Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Ting-ting. 

Ting-ting. 

An uncomfortable pressure. Tight, painful binding. 

A crawling sensation bit into his left pinkie. It felt all wrong as if something thin and sharp were coiling around the bone itself. The pain pulsed, but not with his heartbeat—it kept time with that strange sound, faint, airy and far-off, like the tinkling of glass hidden behind a thick wall. 

Ting-ting. 

Ting-ting. 

The sound resonated briefly before fading into an abyssal silence. Only emptiness remained. 

Eyes open, eyes closed—it made no difference. The vast unending blackness consumed his world like an insatiable monster. A darkness that was thick and alive, somehow both soothing and suffocating. 

It clung to him like fog, a fluffy cloud curling softly over his limbs, luring him back to sleep, whispering promises of rest. But also stirring something inside him, waking his slumbering mind. Inducing confusion, disorientation, pushing him against the limits, pushing too far. Opening a yawning chasm of panic. 

He jerked forward, his muscles were taut like strings pulled tight. Wanted to sit up, stretch out, to see.  

But there was no room, only a flash of pain in his violently bumped forehead. The thick, metallic scent filled his nostrils as something warm trickled into his eye. It stung. He couldn’t even reach his hand further than a few centimetres from his face and not scrape his fingers against a rough, unyielding wall... no. Wood. It was wood, he could feel the distinctive texture as he pressed his palm against it. A plank slightly damp and not well made—covered with splinters now prickling his skin. 

The truth clawed at his mind. 

It was a trap. He was trapped. 

Locked in a prison cell in the underworld, a place where nothing remained but his own slowly decaying thoughts. The ragged breaths, mounting dread, surging anxiety and growing helplessness. 

Scratching of nails against the accursed box. 

*snap*  

Nothing really broke, no. Nothing literally—but his mind was another story. There was no sound to mark its collapse and finalise its end, make it real. Like a piercing crush made by a glass falling to the floor or a dull crack of a tree falling under the assault of an axe. Or maybe no, there was a sound: someone screamed. A strangled, raw cry filled the dark. It was a heart-wrenching wail of a wounded animal and a throaty growl of a vengeful wrath. It took him a moment to realise the sound was coming from his own throat. 

He trashed around, ignored the pain in his elbows, knees, and every possible joint, frantically slamming against the walls of his devilish solitary confinement. 

His breaths quickened, each one shallower than the last, spiralling into short, frantic gasps. A crushing weight clamped around his chest, his lungs tightened, his throat closed as he started to choke. He couldn’t tell if he was suffocating, if the last traces of oxygen were finally slipping away, or if pure terror itself was squeezing the life from his body, refusing to let go. 

He wanted out. 

Wanted out so desperately but there was no way out. 

It was a space woven from despair, thick with misery, crushed under the weight of powerlessness. And he’d been swallowed whole, plunged into its depths with no chance of escape. 

What awaited him here was death, cloaked in shadows and punctuated by a soft, subdued yet relentless ting-ting, ting-ting. An otherwise cheerful sound suddenly twisted into something hollow and taunting, each note dripping with unmistakable mockery. 

*~*~* 

Lumine gripped the shovel tightly and looked around. The pale, cold light of the moon reflected off the half-clean, half-rusty tool. 

She didn’t want to be here—who would? There’s a world of difference between a casual stroll under city lights and a midnight walk amongst the graves in a small seaside village. 

The girl had to know, though. Find the answers and see the truth with her own eyes. 

And so, she took the job. She became Morepesok’s gravedigger. 

Now stood in the middle of a graveyard, surrounded by the eerie silence of the dead. Fog slithered between the headstones like a hungry serpent. Weaving and circling and swirling through the darkness as though it had a mind of its own. It felt like the worst kind of cliché, the sort of trope you’d laugh off in a cheap novel—but overused ideas are only funny if you don’t have to experience them yourself. When you feel the chill of the humid air creeping up your arms and legs like something alive, when you struggle to break free, as your boots sink into the mud, when you look the strange black-and-white crow perched on the crooked iron fence in its beady eyes and its caw sounds almost like mocking laughter—that's the moment you realise every horror is real when you’re the one living it. 

It’s just my mind playing tricks on me, the blonde thought refusing to let doubt creep into her conviction and she had every right to assume as much. That’s what often happens in stressful situations: we see monsters and ghosts where there are only branches and wind. 

Not every day, however, one decides to disturb eternal rest. 

Perhaps when you cross a certain line, stick your nose where it doesn’t belong, branches and wind turn into monsters and ghosts? 

Nervously biting down on her lip, Lumine forced her feet to move. She’d walked the grounds in the daylight before, during her so-called "job orientation"—the Major was very outspoken about believing in her abilities despite Lumi’s utter lack of experience and then hurriedly departed as if the graveyard itself were breathing down his neck. Back then she’d thought his haste was amusing. Now, the thought of it made her stomach twist, especially since finding her way around after dark proved far more difficult than the girl expected. 

Every path twisted into darkened shadows, every headstone seemed to loom and lean, and the silence pressed in, thick as the mud beneath her feet. 

A lone howl pierced the night, distant but sharp enough to make Lumine flinch. Hurry her steps. She knew she had a goal to fulfil. Something neither pleasant nor swift. That shovel she was clutching with white-knuckled hands was there for a reason and no, it didn’t exactly tie with her new employment. 

Or maybe, in a twisted way, it did? After all, Lumine indeed intended to dig up a grave—just the one she sought was already occupied. 

Allegedly.  

And there was no room for "allegedly" when it came to matters of life and death. You either were alive or not. 

Ting-ting. 

Ting-ting. 

Lumine jolted, torn from her thoughts by the soft, eerie chime. 

Ting-ting. 

Ting-ting. 

The unexpected sound sent a shiver down her spine as if tickling her with a cube of ice. 

Maybe being a gravedigger wasn’t her true calling and she came to Morepesok with ulterior motives—something far more personal, darker—but even little children knew what purpose the chimes in the graveyards served. And what it would mean if they suddenly started to ring. 

Lumine’s pulse spiked, and she broke into a run. Looked left and right, heart hammering, frantically trying to locate the source of the tinkling, her mission momentarily forgotten. She didn’t have the time to worry about the potentially-dead when not-yet-but-almost-dead needed her more. 

Ting-ting. 

She was getting closer. She was almost there! 

Why is this damn graveyard so big?!  

She was suddenly on the ground, out of breath, knees and palms raw and stinging. For a second there felt like another dead body waiting for this cursed soil to swallow her whole. The girl winced, groaning as she rolled onto her back, gazing up at the sky. But there was no comfort there—only heavy clouds creeping over the stars, smothering their light. Soon the moon would be gone, too, leaving her to stumble in the dark. 

She shuddered, pushing herself up, cursing under her breath as her hand brushed against something cold and damp—a thick root that seemed to twist up from the soil. The culprit that made her trip. Lumine was certain it hadn’t been there before... had it? She quickly brushed the thought aside, deciding to push the blame onto her dulled senses instead. It was more convenient that way. 

Easier to keep the sanity intact. 

Ting-ting. 

There was no time to cry over the spilt milk, though. Her whole body ached but self-pity had to wait. 

Chimes like the one currently screaming into the night were a common part of the graveyards’ morbid landscape. It was an old custom: a little, cheap metal bell was hanging from a simple wooden pole beside every grave. A thread was then tied to the bell and the little finger of the deceased, thus linking them together. The idea was simple—and terrifying: if someone had been buried alive, their desperate struggles after waking up in a coffin would rattle the bell above and alert the gravedigger standing watch in the dead of night. 

Lumine had never seen it happen. Duh! She had never heard of this mechanism fulfilling its purpose even once. 

But now the chime was unmistakably ringing, slicing through the silence, its thin metal cry piercing her bones. 

And unluckily, tonight she was the gravedigger in charge. 

*~*~* 

It was hell. It had to be. 

Not like the one his mama used to whisper about, full of roaring flames and tortured screams of the damned. No, this was worse. 

Here, the silence pressed in thick and suffocating, a hollow, endless quiet that amplified the feeling of loneliness. So dark and empty that he could feel pieces of himself slipping away, dissolving into the void. He was alone, utterly and horrifyingly alone. Abandoned. As though someone had cast him into a bottomless pit beyond time and memory, a place where he’d be erased, forgotten, left to fall into nothingness forever. 

Ting-ting. 

Ting-ting. 

It was some kind of torture box for the soul, offering a sliver of hope in the form of the cheerful tinkling just to plunge him deeper into madness with the realisation of how out of reach that sound was. The faint, mocking tinkle throbbed in his ears and he couldn’t help but wonder: did he really deserve this? Maybe he did. Perhaps there was no absolution for the blood staining his hands. 

The panic that had clawed at his mind finally began to fade, but the dejection and sorrow it left in its wake was far worse. 

He’d never been one to give up—fighting even covered in gore from head to toe, struggling against all odds with a smile on his face, laughing in the face of death, defying it again and again. That’s how Ajax led his life. What earned him the title of a Harbinger Tartaglia and the codename Childe. 

He pledged his loyalty to the Fatui, the army was supposed to calm his restless soul but it never did. Battles, facing strong opponents, even participating in wars. Standing against both monsters and humans. It was exciting at the beginning, quenched his thirst for adventure and fed his hunger for chaos just fine. Each fight was a surge of adrenaline, each victory a fleeting high. But even that eventually lost its charm. 

He didn’t like when life was ordinary and boring—and lately, the Fatui became just that. 

Boredom, however, didn’t explain, how he ended up here, in this situation. Confined and surrounded by dark. 

Was this some kind of retribution? 

*thud*  

I was kind of a bad guy, huh? He mocked himself, too tired to laugh. The air felt heavy and sticky. It was getting harder and harder to breathe and he felt as if his consciousness was slowly slipping away again. This time for good. 

If he were to fall asleep now, there would be no waking up. 

*thud*  

I always hoped to die looking at the stars.  

At the little flickering lights that kept him sane and led him out of the Abyss all those years ago. Ever since he enjoyed looking at the night sky even in moments of peace. 

I guess that’s not happening...  

Wouldn’t it be nice to make one final wish on a shooting star? 

*THUD*  

The pain was sharp and sobering. 

Something broke through the outer wall of his cramped prison and stabbed his arm. The wound was shallow, but the shock of it effectively reminded him he was still alive. A sliver of light—cold and ghastly shining through the narrow jagged gap opening before him as if it were teeth of some monstrous maw—cut through the blackness, forcing him to shield his eyes. 

The assault continued in the meantime, he heard stomps and metal hitting the wood. At last, accompanied by the creak of rusty hinges, someone opened the box that had held him captive. Dirt and decaying soil rained down, damp and dense, coating his face and filling his mouth. 

He coughed and squinted, felt as if needles were prickling his eyes that got used to the darkness and now had to once again face the light. 

The sight before him was mesmerising. 

Almost seemed like a mirage brought about by a dying mind but if so, then maybe dying wasn't so bad? 

Moonlight spilt over the blonde hair of a beautiful, though panting and sweaty girl, surrounding her with an almost supernatural aura, as though she were a creature pulled from some wondrous myth. She looked like a goddess, an angel sent to soothe his dejected mind. And her eyes...  

Her terrified, wild golden irises sparkled like the stars he had just been dreaming about. 

*~*~* 

As Lumine pried open the coffin lid, bracing herself for anything—a decaying corpse, a zombie trying to bite her, or maybe just an empty casket mocking her desperation—she felt the cold dread crawl up her spine. The rusty hinges wailed into the night and her heart hammered like crazy. 

What the heck was she doing... could it be? Did she finally lose it? 

But no. What she found inside was not a rotting body, nor a void space, but a man. A young man, not much older than her. His eyes, now staring into her in wonder, were like nothing she had seen before: so deep, so vividly blue, and so unsettlingly... dead. Devoid of light. In a split second, as the wind whispered through the graves, it made her wonder if the stranger was real or maybe just a figment of her panicked mind. 

But could she really imagine him? A whole person? 

The girl shivered, her breath shaky from overexertion as the damp fog swirled beneath her feet, thick and sticky like syrup, pouring into the open grave. Its icy touch gnawed through her clothes, sinking into her bones. 

No, she couldn’t have just made up a random guy, so he was either a revenant sent to punish her for disturbing the dead, or something just as terrifying—a man who’d clawed his way back from the void, surviving his own burial. 

A sharp, hoarse caw shattered the silence and she flinched, looking up to see the familiar crow watching her intently. It had abandoned its perch on the fence, moving to a twisted branch nearby to get a better view at her "grave robbing" efforts. Its eyes glinted with unsettling intelligence. The girl quickly looked away. 

Swallowing, she forced her trembling hand forward. The tension in the air grew denser, as if the whole graveyard held its breath, waiting to see what would happen next. 

"You’re all right now," Lumine rasped through a half-clenched throat as she extended her palm, wary yet unable to resist the urge to help. "Come on, let’s get you out of here." 

It almost felt like a test, but she didn’t know what results she expected—her fingers slipping through empty air? His hand passing coldly through hers like smoke? However, the stranger hesitated only a moment before he snapped the cord tying him to the bell outside and firmly grabbed her hand, allowing Lumi to pull him out. 

Now that they had finally climbed out of the dug-up hole, the blonde could take a closer look at the man. He was much taller than she’d anticipated, looming over her like a tower. His hair, a dishevelled mop of fiery orange, glowed like embers in the misty night and his uniform—military by the look of it—was haphazardly buttoned as if he’d thrown it on in a hurry. The insignia on his chest was unmistakable: it was the mark of the Fatui. 

He was handsome and, as she had noticed before, young. Definitely too young to die mistakenly buried in a grave, but then it hit Lumine and her heart started to pound with fresh dread. Digging up a grave on foreign soil under cover of darkness, hoping for secrecy was already quite bad, but now a witness to the whole affair had appeared—and to make matters worse, one who belonged to a state organization, no less.

...she was totally screwed, wasn’t she? 

"Maybe it’s a little late for introductions, but I’m Lumine." She took a deep breath to calm herself and decided to start with that. "Who are you and how did you end up in this grave?" 

The best way to cover up a crime is to shift the blame onto someone else. Or so she heard. 

The man’s brow furrowed as he searched for an answer. "I... I'm not sure," he admitted in a slightly hoarse voice. "The last thing I remember is tracking a dragon in the north with my squad. After that... nothing. Just darkness. And then, I woke up here." 

His confusion cast a shadow across his face, and before she could react, his gloved hand reached for hers again, his fingers tracing along her skin with an eerie tenderness. Lumine froze, breath catching.  

"I thought I was already dead," he murmured, almost to himself, his gaze far away. "And that you were just a ghost. But you’re warm... so that can’t be it, can it?" 

His fingers lingered, as if reassuring himself she was real, yet the look in his eyes held a flicker of doubt, as though he was only half-convinced that she wasn’t some phantom conjured up by his wishful thinking. 

Snapping out of the daze, the girl snatched her hand away and took a hasty step back. A flush of heat crept up her cheeks but she hid the embarrassment behind a sharp retort. 

"Of course, I’m not a ghost!" she snapped, forcing a steadiness into her voice. "I’m the gravedigger here. And you still haven’t introduced yourself," she added, eyeing him warily. 

"Ah, right. I’m... Ajax." 

The pause hasn’t gone unnoticed, but she decided not to pursue the matter any further. At least for now.  

"Okay then, Ajax," she said, her voice softening only slightly. "Whatever happened to you, first and foremost, you need rest. And then we will talk some more." 

Lumine gestured towards the narrow, twisted path winding through the alleys of graves, leading to the edge of the cemetery, where the gravedigger's house stood—her house now. Its silhouette loomed in the distance, half-shrouded by fog; a faint light flickered from a small lamp hanging on the porch like a mini lighthouse leading them to a safe harbour. 

Before following Ajax, she cast one last glance back at the weathered tombstone beside the disturbed earth and the name inscribed on it: Dainsleif. A strange unease settled over her. What were the chances, huh? Of all the graves, this was the one in which some unknown man had awakened— this grave, belonging to the very person she’d spent months searching for. 

Dainsleif. The key to finding her lost brother. 

Lumi turned the strange mask over in her fingers, feeling the cold, unnatural weight of it. She’d pulled it from the coffin when she helped Ajax climb out, and now it sat in her palm, casting a faint, unsettling glow. The mask was deep blue, streaked with veins of energy that pulsed dimly, like something alive, and designed to cover only the right side of the face. 

Though she had only met him once, she clearly remembered that Dainsleif had worn the same kind of mask, though his was larger, whole. What she held now was only a fractured piece. 

Her heart sank as she traced a crack line. 

It must have broken...  

At some point, split from its other half. 

Just like me.  

Now it lay buried here, discarded, while Dainsleif—and her brother—remained nowhere in sight. 

With a sigh, Lumi slipped the mask into the pocket of her dress and began walking. 

Overcome with disappointment didn’t notice the thin tendrils of purple smoke leaking from the fragment and following her closely behind like a slithering snake ready to bare its fangs and strike when she least expected it. 

Chapter Text

"Alright, this is it," Lumine muttered, hands settling on her hips as she critically surveyed the house before her. The tour with the mayor hadn't taken her this far, so this was the girl’s first visit to the place that was supposed to be her new home. The man had merely informed her that her luggage had been delivered to the location, brushing past the details of the place itself—now Lumi knew why. 

She rubbed her arms suddenly shivering. Because of the view or the fog getting thicker? Hard to tell. 

"Wow, so you’re living in a haunted house, huh? Nice," Ajax commented admiring the building resembling a witch’s dwelling from some kind of a scary fairy tale. 

"That’s...!" the blonde bit her lip. As much as she wanted to protest, she couldn’t deny it: the place did look cursed, abandoned to whatever shadows crept along its walls, cast by the nearby willow tree. "...not entirely wrong," she muttered under her breath, her resentment directed at nothing and everything all at once—perhaps the world itself, for sending her to this gods’ forsaken place. First, to discover that the man she believed dead actually wasn’t, and now—her eyes flicked towards Ajax—another complication had appeared, seemingly for the sole purpose of testing her patience. 

The house itself was quite big, designed for a family, not just a single resident. Had tall walls and steep roofs covered with black tiles. It loomed at the end of a crooked path, casting a shadow on the sagging, rusty, iron gate, creaking whenever the wind pushed it. 

Squeak. 

Squeak. 

Squeak. 

Dark wood, worn out by weather and time, covered its slightly slanted walls—here and there vein-like cracks ran along planks as if the house was on the verge of surrendering to its old age. Lumine shuddered at the thought of experiencing its last moment while being trapped inside. 

Moss covered the narrow steps leading to the front door, and a rusty lamp hung on the porch, but contrary to their expectations, the handle was new and shiny. Inviting. Probably replaced not that long ago, perhaps in preparation for its new owner? Though wouldn’t that be unusual hospitality considering the mayor’s earlier attitude? Shutters concealed the windows, preventing any glimpse at the secrets buried within—or just simple old furniture, who could truly tell? Maybe the horror was only in her mind? Same as the feeling of something unseen lingering nearby, watching... waiting... 

Waiting for her to step inside? 

"CAW!" 

The girl almost jumped out of her skin at the loud scream of the crow bent on following her every move since she’d stepped onto this (un?)holy ground. It swooped down with unsettling precision. 

With a flutter of wings, the brazen bird landed squarely on Ajax’s head, claiming him as its perch. The look on its face was nothing short of proud. 

Or smug. 

"CAW!" 

"What the—?!" The man swatted at the feathered intruder who seemed offended by his lack of hospitality. Sparks flew between the two, but despite his best efforts, Ajax had absolutely no say in the matter—the attempts to chase it away came to absolutely nothing as the animal was very adamant about leaving its new resting spot. The bird cawed in defiance and only conceded to hopping onto his shoulder instead. 

Lumine couldn’t help but chuckle. The scene was ridiculous, yes, yet at the same time, it brought a strange relief. The tension in the air seemed to ease just a little, the oppressive weight lifting enough for her to take a fuller breath, even amidst the gravestones and fog slithering beneath her feet. 

This fog, though...   

She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but there was something deeply unsettling about it. Fog was always cold, always damp—but this felt different. The tendrils slowly reaching towards them looked like ghostly fingers ready to grab them and drag to the underworld, their touch sucking not only the warmth from her skin but life itself. Every moment spent here left her more fatigued and sluggish. Like a fly trapped in a honey jar. It was like being touched by something from the other side—and where the dead reside no life could survive... 

A sudden pained hiss snapped her attention back to Ajax. Only then did she notice the blood dripping from his hand, each drop splattering onto the ground to leave a vivid, eerie red trail in their wake. 

The crow must have dug its talons into his shoulder too hard, aggravating an already tender wound. 

But where had he gotten such a fresh injury—? 

Lumine froze. 

Her shovel. She remembered now—earlier when she’d accidentally pierced the coffin lid... That’s when it happened, didn’t it? 

It’s my fault...  

A knot of guilt and unease tightened in her chest, and she pressed her lips together. 

Lumine wasn’t a stranger to violence but didn’t take pleasure in hurting people. Especially innocent ones... 

Because you are innocent... right?  

"We need to treat this. Come on, we should go," she said firmly, striding towards the door. Glancing over her shoulder and seeing how the visibility dropped almost to zero, the fog swallowing everything around them, Lumine could only hope the house was left unlocked. 

"Hey." With his long legs, Ajax easily caught up to her; didn’t seem too perturbed by his wound. He’s probably used to it... The crow finally took flight too, once again vanishing into the thickening fog. She silently wished it luck. "I don’t want to sound dramatic, but... don’t you think there’s something off about this place?" 

He didn’t really look scared, which, quite frankly, impressed her. For someone who had just crawled out of a grave he quickly gathered himself and now appeared to be on full alert. 

His words, though, were a reason for worry. If his military instincts were picking up on something, they’d be wise to heed the warning. 

"You don’t say," she mumbled placing her hand on the handle. Then closed her eyes and pressed it. 

Whoever was watching over them that night apparently hadn’t abandoned them just yet. 

The door gave way, and with the creak of its hinges revealed a room shrouded in darkness. It gave Lumine the creeps, true, but still seemed like a better alternative than the supernatural weather phenomena outside—unnerving enough to unsettle even a member of the Fatui. Yes, she had guessed where Ajax's loyalties lay. On the other hand, he hadn’t exactly hidden the insignia pinned to his chest. 

The two shared a look and didn’t hesitate even for a second to step inside and tightly shut the door behind them. 

*~*~* 

A sharp intake of breath. His.  

Childe clenched his jaw, fighting the urge to make any more unnecessary sounds. After surviving so many perilous situations he thought nothing could shake him anymore. Nothing. Well, he was wrong. It seemed the adventure in the coffin had left a lingering trace on his mind, and now, surrounded by the eerie silence and darkness of the gravedigger's house, the panic began to creep back in. 

This time, however, he wasn’t alone. 

No. Not "this time." For the "first time." 

The next second, a warm hand found his, giving it a gentle squeeze. Surprised, Childe tried to glance at the girl, but all he could make out was her faint outline. What struck him even more, though, was the silence that followed. She didn’t comment, didn’t offer any empty words of encouragement or consolation—things he wholeheartedly despised. Those kinds of things only made him feel weak and incompetent, nothing a Harbinger should ever be associated with. 

But she didn’t know that. To this girl, he was just Ajax, some random soldier met on some random night. She was simply being herself. 

"Let's try to find some light." 

Not waiting for a response, Lumine tugged at his hand guiding him forward. Together, they moved towards what might have been a fireplace, their steps cautious and slow. Gradually, their eyes began to adjust to the darkness, shapes and outlines becoming clearer with each passing moment. 

Her matter-of-fact approach was very welcome, and despite the situation, Ajax found himself smiling and squeezing her palm in return. She was just a stranger, yet somehow gave him exactly what he needed. Offered it even with that faint undercurrent of distrust he could sense in her. 

Maybe their position wasn’t ideal but— 

At least the company’s good.  

And reliable comrades were always the first step towards victory. 

For the next few minutes, the pair navigated the unexpected dangers of a living room: the sharp edges of a coffee table, low-hanging plants, and the treacherous folds of a carpet that seemed to lie in wait for unsuspecting victims ready to trip them. At one point, Lumi stumbled, and if Ajax hadn’t caught her at the last possible moment, pulling her close to his chest, they would have both gone crashing to the floor probably ending up in a very awkward position. 

Stiffly stepping back, the girl cleared her throat and muttered an apology, likely imagining the same embarrassing scenario that had flashed through his mind. For once, Childe was grateful for the darkness, concealing the heat creeping up his cheeks. His body tingled in the spot she just leaned against as if butterflies were flapping their wings just beneath his skin. 

He’d never paid attention to girls like this before but ever since he looked in those sparkling golden eyes something... shifted. Her gesture and her words, her expressions and her actions, he couldn’t help but simply notice her more. Was this what they called the suspension bridge effect? Was he mistaking the nervous pounding of his heart for attraction? 

It has to be.  

What else could he expect from being trapped in a haunted house in the middle of a graveyard? 

Half an hour later they finally managed to light a fire and tiredly sank down in front of the happily crackling flames. With the electricity out, the few candles they managed to find the pair placed here and there filling the room with a soft, orange glow. 

"It sure is hard to start a fire in complete darkness," Lumine remarked, stretching her hands toward the dancing flames. Her fingers were red, the traces of dirt still stubbornly clinging beneath her nails—a sign of how much effort she’d poured into digging him out and saving his life. 

Not to mention the streaks of brown marring her once-pristine white dress. 

Of course, they could have simply opened the shutters and let natural light into the house making the whole process much easier, but neither of them was keen on the idea. What little moonlight seeped through the cracks in the walls had to be enough, because letting anything else in seemed like a dangerous gamble. This night... there was something out of this world about it. And they had no desire to push their luck any further than necessary. 

Nights like these heightened every sensation, every impression, until even the good ones turned into something scary. 

Normally, Childe would have found the flickering fire and the warm glow of the candles homely and enjoyable, but tonight his attention was fixed on what lurked in the shadows. The creepy scratching sounds, the quick patter of tiny feet— hopefully just mice in the attic—and the irritating tickle in his throat. Either he was teetering on the brink of paranoia, or this house hid more than just dust and antique furniture. 

Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to the blonde. In the meantime, she disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a simple first aid kit. Gestured for him to take off his clothes and show her his wound. 

He complied. Needed a distraction from overthinking the source of every single creak and whisper this house was full of anyway. 

"Alright, girlie, I need some answers." 

She didn’t look up, fully focused on the task at hand. Still, he couldn’t help but notice her touch was a lot gentler compared to her brisk attitude... and how the firelight danced on her hair lending it a magical golden hue. He swallowed loudly. 

"Then there are two of us. And don’t call me that, I have a name." 

Fair.  

She’d saved his life, he could admit as much, and therefore deserved some acknowledgement. 

"I already told you, I have no idea how I ended up buried in that grave." He clicked his tongue in frustration. "I don’t even know where we are." 

"Morepesok." 

The man went still. "Excuse me?" 

"Morepesok. That’s where we are. The graveyard, to be precise, though I gather you’ve already noticed that part." 

Ajax’s mind raced, his thoughts running a thousand miles per second. Of all the town names in Snezhnaya, he never expected to hear this one. He was home?! But how? ...and why? 

He didn’t lie to Lumine, though she probably thought he did. Childe genuinely had no memory of how he ended up here. He was walking through the forest with his squad, they were tracking a dragon, and then... what? Had he unknowingly crossed a magical portal? Activated some kind of ancient device that somehow teleported him into an actual hole in the ground? 

...Did I die fighting that dragon?  

"Maybe I’m already dead," he mused thoughtfully scratching his chin. After all, he did wake up in a grave. 

"You better not be," Lumine replied dryly, securing the bandage and helping him get dressed again. She tried to maintain a poker face, but he could see the nervousness beneath that facade... Well, maybe he wasn’t the only inexperienced one here. The realisation weirdly made him feel better. "I don’t want to be stuck in this house with a ghost." The terse comment, however, brought him back to reality. 

A ghost that bleeds... now that would be interesting, wouldn't it? 

As if something wanted to protest her words, a small saucer lying on the coffee table suddenly lifted into the air and, with a whoosh, flew across the room aiming at the distracted girl! 

Ajax reacted instinctively. With a swift motion, he grabbed the nearby poker and swung at the projectile! Didn’t miss. Tiny shards of smashed porcelain cut through the air like knives. One jagged piece sliced across the side of Childe’s neck, the warm sting of blood mixing with the sudden shock. Another shard slashed Lumine's thigh. 

Both hissed in pain, but the sounds were lost beneath the cacophony of shattering ceramic. 

The poker, unfortunately, also broke—snapped in half with a decisive crack, likely weakened by years of neglect. It definitely wasn’t made to be used as a rapier replacement. 

The two immediately took a stance and grabbed a real weapon, adrenaline sharpening their senses. Lumine pulled a gleaming sword with a crescent-shaped hilt from thin air, and in the same breath, Ajax summoned his hydro daggers, water swirling around his fingers, the blades forming with a pleasant hum of moisture. It took Childe a second to register that the girl had summoned her weapon from a pocket dimension, and her posture, precise and battle-hardened, indicated that she undoubtedly knew how to wield it. 

If she found his elemental powers shocking, she didn’t show it. 

Interesting...  

This was not what he had expected from the petite blonde. First, she’d introduced herself as a gravedigger, then casually revealed they were in his hometown, even though she clearly didn’t look like a local, and now was showing off her fighting skills? She sure as heck was full of surprises. 

In the meantime and seemingly coming out of nowhere, all the doors and windows were locked after all, a cold gust of wind swept across the room, its icy fingers creeping along the walls and floor. It instantly blew out the candles, once again trying to drown the room in darkness, yet the fireplace—despite the force of the supernatural assault—resisted, though barely, flickering stubbornly, the flames shrinking but still clinging to life. 

"What the hell is going on here?!" Lumine cursed, frantically whipping her head from side to side—desperately searching for an enemy, but there was nothing. No tangible threat. Only shadows slithering along the walls as if they had minds of their own and the sudden drop in temperature. The biting cold making her shiver. Each shaky breath she took puffed out in visible clouds of steam. 

But the worst was the silence. 

It was an old house—and in old homes, something always creaks and groans. It was what bothered Ajax, and he wasn’t entirely wrong to feel that way. At times, it could be eerie, as if the building itself had a living soul. But Lumine saw it differently. To her, there was something oddly comforting about it—a reminder that it wasn’t just an empty shell but a shelter shaped with tenderness and love. Like its inhabitants, it carried the marks of time, bore the weight of years, showed signs of wear and asked for the same care it once gave. 

This house, also loud just moments ago, now felt unnervingly different. The wooden floor lay dreadfully still beneath their feet, betraying none of the squeaks expected of old boards. No wind whistled through the narrow gaps in the walls, and outside, the world seemed to hold its breath—no rustling leaves, no howling wolves, not even the distant voices of people who couldn’t sleep that night disturbed the silence. 

The absence of sounds thickened the stillness around them. It felt oppressive as if something had sealed the house off from the world beyond. Separated them by dense, otherworldly fog from anything warm and alive.   

Now had them trapped like two little helpless mice caught in an unseen snare. 

The next second all hell broke loose. Everything turned into a projectile: books, cups, old cubes of sugar, pillows, shiny candlesticks, picture frames with faded photos, small pots with plants that withered ages ago. Even Lumiene’s own luggage joined the frenzy! Her nightgown hurled through the air, twisting and arching, looking like wrath ready to strangle her with its invisible fingers. 

The moment the couch began to rise into the air with an almost pained groan—it surely wasn’t enthusiastic at the prospect of learning how to fly—Childe grabbed Lumine by the wrist and rushed towards the stairs! Behind them came the deafening crash of splintering wood and ripping fabric, but he didn’t stop. Didn’t dare glance back at the wreckage left in the wake of the dying settee. 

Lumi ducked just in time to avoid a flying sugar bowl, tightening her grip on Ajax's hand as she hurried close behind him. If it was painful, he didn’t let it show. Pure instinct drove her actions—the guy was suspicious and unquestionably dangerous, but she’d take her chances with him any day over pissed-off houses trying to kill her. 

As they raced up the stairs, everything began to tremble. The floor, the walls, even the air around them. Glasses in the cupboard rattled like the chattering teeth of someone terrified, paintings swung wildly against the aged wallpaper, and a stuffed deer head crashed to the ground with a resounding bang. The uproar was deafening, pounding in their ears like a relentless drumbeat. 

Upstairs, the pair had a few options—they faced several doors, but it was impossible to tell which one might lead to safety and which might hide something even worse than angry dishes and a mini earthquake. 

Without hesitation, Lumine dashed ahead of Ajax, pulling him into the first room on the left. Why? She didn’t know, but she’d learned to trust her instincts—they always seemed to save her skin. 

Together, they slammed the door shut, turned the creaky old key, and pressed their backs against it, bracing to face whatever new threat might await or to flee at the first sign of trouble brewing in the unknown room. But neither was needed. 

Once more silence followed. As if someone had cut them off from the chaos they had just escaped with a sharp, invisible blade. They were starting to get overwhelmed by the whirlwind of conflicting emotions and experiences, situations shifting unpredictably and suddenly, like the ever-changing patterns of a kaleidoscope.

Childe’s elbow accidentally hit the light switch and lo and behold, it actually worked. The gift of electricity revealed a room that turned out to be a small parlour combined with a study. There was a desk surrounded by bookcases by the wall, a coffee table and some fancy seating in the middle, and even a piano near the window. 

Compared to the chaos they had just fled, this space felt cosy and serene. The stark contrast left their heads spinning. After a few tense minutes of watchful vigilance, when nothing seemed to happen, the pair finally collapsed onto the soft green couch. 

Resting her elbows on her knees, Lumine buried her face in her hands and wearily rubbed her eyes. 

"What’s going on?" came her muffled whisper aimed at no one in particular. 

Ajax hesitated. They had barely just met, after all. But eventually, put his hand on her back and rubbed a slow soothing circle. Seeing she didn’t pull away nor tried to cut his arm off for breaching her personal space, continued the movements with a slight smile. 

"Before I ran away from home, I used to complain that this town was painfully boring. I guess that’s not the case anymore," Childe remarked, leaning against the back of the couch. Tilting his head back, his gaze drifted to the delicate floral patterns on the ceiling. For a gravedigger’s house, it seemed someone had tried to give it a warmer touch. 

Lumine straightened up and looked at the man. "You’re from here?" 

"Yeah," Childe replied with a tired smile. "Funny how things work out, huh? One minute you’re in the north, and the next you wake up in a grave in your hometown you haven’t seen in months." 

The girl held his gaze for a long moment, and for once, he didn’t look away or try to turn the situation into a joke. Faced her head on, open and sincere. Finally, Lumi sighed, and mirroring her companion, let herself relax as well. The accumulated fatigue was killing her, the mental exhaustion hitting harder than the physical one, and she would have given anything for the chance to simply fall asleep. 

The clock on the wall struck 2 a.m. 

She closed her eyes. 

"For some reason, I believe you. Even though you’re a Fatui." 

The man chuckled. “I’ll take that as a compliment, thank you.” Then, reaching out, he plucked a feather from her golden hair—likely from one of the pillows that had attacked them in the living room. He absentmindedly twirled it between his fingers. "So, what’s your story, comrade? " 

He still refused to call her by her name, but despite herself, she couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at her lips. The almost dismissive "girlie" had turned into a respectful "comrade," huh? He had actually listened to her request and made an effort to accommodate it—a commendable attitude, one she certainly didn’t associate with members of the Snezhnayan army. 

If this was all part of his scheme to make her lower her guard, then it was definitely working. But she found that hard to believe. There was something very honest about this guy so she suspected that if he truly wanted to hurt her, he would do it directly without any tricks or manipulation—that simply wasn’t his style. 

"I’m searching for my brother." The words came spilling out before she even realised it. Maybe she’d been waiting for an opportunity like this all along. She’d been alone for so long, finally having someone she could share her worries with felt like a miracle. "We’re from Mondstadt. Two years ago, he met a man calling himself Dainsleif, and they decided to set on a journey together. Ae haven’t told me why or where were they heading... it was weird. You see, we’re twins—we always did everything together. We... only have each other. But here comes Aether suddenly disappearing in the middle of the night and leaving me behind." She paused, her voice trembling as she fought to hold back the emotions rising in her chest. It was difficult to put into words all the turmoil that had built up inside her. It’s been two years. And Lumine still couldn’t shake the feeling of being abandoned like that—maybe she never will. 

"So, you tracked him here, to Morepesok?" Ajax asked softly, steering the conversation to safer ground. It was easier to discuss facts than pry into her feelings. 

"Not exactly. What I found was a grave." 

The man’s brow furrowed. "Your brother’s?" But she shook her head. 

"No. No matter how hard I searched, there was no sign of Aether anywhere. But I was able to follow Dain's trail—turns out it ends at the local cemetery." 

As if unable to contain herself discussing this topic, the girl stood up and walked over to the piano. Though covered in dust, the instrument produced a surprisingly clear note when she absentmindedly pressed a key. She had always wanted to learn to play... Glancing over her shoulder at Ajax, she met his gaze for a moment. 

"Want to take a guess which grave was his?" 

The way Lumine asked made it easy to figure out she was hinting at something—something painfully obvious. 

"So, I woke up in a grave, an otherwise empty grave let’s add, belonging to the man you’ve been searching for, that’s what you’re trying to say?" Ajax replied, his voice tinged with disbelief. 

She shrugged, resigned. 

"Now you see—you’re either a demon sent to mess with my head or my last clue to finding my brother." 

Chapter Text

The pair scoured the room but didn’t find anything useful. It was a pleasant space, though it lacked character—perfect for a generic guest room. Honestly, they felt uncertain about their next move. Staying put seemed like the safest option, yet neither of them was the type to shy away from the potential enemy. The clock on the wall read 3 a.m., so the night was still young, however, Lumine couldn’t shake the nagging worry that avoiding a confrontation with the sinister forces controlling this house might cost her a crucial lead on Aether’s whereabouts. 

"Okay, let's think. When did all these strange events begin?" Ajax wondered, poking the metronome standing on the piano. It started ticking rhythmically, breaking the unnerving silence of the room. Unfortunately, you couldn’t exactly call that sound soothing; instead, it filled the air with an odd tension. 

"Oh, that's easy." Lumine crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "The moment I dug you out." 

Childe snorted. "Careful with that fiery look, comrade. You’re tempting me to challenge you to a spar." 

His voice carried a hint of warning, but his eyes were smiling, revealing he almost seemed happy at the idea. 

"What are you," she scoffed, "some kind of adrenaline junkie? Are all men just hot-headed fools?" 

"You wound me," he replied with exaggerated dramatics, mockingly clutching his chest before breaking into another laugh. "But, well… you’re not entirely wrong." 

The banter between them flowed effortlessly, as though knew each other for far longer than just a few fleeting hours. And they were obviously using it as a distraction—this way they could avoid for a moment longer the inevitable decision of opening the door they so eagerly shut earlier. 

Suddenly, Lumine’s expression shifted, and she stepped closer to the man. Standing on her tiptoes to bridge the height difference, he was so much taller than her, the blonde reached out to touch the side of his neck streaked with dried blood. Her tone softened. 

"You tried to protect me earlier… Thank you. And I’m sorry for hurting you." 

She was clearly referring to the injury on his shoulder—they both knew that. 

Ajax sheepishly scratched his head. Gratitude, let alone apologies, weren’t something a Fatui agent was accustomed to, but he didn’t pull away. The spot carefully traced by her fingers pleasantly tickled. 

"We’re in this together, right? What about you?" 

He nodded at her leg. 

"Fine," Lumi replied quickly. Maybe too quickly. "It’s just a scratch." 

He wasn’t entirely convinced, but examining a lady under her skirt was well beyond the gentlemanly lines of propriety—not to mention a little too bold and too advanced of a move for him, so he had to let it go. 

Suspension bridge effect or not, he didn’t take any pleasure in seeing innocent people suffer. She was just a girl missing her family—something he could relate with well—so why not help each other out? Noticing a stray strand of hair funnily sticking out of her fringe he lifted his hand and— 

A window shattered without warning! 

Didn’t even give Ajax a chance to voice his thoughts. 

The two instinctively ducked, shielding their eyes. Something came hurtling through the decayed shutters and brittle glass—a black-and-white blur that violently breached the barrier between the room and the eerie world outside. 

Thick fog immediately started pouring in, streaked with ominous tendrils of deep blue and purple. If they had any doubts about the supernatural nature of the situation, now they were completely dispelled. 

"Caw!" 

"You damn bird!" Childe cursed and grabbed the creature mid-flight before it managed to reach Lumine. Despite destroying their safe haven, the familiar crow didn’t look the least bit sorry about it. 

The lights started flickering, casting distorted shadows that danced across the walls. Combined with the otherworldly energy pulsing through the air and the fog steadily filling the room, the once-cosy space was transformed in an instant into something hauntingly unrecognisable. 

Lumine shivered as a damp chill crept up her legs, its touch repulsive and invasive, like unseen fingers trailing across her skin. The faint smell of decay drifted in through the broken window, and a low, almost imperceptible hum began to vibrate through the air—a sound that felt like some kind of unnatural static. 

She exchanged a tense glance with Childe, the crow still struggling in his grasp. Whatever force had decided to hunt them down, it was far more sinister and powerful than they had dared imagine. 

"Run!" 

Ajax once again reached for her hand and she let him. The two, closely followed by the accursed crow, bolted for the hallway, but as they reached it, the pair came to an abrupt halt. 

They had no idea what to do. 

No plan. No countermeasures prepared. Not even a wild guess. 

The fog was approaching from behind. It took its time moving with unnerving slowness as if to torment them, savour the moment. Prove that it doesn’t need to chase them—it knew they had nowhere to run. Sooner or later, they would be enveloped by its cold embrace. 

The way down was also blocked. The living room was still a chaotic whirl of floating objects, items suspended mid-air in an unseen tornado. And soaring candlesticks or knives weren’t exactly something you wanted to get hit by. 

The only option left was to move forward, towards the far end of the corridor. But just as they neared their destination, a chilling sound echoed through the house—the creak of a door slowly grinding open. The door’s motion felt almost mocking, as if it was aware of their apprehension, daring them to enter. But it felt suicidal to accept such an invitation. The space beyond promised no escape, only deepening of the nightmare that had already begun to unfold around them, because whatever lay inside was no mere threat—it was a predator, patiently waiting for the two little lambs to step into its lair.   

Every instinct screamed at the pair of warriors to turn back, but there was simply nowhere left to go. 

"No... No, that’s crazy!" Lumine hated being toyed with like this. There were other rooms on this floor, there had to be better options to escape! She grabbed the closest doorknob and shoved against it with all her strength, but it wouldn’t budge. Realizing her intentions, Childe followed suit and tried another door, only to meet the same result. Frustrated, he slammed his foot against the unyielding wood. 

"This stupid thing won’t move!" He shot a glance over his shoulder before turning back, summoning his water blades with a sharp motion. "Okay then, let’s see what you’ve got." 

Lumi gave the man a quick nod and followed close behind, her own weapon in hand. 

It seemed that fate had left them no other choice but violence. 

Together, they slowly advanced towards the room, step by cautious step. One, two, three. 

Damn Morepesok! Damn graveyard! Damn Dainsleif!  

The girl swore silently to herself, struggling to steady her chattering teeth. Was it fear or cold making them do so she couldn’t tell. 

A faint ding ding echoed as a moth repeatedly battered itself against the flickering wall lamp. Lumine’s heartbeat thundered in her ears; she was hyper-aware of every shaky breath she took. 

She had already faced so much in her life—losing her parents, then Aether’s sudden disappearance and living on her own. Even so, she had managed to journey alone from Mondstadt to Snezhnaya without a hint of fear, confident in her strength and resourcefulness to handle anything Teyvat might throw her way. 

This, however, was something else. There was one truth Lumine had never admitted to anyone before—her ultimate weakness. 

"Ajax..." the blonde murmured, deciding it was only right to finally share it with someone else. And this unexpected companion of hers seemed like a good listener. 

"Yeah?" He adjusted his grip on the sword and kept his eyes fixed on the open door. Didn’t like how the hair on his arms and neck suddenly stood up. 

"I’m really scared of ghosts." 

... 

The man stopped and turned to stare at her in disbelief. Then, after a second, he broke into laughter—loud, uncontrollable, and utterly unrestrained. Nearly doubled over. It was wildly inappropriate given the circumstances, but maybe that was exactly why he was more prone to let the emotions out instead of bottling them inside. 

"Seriously? Afraid of ghosts?" he managed to wheeze out between fits of laughter, much to her annoyance. "But aren’t you a gravedigger?" 

"T-that’s completely unrelated!" she stammered, red in the face. 

Seeing her flustered like this, Ajax couldn’t help but find her endearing and the tight knot of tension that seized his muscles dissolved instantly, as if a magic spell cast by this adorable girl had swept it away. 

The moment of levity though was very short-lived. 

Lumine lunged at Ajax knocking him to the floor! Pain shot through his back, but before he could even register what was happening, the swish of a huge claw missed them by millimetres. Childe’s instincts kicked in immediately. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he rolled them both to the side, narrowly dodging the follow-up attack. 

It was a rifthound—a big one at that. And it wasn’t the only threat closing in on them. 

The two jumped to their feet and positioned themselves back-to-back. The Abyssal monsters were now pouring in from all directions, cutting off their possible routes of escape. Their appearance was strange, as if not physical. Ghostly. The creatures looked see-through, their translucent bodies outlined in glowing shades of dark blue and purple. 

"I owe you one," Ajax whispered, readying himself for a fight. 

"You said it, we’re a team tonight," she replied, guarding his back. The Abyss corruption was no joking matter, but she felt liberated knowing what they were up against—and that their enemy wasn’t anything truly supernatural. "Our only chance to survive this is together." 

She honestly believed that and for the first time in her life was ready to place her future in the hands of someone other than Aether. The man seemed to share the sentiment that night. 

Generally speaking, Tartaglia wasn’t exactly a team player. On the battlefield, he was fiercer, stronger, scarier and more unhinged than anyone else. No one ever thought to offer him support, because why would they? Harbingers were put on a pedestal. They were respected, admired, and held in high esteem, but at the same time, that status also came with the price of isolation and loneliness—that’s what it meant to be at the top. Childe had tried to get closer to his subordinates, maybe even befriend them, but despite his best efforts, he always sensed they were separated by an invisible barrier he would never be able to break through. 

This girl was different. She treated him as an equal, and although she knew about his affiliation with the army, she didn’t pull away from him. Instead, he felt a comforting warmth emanating from where their backs met. The sensation was even more pronounced in the midst of the chilling, otherworldly cold. He leaned back a little more as if wanting to nestle even further into the kindness she offered. 

To his surprise, he felt her do the same. 

"Together it is, Lumine." 

The irony of finding a kindred spirit in a place that would most likely kill them both wasn’t lost on him. 

She, however, wasn’t ready to bid this world goodbye just yet. 

"I still have a whole journey ahead of me, I can’t die here!" Lumi snarled with unshaken conviction. 

They charged forward, slashing at the ethereal monsters, moving in sync as they circled each other combining their attacks. When Lumine started blowing her enemies away using Anemo, he wasn’t the least bit surprised. A girl like her had to be blessed by the gods. Despite the narrow hallway, they were swift and precise, efficient at both attack and defence, spinning forward and backward, to the right and left, as if dancing a lethal tango.  

Could feel their blades cut through the monsters' skin, yet no blood was spilt. Instead, strange steam hissed from every wound the two caused, like air escaping from a deflating balloon. Balloons, however, weren’t poisonous. These monsters were a different story. 

Lumi hissed, jumping back. The skin on her forearm sizzled like it had been scorched by an intense flame. 

"You okay there, comrade?" Ajax asked, delivering a satisfying kick to an Abyss mage’s face. The stench of burning leather rose from his boot. 

It seemed only metal and elemental powers were safe, anything else would just decay at the contact with the Abyssal apparitions. 

"I am," Lumine barked back gritting her teeth. And she wasn’t lying, she was ready to continue fighting, until— 

The floor groaned. 

Only then did she notice how their surroundings had changed in the last few minutes. The once welcoming wooden walls and floorboards, previously so warm and cosy, now looked half rotten, as if the toxic air was peeling off their outer layer. The colour of the wood darkened, changed to a sickly mix of brown and black and just looking at it made Lumine feel a wave of nausea. 

It was as if they suddenly got stuck in the bowels of a beast, its digestive juices ready to melt them into a pile of goo if they were to tarry even a moment longer. 

But where could they possibly escape? 

The monsters were closing in from every direction—advancing up the stairs and spilling through the shattered windows, mingling with the creeping fog. Lumine and Ajax were like mice trapped in a cage—could only helplessly run around before the experiment would inevitably kill them. 

What a pity, she thought. Lumi really didn’t want to die. 

Childe, panting heavily, dropped to one knee beside her. Gripped her arm and she felt the wave of hydro energy spread over her wound, offering a gentle, cooling relief. He was by no means an experienced healer, nor should it have been his priority right now, but she was grateful for the care and effort. 

It’s been a while since she had someone to rely on. 

She covered his palm with her own, and for a fleeting moment, it felt as though the rest of the world had faded away. Nothing remained but the two of them, their desperately clasped hands, and a silent yearning mirrored in their eyes. 

If only we had more time.  

To get to know each other. To build a proper friendship. Face more challenges side by side, laugh together, share stories and... perhaps find peace in each other’s arms. The attraction had been there since the moment they’d met, neither could deny it. 

What possibilities could it have unlocked? What chances might it have offered? What if...? 

But now, it was nothing more than a fleeting "what if," a dream that would never come to pass. 

Lumine hated situations with no way out. But her friend from Mondstadt, Venti, once told her: if there’s no way out, just make one.  

And so she did. 

Drawing upon the last reserves of her elemental power, the girl concentrated all her anemo energy into her fist and slammed it into the floor. It gave way easier than expected. Childe let out a startled shout and pulled her closer as the two tumbled down, falling through the ceiling into the kitchen down below. 

*~*~* 

Groaning in pain, scratched and bruised, they lay amidst the debris scattered across the kitchen floor. For a precious few moments, nothing was actively trying to kill them, which felt almost luxurious after the experience they just went through. 

"You’ve got quite the style, Lumine," Ajax commented, a hint of amusement in his voice. She couldn’t help but notice it was the second time he’d used her name, and she realized she rather liked the way it sounded when he said it. 

The girl tried to push herself up, but barely had any strength left. Lying sprawled across his body was pretty awkward, though. Childe, however, didn’t seem to mind; his arm tightened securely around her waist. 

"Caw!" 

He closed his eyes in resignation. The accursed crow—miraculously unscathed after the chaos of the fight upstairs—landed on Lumine’s back, fixing them with a stern, almost judgmental gaze, as if to say there’s a time and place for everything. And shameless flirting was not what they should be focusing on right now. Lumi shook her head and with a tired smile rested her forehead against Ajax’s chest. 

"That bird must be a demon sent straight from hell to torment us," The man was absolutely convinced of it. 

"A demon, huh… Then let’s call it Paimon." 

"You want a pet crow? The greedy thing that eats garbage and will probably steal all your trinkets the first chance it gets?" 

"It has pretty good survival instincts. I’d say it’s earned a name." 

Contrary to their playful banter, Paimon was so much more. 

Seizing the moment, she delivered a quick peck to Lumine’s side. The girl flinched—bird beaks could be exceptionally sharp. However, after a heartbeat, she noticed that despite the surprise attack, the crow didn't actually hurt her. Instead, it had struck something solid tucked in her pocket. 

Curious, Lumi carefully retrieved the object and gasped, seeing the faint purple glow emanating from the piece of a mask she had taken from the cemetery. Childe grabbed her wrist, all traces of amusement instantly gone from his face. 

"What is that? It reeks of Abyssal energy from a mile away," Ajax said, his tone turning darker. The object's aura, contrary to the monsters above, didn’t burn the skin on contact, but just looking at it made the man’s vision blur and twist. There was no question—it was dangerous. 

"It's Dainsleif's mask—or at least a piece of it. I found it in the coffin I pulled you out of." 

"Well, that explains why the Abyssal monsters are after us. This thing is probably what’s drawing them in. We have to get rid of it." 

The girl narrowed her eyes, yanking her arm from his grip and taking a step back. 

"I'm not leaving it. It’s the only lead I have to find Aether." 

"You won’t find anyone if you’re dead," Ajax barked angrily, his voice sharp with frustration. They might have just fought side by side, joked around together and shared an emotionally charged moment, most probably influenced by a near-dead experience, but both were aware that their alliance had very shaky foundations. Especially when their interest didn’t exactly align. Like right now. 

Childe just wanted to survive. 

And Lumine couldn’t let go of this hard-earned glimmer of hope. 

The growls of the Abyssal creatures were getting closer again. The time they had earned themselves thanks to the desperate escape to the floor below was quickly running out. Right now, the two should have been planning their next move, but instead were on the verge of turning against each other. Deep down neither wanted it. Deep down, they felt inexplicable fondness towards each other—an undeniable sense of camaraderie. It was hard to overlook how seamlessly they worked together—their banters hit all the right notes and their movements in battle were as fluid and coordinated as a well-oiled machine. 

They sensed that this encounter was something monumental in their lives—and whatever they decide in this chaotic moment would shape their future. 

Can you trust someone you met only a few hours ago? 

Tick-tock, tick-tock. The cuckoo clock in the living room suddenly seemed to quicken its rhythm, as if urging them to act faster. 

Can you betray someone who saved your life? 

The floor trembled under the march of the Abyssal army—creatures they could normally handle with ease, but in this case, it felt like they were fighting ghosts. How do you kill something that’s already dead? How do you banish a spectre made of energy that poisons the air and drains the very life from everything around it? 

"Caw!" 

In the end, important decisions should never be made without a guide. Such a guide is sometimes a person hired to do this job, a guardian spirit from tales of old you may call a yaksha or a youkai, or even a floating fairy. 

Ajax and Lumine, however, were saved by a very busybody crow. 

The animal charged at the mask lying in Lumine’s hand and pecked it again with all its might! 

The flash of light was blinding! It was nighttime, yet for a second everything became so bright, showered in warmth akin to sunlight, the girl could only sigh in pleasure. Her muscles, tired and taut just a moment ago, finally relaxed, and she felt rejuvenated. Healed. 

And incredibly sleepy. 

It was the worst possible moment for losing consciousness, but neither Lumine nor Ajax had any say in this matter. 

Their minds slowly drifted off, enveloped by bliss. 

Chapter Text

When Lumine opened her eyes, she almost immediately squeezed them shut again. The glaring sunlight pouring into the kitchen through the shattered window was blindingly intense, and the battered shutter swaying in it groaned with a sense of hopelessness. 

It took her a moment to grasp that it was already morning. 

The realisation hit her like a jolt and instantly sobered the girl up. The previous night had been the worst she had ever experienced. First came the oppressive fog, followed by the attack of the Abyssal phantoms, and finally the crow, whom she had tentatively befriended, did something magical to Dain’s mask. 

Now, the once sinister item looked ordinary and harmless. It was almost hard to believe that mere hours ago it caused so much harm... 

I don’t remember anything after that, she thought, looking around the room. Sure enough, the black-and-white bird, their pushy companion and unexpected saviour, dozed off on top of one of the kitchen cabinets. 

But Ajax was nowhere to be seen. 

There was no trace of any monsters either, but that much was expected—given the dire events of the previous night, if any still roved the house, she wouldn’t be sitting here having this inner dialogue right now. 

We could have died. The thought sent a chill down her spine. But thanks to Paimon’s surprising ability to seal the Abyssal energy leaking from the mask and therefore close the rift in reality that allowed the apparitions to invade, their lives had been spared in the nick of time. 

A surge of barely contained giddiness bubbled within her. 

The girl wanted to jump up, cheer at the top of her lungs, maybe even share a celebratory high-five with the man who had fought alongside her the night before. While Paimon played a key role in solving this crisis, Ajax’s assistance was also indispensable. It didn’t matter that they butted heads and argued. Now that the immediate threat was gone, they finally had the chance to truly get to know one another. She realised she wouldn't mind that. At all.

"Ajax? Ajaaax!" she called, letting her voice carry through the house and echo. 

The crow cracked one eye open, giving her a suspicious look but seeing nothing of importance, at least in its opinion, was happening, promptly went back to sleep. 

"Where did you go..." Lumine muttered to herself, wandering into the wrecked living room. It was a scene of utter chaos, as though a tornado had ripped through. Feathers from shredded pillows, splintered wood from broken furniture, and fragments of shattered porcelain were strewn everywhere. She moved carefully, stepping around the debris, but stopped abruptly when a knock sounded at the door. 

"Excuse me, Miss Lumine, are you there?" 

The girl sighed recognising the hesitant voice—it was the town mayor. The very guy who had conveniently failed to mention that her new position came with a delightful benefit in the form of a haunted house. 

She tried to be calm and understanding. She really did. 

But when Lumine accidentally tripped over what was left of the greenish armchair and faceplanted onto the floor, something inside her snapped. 

She stormed towards the entrance, ready to give the man a piece of her mind, but paused just before yanking the door open. Although her impulsive side wanted to hit the mayor for what she had gone through the previous night, her more rational side knew that he wasn’t truly at fault. She had brought misfortune upon herself by digging up long-buried graves and sticking her fingers into dangerous mysteries, hadn’t she? 

After counting to ten and taking a deep breath, she opened the door in a much more civilised manner. 

"Hello," she greeted, trying not to let her distaste sip into her tone. 

"Miss Lumine, hello!" replied the mayor, a short, middle-aged man with an impressive moustache, visibly relieved. It wasn’t hard to see why—from the outside, the house looked even more disastrous, as though it might crumble at any moment. To be honest, it was a miracle it hadn’t collapsed while she’d been unconscious. But that realisation only made her worry about Ajax more. 

"I wasn't aware the building was in such a bad shape. I will immediately arrange for new housing—" 

Lumine wasn’t interested in his excuses. She seized the mayor by the wrist and pulled him inside. 

"You’re going to help me find someone," the girl declared firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument. 

"F-find? Here?" he stammered, his eyes darting uneasily around the wreckage. The roof groaned as if trying to support his case—going back inside truly wasn’t the best idea. 

"Yes, here. Someone helped me yesterday when..." Lumine hesitated, catching herself before mentioning the Abyssal spirits. There was no way this person here would believe her if she brought up a ghost attack. And sadly outside of Natlan people tended to underestimate the threat posed by the Abyss. "...when the house started falling apart. We got separated, and then I blacked out. I’m worried he might still be trapped somewhere around here." 

Yup, that sounded like a more plausible story. 

"A-and who exactly was this man?" the mayor asked nervously. 

"His name is Ajax. He’s tall, with ginger hair, and he’s a... skilled fighter." 

The Fatui apparently had a dubious reputation even in Snezhnaya, so bringing that up directly would likely not be a good idea. But the man’s attention, surprisingly, was caught by something else. 

"Ajax, you say? Huh. I knew a boy by that name once. Real troublemaker, that one was," the mayor chuckled, briefly relaxing as he drifted into old memories. "Couldn’t sit still even for a second, always in the middle of whatever mess was happening. Haven’t seen him in years, though. I wonder what he’s up to now." 

Something very shady, most likely. As you would expect from the Fatui because Lumine had no doubt they were talking about the same person. Ajax admitted himself that this was his hometown. 

But... a troublemaker, huh? She smiled, somehow it didn’t surprise her at all. 

For the next hour, despite the dangerous creaking and groaning of the devastated house, the two of them scoured the place in search of the missing man and ended up empty-handed. There was no sign of him anywhere. 

Literally.  

The poker he snapped in half in the living room was still intact, whole and undamaged. Blood from the wound on his neck stained the couch they sat on upstairs, yet there wasn’t a single trace of red on the fabric. The walls and floor should have been covered with marks left by his water blades—in Lumine’s eyes his fighting style was a chaotic mess at times—but there was nothing to be found. 

She felt as though she was going mad. 

The mayor was watching her with a mix of concern and pity—probably thought she had completely lost it after everything she’d been through. Even dared to imply that she might have hit her head amidst all this chaos and that led to disorientation and confusion. 

It couldn’t be true... right? She didn’t just imagine a person; he was right here! For gods’ sake, this is not something that can simply be attributed to stress and anxiety. 

She held his hand, bandaged his wound, felt his warmth when he hugged her! 

But all the signs suggested otherwise. 

Unable to hold herself back any longer, Lumine ran. She ignored the mayor’s startled shouts and didn’t care how crazy she must have appeared, suddenly sprinting towards the door and then into the graveyard in clothes stained by blood and mud, her eyes wild with desperation. 

She just had to make sure. 

The proof was right there. 

The hole she dug out, Dainsleif’s empty grave, just a few more steps and everything would be clear— 

There was nothing.  

It felt like she had slammed into a wall while running at full speed. A sharp pain shot through her head, and her entire body felt drained. Lumine collapsed to her knees, staring at the undisturbed earth and the wild daisies timidly beginning to sprout upon it. The letters on the headstone spelt some unknown Snezhnayan name, and the thin cord running from within the buried coffin to the nearby post with a small bell remained intact. Then, pushed by a stronger gust of wind, the bell rang, as if mocking her distress. 

It was a pretty sound. Not at all as eerie as last night. 

If that even happened. 

Perhaps the mayor was right all along and the nerves and loneliness had caused her to imagine this entire crisis? The monsters were the manifestation of her troubled mind, and Ajax was simply a projection of the companionship she didn’t even realise she was yearning for. 

But if that whole affair never took place, how come a fragment of Dain's mask was still tucked away, briefly forgotten, in the pocket of her now-not-so-white dress? 

It was a question she would have to confront later. And once again, she would be forced to face the repercussions all on her own. 

*~*~* EPILOGUE *~*~* 

There was nothing quite as pleasant as the gentle breeze sweeping through Mondstadt. 

Lumine lay stretched out on the soft grass beneath the sprawling branches of the great oak tree at Windrise. Her eyes were shut, though not out of sleepiness; she was simply savouring a peaceful moment of rest. 

Six months had gone by since that fateful night in Morepesok. It was both: a lot and not nearly enough time to figure out what had happened back then. In all honesty, Lumi had come to terms with the idea that she might never fully grasp why her imagination had played such a trick on her—or where exactly she had found the piece of Dainsleif's mask. Maybe she had dug it out of some box in the gravedigger’s house, and the Abyssal energy lingering within its walls had distorted her perception of reality? 

Well, whatever had occurred that night, she had more pressing matters on her mind now. 

After returning to her family home in Mondstadt, the girl went through all the clues she gathered so far about Aether’s whereabouts, and decided that the next stop on her journey would be Sumeru. Rumour had it that the Dendro Archon was a rather kind person, so with that in mind, seeking guidance from the God of Wisdom didn’t seem like such a bad idea. 

"Caw!" 

Lumi smiled, lazily opening her eyes to glance at the black-and-white crow perched on a nearby stone. One positive thing had come out of her trip to Snezhnaya—she had gained a travel companion. The bird, whom she named Paimon, followed her all the way back to Mondstadt, and just as Lumi had been warned, she had a voracious appetite and an insatiable love for shiny objects. Still, despite the chaos the little creature brought into her life, the company of the animal added an unexpected spark of joy to her otherwise empty days, and so their partnership was formed. 

The wind chimes hanging from the oak tree swayed slowly caressed by a gentle gust of wind, their delicate melody carried by the breeze. The sound caught Lumine’s attention. She had no idea who had placed the small decoration at Windrise or when, but she found the gesture quite charming. The soft, ethereal tinkling of the chimes had a whimsical, almost fairy-tale quality to it that stirred the imagination. Listening to it made one feel as though the world was brimming with endless potential. That anything was possible. 

Truly anything.  

"You’ve found yourself quite the spot, girlie." 

In a heartbeat, the blonde was on her feet, her sword drawn and pressed against the man’s neck. The blade hovered dangerously close, ready to end his life at any moment, yet he didn’t so much as flinch. He merely smiled at her, calmly watching everything unfold with his lifeless eyes. 

Lumine froze, her jaw slack in shock. 

Her grip on the weapon trembled. 

"But... But how?" 

It was all she could manage to articulate. To say she looked like she had seen a ghost would be an understatement—because, in her eyes, she truly was staring at one. 

At a man who shouldn’t exist. 

Who was just a figment of her imagination. 

But that cheeky grin, those deep blue eyes, the messy fiery hair and freckles scattered around his nose like stars in the night sky..! 

When he suddenly flicked her forehead, and the sharp sting of pain jolted through her body, Lumi could no longer deny the truth. He was here. He was here for real.  

"Hey, keep staring at me like that, and I might start to think you actually missed me," Ajax laughed, but she didn’t. 

It was almost too much to take in. 

"Where have you been? And why did you disappear that day without a word?" These questions had haunted her more than she cared to admit over the past few months. He haunted her more for someone who supposedly wasn’t real. 

"Ah, yeah, sorry about that,” Ajax muttered, seemingly unaware of her inner turmoil, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. Then, to Lumine’s surprise, pulled something unexpected from his pocket. "The truth is, turns out I wasn’t really there with you that night. Like I told you, I was tracking a dragon with my unit. We found it, killed it, and this"—he handed her the second fragment of Dainsleif’s mask; as she held it alongside the first fragment, the pieces fit together seamlessly, finally forming a whole—"I found in its lair. From what the others told me, the moment I touched it, I was enveloped by Abyssal energy and passed out. If I had to guess, my spirit must have been ripped from my body and drawn to the other part of the mask." 

"And when Paimon purified the Abyssal corruption, you were free to return to your body." 

It sounded unbelievable, yet it made perfect sense. 

"Yeah," Ajax nodded. "I was out cold for about two weeks. If it weren’t for you and your new friend, I might never have woken up. So... thank you. I mean it." 

The unexpected sincerity made Lumine slightly uncomfortable. They didn’t spend a lot of time together, so playful banter felt more fitting for them than such serious confessions. She suddenly felt self-conscious, unsure of what to do with her hands. With the immediate threat to their life no longer hanging over her, she had the space to truly notice—and let it sink in—that Ajax was quite a handsome man. And even more charming when he looked at her with that warm, gentle softness in his eyes. 

She felt her cheeks heating up. 

"Before we parted you said you have a whole journey ahead of you," Ajax recalled her words. Over the past few months, as he searched for this girl he initially thought he must have dreamt up, only having her name and a few vague details to go on, he came back to these words a lot. They were filled with life and purpose—something he lacked yet desperately longed for. Fatui didn’t bring him the fulfilment he desired, but maybe this pretty and feisty blonde would be able to do it and fill his existence with colours and emotions he never stopped to consider? After all, as they finally had the chance to speak again, one such feeling shyly began to spout in both of their hearts. "So... care for a travel companion? I want to help you find your brother." 

"What about the Fatui?" 

He shrugged with nonchalance, pointing to his empty jacket. The insignia that had once been pinned to it were now gone. "I quit." 

"You did what?! ...You can actually do that?" 

"If you’re just a regular soldier, then probably not, but," he grinned with mischief, "who could stop a Harbinger? We generally just do what we want." 

Lumine’s world spun. 

A Harbinger?!  

This guy was a Harbinger and he just walked away from it to travel the world with her? 

"But why?" She couldn’t wrap her head around it. 

"Ah, that’s easy." He absentmindedly brushed a wind-tousled strand of her hair behind her ear. Wanted to do that ever since that moment by the piano. "I think life’s more fun when we’re together." 

It was such a simple, almost childlike response. Yet, she couldn’t deny that she agreed with it. 

In the short hours they had spent together, facing danger and fighting for their lives side by side, they had grown really close very fast. Perhaps too fast, some might say, but for once, she didn’t feel that way. 

Whatever connection had formed between them that night was real. It had brought two strangers together, giving them a chance to meet when they might never have crossed paths otherwise. 

And they both subconsciously sensed that this encounter would change their lives forever. Lead them to a moment where they would not only travel side by side but also hand in hand, fingers tightly intertwined. 

Lumine extended her palm. 

"Okay then. Let’s do this, partner." 

But instead of shaking it, Ajax took a step closer and happily pulled her into a warm hug. 

"I’m in your care, comrade." 

"Caw!" Paimon, as if jealous, suddenly took flight and swooped down landing on Childe’s head. The man laughed, remembering how it had already happened before. 

"Okay okay, you two Paimon. Let’s get along." 

Lumine, giggling herself, took a deep breath and inhaled the sea scent that lingered on Ajax’s jacket. It was pleasant and soothing. 

This marked the start of a new chapter for her. The road ahead was still long and fraught with danger, but now she was no longer alone. For the first time since Aether left, Lumi felt ready to face whatever challenges Teyvat had in store for her. 

With two loyal companions by her side, she would walk this new path with her head held high. 

One day, she would find her brother. 

One day, she would learn a shocking truth, and she would be faced with an impossible choice. 

But before that happens, she would also have time to grow—both as a warrior and as a person. She would learn to hate, and she would learn to love. 

And no matter what, a certain ginger-haired boy she had pulled from a coffin on that foggy Snezhnayan night would be there with her. And for her. Unwavering, through every challenge and every victory. From the darkest moments to the brightest, offering both strength and comfort. No matter the trials ahead he would be her constant, her anchor. 

Every step of the way.