Chapter 6 - Divine Descent

"I refuse."

A cold breeze gently lifted the room's white curtains. Shenhe adamantly shook her head.
Was this why she wanted to see him? She was usually so compliant, he'd never seen her act so stubborn before.
Maybe it shouldn't, but that sudden change in her behavior was enough to make him question everything.

Aether massaged his temples for a brief moment, as if to make sure he'd heard her right.

"Beg your pardon?" was all he offered for a reply.

"I refuse." the exorcist repeated. "I refuse to let you sign this contract with them – to let you make this mistake."

It was only fair that he informed his travel companion of his next move, right? But deep down, he had not even considered that she might disagree.
His gaze listlessly trailed around the elegant room Cloud Retainer had prepared for her top disciple. He was tired of arguments. Of butting heads with people over pretty much everything. But he never truly had a disagreement with Shenhe – aside for dealing with her sealed bloodthirst. Just this once, he was going to make an exception, to give her a shot at explaining herself.

"Why should I not sign this contract, Shenhe?" He humored her, but they both knew that he would not be convinced so easily.

She took a single step forward. "Because these people have hurt you once. Master constantly sings Miss Ganyu's praises, but this woman shot you. What makes you think she won't do it again?"

"Because I hold something over them." he opposed. "I can make the Yuheng lose her standing whenever I feel like it. It's precisely because they're aware of their predicament that they want to cooperate with me so desperately."

"Aether, you know I will always defer to you. But these people were not afraid to hurt us, how come you're willing to work with them after what they've done? I know you have very strong morals, but I honestly fail to understand your decision."

The Traveler shook his head. "We hurt them too. We fought them and won, even after they got the jump on us. You're right. My morals are flawed." he conceded.
"I want to establish a good relationship with them, for the simple reason that they can help me."

The exorcist tugged at her own arm "But don't you think we can figure things out on our own? Do things really need to change?" she pleaded.

"Yes, they do. I need to act now while I still have leverage. Because..." Aether pursed his lips for a brief moment, until his golden eyes showed nothing but resolve. "Because they have a ridiculous amount of connections. I can't pass up this opportunity."

"And you need as much intel as possible..."

"Because I want my sister back. Lumine takes absolute priority, over my morals or your payback."

He regretted those words the second they flew out of his mouth. As expected, Shenhe's eyes filled with a foreign emotion. Disillusionment.

A side of him he never wanted her to see. A man so desperate to find his sister that he would give up on everything, everyone, to see her again. Yes, Lumine was his weakness. Yes, finding her had become a repressed obsession of his, but an obsession nonetheless. If humans couldn't give up on mere mortal posessions, didn't he have every right to never give up on his sister?

Shene brought a hand up to her mouth, but her mournful, yearning voice slipped through the fingers. "You... I see. You're hurting because you miss your sibling." ''She's the one person you want to be with, after all."

He cursed himself internally. "Shenhe... I didn't mean that the way it sounded."

"It's fine. I'm sorry for standing in your way, I should know my place."

He failed to find a word of comfort as she brushed past him. Her footsteps nearly inaudible, Shenhe left the room. Where was she even headed? She did not know.
All she knew was that it felt terribly painful to look him in the eye. So she had to leave.
Was everything they had been through together fake? Had he just hitched a ride with her solely for the Sigil of Permission? Did he not care about her feelings? Was she just a tool to him?

No, of course not.

But there was still someone he longed for, someone more important than her in his eyes. She could never hope to replace Aether's sister, and it showed in his decision. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, she found a sibling's bond to be quite wonderful. And yet, her heart ached whenever she thought of Aether's attachment to his sister.

As she wandered aimlessly through the grand mansion's wooden halls, she felt something crash lightly on her chest. Bringing a hand up to her face, her fingers were met with crystal-clear tears.

"Why am I crying..."

How was she even crying? The last time she'd cried was upon first meeting him, but she had been without her ropes for a long while back then. It was normal for her emotions to pour out. But these same ropes were now binding her body, containing both her emotions and her impulses.

So why was she crying?

Shenhe leaned against the wall, her back slowly sliding down until she sat on the floor. And she hugged her knees as she wept. She sobbed bitterly.
She was crying because her ropes failed to quell the warmth that surged in her chest whenever he was around. The same warmth that was hurting so bad right now.
Cloud Retainer's disciple had not complained once about her unfortunate fate, but she knew things would have been different had she been born under any other star.

Fate was a cruel, perennial, and terrifying thing.

"Honestly..." she murmured with a wistful smile. "Look what you've done to me."

A tiny hand tried to wipe a tear from her cheek, but she immediately pulled back.

"Paimon?" she stared at the little fairy whom had just sat down next to her. "Where did you even come from?"

"Well, someone asked Paimon to have a little chat with you. So Paimon's gonna tell you a story, and you have to listen until the very end!"

Brooding in her solitude felt really tempting, but she'd been acquainted with the 'emergency food' for long enough now to know that it just wasn't going to happen. Besides, she couldn't really drive Aether's guide away without coming off as rude.

"Do as you please, Paimon. If Master is behind this, I won't be able it escape it anyway."

"Then it's settled! Listen closely, 'kay?" the floating child clapped her hands in excitement.

She tried not to roll her eyes Aether style. "I'm all ears."

Paimon took a storytelling pose. "Ahem! Once upon a time, there was a Traveler..."


"Well, you appear to be in quite the impasse..."

"Thanks, I already knew that." Aether sighed.

The Traveler gazed at the endless sea of clouds below them. In truth, his thoughts were as hazy as the thick veil that was draped over the Karst. He never meant to make Shenhe feel dejected, but his sister would always be his top priority. Was he just a huge hypocrite? Getting close to other people before ultimately choosing her in the end?

Because that's what it felt like everytime he left a world behind.

Would he leave Teyvat behind as well?

"A friend once told me that my sister is my biggest flaw." he reminisced. "At the time I got mad at him, thinking that he was insulting Lumine, but he was really talking about me. I guess the same flaw resurfaced and wound up hurting Shenhe." He sneered at himself. "I'm such an idiot."

"Siblinghood is one of the very few subjects one has no expertise in." Cloud Retainer admitted. "But do not be mistaken – this child is strong. Even through the adepti's harsh training, not once did she yield nor bemoan."

Aether dropped a pebble into the cloudy expanse. "I know she's physically tough, but her feelings and emotions are fragile and I failed to protect them. I'd just like to find a compromise that suits the both of us."

"One firmly believes that Shenhe needs someone who can truly understand her." she glanced at the blond sitting below her. "You have fulfilled this role for some time now, and for that you have my thanks. But you are not fully aware of her ill-fated past."

"That's the story behind her condition, right? What exactly happened?"

"To put it simply," The crane gazed at the wind currents flowing south, her avian eyes filled with nostalgia. "Shenhe was born in a clan of exorcists under a bad omen, which has caused her great misfortune. Her mother passed from illness when she was but a child, and the grievous loss drove her father to insanity."

"Desperate to bring his wife back, the man eventually came across a cursed art known as Fate Transference. In exchange for sacrificing his daughter to a baleful god's remnants, it would bring his deceased spouse back."

Aether had to do a double-take. "Hang on. Exorcists purge demons, they don't summon them. Was he that desperate, to the point of using his own daughter as a blood sacrifice?"

A shiver ran down his spine as he remembered a world he and Lumine had once visited. Its inhabitants were spiritually desperate, and worshipped the twins as mighty heralds from beyond. And then the human offerings came. Hundreds of children lost their lives in gruesome sacrifices for them, and so they fled this world as fast as they could. Even the recollection made him sick to his stomach.

"Human madness is not something that the illuminated seek to understand. However, he did use a banned adeptus art in an attempt to turn his daughter's curse and corpse into corrupted karma." Aether heard an irritated tongue click inside her beak.

"One would have gladly exerted divine punishment on him, had he not taken his own life by hanging soon after the ritual. Thankfully, one found little Shenhe in the aftermath, in the same cave where she'd managed to vainquish the evil spirit with the aid of her newly-obtained Vision."

Not many could boast of slaying a demon at such a young age – he certainly couldn't. He already thought Shenhe had it rough, but he now made a mental note to lend her his ear more often.

"But the trauma changed her, right? And the curse didn't help either." he figured.

"It certainly did not. The curse branded her with a predispositon to self-harm, as well as the homicidal tendencies you are already aware of. The red ropes one has donned her with are infused with adeptal energy, which suppresses her violent outbursts and human emotions alike. But ever since your encounter, the sealing effect has begun to wane. In conjunction, Shenhe has more self-control now, and her heartfelt emotions are showing."

The Traveler shook his head in denial. "I'm no miracle cure, Retainer; it could just be a coincidence due to time. Who can tell how curses work exactly?"

"One has no certainty of how Shenhe's calamitous fate operates, but your healthy relationship with her seems to keep it at bay. You alone have helped her make tremendous progress. Do not feel compelled to let her accompany you, but do know that my disciple cares a great deal about you."

"Well, I care about Shenhe a lot too..." He sheepishly scratched his hair. "But thanks for telling me all that. I think I'm ready to talk it out with her now."

"Your thanks are unwarranted. Simply think of it as a few words of advice, from one immortal to another."

"Yeah, I guess you..." he cut himself off upon realizing what she meant. "Wait, you knew this whole time?!"

The adeptus merely shrugged. "You may fool the uninitiated, but hiding your true power is pointless when speaking to a divine being. Besides, one is already acquainted with a fellow who used to live amidst mortals incognito."

"I see..." he chuckled. "Well, I'm gonna head back to the abode now. Thanks again, Retainer."

He got up to glide back down, but an unfurled wing blocked his path.

"Someone is already consoling Shenhe as we speak, she shall join us later. Besides, one did not bring you all the way to Qingyun Peak for the sole matter of encouraging you. Wait here for a moment child, our guests should arrive shortly."

The Traveler raised a brow, slightly taken aback. "What guests?"

"Did you not say that you wished for an hearing with the adepti?"

Aether suddenly felt the entire Karst shudder, as a deafening bird cry was heard. From the sky, he saw three colored spots draw nearer, until the adepti revealed themselves to him in all of their divine glory.

A majestic stag galloped on thin air, leaving golden particles behind his hooves. A red and orange crane was flying in its trail, soaring as it masterfully rode the Karst's upcurrents. The two animal adepti swiftly made their way to Qingyun Peak, arriving like kings on a metaphorical red carpet. The godlike presence they gave off was enough to make Aether grin nervously.

But what really caught his eye was the graceful qilin accompanying them, the horned divine beast finding purpose on the air and following suit to Moon Carver and Mountain Shaper. Its skin like foamy clouds, a warm and resplendent glow surrounded the illuminated beast. Like a pure glazed moon given form, Ganyu shrouded the peak in fog and mist as she landed next to him.

When the mist finally dissipated, her human form elegantly stood in its place, her light blue hair still flowing from the shift. Upon noticing the pair of golden eyes gazing at her in awe, she bashfully looked away.

"Please don't look at me like that." she whispered to the blond. "Cloud Retainer is going to get the wrong idea."

"Sorry. Seeing your true form was just... unexpected, that's all." he replied in the same tone.

Moon Carver's deep voice echoed around the clouds. "It has certainly been a lenghty two hundred years since our last gathering, fellow residents of Jueyun Karst. Even Ganyu is attending this time, it seems."

"Now then," Mountain Shaper turned to his fellow crane. "Shall we inquire about the cause of this unexpected meeting, Cloud Retainer?"

Ganyu raised a hand. "Before we commence, I would like to point out that we are one member short."

"That is correct." Retainer tallied. "One wonders what could be possibly holding him up - we did hear his cry, after all."

"I'm right here."

The greeting was so sudden Aether nearly flinched. In a sinister gust of wind, a young man with dark-teal hair appeared atop a nearby rock.

"It is most unusual for the swift Conqueror of Demons to be late." Moon Carver noted.

"Apologies for my tardy arrival, Perfected Lords. I simply came across a few demons on my way here, and spared a second to terminate them." Xiao briefly explained.

Mountain Shaper nodded. "Well if we are all here, then let us begin."

With all eyes on hime, and Ganyu giving him an inviting gesture, and Aether understood that it was now his turn to speak. He cleared his throat and recited the speech he'd rehearsed beforehand.

"Mighty and illuminated adepti of Liyue, I am Aether, also known as the Traveler. As you probably already know, Rex Lapis unfortunately passed away during the Rite of Descension." He paused for a bit before continuing. "And I am a suspect for his murder."

"A suspect, you say?" The Moulder of Mountains seemed interested. "So it appears that human justice is actively seeking out a godkiller. But given that you deemed wise to show yourself before us, the Lord of Geo's old allies, surely the Seven Stars must lack compelling evidence of your guilt."

"Your illuminated self is correct." Aether flatteringly smiled. "I happened to defeat a few Millelith soldiers while escaping in a panic, which has led the Yuheng to naively pin the accusation on me. I believe the Guardian of All Living Things here can corroborate."

Ganyu was more than puzzled about what he'd just claimed. Why was he not making her take responsibility for the sloppy investigation? Sure, it was a joint effort between herself and Keqing, but the half-qilin had played a substantial enough part that she could be blamed for it.

So why was he giving her a look that clearly spelt "follow my lead"?

"I... yes, the Yuheng was in such a hurry to close the case that she might have lacked foresight." she reluctantly lied. "We currently cannot prove that the Traveler is guilty."

"However, only we can establish that the Traveler is innocent." Cloud Retainer summed up. "It is now a matter of determining whether he could have assassinated the Lord of Geo or not."

"Hm. Let me try something."

Before anyone could object or even react, the Conqueror of Demons vanished and swooped down on his target. Aether blinked and saw the killing edge of Xiao's polearm, mere moments away from piercing his skull. He didn't even have enough time to summon his own weapon. He desperately gripped the tassel with both hands, covering them in a protective layer of Geo.

Ganyu was apalled. "Conqueror of Demons, what is the meaning of this?"

The Golden-Winged King simply clicked his tongue and drove his weapon harder. The Traveler grunted as he saw the yellow glint in his orbits.

The eyes of a killer.

The jade tassel was shaking in his hands, but he steeled his resolve and pushed back with all his might. Seeing as he was still unrelenting, Xiao grimly scowled and a sinister mask slowly materialized on its face. Aether watched in horror as his opponent's strength multiplied tenfold and the other adepti just watched, Ganyu probably too shocked to do anything. His grip was already slipping.

He was getting desperate. If he couldn't overpower the adeptus, he would die here.

"And if I die know, I will have accomplished nothing."

He hadn't saved his sister yet. What pathetic excuse did he have for faltering now? He couldn't afford to die. He wouldn't die.

"My journey... is not over yet!" he grunted.

Aether gritted his teeth so hard the taste of blood gushed forth in his mouth. He stood his ground against a god, the earth rupturing under his feet. A tingling sensation crept up on him, spreading from his heart to his entire body. His fury was now matching Xiao's, outclassing it even.

The Traveler called forth a power beyond Teyvat, beyond the stars, beyond what even an adeptus' mind could ever hope to fathom.

A burning light that blinded his vision emanated from his own body. Aether saw the stars, heard the whispers of the universe, grasped his own constellation. He saw Viator and Viatrix flare to life once more, the heavens collapse, the glory of humanity built on a god's shattered throne. Until even his spiritual orbits burned. He felt the strength rush forward out of him, felt the powerful strike though his senses had become completely obsolete.

And when his eyes could no longer see, he caught a glimpse of the god he once was.

When Aether came back his senses, he was standing up, both arms outstretched in front of him. And neither Xiao nor his polearm were anywhere in sight. He tried to grasp at the familiar light he'd just felt, but the power slipped away like water through his fingers.

"What the..." he sharply breathed. "What just happened?"

"You actually overpowered me..."

His head snapped towards the voice and he saw the Conqueror of Demons standing behind him, dusting himself off. The Yaksha mask he had donned was now hanging at his waist.

"You shouted something in a strange tongue," the adeptus growled. "and pushed me back so hard I lost consciousness on the spot. Luckily, I came back to my senses before I crashed into a valley. I simply propelled myself back up in a split second."

Moon Carver hummed. "It appears our guest has harnessed some sort of unknown power... Conqueror of Demons, would this strength he showed be enough to terminate even the Lord of Geo?"

"If he could consistently harness it, he would be able to best Rex Lapis in combat." Alatus nodded. "However, his strength waned the second he hit me. Even if pushed to his limits, he wouldn't be able to unleash it for more than one second - clearly insufficient to kill an Archon."

"So he could not have possibly killed Rex Lapis, even with his hidden powers..." muttered Ganyu.

The Vigilant Yaksha let out a tired sigh and turned to the blond. "I concur. But that's not all. Do you know what corrupted karma is, Traveler?"

"Thanks to Retainer, I have a basic understanding of it. It's the spiritual manifestation of vengeful gods, correct?"

"Precisely." the warrior approached him. "As a yaksha – an adeptus chosen by Rex Lapis to purge the land, this karma latches onto us when we kill demons. It eats away at our soul, causes us unimaginable pain and never fades away. I have lost many a brother or sister in arms after the karmic debt drove them to madness; Some turned on eachother, others were crippled and died, or were devoured by it entirely."

"…"

"And you just burned mine away."

"What?"

Even the stoic Mountain Shaper looked stupefied. "Burned away, really? There are no records of karmic debt being cleansed, it can only be quelled temporarily by certain sounds or rituals. You know of this, Conqueror of Demons. Even the Dihua Flute-"

"But his strange power did." Xiao dismissed. "It would take centuries of bloodshed for my karma to accumulate back to the amount I carried just a few minutes ago. Over half of it dissipated when he struck me."

How could a spiritual shackle be broken so easily? The yaksha thought at first that the Traveler was just another bright star in the night sky, fated to eventually flicker and die out on its own, but he'd been proven wrong. The picture was way bigger than Rex Lapis' passing. This blond could very well shake Teyvat's fate, and it made even Xiao shiver in fear of the unknown.

"I don't fully get it," Aether scratched his head. "but I'm glad I could be of some help. You've obviously been through a lot, Vigilant Yaksha."

Cloud Retainer joined in. "Then the Traveler does not constitute a killer, even with his true power unleashed. On the contrary, perhaps he should be praised and rewarded for easing an adeptus' karmic suffering."

"Is now an appropriate time to deliver our verdict, fellow illuminated beasts? Ganyu, if you will."

Moon Carver and Mountain Shaper both hummed in agreement. The half-qilin turned to him, eager.

"Well, I suppose we've finally reached the bottom of this story.'' she sheepishly smiled. "Since you have earned the favor of the adepti, you shall be awarded a Sigil of Permission."

Aether gazed at the magical paper slip, which had just appeared in his hand. Cool. Now he could come and go in the Karst as he pleased. He didn't mind relying on Shenhe, but having a Sigil of his own could be useful, just in case.

"I also have something for you. Reach out your hand." Xiao ordered.

The Traveler complied, and a glowing orb flew out of the Vigilant Yaksha's palm into his. Upon dissipating in a twinkle, it revealed a small shard of jade. The precious stone was devoid of any impurities, and emitted a warm glow in his hand.

"During the war, we used to give these enhancers infused with Rex Lapis' life force to our bravest men. With this, they were able to attain strength matching that of yakshas for a short time." he explained. "Given your... skills, you should be able to make a good use of it."

A yaksha enhancer... useful if he ever finds himself in a pinch. He'd stow it away for now, to make sure to use it at the best possible time.

Alatus snapped him out of his reflection. "I'll remember your name, Aether. If you ever find yourself in a desperate situation, call for me. I'll be sure to show up."

"Got it." he grinned. "Thank yo-"

Xiao had already disappeared.

Yeah, talkative guy.

"If we are no longer needed, Cloud Retainer, we shall be taking our leave as well." Moon Carver pointed out. "We bid you farewell, Traveler. One wishes you a safe and fruitful journey."

Aether respectfully nodded. "Thank you for your blessings, Moon Carver, Mountain Shaper. May the stars shine down upon you."

The Traveler watched as the crane and stag respectively flew and galloped into the golden horizon. He was thankful for Liyue's guardian deities - they were more understanding and shrewd than he'd first thought.

"Aether," Ganyu poked his shoulder, leaning forward. "about our contract... I was thinking we could have Cloud Retainer act as our witness."

Oh, right. "I'm sorry, I still need to discuss it with Shenhe. We had a bit of a disagreement and still need to talk it out. Sorry for the delay."

The half-qilin looked mildly inconvenienced. "Aether, we're leaving tomorrow. If you want this to work out, I'm going to need your answer now. Are you willing to sign this contract with me or not?"

Aether looked left and right, desperately trying to find an escape route, but the secretary was having none of it. He didn't want to take the decision without Shenhe, especially not after what had just happened.

In hindsight he felt terrible about it, especially when he knew his sister so well. She probably wasn't in any life-threatening danger, right? She was strong and cunning, he just needed to take a deep breath and trust her.

"Right, when did I forget..."

Lumine was his priority, but she'd hate it if he were to neglect his friends for her sake.

"Hey, if you don't want to work with us, I totally understand." Ganyu sighed. "We've mistreated both you and miss Shenhe so much, you probably hate us anyway."

"It's not that simple..." he trailed off.

He desperately needed to find a way to stall Ganyu out. How could he get to Shenhe and tactfully explain his intentions to her?

"Aether..."

Hopefully she'd understand, he certainly did not want to see her depressed ever again.

"Aether?"

Or maybe he could just ditch the contract entirely. It would complicate everything, but as long as she's happy with the outcome-

"Aether!"

A pair of hands shook his shoulders and snapped him out of his muttering. He looked up and his eyes met Shenhe's, an iridescent glow apparent behind her orbits.
Wait a minute, where did she come from?

"I climbed here with Paimon." she answered as if she could read his mind. "She... told me everything about your journey. All the hardships you've faced and tears you've shed, and I figured it wouldn't be fair of me to doubt you."

He took hold of her wrists. "Alright, hold on. First of all, I'm sorry. And secondly, why is Paimon with you?"

He glanced at the smug fairy for an answer, but all she did was nod like she'd just solved world hunger.

Actually, weren't things going a little too well? No, seriously. Shenhe arrives the second he wishes for her to be there, right after the adepti left. For some reason Paimon had consoled her, and now she was okay with the contract? And at the exact same moment, his relationship with Ganyu seemed to be doing a little better? It's almost as if someone had planned everything since their fight, and he was just the central pawn in their ploy.

Hang on...

His neck slowly craned to face his host. "Cloud Retainer, surely you didn't scheme all this up?"

The Unfettered avoided his gaze, but her chest was still boastfully puffed. "Heh. One simply did what was necessary to avoid a long-standing feud between you two. By making you both feel empathy towards the other – with young Paimon's assistance, reaching common ground was made much easier."

Ganyu nervously took a step back. "Cloud Retainer... you seem suspiciously bent on us getting along with the Traveler."

"Well of course. How else are you two supposed to achieve marriage? Especially you, Ganyu. You haven't introduced me to someone in nearly a millenia."

The Traveler turned to the half-qilin, whose ears were already red as a tomato. "Is she always like this?"

The secretary cringed as she nodded, painful recollections flashing behind her eyes.

He responded by giving her a comforting pat on the back, as an old friend would. "I feel you. Let's just get this contract over with, shall we?"

"R-right..."

They masterfully ignored Retainer as she explained her perfect "son in-law scheme" to Paimon and Shenhe in great detail. Ganyu took a deep breath and faced him, the reddish hue gradually disappearing from her face. Nature fell silent, as the tension grew. Finally, the half-qilin started.

"Very well. Aether, the Traveler. Will you cooperate with me, Ganyu, Guardian of All Living Things in Liyue?"

"I will." he solemnly replied. "Ganyu, Guardian of Living Things, will you grant me, Aether, the Traveler, favor and assistance for as long as I stand on Liyuean soil?"

"I will." She glanced at the white crane. "Will Cloud Retainer, the Unfettered, act as a witness to our contract?"

The adeptus interrupted her storytelling to nod. "One shall."

A sudden gust of wind circled around them, as Liyue agreed with the alliance being forged in a silent murmur.

"Do you hereby pledge to not deviate from the path of justice," continued Ganyu. "the Laws Etched in Stone instilled by Rex Lapis, and follow the Guili Assembly's four core principles?"

"I do. Will I be cleared of any suspicion you or your party may hold against me?"

"As of now, you are cleared of any suspicion, for god and men alike."

Retainer recited her part. "If this agreement is ever broken, the offending party exposes themselves to punishment from any living creature in the land. Justice shall be served and accepted, in any form it might take."

Golden flakes erupted from the earth and hovered around them. The wind picked up speed, making golden and light blue locks dance. The half-qilin reached out a resolute hand to seal the oath, as they both smiled confidently. Aether's gloved fingers firmly curled around hers.

"Then let the contract be made..." she uttered.

"Though the heavens fall." he finished.

A mystical burst exploded in a cheer, as millenia of history repeated themselves before their very eyes. The golden particles were immediately sucked into their intertwined fingers, and a glowing seal briefly appeared on their hands. The both silently marveled at the modified Geo symbol which surged on their palms at will, visible proof of their agreement.

One last gale blew past them, and Aether watched as it picked up a single Qingxin flower, making it dance as it flew towards the daybreak.

"I guess your contracts didn't die with you, huh?" he whispered. "Nice work on leaving something behind, Morax."


The more I read this chapter, the more I realize it's basically hurt/comfort in an adventure fic lol. Well I still managed to lay down some important groundwork for the next chapters. The plot should be sailing smoothly from here on out, all the way to the climax.

Overall I'm pretty content with this chapter. 5k words is a new record for me, but it somehow felt very natural when writing it. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it, then! Impressions and story suggestions are welcome, as usual :)