Chapter 53 — Lumine and Paimon
The wind of Windrise whispered through the ancient oak, its leaves shimmering like emerald glass under the morning sun. Kael stood beneath its vast shadow, gazing up at the twisting branches that had seen centuries pass.
"Barbara," he asked quietly, "do you think the people of Mondstadt will come to resent the Anemo Archon for not appearing to protect them… for not eradicating the monsters that plague their lands?"
Barbara blinked in surprise before shaking her head with conviction. "No! I don't believe that, Mr. Kael!" she said firmly, her blue eyes shining.
"Lord Barbatos granted us a land of freedom — a place where no ruler chains the people, and every heart can follow its own song. He has always been this way: rarely appearing, yet always watching. Whenever he does act, it's because the world faces a crisis beyond mortal reach. He's never demanded anything from us. So how could the people of Mondstadt resent him, just because he remains silent now?"
Her words carried an almost innocent faith — the unshakable belief of a true devotee.
Barbara's tone softened. "Besides, I know Lord Barbatos is still watching over us. If he hasn't appeared, it must be because something has happened to him! Otherwise, why would the leylines be so unstable? My sister once told me that Stormterror was the Dragon of the East Wind — the protector of Mondstadt. If even he has gone berserk, doesn't that mean something has befallen our god?"
Kael looked up at the sky, silent for a long moment.
If I didn't already know the truth, he thought, I'd probably believe her too.
---
[Chat Group Feed]
Venti: "…"
Jean: "…"
Diluc: "…"
Ningguang: "Don't worry, you three. This is just Barbara's speculation. You know Barbatos — he always lands on his feet."
Zhongli: "Indeed. From my experience, the Anemo Archon has a way of turning even calamity into poetry. He is not one to fall easily."
Kael: "Honestly, I don't even know how to correct her. Faith is… interesting. A true believer can turn even a god's absence into evidence of his benevolence."
Keqing: "I still disapprove of Mondstadt's lazy system. The same task that takes one Liyue worker a day takes three Mondstadters a week."
Ningguang: "Keqing, that's not diplomacy, that's slander."
Keqing: "Hmph. I'm only being honest. Still, I understand Barbatos' rule now. Even if their Archon refuses to govern, his people learned freedom from him. That's… admirable in its own way. But if Rex Lapis had allowed Liyue to run itself from the beginning, we'd probably have families as rotten as the Lawrences by now."
Ningguang: "Ah, so the Yuheng has learned humility. How refreshing."
Keqing: "Don't get used to it."
Kael: "To be fair, every nation has its own rot. Inazuma had the Tenryou Commission manipulating the Shogun's decrees for their gain. And in Sumeru — the sages of the Akademiya literally imprisoned the Dendro Archon."
Keqing: "Wait, imprisoned? A god? How is that possible?"
Kael: "Not by strength — by words. Imagine a young god, newly awakened, surrounded by people who constantly tell them they're too naïve, too weak, too inexperienced to lead. Over time, even a divine heart starts to doubt itself."
Keqing: "That's disgusting! To humiliate their own Archon like that—how could they?"
Kael: "..."
Ningguang: "..."
Madame Ping: "..."
---
Kael couldn't help but chuckle softly. Keqing's outrage was sincere — the fiery passion of someone who believed in justice, even if she'd never admit how deeply she revered Rex Lapis.
Still, this wasn't the time to tease her.
He turned back to Barbara, who was still gazing at the horizon, hands clasped in front of her.
"Barbara," Kael said, "five hundred years ago, Teyvat was torn apart by a calamity so vast that even the Archons fought on the front lines. The Dendro Archon was the only one who survived unscathed — and that's because she was the youngest."
Barbara listened, her lips parting slightly.
"The enemies they faced weren't mortals," Kael continued, his tone low and thoughtful. "They were things beyond understanding. When Barbatos returned to Mondstadt after the war, he was already weakened. He needed Dvalin's help to destroy Durin, the dragon corrupted by that same abyssal plague. I suspect… he's been slumbering ever since."
Barbara exhaled slowly, the tension in her shoulders easing — though her eyes still held worry. "Then I pray he's only resting… Lord Barbatos has carried Mondstadt for so long."
Kael smiled faintly. "Maybe he's just sleeping somewhere. Or maybe…" His eyes twinkled with mischief. "He's already awake — hiding in plain sight, pretending to be a drunkard, and quietly watching over everyone."
Barbara's cheeks puffed out, scandalized. "Mr. Kael! You shouldn't say such things about Lord Barbatos! The Church would never approve!"
Kael smirked. "Oh? Then answer me this — who was the first to bring wine to Mondstadt?"
Barbara blinked. "The… the legends say that Lord Barbatos himself did."
"Exactly," Kael said with a knowing grin. "So tell me, Barbara — why would he create wine… if he didn't enjoy drinking it?"
Barbara froze. Her lips parted, her eyes going wide as the realization struck.
Could it be that the Church's image of the Anemo Archon had been… wrong?
Should they, perhaps, offer dandelion wine instead of incense and prayers?
She looked genuinely torn. "Then… maybe our offerings need to be updated…"
Kael chuckled softly and reached out, patting her gently on the head. "You're a good believer, Barbara. Maybe too good."
They continued walking toward Starfell Lake, their footsteps accompanied by the whisper of the wind.
But suddenly, Kael stopped.
The air shifted.
A rush of pure Anemo energy rippled across the land, flowing like a heartbeat through the grass. It was familiar — ancient, yet gentle.
Kael's lips curved into a faint smile. "So… they've arrived."
---
The Traveler and the Star
Far beyond the lake's crystal waters, two figures stood.
The first was a blonde-haired girl with eyes the color of liquid gold — Lumine, the Traveler. The other, a tiny floating companion, shimmered like starlight under the sun.
Paimon.
Kael's gaze lingered on her for a moment, curiosity glinting in his eyes.
That strange presence — that faint echo of Celestia within her — it was no illusion. The connection between her and the heavens was undeniable. If Phanes, the primordial one, was truly gone, then perhaps Paimon carried a fragment of that divine essence.
A tiny god, wrapped in innocence and hunger.
Kael chuckled to himself. "So this is how fate chooses to play its hand."
---
By Starfell Lake, Paimon hovered beside Lumine, her little arms crossed as she gazed at the reflection of Mondstadt in the distance.
"Paimon?" Lumine asked, noticing her companion's unusual silence. "Is something wrong?"
"Ah—! Paimon's fine!" she said quickly, waving her hands. "Paimon just spaced out for a second, that's all!"
Lumine smiled knowingly. "You've been thinking again."
Paimon pouted. "Paimon always thinks! Just not about boring stuff!"
Then, trying to change the topic, she brightened. "Anyway! Traveler, you've got the Anemo powers now, right? Why don't we test them out?"
Lumine laughed softly and nodded. "Alright, Paimon. Let's see what this wind can do."
As she raised her hand, the lake stirred — the breeze circling around her fingertips before lifting her gently off the ground.
The trees whispered, and the wind sang.
Kael, watching from a distance, smiled faintly. "So… the Traveler has arrived. And the game begins anew."
---
End of Chapter 53 — Lumine and Paimon