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Aether, the shining star of Mondstadt. The blonde, strangely-dressed outlander with a brilliant smile, who appeared like a messenger of the Archons to save Mondstadt in its hour of need.
If Master Jean hadn’t named him an Honorary Knight, Amber would have snatched him up and recruited him for the Outriders. And knowing his kind and considerate nature, he wouldn’t refuse.
Amber is glad to be the first person he encountered in Mondstadt. Even though his search for his sister has taken him to Liyue now, he still visits almost every other week, bringing stories and Liyue food with him every time. That is, if Paimon doesn’t eat it on the way to the city.
Today is one of those days. Amber, having already finished her patrols, waits eagerly on the walls of Mondstast, just above the gates. She’s managed to keep her gliding license lately, since Jean’s been too busy to scold her for gliding off the walls and roofs. And it’s a good thing, too, considering what she has planned for today.
Amber grins and leans forward on the stone, keeping a close eye on the road for a familiar trailing blonde braid and floating companion. Aether promised he’d go gliding with her sometime, and she intends to hold him to it. With a good, old fashion, gliding contest.
And since she’s Mondstadt’s gliding champion, and Aether’s gliding style is like no other, he should be able to give him a challenge.
When he fought Stormterror—er, Dvalin, his gliding was flawless. Even in the heyday of the Outriders, when Amber’s grandfather was in charge, even some of his best soldiers couldn’t match what Aether did that day. And he’d only just picked up a glider less than five minutes before.
He must have a natural talent, just like her, and a love for flight. The wind in your hair, the rushing of the wind, the sweet smell of the grass and forests that dot the countryside….there’s nothing like it. And in the country of Anemo, Amber can’t imagine how the other Knights of Favonius wouldn’t want to be Outriders.
But if there’s one thing she can’t resist, it’s a challenge. And right now, an imbalance of magic has created a wild conglomeration of wind currents and barriers right over Cider Lake. Creating the perfect airborne relay race for expert gliders. Like her, and hopefully Aether.
From a dusty path at the edge of her vision, a flash of bright white catches her eye, and she feels her heart quicken with excitement. He’s here.
The tiny dot of Aether’s form walks slowly towards the lake, accompanied by the even smaller white dot—Paimon, the little pixie-girl who serves as Aether’s guide.
In one quick movement, Amber pushes herself off the wall, spreads her arms and points her toes, and feels the wind glider’s wings spread out behind her. The Mondstadt wind picks them up immediately, pushing her further up in the air. Behind her, she hears the shouts of the gate guards, but she only angles herself down so that she glides even faster.
She sees Aether look up, and his face immediately lights up as he waves vigorously to her. She drops to the ground right in front of him, sending up a cloud of dust from the road.
Amber pops up from the ground, a big grin on her face as Paimon begins to clap. “Wow, Amber!” The fairy-girl exclaims. “That was some fancy flying!”
Aether speaks next, smiling as well. “Yeah. So, I’m assuming you got your license back?”
She shifts sheepishly. No doubt he’s referring to the most recent time her gliding license was revoked. She accidentally walked off the top of the stairs in the library, which activated her glider, and sent her crashing into a book stack that Lisa was cultivating. It really wasn’t her fault this time, but….well, let’s just say that now she knows why everyone’s scared of Miss Lisa.
“Yeah,” she answers. “Master Jean vouched for me. But she did say that I need to keep my head out of the clouds, especially when I’m on Miss Lisa’s territory.”
Aether chuckles, white teeth flashing in his smile. “Yeah, I know exactly what Lisa’s like when it comes to her books. I’ve had hands-on experience. Did I ever tell you about the time Lisa and I stormed an Abyss Order stronghold, just to get back an overdue book?”
Amber blinks, startled. “Wait, really?” She exclaims. An Abyss Order stronghold? Wow, she’s heard that Lisa’s stronger than she lets on, but that’s just….wow. Not even Captain Kaeya will go up against Abyss Mages without a flawless plan, and some backup. But then again, he’s like that with pretty much anything.
Aether nods. “Really,” he answers. “If you think she’s rough with humans who turn in their books late, you should see how she gets with monsters.” He shudders. Paimon looks white as a sheet too.
But discussing Lisa’s hidden talents isn’t what she’s here for. And Amber needs to challenge Aether before the Adventurer’s Guild or the Knights snatch him up for some job.
“Right!” She says, planting her hands on her hips. She fixes her gaze on Aether, and jerks one hand up to point at him. “It’s great to see you, Honorary Knight! And I have a challenge for you!”
He perks up, amber-gold eyes lighting with interest. “A challenge?” He asks. It seems nothing has changed since he left for Liyue. Aether is always up for a challenge, and always willing to help. Even when it’s at his own expense.
That’s something she heard from the absentminded musings of Captain Kaeya. As he was hanging out outside the Headquarters one day, she happened to overhear him talking to himself one day.
He was talking about Aether, and how mysterious he is. From his strange clothing, his lack of a Vision, his odd fighting techniques—Kaeya is quite interested in him. And of course, why a stranger like him would be so dedicated to Mondstadt’s plight.
Few people and even fewer outlanders would let themselves become too entrenched in a foreign nation’s disaster. As Kaeya said that day, any sane person would turn and run. They certainly wouldn’t take to the skies and fight a dragon head-on, or accompany the Knights to the Four Winds Temples the way Aether did.
And all he asked for in return was some missing posters.
Because his sister is missing.
Amber will never claim to be as smart as Kaeya, or as clever as Lisa, or as hardworking as Jean. If she’s being honest, little Klee probably has more power than she does. But even she could see the pain in his eyes when he stood nervously in front of Master Jean, and quietly asked that the Knights of Favonius put up some missing posters for his twin sister. As if he were asking the world of them.
Master Jean would have given him his own house in Mondstadt, and welcomed him as an official Knight, if he asked for it. But no. Instead, he thanked them all profusely, and personally thanked Amber after she put them up all over the city.
And as if he hadn’t just saved all of Mondstadt, he immediately threw himself into the Adventurer’s Guild. Any person could find him running all over Monstadt every day, taking commissions and helping out anyone who asked. It’s a job that would be exhausting for anyone, even Amber.
And Aether does a good job of hiding that. But she’s seen him fall asleep standing once before, and she’s even seen his usually cheerful face look exhausted and just….sad.
He runs around all day, every day, helping anyone who asks. Even if they’re lazy, sleazy, or want to take advantage of him, he doesn’t think twice before accepting.
When Kaeya was talking to himself, he came to the conclusion that Aether must feel at fault for his sister being missing, so he tries to “atone” for that guilt by helping as many people as he can.
He’s got nothing to be guilty for. Family being taken from you—she’s never felt it herself, but she can guess that it’s the most painful thing in all the world.
So maybe a little bit of relaxation would do him good, right? No. It’s like Aether’s a shark; he never stops moving. So the most she can do is a nice challenge. She can hang out with him, give him a break from the stress and sadness of his daily life, and hopefully? Make him feel a little better.
Amber nods. “A challenge!” She repeats. She turns around, now aiming her pointing finger at the sky above and around Cider Lake and Mondstadt. Even from here, the rings of Anemo magic and the swirling wind currents are visible. Then, she turns back to Aether and Paimon, who are both gazing at the sky and the wind anomalies. “As you can see,” she says, “there’s been a large outpour of Anemo energy around Mondstadt. It’s formed a lot of crazy wind currents and barriers over the lake.”
Aether nods, considering. “So,” he says, looking back at Amber, “do you want me to clear them out? How would I start doing that?”
Amber can’t help but sigh, but she puts on a smile anyway. “Nope!” She says. “My challenge to you is this— ahem! I, Amber, the Gliding Champion of Mondstadt, hereby challenge you, Honorary Knight of Favonius, to a battle of wings and wind! A race across Cider Lake! The rules are simple. We start at the bridge, and whoever makes it around the entirety of Mondstadt first wins!”
Immediately, Aether’s entire demeanor changes. It’s like flicking a switch. His face lights up like a star and he straightens, a wild grin forming on his features. “Really?” He glances back towards the sky. “A race?”
“Ooooh!” Paimon chimes in, startling Amber as she pops up behind her. She will never be able to get used to that. She has no idea how Aether holds a conversation with Paimon without losing track of her. “So, if we win, what’s the prize?”
Oh. She draws a blank on that one. She hadn’t thought this far ahead. “Um…” Amber stutters, “if you win…I’ll….buy you dinner at Good Hunter! Sticky honey roast, on me, okay?”
“Deal!” Paimon giggles. She disappears in a flash of soft blue light, reappearing just above Aether’s shoulder. “So, what do you say, Aether? You gotta say yes, ‘cause Paimon’s tummy is rumbling!”
He doesn’t seem to notice Paimon’s insistence. Aether laughs excitedly, like a kid during the Windblume Festival. “I’m in!” He declares. “But I’ll warn you, Amber. You might be the Gliding Champion of Mondstadt, but I’ve glided through Jueyun Karst and Dragonspine! You don’t stand a chance!” A mischievous glint in his eyes puts the smile back on Amber’s face.
It’s been a while since she’s been able to hang out with him. Maybe this really will do him some good. “Who do you think you’re talking to?” She challenges in response. “I am the one and only Outrider of the Knights of Favonius! I inherited this wind glider from my grandfather, the founder of the Outriders, and I’ve been gliding since I was a little kid!” She plants her hands on her hips once more, feeling her vision clink against her leg. “If you think you can best me on my own turf, then you’re in for a rude awakening! Now! Meet me on the bridge when you’re ready for the race!”
She turns on her heel and dashes towards the bridge, as Paimon shouts indignant challenges from behind her. It seems like she was right.
She and Aether are exactly the same. The look on his face when she challenged him to a flight race is a dead giveaway. Just like her, there’s no place he’d rather be than in the sky.
And hopefully, he has a need for speed, just like her.
Amber perches on the side of the bridge, ignoring the glare boring into her back as Timmy’s pigeons make for the sky. And she pretends not to notice the sound of Aether and Paimon dashing past her and into the city. They’re probably going to say their hellos to Master Jean and the other knights. She knows that Klee has been looking forward to their visits. She talks about it all the time, and she can even be heard chatting about them to herself when she’s in solitary confinement.
In truth, everyone in Mondstadt thinks highly of their Honorary Knight. Just the other day, Good Hunter and the Cat’s Tail got into a fight because they were both proclaiming to customers that their establishments were “the favorite of Mondstadt’s legendary Honorary Knight.” Captain Kaeya is willing to dole out some praise for him too, even when he’s sober. And there have been plenty of drunk bards who have sung half-baked songs about the “dragon-chaser” who was blessed by the Anemo Archon. Even the Adventurer’s Guild has nothing but admiration for Aether.
And still, he manages to be completely oblivious to all that he’s done. Everything that he’s given Mondstadt, the people are more than willing to repay tenfold. It just doesn’t seem like he knows how to receive it.
She gazes down at the lake. The currents have been disturbed by the wind magic, stirring up dirt and driving away the ducks that usually hang around the bridge. Stuff like this rarely happens, apparently. Natural magic like this has been the thing of old books, and stories, ever since the Four Winds of Mondstadt were destroyed. But now that Dvalin’s returned, it’s like the land has come back to life. The winds are stronger, carrying the songs of bards far outside the city walls, and the smell of food and wine.
Perhaps saving the dragon made Barbatos happy, and now he’s given his blessing to the land of wind once more.
Once more, Amber reaches back and adjusts her wind glider. Aether’s confidence is refreshing. Usually, she doesn’t get to do any crazy flying like this unless it’s Ludi Harpastum.
Behind her, she hears footsteps on the bridge, and she smiles and stands up on the edge of the bridge, turning around to face Aether.
He looks excited, with a barely-contained grin plastered across his face as he jogs up to her. Paimon floats behind him, though she doesn’t look as excited as her companion does. Aether hops up onto the bridge beside her with surprising grace.
“Ready?” Amber asks. Aether pushes his cape away from his back, exposing the compacted wind glider clipped to the top of his back.
“Ready!” He affirms. She sees his gaze sweep across the lake, lingering on the rings and wind currents strewn about above the crystalline waters.
“Alright,” Amber says, “Paimon, count down for us, okay?”
Paimon grins wickedly. “Aye-aye, Outrider Amber!” She does a mock salute, and rises a couple more inches in the air.
“One!” Paimon calls. Amber lets her arms hang at her sides, ready to spread and angle herself towards the fastest wind currents.
“Two!” Aether leans forward slightly, brimming with anticipation. The wing pushes his braid into the air.
Paimon takes a huge breath, and shouts, “Three! GO!”
Both her and Aether shoot into the air at the same time. She dives towards a current that’s winding into the air, while Aether dives in low. Amber shoots into the air, high above the water, and points her toes, angling her body down towards some Anemo rings.
She grins. No way will he be able to catch up now that she has the high ground. Amber casts a glance down at the dot of gold flying close to the water, and what she sees shocks her.
Aether is gliding fast—and so close to the water that he might be skimming it—and he’s diving between Anemo rings, which shoot him further even forward. The rings aren’t in a line, though. They’re crazy, crooked, and a few of them have winked out of existence.
But Aether shoots between them with an expert grace, his body ramrod-straight out behind him. He’s not gliding in the way Amber was taught. No, he’s flying, really flying, like a bird!
It’s a genius technique and a flawless execution, and now Aether has the lead.
The docks of Mondstatd come into view, flanked by giant wind currents that shoot high into the sky.
Amber flips herself upside down, diving straight for the water, before turning herself back up at the last minute, like a fish-hunting bird of prey, and she shoots past Aether, giving him a smug smile as she passes.
She flies into the wind current, pulling herself out of it halfway through. But to her surprise, she sees a gold and white blur fly up past her.
Amber grits her teeth and wills her glider wings to spread further, to catch as much wind as they can.
Aether soars into more Anemo rings, swerving between them. They’ve both licked up enough speed now—and now, neither of them need to worry about losing traction.
Now, the real race begin.
Amber kicks the air, soaring over Aether. He dives between different rings, still straight as a board.
It’s almost like his glider is real wings, attached to his back. For a moment, she can almost imagine that the blue-gray wind glider on his back are real feathers, flapping in the wind as he shoots forward.
Amber copies his style, feeling the harsh wind across her face as she flies through a wind ring.
The lead exchanges between the two of them every few seconds, as they both weave expertly between rings and wind currents. And as the wind roars in her ears, she hears a delighted laugh ring out from Aether. And she can’t help but laugh along.
There really is nothing better than being in the air.
The other side of Mondstadt bridge comes into view, and Aether is the lead, diving down towards the ground with his wings bent, like a falcon.
He deactivates his at the same time she does, and they both land hard on the cobbled surface—
At the very same time.
Amber pants, bent over. Her shins sting from the harsh landing. Who won? Hopefully, Paimon was watching and she knows who landed first, if even only by a millisecond.
She stands up, a question about the winner on her lips, but it dies in her mouth.
A few feet away from her, Aether is bent over, panting just like her. His cape is crooked, exposing his back and the folded wind glider.
Four violent, twisted scars dot his back. Two of them rest on his lower back, with two larger ones poking out from under his shirt. But the scars, however gruesome, aren’t what makes Amber’s eyes widen.
Tears run down his face, dripping down onto the bridge. His eyes are pressed by his brow, which is creased low on his forehead.
And most strangely of all, he’s smiling. But it’s not quite a smile of joy. It’s a harsh, wide smile that shows his gums, and his teeth clenched together tightly.
Amber’s heart drops as the possibilities run through her mind—was he injured in the air? Did she hurt him? Or-or did she….offend him? Remind him of something?
“Aether!” She blurts out, and rushes over to him. What does she do!? Does she hug him and comfort him? What if he’s mad at her? “Are you—are you okay?! Are you hurt?!”
He lets out a quiet sob. Amber suddenly noticed Paimon hovering over him, with a half-sad look on her face. But what’s disturbing is that the little fairy-girl isn’t acting surprised.
Aether sucks in a shaky breath, and slowly straightens up. Now, there’s a sad, close-mouthed smile on his face, and a distant look in his eyes.
“Sorry, Amber,” he says hoarsely, “I just….no, I’m not hurt. It’s just….it’s been a while since I got to do something like this….” he trails off, looking distant. “My sister and I, we used to….”
His sister. The girl he fondly described to Albedo, so he could make a sketch of her for the missing poster. Amber knows what it sounds like when someone talks about a person who’s their whole world.
And she can’t imagine how terrible Aether misses his sister. How much he worries about her, not knowing where she is. She feels a little guilty now. Amber was only trying to distract him from his so-called guilt, but all she ended up doing is bringing back back memories.
It makes her feel awful. But probably not as bad as Aether feels.
Amber doesn’t give up, though. The Knights of Favonius don’t give up, and they especially don’t give up on the man who saved Mondstadt and restored peace and prosperity to the land, however humble he may be.
So she places her hand on his shoulder. Aether looks up, almost startled, but Amber smiles. “It’s okay,” she says, “I’m sorry if I upset you. And….since we tied, I’ll still take you guys out to Good Hunter. Do you still want to go?”
Aether looks up at her, silent for a moment, with a lost look in his eyes. But then his eyes soften, and he smiles sadly.
“Yeah,” he says, wiping his face with the back of his hand, “I’d like that.” He straightens up. Though his eyes are still puffy and his face is red, he doesn’t look quite as sad now.
But at least he’s finally agreeing to take a load off. She swears, he and Master Jean are the same person. They must be related or something.
So Amber and Aether walk down the bridge, to the city gates where the guards greet them warmly. And even though Aether looks sad still, he doesn’t look as tired as he did before.
Amber allows herself a small smile, and a feeling of satisfaction.
Even if he won’t admit it, he’s a part of the people of Mondstadt now. And they’ll cherish him forever. He is a defender of Mondstadt. And one thing all Knights, Outriders, Librarians, and Acting Grand Masters know for sure?
He’s family to them now. And Mondstadt—or at least Amber—never leaves family behind.