Chapter Text
Obviously, adventuring alone had its pros and cons. Because you were always on the move, always drifting, you would meet troves of new people, and if you were personable and helpful, it was easy to make friends wherever you went. Sometimes, it was a little too easy, so Aether would feel a bittersweet sting in his heart when he’d move on from an adventure or story with someone who he’s grown fond of. And it was easy to make friends.
Because of that, it was sometimes easier for feelings to evolve from such friendships. Not always common, but there were some friends that Aether couldn’t bring himself to intentionally part from.
One of the best examples was Kazuha. Something between the two of them, both forced from the place they called home and flung on a new and foreign adventure, had deeply resonated. So, when Aether returned to Liyue or Monstadt from Inazuma, the wandering samurai had offered to wander alongside him. It was a wonderful friendship, and Aether was always pleased to have him around. But there are always two sides to that coin; the people who can’t rejoin him when he returns to them, no matter how frequently he wished to.
And the best example of that, is Xiao.
Aether and Kazuha were friends. Close, strong friends, but that was where the feelings stopped, growing in the unique vein that only deep friendships can. But Xiao was different. With Xiao, Aether felt different. Special, in a way, unlike the elevated standard that was portrayed by the people of Teyvat. He felt wanted, safe, and brave in a deep and personal way. But because of that, the sting that Aether felt when he had to leave was stronger than bittersweet. But he understood; Xiao needed to protect Liyue, he had duties and obligations and many many years that Aether did not. His understanding helped dull the sting, but it never numbed it entirely.
But he hadn’t left without a farewell. Xiao’s promise to Aether, that he would always come to his call, was something that Aether held as close to his heart as anything. Even though Xiao couldn’t be with him, he could be. While absent, he wasn’t inaccessible if there was a present need.
The issue was, Aether was hesitant to ever admit a present, indisputable need for Xiao’s help. Xiao was strong, and sometimes seemed invincible, so Aether knew that he would always be able to help. But Aether knew that Xiao had his duties to Liyue, and while Aether had close calls in the past, there had yet to be a fight that took him down in a way that meant he needed help, or he would die. Alone or with other friends or allies, Aether had made it this far. He had yet to call Xiao because he had yet to run across a time and place where Xiao’s help was needed so cemently that he knew that calling him was his only option. And Aether respects Xiao far too much to call him away unless it was necessary, though once he knew it was, he wouldn’t hesitate.
Aether and Kazuha had been roving through Liyue for the past week. There had been a stalemate in Inazuma, and Aether had felt that his presence there would have done little to calm the waters and potentially could have elevated the tension to something dangerous and passed the fear and uncertainty the stalemate provided. So, he told his friends on the islands that he would return within a few weeks, giving the island time to settle and return to quasi-normal before making another move. Ayaka, especially, agreed with him, promising to keep him updated should circumstances change. In an uncharacteristic move, Paimon had stayed with Thoma and Ayaka, citing her liking for the island and suggesting that should something go horribly awry, she would be able to find Aether the fastest. He agreed, honestly relieved that someone he trusted so closely would stay and call for him if he needed to return. Paimon was much faster than a letter that may not even make it past the sea.
Kazuha had joined him the moment he left the Alcor, simply drifting behind him. Aether knew he would, after purposefully ignoring the shockingly sentimental goodbyes exchanged between Beidou and Kazuha. Once back on land, the pair wandered. It was a good match, neither too talkative but could easily hold a conversation if one was stoked. Aether had suggested a trip to Monstadt, to show Kazuha the land of freedom. But Kazuha had seemed hesitant, reserved.
“Monstadt sounds incredible, but I’m unsure if I’m suited for it. You told me that Liyue was a bit more orderly? Vast and varied, but more controlled and protected?”
Aether nodded, a smile peeking through his words. “A lot more orderly. More documents, contracts, and less well-meaning and sportsmanlike bar fights.”
Kazuha snickered. “That sounds like the Alcor after all.” His hand rested on his sword. Not to fight, but as an anchor. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to explore Liyue first. Monstadt seems so strikingly different, and Liyue holds more similarity to Inazuma. The similarities may provide comfort in the unknown.” His eyes began to shine again, “And they’ll provide the inspiration I need to move forward into the bright, northern unknown of whatever Monstadt may hold.”
Aether nodded. A poet, indeed.
So, stay in Liyue they did. They took a few commissions here and there, but mostly they explored, clearing out monster camps and Aether took the long way to whatever area he was aiming for that day so that Kazuha could see exactly what he had before he’d shipped off for Inazuma.
For about a week, all was normal. Aether would think about Xiao, but would never let on. He knew that Kazuha also missed someone close to him, and took solace in it, while also understanding the difference. Kazuha was in mourning, and Aether was mourning what he thought could never be. They spoke about other things, instead. How Kazuha acquired an anemo vision in the nation of Inazuma, and the irony of how his best friend, perhaps more, had acquired a vision from the same archon who would later strike him down. It was a conversation they had only once, late at night under the stars. Other conversations were lighter; Aether recounting every time he’d called Paimon emergency food and one time how he tricked her into hopping into a cooking pot. Or how Kazuha fell off the deck of the Alcor after Beidou snuck up on him, and was only pulled out of the water once Beidou had laughed at him for 10 minutes.
One night, beside the campfire, Aether recalled the battle against Osial. He spoke of the adepti, and spoke of one fonder than the rest.
“Xiao?” Kazuha inquired, polishing his sword in such a nonthreatening way, only he would be able to execute. “You speak of him in a fond manner that is far from the neutral respect of the others.”
Aether sighed. “He’s different than the others, a different kind of adeptus.”
Kazuha slid his sword back in its sheath, looking up with a mischievous glint in his eye. “That... isn’t what I meant.”
Busted.
“He’s kinder to me. Less distant, more willing to help. We were able to spend time together between the battle against Osial and the voyage to Inazuma. I grew quite fond of him.”
“Quite fond.”
Aether nodded. “Quite fond.”
“Where is he now?”
“Everywhere.” Aether motioned to the mountains that surrounded their modest campsite. “The mountains, the sky, the valleys.” He laid back on the grass. “But probably the Wangshu Inn, if he has nothing better to do.”
Kazuha laid in the grass next to him, voice as calm as ever. His inquisitive notion now fused with emotions, “Why did you take separate ways?”
Aether sighed. “He exists to protect Liyue. And I have a mission of my own.”
“But you still miss him.”
“I do. But... because he’s everywhere, he can always help. And because he’s an adeptus, he can always hear when he’s called. So if I’m in Liyue... or anywhere, in a situation where I need help, I can call him and he’ll answer.”
“Have you?”
Aether shook his head. “But if the time comes, I will.” Another sigh, “If you awake to a knife at your throat, if monsters dig their claws into you, if death comes knocking at your door, call out my name.”
Kazuha nodded. They didn’t talk anymore that night.
The next day, Aether and Kazuha got word of a travelling, well, hoard, of treasure hoarder. They were described as nearly a small army, with several camps that would act as scouts or hunters and then return to the main camp with whatever goods they had scavenged or stolen. Recently, they had raided a small village in the mountains. Half of the ruins in the region have become dangerous solely because the growing group had claimed the ruins as their own, pillaging at their own whims and threatening or hurting anyone who trespassed on “their property.”
After another week, and a few small tiffs with stragglers from the group, Aether and Kazuha had finally located the central camp. It was, in fact, enormous. They’d scouted all day, silent and stealthy as they’d ever been, collecting information. They had opted to explore during the day, when the camp would be the most separated, and used their anemo abilities to cause distractions or build creative ways to escape.
They’d returned to their camp at dusk, still on edge from the tense day. Both Aether and Kazuha had recorded all the information they could, all the way down to the counts of which camps preferred which elements, how many long range fighters, which ruins they frequented. It was a long, scary day, but this information would be substantially helpful in taking them down. While it was unclear where the treasure hoarders had come to find this level of resources and organization, that was information better suited for the Qixing. With all the information they had recorded, leads would likely be abundant once combined.
After some light conversation, the pair rested. Content that even though they hadn’t defeated the treasure hoarders yet, they believed they’d taken the wiser, more strategic route.
Unfortunately, so had the treasure hoarders.
Kazuha woke up through a deluge of water. He sputtered, reaching for his weapon as he tried to jump back. But instead of the open field where he slept, he crashed into a goliath of a man wielding a shovel like it was a bludgeon. He ducked forward, scrambling to find his sword -- no longer on his hip. As his eyes scoured the ground, something shattered on his back, and electricity crackled through his body. Panic, true panic, seized his mind as well as his body as the shock overtook his body. And he could not dodge the shovel a second time as it made contact with his head.
Kazuha awoke while he was slung over someone’s shoulders as if he was a sack of radishes. His hands bound behind his back, his legs bound at the ankles and above the knees. He still felt the absence of his sword at his side, but even more alarming, couldn’t feel his vision bounce against his shoulder.
This was it. This was the kind of lose-lose situation Aether had told him about, he said that when the time came, he would call for help from one of his closest, most trusted allies. So why hadn’t Aether called the adeptus?? Why was this still happening?
More importantly, where was Aether? Maybe he hadn’t called the adeptus because he’d escaped the attack, and was en route to free Kazuha. There could be many reasons not to panic.
But those reasons were quickly dispelled.
Kazuha remained still and calm until whoever was carrying him entered a tent and tossed him onto the ground. With a grunt of pain, he looked up and gasped. This man, if he could even be considered a man, made the goliath of a man who had knocked him out look to be the size of a goldfish. Kazuha glared at the Electro Fatui Captain, maintaining composure if not masking his fear. The Captain dropped him and walked away as if dropping off meager supplies.
Kazuha pulled himself off the ground and into a sitting position. He rapidly took in his surroundings and had to suppress a cry of fear when he finally saw what was behind him. He was clearly in some sort of commander’s tent, a huge tent with a wooden support beam in the middle, next to a sturdy wooden desk with stacks of papers and scattered artifacts. He was in the belly of the beast.
He and Aether. Here was Aether. Legs tied in the same fashion, but arms tied at the wrist and fastened to the wooden pole supporting the center of the tent. Another strand of rope looped around his waist to secure his torso to the support beam. Though conscious, Aether’s head, left arm, and right leg were bleeding. He was clearly hurt. But he hadn’t called for help. He couldn’t call for help. Because a strip of cloth had been pulled tightly between his teeth and fastened behind his head.
“Aether! Aether, can you hear me??” Kazuha choked out the words through rapidly forming tears.
Aether nodded, grimacing.
“Is it bad?”
Another nod.
“I’m sorry.” Kazuha tried to take stock of any injury on Aether’s body. He needed to know, so he could plan for an escape. But with his focus solely on Aether, he had little time to prepare for what happened next.
Aether shook his head.
“I’m so sorry.” Kazuha cried again.
Again, Aether shook his head. But as he looked at Kazuha, his eyes shifted to behind the samurai, a look of fear overtaking his features.
A Pyro Fatui Agent had stalked into the tent, a treasure hoarder goon at his side. “Who said the two of you could have a playdate?” He growled at Kazuha, then turned to the treasure hoarder. “Secure the samurai. We’re having a little chat.”
The treasure hoarder grabbed Kazuha by the scruff of his neck and dragged him to the desk next to Aether. He tied Kazuha’s wrists to the leg of the desk -- Kazuha pulled, to no avail. Trapped.
“Now that you’re both here, I can tell you exactly how stupid I think you are.” The Agent bent down in front of Aether, grabbing his cheeks and forcing him to look in his eyes.
“Let go of him!”
“Shut him up!” His grip tightened on Aether’s face.
“Don’t touch --hmmph!” The treasure hoarder shoved some scrap of cloth into Kazuha’s mouth and tied it behind his head. He yelled and thrashed, furious.
“Better.” The Agent purred. “Here’s what’s going to happen.” He paced in front of Kazuha and Aether. “Because you two fools stuck your noses where they didn’t belong, now you’re stuck exactly where we want you.”
He cocked his head towards Aether, “The enemy of the Tsaritza, trying to thwart our plans at every turn. We’re taking you to Snezhnaya, where you won’t be a problem.” then, to Kazuha, “And you, weakling samurai, have a hefty bounty of your head. So you’re getting shipped to Inazuma, where you won’t be our problem.”
He stalked back to the entrance of the tent, holding the flap of fabric open as he peered over his shoulder. “Hope you learned your lesson boys, doubt you’ll be learning any more.”
The flap fell closed, fluttering in the wind.
Aether strained against the ropes, muttering and then shouting something against the gag. His eyes clenched shut and he yelled, screamed, but the other thing decipherable was desperation. And that Aether was only yelling one word, the same thing a few times before giving up. Tears fell from both his and Kazuha’s eyes. They couldn’t talk, so they just sat.
Kazuha could probably pull the cloth from his teeth if he snagged it on the point of his arm guard. But if he did, he needed to know exactly what to say, since widely yelling for help would be a fruitless endeavor. He needed to know who to call. And thankfully, he did.
If only Kazuha could remember his name.