There was a flash of light as a navy portal materialised behind the wounded Abyss Herald. The Traveller stood before him, sword armed from their battle which saw the blonde victorious.
The Herald stood up and attempted to exit through the opening but an indigo force wrapped around his neck, choking it and forcing the portal to shrivel. Dainsleif, the wielder of such magic, smirked smugly at the Herald's pitiful attempt to escape which had worked so well in the past. Dain brought the Herald slowly towards himself before another flash of light and the slash of a sword caused him to relinquish his grasp on the Abyssal Soldier.
There, before the Traveller, his companion, and his new acquaintance stood strongly, sword poised, the very person he had been searching for all along.
"Lumine." The boy cracked, his voice wavering slightly.
"Aether..." The girl responded, her gaze swapping between her twin and his masked ally.
"Why are you with Dainsleif?" She simply questioned, her eyes falling back on her brother.
"Why am I with Dain?" He repeated back, unsure of the question posed to him.
His floating companion suddenly spoke up. "Wait Traveller. Your sister just blocked an attack on the Abyss Herald! Your sister... and the Abyss.. " She said with growing concern as she hovered behind the Traveller.
"He is a very dangerous man brother. You shouldn't be with him." Lumine stated, glaring directly at Dainsleif. The latter glaring right back.
"So we meet again Lumine..." He said, ominously and vaguely. Aether and Paimon turn to him in confusion before Lumine speaks up.
"I care not for your formalities. Your opposition to the Abyss speaks enough for you." A new portal cracks open behind herself and the Herald who has now found his footing. She now shares a final glance at Aether before continuing. "Brother. You will, one day, reach the end of your journey in these lands, as I once did. And only then will you see the true nature of this land." With that closing line she turns with the Herald and approached the portal and whilst the Herald enters, Lumine is stopped by a grasp on her arm.
She recognises it as familiar and turns to see Aether before her with a concerned expression on his face.
"What are you doing?" He whispered quietly but loud enough for her to hear.
"I am doing what is right for my people. You will one day realise that." Was her simple response as she shook out of his grasp but he persisted and held onto her again.
"Then let me realise now! Take me with you!" He exclaimed staring directly into her eyes now.
A shriek could be heard from behind them "What!? Have you gone insane!?" his guide, Paimon exclaimed.
Aether ignored her and turned back to his twin.
"The plan had been to let you continue your journey and learn of everything yourself..." She revealed. "Though I suppose the end result is all the same." She then held his hand in her own and backed up into the portal.
"Traveller! Quick Dain! Do something!" The fairy shouted, looking at Dainsleif hopefully. Her eyes welling up slightly.
Lumine disappeared into the darkness as did Aether slowly. Dainsleif let out a growl and shot after them into the portal. He too vanishing.
And so that left Paimon. As the portal now sealed shut. There she floated. Alone. For the first time in a long time she was truly alone.
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Paimon gasped and bolted up from her slumber. Her breathing was fast as was her heartbeat and she felt very on edge.
Small beads of sweat collected on her forehead and her muscles shivered slightly. She looked to her side, across the room slowly and saw the Traveller peacefully sleeping in his bed to her relief.
She calmed her breathing slowly and wiped away her sweat with her pyjama sleeve. With a small sigh she took the duvet covers off of her legs and floated towards her room door, intent on getting some fresh air to cool off from her nightmare.
Her and the Traveller were staying in the Wangshu Inn after their Herald chasing with Dainsleif. The Traveller wanted to head to Inazuma next and so they were set to speak to a former resident in Liyue Harbour the day after.
The Traveller had been quieter than usual after their encounter with his twin. They certainly hadn't been expecting her to be in cahoots with the Abyss.
Paimon reached the balcony of the Inn and sat on the railings, overlooking the nation of Geo that surrounded her, there was no one else up here, though hardly anyone would be up at this time.
Paimon found herself more at peace with the cool night's breeze and the sounds of the crickets chirping in the grass below. She began to think more and more about her nightmare.
The Traveller would never abandon her... Right? Especially not to the Abyss anyway. They were both very aware that they were the enemy of Teyvat right? The honorary Knight of Mondstadt, who saved the city from and freed Dvalin. The Traveller who battled and won against a Fatui Harbinger, and defeated Osial, the God of the Vortex with some assistance. It was hard to imagine someone with such a CV joining the Abyss regardless of family.
Acknowledging all of the Travellers achievements highlighted to Paimon that she had not helped at all throughout them. She couldn't fight, she didn't know the ins and outs of archons or the Fatui. All she did was take his attention and his food.
The thought caused her to frown. Even the first time they met. The traveller had saved her from drowning. He had done so much for her and for everyone and she had done nothing. Well she had to have done something, right? She did teach him the language of Teyvat after all, though he doesn't speak it much, it's still necessary to listen to others.
A sudden thought crossed her mind that made her pause though.
Would he leave at the end of his journey?
Was he going to reunite with his sister and travel to another world as soon as he was done playing in this one?
Paimon knew it was selfish to want to keep him here forever. Bur she couldn't help but want him to stay with her in Teyvat. She could feel tears begin to slide down her cheeks as she played out the end of their journey in her mind. The Traveller would reunite with his sister, they would complete whatever his sister had planned, and they would disappear. Never to be seen again. Leaving Paimon alone.
The thought chilled her and she wiped at her face with her pyjama sleeve again, drying her tears as she continued to stare at the moon over the land.
If only she could share this view with the Traveller.
"Up for a bit of stargazing are we?" a voice from behind the fairy spoke.
She immediately recognised it as the Traveller's and sniffled, rubbing her face again before looming over her shoulder.
"What are you doing up this late?" She questioned quietly, trying to subdue the shakiness of her voice.
"I could ask you the same thing." He said, walking forward and leaning against the railings besides her, looking out across the landscape. "I woke up and wanted to clear my head from all that's happened today. I certainly wasn't expecting to meet.. my sister again." His voice getting quieter as he spoke. "I noticed that your bed was empty and wondered where you were as well." He was always so quiet around other people and yet talking to Paimon was like second nature to him. He looked at the pixie now, She had her head turned away from his so that he couldn't see her face. She remained silent.
"Are you okay?" He asked quietly. He gently placed his hand on Paimon's cheek and slowly turned her head to face him, soon enough her watery eyes met his golden ones.
"Have you been crying? Oh Paimon." He whispered before embracing the girl, picking her up off of the railing and hugging her.
This resulted in Paimon releasing the flood gates and she sobbed quietly into the Traveller's chest as she returned the hug to the best of her ability.
"Do you know why you're upset?" He asked softly. Releasing his hold slightly to allow Paimon's head to be free and look up at him. Indigo eyes meeting Gold.
The fairy looked down again before answering with "It's nothing you need to worry about. P-Paimon will be okay." Her usual chirpy tone replaced with a quiet, sombre tone.
"If it were something I wouldn't be worried about then you wouldn't be crying. Please Paimon. If something's bothering you it might help to talk about it. I'm always here for you." The Traveller explained. The words made Paimon's heart gush and she slowly looked up to meet the Travellers gaze.
"I-it was just about the Abyss and what will happen at the end of our journey." She mumbled, her face tinted red slightly at the confession.
"Are you afraid that I'm going to leave in the end?" He questioned.
Why did he know her so well?
"M-maybe..." She again mumbled, hiding her face in the Traveller's pyjama top.
The Traveller placed his arms underneath her own and lifted her up with relative ease to put the two at eye level.
"Listen to me. I don't know what is awaiting us at the end of our journey. But I solemnly swear that I will always be with you throughout everything. I always thought that after my journey, I would return home with my sister. But meeting all these new friends and you... I'm not sure anymore. But I promise you that I will not abandon you Paimon. Who else would satiate your stomach after all." He concluded without breaking eye contact with the fairy. She remained quiet for a moment as she processed the information told to her.
"You're more than just a food producer to Pai – to me Traveller. You're like the other half to me. I wouldn't trade you for anything." She said softly, oddly breaking her third person speech which surprised the Traveller but he composed himself.
"Aether. Call me Aether." He requested with a smile on his face that mirrored the meek smile of the fairy's.
Paimon beamed and Aether brought her into a tight embrace causing the pixie to giggle slightly.
She nuzzled her face into his clothing and mumbled "Love you Aether."
"What was that?"
"Nothing~"
