Chapter Text
Aether swung his sword upwards as his opponent did his axe, only this time…
.. Aether couldn’t believe his eyes…
The axe cut through the sword breaking it instantly, the area of the blade around the severed cut shattered into pieces. Some got stuck to his forehead as tiny cuts that he failed to notice at the time, to shock that everything seemed slow-mo. The sword that defended him, fought for him since day-one in this world through various dangers, broken by an Eremite wielding an axe…
Said axe went 180° heading dangerously for his chest-
(deep gasp) Aether jolted awake, panting and slightly sweating from the dream. Dream, nightmare or a vision he wasn’t sure of which. Dreams in Sumeru had always been a weird topic, from Akasha wearers never dreaming to extreme sleepwalking disguising as happy dreams from a researcher’s plot, having weird dreams in Sumeru is not uncommon but with Lesser Lord Kusanali shutting down the Akasha System, the people of Sumeru could once again dream.
With these in mind Aether shook off the thought as another dream in Sumeru, getting up to change into his armor-sewn outfit. Lumine and him call their respective outfits Rising Star, a set of clothing suited for long journeys. The twins remember the person who tailored them. To that day, Aether could still feel the love put into the making of his.
Paimon began stirring up as Aether donned his gloves. Seemed she chose some dinner to fall asleep with, classic Paimon Aether thought. “(yawn) Good morning Aether.” She greeted, floating up to stretch. “Another day isn’t it?”
Aether slid his arms through the open gauntlets before snapping them in place over the gloves’ cuffs, fit and snug around his arms. “Good morning Paimon. And yes, another day in Teyvat.”
Quickly after, Aether locked the door to the inn, its green leaf-like roof very much resembles the surrounding houses. The duo rented the house throughout their stay in the Sumeru rainforest, just to be lazy to shift themselves into the Teapot, and also to avoid suspicions of where the two of them retire to for the nights. Aether adjusted his scarf and its metal clip-piece, the man's favourite part of any outfit, as they walked down Treasure Street towards Adventurer’s Guild, picking up some breakfast by Puspa Cafe along the way.
The entirety of Sumeru was currently trying to adapt to major changes in aspects such as Akademiya’s apparent betrayal to their own Archon, upcoming peace between the people of the rainforest and the desert and so much more. Alhaitham and Nahida was working their best on said changes for the time being, but it was good to know that Sumeru was beginning to heal from the built-up tension done during previous event such as the 168 loops Sabzerus Festivals, ‘The Doctor’ mind-controlling people of the city and Akademiya’s creation of a God.
They reached the Adventurer’s Guild building, immediately seeing Katherine at her usual spot at the receptionist’s desk. Waving and smiling she did upon spotting the two approaching. Who knew such an everyday person like her could be a bionic puppet from Snezhnaya? Aether wondered who made these Katherines he found at the Adventurer’s Guild in every city.
Looking back at it now, he couldn’t believe he was that dump for asking…
“Ad Astra Abyssousque Traveler, welcome to the Adventurer’s Guild.” She greeted them with the usual motto. “You too Katherine.” “Good morning Katherine!” “Good morning to you too Paimon. So, here as per usual I presume?”
“You know it.” Amid his affirmation she already took out 4 sheets of papers clipped together from the table. Laying on said table were commissions organized for each adventurer according to their capabilities, and next to the table on the wall was the board of active and untaken commissions yet to be organized. The board was visible from the other side of the counter. Adventurers catching sight of any commissions to their liking were free to take them.
Katherine handed the 'file' to them shortly after. He and Paimon red through the sheets as they walked down the road out of the city. “What commissions do we have today?” Paimon asked, also looking at the details of it. Aether answered as they headed for the Teleport Waypoint at Chinvat Ravine by the big root that the people turned into a walkable bridge. Aether would have used the one by the balcony and Lambad’s Cafe, but rather not have people seeing the two of them literally teleporting. Wouldn’t want words to get out about it, it’ll be chaotic they concluded.
For unknown reason Aether was able to unlock any Teleport Waypoints he come across and use them to travel to other waypoints as long as he was able to interact with one. It was as if he purified them like how he did Dvalin's teardrop crystals about 2 years ago.
Facts aside, their commissions for the day included fighting a group of Eremites at one of their camps in the desert, jumping on a couple of impressively elastic mushrooms again, defeating a band of rogues, and talking to Vardan and Gurgen. “Not too much fighting apparently, the rogues will be easy and the rest are just helping people.” “Besides the Eremite camp you mean. Paimon suggests we save that for last.” “Agreed.” With that, he touched the Teleport Waypoint as Paimon held his shoulder, teleporting us both towards our first commission of the day.
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“There we go, they should grow now.” “Thank you for your help Traveler. Take these as thank you.” “Yay! One more commission to go! Thanks for the reward.” Paimon boomed enthusiastically walking out of the garden. We were in the neighborhood of the city’s outskirts finishing our 2nd last commission for the day. “C’mon Aether!” I waved to the two before catching up to Paimon as we headed for the area’s Teleport Waypoint, passing by Nidal the patrol merc, Salar the fertilizer distributor and a few other chatty residents.
We made sure no one was looking before I teleported us both to Hypostyle Desert for our last commission that day, late into the afternoon. A little late than usual for quite the simple commissions, blame our little nap break.
Hypostyle Desert
We spied the camp from atop a small cliff, as per our commission to defeat and drive away the Eremites from that location. I observed the camp. There were three of them: a woman with an axe, a young man with a spear, and an Eremite Daythunder. They seemed to be working on some crates around the camp. Well, at least those two were. Because when I looked at the Daythunder, something felt… off… about him.
If only I had realized sooner…
“That’s the camp.” Paimon stated, turning to me as she did a small stretch. “Ready to take them out?” “You know it.” I replied with a smirk, pulling out my dull blade. The sword manifested into my hand and with it, Paimon and I jumped off the cliff.
I landed down from the cliff with a plunge of my sword, the impact sent the sands in my radius flying upwards hitting the Eremites, catching them off guard. I swiftly changed my grip and twisted my body to the right, legs in place, to swipe the two axe wielders with Dendro. I then swiftly switched to Electro and flipped backwards, sending a pair of thunder shadows, rings made of lightning in the form of the element's logo, at the 2 eremites. The move created some distance between us: me and Paimon a little away from 3 eremites, 2 of them had been given the reaction Quicken.
The Eremites regained themselves from my attacks, now looking in our direction. "It's the Traveler!" The Daythunder shouted, prepping his axe. The weapon pulses in energy from the ancient Electro-related spirit within.
"Get him!" The woman shouted, then the three came charging at me. Each of them had different styles according to their weapon.
Daythunder and axe vanguard were rushing towards me as they began attacking, forcing me to go defensive. Their attacks were swift and fast-paced from the reaction, as it causes a boost in adrenaline for the affectees. Paimon both stayed with me and floated around a little away during the fight to both watch my back and look around in case something else came up.
I pushed back my parry with the vanguard and ducked under the Daythunder's swing with a twirl, quickly straightening up to block an attack from the spear. I pushed him back and delivered a side kick to the woman behind me, who swiftly blocked it with her axe, stumbling her backwards.
"Incoming! Jump out!" Paimon alerted, I immediately dodged onto a roll, just in the nick of time to avoid another swing from Daythunder's axe.
In battle, Paimon always acted as my 6th sense, alerting me of any incoming attacks in group fights. Not that I worry too much about Paimon in a fight considering she can easily dodge enemy attacks midair.
The fight continued and after some time, the Quicken effect on the vanguard and Daythunder wore off, making them severely exhausted. It's how the Quicken reaction works. It hastens the movements and reaction time of the affectees but consumes the energy required for said movements in double amounts, exhausting them. I used it to my advantage and unleashed a small series of slashes with my sword, stopping only as I parried a swing from the bigger Eremite with a swing of my own.
We struggled in the parry, the Electro from the axe was strong. As we parried the other two Eremites approached us, circling me and Paimon.
But then I had an idea.
"Paimon, fly up. Now!" She did just that without second thought, flying upward away from our little crowd. I didn't want her to get accidentally hit by my little stunt there:
I applied Dendro onto the blade of my sword. Aggravate lightnings vigorously sparked from our weapons, eventually but quickly hitting the Daythunder's friends. And the following move was a risky one, yet I did it by retreating my parry with a low duck. From the position of the axe during that parry, the axe came down just barely missing my left leg. But it was worth it since I was able to swing the razor-sharp leaves on my sword in a full circle, getting them off on all three Eremites, once again delivering Quicken to them.
Then I dropped my sword and charged some energy onto my right hand before releasing it in a blast, though more like a pulse, of pure Dendro energy. The blast, as well as the amount of Dendro affecting them, knocked the two Eremite warriors out, leaving the dizzy elite one a lone elite warrior.
I took a breath with the short-term peace bestowed upon us, picking up my sword as Paimon floated back down to my side. “You scared the heck outta Paimon!! Pulling a stunt like that. You would have gotten us both hurt!!”
The Eremite Daythunder got up and stared at me. "You are not welcome here, Traveler." He said to me, rotating his other shoulder. "Well somebody commissioned you for being threatening and suspicious. We're here to drive away from this location. Go make your little camp somewhere else and this fight is over." Paimon explained for me. He however, seemed unfazed by it, almost as if he already knew.
"Make me. (Grunt)" With that, he entered his enhanced state, ready to go all-out on me. We charged at each other. But, despite my effort… He got the upper hand in it..
He later managed to get me kneeling on the sands, grunting in slight pain. This Eremite was stronger then others of his kind. We had fought well into dusk, the red-ish orange color of the sunset reflected on both of us.
He climbed onto the tilted Geo sword(Starfell Sword) and leaped high into the air, coming down with a jumping attack. "Pulverize!!" I couldn't dodge. I was forced to either brave the attack and take a hit or block it. I had to block it, and so I gripped my sword with both hands. "Huuuaargh!" I swung my sword upwards as he did his axe, only this time…
.. I couldn’t believe my eyes…
The axe cut through my sword breaking it instantly, the area of the blade around the severed cut shattered into pieces. Some got stuck to my forehead as tiny cuts that I didn’t notice at the time, to shock that everything seemed slow-mo. The sword that protected me, fought for me since day-one in this world through various dangers, broken by an Eremite wielding an axe…
People always say that a swordsman is nothing without his sword. I was a swordsman myself, and only now have I experienced why people mean by said phrase…
It’s almost like my confidence as a swordsman was broken if not my spirit as one.
“AETHER!!”
Luckily Paimon was there to snap me out of my trance, just enough to see the axe going for another attack, heading dangerously for my chest. Seeing as how it was exposed with both my arms lifted, that would have been a fatal blow.
On instinct I quickly lowered my arms, both holding the handle of the sword, to meet his axe. It hurted. I felt the enhanced Electro from the swing traveling through my gauntlets into my forearms and the force of the swing itself yeeting me back, so much so that I was sent flying and bounced off the ground onto my front..
I coughed up some sandust, grunting. The impact hurt alright, not to mention some tiny steel shards on my face. Ow indeed. Paimon came flying to me in worry. “Aether are you alright?! You’ve got some metal shards on your head.” I glanced at Paimon's worried face, then realization hit me. ‘Shards?’ “HUH NO!”
I looked at the sword in my hand. The blade has been broken just above the guard or to say the entire blade. I was shocked, and worried. My sword HAD to break in the middle of a combat commission against an Eremite. Said Eremite approached us, taunting.
“You’re quite the weak one. I thought the guild sent the infamous Aether to ravage my camp.” He taunted, I responded with a glare. He saw through my futile glare and proceeded to swing his axe at as, flickering with enhanced Electro. My eyes widened.
With a grunt and a heavy breath I pushed Paimon out of the way, swiftly switching my element to Electro and crossing my forearms in a cross guard, trying my best to hold the axe in place. The axe met my gauntlets, and I endured the slight pain and jolts from his Electro as it sparks against my own. “You shouldn’t have messed with our camp!!”
This Eremite was a strong one for sure, pushing his axe with force so strong it made me fall on a knee. ‘So strong!’ I struggled to keep my arms up and crossed, to block the attack, having to endure the Electro coursing through my armor. I don’t understand this thought..
..that fear as he towered over me. ‘I need to find a way to escape, and quickly!’
Amidst our struggle I didn't notice Paimon lifting a small rock and, after collecting momentum by spinning in the air, throwing it hard at the Eremites’ head, seemingly ticking on his nerves from how his shoulders shook.
He turned to Paimon vigorously. “YOU LITTLE PUNK-” Just then, as if cue or a miraculous help from the Dendro Archon, an extremely fortunate sandstorm hit the three of us, disrupting all our actions. We covered our eyes from the strong wind, sands flying everywhere, even Paimon was blown towards me..”Ergh! Goddamn sandstorm! Why now of all times?!” I could hear him cursing the storm,.. Yet I thought nothing of it.
Nothing but a chance to flee.
I switched to Anemo and gathered the surrounding sands, before grabbing Paimon and launching ourselves off, led by the current of the coincidental sandstorm. I didn’t look back, just continued using the wind to flee. I could feel the Eremite’s gaze and curses on us, his terrified prey.
I didn’t actually understand why I fled,.. All I know was that I lost to the Eremite Daythunder., and that he broke my sword..
And somehow my confidence had shattered with it. Then there I was, the legendary Traveler, fleeing from a battle with an Eremite…
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We didn’t stop running until we reached Caravan Ribat, the nearest place we were certain was safe. Amidst our flee we thought somewhere with a lot of people, be it other Eremites, researchers or guards, we’d be safer as hunting people amidst the crowd would only cause a commotion. Nobody wants to be the cause of a commotion if it’s a conflict.
The sun had just set when Paimon and I stormed past the guards into the fortified village. As for why we were running so fast,.. or at least I was and Paimon was just catching up, or were we catching up with each other?
I forgot my own reasons for my choice of actions. But to flee a battle I was certain to win wasn't an instinct of mine, so why? Why did I run? A swordsman never runs from a battle or a responsibility…
…Or was I never one to begin with?...
"Aether, are you alright? You look like you could really use a doctor, and some rest." Paimon shook me out of my thoughts, again. I can see her worry. It was never easy to fool Paimon when it came to how her friends feel, she saw past that.
"I'm fine Paimon, really." I reassured her, tried to at least seeing how her small fists were on her hips. "Don't give Paimon that! Paimon was there the whole battle. That Eremite sure deserves an ugly nickname for mocking your name just like that! Hmph!"
"I'm alright Paimon. (Pant) It's just that…"
I looked at my sword, my broken dull blade. The weapon had indeed been battered through my time using it, only to be broken just then. The crack from the broken blade extended into the small glass-gem on the guard.
"Dull blades are common in blacksmiths. We can go buy one from Ahangar at Shamshir's Smithy tomorrow." Paimon suggested, prompting to continue.
But my uncertainties cut her off.
"No Paimon I- I think-.." I stuttered, a cat got my tongue apparently. "I just think I wanna take a break from all this. Just some time off, that's it." I did not understand my claim there.. to suddenly cower away. My mind was everywhere I couldn't focus.
"Yeah, that's it. Just some time off hehe..(exhale)"
Paimon frowned at my reply, seemingly either unsatisfied, mad or concerned.
I was tired and just wanted to wash up and then get some sleep as long as there weren't any trouble coming. Luckily those two guards are familiar with us so they cared not about us rudely storming past them.
And with that, the two of us walked back to Sumeru City, various negative emotions swirling around us, mine for the whole. Despite such, one thing was certain for me amidst my doubts:
That I must reforge my pride and trust…