Unknown Location
•Lumine's POV•

What? What is going on?

My consciousness slipped back to me. I couldn't open my eyes and my body refused to move. It was like I was being bound by some unknown force.

"Lumine... Lumine," a voice softly whispered in my ear.

My heart caught in my throat. I recognized that voice. I always begged to hear that familiar sound. For so long I had only heard it in memories and dreams.

Aether!

I tried to open my mouth to call his name. It would not open. I couldn't make a sound. I struggled in vain to let him know I could hear him. I was here. We were together.

The force around me suddenly let go. I tumbled to the ground. I quickly looked around, trying to find my brother. No one was in sight. Black stone pillars extended above and decorated the ground I walked. There was rubble everywhere. Parts of the pillowed had fallen, others pieces seemed to be blankly missing. The black walkway was split apart, chunks both sinking into the earth and rising above it. The sky was in a red and orange hue. I recognized the outlines of fire on a horizon. I had seen it many times before.

"Lumine...Lumine," my brother whispered again.

I snapped around, hoping to see my brother. He was not there. The voice continued.

"Lumine...Lumine...Lumine"

I turned around and spun back, trying to find out where Aether's voice was coming from. It was right beside, in my year but also very far away and in every direction.

"Aether!" I called, "Aether!"

The only response was him continuing to whisper my name. Emotions welled up inside. I could hear my brother. He was speaking to me, but I couldn't see him. Where was he? The frustration, the sadness, the desperation ran in circles around my heart.

A light beckoned me to look up. My eyes widened as I set my eyes upon it.

"You do not belong in this world," the unknown goddess's voice echoed.

I could not speak as she stood above me. I tried to summon my sword, it would not appear. The powers of anemo and geo would not come forth to help me.

"Finish her off," the goddess spoke.

"Of course," my brother's voice answered.

I turned towards the sound of his voice, now in a pin point location. Behind my brother stood, just as I remembered. I backed away however after I looked at him. His sword was drawn, grasped tightly in his hand. Then, there were his eyes. They were no longer the bright gold that me had shared. No longer were they the eyes of love and kindness my brother carried. His eyes were a golden red, filled with a dark Intent. I had seen eyes like that too many times.

"We were not meant for this world," Aether said as he lunged.

I could not defend myself as time slowed and the blade approached me. All I could do was beg and pray to anyone that could hear me.

"Stop this. Stop this! STOP AETHER!"

All of a sudden, the world disappeared. I found myself upright in darkness. I was on something soft and cloth laid in my lap. I felt cold sweat drip off my forehead down my checks and back. Between gasps of air I realized where I was. I was in Liyue for the lantern right next week. I was at a local inn, not far from the docks.

"It was a nightmare," I whispered to myself.

I sat there and tried to regain my breaths, but all to soon, streams of tears started falling down my face. I don't know how long I cried, it felt like hours but I knew that want it.

I wiped away the tears and looked around. I could now see thanks to my eyes adjusting to the dark. The moon light and Liyue's lights streaming in also helped. Paimon was still asleep, resting in a basket full of blankets on the other side of the room. It seemed my screams had not woken her up. I guess that was just proof this happened to often.

I tossed my blanket to the side and slide my feet off my bed. My white sleep pants and light gold shirt were all that was left to protect me from the chill of night. I glanced over to the desk beside the bed. Twinkling in the moon light were my two flowers pins that I always put in my hair.

I remember Aether giving me those on the first world we visited. It was a place that the land flew above water. The water below would always ascend upward before crashing into the land above. The result was millions of waterfalls. The locals there were friendly but very cautious of us so we had left them alone. Upon finding a huge watefall we studied the land around it. There had been many flowers I had enjoyed but there were these white flowers with blue tints on the ends that I had absolutely loved. After a while, Aether had accidently stumbled onto a metal smith making decorations and items for others.

The Metalsmith, To-erm, invited us into his home and gave us food. To-erm told us stories of his land, people, and family. He did not have a wife or kids but his brother lived far away near the capital where we had first arrived.

We helped in his shop. We learned how to collect specific metals that collected in the water, ones that only seemed to be present in the water far below. Aether told stories and jokes to To-erm while I helped him craft the items he needed.

Soon, Aether and I had to leave. However, before we left To-erm gave the flowers to me. Apparently when I had been gathering ore and Aether stayed behind to keep the metalsmith company, Aether had asked him to make me pins based on the flowers I had found nearby. To-erm had agreed and he set off to work.

The memory faded as I looked past the pins and onto the feathers that rested nearby. They were white with light blue tips, just like the flower pins. I smiled sadly. I remembered buying those a long time ago.

We had found another world, not unlike Teyvat. It was not one of the first worlds we had seen but it wasn't a few world backs. It was a very diverse world with many, many countries and people. Aether and I had set out to see what new things this world had to offer.

Around this time Aether had started growing out his hair. I ended up braiding it for him to try and help with it getting caught in everything. He tried to joke that braids were a girl thing but he kept it in since it worked. Aether would never admit it out loud but it was very simple and looked great all the same. The air style actually ended helped him get a few girls to look his way.

I had found the feathers in the cart in a set of two, one white and silvery blue, the other white and gold. They had reminded me and Aether. Aether a bold person with a heart of gold and me a settle girl that was quiet and simple. After talking with the merchant and agreeing to grab a few things to help him out, the pins were mine.

As we headed to eat nearby, I grabbed his braid and started to take out the band that was holding it together. He tried to twist around to figure out what I was doing. I pulled his hair and told him to hold still. I braided the feathers into the band and with a satisfying nod, let him go. Aether's glance was confusing as he held up the end of his hair, looking at my work. I had only smiled and I put in my own feathers.

I left the bed and the memories behind. My feet tingling against the cold wood beneath. I laid against the window, the cool glass causing goosebumps to cross my skin. Outside, Liyue still worked, not as busy as the mornings though. I let my eyes wander outside, watching cats that crossed the streets or the guards who did their rounds.

I clutched my heart as I felt it sting, the joy from the memories I had revisited turned into an ache. I let a sad smile curve on my lips. That had been so long ago. I felt tears slid down from the corners of my eyes.

"Aether, I will find you. I promise big brother."


Here is another fanfic for you. This one is one I wrote with my own thoughts. This one went different than I had in mind so I hope it turned out better than I had planned. Please give me a review or like. It helps me know someone is out there reading.

~Karnia