Sun shining and birds chirping. The people of Sumeru City began to arise from their dreamless slumber. Some prepared for a day of festivity and celebration. Others prepared for a day akin to any other. And of course, it was exactly like any other.
With some tossing and turning in her child-sized bed, Paimon groggily opened her eyes, squinting against the glare of the sun in the room. She felt oddly burnt out. Despite just waking up, she felt as though she had never slept before. Her hands slowly reached her face, and she languidly rubbed her eyes, adjusting to the light.
She rolled onto her other side, now facing the rest of the room she slept in. Her eyes falling upon the blonde boy who lay curled up in his bed... or at least that was what she was expecting. Instead in her friend's bed lay no one. The duvet lazily left sprawled on the mattress.
The fairy furrowed her brows slightly, using her arms to push herself up into a seated position on her bed and rubbing her eyes again. Now more carefully examining the room around her. It looked far from tidy. Almost like someone had left in a hurry.
"Traveller?" She called out, wondering where he was. It wasn't like him to do anything behind her back. On the day of the Sabzeruz Festival nonetheless. Perhaps she had just slept in. But the Traveller would have awoken her, no? They were specially invited by Dunyarzad after all.
She had only just noticed, but the air in here felt, oddly thin, and she found breathing to be more difficult than normal. Her hairs felt on end, as if she was statically charged. Deciding she didn't want to be in this room any longer, and to search for her missing companion, she wriggled out of bed and floated towards the door. Exiting the building.
As for where our outlander was. He was back at the site of his battle with the Akademiya last night. His hair messy and unbraided, his face mixed with confusion, hysteria and paranoia.
'Why was he here?'
Not the Traveller. But 'him'
'How was he here? Why now?!'
Questions flooded his mind as he approached the Akademiya building, oddly few guards present, adding to his paranoia. Usually they gathered in the dozens.
He wasn't here to fight. Not with any soldiers or sages or Akademiya scholars no. He was here to calm himself down. After all it isn't everyday that you speak with The Balladeer.
Even just thinking the title left a bitter taste in his mouth. Fatui scum. Why was he here?! The cycle he had grown all too familiar with was beginning to crumble around him. He of course wanted to break it, but the sudden shift of atmosphere and change of power shook him to his core. Everything that he thought he knew about the cycles were wrong.
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The time spent between cycles was often nothing but blackness. Aether always felt so empty, and vulnerable during those moments. He knew that he would soon relive the same day again. He felt powerless to stop whatever force was upholding the time loops. But. This interlude was different.
"How many days do you think you've been trapped in here?"
H-he was here, talking to him. His eerie calm voice chilling the Traveller.
"Did you know, that this festival was made in honour of Buer?"
Who was Buer? How was HE here!? This isn't how the cycles were meant to go.
"Soon. It will be made in honour, of me."
What was he talking about? How was he talking to him in the first place!?
"Your work is nearly complete my little guinea pig. Before you know it, you'll be back in Sumeru. The land of Shouki no Kami, the Prodigal."
And just like that, the cycle restarted.
Aether jolted up from his rest. His face dishevelled and he was evidently shaken by his vivid encounter with the Fatui Harbinger in his subconscious. It was Dawn, the sun barely risen over the horizon. The majority of residents of the land of Dendro had yet to awaken.
With his heart beating quickly, and his breathing erratic, Aether leapt out of the confines of his bed, slinging the duvet untidily across the mattress. He reached for his sword, still slanted against the same cabinet and rushed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
He did momentarily feel guilty about the ruckus that may have awoken his companion but pushed the feeling aside. He had to get some air.
His legs, almost robotically, led him back towards the Akademiya building, the site of many battles, though none were of any significance now. They were only a bygone thought. The bloodshed on the marble bridge was consistently washed away by the tide of the festival's cycle.
Upon reaching the pinnacle of the city, he jogged towards the railings that separated him from the skies of Sumeru. Leaning against them, he attempted to slow his breathing, and his heat rate. Slowly inhaling through his nose, and exhaling through his mouth with closed eyes.
The Balladeer. Why, or moreover; how was he able to connect to his conscience? He seemed to be behind whatever this time loop was, and yet he also appeared to be harvesting something off of him. He was the guinea pig. But why? What could he possibly be doing in these cycles that the Fatui would want to harness?
And what about the Akademiya? Surely they would know of something like this occurring, right? Unless they...
Unless they were working together...
It was daunting to imagine. Turning up in an unknown kingdom and being captured by it's government and a terrorist organisation.
And then there was the Archon herself. Lesser Lord Kusanali. The name haunted him. The Sabzeruz festival, the celebration of her incarnation. All implanted into his memory from the constant bombardment of festivities everyday. She had to know of this. She was the God of Wisdom after all, and as such, her omniscience would allow her to recognise his situation.
Therefore, the Archon must too be sided with the Fatui. How else would they create this time rip? Their feats in Inazuma and Liyue demonstrated their ability to negotiate with Archons after all.
The realisation dawned on him that he was fighting a losing war. He was helpless against the might of the coalition united against him. He released a sigh, pushing himself up from the railing and strolling aimlessly across the viewpoint.
He wasn't sure where to go from here. Whatever he seemed to do, Scaramouche was somehow able to harvest something from him. He knew that he was in a time loop, that was the only answer, right?
He continued to walk, hands in pockets, down the spiralling slope. He reached the penultimate level before the top, when he was stopped by a familiar figure.
"Oh Traveller, hello. What are you doing up here."
It... It was Dunyarzad. She was meant to be by the Grand Bazaar. What was she doing here? She spoke with a monotonous tone, her face displaying no emotion.
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Only now did the Traveller begin to really examine his new acquaintance. He did notice that her behaviour had changed after the first few cycles but he didn't think too much of it, there were too many other things to think about.
Something about her seemed... off. It was hard to word but something about this person did not seem normal.
"Traveller. Are you okay. You don't look very well."
What should have been questions full of concern were instead more akin to statements without worry.
"I'm... fine..." The boy responded slowly. He furrowed his brows at the woman.
"That's good, do you want to celebrate the inauguration of Shouki no Kami, the Prodigal."
That name.
"W-what did you say?" Aether asked, his face riddled with numerous emotions, most notably fear.
"The everlasting lord of arcane wisdom." She raise her ours out from her sides. "Our eternal Archon Aether."
The Traveller took a step back, mirrored by Dunyarzad's step forward. Aether slowly retreated backwards step by step, followed by his friend approaching him.
The residents of sumeru passing by on their daily commute continued to walk by. Almost as though they couldn't see him.
He unsheathed his sword from his back, pointing it outwards at Dunyarzad with both hands, even still his posture shaky.
"S-stay back. I will do it. We're in a time loop anyway." He threatened, whilst he didn't want to harm Dunyarzad, if this even was her, he was aware that she would be fine tomorrow.
"Of course, of course. And you are the guinea pig."
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Screaming.
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People were screaming, fleeing the vicinity. The once quiet street was loud and hectic as people tried to escape the scene.
Aether stood in place, his breathing irregular and his heartbeat soaring. His head pounded and he felt weak.
Laying before him, was the crumbled body of Dunyarzad. Her eyes were shut. No air exiting her lungs. In her side she housed a large gash, from a blade. His blade.
Interestingly, no blood stained his sword, and likewise none leaked from her corpse onto the pavement, despite the large laceration.
He didn't know what to do.
Should he run?
Even more suspiciously, no guards raced to the scene, despite the wails of the crowd of people and the disturbance it caused.
Something wasn't right here.
He could feel eyes burning into him. Not from the commuters, they wouldn't spare him a glance after his crime.
He raised his gaze from the body on the floor, sword still in hand, and towards the indigo eyes of Paimon.
She looked shocked, as if someone had eaten the last Sticky Honey Roast, her eyes were as large as her stomachs and she remained hovering, staring at him.
The two seemed to lock eyes for an eternity. The dynamic duo of Teyvat. Battling for good and justice across every nation they journeyed to.
And now here they were. Aether, stood over the lifeless remains of their friend.
His expression loosened, a more guilty manner masked his face.
He took a step towards his floating companion, she floated backwards a few inches. Just like he did with Dunyarzad.
She was scared of him.
The thought pained him. He was meant to be her friend. He was meant to be there for her as was she for him. He was meant to be the land's hero.
He was a monster.
Suddenly he began to recall every time he had massacred the Corps of Thirty soldiers during his stay in the loops. He really was the villain.
He panicked. Quickly running away from the scene he sprinted back up towards the Akademiya building.
He didn't know where he was going. He just needed to go.
He felt tired. His eyelids felt heavy. He felt, almost nauseous.
He slowly came to a stop besides the Akademiya Headquarters. Leaning his back against the wall and sliding down into a seating position; he curled up into a ball, tucked away from the commotion down below. He closed his eyes.
He felt really tired.
Strangely tired.
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Abnormally tired...
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"That was quite the performance, I would almost go as far as to say that you are just as cruel as me."