𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦

Infiltrate

(Third person POV)
Aether, after escaping the three.
Made his way up the stairs to an open balcony, it watched over the lands.

"Xiao?"
Aether asked.

Eyes wandering, for any sign of teal,
"You're late."
Xiao appears next to Aether, making Aether jump a bit.

They sat in a comfortable silence before Aether spoke up.
"I have to depart to Inazuma in a couple weeks."

Xiao's usual cold expression turned into an annoyed one.
Aether noticed this slight change, but decided to continue.

"I'm curious of what happened, in those ruins, I can't help but wonder what events are going to happen because of it. I want to further investigate."
Aether looks back at Xiao whose eyes wandered the landscape.
"I don't know why the abyss has been striking more often, I was wondering something."

Aether continued.
"Your duties to Liyue are admirable, and I understand if you decline my offer, Liyue is important to you."
Aether's lips pressed into a thin line.
"If you are asking me to accompany you my answer is-"

"Yes"
Zhongli interrupted Xiao.

"He'd be happy to follow you on your journey."

Zhongli and Venti walked up the stairs,

Aether glowed at the approval, Xiao on the other hand held a confused face.

"If I were to leave that would break my contract."
Xiao growled in disbelief,

"The contract with Rex Lapis is not of existence if Rex Lapis is dead, you have a choice to help the people of Liyue of your own volition."

Xiao watched his former master, before examining the ground.

Another uncomfortable silence sat.

"Oh Zhongli, I forgot to add that someone I know was looking for someone like you in Liyue. Would you like to help me? Venti and Xiao, you guys are welcome to come along too."
Aether added.

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(Spoilers from Zhongli's new quest)
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Zhongli reveals a large geovishap like creature.
"This is Azhdaha." Zhongli readies his polearm.

"If I fly will it knock me out of the air?" Venti asked.
Zhongli looks at the bard, "Would you like to test it?"

The seals around Azhdaha break, Venti runs up, flying into the air, Zhongli, Xiao, and Aether were watching from the side.

Azhdaha, failing to reach Venti, dug underground.

"Hah, can't get me now fat geovishapPPPPAAAA!!"

Azhdaha then sprang up from the Earth, hurling Venti across the domain.

It then dug back into the ground,
Venti looked up to see the small flying pebbles headed towards him.

Venti was dashing around the domain,

"Zhongli should we help him?"
Aether looks at Zhongli.

"No, this is what he gets for calling me old."

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After some bows flying through the air,
The other three decided to help the poor bard, who escaped with minor injuries.

"Did you always hold some dragon mud monster in Liyue?"
Venti says, pouting.

"You have a dragon as well."
Zhongli states.

Xiao rolled his eyes at the two bickering, looking over to Aether, who wore an anxious look on his face.

Xiao walked over to where Aether stood, "Xiao, what's that?"

Aether stared at a purple dust orb on the floor, where Azhdaha once stood.

Aether had only seen this strange purple wind around Mondstadt, for he had never encountered it in Liyue.

"Venti!"
Aether called out to Venti, who seemed to still be bickering with the older male.

Venti walked over to Aether, looking at the purple dust.
Zhongli walked up behind them.
"That is strange, I have never seen such a thing before."
Zhongli notes.

"These purple dust orbs are not very rare in Mondstadt, but what they are doing in the land of geo, I have no idea."
Venti said, using anemo to make it disappear.

"I have to part ways for now, I have a dinner with Childe."
Zhongli said, pulling at the cuffs of his sleeve, Xiao all but smiled at the mention of the fatui.

Venti held a smirk on his face, "Is that a date?" Venti smirk widened more.

"Keep your unbelievable theories."
Zhongli stated, walking out of the cave.

Venti shifted his attention to Aether.

"Is there any suspicious activity happening around Liyue?"
Venti asked politely.
Aether tilted his head in confusion.
"What do you mean Venti?"

"The abyss was attacking not too long ago, so where did they go off to."
Venti appeared to be lost in thought.

Paimon appears from constellations, "Maybe someone at the adventures guild would know?"

Aether nodded his head, "That's most likely, we can ask Lan."
Aether asked Paimon to pull out a map so they can teleport to Liyue,
"Paimon can't find the map."

Paimon shuffled around a bit, "It's not here."

Aether's hand held his chin, his other hand was placed on his hip. "If we don't have the map we cannot teleport anywhere."
Aether added.

"We can go to Liyue by air."
Xiao stated, before briefly picking up Aether bridal style.

Aether blushed at the sudden motion, hiding his face with his scarf.

"Barb- Venti, will we see you there?"
Xiao questioned.

"Ill meet you guys there."
Venti responded.

Xiao nodded disappearing into wind.

Venti turns back to look at where the purple mist once was, "Usually when blowing the mist away, enemies appear...This was set up."

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Thanks for clearing that up for us Venti :)
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