There used to be a lot of tales in some mythologies about a legendary creature, wielding a spear of incredible might, and a shield of nigh-invulnerability. He was always pushing forward with his men, never stopping his advance. He was both the unstoppable force and the immovable object at once. He trampled over his enemies in a mountain of corpses, never stopping, always pushing forward. He was said to have never yielded.
And yet for what seemed to be a tyrannical war general, his men and all those who followed him all had nothing but positive things to say about him. They said he would watch over all his troops, making sure the injured and the exhausted were tended to well and rested. He would never force his troops to do something he wouldn't, and he always listened to his people. He had advisors, tacticians, but they were all off-shoots of his teachings bestowed upon them. He had them to help govern his army, his men, his loyal troops.
He was one of the kindest people a person could know, and you would never thought he was a monster in the battlefield if you met him in the barracks drinking with his troops. He always shared stories, he always remembered your name, no matter how insignificant you thought you were. He gave you a reason to live, a purpose, a drive. Whether your ambition was to climb his ranks or to simply serve the man out of sheer loyalty, all his men stayed by his side out of pure loyalty.
If someone desired to leave his army, he would never deny them their request. He would simply nod his head, give them some advice and their protection, and send them off, thanking them for any service they've done. Few people if any turned traitor. Some were blackmailed into becoming a traitor, and those who were found blackmailed into treason had their enemies found and hunted to slaughter. If they so desired, they could land the killing blow.
But the few who were foolish enough to defy him, to betray his unending loyalty to his men, to betray the camaraderie they shared, they were slaughtered. They were hunted to the last man, and very rarely was the General the one to kill them. His own men started the hunts, with his permission, to slaughter those who dare to betray the General who sacrificed so much for them. They were hung, burned alive, eviscerated without mercy. They left their message.
But his wartime tactics were perhaps what really inspired his men. He very seldom stayed off the frontlines, for he believed it was cruel to make his men fight without him. But they also said the man had little to truly fight for. They simply marched forth.
And together, they formed a united government. He was the loyal general to the state empire, pure and just.
The man's memories began to fade back, taking everyone with him as they saw one of the largest nations ever. Large buildings raked the skies, beautiful pillars of glass and steel. People walked on large, concrete roads, safely traversing and with little to be wary about.
Aether's mind showed them his memories, carefully.
"But with every empire, comes dissent. And dissent did grow. Power bred corruption, a positive in any world. The union slowly disbanded, into a civil war. His army split, but the main group, including the General, remained loyal to the empire, corrupted by greed and hate."
"...My men. They were divided. They left me, saying that I had lost my way, that I turned a blind eye to the corruption that consumed the empire I built. And they were right. But I left it alone, thinking I could solve it. And the separate nations formed their own militaries, formed their own wonderful technologies. And I was forced to clash against my own men."
Aether sighed, a cold breath coming out of his mouth despite it being rather warm.
"They began fielding magicians who knew my fighting style, my magics, my abilities. They developed powerful offshoots, and even began breeding children to become powerful warriors. I remember a young child, no older than 15, but strong enough to launch enormous concrete-steel slabs with her powers. Enough to split these large building you see in half."
His memories washed around, and they were taken to an enormous battlefield, a razed city with plenty of skyscraper buildings razed to the ground. The girl manipulated a pillar, larger than him, ready to strike at him with full force. He dropped his shield and halberd.
And as the first slab burst forth with a shockwave, he readied himself, steeled his mind. The pillar slammed into his hands with a large thwoom, but he did not falter.
He did not flinch.
He did not stagger.
He did not even slide back.
He grabbed the pillar and stopped it where it impacted him, with his bare hands. A force of nature strong enough to split the enormous building that razed the sky in half, and he stopped it with his bare hands.
The girl sobbed out, angrily. "Why! Why are you fighting for such a corrupt empire?! You know it's wrong! Your men would follow you to the end! We can end this!"
And he replied back, sadly. "How do I tell the people of the empire, my own men, women, children, that their leaders have gone mad with power? Traitors to what we originally stood up for? How am I supposed to say they are wrong now, but they were all once right. How do I say they, who we all follow, must now die for their sins?"
The girl fell to the ground, hurtling another slab of steel at him. He dodged it, as it was thrown with barely a fraction of the force usually used.
"I am sorry. I am truly sorry."
The girl screamed, begging him to answer why she had to be raised this way. He could not answer. He looked back, at the men who were injured behind him, who looked at him with despair in his eyes.
"...Sir. You know we would follow you to the ends of the Earth."
And slowly, he approached the girl, kneeling down. He placed the pillar down to her gently. She sobbed, and sobbed.
"I just want my mama! I just want my papa back! I want to have my friends again!"
His heart shattered for the second time in his life. He picked the girl up, embracing her gently. And he slowly let his tears out, controlled, but present.
The girl screamed into his armor, into his chest, begging him to stop the madness.
"My men and I have defeated thousands of armies, girl. Thousands of your warriors. Thousands of your men and mine. We destroyed all. Britannia's men coated in armor so similar to my own. Horlutk's assassins, that could draw even my own men. Ruritan's legendary force, the Steelsword Union. And even the Cryoiten's own Frost Legio. All of them, we destroyed."
He let go gently, pushing her back to look her in the eye, even if she still had to look up.
"Would they even allow us to fight for them?"
She nodded her head. "We... we tried desperately, to recruit you. Even your old men showed up, ready. We wanted this to be our last, final attempt. We... we need your help. But you seemed so bent on killing us."
He looked up, and at the shattered remains of his troops. Various insignias enscribed on them, a multitude of banners from different nations, but all of them kept the pennant on their arm, signifying him as their leader.
"The empire still has its own armies to deploy. But we can change the tide, if we had you."
Aether's eyes closed, and his mind disappeared. His mouth finally opened, and he spoke towards his friend in Teyvat, as she viewed his memories.
"I told my men, if they sought to desert, to leave now. No one left. And I told the girl, how were we to defeat such an indomitable enemy? Even with me and my troops, the armies they had, the powers, the empire had harnessed. They could surely surpass me. I could not, utilize my divinity to stop it. I swore to not use it."
He sighed, running a hand through his hair, past his large horns. Even Yae was touched by such a story... admittedly she was also planning on writing it in her head.
"But we fought. A long war, it was. But in the end, we reclaimed, our nation. We decided, it was best to leave it separated. We reformed, my empire. It was rebuilt. And it was time for me to go. I could not, stay anymore. My time there was done. They were civil. They could handle their own issues. My men, were strong. But they were heartbroken, to leave me. They wanted, to travel worlds with me."
His face turned downcast, his eyebrows lowering in grief. "I.. I have not seen them in centuries. They will not remember me, a Patriot."
"I told them to stay. To become the next Patriots. To fight and become stronger. Protect the peace."
He looked towards the night sky, covered beautifully by stars, the only ones on the shrine him and the mysterious Guuji.
"I see. So you really are that General. You've been around a long time."
"Indeed."
A silent conversation erupted between him and Yae Miko, the two of them coming to a silent agreement.
"I refused, to make a new army. I would only, spit on their sacrifice."
Yae smiled, a real smile, not her teasing smile as the two of them took a seat next to each other. She pat his chest gently.
"I think that you're the most human person I've ever seen. And I think that's wonderful."
Aether gave a tired smile. "...Thank you, Yae Miko."