Chapter Text
Soft winds blew as a young woman dressed in white walked through the grassy fields of Windrise, heading towards the Statue of the Seven. Paimon floated behind her as usual, listing out the commissions for the day. Then, they noticed someone sleeping on the grass. Dark hair tied in braids laid across the green grass. The person’s clothes looked fairly plain, a brown cloak, and a pale green vest underneath it. The tunic resembled Springvale’s fashion, but it did not look like it was recently made. It looked rather dated.
However, what was striking was the person’s face. A Cecilia flower pinning his cloak together reminded Lumine of a certain bard. Yet, the boy in front of him lacked the green beret Venti usually wore or his cloak for that matter. There was no sign of the Anemo Vision he carried with him as well. Paimon and Lumine looked at each other before reaching out to wake the boy.
“Hello, what are you doing out here?” The Traveler spoke, and the boy slowly opened his eyes.
He then got up and looked at the two people in front of him. He immediately jolted and jumped away from them.
“Who are you? Decarabian’s servants?” He got up and stepped away from them. “Where am I?” He whipped his head to look around him and immediately used more force to step on the ground.
Instead of feeling cold stone, he felt soft grass that gave away to his step. The ground below the grass was firm yet soft. His growing confusion made him feel disoriented.
The boy looked confused and did not seem to recognise them. Did Venti lose his memory? He looks like him, and even sounds like him too… His eyes lacked the turquoise green Venti had. Rather, they were a deep blue, akin to the night sky.
“Hey, Tone-Deaf Bard, if this is your idea of a prank, this isn’t funny. Did you drink too much?” Paimon teased, putting her hands behind her back.
“Huh? What? I don’t even know you.” The boy grew more confused and turned to Lumine. “Umm, my apologies, but what’s with this sassy floating child?” He pointed his finger at Paimon.
“Excuse me!? Paimon’s not some sassy floating child!” The floating child shouted, and the Traveler giggled. “Ugh, at least he’s not calling me emergency food.” she glared at Lumine, who chose not to answer.
The bard (who carried the markings of a harp in his bag) shot a confused look to the Traveler, unsure what to make of the person in front of him. Her clothes are like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Not even Decarabian’s fancy priestess would wear something like that. Then, he looked back at Paimon, wondering what part of her could be considered emergency food. People sure have very weird ideas of food here… Even Decabarian had better taste than this.
“Is there something wrong?” Paimon asked, tilting her head to the side.
“Uhh, not really,” the boy did not seem impressed and folded his arms, “And just to let you know, I’m not a tone-deaf bard and I don’t drink.” He rolled his eyes.
“Traveler, I think this bard drank so much that he forgot his own memory. Maybe we should bring him to Mondstadt first.” Paimon suggested, proceeding to ignore the boy.
“Mondstadt?” His eyes widened in surprise. “I know that place. It is where I was born and raised. Could you take me there, please?” he asked.
“Sure. It’s not far from here. Oh right, we haven’t introduced ourselves. You can call me Traveler, and this is my companion, Paimon.” Lumine gestured at Paimon, who waved. “Do you know your name?”
“My name is…” The boy puts a hand to his chin, pondering what to say before he decides, “you may call me Freed.”
“Freed, as in freedom?” Paimon asked, somewhat unsure before she decided to roll with it anyway. “Huh, what a weird name. I guess we’ll go with that.”
He patted his clothes and followed after them. Although Lumine usually used the teleportation points, she could not obviously do that with Freed. She made sure to avoid encountering any hilichurls along the way. Fortunately, she had cleared out most of the hilichurl camps earlier. They walked out of Windrise, with Freed constantly looking back at the huge tree.
Not only that, there are times when Freed would suddenly pause to look at something. The boy did not seem fearful of monsters; he looked at the Dendro slime curiously, even taking a random tree branch to poke at it. Even Paimon had to pull him back from being attacked by it. Certainly odd behaviour an amnesiac would have… The Traveler thought. After taking care of the Dendro Slime, Freed had already moved onto the next target worthy of study; a Sweet Flower. He picked it up and scrutinised it from the top, down to the roots, and even smelled it.
“It’s so sweet. I wonder if you could eat the Sweet Flower just like this…” He tilted his head to the side, pondering.
“Wait, you could?” Paimon shot a questioning glance at her companion.
“Only if you want diabetes, Paimon.” Lumine replied in a deadpan tone.
“Hey! I was just curious!” Paimon stomped her feet together in the air and folded her arms. “Wait, where did he go?” They then realised Freed had left without them.
Fortunately, since he had touched the Dendro Slime, the Traveler soon found Freed via Elemental Sight. The bard picked up some dandelions and blew at them one by one. It’s as though he had never seen them before in his life. The bard kept blowing the seeds, mesmerised by the seeds floating away into the winds. Overjoyed, he kept on going until he ran out of dandelions.
“It’s so beautiful… Oh, so sorry for running off. By the way, what were these flowers called?” Freed snapped out of his reverie and talked to the Traveler.
“They are called dandelions. The thing you blew off was its seed, so it will eventually bloom somewhere else after the seed lands.” Lumine explained.
“That’s amazing!”
“Paimon doesn’t get it but, okay. I guess this might jog your memory if you continue on like this…” The floating fairy seemed doubtful.
Just as they were about to leave, two cranes flew above them in the sky. Freed paused in his footsteps, eyes wide open and seemingly trying to imprint it into his memory.
“W-What are they?”
“They are cranes and they fly. Don’t tell me you forgot birds exist too, Tone-Deaf Bard?” Paimon folded her arms. “Anyway, we should be heading back now because it’s getting dark. We would have been back in Mondstadt by now if you didn’t go around picking flowers or provoking Slimes!” She put her hands on her hips in disapproval.
“Give me a moment, I just wanted to appreciate the birds flying,” Freed requested.
“You’re lucky that the Traveler is willing to escort you, or else I would have just left you here, without your memory or not!” Paimon looked as though she was ready to explode, kicking her little legs in the air below her.
Says the one who doesn’t even need to lift a finger to fight… The Traveler resisted the urge to facepalm. She shrugged at Freed, who smiled at Paimon’s antics. They continued with little detours this time, thankfully. Eventually, the city of Mondstadt comes into view. The windmills rotated calmly without a hitch, the sparkling lake surrounding it reflected the bright sun.
However, the path did not look familiar to Freed at all.
“W-What’s this place? It looks beautiful.” The bard pointed at the city.
“It’s Mondstadt, duh!” Paimon folded her arms. “You must have hit your head really hard if you don’t remember where the city is, Tone-Deaf Bard!” Paimon exclaimed.
Freed had a look of disbelief and confusion. “Are you sure this is really Mondstadt?”
“Yeah, it is!”
The boy hesitantly approached the bridge. Seeing birds fly once more upon stepping on the bridge, Freed stopped. “This is not the Mondstadt I remember. The one I know is one where the sky is covered where birds cannot fly freely.”
“That must have been a terrible nightmare!” They turned their attention to a boy who had shouted from the side. “Here, the birds fly freely whenever and to wherever they want.”
“I see. Can I feed the birds with you?”
“Sure!”
The Traveler and Paimon paused, watching Freed feed the ducks with Timmie. Paimon shot the Traveler the most confused look, and the Traveler only shrugged. After crossing the bridge, they make their way to the gate. Freed looked up at the gate that towered over them as they kept walking closer to it.
“Welcome to Mondstadt, please state your purpose. Oh, hello, Honorary Knight.” The guard greeted them.
“We were out doing commissions, and we found him passed out at Windrise. He lost his memory too. We weren’t sure what to do, so we could only bring him to Mondstadt.” Paimon explained.
“I see. I suppose we will let the other Knights know. Noelle might be happy to take care of him.”
“Knight?” Freed said, confused. “Am I being arrested?” He looked at the two of them.
“Of course not! This is protocol for new visitors to the city. We don’t arrest visitors to the city unless you have any ulterior motives.”
Freed stared at the merchants and cargo leaving through the gate, almost confused. He scratched his head even more.
“I guess you can make an exception for him. He’s very lost.” The Traveler said.
“Of course. Maybe you could take him to the Church and have the Deaconess take a look at him, since you said he lost his memory.” the guard suggested.
“Thank you,” The Traveler then gestured to Freed to follow him.
The moment Freed entered the city, he froze in awe. Concrete was all around him, but what bombarded him were the bustling citizens buying and selling their wares. There were children playing in the streets, and they skipped around with light footsteps. Their soft, high pitched voices formed a cacophony of harmony. Meanwhile, adults were plying their trades, either shouting to promote their wares or crafting something for their customers. Large windmills towered over him, the soft breeze of wind caressing his skin. It’s funny… even though there is a huge wall around them, they can leave whenever they want. They can also see the bright blue sky above… He reached his hand out to touch the sky.
Finally, turning his attention away from it, he looked back down. The stairs sprawled out before him, leading them to the plaza. Freed immediately ran up the stairs, and it suddenly widened into a flat, open ground with many shops and restaurants all around him. He dashed across to take a look at the strange circular structure producing water. He could feel the water droplets sprinkling onto him as he got nearer and carefully inserted a finger into the water. It was so clear that he could see his finger inside.
“I’ve seen lakes before but never something like this. Is this where they get water?” The bard asked, then paused. “But wait, the city is surrounded by a lake anyway so...” He put his hand on his chin, pondering deeply.
“Uhh, the water’s clean but don’t go drinking from the fountain, Freed. This is kind of like for decorative purposes!” Paimon explained. “Although I think given that this is the city of freedom, I suppose people are free to do whatever they wish to the water.” Paimon put her hands behind her back.
“City of freedom…” Freed muttered.
He looked to see people throwing coins into the fountain, wishing and praying for something. Flowers adorned the fountain, and sometimes butterflies would grace them with their presence. Couples holding hands walked around, smiling and creating fond memories. Other times, families, both young and old, were enjoying themselves with games or food. Bards and performers were even busking on the streets as well. People here are happy and not under the rule of a tyrant. I like it here. He smiled.
“Speaking of which, Paimon’s kind of hungry.”
Just then, a tantalizing smell of food permeated from Good Hunter, and Freed’s stomach growled. He shyly looked to the side and scratched his neck.
“I uhh, don’t have any Mora on me. I should have picked up some food on our way here.” He said nervously.
“Figured you spent too much Mora on wine. But it’s okay, this time we’re treating you! Right Traveler?” Paimon grinned, and the Traveler nodded.
They made their way to Good Hunter. Paimon’s mouth began to drool upon seeing the other patrons dining happily.
“Hello, welcome to Good Hunter!” The proprietress greeted them.
“Hey Sara!” Paimon waved. “A table for three please!”
The waitress nodded and guided them to a table. They sat down by an empty table where they could see the stairs. Freed sat down, looking intently at the menu. The Traveler handed one over and explained the food dishes.
“Mhmm, Paimon’s in the mood for some steak.” Paimon clasped her hands together and bounced excitedly.
“Steak?” Freed titled his head to the side, confused.
“Oh yeah, the steaks are the best food here. Noelle said they are cuts of freshly shipped Springvale Boar after all. The meat’s natural sweetness gets brought out when served at medium, though I prefer medium rare.” Paimon explained. “There’s also other food like Mushroom Pizza, Satisfying Salad, and Sweet Madame if you want to eat chicken!”
Where in the world is Springvale? I’ve never heard of Springvale before… Freed pondered but decided not to ask the question. It must be some place outside Mondstadt then. He then glanced at what the other patrons were having. Some had Fisherman’s Toast, Mondstadt Hashbrowns and even Sweet Madames. All of them looked so tasty.
“What will you be ordering today?” Sara asked after being summoned.
“I will be having a Mushroom Pizza, one large Sweet Madame and one plate of Satisfying Salad. Freed, what do you want to have?” The Traveler asked.
“Wow Traveler, feeling vegetarian today, huh?” Paimon teased. “Sara, add two servings of steak, medium rare! Also I want one plate of Cold Cut Platter along with apple cider!” She cheerfully added.
“I’d like to try the Mondstadt Hashbrowns and the steak at medium. With some water.” Freed added.
“Okay, I got all your orders. That will be about 15,500 Mora.”
Once the dishes and utensils were all placed in front of them, Paimon wolfed down her portions relatively quickly. Freed looked at the food and began eating the steak first. The juicy meat exploded into his mouth, the sweetness of the meat mixing nicely with the barbecue sauce. He widened his eyes and kept on munching. It’s so good!
“It’s delicious, isn’t it?” The Traveler asked, and Freed nodded excitedly. “You can have one pizza slice and some chicken.”
“Paimon wants some too!”
Once the steak was finished, Freed moved onto his hashbrowns. He dipped some of it in the jam, and put it in his mouth. The sweet jam enhanced the fried texture, so much so that he wished he could put more jam on it! It’s so soft! Before he knew it, he polished off his plate.
Freed tried the pizza next. When he tried to separate the slice from the pizza, the cheese got stretched increasingly long. He blinked, surprised that it would be this sticky. Once the cheese was conquered, it was time to have a bite. The taste of the pizza differed from the steak, having a thinner texture, yet also chewy due to the cheese. The mushrooms and the other toppings mixed nicely, the flavours of the vegetables not too overwhelming. It’s delicious! Freed found he liked the cheese part of it the most. So chewy and creamy!
A chicken wing was placed on his plate. Biting into it, the fried skin gave the chicken a crispy texture, and the tender meat was soft . Sweet as its name, the sweetness seeped in as he kept chewing. Freed almost felt sorry once he saw he had eaten everything. Fortunately, his appetite was satiated. Once I earn some more Mora, I need to come back here and eat more. Freed thought.
“Now that was a good meal!” Paimon smiled. “Okay, let’s go to the church to see if you have any injuries or headaches.” The floating child suddenly spoke, snapping him out of his train of thoughts.
“I don’t feel anything too bad.” Freed shrugged, somewhat ambivalent about the idea.
“It might be good to tell you about the archon this city worships, and the church is the best place to do so!” Paimon cheerfully said.
Somehow, Paimon became very cheerful and enthusiastic at guiding him… The Traveler seemed a bit dubious at Paimon’s sudden improvement in treatment. Or was it the food? They shook their heads as they followed after them. Freed walked up more stairs, curious to see what was at the top of the city. The city was designed in an interesting way, very unlike the Mondstadt he remembered. For example, it seemed that the city had many staircases, but no wind elevator of sorts.
“Welcome to the Town Plaza! It’s also known as the Anemo God Statue Plaza.” Paimon introduced.
“That is a beautiful statue.” Freed commented.
Although… Why does it look a little like me? Freed was confused.
The statue stood proud and tall, dressed in some costume Freed swore he never wore in his life. It had extended wings, which no matter how much he dreamed about it, was something he never had. The only thing that seemed familiar was the hood. Back in those days, I loved wearing hoods. It was the best way to hide from Decarabian and avoid winds blowing leaves into your hair… Those clothes look kind of fancy too?
“That is the statue of the Anemo Archon, Barbatos.” A nun spoke as she stepped forward to greet them.
“Barbatos?” Freed said, completely taken aback.
“Does it ring a bell?” Paimon asked, and Freed nodded in response. “At least that’s one less thing to cover.”
“Although, I don’t know what else Barbatos does.” Freed scratched his head in embarrassment.
“Well, no harm in talking about the Anemo Archon again. It would be my pleasure to do so.” The nun smiled, placing a hand on her chest. “Barbatos is a very gentle archon. His wind grants happiness to the people of the city and wipes the tears off their faces. He will always hear our prayers, for he is always watching us and ensuring that Mondstadt is free from storms. He also protects the safety of everyone in the church, the Knights of Favonius and the Adventurers’ Guild. Just simply speak your wishes each time there is a breeze, and it will carry your wish to Barbatos.” She explained.
“I see.” The bard looked up at the statue in awe and smiled.
It’s so different from Decarabian’s time… Freed thought. The statue had its hand stretched out, and it reminded him of something. If I can get up there, I can get closer to the sky.
“Is climbing the statue allowed?” Freed asked.
“Of course, this is the city of freedom. May the Anemo Archon bless you with the strength to get up there.” The nun wished him good luck, and she dug into her pocket. “Since you wish to climb it, could you help me scatter some dandelion seeds from the statue? Dandelion seeds can carry the feelings in our hearts with them, be it something of remembrance, or gratefulness. Lord Barbatos is the Anemo Archon, and dandelion seeds are the most fitting way to express our thanks to him.”
“We’ll do it Grace, but we were going to bring him to Barbara first, so he can get checked for any head injuries. Could we do this later?” Paimon said, hesitant.
“Well, we can do that after I climb the statue.” The bard turned to the girl and smiled. “Besides, it will save us a second trip if I happen to get injured. Since you can fly, I’m sure you can catch me if I fall!” Freed grinned after he took the seeds.
He immediately ran to start climbing before the little floating girl could get another word in.
“H-Hey! Just because Paimon can fly doesn’t mean Paimon can save when you fall, you know! You’ll crush me if you land on me!” Paimon protested, and stomped her feet. “Ugh, why is he always like this!? Are you sure you want to let him climb like that?” Paimon asked the Traveler, somewhat unsure.
“I think we should let him climb, maybe he might see something familiar up there. I’ll accompany him just in case anything happens.” Lumine reassured her.
“Yeah maybe you should! Paimon doesn’t want to become a flat pancake.” The guide folded her arms.
Freed felt thrilled to be climbing the statue. A gentle breeze caressed him, urging him to keep on climbing. The statue showed no signs of cracks, showing how it had been carved with love and devotion to its Archon. At least it wasn’t carved because you were forced to. His heart beat with excitement with each successful step upwards, his arms stretching with a pleasant ache as he scaled the upper body of the statue.
Finally, he reached the shoulder, leaning on the head for support. He looked down, and saw how small people were from where he stood. Paimon was staring at him in worry and there were other children playing in the plaza below him cheerfully. He carefully balanced himself as he walked onto the forearm of the statue and turned around to look at the statue’s head.
It really looks like me… Does Barbatos look like me now? Or like someone else? Freed had no idea when this statue was built, but he knew that stories evolve over time, and appearances may not be accurate. Remembering that he was up here to scatter the dandelions, he turned around. The view took his breath away. To the left was the sparkling blue lake, with cliffs and hills spanning the horizon.
To the front where the statue faced, the walls hid the bridge, but could not hide the big tree at Windrise. Freed carefully skipped across to the hands. Right there, the entire city of Mondstadt was spread beneath him in its glory. Colourful roofs of the houses in Mondstadt scattered all over the city, and windmills spun, never to stop. A gentle breeze blew at him, almost cradling him should he ever fall off from where he stood.
If Barbatos is still around, then maybe I can... He put his hands together in a praying motion before scattering the dandelion seeds. He watched the seeds float into the distance, over the houses and districts of Mondstadt.
“It seems you didn’t need my help.” The Traveler’s voice snapped him out of his reverie.
“Ah, I used to climb a lot. Don’t worry about me.” Freed smiled and sat down on the statue’s hands. “This statue brings back some memories.”
His legs dangled below him as he hummed a small tune that Lumine did not recognise.
“I am glad to hear that. What do you remember, if you do not mind sharing?” Lumine asked, walking over to stand behind Freed.
“I remember meeting a wind sprite, one so small he could fit in my two palms.” Freed stared at his own hands. “I would always hold him like this statue does. Sitting here kind of makes me wonder if this was how he felt back then, cradled in my hands.”
A feeling of wonder overcame him when he sat on the huge hands. If the statue moved, how would the person sitting here feel? Disoriented? Questions would prop up with no answer or rhyme to them.
“I see. He must have been a great friend of yours for you to have such fond memories. I hope we can find someone you recognise soon.”
“Yes, that’d be nice.” Freed said, admiring the horizon in front of him.
They stayed there for several minutes, taking in the tranquility around them. The Traveler’s presence grounded him, reminding him that he couldn’t sit here and watch the scenery forever.
“We should get down. Paimon’s been waiting, and the cathedral is beautiful too. They will probably tell you more about the Archon as well.” The Traveler broke the silence finally.
They safely got down the statue. Grace thanked Freed, and directed them to the cathedral. This architecture is impressive… Freed looked up at the stained windows and the number of churchgoers crowding around. They made their way inside, and the sounds of the church’s organ rumbled. Faithful devotees were sitting or standing, facing the organ. The church felt peaceful and serene. They are praying here on their own will, rather than being forced to bow down to the Archon… He stared in awe at the sight.
The Traveler and Paimon then noticed Barbara and Jean chatting together in front of them.
“Hello Barbara and Jean!” Paimon waved.
“Oh, it’s the Honorary Knight. What brings you here today?” Barbara asked as both sisters walked over.
Freed froze upon seeing the two. He blinked and rubbed his eyes, checking if he had imagined things. Jean smiled when she noticed his glance.
“We found this bard passed out in Windrise, and we were wondering if Barbara could check for any injuries on him!” Paimon explained.
“Ah, I see. Please, let me check if you are injured.” Barbara approached the bard.
“Gunnhildr?” Freed said, confused.
Both Jean and Barbara widened their eyes at this, and they looked at each other before turning to Freed.
“Ah,” Barbara froze, stunned for a moment before she recovered. “Well, that’s certainly something I didn’t expect a traveler to recognise. Although, technically my mother was from the Gunnhildr clan. How did you know?” Barbara asked.
Paimon looked confused while the Traveler shrugged.
“I didn’t. I knew someone with that name, and you looked familiar somehow. Sorry, I mistook you for someone.” Freed scratched his head.
“That’s okay.” Barbara then continued to check on his physical health. “You seem relatively fine. No major injuries at all.”
“What about his amnesia?” Paimon folded her arms behind her back.
“I don’t think I have the cure for that…” Barbara reluctantly looked away from them. “My apologies.”
“You don’t have to apologise! I think you are a brave girl for trying. Don’t put too much strain on yourself. Rest is important too!” Freed smiled. “I apologise for taking up your time. Do you mind if you could share more on the Anemo Archon with me? I would love to learn more about the hymns and songs about him.”
“You would like to learn more about Lord Barbatos?” Barbara covered her mouth in surprise. “Of course, I’ll be happy to help.” She seemed more eager and excited, even.
Then she looked at Jean with a hesitant expression.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll need to have a talk with the Honorary Knight so please do take care of our guest in the meantime.” Jean reassured Barbara, who nodded. After Barbara took Freed away, Jean grimaced and turned to Lumine. “I suppose this was unexpected.”
“Jean, I believe that Freed is Tone-Deaf Bard!” Paimon spoke up and then explained the situation.
“You mean he lost his memory?” She put a hand on her chin, pondering. “That can’t be right. I last saw the bard in the plaza not too long ago.”
“It’s likely that he isn’t Venti.” Lumine concluded. “His clothes, hair and eyes don’t match.”
“Really? But he looks just like him!” Paimon said, shocked. “I wonder why he wants to know so much about the Archon then.” She scratched her head.
“Maybe he thought that it could help him jog his memory.” Lumine suggested.
“At any rate, he is still a guest who needs to be cared for. I will try to arrange for the other Knights to help look after him. Honorary Knight, thank you for bringing this to my attention. I will look into Venti’s whereabouts and update you if I find anything new. However, I am quite busy, so this might take a while.” Jean folded her arms, concerned. “Maybe I should get Lisa to help out too.”
“Hmm, since Tone-Deaf Bard drinks a lot, maybe Master Diluc might know where he was last seen!” Paimon suggested.
“Then we will go to the tavern next.” The Traveler said. “Freed does need a place to stay for now.”
“That’s settled then. I will be off now since there are many matters that need my immediate attention. Send Master Diluc my regards.” Jean then left immediately.
“Jean is always busy isn’t she?” Paimon commented, shrugging her arms. “I hope Tone-Deaf Bard will recover his memory soon!”
Lumine and Paimon waited for Barbara and Freed to finish their conversation. It seemed they were deeply engrossed in learning hymns and more about the Anemo Archon, Barbatos. The Traveler then took the time to read the books she borrowed from the cathedral’s library.
“Oh, I’m so sorry to make you wait.” Freed spoke, and the Traveler looked up from her book. “Time flew by so quickly.”
“Yes, I am happy that you were able to learn more about Lord Barbatos.” Barbara smiled.
“You’re reading books?” The Traveler nodded. “Is there a library here?”
“You should check out the Knights of Favonius headquarters. You’ll also find more books about Lord Barbatos there too.” The young girl answered.
“Thank you! I’ll check it out. We shall not take up any more of your time then. Have a good day!”
“Thank you. May the Anemo Archon be with you.” Barbara waved at them.
They walked out of the cathedral, and the sun began to set. Freed admired the scenery, the shades of red and orange dyeing the sight of the city deeply enraptured him. He walked over to the wall facing the lake and saw how the ocean, too, shone orange.
“So the water wasn’t blue after all…” He murmured.
“Huh?” Paimon stared at the Traveler, completely confused.
It’s as though he has never seen the sunset before… The Traveler commented inwardly. What kind of Mondstadt was he looking for? They saw Freed look out at the ocean, unable to decipher what he felt. Freed clutched his harp tightly, looking down.
The door opened, and everyone else in the room turned, holding their Windblumes.
“Nice to meet you. My name is Alex.” The red-haired warrior introduced himself.
He, too, carried a Windblume.
“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Freed smiled. He then stared curiously at the man’s hair.
“Is the colour of my hair bothering you?” Alex asked.
“No, it’s just that… I’ve never seen hair that bright before. It really sticks out like a sore thumb in this city of dull colours.”
“You sure have a way with words, dear bard. Do not worry, my hair will not interfere with our plans. Now, let us get to changing this city.”
Ah… I didn’t even know that the sunset could be this colourful. You survived the battle. I wonder where your descendants are. Freed sighed. He then turned around to see both Traveler and Paimon worried.
“Are you okay?” Paimon asked, concerned.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I got distracted by how beautiful the sunset was. The city also looks warm in these colours.” Freed smiled. “Where are we going next?”
“We’re going to a tavern so you can perform and earn some Mora! Will that be okay?” Paimon cheerfully said.
“That sounds fun, let’s go!” They then made their way to Angel’s Share.
The city was soon dyed in hues of blue as the moon rose up into the sky. Freed had no time to appreciate the moon, with the street lamps drawing his attention like a moth to a flame. The lamps lit the way in the night, and he carefully followed them to the bustling nightlife of Mondstadt. Mostly men were buying drinks and playing games with each other. The tables near them had drinks scattered about.
“Why are we here?”
“You said you’re a bard, right? Wouldn’t you want to play for them?” Paimon asked.
Back then, there were a lot of people who drank. Mostly to drown their sorrows. Here it seems… They drink whenever they want to. He saw a few people drowning their misery, parroting away their sufferings, but he also noticed more people challenging each other to drinking games. Rambunctious laughter roared into his ears, the sound so distinct from the wails of sorrow he grew accustomed to.
They came to a tavern named Angel’s Share. The Traveler and Paimon walked in, and he followed.
“Welcome to the tavern.” A red-haired man manned the counter, his appearance caused Freed to freeze.
He looks like…! He blinked and rubbed his eyes again.
“Hello Master Diluc!” Paimon waved and turned around to see the bard completely shocked. “What’s wrong, Freed? Did you see someone you recognise?” She asked in a concerned tone.
Freed took a closer look at Diluc and scrutinised his features. The man had a somewhat babyish face with large eyes, but he successfully removed the feelings one may associate with such a face with a perpetual frown and stern expression. His hair was smooth and neatly combed. He’s not Alex. He then deflated in disappointment. He doesn’t have a goatee. But I’m sure of it, that red hair, I will never forget it.
“I thought I saw a friend, that’s all.” Freed explained, hiding his disappointment of not being able to meet someone he knew.
“What’s his name? Maybe we might know him!”
“I think his name was… Alex. He has red hair. Another friend I had was also named Amos too. She wielded a bow.” The bard did not seem willing to supply any more details.
“Not sure if we know anyone in Mondstadt with those names, sorry.” Paimon shook her head. “Would it help if we went to the library tomorrow?” she suggested, her index finger pointing out.
“That sounds good.” Freed nodded excitedly.
He then noticed a man dressed in blue standing right next to Diluc. The man had dark blue hair, but what made him striking was his eye patch and the furry… shawl on his shoulder. His tanned skin also made him stand out against everyone else in the inn, who were all pale or bright skinned. Did he spend too much time in the sun? Freed pondered, never having seen someone with tanned skin before in his life. The man noticed him staring and waved.
“Hello, my name is Kaeya. I am the Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius.” The tanned man greeted, smiling.
“A-Ah! Hello, my name is Freed. I am a bard, pleased to meet you.” Freed stammered nervously, embarrassed after getting caught for staring too long.
What’s… Knights of Favonius? Never heard of it… The bard tightly clung onto his harp. This really isn’t the Mondstadt I know. He looked downcast.
“Since you’re a bard, will you be willing to perform here?” Diluc asked.
“Of course,” Freed looked up with a determined expression, “Tell me where I need to go and I’ll prepare.”
Whatever sign of hesitance, nervousness and loneliness washed off immediately upon the desire to perform. One of the employees came over at Diluc’s command and led Freed away to go and prepare. They watched the bard leave. The Traveler then noticed both Kaeya and Diluc folding their arms.
“So you knew that he wasn’t Venti.” Lumine said, almost declaring a statement.
“I do keep track of who goes in and out of the city. He is not a threat at the moment. It’s likely he’s related to that bard. His appearance is too similar, and he said some strange things.” Diluc spoke.
“Red hair is rather uncommon after all.” Kaeya supplied, earning him a glare from the man beside him. “There is no other red haired person in the city named Alex, nor is there a bow wielder named Amos in the entire nation. However, Amos’ Bow is a famous bow. The knowledge of some things he mentioned could be corroborated, but they exist in a time period far away in the past. Even then, he still has some common knowledge of Mondstadtian culture. The chances of him being the bard who lost his memory is nil.” The Cavalry Captain concluded his analysis.
“I see. Would you happen to know of Venti’s whereabouts?” The Traveler asked.
“No, but I do know he will not be in the city for a few days.” Diluc shook his head. “The last time my employees saw him, he went on quite the drunken spree in the tavern. He may drink a lot, but it was unlike his usual behaviour. He did say he is taking a short break and would be back soon. I am afraid I would not be able to help beyond this.”
“Thank you, nonetheless. So far Freed has been enjoying the city. It was as though it was his first time seeing it.” Lumine said, somewhat concerned. “I am worried that he might get into trouble.”
“Do not worry. We have ensured that he is watched at all times, and I will not act unless he brings harm to the city.” Diluc reassured, folding his arms. “Besides, it’s not very often I get a bard who can play Old Mondstadt tunes and reveal a little bit more history.”
“Doesn't the Tone-Deaf Bard kind of fulfil that requirement?” Paimon asked, confused.
“That bard is only interested in drinking more wine and has a flair for the dramatics.” Diluc replied in a deadpan tone.
“Come on, there’s nothing wrong with a flair for the dramatics! It’s what brings in business, ain’t it?” Kaeya piped in.
“Do not make me kick you out of the tavern now.”
Freed then came back with a tuned harp, and they set up a stool for him to sit on due to his height. More people started milling into the tavern, eager to hear some tunes while they drank. The bard sat himself on the stool and smiled.
“Hello everyone, my name is Freed. I’m a bard.” Freed greeted his audience.
“You look like the other bard called Venti! Are you related?” A patron asked.
“No, I think it’s a case of doppelgängers.” Freed shrugged. “I will assure you that my music won’t be the same as his!” He beamed at them.
“Play something for us!”
“Of course!” Freed took out his harp and breathed in.
It’s been so long since I played in such a peaceful environment. Let’s do this. His expression changed from an innocent one to that of a determined and confident expression as he started strumming.
Long ago beyond Brightcrown Mountains,
There lies a city covered in storms
Caged in from the harsh cold winds
Its denizens never to see the bright sky
A bard seeks the blue sky
hidden beyond the winds
Far from reach,
Never wavering away…
He looks on forlornly.
One fateful day, at the edge of the cliff
Near the howling winds where
He would sneak off to play his music
Away from prying eyes that tell him
To stop going too near the wings,
A spirit appears in front of him…
A small wisp of the wind
His name was Barbatos
And he would tell the bard about the lush greenery,
the birds flying freely in the sky,
Flowers fluttering in the green fields
Fertile soil with juicy colourful fruits waiting to be plucked!
Though the Bard may not be able to see, smell all this
These words would soon bloom.
The bard decides to fight the tyrant
He gathers all his friends, the young spirit joining with him
The red haired warrior, a young archer
and the brave Gunnhildr clan, united as one!
They fought and brought down the tyrant!
His cage fell apart, and the howling winds stopped.
Bright blue skies greeted the heroes,
And ever since, the people were set free.
“Lovely song! Here, a cider for your song.” One of the drinkers handed Freed a cider.
“I don’t drink, but thank you.” Freed accepted the alcohol, despite his confusion.
Do they… give bards alcoholic drinks nowadays instead of Mora? He stared at the cider, bewildered. Ah, I can try it later anyways. He put the cider right next to his bag.
“Hey, the other bard Venti drinks a lot! Why not drink it now?” One customer asked.
“My job as a bard is to entertain you all. I certainly can’t do that if I’m drunk, can I?” Freed deflected the pressure to drink and launched into another song.
His mellifluous voice soothed the drinkers’ woes and sweetened their drinks. He continued singing with no end, constantly changing into all the tunes he used to sing for that one sprite. He received applause for his performances, and he grinned. Once he had finished, he bowed and thanked the patrons as he went for his break.
Outside, he saw the same red-haired man from earlier. Freed then noticed the bird on his arm.
“Ah, so sorry to bother you Master Diluc,” Freed asked Diluc, who turned to him, “Um, i-is that an eagle?” he asked nervously.
“No, he’s a falcon. They are similar, however.”
He walked closer to the man, completely in awe of the falcon in front of him. Do you know that there are birds who are predators as well? Eagles have thick sharp claws to catch their prey! When I get back, and we win the war, I’ll bring you an eagle's feather! A certain sprite’s voice rang in his head, and Freed smiled.
“May I touch him?”
“He doesn’t take kindly to strangers.”
“I don’t talk to strangers.” A friend’s voice echoed in his mind, Freed smiled. He really reminds me of Alex.
“That’s okay! He must be a really strong bird and a good companion to you too!” The bard added cheerfully.
“Your friend, what was he like?”
“Ah, Alex? Hmm, he’s a determined, steadfast man. He was swift to deliver justice and never gave up despite the odds. Of course, he didn’t do it for glory’s sake. He truly cared for all of our friends despite his tough exterior.”
“I see. I hope you find your friends soon.”
“Thank you! I shouldn’t bother you any more, Master Diluc. And oh, thank you so much for letting me perform in your tavern. It’s such a wonderful place!” He bowed and returned inside the tavern.
Diluc looked back up to the moonlit sky. Was this the city they yearned for, back in those days? Only the winds carried the answers, to the dead who would never rise to see the sight.
The next day, Freed, Lumine and Paimon were heading to the library. When they were passing by the Adventurer’s Guild, Katheryne had called out to them.
“There’s been a sudden increase in commissions and they are pretty urgent. Would it be possible if you could attend to them?” Katheryne asked.
“If that’s the case then…” Lumine folded her arms, pondering before they turned to Freed. “I know I promised to bring you to Mondstadt, but I’m still worried about you. Will you be okay on your own? I’m sure you would rather explore the city more than come with me for my commissions.”
“Hmm, I guess you did bring me back to Mondstadt, even if it isn’t the one I remember. I dare not take up too much of your time too. How about you go and do your commissions? I’m sure they need more help than an amnesiac bard who’s probably going to just explore the city. You did say that the Knights of Favonius will look out for me in the meantime.”
“Still…” The Traveler remained hesitant.
“Ah, it’s the Honorary Knight!” A chirpy voice from above them shouted, and they turned to see a girl in red gliding towards them from the air.
She landed nicely in front of them and withdrew her wind glider.
“Oh hey Amber! It’s like this. We found this bard who lost his memory, so we are bringing him around Mondstadt to jog his memory! But then a flurry of commissions came out needing our assistance, and we can’t just leave him all by himself.” Paimon explained.
“Ah, I see.” She nodded, and turned to Freed. “Welcome to Mondstadt! It is the city of wind, dandelions and freedom. I hope you have been enjoying your stay here.”
“Thank you. Can I ask what you do to fly in the sky like that?” Freed asked, his eyes shining in awe.
“Oh, I was gliding. As you know I am Mondstadt’s Gliding Champion!” Amber put her hands on her hips, proud.
“Gliding? I would love to learn how to glide!” Freed clenched his fists in excitement, putting them in front of his face as he begged Amber. “Would you please teach me? It’s been a dream of mine to glide.” His eyes sparkled with desire.
“Sure, but you will need to get a gliding licence. I’ll help.” Amber smiled.
“Thank you so much!” Freed cheered, punching his fist into the air.
“I feel like we’re supposed to be helping him find someone he knows, rather than throwing him to the Knights of Favonius to take care of…” Paimon said to Lumine, conflicted.
“Don’t worry Traveler, you can attend to your commissions first.” Amber reassured them. “He will be safe in my hands.” She put her hands on her hips, determined.
Very reassuring, Amber. That said, Jean did say that we can leave him to the knights. Lumine then nodded.
“Thank you Amber!” Paimon waved.
Freed took a deep breath upon watching them leave. It feels a bit nervous to be away from them for a while.
“Shall we get started on how to glide?” Amber put her hands on her hips, and Freed nodded. “Okay, this time I made sure I didn't hand the wrong book.” She took out a manual and handed it to the bard.
“Wrong book?” The bard shot a confused look at the Outrider.
“The last time I did this, I accidentally gave the Traveler my favourite storybook.” Amber said, embarrassed.
“I would love to read it once I get the licence.”
“Alright, then consider it as a reward for getting your licence! Since you’re so excited to glide, I bet the book will be your favourite too! Let us go to a higher spot to start gliding. Where would you want to go?”
“I think,” Freed turned in the direction of the plaza, “I have a good idea of where I want to start.”
Amber helped Freed equip the glider on his back. Naturally, it took a while before he was able to unfold it without it getting jumbled all over. So the gliders are to be worn at all times in the event of a fall. It’s so light. I wish they were here to see this. He looked up to see the winds. Then again, Decarabian would have made it impossible to glide. After getting used to it, it was time to do the test.
The moment he leaped off the hands of the statue, he pulled out the glider. A pair of wings spread out behind him, the cloth catching the winds and preventing him from falling. His feet felt light, unable to feel anything but the gentle breeze. Freed snapped out of his reverie and moved through the rings with ease. He deftly avoided crashing into the walls, and a few close calls made him more alert.
After many attempts and falls, Freed finally passed the licence in two days.
“Congratulations on your licence! Here, a copy of Wind, Courage, and Wings for yours truly.” Amber clapped, and handed him a book with a bird on the cover. “If you want to read more books like this, I suggest you go to the library. Lisa might be able to help you find more books just like this! Oh, right, you haven’t met Lisa right? She’s dressed in purple. You won’t miss her!”
“Thank you so much, Amber!” Freed smiled, and held the book tightly. “I’ll treasure it.”
He then noticed that the sun was setting. Had they been practicing gliding for that long?
“Oh dear, I didn’t even realise the time! It was such a blast teaching you how to glide, Freed!”
“A blast?” The bard asked, confused. “Did we explode something?” He titled his head in confusion.
“Oh I mean I had a lot of fun! Don’t worry, we’re not going to make anything explode.” Amber added nervously.
“Thank goodness.” He said, somewhat relieved. “I wouldn’t want to get arrested. Could you show me where the library is? Since I lost my memory, I was hoping I could find some books to jog my memory, and to also read the book you gave me in peace.”
“No problem, I’ll take you there.”
Amber shows the headquarters to him after treating him to dinner, and Freed thanked her for her time as she left to sleep in the dormitories. He stared at the building. The emblem of an eagle emblazoned on the flags shone brightly. At this late time, only a few guards could be seen patrolling, and the lights were dim. It’s very different from the headquarters back in the old days. It feels… less oppressive. A group of knights that fight for freedom, huh? Freed glanced at his empty hands, almost clutching onto something.
He turned around to leave. Amber told me to come tomorrow to use the library. I better rest early so I can get in early. The bard walked into the night, the silent howls haunting him fading with the lights showing him the way to the tavern.
Freed yawned, stretching his two arms into the air. He got out of bed immediately and munched on a sumptuous breakfast of Pile’ Em Up. The meat and cheese combined together was juicy and tender… So chewy and tasty! After polishing the plate, he headed to the Archon Statue to watch the sunrise. Early in the morning, the city was tranquil, yet to awake from their slumber filled with sweet dreams.
The paths were quiet, and it was a kind of silence he liked. With no one to stop him, Freed climbed up and sat on the statue’s hands, and watched the sun rise from behind Starsnatch Cliff. The initial hazy blue grew to a tangy orange before becoming a glowing yellow that stretched across the horizon. The sunrise is just as beautiful as the sunset… Satisfied, he glided off the statue, and made a perfect landing without anyone noticing. Amber said it would be a bad idea for me to get caught by the guards just when I received the licence after all.
He greeted the guards, and entered the Knights of Favonius Headquarters. He noticed the desk was empty upon entering the library.
“Lisa doesn’t like to be disturbed early in the morning. Here are some places where you can start learning about the Archon!” Amber’s voice echoed in his mind, and he smiled.
He immediately picked a nearby table and started stacking some books to start reading. Light shone in from the huge window by the time he finished. The first book he read was naturally Amber’s book. The fairy tale was very lovely, with the way Barbatos taught the birds to fly. I wonder if I can make a song out of this…
“Oh, you must be the bard Jean talked about.” A voice spoke, and Freed turned to see a young lady dressed in purple with a witch’s hat. “Hello there, my name is Lisa. I am the librarian in charge of this library.” She introduced herself as she approached.
“Good morning, Lisa! My name’s Freed!” Freed bowed. “I’m so sorry for the inconvenience caused. I am in your care.”
“No worries. You’re really adorable, aren’t you?” Lisa smiled, leaning a little too close for the bard’s comfort. “How cute. You don’t seem to have any trouble at the moment, but do let me know if there is anything you need. However, do not disturb me at tea time, so please keep that in mind. Here are the rules you need to observe in order to use the library.” Lisa handed him a piece of paper with the rules.
“Sure! I would like to begin with the history of Mondstadt and everything about the Anemo Archon. How do I use the library?”
Lisa explained to him how to return the library books and how the books were sorted, and Freed caught on quickly. He thanked her once more and went to pick out more books. Stacks of books were placed on the table, some of them related to the Anemo Archon, Barbatos, while others talked about the history of Mondstadt. Taking a seat and making himself comfortable, he began reading.
Deeply engrossed in his books, he devoured the history books within hours. After the fall of Old Mondstadt, Barbatos became the Anemo Archon. He terraformed the land upon freeing it from the blizzard caused by Andrius. Freed could not help but try to imagine what it must have been like. So there was a blizzard, and Decarabian was protecting us from it? It doesn’t seem that he was very bright if he thought we would be eternally grateful to him… He tried to recall the Archon.
When he gathered the people to rebel, most were taken aback when Amos joined them. At first, many distrusted her and insisted she was there to spy on them. But Freed knew better. She was more heartbroken than anything else… Does being an Archon make it hard for them to associate with humans? He still recalled the very day they revolted. Many were shocked to see Decarabian ruthlessly sending an Anemo bolt at the group where Amos stood. He closed his eyes, with brief memories of screams, clashing of swords echoing in his mind.
Freed went on to read what happened next. It’s good that Gunnhildr survived, but what about Alex? He flipped the pages. The red-haired warrior turned his back on the Anemo Archon. Freed paused, his hand on the line, frowning. He definitely did not take well to our deaths and Barbatos becoming an Archon… So the people left Old Mondstadt to start anew.
Next, he read up on the Archon War and how the world came to be under the rule of the Seven. To think that there are other nations out there too. He then picked out picture books that depicted the lands and looked at them with awe. Wow, this world is so beautiful and different! I wonder what they were like back then… Oh well. Pictures will satisfy me long enough. He also borrowed some of the Teyvat Travel Guides. Whoever wrote this is really amazing. And also morbid at the same time. He laughed, before he covered his mouth. Right, I was supposed to be quiet. He looked around to see if anyone caught him.
Fortunately, no one else was there aside from a young girl reading a book on Hichurlian languages. He heaved a sigh of relief and continued reading. He finally got to the history 1,000 years ago on how the Knights of Favonius was founded and frowned at this. So even humans are capable of being tyrants. But I hope the descendants were not mistreated for their lineage. If I had lived during this time, I would have done what Vennessa did too. She is such a brave woman. Maybe Barbatos can tell me more about what he did back then.
He sighed once more and leaned back on the chair to stare at the ceiling. Being an Archon must not have been easy for him. What does it mean to be an Archon? Freed wondered, closing his eyes and remembering Decarabian. Perhaps the Archons are as flawed as humans, only that they wield more power that can affect people. He remembered how the books talked about the Archons who changed seats within the past 2,000 years. Even the older Archons are no longer remembered…
He then found another book that talked about Gunnhildr. The bard smiled, knowing that she eventually helped Barbatos achieve the powers he had today. At least she lived well. He continued to flip the pages of the Biography of Gunnhildr before he realised something. Wait, they don’t worship the Archon of Time anymore? Freed froze. All of a sudden, he felt a throbbing headache as his vision blurred.
“Freed, are you alright?” A voice called out, and the pain disappeared as soon as it arrived.
The bard panted and looked up to see Lisa, who had a concerned expression on her face.
“Ah, I had a migraine. It was as though I remembered something, but then I forgot what it was about.” Freed pressed his temples.
“I know you want to read and find out about yourself, but you need to take a break when reading books. How about we have some tea?” Lisa suggested, and the bard agreed.
He found himself in the corner of the Knights of Favonius Headquarters. It was a cozy room and they sat near the window. After brewing the tea, she poured it out into two teacups and handed one cup to Freed.
“I see you are having a good time reading them.” Lisa commented, and the bard sheepishly scratched his head.
“I like to read more about the world, especially its history and geography!”
“I noticed the books you borrowed were all older renditions. Are you sure you can read them?” The librarian asked.
“They are not an issue at all. On the contrary, I find some of the newer books are harder to read.” Freed admitted sheepishly.
“Well, in that case, if you have time, perhaps you could help me with some of the transcriptions for the older books, and I’ll help you with the modern ones.” Lisa smiled.
“Really? That would help a lot! I really want to see what Mondstadt has to offer and I would be happy to contribute!”
It seemed there was no end to the number of things he could do in this city. Freed knew he was going to love each and every minute of the library.