TW: Contains character death, mentions of blood and injuries, mentions of slavery

The land burned as war ravaged across nations. There was nowhere safe for the people who watched as their gods fought each other under Celestia's orders. The beings who had once promised their worshippers divine protection now tore at each other's throats over greed and power.

Alatus watched apathetically as another adeptus fell before his blade. He was a soldier, a slave, a weapon, a tool to do his master's bidding, and tools were not allowed to have emotions. The battlefield was void of life other than him, only spilt blood and corpses remained upon this wasteland. Alatus breathed in and out, noting the severe wounds that required treatment and the ones that could do without. He should return soon, lest his master yanked him back by the chains that bound his soul to him.

However, as he turned to leave, the sky lit up, drawing his attention upwards. There was a meteor burning through the sky, leaving a streak of light in its path as it quickly headed towards Alatus. The adeptus quickly moved away from where he was standing just as the meteor crashed at the same spot. The sound of the impact was deafening, scaring away whatever small critters that remained. Smoke rose from the strange giant cube that formed the meteor.

Alatus approached it, curious about the strange object. The ground was still hot from the energy emitting from the meteor but that did not deter the adeptus. The cube then collapsed into itself, surprising Alatus and making him draw his weapon. He peered over the crater and in the middle of the charred indent, there lay a young man with golden hair. His face was ethereal and beautiful, his clothes foreign and unbelonging to any nation that Alatus knew. The outlander opened his eyes, half-lidded at first, before the golden eyes widened in surprise. He sat up and Alatus pointed his weapon at the outlander, a voiceless warning not to try anything.

The outlander looked up, his eyes trailing the weapon to the adeptus holding it. He opened his mouth to speak but the words that came out were unfamiliar. Alatus shook his head, hoping that the man understood that he did not understand the foreign language.

Before the outlander spoke again, Alatus felt a painful tug in his chest. He gasped in pain and his stance collapsed. His weapon clattered to the ground and disappeared, reforming behind his back. The man looked shocked and tried to climb out of the hole to help Alatus but the adeptus held his hand out, palm out and fingers spread, a universal gesture to tell him to stop. There was nothing the outlander could do for him, the pain was a signal from his master ordering him to return.

He had spent too much time here, he had to return quickly before his master punished him again for his tardiness.

However, before Alatus could move, the ground shuddered and cracked. The air shifted and his master appeared in a blaze of fire. His master hovered above the crater, his eyes immediately honing on Alatus.

"Alatus, why have you not returned?" his master asked, his cold eyes staring at his slave.

Alatus immediately fell to his knees, his forehead touching the ground. Before he could apologise for his failure to return, his master grabbed him by the roots of his hair and hauled him up, forcing Alatus to meet his master's eyes.

"I asked you a question Alatus, why have you not returned?"

"I-I apologise, master."

"That is not an answer!" his master shouted before throwing Alatus to the ground.

As he tumbled away, the rough ground opened a few of his wounds until he rolled to a stop a few metres away. Alatus opened his eyes, unsure as to when he had closed them. The first thing he saw was the displeased face of his master, the next thing he saw was the outlander leaping up to attack his master from behind. His master choked on his next words when the outlander grabbed his neck and held him in a chokehold. Unfortunately, his efforts to attack were in vain when his master unleashed a blast of fire from himself, sending the man flying into a dead tree.

"You dare? Who are you!? You will pay for this!" Alatus's master roared in fury as he diverted his attention to where the outlander had fallen.

"No!" Alatus shouted and he immediately covered his mouth in shock. Why did he do that?

His master turned back to look at Alatus, surprise written upon his face before it shifted to anger. "No? You dare order me? Me!? Alatus, it seems that you have forgotten your place."

Before Alatus could apologise, pain exploded throughout his body. He screamed as his master inflicted pain upon his soul as punishment for defying him. There was a person calling out in the midst of the pain but Alatus could not register who was speaking. Only when the fog of pain was lifted and his mind was aware again, that he saw the outlander standing between him and his master.

"Don't-!" Alatus said but the rest of the words died on his tongue when he saw the evil glint in his master's eyes as it moved between him and the outlander.

He shuddered. Whatever plans his master had for the outlander, they would only bring pain and suffering.

"If you wish to take the punishment in his place, then so be it."

A few years had passed since that fateful day. Alatus served by his master's side, along with Aether, the outlander whom his master enslaved that very day. Where Alatus's soul was bound by chains, Aether's soul remained free. However, he was chained to Alatus, a curse that tied the two of them together. If Alatus was hurt, whether physically upon his body or via punishments inflicted upon his soul, the pain he felt would be reflected in Aether.

As a side effect of this new connection, the two slaves grew close to each another. They needed each other to survive this torture and they had no one who could help them but themselves. When Alatus was punished for anything he did wrong or simply for his master's entertainment, Aether would bear the pain in silence. Aether would treat Alatus's wounds, even when he was still feeling the same pain Alatus felt. No matter how much suffering Aether endured, he had never once blamed Alatus for it.

(But it did not stop Alatus from blaming himself.)

Alatus had to teach Aether the language of Teyvat and it was fortunate that he learned quickly. He shuddered to think of the punishments his master would inflict on the both of them simply because Aether could not understand the master's orders. The first thing Aether did when he learned the language was to ask if Alatus was okay. The second thing he did was to give his name.

Aether had told him, as the two cuddled together to keep each other warm in the cold stone room, the story of how he fell into Teyvat. He told him, his voice barely louder than a whisper, of how he once soared the skies with golden wings, of how he travelled worlds with his sister, of how he tried to flee with his sister when they had seen the war that tore the world apart, of how a god tried to stop them with false claims of interference. Aether told his story, even as tears sprung up at the reminder of separation, even as he shook from the cold that bit into his body, and Alatus listened. At the end of the tale, Alatus vowed to find Aether's sister one day.

After a full cycle of seasons had come and passed, Aether confessed his love for Alatus in the dead of winter, within the stone cell the two slaves call home. He told Alatus that he had fallen in love with him, that no pain or suffering could ever take that away from him. However, Alatus was confused, how could anyone love a monster like him?

"You're not a monster," Aether said, his hands covering Alatus'. "You're not the monster, he is."

"Liar. Only a monster would slaughter innocent people."

"Then I will love a monster even if I must become one."

However, even with the love Aether had shown him in these dark times, Alatus could not bring himself to accept it. He would give his love to Aether but he could never take Aether's love for himself. He was a tool, a monster, but Aether was willing to fall together with him. Why? Was this what it meant to love a creature who cannot love?

Their love remained hidden from any eyes beyond their own, only to be shown to each other within the confines of the cold stone cell they called home. Their master had not known of their love, or he did but had chosen not to punish them for it. They would cuddle, sharing their warmth with each other. They would kiss, to taste each other on the lips. They would lean into one another, to hear their beating hearts to know they still live. The world may not have a place for a pair of monsters but they have a place for each other.

The war continued as the years went on, and both Aether and Alatus carried scars upon scars from their time on the battlefield and from the cruelty of their master. Their shoulders were slumped forward as they bore the weight of pain and suffering from their enslavement, and the guilt of the innocents who died by their hands. The two were well-known amongst the adepti. They were infamously known as the 'Twin Demons', and Aether was saddened when he first heard their title. He told his beloved that it was unfair to call Alatus a demon when he carried a pure heart.

(But the world has never been a fair place, has it?)

When Morax began seizing more power for himself, their master had been furious at his bold actions and ordered them to attack the adeptus. However, Morax's adepti army had proved far too strong for the Twin Demons alone, and the two were met with punishment after punishment for their failure to crush Morax's army.

It was one night, as Aether dressed Alatus' many wounds, his hand never left the bandage he had tied off on the shoulder.

"What will you do when you're freed from this slavery?" Aether asked as his fingers traced the bandages wrapped around Alatus' shoulder.

"Freed? From him? Impossible."

"What if you can? What will you do then?"

Alatus glanced over at his beloved but the expressionless face revealed nothing of what Aether was thinking.

"If we're both freed of him, then I will go where you will go."

Aether smiled and took Alatus' hand. Their fingers intertwined with each other as their palms met, and they held each other as the silence continued to grow.

"But what if I went somewhere where you can't go?" Aether asked, his voice barely a whisper as he released his hold on Alatus.

"Aether?"

"Nevermind, it's nothing. Let's get some sleep, we have a battle to fight tomorrow."

As the Archon War continued to rage on, their master grew furious day after day. There were only a few gods left vying for the Archon's throne of Liyue and it was clear that Morax would be the victor of this war. Many gods surrendered by Morax's might and those who did not were killed or sealed beneath the land for all eternity.

Their master continued to take his anger out upon his slaves, carving scars and inflicting pain upon their bodies. Even as he relished in their suffering, Aether bore the torture in silence, his only way of defying his master without outright disobedience. Aether's will to live burned brightly and it was with his will that Alatus found the will to survive. However, as time continued to pass and their world continued to fill with nothing but pain and suffering, Aether's will began to crumble.

"Alatus," Aether whispered as he leaned his head onto Alatus's chest. "I'm so tired."

"Sleep then, I'll be here."

"No, it's not that. I'm tired of killing, of fighting, of being tortured over and over. When will it end?"

"...I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, never your fault."

When Morax began to lay siege at their master's domain, their master had summoned his slaves before him and punished them for letting the adeptus reach his realm. He ordered them again to kill Morax, to protect him, as his slaves lay sprawled on the ground from the punishment they received. Alatus pushed himself up slowly, the pain still lingering in his body. He prepared to leave, to fight off Morax with his beloved, praying that this battle would be the one to end their lives today. However, as Aether pushed himself up, he uttered a single word to their master.

"No."

There was a beat of silence, the only sound was the echoes of Morax attacking the door that sealed this domain.

"What did you say?" their master growled out, sending cold shivers down Alatus' spine.

And yet, against their master's face of cold fury, Aether stood up straight, defiant against his master. "I said no! No more! Today, we will seize our freedom!" Aether shouted as he took out his blade and charged towards their master.

Their master screeched in anger at his slave's rebellion and blasted fire at Aether, only for Aether to cut away the flames with his sword. Alatus watched in amazement as their master took a step backwards in fear. In a single instance, the fear that he had always felt from that monster was gone. Not wanting his beloved to fend for himself, Alatus took up his spear and charged at the monster, only to fall down to his knees in agony as pain gripped him once more. His master had pulled out a fragment of Alatus' soul, and Alatus could do nothing but watch as his master burned it for his slaves' defiance. Alatus screamed as white-hot agony ravaged his body, knowing that the same pain would be inflicted upon Aether. However, where Alatus submitted to the pain, Aether endured it.

The pain disappeared as soon as it came, leaving him to fall to the ground, numbed to the world. His spear clattered away, just a short distance out of reach from his fingers. His eyes moved to look at his tormentor, only to see Aether with a blade plunged into the monster's chest. Alatus could only watch as the monster screamed in pain, cursing his beloved over and over. He watched as Aether dug the blade deeper into the monster, his eyes filled with hatred for the monster who tormented them, tortured them for centuries. He watched as life slowly fled from the monster and yet, even in the face of his inevitable demise, the evil gleam remained.

Alatus could only watch helplessly as a flame lance appeared out of nowhere to strike his beloved from behind.

He screamed for Aether as he crawled forward in some desperate attempt to stop the attack. He watched as Aether's face shifted from confusion to surprise and, finally, to acceptance. He stared when Aether released his grip from his blade and fell backwards onto the cold stone ground in front of Alatus as the flame lance disappeared. He pushed himself forward, his near-unresponsive legs collapsing as he staggered and crawled over to his beloved, who bled on the unyielding ground. The monster lay dead, Aether's blade still stuck in his chest, but Alatus could care less about him or his newfound freedom. His hand reached out for Aether, pulling his beloved close to him, even as blood spilt over his limbs.

"Aether! Open your eyes! Don't die on me!" Alatus cried out as he shook his beloved in his arms.

Aether opened his eyes, half-lidded, but he looked up to meet Alatus'. He smiled, even as blood dripped down from his lips and onto the stone floor.

"Alatus," Aether said, his voice barely a whisper.

Why was he whispering? The monster was dead! There was no need to hide their love any longer.

Behind, the door smashed open and Morax stepped out from the destruction with a few of his adepti army. His amber eyes searched the room and honed in on the dead adeptus and the Twin Demons before the corpse.

"Stay here," Morax ordered his yakshas before moving to stand before the Twin Demons. But Alatus could not bring himself to care, not when his beloved lay dying in his arms and there was nothing he could do.

"Please," Alatus begged as he turned his head to look at Morax. "Please save him."

However, Morax shook his head at Alatus' pleas. Morax apologised, his voice soft and filled with sadness, "I'm sorry, there is nothing I can do."

"Alatus," Aether called out, his voice far too soft for Alatus' liking. "Promise me… Promise me to live free."

Tears fell unbidden as Alatus buried his face into the crook of Aether's neck. "I promise," Alatus whispered as tears continued to fall. "I promise, Aether."

Even though Alatus never asked for it, Morax helped to perform the funeral rites for Aether. Any adepti who protested against it were immediately silenced by Morax.

"This war has brought far too much death and suffering. They have suffered enough and you would ask me to deny him his final rest?" Morax scolded, his face furious but his tired eyes were laden with grief.

Alatus could not bring himself to look at Aether's body, not even when it was cleaned and dressed in a set of white clothes. The scene of Aether dying in his arms replayed over and over day and night, forever haunting his mind and brandishing guilt like a weapon to carve into his skin over and over. The pain from centuries of torture was nothing compared to the pain of grief.

He watched as Aether's body was cremated, his emotions muted and his mind numbed to the world. The ashes and bones were placed in an earthen urn, the urn then placed into his numbed hands. When Morax returned Alatus' soul fragment, he asked Morax to place it into the urn where Aether now rested inside.

"Are you sure?" Morax asked, his hand still held open where Alatus' soul fragment laid atop.

Alatus nodded his head, his face frighteningly blank. Morax stared at Alatus, his expression indecipherable as he moved to place the fragment into the urn.

On the day Aether was buried, Alatus died and Xiao was born.

The urn was buried in the eastern outskirts of Liyue Harbour where the rays of the morning sun would kiss the stone tombstone. It was far from the city but close enough to stay within the boundaries of Morax's divine protection. Xiao visited Aether's grave every day but he would offer no words to his beloved. He would clean the area in silence, placing offerings before the tombstone, and leave as quickly as he came.

How was he to live free when Aether was dead?

The Archon War, though nearing its conclusion, was not yet over. With no purpose left in his life, Xiao offered his services to Morax.

"Are you sure?" Morax asked as he looked down at Xiao kneeling before him. "He told you to live free, are you sure that this is what you want?"

"He told Alatus to live free, not me," Xiao answered, blind to Morax's disappointment.

Xiao was a coward, just as Alatus was. He twisted the words of his beloved, he knew what he had done and he justified it with excuses. He could almost see Aether's sad disappointed face as he took up his spear once more in Morax's name.

What did it mean to live free when Aether was dead?

He fought on the battlefield alone, like the time before he met Aether. At least this time, the battles he fought were of his own choice and not from orders he cannot disobey. When the Archon War ended and Morax was declared the victor, Xiao felt lost once more. The people cheered for the peace that came with the end of the war, but all Xiao felt was despair. He visited Aether's grave, falling to his knees as he asked his beloved to give him a purpose in life. He begged for an answer, a sign for what he should do, but the grave remained silent even as tears fell.

Why was he allowed to live free when Aether was dead?