Hello everyone, here's the confrontation that a lot of people have been waiting for, between Ayaka and Aether, but it's not just that, don't forget that there was Beidou, Ningguang, Yae and Kazuha with her.
Also, it's going to be a bit violent, so I've warned you.
Also, I've changed a few things in the first few chapters, like the mistakes I made, or the way the characters spoke, so that it's clearer who's talking.
On that note, happy reading and sorry to Ayaka and Yae fans, just so you know, I too like these two characters, but they have to reap what they sow.
"Aether...I'm so happy to see you again. If you only knew how much I've missed you." Ayaka said to the fallen blonde hero, but Aether hardly looked pleased.
"Spare me your nonsense and tell me the real reason why you're here?" Aether replied not wanting to waste any more of his time.
Ayaka was surprised, not understanding why Aether was so hostile to her because it was obvious to the others around her that she wanted to see him again. After all, she loved him and wanted to support him in his time of need.
"What do you mean? I'm telling the truth. As soon as I heard the news, I rushed here to see you because I knew you needed comfort, and to see the man I love and admire in so much pain breaks my heart..."
"DON'T EVER SAY THAT TO ME AGAIN!" Aether snapped at Ayaka, startling her.
"Huh?"
"You love me?! That's the worst lie I've heard today, and this is coming from the knights and scholars here telling me they're sorry when they're not!" Aether pointed at the Mondstadians and Sumerians who recoiled as they were struck.
"No, it's true, my love for you is real..."
"Shut up, Ayaka! I'm sick of all of the lies!" Aether took two steps towards her, golden eyes that no longer looked at Ayaka with warmth and care but instead contempt and disgust that rattled Ayaka's soul.
"If you really loved me or even respected me when we first met, you would have just honored my wish to not meddle in Inazuma's affairs? Where were you when I needed help to fight the Raiden Shogun? Oh, wait, I forgot, you were lying comfortably sipping tea while I was busy saving your servant! When have you ever supported me? Not once, and you call that love?! I've helped you grieve, I've helped you make new friends and discover the world for yourself. What do I get? A beating from a literal goddess, expecting me to solve all your country's problems!" Aether ranted about the good he had done for Ayaka but hardly got anything in return, but a simple dance for his trouble.
"Aether, I'm sorry for everything, I never thought of it like that." Ayaka weakly defended herself, but it just made Aether angrier.
"What do you mean, "you never thought of it like that"?! You cannot be serious! Were you intentionally trying to kill me?!"
Ayaka winced as she didn't mean it like that.
"No, I just wanted to save my country, I never once had the intention to hurt you, I didn't know things were going to go wrong..." Ayaka avoided looking into Aether's eyes knowing it wasn't a valid excuse at all.
"I'll stop you right there, Ayaka. You claim that you wanted to save Inazuma, but you never once actually tried doing that. You're just like everyone else here." Aether said before taking a glance at everyone still watching him.
"I already said this before, and I'll say it again. What I hate is that instead of resolving the situation yourself, you just waited for help because you thought someone might come and help you anytime, right? People like you always think like that. Worthless trash that waits for help, without thinking of trying to resolve it yourself. Acting all pleasant while smiling, fooling around, and not taking anything seriously. It's a blessing itself that none of you tried saving the day instead of relying on an Outlander like me because all of you would have failed miserably. That's precisely why trash like you can never accomplish anything." Aether expressed the reason why he had so much contempt and disgust for everyone here.
The Mondstadians and Sumerians flinched hearing the same speech once again being accused of being lazy trash relying on a Knight in Shining Armor instead of themselves. However, to Ayaka, Yae Miko, Ningguang, Beidou, and Kazuha this was the first time they heard Aether insult them in such a negative manner and it was truly heartbreaking. Ayaka, Yae Miko, and Ningguang were in tears while Beidou and Kazuha stared at the ground, fists clenched.
Aether turned his head to Ayaka to continue talking.
"I haven't forgotten when we first met, you promised me that you would get me a meeting with the Raiden Shogun in exchange for my help, and you never uphold your end of the bargain. Why would you? It just proves to me you're just a conniving opportunist who took advantage of the situation I was in like everyone else. Even when the Vision Hunt Decree ended, you've never apologized for the manipulation. You have the gall to think a simple apology and love confession would earn back my trust? You're completely delusional and pathetic, Kamisato Ayaka." Aether said coldly to the Shirasagi Himegimi who felt her entire world crashing down on her.
Ayaka's tears poured down her face as she never felt so much pain in her life as the man that she loved said that he hated her right to her face. Aether was completely right that he had no reason to trust her. Ayaka wanted to believe all would be forgiven after giving Aether the comfort and support that he needed and then they would live happily ever after. However, that delusion as Aether put it was completely shattered. The Shirasagi Himegimi thought she was in an awful nightmare, but this was reality.
Yae Miko, who couldn't stand it anymore, came over and placed a hand on Ayaka's shoulder to comfort her. The very air surrounding the priestess was surprisingly serious which was emphasized even more as Yae was lacking her usual smiles.
"Aether, I know you're hurting and you think we betrayed you, but don't blame Ayaka for that, please. She was just trying to save everyone, if there's one hypocrite, it's me, so I'll understand if you don't want to talk to me or forgive me, but don't blame Ayaka. She loves you and regrets everything that happened to you in Inazuma." Yae said seriously, coming to Ayaka's defense in her time of need.
Ayaka's eyes widened as she saw the kitsune trying to take her place by accepting responsibility for the actions taken in the nation of the Electro Archon, but this only served to irritate Aether even more. The Traveler saw their pathetic attempts at apologies and accepting responsibility as completely shallow.
As for Ningguang, she was feeling worse and worse while Beidou was trying to support her, devastated by the fact that she didn't dare to speak out in front of him when she was also partly responsible.
"You're right Yae, you're responsible..." Aether said quietly while Yae smiled slightly feeling some progress was finally being made.
"Thank you, and I understand that you don't want to see me anymore, but..."
"I haven't finished... You're just as responsible as she is! You think I don't know what you're up to, that's pathetic coming from you, who's usually so good at manipulating people like the coward you are! Did you think you could fool me with that? Everything I've said is true, and Ayaka knows it using my status and the fact that I'd already helped those two pathetic nations, Liyue and Mondstadt. What's more, even though she's not here, Sangonomiya Kokomi has done the same, promoting me to Captain of Squadron Swordfish II in the same way as them, to flatter me and make me a tool like everyone else." Aether said, pointing at the people of Mondstadt and Sumeru, who hadn't dared speak for a while just listening to the conversation in silence.
"But..."
"I TOLD YOU I HAVEN'T FINISHED! As a result of all this, one of the few people I trusted, my brother-in-arms, Teppei, died before my very eyes, through your fault, the Fatui's fault, Kokomi's fault, and that woman you call the "Electro Archon"! All because he wanted to become stronger to protect his homeland more than anything else in the world, I won't forget the indifference you showed..." Aether seethed in rage, remembering the tragic end of a man who just wanted to be special.
"What's that look for? Don't worry, partner. Soon as I've rested up, I'll be right as rain. Right as rain, I'll tell ya…soon as I've …rested up…"
"I admit that it wasn't planned, and we didn't want it to happen, but there could have been more deaths, it was a blessing in disguise...I tried to save as many people as possible..." Yae said, but Aether snapped at her.
"NO! YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO ACT THAT YOU WERE HERO HERE! If you wanted to, you could have stopped the Vision Hunt Decree before it even started! You could have stopped Ei, exposed Hirragi Shinsuke and the Fatui's schemes. So many people dying, so many families destroyed. If only you actually cared, but you're just as lazy and pathetic like everyone else here! You never thought of that, you could have given the Gnosis before it was too late, but you preferred to play with me, making me take the risk of fighting Raiden Shogun a second time." Aether spat out in disgust which made Yae look away from him.
"But I did it as a last resort..."
"That's not true, and you know it! In any case, the Archons are all as incompetent as each other, they're all losing this object like a child loses a toy! In any case, you've used everyone to your advantage!"
"The only reason I did this was to save Inazuma!"
"So what! You didn't respect me when I was thrown into the lion's den, you didn't respect your so-called best friend when you treated her like a kid who needs candy to stop her misbehavior, you didn't respect all the people you indirectly killed, when all this could have been over quicker than it started!"
Aether moved closer and closer to Yae Miko, one of the people with whom he had a particular grudge with, each step becoming more and more violent, while the kitsune was almost about to cry, feeling sorry for what she had done.
"You used all those people, and you kept smiling as if nothing had happened, as if no one had died after playing with so many lives... As if you were an angel. Priestess, my ass, you're just a depraved hedonist who just gets a kick out of people suffering no matter how many lives she destroys." Aether swore with venom in his eyes while it took everything for Yae not to sob on the spot.
The hero of the four nations walked in front of her, his body shaking in rage, a sign that his patience was reaching its breaking point while Ayaka saw this from the front row, her mind struggling to cope with her crush's fall from grace and his hatred for her. As for Ningguang, she didn't even dare talk to him anymore, afraid of offending him and that he might end up hurting someone permanently.
Yae Miko tried to calm the Traveler a second time, this time fearing more for herself, a crooked smile as her eyes began to water, and she put her hands in front of her as if to protect herself.
"Aether, wait! Please, I mean it, I'm truly sorry for everything I've done! I just wanted to have Inazuma to have a brighter future. Even if it came at the expense of your well-being! Please remember all of the good you have done not just for Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, and Sumeru, but for everyone's lives for the better!" She said this last sentence, sobbing and folding her hands as if to beg him to pardon her to the surprise of Ayaka, Ningguang, Beidou, and Kazuha, who had never seen her beg for anything, let alone forgiveness.
…
…
…
Good…
Aether's body froze like a statue hearing the word good.
Good…
His vision began to blur, and he was suddenly filled with anger, as he remembered all the so-called good got him. So many problems that he had to fix because no one else couldn't bother to do it themselves.
A drunken bard who couldn't keep his pet lizard in check.
A money-dumb consultant who was willing to let his precious kingdom be destroyed to see if it could literally sink or swim without him.
A cowardly woman so afraid of pain and loss that she never accomplished her precious eternity to begin with, making all the lives lost even more tragic and meaningless.
A so-called God of Wisdom who willingly allowed corruption and bias to run rampant under the excuse of an inferiority complex.
Constantly being manipulated for everyone's expense except for his own.
His so-called friends are constantly taking advantage of his generosity.
Being roped into adventures and schemes that he had no say in the matter.
People who sat around waiting for a miracle to just instead of solving the problem itself.
His quest to find his sister, not getting any closer.
Yae observed Aether's change in posture, which was filled with hatred and anger, with both dread and morbid curiosity. A fierce wrath flooded his eyes.
Aether's stance suddenly became rigid, and he saw nothing.
Nothing except furious indignation, hatred, and anger.
Faster than anyone could react, Aether's fist slammed into Yae's stomach sending her flying to the stone walls that surrounded Mondstadt. Her body cracked the stone wall making her cough blood and it was a miracle that her spine didn't shatter on impact. Suddenly Yae felt her fight-or-flight instincts going into overdrive just in time to roll out of the way of Aether's fist causing a larger crack on the stone wall. Yae quickly pulled out her gohei and Electro aura sparking to defend herself.
All she could do was watch as the icy, enraged gaze filled Aether's eyes.
Just Yae was about to defend herself from another one of Aether's attacks. Her mind was suddenly bombarded with memories she had with the Traveler. Of simple times where she had enjoyed his company such as drinking tea and eating Fried Tofu together, Aether sharing stories of his adventures and Paimon being Paimon. A determined hero that moved forward, no matter what the world threw at him. However, Yae saw none of that.
What she saw was a monster, a monster who was broken by the world and was forsaken by it.
Yae dropped her gohei, and her Electro aura dissipated, overwhelmed with guilt knowing she helped create this monster in front of her. Aether's fist slammed into Yae's face, cratering the ground. Despite the overwhelming pain she was feeling, Yae managed to muster the strength to wrap her arms around Aether's body to hug him.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!" Yae sobbed as her tears fell onto Aether's shoulder, but the Traveler felt nothing from Yae's apologies and comforting hug.
WHAM!
Without any hesitation, Aether brutally sent a hammer strike on Yae's skull, making it crash into the ground. Followed by a series of brutal stomps onto the shrine maiden's face making the woman shriek in pain.
Aether sneered at Yae, looking down on the kitsune, he said, "I'm tired of your bullshit, Yae Miko. When you're just like everyone else here!" He slowly raised his foot, only to stomp on Yae's face once again.
"You're just another pathetic…"
STOMP!
"...worthless…"
STOMP! STOMP!
"...narcissistic…"
STOMP! STOMP! STOMP!
"...disgusting trash…"
STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! STOMP STOMP!
"...that doesn't deserve to breathe another day with all the bullshit you have done!"
STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! STOMP!
Aether kept stomping on Yae's face over and over as the sickening sound of bones breaking echoed throughout Mondstadt, but it didn't soothe the Traveler at all. It only served to motivate Aether even more as he increased the tempo. At that point, Yae Miko was in too much agony to even properly scream anymore.
As for everyone else, they all watched in horror at the vicious beating being delivered by Aether of all people. Their hearts breaking now seeing how truly broken the Traveler was.
Amber couldn't help but cry when she saw what he was now capable of doing.
Ayaka put her hands over her mouth, her face showing both shock and sadness.
Diluc didn't dare look up in shame, and neither did Kaeya, who was staring at the ground, their hair covering their eyes.
Noelle and Barbara almost broke seeing how brutal Aether had become.
Kazuha feared the worst, sensing a torrential downpour around Aether.
Jean and Ningguang didn't know what to do, feeling that they had failed both as leaders to their countries and as friends to Aether.
Tighnari blinked several times to make sure he wasn't hallucinating while Cyno and Eula tried to comfort Collei.
Mona fell to her knees at the sight while Bennet couldn't move as if he'd seen the devil.
Lisa couldn't stand the display of violence and brutality looking away altogether
Razor didn't know what to make of all this, but the emotional overload was upsetting and he couldn't understand why Aether had hit a friend.
Fischl felt as if her world was collapsing like a house of cards as she saw what he was capable of doing, realizing that a simple apology wasn't going to lead to a happily ever after.
Beidou was speechless by how brutal Aether had become.
Even the normally stoic Rosaria was wide-eyed and even afraid of Aether now.
Aether sent another stomp onto Yae's face, this time with more force behind it. His shoe dug deeper into Yae's face. He gradually increased the force, pressing his shoe further into Yae's cranium. The shrine maiden let out a muffled scream of pain, powerless to stop Aether as he intended to crush her skull like a bug…
"Please, STOP!" Ayaka screamed at the top of her lungs towards Aether.
Aether like all the others except Yae who couldn't turn her head at all, turned towards her and saw her. Her face froze in fear as the biggest nightmare of her life was unfolding before her eyes. Ayaka couldn't bear the sight of Aether crossing the line and committing cold-blooded murder. She approached him while Aether's foot was still pressed against Yae's cranium.
"Aether, I beg you, you don't have to do this. Yae may have done disreputable things like everyone else including me. I understand that you won't forgive us so easily, but this is beyond cruel! I promise you we will make things right for you, so please stop." Ayaka pleaded with her heart out as tears kept pouring down her face.
Ayaka hoped that her words would reach him, but Aether didn't see it the same way she did.
"Do you think that's enough? What a joke!" Aether spat out with Ayaka flinching.
"Aether..."
"Shut up, Ayaka! Every sound that comes out of your mouth is starting to piss me off! After all that, you expect me to believe that you've learned your lesson, and that everyone here has! So since I wasn't clear, I'm going to clarify my words once again with something you'll understand once and for all, and not just you, but everyone here... But first, since you care so much, here!"
Aether grabbed Yae Miko by the collar, the kitsune's face badly bloody and bruised. Almost unrecognizable as Yae wheezed trying to breathe again. Aether tossed Yae in front of Ayaka's feet as if she were garbage. The Cryo user quickly hoisted Yae's arm over their shoulder looking very concerned.
"Are you all right?" Ayaka asked while Yae coughed.
"Yes, don't mind me, he's merciful enough at the moment, having left me alive...He's talking to you, so don't provoke him any further..." She whispered to Ayaka, and she gave a serious look, understanding her warning. The heiress gently set Yae against a nearby tree, who was trying as hard as she could not to faint to listen to what Aether had to say.
This might be the last time she'd converse with him, even if things were going to end in bitter terms, Ayaka needed to see it through till the bitter end.
"Normally you should understand what I'm talking about in particular, shouldn't you, Kamisato." Aether started, any pleasantry gone.
Ayaka didn't yet know what he was talking about, but it already hurt when he'd called her by her surname as if they were strangers. Aether made it clear she'd never have the love she'd wanted, but an ounce of hope could still be felt in the depths of her heart, on the verge of crumbling in the face of the reality of what was happening.
"I'm going to ask you a simple question... How would you react if you were in my shoes?" Aether questioned Ayaka, making her confused.
"Huh?"
"You should understand what I'm saying because you have a brother!" He said, raising his voice, making Ayaka realize what he was saying.
Aether approached Ayaka and the crowd of people, all the while continuing to shout.
"How would you react if your brother, who's your only family, was lost somewhere in the world? Someone had taken him away from you and you'd been trying to find him for a long time, to no avail! You're constantly interrupted for things that don't even concern you! When you ask for help, nobody's there for you! You understand that?!"
Ayaka knew he was right, her brother Ayato meant the world to her, and would do anything to find him if he was ever lost. Aether continued his speech.
"Every time I see happy families, I can't help but envy them. Especially when there's no one here that understands my pain! Every time I pass by, it's the same thing, whether it's you and Ayato, Diluc and Kaeya, Jean and Barbara, or Albedo and Klee. Hell, even that bastard Harbinger Tartaglia manages to be with his brother, so why not me!? Why shouldn't I be allowed to see my sister, she's the only family I've got left?!" Aether ranted about the unfairness of it all.
"Aether, you don't have to force yourself! We can accompany you on your journey, you'll find her again, it's just that it'll take time!" Diluc pleaded, but it just made Aether angrier.
"Time? TIME!? YOU DARE TO TELL ME THAT!" He said, his icy gaze exerting a monstrous pressure on everyone, especially Diluc, and it didn't get any better when Jean and Barbara interfered, the deaconess speaking again.
"If I'd lost my sister, I'd be doing everything I could to find her too!" Barbara chimed in.
"I wouldn't forgive myself if I'd lost Barbara! This isn't the right way to go about this. We want to repent by helping you now, so please accept our help. I swear we'll do everything we can to help you find your sister!" Jean begged Aether to just stop before things got any worse.
"Shut up once for once! You don't have an ounce of compassion, you're only saying that because you're not the one suffering! I HAVEN'T SEEN MY SISTER FOR OVER 500 YEARS AND YOU WANT ME TO WAIT EVEN LONGER!? IF YOU WERE IN MY PLACE, YOU WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE SURVIVED MY ORDEAL!" Aether shouted at everyone as he drew his blade making the crowd tense.
"I'm giving you one last chance, and this time is the last. If you don't let me go, I will fight all of you, and if you die don't hold it against me…This was inevitable." Aether swore as he pointed his sword towards everyone, and his free hand flashed through various elements making it very clear he was ready to deliver his promise.
Aether had issued a final warning while no one dared move, except for Ningguang who was the only one who didn't get the chance to talk to Aether. She knew that she needed to say everything she needed to say or else she'll regret it for the rest of her life.
"Wait Aether!"
Aether turned his head towards Ningguang and grunted.
"Ningguang...You have nothing to say to me, you're one of the worst here." Aether said, making displeasure known while the wealthy woman winced.
"On the contrary, all this is partly my fault, and I want to talk to you about it because it's the reason I've come all this way." Ningguang implored Aether to give her a moment of his time, which he did reluctantly.
"Talk...Let's get it over with, so I can leave, I'm not going to change my mind anyway." Aether said while Ningguang gave a sigh of relief.
"Thank you. First of all, I would like to personally apologize. Everything that happened to Liyue, I left you to deal with it, when it was my role as a leader to protect my fellow citizens. I should have paid more attention, as well as to the Fatui threat. Instead, I relied on you without considering what you wanted. But I have a question, why didn't you ask me to do more than post posters that day when I offered you everything you wanted in exchange?" Ningguang questioned the Traveler as he remained silent before answering.
"It's simple, I'd come to Liyue to meet the Geo Archon, which I did, and like the Anemo Archon, he didn't help me find any leads on my sister. As I said before, finding my sister is my top priority. I thought setting up posters on her whereabouts would pay off eventually, but it never did. Either way, I never once asked you for more because I understood as a leader you had more immediate priorities and I respected our so-called friendship enough to not be a leech." Aether answered while Ningguang flinched as it hurt that the Traveler saw their friendship as completely one-sided.
"I understand..."
"But the thing is Ningguang, out of everyone here, you have nothing to apologize for." Aether said which confused the merchant woman.
"I...I don't understand..."
"It's quite simple really, you were simply being a good politician making the most of a bad situation. You saw a useful asset and saw it fit to give me special treatment by judging me for my strength and reputation. Everyone ignored my requests to find my sister, treated me like a tool for their own benefit, and put me on a pedestal. But now that I've suddenly cut ties with all of you...you suddenly being remorseful absolutely disgusts me." Aether said coldly which made Ningguang tear up even more.
"Aether, you're wrong…"
"Let me ask you this, Ningguang. If I had come to Liyue as a complete nobody, would you have given me a moment of your time? You, one of the wealthiest people of Liyue and its leader, are using your wealth and resources to help a no-name Outlander who has nothing to offer you. No Mora or connections until I revealed my strength. Would you have treated me any different?" Aether questioned anyway, knowing full well the answer.
Seeing Ningguang's expression, the answer was obvious. "Yeah, that's what I thought." It was for that reason that Aether didn't bother getting his hopes up.
"Wait Aether, there's something you have to know. Even if you don't trust me now, and curse my name. I want you to know that…I valued the friendship I built with you. Before you came to Liyue, I had nothing but business associates and very few people I could call friends. I enjoyed the time we spent together as you put it simply, never putting me on a pedestal, but as a normal person. I've lost Ganyu, Keqing's, and Yelan's trust in me, I don't even know where they are right now. I suppose this is my punishment for my sins against you, and I accept that, but I wanted to at least apologize sincerely to you, it's the least I can do for you." Ningguang wept as she finally broke down overwhelmed by stress, guilt, and sadness.
Aether remained silent, seeing Ningguang with her watery red eyes, and her saddened face, but that didn't change anything, no matter how many people begged him or cried in front of him. He just stopped caring for it all. Aether didn't understand what she meant by losing the trust of her most precious secretaries, but he still didn't care. It was Keqing's, Ganyu's, and Yelan's choice to stop trusting Ningguang, and the head merchant was reaping what she sowed. Aether had no intention of finding the three women to help repair their relationship with their boss, he was done doing those jobs.
He saw her lose Ningguang drop to her knees as Beidou picked her up, and the pirate spoke up, approaching him, as did Kazuha, not without apprehension.
"Aether, I can assure you that everything Ningguang says is true, she feels terribly sorry, so much so that she implored Kamisato Ayaka to be able to come with us to see you because she wanted to take responsibility for her actions. It's true that I too should have been there at least to support you, but that didn't mean we didn't want to help you." Beidou said to emphasize how everyone here wanted to make amends.
"Captain Beidou is right, you know I think of you as a brother-in-arms, and I wouldn't want anything to happen to you, in the same way as the captain, the crew, or even Paimon, because you're what I consider my family and I'd never want anything bad to happen to you. I just want you to know that even if we don't deserve your forgiveness, which is normal, if you need us we'll be there this time, and we'll have learned our lesson. But you don't have to go down this road, my friend." Kazuha begged Aether like everyone else to stop before things got any worse.
Kazuha tried to put a hand on his shoulder to soothe him as Jean had tried to do before, but like the blonde woman, Aether recoiled his touch in sheer disgust to the shock of Beidou, Ningguang, and the others.
Aether approached with a look of contempt, before he had time to rise, resting his sword on his shoulder.
"Too late, Kahedehara, you should have thought of that before, but I'll tell you one thing, 'friend'..."
Kazuha was apprehensive about the situation, feeling a sinister air around the Traveler, before he grabbed him by the collar, a shiver down his spine to thread carefully because otherwise it would be fatal.
"Aether, please calm down for a second. We just want to help you."
"All of you keep saying that you care about me, and I'm your friend but it doesn't change the fact that what I said is true." Aether said albeit tired, not wanting to repeat himself anymore.
"No, Aether, please...I don't want to lose another comrade..." He begged, raising his hand to him.
"Too late, Kahedehara... You should have thought of that before..." Aether said, turning his back to him, the Crux wanderer now feeling empty again, like after his friend's death at the hands of the Raiden Shogun, but this time he felt the same pain as before.