"Hey, hey, hey," Aether said. "I'm all for answering your questions, but can we please get into a more comfortable position? I'd be more talkative over some, say, mung bean biscuits and some green tea."
"Not a chance," Keqing hissed, pressing the blade into Aether's neck, hard enough to draw blood. "You will stay in this position and you will answer my questions."
Aether sighed sadly. "So, you really didn't listen to your father, then. 'Always treat your guests with a firm but kind grip. If needed, offer them some light snacks. Some mung bean biscuits can't go wrong. Neither can some green tea.' Isn't that what he said?"
Keqing's eyes widened as the memory hit her. How did he know about it?
Aether cracked a smile. "You look like someone's waving around a half-naked picture of you in public. Are you that surprised to hear that I know of that memory?"
Keqing backhanded Aether across the face, and he rubbed his cheek. "Ouch," Aether complained.
"How?" Keqing demanded, pressing the blade against Aether's throat again. "Tell me, or I will kill you. You and I both well know that I could do it right now."
"Then you wouldn't get any answers," Aether pointed out. "And this scene and memory will haunt you for the rest of your life."
Keqing considered for a moment. She hated it when the villain had a point. After a moment of thought, she came back to reality.
"Fine. I won't kill you. But I can injure you so bad that you'll wish you were dead. How does that sound?"
"You still haven't learned…" Aether sighed. "To be fair, I've never been the best teacher. Yuheng, you need to learn that, right here, right now, in this position, you are still not in control."
"What do you mean I am not in control?" Keqing asked. "I have you pinned under me, with my sword at your throat. I could kill you in one blow. And you have the audacity to tell me that I'm not in control?"
"Very correct. I am telling you that. Tell me, Yuheng," Aether asked. "How are you in control if I do this?"
He snapped his fingers, and he disappeared in a burst of golden light. He reappeared behind her, and pressed a knife against her neck.
Keqing froze like a deer in headlights, and Aether raised his eyebrows.
"Tell me. Are you in control now?" he asked.
Keqing stood stock still, and could only manage a slight shake of her head.
Aether nodded. "You'll understand eventually. Come with me," Aether said, and he released her. The dagger dematerialised, and he gestured to a table near the Ballista. How did Keqing not notice it? On it was a pot of tea and some of the biscuits her father had told her about.
"No," Keqing resisted. "I won't."
Aether raised an eyebrow. "I thought you came here because you wanted answers."
"How do I know you won't kill me?" Keqing asked.
"I'm not interested in doing so," Aether said simply. "Now, come."
Aether pulled up a chair on one side, poured himself some tea, and took a biscuit. Keqing sat opposite him, albeit reluctantly.
"So," Aether said easily, waving a biscuit around. "What would you like to ask?"
"Give me a minute," Keqing snapped. "It's been a hectic day so far."
"Take your time," Aether said.
For over twenty minutes, Keqing made and stored questions mentally. Finally, she opened her mouth.
"First question," Keqing said, looking up. Aether looked up from an image he appeared to be holding, and the image disappeared.
"Shoot," Aether said.
"How did you know about that memory between my father and I?" Keqing asked.
"You wanna know about that?" Aether asked. "Alright. It's quite simple, really. The human mind is extraordinarily easy to manipulate. Reading certain memories and implanting false ones is quite easy for me."
"Right…" Keqing said. "Well, your answer answered my second question. Your answer just spawns more questions. How do you manipulate… minds?" The words tasted alien in her mouth. "Are you some sort of god?"
Aether wagged his fingers. "The first question I don't know how to answer. The second question I'm not allowed to answer."
Keqing sighed exasperatedly. "How can you not be allowed to answer something? You're so free right now!"
"Yeah, but I need my sister to agree to it. You don't announce that to anyone."
Keqing stared at him dumbfoundedly. "You as good as answered my question. You are some sort of god, right?"
"Did I say that?" Aether asked. "Pretty sure I didn't."
"So that's a yes," Keqing said.
"No."
"Alright, back to my first question. What do you mean you don't know how to answer the question?"
"It means what I said. I don't know how to answer it," Aether shrugged.
"That makes no sense," Keqing said. "There's always an answer to something."
"I'll counter that statement with my own question," Aether said. "Did you ever teach yourself to think?"
"What?" Keqing asked, baffled.
"Exactly," Aether said. "Thinking is something you don't teach yourself to do. The same goes for me. I just somehow knew I could do this, and I just did."
"Great. So you're a god." Keqing groaned. Having a god for an enemy was never a good thing to have. Then again, when has she not been outspoken against a god?
"Hey, who said I am?" Aether complained.
Keqing elected to ignore the comment, and continued. "Another question, then. What-"
"Ah-ah-ah," Aether said, interrupting her. "Three questions a day, milady."
"What do you mean?" Keqing retorted.
"That means I'll only answer three questions a day. If you want more answers, you're free to come back tomorrow," he said, flashing her a bright smile.
"What?!" Keqing yelled, outraged. "You promised me answers!"
"And I gave them to you," Aether said, seemingly amused by Keqing's reaction. "I'll answer three questions a day. Do come back tomorrow. Should I send you home?"
"I can walk, thanks," Keqing said, irritated. She knew there was no point in arguing with a god. "Fuck you and I'll see you tomorrow!"
Ignoring Keqing's comment, Aether waved his hand, and a swirling portal of stars appeared to the side. "Walk through that and it'll send you home. Of course, you could walk, but you'd be subject to the abyssal forces that would love to kill you. You've already tired yourself out by fighting mere illusions, so I don't think you'd want to go back the way you came," Aether pointed out.
"Are you underestimating me?" Keqing asked, fired up.
"Am I?" Aether asked, a strange darkness in his eyes. "By all means, look at the path. You wanna go through that?"
Keqing glanced down, and her heart nearly stopped. How did so many mitachurls, hilichurls, samachurls, and abyss mages sneak up on them without a sound?
"Those… those are illusions, like before," Keqing stuttered, clearly terrified. "They have to be."
"Mmmm… And if I told you they weren't?"
"That- I wouldn't believe you, then!" Keqing yelled. "Those illusions before, you controlled them before, didn't you?!"
"Three questions a day, Lady Yuheng," Aether smirked, holding up three fingers. "You're welcome to ask me tomorrow, though."
"You suck!" Keqing yelled.
"I get that all the time. I don't get insulted very easily y'know," Aether smirked.
Keqing glanced at the road again, then stumbled backwards.
"Y- you clear the road! I still don't trust that portal you created," Keqing said.
"Hmm… If I clear the road, what will you do in return?" Aether asked.
"Why do I have to do something in return?" Keqing asked.
"Isn't that the law in Liyue?" Aether asked, tilting his head. "The exact words of Morax, oh-so long ago… Let me see if I can remember them." he closed his eyes for a few moments, and Keqing considered attacking him when he was weak. Before she could decide, Aether opened his eyes again.
"Should a favor be completed for a being, that being will always be in the granter's debt. If the debt is not repaid, this is akin to a contract being broken. And those who break a contract shall be subject to the Wrath of the Rock."
Keqing frowned. "I've never heard that saying before."
"'Course not," Aether said. "Liyue wasn't even founded when he said that. Only a little wind spirit passing by heard it, and remembered it because Morax was much larger than he. He told it to my sister, who I then heard it from."
"So… if you clear the roads…" Keqing began.
"Then you'd be in my debt. So my question is, if I do clear the road, what lengths are you willing to go to to return to favor?" Aether said.
Keqing considered her options. She could go through the portal at an extreme risk to her own life, or be indebted to a god she wasn't sure was benevolent. She could try to clear the monsters on her own as she had an Electro Vision, but if she got hit, she wasn't sure if Aether would help her. Of course, the fourth option was stay on the platform and not move forever, but that was definitely not a good choice.
"Take your time," Aether said, shaking her out of her thoughts. He was looking down at the gathered monsters, swinging his legs and munching on a biscuit like a little kid. "I'm not in a hurry."
"I'll… accept your offer of clearing the road," Keqing said begrudgingly. "What do you want in return?"
Aether considered a moment. "I want a promise." he said, looking at her seriously.
"A… promise?" Keqing flushed. "What kind of promise?"
"Nothing lewd, I assure you," Aether said. "You will meet the Traveller soon. She's looking for me. You could say that… we have an old, old relationship. Promise me. Promise me you won't tell her about me, or that you've ever heard of me. Will you do that?"
Keqing tilted her head, curious. "Why would you want that?"
Aether looked at her. "If you won't do that, then I won't clear the road. You must not tell her anything about me. Will you promise me that?"
"I will," Keqing said. "I promise."
"Great," Aether said, relieved. "Turn away. The light might hurt your eyes."
"I'd like to witness this for myself, actually," Keqing said.
"Your choice." He turned to face the monsters gathered below him, and he made an opening motion with his free hand. A starry bond snaked around each and every one of the monsters gathered below them, and he raised his hand. Clouds gathered in the sky and rain began to fall as the lights on Aether's uniform turned purple. Multiple rounds of lightning struck the monsters, and all Keqing could hear was the roar of thunder and the shrieks of dying monsters. When the clouds opened up, a few monsters had survived the onslaught, along with the Electro Abyss Mages. Keqing wondered if Aether had meant to leave them, but she quickly threw the thought aside when Aether closed his hand and his lights turned an orange red. A giant glyph appeared under the remaining monsters, and a firestorm erupted from the ground, blowing the rest of the monsters to the Abyss and back.
When Keqing could see again, all she could see was burned ground and charred shadows of what used to be monsters.
"Huh," was all Keqing could say. "Neat."
"The road is clear," Aether said. "Remember the promise."
"I will." Keqing said.
"See you tomorrow," Aether said, waving her off.
"How did you…?" Keqing began to ask, but when Aether held up three fingers and smiled, she shook her head. "Fine. I'll ask more tomorrow. Have a nice day, Aether."
"You too, Lady Yuheng. Sleep well, and sweet dreams." He vanished in a shimmer of golden light, and Keqing began the walk home before realising it was dark. On the way home, she had been left with more questions than answers. Who was the traveller Aether had mentioned? How did he control multiple elements? What on earth was that starry bond he used? That portal? How was he able to manipulate memories? He also created those illusions, she was sure of it. She was so lost in thought, she didn't realise she had reached Liyue until one of the Milellith guards had noticed her and greeted her.
"Welcome back, Lady Yuheng! I hope your adventure has been fruitful?" A guard asked.
"It has. Thank you," she said, walking back to the city. When walking up the path, she bumped into Ganyu, who was walking down the path.
"Hey, Keqing. Sleep well?" Ganyu asked.
"You could say that," Keqing mumbled. Ganyu frowned.
"You didn't sleep, did you." she said.
"I did. A bit." Keqing said. Ganyu frowned disbelievingly.
"You're sleeping right after you get dinner. I will make sure you get some good sleep this time," Ganyu said.
"Ugh… fine," Keqing said. "I'll try."
As Keqing wandered into Wanmin restaurant, she ordered some Golden Shrimp Balls to go. When her food was brought out, she went home and had a solitary little dinner, as she hadn't eaten all day. The starchiness of the potato and the softness of her shrimp caused all the stress of her day to melt away, and she sighed contentedly.
She went to the washroom, only to find a small slip of paper on the countertop. On it read,
"Hey. If you've ever got any more questions for me, you'll know where to find me. Sleep well." She immediately knew who the note was from, and she had to admit that his handwriting was good. Very crisp. She stuck the note to the wall, brushed her teeth and took a shower. When she finally flopped down into her bed, she fell asleep almost right away, with her questions neatly tucked away in the back of her mind, ready to be asked the next day.
Hey all! Thanks for reading this far. I'm gonna bet that you have as many questions as Keqing does, but don't fret. They'll be answered in the coming chapters. Thanks again!
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