Chapter 56 — The Current State of the Gods
Ying had always been kind — cautious, yes, but kind.
Knowing that Kael, like herself, came from another world and hadn't been harmed by Teyvat's unknown forces, she decided to warn him. She had no reason to mistrust him — not yet. And perhaps, if fate allowed, he might even become an ally when she finally confronted that mysterious, white-haired god again.
Still, Ying was not naïve. She decided to observe him a while longer before deciding whether he could truly be trusted.
Kael, on the other hand, regarded her with the calm curiosity of a scholar studying a newly discovered phenomenon.
"Thanks for the warning," he said, his tone sincere. "I'll be careful."
Ying nodded slightly, her golden eyes shimmering with cautious interest. "Then, have you met any of the gods since you arrived here?"
Kael tilted his head thoughtfully, then smirked. "I've heard plenty about them — though I can't vouch for how true those stories are."
He ticked off his fingers one by one.
"The Anemo Archon is a hopeless drunkard, the Geo Archon is a wandering old man, the Electro Archon is a reclusive perfectionist, the Dendro Archon is a pure-hearted child, and the Hydro Archon is… well, a fool with too much passion and not enough patience.
As for the Cryo and Pyro Archons…" He shrugged. "I haven't had the pleasure."
Ying blinked in disbelief. "(￣□￣;) Are you serious? You expect me to believe that? These are gods!"
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[Group Chat Feed]
Venti: "Calling Morax a 'wandering old man'? Kael, you're braver than I thought. You do realize the Shogun might smite you with lightning just for fun, right?"
Keqing: "Impossible! The Geo Archon, a wanderer? He would never abandon Liyue like that!"
Zhongli: "Ahem. Perhaps the Lord of Geo simply wished to understand the lives of his people by walking among them."
Ganyu: "Yes! The Lord of Geo must have his reasons. Everything he does carries purpose."
Ningguang: "Wait a second… a wandering old man in Liyue… always seen near the tea houses and the docks… Zhongli, that sounds awfully familiar."
Kael: "Ahem. Believe it or not, I stand by what I said!"
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Kael's tone was casual, but his eyes gleamed with amusement. "Of course, they're only rumors. You'll have to meet them yourself to know the truth."
Barbara, standing beside him, quickly came to her god's defense. "Lord Barbatos may enjoy wine, but he's not a drunkard! He's a great and noble god who values freedom above all else!"
Her conviction was fierce — almost radiant.
Ying couldn't help but smile faintly. This girl was clearly a devout believer.
Still, Ying's own experiences with the gods made her cautious. "If you can help it, it's best to stay away from them. The gods of this world…" Her expression darkened. "They don't seem to welcome outsiders."
She still didn't understand why the Unknown God had stopped her and Aether from leaving this world. They hadn't harmed anyone. They hadn't broken any laws.
So why were they attacked?
Had her brother done something to provoke the divine? Or did the Heavenly Principles simply reject the presence of beings not born of Teyvat?
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Kael gave a nonchalant shrug. "If the gods want to find me, I can't exactly hide from them, can I? But I'm curious about them. Every god has their reasons — even if those reasons don't make sense to us."
Then he glanced at Paimon, who was floating nearby. A mischievous smirk curved his lips. "Speaking of mysteries, this little one is quite intriguing."
Paimon puffed up immediately. "Hey! What's that supposed to mean? Paimon's not 'little' — she's Paimon! The Traveler's number one guide, companion, and emergency food—I mean, friend!"
Kael laughed, unable to help himself. "Alright, alright. You're Paimon."
He reached out and pinched her cheek playfully before producing a small, cream-covered cake from his pocket. "Here, peace offering."
"Wha— Ooooh!" Paimon's indignation vanished instantly. She snatched the cake and began eating it with gleeful abandon.
Barbara giggled softly, while Ying smiled faintly, shaking her head.
Even Kael couldn't hide his amusement. "I see food is your weakness. Duly noted."
---
Once Paimon finished her cake, Kael turned back to Ying. "So, what's next for the two of you?"
Paimon wiped her mouth with satisfaction. "We're heading to Mondstadt! We're hoping to find clues about the white-haired god who took Ying's brother. Maybe Lord Barbatos will know something!"
Barbara's cheerful expression faltered slightly. She hesitated before speaking. "But… Lord Barbatos hasn't appeared in over five hundred years."
Ying's gaze sharpened. "Five hundred years?"
Barbara nodded. "Even when his own companion was in distress, he didn't appear."
Kael tilted his head. "Companion?"
"Yes. Dvalin — the Dragon of the East Wind." Barbara's tone softened. "He's one of Lord Barbatos's oldest friends. But lately, he's been acting strangely… attacking Mondstadt instead of protecting it."
Ying's eyes narrowed. "A dragon that used to be the Archon's companion? Interesting."
Kael folded his arms, speaking casually, though his tone carried a subtle weight. "If you're looking for clues about the Anemo Archon, then Dvalin might be your best lead. Help Mondstadt purify him, and you might find the answers you seek."
Paimon gawked. "Wait, wait, WAIT! You want us to fight a dragon?! Are you insane?!"
Kael smiled faintly. "Didn't you just wipe out an entire Hilichurl camp with one attack? You're more than capable. Even if you're not as strong as an Archon, you're at least on par with Dvalin."
Ying hesitated. "That wasn't my power. The Anemo energy that filled me—it wasn't mine. It felt… external. As if the world itself was helping me."
Barbara clasped her hands together in awe. "Pure Anemo energy? Could it be Lord Barbatos himself guiding you? Perhaps he's already watching over you!"
Ying frowned slightly. That doesn't sound right.
Kael was clearly nudging her toward this task. He wasn't being malicious — if anything, he seemed to be testing her. But why?
She studied his calm demeanor. His tone was light, his eyes unreadable.
He reminded her, disturbingly, of her brother — calm, collected, yet constantly thinking three steps ahead.
Still, she couldn't ignore the logic in his words. If she had no leads on Aether, then helping Mondstadt and meeting Dvalin was a good start.
If things went badly… she could always retreat.
Her hand rested lightly on her sword.
"Alright," Ying said at last. "We'll head for Mondstadt. If this dragon truly has ties to the Anemo Archon, then perhaps he holds the key to what we seek."
Paimon gulped nervously. "Paimon has a bad feeling about this…"
Kael chuckled under his breath. "Don't worry. The winds will guide you."
As Ying turned to leave, Barbara smiled and offered, "I'll lead you to the city gates. It's not far."
Kael watched the two girls walk ahead, his gaze thoughtful.
The Traveler, huh…
Let's see just how much you can change the winds of fate, little star.
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End of Chapter 56 — The Current State of the Gods