Chapter Text
Almost a month had passed since Decarabian died on his throne, thanks to the rebellion's victory over the tyrannical god, and finally all the funerals for those who had fallen during the rebellion were over, although the pain of loss lingered. Although the rebellion had emerged victorious at the end of all the pain that had been suffered and the people could feel freedom for the first time in their lives, the wind was no longer cruel, but nevertheless, their concerns could not end with their victory. Although the government of the Tyrant God had completely fallen, all the survivors had to reorganize themselves in some way to survive all the changes of being away from the tyrant's pressure, because for almost all of them, that was the only thing they had ever known, and they did not know very well how to act in the new circumstances surrounding them.
But they couldn't just stand still, lamenting their losses, now that they were completely free from the oppression of the fallen god. The rebels and civilians had to focus on coming together to rebuild a new life with their newfound freedom. Gunnhildr, one of the leaders of the rebellion, took the initiative to gather all the survivors and organize them into groups on the outskirts of the destroyed city. For many of them, it was the first time in their lives that they had been able to leave the city, finally stepping outside the fallen wind barriers. A temporary settlement began to be built quickly.
At first, the settlement was completely disorganized, since after all, many were civilians and had never done anything like this before. However, under the guidance of Gunnhildr, who had experience due to her clan's circumstances in the past, she helped guide the population. Soon, a group made up mostly of soldiers from the rebellion was formed to establish patrols around the camp to keep an eye out for any possible dangers they did not know about from the outside. For a while, things were done in a hurry, since after all, everyone had to be protected from the cold. Even though the winds were no longer as fierce and cruel as before, the cold caused by the snow persisted, despite not having the constant cruelty they had seen in the past.
Although Gunnhildr was one of the leaders of the rebellion alongside the red-haired knight who had managed to survive, she helped by organizing the survivors so that everyone had what they needed. Civilians who had had no contact with the rebellion still had serious doubts not only about its surviving leaders, but also about the elf who was helping the rebellion.
For, in the end, the elf had ascended to divinity, becoming a new god. When mortals gathered, they whispered reasonable doubts that arose from their lack of knowledge about them, since in their eyes nothing assured them that this newborn god would not become a new tyrant following in the footsteps of the Decarabian God. For them, the gods were not at all trustworthy, as they could easily change their minds and quickly turn against them. Therefore, the protection that the divine spirit had established against the cold in the camp could become the foundations of new divine walls that would create a new prison.
The members of the rebellion, trying to calm doubts about the spirit, recounted their experiences with him during the preparations for the uprising and spoke of his kind personality. But it didn't help that rumors were spreading that the red-haired knight, who was one of the leaders of the rebellion, had accused the spirit of being a traitor for his ascension to divinity, and no matter how hard they tried, people still felt very uncomfortable when they saw him. The young god decided to step aside so as not to worry people and spent most of his time in an old cabin that was somewhat apart from the civilians.
In this cabin, on the edge of the camp but next to where the survivors of the rebellion gathered to organize, was the spirit of the thousand winds, who had become a god in his own right. He was sitting, deep in thought, looking out the window. The God was still not completely accustomed to his new human form; for him, it was a completely new experience. However, his connection with the other winds remained strong despite his ascension, which was a small constant amid all the sudden changes and new experiences he had undergone in recent weeks.
All the losses they had suffered: his beloved bard had died for his convictions and was unable to enjoy the fruits of his labor of being free from stormy barriers and seeing birds fly for the first time, and his beloved Amos fell at the hands of Decarabian, whom he had once called his beloved and who, even at the end, did not look her in the eyes when he killed her.
The death of his dear friends was causing him to experience new feelings: a deep sadness, even though he knew that one day he would have to say goodbye to them, as they were all mere mortals and their lives were especially short. But part of him really hoped that it would be after a long time and not because of the repercussions of war.
As for his beloved friends, who survived the end of the revolt, they somehow remained by his side, even as he suffered through all the changes brought about by his ascension. Gunnhildr remained completely steadfast by his side, even though the red-haired knight lashed out at him when he realized that the spirit had become a god, seeing it as a great betrayal of all the reasons they had fought for. The infant god listened to everything he shouted at him without protest; although the redhead no longer addressed him, he remained in the camp to help Gunnhildr care for the civilians. In the evenings, they would argue about their different opinions toward their friend who had become a god. Although they fought far away from everyone else, the winds carried all their arguments without fail, but not only theirs, but also those of everyone else in the camp.
For the god, who heard through the winds all the worried whispers and anger of mortals, he felt neither pity nor anger for their doubts, since he understood that the mortals who had suffered under the dictatorial God and had fought against the divine felt so frustrated that, upon defeating the tyrant and seeing him ascend to him, it seemed that a new God would impose himself on them to rule them once again.
Although he did not desire this divinity and wanted to rid himself of it as soon as he realized he had become divine, his brothers in the winds quickly prevented him from doing so and informed him of the dangers his beloved humans could suffer if he renounced his divinity. Because beyond the borders of Decarabian and Andrius, which they had managed to maintain for centuries, the war between the other gods for one of the seven divine thrones was in full swing, and some of these deities were constantly seeking out defenseless mortal peoples without divine protection to turn them into slaves who would worship them, thinking that by increasing their influence, they would have a better chance of obtaining one of the thrones.
Even though Decarabian's death should have spread quickly across the continent of Teyvat, no god had approached, thinking that Andrius was solely responsible for the death of the god of storms, having somehow become the most powerful in order to finally kill his eternal enemy. While this kept foreign gods at bay, that protection would not last long. Divine beings are as curious as mortals, and they would begin to investigate what Andrius could have done to become more powerful. And upon finding out, if they could replicate it in themselves to increase their power, they would discover that it was not the wolf god, but the mortals who had lived under the wind barriers, who had killed the god Decarabian. And like rabid animals, they would rush toward the defenseless mortals, seeking to understand how they had managed to do what seemed impossible to them, all for the desire for power and recognition.
That fear was more than enough reason not to renounce his new divinity, even if he had no divine name other than the nickname his beloved bard had given him: “Venti.” His only name, because beings like him, the thousand winds, needed no distinction, for they were one, although he had now changed, and was now more of a singular than part of a whole.
As a new god, he should listen to mortals, nature, and everything around him, so that he can care for them as best as his inexperienced self can. Even though mortals distrust him, he loves them and will protect them with all his power. However, he will not make the same mistakes as Decarabian and will not suffocate them, imprisoning them for fear of losing them; he will give them as much freedom as security and will see them flourish despite all the adversity they have suffered.
The newborn god “Venti” blinked, coming out of his reflection. Rising, he left the small hut to go to the rebels' main tent and speak with his dear friend Gunnihldr to ask if she needed him to do anything else for the camp. Everyone was helping in some way, such as the Inmancurls and the Lawrences, who would soon go hunting to feed the entire camp. He really wanted to help more, because he didn't like sitting still in that little hut, which only made him feel even sadder. With the hood of his cloak up, he walked calmly into the tent where his friends were.
Leaving behind only his gentle wind, it flowed calmly throughout the camp, enveloping everyone in a warm protection.
With dawn breaking beyond the camp, among the wild mountains, ice and snow covered everything, the almost inhospitable lands like a thick blanket. The howls of wolf packs ran swiftly and freely among the snow-covered mountains, hunting giant wild boars to feed the pack.
The icy north wind moved easily through the mountains and forests, leaving its icy touch everywhere it passed. The dense foliage of the trees was covered by a strange mist that seemed to emanate an arcane aura, which seemed to increase with every passing second, as the mist grew and moved as if it had a life of its own.
The icy wind seemed to be accompanied by the strange mist with its magical behavior, and they continued on their way until they reached the camp, where the icy wind faded away. Outside the camp, the knights continued their routine of patrolling the eastern borders, passing every few minutes in front of the two sentries who remained at the main entrance to the camp.
Everything seemed routine, just like every other day over the past three weeks, until one of the sentry knights noticed a strange fog forming that seemed to be rising from the distant forest. Before he could alert his comrade to the strange event he was witnessing, multiple powerful wolf howls broke the calm of the day from the forest. The soldiers instantly went on guard to protect the camp, thinking it was an attack by a pack of wolves that had come too close.
But the strange mist increased, becoming denser and rising higher, further alarming the soldiers, when an immense wolf-like figure emerged from the thick fog. Andrius, the wolf god, in his majestic and ferocious appearance, let his icy and divine presence immobilize the guards with fear.
Breaking the eerie silence, the god “Lupus Boreas” spoke with a guttural growl.
— To you, mortals, who seem to guard the borders of this human village, I give you a message to deliver —. Andrius spoke, making the soldiers tremble as they stood firm despite their fear and the cold caused by the presence of the wolf god.
— Go to your human leaders and tell the young god who has taken you under his protection that he must come to my kingdom. It is time for us to speak of God to God —. Said the wolf god, and his giant wolf-like figure began to dissolve into the mist, leaving only his wolf-like eyes shining with power and warning.
— Don't keep me waiting —. With the warning given, the god's beastly eyes disappeared along with the fog, and after a few moments, the suffocating presence evaporated completely. After the wolf god's aura disappeared, the soldiers were finally able to breathe normally again. As soon as one of the sentries managed to shake off the daze caused by the wolf god's presence and message, he took a deep breath, turned around, and quickly ran from the camp entrance to the tent where the leaders of the rebellion and the young god would meet at that time of the morning.
~Moments earlier in the main tent of the former rebels~
No matter how early someone started the day, inside the tent there was constant movement. The large wood-burning brazier kept a fiery glow that warmed the large tent and all its occupants who remained busy with their tasks: someone tending the flames, others planning the meals that could be made at the camp for the next few days, a larger group laughing and chatting happily while knitting, sewing clothes, and blankets for the people at the camp who would need them. But one small group in particular stood out in the tent. Three unusual people were sitting at a table, talking with a slight seriousness in their voices.
One of them was the young god “Venti,” who was talking with Gunnhildr and the red-haired Gustav Ragnvindr about the camp's scarce resources and future plans to rebuild the city in a new location. But a playful wind surrounded the god, warning him that something had happened, causing him to abruptly stop participating in the conversation and turn his gaze to the main entrance of the tent. Gunnhildr stopped immediately when she noticed the strange pause in their conversation and looked at her friend with confusion, while the redhead just watched him with some annoyance.
— What's going on? —. Gustav Ragnvindr asked sharply, somewhat annoyed by the interruption of the important conversation. When loud alarm noises were heard from outside the tent, the red-haired knight rose from his seat to check what was happening when a sentry soldier ran into the tent, breathing heavily and looking pale.
— My lords, something has happened. I wanted to inform you that the wolf god Andrius has appeared outside the camp and left a message —. said the soldier quickly, his voice trembling with nervousness, as he bowed slightly.
Both Gunnihildr and the red-haired knight were paralyzed, not out of fear, but out of confusion, wondering why the god Andrius had decided to approach the camp now and not right after the barriers fell when Decarabian died. Thinking quickly about the possible reasons why the god would come now, he made both mortals, almost in unison, look cautiously at their divine friend, who had not uttered a word and whose figure showed no body language that betrayed what he was thinking at that moment.
Although his face was partially hidden by his cloak, it was clear that he smiled sweetly and raised his hand to gesture to the soldier to come closer to them. With an angelic voice, he spoke.
— There is no need to bow. Come closer without fear. We are among friends and allies here. Come and tell me clearly, young Edward, what happened?” And what did the wolf god Andrius say? —. She spoke with divine gentleness. The soldier raised his head, surprised by the god's sweet manner of speaking and that for some reason he knew his name even though he was a nobody. The soldier straightened up instantly and took a few steps closer as he looked at the god and the two mortals standing on either side of him. The redhead remained standing in the same place with his firm posture, while Gunnihildr smiled at the soldier, nodding her head, inviting him to continue speaking with confidence.
— Just a few minutes ago, I was standing guard at the camp entrance when a strange fog emerged from the woods, and before we could report this strange occurrence, the wolf god Lupus Boreas emerged from the fog —. Said the guard, a little calmer after experiencing the terrifying event, looking at the young god whose presence seemed to calm all fear. said the guard, a little calmer after experiencing the terrifying event, looking at the young god whose presence seemed to calm all fear.
— He wanted me to tell you that it was time to meet with you, young sir, to discuss, more specifically, he said: ‘To the god who currently protects you, who must come to my kingdom, it is time we talk about God, to God.’ —. The soldier finished speaking as he looked at the three figures. Everyone present in the tent had listened attentively to everything, and had remained in almost complete silence, and was filled with unease upon hearing what the Wolf God desired.
— I am very grateful to you for informing us of this —. Replied the young god, maintaining a gentle and sweet tone. The redhead seemed to straighten up and glanced briefly at his fellow rebels and loyal allies who were in the tent with them, and finally turned his gaze to the sentry.
— You may leave now, return to your post until your shift is over, and the rest of you, leave the tent and leave us alone —. Ordered the redhead in a forceful and authoritative voice, causing everyone to stand firm as they spoke, worried about what would happen in the future.
— Don't be alarmed, my friends, we will talk, and we will inform you of what we have decided when we are finished —. Gunnihildr said in a tone of voice that was more confident but more serene than that of her companion. — Leave calmly, we will most likely inform you at noon of what we have decided to do about this new development —.
The soldier nodded firmly, bowed respectfully to the god, turned around, and quickly withdrew back to his post. The others in the tent quickly followed him out through the tent entrances, leaving only the god, Gunnhildr, and the red-haired knight, who stood in tense silence for a few moments as they watched everyone leave. After being left completely alone, the silence lingered for a few moments before it was finally broken.
— Although I think it would be better if Lord Lawrence and Lady Immaculate were with us, they are both on their hunting expedition and will not return until nightfall. Even if we send someone to catch up with them to inform them, it will take them a long time to return, so it is preferable that we talk alone for now —. Said the redhead in his thick, deadly serious voice, sitting back down in his seat and directing his glare at his former divine friend, who remained silent.
— Dear Venti, I don't think it's a good idea for you to accept this wolf god's request —. Said Gunnhildr with a small, nervous smile, very concerned for her friend.
— Request! That was not a request —. Ragnvindr roared angrily as he slammed his hand on the table. — It was a damn order, that damn god who thinks he has every right to come here and try to give us orders —. Said the redhead furiously, very upset by everything that had happened.
— I understand that you have your concerns, my friends, but this meeting was bound to happen sooner or later since Decarabian died. Lord Andrius was kind enough to give us time to adjust after the end of the rebellion —. Said Venti tensely as he looked at his friends.
— Why is this meeting necessary, Venti? —. Asked Gunnhildr doubtfully. Venti, with the weight of knowledge falling on his shoulders, let out a long sigh, worrying his friends even more as they waited expectantly for what their divine friend would say.
— Because of Decarabian's wind barrier and Andrius' snowstorm, you were all practically isolated from the rest of the world, and it prevented the younger generations from knowing what was happening beyond the borders, but the barriers are now down —. Said Venti in a slightly tired tone, and as he looked directly into his friends' eyes, the tension seemed to increase for the two mortals.
— Due to certain circumstances, there is a large-scale war between the gods beyond the borders, a massacre of gods and mortals. All caused by a decision made in the heavens, seven thrones; only seven winners will survive among thousands of earthly gods —. Said Venti seriously, his hands clasped together.
Shock was reflected on the faces of the mortals, the realization of what this meant for them and all the people who depended on them. They had left their horrible prison only to enter a scenario far worse than they could have imagined. Knight Ragnvindr slumped into his chair and covered his face with his hands, trying to process it all. And Gunnhildr, stiff with the information, took a deep breath to ask once more.
— Why? ... Do you know why the celestials decided to do this? —. She asked, fearful and anxious, hoping to find an answer that might calm her.
— As I understand it, it's simply that there are too many earthly gods, and that is causing the delicate balance of our world to begin to falter. In short, it's a kind of purge of gods —. Venti replied sincerely.
Understanding a little better what was happening, the two mortals forced themselves to concentrate on what they could do despite the growing fear that the new information had given them. The god just watched them and waited patiently for them to compose themselves a little more so they could continue talking. The red-haired knight finally composed himself after a few minutes.
— So what will that wolf god do, kill you to get rid of another rival to those divine thrones? —. Asked Gustav Ragnvindr, even more suspicious of the wolf god's intentions with the new information.
— I don't think he'll attack me. If he wanted to, any of the divine thrones and all the other foreign gods would have attacked me the moment they sensed my ascension in order to kill me, thus securing their place in the heavens —. Said Venti, with an almost invisible smile.
— But any doubts we have about him will be resolved at our next meeting —. He declared. — A meeting that would be best held tomorrow around noon —.
— Tomorrow! —. Exclaimed the two humans, shocked by their friend's decision.
— Why? Tomorrow, Venti? Wouldn't it be better to wait a few days or maybe a week? —. Gunnhildr spoke quickly, her voice full of concern.
— No, this meeting has already been delayed long enough, and the more days that pass, the more danger we will face, thinking of Andrius as an enemy and worrying about new external enemies. It is better that this meeting finally clear up any doubts about him and prepare us only against the foreign gods that may appear —. Said Venti with serious eyes, but his voice still gentle.
— Fine, but you won't go alone —. Said the redhead, standing up.
— I'll go prepare the horses so we can leave first thing tomorrow morning for the kingdom of the wolves —. Said the knight, leaving the tent. Gunnhildr looked at Venti, and he smiled at her again.
— All right, I'll go tell the others what we're going to do and prepare what they'll do tomorrow —. Said Gunnhildr, getting up to leave the tent as well. — Would you like to come with me, Venti? —.
— Don't worry about me, I'll go back to the cabin. I don't want to bother the others with my presence —. Venti replied. She nodded slowly, understanding her friend's reasons, and left the tent.
For a few minutes, Venti remained alone in the tent, accompanied only by the winds that brought him news of everything that was happening in the camp. Gunnhildr walked to the center of the camp, calling everyone to gather there. Everyone in the camp gathered to listen to her.
— I know you've all heard what happened a few hours ago, that the Wolf God came to the outskirts of the camp asking to meet with the divine spirit who has helped us —. Gunnhildr said in a strong voice. Everyone listened as they murmured, wondering anxiously why the wolf god wanted to meet with the young god.
— We have spoken with our beloved guardian spirit Venti, and it has been agreed that the meeting will take place tomorrow —. she continued before being interrupted by exclamations of concern. — Please calm down. I know you are worried about this, but it has already been decided. I and the knight Ragnvindr will accompany the Spirit Venti, and first thing tomorrow morning we will depart for the kingdom of the wolves —. She continued in a firm but calm voice, — Your routines will not change, only the guards will increase their patrols when we leave to ensure your protection —. She looked at the crowd, still slightly nervous, but now a little calmer.
— You can go back to your tents or whatever you were doing, that's all —. She ended the quick meeting, standing still, watching most of the people leave, chatting among themselves, while a group approached Gunnhildr to talk to her.
On the other side of the camp, in the stables, the red-haired knight was preparing the horses' saddles all by himself, focused on his thoughts and all the new information Venti had given him.
Venti, who had already returned to his cabin and was lying on his bed, thought about all the possibilities that could happen tomorrow to calm himself down, and began to hum the song of his beloved bard.
“Tomorrow, everything will be fine,” the three thought at the same time, despite being in different places.
“For us, for everyone. Forever.”