What we receive is one day destined to depart from us.
And yet what departs, may also one day return.
Her precious twin.
Tears were slipping down her face. She didn't try to stop them. All these years, all the ache of waiting—and he was alive. Alive, and seeking her out in the tainted carcass of this world.
Aether.
It was and it wasn't. The core that was still that small, bright light she'd tracked down so long ago; though even that glow had shifted, burning out like a candle; more dim now than brilliant. The last remnants of a soul once great—the greatest of them all—as it drifted towards its death. The light that she had once known as a gentle warmth that seeped forth from that very core; the one that had saved her countless times before, when all hope was gone, and every other option seemed hopeless.
We were the fruition of a thousand, thousand generations' feat of engineering; of science. And that same civilization that created us had long, long since eroded into dust. In the eons since, we were peerless; were as gods, if only for a fleeting moment, as we wielded the very cosmos in our long fight against that ever-encroaching demise.
There were none in our likeness.
And now, Aether was all light and shadows; a starry sky over Khaenri'ah's wasteland, where she had first re-discovered him, with only a few stubborn twigs of life defying the night.
A smile, tainted; his face, cold. No comfort to be found upon his lips and cheeks. A darkness that seemed to encompass him whole, his gentle soul given to damnation.
The gestation of a Great Beast of Sin.
She felt as if she was drowning in that emptiness. A void that seemed as deep as a cavern, stretching out far into eternity—no end to be found in that. She felt the weight of it pressing on her chest. Lumine could barely breathe through her grief.
She would lose him; would never feel that warm, radiant light again.
And then, suddenly, a shift—a ripple in the ebb and flow of fate. A change in his expression, something akin to recognition. He stirred, his body moved as if awakening; something broke free from under the sea of darkness that drowned him, as he rose through the air: carried upon the winds and the faintest of shimmering star-spun wings.
He looked down at her, from those vast heights. His eyes filled with a look that she hadn't seen in nearly three hundred years, so heart-achingly familiar. She could almost hear his voice again in that moment.
Always beside you.
Their eyes met, and she gazed upon the one that held so much promise for the future. The universe reflected in her twin's eyes, speckled with stars. And oh, how they burned bright; never ceasing their shine.
As a tear slipped away onto her cheeks, another came, then another, until she couldn't hold them any longer. Aether's radiant light stretched around and within her, expanding beyond the bounds of the stars. It reached out for her own, wrapping her up in its embrace.
The incandescent stars of the heaven above flickered to life in response to the call that was being made; the light illuminating his form—and Lumine watched him in awe. Oh, how he glowed! The very sun itself had arrived to bring forth the dawn.
A beacon, beckoning; calling her home.
Lumine knew what he wanted from her, but she couldn't give it to him.
Not yet.
For across the countless worlds, they had all been told the same story: foolish, arrogant men overstepped the boundaries of God; heaven sent their judgment and then all was lost.
A tale as old as time. A tale witnessed eternal—for Lumine watched across the eons as that story took place in front of her eyes.
Again and again.
And then it had taken Lumine's beloved twin from her, or so she had nearly thought. Yet, she refused to believe fate would permit such things at all. Fate could wait, and if it did not—she would destroy it.
For she would not let it take him. There was nothing in this wretched existence more important to her than her brother; us, a of pair of pitied twins, burdened by our destiny. She would let it consume her, if that was what must be done. For if the whole world plotted to extinguish his light, she would gladly play the part—so that you may shine, my sun.
And so, her war with Destiny carried on.
One day, Aether would join her and side-by-side, they would tear the heavens asunder.
In mere seconds, Mondstadt was engulfed in a burning inferno rising higher and higher as abyssal creatures loosed their sorcery, consuming the city in flames.
The skies above were lit ablaze with color, cast in the reflection of the raging fires below, and the sound of thunder boomed across the land; lightning flashed and arced through the sky, illuminating the land as a torrential storm brewed overheard. In the distance, Aether could hear the cries of agony and horror echoing from people as a gale wind swept them off the streets and into the tempest above.
Familiar golden eyes peered at him, and he could only watch helplessly as he too was lifted high into the skies and held aloft; The sound of thundering footsteps resounded throughout the streets below, as the city's defenders roused to action.
The light in his eyes flickered briefly before extinguishing out entirely, as his twin vanished from sight. His gaze then turned downward towards the flames. He could see the city burning beneath him—he felt nothing.
He didn't move for what seemed like eternity, as the world around him grew darker by the second.
Death and chaos abound; buildings burned to the ground, corpses strewn across the roads, and bodies of children scorched beyond recognition. A thick haze lingered in the air, the smell of smoke and burnt flesh upon the winds. A pair of amber irises looked up at him, before its visage faded away as he was drawn higher yet. Rain began to pour down like waterfalls, cascading all over the ground; the cobblestone roads became slick with the rainwater as it washed away the remnants of blood and dousing fire alike.
Aether glanced behind him at Paimon; the girl lazily trailing his ascension. Their eyes met for a brief moment, as they were brought together, and she gave him a smile that was not her own. Speckled irises, flecked with the many stars abound in the cosmos glistened against the sun-wrought molten gold of his own—devoid of anything but malice and hunger, and she reached a hand out to him, as the world lay in pieces at his feet.
Her fingers curled and flexed as if beckoning him forward, but then a voice spoke inside of him, a voice unlike any other, and he realized that if he took a step down this path, he wouldn't be able to go back.
He turned away, looking ahead once more; the world grew dark, and then the sun rose. Star-fire reflected upon his skin, for he was the sun, and he shone bright.
Aether gazed down at the fallen city, upon its deathly pallor—a lifeless wasteland. His heart ached for this wretched place, so consumed by flames and destruction as its inhabitants despaired; there was no hope left in this miserable place.
His eyes narrowed at the sight, before he took a deep breath, and the world came to life.
The faintest hint of ethereal, shimmering wings of starlight-spun spread out, extending beyond his reach; they stretched wide, and he could feel the warmth emanating from them as his chest heaved with the strain of even this barest of exertions.
Stars flashed overhead as a chorus of war cries erupted in the warrens below. The ailing garrison of Mondstadt sallied forth reinvigorated, pushing straight for the gate of the city—and so too, did Aether move through the air. His golden orbs shifted left, then right; briefly searching for his twin, to no avail.
A familiar six-winged dragon flew past him then, winding its way through the city. It flapped its wings, soaring up and across the skies, disappearing in the depths of the tempest.
With but a thought, the dark clouds began to clear overhead; Aether could now see where he was headed, and a single phrase rose unbidden before he left, tumbling over his tongue, and he heard himself say, "always beside you." He followed after the dragon; his golden orbs locked upon the small of beast's nape, the stink of corruption upon it.
It soared up and away, into the starry skies above; circling the heavens as a storm raged on around all around it. Power thrummed throughout its every movement and with each flap of its mighty wings, gale winds sprung into existence—a force to match the lightning still crashing around it.
And yet, Aether fearlessly carried on as it continued to soar about the skies of Mondstadt, wreaking destruction and havoc.
For what was there to fear, when you were the strongest among all?
For who could compare, when the whole world lay beneath your feet; peerless and unmatched by any except for one created to be your equal—and whom was no longer present to answer the call.
He was the brightest star in the universe, and there was no escape for his prey.
"Huh?! Where are you going?" A familiar voice called out to him, though its owner remained unseen. Paimon continued her pursuit, flying after him in flight and calling out, "how are you flying so fast—come back, wait up for Paimon!"
Aether shook his head, ignoring her cries and reached through the world, grasping the hilt of his sword—then, in between the flittering of the winds, came another, more melodious notes of mischief. "The power of a thousand winds, to carry you upon your raft of stars, and prevent your fall; let us dance upon these tempests together." As it floated about on the currents of ether, its form was indistinct, yet its melody rang clear amidst the raging storm. "Now, concentrate. Grasp the winds, harness its energy; let it be your weapon," it sang out.
"Who… who said that?" came Paimon's alarmed response.
Aether slowed as he listened; the words themselves seemed to be a lament of despair, yet its tone was lighthearted and playful. With the song in his ear, and the beat of his wings and those of the winds within him, Aether was able to do as the voice said, and so the very air became his weapon against his foe.
The wind shot forth, in the shape of projectiles as Aether aimed for the sickening purple hue of a crystal upon the dragon's neck. But the beast swerved in time and avoided the blows. A second attempt had been launched, and Aether tried once again to fire a salvo; all but two fell short.
Yet even that was enough for it to roar out in pain.
But as he drew closer, the dragon's sharp teeth suddenly descended up on him as it charged at Aether; tail swiping in parting as it missed. He ducked away swiftly, dodging to the side just in time. Letting loose a third round of wind projectiles, he struck home once more as the six-winged dragon flew by.
And as it passed him, Aether watched with amusement, as it shrieked in agony and retreated—attempting to flee. He pressed onward, blowing a fist-sized chunk of the crystal off the nape of the creature as they passed the outskirts of the city in a heated chase.
Pursuing his target, he swooped downwards, firing another volley of wind, and retrieving his sword; intent on seeing the foul beast's body lying limp and lifeless upon the earth, one way or another.
A sudden gust of wind blew past him; Aether was forced to veer off course.
"No, stop—you can't! No!"
Aether's lips pulled back in a snarl, the wind howling in rage as the melody rang out; throwing him toward the city and away from the six-winged creature. It roared out once more, and with a swift flap of its wings, flew out into the distance—away from Aether and further out into the horizon of Teyvat.
Before long, it disappeared from view, and as much as he wanted to go after the fleeing dragon, he couldn't—the turbulent winds halted his advance.
Paimon hovered above him then, following alongside him silently, with an air of curiosity about her. Her star-speckled eyes blinked, and her brows furrowed as she peered at him; she had questions, he could tell. Before he could speak however, the winds picked up their pace, and Aether's own brows furrowed as he soon thereafter plummeted through the skies, falling towards the ground below.
There was nothing but the starlit darkness of the night sky and the lights of the city below, as his faint golden wings sputtered shut; returning from whence they came. In his peripheral vision, he saw the distant silhouette of the city of Mondstadt as he fell; Aether could only watch as the lights twinkled and danced, casting shadows upon the land beneath.
His eyes closed, the sound of the whistling wind filling his ears; the cries of the city echoing all around him as he descended. And then he felt it: warm hands grasped onto his own; a gentle pull on him as, paradoxically, Aether landed softly on the ground and stood—the world motionless for but a brief second.
When he opened his eyes, Aether stared, bewildered.
Then the world was filled with noise again. People ran and shouted; people cheered, some cried. Some were running towards him—he opened his eyes again, staring upwards at the great cathedral of Mondstadt towering high above him, as the voices grew louder and clearer—and the crowd surged forward, rushing past the statue in the plaza.
"Traveler!" A familiar voice called out to him then, and an equally familiar amber gaze entered his vision as she raced forth past the crowd, towards him; her face contorted in confusion, tears welling up in her eyes as she held his arm tightly. She was breathing heavily. "How—? What happened?" she asked, as she caught her breath and wiped the beginnings of tears away. "A–…are you hurt?" Amber added in a tremulous voice, looking him over.
Aether merely shook his head, as his gaze then drifted. He looked back toward the city, and the crowd behind Amber; as he gazed at the crowd which had gathered, a wry smile played on his lips.
It was quite the change from their earlier reception.
To the side of him, he took note as Paimon floated there, unmoving, staring at him in wonderment. Her expression was one he had never seen upon her face, not even when he had offered his food to her whenever he was in a particularly generous mood.
Then, as he turned his head again, he caught sight of a figure in the distance approaching; they walked forth slowly, clapping all the whilst. Amber broke away from Aether, turning to face the individual. Then, when they came to a stop, they smiled down at Amber, then at him.
"Well done. Well done indeed, traveler." The tall young man with navy-blue hair and a lone periwinkle eye spoke; his fur cloak billowing in the wind. "You've actually got the power to go up against the dragon…" he mused. "Are you a new ally… or a new storm?"
Aether did not speak, only raising a brow as he looked back toward the city in consideration; battles could still be heard ongoing in the distance, and the smell of blood wafted to his nose, accentuated beyond all human limitation.
"—perhaps forgetting to introduce us?"
Aether's frown deepened as he turned to look at the man before him, and then at Amber. He sighed and shook his head, as he looked away from her and back toward the city once more—just as Amber spoke next.
"Oh… right. This is Kaeya, our cavalry captain," she gestured at the tanned young man. "These two are travelers from afar, Sora and Paimon." The man's eyes visibly narrowed in suspicion at her words as she continued on, "long story short…"
Aether's eyes wandered back to the crowd, ignoring the pointless drivel being said; his gaze then drifted downward. He scanned them all, frowning as he confirmed what he already knew. Aether lowered his head, as he exhaled heavily.
His sister was not among them. They had been separated, again. But it was only a matter of time before they met once more—and that was something they had plenty of.
We would be reunited.
Beta'd by ilikewaffles37
A new day, a new update. Welcome back, I hope you enjoyed the chapter; please leave a review if you did or even if you didn't. I would very much appreciate it.
