Hello everyone, and sorry for the late posting, but the important thing is that the chapter is here.
There's a lot going on in this chapter, and some of the characters are going to be in a lot of pain, including the Archons, who make their entrance, but not through the front door.
Also, Paimon is back, although she'll still be very upset by the drastic change in her best friend's personality and appearance.
So I've read that Aether's actions, or the way he might be thinking at the moment, would be hypocritical because he's only concerned about his own well-being. The truth is, after being altruistic for so long, he's decided to do things for himself, because his usual modus operandi is always to get stuck in a spiral of saving the various countries he passes through. Since his aim is to speed things up, it's only natural that he wants to avoid any problems that might lead him to interfere in matters that don't concern him.
By the way, Eid Mubarak and good reading!
"Let me make myself abundantly clear, I can't trust any of you anymore. Any fond memories we had together of adventuring, laughter, joy, and contentment are dead to me. I truly did believe you cared about me, but what a fool I was for believing in a lie. Goodbye everyone, this will be the last time we see each other." Aether's voice called out to the entire group, hollow and dead.
Everyone was truly devastated that the Traveler forsook the bond he made with them, but believed it never existed in the first place. Something they truly did treasure with the Traveler ever since he came to Teyvat and their lives. As Aether began to walk away from the group, everyone wanted nothing more than to reach their hand out to him, but he made it clear he would never accept it.
Aether made a sudden stop when something caught his vision. A burst of purple electricity appeared in front of him before a female figure twirled around and revealed himself to the Traveler. A woman dressed in purple, her hair was the same shade, a hairstyle that resembled cat ears, hands resting on her hips, and her eyes piercing, as she advanced in front of him.
"Keqing?
"Yes, it's me, Aether! I've found you at last!"
Before he could say anything, he saw other people behind the young woman, whom he recognized immediately, it was Paimon, Venti, Ganyu, Zhongli, Shenhe, Ei, Yelan, Hu Tao, Nahida, and Xiao. All looked relieved and worried for him just like everyone else. However, the sight of the Archons made Aether's blood boil, reminding him once again of the dead leads of finding his sister and the cycle of fixing the problems of their nations they couldn't even solve themselves.
While the inhabitants of Mondstadt, Liyue, Sumeru, and Inazuma saw these newcomers, they were all shocked to see their respective Archons a part of this group. Although everyone's spirits were broken by Aether's merciless rejections of their attempts to redeem themselves in his eyes, they were both terrified and hopeful at the same time. Hopeful that this new group including the gods themselves would save Aether from himself and terrified because of how volatile he was now.
Suddenly, everyone felt a new wave of misery overcome them as they were reminded of Aether's harsh words echoing into their minds. Reminding them all of how they were lazy, incompetent, carefree, failures, and trash in his eyes.
Aether was right, they really couldn't accomplish anything by themselves. Even though everyone tried their best to apologize to him, and help him in his time of need, they all failed in the end. All of a sudden in their time of need, the Archons themselves just appeared as a miracle to save Aether. However that wasn't important, what mattered the most was saving Aether from himself.
Keqing, Paimon, Venti, Ganyu, Zhongli, Shenhe, Ei, Yelan, Hu Tao, Nahida, and Xiao headed towards Aether. The Traveler's body began to violently shake in rage at the Archons before having his hand shift through four different elements. Everyone felt a sense of dread, fearing for the absolute worst.
"Aether, I know you think this isn't the time, but we're all here, it's for..."
"AIR BULLET! THUNDER REIGN! COLLAPSING EARTH! NATURE'S BLESSING!"
Keqing didn't have time to finish her sentence as Aether held up his hand showing a condensed orb of energy consisting of Anemo, Electro, Geo, and Dendro creating an unholy fusion of the elements, ready to be unleashed. Xiao, alarmed, quickly grabbed Paimon, Shenhe, Yelan, Hu Tao, Keqinq, and Ganyu to teleport them away from the danger. Aether aimed before firing it as a condensed blast of the elements at the Archons. Venti, Nahida, Ei, and Zhongli acted immediately, creating a powerful barrier between their respective elements just in time to defend themselves.
BOOM!
The elemental blast collided violently against the barrier creating a powerful shockwave making everyone bracing for cover.
A beautiful array of colors consisting of light mint green, goldenrod yellow, vivid purple, and chartreuse stood against each other as opposing forces. All of the Archons grunted trying their very best to maintain the barrier. Sweat began to pour down their foreheads as they watched helplessly as cracks began to form in the shield. Feet digging into the ground trying not to fall down from the sheer force of the blast.
A deafening explosion followed by violent tremors shook all of Teyvat while a vivid display of different colors ravaged Mondstadt's landscape. The earth shuddered and shook, trees were violently uprooted, and the storm clouds dispersed. Although the barrier was heavily cracked, all of the Archons were physically fine but rattled from the sheer power of Aether's attack and the fact he just tried to kill them. Everyone else was horrified by the destruction caused by Aether of all people.
"W-What power!" Fischl stuttered in fear, a sentiment shared by everyone else.
"We really got off easy…" Mona whimpered.
"Aether, cease this at once! There's no need for hostility!" Zhongli commanded sternly, hoping that his words would get through to him.
"We came here to repent!" Ei added, her face remorseful like everyone else.
Tears poured down Venti's face, grief-stricken. "J-Just stop, please Aether!" He begged with all of his might.
"I'm sorry for everything…" Nahida sobbed as she never thought this would happen.
Aether gave out a chilling glare of hatred that rattled the Archon's souls. Any bonds that the Traveler made with the Archons was dead in his eyes. All Aether had for the gods of this world was his animosity for all of them. While the four Archons teared up, lamenting that all of this was avoidable from the start. Responsible for breaking the heart and spirit of the very person they all trusted.
"YOU CAN TAKE YOUR APOLOGIES BACK TO CELESTIA! MORAX, BUER, BEELZEBUB, AND BARBATOS!" Aether spat out each of the Archon's godly names like venom making them all flinch.
The crowd was all shocked that the people that Aether tried to murder and cause mass destruction to Mondstadt were their own Archons, but also the Archons of each different nation!
Paimon teared up seeing Aether again, but never once she ever imagined that the stress of their journey would make him snap, and try to murder the very deities they befriended. This was NOT what Paimon imagined Aether would do, they were still friends right?!
"Did Aether call Zhongli, Morax?! You're saying Zhongli was Morax, and he's been alive this whole time!" Beidou cried out completely shocked at this revelation much like Ningguang herself.
"Yes, Zhongli is Morax." Hu Tao answered simply, not bothering to mess around as she was horrified that Aether just tried to commit deicide of all things.
"Aether…" Shenhe couldn't help but cry seeing the rage that filled the Traveler's eyes. Something that the white-haired woman was very familiar with, but it was alien seeing it on the person that showed her kindness when they first met.
Ganyu wanted nothing more than to wake up from this nightmare she was in, believing if she just woke up. Everything would go back to normal, and Aether was back to his kind self. However, she was very much awake.
Xiao was afraid. Afraid for both Zhongli's safety and Aether's sanity. The Yaksha was worried that Aether would cross the point of no return.
Yelan didn't want to believe the kind-hearted Traveler could cause so much devastation in his wake. The Hydro user truly regretted that she couldn't calm him down in their last meeting before things escalated.
"Dammit Aether, you're going too far!" Tighnari gritted his teeth. Being angry and bitter was one thing, but trying to murder their god was simply irredeemable.
Both Collei and Cyno were both worried for the Dendro Archons safety, but hopeful that her wisdom was enough to finally stop the Travelers madness.
"Ei…" Yae Miko muttered her breath, still injured from the Aether's vicious beating he gave her. Surprised that Ei was here alongside the other Archons all for Aether's sake while extremely touching by itself. However, Aether didn't share the same sentiment.
Ayaka was truly terrified as she didn't know what was going to happen next. Either her god would smite Aether for his transgressions or the Electro Archon would die from his wrath.
"Who is fancy dressed man, purple lady, and little girl?" Razor questioned, not understanding he was seeing the other nations' Archons with his own eyes.
"Venti is Barbatos…Barbatos…Barbatos…" Barbara repeated to herself, brain-fried that she's been around her god this whole time, and he was Mondstadt's resident drunken bard that no one took seriously.
Jean rubbed her younger sister's back to comfort her. The secret was out about Venti now, and she couldn't blame for her reaction. Worried for both Aether and Venti while noting how incredibly sad the bard was now.
Rosaria looked paler than usual that the bard was the very deity her church worshiped, and worse, Aether was truly proving himself to be a genuine threat to Mondstadt's safety. Under normal circumstances, she would never hesitate to put down any threats, but this threat was her friend…Rosaria didn't know what to do next.
Aether held up his hand to try another elemental attack, everyone was terror-stricken after witnessing first-hand of the destruction that Aether had caused. He ignored everyone's pleas to stop as he gathered the elemental energy while the Archons still hid behind their barrier.
"STOP!" Keqing yelled as she jumped in between Aether and the Archons. Although the Yuheng was clearly scared to death with her legs shaking, her eyes glared at Aether carrying a fierce fire in them with tears in her eyes.
"Aether, please just stop! This isn't you! Look around, you nearly destroyed Mondstadt and could have gotten all of us seriously injured or killed! We came all this way to save you for everything you've done for us-"
Save him?
"You cannot be serious, Keqing!" Aether spat out which startled the Electro swordswoman.
"Huh!?"
"You came all this way because you missed me and thought I needed help?! You fools cannot even save yourselves yet you want to save me?! All of you constantly take advantage of my generosity and send me on life-and-death missions none of you ever bothered solving yourself! It's for that very reason why I want nothing to do with any of you!" Aether swore with resentment in his voice.
Keqing was hurt that Aether thought so little of them and their capabilities. Did his rage and bitterness make him forget everything they accomplished? While the Traveler was indeed instrumental in saving Mondstandt, Liyue, Inazuma, and Sumeru, they did their share of the hard work. What's worse was that Aether was willing to sever the priceless bond and memories they made together, something Keqing treasured immensely.
"So why help at all? You could just say no and walk away?" Keqing asked with her jaw trembling.
"It's because it was the right thing to do, but what good did that bring me?! I may have saved lives. It doesn't change the fact, I still can't find my sister! No thanks to all of you for wasting my time! You may have been blessed with a Vision, but it doesn't change what you really are. Worthless trash that waits for help!" Aether ranted as any respect he had for anyone here was non-existent in his eyes.
"I..."
Keqing didn't know what to say, and she knew that's what he truly felt deep inside. The time she had spent with Aether made her believe she knew everything about him. Aether had simply possessed an indomitable will that couldn't be broken by everything regardless of what the world threw at him. She was completely wrong as Aether's journey riddled with grief and stress had broken him. Keqing truly regretted that she didn't see it, if she did then she would have done something to help him.
"If you truly want to help me then you can respect my decision of me cutting ties with all of you! It will be the only meaningful thing any of you have done for me!" Aether shouted, making everyone flinch as they didn't want that at all.
"Aether, we can help you! We've understood our mistakes, and we want to make things right!" Ganyu begged the Traveler to accept their help.
"Save it, Ganyu! Everyone else before you offered to help me through unoriginal ways: a shoulder to cry on, healing and just saying sorry! If that's all you have to offer me then I don't want it!" Aether spat out making the secretary tear up.
"Aether, we left our jobs and Liyue for you with the sole aim of accompanying and supporting you in your journey because we thought it was the least we could do for you!" Keqing spoke up, making Aether turn to her.
"You did it to ease your conscience!"
"No, that's not true, and you know it! We did it because... because..." Keqing uncharacteristically started to stutter.
"Because what?"
"Because we love you!" Keqing and Ganyu sobbed with sadness, anger, and stress at having confessed their feelings under such dire circumstances.
Aether clenched his teeth hearing the same sickening lie once again. Hearing it once from Ayaka was bad enough, but he should have expected better from Keqing and Ganyu.
"More lies!" Aether snarled, stunning both women. "The same trick Ayaka tried to pull to make me believe something that's not even real!"
"But... But it's true! You know I wouldn't lie about my feelings!" Keqing said with tears flowing down her face as it truly hurt that the man that she loved didn't believe her love was real.
"You both care about your precious work documents and Liyue more than anything else. Much like Ningguang, you put me on a pedestal and saw a useful asset for Liyue. You never cared about my well-being at all. All you saw was a useful object to own and exploit!" Aether said bitterly much to Keqing's and Ganyu's shock.
"No, we would never do that to you, even if it was for Liyue's sake…" Ganyu said, starting to feel nauseous thinking about it.
"Yet, here you are. Just as hell-bent as everyone else here giving me empty apologies and tasteless offers to help, so I can stay! I never once judged any of you for your own decisions yet all of you have the audacity to judge me for my actions, you hypocrites!"
"No, it's nothing like that. We're here right now to be by your side in your time of need. You've always helped us when we needed it, and now it's our turn to do the same for you. You're right we're not happy with what you've done until now, but it doesn't change that you're still the same person we all love and respect…" Ganyu said, hoping her words would reach him.
Aether remained unmoved despite it all. "You say that, but all I hear is more lies! I needed help countless times when my life was in constant danger or any leads finding my sister. Where were you when I needed it?! Just living your life when I don't even have the same luxury. You say that you love and respect me yet it's so toxic that I'm better off alone!" He said his voice filled with contempt and disgust.
Keqing and Ganyu couldn't say anything else except dropping to their knees, breaking down crying. Tears poured down their faces as the man that they loved rejected their love. Worse, he believed it wasn't real, to begin with. Both women felt a painful, empty void in their hearts from the cruel words being aired out. It was that point, they felt despair from all of the heartache.
Keqing did something she had never done before, given her strong, assertive nature.
Begging him...imploring him...
She wanted him to believe in her love...
That she was telling the truth... That Ganyu was telling the truth too...
That they all really wanted to help him...
"Aether, please...I really love you...I don't want to lose the man I love..." Keqing's voice cracked as she dropped to her knees onto the ground, which surprised everyone, especially those who knew her well like Ningguang and Hu Tao.
Aether seeing this couldn't deny, it was a pitiful sight seeing the Yuheng of all people pleading for forgiveness and accepting her love. If Keqing simply confessed her feelings before he reached his breaking point then he would have accepted it. However, Aether couldn't do that anymore because he was tired of forgiving everyone for mistakes that shouldn't have happened in the first place. His rejections may have seemed cruel, but these were consequences of their own actions.
Ganyu, who had put herself in the same position as Keqing, her conscience telling her to follow her lead. It was the right thing to do, she wanted Aether to come back to everyone and her, accepting their love.
"Please listen to what Keqing is saying, Aether. You have every right to be angry but don't say we lied to you. It's the truth, we love you. We've made mistakes and we relied on you to fix them, in your eyes we took advantage of your kindness. It still doesn't change the fact we are all eternally grateful for everything you've done for us." Ganyu said giving out the most heartfelt and passionate speech she had ever given in her long life.
"Ganyu..."
Keqing looked at Ganyu with surprise, almost stopping herself from crying, feeling even worse for having put her in this situation. She was determined to resolve the situation without any help, and when she saw that Ganyu, usually so shy, was taking the lead with her to reason with the man in front of them. It gave her renewed courage, and the words the Cryo woman was saying as she continued to talk helped her to gradually regain hope.
"Aether, I want to help you more than anything else. You're the one who made me realize that I belong among humans when I couldn't get my head around the idea for so many years. It's thanks to you that I've been able to be at peace with myself and with others, and I'd like to return the favor, I owe you that much. I want to be there for you whenever you need it. Even if you still reject us, I want you to know that I will still love you."
Ganyu struggled to her feet, resting her hand on her heart as she looked straight into Aether's eyes; despite the tears that wouldn't stop running down her cheeks as they blended with the rain. She was heartbroken by his rejections, but she at least wanted him to understand that she loved him more than anything and that she would still love him no matter what.
Aether was surprised by this, and grunted slightly, but before he could open his mouth. Shenhe spoke up, not wanting to let him rant on without them all having their say.
"Aether, I know I might be repeating what Ganyu says, but I want to thank you for everything you've done for me. You've helped me to integrate more or less into Liyue's society, and I've even been able to make friends thanks to you. I don't know what you're feeling right now, and I don't pretend to know. However, I know you're not well, but I just want to see the man who taught me to love the world and appreciate the little things in life. If you want, I'll accompany you to the end of your journey, after all, it must have hurt you to have no one to confide in, and even if I don't understand. I want to ease your burden, and everyone here does. I don't want to lose the person who is so special to me…" Shenhe spoke up with the raw emotions evident in her voice.
"Shenhe..."
The gentle, kind voice of the white-haired woman had surprised everyone, including Aether himself. He could even see the look of sadness in the woman's eyes. Not even the red ropes that suppressed Shenhe's emotions could hold back the sorrow she felt for the Traveler yet it still didn't change the love she had for Aether.
Aether didn't want to hear the word 'help' from these people anymore, but they still persisted. The more he heard it, a part of him, a very small part wanting to accept it, but he tried to forget about it. He wanted it to stop, but another person spoke up and stepped forward after wiping away her tears, which was surprising due to her jovial nature; Hu Tao.
"Aether..." Hu Tao's usual cheeky smiles were replaced by a serious, compassionate look.
"I know you probably wouldn't want a hug from me to comfort you, and that's normal. You think we've all abandoned you, but that's not true at all. I want you to know I'm here right now because I heard about your suffering. I love you, the same way Keqing and Ganyu love you. I don't want you to fall into despair. I've heard your stories in the other regions and everyone you've lost. Believe me, I know what I'm talking about, don't forget I run a funeral parlor. I know how difficult it is to mourn the loss of a loved one, and the worst thing is in your situation, when you travel so much and make friends with important people, to see them go in such cruel ways must break your heart." Hu Tao said
Hearing the young woman speak of loved ones and grief, images flashed through Aether's mind.
Teppei...
Kazari...
Ruu...
Zhiquiong...
Arama...
He couldn't forget his other friends who had died or been seriously injured, psychologically or physically, during his journey, and all this was making his blood boil more and more...
A tear dropped onto Aether's cheek, remembering the pain of losing it all, and looked down at the ground, still unable to get over it.
Hu Tao blamed herself for this, but she wanted to ease his pain, and to do that she wanted him to confront his past trauma.
"Listen, I know that the past has not spared you, and I'm not asking you to forget it, but I am asking you to move forward. It's for the same reason that we all came for you because we too had not deserved your help, and yet your compassion touched us all. So this time, let us pay you back, moving forward hand in hand. I promise to give a more than decent burial to all those who accompanied you and whom you have not seen since. But I won't leave you alone again, and no one here will. Look, everyone has come for you, from Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, and Sumeru. It's not too late if you want we can go to Fontaine with you. Avoiding everyone and making your own way alone won't help you...So what do you say?"
Hu Tao held out her hand hoping that Aether would accept it. She had put all her soul and courage into talking to him because she wanted to support him. The funeral director may have been a weirdo, but she wasn't stupid. Hu Tao wanted the same thing as everyone else here: to help Aether and move forward for a brighter tomorrow.
Keqing was stunned by the number of people who had tried to convince him that he was on the wrong path, but stubbornly refused to listen to them. The Yuheng was ashamed that she gave up so easily, and her words couldn't reach him. She nevertheless hoped that Aether would finally start believing in them, after what Ganyu, Shenhe, and Hu Tao had just said, finding the strength to stand up.
However, Keqing saw her hopes go up in smoke, as the Hero of Liyue started shaking in rage. Despite all the speeches of love and concern for him, it only served to piss him off even more.
A cold furious glare consumed Aether's gaze which made Hu Tao flinch.
"Where do you get off knowing where my pain is, Hu Tao? Because you bury people, do you think you know what it's like to suffer the loss of people you love?" Aether said in a low voice which made Hu Tao stammer.
"No, I just mean..."
"Don't say anymore, you don't know what it's like! To see so many people dying in such a short amount of time! You're in Liyue playing stupid pranks, while I saw those bastard Fatui kill one of my friends in Inazuma with my own eyes! While you were doing who knows what, a friend of mine ended up in the depths of Chasm and I still don't know whether she's alive or dead, as the search is still on! In Sumeru, there was a woman who nearly died not only because of her illness but because it was accelerated by the Fatui. She is fortunately now free of that illness because I'd have combed all of Sumeru to keep her alive! I've seen people disappear in front of me, just like I saw Lumine taken away from me and you're telling me it's all in the past!" Aether shouted as elemental energy started to leak from his body sending a chill down everyone's spine..
"I didn't tell you to forget them, I just want you to calm down..." Hu Tao stuttered while Aether got even more pissed off.
"Calm down?! I have been patient with all of you ever since I came to Teyvat. Constantly being pulled into your schemes and machinations without ever refusing. I have been patient with all of you giving out the same unoriginal apologies over and over, but you crossed the line, Hu Tao!" Aether snarled as elemental energy began to build up inside of him.
"Aether, stop!"
Aether and Hu Tao turned their heads seeing that it was Keqing who had cried out in despair.
"You can't say that! I know it's difficult, but you're scaring Paimon!"
"P-Paimon?"
"You may not have noticed her, but she's here!" She said, pointing at the little fairy, who had been cowering behind Xiao like a frightened child on his shoulder ever since Aether had attacked the Archons.
When Aether saw her, his rage subsided for a few seconds, surprised and almost happy to see her again. Paimon withdrew from behind the Yaksha to move slightly closer.
"Paimon..." Aether muttered under his breath as he walked towards her.
"Aether? Is it you? Paimon doesn't recognize you anymore," Paimon said, still disturbed by what she had just seen.
"Yes, Paimon, it's me. I'm sorry you're seeing this. That's why I didn't want you to come, to protect you from what was going to happen..." Aether said, looking away ashamed of himself.
"Aether... "
The little fairy was a little apprehensive, but the others were almost surprised by the way he had changed his tone with her, like a big brother who wanted to protect his little sister from all the evil in the world.
Paimon knew that he had difficulty containing his emotions, but she didn't think it would be this serious. However, the way he expressed himself to those he once considered his friends surprised her the most. She had seen him suffer, and she knew that recent events were no picnic for her or him, but she had never thought that every death or tragedy would remind him of his sister's disappearance in front of him.
Paimon had seen that most of the people she knew had done their best to help Aether. Teyvat's Best Travel Guide was looking out at the number of people gathered around and was delighted to see all of the friends they made were here right now. All of them here without having asked for anything, simply because they loved Aether.
Unfortunately, that wasn't enough as Aether's rage took over the more she listened to Aether, the more she understood what he meant. Paimon didn't want to see her dear friend losing himself to his own madness, and losing all of the friends they made together. At the same time, Paimon didn't want to leave Aether's side ever again.
However, Paimon was sure of one thing.
When he said he didn't want her to come to protect her, she knew it was the truth. Which proved to her that the Aether she knew was still there to protect the people he cared about, and she didn't want to lose that spark of hope.
"Aether... Paimon should have paid more attention…" Paimon looked down, ashamed of herself.
"No Paimon, you have nothing to apologize for." Aether tried to gently assure her.
"But all the time, Paimon couldn't do anything..."
"I'm going to stop you right there. Even if you weren't able to do anything, you never ran away no matter the danger, and I respect that. I know you never wanted to let me down and you've always given me your support throughout this journey. That's why you shouldn't say that, and you know why, because unlike them, you've never asked for anything, and I'm not counting the food, which is insignificant compared to everything I've been asked to do. You've always respected me and even at my worst, you were always there." Aether said which made Paimon tear up.
"Aether, Paimon doesn't deserve what you're saying..." She said, sobbing, because she was finding it hard to contain her emotions about the fact that, of all the people here, she was the only one who he considered a good person.
"You deserve it Paimon, and I'm sorry I scared you, but I can't take any more of this." Aether took a deep breath with his eyes showing just how tired he was.
Aether felt a little sad as he watched the little fairy wipe away her tears like a child, so happy to feel useful and to have helped him, even if only for moral support. The words he spoke, just as sincere trying her best to comfort her.
"Paimon, don't forget, whether I'm far from you or not, I've never regretted knowing you for a single moment... Never forget that."
"Aether!"
Paimon couldn't take it anymore, so she flew right towards his chest, crying all the tears she could on his shirt, hugging him in front of everyone's eyes. Everyone felt guilty not only for not having thought of Aether's wellbeing but also for Paimon, thinking very little of the pixie other than being annoying. However, the truth was that the two had a strong bond anyone gave them credit for.
Aether's face softened as he gave the fairy a gentle hug. He had missed Paimon, and hearing her squeaky voice again brought him a sense of comfort. He stroked her head gently, much to Paimon's delight, but was still worried about how erratic Aether was now. Not forgetting about how the Traveler tried to murder the Archons, and spewed words of violent rejection toward Keqing and the rest of his friends.
"You know, Aether. Paimon will always be with you 100% for the journey." Paimon said, still burying her head into his chest.
"I have no doubt Paimon, but my problem isn't with you, it's them."
"No, it's not Aether. It was Paimon who asked for everyone's help. Your friends, our friends all came together just for you. You say no one cares about you, but they do care. Paimon has seen firsthand how much they love you. Believe in Paimon, Paimon has never lied to you." Paimon pleaded with teary eyes.
Aether didn't know what to say after that, even if Paimon was telling the truth about all of their friends being truly sorry and guilt-ridden…he still couldn't forgive them. Not after spending so much time with everyone that they remained apathetic to his pain. It was Paimon of all people to spell it out for them. Aether hated the indifference, wishing anyone bothered asking him how he was doing.
Taking a glance at his surroundings, Aether saw all of the Archons slowly approaching him. Respectful enough not to ruin the moment he was having with Paimon. Their faces were full of regret and sadness like everyone else before them, but the sight of the gods sickened and outraged him. Never forget about all of the problems he had to solve, so many lives lost, no thanks to all of them being the root cause of it all.
"Go ahead and apologize, but just know that…I loathe all of you. For all of your power, you have humans look up to you to give them meaning. Divine Comfort. What a joke, you're nothing more than cowards who break under the slightest pressure. I can finally see why Celestia never bothered to punish all of you for your lack of loyalty, it was because you're not even worth the effort. You pitiful excuse for gods."
Over the centuries, all of the Archons had grown accustomed, down-right desensitized to the slander and derogatory remarks of being weak, monsters, murderers, and so much more. Yet for some unfathomable reason, Aether's contempt, his icy gaze and voice of disdain, struck a raw nerve inside of them, feeling a piece of them die inside. It was truly heartbreaking to hear that the person they completely trusted looked down on them and hated them.
All of the Archons felt their spirits dampen, they had so much to say to the Traveler, but it was difficult to say the words.
Ei wanted to thank Aether for everything he did for her and her nation. He had saved her, her people, freed her from her vision of eternity and loneliness. She had seen her sister and all her friends perish before her very eyes, and she didn't want someone as dear to her heart as the Traveler to be taken away from her. It wasn't death, but she found it just as hard to bear.
Nahida was terribly upset and the more she saw Aether, the pain in her heart seemed to ache even more. It was an alien yet strangely familiar feeling she was experiencing. She had constantly rehearsed everything she wanted to say to him, every word in her head. To make Aether understand how much he meant to her and all people he befriended in his journey. Only for Aether to make it clear how much he despised them all.
Venti wanted nothing more than to drown in Mondstandt's strongest wine, right now in an attempt to ease the immense guilt he was experiencing. He could feel the Mondstadt wind change from its usual light breeze to something stronger, more dangerous, and he didn't like that at all. Nonetheless, Venti stood wanting to own up for everything he had done to Aether.
As for Zhongli, when he saw the expressions of his fellow Archons, he tried to appear calm and professional as always to help motivate them to say their peace. He knew he'd made a lot of mistakes, but this was one mistake too many, he had to accept that Aether hated them for good reason. However, part of him didn't want to give up, he'd come all this way to save his friend from himself. This source of motivation was enough for him to want to speak up, though not without a twinge of pain in his heart.
"Aether... I know what was done to you, but..." Zhongli tried to initiate conversation only for Aether to quickly cut him off.
"No Morax, you don't know!"
"At least let me speak, please..."
"You think I've forgotten what you did. No one knows here because no one knew you were the Geo Archon, but now that everyone knows, I'm going to say it! I respected your duty to uphold the contract you made even though I was desperate to find any leads on my sister. You know why I'm angry with you too, for your hypocrisy from beginning to end! You, the Geo Archon, abandoned your own citizens, your own country so you could take it easy and enjoy a nice retirement!" Aether pointed at Zhongli with the accusing finger.
Many people were already having trouble digesting the fact that Zhongli was Rex Lapis, so to hear that the Geo Archon abandoned his own people was incredibly disturbing, especially those affiliated with Liyue. Aether had never lied before, and the expression on Zhongli's face verified his accusations.
"Aether, you know very well that the reason I did this was to see if Liyue could still prosper and if the country could still protect itself so that it didn't always have to rely on me…" Zhongli immediately tried to justify himself, but this made Aether angrier and shocked the Liyue natives at the same time.
"Did you even think for one second if everything went wrong?! No, you didn't even lift a finger, not when there was Osial and Beisht, or when that bastard Tartaglia nearly destroyed half the city because of your incompetence! I was the reason why your gamble for Liyue's independence from you paid off in the first place! You know, the outsider that improved Liyue's own capabilities, so it was absolutely pointless! But that's normal, you wouldn't want to hurt your human wallet!" Aether shouted, striking a nerve with Zhongli.
"That's completely untrue! I regarded Tartaglia as a friend, even if he had lent me Mora, that doesn't mean I would allow him to destroy Liyue!"
"You cannot be serious! You're the creator of Mora, and you're constantly mooching off of Childe and Hu Tao! It's not possible to be this incompetent! If you'd thought twice about it, you wouldn't be in the situation you're in now! You've only got yourself to blame if you can't accept that then Liyue was truly better off without a cruel, heartless god watching over them!" Aether cried out while Zhongli struggled to regain his composure.
"No, I didn't mean to..."
"Shut up! All of you have been constantly saying "I didn't mean to" "Not my intention!" You have to remember that your actions have consequences! If they hadn't managed to defeat Osial and Beisht, what would you have done, you fool!? It'll be too late because they'll all be dead, and wondering why their Archon had forsaken them!" Aether called out Zhongli for being so uncaring for the very people he claimed were under his protection.
"No, you're wrong! Of course I would intervene immediately! I would never have let the people I love, or anyone from Liyue, perish if the situation had been that serious!" Zhongli protested against Aether's accusations.
Keqing, Ganyu, Ningguang, and the rest of the Liyue citizens were absolutely horrified hearing that bombshell of a revelation. The rest of the Archons, knights, and scholars were truly shocked that the Geo Archon was the main reason that Liyue was nearly destroyed. A gamble that would have cost so many lives all for the sake of their Geo Archon to retire in peace? Zhongli was beginning to break out in a cold sweat, seeing his fellow Archons and the people who worshiped him doubting him.
"No, don't tell me it's true, Rex Lapis!" Ganyu begged with tears in her eyes and her body trembling.
She wasn't emotionally prepared to hear such a soul-destroying revelation of the Geo Archon nearly had Liyue destroyed in the form of a twisted test to see if they could survive without him and retire peacefully at the expense of everyone's lives. The pedestal that Ganyu had for Rex Lapis had been shattered. She'd learned so many things she didn't want to know, so Zhongli being the cruel, heartless god that Aether accused him made it worse. It was tearing her apart, so wrong, so miserable, and now Ganyu was starting to doubt the contract she made was worth it.
Aether snorted, apathetic that he revealed Zhongli's dirty secret, no longer held back by his friendship with him. Morax hesitated over his answer, fists clenched, before confessing a few seconds later.
"Yes, it's true! But everything I have done came with the best intentions! The victories over Osial and Beisht are proof that Liyue no longer needed me to guide them."
Zhongli sighed in defeat, but very much hoped that they could understand. He truly believed what he did was for the best. However, everyone's reactions were far from understanding.
Ningguang was furious, ready to commit deicide. Wanting nothing more than to drop the Jade Chamber on top of Zhongli's head.
Ganyu was still crying, unable to look Zhongli in the eye.
Keqing looked at Zhongli in anger and disgust.
Xiao was torn, wanting to be still loyal to Rex Lapis, but was starting to lose his trust in him.
Yelan and Beidou didn't want to believe the Geo Archon would pull such an insane gambit so he could simply retire.
Shenhe was starting to doubt that all the respect her master had for Rex Lapis was misplaced.
But what hurt the most were Paimon and Hu Tao's eyes.
Hu Tao couldn't believe what she was hearing at all, she was hoping it was a really bad joke, but listening to everything Zhongli had done, she felt that Aether was right. There were plenty of other ways to test Liyue's strength, and sicking an ocean god at them was overkill. One of her best friends, her consultant, her country's Archon, had done this unforgivable sin was traumatic by itself.
But the worst thing was Paimon, to whom he had promised a happy future, to protect her dear friend, the reason they had gathered together to find Aether. Tears falling down her face. That's when he realized that the trust he had managed to inspire was slipping away. He could see it, a concept he hadn't seen apart from the death of Guizong.
Doubt.
The fear of failing again filled his heart and mind. However, Zhongli had to deal with the fact that his own citizens had lost faith in their Archon. The Mondstandt, Inazuma and Sumeru natives started to wonder if the faith in their Archons were also misplaced.
Zhongli tried to look at Aether, hoping to convince him, but no words would come out of his mouth. He didn't want any of this but understood that he would have thought things through before doing what he had done.
Despite everything, when he saw the Traveler, he remembered the reason he stayed and faced the truth, and that was to save his friend. It gave him a bit of strength because he wanted at all costs to avoid the loss of his friend lost in the darkness. What's more, Zhongli knew that if he didn't set an example, as a leader, as an Archon and as a friend, the others would give up too. He didn't want any doubts to creep in.
"Aether, I'm sorry. I really am…" Zhongli's face filled with remorse.
"Stop with your pathetic excuses. If you want to apologize, give it to your people who believe in their beloved god who was so callous with their lives!"
"I...Yes, you're right... My people deserve an apology, and it's precisely to win back their trust that I'm going to help them all the way and think about the consequences before it's too late." Zhongli closed his eyes and conceded.
"It's a bit late for that..." Aether scoffed in disgust.
"It's true, but, as you told me, I mustn't give up as long as there's hope. In my way of apologizing, for Liyue and for you. I intend to help you get rid of the darkness that is eating away at you and find your sister." Zhongli said hoping his new vow would convince Aether to accept, but he wasn't having it.
"You just don't get it, do you!? I've already given you too many chances in the past, and I'm done with all of you! I've already made my choice! If you want to help so badly, then focus on your own country! Not just you Zhongli, but the rest of you Archons!" Aether stated, pointing at the other three Archons, who were still quite sad about Aether's stubborn refusal of their help and rejections.
Zhongli didn't want his fellow Archons to take any more emotional damage, but Aether was determined to make them understand once and for all that they were not the benevolent beings everyone thought they were. Aether turned to face Venti who gulped unconsciously.
"Barbatos! Do not think the wind or your precious freedom resolves you of any of your sins!" Aether spoke with great disgust just by uttering the bard's Archon name, so that everyone, and especially the people of Mondstadt would know the sins their beloved Archon had done to them.
"Please Aether, I know what I had done wrong!" Venti begged with tears in his eyes that surprised the Mondstadt citizens, never having seen the carefree bard so vulnerable before.
"Are you seriously crying, Venti?! This is truly a new low even for you!" Aether said, exasperated by the bard.
"Aether, I beg you, please understand. I know I needed your help to save my country, and it was indeed supposed to be my job...but I didn't know what to do. Dvalin was in danger, and I just wanted to save him. I don't want the same thing to happen to you." Venti begged between sobs that disgusted Aether immensely.
"..." Aether remained silent as Venti continued to talk.
"I just wanted to protect Mondstadt from him, while saving him... But I lost control of the situation, and nobody would believe that Barbatos could need help, even less when Barbatos is a simple bard from Mondstadt." Venti tried to justify his actions, but Aether wasn't having it.
"Do you have any idea how much trouble you've put me in? All because, like Morax, you didn't want to take control of the situation. You let a simple mage from the Abyss take control of your pet dragon! You couldn't even beat those bastards despite being the Anemo Archon!"
"Aether, I..."
"No, you don't have to justify anything to me! I had to steal your precious Holy Lyre, I almost made myself a criminal when I was helping the very people who wanted to catch me! You let me do all the work for you along with Diluc and Jean while all you had to do was play a musical instrument! I'd only just arrived and nearly sacrificed my life just to help a region I barely knew at the time, only for the only help I asked for, that is clues about my sister, to be met with an "I don't know, ask the Archon of the next nation" with the cycle repeating three times already! That's the thanks you give when I could have just walked away!" Aether yelled, reminding everything he did for Venti, and got so little in return.
Venti was racked with even more guilt, feeling every syllable pierce his mind, but this was only the beginning.
"Every time I ask for help, it's the same thing! But the worst thing is that I can see you need a stranger to look after your country, all because if you'd got serious instead of drinking like there's no tomorrow and singing at the top of your lungs, All it took La Signora to beat you was to slap you twice! Even after all that, you never fixed your flaws instead of wandering the streets of Mondstadt with a bottle in your hand, chirping like a bird! Think, Barbatos, think! If people knew right from the start that their beloved Archon is nothing but a slothful drunk who doesn't try to solve problems but rather avoids them. They would have denounced your very existence out of sheer shame!" Aether spoke with the disdain clear in his voice.
Venti didn't know what to say, even with all the strength he could muster, didn't make a sound. Everything he said was true, he knew it well.
"I can't forgive Barbatos. You've always taken everything so lightly! From dawn till dusk, all you ever do is sing and drink! I can't count the number of times I've paid your tab! You're just like Morax, you've never thought about the consequences of your actions, but at least he was trying to do something! You, on the other hand, don't even embody the wind or even freedom! You embody that only thing that actually has unlimited freedom, and no responsibilities: a baby! That's what it boils down to, Venti! You didn't even try, hoping that everything would resolve itself! You left all your people in their own hands, and if I hadn't been there to clean up that Tear, how would you have purified it?! You don't deserve to be an Archon at all!"
Aether was really holding back from hitting Venti's tear-streaked face, not wanting to put up with what he saw as a masquerade, and Venti knew it, he only blamed himself for his actions.
"I know it...You're absolutely right... And it hurts me to hear it... I'm a pathetic Archon, who rested on his laurels, not even being able to protect my own country from the problems it has. It's true that I see it now... I know that I shouldn't have relied on you to solve my problems and that I had to face them alone... I put you and the entire population of Mondstadt in danger..."
Venti was confessing his sins, but he didn't want to give up so quickly. He remembered how close he'd come to breaking down in front of Zhongli and the others, but if he'd held out until the end, he could try to redeem himself. Venti clenched his fists in frustration, trying as best he could to look him in the eye, even though shame and guilt was eating away at him.
"But this time, I understood my lesson, ...I understood it from the moment I was told you were having issues... Several times I indeed felt the wind around you get stronger for a few moments. I thought you were just in a bad mood, but I hadn't taken into account that it was your resentment all along... and I apologize deeply for that..."
Venti bowed before him, looking down at the ground as his tears continued to fall on the earth already dampened by the rain. He wanted to show his deep regret at not having helped him, even after seeing him in distress.
"I'm terribly sorry, my carelessness has acted up again, and now I'm reaping what I. I know that my actions are irreparable, not only to you, but also to my people, and I apologize to them. I know that you may not want this apology and that you've probably heard it all morning, but don't blame anyone here. Blame us Archons for our incompetence, me first... I couldn't do anything, and you had to do all the work, all because I was weak. I know you probably don't care, but I promise to be a better person in the future, and to give all my help whenever you need it." Venti sat up straight, pouring his last tears, his face now both serious and sincere.
Everyone had listened to Venti's words. Jean and Diluc, who had known his identity all along never have thought that Barbatos here accept responsibility for his actions, when he is usually a free spirit roaming around without a care in the world.
Zhongli himself was surprised to see the firm resolve of the bard showing he wasn't ready to give up. Nahida and Raiden Ei, who unlike him hadn't yet dared to address Aether. He had promised to be a better person and this motivated them once again to try and reason with the Traveler. Unfortunately for them, the Traveler had forgotten the Archon's past sins.
"It won't be enough..."
"Huh?"
"Maybe you're telling the truth, but it's already too late... Your country's doomed, you're weak, even for an Archon. A normal Vision bearer can beat you! You don't even have the strength to protect yourself let alone Mondstandt. A fool who's too blind to see how weak he truly is." Aether called out which made Venti flinch, but still tried to stand tall.
"Maybe, but I'd be stronger, I understand that now, I won't just sit around doing nothing."
"You think it's that easy because if it were, you wouldn't need my help! Given how lazy you are, you'll slack off the moment things become difficult. Sit around and cry for help without even trying. I'm not going to believe someone as despicable and dishonest as you!" Aether exclaimed loudly, his face full of fury.
"But..."
"But what?! All you know how to do is sing and drink! For someone who is supposed to be the God of Freedom, you wasted by drowning yourself in wine bottles! Just like your fellow Archons, you never wanted to see or learn more because you simply became too comfortable. Never bothering to change because you saw nothing wrong with it! Which is exactly why your so-called promise is worthless!" Aether cried out which made Venti tear up once again.
"I...I..."
Venti couldn't say anything else, too broken up that Aether saw his newfound resolve as a lie. Also haunted by Aether pointing out that, never changed his ways despite living for thousands of years. Venti never saw anything wrong living the life of a simple bard, singing and drinking. Only for that irresponsible lifestyle made Mondstandt suffer too many times.
"...That's true, but we're still trying to do our best to improve and repair everything we've done!" Raiden Ei spoke up on Venti's behalf seeing the bard too broken up to talk anymore
Aether directed his gaze towards her, his displeasure made clear in his eyes which hurt Ei immensely. However, it allowed him to settle his differences with the Narukami Ogosho, with whom he had, like the other Archons before her, had a rather deep resentment for.
"You dare say that! You want me to believe that the way you ran your country was right and that you were able to adapt to what you've lost? Has all that sugar addled your brain, Ei or have you become so delusional that you've forgotten everything that happened in Inazuma?!" Aether snarled as more elemental began to flare up around his body making everyone tense again.
Ei wasn't feeling well, especially when he approached her, and with his current mood. She wanted him to calm down, but Aether wasn't interested in taking orders for someone who caused him so much grief.
"You lost everything back then! You're the only person here who understands what I'm going through! How long has it been since your sister died, five hundred years, if I'm not mistaken? So you know how I feel, losing someone close to me, you know how hard it is! You've never tried to sympathize with me, but instead, you've been acting as if nothing had happened! When I tried to talk to you about it, it wasn't even you, but your pet fox who just blew me off! You left like a coward, even though you know what it's like to lose your twin sister! This is how you thank me for saving your country and dealing with your grief?! I would have thought we were much alike, but that is the biggest lie anyone here has given me today!" Aether ranted finally, breaking free everything he had bottled up concerning Ei.
Ei put both hands on her chest feeling an immense pain she hadn't felt in a long time. Overwhelmed with sadness and guilt as hot tears were flowing and she now looked like a mess. Even the inhabitants of Inazuma were surprised because everyone had seen her as the embodiment of the composed and strong woman that she really is, but which she wasn't showing at the moment.
Ei remembered her sister Makoto's death, and the pain of losing her for good. She remembered that fateful day because of it she'd never been able to get over it until recently, from the moment a certain blond-haired man entered Inazuma.
Ei also thought about how she had nearly killed Aether. She hadn't bothered to talk to him about it, even though he'd come to Inazuma to meet her and ask her for clues regarding his sister. She never gave him what he wanted, even though he had done everything to save a country that wasn't his from a civil war that would destroyed Inazuma in the process.
"Aether...I'm sorry...I'm sorry for all the pain I caused you...It's true, I could have supported you in your time of need like you did for me when you accompanied me to fight the Shogun... I should have sympathized with you, and I didn't, forgive me... I was so lost that...I didn't know what to do any more..." Ei begged as tears continued to pour down her face.
"There's no point in doing it now, you had your chance!" Aether called out with Ei crying even harder.
"No, Aether... I assure you that I'm terribly sorry for all the trouble I've caused you..."
"Do you even know what you're apologizing for?"
"I wasn't able to answer your questions regarding your sister, that's the only reason you came to see me." Ei immediately answered, but Aether clenched his fists in frustration.
"Wrong, it's so much more than that! I had to face so many problems and nearly lost my life because you remained blissfully ignorant while your precious Inazuma was dying!"
"I know, but I wasn't aware of what was going on!" Ei protested, but a harsh glare from Aether shut her up.
"You've nearly killed me twice, all because of your narrow-minded vision of eternity! You think that doing nothing and letting things run their course would have honored your sister's wish, but it was the exact opposite! All I wanted was answers to my questions, but I found myself fighting for a country that never had an Archon to begin with. Just a pathetic naive woman who doesn't even deserve to be called a tyrant because that would have required to rule Inazuma in the first place!" Aether said with scorn about everything Ei had done.
Ei broke down sobbing, unable to handle the weight of her past sins, and the very person she cared about looked at with animosity. Aether was right, it was naive of her to think that a simple apology would make up for everything she had done. Knowing full well the only reason Inazuma was still alive and thriving now was because of Aether, no thanks to her causing so many problems that plagued her country.
"I just wanted to protect everyone..."
"Protect them? What did you protect them from?! You created the civil war between Narukami and Watatsumi, you created chaos because the Tri-Commission allied themselves with the Fatui all to vie for power! While you were shirking your responsibilities to someone who couldn't lead at all! So many people died because of you! Teppei, remember his name well, you don't know him, but he risked his life, he carried a Delusion just to save his homeland, his family, and the people he loves! He sacrificed his life for Watatsumi, for Inazuma, and there were many like him! Your incompetence cost so many lives, poverty in the remote regions, the deaths of soldiers who died being pawns, Inazuma under siege by the Fatui temporarily, and I almost died! Because of you, Paimon was going to be left alone, wandering around aimlessly! You want me to forgive you when you've done all this!" Aether recounts everything that happened in Inazuma with Ei dropping to her knees in shame.
"I didn't want all this... If I'd known what the Fatui were up to, I'd have stopped them a long time ago..."
"Empty promises much like Venti was spewing. That would have required you to leave your precious safe space to begin with! Then again, even if the Fatui and the Tri-Commission weren't spreading discord among Inazuma. You would have still run Inazuma to the ground with how terrible a leader you are!" Aether's sharp words cut Ei worse than blade ever did.
"I was so saddened by the death of my sister and my friends that I didn't have the courage to get back in touch with the outside world!"
"For over 500 years! You're lying to yourself, you took the easy way out, asking your robot to run things for you so you don't have to! All for what, to play the recluse, to shirk your responsibilities as Archon, so you can take it easy, without taking any consequences for your actions, and the worst part is, you're hiding behind your sister's death! Do you think Makoto would have let you use her to avoid doing your job? Because every time you do something stupid, you blame it on her death, as if she were the problem! You want me to respect you when you don't even respect your own family! I've had enough!" Aether shouted in fury and disgust while Ei cried even harder than before.
"So... I've been using my sister as an excuse?...No...That's not possible..."
"And do you know why you're panicking now? Because you can no longer use your dear sister to solve this problem! It's not her fault I'm like this now, it's all your fault, Ei! Simple as that!"
"No, I would never use Makoto..."
Ei lamented, trying to get over what she considered to be a revelation for her, her heart clenching every time she thought of Makoto. Her eyes stared at the ground, desperately trying to make herself believe that she didn' mean to sully her sister's name for her own ends.
Aether sneered in disgust before finally turning to Nahida who was shivering in fear and anticipation for the long awaited talk.
"Nahida, if you think for a moment that your most innocent Archon here then just as much a fool as the rest of them," Aether called out with Nahida flinching.
"No, you're completely right, Aether. Like everyone here, I saw the signs on how your journey throughout Teyvat was wearing you down. However, I never pressed you about it because I respected your privacy. You made it clear that you all hate us, and we don't deserve your forgiveness. I respect your decision, but I still want you to know…thank you, Aether. Thank you for saving me, and thank you for everything you've done for us and Teyvat. If this is truly goodbye, remember if you need any help know that you can still count on us…" Nahida teared up, speaking from her heart. "I know you're struggling right now, but don't turn to darkness. If you don't overcome that temptation now you'll find yourself swallowed up by that darkness. Trust us. Trust Paimon. Trust Mondstadt. Trust Liyue. Trust Inazuma. Trust Sumeru. You are not alone, so please let us help you…"
Nahida stared into Aether's eyes as she extended her hand towards him, desperate for him to accept it.
Aether said nothing, staring into the ground. Her words clearly have an effect on him. Everyone watched in anticipation of what was going to happen next. Praying to Celestia that Aether would finally accept them back in his life.
Aether finally looked towards Nahida in revulsion that rattled the Dendro Archon to her core.
"...Nahida, you literally did absolutely nothing for the last five hundred years in Sumeru while the Sages were ruining Sumeru from the ground up. Before you justify it saying how you were imprisoned and couldn't do anything. You're the God of Knowledge who had plenty of time to outsmart a bunch of pompous elitists who never actually did any critical thinking in their lives. In fact, you finally did something the moment the Sages were stealing the dreams of the people. Ignoring the fact that numerous lives were already being ruined by corruption and bias running rampant, no thanks to you! You expect me to trust you after everything you've done?!" Aether expressed his resentment for the Dendro Archon who began crying as he continued to talk.
Aether turned towards the rest of the Archons who couldn't look him in the eye anymore, but that was fine with him. He just needed to make sure they could all hear him.
"Lumine told me once I reach the end of my journey, I will see the truth of this world and the truth is this world is dying from the poison embedded deep beneath its roots! We can't even blame it entirely on the Heavenly Principles, The Abyss Order or even The Fatui. They may have administered the poison, but it's both the people and the gods that allowed the poison to spread to begin with! You all masquerade as heroes, embodying everything good and righteous. However, for generations you all feigned ignorance towards you couldn't protect, concealing their suffering. The end result tainting everything you have built and cherished. You have the common masses overly reliant on your protection and the noble heroes and gods that nurtured this dependence. A corrupt and vicious cycle perpetuates itself. Everything I've seen, everything I've done…is the result of your failures!"
All the Archons broke down crying, even most of the people Aether had befriended on his journey also had tears pouring down their faces. Remembering all the people they have lost because they couldn't save them in time. All of them met a tragic end even though they trusted them with their lives.
Aether stared at his former friends crying indifferently about it while Paimon looked in despair as the people who wanted to help Aether were drawing in despair themselves.