Barbatos had never harbored any fondness for the Fatui.After what Il Dottore had done to Mondstadt centuries ago, forgiveness was impossible.
If those envoys from Snezhnaya hadn't been women — and if there hadn't been an unspoken truce between him and the Tsaritsa — Venti might have already turned them into dust with a single arrow of divine wind.
As for the Gnosis? He no longer cared.Now that he knew the Tsaritsa was safe and her ambitions had some twisted purpose beyond mindless conquest, he could let the Fatui chase their illusions.Let them enjoy their journey, however brief it might be.
"What do you want in return this time?" Kael asked, eyeing Venti over the rim of his cup.He wasn't someone who liked to owe favors — not even to an Archon.
He'd already repaid his earlier debts to Venti: first by saving Mondstadt's ley lines from collapse, and second by sparing La Signora's life after the incident in Liyue.That had settled the score between them.
Going forward, Venti would have to earn his keep fair and square.Mondstadt was crawling with Abyss activity — even Musk Reef, technically part of its jurisdiction, needed cleansing.There was no shortage of work for the God of Freedom.
"I just want to ask about something," Venti said, suddenly serious. His gaze drifted toward the ruins of Stormterror's Lair. "Is it… possible for an Archon or a demon god to be resurrected?"
Kael paused mid-sip, eyes narrowing slightly."Resurrection?" He mulled it over before answering, "If the god's consciousness still exists, it's theoretically possible."
Venti listened silently as Kael continued.
"If their mind or soul remains intact, they could potentially reconstitute their form — especially through the chat group system. The group can generate a vessel using contribution points. But the cost is astronomical. Gathering that many points with just a lingering consciousness is… near impossible."
He crossed his arms. "Unless someone acts as a benefactor and donates those points, it can't be done."
"And if the god's consciousness is gone completely," Kael finished, "then for now, it's beyond my reach. My current power isn't on that level."
Venti nodded thoughtfully, letting the information sink in. "So it depends on whether their consciousness survives… That's what I needed to know."
He smiled faintly, lifting his hand. "Then take this. My experience with the wind element — every current, every resonance I've ever learned."
A swirl of emerald energy shimmered between them before flowing into Kael.Within seconds, the data from Venti's elemental insights merged into his system.Kael could feel his own energy reacting — the Anemo patterns were elegant, fluid, and impossibly refined.
Compared to his self-taught techniques, Venti's control of the wind was something else entirely.Barbatos truly lived up to his title as the Anemo Archon.
"This will help a lot," Kael admitted. "Thank you."
Venti grinned. "Don't mention it! Now if you'll excuse me, I have an important date — with Diluc's wine stash. Can't let free alcohol age without purpose!"
Kael gave him a flat look. "You've been 'resting' for centuries, and now you're complaining about being busy?"
"Hey, I've worked harder these past few days than in the last three hundred years!" Venti whined dramatically before vanishing in a gust of wind.
Kael shook his head, amused despite himself. "You're lucky Jean hasn't seen how lazy you really are."
The Next Morning
When Kael stepped out of his room the following morning, he was greeted by a surprising sight.The living room was full — Barbara, Mercury, Paimon, Jean, and Eula were already there.
But what caught his attention were the three newcomers: Lisa, Klee, and a pale-haired young man whose calm aura radiated intellect and danger in equal measure — Albedo.
"Everyone's up early," Kael said with a small smile, taking a seat. His eyes lingered on the alchemist and the tiny red bundle of energy beside him.
Jean stepped forward, formal as always. "Kael, you're familiar with most of them already, so I'll skip introductions. Lisa insisted on joining us, and as for Klee…"She sighed, glancing down. "She refused to stay behind."
Klee grinned, bouncing on her toes. "Morning, big brother Kael! I'm Klee!"
"I know who you are," Kael chuckled. "Spark Knight of the Knights of Favonius — and Mondstadt's most adorable demolition expert."
Klee giggled, spinning in delight. "Really? I'm that famous?"
"Very," Kael said warmly. "After this meeting, you're welcome to visit Liyue. I'll even take you to blow up a big lizard there."
Her eyes sparkled like twin suns. "A big lizard explosion?! Yay!"
Jean pinched the bridge of her nose. "Kael, please don't give her ideas."
"It's supervised experimentation," Kael said innocently. "For science."
Klee turned to Jean with a pleading look. "Can I, Captain Jean? Please? I'll be good!"
Jean sighed again, the faintest smile tugging at her lips. "If you go, you go under Kael's supervision. And absolutely no troublemaking. Understand?"
Klee nodded solemnly, reciting in a sing-song tone,
"Bombs in the city? Solitary confinement!Hurt someone? Captain Jean appears!Start a mountain fire? Klee's doomed!"
Everyone burst out laughing.
For a brief moment, even Eula smiled. The tension in the air eased — Klee had that effect on people.
As the laughter faded, Kael looked toward Jean. "Most of the senior Knights seem to be here. Where are Kaeya and Amber?"
Jean hesitated. "Amber's on long-range patrol near Windrise, investigating monster movements. As for Kaeya…" She sighed softly. "He's… handling intelligence matters. At Angel's Share."
"In other words," Lisa murmured with a smirk, "he's drinking."
Jean coughed delicately. "He's… multitasking."
Kael smiled faintly. "Typical."
He had a soft spot for Amber. She was the kind of person who'd give you her last meal without a second thought.She'd been the Traveler's first real friend, the one who gave them their first glider and their first reason to smile in this foreign world.If only more people like her existed.
Turning back to Albedo, Kael's tone shifted. "You're familiar with Liyue, aren't you, Chief Alchemist? I'd like your opinion on something."
Albedo's clear blue eyes flicked to him with interest. "I was told you had a proposal. Jean mentioned research."
Kael nodded. "Yes. It's a technological project — something akin to Miss Alice's Dodo Communicator. We're calling it the Mobile Communication Device. A kind of… talking crystal network."
Jean, Lisa, and even Paimon perked up. "A device to let people communicate anywhere?" Lisa asked. "That's revolutionary."
Kael nodded. "It could reshape how the nations of Teyvat share information. Liyue's Tianquan, Ningguang, is funding the first prototypes. We want you to join the team for a few years — temporarily, of course."
"A few years?" Albedo murmured, thoughtful. "That's acceptable. But I must ask — what's your true purpose behind this invention?"
Kael's expression softened. "To connect people — not just through the chat group's limited divine network, but through human ingenuity. Teyvat's people deserve to share knowledge without gods as gatekeepers."
That answer made Albedo's gaze sharpen. "Interesting. You speak like someone above gods, not beneath them."
Kael smiled. "Perhaps I just know what they should be."
Jean frowned slightly. "If Albedo develops this under Liyue's patronage, then Mondstadt will have to negotiate for shared access. I'll have to speak to Lady Ningguang."
"There are no patent laws in Teyvat," Lisa mused, "but trust is its own currency. Albedo would never betray either nation."
"Of course not," Albedo said calmly. "The pursuit of knowledge is sacred — not political."
His eyes, however, lingered on Kael just a moment longer, sensing the faint hum of divinity around him.Something in that man wasn't normal — his energy distorted the environment subtly, bending elemental flow.
For the first time in centuries, the Chief Alchemist felt… curiosity stir in his veins.
Klee tugged at Kael's coat. "Big brother Kael, can I help with your project too? I can make bombs that explode into messages!"
Kael chuckled. "Maybe we'll call that Version 2.0."
"Yay!" Klee cheered, spinning again as Jean sighed helplessly.
"Be careful what you promise," Jean muttered.
Kael only smiled. "Promise? No — that's a contract."
The word hung in the air — and even Lisa's knowing smirk faded for a moment.Kael's eyes gleamed faintly gold, the echo of the Geo Archon's influence flickering deep within them.
Albedo noticed.
The Spark Knight laughed again, unaware of the undercurrents around her. "I can't wait! Liyue's gonna be so fun!"
Kael looked out the window toward the distant sky, his thoughts already far away — on leyline turbulence, on Stormterror's Lair, on whispers from the Abyss.
The world was moving faster now.And the storm that would shake Teyvat was only just beginning.
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