venti liked it and within about 15 minutes was fast asleep with Furina not to far behind him, they both drifted off into beautiful oblivion.

Nahida already knew what had transpired, she already knew that Furina had left Fontaine post haste, and she already knew very well how Furina and Venti felt about the other, despite the fact that the feelings carried in the winds did not get recorded in irminsul.

Venti was an enigma even to her, she knew that he was an old god, he was one of the last remaining gods that participated and survived the archon war, she had tried many times to access knowledge and history related to venti in irminsul, but despite being the god of wisdom, the tree itself refused to bare any knowledge of the mysterious Anemo god.

Furina was however not an enigma, her act for 500 years while maintained in front of all of Fontaine, in private she wore her emotions on her sleeves, the work she put on to avert a prophecy on nothing but hope and encouraging words, she deserved the the life she would now lead.

Things weren't going to be that easy on their own, nothing ever is, especially the power and political upset that will follow Venti and Furina, every nation between Fontaine and Mondstadt will eventually get involved, but what Nahida has over everyone else is irminsul, it would let her decide what's best as things beyond her boarders transpired.

First though, she would need to make sure that Sumaru wouldn't be caught in the crossfire, Neuvillette will send out two people who he deeply trusts and are quite fond of, but in his haste, he wont realize that they have never left Fontaine, they would die inside the forest with its twisting paths and changing terrain, she couldn't allow that.

Nahida called on the person she trusted to get the two Visitors across the forest, the wanderer walked into the room with a confused look on his face.

"Hello wanderer, Im sorry for such short notice but I have a mission that I must ask you to complete."

"Nahida my skills are not for a peace mission, or even negotiations."

"I know, that's why I called on you my dear, I trust you to carry this out however you see fit."

"I... Uh... What's the mission?"

"Each nation has a heart, and that heart is usually is represented as a figurehead or belief, I am Sumeru's heart, now Fontaine has just lost its heart, Furina was taken from Fontaine by Barbatos willingly."

"You want me to go take her back to Fontaine?" Wanderer asked, but Nahida shook her head with a very serious face.

"No, because if you tried, Barbatos would kill you, your mission is to guide two visitors from Fontaine through the jungle and across the chasm, and then deal with anyone else from Fontaine as you see fit."

This shocked wanderer, because normally Nahida would advocate for a peaceful solution, but she just gave him free reign to be as peaceful or as violent as he pleased, with her blessing.

"I don't not give this freedom lightly, I have a confession to make, despite being the dendro archon, despite having complete Access to irminsul, I cannot access any information on Barbatos, Everytime I have tried, the Tree withhold the information all it says is that he's dangerous."

"How do I know who to deal with and who to guide?"

"They will be the first from Fontaine to come to Bayda Harbor and ask about Furina or mondstadt, plus I can guess that they will stick out, the rest will be those that heard it from second hand accounts, or missions from organizations from inside Fontaine."

"I accept this mission in the name of the Dendro archon." Bowing to Nahida, who stood up and hugged the wanderer.

The blast of wind that was let off when Barbatos and The stranger had taken Furina had blinded all those who were witnessing the historic moment but when they looked back they saw that all that was left was Furina's hat that always sat atop her head, but there it was on the ground, forgotten.

Neuvillette was feeling many things, anger that Barbatos had dared intrude on his nation and take Furina, deep grief that Furina felt she couldn't confide in him, and even deeper sadness that Furina felt that Fontaine wasn't her home or her nation.

He hadn't noticed that it wasn't raining, or even that there wasn't a cloud in the sky, infact there weren't clouds for miles and miles, but no one looks up until its too late.

The fountain though started rumbling and shaking, and before anyone knew it, a deep dark blue fountain shot up, before it formed into a tentacle and grabbed Furina's forgotten hat, enveloping it in a whirlpool before a look a like "Furina" stood inside the fountain, then stepping out of it.

"What are you, and why did you take that face, is it to just torment me," Neuvillette growled, finally finding his voice.

"Did you know that while Focalors lived, Furina couldn't be killed whether by her own hand or by another's?" The being said with its hands behind its back.

"W..What?"

"I cant blame her for wanting to leave this place, the water remembers everything, just as the wind carries all sounds, I remember every drop of blood and every tear shed that mixed with me."

"Your the primordial sea... How did you gain sentience, and how are you here?"

"Dear Furina had to wash the blood off somehow, or maybe have a good cry somewhere that no one could see, and wash off the tears, and with all the primordial water mixing with the natural water, well I happened to collect all of her memories and pain that came with the tears and blood."

"but your the primordial sea, your not supposed to have a personality."

"Oh for the love of... When Furina left, Fontaine its self decided to fill the void left behind, Fontaine is a living being and not just a place, and it had both Focalors and Furina as its heart, but when Focalors died and then Furina left, it made me."

Neuvillette was speech less, as well as the bystanders who still hadn't the presence of mind to leave, instead this was some serious drama that they felt they couldn't miss, though soon they would wish they were as ignorant as the rest of teyvat.

"So why are you here?"

"I am the combined rage, hate, despair and grief that Furina felt for the 500 years she sacrificed, and because Im also partly bound to Fontaine, and therefore know what you fools feel about her and what you have done, I also bring a new curse and prophecy."

"We barely beat the last one, please give us time to bring her back, let us make it up to her and you."

"You just Don't get it, do you, oh well hear this and bear the curse; I by the authority of Fontaine and Teyvat Herby cast upon you this curse, you so afraid of the water shall never again feel the waves, never again shall you cross the waters in any nation, never again shall you come into contact with water ever again, I'm not heartless though I exempt The Melusines from this curse as well as those born outside the borders of Fontaine, especially those of mondstadt origin."

The effect was almost instantaneous the air felt arid and dry, the very moisture seemed to have been sapped from the air, but they knew it wasn't, those with hydro visions were spared from the worst of this curse but still felt the effects in the air, it felt hot and heavy with no moisture, like a desert as it seemed like the sun had suddenly magnified.

"Please, I'll do anything to lift the curse, just tell me how," Neuvillette pleaded, "Furina's" face softened but only a little bit.

"Very well, volunteer two people from Fontaine to make the trek from here all the way to Mondstadt, and if they succeed, I'll lift the curse, oh by the way they will have three months."

Chapter Text

Neuvillette is supposed to be impartial, impassive and collected, but the look on his face was neither in fact he looked quite partial though it was probably due to the thing parading around Fontaine wearing Furina's face, and inflicting another calamity on Fontaine just as they had escaped the first one, it didn't take long for him to choose two who would undertake the the quest to bring Furina back.

they waited in the room patiently waiting for something to happen anything really but as the silence dragged on both of them looked increasingly nervous, until neuvillette finally turned to them, it looked as though he was fighting down a scowl and failing.

"Clorinde and Navia, I have asked you here too my office, because there is a matter of the utmost importance, Im sure you've seen that thing strutting around Fontaine as though it owns the place," Neuvillette said his voice cold as ice.

"I've heard from the people that witnessed the whole thing, they said that all of Fontaine has fallen under another great curse, and that 'barbatos' has taken Furina," Navia spoke up, barely holding back from flinching back from the deep glare that Neuvillette let slip on his face when she mentioned that Furina was taken.

"Well all of it is true, we need to bring Furina back here so that we can appease the thing out there, and so we can find a way to make Furina feel welcome in fontaine again."

"I somehow doubt that sending people after her as though she is a wanted criminal that escaped jurisdiction will help in the slightest." Clorinde though but she kept it to herself, she was only going because while there were people here that needed to be punished, perhaps she could learn something from Furina that would help her negotiate with Furina's shade.

"why me, I have precisely zero chance of convincing Furina to comeback, hell I was part of the reason she left, did he forget that it was I that suggested that she stick her hand in primordial sea water and didn't tell her it was diluted until after." Navia thought to herself, keeping her face passive, she hadn't met the shade herself but she heard from everyone who had come across it give the thing a very wide birth.

"I picked you two because Navia, you should be able to collect information and glean that either Barbatos has her hidden away somewhere, or that she is hidden inside the nation under a different identity, Clorinde you were her body guard and knew her best so you could perhaps convince her to come back to Fontaine, I also doubt that Barbatos would give her up willingly."

the unsaid part was left hanging in the air, but now Clorinde and Navia understood why they were picked, though it didn't make them feel any better, in fact the weight of what was left unsaid was weighing them.

"When do we head out?" Clorinde said, after looking at navia who gave her a nod.

"Right now, all we need to do is get it to lift the curse from you, so that you may leave Fontaine."

Neuvillette wastes no time leaving his office, he stalked his way to the large fountaine that normally was surrounded by people, but after the whole deal with the shade it was a ghost town, but still he walked up too the water and tapped in it with his cane.

"Hmph, you sure wasted no time choosing, means we left ourselves in good hands," 'Furina' said, sauntering over to stand in front of Navia and Clorinde, they couldn't make themselves look into its eyes, or rather the pinprick of purple lights that was where her eyes were supposed to be.

"They have agreed to undertake your trial, they merely need you to lift their curse so they may leave fontaine."

"very well, but remember you have three months, and time is not in your side and neither are the winds."

suddenly the air was wet and cool again, Navia and Clorinde didn't realise how much they missed the sea breeze and water in the air, but they didn't have much time to bask because everyone who wasn't native to Fontaine were leaving in droves, most of the shops that sold imported goods were closed, even the clothes shops that sold clothes from other nations.

They bid farewell to neuvillette, and to both the shade's surprise and Neuvillette's, Clorinde bids farewell to the shade, this simple farewell caused 'Furina' to briefly turn into the clear water that surrounded Fontaine, instead of the primordial sea.

Navia and Clorinde wasted no time catching a ship from Romaritime Harbor to Bayda Harbor, from there they were in their own, they had got off the ship that took them.

"She was Right, you stick out like sore thumbs, I don't know how you expected to make it through the jungle with no guide," Wanderer said, startling Navia and Clorinde, who looked up at him.

"Who are you?" Chlorinde asked, carefully pushing Navia's umbrella down, before she pulled the trigger and cause an international incident with the wrong nation.

"I am the wanderer, and I am tasked with taking you two fools across the jungle, lest you fall to the twisting paths, or just lost to the jungle," the wanderer said, staring down at them from a high branch.

"On who's command are you acting?"

"Nahida, the Dendro archon, and goddess of wisdom, she knew you were coming, and no you cant ask her the whereabouts of Furina, nor her relationship with the absentee Anemo archon."

Navia and Chlorinde faces fell when Wanderer forbade them from seeking out the Dendro archon, though they doubted he could stop them from talking to her if she sought them out, but the fact that he already knew their exact location as well as their mission means that this boy really was acting on the will of the Dendro archon, no one can predict the exact time and moment of someones arrival, unless the knowledge came from a god.

"Anyways, lets get moving, its already noon and we'll need to stop by sumeru for supplies, because it looks like you fools left with nothing but the clothes on your backs."

Wanderer had touched down in front of them while talking, Navia and Chlorinde looked at each other when Wanderer had his back turned, they weren't really looking forward to being guided by this rude boy, and wondered if he was really the best that the Dendro goddess had, but they were on a time limit and didn't have the luxury of choosing a different guide, what could Wanderer have that out qualified a seasoned citizen, soldier, guard or even an adult.

they'd get their answers in the coming days because sailors, especially merchant sailors talk, and where they talk others listen in, not the respectable sort either, the kind that are looking for a quick buck and a chest of mora, so far be it from them to take out the competition.

Chapter Text

While waking up in a tree on a branch normally isn't the most comfortable, Furina was lucky that her pillow was soft and warm, plus it seems that a fluffy blanket was draped over her, though it was strange she hadn't brought a blanket but it suddenly dawned on her that it wasn't a blanket, it is soft wings that surrounded her in warmth.

Like a Child who had a new blanket, she rubbed her face on the feathers, which were the softest she had ever felt, which was an achievement in of itself, as when she was an archon and an Idol she had made enough Mora to buy the softest bedding that it could buy, but it didn't compare to the feathers of an archon, her archon.

Venti didn't stir, while Furina played with his wings, she had found that they flexed in ways that shouldn't be possible, but due to the bearers nature they were exactly as she had suspected, pure magic with no mortal trappings that would normally cause the being great discomfort.

Venti for his part found that unlike all other times of rest he couldn't go deeper then any other mortal, normally when he slept he had to make sure he stayed in the material realm, but now that barrier had no pull, what he did feel though was his wings being ruffled, rubbed and other things, along with giggles and sneezes.

"Alright Rina, Its about time to meet the Acting Grandmaster, I uhhh didn't tell her about us, or where I was going or really anything and Im pretty sure that if she isn't in hysteria by now she maybe soon."

Furina looked up in surprise and then an amused glare, this moment reminded her about the times that she'd dump random court cases, political meetings or just anything on Neuvillette last minute, and he'd glare and huff but he'd get it done, she hated having to act like that, it burned her to know that she could do it just as good as Neuvillette, but the status quo had to be maintained, and the act had to go on.

"Its okay Rina, you're not there anymore instead your here with me, and you're free," Venti consoled, sensing her negative emotions rising.

Furina Breathed, nodded and held onto Venti as he glided to the ground before he took her hand and started towards Mondstadt, she silently wondered how the grandmaster would react to her, what kind of person she was, this caused her to start worrying.

Did she hear about Furina's failure to prevent the prophecy from taking numerous lives, did she hear that Furina was an ill manner brat with almost no social skills, would she deem that Furina wasn't good enough to be part of their archons life, worry started to suffocate her, until a feather rubbed across her cheeks which were wet, even now she couldn't tell when she starts to cry.

"Take this Feather, if you find yourself overwhelmed, rub it on your face, and remember that you will always be okay."

Venti used part of his cape to dry her tears, while she composed herself, she hadn't meant to start crying, she wasn't even sure why but the feather did help, remembering something from a book she had read a long time ago, she tied the feather in her hair, though with an easy to untie knot.

"Sorry about the cape, I didn't mean to start crying like that, I'm ready to continue."

"Clothes can be cleaned, and you've been through a great deal don't be ashamed of your tears, I envy humans ability to express their feelings without generating hurricane force winds, tornadoes, and other weather related phenomena."

Venti reassured Furina, though this was new to Furina, she had thought that Neuvillette was the only one whose feelings effected the world around him, she knew that Venti is a wind spirit but she didn't know that he had evolved this far.

Jean was frazzled, not because of the work load of running Mondstadt, she could do that easily but what had her frazzled was the disappearance of Venti, he hadn't been seen in, around or even passing by Mondstadt in three weeks, maybe longer the last time she had heard about him is that he had drank himself silly, which was putting it lightly.

What really had happened is that he had drank until he passed out, and actually fell from the stool, which by it self was startling but he had also teleported away before anyone could check on him, which had sent Diluc, and the surrounding knights into a frenzy for very different reasons.

Diluc just watched his god Teleport in the open, in front of a lot of people, on top of that he did it after drinking enough to black out, which hasn't ever happened before, Diluc was quick to stem rumors about who Venti really was, which was hard since teleportation isn't an ability most vision users just have, those with that ability are usually extremely powerful and skilled with the element their using.

Visions by nature have an unlimited potential, Mondstadt has its own system of ranking said potential, those at the highest rank are capable of many wonderful and disastrous powers Like Lisa's lantern, Barbara's healing songs, Diluc's flame hawk but despite all that none of them have achieved Teleportation.

The closest anyone has come to doing so is Mona, she becomes one with Hydro but its not the same, But Venti had just Teleported and done so while blackout drunk, Many of the sober knights who had more then a couple brain cells to rub together almost guessed he was Barbatos until Diluc helpfully pointed out that Barbatos wouldn't be a raving drunk with a tab multiple nations wide.

Thanks to Diluc and Venti doing his best to "blend in" the rumor died as quickly as it started, after all if their god did walk among them, he certainly wouldn't kick it with the mortals on the ground, he may be hands off but he's still a god.

Jean was considering sending out scouts and maybe the Traveler to find Venti, maybe to liyue and Inazuma, Lisa was there as well she didn't know why Jean wanted scouts and search parties looking for this specific bard, but as Jeans friend she wasn't gonna ask any questions, plus she is the head librarian so correct filing of paper work like this falls under her jurisdiction.

They were so engrossed that they didn't notice the door creak open with no one coming in, until a polite cough interrupted their quiet pouring over of documents and official sanctions.

"Well shit, I guess one more or one less makes no difference, oh well," Venti Huffed causing both Lisa and Jean to look up at him in surprise.

"How have you managed to keep it secret that your Barbatos?" Furina playfully jabbed, peaking from behind him, causing the women to stare at her until she became self conscious and shrunk behind Venti.

"Venti, where have you been," Jean asked in a strained voice, Lisa for her part was watching with fascination.

"Sorry GM, but I had a personal promise to make good on and call in a favor from an old friend."

"Venti, I take it you wont tell me what the promise is, but you will tell me who she is?" Jean asked careful to only nod in furina's direction, in the short time of meeting the girl she could tell she was jumpy and skittish.

"This is Furina De Fontaine, The ex-Hydro Archon of Fontaine, and my Girlfriend."

Jean almost feinted at the news, because for one reason Venti just told her that he brought Hydro Archon Furina, to his nation and from the looks of it he didn't go through any official government channels, infact she could bet he did it in the most public display possible but she was hesitant to ask, secondly not only that but he was romantically involved with her which complicates the matter immensely.

Chapter Text

Wanderer, Navia and Chlorinde walked along the forest trail, Wanderer looking off to the sides as though there were something in the underbrush, The constant vigilance made both Navia and Chlorinde nervous so they kept to the center of the path, but every so often they thought they saw a tail, or maybe eyes but it was gone in a blink, It was setting them both on edge, the dawning realization that had it not been for the wanderer, they'd be dead before days end. 

"Hey, I take it that your name isn't just for show, in your travels, what have you heard of the missing God?" Chlorinde asked, which caused the wanderer to stop for a moment before heaving a sigh.

"I'll tell you when we break for camp later, for now make sure we aren't being followed or going to be jumped by someone hiding in the brush around us." Wanderer said as he scanned the path head again.

Chlorinde went straight into body guard mode, scanning the surrounding brush, and path behind them, Navia made sure to keep her finger on the umbrella she carried with her, they made good time, from the top of a hill they saw Sumeru in the distance, the beautiful city with the tree that acted more as a organic fortress then a school, it was breath taking while not being a bustling metropolis like Fontaine it was still a sight to behold.

"whoa, all that is built into and around the tree?" Navia asked.

"only a little, its mostly build on the tree, very little is dug into it, don't want to kill it, also were about a hour and a half from the city gate, when we get there tell no one who you are or where your going, I'll do all the talking until we get you camp supplies."

the journey was quiet until the last stretch, they saw the gate in the distance with guards holding pikes and spears, but in an instant there were swords at their throats and suddenly Navia and Chlorinde were pulled off the path, wanderer rolled his eyes and gave chase, the last survivor would never sleep well again, what he saw the wanderer do too the others would haunt him for the rest of his days.

"gods damned it, I'm just going to murder them, Cyno or Tighnari better reach them first if they want to stay alive." wanderer said to no one in particular, before sending a telepathic message to Nahida to call either Cyno or Tighnari, there was a mess that was to be cleaned up.

The girls for their part kept their calm and made sure to not make any sudden moves, lest they be skewered and botch the whole mission before it even started, they were soon in a camp on one side were people with clothes that were barely clean in cages while the rest wore red or brown silk, and from the looks of it they were desert raiders, they knew that much but that was it.

their thoughts were cut short as screams echoed off the surrounding trees before squelching was heard shortly after, a small man clutching a stump came running into the clearing he tried to scream a warning but the wanderer bifurcated him using a wind blade extended from his fingers, the two sides falling apart, half the camp screamed in terror while the other charged the man, Navia and Chlorinde forgotten as Wanderer cut down man after man.

They now understood why he was chosen as a guide, those that took to long to decide or were frozen in primal fear died in the blink of an eye, the wanderer was a blender of death and glee, they had seen his face, the look of someone to used to killing and taking glee in the terror of his victims.

"Wanderer that's enough, you've won and Cyno can take over the rest" a gentle voice said in his mind, it cut through the bloodlust and he finally took in the scene around him, and he felt nauseous, he didn't need to look down at his hands, he felt the wet and sticky blood that covered them, the scent of death was so strong he could taste it on his breath it made him want to throw up.

suddenly there was a presence in the camp of the dead, Wanderer looked up to see that it was Cyno who took in the scene with a neutral expression, when he caught his eyes he just nodded before walking towards the cages that held the now thoroughly terrified prisoners.

"come, we should get going before darkness falls," Wanderer said before setting off, not even checking if either of the women was following him, though the sounds of steps on the dirt path told him that they had.

there only silence as they walked towards the gate, none of them felt like talking, though when they got to the gate one of the guards moved to stop the wanderer, but the older one put his hand on his soldier and shook his head, this surprised Navia and Chlorinde because even if you were sent on a mission by an archon, walking straight into the city covered in blood would still raise a huge amount of questions, but they didn't stop the wanderer nor look twice at him after the older man whispers into the younger mans ear.

"I'll be back, remember not to tell anyone who you are or why your traveling," with that the wanderer flew to who knows where, leaving the two girls alone in an unknown city that they had never been to, alone to think of the massacre that happened just moments ago.

"Well, lets find somewhere to eat, I'm starving," Chlorinde said, Navia nodded in agreement, after asking some directions, they found a restaurant and sat down before ordering before waiting in silence.

"I think we're out of our depth here, why were we chosen for this?" Navia suddenly asked, startling Chlorinde out of her musings.

"Maybe Liyue will be easier, after all Sumeru is closest to Fontaine." Chlorinde said, trying to comfort her companion, who look on the verge of crying.

"I have never seen someone kill another like that, I didn't need to know what the inside of a human body looked like, they dropped their weapons Chlorinde." Navia babbled, Chlorinde was less affected because she has killed before, not as brutally as that but she has made heads roll, all she could do was hug her partner hoping that her presence was enough to calm her.

She eventually calmed down, which was just in time because once she had gotten her composure together, their food arrived which smelled amazing, the foreign spices excited their senses and helped them forget for the time being, at least until a tall tanned woman walked in, surrounded by men that looked very very similar to those that had almost captured them, but unlike them these men had the same symbol, the woman had none but the men still deferred to her.

"But why are we banned from looking for the Hydro archon, with the size of our organization we'd be able to find her, and bring her back to Fontaine in less then a month," one of the men boasted, but the tanned woman scoffed.

"prey tell me, how would you defeat the Anemo archon, despite being an absentee for as long as he has been, he still has the entire might of his church and followers, you think you could defeat him on your own?"

"I... er... we could simply steal the girl away in the dark of the night, he'd never know we were there."

"dumbass, what part of being the Anemo archon did you miss, the wind is his ears, and the anemo dragon his eyes, how far do you think you would get before he catches you and kills you, because I doubt he'd be very merciful to the person that stole his beloved."

"Dehya please, the reward for bringing the girl back could set us up for life, it would be worth it."

"even if lets say you get her, how in the hell do you think you'd past the adeptus in Liyue because I'm sure they'd help Monstadt, and I know your not gonna beat them, I'm not gonna waste the lives of my men, or that of the others in an insane suicide mission."

Navia and Chlorinde looked at each other, if they thought that going after Furina was a suicide mission for whatever organization they were part of, then what the hell were they doing because it was just the two of them and no back up was coming from Fontaine, if they failed though then Fontaine was going to die and it would be their fault, they silently sighed in resignation that they were in way over their heads, and basically were sent on a suicide mission.