Hello everyone!
Here's the new chapter, which is just as long as the previous one, and will focus on how the characters react to the current situation, as well as how Aether will deal with the rest of his journey.
With that, happy reading!
Nobody could have foreseen this. The inhabitants of Mondstadt saw their country in ruins, as well as the Archons on the ground, almost lifeless. Aether officially severing ties with everyone. Those from other regions had no idea that by traveling together to Mondstadt, they would be making the situation worse, and losing themselves in their decisions: Was it a good idea to come all the way here? Shouldn't they have taken a different approach?
But the real question for them was quite simple, what were they going to do now? Their friend, the hero of many nations, was the one who had helped them in their time of need. The same person they all loved, and cherished wanted nothing to do with them. Nothing more than conniving opportunists in his eyes, and they only had themselves to blame for that.
The worst part was when they saw that the glimmer of hope that was his best friend, Paimon couldn't help them, quite simply because she had sided with him, as she had always done, and no one could blame her. She wanted to stay by his side, she'd told everyone that she'd be nothing without him and that if her best friend was at his lowest, she wanted to make sure she was always by his side. Even if she wasn't very strong, because she wanted to support him, something everyone understood very well at the moment.
"So...It's over..." Keqing murmured, trying to get on her feet to no avail while looking at the ground. Full of despair, her tears did not stop falling down, merging with the rain.
The Yuheng clutched her hand close to her heart, unable to bear the pain, and she wasn't the only one, because when she tried to lift her tear-streaked face, she saw the same thing.
Ganyu, silently cried her eyes out as she collapsed to the floor, as if she'd lost everything, and she understood her pain because she felt the same as she did about the man they both loved. Keqing, who was usually strong-willed wanted to help her get better, didn't have the strength to do anything out of despair. Especially as seeing the state Shenhe was in hadn't made her feel any better.
Amber, Barbara, Ayaka and Noelle sank into depression, clearly upset from being so brutally rejected. They wanted nothing more than to travel with Aether on his journey to give him the comfort and support he had given them. However, he made it clear that he would never accept it.
Some people, such as Kaeya, Eula, Tighnari, and Cyno were devastated, not even daring to look ahead, not knowing what else to do at the moment.
Others, like Ningguang and Jean, looked on with sorrow at the way Mondstadt's landscape had become nothing more than a wasteland, and its infrastructure reduced to rubble. They felt a twinge of guilt, feeling responsible for what had happened more than anything else.
Even people who were usually cheerful, like Beidou, or even those who generally remained stoic, like Rosaria and Diluc, were clearly sad after everything that had happened.
All the effort everyone had put in for redemption and forgiveness had been for nothing, and right now they didn't want to think about what would happen later, or what Aether would do next. They could only drown in their failure and misery.
As they walked for quite a while, and watched the sunset, Aether and Paimon stopped for a bite to eat at an inn not far from the village of Qingce, wanting to take shelter that was a little out of the way which was deep in the countryside to hear what happened in Mondstadt which was a way for Aether to avoid attention. Normally, he could have avoided passing through the village, but he wanted information on how to get to Fontaine easily via the Chenyu Valley. Also, he wanted to rest up, and tend to his wounds after his battle with the Archons.
The two traveling companions traveled through Mondstadt at top speed despite it being obvious that Aether's wounds were starting to affect him, having him move more sluggishly. Nonetheless, he persisted through sheer will, not wanting to waste any more time. Unlike before, Paimon had not complained at all; on the contrary, she had said practically nothing about the trip, as she was still intimidated by her best friend, who no longer had the same aura of kindness as before and didn't want to risk angering him. Despite this, she still felt safe next to him.
When Aether entered the inn, the receptionist was disturbed by what she saw, simply because of the cuts on his face and body, and his clothes in tatters. He had reassured her that he wanted nothing but a good meal and a room to sleep in. Terrified, the receptionist quickly gave him his room key while shaking in fear.
When he arrived in the room, Aether put down his things and sat on the edge of the bed, wrapping his arms and torso with the bandages he had on him. Paimon was still hovering in the middle of the room, with certain apprehension, as if she was afraid to ask something, which Aether had noticed.
"Paimon?"
"Huh?" cried the fairy, almost in fear.
"Are you all right? You know you can tell me anything you like? I'm not going to leave you behind again." Aether tried to comfort Paimon, but was still hesitant.
"... "
Aether stood up and walked over to her, rubbing the white-haired girl's head to reassure her. A small, reassuring smile appeared on the Traveler's face, which brought Paimon in a better mood, as his smile had always soothed the fairy in difficult times.
"You know I'm here...and you know I'd never do anything to you. I know there's something you want to say, so don't be afraid..."
"Aether... "
Paimon calmed down after these words, and knew that she had no reason to be afraid of the one who would protect her from everything, so she began to speak:
"Paimon was wondering... How come you're not angry with Paimon? Paimon hasn't always been the most useful, and sometimes Paimon still puts you in situations you don't want to be in..." Paimon recounted everything she had done which was being useless all the time, but Aether stopped her.
"Paimon... I know you're doubting yourself because you think what you've done isn't worth much, but the truth is, even though I've never admitted it until now, you're a great help to me every day. Even when we first met, we had nothing but each other for support." Aether smiled at the nostalgic memory of fishing Paimon out of the water.
"What do you mean?"
"If you hadn't been there to calm me down, or to give me your confidence, I'd have given up on finding Lumine. You know, just because you can't help me in battle, or have trouble understanding certain things, doesn't mean I think you're useless. You're my friend, the only one here who cares about me and is important to me." Aether smiled which made Paimon even happier, but was still hesitant to believe him.
"I understand... but didn't it bother you when Paimon slowed you down for treasure or to buy food?"
"Yes, but it's insignificant compared to what they've done. I'd choose that over losing my life countless times from gods and monsters." Aether scowled in displeasure at the memory of the Archons, the Fatui, and the Abyss Order.
"...I understand..." Paimon replied with a stammer.
"Well, to get back on topic, you'd never tried to manipulate me into helping the other nations so I couldn't possibly be angry with you. It's more my turn to apologize, as I said earlier. I let you wander off on your own in search of me, you were in distress, and I wasn't there for you like I always am." Aether looked down, ashamed of himself.
"Aether...You don't have to say that. You had good reasons...Paimon understands you did what you had to do...But it doesn't matter, now that we're together, does it?" She asked with a half smile, almost as if she were waiting for Aether's answer, which she knew was obvious.
"Of course, Paimon and remember one thing, I'm not angry with you, because you helped me without knowing it, and for me you'll always be my friend. If there's one person in this world I trust, it's you. So, even if the way we go about our journey is going to change, we'll both move on, just like in the good old days."
"Aether..."
"And besides, I'm surprised that you want to continue down this road with me, even after what I've done until now," Aether said, closing his eyes, not proud of what he had done.
"No, you were right." she said firmly, to Aether's surprise.
Paimon clenched her fists as she looked at Aether's face and body, full of cuts and bruises.
"You were right...Even Paimon couldn't forget the atrocities the Archons and the rest of the nations had done. We always forgave them and moved on, but it doesn't change the fact it never should have happened in the first place. You even said some things that Paimon had forgotten, which shows how much it affected you. Paimon had asked the Archons for help because Paimon thought it was the best option. But their actions were unforgivable, and it was all for nothing, so Paimon understands what you've done."
Aether smiled weakly at everything his best friend had just said, which Paimon noticed, pleased that the Traveler could still smile despite all that.
"Thank you for understanding all this, Paimon. You don't know how much it means to me that someone understands." Aether said as he continued to caress the little fairy's hair.
"You're welcome Aether, after all without you, Paimon would be nothing, so Paimon owes you eternal gratitude..." Paimon said as she moved closer to him, giving him a warm hug again giving him a sense of comfort to the surprise of Aether.
"Paimon..."
"Paimon promises to do everything she can to help you... Paimon has missed you so much." She said, a tear beginning to form in her eye and gradually turning into sobs of relief and happiness at seeing him again.
Aether let her sob into his chest as he wrapped his arms around her, understanding her tears. She couldn't handle so much time alone and away from each other, even if the Archons were there to keep her company, it wasn't the same thing.
When he saw this, the Traveler felt how much he meant to Paimon and felt guilty, but swore to himself that he would continue to protect her. It was his only comfort in this horrible world to have met her, and even if he had been slow to notice, he was grateful.
A few minutes later, after Paimon had calmed down and stopped sobbing while rubbing her eyes to prevent her from continuing to shed tears, she released her embrace, regaining her composure a little. Questions about their future, in particular the continuation of their trip to Fontaine, were on her mind, as she only knew that Aether was going to pass through Fontaine, but he never said how he was preparing to continue the journey.
"Aether, Paimon wanted to know...What's next?"
"Next..." replied Aether, perplexed as to how he should explain this to Paimon, as she was still quite emotional, which Paimon noticed.
"You can say things clearly...Paimon has said that Paimon will support you with whatever happens..." Paimon said calmly, to Aether's surprise who saw how much the search for him had changed her, allowing him to explain his intentions clearly.
"All right...After all, we're not going to hide things from each other..." explained Aether, in a serious tone, and Paimon understood that the rest of the conversation would be quite intense.
"The goal at the moment is to go to Fontaine, as you know...But this time, we're going to avoid the crowds as much as possible. We'll leave from Yilong Wharf to arrive at the Port of Lumidouce, and by then, we'll find the first Hydro Statue of the Seven so that I can obtain the Hydro element. Then we'll stay around Fontaine for a short while, just long enough for me to train and become strong enough to continue the rest of the journey." Aether explained simply which made Paimon blink on how simple and straightforward Aether's plan was.
"But aren't you going to ask the Hydro Archon for some clues about your sister?" Paimon asked, extremely tense, because of how much he despised the Archons. A fact made very clear when he tried to murder them twice already, and nearly succeeded in sending them back to Celestia.
Aether rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"No, I won't even bother asking her when it was always the same thing over and over. Every time I find them, they dodge the question or tell me they don't know anything about Lumine. Besides, it saves me from getting into problems I don't want, because every time I meet an Archon, I have to deal with a problem that concerns the whole nation. Let them sort it out, it's their problem and mess to begin with." Aether answered with the disdain clear in his voice.
"Aether, please..." Paimon asked, afraid that he would lose control of his anger again.
"Sorry...It's just that even now, after my victory against them, I still can't stand them...But don't worry, in the future, I'll try to control my anger better..." Aether tried to reassure Paimon.
"Paimon hopes so..."
"Getting back to the subject, we'll be avoiding the Archons, so I won't be seeing Focalors. While in Fontaine, we'll just keep our heads down and gather supplies."
"Paimon knows what you mean..."
"I know you wanted us to take the opportunity to explore the surrounding area, but I don't have the patience for that anymore. I want to get this over with, I'm exhausted by it all, I don't want to think about how long I have been searching for answers and I don't want to get into trouble like this again."
"Don't worry, Paimon understands the situation... It's just that it would have been nice if we could have enjoyed ourselves like in the good old days, without thinking about what others might ask of you... But Paimon also thinks she's enjoyed herself enough, so Paimon doesn't mind anymore..." Paimon replied although she was secretly sad that couldn't take the time to properly enjoy Fontaine's delicacies.
"Thank you for understanding."
"You should stay in this room for now. People will recognize you or ask why you're walking around with so many wounds." Paimon reminded him.
"Of course, I was going to buy some new clothes when I came to this village. Trying to pass off as a simple tourist from Liyue. I'm sure people have heard about me, but if anything happens, I'll take care of it myself..." he finished, the last part of the sentence scaring Paimon.
"You're not going to kill them or anything?" Paimon asked fearfully which offended Aether.
"Of course not! Paimon, I'm angry, not bloodthirsty. I'm not gonna murder or terrorize a bunch of innocent villagers for nothing. Do I look like the Fatui or Treasure Hoarders?" Aether snarked, with Paimon deciding to change the subject.
"Okay... So, Paimon, see's you got a new sword. What happened to the Dull Blade?"
"It held out as long as it could... During my first fight against Xiao, he must have explained to you that it couldn't hold out any longer. But that doesn't matter, because I have something better now." He explained presenting God Hand to Paimon as she examined the new sword.
"It's nice. Paimon knows you were always fond of the Dull Blade, but nothing wrong with change." Paimon thinking out loud.
"You're right about that Paimon. We always followed the same routine in every nation, not anymore. Even though everyone hates how much I changed, I see it for the better. What I'm doing is no different than The Qixing taking over Liyue, Ei actually ruling Inazuma and Nahida…" Aether hesitating to finish his sentence regarding the Dendro Archon which Paimon found really strange.
"Aether?"
"I'm changing myself for the better regardless of whatever anyone thinks!" Aether quickly ended his speech.
"You're probably right. In any case, Paimon trusts you to the fullest!" said Paimon, with a small smile, admiring Aether's tenacity even after everything.
"Thank you Paimon, that makes me happy..."
"You're welcome... By the way, Paimon just thought of it, but wouldn't it have been better to come back to the Teapot? Paimon knows you shut it down so that no one could get in, but you could have restricted access for just the two of us. We could have slept there instead of here." Paimon gave out a surprisingly good suggestion that made Aether blink.
"That's true, but being inside the Teapot…brought some things I really didn't want to be reminded of…" Aether said, giving out a look of bitterness as certain memories immediately flashed into his mind.
The kitchen rendered a toxic hell in Aether's attempt to teach Ei how to cook but immediately regretted it.
Aether tried his hand in poetry with Ayaka helping him. Even though the poetry he made was amateurish, Ayaka enjoyed their time together.
Aether, Nahida, Paimon, and Klee sat around the campfire roasting marshmallows until Klee thought the flames were too weak, so she brought out her Jumpy Dumpty which made Aether, Nahida, and Paimon duck for cover.
Aether was exasperated that all of his newly bought furniture was destroyed in freak accidents no thanks to Bennet's bad luck while the unlucky adventurer apologized profusely.
Aether quickly snapped back to reality, not wanting to dwell in the past anymore.
"Paimon sees...Paimon has some more questions if you don't mind?"
"Go ahead, and ask."
"Well... What happens if we see everyone in Fontaine looking for you?" Paimon said out loud, already imagining their former friends creating a stir in the nation of Water and Justice to find Aether.
The plan to lie low in Fontaine would be ruined if their former friends looked high and low until they eventually found them. Paimon didn't want to imagine what Aether would do if his anger got the better of him again.
"Then what happens next will be on them. I gave them a clear warning of what I'd do if I saw them again. This time, I won't hold back like I did with the Archons." Aether answered immediately with his intent clear while shocking Paimon.
Aether beating four Archons by himself, and nearly wiping Mondstadt off the map, was him holding back?!
"What!? You weren't really at full power?!" Paimon exclaimed, surprised by this revelation and wondering what Aether had done to become so strong in such a short time.
Paimon couldn't forget the massacre in Aozang Mountain. It was impossible not to as Aether of all people managed to slaughter all sorts of monsters, Fatui fodders and Treasure Hoarders all by himself. The fairy had a strong gut feeling there was more to Aether's newfound strength that he was not telling her. Practicing with a sword and killing Hillichurl's wasn't anything special at all. Anyone could do that, and it was unlikely that what helped Aether grow powerful enough to surpass the Archons.
"I wasn't. Don't get me wrong, Paimon. I loathe Venti, Zhongli, Ei, and Nahida with every fiber of my being. However, the only reason I didn't kill them when I had the chance was because death is too good for them. I'm sure by the time they wake up, they will be drowning in misery knowing they have yet another failure and sin hanging over their heads. This time I refuse to comfort them. It's their problem, the only person who can help them now is themselves, but I have a feeling they will fail doing that." Aether explained with his voice, hollow and dead.
Aether felt happy that he no longer had to tend to the Archon's whims anymore in the name of friendship. He felt a giant burden lifted from him knowing he was finally free from the Archon's antics.
"Paimon see's, but what are we going to do about Mora? It's still essential for our travels, and Paimon doubts we can ever go back to the Adventurer's Guild now…" Paimon spoke awkwardly knowing full well that the international organization would disavow Aether now since he nearly committed deicide.
"Don't worry about that Paimon. I have managed to stockpile enough Mora and other goods while I was away. Enough for our stay in Fontaine." Aether answered the floating pixie while giving her a certain look not to question where the extra Mora came from which she understood.
Aether's stockpiled Mora came from looting a lot of Fatui Fodders, Treasure Hoarders, and the occasional chests. While individually the pouches of Mora they had were only enough for a few days for an Inn, and some meals. The measly pocket change added up a lot since Aether had no expenses to pay for except when he was in the City of Freedom. Even if they did run out of Mora, Aether had plenty of Materials for the monsters he had slain, and there was always a demand for Materials.
"Paimon understands...Paimon can see that you've prepared everything for the rest of the journey, but what if you meet the Hydro Archon?"
"According to the information I've gathered, she's an eccentric diva with a flair for the dramatics. So, I'll be steering clear of her. If we just don't draw any attention to ourselves, I highly doubt she'll spare a glance at a normal foreign tourist." Aether answered hoping his plan of lying low would go smoothly and not deal with whatever personal issues Furina de Fontaine had.
"Okay...Paimon can see that you've got everything planned out...Paimon has no more questions." Paimon said simply understanding the gist of it.
"Well, I understand that there's a lot of information for you to take in after everything. Don't worry what's important now that we're together again continuing on our journey through Teyvat." Aether assured the fairy to give her some comfort which Paimon was grateful for.
"It's all right, after all, Paimon has decided to continue her journey with you, and you don't even hold it against Paimon, so I think it's normal for you to make a few drastic decisions."
"That's why you're the only one who understands me..." he said, patting her on the head once more before putting on a blue Mondstadt style tunic that he bought a while ago. It would bring less attention to himself than the villagers noticing his bandages before to the heading for the door.
"It's been a very long day, so why don't we find something to eat?" called out Aether with a small smile on his face.
Paimon didn't move for a few seconds, before looking at Aether with a worried expression, as he turned to see that she hadn't followed him immediately.
"What is it, Paimon?"
"Aether...Are you really okay?" asked Paimon in a rather shaky voice, as she was still worried about his anger issues, as well as what could happen if someone or something tested his patience.
Aether had not expected this question but thought for a moment before answering sincerely. He knew that Paimon was concerned about his mental health, like the good friend she was.
"It's true that with all this, both my patience and my emotions have been tested, and I understand why you're worried. But to be honest, Paimon, I never felt better…"
"Huh?"
"So it's true that I'm not the same as I was before, but that doesn't bother me, on the contrary..."
"Yes, Paimon was aware of everything you'd been through, so Paimon wanted to know the answer...So if you ever have a problem, you can talk to Paimon about it, even if Paimon isn't a specialist, Paimon will do her best to lift your spirits up!" Paimon declared with determination in her shrill voice.
Aether looked at Paimon in surprise, as he was quite taken aback by the way Paimon had matured in such a short time, and smiled faintly, knowing that she wanted to make amends.
"Well...I trust you... After all, you're the only one who really cared about me, so if you want to take on this responsibility, no worries. I know I was genuinely angry, but it was justified. It's true that you'd never really seen me angry, only irritated, so I can understand your fear. But don't worry, with you by my side I'm feeling a lot better now."
Paimon could see that Aether wasn't lying, and she reassured herself a little more, telling herself that if Aether had managed to get through this ordeal, she had to be as strong as he was for what was to come.
"Okay, Paimon is reassured... Paimon hopes the rest will be fine!" she said, moving towards him, before heading for the door, but was called out by her best friend in turn.
"Paimon..."
"Yes?" She said, turning her head towards him.
"Thank you...for worrying about me..." Aether said sincerely, which made Paimon happier.
She smiled humbly, hands behind her back as she heard these words from her traveling companion.
"You're welcome, Aether. Thank you for allowing me to continue this journey with you."
Aether smiled faintly, seeing how the only glimmer of happiness he'd had since the beginning gave him her unwavering support. He closed the door to his room so that they could both have dinner together, as they had done in the past. Their journey to travel through Teyvat had finally resumed, and this time, Aether would take control of his life.
Night fell on the city of Mondstadt, however, something was amiss as the cool, gentle breeze that Mondstadt was known for ceased entirely. The citizens were wondering what could have destroyed half the city, and why their dear Archon Anemo, Barbatos, was not there to help them. They feared that Barbatos was slain, the same fate shared with Morax of Liyue and unfortunately for the City of Freedom, they were not far from the truth.
After Aether left, accompanied by Paimon to reach Fontaine, all those who had come to help him no longer dared to say anything. All of them were too sad to try to lift the mood, even the energetic and upbeat Amber was too miserable to do just that. Tears of sorrow and heartache fell down on their faces knowing they all failed to help the very person they all cared about.
Everyone blamed themselves for what they all did and couldn't stop remembering every hurtful but truthful word that Aether had said about them and their nations. The destruction all around served as a grim reminder that they were responsible for turning the once kind-hearted Aether into a monster. The landscape was devastated, Mondstadt partially destroyed, debris and meteorites scattered across the burnt soil, and the Archons at death's door all caused by the Traveler. Everyone shuddered in fear at the display of overwhelming power Aether had displayed. Even with the Archons, Xiao, and Shenhe trying to stop him, they barely slowed him down before being defeated by Aether's superior power.
When they finally took the initiative to no longer stay on the ramparts, without a single word, they descended onto the battlefield to retrieve the Archons, Xiao and Shenhe, so that they could be transported to the Mondstadt Cathedral to receive intensive care. As the group traveled inside the city, they met with the grim sight of many buildings, stores, and homes shattered, and various people injured being carried via stretchers. Homes, livelihoods, and innocent people all caught as collateral damage from Aether's battle with the Archons.
On the way to the cathedral, many of Mondstadt citizens and knights had gathered around Jean for answers on what caused the cataclysmic explosion and what to do next regarding Mondstadt's ruined state. Jean quickly spun the tale that all of this destruction was caused by the Abyss Order. Before anyone could ask Jean for more details, she turned her attention to the knights directing them to form search parties for anyone injured or trapped inside the ravaged buildings before leaving for the cathedral. Both civilians and knights couldn't help but notice that the usually strong and professional Acting Grand Master was ready to burst into tears for some reason which disturbed them all.
At the Cathedral, the church pews were pushed aside to make room for the cot beds for countless people lying injured from the explosion that nearly destroyed Mondstadt. Every nun, doctor, and volunteer was working overtime to tend to the injured. Innocent people lying in the beds wrapped in bandages, blood seeping out of their wounds, moaning in agony. Yae Miko, Xiao, Shenhe and the Archons soon joined the rest when they dropped off. The nuns immediately requested Barbara for help and use her Hydro abilities to tend to the injured. Rosaria stopped them with tears on her face for the first time since they had known her. The deaconess was no different making them wonder what happened to the cheerful and bubbly girl to become so miserable.
When the group had finished dropping off the wounded, Jean allowed the foreign members of the group access to the Knights of Favonius HQ's various rooms to give them some alone time. After everything that had happened, they didn't have the energy and strength to head back to their respective countries.
After all this, Jean entered her office and sat down with her hands over her face, shedding more tears than she had ever before in her life. She had tried it back, even after Aether's departure, not wanting the citizens of Mondstadt to see their leader showing weakness during a crisis, but she definitely couldn't take it anymore.
"Aether…Aether…"
Jean kept repeating his name as if it was going to magically appear in front of her and everything would go back to much happier times. She wanted nothing more than to go back in time when Aether would laugh with her and share a meal like back then, but she understood that those days were over.
The blonde beauty remembered the moments spent with him, and in particular everything he had done for her on her birthday where he was present for the first time, or the time when he had accompanied her all day, fighting with her, resting in Windrise while lying on the grass, and her conversation with him on the balcony of Angel Share, where he continued to take care of her by telling her to enjoy the present moment.
For Jean, it was all now bittersweet memories of the past, and she blamed herself for being too obsessed with her work to not have taken more time to spend it with him, to get to know him even more and make sure that he shares her sorrows as he had done for her.
Her heart ached terribly, and even though she knew she had to pull herself together to rebuild Mondstadt, and lead her fellow knights, she knew it was impossible for her right now. Because Aether wasn't here to hold everyone together like he always did.
She clutched her hand to her chest, where her heart was, tears continuing to drip onto her papers, but at this point she didn't care.
"I'm sorry, Aether for everything. You were never a disposable tool to us, and I'm sorry we never expressed how truly grateful we are for you. What am I going to do without you?..."
Jean felt guilty, regretting everything she had done, and the fact that she couldn't have been clearer about how Aether meant to her, because he wasn't just a dear friend to her, but more than that, but she had said nothing for her sister Barbara, who felt the same way about the blond man. But when she remembered how he had rejected everyone, both apologies and declarations of love, she said to herself that perhaps it was better that she said nothing at that time, but she too understood that he wouldn't accept anything, and her heart was broken in the same way.
In the library of the Knights of Favonius, only darkness remains from the lack of candles being lit and the light of the Full Moon was blocked by the clouds that loomed over Mondstadt.
The librarian, Lisa, had also isolated herself, crying as her tears continued to fall down from her face. She looked towards the window, but she only saw gray clouds still there, persisted in staying to show how much she had lost everything.
Normally, she would have moved to Jean to comfort her, because she knew how sad her best friend would be. But this time, she was too upset to help her with anything, Lisa remained alone and tried not to lose her mind against all the chilling words Aether had said.
Each time she remembered what Aether had said about her, that he couldn't stand the way she teased him anymore, but the truth was that she wanted to get closer to him and she didn't have any other way than to use her usual methods. It was her way of expressing herself, and she never thought it would affect him so negatively.
However, Lisa could tell that Yae Miko was a lot like her. Each blow Aether delivered onto the kitsune made Lisa feel that she was on the receiving end of those stomps. Representing how much Aether couldn't tolerate the teasing and light-heartedness mood anymore.
Aether had been through a lot in his adventures throughout Teyvat and was burnt out by it. Lisa understood perfectly well that her tendency to offload her work to others could one day catch up to her, but she didn't expect that the work he did for her from time to time while she "did nothing", as Paimon put it, could have contributed to Aether's mental breakdown. She understood that every action has consequences, which would create a butterfly effect.
"I never understood from your point of view...Sorry, Cutie-I mean Aether..." she whispered, remembering that Aether couldn't stand her pet name for him, even if he wasn't in front of her, she wanted to at least keep that promise.
"Aether, I'm sorry for all of the pain that I have caused you...Even if you haven't forgiven us, I promise you that from now on, I won't slack off on my duties...I don't know what will happen to you in the future, but I hope your journey goes well..."
Lisa spoke these words out loud, but she continued to burst into tears, before falling to her knees onto the floor. The witch could only accept he despised her like everyone else that he befriended on his journey.
She really wanted Aether to be well, she wanted to be close to him, to help and support him, no longer wanting to take anything lightly, her heart hurt so much, and she felt sorry for herself.
"Even though it's too late, you would have rejected me anyway... Know that my love for you will always be the same...No matter where you are..."
Lisa tried to stop her tears, but it wouldn't stop. She was too sad to focus her mind on anything else.
"Aether...I miss you terribly...I wanted to help you so much...But I was too blind to see that you were suffering, and now it's too late...You were right from the start, we were too selfish, and because of that, you left...I don't deserve you, we don't deserve you...These scars that we gave you by our actions are permanently engraved in you, and we can no longer remove them...I am terribly sorry Aether…"
The librarian was in agony, her face full of sadness and remorse, as she curled up, looking out the window, to remember looking at the small clear patch of sky, understanding that the smile she cherished so much might disappear from her mind for good. She had done almost nothing to stop it when she had the chance, and even with so many people caring about him, he hadn't changed his mind, her beautiful face might no longer be able to smile too.
In Angel Share, you could see the sign "Closed for an indefinite period" outside, and some of the regulars wondered what was happening that their favorite bar would stay closed for so long, thinking that it was because Diluc wanted to take part in the next actions concerning the rebuilding of Mondstadt.
But the truth was quite different, because inside the bar, the man with red hair, could no longer move or do anything, he who usually tried to be productive and not waste time, sitting on one of the stools near the bar, doing something he rarely did, especially since he didn't like it: having a drink.
Diluc wanted to forget what had happened, because he was overwhelmed with sadness, and even someone as calm and pragmatic as him could no longer hide the fact that he was devastated by Aether leaving, staring blankly at his glass.
He regretted everything that had happened and wondered if he could have tried harder. He would have liked to blame the annoying bard, because he was the Archon of his region, and he had the responsibility to care for all those who passed through his country.
But Diluc knew that it was not just his fault, or the rest of the Archons, but of all of them, from Mondstadt to Sumeru watched the very person they cared about turn into a monster. Venti tried to own up for his many mistakes, but Aether wasn't having it. It finally escalated into a cataclysmic battle with Aether winning, nearly murdering the Archons, and nearly destroying Mondstadt in the process.
Even though he knew he wouldn't have stood a chance against the Traveler, he told himself he should have at least tried, especially when he saw Xiao and Shenhe not hesitate for a single second to join the fight. Diluc should have joined them to stop Aether before things got worse, it would have been worth it being at death's door.
Diluc was angry and ashamed for not understanding his friend better. He wanted to blame Barbatos and the Knights of Favonius for being useless as always but knew it was everyone's fault that Aether turned out the way he did.
Besides, he was not alone, because the Cavalry Captain, his brother, Kaeya, was also at the bar, but unlike him, and for once, he was not drinking and flashing a confident smile as always. He had decided for himself not to walk around with a fake smile like he always did, remembering the sting of Aether's words of accusing everyone of not taking anything seriously. Kaeya wanted to show Aether, if he returned one day, that he had changed and that he will take his and Paimon's plight more seriously in the future.
He had stayed with Diluc instead of remaining in the Headquarters of the Knights of Favonius, because of Aether, through the conversation he had with them. Made him remember something that he had forgotten: the importance of family.
The blue-haired man had accompanied Diluc to Angel Share, to support him, but also to support himself. He remembered, like Diluc, that Aether looked at the fact that although they were not separated, they did not enjoy the joy of being with family. He envied them, just like Ayaka and Ayato, Jean and Barbara, or Albedo and Klee, while feeling a pang of pain in his heart.
Those words repeated in his mind over and over, wondering why he hadn't bothered to understand him. He could understand the loss of his family, just like Diluc. They had already lost their father in front of their eyes, and now a great friend, wondering where everything went wrong.
His eyepatch was now soaked, due to the tears that wouldn't stop flowing, as the teardrops fell on the table, as he banged his fist on the table in frustration. Kaeya had provoked Aether for no reason, while knowing full well that Paimon had a place in the heart of the ex-Honorary Knight.
"Why did I say those things?... Why didn't I understand his pain before?"
Diluc said nothing, not wanting to make the situation worse, and he knew that Kaeya just wanted to vent his pain somewhere.
"I knew Paimon is important to him, and like an idiot, I brought up that subject...And now she's gone too, just like Aether...I should have done more instead of drinking all the time..."
Diluc watched as Kaeya's face showed remorse and pain. The two brothers stared at their respective drinks, unsure what to do next.
"It's over...There's nothing we can do..." Diluc's voice cracked, understanding that he had definitely lost his friend, just like his confidence in himself.
Kaeya hearing these words surprised him a little since Diluc wasn't the type to give up, but he knew deep down that he was right, and he responded, with the same rather sullen tone.
"You're right...It's our fault, I guess we deserved that..."
At Mondstadt Cathedral, even late into the night, every nun, doctor, and volunteer continued to treat patients as quickly and effectively as possible. Countless people were injured from the collateral damage done by Aether's battle with the Archons. The doctors, nurses and nuns were doing their best to treat their patients while the volunteers provided support by passing clean water and bandages. Despite their best, they were getting overwhelmed by the sheer volume of people injured.
In the upper floors of the Cathedral, Barbara and Rosaria overlooked everything through the balcony standing side by side with a demoralized look, watching the intensive care provided by the medical staff.
The Deaconess was terribly affected by this, continuing to cry bitterly. She had cried so much that her eyes were red and puffy from the nonstop crying, while Rosaria continued to rub her back, in an attempt to soothe her.
Barbara was at her wit's end, no longer able to dissociate anything from Aether, everything reminding her of his smile full of kindness and compassion, which was gradually replaced by what she remembered in the confrontations and departure, a look of anger and loathing.
She felt so guilty about not helping him before, but something was broken inside her besides her sanity, and that was her heart. She had confessed her feelings towards him, promising to relieve his pain, but he had refused harshly, hurting her to no end.
Barbara felt like an empty shell, and could no longer even pray Barbatos for help because after all the revelations made by the Traveler, she now knew that among those who were being hospitalized. There were the Archons from the four regions that Aether had encountered and among them was the Anemo Archon himself.
She had seen them, each as helpless as the last during the battle, and even with outside help, she remembered the monstrous strength as well as the astonishing speed that Aether had used against them. But what hurt her even more was when Aether recounted all their sins, things she didn't want to believe were true, especially the fact that the Archons, their gods, weren't as benevolent as people believed.
All this time, they had misled Aether, pushing him to search in places that proved useless, when all he wanted was to see his sister again, his only family. Barbara remembered the fact that she and Jean had been on awkward terms for a while, and it was this same man who had helped them reconcile and become real sisters again. Even after she was heartbroken, she knew she would love him no matter what he chose to do.
Barbara looked at the makeshift beds below them, her mind struggling to process everything she thought she understood completely. Something never would have doubted before: her faith.
As for Rosaria, she didn't move, but you could see the makeup around her eyes had started to run, a sign that she had also started to shed her share of tears.
She had never needed a friend before, but she always remembered how Aether would have friendly conversations with her, not judging her that she was not the most devoted nun, due to her behavior towards the Church. They sometimes drank together, and without knowing it, Rosaria enjoyed his company, and the fact she was having a fond time with a friend, a word she had rarely used in her entire life.
Even though she was focused on protecting Mondstadt, she had a sharp pain in her heart, as she had failed in her mission, because she wasn't even capable of protecting the only friend she had. She was not the most sociable person regarding small talk, when there were more people qualified for that, which was consistent with her modus operandi of doing things in the shadows. However, she felt regret at not having participated in stopping him, and at only being a spectator of the carnage that had happened.
Rosaria was deep in thought when she heard Barbara's trembling and despairing voice:
"Sister Rosaria…"
"Yes…" replied Rosaria, who certainly did not expect the question that would follow.
"Is it still worth believing in Barbatos?"
Rosaria's eyes widened at Barbara's words, making her believe that she was dreaming right now. Rosaria would never imagine that the most devoted follower of the Anemo Archon would question her faith.
"What do you mean?" asked Rosaria, feeling a sense of dread.
"We lost everything...We failed...I failed...And Aether doesn't want me, I'll never forget the way he rejected me, and I deserved it...But I love him and I will always love him...And whatever happens to him, I want to continue to support him, even if he's not here." Barbara sobbed even harder mentioning the Traveler's name.
"But I'm starting to tell myself, after everything he said... Maybe he was right after all to leave and go his own way... Everything we all did, no matter the region he went through...We never really thought about how he was feeling, and now he hates us...We deserved it...But after everything the Archons have done...All that Aether said about them, their sins towards him, and each of their countries...We worship them, praise them, and sacrifice everything for them, and get nothing in return! When I think about Barbatos who was in front of us the whole time, amusing himself that we were actually praising the drunk bard that we looked down on. I'm filled with disgust! Did I do the right thing by wanting to dedicate myself to the Church for someone who ultimately wasn't worth it?!" Barbara ranted, her mind breaking down that her god she devoted her life to was a disgusting lazy piece of trash that enjoyed playing a sick game with his own followers.
"Barbara…"
Rosaria grasped the importance of the words she said and then remembered every sentence Aether had said, especially since the Archons confirmed everything he said. However, she had never thought about leaving the Cathedral, not that she was truly dedicated to the worship of the Archon Anemo. But what Barbara said made sense, what would be the point of praising someone who couldn't do their job properly or cared about the lives of the people who looked towards them for guidance and salvation?
She didn't know what to say, so Barbara took off her white cap and threw it on the floor, stomping on it repeatedly with her heels. Her tears fell to the floor as she got angry.
"Because of Venti, Barbatos, or whatever he likes to call himself, I lost everything I loved! Aether, Jean, my faith, my reason for living, the confidence I had for my country...Whether it's Barbatos or even the other Archons, they are nothing but self-righteous monsters and tyrants who are too vain and spiteful towards the mortals who believe in their lies! How could I still believe in anything now!" Barbara shrieked in a fit of rage and frustration.
"Barbara, please, the nuns might hear you if you start blaspheming…"
"That's rich coming from you! You don't care about me, Rosaria! All you do is drink, smoke, and do who knows what late at night! Don't ever tell me that again! I don't care if they hear me! I should have done like Paimon and left with him...I don't want to stay here anymore...You understand...I miss Aether too much, I don't want to live knowing that he hates me, knowing that I lost everything...All because I didn't do my job as Deaconess...I don't want it to end like that, you understand me, Rosaria!" She shouted close to her face, her hands grabbing the Cryo nun's arms with a look of anger, sadness, and hatred towards herself and Barbartos.
Rosaria no longer dared to say anything, it was the first time that she saw Barbara like this.
Barbara calmed down after a few minutes, and released Rosaria. She rubbed her eyes to hold back her tears in vain, but showed a serious and determined look.
"Rosaria...I know what I need to do...Maybe it's not too late to catch up with Aether...I know he'll probably never forgive me, and he won't love me back, but he needs to know we still care about him despite everything that has happened. I'm not gonna give up on him when he still needs us. I'll start looking for him now, even if he has warned us all, I don't give a damn, I just want to be by his side." Barbara said with determination in her heart.
"Don't tell me you…"
"Yes, that's right. I am officially retiring as Deaconess and idol of Mondstadt."
Rosaria couldn't believe her ears. Barbara is determined to continue her journey alone to find Aether once again, unable to bear that her love was not returned mixed with the loss of her confidence in her religion.
"You're serious? What would your sister say?"
"My sister couldn't do anything to convince the man I love that we want to help. Relying on her again won't change anything. Tell her if you want, but my decision is final. I will leave first thing tomorrow, as long as I can catch up to him. I have cried enough for tonight... Goodbye Rosaria..." Barbara spoke out, as she wiped the last of her tears. Even though she was still sad, she refused to do nothing while Aether still suffered.
Rosaria saw Barbara leave, her fists clenched as the ex-Deaconess had definitely made her decision. The Cryo nun couldn't do anything, but shed a tear as yet another one of her closest companions also left everyone behind.
"Aether...You were right all along...Mondstadt didn't deserve someone like you...And it's only now that I realize...If even the Archon Anemo and the other Archons couldn't do anything, I guess this is the end for us….Sorry again for not doing my best to be a better friend, when you reached out to me, some friend I was..."
Without Aether, and Barbara here with her, Rosaria who was used to being a loner, now felt more alone than ever, and she didn't like it. All she could do was repent on the sad, cold floor of the cathedral.
In one of the rooms of the Knights of Favonius Headquarters, a unique headpiece resembling that of a jackal was placed on top of the desk. Its owner, the General Mahmatra Cyno, who had removed it to stare at the floor filled with remorse.
Next to the desk was a sofa, where he found his friend, Tighnari, the Forest Ranger lying on it, exhausted and miserable. He was not happy like everyone else that Aether left everyone, seeing them as false friends who took advantage of his kindness.
They both sat in silence, not looking at each other, not even daring to move a finger, as if the dramatic tension created by Aether's anger had not faded, and it followed them to this room. Both of them felt the weight of their actions now on their shoulders.
Cyno, in particular, felt more than a little depressed, questioning his capabilities. He wondered if was worthy of being General Mahamatra of Sumeru when he was unable to respond to the cries of distress of his friend. The electro-user had an excellent reputation in Sumeru, precisely because he was efficient with his work, but the one time he had to be there, he felt useless. He banged his fist on the table, in a sign of helplessness, surprising Tighnari, suddenly speaking.
"Why!? I only had one job to do! What's the point of trying to protect everyone if I can't protect one of my friends! What good am I?!"
Tighnari's face was getting tense, and wanted to tell him that he was also just as responsible but felt that Cyno needed to vent, so he said nothing, only listening to him.
"He's right...Aether was always right...When Lesser Lord Kusanali needed help, we all counted on him like cowards even though it was our country that needed to be saved...I couldn't protect our Archon by myself, nor Aether, even though it's my job..."
"Cyno…You know you can't always do it alone…"
"No, Tighnari! You know full well what you are saying is false!" Cyno suddenly shouted, standing up from his chair, looking at Tighnari with a look full of anger.
"Aether always did everything alone, the little we did wasn't much compared to how much he contributed! We all relied on him to do the impossible, because none of us could pull the same feats! We would have done nothing like cowards knowing full well we were outclassed against the Archons, the Abyss Order and the Fatui Harbingers. He had every right to abandon us when we took advantage of his strength and generosity!" finished the silver-haired man, looking at the ground while having his fists clenched.
Tighnari listened, and the more he spoke, the more he knew that what Cyno said was true. Aether did everything for them, and that was how they thanked him, with even more problems on his shoulders. It didn't help that the four nations he had passed through had become dependent on him.
"You...You're right...I should have noticed...There were a few moments when Collei noticed some changes in Aether's behavior, and I turned a blind eye...He trusted us, and we betrayed that...We could have helped him better, but we didn't do anything..." added the Dendro archer in a sad tone.
"Yes, indeed. I don't even know what to do from now on." Cyno exhaled, with a tear coming out of his eye. He wondered if he should resign his position as General Mahmatra, believing that he did not deserve his title given what had happened.
Outside of the Knights of Favonius's Headquarters, Yelan standing on top of the towers of the building looked out at the city of Mondstadt with a melancholy look. The windmills of the city are no longer moving due to the strong yet gentle winds ceasing entirely with the Anemo Archon temporarily out of commission.
But what she was looking at in particular was the area of Mondstadt destroyed by the man she had unwittingly grown to love. She thought of their soothing conversations over tea, while they had a grandiose view of Liyue Harbor in front of them, but that was all in the distant past now.
"Aether...If you knew how much I blame myself...and now you're gone..." Yelan breathed heavily, as she did her best to hold back her tears.
The Hydro archer wondered if she should have tried harder during the first meeting she had with him north of Liyue when she saw the river of blood and the mountain of corpses all caused by him. A clear sign that he was not well, and needed help. The spymaster wondered if she just got through to Aether than so much pain, heartache, and destruction would have been avoided.
Yelan pressed her arms on the railing to make sure she wasn't going to fall off with all the feelings racing through her conflicted mind. She wanted to see him again, but another part of her told her that it was super dangerous with how powerful and unstable he was now. Maybe it was better that way, that she deserved to have her heart broken. Yelan wanted to return to Liyue, and get back to her work. Move on with her life, just as Aether had done.
But a teardrop fell...
Then two…
Then several…
A flood of tears kept coming down on her beautiful face. She knew it was impossible for her to forget everything that had happened. Aether held a special place in her heart, she had neither the courage nor the desire to forget him, even after his brutal rejections and destruction he had caused.
Yelan called herself an idiot by teasing him like always when he was clearly not doing well. She blamed herself for being too blind to see it when she knew how to read people very well, due to her line of work. She could have helped him feel better or had someone to count on.
In the back of her mind, she had made a promise to herself that she would no longer be the type of person who played with him. If Aether saw her again, she would show him how much she had changed for him, and how much she had made efforts to avoid him intervening in problems that did not concern him. Yelan would now solve all of Liyue's problems on her own without relying on anyone else. Even if the work seemed impossible and exhausting it all was for the best, because no one bothered to ask Aether how he was doing, perhaps it would redeem herself even a little in his eyes.
Normally, she would have prayed to Morax for strength and guidance for her new vow. Unfortunately, Yelan wouldn't do that after what she had heard regarding the Geo Archon's sin against his people.
Yelan's legs began to shake, before falling to the cold, hard ground on her knees. Sobbing in sadness, which contrasted her usual enigmatic and seductive personality, her right hand clenching her heart, trying to stop her pain in vain.
"Aether... know that I will always be with you no matter what... Even if you don't love me back... I... I love you and I wish you the best of luck finding your sister at the end of your journey…" Her voice trembled, wanting to wish him well, even if it was a farewell.
In a different room occupied by The Tianquan of the Qixing Ningguang, sitting on the small bed, her face crestfallen, as if she had lost her entire fortune and the Jade Chamber combined.
Her hair was disheveled, and her eyes hadn't stopped crying ever since she entered the room. Ningguang looked up at the dark sky, as if it were an omen for the future of what was going to happen, not only to her and Liyue but to Teyvat as a whole.
Ningguang knew that she had made a lot of mistakes in the past, and so far, she had a lucky streak, because she never suffered any real consequences or setbacks. But now she has lost Keqing, Ganyu, Yelan, and now Aether…
The Tianquan felt miserable that Aether was no longer around because she respected him greatly for being the one who gave everything for her nation, while he didn't even have to. She considered what had happened the same way as the loss of a very dear friend in her eyes, but also the rest of Liyue.
She knew how many people praised, appreciated, and even fell in love with the ex-Hero of Liyue, starting with her closest allies, Keqing, Ganyu, and Yelan. All of Liyue was going to be changed forever because they would rather die for him than continue their work, no matter how much they were invested in Liyue, and she respected that.
Ningguang was terrified that the news regarding Mondstadt's nearly destroyed state would spread across Teyvat. Acting Grand Master Jean had bought Aether time by blaming the whole on the Abyss Order, but Ningguang knew the truth would eventually come out. Even when Aether had lost his mind, he never did anything that affected Teyvat as a whole except for the massacre he caused in. While disturbing by itself, no one would condemn him for putting down Hillichurls, the Fatui, and Treasure Hoarders.
However, Aether's esteemed reputation that he had built up would forever be tarnished when the people find out that the Traveler was responsible for nearly destroying Mondstadt and attempting to murder their Archons. They would be out for Aether's blood, and eventually, he would become the most wanted criminal in all of Teyvat. Aether would retaliate back, not standing around to die. Ningguang didn't want to imagine all of Teyvat hunting Aether down because either way, it would lead to a lot of people dead, and destruction everywhere.
Ningguang wondered where it all went wrong before everything fell apart regarding Aether. The same person who had her complete trust, someone so kind and selfless had drastically changed his behavior because of them. Ningguang would blame herself for the rest of her life if Aether remained as cold and resentful as he currently was.
Ningguang remembered what Aether thought of her and it kept replaying in her head over and over.
"It's quite simple really, you were simply being a good politician making the most of a bad situation."
It really hurt Ningguang deeply that Aether had always thought of her as just a politician, and not as a friend. It made her heartache even more remembering the time they spent together, and wondering if he only accompanied her just to be polite. Even though he thought of himself as just a useful asset in her eyes when it was never her intention.
Ningguang felt unworthy of leading Liyue now, but could not bring herself to resign, even with her mind burdened with self-doubt and sadness. Not wanting to prove Aether right by taking the easy way out, and avoiding her responsibilities. The same thing Aether had accused everyone, and the rest of Teyvat of doing before he arrived in their lives. Incompetent pieces of trash that waited for a miracle to just appear which it actually did in the form of Aether only to be burnt out when everyone relied on him too much.
On the other hand, despite the pain and sadness she felt for losing a friend. There was a part of her that was angry, not only towards herself but especially towards two certain people she felt were worse than her.
The first person was the Geo Archon, Zhongli himself did everything to reason with Aether, but only for the Traveler to reveal his crimes against his people. The same god who was supposed to bring peace and prosperity to Liyue.
All the people of Liyue worshiped and trusted him. But when she learned who Morax really was, under the persona of Zhongli, and the real reasons why he had retired, she was more than distraught. The same wise and benevolent Archon that Liyue was known was ready to heartlessly throw their lives away just for his benefit and comfort.
Aether knew the whole truth all along, and she understood why he could no longer trust him. Ningguang had already proved that Liyue didn't need Morax anymore, but it should have never come from such dire circumstances. Just the thought Morax made her nauseous, and she would make sure that Zhongli got the appropriate punishment for not only betraying Liyue, and allying himself with the Fatui, but callously playing with people's lives. Especially towards Hu Tao, Paimon, and Aether. The Geo Archon was one of the main instigators for the Traveler's downfall. While it may have been audacious for a mere mortal like Ningguang to punish a god, she could no longer be afraid of the Archons, like most people who had seen everything that had happened between them and Aether, they weren't as infallible or invincible as everyone believed.
What's more, she was also furious with Kamisato Ayaka while she'd been distraught over Aether's decision, knowing how the Cryo swordswoman felt about Liyue's ex-Hero, and was terribly angry at her reprehensible actions. When Ningguang learned what had happened in Inazuma, she realized that the one who really didn't care about the Traveler was her.
The fact that Ayaka manipulated and guilt-tripped Aether to save her nation was something she couldn't forgive. While Ningguang had done her fair share of manipulations against her enemies, and securing her wealth. It was the sheer audacity of Kamisato Ayaka blaming her alone for Aether's violent change in personality.
The hypocrisy of Ayaka had come close to creating a diplomatic incident as a result of her actions that had aggravated not only Aether's arrival in the land of Inazuma, but also his search to find his family. Ayaka pretended to remain innocent after the crisis in Inazuma was resolved while keeping her hands clean the whole time.
Ayaka had no right to make an attempt on her life and freeze the Jade Chamber, not even reflecting on her actions. Ningguang didn't appreciate that at all. For the Tianquan, Aether was right to reject her, not only for her sins against him but because of her inability to accept reality and distort it to fit her narrative.
Ningguang firmly believed that Ayaka had used too many sweet words and gentle pleas in her honeyed voice to make her seem like a good person while guilt-tripping Aether for doing nothing to help. The same thing that Ayaka should have been doing in Inazuma. It was clear that Kamisato Ayaka was a selfish person, a fact that she was too blind to see.
Ningguang had remembered Aether's speech regarding Teyvat's true nature as a dying world, no thanks to the gods and the people who allowed it to happen. She wondered if her wealth and opulence had made her blind to see what was lurking behind the shadows where so much pain and misery was happening. If that was the case then Ningguang was going to make use of her wealth to do something to help.
Ningguang sighed sadly, wanting to lament for having lost such a dear friend as Aether, and then spending her Mora right now. Her hands gripped the sheets tightly as a few tear drops fell slowly down her legs, her face full of remorse as she felt the need to make up for lost time. Wishing Aether was here right now to show him how much she had always admired, respected, and cherished him as a friend.
In fact, she remembered something Aether had said to her a long time ago, when he was still in Liyue before leaving for Inazuma. Not expecting to have such a precious friend, and not wanting to lose him. Aether reassured her with a few simple words:
"I'd come back, because I don't want to lose all the friends I've made along the way. This journey that I am on is built on so many precious memories and that is what is important."
She thought about his words firmly, hoping his journey would be a wonderful tale that would serve as one of Teyvat's grand stories that would be told for generations to come. Only for his precious memories slowly turn into constant nightmares believing it was never real to begin with after losing his faith in everyone. Ningguang could only lament for allowing it to happen.
On the other side of the room was Beidou, standing and looking in the direction of Mondstadt's Cathedral, wondering how the injured people were doing, and feeling guilty for not having contributed a single thing to the improvement of the Traveler's mental breakdown.
However, what upset her the most, because like everyone else, she had been affected by the Traveler's words, taking off her eyepatch and clenched her fists. She thought of the Crux Fleet when she saw her emblematic accessory, or as she called it, her family.
The word 'family' was not one she took lightly, for it had meaning for the captain of the Crux, and she was happy to call her crew that. She considered Kazuha at this point to be her little brother.
For her, Aether and Paimon were family too, and she always made a point of welcoming them on her boat when they came to visit Liyue or when they crossed the sea to Inazuma. But when she saw the state Aether was in, she was taken aback. He no longer looked like the man she knew, and that terrifying aura he had made her shiver more than anything else, feeling powerless in a way she had never felt, even after all she had experienced at sea.
She realized that what Aether wanted wasn't a fanciful welcome devoid of meaning. What he wanted was a bit of attention, and she knew he wasn't asking for much. Beidou couldn't even remember the last time she'd asked if he'd heard from his sister, or even if she knew anything. She understood that every little thing was important and that she hadn't paid attention to everything.
The pirate had failed in her role as what she had considered a family, saving neither Aether, Paimon, Kazuha, or anyone else. She was questioning her role as captain. If a captain couldn't protect her crew and guide them to glory, then what was she good for?
Beidou closed her fist where her eye patch was, before throwing it on the floor, feeling that she didn't deserve the title. She'd made herself too comfortable, and she'd seen the results, so for Aether's sake, she decided to stop acting, not wanting to lose any more of the things she held dear, wiping the last drops of tears she had left on her cheeks.
Occupying the spare bed was the Inazuman wanderer, Kahedehara Kazuha, sitting silently as he looked at his hand, remembering everything that had happened previously.
He remembered when he placed his hand on Aether's shoulder, to show him how much he could trust him and not place a heavy burden on himself. Only for Aether to knock it away showing him that his compassion meant nothing to him.
The cold look he'd given him at that moment still sent shivers down his spine, and made him tremble. Kazuha never thought eyes so brightly colored could be devoid of any light.
To tell the truth, Kazuha didn't know what to make of everything that had happened and feared for what was to come, not only for Aether but also for his next destination, Fontaine. However, he didn't dare do anything more, knowing full well that he was powerless against Aether's prowess in combat combined with his madness made him extremely dangerous.
Kazuha had lost all motivation that wasn't like him, and he knew it, but every part of him wondered if Aether hadn't been right all along, remembering that his contribution towards helping Aether wasn't very high. Still, he knew what it was like to lose someone close to him, he'd seen his best friend die before his very eyes, and he should have done something to ease his sadness, knowing how hard it was to lose someone close to you, and how long it took for him to grieve.
Besides, Kazuha knows how horrible loneliness is for an Outlander like him because he too used to wander aimlessly around Inazuma, feeling lonely before he met Beidou, whom he considered to be his family currently. Even though Aether had Paimon, he was well aware that he didn't tell Paimon everything so as not to worry her.
Just as many people came to help him now, but like him, they had done nothing, and they knew they were reaping what they had sown. Despite all the "friends" Aether had made, he still had the impression of being isolated, and he understood the seriousness of the problem, because what was the point of so many people coming to worry about him, if there was no one willing to lend him a helping hand.
And now, even though he had held on until now, a tear was beginning to roll down his cheek, realizing that he had lost a friend yet again. Unlike the previous time, even if he wasn't the sole instigator of this problem, it was his fault. Aether had managed to help him come to terms with his past and what was left of his family, he couldn't understand why he couldn't do the same for him. He even wondered whether, instead of leaving him to fend for himself, he and Beidou should have offered to take them directly to Port Ormos or Bayda Harbor to get straight to Sumeru without any internal problems, to be a bit useful like he had done so much for them.
Kazuha's tears fell down on his face, as he lifted his head slightly, to see his captain's eye patch on the floor. Beidou cried the same as him after everything that had happened.
The Anemo swordsman said nothing but could see that she was just as hurt as he was, at having been so pathetic, and wanted to comfort her. Seeing Beidou so devastated was something he had never seen since he had traveled the seas with her, given her usual light-hearted nature. However, he didn't have the strength to do so and looked down at the ground again with a slight sigh.
A cold silence filled the room as sadness ran through the two women, just like Kazuha, who had made resolutions that would change them. Even if it was all in vain, the three of them wanted to show how much they cared about Aether and what a great and precious friend he was to them.
On the outskirts of the city, not far from the entrance to the northeast, three young adventurers looked at what remained of the landscape, in front of Cider Lake a far cry from the serene waters that it was known for.
They saw large pieces of rubble and houses in the lake, some were quite visible, while others had sunk into the water, but still what was left of Mondstadt now, or at least one part, had been buried under the sea.
Bennett was sitting on the cold, damp ground, but it didn't matter to him, that was the least of his worries. The boy had experienced a lot of terrible things in his life, and normally, even with all the bad luck in the world on his shoulders, he managed to smile every time, taking anything as a new experience and always seeing the positive side of things, no matter how horrible it was for him and others.
But there, there was no longer this willful and reckless adventurer with his signature thumbs-up. His eyes showed how much he shed tears all day. His hair disheveled more than usual, as he occasionally rubbed his eyes.
To Bennett, Aether was not only a friend, but one of the few people who believed in him and saw someone who could accomplish great things, no matter how unlucky he was. He even told him that he admired his unwavering will and the fact that never falters no matter what life throws at him. The pyro swordsman saw him as his mentor, a master whose disciple he believed he was.
But now, hearing all the things he had said about him, as well as about everyone without exception, he understood the reasons why Aether had abandoned the idea of continuing the bonds he had created along the way and to avoid doing it again.
He curled up on himself, bringing his knees closer to his chest, all the while trembling, regretting his actions. Bennet had complained sometimes about his bad luck, but when he heard that it had been centuries since Aether had heard from his sister except for a single reunion, he no longer even dared to speak. He felt the cold gaze of contempt on him, feeling that he had deserved it.
In the back of his mind, Bennett thought about his former hero's chilling words about what was really going on in Teyvat. The unlucky adventurer thought he had seen all sorts of weird things when he was doing commissions, and nothing could surprise him anymore. Only for Aether to reveal the harsh truth of the world with life not being so simple. In any case, Bennett had completely lost his usual enthusiasm and didn't know if it would return.
Next to him sat cross-legged, the "Prinzessin der Verurteilung", who no longer dared to call herself that, continuing to cry in silence. Her eye patch is placed on the ground, letting her tears fall down on her face, just like everyone else, not knowing what to do next. Besides, Oz wasn't with her, because she had asked him to leave her alone for a while, something the bird understood perfectly.
Fischl looked towards her hands, and then her signature outfit with newfound disgust. She now felt ashamed seeing her outfit being reminded of her lack of personal growth when she was too busy living out her fantasy.
Fischl remembered how Aether, unlike most people in Mondstadt who made fun of her, or her friends like Mona and Noelle, who even though they liked her immensely, seemed embarrassed or irritated when she made her long monologues. He had accepted her as she was, and sometimes, he even took part in her game, calling her "my princess" presenting himself as her knight ready to rescue her, as when they had traveled to the Golden Apple Archipelago. How could Fischl not fall in love with him?
She cried even harder remembering much happier times, which were quickly replaced in her mind by the harsh words coming from the same man she loved telling her to grow up and stop seeing the world through the eyes of a child. Reminding her that it's not a fairy tale and she has to face reality.
The Electro archer now understood what he meant, and it was something she had been warned about before, but she didn't pay attention to it, because she wanted to see her vision of the world and there were no real consequences, until now.
Now that Fischl had seen, with her own eyes, the man who she saw as her everything, the man who wanted to understand her and play her game with her until the end, who presented himself as her prince protecting her. The same person who willingly burned all the bridges he made with everyone, including her, knew that she would no longer be able to see the "Immernachtreich", but the real world.
The image she had of Aether nearly beating Yae Miko almost to death, or of him attacking the Archons as soon as they arrived without hesitation was so traumatic for her. Fischl couldn't imagine what the injured people were feeling right now.
She untied her pigtails from her hair, leaving them loose, and threw the elastics and eyepatch into the water of the lake, almost out of spite. To release a little frustration that she had, she had no intention of getting them back, so it didn't bother her at all.
Fischl continued to cry, feeling the pain of losing not only a friend, but her "faithful and noble ally" as she called him gave her the courage to make a drastic decision. She had hidden Fischl for too long, and if one day Aether came back to them, she wanted to show him that she had made the right choices now. She no longer lived life as a child, but as a woman who could make decisions for herself that weren't detrimental to her being.
Fischl had decided to stop her delusions of grandeur and return to being Amy, abandoning the name she had given herself to definitively bury her fanciful illusions. Deep down, she felt that Aether was right and that she had to take this step. If she had already lost Aether with what she was before, she didn't want to risk losing more.
It broke her heart a little, but less than Aether leaving everyone, and she knew he wanted her to take responsibility, something she'd never tried to do, so as a substitute as a last promise, she vowed to become a better person for him.
Leaning against a tree, not far from Bennett and Fischl, was the child raised by the wolves, Razor, alternating his gaze between the ground and the lake, a look of disappointment on his face.
He knew he wasn't the smartest, but he understood the situation well enough, and even though everything Aether said wasn't very clear to him, He knew that they had all harmed the Traveler in one way or another without taking the time to understand him.
Razor had cried for a long time that day, however, but he didn't understand why it didn't stop, and why he continued to sob even now, but he still knew that he had done something wrong for the one he considered to be his friend.
Razor had said that he considered Aether to be his lupical, and that meant a lot because that word to him was the equivalent of family, just as he called Bennett, Fischl, and Lisa that way. He saw the former Hero of Mondstadt as his big brother, who had taught him to integrate better into Mondstadt, and that's why he came to the city more often, to see his friends again. Thanking Aether for helping him understand others and himself better.
Razor didn't think things could escalate so quickly. Now, he was seeing Mondstadt in shambles, he couldn't help but see nightmares. All day long, he only saw images of Aether sowing destruction, and it was all their fault, his destructive power had a strong impression on everyone, without exception.
He was starting to hate himself for being so ignorant of the situation and not being able to understand things more easily, because it was the support that Aether had given everyone that had exhausted him, and he didn't want to be a burden anymore.
The claymore user resigned himself for the moment to doing nothing, apart from one thing, that he wanted to become better for himself, understanding his powerlessness and his uselessness to move forward. Razor would even ask Lisa to teach him everything he needs to know about everything so that he can adapt to both the world outside and the city of Mondstadt. Even now, he couldn't trust her, because Aether had also said bad things about his teacher, and the same went for the two people next to him.
However, Razor wanted to make amends, even if for the moment, he was only wiping his tears of sadness, covering his face with his hood, as if he was hiding, ashamed of himself.
The trio of adventurers were all depressed that Aether had definitively cut ties with them. The only thing they could do right now was mourn the loss of the person they all cared about.
Inside the lounge of the Knights of Favonius HQ, numerous women were lamenting, unresponsive or crying, all in silence for some time thinking of the same man, not even able to look at each other.
Amber, Aether's first friend after Paimon, the one he met from the beginning, sat alone on the couch, slumped, her cheerfulness and her warm smile disappeared since the Traveler's departure. Her orange-golden eyes that were shining with excitement and optimism were lifeless instead. Her hair disheveled as she was staring blankly at the table in front of her, and she had even removed her characteristic headband from her hair.
For her, it wasn't just a simple goodbye, and she had just realized that after seeing the silhouette of the man she loved leaving in front of her and everyone else. It was Aether, no longer wanting to see her ever again. She had suspected something was off through several conversations she had with Aether, but Amber never delved deeper into it out of respect for his privacy.
The Outrider was more than exhausted now, even her tears no longer wanted to come out of her eyes as she had cried all day. She remembered all the times she spent with him, and each time it broke her heart. She had heard, like everyone else, that each declaration of love from each of the women he had met on his journey only met with a brutal refusal on his part. It wasn't just the fact that he refused that hurt her, but the fact that he thought their feelings were just a bunch of lies to trick him once again, and that all their fond moments with him were never real to begin with.
Amber wanted to help Aether so much, she didn't want to be called a liar when it came to her love being true. She didn't want to lose him, she wanted to glide with him again watching the setting sun, taking walks with him, having a bite to eat with him, all those little things that she knew she was going to miss.
She knew the risk of following him, Aether wouldn't have any patience with her before things escalated with violence. Amber wondered if continuing in the ranks of the Knights of Favonius was a good idea, thinking about the fact that Jean and Diluc knew that Venti was their Archons. Between the three of them, they left Aether to fight in the air against Stormterror by himself.
Amber hesitated just like when she was looking for the Traveler the first time, wanting to escape the city and run towards him until she found him, but everything was still conflicting in her head. But she knew she couldn't stay without him, she had already lost her only family, her grandfather, so she didn't want to lose the person she was closest to and her confidant.
Next to her was Collei, who continued to cry, her hands on her face and her elbows on her knees, and Amber couldn't support her, too sad to do just that. The forest ranger couldn't imagine all of this was happening.
She told herself that she should have done more, even if she had difficulty speaking with others because she had always been able to speak clearly with Aether. As far as she can remember, Aether had always felt better because she confided in him, but never the other way around. However, it's not like she didn't see signs that Aether was spiraling , but she pretended not to know what was happening as it wasn't her business what was happening in his private life.
But Collei knew it was a mistake, and once again, she felt like she couldn't have done anything when he was in front of her, trying in vain to reason with him. Besides, she didn't even know if Aether considered her trash, less than nothing, because she was only able to string together a few words in front of him.
She felt so weak before his overwhelming power and rage , and every look he gave them still made her shiver, even hours after he was gone. Tighnari and Cyno had told her that it would be dangerous, but she could not imagine all this happening, but for all that she did not regret coming. At least she had been able to hear the truth, about her, about them all and about the Archons, particularly Nahida.
Collei had always thought that Lesser Lord Kusanali was the kind and benevolent god that Sumeru needed, unlike the former Six Sages that nearly ruined their country. She didn't want to believe she was as bad as her fellow Archons. While Lesser Lord Kusanali had done nothing wrong, Aether made it clear that doing nothing was a sin by itself.
Hearing so many atrocities that had happened from Aether, including tragedies that should have never happened in the first place, gave her even more trauma. Remembering what she had experienced, but unlike her, Aether had said nothing except to have a smile on his face, she never thought that so much pain would be hidden in him, and she regretted not having supported him more.
Amber had talked to him about him before she knew him and suspected that Amber was in love with him, if the Outrider admired someone that much, he was a good guy. Collei thought of Aether as a kind and generous person when she started to get to know him personally, she wondered if she had thanked him for everything he had done for Sumeru.
But right now, she would rather have her Eleazar back than lose someone as precious as Aether. Knowing that she might never see him again had hurt her more than all the misery she had had when she was younger, feeling devastated, and even Amber couldn't do anything for her.
From time to time, Collei felt a gentle stroke on her back, coming from the woman sitting on the end of the sofa, Eula, who was trying the best she could to remain stoic and help her comrades feel better, but in vain, because she knew that she was not doing well.
Eula looked at Collei crying next to her, and it hurt even more, then at Amber just as unhappy. All around her, the other women continued to sob, before continuing to look at the ground, avoiding seeing so many tears that could fill an entire lake.
Eula regretted that she made a poor impression during her first meeting with Aether, especially when he helped her come to terms with herself and find a way to balance nobility with her relations in Mondstadt. So fewer and fewer people looked at her last name, focusing only on Eula, The Spindrift Knight.
The blue-haired woman would have liked to thank him more instead of constantly saying that she would have her vengeance on him. If Eula ever saw Aether again, he wouldn't tolerate it any longer and instead retaliate back.
And it was this lack of tact that made everything worse, when she spoke about Paimon in such a volatile situation.
Furthermore, Eula blamed herself as a friend and as a member of the Knights of Favonius for not having made the effort to help him. She knew that before the destruction of Mondstadt, the country remained peaceful, and she could have sent Mika and the other knights at least for a short time, look for clues for the Traveler regarding his sister, because she felt now that it was the least she could do to thank him for what he did for Mondstadt and for her.
However, Eula never did that trying to justify herself as the knights were too busy and short-staffed to go on a wild goose-chase for a girl they had no leads on. However, as Aether had put it, no one even tried and told him that the search hit a dead-end.
All she wanted now was to share a drink with him as a reward after a good day, chatting about the simplest of things, but she knew that now that was impossible. Mondstadt would never be the same again. She felt useless and understood how Aether was right about her and about the others; she had failed in everything, as a protector of Mondstadt and as a friend to him.
She sighed, and it wasn't the first time she'd done it, and certainly not the last time she'd sigh, not knowing what she was going to do, but she wanted to do something that would show that she understood his words and that Eula could honor him properly. She realized that in the end, the one who deserved revenge was him, and he would have every reason to do so.
But she wasn't the only one who thought the same thing, because the young astrologer who was looking towards the edge of the window, Mona thought no less.
She looked a lot less proud than before because her usually arrogant and self-confident personality had been replaced by something much sadder and sullen. She had taken off her hat for quite some time, holding it between her frail hands, as if to have something to support herself.
The astrologer had tried to hold back her tears until now, after a long time crying when she saw the Traveler leave before her eyes.
Besides, she knew that it was partly because of this that Aether had scolded and reprimanded her. The haughty way of thinking of herself as superior to him even though he had gone out of his way to be nice to her. He had even made the effort to find accommodations for her, and even more, he had paid the first months' rent in advance for her, quite simply because he thought that she was his friend, and he didn't want her to suffer.
Mona wanted to repay him, not only financially, but also more than that. For everything he had done for her, because her living situation had considerably improved with his contribution but had understood that was not what that Aether was currently looking for. The one thing he wanted, no one gave him a single helping hand.
That's when she realized that she had already abused his boundaries, but for her, when she called him her "assistant" from time to time, it was just for fun. To get closer to him and show him her affection. She had never thought about how he saw things, and that was the problem.
Aether had warned them all about having a narrow, self-centered version of life, and Mona had only just realized it, her arms trembling just at the thought of having been so selfish. She understood the fact that he found it insulting, but also her attitude towards him when she could have been more direct and less extravagant, as she liked to do.
Her arrogance had cost her, and it was too late to realize that. Her last name, Megistus, was a reminder of her greatness, according to her master. But currently, she felt very small, very insignificant, not deserving to bear this name that before she proudly showed off her brilliance.
Mona remembered how she had yelled at Jean for being an irresponsible woman for not warning her and those with her about Aether's situation. But she felt like her in that moment, wondering if she had the right to be a friend to someone like Aether, while knowing that she had given nothing back, even her Astromancy powers were useless in detecting where his sister was, or at least if there was a small clue.
Mona was so angry with herself for not having treated him better and would have liked to be much clearer about how she saw her relationship with him. Not having had the opportunity to tell him things more clearly, because when she started speaking out in defense of Noelle, she had blown her chances, especially the way she had expressed herself. Once again, she didn't think about how he would handle the way she spoke to him, and he responded to her in the way she deserved.
The Hydro user had deep regrets when she heard that she had been invited by Charlotte of the Steambird for an interview in Fontaine. She wanted to go there and take the opportunity to see Aether again, knowing that he would be heading for the nation of justice. To show him how much she appreciates him. But she knew it was now too late, she no longer had the courage, and her sadness and her broken heart had taken over.
And now, she didn't know what to do anymore, but she had tried to look into the future thanks to her divination to see what would be the fate that would bind her to Aether, or even what kind of future Aether would have now, but she didn't see anything, because no image wanted to show. Either way, it told Mona that any future she had with the man that she loved was gone now. She didn't know what to do, as she dropped her iconic hat unable to hold back her tears.
Not far from her, Noelle sat against the edge of the wall, looking down at the ground, her knees drawn to her chest, her arms encircling her legs as she could not stop crying, tears running down her armor, as well as her dress.
She had been completely devastated, her eyes lifeless, and continuing to cry. The maid-knight couldn't even speak a word and hadn't since she saw Aether leave.
Noelle remembered the chilling words that had more than broken her fragile heart. Aether had always been very friendly with her, comforting and encouraging her in her quest to one day be the knight she hoped to be, even training with her at times. He had even been convinced by Noelle's prowess and had told her before her eyes that he was convinced that she would be a great heroine in the future and that she would be able to protect Mondstadt with dignity, and that at that moment- there, he would once again be at her side.
When the Geo Vision bearer heard these words, she was more than moved by his trust in her and wanted so much to return the favor. To show him how grateful she was to have accompanied him. She had waited for the right moment, not only for that but also to confess her love for him.
But that day wouldn't come now, and she understood that. The harsh words Aether had spoken directly to her, and kept replaying in her head.
"Whether in Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, or Sumeru, you all thought that way, as if I was an invincible hero...But I'll tell you one thing, Noelle, when I asked for help, you thought I was joking , when I decide to do things my way from now on, you decide that you will supposedly "save" me, that you will be there for me like a lovely wife who would support her husband to the end of the world… And to top it all off, you try to make me feel guilty, by telling me that you appreciated every moment with me! Shut up, I'm sick of all of the lies!"
It was very difficult for her, and she repeated it loudly. She loved him so much, and he had brutally rejected her, she understood his decision, but that didn't stop the pain from still being there and always will be in the future.
Noelle whispered Aether's name from time to time as if calling out to him, becoming delirious, her sanity had been strained greatly during the confrontations. Even more so when she realized how much she had neglected Aether, and not just her, but everybody that was around her.
The maid felt something broken inside her, she needed to see him again. He was her senpai, her hero, her friend, her crush, her teacher, her soul mate. She didn't want Aether to think so poorly of her, and she felt guilty for taking advantage of his kindness to help him improve when she could and should have done something for him. As Aether said, she should have cared more about him, been there when he was exhausted, because even when he was the Honorary Knight, the fact remains that he needed rest like everyone else. The fact that she looked at him like a living god had made her forget the most essential thing, that she had to support him as he had always supported her.
Besides, Noelle wondered if everything she had done was worth it, she no longer wanted to continue down this path. Aether demonstrated that well, but everyone was to blame, the Archons, the representatives of each region like everyone he had met.
She had heard everything, and the Knights of Favonius were primarily responsible for the start of his mental breakdown, since he had passed through Mondstadt first, and they were the ones who used him first.
Currently, she saw only problems with the Knights and remembered some of the words Aether had said regarding the selection trials. He wondered why she hadn't become a full-fledged knight yet; they had given the role of knight to Klee while she was only a child. For some reason, they insisted on not passing Noelle even though she had all the skills required.
Noelle had finally understood that she had been used like Aether but to a lesser extent. All her hard work and dedication in being a knight of Favonius meant nothing in the eyes of Jean who had the last say-so on who would be selected. The same Jean who enlisted Aether in the fight against Dvalin, when he had just arrived, while she was supposed to lead the country and uphold her duties as Acting Grand Master.
She had never seen things that way, but now that Aether had told all the truths that had come to light, she realized that she had been fooled all along. Her admiration and love for him wasn't making it easy for her to choose to stay on the path she had chosen for so many years.
Noelle had solemnly decided to no longer try to be part of the Knights of Favonius, which she no longer saw as a prestigious order to enter after having proven their bravery and love of protecting the country, but rather as an organization that decides to use people like puppets. She didn't see the difference between the monarchical hierarchy of the aristocrats of the past that she had read about in the history books, compared to the way the Knights of Favonius had not had any scruples until now to take advantage of Aether who only wanted to look for his sister.
Noelle knew what she thought she had to do, because she was free from all the chains of constantly training to be a knight, and planned to use everything she had learned from Aether to show him how she loved him. Noelle remembered the warning her crush gave them, but she didn't care because she wanted to see him. Even with the risks, she didn't want to live life without Aether.
Even if the smile Aether gave her was replaced by a cold, scornful look that represented how he had felt things now, she would accept it because she had nothing left to lose, she didn't want to stay with people she considered corrupt. In her eyes, Aether had enough experience to know the right option to take, and if he took a darker path, she would be ready to accompany him, because who else would if no one was willing to do it?
Noelle looked at her two hands, clenching her fists, a sign of her vow to remain faithful to Aether by all means, because she felt like she had finally half-opened the reality that she was trying hard not to see. The now former knight squire took off her breastplate, greaves, gauntlets, and pauldron with just her underclothing remaining as her way of cutting ties with the Knights of Favonius just as Aether did. Placing her armor neatly in the corner, she may have given up on being a knight, but didn't mean she would give up being neat and tidy. No one took notice of Noelle taking off her armor and leaving the room, as they were too depressed to care.
On another sofa, Keqing was demoralized, in a state that no one had ever seen her before. If Xiangling had been surprised at the way she handled Aether's hostile demeanor, she wouldn't have even recognized the woman in front of her.
The Yuheng, who embodied elegance and hardwork, the diligence and goodwill needed for the preservation of Liyue, was a shadow of former self. Her cat ear buns were gone, her hair was down to her waist. Her makeup had faded from her cheeks, after crying for quite a while, and she was staring at the ceiling drained of all energy.
Every time she uttered her love for him, she was rejected several times in a row, not only did he refuse to hear it, but he believed it to be a lie. For the Yuheng, it was a horrible situation that was beyond the usual way she handled complicated situations.
But she had only just realized that it wasn't like managing an administrative procedure, and even though she was aware of it, she wouldn't think it would be that complicated.
However, something else upset her, besides Aether's disappearance and the fact that her heart was now nothing more than an empty shell, and that was all the rants her crush had explained, especially regarding Liyue.
Keqing knew she wasn't innocent of Aether turning out the way he was now, but she was beginning to have a hatred towards the people they believed most concerned with Liyue's prosperity.
Keqing already had Ningguang in her sights, still not having accepted the way she viewed her as well as Ganyu and Yelan, having used them to know the location of Aether, all to be productive at work. She always considered Ningguang a profiteer, and when she saw her coming to Mondstadt, she said nothing but wondered why she had the audacity to show herself in front of Aether.
But she felt a deep contempt and disgust towards Rex Lapis, or as everyone now knows, Zhongli. Already the fact that he was the Archon of Liyue was quite upsetting for her, even if she had learned the news before his arrival before Aether, but all the crimes he had done, just to take it easy and enjoy life at the expense of everyone else, she couldn't stand that.
The Yuheng had unwavering trust in her Archon, but it was shattered as soon as the fight was over. She yearned to believe that by assuming his responsibilities, he would at least make amends, knowing that he had made a contract with Paimon to save Aether at all costs and that despite all his strength, as well as the other Archons, he was easily swept away, it was all just empty words to her.
The more she thought about it, the more her eyes grew darker and darker, wondering why she had been an idiot to think that the gods would do something. Keqing had done everything for Liyue in the past, with Ganyu's help. She had seen Xiao go out of his way to remove any monsters or hostile problems for the nation, and respected him for it, especially since he did not hesitate to plunge into battle.
But she didn't want to hear Morax's name anymore, she felt betrayed, and she understood a little of Aether's pain now. She wondered if this was how the Traveler felt now, the blood boiling in his veins, when he saw that not only the Archons, but practically everyone he knew made no effort to understand him.
For the Electro Vision bearer, she understood that now, it was too late to do anything for Liyue, she had lost hope, seeing the disgusting behavior of Liyue's ruler and the one who was supposed to be the god of her country. The same treacherous god that went as far as to collaborate with the Fatui for such a futile means to an end. Even with the chance of so many people dying, he refused to help them, letting them manage everything, when it was possible they wouldn't survive.
She sighed, the dark circles blending into her eyeliner, as she wondered if she was better off leaving the country, at least for a moment. She didn't want to see anyone except the man who brutally rejected her.
Next to her, lying on the sofa, looking at the ceiling, her eyes once a bright shade of purple becoming almost a terrifying dark purple color, her hair somehow even messier than before, waking up after sleeping so little, exhausted from everything that had happened. Ganyu looked at the chandelier above her as her mind was overwhelmed with so many emotions and hidden truths, she never wanted to know.
Ganyu was greatly upset by everything that had happened and wished Cloud Retainer was here to comfort her because she always knew what to say to her.
But she was lost, especially in her thoughts. She kept remembering every part of what happened.
Aether's harsh and hurtful words to her and the others. Even when poured her heart out to him begging him to forgive her for everything she had done, he did not accept it at all, leaving without looking back, not wanting to see them anymore.
Then, as if that wasn't complicated enough, she saw Shenhe running towards Aether, releasing her ropes because she cared about him so much that she didn't hesitate to sacrifice herself for him. Even though she was quite grateful that Aether didn't kill her, she didn't expect him to beat her down with overwhelming force.
The fact remains that seeing the one she considered her sister had been at death's door, and beaten by the man she loves. It was a never-ending nightmare for Ganyu, who wanted to cry, but no longer had the strength to do so, even though her breathing was erratic from time to time.
Ganyu wanted to show how grateful she was for everything Aether had done for her, but if he didn't even believe in her love, how could she show it? She sometimes remembered Cloud Retainer teasing her about her relationship with Aether by repeatedly asking when will her grandchildren arrive, and although she was embarrassed by it, she had always had it in the back of her mind. She wanted a future where she would marry Aether and have children with him, living life together full of happiness.
Only now the wonderful dream that Ganyu held onto will never become a reality, she felt her heart hurt even more than it already was. All of Aether's brutal rejections brought her more agonizing pain than she had ever felt for the last 3000 years.
She wondered why she hadn't helped Shenhe and Xiao to support the Archons, maybe her small contribution would have gotten through to Aether. However, learning of all of the Archon's past crimes made her also reconsider her faith in the gods, in particular in Morax.
Like Keqing, she trusted him, and he lied to them about everything. She didn't even want to believe that a person like him would have thought of putting Liyue in such danger just to sip tea in peace. She had even heard how Zhongli couldn't care less about how he saw the people, asking Aether to put in the effort to save Liyue, when he wasn't doing any to help him get clues that his sister, under the excuse of a contract, with the contents behind it unknown.
The love she had was hurting her, but she wanted so much to see Aether again. If only to show him how sorry she was, how much she understood that she was at fault. Everyone had been blinded by their worship of the Archons when they weren't doing much other than relying on their citizens.
Ganyu knew that she would no longer be the same from that moment on, and intended to talk to Cloud Retainer about it, in order to get some advice. She was the only one who could help her, because she hesitated between staying in Liyue or going in search of Aether a second time.
Ganyu also made a mental note to notify Cloud Retainer and the rest of the Adeptus about Morax's treachery against Liyue and its citizens.
Leaning on the edge of the sofa and sitting on the floor, the 77th Director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Hu Tao, was on the verge of depression, and no longer had the strength to smile. She so regretted not having paid attention to what was happening in front of her.
She was looking at the ground, her hat in her hands, staring at it, as if she were wondering whether she deserved to be director. As she had told Aether, she understood the pain of death, and that she wanted to provide a decent burial to all those who perished before the eyes of the former Hero of Liyue. But she felt like she had lost something even more meaningful.
Hu Tao wondered if she deserved to be the Director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, or if she hadn't taken it all seriously from the beginning. People always wondered how one could be so enthusiastic doing such gruesome work.
Aether had given her doubts, because even while doing her job, she had not known real loss for a very long time, while he had experienced at least dozens of deaths in Teyvat and probably even more beyond this world. Not to mention the people who were injured or lost with no one knowing their condition, as well as others who almost crossed the Death's Door. She wondered if she had forgotten what true loss was, the true pain, but after Aether had left, she had remembered, and she wasn't prepared for it.
She had never cried so hard before in a very long time, and was even more upsetting was the fact that one of her best friends, Zhongli, was not the calm, mature, and intelligent man that he was, and that hurt him even more.
Hu Tao had lost Aether's trust, and now she was losing trust in Zhongli, even though they were the two people she trusted the most. How could she look the Geo Archon in the eyes now, knowing all the harm he had done. He had hidden his identity from her, and although it was a shock, she accepted it, because she believed he had good reasons. But when Aether stated all his crimes which the god himself had confirmed, she felt that something was definitely lost, and that was the friendship she had had with him.
Hu Tao was so frustrated that he used her, Aether, and all of Liyue for his own stupid gain. Even Paimon had been used, when she had given everything for them, she had even cheered her up. And this is how he thanked her and Aether? Her fists began to clench, almost instinctively at the thought of how stupid she had been.
The Pyro Vision bearer was also thinking about how Paimon had left, not letting go of her best friend. She wanted to blame her because she was the one who had brought most of them all together, and yet she was the first to give up. However, when she saw the shine in Paimon's eyes fading, and the bright dust she floated with disappearing, she had grasped the bond between Aether and Paimon, and she couldn't be upset about her decision.
He was everything to her, not just her best friend. This was her life, her family, and she couldn't live without him no matter what happened, she had never abandoned, betrayed, remained indifferent, or hurt Aether. This is why she did not hesitate, and why Aether accepted that she came with him, especially since she understood his arguments now, because she too had never seen things from this side. But after all the revelations, it all made sense to her, Aether had the right to go alone, nothing would stop him, simply because he is not affiliated with any region, he's just what everyone has called him until now, a traveler.
But that didn't stop Hu Tao from being sad about it, because she would have liked to follow him, even if it meant wandering all over Fontaine and beyond, leaving everything, her job, her country, her friends and more. However, she could not pretend to do that, even if her heart wanted to, unlike the others, and what is surprising, given her joyful and optimistic nature, she gave up first.
Hu Tao wanted to believe in a miracle, but she was deluding herself because Aether currently hated her and would no longer want to do anything with her. She regretted having been such a bad friend and wanted to do more. Maybe even in another reality to be with him as a lover to support him and give him the comfort he deserved.
She was so depressed that she only wanted to do one thing, go home to Liyue, and roll around under the sheets while continuing to cry her eyes out. The polearm user already planned on closing the Funeral Home for an indefinite period, and above all something she would like to do was fire the Geo Archon when he wakes up, not wanting to see his face anymore.
At one of the exits leading out of Mondstadt, Kamisato Ayaka was by herself observing the destruction around her a second time. A surreal sight that she had a hard time accepting caused by the man that she loved battling against the gods, and winning in the end. It was impossible to see the light of the full moon or the stars from the smoke and soot that consumed the area.
She was hugging her knees, totally devastated emotionally and physically. The entire landscape is ravaged by Aether's rage and despair that Ayaka never thought he possessed.
Neither monster nor animal could be heard from the ravaged landscape which made the silence even more deafening. Not a single tree remained intact, all of them either uprooted or burnt to ashes. Numerous meteorites littered the battlefield. Gigantic craters created by the destructive battle filled the land. Aether's Death Spear comparable to Celestia's wrath destroyed the bridge which connected the city of Mondstadt to the rest of the country.
The atmosphere was thin and poisonous, filled with smoke and ash from the destruction. The strong yet gentle breeze that Mondstadt was famous for was nonexistent at the moment due to the Anemo Archon being in a coma to command his own element.
The lush fertile lands that Mondstadt once possessed were no more, arguably even worse than Sumeru's desert as life still persisted in the sand. It would be impossible for life to flourish in a land of death and destruction with the soil burned away, the air polluted, and smoke devouring the light.
Despite all of that, Ayaka couldn't bring herself to care about any of it.
It was the least of her worries that Mondstadt was in ruins. Her biggest concern was the person who created this destruction was none other than the man she loved with all her heart, and saved her country from itself.
Ayaka knew he was totally right about her; how could she be so selfish and stupid? The worst part is that she wanted to be the one to save him, when she had almost been his executioner upon his arrival in Inazuma by rescuing her retainer in her place. He didn't want to get involved in this, she convinced him to side with her with a lie, a broken promise.
She never took her eyes off the sword in her hand, the Misplitter Reforged, the weapon that Aether had given her as a gift. Ayaka cherished it immensely but holding the sword now brought her immense heartache. She knew she didn't deserve such a gift, but couldn't bring herself to part with it, because it was the last thing Aether had given her. The only memento Ayaka had of Aether was of much happier times before his descent into madness and despair.
Tears fell down on the Cryo swordswoman's face, all the while an aura of ice and snow froze the burned grass around her. It was much like what Ayaka did when she lost her temper against Ningguang in her office except she was incredibly sad instead of angry.
The one called the Frostflake Heron was losing her mind, as were many others with Aether severing ties with everyone, especially the other women who had feelings towards Aether. Even knowing she was at fault, and she assumed responsibility, something she had always done as the heiress of the Kamisato clan. Ayaka had an absolute hatred towards the Raiden Shogun, Yae Miko and Sangonomiya Kokomi.
Ayaka knew she was just as guilty for Aether's fall from grace, but felt everyone else was worse than her. If Raiden Ei, as Aether had said, mourned her sister properly, something she should have done for the last five hundred years. Inazuma would have fallen into civil war and played into the Fatui's hands. Aether could have entered Inazuma peacefully, and Ayaka could have started things better for both of them from the start which would have led to something more beautiful and meaningful.
Like getting married, and starting a life together.
She never wanted to lie to him in the first place, but was desperate to save her country from their own Archon. Yae Miko had manipulated him to fight the Raiden Shogun a second time. Even though Ayaka stopped Aether from murdering Yae Miko, it was simply because she didn't want anyone to die. It was hypocritical of her to think that Yae deserved this, but she didn't deserve to have her heart broken, and she wasn't thinking straight.
Besides, when it came to Kokomi, she knew that she had recruited Aether as a squadron captain. However Kokomi had not paid attention to her own soldiers, and some died thinking they were using a Vision, but a death trap created by the Fatui. It filled her with rage, especially when she thought of the anger Aether had when he spoke of his brother-in-arms who had succumbed to her negligence, also linked to the fact that the Fatui were in Inazuma, which once again was the fault of the Narukami Ogosho.
The Frostflake Heron was heartbroken from his brutal refusal to accept her love for him. Believing it was all lies which made it even worse. It wasn't like Ayaka could make him see the error of his ways by clashing blades together. Ayaka shivered in fear at the thought of dying by Aether's hands, but also knowing how completely outclassed she was.
Even though all of Inazuma praised her skill with a sword and having a Vision certainly made her even more powerful. All of it was worthless against Aether's absolute power that even overwhelmed the gods. The Raiden Shogun was always seen as the pinnacle of power and strength that mere mortals like herself could only dream of achieving. Only for the image to shatter when Aether stopped the Musou no Hitotachi with his bare hand, sliced off the Raiden Shogun's arm and nearly brought the demise to the rest of the Archons.
Ayaka didn't know what to do except sit back and wait. Pray to Celestia that Aether will finally be back to his kind self again. The Frostflake Heron couldn't rely on the Archons because of how vile and unreliable they were. It was at that moment that Ayaka remembered Aether's harsh words towards her and the rest of Teyvat.
"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."
Ayaka clenched her fists as the harsh and brutal words ignited her spirit, giving a look of determination despite all of her tears. She wasn't going to wait around anymore. If the gods couldn't save Aether then she'll do it herself. Ayaka was determined to get stronger for her sake, and never rely on other people again to solve her problems.
She stood up, her legs still trembling, looking in the direction where she had seen Aether and Paimon leave, because she had made the decision to find him, no matter what. No doubt the news about Mondstadt would eventually reach Inazuma and her brother worried sick about her, but she didn't care about that. Anyone would call Ayaka a lovestruck, immature girl right now for throwing away everything she had: her responsibilities, her brother, and her country away for the recognition of a single man, but Aether meant the world to Ayaka, so it was well worth it.
She didn't want him to remember her as a lying, manipulative hypocrite, and that's why she ventured out, hoping that she could make up for it. Although Aether had already made himself clear, she focused on believing that she had a chance and that she was going to take it.
The Frostflake Heron therefore went towards the exit leading out of Mondstadt unhindered by the large bodies of water, and destroyed bridge due to her Cryo Vision allowing her to cross it.
It was on that day that forever shook the foundations of Teyvat as a whole. So many revelations and hidden truths were finally revealed about the Archons, Teyvat, and even secrets that the people weren't even aware of themselves. Devotion in the gods turned into hatred when the very mortals who worshiped them realized they weren't as infallible as people believed. Bonds of friendship and love severed after losing faith in the people and organization, they thought could do no wrong. All caused by the once noble and heroic Traveler of Teyvat who both heroes and gods wanted to save from himself.
Change was coming to Teyvat, and for better or worse. The Traveler was in the center of it all.