"I wondered when I would be running into you."
A deep, rich voice caught her attention, and Raiden found a man watching her intently, amber eyes boring into her own.
She'd been wondering the same thing herself, but decided to let fate play its course. It was usually not a sign of good things to come when gods sought each other out, and the last time she'd seen this one was at a gathering millennia ago, before her own ascension.
"Morax."
"Beelzebul."
He approached her, taking a seat next to her by the small, round table outside Third-Round Knockout. The Traveler had recommended she visit the place while he went about some business with the Qixing, especially today, since the storyteller would be recounting The Maid-Knight's Tale.
"I hear that you are destitute." Raiden said eventually, nothing else coming to mind, though she would admit that it was satisfying to see the mighty god falter and flounder - if only briefly.
"I- That is-"
"Do not fret, Morax. The Traveler has provided me with enough mora to last for the both of us."
"I see. In that case, perhaps we should order some dandelion wine? It is a recent addition to the menu which I have not yet had the opportunity to sample."
The implication that Morax had been unable to afford it went unsaid.
She decided to humor the old man, a waiter hurrying over to serve them. The taste wasn't bad by any means, but the images it conjured of a drunken Barbatos had Raiden quickly setting the glass aside.
Meanwhile, Morax had yet to taste the wine, still holding the stem of his glass, studying it carefully. He twirled it, watching as tiny droplets ran down the inside of the glass, before taking a whiff, finally bringing the rim to his lips.
"Ah…" he breathed, eyes wandering in reminiscence. "So different from osmanthus wine, and yet it invokes many of the same memories."
"Tell me, Beelzebul." he continued, taking another sip. "What made you abandon your quest for eternity?"
A shared glance was all it took for Morax to understand.
"I suspected as much. Pardon me for saying so, but you seem to be doing much better for it."
Raiden couldn't refute his words, remaining silent as Iron Tongue Tian took to the stage, most patrons quieting down to hear his story. The Maid-Knight was supposedly a real figure, many people claiming to have seen her in person, leaving little doubt as to why the tale had become so popular.
"I love him." she whispered, only to find genuine suprise in Morax' eyes.
"Truly? You would love him, even- Forgive me, it escapes me that you are unburdened by the sin of knowledge."
Her brow furrowed, eyes narrowing, and Raiden was about to press on when Tian called for their attention, his timing impeccable. Had Morax been meaning to divulge any more information, he was certainly not about to do so now.
All she could do was sigh in resignation, hoping for the Traveler's imminent return.
"Ad astra abyssosque, Traveler! Here for today's commissions?"
Aether shook his head, smiling at the surprised look on Katheryne's face. It was rare that anyone caught the receptionist off guard, always so professional and stoic in her mannerisms.
"Not today, Katheryne." he responded. "I've brought with me our latest recruit - would you mind helping us with the paperwork?"
"Oh! Well, of course! I'll just need some form of identification, and-"
He placed an envelope on her desk, adorned with the unmistakable seal of the Qixing.
It had taken a considerable amount of convincing - and pleading - but he'd managed to have Keqing forge him a set of documents. The revelation that it was for none other than the Electro Archon herself had been the proverbial nail in the coffin, the Yuheng paling considerably when she recalled their latest encounter, and Aether imagined that she wanted her out of Liyue Harbor as soon as possible.
Sensing Raiden's curiosity from beside him, the sleeve of her kimono brushing inconspicuously against his arm, he provided her with a simplified explanation.
"I may have called in a favor or two. We'll have an easier time crossing the border to Sumeru this way."
Raiden hummed in thought, a hand resting against her chin as they observed Katheryne processing several sheets of paper, hands rummaging through shelves and drawers with practiced ease.
"I would not have expected the Tianquan to be so accomodating."
"Actually, it was Keqing."
"That… girl."
Unsuccessfully withholding a snort, Aether rolled his eyes, throwing Raiden a pointed stare until her face grew tinged with pink. When she wasn't being violent about it, her jealousy could be quite adorable.
"You're cute when you're jealous."
Raiden sputtered in denial, and unconvincingly at that. It only made him want to tease her further.
"She reminds me a bit of you, Ei."
"What?! I do not believe-"
"Doesn't care much for divinity, becomes obsessed with singular things to the point of detriment, enjoys collecting figurines of her idols-"
"Aether!" exclaimed Raiden, her face now bright red.
"However, she also has a deep sense of honor and loyalty, and a kind heart - just like you."
He took her hand, caressing the back of it with his thumb, feeling not a shred of guilt for teasing her just as badly as Miko had. She needed to ease up and see the world as it had changed and grown anew, to make friends and enemies, to laugh and cry and rage.
"There!" said Katheryne, a satisfied smile on her face. "Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild, Miss Narukami Ei of Hanamizaka!"
The receptionist placed a small, golden badge on her desk, detailing how adventurers were ranked and commissioned accordingly. Raiden would have to start from the lowest rank, something Aether found to be terribly amusing.
"You're lucky to have a veteran like the Traveler showing you the ropes." informed Katheryne. "You'll be climbing the ranks in no time at all!"
It was beautiful, thought Raiden, the sight of Luhua Pool at night.
The sky appeared a dark canvas, pitch-black, if not for the stars lighting it up, and all of it was reflected perfectly in the clear waters of the pool. Here she could sit unperturbed, allowing herself to rest and her mind to wander freely.
While she treasured each wonder of nature the Traveler showed her, the nights they spent together under the stars were those she'd treasure most. Yet, as comfortable and at peace as she was, Raiden felt that something wasn't quite right.
"I thought you would be in more of a hurry to leave."
"To Sumeru?" asked the Traveler. "I suppose I am, in a way, but I've been told time and again that the journey is as important as the destination."
He looked at her warmly.
"There might be some truth to that, after all."
Ignoring the way her heart suddenly raced, she asked the question that'd been on her mind for some time now.
"What of your sister?"
Raiden immediately regretted it when the Traveler flinched and looked away, a reaction similar to the one she'd received when he returned from the depths of the Chasm.
"I did not mean to-"
"It's fine. Lumine's… fine. If anything, I should be worrying about the poor souls that have to put up with her."
She pretended not to notice the tremor in his voice, or the shaky laughter that followed, deciding not to bring the subject up again.
A moment passed in silence, before the Traveler raised an arm towards the sky, a cluster of stars forming just above his palm. Raiden had seen him doing it before, always staring intently, his expression difficult to read.
"I have never seen that constellation before." she remarked. "It matches none of those found in the skies of Teyvat."
"I never told you why I became a traveler, did I?"
She shook her head.
"My home was destroyed, its remains scattered across the sea of stars. Sometimes, I can't help but look back, whether to remind myself of what once was or… hoping that it may all have been a dream."
Raiden was shocked still, speechless, not knowing what to say.
"It's not so bad, you know. A long time has passed, and I've since witnessed the birth and death of countless stars - enough to understand that such is the course of life."
Never had she felt so small and insignificant, all of her fears, past and present, so utterly trivial. Suddenly, the Traveler's boundless compassion became a magnitude easier to believe, and the need to hold him tightly in her arms ever greater.
"Besides, I have you now, and I wouldn't change that for anything in the world."