A/N: This mini plot wouldn't get out of my head for a while, so I decided to make a fanfiction about it. Spoilers for 2.7 Archon Quest, so I heavily advise you to complete the quest first before reading this.
This is my first time writing fanfiction, so any constructive criticism will be happily accepted. Now let's get into the disclaimer.
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters mentioned in this one-shot as that right belongs to Hoyoverse.
The magic circle cracks, alongside his mask. "ARGH!" He grunts. "Hah...Hah..."
Everybody turns to him with concern on their faces. "You can't keep this up...your strength wont last!" Yanfei said.
He looks up and sees the exit, they were so close, he cannot afford to give up now, and so he thought of an alternative. He brought out anemo, free from his karma and morphed it into a ball, and crushed it.
Hollow pillars of anemo surrounds the group...except for him. Yelan notices what the pillars are for and desperately tries to reach to him, her survivor's guilt not allowing another sacrifice to happen.
"Xiao!" Paimon exclaimed, until they all disappear. The floor fully cracks as Xiao descents into the darkness, and closes his eyes, accepting his fate.
The former God of Contracts stood by as he watched it all unfold. He wanted to intervene, yet stopped at the last minute, choosing to give Alatus his peace.
He only hopes that his choice would not be a choice that he regrets, as he walked back to Liyue.
A warm breeze flows through a bamboo forest, causing Xiao to wake up. 'Is this the afterlife?' He thought to himself as he begins to walk through the bamboo forest, noticing black fog can be seen exuding from him. It was his accumulated karma.
He began noting that the bamboo forest was very large, yet holds a feeling of tranquility on it. He lets out a scoff, it truly is the afterlife.
"Oh! Brother Bosacius! You're here!" A feminine voice can be heard, the voice familiar to him, all those years ago. He stops in his walk, and looks around.
'Was it an illusion?' He thought to himself.
His thoughts were stopped as another voice, now masculine appeared. "Hello there, Indarias!" The voice said, as Xiao realizes that it may not be an illusion and for that reason, he tries to run, to meet them again, yet can only walk at the moment.
"Where are Bonanus and Menogias?" Bosacius asked.
"They went to spar in the plains." Indurias replied.
Xiao smiled a little bit, the two always loved to spar after all. Yet when madness overtook them, it made that hobby of theirs into causes of their deaths. He shook away those thoughts for now as he begins to notice that he is getting closer, as he can hear two sets of footsteps nearing the voices.
"Hello, Brother Bonacius!" Another feminine voice was heard. "I wasn't expecting you here."
A bellowing laugh can be heard. "I wanted to check up on you guys after all!" He chuckled. "So how did the spar go?"
"It was another tie." Another masculine voice was heard. "Bonanus has certainly improved."
Laughter filled the bamboo forest as Xiao begins to exit it and sees them, in the same location all those years ago, a face of joy and laughter he bitterly remembers all those year ago as tears of joy suddenly welled up in his eyes. "It's them...!" He begins to run to the 4 yakshas, alerting them that something was there as they all went into their battle stances.
"Show yourself!" Bonacius shouted, and so he did.
The faces of shock in the yakshas was as visible as the difference between day and night. Xiao begins to walk towards them. "I'm back." He said, a smile on his face.
The silence was overbearing, Xiao thought to himself. "Brother A-Alatus?!" Indarias snapped out of her shock, as she begins hugging him, tears on her face. "I-It's you!" She hugs him tighter.
"I-Is it r-really you?" Menogias snapped out of his shock aswell, being able to process it.
Xiao smiled. "Yes, it's me."
Another bellowing laugh filled the air. "Well! This calls for a celebration!" Bonacius said, and they all couldn't agree more, as the five finally reunited.
And for Xiao..he found peace at last.
Six people suddenly appear on the surface of the Chasm, gasping for air as they take in their surroundings, yet they began to realize one thing.
Xiao was not with them.
"W-where's...Xiao?" Paimon asked, yet she knew herself that it was not needed, after all, everybody knew what happened to him.
"N-no way..." She said as her voice is in denial. "He a-actually died?"
The silence that followed was thunder in of itself as nobody said a word, mourning the loss of the Conqueror of Demons. Aether felt a familiar presence in the midst, and looked at a cliff, yet he paid no attention to it, he could more or less guess. They went into an abandoned treasure hoarder camp and sat down.
The five didn't fail to notice Yelan's face of guilt on her face, mildly causing everybody to be surprised. Yet they remembered Yanfei telling them that she bears severe survivor's guilt.
Giggles filled the silence of the camp, followed by laughter, causing everybody to grow concerned. Yanfei went up to her and lightly patted her on the back, mouthing something like 'It's okay.'
The laughter stopped as sudden silence filled the air. She immediately stands up. "I'll go patrol the perimiter." She says as she immediately leaves. Yanfei began to chase after her, yet was stopped by Shinobu.
"Yelan needs some time alone." She said. "You have told us that she suffers from severe survivor's guilt."
She nods, as they both sit down, deep in thought.
What a mess.
Liyue in it's entirety mourned for the death of Alatus, as Aether and Paimon arrived at the funeral cermony held by Hu Tao herself. Zhongli was also there, drinking his osmanthus wine. He sits down besides him, and drinks alongside him.
Aether suddenly spoke. "What do you think of his death?"
"An unfortunate death, if I have not known any better." He replied. "Yet, he certainly can find peace in death."
Aether let out a tired sigh. "That is true." He mumbled to himself. "Were you there? In the Chasm I mean." Aether asked.
Zhongli stopped sipping his tea, confirming his thoughts.
"Why...didnt you save him?" He asked.
Zhongli put down his tea and crossed his arms. "As I previously stated, one can find peace in death." He replied. "I also did it to free him of his accumulated karma."
"One can find peace in death, yet the people that knew him that are still alive...wont." Aether said.
They continued drinking their respective beverages, as the funeral comes to a close.
Alongside the legacy of General Alatus.
