A golden haired boy dashes through the woods, his footsteps crunching on the snowy ground. He carries something on his back as he runs, and though it slows him down greatly, he doesn't let it go.

On his back is his sister, her eyes closed, blood dripping from her head.

How?

How did this happen?

Lumine, don't die! Don't die on me!

I won't let you die!

I swear your big brother will save you no matter what!

—-

The snow seems to fall so thickly in the forest that even the rays of morning sun can't pierce through the gloomy sky. There is a small cabin in the secluded area, a family standing around it. Despite their circumstances, they look happy. Content.

A blonde haired woman wipes her son's face with a towel. Her smile is ever present, though a few worry lines are permanently etched on her forehead. "Aether, your face is covered with soot." Her voice is soft and gentle as she rubs away the blackened marks. "It's dangerous out here, with all this snow. You don't have to go, you know."

Her son - Aether, adjusts the heavy basket of coal on his back, smiling back at her. "Don't worry about me mom! I'll sell as much charcoal as I can- it's New Year's, you all need to be well fed!"

He is suddenly locked in a tight embrace, squeezed by the impossibly strong arms of his mother. Aether lets out a surprised gasp, but leans into the warmth, returning the hug with just as much vigor.

"You're too kind, Aether…What did I do to deserve a son like you?"

"Mom- Are you crying!?" He jumps back, flailing a little, looking worried.

"No, no." She smiles, stepping back a little, drying her wet eyes. "Just grateful."

"Big Bro!" A loud shout sounds behind the two, Aether turning to look at its origin. His little brother and sister, only around ten years old, run as fast as their little legs can take them. The two children grab onto him with enough force to knock over a grown man.

Aether wobbles a little, quickly regaining his footing to hug the two.

"Now, kids, be gentle with your big brother!" His mother wags a finger sternly. "He has a very long journey to make." Her words are quickly ignored. His brother pulls back, excitement clearly displayed on his face. "You're going into town again today!" "I'm going with you!" His sister proclaims, hands on her hips.

"Oh no you're not." Her mother says, gripping their shoulders firmly. "You can't walk as fast as Aether, and he can't pull you in the wagon when you get tired." "Mom!" The two protest in synch, latching onto their brother even tighter. Aether shakes his head fondly as he listens to their alternating cries of: "We'll help!" and "We're going, we're going!"

He ruffles their hair, smiling. "Thank you both, but you're staying home today."

Upon seeing their pouts, he laughs, continuing. "But…" His siblings watch expectantly. "I'll bring you back all sorts of goodies! And when I get back, I'll read to you!"

"Really!?" They cheer, comical sparkles flashing in their eyes.

Aether nods. "Really."

He straightens up, turning around. "I'm heading off now!" Aether turns to his brother. "Chop as much wood as you can while I'm gone!" Aether ruffles his other brother's hair as well. The boy jumps back, hands on his head. "Cut that out!" he yelps, but his irritation quickly devolves into laughter.

Aether walks away, waving at the rest of his family. They cup their hands over their mouth, projecting their voices.

"Hurry back!"

"Be safe, okay?!"

He's almost out of sight when he hears someone call his name again. Halting in his tracks, Aether turns, greeted by the sight of his eldest sister, Lumine. In her arms is their youngest brother.

"Sorry for stopping you this late, but this little one," she gestures towards the one- year old boy she's holding. "Had to be put down for a nap, or he would throw a tantrum when you left." Lumine's eyes turn wistful. "He misses dad a lot since he passed away…"

Aether strokes the child's head lightly.

Lumine brightens a little after a second, elbowing him gently. "Be back as soon as you can! Mom and I are going to cook a lot of food for New Year's!"

Aether grins, playfully batting away her hand. "You know me, Lumine. If there's food on the line, I'll be back before you know it!"

—-

He treks towards town, wearing a smile despite the biting chill of the wind.

We don't have an easy life, but we're happy.

But life could change suddenly like the weather. It shifts and moves on.

It's not like it always stays sunny, and it's not like it ever snows endlessly.

And… whenever happiness is destroyed, there's always… the smell of blood.

—-

Aether makes it to town a little later than usual, but the crowd is still as busy as ever. He barely gets a word out before people notice him, their faces brightening as they make their way towards him.

"Aether!" A tall, brown haired woman in elegant purple garb greets him. "You came down from the mountain, on a day like this? What a hard worker~" A blonde woman interrupts, a tired smile on her face. "You might catch a cold. Be careful."

He shakes his head. "I'm fine, this is nothing, really. Do you have enough charcoal?"

Townsfolk begin gathering left and right, some to say hello and others to purchase coal. Even more, thank him profusely for helping them with various troubles. Aether is handing out his wares at record speed, grinning at the thought of bringing home gifts for his siblings.

A loud noise snaps him out of it, a door sliding open to reveal a woman holding a boy by his scruff. The kid looks around wildly, before his eyes zero in on Aether. Freeing himself, he dashes over, holding a bundle in his hands.

"Aether- Perfect timing! I've been accused of breaking this plate!" He lifts it toward said person. "Help me out! Sniff it!"

Aether's sense of smell was a blessing, one of many strange traits passed through his family. He stooped down, getting a whiff of the plate. Fur. The faint scent of fish. It's familiar. He racks his brain a little.

"A cat." Aether nods. "A cat broke this plate."

The boy turned towards the woman angrily. "See? It wasn't me!"

He is about to try to diffuse the situation when more people shout. "Aether! Could I get some more charcoal?"

—-

The sky is already getting dark when Aether starts back towards his home. He's tired, of course, but the jingle of coins in his pocket inspires him to keep moving.

"It's so late already," He smiles at the light weight of the empty basket he carries. "At least I sold all the charcoal!"

"Aether." A rather grumpy whisper. Aether notices Diluc waving at him from his home at the base of the mountain.

"Better not go back up the mountain at this time. It's too dangerous."

"Don't worry about me," he pointed at his nose. "I've got a great sense of smell, so I'll be fine!"

The red haired man shook his head sternly. "It's too dangerous. You can stay the night at my house. Come in."

"It's fine, really-" "Don't argue with me, Aether. Get in, before the demons come out."

—-

Aether sets his bowl down with a clink. "Thank you for the warm meal!" Diluc grunts in response.

After a bit of hesitation, he asks, "Mr. Diluc, what are demons like?"

"Man eating demons, " Diluc starts, a hint of anger in his voice. "They prowl the land when it gets dark. So never. Never walk outside at night. Now go to bed. You can head back tomorrow morning."

Aether sat on his futon, deep in thought, before he pipes up again. "These demons…they won't come inside your house, will they?"

Diluc scoffs. "Demons don't care about closed doors. They'll come in anyways. That's why demon hunters have protected us by slaying those horrible creatures. Now sleep." He turns off the light, and the cabin plunges into darkness.

After losing his family, Mr. Diluc has been living all alone…he must be very lonely. I'll bring my brothers and sisters next time, and show him that there are no demons. He's safe. We all are.

But….I remember my grandma saying the same thing before she passed.

Demons….are they really real?

—-

The morning comes quicker than expected, and soon enough, Aether is at the door, ready to head out.

"You be careful, now." Diluc says, face grim.

"Thank you Mr. Diluc!"

Aether trekked back up the mountain, when suddenly, a scent hit his nose. His stomach clenched, a wave of nausea washing over him.

Whenever happiness is destroyed, there is always…the scent of blood…

Aether sprinted, lungs burning, towards his house. He halts as it comes into view, horrified. On the ground is Lumine, still clutching their baby brother, lying in a pool of her own blood.

"Lumine!" He dropped to his knees, desperately shaking her for any response. Nothing. Dashing into the house, Aether was only faced with the mutilated bodies of his siblings and mother scattered around. The walls were red with their blood.

He is about to collapse, to sob, to pray that this was all some sort of sick joke, when he realized that maybe, just maybe, one of them was alive. Running back outside, Aether placed a hand on Lumine, feeling for any sort of pulse.

Her hand was still warm.

—-

Aether ran towards the town frantically, Lumine's unconscious body jolting a little with every step.

His gasps left puffs of mist in the cold air, his lungs burning horribly.

Move your legs! Don't give up!

I can't breathe!

Lumine!

Hang on a little longer!

If we can get to the doctor, he can save you!

Don't worry Lumine! Your big brother will save you, no matter what!

Blinded by desperation, he failed to notice her fingers twitch ever so slightly. He ran, racing against time to save his sister. All it took was a second, and with an animalistic roar, Lumine gripped his shoulders, throwing both herself and Aether sideways, over the edge of the cliff.

He laid there in shock, atop the soft snow that broke his fall and likely saved his life. "Lumine?"

Aether sat up, ignoring the pain shooting up his spine. He looked around. "Lumine, are you alright?!" He noticed her standing before him, her head hanging low, hair ripped out of its usual neat bun.

"You don't have to walk, Lumine! You're hurt, I can carry you!"

He reached out towards her. "Lumine?"

She raises her head, skin unusually pale. There is a savage look on his sister's face, like a predator cornering its prey. He barely has enough time to blink before she leaps onto him. Aether pushed her back, whipping out his axe and using its handle to block her teeth, now sharp.

She's….A demon?!

Mr. Diluc told me - Lumine is a man - eating demon?

No! Lumine is human, she still is, she has to be!

But…she doesn't have Lumine's scent anymore..

But she didn't kill anyone! She was protecting them, I know it!

And…at the house…there was the scent of one other person.

Lumine's body trembles slightly. His eyes widened in shock.

She just grew even bigger-

And she's getting stronger!

I'm sorry, Lumine! I'm sorry I didn't come home sooner, I'm sorry I let you get hurt!

Lumine! Lumine, I know you're still there! Hang on, please!

Don't give in!

He hears footsteps behind them. Someone is running towards them.

Stay strong!

"Don't turn into a demon, Lumi! Stay strong!"

Aether was about to close his eyes and accept his death. His arms were going limp from the exertion, and the cold was taking a toll on his body.

Drip.

A single droplet of water, landing on his cheek. Aether looked up to see tears streaming out of his sister's eyes.

She- she did it! She's still there!

He's hardly given enough time to feel relieved when someone leaps at Lumine from behind, his sword slashing downward. He pushes her out of the way, heart pounding. He could feel how close the attack came to his head, slicing off a few strands of hair.

A sword- who-?

The green haired man looked down at him with cold yellow eyes. "Why are you protecting it?"

"She's my sister!" Aether yelled, grabbing onto Lumine's kimono to stop her from attacking.

"You call that thing your sister?"

The man launched himself towards them, sword at the ready. Aether flung himself over Lumine in an attempt to cover her, but she isn't there anymore. When he looks up, the strange man is standing there, with a strong hold on his sister as she struggles.

"Lumi-"

"Don't move. Slaying demons…is my job. I will be decapitating your sister." His voice is dull, tired.

"My sister- she didn't kill anyone! There was a different scent at my house, that must have been the culprit! I don't know h-how Lumine..turned, but-"

"It's rather simple. Her wounds were exposed to demon blood. It's how such creatures multiply."

"Lumine won't harm humans! Please, I can heal her, I can make everything right!"

The man showed no such mercy, readying his sword. Aether had nothing left to do. He couldn't run or fight or call for help. So he knelt to the ground and begged.

"Please…I've lost everyone, I can't lose my sister too! I'm begging you, please!"

"Stop groveling! It's pathetic, and useless." There was anger in his eyes, Aether could see it clear as day. "You really think someone as weak as you can save your sister? If begging could help, then your family wouldn't be dead! You have an axe, but you don't use it. I could have killed you both!

Now is not the time to cry. Crying won't do a thing; the universe will not wait for your tears to finish falling.

It hurts. Your family was massacred. You want to scream. I know. It hurts. I understand.

But there is no way to turn back time.

Lumine lets out a scream of pain as the blade is driven through her chest.

Aether flings the only thing he can find at the man; a stone, smaller than his palm. It's blocked by the sword, but he continues to hurl more and more. He can feel the adrenaline coursing through him as he runs through the trees, before dashing forward.

The handle of the stranger's katana is brought down on his head, and he collapses, unconscious.

How foolish. An attack driven solely by emotion. But… He observes Aether's fallen form.

Where is his hatchet?

The sound of metal cutting through air whooshes as the axe comes hurtling down, striking the place his head was only half a second ago.

He knew he couldn't defeat me…so he tried to take me down with him!

This kid…

Distracted, his grip loosens ever so slightly, but it's enough for Lumine to escape.

Shit- she'll devour him!

Xiao chased her, only to stop cold at the sight before him. Lumine had her arms spread wide, shielding her brother.

A newly turned demon must be starving…they'll do anything they can to eat, devouring their own family out of hunger.

She's using so much energy to heal her wounds, but she didn't even touch her brother?

Lumine attacked him, but a quick neck chop and she collapsed as well.

Even though she's starving, she protected her brother.

I wonder..is there something different about them?

—-

Aether's family surrounds him once more. His mother strokes his forehead.

"I'm sorry Aether, for leaving you behind."

"Take care of Lumine for me, okay?"

Aether wakes with a gasp. Lumine is lying next to him, eyes closed, a bamboo gag in her mouth. The strange man is still there, his back turned. He's about to take the chance and run when the man looks at him.

"Go see an old man by the name of Zhongli. He lives at the foot of Mount Sagiri. Tell him you were sent by Alatus Xiao. And keep your sister out of the sun.

There is a green flash, and as Aether's hair is blown back by the wind, he disappears.

—-

Aether leaves only a whispered prayer after burying the bodies of his family. He grabs Lumine's hand, squeezing it tightly.

"Let's go."

The snow begins to fall once more.