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Do you remember the day we were born?
The people of the travelling stars gathered to celebrate the birth of a new constellation. The sea of stars remained many but they never forget those that walk among the celestial plane. Twins born at night by the guidance of the world, the prayers of their parents and their heartfelt wishes whispered under loving breath. The twins knew nothing of their fate nor what destiny had awaited them but for the moment, they breathed their first breath and opened their eyes at dawn's first light.
Do you remember the birthdays we spent in our home world?
The twins were well-loved by their people. They grew up together, never a single moment apart. Their fates were intertwined even as their future remained unknown. They thought themselves stronger together, better together, invincible together. For as long as they had each other, nothing else mattered. For as long as they stayed together, nothing else mattered.
Do you remember the last birthday we spent in our home world?
They took to the skies with golden wings, soaring past the sea of stars as their world was engulfed in flames and destruction. They did not look back, even as their vision was blocked by their tears, even as their heart was torn asunder by their grief. Their hands held each other as they travelled through the clouds, flying to a new world, to a new place, to a new home. Even if their old home was gone, for as long as they had each other, their home existed with them.
Do you remember the birthdays we spent in all those worlds?
The twins travelled from world to world, gaining the knowledge of each of those worlds, meeting the people who live there, and learning from their mistakes. There was always something to do, something to see, something to learn. But time remained a constant in the worlds they had been, a reliable constant even as time never seemed to matter to people like them. Still, they celebrated their day of birth even as the world they were in was not the one they were born from. They celebrated their own birth and each other’s.
Do you remember the last birthday we spent before Teyvat?
They decided to spend their last birthday in the world stargazing, to find their constellations amongst the sea of stars. The worlds had their own stars, fates and destinies written on the celestial plane but the twins’ stars were not written on those planes, not when their fates remained intertwined and their destiny nothing but an endless yawning void.
Do you remember the first birthday we spent away from each other?
The twins tried to flee from a world torn apart by their people, by their gods turning against their people. They tried to flee with their golden wings that had taken them to countless worlds before this one. They tried to flee before the flames of destruction could engulf them and devour the last of their kind. They tried to flee, only for the path to be severed before them, only for a god to stand in their way.
They tried to fight back, to do anything to escape but they could not leave each other to the fate of this god. They could not let each other go. And yet, destiny forced them to let go.
Do you remember the birthdays we spent alone?
The first of the twins woke up in a world engulfed by flames, alone with her other self gone from her side. Her hand felt empty, her heart felt empty, and her soul felt empty. And yet, she could not bring herself to grieve, not when there was no proof of her brother’s demise.
She forced herself to stand, to walk, to survive, all by her lonesome self. The world may have torn half of her soul apart, taken her power and her golden wings, but it would not stop her from finding her other half again.
Do you remember how long we spent alone?
She travelled the world of Teyvat, never once stopping even as the world forced her to stop. She threw herself into finding her lost twin, helping people in exchange for the smallest bit of information, searching every nook and cranny but it was as if her other half had ceased to exist. Centuries went by with nothing changed, her other half remained lost, possibly forever gone. And so she grieved by her travelling companions’ sides, grieving for her missing half, grieving for a home she no longer had, grieving even when her tears ran dry.
Do you remember the birthdays you spent wishing to be together again?
The second of the twins woke up in a world at peace, where war was but words in history and the destruction but a figment of memories long past. He awoke alone with his other self gone from his side. His hand felt empty, his heart felt empty, and his soul felt empty. And yet, he could not bring himself to grieve, not when there was no proof of his sister’s demise.
He tried to force himself to stand, to walk, to survive. However, he feared the unknown, to climb the insurmountable wall, to walk down a treacherous path. Instead he remained by the safety of where he awoke, lost and alone, afraid and fearful.
Do you remember the first birthday you spent away from each other?
He left the safety of where he awoke only when he knew he would no longer be alone on this harsh journey. He stood up with a companion by his side, knowing she would be there even if he fell. He walked with a companion by his side, knowing she would be there even when he could not bring himself to move. He survived with a companion by his side, knowing she would grieve if he perished.
Do you remember the birthdays you spent without each other?
He wandered the world, from one nation to another. He met people of different walks of life, from the common folk to gods walking amongst their people. He saved countries, fighting monsters and dragons, asking for nothing in return but for any information on his missing half.
Do you remember the birthday you spent after that day?
He met his other half in a ruin, where demons dwelled in the shadows and poison devoured those who dare set foot in it. He met his other half, a leader of an organisation who sought to overthrow the gods ruling the world. He met his other half who chose to walk away from him. He met his other half who told him that she could not return to his side even when he begged and pleaded with her to come back to him. He met his other half as she turned her back on him, as his tears fell when he watched her walk away.
Do you still remember me?