An Encounter #4
One day later…Wangshu Inn 7 A.M
Aether and Paimon are getting ready for their first meeting with an adepti: Moon Carver
And Aether is sorting his gear…They are…
Dull blade, Maiden's set Artifact (A/N: All are Percent HP/Percent DEF/Percent HP and flat DEF, flat HP, Percent HP, Percent DEF as sub stats xP), some foods, Mora, few Primogems, and a lot of Klee's bombs…
"Why are you keep using this garbage gear? Don't you have the Black sword?" Paimon asked him.
"BECAUSE IT'S THE PLOT SAID SO!(*)" Aether's scream made Paimon shot up.
Normally he uses the Black sword to farm gears but for some unknown reasons, he has to use the Dull blade for the main quest…and he hates it…
"So, what about the Artifacts…these are the worst Artifacts I've ever seen" The fairy asked him again.
"Go and ask the Archon about my luck…I've farmed everything so hard on the dungeons yet they just gave me trashy one" he said in disappointment, he was almost going to cry a few times because of this….
"What about the weapon then…?"
"Remember the time when we need Venti for quest? We had to "donate" so many Primogems to him so he can join and help us…Not to mention a lot of my Primogems was somehow going to a wrong person before him…and the weapon we got were useless swords" Aether said…the painful and sorrow can be seen on his face…Oh the luck…
At least he still has the Black sword… (By spending other's world currency~).
"Oh…I see…" Paimon said. She then saw Klee's bombs "And why do you have so many Klee's bombs?"
Aether's looking at Paimon, his dangerous face is showing up and a devilish grin:
- It's a surprise tool that will help us later~
Sometimes, Paimon is so scared of him. She's also asking herself how did he manage to get this far with all these gears…
Flashback...
Mondstadt… 1 Month before Aether and Paimon leave to Liyue for their next journey…
Knight of Favonious's HQ.
Klee was grounded after the incident about the "Treasure's hunt" in the last time…lucky for her the victim was not a person but an Abyss Mage instead…
After Jean took Klee to the confinement's room, Aether asked Jean if he can visit Klee before he goes to Liyue.
Klee's Confinement room? (Or Her Weapon factory…)
"Are you sure about being in this room for a long time?" - Aether asked.
"Don't worry I am being like this for the whole time, I want to join the Ludi Harpastum so I can take it" Klee said with excitement…
Aether really admire Klee about her spirit…He's not sure about if he can stay in this small room for a long time…
"Can you make more of this? I need it for the "fishing trip"" Aether asked, his innocent smile somehow made Paimon amused.
Before Paimon was about to say something but the death glare from Aether stopped her. She knows when not to mess with him.
"Really! I'm glad to help!" Klee was so hyped…
"You're the best Klee! Next time, when I get back, I will take you to the treasure's hunt again!"
Meanwhile in Jean's office…
"I felt a great disturbance in the force…~" - Jean said, she sensed something bad but she doesn't know what it is…
And after a few day Aether got a lot of "Fishing's equipment" from Klee…He also received the formula to make these things from her too…
Flashback ended...
Present time...Yuehai Pavilion…7.30 A.M
Keqing is in her office, waiting for any news from the recon's unit. 30 minutes earlier, Ningguang informed her about the golden hair boy is heading to the Jueyun Karst to meet Moon Carver and Keqing want to ambush him there.
"Dear mistress, it seems like our intel was correct, they are heading to Jueyun Karst to meet Moon Carver. We should mobile our force soon" The spy told to Keqing.
"Very well then, get the Millelith's solider ready!"
Millelith training center.
Keqing form a group of Millelith's solider to fight that golden hair boy, she knows she can't defeat him easily by her own so she needs more help…but she still only able to use limited force…
But how to convince these people to join her…They know that boy has single handily defeated like 10 of them in the same time…But then a Millelith's captain had an idea
"Whoever want to join me will get a photograph of Ganyu asleep in her office" the Millelith's captain said to the group and showed some of the picture…
"Ohhhh!" And the soldiers go wild…
Keqing's feeling so unsure about this but at least it boosted the troop's morale very well…
"How did you get these photos…?" Keqing asked him.
"I got them from the black market…it's really expensive you know"
"What…?"
2 hours later… 9.30 A.M… in Jueyun Karst…
After moving for 10 minutes more, Aether and Paimon have arrived Moon Carver's base. They saw a stag is walking toward them.
"Hmm an outlander…" The creature is staring at both of them, cautiously.
"Oh look, Aether…a stag is talking…" Paimon said to him, she somehow feels excitement…but…
"Stag! I am not stag! I'm an adeptus! Hmph! How insolent! " Moon Carver was very angry about this…
Aether then trying to calm him down…"Please listen to me, I don't want to mean it, it's my companion is always acting dumb sometimes…" then he continued "But if you like I can offer her as food if you like…"
"Hey, I'm NOT food!" Paimon screamed at him…
And it somehow worked well.
"Lucky for you I'm not a person likes to eat that thing…Although it looks good…" The adepti chuckled.
"I told you so…" Aether whispered to the fairy.
Paimon is just like frozen in the air…thinking about herself: "What did I do to deserve this…"
"So, what brought you here, Traveler?" Moon Carver's serious voice returned.
Aether gave out the "Sigil of Permission" and told him about what happened…
"Rex Lapis has been Killed!? Impossible" Moon Carver shouted. "Those The Liyue Qixing...utterly disappointing. How could someone possibly assassinate Rex Lapis during the Rite of Descension...And then place suspicion upon the attendees!?".
Aether and Paimon can feel the strong wind around them, they are afraid if it keeps going like this…he will blow up the whole city…
But it seems like they are not the only one whose is witnessing this…
There are a quite large group of people are also watching this in terror… and it's Keqing and a group of Millelith's soldier…They are hiding behind a large rock. After heard those words from Moon Carver they started to feel anxious.
"Are you sure you want to stay here anymore…If he spots us, he will blow all of us up…" One of the soldiers said, his hand is shivering bad.
"Yeah, I don't want to get killed like this…I don't have a girlfriend yet..." the other said.
"Mom pick me up I'm scared…~" Another one said.
Seeing these troops like this made Keqing really disappointed, but she still trying to calm them down. She doesn't want to miss this rare chance to catch that boy. She has "lost" to him 2 times (or 3?) and she really hate losing especially for some silly reason.
"Calm down all! Where did all of your spirit go?" Keqing really want to shout out at them but she still trying to keep her voice low "Let's move up a bit".
The group then moving up silently to approach the boy but then…
Keqing tripped on a small rock on the way…
Something feels so Deja vu…
Aether, Paimon and Moon Carver heard the sound. They looked around but didn't see anything. Moon Carver after that gave out a warning:
"...disturbing our borders. One will not have interruption. Show yourself or face my wraith!"
A few minutes later a group of people started to go out of cover, Aether then saw the familiar face…Keqing.
"Oh, is the cat girl again!" Paimon said in surprise.
"How many times I've told you! I'm not the cat girl!" Keqing growled and staring at Aether "We meet again…golden hair boy, you will not get away this time".
"Give me a break…" Aether sighed.
Moon Carver saw a girl is not afraid but showing a very bravery, a strong person…He started to ask her:
"May I know who you are…human?"
"My name is Keqing, one of the Liyue Qixing" Keqing said with bold.
"The Liyue Qixing? How convenient, I was talking about your people…It seem like I've put too much trust on them"
Keqing keep pointing at the golden hair boy trying to prove their innocent: "It's him who has done it! Not us!"
"And now you are taking a blame on him…" Moon Carver said in intimidating voice.
Aether is feeling something so familiar before…Their first encounter…he was also being blamed by Keqing like this.
Aether then said to Keqing, smirked: "Well, well how the turntables~"
The karma may be is real…
"Well…I…" Keqing stuttering…she doesn't know what to say next.
Keqing realizes she can't win in this situation. But if she gets back now, she will get ridiculed by Ningguang again. And then a few days later this new will spread like wildfire: One of the strongest Qixing get defeated by a certain unknown golden hair boy without a fight…
And she hates it. She has no choice left but to fight.
"How about this? I will fight you…If I win, I will take the golden hair boy with me" Keqing said to Moon Carver.
"But if you lose?"
"Then…I…" She doesn't know what she should say to exchange her demand.
"You will have to stop killing that boy and follow him to help his journey…I want to find out who killed Rex Lapis…" Moon Carver said with his determination.
"What!? That the worst exchange ever" Keqing shouted at Moon Carver's demand
"Wait, what…no way!" Aether surprised too.
"If you refuse this then the contact is off. Me and our other Adeptus will blow the whole city up" Moon Carver said to both of them.
Aether knows the Adepti are really powerful being, they can turn the whole Liyue down if they want. But Keqing still doesn't know about this…she only knows they are strong but not knows how strong are they.
If he loses…the result will be even worse…it's the end for him…
Aether has no choice but to accept it. The same goes to Keqing…she doesn't want to miss this chance. She really wants to catch that golden hair boy at all cost.
"Alright then, we have a deal…" Keqing said, accepting his demand.
After a few minutes, the area around is clear for the showdown. Keqing vs Moon Carver.
But with a "little" different…
Moon Carver then jumped out of the fighting's field…only Aether, Keqing and Millelith's soldiers left...
Keqing said in suprise: "You said you are going to fight us! Why did you back off!?".
"If you want to get that boy, you will have to fight him… but don't worry…" Moon Carver said as he's channeling his enegry to Aether.
"I will give him part of my power…considering you are fighting me" He continued.
Aether then feel a massive enegry is flowing in to his body…he's now feeling lighter, faster and way stronger than normal. He summoned his sword (The Dull blade one) and swung the sword in the air a 1,2 time then…
A massive powerful wind slashes came out from that swing and cut through a lot of trees and a few rocks made Keqing and her group startled.
"KONO…POWA…!" Aether shouted something in other world's language…
He's now getting movitated.
"I knew it! I shouldn't had taken this offer!" One of soldiers said, he's almost freaked out soon…
"Shut up! We will win this, everyone keep calm!" Keqing try to hold them together but it seems like is not working overtimes…
"Paimon!" Aether snapped his fingers "Bringing the music please!"
"You've got it!" Paimon then brought out a small device then pressed the button and the music started to play from it. There're some words on the device showed up: "BURY THE LIGHT".
"And the fight has started!" Moon Carver announced
Keqing and the group charging toward to Aether but only a for a few meters then…
A massive wind is gathering around him, Keqing and the group can somehow feel like being pulled closed to him. They try to hold their feet but it's not working, they are still being pulled in.
"I AM THE STORM THAT IS APPROACHING!" Aether shouted at them as rapid multiple of wind blade came out at each time he slashed.
His fast strikes made the Millelith's soldiers are unable to do anything but to take a lot of hit from him. Although the force from Aether's attack is really powerful but he knows how to limit his strengh so he can make them unable to fight by knocking them out only.
10.., 15...,20 hits… the number of Millelith's soldiers is decreasing a lot… After that, only 11 of them and Keqing left.
One of them almost reached Aether but he got hit by another attack.
"Rasen….gan!"A strong wind formed from Aether's palm…it hit and knock that person off unconscious…
Keqing's still stunning in place after she saw this non-human strength from him…He's already strong when she fought him in the first time now, he's getting even a lot more powerful with the buff from the adepti.
She really wants to give up now… But…
If she gives up, she will get stuck with him for a long time…
She has to fight…
"Don't worry he used a lot of powerful attack…he must be exhausted now. He can't do that anymore, everyone this is our chance!" Keqing tried to calm her group down.
"Yeah, we can do this! Charge everyone" The Millelith's Captain said as all of them moved up. But then…
Their hope has been completely destroyed by that golden hair boy.
Aether jumped very high and performed a very powerful swing…. After that, 3-4 big tornadoes were created from his attack…although those tornadoes didn't hit Keqing's group but those unlucky tress and rock were not. They were completely blown up by Aether's strike.
The group frozen in place for a few minutes. Keqing still tried to keep the group altogether…
"Uh…we can do this…" Keqing said but she's getting more uncertain now…
The rest of the Millelith's soldiers after regained the shock from Aether attack, they started to hold their weapon very tight, standing firmly toward and pointed their weapon toward to Aether.
"Quite bravery soldiers you got here, miss Kitten" Aether said with admiration.
Keqing feel so proud about the soldiers she has got but…only for a second then she heard something…
"NIGERUNDAYO!" The Millelith's captain screamed some odd words and running away from the fighting's field as fast as possible…
After that the rest ran away as well…leaving Keqing staying there dumbfold with the golden hair boy…
Awkard silent formed around Aether and Keqing…
…
…
…
"Uhhh can we stop fighting now…you know the result anyways" Aether said to her…
"This…can't…be..." Keqing was still standing there…she's felling so desperate and almost like going to cry now…
Aether's starting to feel so guilty…he feels like he's the bad guy for hurting a girl like this…
But then…
"I WILL KILL YOU ONCE AND FOR ALL!" She suddenly charged up Aether with her last attack…
Before she could reach to him, a powerful wind strike from Aether hit her sword and made it flew out of her hand then hit the ground. Although the strike hit Keqing's sword only and didn't hit her but it made her completely frozen in place this time for real…
"And the battle is set!" Moon Carver announced to all of them… Well only Aether and Keqing are left on the field anyway…the rest of the Millelith's group has already run away.
"We won!" Aether and Paimon shouted in happiness but…
"From now on, she will be with you to join your journey…" Moon Carver said to them with serious voice.
Not sure this is a win to him anymore…
Aether realized even win or lose the result is most likely the same…he feels like he has been tricked…
"Oh my Archon…now we have to carry this girl too?..." Aether facepalmed…
"It's a part of contact anyways so we will have to accept it…" Paimon tried to cheer him up
Aether nodded then went to Keqing to check on her.
"Hey Keqing, the fight is over so you have to stop killing us ok…?" Aether said to Keqing but no respond, her eyes still wide open…
Aether waved his hand over her face "Hey, Teyvat to Keqing…are you there…?" and a few second later…
Keqing was collapsed…
Lucky for her… before she got her face smashed in to the ground, Aether has managed to hold her close to him in his arm…His face is getting flushed by any second…
"TOO SOFT!" Aether screamed but not too loud.
This is the first time he has been closed to another girl beside his sister…
Paimon's still stay there and smirking…
"I think she only fainted from shocking…no serious injured, her hands are still fine" Paimon checked on her. Keqing's eyes are like spinning non-stop…
"Another reason to take responsibility then" Moon Carve chuckled.
"What the…" Aether didn't know what to say. "Anyway, what happen to the soldiers after they left?"
"Don't worry they've returned the city safety, no one was injured too"
"What should we do to this girl now?…Should we take back to her home?" Paimon asked them.
"If we take her to her home now, what should we say to them…we will make it even worse…" Aether said.
Imagine the moment when Aether takes Keqing to her home right now…People will start to think what Aether have done something bad to her and he will become a real villain this time plus those Millelith's soldiers he defeated earlier will also blabbed something nonsense to make it worse…He won't have a chance to get back to the city anymore…
After thinking for a while, Aether decided to make the hardest decision ever…
"Alright we will take her to our Inn then…" Aether said…still unsure about this.
"ARE YOU SERIOUS!" Paimon shouted, much to her surprise…
"Do we have a choice here?"
"But what happen if she gone missing like this…they are going to dig us up…She is one of the Qixing you know!"
Moon Carver interrupted: "Don't worry I know a person who works in the Qixing as well. I will inform her about this. It will be fine…"
"That's good then" Both of them relived…
"Well then off you go now…and keep the Sigil as well as inform the other Adepti about this" Moon Carver then went back to his base.
"Thanks, and we will meet again" Aether waved Moon Carver.
After that Paimon and Aether teleported back to Wangshu Inn while Aether was carrying Keqing on his back…
Wangshu's Inn…late afternoon.
After their long meeting with Moon Carver...It took Aether 30 minutes to take Keqing to his room. His face was flushed so bad while he was carrying her because her softy body were keep pressing his back… This also made his heart raced…
"Ok so what should we do next?" Aether asked Paimon after they've done the treatment to her.
"This is bad…the room we're using is only for 2 people only…and we don't have Mora to rent another one…"
"What a headache…" Aether tried to think for a while… then "Alright you will take care of her ok? I will find another place to sleep…"
"But where are you going to sleep?" Paimon asked him.
"The secret ingredient is crime~" Another devilish grin from Aether made Paimon sweated…
A few hours later…One the Hilichurls's camp in Liyue…
There's a group of hilichurls is sleeping peacefully in a hut… but then there's some foot step coming in…
A golden hair boy with his golden eyes is glowing in the dark as he's looking at the camp…
"It's look like I've found a place to sleep…" His voice was cold, deathly and sounded like a reaper.
2 days Later… Keqing has finally awaken…
She opened her eyes and saw she's in an unfamiliar room. After looking for a while, she started to remember what was happened…
"So, I was defeated…Which mean I will be stuck with him for a while now…ugh…" She groaned "But how did I end up here?"
Keqing went out of the room and she realized she's in an Inn. Keqing went to the reception's room and asked the receptionist.
"Oh, he said you were unconscious when fighting so he took you to this Inn for treatment…" the Inn receptionist said.
"WHAT!?" Keqing screamed made everyone startled, her face flushed.
"Oh, don't worry he didn't do anything to you. That boy only brought the medicine to the fairy for your treatment then left… He didn't sleep in here, only you and the fairy were"
"But where did he sleep during those day…?" She wondering
Meanwhile there's a new in the Bulletin titled: "A group of hilichurls was massacred in their camp 2 days ago…no one knows who did it"
"He was very worry about you miss, he usually came here to check you during those time" the Inn receptionist said
"He may be not so bad after all" Keqing thought…her face blushed
But her happiness didn't last long…
"The cost for staying during the whole 2 days and the medicines he bought are 420,069 Mora, miss Keqing…Here is the bill" The Inn receptionist gave her the bill.
"…Yes?"
After that, Keqing took all the good thought about him back…
4th Encounter End
P/s: This chapter is quite OOC to me. Hope everyone still like it. To be continued...
Outside thought: Venti actually is my first 5* character… I didn't even notice the 50/50 thing and I also didn't realize he is OP too xD.
(*) For someone doesn't knows about this. The MC uses Dull blade (1* weapon) instead of the one you are using on them in most of the in-game cut scenes…