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We were friends once.
Barbatos would chirp happily, his little body twirling. The small fragile wing to one side fluttered eagerly, chirping high pitched calls to the bard. He turned and dizzied himself, laughing with the bard for what seemed like forever.
We laughed and shared things together.
The bard would keep him on his shoulder, tracing maps and singing songs on the worn lyre, chattering with friends and introducing Barbatos. The little wind sprite would greet them warmly all the same, sharing kindness even the cage of storms.
But that was before he died.
Barbatos clutched the body of his friend, the blooded arrow stuck in his chest. Red seeped and stained the bard’s brown cape and white tunic, as tears dribbled from the god to the bard. He cried, clutching him, feeling the empty coldness from the unmoving body instead of warmth.
~
We were siblings once.
Barbatos looked to his sister with the sibling love, swarming her and loving her deeply. He whistled and nestled into the crook of her neck, as she would keep him warm all the same. Her smile was tight, yet genuine, hair flowing softly as golden shimmered in Barbatos’s eyes.
She was the moon. I guess I was the wind. Or sun.
Barbatos would follow her often, sitting atop her shoulder as she graced over the tops of Chenyu Vale. He would express happiness, as she swirled golden energy around her and made everything sparkle. He once got taken to one of her celebrations nights, where they prayed and chanted to her.
But that was before she died, frozen in time’s hands.
He never got to see, but knew she was gone. Died trying to protect the people she loved. They cared for her, continued on for her, still sang and prayed for her. He often caught himself doing the same.
He wished she’d return again.
~
We were comrades once.
Barbatos is now a archon, sharing meetings with fellow archons, planning events and trading across their lands. Plotting routes for travelers, sharing fine wine and delicious food with his companions, he’d laugh and dismiss every moment happily.
We would stick together. We were strong together.
Barbatos hit down an enemy god, watching as Morax speared another. He waved eagerly, which was returned by a shy gaze and small smile. Makoto has teased them, electrifying opponents as she and Egeria tag teamed the rest.
Morax and him would chase them, forever assaulting them with feathers and playful gestures, throwing the occasional rock or gust of wind until they gave up and admitted defeat. Those were happy times. Barbatos enjoyed times like those.
But that was before they died.
Dead bodies littered the streets of Kanreiah. Makoto, Egeria, slain and killed, bleeding crimson onto the streets. Makoto, engulfed in the cries of her sister, and Egeria, who Focalors mourned deeply.
Morax, who could not say a word, too stunned, and Barbatos, who sobbed and mourned for both. For they were like family, the seven of them.
The original archons went down to five.
~
We were a lot of things once.
The original archons soon diminished, falling to many different little things. Some forgotten, some recused back. Barbatos and Morax were left alone.
We shared so many memories.
Barbatos is crying into Morax, hugging him tight and sobbing tears, his wings curl around the two, as Morax returned the hug and whispered promises they be okay.
But that was before everyone remaining died.
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Everyone was close once.
Barbatos is lonely now. His body does not wrack sobs anymore, nor does it feel. His wings folded tightly, dulled and feathers fraying. His braids were near undone at the ends, blue eyes hollow from any emotion.
They all were such good friends to me.
He can’t remember anyone anymore. What was he taking about? Everyone’s faces, names, everything faded and blurred out, blacked out. Words were muffled, alien to him, as everything blocked out his voice.
Who were they?
He runs for someone, but they fade away to dust. The small particles just fades away, sparking in a dull blood. The next person just slumps into a bloodied puddle, as he sobs, chasing after anything, any remanent of someone.
Can someone help me?
Everything about him shatters into tiny pieces, his wings like glass as they fell onto the ground in small white circles. Everything reverberates loud in his ears, screams and voices overwhelming any of his sentences.
~
We were close once.
Istaroth would care for him like a mother, worshipped alongside him as she helped fulfill his wishes. He helped sculpt and build her dials, helped her and tried making her happy each day.
She was my mother. I loved her like a child would have.
Barbatos often gave her apples, even in her confusion, but would smile and laugh. He’d treat her to wine, which she apparently didn’t like, and take her across Mondstadt to see his handiwork. And he was always so proud of it all.
But that was before she left suddenly.
He cried, sorrow creeping into his voice as he sobbed and begged her to stay. She looked at him with somber eyes, shaking her head and flitting away into the portal. He reached out, feeling his arms go numb as she disappeared in a smattering of stars.
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I had friends once.
He can only run down a narrow corridor, the doors open and with little sigils upon them to represent little things.
He saw the Nameless Bard’s, all his dead Archon friends, Zibai, Morax, he saw them all pass him slowly, agonizingly slow. Behind the doors as they slowly creaked open, the figures peeked out, waving, a smile on some of their faces, others, a look of exasperation from yet another bottle of wine.
I didn’t have the heart to tell them how I viewed life. It was not for them, a burden, to bear. It would never be. Only me.
He cries as he stumbles forward, grasping at arms that would normally hold him, tell him it be okay, but it slipped, fell, there was nothing there—
“Barbatos—“
“Barbatos—“
“Venti—“
“Venti, wait—“
“Lord Barbatos, wait for me—“
“My Wind Sprite Ceme’re!”
“Bard. Come on. Egeria is inviting us—“
“Stop, stop, please stop.” He begged, clasping his head as the voices grew. He ran, faster, faster, into a full sprint propelled by the winds pushing him forward. He felt the ground crack underneath him, felt it fall, spreading his wings to catch himself. They brushed the broken floor as he flew up, the doors spiraling downwards as the darkness sucked everything in. Around him, white feathers fell, slowly, as his wings beat harder and harder towards the light.
“Mother! M-mother!” He gasped for breath, feeling tiredness claim him as his limbs nearly gave.
“P-please! Help—help me!” He took another big gasp as his body halted and dropped mid-air, feeling hands, cold to the touch drag him back down.
“N-no!” He struggles, blasting frantic shots of winds at the hands, as they relentlessly continued to drag him, pulling his body, his wings, as a desperate final flap stopped. His body gave, the hands falling away as he dropped down, falling free-fall, his wings on either side whipping upwards rapidly. The light that he saw altered to the form of a person, as his eyelids grew lidded, and he dazedly closed them.
“It’s so dark, mother,” he whispered, as cold and colder temperatures claimed him, feeling the darkness swallow him whole. “Are you gonna save me?”
…
But that was before she let me drown.
~