STORMS AND THOUGHTS

(A while after the meeting with Barbatos)

Aether

He was out in a storm. Aether had gone out flying and a storm had hit. A lightning storm. A lightning storm and her brother was out flying. He was reckless, oh so reckless, he would not have landed when the storm rolled in. Aether loved storms, like really loved storms. Lumine was sure the only reason he was still alive was because she normally locked him in his room when it so much as rained. Aether would complain, of course, but it was Lumine's only job: keep your big brother alive. Her ONLY job. The one thing she has tasked herself with in their travels. It wasn't because he was the crown prince, she knew he could care less about his destiny. She could care less about his destiny. It was because they were siblings, and siblings (especially the younger ones) made sure the other parts of their whole survived. Which is why Aether simply should NOT be allowed out in a storm.

;

Rain. RAIN. Yes, finally it was raining! It was raining, and there was no Lumine in sight. It had been years since she had discovered Aether's love of dangerous weather. She had then become that annoying younger sister that you try so hard to argue with but just can't quite manage to win against. She was a remarkably skilled younger sister. Not that the one minute between them could count for much…

Aether had gone out for a flight above the lake. The view was amazing. He could never resist coming out here at least once per week. He had flown this path thousands of times, and yet he never tired of it. There was a freedom out here. One that Aether just couldn't find in the city. Sternenlicht was amazing, don't ever get him wrong. He was what his sister called a free spirit. It was why they had always traveled. She had been the one to suggest they travel across worlds, get to know the people. Before he would be chained down by duty in a few centuries.

Being charged with reining in the wayward stars by his father. Even when everybody knew he couldn't do it. His father had always been disappointed in Aether, he knew not why. So Aether left the leading here to Lumine. He did the small things, unimportant things that wouldn't be missed. And then he came out here and just flew. He didn't think, he didn't plan, he just mindlessly enjoyed the amazing view.

The storm hit, and at first he hadn't even noticed. The first thing to clue him in was the wind. It battered at him, threatened to blow him into the lake. It was POWERFUL. And it reminded him that no matter how strong Aether and his sister were, every world had a way to fight back. Here, it was the elements. Less directly, it was the Archons.

The storm was a strong one, but Aether was not inexperienced. An ancient being normally learned how to survive a pesky little storm. He danced between lightning bolts with a grace that would terrify even Lumine, who had seen this deadly dance many times before. She had eventually given into her sisterly instincts and forced him inside. This was the first time he had danced since before arriving in Teyvat. Aether grinned as the waves rose to deadly heights and the wind howled.

;

He had been dancing for hours when he saw it. A sparkle of green at the edge of his vision. Perhaps it was the blinding dazzle from the lightning reflecting off a wave, but Aether's dancing turned from gleeful to wary. He was a warrior, had been his entire life. He would not be caught off guard in even the strongest of storms on the wildest of worlds. This storm was nothing compared to even the Archon war, when wind and fire spread at deadly speeds across the land. Aether could fight in a storm, he had trained for it in case he needed to enforce rule on a world of storms. However, if this sparkle of green was an enemy, chances were, it too could fight in a storm. It was also obvious that it could fly.

Aether waited until he saw the flash again, and dashed towards it. He hoped to see it before he lashed out. Killing a non hostile creature just because it distracted him was a good way to anger a god. Barbatos had been kind, and very welcoming of them, but gods were never exact copies of each other. This being could be angry, and unwelcoming to the Twins.

He got closer, and Aether saw that it was huge. Possibly the largest living thing he had yet encountered up close on Teyvat. He had seen Morax, and would estimate he was larger than this. It was hard to get a good look at the beast, the lightning kept blinding Aether. It was obvious however, that it was huge. Aether hoped he would be able to meet this creature in the future. Now, however, was not the ideal time. The storm was picking up again. He soon wouldn't be adept enough to concentrate on anything but his dance. This was the most powerful storm he had encountered in centuries. The first few hours had been deceptively calm, and he had come to think this world did not have strong storms. He was mistaken, and it was glorious.

;

The rain crashed and battered against him as he watched the little god dance. It was impressive, how long it had lasted. The tiny creature had gotten closer to him earlier, but had not been able to get a good view. The rain had picked up and it had gone back to it's dance. Was this little god one of those Barbatos had met? The sprite had come to him and in his high pitched voice told Dvalin of the beautiful golden haired god from the stars. Barbatos had been in love, it was obvious. Dvalin wondered how much chaos a Barbatos in love could cause. It would be best if this was taken care of quickly. If this was his own hatchling, he would drag them together and leave them alone until all was taken care of. Unfortunately, Barbatos was not his. It also seemed that neither could see the other loved him. Such a sense was quite helpful in eradicating awkwardness, the little gods should develop this skill. Mmmmmmm, but no matter. They would figure it out eventually. They had all the time in the world, and this world would last for a very long time.

Dvalin had flown over because the storm had worried him. He had felt a presence here often lately. It was just the little god's luck that the storm had come on the same day as he. The little god had looked overjoyed when the rain started to fall. Dvalin had originally come to tell the little god to go back inside, but watching it dance had reminded him of his first flight. The joyful freedom of life rushing through your blood. So he had stayed, and now waited to make sure the little god was okay. It would not do for a newcomer of this world to fall victim to a storm he could have helped them avoid.

So the little god would be safe. He would not fall to this storm.

-;-

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