Chapter Text
A single, longing look at him was all that remained.
He closed his eyes.
A single, wrinkled hand reached out towards him from the bed.
"A...Aether...?"
He did not dare bring himself to look at her. By her bedside, he dare not look at her, eyes full of lies, sorrow, and regret. It would only serve to make the moment worse.
"I am right here, milady."
Her face crinkled into a smile, her head slowly turning towards him.
"Aether. Please, look at me."
He bit his lip. Gently, blonde hair shifted, and his crimson eyes gazed upon her form after so long. Her hand gently reached for his face, pressing his cheek. She giggled.
Even aged as she was, she was still as immaculate as he remembered all those years ago, when he first met her in Inazuma.
What a fool he was.
The smile radiated off her face, and she was still as flawless as she was when they met. He cupped her hand gently, one of the armored gloves on his hand shifting off in response.
"Even after... after all these years... you never changed, did you?"
No. He didn't.
"Lady Ayaka..."
"Ayaka is fine, Aether."
No, it wasn't. He didn't deserve to call her that after everything. He sniffed. Her eyes opened weakly, the sun bouncing off her still-bright, blue eyes. Her blue hair had faded to white long ago, and it was no longer in the once regal ponytail, now let loose and free-hanging.
She was still beautiful, even to him.
"Ah... Aether. I've missed you."
Her heart never yearned for another since they met. It could never yearn for another, there was no room for anyone else. She would wait as many eternities as it took for him to come back.
She loved him, so much.
And he never came back. He always pushed forward, uncaring of anyone, only his own goals. Only too late did he remember his promises when he broke them all.
"I knew you would come back."
"...I'm sorry, Ayaka."
The word was foreign to him, even on her deathbed with him sitting next to her. It was all so wrong for him.
"Aether. You kept your promise, right?"
He closed his eyes, his head pushing down next to her on the bed.
"I suppose I did."
She ran a hand through his beautiful, messy gold hair, the warmth emanating off it making her laugh again. And she broke into a coughing fit, and a hand was placed on her chest.
"Ayaka. Do not strain yourself."
"It's ok, Aether. I have you here, by my side. I'm happy."
Reminded of his failure again. He bit his lip, drawing blood. His body tensed, shaking, trembling. The rare feeling of something wet sliding down his cheeks made him realize.
He was heartbroken. He was crying. He was upset.
He was sad.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry Ayaka. I failed you. I failed the promise we made back then."
Hundreds of words, apologies, grievances spilled out of his mouth. Ayaka listened on intently, her eyes closing again as Aether rambled on for a good five minutes.
When he finished, he took a deep breath, regaining his composure. "I'm sorry."
"I don't care, Aether."
He blinked, his head snapping up and looking at her face.
"You still kept your promise. You are here, by my side once again. That is all I could ask for. I have lived a happy life. A full life. I am ok with everything that has happened. Besides, what person could possibly say, in their life, they made a god smitten for them?"
His eyes relaxed, and he smiled. "No one except you, my lady."
She giggled once more, her breathing slowing. "Aether, please come here."
"I am right here, Ayaka." They pressed their foreheads together.
An untold emotion flowed between the two of them, a single, last kiss that reminded Ayaka of her youth.
"Aether. Can you promise me one last thing?"
He wouldn't fail. She knew it.
"Yes."
She smiled, taking his hand gently with both her own. "Hold my hand, the entire time."
He closed his eyes. "I will guide you there, Ayaka. With my own two hands."
She laughed, her voice as melodic as ever, even as she sunk into her bed, her breath dying out.
"Lady Ayaka. It is time."
She could see him. She could hear him. She could feel his hands touching hers, and his eyes gazed upon her new form. Her beautiful form back in her prime as an adult, the head of the Kamisato clan.
"Aether. Please guide me to Thoma and the others. I am ready."
He nodded, holding her gently in his arms as he carried her. "Of course, my lady. They will be most pleased to see you."
"I don't doubt it, love."
The sunlight carried her away, and all that remained was one body, one broken man.
Pain filled the empty household, anguished screams echoing out through the Narukami Island.
They say that for four days and four nights, the howling continued, pain and regret in every sob. On the fifth day, the howls had stopped suddenly.
The Kamisato household was entirely empty.
From atop the Narukami Grand Shrine, Yae Miko grimaced.
"So the Kamisato clan head has perished."
Baal sipped her tea next to her, a tired look in her eyes. "He is inconsolable."
"He has every right."
"I know."
There is a cluster of woods in Mondstadt that people traverse plenty of times. It is a beautiful land, waterfalls, rivers, and trees you can sleep under for days.
Many call it a beautiful, lush paradise. He calls it a graveyard.
For if one were to go deep enough, dozens of graves with weapons embedded into each stood tall, powerful. A Vision laid beside each and every grave, firmly secured. Each grave was immaculate, carefully hand-crafted and carved from intricate marble, beautiful designs, and each well-kept.
And a new one had been erected, near two others.
One was marked 'Thoma', another was marked 'Yoimiya'. Two wonderfully-crafted, intricate weapons, a spear and a bow, laid next to each.
And now, a beautiful, purple blade stood erect, marking her grave. His vision flashed with tears, before they were quickly wiped away. He had to be strong. He had to, now with his role.
He promised himself to stay that way, forever.
He was their tombkeeper, their guardian from the ill-minded.
He is their vigilant watcher.
He is the peacekeeper.